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FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
PRESS RELEASE

1st June, 2026

FG APPROVES STRICT GUIDELINES ON HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREES TO RESTORE CREDIBILITY OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

The Federal Government has approved comprehensive Guidelines for the Award and Use of Honorary Doctorate Degrees in Nigeria to strengthen academic integrity, transparency, and the credibility of the university system.

The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, disclosed that the policy addresses concerns over abuse, commercialization, and misuse of honorary awards. The guidelines were developed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and approved by the Federal Executive Council.

The framework sets clear rules on eligibility, nomination, approval, conferment, usage, and revocation of honorary doctorate degrees. It restricts eligibility to approved universities that have graduated their first PhD set and limits awards to a maximum of three per convocation.

All honorary degrees must carry the designation “Honoris Causa,” and recipients are prohibited from using the title “Dr.” The guidelines also establish oversight mechanisms, including a Special Fraud Unit under the NUC to monitor compliance.

Universities are required to publish recipients’ names, provide orientation to awardees, and implement revocation procedures where necessary.

The Federal Government directed strict compliance, warning that violations may attract sanctions including suspension of accreditation activities and dissolution of governing councils.

Folasade Boriowo
Director, Press and Public Relations

JAMB BEGINS RESCHEDULING OF CANDIDATES FOR 2026 UTME MOP-UP EXERCISE

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commenced the rescheduling of candidates eligible for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) mop-up exercise, with affected candidates now receiving fresh examination notifications via email.

The development follows the Board’s earlier announcement that the 2026 UTME mop-up examination will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, for candidates who were unable to complete the main examination due to technical issues, biometric verification challenges, or other approved circumstances.

An examination notification seen by Legit shows that affected candidates are being assigned new examination dates, times, and centres through official communications from JAMB.

Candidates expected to participate in the mop-up exercise are advised to regularly monitor the email address linked to their JAMB profile.

The mop-up examination represents JAMB’s final arrangement for candidates who were unable to complete the main 2026 UTME despite presenting themselves for the examination.

I urge all affected candidates to treat the rescheduled examination with utmost seriousness, noting that no further opportunity is expected after the mop-up exercise concludes.

Orire Abduction: Oyo State NUT Declares Indefinite Strike

The Nigeria Union of Teachers has declared an indefinite strike across Oyo State over the continued captivity of teachers and students abducted in Oriire Local Government Area.

According to the union, all primary and secondary school teachers in the state are to withdraw their services from Monday, June 1, 2026.

JUST IN: APC Picks Badagry Princess Damilola Sonayon-James as Lagos Deputy Governorship Candidate

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has selected Princess Damilola Sonayon-James as its deputy governorship candidate for the forthcoming Lagos State governorship election, positioning the Badagry-born politician for one of the most significant political contests in the state, an Exclusive Report by Western Post says

According to Western Post, reliable party sources confirmed that Sonayon-James will run alongside the incumbent Deputy Governor, Dr. Femi Hamzat, who recently emerged as the APC governorship candidate ahead of the election.

The choice of Sonayon-James is being viewed as a strategic move by the ruling party to strengthen its grassroots appeal and consolidate support across key parts of Lagos, particularly in the Badagry division where she enjoys considerable influence and political goodwill.

A seasoned grassroots politician, Sonayon-James currently serves as the Assistant State Woman Leader of the APC in Lagos State. Over the years, she has built a reputation for active community engagement, political mobilisation and advocacy for inclusive development.

Beyond politics, she is widely recognised as an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) expert and Sustainability Risk Consultant, with extensive experience spanning public service, policy implementation and community development initiatives.

The APC chieftain hails from the royal family of Kweme Kingdom in Badagry West Local Council Development Area, a factor that has further strengthened her connection with local communities and traditional institutions across the division.

Her political journey has seen her serve as Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture and Social Services in Badagry West LCDA, where she played active roles in grassroots governance and social intervention programmes.

Political observers have described her emergence as a significant milestone for women in Lagos politics, noting that her selection reflects the growing influence of female leaders within the APC and the state's political landscape.

Although the party is yet to make a formal announcement, insiders disclosed that the official unveiling of the Hamzat-Sonayon-James ticket is expected in the coming days.

If confirmed, Sonayon-James will become one of the most prominent political figures from the Badagry division to secure a place on a major governorship ticket in Lagos State, further elevating the region's profile in the state's political calculations ahead of the election.

KIDNAPPINGS IN OGUN: BAG USED TO DELIVER RANSOM FOUND IN SERIKI FULANI'S KITCHEN

•Suspect says ‘I knew my son was a kidnapper, but I thought he had stopped’

ABDULLAI Muhammadu, the 67-year-old Seriki Fulani and leader of the Fulani community in Ijebu Ode, who was arrested alongside his eldest child by the police in Ogun State for recent kidnappings around communities in the Ijebu area, has pleaded innocence, but one of the bags with which ransom was delivered was recovered in his kitchen.

