
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has questioned the use of bombing as an option to rescue kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oyo State. This query comes more than 50 days after their abduction from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026, where over 39 pupils and seven teachers were taken. One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded shortly after the attack. Bwala, speaking on The Morayo Show, stated that the government prioritizes a safe rescue, emphasizing that using lethal force could endanger the captives. He acknowledged that the government is aware of their condition and aims to rescue them alive, despite the prior killing of a hostage. He then posed the question back to the show, asking if bombing suspected locations was the desired course of action given the circumstances.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadGuinea-Bissau opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira, head of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde PAIGC, was returned to prison by a military court on Friday. Pereira faces accusations of involvement in an attempted coup in October 2025, which he is alleged to have helped finance, as well as separate financial crimes and participation in a 2023 coup attempt. He was initially detained when the army overthrew President Umaro Sissoco Embalo in November of last year, then released in January and placed under house arrest in Bissau. Pereira's legal team and party denounce the accusations as arbitrary and politically motivated, claiming they aim to prevent him from participating in the presidential election scheduled for December 6. Guinea-Bissau has experienced five coups d'etat and several attempted overthrows since its independence in 1974, with General Horta N'Tam currently leading the military government.
The Zamfara State Government has approved six months of maternity leave for its female civil servants. This decision, announced by the State Head of Service, Yakubu Haidara, on Thursday in Gusau, aims to promote exclusive breastfeeding and enhance maternal and child health. Haidara stated that the approval reflects Governor Dauda Lawal鈥檚 commitment to addressing child malnutrition and improving nutrition outcomes. The extended leave is expected to allow mothers adequate time for postpartum recovery, reduce the risk of postpartum depression, support exclusive breastfeeding, and strengthen mother-baby bonding. The State Head of Service also mentioned Governor Lawal's approval of N500 million in counterpart funding for nutrition programs last year, expressing optimism for continued investment. The CS-SUNN State Coordinator, Kabiru Jangeru, described the approval as a significant milestone, noting that his organization, supported by UNICEF, has advocated for increased nutrition funding and a six-month maternity leave policy to encourage exclusive breastfeeding. This policy aligns with global recommendations from the World Health Organization and UNICEF for infant feeding, which advocate for exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life to reduce infant mortality and improve child nutrition.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has given President Bola Tinubu a seven-day ultimatum to either sign the Federal Audit Service Bill into law or formally inform the National Assembly of his reasons for withholding assent. Atiku stated that failure to do so should lead to the President's resignation, accusing Tinubu of violating the 1999 Constitution by not acting on the bill within the legally prescribed period. He emphasized that continued inaction undermines democratic governance and public accountability. Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, highlighted that the President's delay in assenting to or rejecting the bill, months after its transmission by the National Assembly, disregards the Constitution. Citing Section 584 of the 1999 Constitution, Atiku noted that the President is required to signify assent or withhold assent within 30 days of receiving a bill. The Federal Audit Service Bill aims to strengthen the independence of the Office of the Auditor-General, modernize Nigeria鈥檚 public audit system, and improve oversight of government spending. Atiku alleged that the President鈥檚 inaction reflects a broader pattern of constitutional disregard and warned that selective obedience to the law weakens institutional safeguards. The presidency had not responded to Atiku鈥檚 comments at the time of reporting.