NEWS
INEC commended for deleting over 2.7m fake registrations, sanctioning 23 staff
For uncovering, deleting over 2.7 million fake registrations and identifying 23 personnel who carried out the fake voter registrations, the Coalition of United Political Parties, (CUPP), has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).
The Opposition Coalition CUPP bursted and exposed the irregularities few weeks ago.
Following the exposure the electoral umpire had moved against 23 of its staff who were identified to be behind the fake Registrations and compromise of voters registration exercise popularly called Omuma Magic
Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, on Wednesday at the third quarterly meeting with political parties said after a rigorous clean-up of the data using the automated biometric identification system (ABIS), 2,780,756 (22.6%) of the registrants were identified as ineligible and invalidated.
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Spokesperson of CUPO Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere in a statement said INEC confirmation has vindicated the opposition parties who uncovered the Imo APC sponsored plot last month.
The Coalition also said that with the confirmation by INEC, Governor Hope Uzodinma has been disgraced and his ‘Omuma’ magic deleted.
The opposition political parties and CSOs said with this vindication, a national honour should be conferred on CUPP spokesman, Ugochinyere for this laudable exposure.
The opposition parties therefore called on the inspector general of police to do the needful by arresting those behind the evil act.
They also called on him to ensure the release of INEC Staff, Chidiebere currently in detention in Imo state.
The CUPP statement said, “At a meeting today, INEC confirmed our intelligent discovery.
Quoting the INEC Chairman the said, After a rigorous cleaning-up of the data using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), a total of 2,780,756 (22.6%) were identified as ineligible registrants and invalidated from the record.
“Among them double/multiple registrants, underaged persons and outrightly fake registrations. The Commission deployed thousands of diligent staff for the CVR exercise and the vast majority of them discharged their duties conscientiously. Unfortunately, a few of them did not.
“The fictitious registrations were carried out by some of our Registration Officers involved in the field exercise and could easily be traced. Each registration machine is operated using an access code tied to a dedicated e-mail assigned to a staff. “There is therefore an audit trail that gives the total number of persons registered by each official involved in the registration exercise.
“In some cases, some of them made as many as 40 attempts or more to register one fake voter. As a result, the Commission has so far identified 23 Registration Officers involved in this unethical conduct and disciplinary action has commenced.
Continuing the CUPP statement reads,
“As INEC has done the needful by deleting these fake registrations. We urge the IG of police to arrest the culprits. Yet again Hope Uzodinma APC led government has been disgraced and their plot to rig the election thwarted.
“We at the opposition will not rest, we will continue to do the needful, and ensure that Nigerians get the free and fair election they deserve.”
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
Nigerians are facing yet another economic blow as petrol prices surge again. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N1,175 per litre, marking the third increase in just one week.
The latest adjustment, announced to marketers on Monday, follows a temporary suspension of petrol sales at the refinery on Sunday. Diesel, also known as Automotive Gas Oil, has also been revised upwards to N1,620 per litre.
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A senior refinery official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the hike, noting that it reflects “prevailing market fundamentals and the cost environment we are currently operating in.”
Industry checks show that depot pricing systems have already updated the new rates, signaling an inevitable rise at retail stations.
In some cities, petrol is now being sold at over N1,200 per litre, adding pressure on Nigerian motorists and businesses alike.
This repeated surge comes after earlier increases that pushed gantry prices from N774 to N995 per litre earlier this week.
Experts warn that the hikes are likely to drive up transportation, logistics, and production costs, potentially impacting the prices of goods and services nationwide.
While the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), is working to secure crude supplies for the refinery via international traders, officials cautioned that this may not immediately reduce prices for consumers.
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