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 Gov. Yusuf Resigns NNPP Membership as Kano Political Realignment Deepens Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has formally resigned his membership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), citing deepening internal crises and the need to safeguard the broader interest of the people of Kano State. This was contained in a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa on Friday. The Governor, in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Diso-Chiranchi Ward, NNPP, Gwale Local Government Area, officially communicated his decision to withdraw from the party with effect from Friday 23rd January 2026. “I write with a deep sense of gratitude to formally notify the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) of my decision to resign my membership of the party, with effect from Sunday, 25 January 2026.” Governor Yusuf expressed appreciation to the party for the platform and support extended to him throughout his political engagement with the NNPP. “...

 Stop calling me bro or blood – 22-year-old Ondo king issues warning A 22-year-old Ondo monarch, Oba Oloyede Akinghare II, has told the public to stop using casual terms when addressing him and to always use his official royal title, His Royal Majesty. In a statement released on Friday, the Chief of Staff to the monarch, Prince Adefemi Olorunfemi, said the king must always be addressed as His Royal Majesty. He noted that informal terms like “bro” or “blood” are unacceptable and would no longer be tolerated.

 Governor of Abia State, governor Alex Chioma Otti was at the nysc orientation camp, umunna, Bende local government area of Abia State.  He received a rousing welcome from corp members and camp officials. It's worth noting that Otti, since becoming the governor of Abia State has been so cheerful to corpers, he increased the state allowance meant for corpers and also rehabilitated the nysc camping facilities.   In his speech, he encouraged the new corpers to serve the country diligently and of good behaviour. He also promised to always support the scheme. More photos below. 

 President Bola Ahmed Tinubu meets with  Olubadan of Ibadanland,Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday 23/01/2026, Photo State House. More details later and more photos below. 

 PRESS RELEASE RETURN HOME, LEGENDARY MUSIC ICON JEFFREY DANIEL URGES AFRICANS IN DIASPORA ABUJA, JAN. 22, 2026: Legendary American-African Music icon Jeffrey Daniel has urged Africans in Diaspora to connect to the motherland by visiting  regularly or relocating to the continent, just as he has done. Jeffrey Glenn Daniel , of the Legendary Shalamar music band fame,gave this advice when he paid a courtesy call on Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/ CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) in Abuja. He expressed gratitude for the warm reception and shared his motivation for relocating to and living permanently in Nigeria.  Daniel, a pioneer in street dance and R and B music and a founding member of the iconic soul-funk group Shalamar, known for timeless hits such as "A Night to Remember" and "The Second Time around , reflected on his experience at the fifth edition of the Badagry Door of Return Festival organised by NIDCOM. He described the moment as one of joy, heali...

 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES: NASS COMMITTEES ON NWDC/NWDC CONVENE DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT The Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the North-West Development Commission (NWDC), in collaboration with the North-West Development Commission, is to convene a One-day North-West Stakeholders’ Development Summit  next week in Kaduna, Kaduna State. The theme is “Advancing a Coordinated Regional Development Agenda for North-West Nigeria. According to the Chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the North-West Development Commission, the summit is expected to bring together key stakeholders from across the seven North-West states to jointly reflect on the region’s development challenges and align priorities for sustainable growth. “The North-West faces complex and interconnected challenges ranging from insecurity and infrastructure gaps to youth unemployment and social development deficits. These issues cannot be addressed in silos. This summit provi...

 Blake Lively and Taylor Swift's text messages revealed in lawsuit against Justin Baldoni  A collection of private text messages and emails involving Blake Lively — including personal exchanges with her longtime friend Taylor Swift — has been made public after being unsealed as part of the ongoing legal battle between Lively and actor-director Justin Baldoni. The documents were filed by Baldoni’s legal team as the case moves closer to trial and stem from Lively’s lawsuit accusing Baldoni and a crisis communications specialist he hired of harassment and orchestrating a campaign to damage her reputation after she raised concerns about his behavior during the filming of the 2024 romantic drama It Ends With Us. Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, later countersued Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, alleging defamation and extortion, though that countersuit was dismissed last June by U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman. The judge has not yet ruled on whet...

 U.S completes withdrawal from World Health Organization    The United States has formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, finalizing a decision announced one year ago by President Donald Trump to end the country’s 78-year relationship with the global health body. Federal officials confirmed the exit on Thursday, though they acknowledged the separation is not a clean break. The U.S. still owes more than $130 million in outstanding obligations, and administration officials conceded that several unresolved issues remain, including the loss of access to international disease surveillance data that has historically provided early warnings of emerging health threats. The World Health Organization serves as the United Nations’ primary public health agency, coordinating responses to outbreaks such as Ebola, mpox, and polio, setting global health guidelines, and assisting lower-income nations with vaccines, treatments, and medical infrastructure. Near...

