Barely 24 hours to the official resumption of academic activities across Oyo State, suspected bandits have reportedly attacked an Operation Burst security base located within a forest reserve along the Igbeti–Igboho axis in Oorelope Local Government Area of the state.

The attack reportedly occurred in the early hours of Sunday, September 13, 2026, between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

According to a reports, citing a security update from the Oorelope Local Government Command, armed men invaded the security base and opened fire on personnel stationed at the facility.

The command said it received a distress call about the attack and immediately mobilised its operatives, alongside personnel from other sister security agencies, to the area.

However, the attackers had fled before the security team arrived.

Preliminary findings reportedly showed that the attackers stormed the base in large numbers and attempted to overrun the security post, kill the personnel and take away their weapons.

Security operatives subsequently combed the area and launched efforts to track down the attackers, but they were not apprehended.

No casualty was recorded in the incident, according to the security update.

However, the attackers allegedly set fire to a block within the security base and a patrol van, destroying both facilities.

The Oorelope Local Government Command said further details would be made available as investigations and security operations continue.

The reported attack comes at a time of heightened attention to security in parts of Oyo State, with schools across the state expected to resume academic activities officially on Monday.

Police authorities in Osun State have launched a manhunt for those responsible for the killing of Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade, an aide of Governor Ademola Adeleke, during a violent clash around motor parks in Ile-Ife.

Oyeyemi was reportedly killed on Sunday during a confrontation involving rival factions over control of motor parks in the ancient city. The violence reportedly spread across the Mayfair, Sabo and Lagere areas, with sporadic gunshots causing panic among residents, traders and passers-by.

According to reports, the deceased was leading his loyalists when the confrontation occurred amid an alleged attempt to take control of a motor park in Mayfair. However, details surrounding the circumstances of his death and the identities of those responsible remain subject to police investigation.

Reacting to the incident, Governor Adeleke directed the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, to investigate the killing and arrest those responsible, stressing that there would be no sacred cows in the enforcement of the law.

The governor also ordered the immediate vacation of motor parks by warring groups and announced plans to reintroduce a Park Management System aimed at restoring order and addressing leadership disputes within transport parks across the state. Security agencies were directed to restore normalcy and maintain peace in affected areas.

Osun State Governor, , has ordered a formal investigation into the killings, shootings, injuries and other acts of violence reported at Naira and Kobo Junction and the motor park/garage area in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area.

The governor issued an Executive Order establishing a Coroner Inquest and Panel of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the violence, which occurred on August 24, 2026.

The inquiry is expected to establish what led to the confrontation, determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries, and identify any individuals or groups whose actions may have contributed to the incident.

The development follows growing concerns over violence and insecurity linked to disputes around motor park activities in parts of the state. Adeleke had earlier vowed that his administration would independently investigate recent political and communal killings in Osun.

The state government said the inquiry is intended to uncover the facts behind the incident and provide a basis for appropriate action while promoting peace and public safety in the affected communities.

•Says INEC has no power of finality over party’s candidate
_
•’Courts’ll do justice_ ’

Presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has declared that no administrative action by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can extinguish his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election.

Hashim was reacting to his exclusion from the final list of presidential candidates published by INEC, over the weekend.

In a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, Hashim described the development as a matter that remains subject to judicial determination, insisting that he remains the duly nominated presidential candidate of the Accord Party.

“I am the candidate of the Accord Party. No one can exclude me from the 2027 presidential election. The court will do justice, he said.

Hashim said Nigeria’s constitutional democracy does not confer on INEC an overriding power of “finality” over disputes concerning who emerges as a political party’s candidate.

According to him, the adjudicatory powers vested in the courts exist precisely to prevent administrative decisions from becoming instruments of impunity or a means of foreclosing legitimate political rights.

“Our democracy does not give INEC any right of finality over who stands as the candidate of a political party. Where there is a dispute over the emergence or exclusion of a candidate, the adjudicatory functions of the courts are provided precisely to prevent impunity and to ensure that no administrative process becomes a pre-planned mechanism for keeping particular candidates off the ballot.

“We have seen this before. In the last Osun governorship election, the courts intervened in circumstances where candidates initially excluded from INEC’s processes were subsequently restored to the ballot. That is why nobody should assume that an administrative publication by INEC is the final word in a matter that is before the courts.”

