All posts by : Iconic News Team

Nigeria on Wednesday moved closer to establishing state police after the Senate passed the controversial Constitution Alteration Bill to decentralise policing. The bill now shifts to the 36 state Houses of Assembly, where at least 24 legislatures must approve it before it becomes law.

The Senate’s passage marks a major breakthrough in a debate that has dominated Nigeria’s security discussions for decades. It comes amid worsening insecurity across the country, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and organised crime.

The legislation seeks to create state-controlled police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force. Senators approved it after securing the required two-thirds majority through manual voting, following technical glitches with the chamber’s electronic devices.

With both chambers of the National Assembly now backing the proposal, attention has moved to state assemblies. Their approval will determine if Nigeria finally abandons its long-standing exclusive federal policing structure. The amendment is regarded as one of the most consequential constitutional reforms since democracy returned in 1999.

At the heart of the reform is a provision empowering governors to appoint Commissioners of Police for their states, subject to confirmation by state Houses of Assembly. Under Clause 17 of the proposed amendment: “While the Federal Police Service will continue to be headed by the Inspector-General of Police, each State Police Service shall be headed by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature of the state”

Goal 3 of the SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS says the Goal is aimed at “ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages”.

It is one of the 17 UN SDGs, featuring 13 specific targets and 27 indicators designed to address major global health priorities, from reducing mortality rates to tackling communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Bisam Care Foundation asks the question: what is the role of individuals and organizations in achieving Goal 3 of the SDGs?

Your role is love,check your genotype before marriage,love with knowledge not just with emotions.

Your role is awareness.Speak to your neighbor, share correct information. Stop the stigma. A sickle cell warrior is not cursed, they are champions…

Individuals can build compassion in their homes and communities.

And To every Sickle Cell warrior we encourage to remain strong, resilient and positive as our Foundation sees your strength, and we celebrate your life.

As we mark this year’s World Sickle Cell Day, let us all play our part. Because when individuals act, SDGs become real.

The BISAM CARE FOUNDATION Inc identifies with every Sickle Cell warrior in Nigeria and wishes to assure them that our Foundation will continue to support as many as our resources can take us.

In 2024 and 2025 the Foundation reached out to warriors at the Sickle Cell Centre in Benin and will continue to advocate for support for them.

Lady Uyioghosa Honour Osagie
Executive Director
BISAM CARE FOUNDATION Inc
19th June, 2023

The Pro-Chancellor, University of Benin, Professor Umaru Shuaibu, Chairman, Board of Trustees, UNIBEN Trust Development Fund (UNIBEN-TDF), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Esq, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Edoba B. Omoregie, SAN, have visited the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, CON, in Abuja to intimate him of the formal launch of the ₦100b, UNIBEN-Trust Development Fund scheduled for Saturday 4th July, 2026, and to formally request the Honorable Minister to be present at the event.

The Chairman UNIBEN-TDF, explained that the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Omoregie, took on the Minister’s challenge to Vice-Chancellors to mobilise alumni and other stakeholders to support their various universities for sustainable development.

Responding, the Minister commended the Vice-Chancellor for the bold step and requested that invitation be extended to other Vice Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors to witness the historic ceremony. The Minister thanked the delegation for the visit and promised to be present at the launch.

The Pro-Chancellor, on behalf of Council, acknowledged Dr Alausa’s unwavering efforts in transforming the educational landscape of the country. He assured him that the project has the support of the University of Benin Governing Council, and that the presence of the Minister will be a great boost to the initiative .

A High Court sitting in Benin has convicted and sentenced five persons to death by hanging for their roles in the kidnap and murder of legal practitioner Omon Iyoha14 Osobase in 2020.

The case was prosecuted by Orobosa Okunbor Esq., P. E. Isibor-Enabulele Esq. and O. Akenuwa-Osamede Esq.

Judgment was delivered 10/6/2026, by His Lordship, Hon. Justice Efe Ikponmwoba, in the case of State vs Valentine Dibie & 5 Ors, Charge number B/CD/36C/2022.

Osobase was kidnapped and murdered on the 9th day of May, 2020. Eight defendants were initially charged for conspiracy, kidnapping and murder. However, after the EndSARS protest and prison break, six defendants were later charged.

