NEWS

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has told European leaders they are mistaken if they believe the continent can defend itself without the backing of the United States. Speaking on Monday while addressing committees of the European Parliament in Brussels, Rutte dismissed the idea of Europe standing alone on defence matters. “If anyone here believes that the European Union, or Europe as a whole, can defend itself without the United States, they should keep dreaming. It’s simply not possible. We need one another,” he said. Rutte cautioned that for Europe to truly operate independently, defence spending would need to rise to as much as 10 percent of national budgets. He added that European countries would also have to develop their own nuclear capabilities, a move that would cost bi...

North Korea on Tuesday, January 27 fired at least two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan, according to officials in Japan and South Korea, just a day after a senior US defense official praised Seoul as Washington’s “model ally.” The launch marks another escalation in Pyongyang’s expanding missile programme, which analysts say is aimed at enhancing precision strike capabilities, challenging the United States and South Korea, and testing weapons potentially destined for export to Russia. Japan’s coast guard, citing the country’s defence ministry, confirmed that two ballistic missiles were detected flying toward the Sea of Japan. Japanese media outlet Jiji Press reported that the missiles landed outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff...

Nigeria’s national power grid collapsed again on Tuesday. This is the second time in four days. Power generation dropped to just 39 megawatts at 11am, down from 3,825 MW as of 10am. Our team monitoring the situation reported that power generation had peaked at 4,762 MW as of 6am on Tuesday. This is the second grid collapse in January 2026 and the third in less than one month. The national grid previously collapsed on December 29, 2025, and more recently on Friday, January 23, 2026. As the grid collapsed on Tuesday, load allocation to the distribution companies was 0.00 MW, indicating that no Disco was supplying electricity at the time of the incident. The Nigerian Independent System Operator has yet to explain the cause of the current grid collapse. NISO confirmed that...

Tension gripped the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State on Tuesday after traders clashed with security operatives enforcing the closure of the market. Recall that Governor Charles Soludo had ordered the shutdown of the market on Monday, citing continued compliance with the sit-at-home directive issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The governor questioned why traders were still keeping their shops closed despite what he described as a return of peace and normalcy across the state. Earlier on Tuesday, DAILY POST reported the deployment of armoured vehicles and heavily armed police officers to enforce the closure order. Later in the day, however, traders reportedly moved into the market area in an attempt to access their shops, defying the governor’s directive. Th...

Human rights and development lawyer, Frank Tietie, has explained that the Nigerian Armed Forces do not have the constitutional powers to try officers accused of plotting a coup against President Bola Tinubu for treason. Tietie stated that treason is strictly a civilian offence that can only be prosecuted in a regular court of law, not by a military tribunal. Speaking on Monday during an interview on Arise News, he clarified that while the military may raise allegations of mutiny against its personnel, it lacks the legal authority to prosecute any officer for treason. The lawyer also warned against the careless use of the term “coup” while investigations into the alleged actions of some serving officers are still ongoing. “When you talk about a coup, you are referring to the ele...

The Indigenous People of Biafra has asked traders and shop owners at the Onitsha Main Market to open for business on Tuesday, despite Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s directive shutting the market for one week from Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, Soludo ordered the closure of the market following traders’ failure to comply with the state government’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order. The governor gave the directive during an on-site visit to the market alongside some aides and other government officials. He warned that the closure could be extended if traders failed to comply, adding that security agencies had sealed the market to enforce the order. Soludo described the development as the latest—and perhaps most drastic—salvo in a prolonged...

The Anambra State Government has sealed 54 hospitals and clinics across the state between January 2023 and December 2025 following findings of unprofessional and substandard practices. The Ministry of Health confirmed the action, noting that 15 of the affected facilities have since been allowed to reopen after complying with the required operational standards. The closures form part of efforts by the Governor Charles Soludo-led administration to strengthen healthcare delivery and ensure quality medical services across the state. Among the facilities affected is the state-owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku-Awka. The Ministry also provided updates on emergency medical services in Anambra. Since the introduction of the Anambra State Emergency Medica...

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed the arrest of 16 military officers over acts of indiscipline and violations of service rules, with several of them set to face trial before military judicial panels. According to Naija News, the officers are to be prosecuted for various offences, including an alleged attempt to destabilise and overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu. The confirmation was made on Monday in Abuja by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba. He disclosed that investigations by the panel had been concluded and that a number of the officers were found to have cases to answer. Major General Uba stated that the affected personnel would be subjected to court-martial proceedings in accordance with existing military laws and re...

A 73-year-old cleric, identified as Pastor Awolola, has died in a tragic fire outbreak in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. The incident reportedly occurred around 11:58 a.m. on Monday along Cemetery Road in the Irewolede area of the city. Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, said the victim had allegedly set fire to undergrowth on a piece of land he owned, which housed an unfinished building enclosed by a perimeter fence and gate. According to Adekunle, the fire spread rapidly and blocked the only exit, leaving the elderly man trapped inside the premises. He explained that the victim attempted to escape through the perimeter fence, but the flames had already reached that area, leading to his death. Firefighters wer...

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted three daughters of Director of the Plateau State Water Board, Engr. Apollos Simon Samchi.  The victims were reportedly kidnapped in the early hours of Monday, January 26, 2026 during an attack on Samchi’s residence in the Rantya area of Jos South Local Government Area. A source told security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 12:53 a.m. when a distress call was received that gunshots were heard around Dumac Suites in Rantya. The attackers also shot the family’s security guard, identified as Benard Makjwan, in the stomach.  He was rushed to Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, where he is currently receiving treatment. "On arrival at the scene, it was...