Hashim has already taken the matter before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking, among other reliefs, an order compelling the Accord Party to recognise him as its presidential candidate and transmit his name to INEC. The case has been heard and reserved for judgment.

His case is based on his contention that he emerged as the sole winner of Accord’s presidential primary conducted on May 30, 2026, after paying the prescribed nomination fee, with the exercise monitored by INEC officials.

He insisted that the dispute cannot be conclusively determined by an administrative listing.

“The publication by INEC is not the final determination of my candidacy. There is a subsisting legal dispute before the court, and I have confidence in the judicial process.

“I emerged from the presidential primary as the candidate. I have done what the law requires, and I believe the court will uphold the law.

“No individual or administrative action can take away a right that has been lawfully acquired. I remain the presidential candidate of Accord, and we will see this process through to its lawful conclusion,”said Hashim.

Hashim also took aim at what he described as the political forces that would prefer presidential contest built around division, sentiment and weakened opponents rather than one centered on substantive national issues.

“We know for a fact that those who have benefited from the dysfunction in Nigeria, together with their enablers across various institutions, are scared stiff of one candidate being on that ballot—Gbenga Hashim.

“I am the candidate they cannot easily fit into their old calculations. I am the candidate capable of winning votes across North and South. I am prepared to fight over issues that matter to ordinary Nigerians and over the future of this country, rather than participate in the politics of division, ethnicity, religion and sentiment.

“They may be comfortable competing against wounded candidates. They may be comfortable with a political environment where Nigerians are forced to choose between factions and personalities. But, they are uncomfortable with a candidate who can speak to Nigerians across the country on the basis of ideas, competence and national interest.

“But, this plot, however sophisticated, shall fail by the grace of God.”

Hashim said his legal battle, therefore, goes beyond his personal political ambition, describing it as a test of the integrity of political party primaries, internal democracy and the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely choose their preferred presidential candidate.

“The real issue is whether a political party can conduct a presidential primary, produce a winner, and subsequently prevent that winner from participating in the election.

“If that can happen without judicial scrutiny, then, what happens to internal democracy within political parties? What happens to the right of party members who participated in the primary? And ultimately, what happens to the right of Nigerians to choose who they want on the ballot?

“That is why this case matters beyond Gbenga Hashim. It is about whether the rules of our democracy apply to everyone, including those who occupy powerful institutions.”

He called on his supporters and Nigerians who believe in democratic choice to remain calm, assuring them that he would continue to pursue the matter through constitutional and legal means.

“I am not asking anyone to break the law. I am asking that the law be allowed to work.

“We will not be intimidated, we will not be distracted and we will not surrender a legitimate democratic right because somebody has published a list.

“The court will speak, and when it does, we will abide by the judgment.”

The Federal Government has opened applications for a free Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) training programme targeted at 50,000 young people across the six Southwest states of Nigeria.

The initiative is being implemented under the Federal Government’s efforts to expand digital skills and create new employment opportunities for young Nigerians. Participants are expected to receive training designed to equip them with skills required to work in the growing global business-process and remote-services industry.

The programme is expected to benefit youths across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, giving participants an opportunity to develop marketable digital and professional skills without paying tuition fees.

The BPO sector provides services to organisations and businesses in areas such as customer support, data processing, administrative assistance and other digitally delivered services. The Federal Government hopes that strengthening the skills of young Nigerians will enable more of them to secure employment and participate in the international digital economy.

Interested youths are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity by checking the official application channels for eligibility requirements, registration details and training schedules.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has disclosed that outpatient patronage in the state’s public hospitals has doubled in the last six months, with some facilities now attending to thousands of patients daily. He said the surge was putting significant pressure on doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Abayomi attributed the increase partly to the rising cost of healthcare, which has made private medical services increasingly unaffordable for many residents. He explained that while the cost of healthcare continues to rise, residents’ purchasing power has remained relatively stagnant, forcing many people to move from private hospitals to government facilities.

The commissioner, however, expressed concern that some residents were also turning to informal healthcare providers, including pharmacists and roadside drug sellers, instead of seeking treatment through the orthodox healthcare system. He warned that this trend could encourage self-medication and expose people to avoidable health risks.