The court convicted the 1st defendant, Valentine Dibie, for conspiracy, kidnapping and murder. The 3rd defendant, Solomon Enobun, and 4th defendant, Ambrose Amadi, were also convicted for conspiracy, kidnapping and murder. The 5th defendant, Enoma Okuonghae, and 6th defendant, Saturday Imagbe, were convicted for kidnapping.

The 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th defendants were sentenced to death by hanging for the offence of kidnapping. The 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants were also sentenced to death by hanging for murder, while the same three were sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for conspiracy.

The court judgment discharged and acquainted the 2nd defendant.

Former Attorney General of Edo State, Dr. Samson Osagie, has congratulated Hon. Washington Osifo on his nomination as Commissioner-Designate in the Government of Edo State.

In his message, Dr. Osagie described Hon. Osifo’s nomination as a clear testament to his dedication, experience, and unwavering commitment to public service.

“Congratulations on your re-nomination as Commissioner-Designate in the Government of Edo State. Given your enviable credentials and record of public service, I have no doubt that your re-appointment as Commissioner will bring significant benefits to the state and our local government in particular,” he said.

Dr. Osagie further expressed confidence that Hon. Osifo will continue to add value to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s vision of inclusive governance, accountability, and service delivery across Edo State.

“Once again, congratulations. I wish you every success as you take on this new responsibility.” He concluded

For many Persons with Disabilities, PWDs, in Edo State, government laws have often felt distant , written in complex language and locked away in documents they could not easily read or use. This narrative has changed as the Edo State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo,has unveiled an accessible version of the Edo State Persons Living With Disability Law, 2022.

The goal is simple: move the law from government files to the hands of the people it was made to protect.

The unveiling ceremony, held in Benin City, was organised by the Edo State Commission for Persons with Disabilities, EDSCPD, in collaboration with the Network for the Advancement of People with Disabilities and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, RoLAC. The hall was filled with Persons leaving with Disabilities (PWDs,) caregivers, community leaders and advocates who have long called for clearer information on disability rights.

Speaking at the event, the Secretary to the State Government,Umar Musa Ikhilor, represented by the Functioning Permanent Secretary of his office ,Mr. Ernest Ohunyon, said the initiative has addressed a major barrier in understanding.

“The strength of any society lies not only in its physical structures but also in the extent to which it guarantees equal opportunities for all citizens,” Ikhilor stated. “By making the law accessible, we are strengthening public awareness, encouraging compliance, and empowering citizens with the knowledge required to claim and protect their rights within the framework of the law”.

He reaffirmed that the Okpebholo administration remains committed to building an inclusive Edo where persons with disabilities are not viewed through the lens of dependency or limitation, but as equal contributors with the right to thrive.

The moment drew excitement from stakeholders. In his goodwill message, the Executive Director of the Network for the Advancement of People with Visible Disabilities, NAPVID, Barr Melody Omosah, said the accessible version gives families a fighting chance. He called for radio programmes in local dialects to push the message further into communities.

Omosah then walked the audience through key provisions that now feel less like legal jargon. Section 18, he explained, guarantees the right to education for persons with disabilities from primary to tertiary levels. The law also mandates at least one special school in each of Edo State’s 18 local government areas and makes it an offence for parents or guardians to deny children with disabilities access to education.

Earlier, Chairman of the Edo State Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Theophilus Egbodion, described the accessible version as a tool for dignity. “When people understand their rights, they can demand them. This version puts that power directly in the hands of PWDs,” he said.

With copies of the accessible law now ready for distribution across the 18 LGAs, the government says the next phase is grassroots sensitization.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has ordered all public primary and secondary school teachers in Oyo State to down tools from Monday, June 1, 2026. The strike is indefinite until further notice

This directive came from the national leadership of the union in Abuja which stated that the action is to protest the continued captivity of teachers and students kidnapped in different attacks across the state. Many of the victims were taken from their schools weeks ago, but their rescue and safe release are still pending.

The statement further stated that the long delay has created fear and anxiety among teachers. Most educators now feel unsafe going to class. As a result, many parents have stopped sending their children and wards to school.

The union also added that tension is rising in communities where the kidnappings happened. Schools are empty, learning has stopped, and the entire education system in the state is under pressure.

