News
Let freed Chibok girls reunite with families, community tells govt
The Kibaku Area Development Association has asked the Borno State Government to allow the Chibok schoolgirls so far rescued from Boko Haram to reunite with their families.
The community made the demand at a press conference held at the Unity Fountain in Abuja on Sunday in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in April 2014.
On the night of April 14, 276 female students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, aged 16 to 18 and mostly Christians, were kidnapped by the fundamentalist group, Boko Haram.
Before the raid, the school had been closed for four weeks due to deteriorating security conditions, but the girls were in school to take final exams in Physics.
A few hours before the raid, residents in Chibok reportedly received phone calls from neighbouring villages, warning of the incoming attack, as they sighted convoys containing armed insurgents driving in the direction of the town.
The terrorists reportedly broke into the school, dressed in military camouflage and pretended to be soldiers of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The attack lasted for about five hours, during which houses in Chibok were also burnt.
The development generated both national and international outcry against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, with an advocacy group, Bring Back Our Girls, formed to raise awareness and collaborate with the families and Chibok community to demand government action on the girls.
A decade later, the fate of 89 of the girls remains uncertain, while some of them have regained freedom.
Some of the schoolgirls had escaped immediately following the incident by jumping from the trucks in which they were being transported, and others were rescued by the Nigerian Armed Forces on various occasions.
According to the Kibaku Area Development Association, some of those rescued have been in the custody of the Borno State government and are yet to be reunited with their families.
Speaking during the Abuja press conference on Sunday, the National President of the Kibaku community (otherwise known as Chibok), Dauda Iliya, decried what he termed the second captivity of the released girls by the Borno State Government.
“We demand the urgent release of the rescued girls in the custody of the Borno State government to their families and not to anybody, nor the terrorists, the so-called repentant terrorists that were in the first place their abductors.
“The girls’ consent and that of their parents and guardians were not sought before they were abducted. As such, what is the basis to seek their consent before they are allowed to be returned to their parents? We demand that we are availed all the rescued daughters at home and in school, for any organisation or group that wants to support them.
“There should be no restrictions. Borno State does not hold any monopoly over them. What we understand today is that these girls are held a second time in captivity, this time, by the government.” he said.
The association also challenged the government at all levels to bring an end to the fiasco by ensuring the rescue of the remaining girls.
Iliya further faulted the Borno State Government for the ‘obnoxious marriages’ between the returnee girls and ‘the so-called repentant terrorists,’ while also threatening legal actions against the state government for referencing marriages between the released girls and the terrorists.
“On this occasion of the 10th-year commemoration of the abduction of our daughters, we strongly challenge governments at all levels, federal, state and local, to work towards bringing closure, one way or the other, to this fiasco. To do nothing in the past decade is completely unacceptable.
“We demand a formal rebuttal and apology to all the families and the community at large, for the illegal cohabitation, encouraged by the Borno State Government, by calling the terrorists their husbands, and the failures to do so may result in legal action against the Borno State Government and all its officials, who have used this insulting and demeaning terminology to describe a very ugly and painful situation 10 years too long, too painful to bear,” he said.
When contacted on Sunday, the Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, said he had spoken on the issue of Chibok girls on Saturday and was not disposed to speaking further.
In a press release on Saturday, the commissioner had said 187 of the abducted girls had been rescued and reunited with their families.
He said, “We also wish to use this occasion to take stock of the rescued girls and provide an update on how the girls are coming to terms with adjusting to normal life after captivity, and efforts of the Borno State Government to sustain the momentum on the rescue of the remaining girls.
“So far, out of the 276 abducted Chibok Girls,187 have been rescued and reunited with their families. Most of the rescued girls have, over the years, been enrolled in different schools or graduated under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. A number of the girls have been enrolled into local and foreign scholarships or empowerment programmes. Many have since been reunited with their immediate families and are continuing to receive psychosocial support to reconcile them with normal life.
“Furthermore, 16 recently rescued girls are being rehabilitated by the Borno State Government and attending the 2nd Chance School where they learn skills in various vocations that will provide them with sustainable livelihoods, while their kids are also placed in nursery schools. Four rescued girls have voluntarily decided to return to their parents.
We remain hopeful and determined that, with the combined efforts of our security forces, intelligence agencies, and community support, all abducted persons will be safely returned.”
Parents lament
One of the parents, Mrs Rebecca Samuel, whose first daughter, Grace, is among the still-missing girls, told our correspondent that she would be happy to have her daughter back, regardless of the condition in which she was returned.
“As a mother, all I want, in whichever shape and in whichever form, is that they bring my daughter back to me. In whichever way she comes, I will welcome her, because she is my blood,” she said.
In a major push to strengthen Nigeria’s food security, the National Assembly has forged a strategic partnership with agricultural colleges and research institutions across the country.
The collaboration focuses on enhanced research, improved legislation, better funding, and practical innovation to transform the agricultural sector.
The Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, chaired by Senator Sharafadeen Alli (Oyo South), announced the partnership ahead of the maiden National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions.
