The Plateau State Government has directed the temporary closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools across the state, effective Monday, September 7, 2026, as a precautionary measure against suspected cases of diphtheria infection.
The directive was issued under the administration of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang following reports of suspected diphtheria cases in parts of the state, particularly Jos North, Wase, Jos South and Bassa Local Government Areas.
According to a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Rt. Hon. Joyce Lohya Ramnap, mni, schools that have already resumed academic activities are also required to shut down from Monday and remain closed until further notice.
The government directed school proprietors, administrators, teachers, parents and guardians to fully comply with the order and ensure that pupils and students remain safely at home throughout the period.
The temporary closure, the government said, is aimed at protecting the health and wellbeing of pupils, students, teaching staff and non-teaching personnel while authorities take appropriate measures to prevent further spread of the infection.
The Plateau State Government appealed to all stakeholders for understanding and cooperation, stressing that the decision was taken in the best interest of residents and to safeguard public health.
The government added that further information on the resumption of academic activities will be communicated to the public in due course.
Ghana has introduced a new digital platform that allows members of the public to verify marriage and divorce records, as well as check the status of marriage officers, licensed venues and authorised Imams.
Known as Marrify, the platform was launched in Accra on August 28 by Marry Right Ghana Limited in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Marrify functions as a searchable marriage and divorce registry, covering ordinance, customary and Islamic marriages.
Users can search the platform using information such as names, spouses’ names, towns, churches, denominations, certificate numbers and Gazette numbers.
The platform also provides access to a register of marriage officers authorised to conduct civil or ordinance marriages, while users can verify licensed marriage venues and Imams.
According to the organisers, Marrify’s records are sourced from institutions including the Registrar-General’s Department, courts, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, as well as the Ghana Gazette.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, urged prospective couples to verify information about their partners, marriage venues and officiating authorities before proceeding with marriage.
She said the platform would help promote integrity and accountability by allowing people to verify critical information rather than relying solely on claims made by prospective partners or other parties.
The minister also called on Marry Right Ghana to collaborate with government agencies, religious organisations, traditional authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that information on Marrify remains accurate and regularly updated.
Marrify also contains divorce records based on court rulings and judgments, with some divorce entries linked to the marriages to which they relate.
However, the platform warns that its database is still being populated. Therefore, a search that produces no result should not automatically be taken as evidence that an individual has never been married.
Individuals and institutions can also submit marriage and divorce records, alongside supporting documents, to the platform for verification.
The initiative is expected to make it easier for Ghanaians to conduct background checks on marital status and verify the legitimacy of marriage-related records before making important decisions.
Google has opened applications for its 2026 internship opportunities, providing undergraduate, master’s and PhD students with opportunities to gain practical experience and work with teams at one of the world’s leading technology companies.
The internship opportunities cover various fields, including software engineering, artificial intelligence, data science, user experience (UX) design, product management and research.
Depending on the internship track and location, successful candidates may receive monthly stipends ranging from $1,000 to $3,300, with some positions potentially offering additional benefits such as housing and travel support.
What the Google Internship Offers
Selected interns will have the opportunity to work on real-world projects alongside experienced professionals and contribute to technology solutions used globally.
The programme offers opportunities across several areas, including:
Software Engineering
Data Science
Artificial Intelligence
UX Design
Product Management
Google Student Researcher programmes
Cloud Computing and related technology fields
Interns will also benefit from mentorship and exposure to Google’s global working environment.
Who Can Apply?
Applicants are generally expected to be actively enrolled in a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD programme, depending on the specific internship.
For technical and engineering positions, applicants may be required to demonstrate knowledge of programming languages such as Python, Java, C++ or Go, as well as data structures, algorithms and problem-solving.
Specific eligibility requirements, qualifications and application deadlines vary from one internship position to another. Applicants are therefore advised to carefully review the requirements of each position before applying.
How to Improve Your Chances
Interested applicants are encouraged to prepare a concise and well-structured CV highlighting relevant projects, technical skills, leadership experience, research, open-source contributions and other achievements.
Candidates applying for engineering, UX or product-related roles should also consider including links to their GitHub repositories, portfolios or relevant project work where applicable.
Due to the high level of competition for Google’s internship positions, applicants are encouraged to apply early and ensure that all required information is accurate and complete.
Internship Benefits
Depending on the position and location, the internship may last three to six months or longer and may provide a stipend and a certificate upon completion, subject to the specific programme terms.
