2026 NECO: Akwa Ibom Government Rejects ‘False’ Ranking, Says 83 Centres’ Results Pending

The Akwa Ibom State Government has dismissed as false and misleading a report circulating on social media which purportedly ranked the state among the lowest-performing states in the 2026 National Examinations Council (NECO) results.
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The State Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah, said the report was based on a performance chart that did not represent the official data released by NECO.
Umanah explained that although NECO released the 2026 examination results on September 24, 2026, the performance chart published by Premium Times was not an official NECO document, contrary to the impression created by the publication.

According to the Commissioner, while the published chart placed Abia, Ebonyi and Ekiti States first, second and third respectively, the official NECO data identifies Kano, Lagos and Oyo States as the first, second and third-ranked states.

He further disclosed that NECO was yet to release the results of 83 out of the 214 examination centres operated by public schools in Akwa Ibom State.
He said the examination body was still completing the sorting and verification of the statutory accreditation status of the affected centres.

Umanah therefore described any attempt to rank or assess the overall performance of Akwa Ibom at this stage as premature, noting that the outstanding results could affect the state’s final performance assessment.

The Commissioner urged media organisations to exercise greater diligence when reporting examination statistics, particularly where official results are still being processed.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the administration of Governor Umo Eno to the development of education, noting that the sector remains a major priority under the ARISE Agenda.

Umanah said the 2026 Approved Budget provides more than ₦35 billion for education, while ₦5.9 billion has been released to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for basic education intervention projects for 2025 and 2026.
He added that the state government had continued to construct model primary schools across the state to provide pupils with conducive learning environments.

According to him, the government has also paid bursaries to students and covered examination fees for candidates sitting for Placement Examinations, the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Beyond infrastructure and institutional support, Umanah said Governor Umo Eno had continued to provide direct assistance to young people pursuing higher education.

He cited the Governor’s recent approval of full overseas tuition support for a young graduate to pursue a master’s degree abroad, as well as an earlier scholarship awarded to a young law graduate from the Government Children’s Home to enable her pursue a master’s degree overseas.

The Commissioner said the interventions demonstrated the administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality education and creating opportunities for young Akwa Ibom people to pursue their academic and professional aspirations.

Umo Eno

Umanah consequently urged members of the public to disregard the Premium Times publication and similar claims based on the purported performance chart, stressing that they do not reflect the official NECO data currently available.

He advised the public to rely on verified and authoritative sources, particularly information released by NECO, for accurate updates on the 2026 examination results.
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Akwa Ibom Launches Specialised Skills Training for Youths, Opens Portal

The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced the commencement of specialised youth skills development and empowerment programmes at seven newly commissioned Youth-Friendly Centres across the state.
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The initiative, approved by Governor Umo Eno, is part of the administration’s human capital development and youth empowerment efforts under the ARISE Agenda.

According to the statement signed by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, the programme is designed to equip young men and women with practical and marketable skills that can promote self-reliance, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

Training will take place at designated centres in Oron, Ikono, Uruan, Etinan, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ubium and Etim Ekpo, with different skills assigned to each centre.
The programme is being implemented by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youth Development and builds on the Cohort 1 Youth Digital Skills Training Programme in Oron. The graduation ceremony for the first cohort is scheduled for October 9, 2026.

Akwa Ibom

To qualify, applicants must be 45 years old or below, hail from and reside in the Local Government Area where the relevant training centre is located, and apply only for a skill of genuine interest assigned to that centre.
Applicants must also be available and committed to participating fully in the intensive three-month training programme.
The state government has urged eligible youths to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire relevant skills and improve their economic prospects.

Interested applicants are to apply through employment.akwaibomstate.gov.ng.

The application portal opened on September 28, 2026, and will close on October 5, 2026.
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Akwa Ibom Police Arrest 40-Uear-Old Producer of Fake Dry Gin

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a 40-year-old man for alleged production and distribution of adulterated alcoholic beverages and recovered five cartons of suspected fake dry gin in Ikot Ekpene.
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The suspect, identified as Ubong Ntiense, a native of Ibiaku Village in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area and resident along Abak Road, was arrested on September 26, 2026, at about 1:45 pm by operatives of the command during a stop-and-search operation along Aba Road.

In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made available to journalists on Monday, the police said the suspect was intercepted while allegedly conveying the products to Essien Udim Local Government Area for delivery.

The statement read, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has intensified its ongoing crackdown on the production, distribution and circulation of counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic beverages across the State, with the arrest of a 40-year-old man and the recovery of five cartons of suspected fake/adulterated dry gin in Ikot Ekpene.

“The suspect, identified as Ubong Ntiense, aged 40 years, a native of Ibiaku Village, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, and resident along Abak Road, was arrested on 26 September 2026 at about 1345 hours by operatives of the Command.”

The police said a thorough search led to the recovery of five cartons of suspected adulterated dry gin bearing the fake label, “Pointers Special Dry Gin”, with each carton containing 24 bottles, bringing the total to 120 bottles.

According to the police, the suspect and the recovered exhibits were taken to the station for preliminary investigation, where he allegedly confessed to being involved in the production of the fake alcoholic drinks.

The police spokesman said following his confession, operatives secured and executed a search warrant at his residence and premises, where substances and materials allegedly used in the production of the adulterated drinks were recovered as exhibits.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Baba Azare, directed that the investigation be conducted thoroughly and professionally, with a view to identifying other persons connected to the production and circulation of the counterfeit products.

The commissioner described the production and distribution of adulterated alcoholic beverages as a serious public safety concern, noting that unsuspecting members of the public may consume such products without knowledge of their contents or origin.

Police Arrests

He warned individuals, distributors, retailers and organised networks involved in the manufacture, transportation or sale of counterfeit drinks to desist immediately, stressing that the command would continue to deploy intelligence-led operations and surveillance to disrupt such activities.

The CP urged members of the public to exercise caution when purchasing alcoholic beverages and promptly report suspicious production or distribution activities to the police or relevant regulatory agencies.
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