State police: Shari’ah Council urges caution, wider consultations

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has cautioned against rushing the proposed establishment of state police, calling for comprehensive nationwide consultations, transparent public engagement and strong constitutional safeguards before any final decision is taken.

The council said Nigeria’s worsening security situation requires urgent and decisive action but warned that state police should not be presented as a quick or automatic solution to the country’s complex security challenges.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna by its Secretary-General, Nafiu Baba Ahmad, the council said insecurity had claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions of people and disrupted farming, businesses and livelihoods in many parts of the country.

The SCSN said Nigeria’s security challenges had exposed longstanding weaknesses within existing security institutions, including inadequate funding, corruption, poor welfare for personnel, insufficient recruitment, outdated equipment, weak intelligence gathering and limited coordination among security agencies.

According to the council, creating state-controlled police services without addressing these underlying problems could result in new institutions facing many of the same operational and accountability challenges.

The council urged the Federal Government to strengthen existing security agencies through improved funding, increased recruitment, better welfare, modern equipment and the wider deployment of technology.

It also called for stronger intelligence gathering, improved border security, enhanced accountability and greater professionalism among security personnel.

The SCSN said security reforms should be based on a comprehensive strategy that addresses both the immediate threats facing communities and the institutional weaknesses affecting law enforcement.

The council expressed concern over what it described as a hurried constitutional amendment process aimed at creating a legal framework for state police in Nigeria.

It said constitutional reforms involving policing and national security require transparent public hearings, broad consultations and genuine national consensus because of their potential impact on Nigeria’s federal structure, political system and the rights of citizens.

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The council said many Nigerians believed that the legislative process had not been sufficiently open, inclusive or consultative.

It urged the National Assembly to provide more opportunities for citizens, civil society organisations, professional associations, traditional institutions, religious leaders, security experts and other stakeholders to contribute to the debate.

The SCSN, however, commended lawmakers who defended due process, wider consultations and the national interest during deliberations on the proposed reform.

The call comes amid renewed national discussions over whether decentralising policing could improve security, strengthen local intelligence and enable faster responses to crime.

Supporters of state police argue that state governments are closer to local communities and may have a better understanding of security threats within their areas.

They also believe that state-level police services could improve community engagement and support quicker responses to emergencies.

However, concerns have continued to grow that state police could be misused by governors or other political leaders if adequate safeguards are not included in the law.

The Shari’ah Council warned that state police must not become an instrument for political intimidation, discrimination, election interference or the suppression of lawful dissent.

It said any new policing system should operate under clear constitutional rules and be accountable to independent institutions rather than serving the interests of political office holders.

The council called for independent oversight bodies, transparent recruitment procedures, merit-based appointments and professional training for officers.

It also urged the government to establish accessible and effective mechanisms for receiving, investigating and resolving complaints against police personnel.

According to the SCSN, recruitment into state police services should be based on competence, integrity and professional standards while reflecting the diversity of the communities being served.

The council said appointments should not be influenced by political loyalty, ethnicity, religion, personal relationships or other forms of discrimination.

It also called for strong judicial and legislative oversight to ensure that state police officers respect the rule of law and protect the fundamental rights of all residents.

The SCSN further emphasised the need for sustainable funding, warning that state governments should not establish police services without the financial capacity to provide adequate salaries, training, equipment, technology and operational support.

It said poor funding could weaken the effectiveness of state police and increase the risk of corruption and poor service delivery.

The council urged policymakers to develop clear rules governing the relationship between state police services, the Nigeria Police Force, federal security agencies and existing community-based security organisations.

It said clear responsibilities and effective coordination would be necessary to prevent conflicts over jurisdiction, duplication of duties and gaps in security operations.

The SCSN also maintained that policing reforms alone may not resolve Nigeria’s security challenges without broader efforts to address poverty, unemployment, corruption, weak institutions and limited access to justice.

It called for a comprehensive approach that combines effective policing with intelligence-led operations, community engagement, social investment, justice-sector reforms and improved cooperation among security agencies.

The council urged President Bola Tinubu, leaders of the National Assembly, state governments and other stakeholders to complete meaningful nationwide consultations before reaching a final decision on the proposed reform.

It said the establishment of state police should be based on a broad national agreement that reflects Nigeria’s diversity, strengthens public safety and protects the rights and interests of all communities.

