By Jabiru Hassan, Kano

The 24th Commandant of the Nigeria Police Academy (POLAC), AIG Patrick Adedeji Atayero, on Thursday held a thanksgiving service to mark his send-off, birthday and wedding anniversary.

The service, held at the All Saints Chapel of the Nigeria Police Academy, brought together family members, colleagues and well-wishers as part of activities marking the end of his tenure as Commandant.In his valedictory address, Atayero expressed appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for the confidence and support extended to him during his leadership of the academy.

He also commended officers in the academy’s professional and academic wings for their cooperation and dedication, while encouraging cadets to uphold integrity, discipline and their core values throughout their careers.The outgoing commandant emphasised the importance of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among members of different faiths within the academy community, calling for continued harmony between Christians and Muslims.The thanksgiving service followed a reception hosted by the Ijesha Progressive Union, Kano Branch, and marked the beginning of a series of farewell activities.

According to the organisers, the programme includes a valedictory expanded management meeting, a badminton tournament, a novelty football match between the academic and professional wings, a symposium and will conclude with a Pull-Out Parade.

By Staff Reporter, Yenagoa

Bayelsa United have commenced pre-season training ahead of the 2026/27 Nigeria National League (NNL) season as the club intensifies preparations for its bid to secure promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The team’s first training session was held at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa under the supervision of the technical crew led by assistant coaches Ngozi Elechi and Anderson West.

The session focused on light fitness drills and tactical exercises as the coaches assessed the players’ fitness levels ahead of the new campaign.The club said additional players are expected to join the squad in the coming days as preparations continue for the Bayelsa United/Prosperity Cup pre-season tournament.

Addressing the players before training, board member Godson Ekarde urged them to approach the season with discipline, commitment and a winning mentality. He assured the players and technical crew of the management’s support, stressing that the club remains focused on earning promotion back to the NPFL, in line with the vision of the Bayelsa State Government. Ekarde also challenged the team to repay the confidence placed in them by delivering consistent performances and positive results throughout the season.

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

The Northern Christian Association (NCA) has called on the Federal Government to explain what it described as disparities in funding for church and mosque projects contained in the proposed 2026 Appropriation Bill.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, the association said reports indicated that about ₦1.91 billion was allocated to seven church-related projects, while approximately ₦6.14 billion was earmarked for 52 mosque-related projects.

The NCA said it was not opposed to government support for religious projects but argued that such allocations should reflect the constitutional principles of fairness, transparency and equal treatment of all citizens, regardless of religious affiliation.

According to the association, the reported disparity has raised concerns among Christians about equity in public spending and the implementation of government policies. Hayab urged the Federal Government to clarify the basis for the allocations, stating that public policies and budgetary decisions should promote national unity and inspire public confidence.

“Government should not establish a system that creates division among citizens or gives the impression that one religious community is more important than another,” the statement said.

The association maintained that its position should not be interpreted as opposition to government engagement with faith-based organisations but as a call for balanced and transparent allocation of public resources. As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Government had not publicly responded to the concerns raised by the association.