The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has called on religious and traditional leaders nationwide to promote tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and unity as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The SGF emphasized the critical role of faith-based and traditional institutions in preventing division and fostering understanding among citizens.

Speaking in Abuja at the first triannual meeting of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council, themed “Religious Literacy for National Cohesion,” Akume urged leaders to intensify grassroots mobilisation, youth engagement, and collaboration to ensure peaceful electoral processes before, during, and after the polls.

He stressed that Nigeria’s religious and cultural diversity makes tolerance and mutual understanding essential for national stability.

According to him, eliminating manipulation, stereotypes, and misinformation is key to preventing violence and strengthening trust within communities.

The SGF also highlighted the growing importance of religious literacy, noting that it must be complemented by media and information literacy, and urged citizens to verify information, reject hate speech, and resist divisive narratives, especially in an era of widespread misinformation.

He raised concerns over insecurity affecting the education sector, warning that attacks on schools and prolonged closures are worsening the country’s education challenges, calling for stronger implementation of safe school policies to ensure children can learn in secure environments.

Akume concluded by urging stakeholders including schools, media, and community leaders to work together in building a generation committed to peace, patriotism, and unity.and expressed confidence that the council’s deliberations would yield practical solutions to strengthen national cohesion ahead of the 2027 elections.

Amnesty International Nigeria has welcomed a Federal High Court ruling that restrains the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from enforcing its controversial sanctions against broadcasters, describing the decision as a significant victory for freedom of expression and media independence.

The organisation made the commendation in a statement on its X handle on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.Justice Daniel Osiagor, on Monday, May 5, 2026, granted an interim injunction ordering the NBC to suspend the implementation of its “Formal Notice” issued on May 2, pending the hearing of the substantive suit.

The matter has been adjourned to June 1, 2026.The NBC directive had threatened sanctions against broadcast stations and presenters for allegedly presenting personal opinions as facts, intimidating or bullying guests, or failing to maintain neutrality in programmes.

Amnesty criticised the notice as vague, overly broad, and open to abuse, warning that its enforcement would create a chilling effect on the media and silence critical voices ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“The ruling by Justice Daniel Osiagor marks an important step toward protecting freedom of expression and media independence in Nigeria,” the statement said.

While hailing the interim relief, Amnesty cautioned that the order is not a final judgment and urged the NBC to fully withdraw the directive to prevent further threats to press freedom.

“Amnesty International Nigeria calls on the NBC to withdraw the ‘Formal Notice’ in full and refrain from enforcing similar measures that undermine constitutional and international guarantees of freedom of expression,” it added.

The rights group further called on Nigerian authorities to allow journalists and broadcasters to perform their duties without intimidation or undue regulatory interference.

…Labels It Academic Fraud.

The Federal Government has prohibited recipients of honorary degrees from using the title “Dr” in official, academic, or professional contexts, describing the practice as a misrepresentation of academic credentials that will henceforth be treated as academic fraud.

The government warned that violators will face legal and reputational consequences.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who was joined by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, made the announcement following the Federal Executive Council’s approval of a new uniform policy on the award and use of honorary degrees by Nigerian universities.

The policy, which was approved at the FEC meeting on April 30 but not publicly announced at the time, aims to standardize the conferment of honorary degrees and curb the abuse of academic titles.

Under the new guidelines, honorary doctorates will no longer confer the right to the “Dr” prefix, distinguishing them clearly from earned doctoral degrees.

The move is part of broader efforts to restore integrity to Nigeria’s higher education system and prevent the public from being misled about individuals’ academic qualifications.