The SCSN prayed for wisdom, sincerity and courage for Nigeria’s leaders as they consider the proposed security reform.

The council expressed hope that the process would promote justice, strengthen national unity and support lasting peace across the country.

As the national debate continues, the council said a carefully designed and widely accepted policing framework would be more likely to improve security while reducing the risk of political control, discrimination and abuse of power.

State police: Shari’ah Council urges caution, wider consultations

NYSC Issues Fresh Camp Rules, Warns Against Night Travel, Document Errors

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has released fresh guidelines for prospective corps members ahead of the 2026 Batch B Stream II orientation exercise, warning against night travel and strict compliance with documentation requirements to avoid disqualification at camp.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has issued fresh guidelines for prospective corps members (PCMs) ahead of the forthcoming orientation exercise, stressing the need for strict compliance with registration procedures and safety measures as the scheme prepares to welcome thousands of graduates to orientation camps nationwide. The 2026 Batch B Stream II Orientation Course is scheduled to commence nationwide on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, and will run simultaneously across all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ending on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The scheme disclosed that call-up numbers have already been uploaded to the dashboards of prospective corps members, while call-up letters will be made available in due course.

In a notice shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, the NYSC urged prospective corps members to prioritise their safety while travelling to their assigned orientation camps, strongly advising against night travel. “Prospective Corps Members are advised not to travel at night to the orientation camp,” the statement read. The warning comes amid ongoing concerns about road accidents and security challenges on some major highways across Nigeria. The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, congratulated all prospective corps members mobilised for the 2026 Batch B Stream II service year on completing their studies and qualifying for national service, while urging them to strictly adhere to all travel and safety guidelines throughout their journey to the camps.

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The NYSC issued a firm warning that prospective corps members with discrepancies between the date of graduation on their call-up letters and the date on their statements of results will not be registered at the orientation camp. “Prospective Corps Members with discrepancies in the date of graduation on their call-up letters and the date on their statement of results will not be registered in the orientation camp,” the scheme stated. Affected candidates are required to resolve such discrepancies with their Student Affairs Officers (SAOs) before reporting to camp. “They should sort out such issues with the Student Affairs Officers (SAOs) before reporting to the camp,” the statement added. The NYSC advised graduates to sort out these issues promptly to avoid unnecessary delays or disappointment during registration.

The NYSC further reminded prospective corps members to complete all required documentation before arriving at the orientation camp. This includes printing, signing, and submitting the mandatory registration form during camp registration. “Prospective Corps Members are advised to print and sign the form, which is to be submitted during registration at the orientation camp,” the statement read.

For candidates seeking to correct their dates of birth, the NYSC outlined a clear procedure. Applicants are required to obtain a 19- or 20-digit WAEC Verification PIN and initiate the correction process through their NYSC dashboard. The process requires applicants to log in to their NYSC dashboard, click on the “Correction of Date of Birth” link, enter their WAEC Verification PIN, select the appropriate WAEC examination type, year of examination, and examination number, verify the information, and submit the request.

The fresh guidelines come as the Federal Government implements comprehensive reforms to the NYSC scheme, approved by the Federal Executive Council in June 2026. The reforms represent the first holistic review of the 53-year-old scheme since its establishment in 1973. Under the new framework, the orientation programme has been restructured into three distinct phases, extending from three to six weeks, with the first two weeks focusing on civic responsibility, national values, leadership development and personal development; the next two weeks covering career mapping, financial literacy, business planning, digital skills and access to finance; and the final two weeks providing specialised training based on each corps member’s chosen career stream. The NYSC has also introduced 11 specialised career streams which corps members will select from upon registration, including Agric Corps, Medical Corps, Education Corps, Tech and Digital Corps, Legal Corps, Public Service Corps, Infrastructure Corps, Green Corps, Enterprise Corps, Creative Economy Corps, and Paramilitary and Security Corps. The scheme has also introduced a redesigned uniform and will replace the traditional Passing Out Parade with a new graduation ceremony.

The NYSC urged all prospective corps members to comply with the directives to ensure a seamless registration process and avoid unnecessary challenges during the orientation exercise.

NYSC Issues Fresh Camp Rules, Warns Against Night Travel, Document Errors

Presidency Slams Onaiyekan for “Abuse of Clerical Privilege” Over Tinubu Meeting

The Presidency has strongly criticized Cardinal John Onaiyekan for publicly disclosing details of a private meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). The government described his television interview as “an abuse of clerical privilege” and accused him of acting as a “proxy for opposition political elements.”

