
News
World Leaders, others in Abuja for Tinubu’s inauguration today
No fewer than 20 presidents of countries around the world, including Africa are in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to witness today’s inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the 16th president of the country.
Tinubu’s inauguration marks the 7th consecutive democratic transition of power in the 24 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria, following the return to civilian administration in 1999.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Transition Council, Boss Mustapha, who had earlier unveiled the programme of events for the inauguration at a world press conference in Abuja, said all arrangements have been concluded for a seamless transition of power.
He disclosed that the federal government has extended invitations to some presidents and heads of government as well as heads of international organisations, saying he was glad to report that many of the invitees confirmed attendance in person.
“Let me once again assure Nigerians and indeed the global community of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to the seamless transfer of power to President-Elect, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The upcoming event is historically significant to this great nation and the international community, particularly Africa because of the democratic values and lessons in nationhood. For these reasons, we have chosen, ‘Nigeria: Better Together’, as the theme for the 2023 transition,” he said.
The world leaders attended the presidential inauguration dinner and gala night held at the State House, Abuja yesterday.
Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He defeated 17 other candidates, among them, his closest rivals, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party to clinch Nigeria’s most coveted seat.
However, his victory is being challenged at the election petition tribunal by both Atiku and Obi who alleged that the electoral body rigged the election to favour the former Lagos State governor. Both INEC and the ruling party have denied the allegation.
The inauguration ceremony is billed for Eagle Square, Abuja amidst high expectations from Nigerians and the world due to the importance of Nigeria to regional, continental and global stability and influences.
While Tinubu would be inaugurated in Abuja, similar exercises would take place in 28 states.
The states are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River and Delta.
Others are Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara states.
Brand new governors would be sworn-in in 18 states, where the governors have served out their two terms. The states are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.
Sixteen of the governors to be inaugurated today are of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Uba Sani (Kaduna), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Mohammed Bago (Niger), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Babagana Zulum (Borno) and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).
Similarly, 10 state governors on the platform of the PDP will take charge today. They are Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Siminialayi Fubara (Rivers), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta) and Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa).
Abba Kabir of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) will be sworn in as governor of Kano State, while Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP) will be inaugurated as the chief executive of Abia.
Ahead of today’s ceremonies, security operatives had been placed on red alert to abort any threat to the events.
World leaders in Abuja
It was gathered that among the early arrivals on Sunday was the Indian delegation, with the government sending the Defence Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, as a Special Envoy of the Prime Minister to attend Tinubu’s inauguration.
The Indian Embassy in Nigeria had earlier issued a statement on Saturday that Singh would arrive in Abuja on Sunday for the occasion.
“Mr Singh is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs of India,” the statement said.
Similarly, a delegation from the Canadian Government is being represented by the Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion, Ahmed Hussen, as head.
It was also learnt that the United Kingdom’s delegation arrived in Abuja on Sunday afternoon.
The delegation, comprising the Special Envoy of King Charles is led by the Minister of State for Development and Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Andrew Mitchell; the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria and Special Envoy on Girls’ Education, Helen Grant, and the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery.
The nine-man delegation from the United States as approved by President Joe Biden, last Monday, is being led by Marcia L. Fudge, US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
The American delegation has since arrived in Nigeria.
Other members of the US delegation to Nigeria include David Greene, chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Abuja; Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Democratic Representative from California; Marisa Lago, the US Department of Commerce’s Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade and Michael E. Langley, the commander of the United States Africa Command.
Others include Enoh T. Ebong, director of the United States Trade and Development Agency; Mary Catherine Phee, the US Department of State’s Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; Judd Devermont, national security council’s special assistant to the president and senior director for African issues; and Monde Muyangwa, the assistant administrator for Africa at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Chinese government delegation, led by a Communist Party leader and minister is leading the unspecified delegation as confirmed by the Embassy in Abuja.
Also in Abuja for the epoch-making ceremony, is the Turkish government delegation.
African leaders
Meanwhile, the Rwandan government also announced the arrival of President Paul Kagame in Abuja to attend the handover ceremony.
“President Kagame has arrived in Abuja, Nigeria, where he will attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu alongside other Heads of State from around the world,” Rwanda’s presidency tweeted.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has also reportedly arrived for the ceremony leading a 10-man high-powered delegation.
The Sierra Leonean and Liberian governments’ delegations have also arrived in Abuja for the ceremony. South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has also arrived.
Also in Abuja is the president of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan; president of the Republic of Congo Brazzaville, Denis Sassou Nguesso; president of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló; while the Qatar delegation is led by Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
The president of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye; the Transitional President of Chad, Mahamat Déby; the President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum; and President Nana Akufo-Ado of Ghana are also in Nigeria for today’s ceremony. (Daily Trust)
Business
Enugu Air Launches New Website
…moves online services to www.enuguairlines.ng
Enugu Air has announced the launch of its new official website, enuguairlines.ng, as part of efforts to provide passengers and customers with a better, safer and more convenient digital experience.
The airline said the migration to the new website is designed to improve how passengers connect with Enugu Air and access its services online, including flight bookings, schedules and the latest updates.
Announcing the development, the airline said: “We’ve moved! We’re innovating! We’ve migrated to a better, safer and convenient website to connect you to the world.”
Passengers can now access Enugu Air’s online services through its new web address, enuguairlines.ng, which the airline described as its new digital home.
The airline urged passengers and prospective travellers to save the new web address and use it for flight bookings, checking schedules and obtaining the latest information about its operations.

