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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly condemned the deployment of security forces in Onitsha , Anambra State, describing the action as reckless and dangerous, with the potential to inflame tensions and destabilise the area. In a press statement issued on January 27, 2026, by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB said the actions were carried out under the authority of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo , and resulted in security operatives confronting traders and protesters. According to the group, the operation violated fundamental human rights and democratic principles, as civilians were reportedly confronted while exercising their right to peaceful protest. IPOB stated that the use of armed security formations against unarmed civilians only deepens fear and mistrust and fuels cycles of violence in the South-East. The group warned that such security measures, rather than restoring calm, risk aggravating insecurity and undermining peace ...

  Barring any last-minute changes, Yoruba activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, is expected to return to Nigeria today, January 26, 2026, after years outside the country. His spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, confirmed that all necessary arrangements for the return have been concluded. Barring any last-minute changes, Yoruba activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, is expected to return to Nigeria today, January 26, 2026, after years outside the country. His spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, confirmed that all necessary arrangements for the return have been concluded following high-level interventions by prominent Yoruba monarchs, which reportedly led to President Bola Tinubu approving the removal of Igboho’s name from the list of wanted persons. Koiki said the royal intervention was spearheaded by respected traditional rulers, including the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; and the Olugbon of Ori...

  The Niger State Police Command have arrested a 16-year-old boy and three other suspects linked to several drug-related offences, kidnapping and armed robbery in different parts of the state. In a Sunday statement signed by the Niger Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, the teenage suspect was arrested on January 8, 2026, at about 10:30 p.m. in the Kantoma area of Suleja following reports that suspected hoodlums were operating in the area. According to the statement, the teenager, Usman Aliyu, confessed to selling drugs to different persons across the state. The statement reads, “Earlier on 8th January 2026 at about 10.30 pm, information received indicated that some hoodlums were sighted around the Kantoma area of Suleja, smoking suspected cannabis. “On the receipt of this, Police operatives attached to ‘B’ Div Suleja moved to the scene and on sighting the Police team, the hoodlums took to their heels, but one Usman Aliyu 16yrs was arrested within the area with four cut...

  A tense atmosphere enveloped the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Monday as consumer rights advocates staged a protest against the agency’s planned enforcement of a ban on sachet alcoholic beverages. The demonstration, organised by the Coalition for the Protection of Consumers’ Rights and led by Comrade Olufemi Lawson, followed comments attributed to the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on the commencement of enforcement actions against sachet alcohol products. Addressing protesters and journalists, Lawson criticised the proposed enforcement, describing it as economically insensitive and poorly timed, warning that it could undermine ongoing efforts to address unemployment and economic hardship. According to the coalition, the enforcement could have wide-ranging implications for manufacturers, distributors and consumers, and raises concerns about consistency in regulatory policies. Lawson questioned the...

  An expert has linked repeated heading of footballs to progressive brain disease following an inquest into the death of former Scotland defender Frank McQueen. McQueen, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia, died in 2023 aged 70. An inquest held in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, concluded with a narrative verdict on Monday. According to BBC Sport on Monday, a consultant neuropathologist at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, Professor Willie Stewart, examined McQueen’s brain after his death. He told the inquest that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was present in multiple areas of the brain and that a membrane within the brain appeared torn “CTE contributed to his death significantly,” Prof Stewart said, adding that the only available causal evidence for the condition was repeated head impacts, specifically from heading a football. He explained that symptoms of CTE include cognitive decline and neurobehavioural changes, which are progressive and cannot be exp...

  The Oyo State Government on Monday commenced week-long activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the state’s creation with an opening ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan. Governor Seyi Makinde is expected to deliver a public lecture at the event, which marks the beginning of celebrations themed “Consolidating the Legacy, Navigating the Present, and Reimagining the Future.” The week-long celebration, which began on January 26, will culminate on February 3 with a gala night and dinner at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Agodi, where all 17 former governors of the state will be honoured. The Chairman of the Oyo @50 Anniversary Committee and former member of the House of Representatives, Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, had earlier disclosed that the programme was structured to combine thanksgiving, reflection, intellectual engagement and cultural celebration. Other scheduled activities include health outreaches across all 33 local government ar...

