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Poly Rectors’ No-Show Forces Budget Defence Postponement

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…as Reps warn that poor attendance undermines accountability and weakens oversight of public funds*

By Gloria Ikibah

Tempers flared at the National Assembly on Friday as members of the House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnics and Other Higher Technical Education voiced frustration over what they described as a dismal showing by heads of federal polytechnics at the 2026 budget defence session.

The committee, chaired by Rep. Fuad Laguda, was left visibly unimpressed after only four of the 14 invited institutions turned up for the crucial exercise. Ten rectors failed to appear, a development the panel regarded as both disappointing and unacceptable.

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Out of the 36 federal polytechnics nationwide, just 22 had submitted their budget reports ahead of the session. Lawmakers viewed this as a troubling sign of lax compliance with legislative oversight obligations.

Even among the institutions that had met the submission requirement, attendance remained sparse. Representation came from the rectors of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa and Federal Polytechnic Idah in Kogi State, alongside bursars from Federal Polytechnic Bauchi and Federal Polytechnic Bali in Taraba State.

Committee members were informed that some of the absent rectors attributed their non-attendance to the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory elections and the overnight restriction on vehicular movement between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

However, the panel maintained that such explanations fell short of justifying their absence, stressing that the budget defence process remains a central pillar of accountability and public sector governance.

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“We invited 14 polytechnics here today; only four showed up. While some have cited the election taking place tomorrow in the FCT and the restriction on movement of vehicles from 8 p.m. till 6 a.m. as reasons, we believe institutions of this magnitude ought to plan better. These are national assignments, and attendance should not be treated lightly,” he stated.

Rep. Laguda stressed that the budget defence process is not a mere formality but a vital part of the National Assembly’s constitutional duty to safeguard transparency, enforce accountability and ensure that public funds are properly managed. He cautioned that ignoring such invitations sends the wrong signal and weakens the culture of responsibility expected within public institutions.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the session, the chairman disclosed that the committee had been left with little choice but to postpone the exercise to a later date in light of the poor turnout.

“Due to logistics and administrative lapses, we will not be able to proceed with the four federal polytechnics present today — Nasarawa, Idah, Bauchi and Bali. We are adjourning and postponing their appearance until a new date when we expect a fuller house. We hope that by then, all polytechnics would have complied with our request and will be present for proper engagement”, he added.

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Despite the setback, the Committee received and adopted the report presented by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje, as a working document to guide further deliberations.

Rep. Laguda used the opportunity to send a strong message to leadership across Federal Polytechnics, urging Rectors to sit up and demonstrate greater commitment to institutional development and accountability.

He stressed that the Committee’s oversight actions should not be misconstrued as punitive or adversarial.

“The House is not out to witch-hunt anyone. Our responsibility is to strengthen these institutions and ensure they are positioned to deliver on their mandate. Oversight is about improvement, not intimidation.”

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The Chairman underscored the urgent need for Nigeria’s polytechnic system to reclaim its pride of place as a hub for technical innovation, vocational excellence, and manpower development.

According to him, the country cannot achieve meaningful industrialization, job creation, and economic diversification without a vibrant and properly managed technical education sector.

He urged Rectors to refocus their leadership priorities toward restoring polytechnics to their “glory days,” when they were widely respected for producing highly skilled, technically competent, and industry-ready graduates.

“Our polytechnics must be repositioned to churn out employable graduates who can compete globally and meet the technological and industrial needs of Nigeria. Leadership at that level must reflect seriousness, planning, and strategic direction,” he said.

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The Committee reaffirmed its resolve to maintain close cooperation with the polytechnics, the National Board for Technical Education and other key stakeholders to strengthen funding efficiency, upgrade infrastructure and raise academic standards across the sector.

A fresh date for the postponed budget defence will be announced in due course. Members have called on all affected institutions to ensure they are fully prepared and properly represented when the session resumes.

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Just in: FRSC Starts 2026 Nationwide Recruitment

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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has officially commenced its 2026 nationwide recruitment exercise, beckoning on qualified Nigerians to apply for various positions across its Officer, Marshal Inspectorate and Road Marshal Assistant cadres.

According to the Corps, the online application portal opened on Friday, July 3, 2026, and will remain accessible for four weeks. The recruitment exercise is completely free, with the agency warning applicants not to pay any individual or organization claiming to facilitate employment.

Interested applicants are required to submit their applications through the official FRSC recruitment portal at HERE

Available Cadres
The recruitment covers three major categories:

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Officer Cadre – Open to holders of B.Sc., BA, HND and other relevant professional qualifications.

Marshal Inspectorate Cadre – Available for candidates with qualifications such as ND, NCE and other approved credentials.
Road Marshal Assistant Cadre – Includes opportunities for eligible SSCE holders, artisans and drivers, depending on the position.
Required Documents
Applicants are advised to prepare the following before beginning their application:

National Identification Number (NIN)
Educational certificates
Birth certificate or age declaration
Recent passport photograph
NYSC discharge, exemption or exclusion certificate (where applicable)
The FRSC also advises applicants to use their personal email address and phone number during registration and to ensure all information provided is accurate. Shortlisted candidates will be required to present printed copies of their completed application forms during the screening process.

The Corps urged interested Nigerians seeking a career in the Federal Government to apply early in order to avoid heavy traffic on the recruitment portal before the application window closes.

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Finally, US Confirms Withdrawal Of Troops From Nigeria

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The United States has withdrawn the majority of its military personnel deployed to Nigeria for a joint counterterrorism mission in the Lake Chad Basin, while maintaining intelligence sharing and other security cooperation with Nigerian authorities.

