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INEC registers 120,458 new Edo, Ondo voters, extends exercise

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has extended the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Edo and Ondo states to June 9.

The commission had earlier set Wednesday, June 5, 2024, as the closing date for the registration exercise, which started on May 27, 2024.

During the period, the registration exercise recorded significant progress, with 120,458 new voters registered.

Earlier, the exercise suffered some hitches in Edo State, as flood, on Friday, May 25, ravaged the state headquarters of the electoral commission, leaving equipment and materials needed for the registration damaged.

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INEC, not deterred by calls for postponement of the exercise, moved its logistics to Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area office located at 16, Custom Road, off Benin/Auchi Road, Benin City, where the exercise had continued unhindered.

Announcing the extension of the registration to June 9, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement he signed on Tuesday, said the commission also extended the registration period from 9 am to 5 pm.

The CVR aims to prepare for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo State on September 21, 2024, and in Ondo State on November 16, 2024.

Olumekun, in the statement, also announced the increase in the number of registration centres, to include all 36 local government offices in the two states, supplementing the existing 397 wards and the state offices in Benin City and Akure.

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“The commission met today, Tuesday, 4th June, 2024. Among other matters, the meeting reviewed the ongoing CVR in Edo and Ondo states scheduled to end tomorrow, Wednesday, 5th June, 2024.

“However, following appeals by stakeholders, the commission has approved the extension of the exercise from Thursday, 6th to Sunday, 9th June 2024, to enable more eligible persons to register.

“Similarly, the duration of the exercise is extended from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm daily.

“Furthermore, the number of centres has been increased beyond the 397 wards and the two-state offices in Benin City and Akure to include all the 36 local government offices of the commission in the two states,” the statement read.

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Olumekun said INEC was deploying additional registration machines to areas with challenging terrains or communal issues to facilitate the process.

“More machines will also be deployed to areas identified to have peculiar needs such as difficult terrain or communal issues.

“Like the ward registration centres, detailed information on the names and location, addresses of the LGA offices have also been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for the guidance of registrants in the two states,” Olumekun said.

Speaking on the 120,458 new voters, the electoral body said the figures were preliminary, adding that the final statistics would be released after the completion of the exercise and a data clean-up using the Automated Biometric Identification System.

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“Meanwhile, the exercise is progressing well in the two states. As of yesterday, Monday, 3rd June 2024, eight days after the commencement of the CVR, a cumulative total of 120,458 new voters have registered.

“Of this figure, 55,861 (46.4 per cent) are male while 64,597 (53.6 per cent) are female. The majority of the registered voters (82,003 or 68.8 per cent) are youths (18 -34 years). In terms of occupation, 43,419 or 36.8 per cent) are students while 812 (0.67 per cent) are persons with disability.

“The public should please note that these are preliminary figures. The final figures will be published on a state basis and for all categories of registrants at the end of the exercise and after data clean-up using the Automated Biometric Identification System,” Olumekun said.

The commission urged all eligible voters to take advantage of the extension to register, transfer, or correct their personal information on their Permanent Voter Cards, adding that no further extensions would be granted.

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“The commission once again appeals to eligible voters to seize the opportunity of the extension to register, transfer or correct personal information on their PVCs as provided by law. No further extension will be granted by the commission,” the statement read.

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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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