The Kano Lecturers Forum has honoured the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, with an Award of Excellence for Educational Transformation in recognition of his administration’s commitment to revitalising the education sector in the state.

The award was presented during the Kano State Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday.

Presenting the award, the Chairman of the Kano Lecturers Forum, Dr. Abdulkadir Abdulkadir Sufi, said the recognition was in appreciation of Governor Yusuf’s unwavering dedication and the remarkable achievements recorded by his administration in improving education across Kano State.

According to Dr. Sufi, one of the administration’s landmark decisions was the declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector, a move aimed at addressing longstanding challenges and restoring the quality of education in the state.

He noted that the government has undertaken the construction and renovation of schools, recruited additional teachers, increased funding for tertiary institutions, provided teaching and learning materials, and expanded investment in technical and vocational education to equip young people with relevant skills.

The Forum also commended the state government for settling outstanding tuition fees and scholarship obligations owed to Kano indigenes studying in Nigerian and foreign institutions. It further praised the administration for extending support to indigent students whose education in private universities had previously been sponsored by past governments.

In addition, the lecturers acknowledged the government’s decision to sponsor outstanding first-class graduates from Kano State to pursue postgraduate studies in India and Uganda, describing the initiative as a strategic investment in the development of highly skilled human capital.

On staff welfare, the Forum applauded Governor Yusuf’s administration for paying earned allowances to academic staff in state-owned universities, as well as introducing special allowances for lecturers in state-owned colleges. It said the measures have boosted staff morale, improved the welfare of lecturers, and contributed to industrial harmony across tertiary institutions in the state.

The Kano Lecturers Forum stated that these achievements demonstrate Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s visionary leadership and his commitment to making education the cornerstone of Kano State’s development. It added that the administration’s reforms reflect a clear determination to transform the education sector for the benefit of present and future generations of Kano residents.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three suspects to life imprisonment for their roles in the Oriire kidnapping case after finding them guilty of concealing information about the masterminds of the abduction.

The convicts had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges filed against them by the Federal Government, admitting their involvement during the court proceedings.

The court convicted them after they confessed to withholding information about those behind the kidnapping in Oriire, Oyo State.

The three defendants pleaded guilty before Justice Salem Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja to concealing information about the masterminds of the Oriire school kidnapping in Oyo State.

They also admitted being members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru.

In addition, the first and third defendants, Abdulrazak Umar and Shamsudin Adamu, pleaded guilty to providing training and instructions as well as inciting members of their WhatsApp group, “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace,” to engage in acts of terrorism.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions—a landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.

This approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.

The expansion builds on the Administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.

Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:

1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)
2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)
3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)
4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)
5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)
6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)
7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)
8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)
9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)
10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)
11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)
12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).

The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.

Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, will be completed by September 2026. The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is expected to be completed by December 2026.

President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a statement by Bayo Onanuga Special adviser to the President on informational and strategy said the President reaffirmed his Administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.