The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

Veekee James shares emotional pregnancy confirmation after year-long wait

Celebrity fashion designer Veekee James has revealed the emotional moment she and her husband, Femi Atere, discovered they were expecting their first child.

The Nation had earlier reported that the designer announced her pregnancy on Tuesday through a video showing her and her husband cradling her baby bump.

In a video shared on her Instagram page, James was seen taking a pregnancy test alongside her husband and broke down in tears after the result confirmed she was pregnant.

The designer, who disclosed that she had been trying to conceive for about a year, expressed gratitude to God, describing Him as a “timely God who makes everything beautiful in His own time.”

Read Also: Veekee James, husband announce pregnancy in ethereal video

“Truly, God is not and will never be man! For us, we tried for a year; you might have tried for years, and you might have given up hope, but do not forget that we serve a timely God who makes everything beautiful in His own time, so that the Glory will be His to share with no man!”, she captioned the post.

James also used the occasion to encourage others who may be struggling with fertility, urging them to hold on to faith, as she declared, “your testimony is already here.”

“I am joining my faith with yours, that this year, as long as it pleases the Lord of Hosts, your testimony is already here! It is yours for the taking! Amen”, she added.

The announcement has sparked an outpouring of congratulations from fans and fellow celebrities.

February 4, 2026
One dies, seven injured in Ibadan multiple-vehicle crash

A yet-to-be-identified middle-aged woman has died following an early morning road accident in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The crash, which occurred at the Iwo Road end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, also left no fewer than seven persons with varying degrees of injuries.

At least three vehicles were involved in the accident, which sources attributed to brake failure. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) identified the vehicles as a red Nissan Micra with registration number MNY 539 XN, a white tanker truck, and a commercial Toyota Hiace bus with registration number BBS 863 XA.

Read Also: FRSC caution motorists on hazy weather, poor visibility

It was gathered that the driver of one of the vehicles lost control, triggering multiple collisions.

The deceased, who was a passenger in the Nissan Micra, reportedly died at the scene, while other occupants of the vehicle sustained serious injuries.

Sources said the remains of the victim had been deposited at a morgue, while the injured were receiving treatment at a nearby hospital. The Nissan Micra was severely damaged in the crash.

The FRSC in Oyo State confirmed the incident.

The accident caused heavy traffic congestion, as motorists travelling towards Iwo Road from within and outside the state were stranded for hours before the wreckage was eventually cleared.

February 4, 2026
FG flags off water, irrigation, flood control projects across Kano, Jigawa

The Federal Government has flagged off a series of water infrastructure, irrigation, flood control and human capital development projects across Kano and Jigawa States, reaffirming its commitment to food security, climate resilience and sustainable livelihood.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, led the inauguration of key projects under the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA), including the Bela Dam Project and a pilot Kaukau Drip Irrigation scheme in Bichi Local Government Area of Kano State.

Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony for the Bela Dam in Bela Community, the Minister described the project as a major milestone in sustainable water management and agricultural development.

He explained that the multipurpose dam, with a storage capacity of 775,000 cubic metres, is designed to mitigate perennial flooding while supporting irrigation, domestic water supply, fisheries, livestock production and other agricultural activities.

According to him, the dam will significantly improve livelihoods, boost food production, expand economic opportunities for the host community and strengthen climate resilience. He urged residents to support and protect the project to ensure long-term benefits.

“As a nation, we can transform our water resources into powerful drivers of prosperity, food sufficiency and national development,” Utsev said.

During the same visit, the Minister launched a pilot drip irrigation scheme at Kaukau and performed a symbolic planting of crops alongside the Managing Director of HJRBDA, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, and technical directors from the Ministry, underscoring the Federal Government’s commitment to practical, results-driven agricultural interventions.

Earlier in Kano State, Prof. Utsev commissioned a modern Conference and Training Centre at the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, describing it as a strategic facility for equipping youths and women with technical and practical skills for climate-smart and innovative agriculture.

He said the centre was conceived as a hub for grooming a new generation of agripreneurs who would drive productivity, adopt modern technologies and contribute meaningfully to national development through job creation and self-reliance.

“By empowering our youth and women with practical agricultural skills, we are strengthening the agricultural sector, creating jobs and promoting inclusive economic growth,” the Minister stated.