NUT warned that all public schools will remain closed until the Oyo State Government and security agencies secure the immediate release of every kidnapped teacher and student.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that Nigeria has “stabilised and is moving forward again” as his administration marks three years in office on May 29, 2026.

President Tinuubu disclosed that difficult reforms have been undertaken since 2023 like the removal of petrol subsidy, unification of exchange rates, and fiscal restructuring which were necessary to prevent fiscal collapse. He noted the subsidy regime alone consumed ₦18.4 billion daily, over ₦4 trillion in 2022, while forex distortions cost the nation more than ₦8 trillion in three years.

He also highlighted visible progress across the economy. The stock market’s All Share Index rose from 53,000 with ₦30 trillion capitalisation in 2023 to 250,000 and ₦160 trillion in 2026. Over 2,700km of highways and major roads are under construction, including Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway. The $5 billion NLNG Train 7 is nearing completion, local refining capacity has improved, and the power sector is receiving fresh investment to clear debts and expand the grid.

On social interventions,the President said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has supported 1.5 million students with ₦282 billion, the Renewed Hope Housing Programme is delivering 10,000+ units across 14 states and FCT, and agricultural support is reaching millions of farmers. He also added that security operations have made many highways and communities safer, while telecoms and digital infrastructure investments are widening access and creating jobs for youth.

“History tests nations before it elevates them. Nigeria is passing through such a test,” he stated, urging Nigerians to reject cynicism and division, maintain faith in the country, and work together for a secure, prosperous, and inclusive nation.

The Edo State Government wishes to address some misleading social media narratives about today’s Children’s Day incident at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. We hereby reject the sensational interpretations, spins, twists, and misinformation that were dubiously orchestrated to give the government a bad name.

The stadium was filled to capacity with thousands of excited children who came to participate in the day’s activities. The turn out was unprecedented. All the entrances into the facility were opened for children to access the stadium. Some excited children resorted to unruly behaviour at one of the gates, an incident that led to some kind of stampede which necessitated one of the bouncers to deploy the use of tear gas to disperse them. In the cause of the pandemonium that ensued, few students sustained injuries.

The Deputy Governor, Rt Hon. Dennis Idahosa who was physically present at the stadium, rose to the challenge immediately assisting children with first aids; and those requiring further care were taken to the Edo Specialist Hospital where they received appropriate medical attention and are now safely back home with their families.

The Edo State government has already authorised investigations into the incident while the bouncer involved is presently being interrogated by the Police to ascertain the immediate or remote cause of the incident. The government wishes to restate its commitment to the safety and security of all including our children. We however call on social media users to refrain from unverified narratives that could cause unnecessary panic.

Isolated incidents at large gatherings, while regrettable, do not diminish Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to child safety and wellbeing. The Governor’s unparalleled investment in education is the reason for the huge attendance by students of different schools in the state to celebrate Children’s Day.

We thank the security personnel, medical staff, and volunteers for their swift response and
dedication.to duty. Their immediate response helped to douse the tension.

Signed:
Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State
Wednesday 27 May 2026

The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28, 2026, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid ul Adha celebration across Nigeria.

The announcement was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Dr Magdalene Ajani
on Monday, May 25, on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

According to the statement, the declaration reflects the government’s respect for the religious beliefs and spiritual traditions of Nigerian Muslims, who join others worldwide in observing the festival.

Eid ul Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God’s command. It is one of the most significant celebrations in Islam, marked by prayers, family gatherings, charity, and the sacrifice of rams. The holiday typically follows Arafah Day, which was projected for May 26, 2026.

In the statement, the Minister conveyed the Federal Government’s felicitations to Muslim faithful in Nigeria and the diaspora, wishing them a peaceful and fulfilling celebration. He noted that Eid ul Adha embodies values of sacrifice, obedience to God, and compassion for fellow humans.

The government urged Nigerians to use the festive period for prayers and sober reflection, calling for divine guidance as the country works to strengthen peace, security, and economic prosperity. It also encouraged citizens to embrace unity and peaceful coexistence, stressing that the celebration should serve as a reminder of shared humanity and national brotherhood.

With the holidays falling midweek, many Nigerians are expected to use the time for family gatherings, prayers at Eid grounds, and visits to loved ones across the country.