PSC, Police Extend Constable Recruitment Deadline By Two Weeks

The ongoing recruitment exercise for 50 000 police constables will now take a two-week break, according to the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The application portal, which was first launched on December 15, 2025, will now close on February 8, 2026, according to a statement signed by Mr. Torty Njoku Kalu, the Police Service Commission’s Head of Protocol and Public Affairs.

He explained that the extension comes after a review that found significant differences in participation between states and the receipt of over 400, 000 applications nationwide.

READ MORE: Police Intercept Truck Carrying Suspected Explosives in Oyo

While states like Adamawa, Benue, and Kaduna reported high submission rates, the PSC discovered that others like Lagos, Ogun, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, and Anambra reported comparatively low submissions.

The extension is intended to ensure that all states’ representation in the hiring process is equitable, according to the Commission.

The PSC urged all qualified Nigerians to apply through the official recruitment portal, npfapplication, especially those from states with low application numbers. psc. gov. ng.

Before the new deadline, it also directed state governments, local government councils, socio-cultural organizations, religious organizations, community leaders, and other stakeholders to mobilize and inform qualified applicants outside of their areas of responsibility.

Barca president unhappy at teen’s ‘unpleasant’ PSG move


Paris St-Germain have signed 18-year-old Barcelona midfielder Dro Fernandez, with the Spanish side’s president calling the situation around the transfer “unpleasant”.

According to Spanish media, PSG have paid 8.2m euros (£7.1m) for Fernandez – a fee that is higher than his 6m euros (£5.2m) release clause – in a bid to keep good relations between the clubs.

The Spanish midfielder’s departure has been controversial as he had been expected to sign a new contract at Barcelona.

But he has now completed a move to PSG on a deal until 2030.

“It has been an unpleasant situation,” Barca president Joan Laporta told Catalunya Radio.

“It came as a surprise because we had agreed on a different solution for when he turned 18.

“Surprisingly, his representative told us he couldn’t follow through on what we’d agreed to.”

PSG said the signing was “fully in line with the club’s sporting strategy, which is heavily focused on youth and talent”.

Fernandez said his move was a “moment of huge pride” and PSG was “a massive club that I’ve followed since I was a child and where some great legends have made history”.

In a separate post on Instagram, he wrote: “After nearly four unforgettable seasons, today I have to make one of the most difficult decisions of my life: saying goodbye to the club that has been my home in recent years.”

Asked about Fernandez’s future earlier this month, Barca coach Hansi Flick said young players needed to “live for” the club and suggested the teenager would be making a mistake if he moved to France.

“We give them the opportunity to train with us, to grow, every day, with the best players in the world. We give them the opportunity, we give them the support, believe in them, the confidence,” he said.

“If you want to play for Barca, then [do it] 100% with your whole heart.

“This is what I want to say to everyone who is now with us, or in the future with us, this must be 100%.

“These colours, you have to live for them, this is what I want to see. All the others I don’t want, this is what I can say.

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‘It left a sour taste’ – Ireland target fast Six Nations start


Captain Caelan Doris says Ireland are determined to atone for a disappointing end to last year’s Six Nations, starting with next week’s tournament opener against holders France.

Ireland beat England, Scotland and Wales to secure the 2025 Triple Crown before their bid for a third successive title fell apart in a hugely demoralising 42-27 loss to France in Dublin.

While Ireland endured a mixed autumn campaign that included losses to New Zealand and South Africa, Doris says the squad are targeting a statement win over Les Bleus in the Thursday night curtain-raiser at Stade de France.

“The way the fixtures fell last year we obviously had the Triple Crown after three games and it was the last two games that let us down,” the 27-year-old Leinster back row told the BBC.

“We obviously won in Rome but the nature of the performance wasn’t where we would have liked it and having lost to France the week before, it left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.

Caelan Doris and Gregory Alldritt speak to a refereeInpho

Doris, who has made 23 Six Nations appearances, will lead Ireland out against a France side shorn of some high-profile players.

While fit-again captain Antoine Dupont is back, head coach Fabien Galthie opted not to select France’s all-time top try-scorer Damian Penaud, veteran centre Gael Fickou and back row Gregory Alldritt, who skippered the side in Dupont’s absence last year.