Read Also: Flooding: Group to empower 40 Anambra farmers on solar processing, storage

Graduating trainees at the centre received hands-on training in drip irrigation, hydroponics, greenhouse technology and the “Every Home a Garden” initiative.

The Minister later proceeded to Jigawa State, where he flagged off the Jahun Drainage and Erosion Control Project in Jahun Local Government Area.

He said the intervention marked a decisive response to decades of erosion and flooding that had destroyed farmlands, disrupted livelihoods and threatened lives and property.

He explained that beyond flood control, the project would enable the harnessing of water for productive agricultural use, supporting year-round farming and stable food production.

He called on the benefiting community to take ownership of the project and safeguard it for future generations.

Representing the Executive Governor of Jigawa State, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Aminu Usman Gumel, commended the Federal Government for the intervention, noting that it would curb perennial flooding, improve living conditions and boost the local economy. He added that the project includes a youth training component in drip irrigation.

The Managing Director of HJRBDA, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister for their support, describing the projects as part of a holistic approach to modern irrigation, flood management and agricultural development.

The project inauguration across both states were attended by senior officials of the Ministry, traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, women and farmers, with highlights including the graduation of youths trained in drip irrigation on rehabilitated lands.

February 4, 2026
Uba Sani commissions Kauru road, ends 45 years of neglect

Relief has finally come to communities along the Pambeguwa–Kahutu–Kauru axis as Governor Uba Sani on Tuesday commissioned the 22-kilometre asphalt road linking Kubau and Kauru local government areas, ending decades of difficult travel and isolation.

The project, which includes a span bridge connecting the two councils, is seen by residents as the first real answer to a road need that had lingered for close to 50 years without resolution.

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Sani recalled that when he visited the area on August 27, 2024, to flag off the project, the journey from Pambeguwa to Kauru took nearly one hour due to the deplorable state of the road.

He noted with satisfaction that the same trip took less than 12 minutes on Tuesday, attributing the dramatic improvement to the completion of the road project.

According to him, Kauru was among 12 local governments in Kaduna State that had not benefited from any road project in the last 12 years, despite the strategic importance of the route to surrounding communities.

He said previous administrations had recognised the importance of the road and made attempts to fix it, but “for various reasons, the project remained incomplete.”

Read Also: Kaduna: Uba Sani commissions the longest road in 20 years

“When we broke ground for this road on 27th August 2024, we made a solemn commitment to the people of these communities. Today, we return not with explanations or excuses, but with a completed project that speaks for itself,” the governor said.

He stressed that the commissioning underscored a defining principle of his administration that promises made to the people must be kept through visible and measurable delivery.

Governor Sani assured residents that the government would not stop at the highway but would also construct township roads and address the nearly 20-year electricity blackout affecting Kauru town.

He recalled that since assuming office, his administration had embarked on what he described as an ambitious but deliberate programme of infrastructure renewal across the state.

“We have initiated the construction of 140 roads spanning over 1,335 kilometres across Kaduna State’s three senatorial zones, guided by data, equity and a firm resolve to correct years of imbalance in access and opportunity,” he said.

The governor added that the newly completed road is deliberately routed through agriculturally productive communities to ease the movement of farm produce to aggregation centres, processing facilities and markets, thereby reducing travel time, lowering transport costs and improving economic opportunities for farmers, traders, students and emergency services.

February 4, 2026
JUST IN: INEC uncovers deceased persons’ names on voters’ register, plans nationwide verification

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, on Wednesday disclosed that a review of the nation’s voters’ register revealed that the names of several deceased Nigerians remain on the list currently used for elections.

Amupitan made the disclosure during the commission’s first quarterly meeting with Civil Society Organisations, where he noted that INEC would soon commence a nationwide verification exercise to sanitise the register.

He explained that the planned verification is aimed at identifying and removing ineligible entries to improve the credibility and integrity of the electoral database.

He said, “When we look at the Voters Register for Anambra state during the off cycle elections in November, we discovered that the number of registered voters stood at over 2.9 million, but only about 600 came out to vote.

Read Also: LP crisis deepens as INEC removes Abure-led executive from portal

“This is just about 20 percent of the registered voters. So, we decided to take another look at the register and we discovered names of prominent Nigerian politicians who have died still on the register. That impact on the integrity of the register and we have to do a clean up because we don’t expect the dead to come from the grave to vote”.

