Five teenagers arrested over multiple shop burglaries in Ogun

Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested five teenagers suspected of involvement in a series of shop burglaries across the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects were identified as Lateef Kalid, 15; Kareem Jamal, 16; Sofiu Alabi, 14; Taofik Abioro, 16; and Ogundele Monday, 15.

The arrests were made in separate incidents on September 2 and September 4, 2026, following reports of suspicious movements and alleged burglary activities in the area.

The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued in Abeokuta, explaining that the first incident occurred at about 3:30am on September 2.

According to Babaseyi, concerned members of the community alerted the police after a watchman noticed suspicious movements inside a market stall.

Following the report, police operatives were immediately mobilised to the location, where they allegedly found Kalid and Jamal inside the shop.

The police said stolen foodstuffs and other items were recovered from the suspects.

Babaseyi said further interrogation of the two teenagers led to the arrest of Alabi, who allegedly confessed to providing the key used to gain access to the shop.

READ ALSO:

• Jetour Takes Rely R8 Premium Pickup to Abuja in Major FCT Debut
• Trump’s Peace Envoys Arrive in Moscow as Russia Bombs Ukraine Airports Overnight
• NAJA 19th Auto Awards: Industry’s best to battle for honours December 3

The police spokesperson said the three suspects arrested in connection with the first incident had already been charged to court.

In a separate incident on September 4, personnel of the Social Orientation and Safety Corps (So-Safe Corps) reportedly arrested Abioro and Monday before handing them over to the police for further investigation.

According to the police, preliminary interrogation indicated that the two teenagers allegedly confessed to participating in multiple shop burglaries across the area.

The police said subsequent searches conducted at their premises resulted in the recovery of additional items suspected to have been stolen during previous burglary operations.

Babaseyi said the case had been transferred for further investigation, while police operatives were also working to track down an outstanding accomplice who remains at large.

The police did not disclose the total monetary value of the recovered items or provide further details about the other shops allegedly targeted by the suspects.

The arrests highlight continuing concerns over property crime and burglary in Ogun State, particularly in commercial communities where shops and business premises can become targets during the night.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended officers of the Ado-Odo Division for their prompt response to the initial report and praised the So-Safe Corps for assisting in the arrest and transfer of the other two suspects.

Ojajuni also called on parents and guardians to exercise closer supervision over young people and take steps to discourage them from becoming involved in criminal activities.

The commissioner urged community leaders to strengthen cooperation with security agencies and promptly report suspicious movements or activities in their neighbourhoods.

He also advised business owners and shop operators to strengthen security around their premises, particularly outside business hours, and to report suspected criminal activity to the police without delay.

The Ogun State Police Command said investigations are continuing into the second incident, while efforts remain underway to apprehend the outstanding suspect.

The allegations against the five teenagers remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings. Their arrests and reported confessions do not amount to convictions, and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.

Five teenagers arrested over multiple shop burglaries in Ogun

NAF recruitment 2026: Step-by-step guide to applying for BMTC 47/2026

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commenced its 2026 recruitment exercise, inviting qualified Nigerians to apply for enlistment as tradesmen/women and non-tradesmen/women under the Basic Military Training Course (BMTC) 47/2026.

The NAF recruitment 2026 exercise opened on Thursday, September 3, 2026, and the online application portal will remain open until October 14, 2026.

The application is free of charge, and prospective applicants have been advised to carefully study the eligibility requirements and application guidelines before submitting their forms.

The recruitment exercise provides an opportunity for eligible Nigerians who meet the educational, age, physical and medical requirements to begin the process of joining the Nigerian Air Force.

Applicants are expected to complete the entire registration process through the official NAF recruitment portal and should not engage agents or individuals who request money in exchange for recruitment assistance.

To begin the application, prospective candidates should visit the official NAF recruitment portal and select the BMTC 47/2026 recruitment exercise.

Applicants should first read the recruitment guidelines carefully to determine whether they meet the requirements for their preferred category. Candidates are advised to understand the requirements before starting the form because the conditions for tradesmen/women and non-tradesmen/women are different.

After confirming their eligibility, applicants should complete the online application form by providing the required personal, educational and other relevant information.

READ ALSO:

• Oyo kidnap rescue: Five security personnel, four civilians killed — DSS DG
• Amaechi: Atiku will restore electricity subsidy if elected in 2027
• I woke up daily to leaked NECO questions during 2025 exams — Minister

Candidates should ensure that the information supplied is accurate and corresponds with their official documents. Particular attention should be paid to names, dates of birth, educational qualifications and other personal details because inconsistencies could create difficulties during subsequent verification.

Before submitting the form, applicants should carefully review all the information entered and make any necessary corrections.

Candidates who successfully complete the online application will be required to print the relevant documents generated by the recruitment portal. These include the Acknowledgement Form, Parent/Guardian Consent Form and Local Government Area Attestation Form.

The LGA Attestation Form must be properly signed and authenticated by an authorised official in accordance with the NAF’s requirements. Depending on the conditions specified for the exercise, an authorised signatory may include a military officer from the applicant’s state, a police officer of the required rank, a substantive local government chairman or secretary, or a magistrate.