Having faced Alldritt on several occasions for both club and country, Doris admits he was surprised by the 28-year-old’s omission.

“If you look at the Top 14 week in, week out, there’s so many quality players at the top level, they’ve got an abundance of talent to choose from,” added Doris.

“I was surprised Alldritt wasn’t in it. I obviously faced him and La Rochelle a few weeks ago. I rate him very highly but they’ve got quality across the back row and I’m sure [Anthony] Jelonch will represent the eight shirt very well.

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    • 1 day ago
    Caelan Doris and Andy Farrell

‘It left a sour taste’ – Ireland target fast Six Nations start


Captain Caelan Doris says Ireland are determined to atone for a disappointing end to last year’s Six Nations, starting with next week’s tournament opener against holders France.

Ireland beat England, Scotland and Wales to secure the 2025 Triple Crown before their bid for a third successive title fell apart in a hugely demoralising 42-27 loss to France in Dublin.

While Ireland endured a mixed autumn campaign that included losses to New Zealand and South Africa, Doris says the squad are targeting a statement win over Les Bleus in the Thursday night curtain-raiser at Stade de France.

“The way the fixtures fell last year we obviously had the Triple Crown after three games and it was the last two games that let us down,” the 27-year-old Leinster back row told the BBC.

“We obviously won in Rome but the nature of the performance wasn’t where we would have liked it and having lost to France the week before, it left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.

Caelan Doris and Gregory Alldritt speak to a refereeInpho

Doris, who has made 23 Six Nations appearances, will lead Ireland out against a France side shorn of some high-profile players.

While fit-again captain Antoine Dupont is back, head coach Fabien Galthie opted not to select France’s all-time top try-scorer Damian Penaud, veteran centre Gael Fickou and back row Gregory Alldritt, who skippered the side in Dupont’s absence last year.

Having faced Alldritt on several occasions for both club and country, Doris admits he was surprised by the 28-year-old’s omission.

“If you look at the Top 14 week in, week out, there’s so many quality players at the top level, they’ve got an abundance of talent to choose from,” added Doris.

“I was surprised Alldritt wasn’t in it. I obviously faced him and La Rochelle a few weeks ago. I rate him very highly but they’ve got quality across the back row and I’m sure [Anthony] Jelonch will represent the eight shirt very well.

Related topics

  • Irish Rugby
  • Northern Ireland Sport
  • Rugby Union
  • Ireland Rugby Union

More on this story

    • 1 day ago
    Caelan Doris and Andy Farrell

Dangote Refinery Hikes Gantry Petrol Price To ₦799, Pump Price To ₦839 Per Litre At MRS Stations

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s management has announced new pump prices of $839 per litre and a new gantry Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) price of $799.

The Refinery made the price adjustments public on Monday in a statement.

The development comes in addition to the previously announced 699-litre gantry price and the 739-liter pump price, which were both announced prior to the previous Yuletide celebration.

Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, announced a nationwide reduction in the price of gasoline, starting at MRS stations in Lagos, to a price of 739 per litre ahead of the 2025 Christmas celebration.

The gantry price was reduced from 828 to 699 per litre, according to Dangote at a press briefing at the Lekki refinery.

He emphasized his commitment to combating price manipulation and said that the 739 per litre pump price would be enforced.

“From Tuesday, MRS will begin selling gasoline at N739 per liter. We will undoubtedly impose that low price. We’ll ensure that it is put into practice. You can come to this location to purchase your truck if you have one. At N699, we are selling. The NMDPRA percentage is included in the N699. So roughly N389 or so actually comes out to us.

We will fight as hard as we can to keep these prices low, according to the statement “Those who want to keep the price to sabotage the government.” The price is not N970. He said to reporters at the time, “You can pick up gasoline at N699 if you have money to come and buy.”

However, Dangote noted that with the holiday season over, PMS prices have been moderately adjusted to maintainable levels in order to support long-term market stability and affordability in a statement sent by the refinery management to journalists on Monday.

According to the statement, “The PMS gantry price is 799 per litre, while MRS retail outlets are selling at 839 per litre,” which indicates an increase in price from the previously announced pump price of 739 per litre.

However, The Refinery reiterated its commitment to uninterrupted supply of products and market stability.

