The Nigerian Air Force, on Saturday, said it acquired 12 additional fighter aircraft to boost the operational capabilities of the force.

The new additions to the NAF fleet include two King Air 360i light transport aircraft, four T-129 ATAK helicopters, two AgustaWestland 109 Trekkers, and four DA-62 surveillance aircraft.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, stated this during a parley with NAF veterans resident in Kaduna.

Abubakar added that moving forward, the NAF is poised to take delivery of 24 M-346 fighter aircrafts and 10 additional AgustaWestland 109 Trekker helicopters from Italy.

According to him, other platforms being expected include two additional T-129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey, three CASA 295 transport aircrafts from Spain, and 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters from the United States.

He said the NAF would take additional delivery of 50 brand-new aircraft between December 2025 and 2026.

According to the Air Chief, the acquisition of the new aircraft is part of the NAF’s efforts to boost its operational effectiveness.

In addition to acquiring new aircraft, he said the NAF has also adopted a predictive maintenance culture aimed at reducing equipment failures and downtime.

Abubakar, represented by NAF’s Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, at the event, noted that the Force had made significant strides in various areas in the last 18 months.

“The Nigerian Air Force is committed to becoming a more effective and agile force capable of addressing the country’s security challenges.

“We have made significant progress in the last 18 months, and we are committed to sustaining this momentum. The acquisition of the new aircraft is a testament to our commitment to becoming a more effective and agile force,” the CAS stated.

Some senior lawyers in the country have disagreed over the prosecution of judges who were recently recommended for compulsory retirement for falsifying their ages.

The National Judicial Council, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, in a statement on 15 November, disclosed that two heads of the court had been recommended for compulsory retirement over age falsification.

The Chief Judge of the Imo State High Court, Justice T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka, was recommended for compulsory retirement.

Similarly, the NJC also directed the Grand Kadi of Yobe State, Kadi Babagana Mahdi, who had three different dates of birth—10 December, 28 January, and July, all in 1959, with the actual date of birth being 1952—to go on compulsory retirement.

Some Nigerians have been calling for the prosecution of the indicted judges to serve as a deterrent to others.

However, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria disagreed with the call, noting that prosecuting the affected judges might be too severe.

This was as some other senior lawyers said the prosecution would serve as a deterrent to others.

A former chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, stated that the decision of the NJC to retire the judges compulsorily was sufficient.

He said, “I think that punishment is enough. You know the disgrace and the shame of being exposed for falsifying age and then being retired compulsorily? Some punishments are even worse than prison because these are people of great importance in their various circles and societies. I think that punishment is enough, but as I said, I think we should give the new CJN a chance. I am going to personally do that.”

Sharing a similar view, another senior lawyer, Lekan Ojo, SAN, said the nature of the offence committed by the indicted judges would determine if they deserved to be prosecuted or not.

According to him, if the falsification is via an affidavit, it could constitute a crime, but if it was just through merely filling a form, it can’t be criminalised.

“In my view, after asking them to go on compulsory retirement and refund the excess money they might have collected, those two things are appropriate,” he stated.

However, another legal luminary, Chief Mike Ahamba, disagreed with Sagay and Ojo, saying, “I cannot question the decision of the NJC since they made the decision based on the facts before them.”

Another senior lawyer, Kunle Adegoke also echoed a similar position, commending the NJC for wielding the wisdom stick.

He said, “The punishment is not enough. The temple of justice is a place where integrity is prioritised, and I believe that to deter others from repeating the same, the punishment should be stiff.

“The NJC putting them on compulsory retirement is good, but they will still be entitled to pension. So I think prosecuting for such an offence will scare others from repeating the same.”

The Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency, KWASAA, has directed all billboard and signage owners, including private and government entities, to immediately remove all forms of outdoor advertisements erected along Ahmadu Bello Way, from the first flyover to the second flyover, and along Murtala Muhammad Way, Ilorin, in the state capital.

The General Manager of KWASAA, Alhaji Imam Ismail Asukuti, issued the directive on Saturday in a statement by the spokesman of the agency, Abubakar Owolabi.

He urged the affected individuals, ministries, parastatals, agencies, and commissions to comply immediately.

“This directive is part of the government’s commitment to the growth, development, and transformation of the state, particularly in advancing its city reform agenda,” Asukuti affirmed in the statement.

He called on stakeholders in the outdoor advertisement industry and the general public to adhere strictly to the directive, emphasising that it was aimed at enhancing the aesthetic and infrastructural development of the state.

The KWASAA general manager further assured the public of the agency’s dedication to creating an organised and visually appealing environment across the state.