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The Sultan Of Sokoto Explains The Reasons For The North’s Educational Lag
The Sultan Of Sokoto Explains The Reasons For The North’s Educational Lag....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has pinpointed the cause of educational underdevelopment in the Northern region of Nigeria. The first-class monarch, speaking at a conference in Abuja organized by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation with the theme, “Education in Northern Nigeria: Status, Challenges, and the Way Forward,” stated that the failure to implement past recommendations is the primary reason for educational setbacks in the North.
He emphasized that the region will continue to face the same challenges if previous panel recommendations are not taken seriously or put into action. As the Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, representing 20 first-class traditional rulers, the Sultan of Sokoto stressed the urgency of implementing recommendations for educational development in the North.
The Sultan urged stakeholders in the Northern region to demonstrate greater commitment to implementing these recommendations, as repeated conferences will yield no progress without decisive actions. He commended former Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, and her team for conducting research and provided recommendations that he encouraged stakeholders to form a committee to implement.
In her presentation on the research outcomes about the state of education in the North, Professor Ruqayyatu pointed out challenges such as the inability to enroll school-age children, inadequate funding, lack of political will, and the absence of guidance and counseling services. She recommended solutions, including building more schools, expanding school feeding programs, ensuring timely payment of salaries, and recruiting qualified teachers.
Babangida Aliyu, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, highlighted that 50% of teachers in the North are not qualified, emphasizing the need for the Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) as the minimum requirement for teachers. The Northern region has a deficit of qualified teachers, as no state meets the minimum 50% requirement of qualified teachers with NCE certification.
Ibrahim Shekarau, the chairman of the organizing committee, emphasized the urgent need for action to address educational challenges in the North and called on stakeholders to take these findings as a wake-up call.
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, stressed the importance of inspirational leadership for societal development, while the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, discussed the removal of subsidies and exchange rate unification to fund critical sectors such as education.
The JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, pointed out that the number of candidates seeking admission from the Northern region is not well-represented, as individuals from other regions are filling the quota. He suggested that Northerners should stay in other parts of Nigeria for education and job opportunities instead of returning to their home states for employment.
Prominent attendees at the conference included Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Special Adviser on Political Matters; Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar CFR; Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli CFR; Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman; and Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Mr. Chris Jibreel Maiyaki, among others.
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has approved the immediate dissolution of state boards, commissions, and parastatals, alongside terminating the appointments of several political aides.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to an official statement released on Sunday by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Yinka Oyebode, the termination affects all Special Assistants (SAs), Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), and Technical Assistants (TAs).
The statement clarified that the move is part of a gradual transition as the administration winds down its first term ahead of Governor Oyebanji’s second-term inauguration on October 16, 2026.
Key Exemptions
The governor outlined specific offices, governing bodies, and officials exempted from the directive:
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Statutory Commissions: Members and chairmen of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), Civil Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, and House of Assembly Service Commission remain in office.
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Tertiary Institutions: The governing councils of all state-owned higher institutions are unaffected.
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Selected Agency Leadership: The chairmen of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Teaching Service Commission, and Local Government Service Commission retain their positions, though their board members have been relieved of duty.
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Senior Executive Aides: Directors-General and Technical Advisors to the Governor remain in their respective roles.
Governor Oyebanji commended the outgoing appointees for their dedication, hard work, and valuable contributions toward the progress of Ekiti State during his first tenure.
Former Governor of Cross River State and 2027 Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has stated that petrol in Nigeria can sell between ₦200 and ₦300 per litre without government subsidies if fuel prices are pegged to local production costs rather than international market rates.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, Duke explained that true subsidy occurs when a product is bought at a high price and sold to consumers below cost. He argued that since crude oil is Nigeria’s collective resource, domestic fuel pricing should reflect what it costs to extract, refine, and distribute the oil locally.
Key Highlights of Donald Duke’s Strategy:
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Production Cost vs. Market Price: Duke noted that while crude oil sells internationally for $70 to $80 per barrel, Nigeria’s local production cost does not exceed $40 per barrel. Out of the ~1.7 million barrels produced daily, Nigeria requires only about 300,000 barrels for local consumption.
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Byproduct Amortization: A single barrel yields seven refined products. Duke proposed that five of those byproducts (such as aviation fuel and kerosene) be sold at commercial international rates, using those revenues to offset the refining costs of petrol and diesel.
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Domestic Pricing Formula: He advocated supplying petrol and diesel to Nigerians at actual production cost plus a modest 5% to 10% margin to cover distribution.
Under this model, Duke asserted, the federal government could completely eliminate subsidy payments while dramatically reducing pump prices for citizens.
Dr. Echuseh Audu, Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), is facing renewed scrutiny following financial disclosures linking her and a related business, Katuka’s Kitchen, to transfers totaling ₦49.44 million.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The developments follow earlier, unproven social media allegations that SEMA diverted over 10,000 bags of rice and 1,000 cartons of groundnut oil intended for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Dr. Audu has strongly denied the diversion claims and voluntarily presented herself to security agencies—including the Police, DSS, NSCDC, and the Ministry of Justice—demanding a full investigation.
Key Financial Inflows & Controversial LPRES Transfer
Financial records obtained by SaharaReporters detail multiple transfers across accounts associated with Audu and Katuka’s Kitchen:
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World Bank Project Transfer: On October 28, 2025, the Taraba State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) Draw Down Account transferred ₦12,190,726.80 to Katuka’s Kitchen. The same amount was later returned to the LPRES account. Insiders questioned the propriety of a government project conducting business with a public official’s associated entity, though records do not specify if the transaction was a contract payment, reimbursement, or error.
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Inflows Breakdown (Totaling ₦49.44 Million):
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₦15M: Transferred from an account under Audu Echuseh Echuseh at UBA (May 10, 2024).
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₦7M: Transferred from Katuka’s Kitchen’s Fidelity Bank account (August 16, 2024).
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₦5.25M: Received from Sunday Stephen via Globus Bank (January 30, 2026).
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₦5M: Received from Callistus Obiejezie (February 25, 2026).
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₦5M: Transferred from a UBA account under Audu Echuseh (Date unspecified).
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₦44 Million Hospital Payments
The records also highlight three transactions totaling ₦44 million paid to GTBank accounts belonging to Nizamiye Hospital in Abuja (₦15M on Feb 20, 2026; ₦14M on Feb 26, 2026; and an undated ₦15M payment). Sources close to Audu clarified that these funds were utilized to cover medical expenses for a young girl who subsequently passed away.
Questions Over Business Ownership & Corporate Filings
While sources close to the SEMA Chief claim she formally resigned her role with Katuka’s Kitchen at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), reports indicate her Bank Verification Number (BVN) remains tied to the business’s active accounts across Access Bank, Globus Bank, and Fidelity Bank.
SEMA Maintains Stance on Integrity
TSEMA reiterated its commitment to transparency, noting that over 50,000 emergency victims have benefited from state relief distribution. Dr. Audu had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
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