News September 04, 2026 CDCFIB releases dress code for oral interview candidates

The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB)  has issued a fresh directive on the appropriate attire for candidates shortlisted for the oral interview stage of its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise.

The Board said the oral interview is scheduled to begin on September 7, 2026, urging shortlisted applicants to comply fully with the stipulated dress requirements.

In a statement released on Thursday by its Head of Press and Public Relations, Okeh Juliet, the Board said the clarification followed enquiries from candidates seeking guidance on what they should wear to the exercise.

“This clarification supersedes the earlier one and becomes necessary following enquiries from candidates on acceptable attire.

“The approved dress code is as follows: White T-shirt with short or long sleeves. (the long sleeve is optional for ladies) White shorts or white long trousers (the long trouser is optional for ladies),” the statement read.

According to the Board, candidates are also expected to wear white sneakers and white socks when appearing for the interview.

Female applicants may also wear headscarves, although the Board stated that this is optional.

“All candidates are advised to strictly adhere to the dress code stated above. Candidates who fail to comply will not be granted access to the interview venue,” the statement said.

The oral interview represents the final phase of the recruitment exercise for positions in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Fire Service and Nigeria Immigration Service.

The Board had previously directed applicants in the Graduate Category to verify their shortlisting status on the official recruitment portal between August 31 and September 2, 2026.

Applicants who applied with NCE, OND and SSCE qualifications are expected to check their status from September 7 to 9.

Candidates who make the shortlist are required to choose an interview venue closest to them, select a convenient date and time, and print their invitation letters.

The Board also reiterated that participation in the recruitment exercise is free, warning applicants against giving money to individuals claiming they can secure employment for them.

It wished all shortlisted candidates success in the oral interview.

News World September 04, 2026 Nigeria denies backing coup attempt in Niger Republic

The Federal Government has dismissed claims that Nigeria or the Economic Community of West African States backed the recent failed coup attempt in the Niger Republic.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Sola Enikanolaye, made the clarification in a statement issued on Thursday, describing the reports circulating on social media as false and deliberately designed to mislead the public.

“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a series of false and mischievous claims circulating on social media, suggesting that the recent failed coup attempt in Niger Republic had the backing of ECOWAS and, by insinuation, the endorsement of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria categorically rejects these claims as baseless, irresponsible, and a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and tarnish Nigeria’s image.”

Enikanolaye said Nigeria had consistently positioned itself as a promoter of peace, constitutional governance and democratic stability across West Africa, the Sahel and the wider African continent.

“Nigeria will never support illegality or unconstitutional change of government anywhere, no matter who is involved or which country is concerned.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the position of Nigeria was made clear in our official press statement No: MFA/PR/2026/220 of 30 August 2026, where the government of Nigeria expressed deep concern over the situation in the Republic of Niger and urged a peaceful, inclusive and participatory return to stability and constitutional order in the neighbouring country,” the statement read.

The minister said the Federal Government remained opposed to any attempt to change governments through unconstitutional means, stressing Nigeria’s longstanding interest in peace and democratic governance in the sub-region.

“As a sisterly neighbour bound by close historical, fraternal and cultural ties, Nigeria desires only peace, security, democracy and development for Niger, the sub-region and the Sahel.

“As was stated in the press statement under reference, any resort to force to settle political differences is contrary to this objective and to Nigeria’s long-standing foreign policy.

“While Nigeria is a proud and committed member of ECOWAS, it is unfair, mischievous and entirely false to suggest that Nigeria endorses or condones the military coup.

“We urge the Nigerian public, both at home and abroad, to disregard the videos and narratives being circulated online by individuals seeking to sow discord,” the statement added.

Enikanolaye further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional and continental frameworks that promote democratic rule and constitutional order.

“Nigeria will continue to work with ECOWAS, the AU and the international community to defend democracy, uphold the rule of law, and promote peace and stability across our region,” he added.

Crime News September 04, 2026 Fake agency case : Court rejects Adeyemi’s bail bid

The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the police and the Attorney-General of the Federation to grant detained Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, access to his legal representatives.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the directive on Thursday while ruling on a fundamental rights suit instituted on Adeyemi’s behalf.

However, the judge declined to order his release, grant him bail or approve his request for access to medical care at this stage, insisting that the respondents must first be given an opportunity to respond to the claims.

The court subsequently directed the Inspector-General of Police, the police and the Attorney-General of the Federation to explain within 72 hours why the other reliefs sought by Adeyemi should not be granted.

