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Out-of-school Children: Traditional Rulers Pledge To End Menace In Adamawa

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Traditional rulers in Adamawa State have expressed commitment to partner with relevant development partners to put an end to out-of-school syndrome threatening the future of the youth in the state.

Alh. Muhammadu Mustapha, the Lamido of Adamawa and the Chairman, Council of Emirs and Chiefs, who led the traditional rulers to a high-level meeting held in Yola, made the pledge on behalf of others.

The meeting was organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field Office in partnership with Global Partnership on Education,(GPE) in collaboration with the Adamawa State Government.

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They assured that they were ready to take bold steps in the campaign to end the growing out-of-school children crisis in their domains and across the State.

The meeting, which was attended by traditional rulers from the Central Senatorial Zone, underscored the importance of collective action in tackling the out-of-school children crisis and securing the future of Adamawa youths.

READ ALSO: Talents Hunt: Bauchi Goes After Students For International Representation

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According to a UNICEF-supported report released in January 2024, over 886,000 children in Adamawa State are currently out of school.

The statistics made the traditional rulers make the pledge, marking a significant step towards addressing this pressing issue and ensuring every child in Adamawa State receives quality education.

In her remarks, Dr.Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi, stressed that the traditional leaders would be a catalyst to lead the campaign for reducing the number of the out-of-school children in their communities.

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Rafique explained that Unicef as a humanitarian organization was out to protect and promote initiatives for children in ensuring that no child was left behind in all aspects of life especially, health and education.

Addressing the meeting, the UNICEF Education Expert, Dr. Abdulrahaman Ado, said that the aim of the orientation was to strengthen the roles of traditional rulers in promoting school enrollment, retention and transition, particularly, the out-of-school children, girls and vulnerable learners across the state.

READ ALSO: Gov. Mohammed Begins Renovation Of Bauchi Assembly Complex With N7.8bn

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He explained that the platform was expected to be a renewed commitment by the traditional leaders to serve as education champions in their communities, supporting advocacy, monitoring and mobilization efforts and to enhance awareness and alignment of traditional institutions with state education priorities, policies and donor supported initiatives.

“Develop actionable resolutions and follow up mechanisms for sustained collaboration between traditional leaders, Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board, LGEAs and development partners in addressing barriers to education access and learning outcomes”, he added.

In his presentation on the current status of out-of-school children in the state, Mr. Rufus Hanawa, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics of the Ministry of Education, decried the level of out-of-school children in the state.

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READ ALSO: Economic Crunch: TETFUND Trains 50 Youth On Broiler Chicken Production In Bauchi

He lamented that the national level indicated that 10.2 million children are out of school with 8.1 million in their junior secondary school levels urging that all hands must be on deck to address the challenge head on.

Responding on behalf of the emirs and chiefs at the occasion, paramount ruler of Bachama Chiefdom, His majesty, Hama Bachama, applauded the development partners especially, UNICEF for the intervention pledging their cooperation for the success of the programme.

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He advised the federal government to accord the traditional institutions a constitutional role so that legal backing can be provided for the traditional institution to function well.

He also urged the state government under Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri to address the deplorable nature of the infrastructures in the education sector in the state.

The one-day interface had all the Six Emirs and Chiefs in Adamawa Southern Zone including; Hama Bachama, Hama Bata, Murum Mbula, Amna Shelleng, Kwadi -Nunguraya and Gangwari Ganye as well as top government functionaries and stakeholders in education sector.

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UNIMAID, Federal Polytechnic Matriculate 82 Degree Students

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University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in affiliation with the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi has matriculated 82 students into the degree programmes across five courses.

Speaking during the matriculation ceremony at the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi on Tuesday, Professor Muhammad Laminu Mele, the Vice chancellor, University of Maiduguri, charged the matriculated students to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the two institutions to enable them achieve the set objectives.

The VC, who was represented by Professor Muhammad Ahmad Waziri, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Services, warned that any student or group of students trying to breach the peace of the two institutions would face the full wrath of the law.

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READ ALSO:NEDC Hands Over Mega School To Bauchi Govt

The Don further assured that the University and its affiliated institutions would continue to make easy access to higher quality education to the teeming population across the country.

In a remark, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Sani Usman, said they were affiliated with the university to pursue academic excellence, describing the affiliation as a huge pillar in the education reforms.

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READ ALSO:Bauchi Govt, UNICEF Strengthen Education Platforms To Improve Learning Outcomes

The Rector, who was also represented by Dr. Dalhatu Saidu, the Deputy Rector of the Polymeric, commended the university of Maiduguri for not only improving the UNIMAID’s conducive learning environment but expanding the horizon to different higher institutions of learning across Nigeria.

