News
17 children killed in Kenya school fire
By Francesca Hangeior.
At least 17 children died after a fire ripped through their primary school dormitory overnight in central Kenya, police said Friday.
The blaze in Nyeri county’s Hillside Endarasha Academy broke out at around midnight, police said, engulfing rooms where the children were sleeping.
The primary school caters to some 800 pupils, aged between roughly five and 12.
“There are 17 fatalities from this incident and there are also others who were taken to hospital with serious injuries,” national police spokesperson Resila Onyango told journalists.
“The bodies recovered at the scene were burnt beyond recognition,” she said.
Police said the average age of the victims was around nine years old.
Several others were injured, Onyango said, 16 of them seriously, and had been rushed to a nearby hospital.
“More bodies are likely to be recovered once (the) scene is fully processed,” she said.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, she said, but an investigation had been launched.
President William Ruto expressed his condolences.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in the fire tragedy,” he said in a post on X.
“This is devastating news.”
He said he had instructed officials to “thoroughly investigate this horrific incident”, and promised that those responsible will be “held to account”.
The school is located around 170 kilometres (100 miles) north of the capital Nairobi, in Nyeri county.
Local media showed relatives gathering outside the school building, anxiously waiting in the early morning mist for updates on their children.
Kenya’s Citizen TV showed images of what appeared to be the aftermath of the blaze, with blackened corrugated iron roofing that had collapsed in on itself.
The Kenyan Red Cross said it was on the ground assisting a multi-agency response team.
In a post on X, it said it was “providing psychosocial support services to the pupils, teachers and affected families”.
“Heartbreaking news from Kenya as a school fire has caused devastation. Our thoughts are with all affected,” said Jagan Chapagain, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
President Bola Tinubu has approved a fresh set of appointments across critical institutions in Nigeria’s education sector, reinforcing leadership in examination bodies, technical education, and national library services.
The appointments were confirmed in an official statement issued by the Presidency on Wednesday.
New and Renewed Appointments
Among those appointed is Modupe Adeola Adelabu, who will serve as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Examinations Council.
Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi has been retained as Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, ensuring continuity in the management of the national examination body.
In the technical education space, Babatunde Salako has been appointed Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Board for Technical Education.
Meanwhile, Idris Bugaje has been reappointed as Executive Secretary of NBTE for a second and final five-year term.
Polytechnic and Library Leadership
The President also approved the appointment of Bongfa Binfa as Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, N’yak-Shendam in Plateau State, where he will serve a five-year tenure.
Additionally, Chinwe Veronica Anunobi has had her tenure renewed as Director-General/Chief Executive of the National Library of Nigeria for a final five-year term.
Focus on Continuity and Stability
The mix of fresh appointments and renewals suggests a strategy aimed at maintaining stability while strengthening leadership across key education agencies.
Observers say such decisions are critical to sustaining reforms, improving institutional performance, and ensuring continuity in policy implementation within the sector.
The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment regarding an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reinstate its national convention, which was previously nullified by the Court of Appeal.
The convention in question took place on November 15 and 16, 2025, at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A five-member panel of Justices, led by Justice Lawal Garba, announced that a date for the final ruling would be communicated to all parties involved.
This decision followed the adoption of written briefs by legal representatives for and against the appeal.
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP is urging the apex court to set aside the lower court’s decision, which invalidated the Ibadan convention.
The faction maintains that the dispute is an “internal party affair, which is not justiciable,” and argues that all necessary legal procedures were followed during the event.
However, previous rulings from the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal favored aggrieved members, barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the convention’s outcomes and restricting access to the party’s national secretariat.
The legal trouble began in October 2025, when Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court stopped the convention from proceeding.
The judge ruled that the party had failed to conduct valid state congresses as required by the 1999 Constitution, INEC guidelines, and the PDP’s own constitution, stating that the party must comply with “relevant statutory provisions including the Electoral Act and Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties (2022).”
A second major blow came from Justice Peter Lifu, who ordered the party to halt the convention after a suit was filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.
Lamido alleged he was unfairly excluded from the chairmanship race. Justice Lifu noted:“The evidence before the court established that Lamido was unjustly denied the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest the position of national chairman of the party, in violation of the PDP constitution and its internal regulations.”
On November 14, 2025—just one day before the event—Justice Lifu issued a final order restraining the party from moving forward, holding that the PDP had failed to “afford a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido the opportunity to prepare and contest as a chairmanship candidate.”
With the Supreme Court now set to have the final say, the PDP remains in a state of legal uncertainty as it awaits the verdict that will determine the legitimacy of its current national leadership.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has alerted members of the public to the
circulation of fraudulent messages, emails, and online communications purporting to originate from or be associated with the Apex Bank.
CBN in a statement issued and signed by Hakama Sidi-Ali (Mrs.) Ag. Director, Corporate Communications, noted that such communications and messages are intended to misinform members of the public.
“These fraudulent messages, which prompt recipients to click links, peddle false
information about the Bank’s leadership, licensing, and policy issues, are intended to hack personal accounts”.
The Bank cautioned that the official website of the Central Bank of Nigeria remains www.cbn.gov.ng. and warned Members of the public to strongly: Refrain from clicking links or sharing personal information on suspicious
websites, should Verify the authenticity of all CBN communications through the official website and recognised media outlets and: Report any suspected fraudulent site, email, or message to law enforcement authorities.
The CBN stated that it remained fully committed to safeguarding the Nigerian financial system and continues to strengthen its cybersecurity frameworks in collaboration with relevant agencies
to protect the public against digital fraud.
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