By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The presidency has debunked reports that the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu has been replaced, describing it as ‘fake news.’

“Disregard any fake news making the rounds about the replacement of the INEC Chairman.

“Any such announcement will come from the SGF’s office or the any other official source.” – O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Digital Media and New Media.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Umrah, business, and family visit visas for citizens of 14 countries, including Nigeria, Egypt, and India, as part of preparations for the upcoming Hajj season.

Officials speaking to ARY News said, “The suspension of Umrah, business, and family visit visas is aimed at preventing unregistered individuals from attempting to perform the pilgrimage.”

The move comes amid concerns over the rising number of pilgrims attempting to join Hajj without official permits. In recent years, many visitors have overstayed their visas, contributing to overcrowding and serious safety risks.

Authorities also expressed concern over the misuse of business or family visit visas by individuals who enter the Kingdom and work illegally, a violation that “disrupts the labour market and breaches visa conditions.”

The Saudi foreign ministry stated that the new measures were implemented “to streamline travel procedures and enhance safety during Hajj.

It added, “Individuals found to be staying in the Kingdom illegally may face a five-year entry ban.”

The countries affected by the ban are India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Nigeria, Jordan, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Yemen, and Morocco.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Federal Government through the Minister of Youth, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, has urged the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) management to revise its program to ensure that corps members receive adequate rest during their 21-day orientation camp.

Olawande made this appeal during the 2025 annual management conference titled ‘Transforming the NYSC Scheme to Address the Needs of Modern Nigerian Graduates and Society,’ which took place in Abuja on Monday.

He suggested that delaying the start of camp drills to around 7:00 am, instead of the current 4:00 am schedule, would enhance prospective corps members’ engagement and activity levels.

The minister indicated that he has already begun discussions to implement this change, emphasizing his commitment to the well-being of Nigerian youth.

He said, “The NYSC members should be allowed to start their drilling by 7:00 am and not 4:00 am.

“Is drilling the purpose for us to do things? Of what purpose is drilling to us? We are not saying drilling should not be there. Drilling should be there. But we talk about unity in diversity. We are bringing them together in unity, and that is the major purpose.

“So how can we still stay on the purpose of bringing new innovation? When you are active, when you are doing research, when you are doing things differently, when you are making up in life and all that within three weeks, how can you be lazy? You can’t be lazy.

“What we are saying is to recharge the brain and make the brain work from what we have now, so that you can have the job market.

“Since when we’ve been drilling, are we viable in the job market? We can’t continue to be putting people out every year, 480,000 [every year] and no improvement.

“See, there’s nothing. There’s no job, there is no house, there is no institution that you keep on doing the same thing every time, and if you want a different result, you cannot have it.

So that is why we are saying we are looking beyond. We want to even think outside the bus, so that we can get it and that is why you see all these directors. I can tell you, they have the energy. Now, the energy is back, and they want to do the right thing, not that they were not doing the right thing before, but he wants to do it more.”