The case was adjourned until September 9 for the respondents to appear and show cause.

Adeyemi had asked the court for six reliefs, among them an order compelling the authorities to release him from detention and grant him bail pending the determination of his suit.

He also requested permission to consult medical practitioners of his choice and an order stopping the police from interrogating him or taking any statement from him in the absence of his lawyer.

In the sixth relief contained in his ex parte application, Adeyemi sought “an order that, for so long as the applicant remains in custody, the respondents do permit the applicant unimpeded access to legal practitioners of his own choosing at all reasonable hours.”

Justice Egwuatu granted that particular request, directing the authorities to allow Adeyemi to meet with his lawyers at reasonable hours while he remains in custody.

Adeyemi was arrested in Osun State in July following a bench warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja after he failed to appear in court for his arraignment.

He is facing an eight-count charge involving alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation arising from his claim that he heads the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.

The Presidency has disowned the organisation, describing it as “fake.”

According to the prosecution, Adeyemi allegedly forged an appointment letter said to have been issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. He was also accused of forging other official documents.

Adeyemi has rejected the allegations and insisted that the council is a legitimate organisation.

Earlier, Justice Mohammed Umar had directed security agencies to arrest Adeyemi and bring him before the court on September 30 for arraignment following his repeated absence from proceedings.

News September 04, 2026 We’ve defeated terrorists in Nigeria – Defence Minister

The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has said Nigeria has made significant progress in the fight against terrorism, arguing that attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have become less frequent.

Musa made the assertion on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, while responding to questions about the country’s security situation under President Bola Tinubu.

The minister maintained that the nature of criminal activities confronting the country had changed, with kidnappings and abductions now posing a more prominent threat than conventional terrorist attacks.

Asked whether Nigeria had defeated terrorists or merely displaced them, the minister said, “Frankly speaking we have (defeated terrorists) because now, like I said, the attacks are not as rampant and it is now kidnapping. Like I said, kidnapping is a social ill where you now see wives kidnapping husbands and husbands kidnapping children.”

According to him, the security situation has improved considerably, as attacks previously associated with Boko Haram and ISWAP are no longer being reported with the same frequency.

“I can tell you there is improved security. Maybe if you noticed, you don’t hear so much of Boko Haram attacks, ISWAP attacks and all these things here and there, maybe one off.

“Now I say, the trajectory is this, from criminality to kidnapping to terrorism, insurgency; once you are able to hit them it goes back downwards and so we are now back into the stage of abductions and kidnappings because that is the easiest way for them to try and raise money.”

Musa further disclosed that security forces had intensified operations inside terrorist strongholds, resulting in the recovery of a number of people abducted by criminal groups.

Speaking on the 2027 general elections, the minister dismissed concerns that insecurity could affect President Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

Musa, who is a member of the security sub-committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign team, also defended his participation, saying his professional responsibilities would remain separate from partisan politics.

“I am a professional, I will never succumb to that level (being partisan against opposition). Nigeria is my unit, whatever it takes to protect Nigeria that is what we stand for.

“We want a peaceful election, so we are going to work towards that and we are going to work with all the parties because that is why I am Minister of Defence, to ensure that every security force does what is right.

“So like I said, we are going to support INEC to ensure that the election is free, fair and credible because we want Nigeria to come out of all these election issues. We have gone past that.”

The Defence Minister also urged state governors and other public officials to reconsider the practice of distributing motorcycles as palliatives.

He warned that motorcycles given out under such programmes could eventually find their way into the hands of terrorists, providing them with an easier means of movement across difficult terrain.

“We try to appeal to any governor to stop giving out motorcycles as palliatives because these motorcycles are still the same ones that will end up with these terrorists. Even if you are to give, don’t give them the big capacity motorcycles, give them the small capacity ones that they won’t be able to use to run around because that gives them leverage. They can easily enter anywhere and then disappear at the same time.”

Musa also called for stronger local government administration, arguing that ineffective local councils contribute to the security challenges confronting the country.

News Politics September 04, 2026 2027: Obi warns against election manipulation, says he’s ready to die to defend his votes

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has vowed to protect his votes in the 2027 general election, declaring that he is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that Nigerians’ votes count.

Obi made the declaration on Thursday at a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, where he urged Nigerians to prevent a recurrence of what he described as the “irregularities” that characterised the 2023 general election.

