These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

Nathan Sharibu, father of the only Dapchi schoolgirl still being held by the Boko Haram terrorists, on Tuesday said the audio recording and picture of his daughter, Leah Sharibu has strengthened their faith and hope that she will be released one day.

In a telephone interview with Punch, Nathan Sharibu said they were doubtful of whether Leah was still alive or not, confirmed that the voice and picture released by the terrorists were those of his daughter, Leah and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider the cries of Leah and come to her aid.

“Before now my wife and I thought that our daughter, Leah was no longer alive because there was no information about her.

“Leah’s mother has been crying since watching the picture of her daughter on television, but I consoled her that since Leah is alive, God will get her out of captivity one day,” he said.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has adjusted its budget for 2019 elections from N189 billion to N143 billion in compliance with directive from the National Assembly.

Chairman of the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC, Sen. Suleiman Nazif, made this known to newsmen after a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, saying that INEC had effected the changes to reflect N143 billion as originally requested by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nazif disclosed that a sub-committee had been set up to look at the proposal and to point out any area of infraction to the committee, adding that the committee was mandated to complete its assignment on Aug. 29.

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Presidential Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday said that God alone knows when Leah Sharibu, the only Christian and last among the abducted 110 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe, yet to be released from the captivity of Boko Haram will be freed.

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The Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja, inaugurated the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM) to decongest prisons nationwide.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami at the inauguration, said that the committee was to assist President Muhammadu Buhari in discharging his constitutional responsibilities.

“The reconstitution of the committee as approved by Mr President will go a long way in bringing about drastic reduction in the population of prisoners in the nation’s prison system that has become a blot on the nations’ criminal justice system,” he said.

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The Abia Police Command has impounded a large quantity of military uniforms, allegedly imported from China and stocked at a warehouse in Aba.

State Commissioner of Police, Anthony Ogbizi, who made this disclosure at the Umuahia Central Police Station on Tuesday, said that the owner of the warehouse, one Michael Onuoha, was arrested for alleged conspiracy, aiding and abetting the unlawful procurement, importation and possession of the uniforms, which were mainly camouflage.

He alleged that the Managing Director of Messrs U.U Iruoha, one Uche Iruoha, popularly called Urchman, shipped the uniforms in a container to Apapa Port, Lagos, from where they were transported to Aba in March.