By Elijah Oguche, Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s command structure from eight to twelve divisions in a major reform aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and improving military operations across the country.

The Presidency said the expansion would enhance operational effectiveness, decentralise command and control, strengthen border security and improve the capacity of the Armed Forces to respond swiftly to emerging security threats.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that the approval was part of the administration’s commitment to boosting national defence capabilities through sustained investment in manpower, equipment and military reforms.

According to Onanuga, the restructuring is among several measures being implemented to reposition the Nigerian military, including the approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, procurement of critical military platforms, improved welfare for troops and continued support for force modernisation.

With the new arrangement, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across different parts of the country.

The formations include 1 Division, Kaduna, covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States; 2 Division, Ibadan, responsible for Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States; 3 Division, Jos, covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States; and 5 Division, Makurdi, responsible for Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States.

Others are 6 Division, Port Harcourt, covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States; 7 Division, Maiduguri, responsible for Borno and Yobe States; 8 Division, Sokoto, covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States; and 9 Division, Ilorin, responsible for Kwara and Niger States.

The remaining formations are 10 Division, Jalingo, covering Taraba and Adamawa States; 81 Division, Lagos, responsible for Lagos and Ogun States; 82 Division, Enugu, covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States; and 83 Division, Benin City, covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States.

The Presidency explained that the establishment of new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City would improve military coordination, strengthen internal security operations and ensure faster deployment of troops during crises.

It added that the expanded structure would enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency operations and strengthen the country’s ability to tackle security challenges across various regions.

Implementation of the new military structure will be carried out in two phases.

The first phase, which involves the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026.

The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division, Benin City, and further restructuring of the Army, is expected to be concluded by December 2026.

President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, as well as officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, for their dedication, professionalism and commitment to protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain well-equipped, motivated and capable of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians while defending the nation’s interests.

Eight people died and nine others were injured in a crush during an evangelical gathering in Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura.

Saturday’s tragic incident happened at a school where prominent Burundian preacher Chris Ndikumana was appearing at the event attended by thousands of people.

Eyewitnesses and the police said a wall at the exit gate collapsed as worshippers jostled to leave the venue as the preaching ended late at night, with some being trampled in the crush.

Neither Ndikumana nor the event organisers have publicly commented on the incident.

“There were so many people and everyone wanted to leave at the same time,” a teacher said.

“It was late at night,” the teacher from the Senior Technical School of Kamenge, the venue of the gathering, added.

In a statement, police said King Khaled Hospital in Bujumbura recorded six deaths – five females and a male – with four others being treated there. Two other deaths were recorded at a military hospital, where five patients were treated.

The police said two people showed physical injuries, with the rest having no signs of trauma, suggesting suffocation as being the main cause of death and injuries.

Ndikumana, whose YouTube channel has more than a million subscribers, leads the Kanguka (Wake up) ministry and often attracts huge crowds for his services in several African countries.

Some of his followers believe he can cure diseases through prayers.

Crushes during religious events are not uncommon on the continent. At least 20 people died in 2020 in neighbouring Tanzania during an outdoor religious service as attendees rushed forward to be anointed with blessed oil.

In 2022, 31 people died in Nigeria’s southern city of Port Harcourt where a church was handing out food to the poor, some of whom had waited there overnight.

The same year, at least 29 people, including 11 children, were killed in a crush in Liberia after thieves targeted worshippers leaving a large evangelical gathering.

US Strikes Hit Iran in Honour of American Soldiers, Says Trump

President Donald Trump said the latest strikes by the US hit Iran “very hard”, adding that the attacks were “in honour” of three US soldiers killed in recent days two in Jordan, one in Iraq.

In the early hours of Monday local time, US Central Command (Centcom) said it had launched a “new wave” of strikes for the ninth consecutive night as explosions were heard across Iran.

The US said it had targeted military sites and communications networks to “further diminish” Tehran’s attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said it had responded with a “surprise attack” in Syria and targeted US aircraft at Jordan’s Aqaba airport.

Elsewhere in the region, Kuwait’s armed forces said they had intercepted Iranian drones.

On the US strikes, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several cities had been hit including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.

There were also Iranian state media reports that two oil tankers had exploded as the vessels tried to cross the strait.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the tankers were going through what it called an “unsafe and hazardous southern route” of the strait and “exploded and were brought to a halt”. Centcom disputed the claims.

The IRGC added that the strait “will not be safe for the transit of petrochemical products, nor even a single drop of oil and gas” as long as the US strikes continue and that it will respond with a “punitive operation”.

Over the weekend, the US confirmed that a service member had been killed after an Iranian attack in northern Iraq on Saturday.

That news came after the US said a separate attack on a base in Jordan on Friday had killed two soldiers there. The two have now been identified by the Pentagon as Pte Isabella Gonzales, 19, and Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25.

A third serviceperson was declared missing after the attack in Jordan, and US officials say “unidentified remains” have been found during the search process.

As the strikes continued over the weekend between the US and Iran, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US “always remains open to a diplomatic solution”.

He also said “the world has to decide whether or not it’s going to allow an international waterway to be under the control” of Iran, saying Tehran was using the crucial shipping route as leverage.

His comments come as a preliminary deal made in mid-June to stop fighting has unravelled, with negotiations for a permanent peace making little progress after Trump declared the agreement was “over” on 8 July.