Interested and qualified candidates can view available internship positions and apply through the official Google Careers portal:
The Presidency has explained why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is challenging the release of unredacted records held by United States law enforcement agencies, insisting that the matter is a civil dispute over access to government documents and not a criminal case against the Nigerian president.
In a statement issued amid renewed public interest in the case, the Presidency said the ongoing litigation before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia centres on lawful exemptions under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
It stressed that neither the court nor any US government agency has found Tinubu guilty of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with the matter.
According to the Presidency, the case dates back to 2022, when Aaron Greenspan filed FOIA requests with several US government agencies seeking records relating to Tinubu.
It said some agencies withheld certain records or declined to confirm or deny whether particular documents existed, prompting Greenspan to file Civil Action No. 23-1816 before the US District Court for the District of Columbia in 2023.
The court later allowed Tinubu to participate in the proceedings as an intervenor.
The Presidency also referred to a February 4, 2003 letter from the American Consulate in Lagos to then Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, which stated that an FBI records check had found no criminal arrest records, outstanding wants or warrants for Tinubu, who was then governor of Lagos State.
Explaining the current legal dispute, the Presidency said US agencies had relied on the “Glomar defence,” a legal position that permits government agencies, under certain circumstances, to neither confirm nor deny the existence of investigative records.
It said the provision is intended to protect law enforcement personnel, confidential sources and investigative methods.
The court subsequently granted summary judgment in favour of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, the US Department of State, the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service, effectively removing them from the case.
The remaining issues concern records held by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The Presidency said the FBI and DEA had already released 399 pages of records in compliance with court orders, although portions of the documents were redacted pursuant to exemptions provided under US law.
Greenspan has challenged the agencies’ decision to withhold the redacted portions and is seeking access to the unredacted records.
The Presidency said the FBI and DEA, through the US Department of Justice, have opposed the demand on several legal grounds.
It listed the grounds to include:
Some records are protected from public disclosure by law, including grand jury materials and certain information relating to pen registers and trap-and-trace devices under FOIA Exemption 3.
Some documents are covered by attorney-client and attorney-work-product privileges under FOIA Exemption 5.
Certain records were compiled for law-enforcement purposes and are protected by applicable FOIA exemptions.
Some documents contain information whose disclosure could constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy under FOIA Exemptions 6 and 7(C).
Other records could reveal confidential sources or law-enforcement techniques and are therefore protected under FOIA Exemptions 7(D) and 7(E).
The Presidency said Tinubu, acting on the advice of his legal team, had also invoked his rights under FOIA Exemption 7(C), which protects personal privacy in certain law-enforcement records.
It maintained that the President’s opposition to the release of the documents should not be construed as an admission of criminal wrongdoing.
“The release or withholding of records under FOIA does not, by itself, establish criminal liability,” the Presidency said, adding that the central question before the court is whether the agencies’ redactions comply with US law.
The Presidency further disclosed that Greenspan has until September 11, 2026, to file his opposition and reply to submissions made by the defendants and Tinubu, while the FBI, DEA and the President have until September 18 to respond.
The case remains before Judge Beryl A. Howell of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, who will determine the matter based on the evidence, applicable law and arguments presented by the parties.
The Presidency also dismissed recent comments by Washington-based lobbyist Karl Von Batten concerning the case, stating that neither Von Batten nor his client, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is a party to the litigation.
It accused Von Batten of inaccurately presenting himself and his client as central figures in the proceedings.
The Presidency reiterated that the case is a civil records-disclosure dispute under FOIA and does not amount to a criminal charge, trial or judicial finding against President Tinubu.
It urged Nigerian media organisations and the public to distinguish between the actual court proceedings and what it described as partisan or speculative commentary surrounding the case.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is set to commence online registration for its Basic Military Training Course (BMTC) 47/2026 recruitment exercise on Thursday, September 3, 2026.
The recruitment exercise provides eligible Nigerians with an opportunity to enlist into the Nigerian Air Force as Airmen and Airwomen under the Non-Tradesmen and Women as well as Tradesmen and Women categories.
From September 3, 2026, applicants should visit the official NAF recruitment portal and carefully read the guidelines for the BMTC 47/2026 exercise before starting their application.
The portal will provide details on eligibility requirements, available categories and other instructions.
2. Select the appropriate category
The Non-Tradesmen and Women category is generally intended for applicants seeking enlistment with secondary school qualifications, while the Tradesmen and Women category is for candidates with relevant technical, professional or educational qualifications.
