News
US military drafts airstrike plans for Nigeria
Pentagon has received contingency plans for possible air operations in Nigeria after US President Donald Trump directed the Defense Department to “prepare to intervene” to protect Christians from attacks.
According to The New York Times, U.S. Africa Command submitted a set of operational options to the Defense Department at the request of Secretary Pete Hegseth. Officials described the proposals as three-tiered — “heavy,” “medium,” and “light” — each spelling out different levels of U.S. involvement on Nigerian soil and in the surrounding region.
The most robust, or “heavy,” plan would place a carrier strike group in the Gulf of Guinea and use fighter aircraft or long-range bombers to hit militant positions deep inside northern Nigeria. A separate option envisions deploying MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator drones for targeted strikes against insurgent camps, convoys and vehicles, carried out with U.S. intelligence to ensure “precise and timely” hits, the report said.
By contrast, the “light” option focuses on bolstering intelligence sharing, providing logistical support and conducting joint operations with Nigerian forces to counter Boko Haram and other Islamist militants accused of attacks on churches, mass killings and abductions.
Senior Pentagon officials reportedly caution that limited airstrikes or drone strikes alone are unlikely to end Nigeria’s long-running insurgency unless the U.S. mounted a major, sustained campaign akin to past wars in Iraq or Afghanistan — a course Washington is not pursuing at this time.
Recalled that President Trump in a post.on Saturday had threatened to send U.S. forces into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” if the Nigerian government failed to curb what he called the killing of Christians. “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet,” Trump added.
The remark follows Mr. Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” a move he framed as a response to what he described as a “mass slaughter”:
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” he wrote.
Channels
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.
-
News2 days agoJAMB: Gunmen abduct UTME candidates, others
-
News2 days ago
Billionaire trader Habby Forex hospitalized in Canada, undergoes surgery
-
News20 hours ago
JAMB to release Thursday’s UTME 2026 results today
-
News6 hours ago
BREAKING: JAMB releases first batch of 2026 UTME results, warns against score manipulation
-
News3 days ago
Cybersecurity breach hits CAC as Nigerian Agency confirms unauthorised access to system
-
News1 day ago
Pastor sentenced to life imprisonment for raping church member’s daughter
-
Politics2 days ago
Atiku says 2027 presidential election will be his last outing
-
News3 days ago
250 missing after migrant boat sinks in Indian Ocean