The two-day event, themed “Unfolding the Potential of Agricultural Colleges and Institutions through Collaboration and Innovation to Enhance Food Security and Job Creation,” is scheduled for May 12–14, 2026, at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Iyaganku, Ibadan, Senator Alli emphasized the urgent need to bridge the gap between farmers and research institutions.
He noted that many breakthroughs by Nigerian researchers including improved varieties of cassava, cocoa, and other crops have not reached smallholder farmers, contributing to declining productivity despite the country’s agricultural potential.
Senator Alli highlighted historical lessons, such as Malaysia’s rise in palm oil production after obtaining seedlings from Nigeria, stressing the need for Nigeria to reclaim its leadership in agriculture.
The summit will convene over 28 agricultural institutions, international development partners, embassies, policymakers, and stakeholders. It also aims to create jobs for youths and women through mechanized farming, reduce post-harvest losses with technologies like solar-powered dryers, and improve market access.
Executive Director of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Professor Mohammed Atanda, described the initiative as timely and called for a stronger legislative framework to support research institutions.
Acting Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Adedeji Rasheed, urged greater private sector involvement in funding research, noting that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility.
Professor Oluwatosin Gabriel of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) affirmed that Nigeria has the expertise to achieve food sufficiency with the right policies, funding, and coordination between federal and state governments.
This partnership forms part of broader National Assembly efforts to reposition agriculture as a driver of economic diversification, rural development, and poverty reduction.
Observers see the Ibadan summit as a critical step toward turning Nigeria’s agricultural institutions into innovation hubs capable of delivering sustainable food security.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has highlighted a remarkable upward trend in top Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) performances over the past 14 years, with peak scores rising from 299 in the early 2010s to a record 374 (and claims up to 375) in recent cycles.
This progression reflects improving preparation, better access to resources, and the competitive drive among Nigerian students aspiring for tertiary education, particularly in high-demand fields like Medicine, Engineering, and Sciences.
Key Highlights Across the Years:
- 2013 & 2014: The highest scores stood at 299, achieved by Olise Israel Chukwunalu (2013) and Onomejoh Princewill (2014). These marked the baseline in the early CBT era.
- 2015: Ilukwe Lottachukwu Geraldine led with 332.
- 2016: A tie at 359 between Akenbor Adesuwa Osarugue and Anonye Victory Emenike.
- 2017: Akingbulugbe Precious Ayomide scored 353.
- 2018: Galadima Israel Zakari topped with 364.
- 2019: Ezeunala Ekene Franklin achieved 347.
- 2020: Maduafokwa Egoagwuagwu Agnes set a strong benchmark with 365.
- 2021: Monwuba Chibuzo Chibuikem scored 358.
- 2022: Adebayo Eyimofe Oluwatofunmi reached 362.
- 2023: Umeh Kamsiyochukwu Nkechinyere posted 360.
- 2024: A three-way tie at 367 — Olowu Joseph Oluwasijibomi, Alayande David, and Orukpe Joel Ehijele.
- 2025: JAMB reported the highest score in over a decade at 374 (with one unconfirmed or later-adjusted claim of 375 by Okeke Chinedu Christian; other top performers included scores of 374 and 373).
- 2026: Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin (also referred to as Owoeye Jesudunsin), an Ekiti State indigene who sat the exam in Ogun State, emerged as the top scorer with 372. She aims to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede has repeatedly noted these high performances even amid broader challenges like result glitches in some years, crediting dedicated candidates and improved study tools.
Trends and Context
Top scorers frequently target competitive courses such as Medicine and various Engineering disciplines at institutions like UNILAG. Many top performers come from strong tutorial centers and demonstrate exceptional subject mastery, often scoring 90+ in core sciences.
While the absolute highest has climbed significantly since 2013, JAMB continues to emphasize that UTME is just one factor in admission, alongside O’Level results and other criteria.
These outstanding achievements continue to inspire millions of Nigerian students, proving that excellence in UTME remains attainable with determination and proper preparation. As the examination evolves, future candidates are expected to push the boundaries even further.
News
FG Engages CCECC To Build N545bn New Carter Bridge in Lagos
The decision to reconstruct the bridge became necessary after years of alarming structural investigations revealed worsening defects beneath both the Carter Bridge and the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
The federal government has officially handed over the construction of a brand-new Carter Bridge in Lagos to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
Speaking during the handover ceremony in Lagos, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, said that the decision to reconstruct the bridge became necessary after years of alarming structural investigations revealed worsening defects beneath both the Carter Bridge and the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
According to the minister, investigations into the underwater structural elements of the bridges began as far back as 2013, with another assessment carried out in 2019.
The reports, he said, showed that the defects were increasing at what experts described as “geometrical progression.”
Experts, according to him, advised that repairing the Carter Bridge would cost almost twice the amount required to build a completely new structure. Following detailed technical analysis, the federal government, he said, approved the construction of a new modern bridge.
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