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BREAKING NEWS: Repentant Terrorists Swear Oath With Quran
The Borno State Government has allayed the fears that many repentant terrorists reintegrated into society after the rehabilitation and deradicalisation programme will go back into terrorism.
The state government noted that a key part of the programme is swearing by the Quran, a strategy considered strong enough to prevent them from taking up arms again.
The state Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, stated this in an interview with Newscentral television, aired on Monday, saying that taking an oath with the holy book without adhering to it has implications.
She said, “When they come to us through all the processes of the Borno model, the last thing they do is, they take an oath with the Quran. Once you swear by the quran, you know the implication”
“People assume that they will go back to the bush; well, they may, but they are dead on arrival. So, it is not even about whether they have been certified or we trust them or not. The law of the jungle takes care of that. The moment you step out, and you surrender to the constituted authority, you become an infidel,” she said.
The Commissioner, however, highlighted that key challenges, including finance, have been affecting the smooth running of the programme
“The challenge, of course, has to do with funding, because you bring a lot of people on board, but how are you going to feed them, how are you going to clothe and provide for them with necessary access to education,” she stressed.
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On April 19, PUNCH Online reported a growing outrage over the recent graduation and planned reintegration of 744 former terrorists under the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration programme, Operation Safe Corridor.
The beneficiaries, drawn largely from conflict-affected states, completed the programme with 597 of them from Borno State, while others came from Adamawa, Yobe, Kano, and several other states across the country.
The development at the time triggered widespread debate over transparency, accountability, and the impact of reintegration on victims of violent extremism.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, said the policy, though not inherently bad, raised serious concerns over secrecy and lack of oversight
He said, “Reintegrating persons who may have unleashed violence or burned properties or committed other criminal activities into communities without addressing the hurt of the victims would appear as compensating perpetrators while overlooking the victims.
Similarly, the Country Director of Amnesty International in Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said, while international law supports the reintegration of those who surrender, the Nigerian process lacked transparency.
Sanusi said, “There are serious concerns that some of those called repentant sometimes go back to what they do. The government must be transparent about who they are and their level of involvement. Tell the people who these people are, what kind of terrorism they were involved in, and whether they were informants or killers. These things have to be made very clear.”
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The Complete Official Record of UTME Top Scorers Since 2013 To 2026, As Published By JAMB.
2026
Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin
State: Ekiti
372 / 400
The latest name to top Nigeria’s most competitive exam, Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin scored 372 in the 2026 UTME, choosing the University of Lagos to study Medicine and Surgery. She was closely followed by Enwere Kingsley Ikenna (370) and Bamisile Ayomide Emmanuel (369), with several other candidates recording 368 and 367.
2025
All-time record
Okeke Chinedu Christian
State: Anambra
374 / 400
JAMB’s official press conference document, delivered by Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede on May 14, 2025, listed the best score of the 2025 UTME as 374 — the highest recorded since the computer-based test began in 2013. The Registrar described it as “the best highest in the last one and half decades.”
2024
Olowu Joseph Oluwasijibomi (Ondo), Alayande David (Oyo) & Orukpe Joel Ehijele (Edo)
367 / 400 each
Three candidates shared top honours in the 2024 UTME with identical scores of 367, making it a rare triple tie. Their registration numbers — 202440343695GA, 202440097040EF, and 202440089418GA — are confirmed in JAMB’s official records. It was a year when only 0.46 per cent of the 1.8 million candidates who sat the examination scored 300 and above.
2023
Umeh Kamsiyochukwu Nkechinyere
State: Anambra
360 / 400
A student of Deeper Life High School in Mowe, Ogun State, Umeh Kamsiyochukwu Nkechinyere (Reg: 202330325356GA) scored 360 to emerge the highest UTME candidate in 2023. Her achievement attracted national celebration, and Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo offered her a full scholarship.
2022
Adebayo Eyimofe Oluwatofunmi
State: Ekiti
362 / 400
Adebayo Eyimofe Oluwatofunmi (Reg: 202211075576JA) topped the 2022 UTME with a score of 362.
2021
Monwuba Chibuzo Chibuikem
State: Not disclosed
358 / 400
Monwuba Chibuzo Chibuikem (Reg: 10054281ID) scored 358 to lead all candidates in the 2021 UTME. He later went on to study electrical, electronics and communications engineering at the University of South Florida in the United States.
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Female UNILAG-bound candidate tops UTME, varsities keep 150 cutoff
One million admitted out of two million UTME candidates in 2025
FULL LIST: Ogun candidate emerges top scorer in 2026 UTME with 372 marks
2020
Maduafokwa Egoagwuagwu Agnes
State: Anambra
365 / 400
Agnes (Reg: 21398306DF), a graduate of Louisville Girls High School in Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State, scored 365 — a score that stood as the highest in the CBT era until 2025. She went on to study Mechanical Engineering at Duke University in the United States under the institution’s Karsh International Scholarship..…For more, Complete your reading
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The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA Distributes Relief Materials To Cross River Fire Vctims
The National Emergency Management Agency has distributed relief materials and building items to victims of recent fire outbreaks in Agbokim and Karaboat communities in Cross River.
PUNCH Online had reported that there was a massive fire incident in Agbokim in August 2025, which destroyed properties worth millions of naira.
Following this incident, NEMA, on January 27, 2026, conducted an on-the-spot assessment of Agbokim and Karaboat communities following a distress call from the Cross River Emergency Management Agency.
Flagging off the distribution on Tuesday, Director General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, represented by Mrs Mmandu Aisueni, Head of Operations, NEMA Uyo Operation Office, sympathised with the victims, assuring them of NEMA’s commitment to providing timely humanitarian assistance to disaster-affected communities nationwide.
She said, “We are here to sympathise with the victims and to assure you of our deep commitment to providing timely humanitarian assistance to disaster-affected communities not just in Cross River, but nationwide.”
She added that the intervention is part of the agency’s continuous efforts in supporting vulnerable people and communities affected by disasters.
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“This intervention forms part of the agency’s continuous efforts to support vulnerable persons and communities impacted by emergencies and disasters,” she said.
The delegation presented 600 bags each of 25kg rice and “garri” and 100 bags of beans, 25kg. Other items donated included 400 bags of cement, 60 cartons each of seasoning, salt, Vegetable oil and tomato paste.
On his part, Secretary to the Government of Cross River, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh, commended the Federal Government and NEMA for their prompt intervention.
Owan-Enoh further appealed for sustained support to ease the hardship faced by residents affected by the fire incidents in the communities.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, Manyo Ayuk thanked the Federal Government, NEMA and the Cross River Government for the timely intervention.
“This relief support is timely and impactful for many of the families here struggling to recover from the devastating fire incidents, and so, we are grateful,” he added.
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