(JAMB. photo by Wikipedia)

The registration date for the 2026 Direct Entry (DE) application process has been extended once further by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The most recent update states that registration will now run until May 22, 2026, providing potential Direct Entry applicants more time to finish their applications.

Due to difficulties in getting necessary credentials and other pertinent papers, candidates who have not yet finalized their registration are anticipated to be accommodated by the extension.

Recall that JAMB had already approved more certified registration centers across the country and extended the registration period until May 8. The Board's dedication to making sure that all qualified applicants are sufficiently represented in the 2026 admissions process is further demonstrated by the most recent extension.

It is recommended that prospective applicants take full advantage of the opportunity and do not wait until the last few days to finish their registration.

(The victim, Mrs. Love Markus. Photo credit: Punch news)

A priest described how Mrs. Love Marcus, a resident of the Gidan Waya community in the Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was kidnapped when very pregnant, held captive, and gave birth before being freed after paying a ransom of approximately ₦77 million.

Her story was given on Friday during a trauma counseling and victim support program in Kaduna for victims of abduction and brutal assaults around the state.

The Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria, in collaboration with Palace Alliance, organized the two-day intervention known as "The Rod and the Staff," which took place at ECWA Kaduna South DCC, Angwan Yelwa, Kaduna.

Clergy, survivors, and Christian leaders from Kaduna State's 23 local government areas came together to support victims of insecurity on an emotional and spiritual level.

Speaking on her behalf, Rev. Fr. Yakubu Jerry of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan claimed that when armed men raided her town, Mrs. Marcus and other residents were kidnapped.

(Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Dr. Tope Fasua. Photo by nigerian eye)

Tope Fasua, President Bola Tinubu's Special Advisor on Economic Affairs, has maintained that phone snatching is no longer a major issue in Nigeria, drawing positive comparisons between the nation and Cameroon and the United Kingdom.

Fasua made the assertion at a members-only coffee hangout hosted by the Kay Hikers Club in Abuja, and it was immediately ridiculed online after a video of the conversation was uploaded on Instagram on Thursday.

ng the safety and pricing errors in that system?" she inquired. Are you aware that getting into these cars is unsafe for you as an individual?

She also made a clear connection between street criminality and financial distress.

"Your security guards and gatekeepers are underpaid," she remarked. As a woman or a human being, this is equivalent to being robbed or sexually assaulted. They want your phone so they can sell it, so you can no longer stroll these streets without being robbed. Because the average person comes from a place of survival.

She asked how a Fasua might convey to Tinubu the seriousness of the situation, technocrat could grasp ground realities.

"You have to be number conscious with economists and statistics people," she said. Nigerians are not just numbers. We are actual folks experiencing actual hell. What plans does the government have to address the problems at the grassroots level? We are in pain. We are in pain.

In response to the phone-snatching allegations, Fasua attempted to minimize them by citing comparable occurrences overseas.

Go to the UK and you'll see people smashing phones on the streets of London. There was one Cameroonian woman present. Victorine is her name. She is a vlogger. She was in Nigeria. He said, "And she tells you that you can't hold your phone like this in Cameroon."

He maintained that things had gotten better in Nigeria.

"After all of this phone stealing, Nigerians have progressed. Nigeria is not experiencing a serious problem. In the morning, I go for walks. I work anywhere. It's not a problem. Let's not search for every reason to denigrate the nation. It's not all of our security problems.

Fasua's framing was also contested by a male participant who claimed that by emphasizing "mindset" as a remedy, he was spiritualizing structural issues.

The man remarked, "I feel like you are starting to spiritualize the problems in Nigeria when you say mindset, because it's actually supposed to be a reality, not a mindset."

Fasua insisted that regardless of the performance of the government, Nigerians could still improve their own circumstances.

"There are things that each and every one of us can still work on to be able to survive better than we were surviving," he stated. No matter how much money we have, we can always donate a bit of it.

(Pope Leo XIV. Photo by CTV News)

Pope Leo has urged world leaders to ask God to "touch hearts, calm rancour and fratricidal hatreds, and enlighten those who have special responsibilities of government" in order to ease tensions and put an end to cycles of hatred.

As the pontiff commemorated the first anniversary of his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church on Friday, he made the call while visiting Pompei, a contemporary city south of Rome close to the remnants of the historic volcanic eruption site, according to Reuters.

His statement came after he met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday at the Vatican amid rumored tensions between Washington and the Holy See.

Following the discussions, the Vatican said that both parties had decided to work toward strengthening bilateral relationships. Officials described the conversation as unusually candid given what insiders have described as strained ties. Discussions were on "topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere," according to a later statement from the U.S. embassy to the Holy See on X.

On May 8, 2025, Leo, the first American-born pope and former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was chosen to replace Pope Francis as head of the 1.4 billion members of the Church. Before being elected, he worked as a missionary and bishop in Peru for many years.

He has become more outspoken on international conflicts in recent months, criticizing the Iran War in particular, which has caused U.S. President Donald Trump to react sharply.

Speaking to thousands of people in Pompei's main square, Leo promised to join in prayers for God to lead those in positions of authority.

He declared, "God would start touching hearts, calming rancour and fratricidal hatreds, and enlightening those who have special responsibilities of government."

He also cautioned that there was increasing pressure on world peace.

