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TEHRAN — Millions of Iranian children returned to classrooms on Wednesday as schools across the country reopened after months of disruption linked to the war and security situation in the region.

Parents accompanied their children to school, with girls arriving in uniforms and mandatory headscarves, as the new academic year began in Tehran and other parts of Iran.

The reopening follows months of uncertainty after classes were suspended following the outbreak of the conflict on February 28. One of the deadliest incidents occurred in the southern city of Minab, where a school was struck during the conflict, killing dozens of people, including children.

Iranian officials said the tragedy had cast a shadow over preparations for the new school year, with authorities taking steps to mark the return of students while remembering those killed.

In Minab on Wednesday, Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology, Hossein Afshin, rang the school bell at a primary school to officially signal the start of the new academic term.

The traditional bell-ringing ceremony is normally associated with the president and forms part of nationwide celebrations welcoming approximately 16.5 million Iranian children back to school.

A separate ceremony featuring President Masoud Pezeshkian was held two days earlier this year, before the Iranian leader travelled to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

The reopening represents a return to normal educational activities after months in which the conflict disrupted daily life and forced schools to close in affected areas.

For many families, however, the first day back to school carries mixed emotions, coming after a period marked by military attacks, deaths and widespread disruption.

The government has sought to maintain the annual school-opening tradition despite the difficult circumstances, while officials have continued to commemorate victims of the conflict.

The new academic year will now see millions of Iranian students resume lessons as authorities attempt to restore regular schooling following the prolonged disruption.

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has said that the administration of President Bola Tinubu, has fundamentally redefined infrastructure development across the nation’s capital.

Wike made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja, while addressing newsmen after he inspected some ongoing road projects designed to de-congest traffic and unlock development across the territory.

The minister inspected the ongoing construction of Arterial Road SI, from Ring Road II to Arterial Road S20 (Oladipo Diya Way) in Kaura District and Collector Road C2 in Life Camp to Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way).

He also inspected the ongoing construction of Arterial Road N16 from Ring Road II to Ring Road III and the Jereton Mariere Street by the Apo Legislative Quarters in Gudu District, as well as the ongoing remodeling and renovation of the IBB Golf Course.

“We are happy because we can see that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has redefined infrastructure as far as the FCT is concern,” Wike said.

Expressing satisfaction with the pace of work and quality of execution, the minister said that the administration remained on track to deliver the projects ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He particularly expressed optimism that the Arterial Road N16 would be completed as scheduled, in spite of the complex terrain and heavy bridge construction on the road corridor.

He noted that in spite of the difficult geography, the firm guaranteed delivery by the first week of January.

“If that N16 job is completed, obviously, the entire area will be a different thing altogether. That is a very huge infrastructure landmark,” he said.

Speaking on the renovation of the IBB Golf Course, the minister reaffirmed that the club would be fully operational and ready to host major tournaments by November.

Addressing financial backings for the ongoing projects, Wike said that the 2026 capital budget had hit 60 per cent performance.

He added that in spite of initial delays in budget release that briefly affected contractor payments, funding flow had stabilised, enabling contractors to work at full capacity.

He dismissed political rhetoric ahead of the upcoming election cycle, while advising political office seekers to focus on presenting their records to voters rather than engaging in distractions.

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A police officer has allegedly been captured on video making political and ethnically charged comments about Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In the video circulating on social media, the unidentified officer, who appears to be dressed in Nigeria Police Force uniform and seated inside a vehicle, is heard claiming that an Igbo person cannot become president of Nigeria.

The officer also makes several unsubstantiated allegations against Obi, describing the former Anambra State governor as a “criminal,” “ritualist” and “Yahoo boy,” while claiming that he would turn Aso Rock into a “Yahoo office” if elected president.

The authenticity and full context of the video could not be independently established from the footage reviewed. The identity of the officer, his police unit and the circumstances surrounding the recording were also not immediately clear.

The officer is heard saying: “Igbo can never become president. No way. He will turn Abuja to become Yahoo office. They will take you to do rituals.”

He also questioned Obi’s suitability for the presidency and repeatedly referred to him as a “small child,” while comparing his political ambition with those of President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

“Even if he wins, let oga (Tinubu) use money and deal with him. He will not enter that place. We will waste all his money and all his strength. All the votes they will cast for him in Igboland are useless,” the officer said.

At another point, he declared that the 2027 presidential contest should be between Tinubu and Atiku, while calling for Obi to be removed from the race.

“It is better to leave these elderly men to be controlling us. If Atiku can defeat Tinubu, accepted. Let elderly man control us. He is our father who trained us. Obi will turn that Abuja to become a Yahoo office,” he said.

The officer further alleged that there was a longstanding political tradition preventing an Igbo man or woman from becoming Nigeria’s president.

“Who will ever give Igbo man or Igbo woman a chance to become the president of this country?” he asked, adding that Obi would finish “in fifth position” in the 2027 election.

The video also contains references to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and past political arrangements involving the vice presidency. However, the officer’s account of those events was not independently verified.

Some passengers in the vehicle can be heard speaking Igbo and apparently challenging or condemning the officer’s comments.

The remarks have generated reactions on social media, particularly over the fact that the speaker appears to be a serving police officer in uniform while openly discussing partisan politics and making comments about an ethnic group.

Nigeria’s Police Act and police regulations provide a framework governing the conduct and political neutrality of police personnel, although it remains unclear from the available footage whether any formal disciplinary investigation has been opened into the incident.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, is now contesting the 2027 presidency under the NDC. He was formally nominated by the party after moving from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the NDC earlier in 2026.

The incident comes amid intensifying political activity ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with ethnic representation, regional power-sharing and the growing contest among Obi, Tinubu and Atiku featuring prominently in public debate.

As of the time of publication, the officer’s identity and the circumstances surrounding the recording had not been officially confirmed.