The former Labour Party presidential candidate said those who might attempt to manipulate the electoral process in 2027 would face stronger resistance from voters.

He also called on Nigerians to turn out in large numbers on election day and exercise their franchise without fear of intimidation.

“Nobody will intimidate us again at the polling booth. If you get to any polling booth today, the highest number of officials you see is five. The average number of voters is 40 to 50. There is no way five people will intimidate 50 people.”

“This time all of us will rescue our country. Somebody said, ‘We are ready to die.’ Let me tell you, I’m ready to die too.

“We will make sure we have coordination to ensure that such intimidation does not arise. Yes, they will try to manipulate the IReV. But let me tell you, it will not be easy this time,” he said.

“There will be so many IReVs this time. If there is a network glitch, we will give them another one that has no glitch,” he said.

“By allowing them to continue, that glitch will glitch our lives. That is what we are suffering today,” Obi said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) came under criticism during the 2023 elections following difficulties associated with the electronic transmission and uploading of results on its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, rejected President Bola Tinubu’s victory and challenged the outcome in court.

However, the courts subsequently upheld Tinubu’s election.

Speaking at the event, tagged “Obi Talks Nigeria”, Obi maintained that greater coordination among voters would make it more difficult for anyone to intimidate them or interfere with the electoral process.

Also speaking, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, urged Nigerians to learn from previous elections and make choices based on competence and the ability of candidates to address the country’s challenges.

Kwankwaso argued that the number of states currently controlled by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would not guarantee victory for the party in 2027.

“I believe that Nigerians must not make mistakes again. This is the time to get it right. And anything to the contrary, I believe people, if they make a mistake, certainly people will regret making that mistake. Because it will be too costly for the people and the country.”

“Jonathan was the president, the sitting president lost the election. I’ve given you an example, especially those who think because they have over 30 governors, they cannot lose the election. That was a very big mistake,” he said.

(DAILY TRUST)

News September 04, 2026 Kidnappings : ICC dismisses case against Nigeria

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has thrown out an anonymous request seeking an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity linked to systemic kidnappings in Nigeria.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), disclosed this in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, in Abuja on Thursday.

The petition, titled ‘Formal Communication Requesting Investigation into Systemic Kidnappings in Nigeria as Crimes Against Humanity’, was identified as ICC-RoC46(3)-01/26.

According to Fagbemi, the communication was submitted anonymously and failed to meet the procedural requirements governing the ICC.

He said the Court’s Pre-Trial Chamber II dismissed the request at the threshold, ruling that it had not been properly brought before the Court and lacked a legal foundation for consideration.

The Attorney-General said the dismissal followed an earlier procedural action in which the President of the Pre-Trial Division had referred the unverified communication to Pre-Trial Chamber II under Regulation 46(3).

“The Federal Government notes with serious concern that on August 26, the President of the Pre-Trial Division improperly initiated a procedural process,” Fagbemi said.

He maintained that the referral was made without an initial reasoned determination regarding the Chamber’s jurisdiction or whether the communication was manifestly frivolous.

Fagbemi said the process ran contrary to what he described as “foundational procedural safeguards” contained in the Court’s regulations.

He named the members of Pre-Trial Chamber II as Rosario Salvatore Aitala, Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godínez and Haykel Ben Mahfoudh.

While welcoming the Chamber’s decision to dismiss the case, the minister expressed concern over how the anonymous filing was initially handled.

He argued that the communication had bypassed the established legal process and had the potential to undermine confidence in the Court’s judicial procedures.

“The activation of internal registry mechanisms based on an unverified filing represents an unusual and troubling departure from the governing statutory framework,” he said.

Fagbemi further argued that internal administrative procedures could not override the processes prescribed by the Rome Statute.

“The authority to evaluate information or request an investigation rests solely with the Prosecutor of the ICC,” he said.

He added that a formal referral could also be made by a State Party or the United Nations Security Council.

According to the minister, neither the President of the Pre-Trial Division nor a Pre-Trial Chamber is empowered to entertain anonymous petitions or intervene in the domestic security affairs of a sovereign state.

Fagbemi cautioned that allowing anonymous requests to trigger administrative processes without proper scrutiny could affect Nigeria’s cooperation and relationship with the ICC.

He, however, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the Rome Statute, international accountability and the rule of law.

“However, the primary constitutional responsibility for investigating and prosecuting domestic criminal activities, including kidnapping and banditry, resides firmly with Nigeria’s national judicial and law enforcement institutions,” he said.