He also linked the pressure on public hospitals to the migration of healthcare professionals from Nigeria. According to him, the combination of increasing patient numbers and the loss of medical personnel is placing doctors and other healthcare workers under considerable stress.

Abayomi further disclosed that Lagos State plans to enforce compulsory health insurance for residents as part of efforts to improve healthcare financing and reduce the burden on public hospitals. He said the government is restructuring its health insurance system to ensure that residents have access to affordable basic healthcare while improving the sustainability of the state’s health sector.

The Oyo State Police Command has launched measures to strengthen security around schools across the state as part of efforts to protect pupils, students, teachers and other members of school communities.

The initiative, reported by Voice of Nigeria, is aimed at creating a safer environment for learning and preventing criminal activities around educational institutions.

According to the report, the police are increasing security attention around schools as students return to academic activities. The move is expected to improve surveillance and security response around educational facilities across Oyo State.

The initiative is also coming amid concerns about the safety of schools in parts of the country, particularly following incidents of criminal activities and attacks that have affected educational institutions.

The Oyo Police Command’s Safe School Initiative is therefore expected to strengthen collaboration between security personnel and school communities, while improving the ability of authorities to respond quickly to potential threats.

The development is significant for parents and guardians, who have continued to demand adequate protection for their children while in school.

Security around schools has become an increasingly important issue in Nigeria, with state authorities and security agencies under pressure to ensure that pupils and students can attend classes without fear of abduction, violence or other criminal activities.

The Oyo initiative also comes against the backdrop of previous calls for stronger security in schools. In June 2026, the Oyo State House of Assembly similarly called for improved security in public and private schools following concerns over student safety.

With the latest measures, the police are expected to maintain closer attention around school premises and work with relevant stakeholders to identify and address security threats.

The command has also reassured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging school authorities, parents and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.

The police initiative is expected to contribute to a safer learning environment across Oyo State and strengthen public confidence in the security of educational institutions.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed ₦148.34 million in student loans to 301 students of the Oyo State College of Nursing and Midwifery, providing financial support to beneficiaries pursuing nursing education in the state.

The disbursement forms part of the Federal Government’s student loan initiative designed to expand access to tertiary education by providing financial assistance to eligible Nigerian students who may face difficulties meeting the cost of their education.

According to reports on the development, the funds were disbursed to 301 verified students of the Oyo State College of Nursing and Midwifery under the NELFUND scheme.

The intervention is expected to ease the financial burden on the beneficiaries and their families, particularly as the cost of professional education and other associated expenses continues to place pressure on households.

The development is also significant for the health sector, as nursing students constitute an important part of the pipeline for producing trained healthcare professionals needed to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.

NELFUND’s student loan programme provides financial assistance to eligible students in approved tertiary institutions, with the broader objective of ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent qualified Nigerians from pursuing higher education and skills development.

The latest disbursement to the Oyo nursing students adds to previous efforts to extend the student loan scheme to institutions across the country.

The Oyo State Government has also previously reported beneficiaries of NELFUND support at the Oyo State College of Nursing and Midwifery, reflecting the growing reach of the Federal Government’s education financing intervention in the state.

For the 301 beneficiaries, the latest intervention is expected to provide some relief as they continue their professional training and prepare to join Nigeria’s healthcare workforce.

NELFUND’s intervention comes at a time when access to affordable education remains a major concern for many Nigerian families, making student financing an increasingly important component of the country’s higher education system.

Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress NDC for the 2027 general election, Peter Obi, has revealed the Tinubu administration’s policy he would retain if elected president.

Obi said he would maintain the floating of the naira but focus on boosting productivity to strengthen the currency and improve its value to Nigerians.

The former Anambra State governor disclosed this during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday.

Asked to name one policy of President Bola Tinubu’s administration he would retain, Obi said, “There’s one the floating of the Naira. I’m not going to defend it. But I’m going to put productivity to make it more valuable to the people.”

Obi also cautioned Nigerians against allowing tribal sentiments to influence the 2027 presidential election.

He said, “Our election should not be driven by tribalism.”

The Tinubu administration introduced the naira float in June 2023 as part of its economic reforms aimed at unifying the foreign exchange market and allowing market forces to determine the currency’s value.

The policy led to a significant depreciation of the naira, with the currency moving from below N500/$ at the time to above N1,000 per dollar and later crossing N1,500 per dollar at various points.