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CUPP Raises Alarm Over Soaring Poverty, Demands Urgent National Reforms
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has issued a stark warning, urging the federal government to take immediate and decisive action to confront what it described as Nigeria’s escalating poverty emergency.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement released on Tuesday by the CUPP’s National Secretary, Chief Peter Ameh, and shared with journalists in Lokoja, the coalition painted a bleak picture of Nigeria’s economic and humanitarian landscape. According to Ameh, Nigeria now has the highest rate of child malnutrition in Africa, and the second highest globally.
Referencing the World Bank’s April 2025 report, Ameh stated that poverty has gripped 75.5% of Nigerians in rural areas, while 41.3% of urban residents also live below the poverty line. In total, over 120 million Nigerians—representing more than 54% of the population—are living in extreme poverty, a significant rise from 30.9% in 2018/19, amounting to 42 million additional impoverished people in just a few years.
Ameh stressed that the crisis is particularly devastating for children, with 72.5% of Nigerians aged 0–14 classified as poor. He also noted a stark education-related disparity: nearly 80% of Nigerians without formal education live in poverty, compared to just 25.4% of those with tertiary education.
He attributed the worsening situation to deep-rooted structural problems, including Nigeria’s overdependence on oil exports, rampant inflation, inadequate job creation outside agriculture, and chronic underinvestment in education and infrastructure.
Ameh criticized what he called the government’s inadequate and dismissive response, warning that continued neglect of these systemic issues would only deepen the crisis. He called the World Bank’s findings a wake-up call and stressed the need for targeted interventions, especially in rural areas where access to healthcare, education, and clean water remains scarce.
“Urban poverty, although less severe, is also a serious concern,” he added, citing the pressures of rapid urbanization and widening inequality. He warned that child poverty poses a long-term threat to national development, potentially entrenching intergenerational cycles of deprivation and stunting future growth.
Concluding, the CUPP declared Nigeria’s poverty crisis a national emergency requiring urgent, unified action. Ameh called on leaders to implement comprehensive reforms, prioritize the welfare of children, and harness the country’s intellectual capital to restore hope, dignity, and prosperity to millions.
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to participate across accredited centres.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The exam, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will run from April 16 to April 22 in multiple daily sessions.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged examination officials to remain highly committed and professional, noting that the success of the exercise depends largely on their dedication.
He gave the charge during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the examination, where he also praised staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in the successful conduct of the mock exam.
Oloyede said many of the issues recorded during the mock exercise were due to poor assessment of centres by some technical officials.
He further stated that incentive packages would be awarded to teams that perform exceptionally, particularly in handling exam materials and submitting timely reports.
Reiterating JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on malpractice, he warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.
He also disclosed that biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed to protect the integrity of the exercise.
Candidates whose biometrics cannot be verified, he added, will be rescheduled to write the exam at approved centres.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent monitoring proceedings at Aduvie International School, Jahi, reported that the first session scheduled for 8:30 a.m. began slightly behind schedule at about 8:40 a.m.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, on Thursday inspected security deployments at Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the inspection is part of proactive measures to ensure a smooth, peaceful, and hitch-free conduct of the ongoing examinations.
The UTME is scheduled to run nationwide from April 16 to 18, 2026.
During the exercise, CP Sanusi assessed security arrangements put in place to safeguard candidates, examination officials, and CBT facilities.
He also engaged with centre supervisors, assuring them of adequate security presence throughout the examination period.
Adeh added that the CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order, warning that any attempt to disrupt the examinations would be met with decisive action in line with the law.
Over 700 former terrorists who have undergone deradicalisation and rehabilitation are set to be reintegrated into their communities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Nigerian military has also dismissed reports alleging that beneficiaries of Operation Safe Corridor are being recruited into military institutions.
According to African Independent Television, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier-General Yusuf Ali, made this known during a media tour of the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre in Gombe, North-East Nigeria.
He said many Nigerians still misunderstand the Federal Government’s structured counter-terrorism initiative, which is designed to restore peace in communities affected by insurgency.
Brigadier-General Ali explained that the programme focuses on rehabilitation and peaceful reintegration of repentant individuals into society.
During the tour, some of the participants also shared accounts of their involvement in offences that led to their admission into the programme.
The facility inspection was part of preparations for the graduation of over 700 clients who have completed the deradicalisation and rehabilitation process and are set for reintegration.
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