TikTok completes agreement to establish new US entity TikTok has finalized a deal to create a new U.S.-based entity, resolving years of uncertainty over the platform’s potential ban in the United States, where it is used by more than 200 million Americans. The agreement includes major investors Oracle, Silver Lake, and Emirati firm MGX, who will help form the TikTok U.S. joint venture. The company said the new entity will operate under strict safeguards to protect national security, including robust data protections, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurances for U.S. users. The app itself will remain the same for Americans. Former TikTok head of operations and trust and safety, Adam Presser, will serve as CEO of the new venture, working alongside a seven-member board of directors that is majority American and includes TikTok CEO Shou Chew. The deal comes after years of political pressure and legislation that threatened to ban the platform unless it divested from i...

 Iranian prosecutor refutes Trump’s claim that 800 prisoners were spared execution  Iran’s top prosecutor on Friday strongly denied U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he had prevented the execution of 800 protesters detained in the country, calling the assertion “completely false.” The announcement comes as activists say the death toll from Iran’s nationwide crackdown has risen to at least 5,002, though many fear the real number is higher amid the country’s ongoing internet blackout, now in its third week. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain elevated as an American aircraft carrier group moves closer to the region. Trump described the buildup as an “armada,” though analysts say it has so far been a show of force rather than direct military action. Experts note that the mass execution of prisoners had been a potential red line for military intervention, alongside the killing of peaceful demonstrators. Prosecutor Mohammad Movahedi refuted Trump’s claim, emp...

 US, Russia, and Ukraine to meet for trilateral talks in UAE, Zelenskyy says Trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are set to take place in the United Arab Emirates, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Zelenskyy said the meetings would occur over the next two days and called on Russia to be prepared for compromises, noting that both Kyiv and Moscow face a challenging situation in the nearly four-year conflict. Zelenskyy’s announcement came shortly after a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the forum. Both leaders described the discussion as positive but acknowledged that the final stages of negotiations are difficult. Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for peace talks, with Witkoff expressing optimism that remaining issues could be resolved. He said ...

Three shot, two killed in apparent murder-suicide inside Bronx apartment, police say  An off-duty Port Authority police officer fatally shot his sister, critically wounded his elderly mother, and then took his own life in an apparent murder-suicide inside a Bronx apartment Thursday morning. Emergency crews were called just before 8 a.m. to the Winston Churchill Building on Johnson Avenue near Kappock Street in the Spuyten Duyvil section after reports of gunfire in a lower-level unit. Authorities said the building’s doorman contacted 911 after discovering the scene. Inside the apartment, officers found a 55-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman dead from gunshot wounds, with a firearm recovered nearby. Investigators believe the man was the shooter and that the woman killed was his sister. An 86-year-old woman, believed to be the mother of both the shooter and the victim, was also found at the scene suffering from gunshot wounds. She was treated by EMS and rushed to Harlem Hospital in...

 ICE detains four Minnesota students, including 5-year-old, district says A public school district north of Minneapolis said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents recently detained four of its students, including a 5-year-old boy. Zena Stenvik, superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, said during a Wednesday news conference that two of the students were taken while on their way to school. She described the arrest of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, which occurred in their driveway on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after Liam returned from preschool. Stenvik said another adult present at the scene pleaded with the agents to let him care for the child, but the request was denied. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that ICE was not targeting the child. The spokesperson said agents were focused on the father, who fled on foot during the arrest, leaving his son behind. For the child’s safety, an officer rem...

Paris Hilton backs House push for deepfakes legislation Supporters of a bill aimed at combating nonconsensual AI-generated sexual imagery called on the House to advance the legislation on Thursday, highlighting the growing threat of deepfake content and the need for legal recourse for victims. The Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits (DEFIANCE) Act, which has already passed the Senate, would give individuals the right to sue over the production, possession, or distribution of nonconsensual explicit deepfake images when there is intent to disclose them. At a press event, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) were joined by Paris Hilton and other co-sponsors to urge House leadership to move the bill forward. Ocasio-Cortez stressed the need for civil remedies beyond existing criminal laws, such as the Take It Down Act, which made the publication of nonconsensual intimate imagery a federal crime. Lee said the bill addresses potential F...

