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.

No fewer than 16 people have been confirmed dead after an 18-seater passenger bus plunged off a bridge in a horrific accident along the Okene-Osara-Lokoja Road in Kogi State.

The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Friday in Osara, Adavi Local Government Area.

According to the Kogi State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lawal Fagge, two passengers survived the crash but sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

Fagge, who confirmed the details in a telephone interview with Arise News, attributed the accident to excessive speeding by the driver.

He commended officers from the Zariagi Unit of the FRSC for their swift response, as they promptly rescued the survivors and evacuated the injured to medical facilities.

The bodies of the deceased victims have been recovered and deposited at a morgue in Lokoja.

The latest road tragedy has once again sparked concerns over the rising cases of reckless driving and over-speeding on Nigeria’s major highways.

Road safety authorities are urging motorists to observe speed limits and adhere strictly to traffic regulations to avoid preventable loss of lives.

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.