President Tinubu renews Ahmed Audi’s Tenure As NSCDC Commandant-General

President Tinubu renews Ahmed Audi’s tenure as NSCDC commandant-general. Tinubu has renewed the appointment of Ahmed Audi as the commandant-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for another five-year term.

The reappointment, which took effect from Friday, was announced on Saturday in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy.

Audi was first appointed to head the NSCDC in 2021 by former president Muhammadu Buhari.

His initial five-year tenure ended last Friday while he participated in activities marking the 2026 World Civil Defence Day at the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja.

According to the presidency, Audi will resume duties on Monday with a renewed mandate.

Tinubu charged the NSCDC boss to reposition the corps to play a more significant role in Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly as the police refocus on their core responsibility of protecting citizens from banditry, kidnapping and terrorism.

Born on September 30, 1967, in Laminga town, Nasarawa LGA of Nasarawa state, Audi began his educational journey at Teachers’ College, Jengre, Plateau state, where he obtained a teachers’ grade II certificate in 1987.

President Tinubu renews Ahmed Audi’s Tenure

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He later earned a Nigeria certificate in education from the College of Education, Akwanga, in 1992, before proceeding to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical and health education in 1995.

Audi obtained a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Calabar in 2001.

He subsequently earned a PhD in public administration from Nasarawa State University, Keffi, in 2014, and a master’s in law enforcement and criminal justice from Ahmadu Bello University in 2019.

He joined the NSCDC in November 1996 as a volunteer and, after completing his basic officer training in 1997, was deployed as a divisional officer in Obi LGA of Nasarawa.

In 2007, he was promoted to the rank of commandant of the corps and posted to the office of the commandant-general at the national headquarters in Abuja, where he later rose to become the head of the paramilitary agency.

Ibadan Airport To Begin Direct International Flights By End Of The Year 2026: Official

Ibadan airport to begin direct international flights by end of the year 2026: Official. He said that the airport had undergone major upgrades.

Bimbo Adekanmbi, the chairman of the 11-man committee on the upgrade of the Ibadan airport, has said that direct international flights would commence before the end of 2026.

Ms Adekanmbi told journalists in Ibadan on Saturday that although some airlines had begun offering Ibadan–London flight options, such services were not direct international operations from the airport.

According to him, the current arrangements involve stopovers in Abuja before proceeding to the United Kingdom.

“Those are not the direct flights we promised. They take off from Ibadan, transit through Abuja and then continue to the UK.

“It is a good start, but our plan is to have direct international flights once the new terminal is completed,” he said.

Ms Adekanmbi disclosed that the international terminal to handle direct overseas flights was just between 40 per cent and 50 per cent completion.

The project chairman added that construction work was still ongoing on the terminal, but expressed optimism that the it would be ready for operation before the end of the year.

He said that the airport had undergone major upgrades, including expansion and extension of the runway.

“We have lengthened the runway from 2,400 metres to 3,000 metres and expanded it from 45 metres to 60 metres.

“The runway is now ready to receive big, wide-bodied aircraft.

“We have also restored the runway lights, which means aircraft can land at night. In addition, the Instrument Landing System (ILS) has been installed to enable aircraft land safely even in poor weather conditions,” he said.

Ms Adekanmbi said local flight operations had fully resumed, with aircraft flying daily to Abuja and other parts of the country.

According to him, the apron has also been expanded to accommodate larger aircraft and improve turnaround time.

“Also, new operational vehicles have been provided for aviation agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the airport fire service and the airport police command,” he said.

On the 2026 Hajj operations, he said the state would be among the first to airlift pilgrims, with flights scheduled to depart from Ibadan in May.

Ms Adekanmbi explained that pilgrims would be processed at the existing Hajj Camp in Olodo before being transported to the airport for departure.

Speaking on the economic impact of the upgraded airport, the project chairman said the facility would boost trade, investment and job creation in Oyo State.

He said that plans were underway to develop a cargo terminal and bonded warehouses to support agricultural exports and imports.

“With a cargo terminal, farmers and manufacturers can export their goods directly. Importers can also use bonded terminals to bring in equipment and other products.