Applicants are advised to carefully review the requirements for their preferred category before applying.
3. Complete the online application
Applicants should provide accurate personal and educational information and ensure that their telephone number and email address are active and accessible.
Only one application should be submitted by each applicant. False information or multiple applications may result in disqualification.
4. Print the required documents
After successfully completing the application, candidates should print all documents generated by the recruitment portal.
Depending on the official requirements for the exercise, these may include an acknowledgement form, attestation form, parent or guardian consent form and local government certification form.
5. Prepare supporting documents
Applicants should keep their original documents and photocopies ready for subsequent stages of the recruitment exercise.
These may include academic certificates, birth certificate or declaration of age, certificate of origin, National Identification Number (NIN) documents and recent passport photographs.
Candidates should, however, rely on the exact document requirements published on the official recruitment portal.
6. Monitor official NAF channels
Shortlisted candidates, aptitude test venues and interview dates will be announced at a later stage through the official recruitment portal and verified Nigerian Air Force communication channels.
NAF Warns Applicants Against Fraudsters
The Nigerian Air Force has warned prospective applicants against paying individuals who claim they can influence the recruitment process.
The recruitment exercise is free, and the NAF does not engage agents to process applications, secure shortlisting or guarantee recruitment slots.
Applicants should treat anyone demanding money in exchange for recruitment assistance as a suspected fraudster.
Prospective candidates are therefore advised to obtain all information about the BMTC 47/2026 recruitment exercise only through the official Nigerian Air Force website and recruitment portal.
Official NAF Recruitment Portal: https://nafrecruitment.airforce.mil.ng
Official Nigerian Air Force Website: https://airforce.mil.ng
Ride-hailing company Uber has announced the shutdown of its operations in Nigeria, stating that it will cease providing services in the country effective Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The company disclosed the decision in a message sent to drivers, informing them that they would no longer receive trip requests from riders through the Uber app from the effective date.
“We have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Nigeria, effective September 2, 2026,” Uber said.
“From this date, you will no longer be able to receive rider trip requests through the Uber app.”
Uber described the announcement as difficult news and expressed appreciation to drivers who had contributed to its operations in Nigeria over the years.
“We know this is heavy news, and we want to express our deepest gratitude to you for being a part of our journey in Nigeria,” the company said.
The ride-hailing firm also acknowledged the contribution of its drivers to urban transportation, noting that their commitment had helped provide safe and affordable mobility for riders.
“For years, your commitment to your riders has kept this city moving safely and affordably,” Uber said.
The company further said it was proud of the impact its platform had made in Nigeria by connecting riders with independent drivers through technology.
“We are so proud of what the platform has been able to achieve in Nigeria, serving as the technology bridge between riders and your independent services,” it added.
However, Uber did not provide specific reasons for the decision to wind down its Nigerian operations in the notice sent to drivers.
The company said its Help Centre would remain available until September 24, 2026, to assist drivers with questions concerning the shutdown.
“Our Help Center will remain open until 24 September ’26 to assist you with any questions,” Uber said.
The development marks a significant moment for Nigeria’s ride-hailing industry, as Uber’s exit brings an end to its services in a market where app-based transportation has become an important part of urban mobility.
Uber concluded its message by thanking drivers for being part of its Nigerian community.
“Thank you for being a part of the Uber community,” the company said.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the schedule and requirements for the physical screening and documentation exercise for candidates shortlisted in its ongoing recruitment process.
The Service disclosed the requirements in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, by the National Public Relations Officer for the Comptroller-General of Customs, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, PhD, mnior, mniia.
According to the NCS, shortlisted candidates are required to appear for the exercise with the original copies and photocopies of all specified documents.
Documents Required
Candidates are expected to present the following:
National Identification Number (NIN)
Original Birth Certificate or Declaration of Age
Educational certificates, including O’Level, ND, HND, Degree or other applicable qualifications
Certificate of State of Origin
Two recent passport photographs
Completed Guarantor’s Form
NYSC Certificate, where applicable
For the physical screening, candidates are also required to dress in a white T-shirt, shorts and canvas shoes.
The screening and documentation exercise will take place at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, Abuja.
The NCS stressed that candidates must report strictly on the date assigned to their respective states and cadres, noting that participation in the exercise is compulsory.
The Service further warned that failure to appear for the screening and documentation on the scheduled date could lead to disqualification from the recruitment process.
