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PHOTOS: Recover slain Oyo teacher’s body for befitting burial, family begs FG

Published

3 weeks ago

July 12, 2026

The family of Michael Oyedokun, one of the teachers killed during the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to recover his body to enable them give him a befitting burial.

The appeal comes after the remaining abducted pupils and teachers regained their freedom following a coordinated security operation.

In a fresh statement shared on Instagram on Saturday by Oluwabukolami, who has been the family’s spokesperson, expressed gratitude over the successful rescue of the pupils and teachers but said their grief remained unresolved because Oyedokun’s body had yet to be recovered 58 days after he was killed.

“We are grateful to the government and security agencies for the safe return of the children and teachers. Every family reunited with their loved one is a reminder that hope still exists.

“But our family remains in mourning,” the statement partly read.

The slain teacher, Michael Oyedokun, who was a victim of the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State…Photo Credit: its_boukeey

The family said despite the successful rescue operation, they were still waiting for the opportunity to recover Oyedokun’s remains and give him a dignified burial.

“Fifty-eight days after Michael Olugbade Oyedokun was taken from us, we are still waiting… not for a miracle, but for the opportunity to lay him to rest,” the family said.

According to the family, the inability to recover his body has prolonged the pain and denied his wife, children and relatives the closure they desperately need.

“Every day without his body is another day his wife cannot say goodbye. Another day, his children have no grave to visit. Another day, our family is denied the dignity and closure that every human being deserves,” the statement read.

The slain teacher, Michael Oyedokun, who was a victim of the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State…Photo Credit: its_boukeey

The family appealed directly to the authorities to intensify efforts to recover the slain teacher’s body.

“We respectfully appeal to the authorities: please bring Michael’s body home.

“Help us recover his body so we can give him the honourable and befitting burial he deserves. Our grief cannot begin to heal until we can bring him home.

“Please don’t let our final goodbye remain unfinished.

“Bring Michael home,” the family said.

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that the family expressed mixed emotions following the rescue of the remaining abducted pupils and teachers, saying while other families were celebrating the return of their loved ones, theirs would never experience such joy.

Reacting after the victims regained their freedom on Friday, Oluwabukolami, who identified herself as Oyedokun’s niece and has served as the family’s spokesperson since the incident, congratulated the rescued victims and their families but lamented that her uncle would never return home.

“They are finally home.

“My heart rejoices with every family that has been reunited with their loved ones after weeks of pain, fear, and uncertainty. Welcome home.”

She, however, noted that the joy of other families could not erase her family’s loss.

“But as others celebrate, my family mourns.

“My uncle, Mr Michael Olugbade Oyedokun, will never come home. He was taken from us, and his life was brutally cut short. Our joy is incomplete because one chair at our table will remain empty forever.”

She concluded by paying tribute to the late teacher.

“Today, we celebrate those who returned, while remembering the one who never did.

“Rest in peace, Uncle Michael. You will never be forgotten.”

PUNCH Online reported that the Presidency confirmed the rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers after 57 days in captivity, with eight suspected kidnappers arrested and several others neutralised during the operation.

The attack occurred on May 15 when gunmen invaded Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, in Oriire Local Government Area, abducting scores of pupils and teachers.

During the attack, Oyedokun and another teacher, Esiyan Adegboye, were killed. While Adegboye was buried on May 22 in Ogbomoso after his body was recovered, Oyedokun’s body has yet to be found. This has left his family unable to perform his burial rites, despite the rescue of the remaining victims.

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News

Imo Speaker pledges support for women’s reserved seats bill

Published

15 minutes ago

August 3, 2026

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The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Chike Olemgbe, has assured stakeholders that the House will give favourable consideration to a bill seeking to reserve three additional seats for women in the state legislature.

Olemgbe gave the assurance on Monday when the Imo State chapter of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria paid an advocacy visit to members of the Assembly, urging support for the proposed legislation.

He told the delegation that if the bill is presented before the 10th Assembly during its tenure, it would receive positive legislative attention, stressing the need to support women to contribute their quota to the development of the state.

The Speaker also recalled that Governor Hope Uzodimma had supported the emergence of four female candidates of the All Progressives Congress, who may join the Assembly in the 11th House.

Speaking during the group’s one-day state-level electoral college meeting with lawmakers, a former member of the Assembly, Uju Onwudiwe, said there was a need to reserve three seats for women, with one drawn from each of Imo State’s three senatorial districts.

She said the campaign was not intended to displace men from elective offices.

“We cannot achieve anything as women without the support of the men. The women need a space to discuss on issues concerning them”.

According to Onwudiwe, “This bill which is the first in the constitution amendment town hall meeting is aimed at promoting participation of women in the political decision making in the state. The bill talks about all-inclusiveness”.

She explained that the proposal seeks to create three additional seats in the House of Assembly, increasing the number of lawmakers from 27 to 30.

“The special seats offers three extra seats for the House of Assembly, so that instead of having 27 lawmakers, Imo Assembly will now have 30 member-house. It will go through a electoral college model that brings stakeholders together for decision-making”.

She urged the Imo State House of Assembly to give the bill favourable consideration when it is listed on the Order Paper.

Also speaking, Mrs Ogechi Ikeh, who represented the National President of NILOWV, Mrs Irene Awunah-Ikyegh, urged the Speaker and members of the House to support the proposed legislation to enable women to participate more actively in decision-making.

“There’s need to bring women with capacity, integrity and competence into the corridors of power for contributions on matters that concern them and to bring a balance to national growth.