The minister said Nigeria’s position was anchored on the principle of complementarity, under which national institutions have the primary responsibility for addressing domestic crimes.

He also sought to allay concerns over the development, stressing that the ICC had neither commenced an investigation against Nigeria nor made any adverse finding against the Federal Government or its institutions.

Fagbemi urged all organs of the international court to strictly observe the procedures established by its governing instruments.

He said adherence to due process was essential to preserving the credibility of the ICC and sustaining the confidence of sovereign states that are parties to the Court.

News September 04, 2026 Tinubu breaks silence on US FOIA case, says it’s not criminal trial

President Bola Tinubu has clarified that the ongoing legal battle in the United States over access to records concerning him is a civil Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) dispute and not a criminal case against the Nigerian leader.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said recent reports about the case had created misleading impressions about its nature and implications.

“For clarity, the matter is a civil records-disclosure dispute under the United States Freedom of Information Act. It is not a criminal case against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, nor has the court found him guilty of any criminal wrongdoing,” it stated

The statement explained that the case originated from FOIA requests submitted in 2022 by Aaron Greenspan to several United States government agencies for records relating to President Tinubu.

According to the Presidency, after the agencies either withheld some records or declined to confirm or deny their existence, Greenspan instituted Civil Action No. 23-1816 before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in 2023.

The court subsequently allowed President Tinubu to participate in the proceedings as an intervenor.

The Presidency also recalled that the development came more than two decades after the American Consulate in Lagos, in a February 4, 2003 letter to the then Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, stated that an FBI records check found no criminal arrest records, wants or warrants for Tinubu, who was then the governor of Lagos State.

During the proceedings, the US government agencies invoked what the Presidency described as the “Glomar defence”, a legal position under which an agency may decline to confirm or deny whether particular records exist.

“It simply means the government agency is not “in a position to deny or admit” the existence of an investigation,” the statement said, adding that the defence is used to protect government personnel, investigative techniques and confidential sources.

The court subsequently granted summary judgment in favour of the CIA, EOUSA, Department of State, Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service, removing them from the proceedings.

However, aspects of the claims involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) remained under consideration.

The Presidency said the FBI and DEA, in compliance with the court’s orders, produced 399 pages of records, although portions were redacted under exemptions contained in US law.

Greenspan challenged the agencies’ decision to withhold portions of the documents, while the FBI and DEA, through the US Department of Justice, opposed the demand for the release of the unredacted records.

The agencies cited several legal grounds for the redactions, including protection of grand jury proceedings, attorney-client and attorney-work-product privileges, law-enforcement materials, personal privacy, confidential sources and investigative techniques.

The statement added that President Tinubu, acting on the advice of his lawyers, had also invoked his rights under FOIA Exemption 7(C), which protects against certain disclosures that could constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

The Presidency stressed that the mere release or withholding of records under the FOIA should not be interpreted as proof of criminal wrongdoing.

“The release or withholding of records under FOIA does not, by itself, establish criminal liability. The case concerns access to government records and the proper application of statutory exemptions.”

It further disclosed that the plaintiff has until September 11, 2026, to file any opposition and reply to processes filed by the defendants and the President’s legal team, while the FBI, DEA and Tinubu, as intervenor, have until September 18 to respond.

The Presidency also took aim at political commentary surrounding the case, insisting that the proceedings remain under the control of the US court.

“The Nigerian media should note that this case is exclusively within the control of Judge Beryl A. Howell of the United States District Court. She will determine its outcome, based on the evidence, applicable law, and the parties’ arguments, not the wishful preference of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or his agent, Mr Von Batten.”

Onanuga also disputed claims by Karl von Batten about his relevance to the proceedings, saying neither he nor Atiku Abubakar was a party to the case.

“Recent public commentary by Mr Karl von Batten has inaccurately portrayed him and his client as central to the proceedings. Neither is a party to the case.”

The Presidency urged the Nigerian media and members of the public to distinguish between the actual court proceedings and political interpretations of the matter.

“The litigation is a civil records-disclosure dispute under FOIA. It does not constitute a criminal charge, trial, or judicial finding against President Tinubu.”

It added that the outstanding issue before the US court was whether the redactions made by the FBI and DEA were lawful under American law.

“The United States District Court will decide that issue based on the filings and applicable US law, not political commentary.”

The Presidency therefore called on the media to rely on verified court proceedings rather than what it described as partisan speculation.