Applicants should carefully check the specific instructions on the form before obtaining the required signature and authentication.

The NAF has also warned that applicants who fail to successfully complete their online registration may not be able to generate the required forms.

For general eligibility, applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth and must be medically, physically and psychologically fit. They must also satisfy the medical and employment standards prescribed by the Nigerian Air Force.

The minimum height requirement is 1.66 metres for male applicants and 1.63 metres for female applicants.

For tradesmen/women, applicants must be between 18 and 27 years old by March 1, 2027.

READ ALSO:

• Presidency breaks silence on Tinubu’s US FOIA case, denies criminal trial
• Ex-Benue councillor remanded for allegedly pushing woman into fire
• 20-year-old arrested over alleged gang-rape of 19-year-old woman in Ogun

Candidates applying under this category with National Diploma (ND) or National Certificate in Education (NCE) qualifications must have obtained their certificates from accredited institutions and meet the required academic conditions.

Applicants must generally possess at least five credits, including Mathematics and English Language, in not more than two sittings in recognised examinations such as WAEC, NECO, GCE, NABTEB or NBAIS, where applicable to the particular category.

Candidates applying for driving positions and other trades requiring a Trade Test certificate must possess the relevant Trade Test qualification and satisfy the required secondary-school certificate conditions.

Applicants seeking recruitment as drivers must also possess a valid driving licence.

Those applying under sports-related categories are expected to provide evidence of professional sporting experience. Such evidence may include relevant certificates, medals and other recognised records of sporting achievement, subject to the specific requirements of the recruitment exercise.

For non-tradesmen/women, applicants must be between 18 and 22 years old by March 1, 2027.

They must possess at least five credits, including Mathematics and English Language, in not more than two sittings in WAEC, NECO, GCE, NABTEB or NBAIS.

Applicants in this category are also required to possess the relevant Primary School Certificate and Secondary School Testimonial.

Candidates should ensure that the names and other personal information contained in their educational documents are consistent with the details provided on their NAF application form.

Submitting an application does not automatically mean that a candidate has been selected for enlistment.

According to the recruitment guidelines, applicants who successfully progress to the next stage will be considered for a Zonal General Aptitude Test.

The NAF said the date and other details concerning the aptitude test will be communicated through the official recruitment portal.

Only applicants who are successful at the aptitude-test stage will subsequently be invited for the selection interview.

Candidates are therefore advised to regularly check the official recruitment portal for announcements concerning the aptitude test, shortlisted applicants, selection interviews and other stages of the recruitment exercise.

The NAF has also warned applicants to beware of recruitment scams.

The Force says the NAF recruitment exercise is free of charge, meaning applicants are not required to pay money to submit their forms or secure consideration for enlistment.

Candidates should not give money to anyone claiming to have the ability to secure a recruitment slot, influence the selection process, guarantee placement on the shortlist or manipulate examination or interview results.

Prospective applicants should also be cautious about fake websites, social-media accounts and individuals impersonating NAF officials.

Applicants are advised to obtain recruitment information only through official Nigerian Air Force communication channels and the designated NAF recruitment portal.

Candidates should also avoid submitting multiple applications. Applicants are expected to provide accurate information and complete the application process carefully under the appropriate recruitment category.

The NAF BMTC 47/2026 recruitment exercise will close on October 14, 2026. Applicants who are interested in joining the Nigerian Air Force are advised to complete their registration before the deadline rather than waiting until the final days of the exercise.

The recruitment process is free, and meeting the eligibility requirements does not by itself guarantee enlistment. Candidates must successfully pass the various stages of the selection process before they can be considered for training.

Prospective applicants should therefore carefully follow every instruction published by the Nigerian Air Force and continue monitoring the official recruitment portal for subsequent announcements.

NAF recruitment 2026 at a glance

Recruitment exercise: Basic Military Training Course 47/2026

Application opening date: September 3, 2026

Application closing date: October 14, 2026

Application method: Online

Application fee: Free

Male minimum height: 1.66 metres

Female minimum height: 1.63 metres

Non-tradesmen/women age: 18–22 years by March 1, 2027

Tradesmen/women age: 18–27 years by March 1, 2027

Next major stage: Zonal General Aptitude Test

Subsequent stage: Selection interview

Applicants should verify the latest requirements directly on the official NAF recruitment portal before submitting their applications, particularly if the Force publishes additional instructions or updates during the recruitment period.

NAF recruitment 2026: Step-by-step guide to applying for BMTC 47/2026

Federal Workers Demand N300,000 Minimum Wage as Cost of Living Bites Harder

The Federal Workers Forum has written to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly, demanding an immediate review of the salaries of federal civil servants and an increase in the minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000. The forum argued that the current wage structure no longer reflects the economic realities confronting federal workers amid Nigeria’s escalating cost of living. The letter, dated September 2, 2026, and signed by the National Coordinator of the FWF, Andrew Emelieze, and General Secretary, Ogundele Ayodele, was addressed to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives through the Clerk of the National Assembly. President Tinubu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation were also listed among the recipients, underscoring the urgency and high-level nature of the workers’ demands.