Prof Amupitan also disclosed that the timetable for the 2027 was ready, but was being delayed in view of ongoing amendment to the electoral act which may affect the timetable.

February 4, 2026
JUST IN: INEC finalises 2027 election timetable amid Electoral Act passage delay

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians of its preparedness for the 2027 general election, despite delays in the passage of the amended Electoral Act currently before the National Assembly.

The Commission said it has finalised the election timetable and schedule of activities, pending the outcome of legislative action on the proposed amendments.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs.

Read Also: Arewa Think Tank opposes removal of INEC chairman

While he noted that INEC has made its submissions to the National Assembly, Amupitan conceded that some items in the schedule of activities could be impacted by the time the lawmakers pass the electoral act.

He, however, said for now, the commission has no choice than to rely on the subsisting Act for its activities.

Details shortly…

February 4, 2026
14 things to know about late gospel music legend Ron Kenoly

Renowned American Christian worship leader, singer, and songwriter Ron Kenoly died on Tuesday at the age of 81.

His death was confirmed by his longtime music director, Bruno Miranda, in a statement shared on Kenoly’s official Instagram page.

Widely celebrated for redefining modern praise and worship, Kenoly built a decades-long ministry that influenced churches and worship leaders across the world.

Here are key things to know about his life, career, and legacy.

1. Ron Kenoly was one of the most influential Christian worship leaders of the modern era, known for shaping contemporary praise and worship music worldwide.

2. He was born on December 6, 1944, in Coffeyville, Kansas, where he also spent his early childhood.

3. Kenoly served in the United States Air Force from 1965 to 1968, a period that helped shape his musical discipline and performance experience.

4. Before fully embracing gospel music, Kenoly recorded secular R&B and soul tracks and even used the stage name Ron Keith early in his career.

Read Also: Gospel music icon Ron Kenoly dies at 81

5. While in the Air Force, he was part of The Mellow Fellows, a top-40 cover band that toured military bases.

6. Kenoly recorded demos for Audio Arts, later signed with A&M Records, and eventually became a key artist with Integrity Music.

7. His album “Lift Him Up” became the fastest-selling worship album at the time, launching him into international prominence.

8. His album “Welcome Home” won the Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Praise and Worship Album of the Year in 1997.

9. Kenoly served as worship leader and later Music Pastor at Jubilee Christian Center in San Jose, California.

10. In 1987, he was officially ordained and installed as a music pastor, combining ministry with music leadership.

11. Kenoly earned a music degree, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctorate of Ministry in Sacred Music.

12. Beyond performing, he advised churches on building effective worship and music ministries nationwide.

13. In 1999, he moved to central Florida, continuing to teach, record, and minister globally.

14. Ron Kenoly was a cousin of Hollywood actor Don Cheadle, a lesser-known fact about his family background.

February 4, 2026
FULL LIST: Africa’s most progressive countries in 2026

The 2026 Global Social Progress Index has ranked Mauritius as Africa’s most progressive country, as new data suggests that global improvements in quality of life may be stalling, or even reversing, after years of steady gains.

The latest Index warns that the world is at a critical turning point, with declines recorded across key social indicators.

The ranking indicates that global rights scores have dropped by nearly 6 points since 2011, including a 1.9-point decline between 2021 and 2025.

Over the same period, progress in health, personal safety, environmental quality, water and sanitation, housing, and access to information has slowed or deteriorated.

The Global Social Progress Index assesses 57 social and environmental indicators across 171 countries, representing more than 99 percent of the world’s population.

Read Also: Six countries that legalise undocumented immigrants in recent years

Unlike traditional economic rankings, the Index focuses on how well countries convert economic growth into improved living conditions for their citizens.

Here are the top 10 Most Progressive Countries in Africa (2026):

1. Mauritius

2. Algeria

3. Tunisia

4. South Africa

5. Cape Verde

6. Morocco

7. Botswana

8. Libya

9. Namibia

10. Ghana

February 4, 2026
Bandits kill police officer, four others in Benue-Police

The Police Command in Benue has confirmed the killing of a mobile officer and four civilians by armed bandits at Abande, Kwande Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Edet Udeme, confirmed the killings in a statement on Wednesday in Makurdi.

Udeme said the Divisional Police Officer, Jato-Aka, Kwande LGA, on 3rd February received information that suspected armed bandits had attacked police personnel stationed at Abande community and members of the community.