David Bird, the CEO of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, stated during a statement regarding the development that the refinery “continues to supply the domestic market with approximately 50 million litres of PMS daily, with nationwide evacuation and distribution operating normally.”

He noted that the Refinery can process a wide range of crude and intermediate feedstocks while maintaining its planned maintenance schedule.

This ability, in his opinion, keeps the domestic supply uninterrupted and stable.

Petrol
NNPCL trucks lining up at the Dangote Refinery to load gasoline. X/@nnpclimited

Meanwhile, the Refinery’s management has made allegations that some oil marketers are denying the benefit of price reductions to the general public.

The Refinery noted that to help Nigerians cope with rising household spending during the most recent holiday season, it purposefully and temporarily implemented a price support program.

According to the Refinery, this year saw the second consecutive holiday season when it incorporated high costs, including logistics support in 2024 and a price reduction in 2025 to promote affordability and market calm.

However, it noted that “many filling stations failed to accurately reflect the new price at the pump, denying Nigerians the benefits of the reduction,” despite the price reduction.

READ ALSO: Dangote’s Petrol Will Be Sold For $739 Per Litre Starting On Tuesday.

The Refinery reduced the gantry price from 828 to 699 per litre in December.

One of the several price cuts made by the Refinery was the one that pitted Dangote against oil marketers who had accused him of plotting to snitch the upstream market.

The Refinery, however, continued to defend its position as a domestic producer, saying that it “continues to protect the Nigerian market from import-related volatility and external supply disruptions, while remaining a stabilizing force in the downstream petroleum sector.”

Electoral Reforms, Constitution Review, 2026 Budget To Be Prioritised As NASS Resumes — Senate Leader

As the Senate resumes plenary for the remaining 16 months of the 10th Assembly, Opeyemi Bamidele, the leader of the Senate, has stated that the National Assembly will prioritize constitutional amendments, constitutional amendments, and the passage of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

The Assembly’s legislative agenda as it enters the final year of its four-year tenure was laid out in a statement released on Tuesday by Bamidele.

Only 16 months remain, underscoring the need for swift, well-considered legislative responses to Nigeria’s economic, political, and governance challenges.

According to him, the Assembly has spent the past 32 months working on radical reforms that will transform Nigeria’s extraction-dependent economy into a diversified, globally competitive one.

READ ALSO: NASS Proposes Prisoners’ Voting Rights In Electoral Law, &nbsp.

As we resume the plenary, he said, “We have resolved to take into account and finish legislative initiatives that directly affect our electoral regime and governance structure, while consolidating reforms that have already been started to improve efficiency and people-centredness.”

The 2026 Appropriation Bill, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 18, 2025, would receive significant attention from the Assembly, according to Bamidele.

He claimed that the proposed budget is essential to preserving macroeconomic stability, boosting global competitiveness, and promoting economic growth through higher wages, job creation, and improved quality of life for Nigerians.

The Senate Leader claimed that recent fiscal reforms, including the passage of the 2025 Tax Reform Act, have reduced Nigeria’s fiscal burden by reducing the burden on low-income earners while imposing greater responsibility on high-income earners, which he claimed would help reduce budget deficits over time.

Prior to the 2027 general elections, Bamidele disclosed that the National Assembly has started a clause-by-clause review of the Electoral Act, 2022, through the proposed Electoral Bill, 2025.

He claimed that the Bill introduces more than 20 significant reforms, including mandatory release of election funds to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) one year before elections, electronic voter identification using QR codes, and required electronic transmission of polling unit results.

Other proposed changes include stricter voter registration standards, a stricter system for party primaries, increased campaign spending restrictions, tougher penalties for electoral crimes, and mandatory jail sentences for election-frauders who buy votes, falsify results, and obstruct election officials.

He claims that offenders who are found guilty of buying votes could face 10-year elections suspension, two-year prison, and fines of up to $5 million.

Bamidele predicted that soon the INEC Committees in both chambers would submit their reports for discussion, discussion, and voting before giving assent to the President.

He also made it clear that technical sessions have concluded and reports from public hearings have been submitted, and that the 1999 Constitution has advanced.

Senator Barau Jibrin, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review and Deputy President of the Senate, is expected to deliver the report to the Senate before the end of the first quarter of 2026, he added.

Bamidele urged state legislatures to take the proposals on their merits and that at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly would be required to approve them.