1. The rescue of 44 pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State after 56 days in captivity has sparked fresh pressure on President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to launch similar operations to free hundreds of other schoolchildren, women and other Nigerians still being held by terrorists across the country.

Families of abducted victims, Northern Elders Forum, Arewa Consultative Forum, religious and community leaders, and opposition politicians urged the Federal Government to replicate the intelligence-led operation that secured the release of the Oyo victims in Borno, Kwara, Kaduna and other states, where scores of victims have remained in captivity for months.

2. The Independent National Electoral Commission has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the names and personal particulars of their candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections by three days. The commission announced on Sunday that the deadline, originally scheduled to expire on Saturday, July 11, has now been shifted to midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.

3. Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, in the company of a senior medical officer in the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Moses Azuoru, on Saturday, visited the rescued Oriire kidnap victims at the 2nd Division medical centre where they have been receiving treatment after their release.

4. Benue State Police Command has arrested seven additional suspects, including four traditional chiefs and an 80-year-old man, over the gruesome murder of the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Benue State chapter, Ardo Risku Mohammad, and one Yakubu Isa in Otukpo Local Government Area, LGA, of the state. 

5. Five persons, including four children, have died after landslides triggered by 48 hours of heavy rainfall devastated Ikot Anwatim Community, Calabar Municipality, Cross River. The landslides also destroyed two houses and injured two other residents, according to the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, CR-SEMA.

6. The Lagos State Building Control Agency on Saturday evacuated occupants of a distressed residential building at Akinyele Bus Stop in Abesan Estate. The agency also commenced the demolition of the property after structural experts declared it unsafe for human habitation.

7. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) closed the Strait of Hormuz after firing a warning shot at a vessel attempting to use an unauthorized route to cross the waterway, the IRGC’s Navy arm announced early Sunday morning local time. In a statement carried by the Arabic-language website of the semi-official, IRGC-affiliated Tasnim  News Agency, the IRGC decried what it referred to as “outside interference from foreign powers” in the form of several shipping vessels attempting to cross the Strait via “unauthorized routes.” 

8. Operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU, of the Police Command in Lagos State have arrested five suspected cultists and recovered weapons, suspected hard drugs and other incriminating items. The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos. She said the suspects were allegedly involved in terrorising residents of Apapa, Ijora and Badia areas of the state.

9. Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has appealed to some of the country’s biggest music stars, including Davido, Burna Boy and Asake, to channel part of their wealth into charitable initiatives aimed at supporting poor and vulnerable Nigerians. Speaking on the need for greater private-sector and individual support for social welfare, Tinubu said wealthy entertainers could make a significant impact by establishing foundations dedicated to empowering struggling citizens, even as they enjoy the rewards of their success.

10. The Presidency, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the North-East have defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election. They described Shettima’s renomination as a reward for loyalty, competence, experience and commitment to national service.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state has expressed profound joy over the rescue of the pupils and teachers kidnapped from Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Makinde, who spoke after visiting the rescued victims at the Headquarters of the 2 Division Nigerian Army Medical Services, Odogbo Barracks, Ibadan, where the pupils and teachers are receiving medical attention following their release from captivity, described their return as a moment of gratitude and relief for the state.

The governor disclosed that all 39 pupils and five of the seven abducted teachers had been rescued and reunited with security personnel, giving glory to God and commending officers and men of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for their efforts in securing the victims’ freedom.

Makinde, however, noted that the rescue operation came with sacrifices, revealing that some security operatives lost their lives during the operation.

He extended condolences to the bereaved families and assured them that the sacrifices of their loved ones would not be in vain.

Speaking on the condition of the rescued victims, the governor said the pupils and teachers were happy to regain their freedom, but noted that some of them appeared physically weak and would require medical care and psychosocial support to overcome post-traumatic experiences from their prolonged captivity.

According to him, the rescued victims will remain under medical observation for the next 48 hours, after which an assessment will be conducted before their formal transfer from military authorities to the Oyo State Government for further management and rehabilitation.

Governor Makinde also disclosed that arrangements were being made to bring family members to the barracks to see their loved ones, particularly noting the case of a young girl who had repeatedly asked for her mother since regaining freedom.

He urged Nigerians to remain united in the face of security challenges, stressing that difficult periods should serve as moments for collective action rather than division.

The governor added that he would officially brief the people of Oyo State and Nigerians in the coming week on the circumstances surrounding the abduction and the efforts that culminated in the successful rescue of the victims.

On Friday, the presidency announced the rescue of the victims, with President Bola Tinubu’s aide, Bayo Onanuga, revealing that eight members of the kidnapping gang were arrested during the rescue operation and are now in the custody of the DSS.

He said the rescue operation did not involve any exchange or concession to the kidnapper.

According to him, a notorious gang leader whose release had been demanded by the abductors remains in custody and is being prosecuted for his alleged crimes.

In a statement on Friday night, President Tinubu expressed delight over the successful rescue of abducted children and teachers, commending the military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force for ending their 56-day captivity.

He also sympathised with the children, teachers and their families over the trauma they endured during the prolonged ordeal.

The President further commended the Oyo State Government for its cooperation with the Federal Government throughout the rescue operation and urged the state to strengthen security around schools to prevent similar incidents.

Tinubu also directed emergency response agencies to work with the Oyo State Government to provide the rescued children and teachers with all necessary medical care and relief support as they recover from the ordeal.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election has strengthened the party’s support base across Northern Nigeria.

In a statement he personally signed on Saturday, Kwankwaso, who is the Director of Finance at the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, said the decision had boosted the confidence of APC members and supporters in the region following the submission of the Tinubu-Shettima nomination forms to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja.

According to him, retaining Shettima has also disappointed those who expected the President to replace the Vice President ahead of the 2027 election.

“President Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima is the best development for the North and the APC. It has further united the region and strengthened the party’s chances ahead of the 2027 elections,” he said.

Kwankwaso praised Shettima for what he described as his efforts to promote unity in Northern Nigeria and his support for the policies of the Tinubu administration.

“We have seen how Vice President Kashim Shettima has worked tirelessly to promote unity in the North despite attempts by some individuals to create division. He has also represented President Tinubu creditably at various international engagements,” he said.

The APC chieftain expressed confidence that the Tinubu-Shettima ticket would receive massive support from Northern voters during the 2027 general election.

He added that the decision would not only improve the party’s chances in the presidential race but also strengthen APC candidates contesting governorship, National Assembly and other elective positions across the region.

“Retaining Shettima is a strategic decision that will further consolidate the APC’s support base in the North and enhance the party’s electoral prospects at all levels,” Kwankwaso added.