The police spokesperson said that during the confrontation one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to 13 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Makurdi, who was on special duty at Abande Community, was fatally injured.

She added that four members of the community also lost their lives as a result of the attack.

“Following the incident, combined teams of police operatives and other security agencies have been mobilised to the area to secure the community, conduct a thorough search, and forestall further breakdown of law and order.

“The deceased persons have been recovered and deposited at the mortuary.

“In response to the attack, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ifeanyi Emenari, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to immediately proceed to Jato-Aka.

Read Also: Five residents killed, three soldiers missing in bandits attack on Plateau community

“He is directed to go with additional mobile force personnel and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to coordinate intensive operations, track the perpetrators, and effect their arrest.

“The Benue State Police Command commiserates with the families of the deceased and the Abande Community and assures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to bring the perpetrators to justice and restore peace to the area,” she said.

(NAN).

February 4, 2026
NAPTIP rescues 147 victims, secures conviction of Nigerien in Jigawa

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Jigawa Command rescued 147 voctims of human trafficking in the state in 2025.

The NAPTIP Commander in the state, Mr Abdulkadir Turajo, made this known while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse, on Tuesday.

Turajo said the victims had been reunited with their families after they were given comprehensive counselling.

He said the command also secured the conviction of a 30-year-old Nigerien, Hassan Alhassan of Garin Idi Village, Niger Republic.

The commander said Alhassan was convicted for attempting to transfer a male victim from Kano Sate through the Maigatari border in Jigawa to libya, through Magarya in Zinder State of Niger Republic.

“We recorded 37 cases of trafficking. We recorded 11 border area interceptions and referrals by the Nigeria Immigration Service which involved a total of 97 persons,”the commander said.

According to him, the command conducted a total of 49 sensitisation campaigns in endemic communities in the state, including schools, markets, mosques, churches and motor parks.

Read Also: NAPTIP raids Onitsha hotel, arrests four, rescues 17 victims

“Trafficking in persons has re-emerged in recent times as a modern form of slavery.

“It is a crime which includes all acts involved in the recruitment, transportation (within or across borders) purchase, sale, transfer, and harboring of persons, involving the use of deception, coercive or debt bondage for the purpose of placing or holding a person in forced or bonded labor or in slavery like conditions.

“Jigawa is a source and one of the major international routes of human trafficking to Europe and Middle East through Niger and the Chad-Sudan-Saudi Arabia axis.

The state is also known for high records of cases of sexual abuses and is a major source for internal trafficking for labour.

“It is therefore pertinent that all hands must be on deck to support NAPTIP Jigawa command in order to effectively tackle and address the problems in the state,” Turajo said.

He said the consequences of human trafficking, was one of the world’s most hazardous and notorious crimes and a threat to national security and public safety.

“It also fuels public sector corruption, irregular migration, undermines human capital development potentials, social break down and exclusion, dearth of capable manpower, human degradation, abuse of human rights, spread of diseases, tarnishing of national image and diversifies into a larger organized crimes like drugs trafficking, arm conflicts, terrorism, kidnapping, money laundering and other associated financial crimes.

The commander further stated that NAPTIP serves as the Federal Government’s primary law enforcement agency entrusted with the formidable task of combating human trafficking in the country.

He listed the core mandates of the agency as enforcement and administration;coordination of all laws pertaining trafficking in persons, prevention and eradication of human trafficking, establishment of preventive and regulatory machinery, investigation of all cases of trafficking in persons, protection and assistance to trafficked persons.

Others are; awareness and education, international cooperation, legal compliance with bilateral and multilateral treaties and conventions adopted by Nigeria, collaboration, monitoring trans-border activities related to trafficking in persons and enforcement of 2019 control of activities regulations.

While appreciating the Jigawa government and all its agencies for support and cooperation, the commander specifically. lauded the commitment, interest and support of Gov. Umar Namadi to the agency’s war against human trafficking in the state.

“In the same vein, the command extends its gratitude to all the security and law enforcement agencies in the state.

The working relationship has been good and making the fight against human trafficking and other related crimes across the state easier.

“We also appreciate other critical stakeholders such as members of the Jigawa Anti-human trafficking taskforce, traditional rulers, religious leaders, the Media, CSOs most especially those under NACTAL for their support and cooperation.

(NAN)

February 4, 2026