NEWS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to return to Nigeria today, Saturday, following his participation, alongside some cabinet members, in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026). According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Nigeria used the opportunity of the summit to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The agreement is designed to strengthen economic ties between both countries by expanding trade and investment, promoting technology transfer, and increasing cooperation in critical sectors such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and renewable energy. While addressing participants at the summit, President Tinubu announced plans to host a joint Nigeria–UA...

In a major step towards strengthening internal security across Edo Central Senatorial District, Governor Monday Okpebholo has handed over 10 brand new patrol vehicles to security agencies operating in the district. In a statement released on Saturday by the governor’s CPS, Patrick Ebojele, Okpebholo affirmed his administration’s zero-tolerance stance on crime and criminality. The presentation ceremony, held at Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area, attracted traditional rulers from across Esanland, security stakeholders, political leaders and community representatives. The event also formed part of the Governor’s ongoing interactive security engagements designed to identify challenges, improve collaboration, and deploy targeted solutions across communities. Governor...

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni won a seventh term in office on Saturday after an election marred by violence and an internet shutdown, with African observers saying arrests and abductions had “instilled fear”. Museveni, 81, won 71.65 percent of the vote in Thursday’s election, the Electoral Commission said, amid reports of at least 10 deaths and intimidation of the opposition and civil society. His victory allows him to extend his 40-year rule of the east African country. He defeated Bobi Wine, 43, a former singer-turned-politician who won 24.72 percent and said he was in hiding on Saturday after a raid by security forces on his home. Wine has faced relentless pressure since entering politics, including multiple arrests before his first run for the presidency in 202...

Ugandan police have dismissed claims that opposition leader Bobi Wine was arrested amid allegations of electoral irregularities following the country’s general election. On Saturday, January 17, police denied assertions by Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) that soldiers had detained him as President Yoweri Museveni moved toward a decisive re-election victory. The opposition party alleged on Friday night that an army helicopter landed at Wine’s residence in Kampala and that he was taken away to an undisclosed location, a claim that could not be independently verified. Addressing the media, police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said Wine was at his home and free to move about. “He is not under arrest,” Rusoke stated. Attempts to reach Wine and NUP officials for comment were unsuccessfu...

The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences (FUTES), Iyin Ekiti, Prof. Gbenga Aribisala, has announced that the university has completed both admissions and staff recruitment for the 2025/2026 academic session. He urged prospective applicants and job seekers to wait for future opportunities. Speaking during a prayer session at FUTES, Aribisala said, “Admission for the 2025/2026 session is closed, and students have resumed. Staff recruitment was completed in December, with successful candidates approved by the council. Those seeking jobs at FUTES should look elsewhere for now or wait for the next opening.” He emphasized that the university aims to train students who will positively impact society, particularly in technology, and help tackle u...

A Qatar Airways flight carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members made an emergency landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday night after experiencing a technical fault mid-flight. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed in a statement by Permanent Secretary Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu that the aircraft encountered problems while in Nigerian airspace, prompting distress alerts and an immediate emergency response. LASEMA activated its emergency response plan through its 767/112 toll-free lines and deployed teams to the scene. The agency praised the pilot’s professionalism in safely landing the plane, noting that swift, coordinated efforts prevented a potential aviation disaster. “Upon arrival, our team found that the aircraft had alread...

The Nigerian Army has recorded a major peace breakthrough in Cross River State following the voluntary surrender of scores of militants in Akpabuyo Local Government Area under the state government’s amnesty programme. Headquarters 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the militants emerged from their hideouts in the early hours of January 16, 2026, and laid down their arms at Atimbo Rear Area, Operation OKWOK, in Akpabuyo LGA. The statement was signed by Major Yemi Sokoya, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Headquarters 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army. According to the Army, the militants came from two different camps. The first group, led by ThankGod Ebikontei, also known as Ayibanuagha, presented 39 fighters for the amnesty programm...

The Federal Government has banned the mining of sand within a 10 kilometer radius of River Niger. This id aimed at protecting the first and second Niger bridges. The Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi disclosed this on Friday, Jan. 16, in Asaba,  during the commissioning of the Second Niger Bridge Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras Monitoring Centre. He said  the decision was taken by the Federal Executive Council as part of efforts to protect critical federal infrastructure across the country. According to him, tolling on the second Niger bridge will not begin until all access roads at Anambra and Delta sections are completed. He added that the CCTV monitoring centre was to ensure adequate security along the federal highway. “The toll...

Former Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema has been accused in a lawsuit of having an affair with her former bodyguard, an alleged relationship that reportedly led to the breakdown of his marriage. The suit, filed in North Carolina by Heather Ammel, claims Sinema deliberately interfered in her marriage to Matthew Ammel, a retired U.S. Army veteran who joined Sinema’s Senate security team in April 2022. According to the filing, Ammel frequently accompanied the senator on domestic and international trips and attended multiple concerts with her. Heather Ammel alleges she discovered early in 2024 that Sinema and her husband were exchanging intimate messages via an encrypted messaging app. The lawsuit further claims Sinema provided financial and professional support to Matthew, including cover...

Bayero University, Kano (BUK), has dismissed sixty (60) students across different academic departments after they were implicated in examination malpractice. The decision was taken by the university’s Senate during its 43rd statutory meeting held on January 7, 2026, after considering findings and recommendations submitted by relevant academic and disciplinary bodies. The development was disclosed in an official announcement posted on the university’s Facebook media platform on Friday. According to the statement, investigations revealed that the affected students were involved in various acts that contravened the institution’s examination policies. “After reviewing the cases, the Senate approved the expulsion of the students in accordance with the university’s examination regula...