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Send Your Kid To School or get jailed – Gombe govt cautions parents

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Gombe State government says it would send parents and guardians to jail for not sending their children to schools.

Babaji Babadidi, Chairman, Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, said this on Monday at the inauguration of the 2025/2026 School Enrolment Campaign at Amada in Akko Local Government Area of the state.

He said that defaulting parents could face a two-month jail term under Section 19(2) of the SUBEB Amendment Law 2021.

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Babadidi said the measure was necessary to ensure that every child has access to quality basic education.

“Every parent should ensure that his child or ward attends and completes primary, junior and senior secondary education.

“Any parent, who contravene Section 19(2) of the law commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to pay a fine or serve a one-month prison sentence.

“Subsequent convictions also attract a substantial fine or imprisonment for a term of two months,” he said.

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Babadidi said prior to this enrolment campaign, the state government adopted a carrot approach by providing free education.

“However, if we fail to meet our target of enrolling 400,000 students into primary schools this session, we will revert to the stick approach by enforcing the law.”

The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Aishatu Maigari, said the state has over 700,000 out-of-school children.

According to Maigari, the North-East region accounts for 15 per cent of Nigeria’s 18.2 million out-of-school children.

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“We cannot sit and fold our arms while our children remain out-of-school. We will ensure every child is enrolled. Every child will receive quality education, and also learn a trade, which does not necessarily mean working for the government.

“An educated person can become an employer of labour through skills and entrepreneurship acquired in school,” she said.

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Deregistration: ADC youth wing petitions NJC, wants removal of Lifu

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The National Youth Wing of the opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC) has formally filed a petition against Justice Peter Odo Lifu, demanding his removal “from any and all adjudicatory matters, reviews, or decision-making roles concerning the ADC.”

In a petition dated June 18, 2026, addressed to the Executive Secretary, National Judicial Council (NJC), signed by ADC’s national youth leader, Comrade Balarabe Rufai.

While reading the content of the petition to media in front of the ADC National Secretariat, Comrade Rufai, who was represented by Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala, alleged that there were attempts to prevent them from submitting the petition at the NJC.

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According to him, all roads leading to the NJC, on Thursday were barricaded by heavily armed security agents; hence, the need to present the petition to the public.

The petition reads, “We demand the immediate, total removal of Hon. Justice Peter Odo Lifu from any and all adjudicatory matters, reviews, or decision-making roles concerning the ADC. Furthermore, given his pattern of flagrant judicial rascality, we explicitly demand that the National Judicial Council recommend his absolute dismissal from the Nigerian judiciary to preserve the fading credibility of the bench.

Our democratic architecture is under a coordinated assault by compromised custodians of the law. Under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, Hon. Justice Peter Odo Lifu delivered a highly controversial ruling ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties. This judgment is not an honest legal error; it is a calculated, politically motivated act designed to shrink the democratic space in Nigeria and artificially consolidate a two-party monopoly.”

While lamenting what he described as “legal distortions and judicial rascality tying Justice Lifu to this systemic compromise,” the ADC Youth leader said, “Justice Lifu brazenly proceeded with this judgment despite a binding Court of Appeal order that explicitly stayed proceedings on this matter, a move that subverts the sacred doctrine of stare decisis and constitutes gross misconduct.”

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“The bench looked away as the plaintiffs, the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, clandestinely altered their legal personality midway through the process without a valid court order.

While the NJC has previously dismissed certain claims due to standard procedural hurdles, the persistence of these identical accusations across multiple petitions—including those by the Chairman of the Boot Party—proves a systemic erosion of public trust.

“We cannot watch the political rights of millions of young Nigerians be auctioned off by compromised benches. The continuous involvement of Justice Lifu in ADC affairs completely destroys public trust and makes a mockery of fair hearings. As the protectors of our nation’s future, we declare that when the bench compromises its integrity, the youth will become the courtroom of public conscience. The ballot box belongs to us, and we will not allow any court to rob us of our political expression.”

Until the Council acts to protect institutional integrity, enforces discipline, completely recuses this individual from our affairs, and begins the process for his immediate sack from the bench. Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Nigerian youth during a live protest.”

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Fire reportedly engulfs Polaris bank in Lagos

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Fire outbreak has been reported at a commercial building housing a Polaris Bank branch on Broad Street, Lagos Island.

While reports of casualties is still sketchy at the time of filing this report, authorities are yet to officially confirm the number of injuries.

Emergency responders are reportedly at the scene battling the blaze and assessing the extent of the damage. (Guardian)

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Peter Obi opens up on political future after 2027, says I may not contest Presidency again

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Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi has opened up on his political career saying that the 2027 general election could mark the end of his long-standing ambition to lead Nigeria.

Obi opened up on a question posed by a secondary school student who asked whether he would still consider another presidential run if he contests in 2027 and fails to win.

The ex-Anambra State governor said his response was shaped by Nigeria’s long-standing zoning arrangement, which rotates political power between the northern and southern regions of the country.

According to Obi, if the 2027 election does not go in his favour, political realities may likely shift power to the North in 2031, further influencing his long-term political decisions.

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Obi explained that by the time the presidency possibly returns to the southern region after that cycle, he would be approaching 78 years of age, a factor he believes could limit his ability to remain actively engaged in a presidential race.

Because of this, he suggested that 2027 may realistically represent his final serious attempt at the nation’s highest office.

He said his position is not rigid, noting that political dynamics can still change before then, but emphasized that his current thinking is guided by both age and Nigeria’s political structure.

Obi also acknowledged that while there remains a theoretical possibility of another attempt if circumstances shift, he is not depending on that outcome.

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His comments have already stirred conversations about succession politics, zoning agreements, and the future of presidential ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

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