The forum proposed a new salary structure with a minimum of N300,000 for Level 1 Step 1 workers and a maximum of N1.5 million for Level 17 officers. The proposed structure would set salaries progressively across all grade levels, with Level 2 workers earning N330,000; Level 3, N360,000; Level 4, N390,000; Level 5, N420,000; Level 6, N450,000; and Level 7, N480,000. For senior officers, the forum proposed N510,000 for Level 8; N550,000 for Level 9; N600,000 for Level 10; N700,000 for Level 12; N750,000 for Level 13; N800,000 for Level 14; N1 million for Level 15; N1.2 million for Level 16; and N1.5 million for Level 17 officers. “We call for justice and immediate wage review now, adjust the federal minimum wage to N300,000 and a maximum wage of N1.5m for the Level 17 officers,” the forum stated. The workers said their N300,000 minimum wage proposal was based on an estimated monthly expenditure covering feeding, transportation, accommodation, family support, electricity, cooking gas, phone and data, water and other utilities. “Our projections here are fair, and we believe it can still be accommodated in the present budget based on the daily increased earnings and the excess crude oil sales earnings,” the forum said, linking their demands to the government’s improved revenue position.

READ ALSO:

• IPMAN Plans Petrol Price Review as Dangote Refinery Raises Depot Cost
• FBI Arrests Podcaster Over Alleged Threats to Kill President Trump
• Baby Among Over 80 Migrants Dead After Boat Drifts for 27 Days Near Canary Islands

The FWF said the demand was necessitated by what it described as the incomplete implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage approved in 2024, claiming that federal workers had yet to receive the full consequential adjustment and associated allowances. “It will surprise you to hear that the Federal Government has not fully implemented the new national minimum wage since July 2024. We have been in the battle for full consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage,” the group stated. According to the workers, the 2024 wage review increased the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 but resulted in what they described as a flat N40,000 increase across all levels of the federal civil service. “Only N40,000 was added to the salaries of every federal worker across all levels,” the forum said. The FWF argued that the statutory three-year review period should not prevent the government from responding immediately to what it described as an emergency deterioration in workers’ purchasing power, making the case that waiting until 2027 would be catastrophic for workers already struggling to survive.

The workers complained that the rising cost of food, transportation, accommodation, electricity, cooking gas and other necessities had made the N70,000 minimum wage inadequate. “Federal workers have been enduring the situation, and everything has been frustrating and nauseating. We cannot cope again. Federal workers are dying in instalments; we are suffering in silence; our salary is too poor; it is not taking us home,” the letter stated. The FWF further alleged that some federal workers had become heavily indebted to microfinance institutions and digital loan platforms in an attempt to meet their daily needs. “Federal workers are now heavily indebted to microfinances and, most times, federal workers resort to phone loan apps to get transportation to work,” the group said. The forum also claimed that some workers had resorted to using firewood because they could no longer afford cooking gas. It argued that the worsening financial situation could affect workers’ productivity and create conditions conducive to corruption, painting a grim picture of the daily struggles facing federal civil servants.

Amid the growing pressure, the Presidency has signalled a willingness to consider a wage review. In June 2026, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila acknowledged that the N70,000 minimum wage, while a milestone in 2024, must be reassessed against today’s realities. “The N70,000 wage, which was a milestone in 2024, must be honestly reassessed against today’s realities,” Gbajabiamila said. He added that when the review process begins, “this administration will approach that endeavour not as an adversary of labour, but as a partner,” signalling a more conciliatory stance from the government compared to previous wage negotiations.

The demand for a higher minimum wage is not limited to the FWF. The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have also reopened negotiations with the Federal Government, pushing for a significantly higher wage of N500,000. NLC President Joe Ajaero, speaking at the Rights of Workers Summit in Birnin Kebbi, said the current N70,000 wage was no longer sufficient to meet workers’ basic needs. “Anything less than N500,000 cannot cater for workers. The current minimum wage is due for review, and we will soon begin negotiations with the government,” Ajaero said, raising the stakes in the wage debate and setting the stage for potentially contentious negotiations with the federal government.

While labour unions push for N500,000, some stakeholders have described the proposal as unrealistic given Nigeria’s prevailing economic conditions. The Coordinator of the Forum of Delta State NGOs suggested a more moderate range of between N250,000 and N300,000, arguing that the labour unions’ demand may be impractical. The debate highlights the tension between workers’ needs and the government’s fiscal capacity, with the FWF’s N300,000 proposal representing a middle ground between the current N70,000 wage and labour’s more ambitious N500,000 target.

Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has pledged to champion the unions’ demands at a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. The governor, who noted that his administration was the first among state governments to implement a N75,000 minimum wage, assured workers that his state would implement any new national minimum wage agreed upon by the Federal Government. His commitment signals that some state governments may be willing to support a wage increase, though the fiscal implications for cash-strapped states remain a significant concern.

Federal Workers Demand N300,000 Minimum Wage as Cost of Living Bites Harder