The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • APC gains momentum in Kano as Doguwa welcomes commissioner, ex-NNPP leaders

    APC gains momentum in Kano as Doguwa welcomes commissioner, ex-NNPP leaders

    House of Representative member Alhassan Ado Doguwa on Saturday received hundreds of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) members to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State.

    The move is a significant boost for the APC and a show of support for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration.

    It is also a clear indication that the reelection chances of the Governor and President are bright. 

    Doguwa, who represents Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency, led an inclusive APC registration exercise and welcomed prominent NNPP defectors, including Kano Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa, and other government officials.

    Read Also: Police arrest 10 suspects over murder of four villagers in Ebonyi

    The lawmaker alongside the defecting NNPP members also conducted their APC membership E-registration and held a rally during which he launched the President Tinubu/Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf second term campaign.

    “We all pledged to work for the overall interest of the APC under His Excellency President Bola Tinubu at the centre, and the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf at the sub-national level, as clearly reflected in our party’s constitution and in compliance with the tenets of constitutional democracy.

    “We have all embraced this development in good faith and believe that same can be seen as a WIN-WIN situation for all party members. We are now co-drivers of the governor’s political project called “KANO FIRST”.

    “I led an all inclusive approach of the APC membership E-registration exercise in Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano state, where I received among others, prominent members of the defunct NNPP into the ruling APC.

    “The Commissioner of Water Resources Kano State and former APC state Chairman Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa, Engr. Ado Ibrahim Doguwa and the Chairman Doguwa Local Government, Abdul Rashid Doguwa, and his entire executive, legislative teams and a host of others decamped from the NNPP who are mostly government officials under the leadership Governor Yusuf,” Doguwa said.

    Their defection comes after Governor Yusuf officially joined the ruling party.

    Yusuf defected after his meeting with President Bola Tinubu, which was believed to have resolved issues surrounding his defection, including governorship ticket which the former APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje reaffirmed, urging all aspirants to step aside for the governor.

    The APC has welcomed Yusuf’s move, while NNPP’s national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed concerns about the defection, calling it a betrayal.

  • Wike inaugurates, NDDC 9.4km road, 1,500-seater hall in Rivers community

    Wike inaugurates, NDDC 9.4km road, 1,500-seater hall in Rivers community

    The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated 9.4-kilometre Ogu Community Road Network and a 1,500-seater Royal Hall built by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Ogu, Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the two projects, Wike said they were further demonstrations of the Federal Government’s determination to develop the Niger Delta region.

    He said: “I am overwhelmed by the current level of development in Ogu, facilitated by the NDDC. I have seen the network of concrete roads with drainages and I am impressed.

    “The NDDC has impacted positively on the lives of the people of Ogu, and this is largely because of the working understanding between the NDDC Managing Director and the Executive Director, Finance and Administration.

    “This is the first time I am participating in the activities of the NDDC, and this is because I am satisfied with the performance of the current leadership of the Commission. They have demonstrated that they are working for the people.

    The Minister in a statement by the NDDC Director, Corporate Communications, Seledi Thompson-Wakama charged all government agencies to join hands to ensure the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    Read Also: Police arrest 10 suspects over murder of four villagers in Ebonyi

    NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, described the road and the town hall as dividends of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda. 

    He noted that the NDDC was spreading the good news of President Tinubu through tangible results.

    He described the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory as a “champion of development,” with footprints in Rivers State and the nation’s capital.

    Ogbuku restated the commission’s commitment to the mandate given to it by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the narrative in Nigeria’s oil-producing region. 

    Ogbuku affirmed that the commission was engaging all stakeholders to ensure harmony and cooperation in developing the Niger Delta region.

    He charged the communities in the Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area to join hands in owning and maintaining the NDDC projects in their areas.

    INDDC Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye, noted that the people of Ogu were full of joy over the projects and reassured them that the present board of the Commission would not relent in spreading development to all communities.

    In his project brief, the NDDC Director of Project Monitoring and Supervision, Engr. Gbenga Omowale, explained that the Ogu Community Road Network (Phases 1 and 2) comprised a 9.450 km rigid pavement road with an average width of 7.3m.

    According to him, the road project covered a total of 12,600km of reinforced concrete line drains, slabs and ring culverts.