He, however, admitted that he was aware that one of his sons, Bala Muhammadu, is into kidnapping, but that he felt that he had turned a new leaf.

He also insisted that he had no hand in his son’s criminal activities, though they both stay in the same compound.

The Fulani leader also admitted to having taken the wanted suspected kidnapper to the hospital for medical treatment for a month after being released from the correctional centre, where he served a five-year jail term for kidnapping.

The wanted Bala and his two other brothers were reportedly hinted of the presence of security operatives around their family compound and they allegedly quickly escaped through the bush.

It was gathered that operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Ogun State Police Command, led by the officer in charge, SP Bamidele Shirtu, while investigating the various incidents of kidnapping around Ijebu Ode, Imodi, Irewon, Iwode, Okun Owa and others, linked them all to Bala, who was just released from prison for the same kidnapping offence.

A police source said: “After painstaking and intelligence investigation, one of the bags which was used in the payment of the ransom for one of the victims was recovered in the father’s kitchen. One of the children who saw us coming into the community already hinted Bala and his other brothers and they had escaped through the bush.

“It is not only Bala who is into the business. There is also Ndaji and one other and we are on their trail. There was an upsurge in kidnapping in the area after Bala was released from prison. He spent five years in prison for kidnapping.”

Muhammadu Abdullai told newsmen that: “My name is Muhammadu Abdulai. I am a cattle rearer and also a farmer. I have been in Yorubaland for more than thirty years now. I have four wives and thirty children in Yorubaland. I was honoured with the title of Seriki of Fulani in Ijebu Ode by the immediate past Awujale of Ijebu Ode.

“I don’t know anything about the bag that was found in my house. I live in the same compound with my children and wives. I have never kidnapped anybody in my life.”

The Seriki Fulani however admitted that he was aware that one of his sons, Bala, was into kidnapping.

He said: “I know that Bala was into kidnapping. He was arrested and sent to prison. After he came back, I took him to the hospital, where he spent one month for treatment.

“I thought that he had turned a new leaf because he is now into farming and cattle rearing. I didn’t know that he is still into kidnapping. I don’t know if any of my other sons are into kidnapping. I am not into kidnapping and I will not encourage it.

“I didn’t want him to die when he came back from prison. He was looking very sick and pale. I wanted the best for him and other children. I took him to the hospital for treatment. I also encouraged him to stay away from crime.”

An elder brother to the wanted brothers, Bello, who was also arrested by the police, said: “I am Bello Muhammadu. I am the eldest child of my father. I was not at home when the policemen came. I was in the farm when my father called me. He could not understand what the policemen were saying.

“I am not into kidnapping. I am a herder. I only know that my younger brother, Bala, was arrested and taken to prison some years back. I don’t know anything about what he and any of my brothers are doing.

“If my father had known that Bala had returned to the crime, he would have killed him himself. He does not encourage anything like that.”

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Oluseyi Babaseyi, while speaking on the arrest of the suspects, noted that the police’s successful operation on kidnappers and other criminal elements in the state was as a result of the support from the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu.

Babaseyi said: “The Ogun State Police Command commends IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu for his continued support towards tactical policing, intelligence-led operations, and the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes.

“The command equally appreciates the strategic leadership and operational direction of the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, which have continued to yield remarkable security successes within Ogun State.

“The successful operation carried out by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, leading to the neutralisation/arrest of the notorious suspect and recovery of incriminating exhibits, underscores the bravery, professionalism and unwavering dedication of the operatives.

“Their resilience and intelligence-driven approach continue to frustrate criminal networks and reinforce public confidence in the Police.”

The command assured residents that sustained efforts are being intensified to dismantle all criminal syndicates operating within the state and its environs while urging members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information.

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
PRESS RELEASE
29th May, 2026

FG CLARIFIES STATUS OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMMES, DISOWNS FAKE SUSPENSION NOTICE

The Federal Ministry of Education has debunked as false and misleading a social media statement alleging suspension of the National Award Scholarship and dissolution of the Federal Scholarship Board. The Ministry states no such directive has been issued.

It clarified that the Federal Scholarship Board has been renamed the Department of Scholarship Awards (DSA) under the Ministry, with unchanged mandates for administering Federal Government scholarship programmes.

The Ministry reassures students, parents, and beneficiaries that all recognised scholarship programmes remain active and uninterrupted.

It further explained that only the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme was discontinued following a policy review aimed at strengthening local tertiary education. This does not affect domestic schemes such as the Nigerian Scholarship Awards, Federal Government Bursary for Education students, and the Presidential Scholarship for ex-NYSC Corps Members.