Candidates who successfully complete the physical screening and documentation will be provided with further information regarding the subsequent stages of the recruitment exercise.
The NCS, under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, advised all shortlisted candidates to obtain recruitment information only through the Service’s official communication channels to avoid falling victim to misinformation or fraudulent activities.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Plateau State, has called on political parties, politicians, the media and other stakeholders to remain calm and respect the rule of law following the suspension of the state’s Local Government elections.
The elections, earlier scheduled to hold on September 9, 2026, could not proceed after the Plateau State High Court issued a judgment suspending the operation of certain provisions of the relevant Local Government and Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) laws.
In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Aminu Hadi, IPAC said it had been carried along, alongside the media and Civil Society Organisations, throughout the electoral process.
According to the council, the necessary notice of election was issued and the timetable and schedule of activities were subsequently reviewed in line with relevant electoral provisions before the process was halted by the court judgment.
IPAC stressed that all stakeholders are bound to respect the subsisting order of the court, noting that no individual or institution should be expected to act contrary to a valid order of a competent court.
The council disclosed that appeals against the judgment had been filed by some political parties and relevant authorities, including the Plateau State Ministry of Justice.
It therefore appealed to the Court of Appeal to expedite the hearing and determination of the appeals, stressing that the issue was of significant importance to the democratic process in the state.
IPAC also cautioned members of the public against speculation, misinformation and politically motivated interpretations of the situation.
It warned that any attempt to proceed with the elections before the legal issues are conclusively resolved could create serious legal complications and lead to an unnecessary waste of public resources.
The council further urged political party leaders, politicians, media organisations and other stakeholders to exercise restraint and avoid statements or actions capable of overheating the political atmosphere.
“At this critical period of political activities across the country, the peace, stability and democratic progress of Plateau State must remain a collective responsibility,” the council said.
IPAC called on all stakeholders to remain calm, respect the rule of law and allow the judicial process to take its lawful course.
Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a former Los Angeles gang member, has been found guilty of the 1996 murder of legendary American rapper Tupac Shakur.
A Las Vegas jury delivered the verdict on Monday, finding the 63-year-old Davis guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, nearly three decades after Shakur was killed.
“Count one, murder with use of a deadly weapon, guilty of first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon,” the jury foreperson announced in court.
Davis, who could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, told Judge Carli Kierny following the verdict that he intends to appeal the decision.
Prosecutors accused Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, of orchestrating Shakur’s killing following a confrontation at a Las Vegas casino in which his nephew was allegedly beaten by members of Shakur’s entourage.
During closing arguments, prosecutor Binu Palal told the jury that Davis retaliated by obtaining a firearm, gathering members of his group and pursuing Shakur.
Shakur was in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, to attend a heavyweight boxing match involving Mike Tyson. About two hours after the casino confrontation, a white Cadillac pulled alongside the BMW carrying Shakur at a red light.
The rapper was sitting in the front passenger seat when shots were fired from the Cadillac.
According to prosecutors, Davis obtained the weapon and handed it to another person inside the Cadillac, directing the individual to shoot Shakur.
Shakur, popularly known as 2Pac, was critically wounded in the attack and died six days later at the age of 25.
The BMW was driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight, who was also wounded in the shooting.
Davis was the only surviving person who was inside the Cadillac that night and became the sole individual charged in connection with Shakur’s murder.
The killing remained one of the most high-profile unsolved cases in American music history, generating decades of speculation over the identity of the gunman and the motive behind the attack.
Confessions Became Key Evidence
The investigation into Shakur’s murder remained largely stalled for years due to a lack of evidence. However, the case was revived after Davis published his memoir, Compton Street Legend, in 2019.
Over the years, Davis had spoken publicly about his alleged involvement in the killing, including during interviews with law enforcement and the media. His statements were later used by prosecutors as evidence during the trial.
Davis subsequently denied responsibility and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
During closing arguments, prosecutor Palal played clips of Davis’s previous statements, which prosecutors described as admissions of his involvement.
However, Davis’s defence attorney, Michael Sanft, argued that his client’s statements were fabricated and partly intended to generate publicity for his book.
Sanft told jurors that the memoir was fiction and argued that there was no credible evidence linking Davis to the murder apart from his own statements.
Davis’s lawyers had previously attempted to prevent prosecutors from introducing his memoir and statements from a 2008 police interview as evidence, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Tupac’s Enduring Legacy
Shakur, the son of a Black Panther, was born in New York and spent parts of his childhood in Harlem and Baltimore before becoming one of the defining figures of West Coast hip-hop.