    Omowale said the road would provide an easy, accessible network connecting the villages in Ogu and its neighbouring communities, as well as improve socio-economic conditions in the communities along the alignment.

    On the Royal Hall, the Director explained that the 1,500-seater capacity town hall was furnished with state-of-the-art fittings, including firefighting equipment, at strategic positions, acoustic walls to ensure efficient sound filter and heat absorption, multiple air conditioners to ensure the comfort of the users and an efficient public sound system.

    In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Ogu Divisional Council of Chiefs, Chief Lawrence Egbelekpeke, expressed gratitude to the NDDC for executing various projects in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area. He commended the vision and leadership of the NDDC Board and Management, noting that the quality of the projects was exceptional.

  • Yusuf lifts families of deceased soldiers, vigilante with N25 million

    Yusuf lifts families of deceased soldiers, vigilante with N25 million

    The Kano State Government has presented ₦5 million each to the families of four military personnel and a vigilante who died in the line of duty in Shanono Local Government Area..

    The cheques were presented by Major General Sani Mohammed (Rtd), Director General of Special Services, on behalf of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, at the 3 Brigade Nigerian Army Headquarters in Kano.

    The cheques were presented to the family members of the Nigerian Army Personnel, one personnel of the Nigerian Air Force and the spouse of a vigilante.

    “The presentation is in honour of 3 NA personnel, a NAF soldier and a vigilante who paid the supreme price in the battle between November 2025 and January 2026.

    Read Also: Police arrest 10 suspects over murder of four villagers in Ebonyi

    “I will not forget the sacrifices made by the fallen heroes. They remain super heroes and their sacrifice in defending lives and property would never be forgotten.

    “The government will not compensate them enough for their sacrifices to the country, nevertheless, we will continue to pursue the welfare of those in the battle front and the families of the deceased, while strengthening cooperation with security agencies to curb banditry and other criminal activities in the State,” the Governor said.

    The Commander of 3 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Tukur, welcomed the support, saying it boosts morale.

    Beneficiaries, including Lance Corporal Yusuf Jibril, thanked the government for the compensation, pledging to use it for the welfare of the bereaved families.

  • Tinubu’s reforms yielding positive results – Idris

    Tinubu’s reforms yielding positive results – Idris

    The Federal Government has declared that the economic reforms instituted by President Bola Tinubu, specifically the removal of petrol subsidy, foreign exchange unification and the 2026 tax laws, are yielding positive results, citing a resurgence in foreign investment and the successful disbursement of N174 billion in student loans.

    The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, spoke on Saturday while delivering the 34th Convocation Lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, titled “Youth and Nation Building: Navigating Opportunities in an Era of National Reforms”.

    Idris stated that the administration’s bold and ambitious reforms were necessary to reset the economic landscape and end the cycle of doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results noting that contrary to fears of an exodus, multinational corporations are renewing their interest in the Nigerian market.

    “The renewed attention of domestic and foreign investors, occasioned by these reforms, is opening up opportunities in every sector of the economy.

    “Many firms that had previously considered exiting the Nigerian market are now making a U-turn, given the scale and steadiness of the stability we have seen in the last 18 months. Serious investors are paying attention and responding positively,” Idris said.

    He highlighted that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s monthly survey of business confidence has recorded 13 consecutive months of expansion while citing a recent visit by Shell Plc’s CEO, Mr. Wael Sawan, who attested to the improved investment climate, stating that the new stability propelled the oil giant to invest for the long term.

    Addressing the controversial tax laws, which took effect on January 1, 2026, Idris dismissed reports of negative impact as misinformation and scare-mongering.

    “In recent weeks, many salary earners have received higher take-home pay following implementation,. The goal was never to take more from Nigerians but to simplify taxation and make it fairer and more transparent” he asserted, adding that the objective was to simplify taxation rather than overburden citizens.

    On the impact of these reforms on the education sector, the Minister revealed that the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has received nearly 1.5 million applications since its launch in May 2024.

    “Over ₦174 billion has so far been disbursed as tuition fees and monthly upkeep allowances to more than 900,000 beneficiaries,” Idris confirmed, describing the scheme as incontrovertible proof of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    Read Also: 2027: Tinubu will surprise the naysayers in north – Ganduje

    The Minister also provided sobering demographic projections, noting that within 25 years, Nigeria will become the world’s third most populous country with 400 million people, surpassing the United States.

