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NOUN Urges Correctional Officers To Embrace Distance Learning

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NOUN Urges Correctional Officers To Embrace Distance Learning

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has called on the personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to embrace Open and Distance Learning (ODL) as a means of personal and professional development.

The Director of Examination and Assessment, NOUN, Prof. Olugbenga Ojo, made the call during an advocacy visit to the NCoS Headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.

Ojo said that the visit was aimed at sensitising the officers and men of the Service on the numerous benefits of ODL and to encourage them to take advantage of NOUN’s programmes.

These, he said, were designed to provide flexible, affordable and accessible education for working professionals.

The don noted that NOUN had, over the years, supported the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates through its study centres within correctional facilities.

He, however, said there was also an urgent need to extend similar educational opportunities to the staff who serve as frontline agents of reformation and social correction.

He added that enhancing the academic qualifications and capacity of correctional officers would, in turn, impact the quality of their work.

He also added that it would boost efforts to reduce the rate of recidivism and the tendency of released inmates to relapse into crime.

“We are here for a special advocacy visit, not for the inmates this time, but for the staff of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

“Whoever comes to prison should return to society a better person. That is the goal. But the staff must also be empowered and trained for that transformation to be effective.

“Learning is from a craving and I want to encourage you all to try and register for a course. I can only encourage you,” he stressed.

Responding, the Controller-General of Corrections (CGC), Sylvester Nwakuche, commended the management of NOUN for its consistent collaboration with the Service.

Nwakuche described the university as a beacon of educational transformation within the criminal justice system.

He lauded NOUN’s gesture of offering tuition-free education to inmates across its special study centres in custodial centres nationwide, and welcomed the extension of such benefits to the personnel of the NCoS.

“NOUN has become a case study in correctional education.

“For an institution to step in and make education tuition-free for inmates, is something truly commendable. You have recorded real impact, and you’ve done it with excellence,” he said.

The CGC expressed readiness to deepen the existing partnership with the university and assured NOUN that the Service would not only embrace the initiative but also encourage staff participation across commands.

“We are not taking this for granted. We won’t hesitate to key into this initiative. We’ll ensure our staff understand the importance of this opportunity and make the most of it. You are always welcome here,” he said.

Speaking, the National Coordinator, Special Study Centre Unit (SSCU), Ms. Modupe Adesina, reiterated NOUN’s commitment to supporting the reform agenda of the Correctional Service.

Adesina, however, called on the officers and men of the NCoS to take ownership of their educational journey.

“We believe it is time for the personnel of the NCoS to begin to add feathers to their ranks.

“ODL gives you the liberty to work and study simultaneously. It offers flexibility. You can learn and write your exams from anywhere, even in the line of duty.

“We want the correctional staff to realise that everyone can be educated, no matter the time or age,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that over the years, NOUN has established itself as a leader in open and distance education in Nigeria, with a mandate to widen access to tertiary education.

This is especially for underserved populations including inmates, military personnel and paramilitary officers.

Thisdaylive.com

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BREAKING: KWAM 1 Writes Ogun Govt, Accuses Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Plot to Exclude Him From Awujale Selection

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Popular Fuji musician and Olori Omooba of Ijebu land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, widely known as KWAM1, has written to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, alleging that he is being deliberately sidelined from the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebu land.

Ayinde, in a petition dated January 8, 2026, accused the Fusengbuwa ruling house next in line to produce the monarch of taking actions that allegedly violate the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State. He claimed the moves were designed to disenfranchise him from contesting for the revered throne.

The letter, written on his behalf by his lawyer, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN, was addressed to Governor Abiodun and outlined what the Fuji star described as procedural irregularities in the selection process.

According to the petition, the contest for the Awujale stool has attracted over 60 aspirants, with Ayinde formally declaring his interest. However, the Fusengbuwa family has maintained that KWAM1 is not a member of the ruling house and is therefore ineligible to participate in the exercise.

Before writing to the governor, Ayinde had approached the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu Ode, seeking an interim injunction to restrain Governor Abiodun and six others from continuing with the selection process. The court, however, dismissed the application, ruling that it lacked merit. The musician later withdrew the suit without publicly stating his reasons.

In his latest letter, Ayinde disclosed that the Ijebu Ode Local Government, via a letter dated January 6, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Oke Adebanjo, had approved the commencement of the selection process by the ruling house.

He expressed surprise that while members of the Fusengbuwa family were preparing for a general meeting, the family’s Public Relations Officer, Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, allegedly issued a notice directing aspirants to collect nomination forms and appear before a screening committee.