Commander of US Air Forces in Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, announced the development during a virtual press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.

He said the partnership between Washington and Abuja remained active, particularly in intelligence operations targeting the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh).

According to Anderson, the specific mission that required the deployment of US troops has been completed, prompting the withdrawal of most personnel.

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However, he noted that the United States would continue providing intelligence assistance at the request of the Nigerian government.

“And so that operation in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria not only helped the countries in that immediate region; it also helps countries globally as that disrupts the ISIS network,” Anderson said.

“And so — and then we have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation, but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary to be able to prosecute these difficult tasks,” he added.

The US Air Force commander described Nigeria as a key regional partner with a capable military, saying the collaboration between both nations had produced notable gains in the fight against ISIS.

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He credited intelligence cooperation between the two countries for enabling an operation that eliminated the second-highest-ranking figure in the global ISIS network.

“I think there partnership that we’ve shown recently with Nigeria, where Nigeria’s a very capable and large country — it’s got a strong economy; it’s got a large, educated population; it’s got a very capable military.

“But there are things that we have learned in the counterterrorist fight over several years that we were able to assist and integrate with them to help them with their intelligence and help with the intelligence sharing that eventually led to a cooperative effort to where we were able to bring some unique capabilities that the U.S. brings and be able to prosecute together the number two leader within the ISIS or Daesh organization who is responsible for much of their global operations, their global media, and their recruiting”, he said.

Anderson said the operation underscored the effectiveness of intelligence collaboration over prolonged foreign troop deployments.

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“So I think as we go forward, that is an example of how we’re looking at engaging with partners to help them be more effective by only bringing unique U.S. capabilities that allow the partner to be effective in these fights,” he said.

He also called for deeper intelligence cooperation among African countries to tackle terrorism, drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes.

The US commander cited a recent multinational operation that intercepted a record 31-ton shipment of cocaine originating from South America and passing through the West African coastline, saying effective intelligence sharing made the seizure possible.

“I was able to coordinate through our interagency in the United States, through AFRICOM, and then notify some of the partners. And eventually it was a Spanish ship that interdicted the ship that had 31 tons of cocaine on it, and it turns out is the largest interdiction of drugs at sea that we’ve ever seen,” Anderson said.

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He added that sustained collaboration among African governments, international allies and private-sector stakeholders would be vital to confronting security challenges while fostering economic growth and attracting investment across the continent.

The United States deployed about 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to assist with intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin as both countries expanded cooperation against ISIS and other extremist groups operating in the region.

The deployment came after US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and pledged increased American support for counterterrorism efforts.

On December 25, 2025, US forces carried out air strikes on two terrorist camps in the Bauni Forest, located in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

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The security partnership reached a major milestone in May 2026 when a joint US-Nigerian operation killed Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIS, during a raid on his hideout in Borno State.

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Ogoni family demands justice for son arrested at age 14, jailed 18 years without trial

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An Ogoni family in Rivers State has instituted legal proceedings against the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government and the Federal Ministry of Interior over the alleged unlawful detention of their son, Gospel Kinanee, who spent 18 years in prison without trial after he was reportedly arrested as a 14-year-old boy.

The lawsuit follows Gospel’s recent release from custody after nearly two decades behind bars, a period during which he was allegedly denied his constitutional right to a fair hearing and access to legal representation.

Speaking during an interview with Arise News, Gospel’s elder brother, Paul Kinanee, narrated the family’s painful ordeal, describing the years of uncertainty as one marked by relentless searches, emotional trauma and devastating loss.News

According to him, Gospel disappeared one night in 2007, prompting family members to launch an extensive search across Rivers State. They visited several police stations, detention centres and correctional facilities in a desperate attempt to locate him, but every effort proved unsuccessful.

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Paul disclosed that the family even searched the Port Harcourt Maximum Security Custodial Centre, where Gospel was unknowingly being held, but officials reportedly informed them that no inmate bearing his name was in custody.

He said the prolonged uncertainty over Gospel’s whereabouts had a profound emotional impact on the family, adding that both their mother and father died without ever knowing what had happened to their son.

The family’s search came to an unexpected end when a lawyer conducting a routine visit to the prison noticed an inmate whose appearance matched descriptions of the missing teenager. Suspecting he could be the long-lost Gospel, the lawyer later returned to the facility with Paul Kinanee, who immediately recognised his younger brother.

By the time of the reunion, Gospel was 32 years old, having spent more than half of his life in detention.

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According to his family, the years of incarceration without trial, combined with prolonged isolation and harsh prison conditions, have left him with serious psychological and mental health challenges, making his rehabilitation a major concern.

Reports indicate that throughout his detention, Gospel was never formally tried before a court of law and was allegedly denied access to legal counsel, raising significant concerns over due process and the protection of fundamental human rights within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.Demographics

His freedom eventually came during a jail delivery exercise conducted by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, who reviewed the cases of inmates awaiting trial. Gospel was among 21 inmates ordered to be released during the exercise after it was discovered that they had been unlawfully or excessively detained.

The Kinanee family is now seeking substantial financial compensation and judicial accountability, arguing that the prolonged detention robbed Gospel of his childhood, education, opportunities and good health.

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They contend that the actions and alleged negligence of the relevant authorities caused irreversible damage to both Gospel and the entire family, which endured years of anguish while desperately searching for him.

The case has sparked renewed public concern over prolonged detention without trial in Nigeria and has intensified calls for comprehensive reforms aimed at preventing similar miscarriages of justice within the country’s criminal justice and correctional systems.

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