News

JUST IN: FG Graduates 744 Repentant Terrorists After Rehabilitation Programme

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20 minutes ago

April 16, 2026

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No fewer than 744 former terrorists and victims of violent extremism on Thursday graduated from the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration programme under Operation Safe Corridor.

A breakdown of the graduates shows that two are from Abia State, 10 from Adamawa State, one from Akwa Ibom State, two from Anambra State, 12 from Bauchi State, 597 from Borno State, three from Ebonyi State, one from Enugu State, 15 from Kano State, three from Katsina State, one from Kebbi State, five from Kogi State, four from Nasarawa State, two from Niger State, two from Plateau State, two from Sokoto State, and 58 from Yobe State.

The participants also include foreign nationals: one from Burkina Faso, one from Cameroon, two from Chad, and four from the Niger Republic.

In terms of religion, 733 of the graduates are Muslims, while 11 are Christians.

Speaking at the ceremony in Gombe, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, said the initiative is not a reward for violence but a strategic tool to counter extremism.

Represented by the Director of Special Operations Forces at Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Kabiru Tanimu, he said the programme addresses the human dimension of insurgency and supports long-term peacebuilding.

He added that while military operations remain necessary to neutralise threats, sustainable peace depends on rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.

Oluyede stressed that Operation Safe Corridor is not an amnesty programme, but a structured intervention aimed at reducing violence, weakening extremist recruitment, and promoting stability.

He urged the graduates to embrace a new path, warning against a return to violence, and encouraged them to contribute positively to society.

According to him, successful reintegration requires support from state governments, communities, families, and institutions.

Earlier, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brig. Gen. Yusuf Ali, said the programme was designed as a strategic response to insurgency, combining security operations with rehabilitation efforts.

He explained that participants underwent psychosocial support, vocational training, religious reorientation, civic education, and behavioural transformation.

Ali noted that many beneficiaries were victims of coercion and forced recruitment, adding that the programme gives them an opportunity to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society as responsible citizens.

He emphasised that reintegration is a shared responsibility requiring community acceptance and institutional support.

The Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Yahaya, represented by his aide, urged the graduates to embrace the opportunity for a fresh start and become productive members of society.

He said the programme reflects the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to peacebuilding, de-radicalisation, and reintegration efforts.

The graduation highlights Nigeria’s continued shift towards combining military operations with non-kinetic strategies in addressing insurgency, particularly in the North-East, as part of broader efforts to reduce recidivism and promote long-term stability.

News

Meta raises Quest 3 and Quest 3S prices due to RAM shortage

Published

2 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Preport

Meta is raising the prices of its virtual reality headsets due to the rising cost of memory chips, the company announced on Thursday. Starting April 19, the price of the Meta Quest 3S (128GB) and Meta Quest 3S (256GB) will go up by $50 to $349.99 and $449.99, respectively. The price of the Meta Quest 3 is going up by $100 to $599.99.

“We’re making this change because the cost of building high-performance VR hardware has risen significantly,” Meta wrote in its blog post. “The global surge in the price of critical components — specifically memory chips — is impacting almost every category of consumer electronics, including VR. To keep delivering the quality of hardware, software, and support you expect from the Quest platform, we need to adjust our pricing.”

Updated pricing will also apply to Meta Quest refurbished units, the company says, but all Meta Quest accessories will stay at their current prices.

Meta is the latest tech company to raise hardware prices in response to the RAM shortage, joining peers like Samsung, Microsoft, and Sony.

Business

NAICOM Targets Market Stability, Recapitalization and ESG Growth Through UNDP Partnership

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2 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Preport

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L-R Mr Ikenns Orji, Mr Ekerete Ola Gam-Ikon (Deputy Commissioner finance and administration; National Insurance Commission), Mr Henry Akwitti (Leader of the delegation), Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin (Commissioner for Insurance National Insurance Commission), Mr David Rueller, (member of the delegation), Dr Usman Jankata (Deputy Commissioner technical National Insurance Commission)and Mr Joseph Eta.

BY NKECHINAECHE-ESEZOBOR—The National Insurance Commission, (NAICOM), has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s insurance sector through a renewed partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with a focus on market stability, industry recapitalization, and the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.

During a courtesy visit by the UNDP delegation to the Commission, both parties outlined strategic priorities aimed at expanding insurance access, enhancing regulatory capacity, and developing innovative climate and disaster risk solutions to improve resilience and deepen insurance penetration across the country.

Speaking during the visit, the UNDP Regional Specialist, Mr. David Mueller, expressed appreciation for the Commission’s leadership and reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s insurance sector.

He highlighted UNDP’s interest in scaling the Lagos Flood Risk Insurance Model, strengthening systemic capacity, including actuarial development and enabling insurers to mobilize domestic capital for sustainable investment.

The UNDP delegation also pledged continued support for the implementation of ongoing reforms in the Nigerian insurance industry, drawing on lessons learned from previous UNDP supported projects within the sector.

In his response, the Commissioner for Insurance welcomed the UNDP team and expressed gratitude for their sustained support to the Nigerian insurance industry. He outlined five strategic pillars underpinning NAICOM’s reform agenda and reiterated the Commission’s commitment to a transparent recapitalization process, fostering innovation, and creating an enabling environment to significantly enhance insurance penetration in Nigeria.

The Commissioner noted that the recently enacted Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 provides a robust legal framework for strengthening consumer protection, enhancing regulatory capacity, improving financial soundness, promoting innovation and sustainability, and expanding market access and penetration.

He further explained that the ongoing industry recapitalization exercise, with the first phase scheduled to conclude on 31 July 2026, is designed to reinforce the financial stability and resilience of insurance institutions. To support operators, NAICOM has established dedicated support mechanisms, including a Recapitalization Committee, to guide the process.

The Commissioner also affirmed NAICOM’s commitment to institutionalizing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and sustainable insurance practices through the development of an in house NAICOM ESG Framework, building on prior diagnostic work and toolkits developed in collaboration with partners such as FSD Africa and UNDP.

Both parties agreed on the urgent need to rapidly scale actuarial capacity across the insurance industry through coordinated systemic capacity building initiatives, including the GAIN programme and strategic partnerships with actuarial service providers.The meeting further explored options to revive and advance a national catastrophic insurance scheme, to be implemented collaboratively by NAICOM, UNDP, and relevant disaster management agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

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