The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, has been honoured with the Friend of the Media award by the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria.

The award was announced at the Nigeria Broadcasting Awards Night held on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Thursday, Ajayi was among the special awardees recognised for their support for the media industry.

BON described the DSS boss “as a thoroughbred professional, who since his appointment by President Tinubu, has displayed utmost respect for the media.”

The head of the BON steering committee, Bayo Awosemo, who was also honoured for his exemplary leadership, received the award on behalf of Ajayi.

Other recipients recognised alongside Ajayi include the Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Dauda Lawal; Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; and a former Executive Secretary of BON, Mr Obadiah Tohomdet.

The latest recognition comes barely five months after the International Press Institute honoured Ajayi with an award for championing press freedom.

The IPI award, presented on December 2 at its annual conference in Abuja, acknowledged Ajayi’s commitment to respecting journalists and improving relations between the security agency and the media since his appointment in August 2024.

In his remarks, Lawal thanked the organisers for recognising hard work, professionalism, and impactful contributions to society.

“I believe the media has a role to play in shaping everything that we do, not just in Nigeria but all over the world,” Lawal said.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was the chief host, commended BON for conceiving and sustaining the initiative.

BON is an umbrella body representing chief executive officers of over 300 broadcast media organisations across Nigeria.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commenced its 2026 recruitment exercise, inviting qualified citizens from member states, including Nigeria, to apply for over 30 positions across its various institutions.

In a notice sighted on its website on Thursday, the regional bloc said the exercise is aimed at strengthening the implementation of its sectoral programmes across key institutions.

It urged interested candidates to apply through its website: https://www.ecowas.int/careers/.

According to the notice, available roles in Nigeria include Office Aide, Programme Assistant, Nurse, Protocol Assistant, Documentation and Archives Assistant, Office Manager (Bilingual Secretary), Junior Accountant (Disbursements), Accountant positions, Legal Officers, Political Advisor, Principal Officer roles, Registrar positions, Head of Division (Library and Documentation), and Head of Hansard, all based in Abuja.

Roles based outside Nigeria include Administrative and Finance Officer in Addis Ababa; PPO (Sports Policy) in Liberia; Principal Programme Officer (Water Supply and Sanitation) in Conakry; and other legal and administrative positions in Dakar, Senegal.

ECOWAS noted that applicants must meet age requirements depending on the category of the role.

“35 years of age for General Services or Support positions (G1 to G7), 45 years of age for Professional category (P1 to P7), and 50 years of age for Director positions (D1-D2),” it said.

The organisation also encouraged female candidates to apply, adding that only shortlisted applicants would be contacted.

Applicants are required to download and complete an official application form, attach a curriculum vitae and a motivation letter, and submit them via designated email addresses before the deadline.

“All applications must include the application form, CV and a cover letter. Applications that do not contain all mandatory documents will not be considered,” the notice stated.

Applications close on April 30, 2026.

ECOWAS emphasised that it does not charge any fees for recruitment and warned applicants against fraudulent requests for payment or personal financial details.

The US Department of State has authorised non-emergency US government employees and their family members to leave the US Embassy in Abuja, citing a deteriorating security situation across Nigeria.

In an updated travel advisory issued on Wednesday, the department noted that, starting April 8, 2026, Americans are advised to reconsider travel to the country due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest.

The advisory classified the overall travel advisory for Nigeria as “Level 3: Reconsider Travel,” while some states are at “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”

The department also added Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba states to the list of “Do Not Travel” areas, bringing the total to 23 states where travel is strongly discouraged.

“On April 8, 2026, the Department of State authorized non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave U.S. Embassy Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation,” the advisory read.

“Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent availability of health care services. Some areas have increased risk,” it added.

Level 4 states that U.S. citizens are urged to avoid include, in the North, Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and northern Adamawa states, due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.

The advisory also listed Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, citing unrest, crime, and kidnapping.

“The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain due to civil unrest. Widespread violence between communities and armed crime, including kidnapping and roadside banditry.

“Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning,” the advisory said.

In Southern and Southeastern Nigeria, the department urged citizens to avoid Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states (excluding Port Harcourt) due to crime, kidnapping, and unrest.

“Crime is widespread in Southern Nigeria. There is a high risk of kidnapping, violent protests, and armed gangs,” the advisory added.

The advisory noted that violent crimes, including armed robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping for ransom, are widespread and U.S. citizens are perceived as wealthy and are frequent targets.

It said terrorist attacks remain a threat across the country, including at markets, shopping centers, hotels, places of worship, and public gatherings.

It further described health services in Nigeria as limited and inconsistent, with medical facilities generally not meeting U.S. or European standards.

The State Department, however, urged U.S. citizens considering travel to Nigeria to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program for important updates, exercise caution while traveling, avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, and establish personal safety and “proof of life” protocols.

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