WAFFI TV | Feature

2025 UTME: JAMB Releases Rescheduled Results

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of the rescheduled Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This was announced by the board in a statement issued on Sunday. It will be recalled that the exams were rescheduled for candidates affected by technical issues at their centres, as well as for those who were previously absent. According to the statement, out of the 336,845 candidates who were rescheduled for the exam, 21,082 were absent. “Of the 336,845 who were eventually scheduled after isolated good sessions of the affected centres were excluded and their previously unverified candidates were added, 21,082 were absent,” it said.

5/25/2025, 10:34:35 AM

NNPCL Announces Port Harcourt Refinery Shutdown

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) announced on Saturday that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) will undergo a scheduled maintenance shutdown starting May 24, 2025. This was disclosed in a statement by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Femi Soneye, who explained that the shutdown is part of a planned maintenance and sustainability assessment to ensure the facility operates at peak performance. He added that further updates on the process will be communicated regularly through official channels. The statement reads: “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) wishes to inform the general public that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) will undergo a planned maintenance shutdown. “This scheduled maintenance and sustainability assessment will commence on May 24,2025. “We are working closely with all relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to ensure the maintenance and assessment activities are carried out efficiently and transparently. “NNPC Ltd remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering sustainable energy security.”

5/24/2025, 1:50:12 PM

Gunmen Threaten Another Attack On Catholic Church In Ondo

Suspected gunmen have once again threatened Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, nearly three years after a deadly attack claimed the lives of worshippers. Amid rising concerns, friends of Rofiat, a kidnapped NYSC member, raised N1.1 million as ransom for her release. The renewed threat has triggered fear and anxiety across the ancient town. Residents still recall the horror of June 5, 2022, when unknown assailants attacked the church during morning Mass, leaving many dead or injured. In response, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, has summoned a security summit to tackle the growing insecurity and calm the tense atmosphere. Olatunbosun Oladimeji, Publicity Secretary of the Owo Security Summit Committee, confirmed to Vanguard in Akure that the summit will take place on Monday, May 26. Titled “Securing Owo and Its Environs: Strategies for Community Safety and Resilience,” the summit aims to enhance public awareness, promote collaboration between residents and security agencies, reduce crime, and propose lasting security solutions. A central goal of the initiative is the creation of a Security Trust Fund to support sustained safety measures.

5/24/2025, 1:31:22 PM

FG To Sell Emefiele’s 753 Duplexes To Low, Middle~Income Nigerians

The Federal Government has finalized arrangements to sell a vast estate, reportedly linked to former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, to Nigerians in the low- and middle-income brackets. The sprawling estate, consisting of 753 housing units, was recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024. Spanning over 150,000 square metres and featuring duplexes along with various apartment types, the property is regarded as the EFCC’s largest single asset recovery since its establishment in 2003. A final forfeiture order for the estate was granted by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on December 2, 2024. Court filings by the EFCC, accessed by our correspondent, tied the property to Emefiele. In April 2025, Emefiele attempted to reclaim the estate through an application filed at an FCT High Court, alleging that the EFCC concealed the forfeiture proceedings from him despite their ongoing interactions over other cases. However, the court dismissed his request. On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede formally handed over the estate to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa. Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Badamasi Haiba, affirmed that the government would ensure the estate benefits ordinary Nigerians, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Haiba added that the estate remains under construction, and the ministry would first carry out structural and integrity assessments before deciding on the process for sale and allocation. “Next would be to profile the houses and decide how they will be sold to Nigerians. However, the intention of the minister has always been homeownership for all categories of Nigerians, including low and middle-income earners – so we should expect to see such intentions play out here, all-inclusive,” Haiba added. On the mode of selling, he said the ministry’s portal would be used, promising that the payment options would be flexible. He said, “Homes sold by the ministry will always have flexible payment options, including mortgage, instalment, rent-to-own payment, etc., whether in this case or any other. “These are just 753 units. The ministry has over 10,000 houses nearing completion nationwide under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme. “The ministry has a web portal developed where sales of these houses are done – renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng. The minister has already stated that the same process will be adopted in selling these confiscated houses.” When asked about the date the portal would be opened for interested Nigerians, he said, “The Housing Ministry will first complete the houses. Construction was ongoing before the recovery by the EFCC.” He dismissed speculations that the houses would be allocated to those in power. Haiba said, “People will always speculate, maybe due to experiences from years ago. The present Renewed Hope administration is doing something different in promoting transparency and accountability. “I can only tell you what the ministry is doing. With the renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng portal, the ministry has cut off human interference to ensure that the sales process is transparent and all-inclusive. “Any Nigerian can sit in their home, log onto the portal, browse through the different types of units and locations, select the house they want, select a payment option, submit their application, and get an offer letter right there and then.”