     He challenged the graduating students to reject cynicism regarding government programmes, citing the success of the 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) programme and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation as evidence of available opportunities.

    “Opportunities do not automatically transform lives unless they are sought, seized, and harnessed,. They are merely potential in raw form and of little use of left untapped. It is possible for affordable credit, student loans or technical and vocational programmes to exist and yet but to benefit, either due to lack of awareness or because you have given in to the cynical voice that says you don’t bother about such opportunities,” he warned.

    Idris urged the graduates to engage with the ongoing reforms and leverage technology for empowerment rather than distraction.

  • Edo doesn’t rely on FAAC to pay salaries- Commissioner

    Edo doesn’t rely on FAAC to pay salaries- Commissioner

    Edo Commissioner for Finance, Engr. Emmanuel Okoebor, has said that the State does not rely on allocation from the federation account to pay its salaries.

    Okoebor said workers in the State Government payroll have received their January salaries.

    He was reacting to report that payment of January salaries might be delayed due to disagreement in sharing allocation from FAAC.

    Read Also: Sunday Igboho lauds Tinubu, Southwest governors, Obas over freedom

    The Edo Finance Commissioner said preparations were made ahead for salary payment before funds ade disbursed from FAAC.

    “We don’t rely on FAAC to pay salaries in Edo. We have paid January salaries,” he stressed. 

  • Ribadu, Aiyedatiwa, two others receive MAU Yola’s honourary doctorate degrees

    Ribadu, Aiyedatiwa, two others receive MAU Yola’s honourary doctorate degrees

    National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu and Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa have bagged honorary doctorate degrees from the Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola.

    Cross River Governor Bassey Otu and his Zamfara counterpart Abdulaziz Yari were the other two prominent personalities bestowed similar honour on Saturday when MAU held its 29th and 30th combined convocation.

    The four were handed the symbols of their recognition just as over 7,000 regular graduands of the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 sessions for whom  the combined convocation was organised were also awarded their respective undergraduate, postgraduate and academic doctoral degrees.

    Read Also: TETFund sponsors 185 workers in MAU Yola

    Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Ibrahim Umar, said the four honorary degree recipients were carefully selected for reward in recognition of their exceptional contributions to a better Nigeria.

    He said that since its establishment in 1981, the university has been contributing significantly to the intellectual and moral development of Nigerian youths, but said the university faced certain challenges, including lack of all-round perimeter fencing to fully secure the expansive main campus.

    Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who attended the convocation as a guest, announced plans by his government to construct a five-kilometre internal road network within the university.

    The Governor said the project is part of his administration’s commitment to sustaining its partnership with the Federal Government and improving infrastructure in tertiary institutions across the state.

  • Police arrest 10 suspects over murder of four villagers in Ebonyi

    Police arrest 10 suspects over murder of four villagers in Ebonyi

    The Ebonyi Police Command has arrested 10 suspects in connection with the killing of four persons during a violent communal attack on Okporojọr Village in Oso Edda Community, Edda Local Government Area of the state.

    The attack, which occurred on January 29, 2026, reportedly involved persons from Ndukwe Community in Amasiri, Afikpo Local Government Area, and is believed to be linked to a long-standing land dispute between the two neighbouring communities.

    According to the Police, four villagers—three men and one woman—died in the incident while several mud houses were razed. Windows of a church building were also vandalised, and harvested paddy rice destroyed during the violence.

    In response to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Adaku Uche-Anya, fdc, on January 30, 2026, visited the affected community for an on-the-spot assessment of the damage. 

    Upon receiving the report of the attack, she ordered the immediate deployment of tactical squads and personnel of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) to the area to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

    The Police Command said the deployment has successfully restored calm and normalcy in the community.

    While addressing residents of Okporojọr Village, CP Uche-Anya commiserated with them over the loss of lives and destruction of property, assuring that justice would be served. 

    She disclosed 10 suspects had already been arrested in connection with the killings, adding that investigations were ongoing to apprehend other individuals involved.