Olympic flame travels down Venice’s Grand Canal for first time  The Olympic flame made a historic journey through Venice on Thursday, with torchbearers navigating boats along the Grand Canal and across St. Mark’s Basin, passing the iconic Doge’s Palace in a scenic display ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. The flame arrived near dusk at Venice’s Piazzale Roma, the city’s main transit hub, and traveled across the Ponte delle Guglie in Cannaregio before reaching the Rialto Bridge. From there, it was loaded onto a boat to continue along the Grand Canal toward the Accademia Bridge. Olympic gold medalist cyclist Francesco Lamon was among the torchbearers, describing the experience as “an indescribable emotion.” Venice, long a key crossroads between Eastern and Western civilizations, is known for its Byzantine architecture and historic trade in spices, silks, and art. Today, it serves as the capital of the Veneto region, which also includes Cortina, one of the Winter Games host cit...

 Yiaga Africa released its first 2027 election survey: - 77% of Nigerians intend to vote in 2027. - 42% fear electoral violence Intention to vote by zone from highest to lowest: North- West (67%)  North East (45%) South South (29%) South East (25%) What will drive voting choices in 2027? - 21% Security situation - 21% Quality of Candidates - 17% Economic Conditions Trust in INEC: - 45% of Nigerians have confidence in INEC Distrust in INEC: - South-South 50%  - South East 55% Youth Paradox: - Young Nigerians aged 18-35 are less likely to vote than middle aged (36-60) voters. 76% of Nigerians are unaware of recent electoral reforms. 60% of Nigerians view voting as a civic duty not choice. What will increase turnout in 2027? - 67% Better Security. - 43% More Credible Candidates. 35% Improved INEC logistics. 48% young voters view politics as transactional  68% Elderly voters see elections as responsibility.

 Abuja Federal High Court Pauses PDP Factional Leadership Suit Pending Appeal Court Ruling The Federal High Court in Abuja has temporarily suspended proceedings in a high-stakes suit filed by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, against the rival camp led by Tanimu Kabiru Turaki. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the ruling on Friday during the resumed hearing of the case, which seeks to restrain the Turaki-led leadership—from the 5th to 25th defendants—from parading themselves as representatives of the PDP in any capacity. The suit was instituted by the Wike-aligned faction, including acting National Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman and factional National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu. At the session, defence counsel Chris Uche, SAN, representing the Turaki camp, first withdrew an earlier application for a stay of proceedings. Plaintiffs' counsel Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, raised no objection, and the jud...

 Nigerians push back at Air France staff over in-flight service complaints A video circulating online shows some Nigerian passengers confronting an Air France staff member over the airline’s onboard services. In the footage, a man is seen arguing with the flight attendant, joined by other Nigerians who said they were not even served water during the flight. When the attendant told the man to “shut up,” other Nigerian passengers intervened, telling her to also “shut up”. At one point, the staff member who was joined by other staff threatened to call the police, but the Nigerians passengers told her to go on and make the call. It remains unclear what happened following the confrontation. Watch video below. 

 TROOPS OF  OPERATION HADIN KAI  RECORD MAJOR SUCCESS AGAINST BH/ISWAP TERRORISTS IN SAMBISA, MANDARA MOUNTAINS Troops of  the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) operating under Operation DESERT SANITY V delivered a decisive blow to BH/ISWAP terrorists along the Sambisa and Mandara Mountains axis on 22 January 2026. The  insurgents attempted a well-planned ambush with Roadside Improvised Explosive Devices (RSIED) and heavy gunfire, but impressively  troops under Sector 1 responded with superior firepower, neutralizing 10 terrorists including 2 senior commanders identified as Basulhu and Ubaida. Follow-up pursuit and exploitation led to the recovery of 3 AK-47 rifles, one pump-action rifle, 5 motorcycles, 2 hand grenades, 2 Baofeng radios, 12 x AK-47 magazines, a Rocket Propelled Grenade charger, detonation cords, batteries,bandoliers,  camel bags as well as iron bars and IED accessories.  On a seperate offensive axis, troops ...

 FOOD SECURITY/ECONOMIC GROWTH: FG TO SUPPORT UNIVERSITIES The Federal Government has pledged to support agriculture and infrastructure development across universities nationwide as part of efforts to strengthen food security, reduce poverty and drive economic growth. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi who hosted a delegation from the Federal University of Education, Kontagora  said the ministry’s intervention in tertiary institutions would focus on practical, hands-on agricultural training and profitable entrepreneurship capable of producing a new generation of agripreneurs. He said collaboration with universities would priorities smart agriculture practices that deploy digital technology and data analytics to improve efficiency, profitability and sustainability.  The minister also expressed concern over the decline in agriculture teachers, noting that the situation prompted the formation of the Young Farmers Club (YFC), a youth-f...

