Australia warns of risks from ageing population, falling birth rates
Channel News Asia
This report is indexed by BAGANBAZAR GRAPH with its original publisher named and linked for readers.
Read at original outlet ↗This report is indexed by BAGANBAZAR GRAPH with its original publisher named and linked for readers.
Read at original outlet ↗Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, JTF OPWS, have rescued six people who were abducted around Gbise community in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State. The Acting Media Information Officer of the task force, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Makurdi on Saturday. Zubairu said the victims were rescued on September 25 during a routine patrol conducted by troops in the area. He explained that the troops acted on credible intelligence regarding the whereabouts of the kidnapped persons and swiftly moved to the location. Following the rescue operation, the victims were taken to a safe location where they could receive necessary attention and further action could be taken. The rescued victims were identified as Gabriel Enujuba, 50; Samson Magbo, 43; Alkasim Modu, 27; Manzo Bello, 27; Sani Abdullahi, 25; and Munza Yusuf, 25. According to the statement, initial investigations revealed that five of the victims were kidnapped along the Chenchengi-Takum road. Zubairu added that Yusuf told investigators he was abducted from his residence in the Ahmadu general area of Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State. The task force spokesman said troops had stepped up intelligence-driven operations aimed at identifying and apprehending members of the criminal group behind the attacks. He said security personnel were also increasing patrols and strengthening human intelligence networks to prevent criminals from operating freely in vulnerable communities and along major roads. Zubairu urged personnel to remain alert, proactive and prepared to respond promptly to emerging security challenges. He further said the task force was expanding its human intelligence network to enable security operatives to identify, track and arrest
The Federal University Dutse (FUD), Jigawa State, has expelled 12 students and rusticated five others over various offences, including criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, cult-related activities, drug abuse, cyberbullying and sexual assault. This was contained in a statement signed by the university’s spokesman, Abdullahi Yahaya Bello, and issued to DAILY POST. The statement said the university also issued warning letters to five other students over offences committed both on and off campus. The decisions followed the consideration of the report of the 20th meeting of the Students’ Disciplinary Committee by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ahmad Mohammed Gumel. According to the statement, “the 12 students expelled were found guilty of various offences, including criminal conspiracy and armed robbery, robbery and cult-related activities, phone theft, and drug abuse on campus” Six of the expelled students were sanctioned for criminal conspiracy and armed robbery, while two others were found guilty of robbery and cult-related activities. The university also expelled one student for phone theft and two students for drug abuse on campus. The five students rusticated were sanctioned for attempted sexual assault and cyberbullying. Four of them were rusticated for two semesters, while one student was rusticated for one semester. Similarly, five students received warning letters for offences including cyberbullying, attempted sexual assault and drug abuse committed off campus. The university said the disciplinary measures followed due consideration of the cases by the Students’ Disciplinary Committee. The affected students are drawn from various faculties and departments of the university. Federal University Dutse expels 12 students, rusticates five
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has described President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies as a failure, saying Nigerians are struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. Atiku said Nigerians could no longer feed their children with government revenue announcements, while workers could not afford transport fares. In a statement signed by the Director of Strategic Communications of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the contradiction was reflected in assessments by international institutions. He said, “In June 2026, the IMF said reforms had improved Nigeria’s macroeconomic outcomes, but also acknowledged that conditions remained difficult for many Nigerians, estimating poverty at 63 per cent under the national poverty line and saying 27 million Nigerians had faced food insecurity in the latter part of 2025. “It warned that higher fuel, food and transport costs could worsen poverty and food insecurity. “Recent fuel-price pressures have further intensified the squeeze on household budgets, with petrol selling at around N1,400 per litre in Lagos and Abuja and as high as N1,500 in parts of northern Nigeria in September, while diesel exceeded N2,000 per litre. “The philosophy of an economic reform cannot be that the poor surrender more and more while those already insulated from hardship become increasingly comfortable. Nigerians were promised that today’s pain would produce tomorrow’s gain. After more than three years, they are entitled to ask: gain for whom? “A mother cannot feed her children with a government revenue announcement. A worker cannot pay transport fare with a speech about reform. Nigerians do not eat GDP figures, FAAC allocations or PowerPoint presentations. The numbers must eventua