- The Nigerian Army declares 38 senior ISWAP leaders wanted
- WAEC reveals that 61.5% of candidates earned five credits in key subjects
- FG promises payment of ₦35,000 wage award arrears before mid-August
- Nollywood filmmaker Ola Balogun requests donation of his organs and body in will
- A$AP Rocky confirms Rihanna is working on new music
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
The Nigerian Army declares 38 senior ISWAP leaders wanted
The Nigerian Army has declared 38 senior leaders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) wanted following intelligence gathered during recent military operations in the Lake Chad region of Borno State. The information was obtained after troops recovered a camcorder and other intelligence materials during the offensive.
According to Operation HADIN KAI, forensic analysis of the recovered devices helped identify several top ISWAP commanders and their locations within the Mangari, Metele and Dogon Chukun areas of Abadam and Kukawa Local Government Areas. Among those declared wanted is Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, identified as the group’s governor and one of its most wanted leaders.
The list also includes Muhammad Jidda, also known as “The One-Handed Man”, who serves as ISWAP’s deputy leader, and Hamad Abu Hanifa, the group’s Amirul-Fiya. The army added that a financial reward will be offered for credible information leading to the arrest of Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa.
WAEC reveals that 61.5% of candidates earned five credits in key subjects
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that 61.54% of candidates who sat the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics. The council also withheld the results of candidates sponsored by state governments that are yet to settle outstanding debts.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, the Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Dr Amos Dangut, said 1,950,726 candidates sat the computer-based examination, while 1,834,695, representing 94.05%, had their results fully processed and released. The remaining 116,031 results are still being processed due to unresolved issues.
Dangut assured affected candidates that efforts were underway to release the outstanding results within a few days. However, he explained that candidates sponsored by indebted state governments would not be able to access their results until the outstanding payments owed to WAEC are settled.
FG promises payment of ₦35,000 wage award arrears before mid-August
The Federal Government has assured federal civil servants that payment of the outstanding ₦35,000 wage award arrears will begin before mid-August. It also said outstanding promotion arrears are being processed as part of efforts to improve workers’ welfare.
The assurance was given by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, during a meeting with the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council in Abuja. According to a statement from the Ministry of Finance, the necessary approval for the wage award payment is at its final stage.
Oyedele said the Tinubu administration had already started addressing many of the issues raised by organised labour before receiving its formal communication. He added that the government remains committed to fulfilling its promises and will provide realistic timelines for resolving any outstanding matters.
Nollywood filmmaker Ola Balogun requests donation of his organs and body in will
Veteran Nigerian filmmaker Ola Balogun has directed that his organs be donated after his death and that the rest of his body be handed over to medical institutions for the training of future doctors. The 81-year-old made the declaration in a document titled Public Rendition of My Last Will and Testament.
Balogun said he decided to make his wishes public after suffering a fresh health scare shortly after his 81st birthday. The filmmaker, who is receiving treatment at a medical facility in Lagos, explained that he could not prepare a formal will with a lawyer and drew inspiration from the late Obafemi Awolowo, who also documented his final wishes before his death.
He said any viable organs should be donated to patients in need once his death is medically confirmed. According to Balogun, the remainder of his body should then be given to medical institutions to support the study of anatomy, saying he wants his body to continue benefiting society even after his death.
A$AP Rocky confirms Rihanna is working on new music
A$AP Rocky revealed that the global superstar, Rihanna, is back in the recording studio, and her music hiatus may be coming closer to an end. The rapper shared the update during an interview on The Jason Lee Show, putting an end to speculation that family life and business ventures had delayed her next album.
Rocky dismissed claims that he was responsible for Rihanna’s long break from music, saying the singer is actively working on new material. He admitted he might have revealed more than he intended, joking that he could get into trouble for sharing the news.
Rihanna has not released a studio album since ANTI in 2016. The critically acclaimed project topped the Billboard 200 chart and produced hit songs including Work, Needed Me, and Love on the Brain, leaving fans eagerly awaiting her next release.
