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Ortom’s Impeachment: Saraki and Dogara Issue Joint Statement

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Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have described as “a desecration of the legislative sanctity”, the on-going situation in Benue State in which eight out of the 30 members of the State House of Assembly have commenced impeachment process against the Governor and with the support of the police, the 22 other members who constitute more than two-third majority are kept away from the Assembly Complex.

In a statement jointly signed by their aides in charge of media, Saraki and Dogara also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and stop them being used to achieving political purposes.

“We have monitored closely the development in Benue State in which the impeached Speaker, Terkimbir Ikyange, led seven other members to serve impeachment notice on the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, while the 22 other members who constitute more than two-third majority have been prevented from having access to the chamber. We believe this is illegality and does not conform to parliamentary procedure on impeachment.

“We also note with surprise the role of the Police in this undemocratic event in which the minority is seeking to impeach a Governor against the position of the majority. We believe it is the sacred institution of the legislature that is being desecrated and rubbished in all these negative developments.

“The situation in Benue State House of Assembly has grave implication for the nation’s democracy and it represents a throw-back to the period of dictatorship in our country. It also represents how the Nigeria Police are being misused to achieve political end. In a statement recently, the Presidency derisively referred to an era in the past where a minority number of legislators was used to impeach Governors who were unfriendly with the Federal Government. What we are seeing in Benue now is a return to that inglorious era.

“We believe this unlawful and unconstitutional move to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom by a minority should be condemned by all lovers of democracy, at home and abroad. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and prevent a break-down of law and order. We also call on friends of Nigeria in the international community to lend their voice in condemning the perpetration of illegalities and actions that can subvert our democracy.

“There is already a tense atmosphere in Benue State following the recent killings. Nobody should encourage any action or move which may exacerbate the security situation in the North Central State. As leaders of the Federal legislature, we are ready to work with our colleagues in both chambers of the National Assembly to prevent any attempt to destroy any state legislature or use it to derail democracy”, Saraki and Dogara stated.

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Lagos Police Arrest 32 Suspects, Recover 43 Vehicles, 10 Firearms

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Lagos Police Arrest 32 Suspects, Recover 43 Vehicles and 10 Firearms

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 32 suspects in connection with alleged armed robbery, cultism and other criminal activities across the state.

The command also recovered 43 vehicles, 10 firearms and other items during various operations conducted by its operatives, The Nation reports.

According to the police, the arrests and recoveries were recorded as part of intensified efforts to tackle criminal activities and improve security across Lagos.

The command said the suspects are being investigated over their alleged involvement in different offences, while the recovered vehicles and firearms have been secured as exhibits.

The police also disclosed that a 20-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the alleged killing of a police sergeant.

The command said investigations were ongoing into the various cases, with efforts being made to establish the roles of the suspects and identify other individuals who may be connected to the alleged crimes.

The latest arrests come amid broader police operations across the country. In a separate nationwide update covering September 12 to 18, the Nigeria Police Force said 177 high-profile criminal suspects were arrested and 52 stolen vehicles recovered during operations across different states.

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NECO Releases 2026 SSCE Results as 58.67% Secure English, Maths Credits

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The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, with 58.67 per cent of candidates obtaining at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

NECO Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Wushishi, announced the results on Thursday at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

A total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females. Of the registered candidates, 1,371,992 eventually sat for the examination.

According to NECO, 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. Another 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained at least five credits irrespective of their results in the two subjects.

The 2026 examination was conducted between June 15 and July 23 across Nigeria and six foreign countries: Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia. The nationwide marking exercise took place from August 17 to September 4.

NECO also reported a significant reduction in examination malpractice. The council said the number of candidates involved in malpractice fell from 3,878 in 2025 to 1,406 in 2026, representing a 64.74 per cent decline.

The registrar attributed the reduction to strengthened examination monitoring, improved processes and collaboration with security agencies and other stakeholders.

The council also disclosed that candidates with special needs participated in the examination, as part of its efforts to make the examination process more inclusive.

NECO said candidates can now access their results through its official result-checking platform using their examination registration details.

The release of the results comes 63 days after the conclusion of the 2026 SSCE examination.

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Nigeria’s FX Supply Rises 20.5% to $8.94bn in 2025

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Nigeria’s foreign exchange supply increased by 20.5 per cent to $8.94 billion in 2025, up from $7.43 billion recorded in 2024, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The figures were contained in the apex bank’s 2025 Statistical Bulletin and represent an increase of about $1.51 billion in annual foreign exchange supply.

Monthly figures showed that supply remained relatively low at the beginning of 2025 before rising significantly in March and April.

FX supply stood at $590.64 million in January and $607.63 million in February. It then climbed to $1.04 billion in March before reaching its highest monthly level of $1.65 billion in April.

However, supply declined in the following months, falling to $838.93 million in May and $676.31 million in June. It recovered slightly to $759.02 million in July before dropping to $677.84 million in August and $399.80 million in September.

October recorded the lowest monthly figure for the year at $150.10 million. Supply later recovered to $638.38 million in November and $910.73 million in December.

The CBN also reported that total foreign exchange inflows into Nigeria rose from $96.53 billion in 2024 to $109.86 billion in 2025, representing a 13.81 per cent increase.

However, foreign exchange outflows also increased during the period, rising by 27.83 per cent from $38.37 billion to $49.05 billion.

As a result, Nigeria recorded a net foreign exchange inflow of $60.81 billion in 2025, compared with $58.16 billion in 2024.

The CBN data, however, do not provide a detailed breakdown of the sources of the $8.94 billion supplied during the year.

The increase in FX supply comes amid continued efforts to improve liquidity and stability in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market, although the market remained volatile in 2026.

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