News
Students to ground Lagos airport, police threaten showdown
Men of the Lagos State Police Command, Lagos Airport Police Command and students, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students, may be set for a showdown over the students’ plan to ground the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Monday (today).
The students’ planned mass action is in continuation of their protest against the ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
While the students told The PUNCH on Sunday that they will commence the grounding of the nation’s airports with that of Lagos on Monday (today), police authorities said the students “are free to come out and see what awaits them.”
NANs National Taskforce Chairman, Olumide Ojo, told one of our correspondents that the association was aware of the Federal Government’s plan to mobilise the military against its protest.
He said the move would, however, not stop the association’s protest at the Lagos airport.
Ojo said, “We can secure ourselves against external forces. We are aware that the Federal Government is mobilising the military to the venue of our protest but that will not stop us from barricading the airport.
“Since last Tuesday, we have been grounding the major highways from Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Guru Maharaji, we blocked Gbongan and so on. These are the roads being used by the masses, so we decided to focus on the routes government officials use most, which are the international airports and others.
“Nigerians should reschedule their flights because tomorrow (today) will be grounded. No one will go out, no one will come in.”
NANS Coordinator, Zone D, Adegboye Olatunji also confirmed the development in a separate interview.
He noted that the Lagos airport would be the first among the airports to be grounded by the students.
“The Lagos airport will be grounded on Monday (today). All we want is for the government to answer us. We want an end to the strike
Police dismiss threat
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command dismissed the threat by the student body to ground operations at the Lagos airport and urged citizens to go about their lawful duties.
The command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin said, “Speaking from a position of confidence, everything is intact, and there is no threat on the airport or the airspace.
“However, the protesters who issued the threat are free to come out and see what awaits them. We, however, urge law-abiding Lagosians to go about their lawful duties without fear of intimidation or harassment.”
The airport police command’s spokes person, Olayinka Ojelade, also said, “Our men have been on standby since Friday, so nobody is folding arms to watch the students disrupt aviation activities.
“They can’t enter the airport; they can only block the entrance to the airport. Whoever is travelling will know how to bypass them and enter the airport. No airline is on strike, so, they will attend to their passengers. Nobody can ground flight operations, they have been warned.”
FAAN allays fear
The spokesperson for the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Hope Ivbaze noted that security had been beefed up at the airport because the airport is the nation’s gateway.
She said, “You won’t expect that this kind of information will go around and security will not be beefed up.
“The airport is the nation’s gateway. Certainly, we have existing security operatives at the airport and when there are things like this, security is further beefed up.’’
ASUU backs NANS
The National President, ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in an interview with The PUNCH, however, commended the students for fighting for their rights.
“We commend NANS members for fighting for their rights. It is their right. The pro-chancellors are doing well too. We hope the government will listen to them because they (pro-chancellors) understand what is happening in the Nigerian universities,” he said.
Osodeke also informed that it would honour the invitation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to a meeting on Tuesday.
Gunmen on Thursday night ambushed and beheaded a 30-year-old man, Elisha Abbas Saku, at Riwhie-Chwo in Nzharuvo, Miango District of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred around 10 pm when the gunmen stormed the community, throwing residents into panic and confusion.
A statement issued on Friday by the Irigwe Youth Movement described the killing as a brutal ambush.
The group’s National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Yonkpa, who signed the statement, prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul while calling for divine comfort for the entire Irigwe Nation.
“Yesterday night, 16th April 2026, gunmen ambushed and beheaded Mr. Elisha Abbas Saku, 30 years old, at Riwhie-Chwo, Nzharuvo, Miango District of Bassa LGA, Plateau State,” the report stated. “May his soul rest in peace, and may God comfort the entire Irigwe Nation.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the release of results for 632,788 candidates who participated in the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), held on Thursday.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Board’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, on Friday.
According to the Board, candidates can now access their results by sending “UTMERESULT” via SMS to either 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number registered during the examination process.
At this stage, only result viewing is available, as printing of result slips has not yet been enabled.
JAMB emphasised that the UTME exercise is still ongoing, adding that additional batches of results will be released progressively as marking and processing continue.
The Board also issued a stern warning against any attempts to manipulate or falsify results.
It cautioned candidates against altering SMS messages received from its official platforms to misrepresent their scores to others, including parents and guardians.
JAMB Releases Results of 632,788 Candidates from Day One of the 2026 UTME
The results of candidates who sat the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16 April 2026, have been released and are now available for viewing.
To check their results, candidates should send UTMERESULT via SMS to 55019…
— Fabian Benjamin (@FabianB58246501) April 17, 2026
Describing such actions as a serious criminal offence, JAMB disclosed that it has already taken action against offenders. “Two candidates and one parent are currently in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means,” the statement revealed.
The Board reiterated that anyone found guilty of such misconduct would face the full weight of the law.
JAMB urged candidates to adhere strictly to official channels and maintain integrity throughout the examination process, as it continues efforts to ensure a credible and transparent admissions system in Nigeria.
The Arewa APC Forum, Kano State chapter, has announced the withdrawal of its support for the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing concerns over governance and leadership direction.
In a statement dated April 17, 2026, the forum said its decision followed “extensive consultations and careful reflection” on the state of affairs at the federal level.
The group stated that it could no longer, “in good conscience,” continue to support the current administration, which it criticised over alleged issues including nepotism, incompetence, and corruption.
“We believe that leadership must inspire confidence, uphold fairness, and demonstrate a sincere commitment to national unity, institutional integrity, and responsible governance,” the statement read.
It added that where such values are persistently undermined, “silence becomes complicity.”
The forum further declared that its confidence in the current political direction has been withdrawn, urging its members to align with this position in future political engagements.
The statement was signed by Sallah Hakilu Kibiya, chairman of the forum in Kano State.
The development signals potential cracks within support structures linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in the northern region, as political alignments begin to shift ahead of the next electoral cycle.
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