The screening committee, according to Ayinde, is chaired by Prince Alhaji Mitiu Adenuga. He further alleged that the directive fixed the nomination exercise for Monday, January 12, 2026, while also stating that the process would be conducted by delegates to be selected at a meeting scheduled for January 10, 2026.

Ayinde argued that the sequence of events was confusing, contradictory, and contrary to established laws guiding traditional chieftaincy matters in Ogun State.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Ogun State Government nor the Fusengbuwa ruling house had officially responded to the allegations.

Lagos Reporters will continue to monitor developments surrounding the Awujale succession process and provide updates as the story unfolds.

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“Do Not Test Trump’s Resolve”: US Issues Fresh Threat To Nigeria

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A United States Congressman, Rep. Riley M. Moore, has warned Nigeria not to take the resolve of President Donald Trump with levity, adding that the US president remained steadfast in his bid to protect Christians in Nigeria, while reiterating the false allegation that Christians have continued to face prosecution in the West African country.

Moore’s warning came days after the US president issued another military action in Nigeria, adding that he would not be carrying out a single operation in Nigeria if the alleged Christian persecution continues in the country.

The threat came days after the United States launched a military strike in Sokoto, targeting some terrorist hideouts in the country. The strike affected other states such as Niger and Kwara.

However, Trump, in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, January 8, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day, said: “I’d love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike,” Trump said.

Moore took to social media to reiterate Trump’s second threat to the country and warned Nigeria against overlooking the threat. His warning did not sit well with many Nigerians, who took to the comment section of the post and expressed their views about his claim. Below are some of their comments:

Omolayo accused the US of bombing a Christian country, Venezuela, and stealing its oil: “What about Venezuela, which is 80% Christian? Trump doesn’t care about Christians, but I grudgingly welcome his presence in the northern part of Nigeria.”

Umar Yusuf Dayyabu knocked the US: “The same US that just finished bombing a Christian country (Venezuela) and is currently stealing their oil is now claiming to want to save Christians in Nigeria. The US only wants our natural resources, that’s it.”

Amadu Yahuza accused the Trump administration of imperialism: “Let’s be clear: if the U.S. is claiming to defend Christians in Nigeria but simultaneously tightens visa access for Nigerians broadly, including Christians, that is not solidarity, it’s hypocrisy. Trump’s statements about Nigerian Christians are political branding, while visa restrictions, federal actions, and international messaging are geopolitical moves.”

Garvy accused the lawmaker of turning a blind eye to the killing of Christians in the US: “I guess you were blind to Christians murdered right in front of your nose in Salt Lake City, and you were blind to that. Suppose their lives don’t matter, right?”

You can read more reactions on X here:

 

 

 

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Buhari’s Ex-Minister Pantami Breaks Silence Over Alleged Wedding Plan With Aisha Buhari

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False claims linking former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, with former First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, have been dismissed after an independent verification found the story to be entirely fabricated.

The rumour, which spread rapidly across Facebook and X, alleged that the two were planning a marriage and circulated alongside an image described online as a pre wedding photograph.

The post gained wide traction after several users pointed to Aisha Buhari’s completion of her Islamic mourning period following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2025.

Public figures also reshared the image, drawing thousands of comments and reactions and fuelling speculation among social media users.

A fact check carried out by PRNigeria found no credible evidence supporting the claim. Reviews of the verified social media accounts of both Pantami and Aisha Buhari showed no statements or references linked to any marriage plan. Searches across reputable news platforms also returned no matching reports.

Further forensic analysis subjected the viral photograph to InVid verification and artificial intelligence detection tools. The assessment confirmed that the image was digitally manipulated and generated through artificial means, with faces inserted into a wedding-themed template.

Pantami addressed the allegation directly in a phone conversation with PRNigeria.

“It is shocking that anyone would fabricate such a rumour. President Buhari is a father figure to us, and we regard his widow as a mother. The claim is baseless and impossible,” he said.

Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to the late president, also rejected the story on his Facebook page in Hausa.

“The story being circulated that Hajiya Aisha Buhari has agreed to marry Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami is an outright lie. There is absolutely no truth in it whatsoever,” Ahmad wrote.

Additional context emerged from a recently released biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr. Charles Omole and launched at the State House in December 2025. The book records Aisha Buhari as stating clearly that she has no intention of remarrying, citing family responsibilities and a desire for a quieter public life.

The former president died in London on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82. He married Aisha Buhari in 1989 and is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren. Speculation around her personal life increased online after she completed the traditional mourning period in November 2025.

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