Abducted Katsina students: Buhari’s aide says significant number rescued - Newstrends
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Abducted Katsina students: Buhari’s aide says significant number rescued

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Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, has said a good number of the abducted students of Government Science School, Kankara, in Katsina State, have been rescued.

He gave this indication on Twitter Sunday night but failed to release the specific figure of the freed students.

“A significant number of the students have been rescued. Praying for the immediate safe return of the rest,” @BashirAhmaad wrote.

The President’s aide also said, “I am sure the Katsina State Government will issue a statement in that regard.”

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina had told a Federal Government delegation on a visit on Sunday that the whereabouts of 333 schoolboys could not be determined.

 

“The school has a population of 839 and so far, we are yet to account for 333 students. We are still counting because more are still coming out of the forest,” the governor said.

“Up till this moment, no one can give a precise figure of the children abducted,” he stated, adding that students who escaped confirmed some of their peers were taken.

Bandits had invaded the school on Friday night and abducted the students after a gun duel with the police.

Global rights group, Amnesty International, has also condemned the abduction of the schoolboys while calling on the Buhari regime to ensure their speedy release.

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FG Approves ₦30bn Stabilisation Fund to Boost Federal Universities

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FG Approves ₦30bn Stabilisation Fund to Boost Federal Universities

The Federal Government (FG) has approved a ₦30 billion stabilisation fund for federal universities across Nigeria, in a renewed effort to address funding challenges and improve stability in the country’s tertiary education sector.

The fund, which will be released in phases, is part of an agreement reached between the FG and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), aimed at strengthening university operations, improving infrastructure, and enhancing teaching and research capacity. Education officials say the intervention is designed to cushion the impact of rising operational costs and years of underfunding.

According to government sources, the National Universities Commission (NUC) will coordinate the disbursement and monitoring of the fund to ensure accountability and effective utilisation. The initiative is also expected to help reduce industrial disputes that have frequently disrupted academic calendars in federal universities.

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The stabilisation fund comes alongside other federal interventions in the education sector. Recently, the FG released funds to offset salary and promotion arrears owed to university staff, while increased allocations to TETFund have continued to support infrastructure development and staff training in tertiary institutions.

Despite welcoming the intervention, education stakeholders have urged the government to ensure timely release and transparent management of the funds, noting that sustained investment is critical to restoring confidence in Nigeria’s public university system.

The ₦30bn injection is seen as a short-term relief measure, as calls persist for broader reforms and increased budgetary allocation to education in line with UNESCO recommendations.

FG Approves ₦30bn Stabilisation Fund to Boost Federal Universities

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NYSC Releases 2026 Batch A Deployment Details as Orientation Camps Set to Open

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NYSC Releases 2026 Batch A Deployment Details as Orientation Camps Set to Open

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has officially released the deployment details for 2026 Batch A prospective corps members, providing information on call-up letters, orientation camp locations, and reporting procedures. The announcement comes as thousands of Nigerian graduates prepare to commence their one-year national service.

According to NYSC, prospective corps members posted to Lagos State may be required to attend orientation camps in neighbouring states such as Ekiti, Kwara, Ondo, Ogun, and Osun due to limited camp capacity. Similarly, those posted to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will undergo orientation in Kaduna, Niger, and Nasarawa states.

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The NYSC emphasised that only about 40% of registered prospective corps members can be accommodated in the camps initially and urged all applicants to plan travel early, avoid night journeys, and ensure all necessary documentation — including printed and signed forms — is completed before reporting.

The commission also warned that applicants with record discrepancies, such as mismatched graduation dates or incorrect statements of result, will not be registered until their institutions resolve the issues.

The 2026 Batch A Orientation Course is scheduled to commence on January 21, 2026, with registration running from January 21 to 23, the swearing-in ceremony on January 23, and the closing ceremony on February 10. Special guidelines have been issued for married female corps members, advising those not posted to their husband’s state to report to the nearest camp and upload relevant marriage certificates and proof of spouse’s domicile for concessional posting.

NYSC Releases 2026 Batch A Deployment Details as Orientation Camps Set to Open

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Apply Now: PTDF 2026 Scholarships for Nigerian Postgraduate Students Abroad

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Apply Now: PTDF 2026 Scholarships for Nigerian Postgraduate Students Abroad

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially opened applications for the 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Overseas Scholarship Scheme, inviting qualified Nigerian postgraduate students to apply for fully funded MSc and PhD scholarships in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Malaysia. The announcement was made by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun.

The PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme aims to develop local expertise in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry by providing scholars with access to world-class education, research facilities, and international training. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, travel, health insurance, and research allowances, ensuring students can focus fully on their studies.

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Eligibility requirements for MSc applicants include a minimum Second Class Lower (2.2) honours degree, completion of the NYSC programme, computer literacy, and five O-Level credits including English Language and Mathematics. PhD candidates must also submit a research proposal aligned with the oil and gas sector. Applicants must provide valid National Identity Numbers (NIN), and multiple or false applications will be disqualified.

For PhD candidates in the UK, the scholarship offers a split-site model, allowing research at both the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK) and selected UK partner universities such as Robert Gordon University, University of Strathclyde, and University of Portsmouth.

The PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme has over the years supported thousands of Nigerians, equipping them with skills and knowledge to strengthen the nation’s oil and gas workforce and reduce dependency on foreign expertise.

Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their applications online at scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng before the deadline of 27 February 2026.

Apply Now: PTDF 2026 Scholarships for Nigerian Postgraduate Students Abroad

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