The Presidency has launched a scathing attack on Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, over his public comments regarding the recent closed-door meeting between President Bola Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). The government described his account as inappropriate and a breach of the confidence expected from such high-level engagements.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said Onaiyekan’s decision to discuss the private meeting during an interview on ARISE NEWS amounted to an abuse of clerical privilege. “There is something fundamentally inappropriate about Cardinal John Onaiyekan granting a television interview to offer his own account and interpretation of what transpired during the private meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu. It is, in my view, an abuse of clerical privilege,” Ajayi said. The reaction followed Onaiyekan’s interview in which he claimed that people around President Tinubu were giving him a “rosy picture” of the country and that the bishops felt obliged to present the President with the realities facing Nigerians. According to the cardinal, the bishops raised concerns about worsening economic hardship, insecurity, and the state of democracy, but the President disagreed with their conclusions.

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Ajayi said the bishops were freely allowed to present their concerns on security, the economy, education, democracy, and other national issues, adding that President Tinubu listened patiently before responding to every issue raised. According to him, disagreement with the bishops’ assessment did not amount to dismissing their concerns. “The bishops were notably acerbic in their submission, but the President listened to them patiently and responded,” Ajayi stated. The presidential spokesman said Tinubu challenged what he considered an incomplete assessment of the country’s situation, arguing that while Nigeria still faces significant economic and security challenges, measurable progress has been made. “The President argued that the bishops’ characterisation of the country’s current condition was incomplete and, in several respects, inaccurate. He pointed to measurable progress on the economic, social, and security fronts,” Ajayi said. Ajayi said the President acknowledged that many Nigerians were still experiencing hardship but insisted that his administration had pulled the country away from a fiscal crisis and laid the foundation for recovery. The statement also highlighted improvements in state finances, including more regular payment of salaries and pensions, as evidence that government reforms were yielding results. On the issue of schools, Ajayi said the President explained that ownership of schools was a matter within the jurisdiction of state governments under the Constitution, urging the bishops to engage governors on the matter. He added that Tinubu reminded the delegation that he returned mission schools in Lagos State while he was governor of the state.

On security, the Presidency rejected the suggestion that Tinubu was detached from the realities on the ground, saying the President has access to intelligence unavailable to the general public. “As Commander-in-Chief, he receives operational briefings, intelligence assessments, and battlefield reports unavailable to the general public,” Ajayi said. Ajayi also dismissed Onaiyekan’s suggestion that those around the President were shielding him from the truth, insisting Tinubu has multiple independent channels through which he receives information about the country. “What truth does anyone really need to tell President Tinubu that he does not already know? As President, he has multiple channels for feeling the pulse of the country,” he said. According to the statement, the President reads an average of ten newspapers daily, monitors television discussions, receives security and economic briefings, and maintains contacts across different sectors of society.

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In a further criticism on Sunday, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, issued a fresh statement entitled “When the Cassock Abandons the Pulpit: The Bishops’ Partisan Mirage and Opposition Echoes,” accusing Onaiyekan of acting “as a proxy for opposition political elements.” Dare alleged that the Archbishop acted in bad faith by appearing on television to discuss what transpired during the meeting. In a separate statement, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, accused Onaiyekan of allowing politics to influence his comments, alleging that the Catholic Church had openly supported the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during the 2023 general election.

However, the CBCN has backed Onaiyekan, with its President and Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso, saying his comments reflected the position of the Church. “Cardinal Onaiyekan did not deviate from the message of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, which I am leading. The text of my message is there at the CBCN Secretariat for anyone to see,” Ndagoso said. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also condemned the Presidency’s attack on the Catholic Church and Onaiyekan, describing it as yet another demonstration of the Tinubu administration’s growing intolerance of dissent. Atiku insisted that Catholic bishops are “shepherds with a moral obligation to speak truth to power” and demanded an apology to Cardinal Onaiyekan and the Catholic faithful. The Northern Christian Association (NCA) said the presidential aides’ attack was capable of creating division within the Christian community, insisting that the Catholic Bishops spoke on issues affecting all Nigerians. The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) also defended Onaiyekan, saying he acted in the public interest by speaking on issues affecting Nigerians.

Presidency Slams Onaiyekan for “Abuse of Clerical Privilege” Over Tinubu Meeting