Kaduna State became the latest stop in a growing national campaign against misinformation on Tuesday, as Alkalanci a Hausa-language fact-checking and media literacy organisation commenced a two-day training workshop for female Islamic scholars and teachers drawn from across the state.

The initiative, which has previously held sessions in Kano, Sokoto, Gombe and Maradi in Niger Republic, marks its first women-focused edition in Kaduna, with organisers expressing confidence it will deliver its most consequential results yet.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Managing editor and program manager of Alkalanci Victoria Bamas, framed the gathering around the responsibilities that women carry as society’s primary educators. “If you educate a man, you educate an individual; but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation,” she said, invoking a widely cited maxim to underscore the workshop’s rationale.

Bamas warned that the spread of misinformation and disinformation including content manipulated by deepfake technology posed mounting dangers to Nigerian communities, particularly as the country moves toward another election cycle. She urged participants, as trusted voices in their communities, to take on the role of defenders of accurate information. “Pause, question, verify, and ultimately reject falsehood,” she urged.

The workshop was designed with an all-women team of facilitators drawn from academia, the media and religious institutions. Participants will receive practical tools for verifying text, images and video content, with the expectation that they carry the training back to their communities and multiply its reach.

Kaduna State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Rabi Ibrahim, commended Alkalanci for targeting women in its outreach, and drew attention to the particular harm caused by deepfake content circulated against women and girls on social media. She described media literacy and verification skills as essential not just for the women trained, but for the broader communities they serve and protect.

The Deputy Amira of Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN) Hauwa Idris also pledged its support and partnership, with its delegation framing the fight against misinformation in humanitarian terms. “Combatting misinformation is like preventing a crisis it means saving humanity,” a spokesperson said. FOMWAN committed to cascading the knowledge gained at the workshop to women across all the states where it operates.

Representatives of Jamiiyyar Matan Arewa, Hajiya Ladi Garba the umbrella body for northern Nigerian women, echoed those sentiments, noting that the effects of disinformation from lost lives to health crises fall disproportionately on women. The group pledged institutional support for organisations like Alkalanci in their efforts to equip women with the tools to critically assess information they encounter.

Alkalanci said the Kaduna edition builds on lessons from its earlier engagements across the region, and that outcomes from those sessions had already demonstrated measurable impact in communities’ ability to identify and resist false narratives.

Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Non-academic staff in Nigeria’s public universities have moved to suspend their ongoing nationwide strike, raising hopes for the resumption of full academic activities across campuses.

The Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities directed its branches to commence processes for the suspension of the strike effective Monday, May 11, 2026.

The decision followed a series of meetings between the unions and the Federal Government over unresolved demands, particularly the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement and welfare-related concerns.

In a circular sent to branch chairpersons which was obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday morning, the unions said they had secured a firm commitment from the federal government to conclude all outstanding renegotiations within two weeks of suspending the industrial action.

The circular, jointly signed by NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, and SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, indicated that the breakthrough came after a crucial meeting with the federal government’s Expanded Renegotiation Committee led by a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed.

According to the unions, the government explained that any further review of its earlier offer would require the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“The leadership of JAC considered the passionate appeal for the suspension of the ongoing strike action and also extracted a commitment from the FGN Expanded Renegotiation Committee that all renegotiations, including a reviewed offer of the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS), shall be concluded in two weeks from the date of the suspension of the strike,” the statement read.

It added that branch leaders had been directed to convene congresses to brief members and ratify the decision.

“Branch leaders are hereby urged to note this appeal and convene congresses to report the above, for a suspension of the strike effective from Monday, 11th May, 2026, while other engagements with relevant stakeholders continue,” the unions said.

The unions also disclosed that part of the ongoing discussions included a controversial 30 per cent salary increase under the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure which had earlier been proposed but later withdrawn by the government.

They expressed appreciation to members for their compliance with the strike directive, describing the solidarity shown nationwide as encouraging.

NASU and SSANU commenced the strike on May 1, 2026, over the Federal Government’s delay in concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, which covers salaries, allowances, and general working conditions of non-academic staff in universities and inter-university centres.

The industrial action disrupted administrative operations in public universities, affecting activities such as student registration, documentation, hostel management, and other essential support services critical to the smooth running of academic institutions.

The strike also added to mounting concerns over instability in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector, which has experienced repeated disruptions in recent years due to disputes between university-based unions and the government.

Although academic staff were not directly involved in the latest action, the absence of non-teaching personnel significantly slowed down campus operations, forcing many institutions into partial shutdown.

Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has urged the Federal Government to take sweeping economic action against South African businesses operating in Nigeria.

This followed the recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

To this end, the former Governor of Edo State advocated for the revocation of the licenses of MTN Nigeria and DStv, especially calling on Nigerians investors to fill the void.

Raising the issue during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole argued that Nigeria must move beyond diplomatic protests and adopt a policy rooted in reciprocity.

“I don’t want this Senate to be shedding tears, to sympathise with those who have died. We didn’t come here to share tears.”

“If you hit me, I’ll hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It’s an economic struggle.

“This Senate should adopt a position that MTN, a South African company that is cutting away millions of dollars from Nigeria every day. That Nigeria nationalise it and withdraw its licence.

“I call on the Federal Government to revoke DSTV, which is also a South African company that is cutting away millions of dollars,” he said.

The lawmaker further argued that Nigerians living in South Africa were economically productive and not dependent on the host country.

“These Nigerians who are in South Africa, they are not there on holiday. They are there to work and to earn.

“When we hit back, the president of South Africa will go on his knees to recognise that Nigerians cannot be intimidated,” he said.

He said continued tolerance in the face of repeated violence against Nigerians abroad sends the wrong signal.

According to him, decisive economic retaliation would demonstrate Nigeria’s capacity to defend its citizens and interests.

Oshiomhole linked the resurgence of xenophobic violence to domestic political tensions in South Africa.

He noted that anti-immigrant rhetoric has increasingly shaped public attitudes toward foreigners, including Nigerians.

The intervention came as the House of Representatives condemned the latest attacks, warning that the safety of Nigerians abroad must not be compromised.

Lawmakers urged the Federal Government to step up diplomatic engagement and implement protective measures.

Also contributing, Victor Umeh described the situation as dire, saying many Nigerians in South Africa now live in constant fear and are unable to move freely.

He called on the African Union to intervene, including the possibility of sanctions if the attacks persist.

Umeh stressed that the pattern of violence should no longer be treated as isolated incidents.