5/24/2025, 6:40:44 AM

20 Suspects Arrested Over Hacking Of 2025 UTME Results

The Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police Force have arrested no fewer than 20 suspects in connection with the hacking of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) computer-based test (CBT). The UTME was conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). According to AIT, the suspects belong to a syndicate reportedly comprising over 100 individuals who specialize in hacking the computer servers of examination bodies such as JAMB and the National Examinations Council (NECO). Security sources revealed that the suspects confessed to deliberately sabotaging the CBT system with the aim of discrediting JAMB and discouraging the use of CBT for future examinations by NECO and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). “The syndicate would install an attacking software on the examination body hardware. The software, in turn, would remotely hack JAMB servers at any targeted CBT centre,” the source quoted one of the suspect as confessing. The hacking operation was aimed at manipulating scores in favor of special candidates who paid between N700,000 and N2 million. The report also indicated that preliminary investigations uncovered that many members of the syndicate are proprietors of private schools and colleges, profiting heavily from their so-called special centres.

5/24/2025, 6:24:43 AM

Defection To APC Won’t Stop Trial Of Corrupt Governors~ FG

The Federal Government, on Friday, issued a warning that joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will not shield governors or political office holders from ongoing corruption investigations. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, in a statement released through his media aide, Mr. Kamarudeen Ogundele, emphasized that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remains committed to the rule of law and will relentlessly pursue its anti-corruption agenda, regardless of who is involved. Fagbemi made the government’s stance clear while responding to an allegation made by an aide to former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He dismissed as false the claim by Mr. Paul Ibe, Atiku’s aide, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Solicitor General of the Federation met with a former and a sitting South-South governor just 48 hours before their defection to the APC. The AGF said he became aware of the allegation following Ibe’s comments during a television interview. Describing the allegation as contemptuous, the AGF stressed that though Mr. Ibe failed to mention the names of the defectors, “the discerning members of the public know those he could have been referring to,” he added. “However, we wish to state categorically that the allegation is from the pit of hell, and at best, a figment of imagination of Mr Ibe. “We know as a fact that the EFCC chairman and the Solicitor General of the Federation never met any serving or former governor as alleged by him. “We appeal to the members of the public to disregard the insinuation as it was a feeble attempt to discredit President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration’s fight against corruption. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will continue to uphold the rule of law and will not falter in the fight against corruption no matter whose ox is gored,” the statement read.