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board on Monday announced the commencement of the 2026 selection and placement of qualified candidates into state and technical colleges nationwide.

The Registrar and Chief Executive of NABTEB, Dr.

Mohammed Aminu, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja.

Recall that 15,290 candidates had earlier registered for the entrance examination, while 13,848 candidates eventually sat for the test nationwide.

10,426 candidates, representing 75.29 per cent, obtained scores of 50 per cent and above, while 5,708 candidates, representing 41.

22 per cent, scored at least 70 per cent.

Aminu said the exercise was a critical stage in the admission process designed to ensure that qualified candidates are fairly and transparently placed into technical colleges across the country.

The statement partly read, “Today’s exercise marks one of the most critical stages in the admission process into our Technical Colleges. It is the bridge between assessment and admission, ensuring that qualified candidates who sat for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination are fairly, transparently and appropriately placed in accordance with the admission guidelines approved by the Federal Ministry of Education.”

The NABTEB registrar stressed that admissions would be guided by merit, equity, accountability, transparency and the Federal Character Principle.

He urged members of the selection committee to discharge their responsibilities with integrity and impartiality.

“The success of the National Common Entrance Examination can only be fully realised when it is followed by a transparent, credible and objective selection and placement process.”

Aminu also highlighted improvements in the conduct of the examination, noting that NABTEB successfully deployed computer-based testing, enhanced digital result processing and an AI-powered aptitude placement system to improve efficiency and transparency.

He described technical colleges as centres for innovation and entrepreneurship rather than institutions of second choice.

According to him, strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training remains critical to producing skilled technicians, artisans and technologists capable of driving Nigeria’s industrialisation and economic diversification.

The registrar commended the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for championing reforms aimed at repositioning technical education through increased investment in skills development, stronger industry partnerships and digital innovation.

He also called on governments, school administrators, parents, communities and development partners to intensify advocacy for technical education and encourage more young Nigerians to embrace vocational skills.

The Federal Government has in recent years intensified efforts to reposition Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a major pillar of its education reform agenda.

The Ministry of Education has expanded enrolment into Federal Technical Colleges, introduced a revised TVET curriculum, strengthened partnerships with industries and increased investments in skills acquisition to address youth unemployment and bridge Nigeria’s skills gap.

The National Common Entrance Examination, conducted annually by NABTEB, serves as the gateway for admission into Federal and participating State Technical Colleges, where students receive competency-based training in engineering, construction, ICT, agriculture, hospitality and other vocational trades aimed at meeting labour market demands.

ActionAid Urges FG to fund Safe Schools Declaration

Amid rising attacks on schools, ActionAid Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to fully fund and implement the Safe Schools Declaration while strengthening community-level security in rural and newly threatened communities to protect learners.

The call was made by the Board of Directors of ActionAid Nigeria during its annual General Assembly convened to review the state of the nation.

Reading the text of the press conference at the weekend in Abuja, the convener of the General Assembly Ohio Akoudo Ifiabor, expressed concern over the increasing attacks on schools, noting that between May and July 2026 alone, at least 124 schoolchildren and students were abducted in Oyo, Borno and Zamfara states.

It described the attacks as a growing threat to education and the safety of learners, adding that many abducted children and teachers in other states remain in captivity.

While commending the rescue of 39 pupils and six surviving teachers abducted in Oyo State, they urged the Federal Government to treat the rescue of all remaining abducted children and teachers as a national emergency.

It called for a visible, coordinated and adequately funded rescue and protection operation with clear timelines and regular public updates.

The organisation also urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to move beyond reactive military responses by adopting a comprehensive security strategy rooted in community intelligence, trust and accountability.

The assembly further commended the renewed legislative push for state police, the Federal Executive Council’s approval of comprehensive reforms to the National Youth Service Corps and the introduction of a community-level flood forecasting system ahead of the rainy season, but stressed that Nigerians were yet to experience tangible improvements

They called for the speedy passage of legislation establishing state police, while ensuring safeguards against political abuse and a sustainable funding framework that would enable all states to effectively provide security.

The organisation observed that although Nigeria’s external reserves had risen to about $51.5 billion, the country’s public debt had increased to N156.28 trillion, with $11.6 billion budgeted for debt servicing in 2026.

It also cited the World Bank’s warning that 79 per cent of Nigerians remain poor or vulnerable to poverty and the National Bureau of Statistics’ June inflation figure of 15.91 per cent, saying rising food prices, petrol costs above N1,100 per litre and the N70,000 minimum wage had further worsened living conditions.

On flooding, ActionAid noted the recent projections of 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory had been placed on high flood alert, with more than 14,000 communities, about 5,000 health facilities and over 10,000 schools at risk between July and September, and called for urgent efforts to safeguard lives and property.

Among its recommendations, ActionAid called on the Federal Government to improve debt management, block revenue leakages, strengthen social protection programmes, adequately fund primary healthcare, review the proposed sugar tax to protect small businesses, ensure reductions in ex-depot petrol prices are reflected at filling stations, and intensify flood preparedness across the country.

The organisation also reviewed the country’s democratic environment ahead of the 2027 general elections, citing reported cases of vote-buying, voter intimidation, accreditation failures and inconsistencies during the recent Ekiti State governorship election.

It urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to address the irregularities observed during recent elections and strengthen voter education ahead of the 2027 polls.