He rose to international fame through songs including California Love and All Eyez on Me and became a central figure in the intense East Coast-West Coast rivalry that dominated American hip-hop during the 1990s.
Tupac was signed to Los Angeles-based Death Row Records and had established himself as one of the most influential artists of his generation before his death.
The Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions has announced plans to convene about 5,000 church leaders, missionaries, theological educators, young Christian leaders and marketplace professionals at the first national Lausanne gathering in Nigeria in more than a decade.
The Lausanne Nigeria Congress 2026 is scheduled to hold from October 27 to 30 at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, under the theme, “Let the Church Declare and Display Christ Together.”
According to the organisers, registration for the four-day congress is now open, with delegates expected from major Christian denominations and all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
The congress represents Nigeria’s national expression of the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation, which brought together more than 5,000 Christian leaders from over 200 countries in Incheon, South Korea, in September 2024.
The organisers said the Abuja gathering would provide a platform for church leaders and mission practitioners to strengthen collaboration and develop strategies for advancing Christian mission in Nigeria and beyond.
The four-day programme will feature plenary teaching, issue network deliberations, intercessory prayer, intergenerational dialogue and a public commissioning.
Discussions will focus on a range of issues, including frontier missions and unreached peoples, theological education, faith in the public square, business as mission, media and digital innovation, diaspora and migration, as well as student and youth ministry.
Speaking on the significance of the congress, National Chairman of Lausanne Nigeria and General Secretary of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Dr. Yunusa Sabo Nmadu Jnr, described Nigeria as both a mission field and an emerging mission force.
“Nigeria is no longer merely a mission field. She is a mission force. More than fifteen thousand Nigerian missionaries are already serving in over fifty countries, while within our own borders more than forty peoples still wait for the gospel,” he said.
Nmadu stressed that the congress was designed to bring together the wider Nigerian Church rather than a select group of Christian leaders.
“This Congress is not for a select few. It is for the whole Church, the whole gospel, the whole world,” he added.
Also speaking, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions, Most Rev. Dr. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, called for greater unity and collaboration among Christian denominations, mission agencies and generations of leaders.
“For too long we have laboured in parallel. Denominations building alone. Agencies running alone. Generations praying alone. This is our God-given moment to come together as one body, one gospel and one mission force for the nations,” Ndukuba said.
The Lausanne Movement traces its roots to the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland, convened by renowned evangelist Billy Graham.
The gathering brought together about 2,400 Christian leaders from 150 nations and resulted in the Lausanne Covenant, which was drafted under the chairmanship of British theologian and pastor John R. W. Stott.
The organisers said the partnership between Graham and Stott helped shape the global mission movement for decades, with subsequent milestones including the Manila Manifesto of 1989, the Cape Town Commitment of 2010 and the Seoul Statement of 2024.
The Lausanne Nigeria Congress follows a series of activities aimed at strengthening collaboration among Nigerian church, mission and marketplace leaders.
In March 2026, Lausanne Nigeria hosted the Global Executive Director of the Lausanne Movement, Dr. Michael Oh, in Abuja for a Global Mission Conversation focused on strategic collaboration for global impact.
The October congress is expected to build on that engagement by bringing the conversation to a wider national platform.
Registration Opens
Delegate registration for the congress is currently open and will close on September 30, 2026.
Nigerian delegates are required to pay ₦50,000, while international delegates will pay US$200.
The organisers said group registration is available for denominations, mission agencies, seminaries and professional fellowships sending multiple delegates.
They also announced that sponsorship opportunities are available to support participation by frontier missionaries, younger leaders and delegates from under-resourced regions.
Institutions interested in deeper involvement can also apply to serve as Hosting Organisations for the congress.
Further information and registration details are available through the Lausanne Nigeria platform.
The Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions said it is the national expression of the global Lausanne Movement in Nigeria and operates as a registered Incorporated Trustee based in Abuja.
Its Board of Trustees is chaired by Most Rev. Dr. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, while Rev. Dr. Yunusa Sabo Nmadu Jnr chairs the National Leadership. Dr. Joshua Utele chairs the Central Planning Committee for the 2026 congress.
The global Lausanne Movement is a fellowship of Christian leaders committed to advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ in every nation and sphere of society. It is led by Global Executive Director, Dr. Michael Oh.
For Enquiry call: +234 803 960 8804 or +234 803 973 2643.