 Rivers State High Court Adjourns Gov Fubara's Case Indefinitely  Justice Florence Fiberesima of Oyigbo High Court of Rivers State sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned indefinitely the suit filed by governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Professor Ngozi Ordu challenging the impeachment processes against them by the Speaker and twenty-six other members of Rivers State house of Assembly as well as the clerk of the house  The lead counsel to Martin Chike-Amaewhule and twenty-seven other house of Assembly members, S.I AMEN, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria informed the court about the appeal which has been entered and orally applied the court to stop further hearing pending the determination of the appeal. The oral applications were not opposed by the lead claimants counsel, Paul Orikolo SAN, and Lawrence Oko-Jaja who is the counsel to twenty-eighth to thirtieth defendants in the court who are Oko Jumbo Sokari Goodboy  and Orubienimigha Timothy. Ruling on the applicati...

 Uganda army chief reports 30 opposition deaths, 2,000 arrests Uganda's army chief and son of newly re-elected President Yoweri Museveni said on Friday that 30 opposition supporters had been killed and 2,000 detained in the wake of the vote. "We have arrested over 2,000 hooligans that Kabobi thought he would use," army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba wrote on X, using his nickname for Wine. "So far we have killed 30 NUP terrorists," he said, referring to Wine's party, the National Unity Platform. Opposition leader Bobi Wine remained in hiding on Friday after accusing security forces of raiding his home in the aftermath of the election on January 15. He has described the election as "blatant theft" and called for protests. Museveni, 81, won a seventh term in office with 72 percent of the vote to Wine's 25 percent, according to the Electoral Commission. President Yoweri Museveni told the nation on Sunday that his landslide victory in Uganda's elect...

 Kajuru Representatives Express Concern Over Kurmin Wali Abduction, Laud Gov. Uba Sani’s Swift Response Representatives of the people of Kajuru Local Government Area have expressed deep concern over the recent kidnapping incident in Kurmin Wali village, describing the event as distressing and traumatic for the affected families and the wider community. In a joint statement by Hon. Fidelix Joseph Bagudu, Member of the House of Representatives for Chikun–Kajuru Federal Constituency, and Hon. Usman Danlami Stingo, Member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing Kajuru Constituency, the lawmakers sympathised with the victims and residents of Kurmin Wali, noting that the incident has severely shaken the community’s sense of safety.  They stressed that no family should be left in uncertainty over the fate of loved ones and reaffirmed their solidarity with those affected. The statement disclosed that since the incident occurred, the Member representing Chikun–Kajuru Federal...

 SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION APPOINTS TWO DEPUTY CORPS MARSHALS FOR SOUTH EAST AND NORTH EAST ZONES The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Distinguished Senator George Akume CON has approved the appointment of two Assistant Corps Marshals (ACM) as Deputy Corps Marshals (DCM), for the S/East and N/East geopolitical zones of the country. The appointment of the seasoned officers is part of a decisive move aimed at strengthening leadership depth, enhancing operational effectiveness and consolidating road safety management. The newly appointed Deputy Corps Marshals are; DCM Hyginus Omeje who presently heads the Operations Department and DCM Mark Sabiya, in charge of the Department of Finance and Accounts both at the national headquarters. According to the SGF, the decision was guided by the need to deploy experienced, disciplined and performance oriented officers to strategic designations in order to strengthen national road safety management and impr...

 LASG MOVES TO DELIVER STABLE POWER AS STAKEHOLDERS CONVERGE ON 132KV/33KV SUBSTATION FOR IBEJU-LEKKI The Lagos State Government has taken a decisive step towards addressing the long-standing electricity and gas infrastructure deficit in Ibeju-Lekki with the convening of a high-level stakeholders’ meeting on the establishment of a 132KV/33KV Power Substation at Sapati Village, Ibeju-Lekki. The meeting, held on Tuesday, 20th January 2026, at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, was chaired by the Honourable Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. BiodunOgunleye. In his opening remarks, the Commissioner conveyed the directive of Governor Sanwo-Olu,  emphasising that the provision of stable electricity and gas infrastructure for the people of Ibeju-Lekki remains a top priority of the present administration. He noted that the Governor is determined to ensure that residents of the axis finally enjoy a rel...