President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate employment of 200 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) honourees into the federal civil service.

He also approved a N250,000 reward for each of them, along with a scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies in any Nigerian university.

The president, represented by Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, minister of state for labour and employment, made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja at the combined President’s NYSC honours award ceremony (2020–2023).

Tinubu stated that the gesture recognises the awardees’ “discipline, commitment, selflessness, teamwork, patriotism, and integrity”.

He said, “The head of the civil service of the federation and the chairman of the federal civil service commission will immediately begin their employment process.”

He also directed that 10 physically challenged ex-corps members who were injured during their service should be employed.

“We will never forget their sacrifice. All the awardees will receive N250,000 each. Finally, each award recipient will be granted a scholarship to pursue postgraduate programmes up to a degree in any university in the country,” he added.

He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to youth empowerment through education, technology, and job creation.

He said, “In appreciation of these critical roles played by youth in national development, and to put them in the foreground of our economy, the government developed several youth-related programmes, covering education, skills development, technology, and information sustainability.”

The president urged young people to stay hopeful and loyal to the country, warning them not to “yield to those seeking to destabilise the nation”.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the president’s dedication to young Nigerians, saying his presence at the ceremony reflects a “deep-rooted love for the nation’s young people”.

He said the recent increase in corps members’ monthly allowance from N33,000 to N77,000 is a response to current economic conditions.

“This decision reflects our recognition of the vital role youth play in nation-building,” he noted.

Olawande also praised the NYSC’s founding fathers and management, assuring that his ministry would continue to support the scheme.

They Are Our Heroes

NYSC Director-General Olakunle Nafiu said the honourees were selected through a rigorous screening process based on their service records, impact in communities, and civic engagement.

He said 10 ex-corps members who sustained permanent injuries during service were recognised under the NYSC Hope Alive programme.

“They are not just honourees—they are heroes of our Republic,” Nafiu said.

He also honoured four corps members who died in the line of duty.

According to him, in 2023 alone, 6,340 core medical personnel, including 2,319 doctors, were deployed to deliver free healthcare to underserved communities.

He added that more than four million Nigerians have benefited from NYSC’s health outreach programme, and over 250,000 corps members are trained annually through the scheme’s entrepreneurship initiative.

“The NYSC remains a living, working institution, actively shaping lives and building the nation from the ground up,” he said.

He explained that current reforms are focused on enhancing security, fostering personal growth, building resilience, and improving communication.

“We are building a scheme that delivers material comfort, teaches relevant skills, and restores the beauty to the idea of national duty,” Nafiu said.

Ghanaians have staged a protest against Nigerians, accusing them of involvement in mass prostitution and ritual killings within their country.

A widely circulated video on Tuesday showed a large group of protesters carrying placards with messages such as “Armed robbery and violent attacks must stop”, “Our health at stake due to mass prostitution”, “Who protects the right and freedom of Ghanaians”, “Nigerians are kidnapping and using people for rituals”, and “Our kids are getting missing because of Igbos”.

The protesters also displayed an image of a man allegedly murdered by a Nigerian in the Accra area.

A woman, estimated to be in her mid-30s, spoke in the video saying Nigerians must leave because of their disorderly behavior.

“Nigerians must go because you can’t be in someone’s country and be doing anyhow. Nigerians must go,” she said.

Another protester claimed that Nigerians have taken control of key markets and are committing various harmful acts in Ghana.

“These Igbo, they are in every part of the country and have targeted our markets. Not just Igbo, Nigerians are in almost every village, and our laws have not allowed foreigners to engage in real dealings. They are perpetrating evil in our country. They even have a Igbo king in Ghana. They have hijacked our lands. It is just a matter of time; we will conquer them and take over our country,” he stated.

A similar event referred to as “Ghana must go” occurred in 1983 when the Nigerian government under President Shehu Shagari ordered approximately two million undocumented immigrants, many of them Ghanaians, to leave the country.

“If they don’t leave, they should be arrested, tried and sent back to their homes.

“Illegal immigrants, under normal circumstances, should not be given any notice whatsoever. If you break a law, then you have to pay for it,” the President had said.

This led to the creation of the checked bag known as “Ghana must go”, which became a symbol of exclusion and intolerance as Ghanaians packed their belongings to leave Nigeria.

At the time of this report, the Ghanaian government has not made any official comments regarding the protest or the call for Nigerians to be sent back, regardless of their legal status.

The Social Democratic Party’s National Working Committee has expelled former Kaduna Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, from its ranks.

The SDP declared that El-Rufai is barred from associating with the party in any form for the next 30 years.

Party leaders accused El-Rufai of pretending to be a member, interfering with internal matters, and attempting to destabilise the party through unlawful tactics and misleading actions.

This decision was communicated in a statement released in Abuja on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Aiyenigba.

He said the party’s leadership reached the decision after a detailed investigation into El-Rufai’s claims of membership and his alleged behind-the-scenes political activities, which have caused division and threatened the party’s unity and values.

The statement said El-Rufai never completed the registration process at the ward level, as required by the party’s constitution, yet he falsely announced on social media that he had joined the SDP. He was also accused of forging documents to support this claim and taking pictures with suspended party leaders to bolster the falsehood.

It explained that the NWC, in line with the party’s constitution, values, and the Nigerian constitution, reviewed El-Rufai’s situation. Despite the state chapter of the party asserting he had not registered, El-Rufai continued presenting himself as a member while supporting other political parties.

Initially, the party said it gave El-Rufai the benefit of the doubt due to his experience as a former minister and governor, assuming he understood the consequences of misrepresentation. His social media posts had led to congratulations from party members and a support letter issued by the National Publicity Secretary upon his request.

However, after an internal review, the party confirmed he had never registered at his ward. It noted that El-Rufai invested effort into creating a false narrative, taking photos with the suspended national chairman and other leaders who assumed he had properly joined. His record as a former governor was also cited as being problematic for the SDP due to his actions against the party when he was with the APC.

The SDP further alleged that El-Rufai aligned with the African Democratic Congress and attempted to involve the SDP in a political coalition without approval.

The party said it had no choice but to completely cut ties with El-Rufai after confirming his public declaration for the ADC and actions that go against SDP values.

As a result, El-Rufai is banned from applying for membership, identifying with the SDP’s name or symbols, or participating in its activities for 30 years, starting immediately.

The SDP urged the Independent National Electoral Commission and other authorities to acknowledge El-Rufai’s non-member status and said he is not permitted to act or speak for the party.

The party reiterated its commitment to democratic values, patriotism, and principled opposition, encouraging interested Nigerians to follow lawful channels to join.

It noted that El-Rufai had proposed a large-scale welcome event at the party’s Abuja headquarters, but was advised instead to register properly in his ward after passing an eligibility screening.

Instead of registering through the correct process, El-Rufai allegedly forged membership documents and assigned himself “number 001 in the SDP membership register of Unguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North Local Government Area”, ignoring existing records.

El-Rufai had recently announced he was leaving the All Progressives Congress to join the SDP, citing a conflict between his personal beliefs and the APC’s current direction.