5/24/2025, 6:18:40 AM

States, INEC Reject Calls To Scrap State Electoral Commissions

Delegates at the 13th National Delegates Conference of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON), held in Jos, have rejected calls for the abolition of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs). In a statement released by the European Union on Thursday, the delegates instead advocated for comprehensive reforms to enhance the performance of SIECs, which are responsible for conducting local government elections. The conference, aimed at addressing the challenges facing SIECs and identifying practical solutions to strengthen local election administration, was supported by the EU under its Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme. Key speakers at the event—including Prof. Samuel Egwu; Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang; Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule; FOSIECON Chairman, Jossy Eze; and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) representative, Oliver Agundu—asserted that there was no valid reason to scrap the SIECs. They emphasized that meaningful reforms would safeguard the independence of the state electoral bodies, ensuring both financial and administrative autonomy. Egwu said, “I support the retention and strengthening of SIECs because we operate a federal polity. “The imperative of federalism requires us to strengthen local rule, and there is no other way. “The second option, which may seem attractive, is to transfer the power to conduct local elections to INEC. “While this appears simple, it does not align with the logic of federalism. “The third option, which some have proposed is to set up a new bureau to oversee local government elections. However, this proposal has already suffered a premature end on the floor of the Senate. My point, therefore, is to respect federalism.” Eze expressed disappointment that despite constitutional backing, SIECs are often under pressure to serve vested interests. According to him, while there are several bills before the National Assembly seeking to abolish SIECs or transfer their mandates, none appears to address the real issues. Mutfwang said, “The conversation should begin with how we recruit leaders in this country. “We must develop a strategy that helps us identify individuals who genuinely have the people’s interest at heart. “Bad governance does not just undermine democracy. It leads to underdevelopment and the waste of public resources. “Autonomy is masking the real issues. What we need to focus on is efficiency. As someone who has governed at the local level, I believe improving governance at that tier is essential.” Sule pledged his support for whatever reform solutions the conference agrees upon, even as he offered his state as a pilot for implementing the recommendations. I hope, at the end of this conference, FOSIECON delegates will come up with actionable solutions. Many governors will be willing to support those efforts,” he said. “I offer Nasarawa State for any pilot initiatives that may be proposed. We have already taken similar steps with our State House of Assembly.” Agundu, the INEC representative encouraged SIECs to view elections not as one-off events but as continuous processes. He also called for deeper engagement with civil society organisations and voter education efforts to better inform the electorate. “SIECs should not treat the conduct of elections as isolated events,” he said. “Elections are a process that includes post-election activities. We have observed that many SIECs become active only during election periods.”

5/23/2025, 1:44:34 PM

US Govt Stops Harvard University From Enrolling Nigerian, Other Foreign Students

On Thursday, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University's authorisation to enroll international students, who make up over a quarter of its student body, in a significant escalation of the president's ongoing clash with the prestigious institution. Trump, angered by Harvard’s refusal to comply with federal oversight of its admissions and hiring practices, accused the university of fostering anti-Semitism and promoting liberal “woke” ideology. The university, which boasts 162 Nobel laureates among its affiliates, has resisted these demands. “Effective immediately, Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) certification is revoked,” wrote Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a letter to the Ivy League school. SEVIS is the primary system through which foreign students gain permission to study in the U.S. The move follows Trump’s recent threat to bar Harvard from admitting international students unless it submitted to political oversight. “As I explained to you in my April letter, it is a privilege to enroll foreign students,” Noem wrote. “All universities must comply with Department of Homeland Security requirements, including reporting requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program regulations, to maintain this privilege,” she said. “As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies, you have lost this privilege.” More than 27 percent of Harvard’s enrollment was made up of foreign students in the 2024-25 academic year, according to university data. Harvard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

5/23/2025, 9:30:17 AM

Our Economic Reforms Are Working, APC Not A Failure~ Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday declared that his administration’s economic reforms are delivering positive outcomes. Speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Summit held at the State House banquet hall in Abuja, Tinubu affirmed that the ruling party has not failed. “Two years ago, we embarked on this journey, propelled by a bus of hope and abiding faith in Nigeria. Together, we pledged to confront Nigeria’s challenges head-on by rebuilding the trust, fostering prosperity. “Today, I am proud to affirm that our economic reforms are working. There’s nothing good that comes easily. The subsidy is gone and was gone for the good of this country,” he said. After assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu launched an ambitious economic reform agenda, which both his administration and international financial institutions deemed essential to stabilise the finances of Africa’s most populous nation. However, these reforms—such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the liberalisation of the struggling naira—have taken a toll on everyday Nigerians, many of whom are enduring the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. According to the World Bank, years of persistent inflation and weak economic growth have worsened poverty and hardship, with nearly half of the population living in poverty by 2024. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted last month that, so far, the government’s stringent reforms have yet to translate into tangible benefits for the average citizen.

5/23/2025, 7:13:01 AM

FG Sues Senator Natasha Over Defamation

The Federal Government has filed a lawsuit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, over alleged defamatory statements made during a live television broadcast. The case, marked CR/297/25, was lodged at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on May 16, 2025, with Akpoti-Uduaghan listed as the sole defendant. According to the government, the senator is accused of making statements with the knowledge or reasonable belief that they would damage another person’s reputation—an act classified under Section 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990. The charge carries a penalty under Section 392 of the same law. Listed as witnesses in the case are Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, both of whom are expected to present evidence during the trial.

5/22/2025, 5:01:29 PM

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