Users of Instagram will no longer be able to send ultra-private direct messages, after parent company Meta switched off end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for the platform’s messaging service worldwide.

The move marks a major reversal for Meta, which had previously positioned E2EE as the “gold standard” for user privacy.

E2EE ensures that only the sender and recipient can read messages, but it has long been criticised by child safety campaigners who argue it can make it harder to detect abuse and illegal content.

As a result, the decision has been welcomed by child protection groups but strongly criticised by privacy advocates.

With E2EE removed, Instagram will now be able to access the contents of direct messages, including text, images, videos, and voice notes.

The Registrar and Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, says the council has transformed from a struggling institution battling public distrust and infrastructure challenges into an internationally recognised examination body noted for professionalism and integrity.

Prof. Wushishi disclosed this during NECO’s 25th anniversary celebration in Abuja.

Professor Wushishi revealed that NECO now conducts examinations in eight countries, a development which reflects the growing global acceptance of the council’s certificates and standards.

According to him, the examination body has earned international recognition for promoting educational integrity and supporting academic mobility.

Highlighting recent milestones, the NECO Registrar said that the council had embarked on office construction projects in 10 states while introducing several digital innovations, including e-verification of results, digital certificates, and a data analysis studio.

He also assured that NECO would continue to intensify measures against examination malpractice, expand digital services, and strengthen collaborations with international examination bodies in line with global best practices.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced that Nigeria will fully transition major secondary school examinations to Computer-Based Testing by 2027.

The reform, which will affect examinations conducted by both NECO and the West African Examinations Council, is aimed at curbing examination malpractice and modernising the nation’s assessment system.

The minister explained that implementation of the computer-based examination system will begin this year, with nationwide adoption expected by 2027.

He noted that the digital platform would feature real-time monitoring, digital tracking, and enhanced security measures to detect suspicious activities, while also improving transparency, efficiency, and faster processing of examination results across the country.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has described security as the foundation of credible elections, calling it the “first and last mile” of the electoral process.

He made the remark during a courtesy visit to the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, in Abuja, where he sought stronger collaboration between INEC and the Nigeria Police Force ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Professor Amupitan said that preparations for the elections were already underway, with Presidential and National Assembly polls scheduled for January 16, 2027, while Governorship and State Assembly elections are fixed for February 6, 2027.

He noted that the release of the election timetable and ongoing political party activities, including ward congresses and conventions, have effectively activated the electoral process and heightened security concerns nationwide.

The INEC Chairman also pointed to upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, as well as several bye-elections across the country, describing them as important tests for Nigeria’s democracy.

He warned that electoral malpractice, vote buying, political violence and insecurity remain major threats capable of undermining public confidence in the electoral system.

Professor Amupitan stressed the need for proactive policing, intelligence gathering and early risk assessments to identify potential flashpoints before the elections, and reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to working closely with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (CCES), describing it as central to ensuring the safety of voters, electoral personnel and materials during the polls.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu,in his remarks assured INEC of the Police Force’s readiness to provide adequate security before, during and after the elections.

He disclosed that nationwide intelligence mapping and threat assessments had already commenced, with concerns such as political violence, illegal arms proliferation, voter intimidation, cyber threats and attacks on electoral infrastructure identified as priority risks.

The IGP also pledged that the Police would remain professional, impartial and guided strictly by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, and warned that officers involved in partisan activities would face disciplinary action, while personnel assigned to election duties would undergo intensive training in electoral security management, human rights compliance and crowd control.

He further called for stronger inter-agency cooperation, joint trainings and sustained stakeholder engagements to guarantee peaceful and credible elections in 2027.