"International tensions and an economy that prioritizes the arms trade over respect for human life are endangering world peace," he declared.

The pope warned people to avoid losing their sensitivity to conflict.

He declared, "We cannot accept the pictures of death that the news presents to us on a daily basis."

(uniuyo teaching hospital. Photo credit: facebook University-of-Uyo-Teaching-Hospital)

Due to the University of Uyo's Dentistry program's lack of accreditation, parents of dental students at UNIUYO have protested, saying that more than 125 students could become academically trapped.

"We reject unnecessary prolongation of studies for our children," "Our children are not lab rats for experiments," "Save the future of Uniuyo dental students," "Do not normalize extra year for professional students," and other statements were written on placards that the parents, numbering over twenty, were seen matching in Uyo metropolis, according to our correspondent.

They bemoaned the program's five years of operation without preclinical or clinical certification from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, pointing out that the initial cohort accepted in the 2020/2021 session is now in Year 5 and less than a year from expected graduation.

The Chairman of the Forum of Parents of Dental Students at UNIUYO, Mr. Sunday Elijah, told reporters on Friday in Uyo that the faculty currently has 45 students in Year 1, 43 in Year 2, 17 in Year 3, 20 in Year 4, and 22 in Year 5. He also mentioned that the university admits 40 or more students annually at 100 and 200 levels despite not having an authorized quota for dentistry.

"The University of Uyo's dentistry program started several years ago, when the first group of pupils were admitted to the who are presently in Year 5 (500 Level) in the 2020–2021 school year.

Since the program's beginning, subsequent student cohorts have been accepted, and the program has since grown throughout several layers.

May 22 "These pupils have dedicated years of focused study time with the goal of becoming certified dental surgeons who will make a significant contribution to our country's healthcare system.

"The University properly extended an admissions offer to them, and they accepted it." tuition, medical levies, and regular school expenses for every academic current session. Given this, it is only reasonable and fair that they should not be left behind in their academic or professional endeavors because events outside of their control.

"We would like to declare that there is presently no accreditation for the both in the preclinical and clinical phases of the Faculty of Dentistry," he said.

Even though the pioneer batch is in Year 5, the Chairman, represented by Mr. Vincent Udoh, said that as of April 2026, the institution had not asked the MDCN for an advisory or accreditation visit.

Inadequate dental chairs and phantom heads, a lack of consultants and lecturers in all five departments, an unequipped dentistry clinic, a lack of prosthodontics or oral biology labs, and a lack of a dedicated faculty building were among the facilities and personnel that Elijah cited as missing. 

He urged the National Assembly, the Federal Government, the MDCN, and other relevant parties to authorize the immediate integration of dental students in Years 5, 4, and 3 into the MBBS program and direct Uniuyo to produce a plan with timelines to address deficiencies and schedule MDCN accreditation visits.

"The future of our healthcare system is directly related to the future of these students." Elijah stated, "Aiming to become a doctor or dental surgeon shouldn't lead to preventable setbacks due to systemic lapses."

Professor Samuel Gbadebo Odewumi, acting vice chancellor at the University of Uyo, responded by saying, "If there is anything I have been concerned about since I came in here is this issue of accreditation."

"As an institution, we have done everything that was necessary, including awarding contracts and much more," he continued.

(Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku. Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Blessing Agbebaku, the speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, apologized to the leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress in the Owan West Local Government Area on Friday.

Agbebaku was required by Owan West officials to make an apology in order to be accepted as one of the candidates running for the House of Assembly and to align with the party's local leadership, which is led by Lucky Ohimai, also known as Tarex.

At an expanded APC gathering in the area, which took place at Ohimai's house, Agbebaku apologized.

According to Agbebaku, he was visiting the house in order to harmonize and align with the Ohimai-led Owan West APC family.

The Speaker claimed that ardent and anonymous supporters were the cause of previous miscommunications. He promised complete cooperation and made a public apology.

"I have never and will not contest his party leadership in Owan West," he declared.

"I am here to express my sincere apologies to everyone I have mistreated in the past, whether intentionally or unintentionally. I'm still dedicated to fighting for the advancement of the people, the APC, and our party.

"I also want my brother Tarex to know that I'm running for reelection. I urge everyone to take use of this chance wisely so that everyone can profit.

Members of the meeting unanimously rejected the Speaker's appeal for support for his third-term run to the House of Assembly and requested him to join the queue with four other candidates who had also expressed interest.

"Nobody in his right senses should contemplate giving his plea a thought," stated Lewis Ekpenga, chairman of Ward 11. There are other Owan West residents that are competent to run for this job than Hon. Agbebaku.

"And if we put him forward as our candidate, we will be doing the greatest injustice to our people given his background before, during, and after the governorship election."

According to Johnson Abolagba, there was widespread agreement that the governor should consider candidates who worked hard to win his election in 2024.

"I believe the governor should consider candidates who worked for his election in order to maintain stability and reward party loyalty. I am referring to individuals such as Juliana Ikharo, Barr. George Ohioma, Atafo Gold, and Hon. Frank Ilaboya.

He stated, "It's only fair to look in their direction because these people have been unwavering in their support for the party."

APC Chairman in Owan West LGA, Joy Ohonyon, Johnson Abolagba, Joe Ekpekhio, Ojo Asein, and Stanley Amu were among those in attendance.