Ibadan Airport

“This will generate revenue, create jobs and stimulate economic activities along the airport corridor and adjoining roads,” he said.

Mr Adekanmbi added that improved connectivity through the airport and ongoing road projects by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde would transform the state from a largely consumer-driven economy to a production-oriented one.

On sustainability, he said the project was backed by an outline business case to ensure long-term viability.

According to him, measures such as improved turnaround time for aircraft, expanded apron space and enhanced passenger processing systems are being introduced to make the airport attractive to airlines and travellers.

He expressed confidence that once fully operational, the upgraded airport would position Ibadan as a major aviation hub and further stimulate economic growth in the state.

ICPC Sets To Formalise Partnership With NCAOOSE, Urges Increased Funding To Protect Vulnerable Children

ICPC sets to formalise partnership with NCAOOSE, urges increased funding to protect vulnerable children. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to a formal partnership with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSE) to strengthen advocacy, prevent corruption, and bolster national efforts aimed at reintegrating millions of vulnerable children into the educational system.

This assurance was given by the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, when he received the Executive Secretary of NCAOOSE, Dr. Mohammed Sani Idris, and his delegation on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Aliyu framed the discussion within the broader context of national survival and leadership continuity, describing NCAOOSE as a critical institution in safeguarding Nigeria’s future. Drawing on his experience as Attorney-General in Jigawa State, he noted that keeping children in school remains a difficult but essential task.

The ICPC boss stressed that children must remain under responsible parental guidance while also receiving quality education to preserve the nation’s future leadership, warning that young persons should not be burdened with responsibilities beyond their years. “The issues raised by the Executive Secretary are not merely administrative; they are fundamental to the preservation of our nation’s future leadership,” Dr. Aliyu stated.

To move beyond rhetoric and into tangible action, Dr. Aliyu proposed the swift finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies. This formal instrument, he explained, would provide a robust framework for collaboration, enabling the ICPC to deploy strategic anti-corruption tools such as Corruption Risk Assessment to pre-emptively block financial leakages and enhance transparency within NCAOOSE’s educational intervention frameworks.

He further highlighted the role of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria in driving behavioural change and building integrity capacity, adding that ICPC would leverage its initiatives to support NCAOOSE in delivering its mandate effectively and transparently. The ICPC Chairman subsequently directed the heads of the Commission’s Public Education, External Cooperation, and the Academy to immediately engage with their NCAOOSE counterparts to identify synergies and advance the proposed partnership.

Earlier in his remarks, Dr. Mohammed Sani Idris painted a stark picture of the national crisis, drawing on UNICEF statistics that place the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria at over 18.3 million. He detailed the plight of Almajiri and other vulnerable children, who are not merely missing an education but are exposed to severe risks including sexual abuse, medical neglect, and other societal dangers.

ICPC

He lamented the abdication of parental responsibility, stressing that child neglect and street begging stand in direct opposition to both moral imperatives and religious teachings. It is within this context of profound vulnerability, he argued, that a robust partnership with the ICPC becomes indispensable.

Tackling the corruption-related factors that exacerbate the education gap, particularly in advocacy and resource allocation, is crucial to safeguarding this demographic.

Dr. Idris was also candid about the operational hurdles hampering NCAOOSE’s work. Despite operating approximately 200 learning centres and identifying over 700,000 out-of-school children for intervention, the Commission is severely constrained by inadequate funding, a lack of office infrastructure, and an insufficient fleet of operational vehicles. He stressed that to scale its impact and meet the vast need, substantially increased financial backing is non-negotiable.

In a direct appeal, he called on Dr. Aliyu to leverage his office to advocate for improved budgetary support for NCAOOSE from the relevant authorities responsible for funding Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The meeting concluded with both agencies expressing a firm commitment to sustained collaboration. The shared vision is clear: to forge a unified front that promotes transparency, protects the nation’s most vulnerable children, and confronts the systemic drivers perpetuating the out-of-school children phenomenon in Nigeria.

Signed
J. Okor Odey, Anipr
Spokesperson for the Commission