57,114 candidates (67.35%) obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics in the results of the 2024 External Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), exactly 62 days after the last paper was written by the National Examinations Council (NECO)

Announcing the results at NECO’s headquarters in Minna on Friday, the Registrar/Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, revealed that a total of 86,067 candidates registered for the examination, with 84,799 candidates (44,277 males and 40,522 females) actually sitting for the papers.

He indicated that 70,711 candidates (83.39%) secured five credits and above in any subject combination while83,220 candidates (75.62%) earned a credit in English Language and
83,024 candidates (93.93%) obtained a credit in Mathematics.

Prof. Wushishi noted a significant decline in malpractice cases, with 6,160 cases recorded in 2024, compared to 8,518 in 2023, marking a 27.7% reduction.
He attributed this progress to stricter monitoring measures by NECO’s Governing Board, Management, and Senior Staff.

Five supervisors from Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Cross River, and Ebonyi States were blacklisted for poor supervision and aiding malpractice.
14 examination centers (10 in Ogun and 4 in Oyo) were blacklisted for whole-center malpractice in nine subjects.

During the event, Prof. Wushishi also unveiled NECO’s 2025 Staff Annual Posting Calendar, aimed at improving efficiency in staff deployment for national assignments.

Candidates can now check their results online via the official NECO portal.

***Says Northerners Opposing Tinubu Don’t Believe in Nigeria’s Unity

Former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, and a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jonathan Vatsa, has strongly criticized former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over their opposition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s potential re-election in 2027.

Speaking in Minna on Friday, Vatsa dismissed the duo as “self-serving politicians” who no longer have the credibility or influence to speak for the North.
He argued that any attempt to push for power to return to the North in 2027 is a direct threat to Nigeria’s unity, stating that only the South East has a legitimate claim for the presidency after Tinubu’s tenure.

“Both El-Rufai and Babachir Lawal cannot even win their local government areas in a free and fair election in 2027 because the average Northerner is now politically wise and no longer deceived by religious and ethnic sentiments,” Vatsa declared.
He accused El-Rufai of fueling insecurity in Kaduna, particularly in Southern Kaduna, to secure his second term in 2019, an issue he claims is still haunting the region. He praised Tinubu for restoring peace and inclusivity in the area, warning that attempts to turn the people against Tinubu in 2027 would fail.
Vatsa further claimed that the North’s political unity, once solid under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has now crumbled, leaving the region more fragmented than any other in Nigeria. He alleged that past Northern leaders have used religion and ethnicity to manipulate the masses while hoarding power and resources for themselves.
“They always deceive the poor Northerners with religion and ethnicity, but after elections, they corner everything for themselves and their families, leaving the people in hunger and poverty. That era is over. The slogan now is ‘dey for who dey for you,’” he stated.
In a scathing remark, Vatsa referenced the infamous N600 million “grass-cutting scandal” involving Babachir Lawal, suggesting that individuals with corruption-tainted records should not be leading opposition efforts against Tinubu.
“Even if you multiply El-Rufai and Babachir Lawal by 36 in every state, they cannot stop President Tinubu in 2027. Only God and the Nigerian people can decide, not a few individuals who have outlived their political relevance,” he concluded.
As the political landscape heats up ahead of 2027, Vatsa’s comments highlight the deepening divisions within the Northern political elite, raising questions about the region’s unity and influence in future elections.

Less than three weeks after a deadly fuel tanker explosion claimed over 100 lives in Niger State, another explosion has struck, this time at a gas plant in Sabon-Wuse, Tafa Local Government Area.
The latest incident, which occurred late Saturday night, caused significant property damage but, fortunately, no lives were lost.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the explosion, stating it happened around 11:00 PM at Tasiu Gas Plant, located beside Kalasma Filling Station along the Kaduna Expressway.
According to Director of NSEMA, Alhaji Baba Arah, the explosion was triggered during the transloading of gas from a tanker to the plant’s surface tank. This mishandling led to a fire that engulfed both the gas tanker and the plant.

“The gas tanker and the entire gas plant were completely destroyed by the fire,” Arah reported. “A car belonging to Abubakar Yakubu, parked close to the gas station, was also consumed by the flames.”

The blaze further spread to nearby businesses, including the Ngeil Grains Processing Factory, which was completely gutted. Approximately 550 bags of beans and six bags of suya beans stored at the factory were reduced to ashes, compounding the financial losses from the explosion.

Although no fatalities have been reported, the destruction has left a significant impact on the local economy, with business owners counting their losses.
Alhaji Arah confirmed that emergency responders were able to control the fire before it spread further and that efforts are ongoing to clear the site.

“Thankfully, no lives were lost, and the fire has been brought under control. We are continuing to assess the damage and ensure the area is safe for residents,” Arah said.

This incident has reignited concerns over safety practices at gas plants and fuel depots across Niger State. Residents are calling for stricter enforcement of safety regulations to prevent similar disasters in the future.