The Federal Government has moved decisively to dispel widespread confusion surrounding a recent decision by the Federal Executive Council. The government insists that a Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, degree will not replace or be considered equivalent to the medical fellowship in Nigeria. This clarification aims to address what officials describe as significant misrepresentation of the policy across various media platforms. The core of the issue revolves around the distinct pathways for academic research and clinical specialist certification in the country's medical sector.
The policy in question was approved by the Federal Executive Council, which is chaired by President Bola Tinubu. The decision simply grants the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College the authority to seek accreditation from the National Universities Commission, NUC, to award PhD degrees in relevant medical and research fields. This move is intended to expand the academic offerings of the college, not to alter the foundational structure of clinical training. It represents an administrative step to potentially formalize high-level research degrees within the medical education framework.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, provided explicit clarification on the matter. He explained that several reports across traditional and digital media had misrepresented the policy, creating the impression that the government intended to equate a PhD with the prestigious medical fellowship qualification required for specialist clinical practice. The Minister stressed that medical fellowship remains a distinct and superior professional qualification in clinical medicine. It is earned only after physicians undergo rigorous residency training and meet other stringent postgraduate medical education requirements for specialist certification, a process fundamentally different from academic doctoral pursuits.
In a separate development within the Nigeria Police Force, the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, will vacate the office in Abuja on Friday. This brings to an end a five-month tenure for the spokesperson. Hundeyin was appointed Force Public Relations Officer in September 2025 when he held the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP. He succeeded Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who had been promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, marking a routine change in the force's communication leadership.
According to reports, a senior police officer has been pencilled down to replace Hundeyin, although the officer’s identity had not been made public as of press time. This indicates an ongoing internal process to appoint a new chief spokesperson for the police force. The transition highlights the regular administrative rotations within the Nigeria Police Force's public affairs department, which plays a critical role in managing the institution's interface with the public and the media.
On the international front, US President Donald Trump on Thursday fired Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said Markwayne Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, would take over from Noem at the powerful department on March 31. The president said Noem, 54, would become his special envoy for a new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere he called “The Shield of the Americas,” signaling a significant reshuffle in his administration's security team.
President Trump also made remarks concerning leadership succession in Iran. He stated that he must be personally involved in the process of selecting a new leader for Iran. Trump acknowledged that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is widely seen as the likely successor. However, he dismissed this prospect, stating, “They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodríguez] in Venezuela,” asserting an unconventional and direct role in the internal affairs of another sovereign nation.
In Kano State, Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Bakori, announced the arrest of a suspect allegedly circulating audio and video clips for inciting public disorder and creating tension and fear. The Police Commissioner, who made this known while addressing newsmen at the police headquarters in Bompai, vowed that the suspect, who is currently under interrogation, will be made to face the full weight of the law at the end of investigation. CP Bakori urged residents to disregard rumours of protest circulating in the state and issued a stern warning to content creators to immediately cease from creation and dissemination of such inflammatory content, underscoring ongoing efforts to maintain public order.