“Same Enugu Air. New web address,” the airline stated, emphasising that the change represents an improvement in its digital platform while retaining the Enugu Air brand and services.
The airline further encouraged customers to visit, www.enuguairlines.ng for all flight-related information and online services.
It further stated that the old website, enuguairlines•com has been discarded and no longer in use.
News
Kidnapped female Police officer found dead in Ebonyi
A kidnapped female police officer has been found dead in Ebonyi State after a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate was arrested and led police operatives to the scene where her remains were recovered.
The Nigeria Police Force disclosed this in its state-by-state operational update issued by Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Ani Iniedu on Monday, detailing several arrests, rescues and recoveries recorded across the country between September 19 and 20, 2026.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested following a sustained intelligence-led and technology-based investigation into the kidnapping of the female officer.
The suspect reportedly led combined police teams to the crime scene, where the remains of the officer were recovered.
The police said the case is being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.

In a separate operation in Adamawa State, police operatives rescued two kidnapped victims from a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Shako Forest, Toungo Local Government Area.
The operation, carried out on September 20 following actionable intelligence, also led to the recovery of two magazines containing 10 rounds of 7.62×39mm live ammunition.
A National Identification Number (NIN) card, mobile phone, passport and chain were also recovered from the suspected hideout.
In the Federal Capital Territory, police arrested 334 suspects during coordinated raids on criminal hotspots, black spots and uncompleted buildings across several locations.
The operation, conducted on September 19, also resulted in the recovery of various quantities of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.
Meanwhile, police in Anambra State arrested a suspected child trafficker who was allegedly intercepted while travelling with a six-month-old baby boy.
The baby was recovered and handed over to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, according to the police.
In Kaduna State, four suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate were arrested following intelligence-led operations.
Police said the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in kidnapping and provided information about fleeing accomplices. A locally made Dane gun was recovered.
Another suspected kidnapping syndicate member was arrested at Soba Market in the state. Police said the suspect also confessed and gave information implicating five fleeing accomplices.
In Ogun State, police arrested a suspect linked to a fatal shooting incident in Isara, Remo North Local Government Area.
One single-barrel gun, one live cartridge and one expended shell were recovered during the operation.
In Imo State, a suspect was arrested during a raid on a suspected criminal gathering at Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area, with police recovering a locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun.
Police in Ekiti State also arrested two suspects linked to multiple shop-breaking and stealing incidents in Ado-Ekiti and recovered suspected stolen iron rods.
In another operation in Ado-Ekiti, police recovered an abandoned white sack containing a pump-action gun loaded with two live cartridges and a locally made single-barrel gun from a farmland.
In Benue State, police tactical teams, supported by personnel of the Police Mobile Force and military, intervened in a renewed communal conflict at Akpa-Mbakor Community in Tarka Local Government Area.
The security teams dispersed the rampaging youths and restored normalcy in the area, according to the police.
In Oyo State, police arrested a truck driver allegedly involved in a fatal road traffic incident along the Ijebu-Ode/Idi Ayunre Road.
The truck was impounded for further inspection and investigation.
The police said all the cases remain under investigation by the respective State Criminal Investigation Departments.
News
UK excludes Nigerian, Ghanaian-trained teachers from teaching qualification list
Teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana are no longer eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England under the United Kingdom’s overseas-trained teacher application route.
The change took effect on September 9 and means teachers trained in the two West African countries can no longer use the route to obtain QTS, a status recognised by many schools in England.
The UK Department for Education said countries included in the scheme must meet specific requirements to ensure that applicants’ qualifications, professional standing and teaching experience can be properly verified. One of the requirements is that a country must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher’s professional status and providing authenticated references.
According to the department, Nigeria and Ghana did not meet the reference-verification requirement.
“Our data shows that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses, such as Gmail or Hotmail, rather than a school’s official email domain. This means assessors spend additional time and resources trying to verify information provided in applications,” the department said.

The UK department said about 90 percent of applications are assessed within 12 months.
India was also removed from the eligible list because it does not have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional standing.
South Africa is now the only African country remaining on the list of countries whose teachers can use the QTS application route.
The department said the verification process was necessary to ensure that information provided by applicants was genuine and that teachers awarded QTS possessed the required skills and experience to teach in England.
To apply for QTS, overseas-trained teachers must have a valid passport, an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree and professional recognition as a teacher in the country where they trained.
Applicants must also have completed any mandatory induction requirements needed for full teacher registration in their country of qualification.
They are required to demonstrate that they are qualified to teach children aged between five and 16 and have at least nine months of teaching experience gained after qualifying as a teacher.
Applicants must also provide employment references that verify their work history and use an email address linked to the school’s official domain.
Depending on the country where a teacher trained, additional requirements may include qualifications to teach pupils aged between 11 and 16 and a specialism in subjects such as mathematics, science, biology, chemistry, physics, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.
However, because teachers in England are employed by individual schools rather than the Department for Education, schools may consider alternative routes into teaching.
The department said teachers who are no longer eligible to use the QTS application service can explore other routes into teaching in England.
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