🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
JAMB and Rite Foods to award ₦5 million each to seven outstanding undergraduates
via Punch Nigeria1 min read
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board JAMB, in collaboration with Rite Foods Limited, will present ₦5 million to each of seven exceptional Nigerian undergraduates at the inaugural Academic Excellence Recognition Award Ceremony in Lagos. This initiative aims to acknowledge outstanding academic performance during the 2025 admission cycle. According to JAMB's Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, the recipients are being recognized for their performance in both the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME and their respective Post-UTME or institutional screening exercises. The seven beneficiaries were selected through a rigorous, merit-based process coordinated by the board. Six of the awardees represent Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, while the seventh award is designated for the highest-performing admitted candidate living with a disability. Universities represented include the University of Lagos, University of Uyo, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, University of Maiduguri, and Federal University of Technology, Minna. The University of Lagos has two award recipients. The event is expected to host over 300 participants, including the Minister of Education, JAMB Registrar Professor Is-haq Oloyede, vice-chancellors, and other education stakeholders. This partnership underscores both organizations' commitment to fostering academic excellence and inspiring young Nigerians.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has pledged that the state government will support the family of the late Ummulkhairi Aliyu, an Islamic teacher lynched by a mob in Maraban Jos on June 14. The governor visited the bereaved family, promising to cater for the upkeep of her husband and four children, including sponsoring their education. Governor Sani condemned the mob action as barbaric and assured the family that justice would be served. He stated that 41 persons have been charged with culpable homicide and another 30 with unlawful assembly, bringing the total number investigated to 82. The governor is working with security agencies to ensure all involved are brought to justice, regardless of their status. He also directed an investigation into the role of some security personnel, including the Divisional Police Officer in Maraban Jos, for potential negligence. The killing has drawn widespread condemnation, with calls for stronger measures against mob violence.
Troops from Sector 2, Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA, killed two suspected Lakurawa terrorists and recovered arms and ammunition during an operation in the Sabarumawa area of Kebbi State on June 27. The operation followed intelligence indicating the group was planning an attack on the Sabarumawa community. Lt.-Col. Aliyu Danja, Media Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, stated that troops from the Chief of Army Staff Intervention Battalion 7 swiftly mobilized and set up a tactical ambush. As the terrorists approached, troops engaged them, neutralizing two while others fled. Recovered items included AK-47 rifles, AK-47 magazines, 143 rounds of ammunition, and a motorcycle. Operation FANSAN YAMMA affirmed its commitment to ongoing offensive operations against terrorist and criminal groups in the North-West and urged public cooperation with timely information.
Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, has defended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu's advice for Nigerians to engage in low-capital businesses such as selling akara or roasted corn. Speaking on the Mic On Podcast, Dare argued that critics misunderstood the First Lady's message, which focused on micro-enterprise, self-reliance, and the dignity of labor. The controversy arose after Tinubu suggested at a Renewed Hope Initiative meeting that starting such businesses "doesn't take a lot of money" and mentioned that the initiative provides grants for these ventures. Critics online labeled her remarks as "out-of-touch" due to rising costs. Dare countered that the informal economy is crucial to Nigeria's resilience and warned against disparaging small-scale trades. He shared his personal experience, stating his mother sold akara, bananas, and oranges, which enabled her to train him. He questioned why an economic survival model that worked in the past should be ridiculed now, emphasizing that the First Lady's message encourages an entrepreneurial mindset and engagement in some form of enterprise, not to relegate youths to petty trading permanently.