Existing BEA beneficiaries will continue to receive full support until completion of their studies, while local scholarship and student loan programmes are being strengthened.

The public is urged to disregard the fake notice, which did not originate from the Ministry or DSA. False information causing confusion among students and families is condemned.

The Ministry remains committed to equitable access to education through scholarships and student support initiatives nationwide.

Boriowo Folasade
Director, Press and Public Relations

I no longer have interest in getting married again — Actress Regina Daniels

Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has revealed that she no longer has interest in getting married following the breakdown of her marriage to her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko.

The actress, who is a mother of two, however stated that she still desires to have more children and strongly hopes to have a daughter in the future.

Speaking during a recent livestream with TikToker Jarvis, Daniels explained that she has mentally stepped away from the idea of marriage, but remains determined to expand her family.

“I want to have six children and I have two already, two boys. It so cr@zy but for some reason I have checked my mind out from getting married. But I am going to have a girl and I must have a girl,” she said.

She further noted that she believes daughters are more likely to care for their parents in old age, compared to sons who often build their own families.

“Men will grow, get married and and focus more on building family. But for women she will always remember home,” she added.

JAMB fixes June 13 for 2026 UTME mop-up examination for candidates who presented themselves and were biometrically verified during the main UTME exercise but were unable to sit the examination due to technical challenges, withdrawn results over examination infractions, or biometric verification issues⛳

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE AFRICAN UNION
By the African Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship Conference (AYLEC) Team

Dear African Union Leaders,

We write with heavy hearts, as we celebrate this year African’s Day
Not as strangers,
But as youths of one continent,
Born from the same soil,
Carrying the same sun upon our skin,
Drinking from the rivers of one African dream.

How do we sing “One Africa”
When Africans are chased from African streets?
How do we preach unity
When borders have become weapons against brothers and sisters?
How do we build the Africa we want
When fear and hatred continue to divide the people we claim to protect?

Today, thousands of foreigners,
Our own African brothers and sisters,
Face eviction, rejection, humiliation,
In a land that once cried for continental solidarity during apartheid.
This pain echoes beyond South Africa,
It shakes the soul of Africa itself.

We understand the struggles,
The unemployment,
The economic hardship,
The frustration of the people.
But Africa must never become a continent
Where Africans become enemies to Africans.

We are one people.
One history.
One struggle.
One destiny.

From Lagos to Johannesburg,
From Nairobi to Accra,
From Kigali to Lusaka,
From Dakar to Cairo
From Windhoek to Douala
From Rabat to Luanda
Our future is connected.

The dream of a united Africa
Cannot survive on speeches alone.
It must be seen in our policies,
Heard in our leadership,
And felt in the safety of every African
No matter where they choose to live within this continent.

Our African Union Leaders,
This is the time for courageous leadership.
This is the time to rise beyond silence.
This is the time to protect the dignity of every African citizen.

We call for dialogue.
We call for peace.
We call for justice.
We call for an Africa where no child is told
“You do not belong here”
Simply because they crossed a colonial border created decades ago.

The youth of Africa are watching.
And we refuse to inherit a divided continent.

Let us build bridges, not walls.
Let us create opportunities, not hostility.
Let us remember:
If Africa must rise,
Then Africa must rise together.

Signed,

The AYLEC Team
African Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship Conference (AYLEC)

STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS PROFESSOR SEGUN AINA AS NEW JAMB REGISTRAR

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Professor Segun Aina as the new Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), succeeding Professor Is-haq Oloyede, whose two-term tenure expires on July 31, 2026.

Professor Aina, who will be 40 in July, is a distinguished academic and systems expert with extensive experience in national examination systems, digital infrastructure, and public-sector institutional reform.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Kent, an MSc in Internet Computing and Network Security, and a PhD in Digital Signal Processing, both from Loughborough University, United Kingdom. He has also completed the Senior Management Programme at Lagos Business School.

A Professor of Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Aina began his career with JAMB during his National Youth Service, gaining foundational experience in national admissions and data-driven institutional processes. These insights have shaped his ongoing contributions to examination reform and systems optimisation.

With over 15 years of post-graduation experience, Professor Aina operates at the intersection of technology, policy, and institutional transformation, advising federal and state governments on system design, digital transition, and operational reform. At 39, he became one of Nigeria's youngest Computer Engineering professors and will now make history as JAMB’s youngest registrar.

He has served as a consultant to major examination bodies, including NECO, NABTEB, and various State Ministries of Education, providing expertise on ICT systems, examination integrity, and digital process optimisation.

Professor Aina is a member of several professional bodies, including the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

President Tinubu expects Professor Aina to bring to bear his vast experience, knowledge and practical insight into the operations of the Board, to take the critical educational organisation beyond the laudable heights achieved by his predecessor.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
May 21, 2026