    The Commissioner warned communities across the state against resorting to self-help or taking the law into their own hands, stressing that the Police would not tolerate acts of violence arising from communal or land disputes. 

    She further assured residents that security presence in the area would be sustained until the situation is fully resolved.

    Read Also: Nwifuru sacks all political appointees, monarchs, community leaders in Ebonyi community

    The Youth President of Okporojọr Village, while speaking during the visit, thanked the Police for their swift response and appealed for a permanent security presence in the community. 

    CP Uche-Anya assured him that a standby security arrangement had already been put in place.

    Chairman of Edda Local Government Area praised the Ebonyi State Government and the Nigeria Police Force for their prompt intervention. 

    He commended the affected community for remaining law-abiding despite the provocation and assured that the state government was committed to achieving a lasting solution to the dispute.

    The Ebonyi State Police Command reiterated its resolve to maintain peace and security across the state and urged residents to channel grievances through lawful means.

  • Defection: Governors remain leaders of APC in states, Tinubu declares

    Defection: Governors remain leaders of APC in states, Tinubu declares

    President Bola Tinubu has declared that governors under the All Progressives Congress (APC) remained leaders of the party in their respective states.

    Tinubu made the declaration on Saturday at the Official Reception of Gov. Agbu Kefas into the APC held in Jalingo.

    Represented by Sen. Kashim Shettima, Vice President, Tinubu announced that Gov. Kefas has assumed the leadership of the party in Taraba by the virtue of his defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC.

    He expressed his determination to support the governor and his cabinet to bring development to Taraba.

    He noted that the governor was  making efforts to unite the state and harmonise the diversities in the state to attain unity.

    The president urged the people of the state  to rally behind the governor and support him to succeed.

    He expressed satisfaction with the defection of a governor in the North East geopolitical zone, calling on both Adamawa and Bauchi to join the party at the centre.

    Earlier, Prof. Nentawe Yelwatda, National Chairman of the APC commended Kefas for being courageous by decamping to the ruling party.

    Yelwatda said that Kefas did not make a mistake by leaving the sinking PDP to the APC.

    He described the decision as a big achievement as it would enable the governor to get the economy of the state and the youth and women of the state to be productive.

    According to him,  the state will now be a part and parcel of the winning party in 2027.

    He assured all the members of the APC, both old and new of equal opportunities in the activities of the party, advising the governor to stand for everybody as one.

    He further advised  the governor to unite the party and not descriminate.

    In his remarks, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate congratulated the people of Taraba  and the governor, saying the defection would benefit the state more development and enhancement of infrastructure including the strengthening of security.

    Read Also: 2027: Tinubu will surprise the naysayers in north – Ganduje

    Represented by Sen. Barau Jibril, Deputy Senate President, Akpabio said that the decision of the governor to defect to APC would enable the state to enjoy equal opportunities in all spheres of governance at the national level.

    ‎Gov. Kefas said that the event was to shape the future of Taraba, encouraging all in attendance and everybody  not to dwell in the past but focus on the future.

    He said the move was for the people of Taraba not for his personal interests.

    “The move is to bring jobs for the jobless and business for entrepreneurs. To serve the state and be committed to the people and show results and fulfillment through discipline and patriotism,” he said.

    ‎The governor thanked APC for the opportunity and handing him the broom to sweep away division, poverty, tribalism and insecurity.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Kefas won under PDP in the 2023 governorship election.

    He decamped to APC in 2025 and secured his membership registration card.

    (NAN)

  • EPL: Madueke shines as Arsenal go seven points clear

    EPL: Madueke shines as Arsenal go seven points clear

    Noni Madueke starred as Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points as they beat Leeds United to record their first league win in four Premier League matches.

    Madueke was not meant to start the game and was a late replacement for winger Bukayo Saka, who limped out of the warm-up with a hip problem.

    And Madueke, who has had to play the role of back-up for most of this season, took his chance to impress as he curled in an excellent cross for Martin Zubimendi to nod Arsenal in front.

    The home side had started the game well but Arsenal pinned Leeds back for large parts of the first half, winning a number of corners and throw-ins to increase pressure on the Leeds defence.

    Read Also: UCL: Madueke double at Brugge helps Arsenal keep 100% record

    It was from one of these corners that Arsenal doubled the lead when Madueke’s curling delivery caught out goalkeeper Karl Darlow and he could only punch the ball into his own net.

