The Senate on Monday congratulated the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, officers, soldiers and veterans of the Nigerian Army on the occasion of the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration, describing the anniversary as a significant milestone in the country’s military history.

In a statement issued by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central), said this year’s celebration marks 163 years of the Nigerian Army’s service to the nation

The upper chamber also urged officers and soldiers to remain professional, steadfast and committed to their constitutional responsibilities, assuring them of the Senate’s continued support.

He noted that for more than a century, the Army has remained at the forefront of defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.

Commenting on the theme of the 2026 celebration, “Protecting the Nation and Serving the People: A Way Forward for the Nigerian Army,” Yar’Adua said it reflects the Army’s constitutional mandate and the importance of strengthening its relationship with the public.

Photo: Eze Anaba (President) NGE

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) will on July 23, 2026 host the 4th Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture in Lagos.

The Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture is an annual lecture series instituted by the NGE in 2023 to honour the legacy of Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the late iconic journalist, who was one-time President of the Guild, former Lagos State Governor, and former Minister of Works.

In a press statement signed by Eze Anaba (President) and Onuoha Ukeh (General Secretary), the lecture will holds at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, with theme: “The Media, INEC, Voters and Path to Credible Elections.” Time is 11am.

The Guild said that Prof Sylvester Odion Akhaine of the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, will deliver the lecture, with former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as Chairman. Expected at the lecture is Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is the Chief Host and Special Guest of Honour; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; elders of the Guild, including former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba and publisher of Vanguard group of newspapers, Uncle Sam Amuka; top government officials, managing directors and editors of print, electronic and online publications and civil society groups.

Also expected at the lecture are Mass Communication and Journalism lecturers and students of Caleb University, Ikorodu, Lagos; Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos; Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos and Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos.

The statement said that the Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture brings together media leaders, public officials, and civil society to reflect on nation-building, governance, and the role of the press, describing it as “a fitting tribute to Alhaji Jakande’s legacy, which embodies dedication to journalism, governance, and service to Nigeria.”

It added: “The Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture continues to serve as a platform for thought leadership, policy debate, and national introspection, while keeping alive the standard Jakande set in journalism and public service.

“The Guild also said that University students are invited to the lecture every year for them “learn the value of service, excellence and dedication to journalism and public service as well as for them to connect with practising journalists who could serve as their role models in the profession.”

The Jakande Memorial Lecture started in 2023, with a lecture delivered by Chief Felix Adenaike, Fellow of the NGE.

In 2024, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of ThisDay and Arise Mews TV, spoke on “Rapid Changing Media Landscape: Survival Strategies.”

The third edition last year had the theme: “Journalism and the Challenge of Nation-Building in a Multi-Ethnic Society” and delivered by Bauchi State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed.

Troops have arrested a suspected militia member allegedly involved in the recent attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, in Jos south LGA of Plateau state.

The suspect, identified as Paul Kolsen, was apprehended at about 3:30 pm on Sunday at Farm Centre, where he was “receiving treatment for a gunshot wound” believed to have been sustained during the July 2 attack on the institute.

According to security sources quoted by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication covering the Lake Chad region, Kolsen’s arrest followed credible intelligence and comes days after other suspects linked to the incident were taken into custody.

The July 2 attack was the latest in a series of assaults on the institution. During the incident, troops engaged suspected Berom militia members in a gun battle, killing one of the attackers while others fled into nearby rocky terrain.

Security sources said that soldiers recovered a service rifle bearing registration number “CO-3175” during the operation.

The weapon was identified as one previously stolen from a soldier killed in an attack on troops at the Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Vom, on April 11.

The recovery of the rifle has widened the scope of ongoing investigations, with security agencies now probing possible links between the attacks on NIPSS and earlier assaults on military personnel operating along the Kuru-Vom corridor.

Kolsen remains in military custody as investigators seek to establish the extent of his alleged involvement in the attack and uncover other members of the network behind the repeated assaults.