“It will be recalled that the Reserved Seats for Women Bill (House Bill 1349) is a proposed constitutional amendment in Nigeria designed to address the severe underrepresentation of women in legislative bodies by creating additional, exclusive seats for female candidates”.

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News

NEPC, workers dismiss strike reports, affirm industrial harmony

Published

40 minutes ago

August 3, 2026

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The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and its workers’ union on Monday jointly dismissed reports of a planned industrial action, describing the claims circulating on some online media platforms as false and insisting that the council continues to enjoy industrial harmony.

The council also denied reports alleging the appointment of directors and claims of favouritism and nepotism within the organisation, saying the allegations were unfounded and intended to mislead the public.

The clarification followed a joint meeting between the management of the council and the leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NEPC Unit.

In a statement by the Head of Corporate Communications, Aliu Sadiq, the council urged exporters, stakeholders and members of the public to disregard what it described as misleading reports of an impending strike.

The statement read, “The Management of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council debunks misinformation circulating in some sections of the online media alleging a planned strike action by NEPC staff.

“Following a joint meeting held with the leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NEPC Unit, Management wishes to inform the exporting community and the general public that there is no planned or contemplated industrial action within the Council.

“The purported strike action is false, baseless, and should be disregarded by the general public.”

According to the statement, the Chairman of the ASCSN, NEPC Unit, Moruf Ogunlana, reaffirmed that the council remained peaceful and that the union neither authorised nor had prior knowledge of the alleged strike.

The statement said Ogunlana confirmed that “the Council continues to enjoy industrial harmony,” adding that “neither the Union nor its members were consulted on any purported strike call as alleged.”

It added that the union “disassociated the Union from the online publications and pledged continued cooperation with Management.”

Addressing reports of alleged appointments of directors, the management maintained that no such appointments had been made.

The statement added, “There was no appointment of Directors to the Council,” adding that “to support the day-to-day running of her office, Management will not only continue to work with the existing organisational structure and staff across all Departments but further enhance their capacity and work skills.”

The council said the approach reflected the commitment of the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nonye Ayeni, to strengthening internal capacity rather than outsourcing responsibilities.

It stated that under Ayeni’s leadership, opportunities for career progression had expanded through the widening of the directorate cadre and the creation of advancement pathways across different staff levels.

The council also highlighted improvements in staff welfare, saying more than 75 per cent of its workforce had received professional training since 2023.

According to the statement, the Executive Director also introduced the Export Skills Acquisition Centre, which has trained more than 500 youths and women in garment and bag production for export.

The management and the union also rejected allegations of favouritism and nepotism, describing the claims as inconsistent with the realities within the organisation.

The statement said both parties “jointly debunked allegations of favouritism and nepotism, describing them as unfounded and inconsistent with the reality within the Council.”

It added that the union affirmed that Ayeni “has consistently demonstrated fairness, professionalism and inclusiveness, treating all employees equitably regardless of tribe or background.”

The council further defended its recent performance, stating that Nigeria recorded a non-oil export value of $6.1bn in 2025, the highest since the establishment of the council.

It attributed the achievement to reforms and export promotion initiatives implemented under the current leadership in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The statement added that NEPC had also implemented a third-party certification programme covering HACCP, FDA, HALAL and ISO standards, enabling more than 150 exporters to secure internationally recognised certifications and gain easier access to global markets.

It said, “We therefore urge the public to disregard the misleading online reports as Management and the entire staff of the Council reiterate its commitment to work harmoniously with all relevant stakeholders to advance Nigeria’s non-oil export agenda in line with the Renewed Hope vision of the Federal Government.”

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News

NYSC makes NERD clearance mandatory for corps members’ mobilisation

Published

47 minutes ago

August 3, 2026

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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has warned prospective corps members that they will not be mobilised for national service without obtaining clearance from the National Electronic Registration Database (NERD).

The warning comes as the scheme continues preparations for the mobilisation of a fresh batch of prospective corps members, while also intensifying efforts to ensure their safety during orientation camp journeys.

In a public notice shared on its official X account on Monday, the NYSC declared that NERD clearance is now compulsory for all prospective corps members.

The scheme urged prospective corps members to complete the process early to avoid delays in mobilisation.

It also cautioned that failure to obtain the clearance could delay mobilisation into the national service programme.

“This is to inform PCMs (Prospective Corps Members) that without NERD clearance, no NYSC. Get your NERD clearance early. Avoid delays in your mobilisation.”

Reiterating the mandatory nature of the requirement, the NYSC stated, “NERD clearance is compulsory for all PCMs. No NERD clearance, No NYSC!!!”

Although the scheme did not provide additional details about the clearance process in the notice, the directive signals a stricter verification regime as preparations continue for the next orientation exercise.

The latest advisory comes barely hours after the NYSC announced the mobilisation of another batch of prospective corps members for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ service year, urging institutions and eligible graduates to complete all necessary documentation ahead of the orientation exercise.

It also follows another recent safety advisory by the scheme in which prospective corps members were warned against travelling at night to orientation camps.

The NYSC advised them to break their journeys whenever necessary and lodge in safe locations or designated military and security formations where available, rather than risk travelling after dark.

The renewed advisories reflect the scheme’s efforts to improve both the integrity of its mobilisation process and the safety of prospective corps members, amid growing security concerns on Nigerian highways.

With mobilisation activities gathering pace, prospective corps members are expected to complete all required registration and verification procedures, including the newly emphasised NERD clearance, before reporting for orientation camp.

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