    Viktor Gyokeres then made sure it was a comfortable end to the game when he fought to get on the end of Gabriel Martinelli’s inviting cross to make it 3-0 before substitute Gabriel Jesus added a fourth late on.

    The expectation was on Arsenal to deliver a result coming into this game after their recent form, but they recorded an important victory to put pressure on their title rivals, Manchester City and Aston Villa, who are not in action until Sunday.

  • Senators Barau, Hussaini push coordinated rescue for troubled North West

    Senators Barau, Hussaini push coordinated rescue for troubled North West

    A strong call for a coordinated economic rescue of the North West echoed across Kaduna on Saturday as senior lawmakers, development experts and stakeholders converged on the Yar’Adua Conference Centre for the North West Development Summit.

    The summit with the theme: “Advancing a coordinated regional Development for North West Nigeria,” became a rallying point for confronting what speakers described as the region’s real problem — not lack of resources, but lack of coordination.

    Senate Deputy President Barau I. Jibrin, declared that the North West must deliberately reposition itself to shape Nigeria’s economic direction through strong regional institutions rather than fragmented interventions.

    Barau said the creation of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) was a strategic response to decades of disjointed development efforts that failed to produce systemic impact across states.

    According to him, while the region remains Nigeria’s largest agricultural belt and home to tens of millions of citizens, it continues to battle insecurity, infrastructure deficits, youth unemployment, climate stress and weak access to social services.

    “These challenges do not respect state boundaries; therefore, our solutions must rise above them,” he said, stressing that the summit was a call to political coordination and policy coherence.

    He assured that the National Assembly would provide the legislative backing and oversight needed for the NWDC to succeed under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    Barau urged stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric and focus on building systems that would directly improve lives, warning that history would judge leaders by outcomes, not gatherings.

    Chairman of the Senate Committee on the NWDC, Senator Babangida Hussaini, painted a stark picture of a region that once powered Nigeria’s economy through groundnut pyramids, cotton, textiles and hides and skin production but now struggles with poverty and unemployment.

    Hussaini noted that despite contributing over 40 per cent of Nigeria’s agricultural output and hosting some of West Africa’s largest markets, the North West ranks high in poverty indices and out-of-school children statistics.

    He blamed the situation on years of development pursued in silos,  state by state and agency by agency, resulting in duplication without scale and spending without lasting impact.

    According to him, insecurity alone now drains the regional economy of billions of naira annually through disrupted farming cycles, lost productivity and capital flight.

    He said the establishment of the NWDC and the Ministry of Regional Development signalled a reset, acknowledging that regional problems demand coordinated regional solutions.

    Hussaini outlined four priority pillars for the region’s recovery: security and stability, infrastructure and connectivity, agriculture and industrial value addition, and human capital development.

    “No economy grows where farmers cannot farm and traders cannot trade,” he said, calling for investment in transport corridors, energy, irrigation, storage and broadband.

    He added that processing even a fraction of grains, tomatoes, cotton, hides and livestock within the region could generate massive employment and expand the regional economy.

    Chairman of the occasion and former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, reinforced the urgency, saying the NWDC must move beyond documentation to tangible impact in the lives of citizens.

    Sambo explained that the Act establishing the Commission provides a framework for coordinated infrastructure development, economic growth, social transformation and environmental sustainability.

    He cited abandoned power projects in Kaduna, including a 250MW thermal plant and a 30MW Gurara hydropower facility left idle for over a decade, as examples of why coordinated planning is critical.

    He also referenced the long-delayed multi-purpose dam expected to generate 40MW of electricity, irrigate 35,000 hectares and supply water to Kaduna metropolis as projects that must be unlocked.

    The former Vice President called for partnerships with private investors, development partners and power agencies to revive stalled assets and expand renewable energy across the region.

    Across the speeches, a common message stood out: the North West’s revival is not a regional favour but a national economic necessity.

    Speakers urged governments, lawmakers, development partners, academics and community leaders to ensure that the summit marks a turning point where coordination translates into visible development.

    As deliberations began, participants were reminded that the true test of the NWDC would be how effectively it turns dialogue into action and action into measurable improvement in people’s lives.