He therefore advised the newly matriculated students to pursue knowledge, to interact freely with the Polytechnic staff, be vigilant and be a brother’s keeper, adding that this would help to achieve the desired objectives.

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The affiliated courses included BSc Mass Communication, BSc Accountancy, BSc Public Administration, BSc Business Administration and BSc Banking and Finance respectively.

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Trouble Looms As Egbesu Group Drags FG To Court Over Resource Control, Others

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Group known as Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has dragged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, over failure to create additional 24 Local government councils in Bayelsa State as the need for Ijaw to control natural resources in its territory.

The Originating Summons marked: FHC/YNA/CS/63/2026 was filed on Tuesday April 21, 2026 by the plaintiffs including; Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akamade, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole and Welman Warri at the Federal High Court Yenagoa.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Attorney General of the Federation.

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In the court documents, the Egbesu Assembly premised their action on the alleged failure of the federal government particularly the National Assembly to deliberate, approve and amend the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

This, according to them, is to allow for resource control as well as the creation of additional LGAs in the state to fulfil the requirements in line with the Constitution.

READ ALSO:FG Bans Unauthorized Use Of Ambassador Title

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The group is therefore seeking, among others, the amendment of the constitution by the National Assembly to allow for the right to resource control.

The Supreme Egbesu Assembly described the suit action as a promise kept.

Mranwh, In a press statement announcing the institution of the lawsuit on Tuesday, the Egbesu Assembly recalled that, on 12th February 2026, it wrote to both the Federal Government and the National Assembly wherein its gave a 21-Day ultimatum for the duo to respond to the age-long demands for resource control and creation of additional LGAs or face a lawsuit.

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The statement partly reads: “Recall that on 12th February 2026, we did inform you that we have written to the National Assembly and the federal government on the need for the creation of an additional 24 Local Government Areas in Bayelsa State as well as the control of our God-given natural resources in Ijaw territory.

“We promised that if the National Assembly and or federal government did not respond to these age-long demands, we were going to seek legal actions to address our demands.

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We gave a time frame of twenty-one days for them to respond to us—we got no response!

“Today the Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has kept to its promise.

“We instituted an action at the Federal High Court Yenagoa against the National Assembly and the Federal Government after the expiration of the 21 days. Today we were in court for the first hearing of both cases.”

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According to the group, creation of additional local government areas for Bayelsa is as old as the creation of the State itself.

The SEA maintained that “there is nowhere in any democracy where a state is limited to just 8 LGAs: more pathetic is the fact that Bayelsa State is an oil bearing State.

“Bayelsa State presently has twenty four Rural Development Authorities (RDA) which can be easily converted to Local Government areas thereby making the State eligible to participate in the sharing of allocation and the development of their areas for the purpose of justice and equity.

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Gentlemen, we wish to inform you that our suit on Resource Control is a revival of our age long agitation.”

The group further stated that Nigeria can no longer operate a system where contributors to the national coffers are not in charge of their resources.

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The group added that the lawsuit is therefore for the Ijaw people.

The Ijaw Nation must be free from all economic strangulation carried out against them by successive Governments,” they added.

The SEA called on all Ijaws to be steadfast and resolute, and continue to support the process by attending all court sessions, stating that “your solidarity is very vital at this point of time in our history. “

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The group also called on other Ijaw organizations, communities, Niger Delta people, organizations and all people of goodwill “to join in the march to control and manage our despoiled and mismanaged natural resources.”

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BREAKING: Tinubu Sacks Wale Edun, Dangiwa As Ministers

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President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council, removing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, from their cabinet positions.

Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, said the development was contained in a memo signed by the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

According to the memo, Taiwo Oyedele has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

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Also appointed is Dr. Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.

READ ALSO:VIDEO: I Took Over Leadership From Myself; The Late Buhari Is Me — Tinubu

The memo directed the outgoing ministers to complete handover processes to their respective successors or supervising officials.

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It stated that all handing over and taking over activities must be concluded on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.

Explaining the decision, Akume said the changes were aimed at improving coordination and strengthening delivery across key sectors of the economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akume stated.

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READ ALSO:VIDEO: Tinubu Till 2031, City Boy Movement Members Declare At Bayelsa Rally

He added that President Tinubu acted in line with his constitutional powers as provided under Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The SGF also conveyed the President’s appreciation to the outgoing ministers for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours, noting that the process of cabinet reinvigoration would remain continuous.

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The statement further noted that Taiwo Oyedele was appointed as Minister of State for Finance in March 2026, while Edun was among the ministers appointed on August 16, 2023.

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