  The protesters accused the DPO of being trigger-happy and abusing his office, alleging that he personally opened fire on residents during celebrations on the night of December 31, 2025. Angry youths on Monday staged another protest in Bwari, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), demanding the immediate removal and prosecution of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Babayola Muhammad Musa, over the alleged shooting of residents on New Year’s Eve. The DPO was also accused of firing a tear gas canister at a resident, Abraham Emmanuel, which reportedly left him blind. The protesters accused the DPO of being trigger-happy and abusing his office, alleging that he personally opened fire on residents during celebrations on the night of December 31, 2025. Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Justice for Abraham,” “End Police Brutality,” “DPO Musa Must Go,” and “Say No to Police Oppression in Bwari,”the youths demanded justice for the victim and accountability ...

  Koiki further disclosed that Igboho was no longer being sought by Nigerian authorities, attributing the development to sustained royal interventions, political goodwill and persistent advocacy by Yoruba leaders within and outside the country. Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, is currently on his way to the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja. The development comes after his reported removal from the government’s wanted list by President Bola Tinubu’s administration and his clearance to return to the country following years in exile. Igboho’s spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, disclosed this in an exclusive interview on Monday “As I’m speaking to you, Chief Sunday Adeyemo is on his way to Olubadan place. He should be there any moment from now. You know he resides in Benin Republic and he is on his way to Ibadan to meet Olubadan today by special grace of God,” Koiki said. On Saturday evening, January 24, 2026, Koi...

A Nigerian lawyer has accused the Federal High Court in Abuja of turning the trial of  Nnamdi Kanu  into what he described as a  political sacrifice  designed to cement power alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a strongly worded public statement, legal practitioner  Njoku Jude Njoku, Esq.  alleged that Justice  J. K. Omotosho  deliberately handled Kanu’s case to appease dominant political interests, claiming the process reflects  “Abuja justice driven by politics, not law.” ‘A Political Offering, Not a Fair Trial’ According to the lawyer, Kanu is no longer being treated as a defendant entitled to constitutional protections but as a symbolic offering in a broader political arrangement. He alleged that the decision to move Kanu to detention outside Abuja and the continued prosecution despite disputed legal foundations point to a case designed to serve political goals rather than justice. “This is not jurisprudence; it is ritual,” ...

  A senior Nigerian lawyer has launched a scathing indictment of the  Federal High Court in Abuja , accusing it of abandoning legal interpretation for what he described as  “ritual justice designed to serve political ends.” In a strongly worded public statement,  Njoku Jude Njoku, Esq. , condemned the handling of the trial of  Nnamdi Kanu , leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), arguing that the case exposes what he called the  fiction  behind Nigeria’s claim to equality before the law. According to the lawyer, courts in Abuja no longer apply legal principles objectively but selectively invoke them to validate outcomes already decided. “Law is not applied in Abuja; it is staged,” the statement read. “Legal doctrines are used like incantations—spoken when convenient, silenced when dangerous.” Alleged Double Standards at the Heart of the Case Njoku pointed directly to Justice  J. K. Omotosho , accusing him of operating what he termed...

 CAS Air Marshal Aneke engages Leonardo Aircraft in Italy to boost Nigeria’s air power and operational readiness. As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s air power and modernise the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has held high-level engagements with Leonardo Aircraft Division in Milan, Italy, manufacturers of the M-346 fighter ground-attack aircraft. The engagement, according to a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, forms a key component of the Service’s fleet renewal and capability enhancement programme aimed at improving operational effectiveness across multiple mission areas. Air Marshal Aneke described the M-346 programme as a major step forward in revitalising the NAF’s combat capability.  He noted the aircraft would significantly enhance precision strike operations, improve pilot training outcomes, and strengthen Nigeria’s regional dete...

 A Nigerian food vendor, Adeyemi Adejoke Abidemi, known on X as @PopoolaJoke4, has relocated to the United Kingdom months after Mavin Records boss Don Jazzy surprised her with N6 million The woman took to social media to appreciate Don Jazzy as she announced her migration to the UK, sending netizens into a frenzy.

  US President Donald Trump is struggling to attract Western allies to his “Board of Peace,” but has, so far, has garnered the support of Middle Eastern monarchs, the man known as Europe’s last dictator, and at least one leader wanted for alleged war crimes. Trump has invited dozens of countries to join the board that seeks to resolve global conflicts, but its remit has alarmed several US allies, as has the US leader’s comment that it “might” replace the United Nations. The board, indefinitely chaired by Trump, was originally conceived as a limited body tasked to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, which was decimated by Israel’s two-year war. But its purpose has since expanded to tackle conflicts the world over, and the charter draft, which was sent along with the invitations to join, does not even reference Gaza. US adversaries Russia and China, as well as longtime repressive state Belarus, are among those invited to join the board, offering permanent seats for a $1 billion price...

 Multiple senior sources within the NEPC said that the ₦72 million figure represents the cumulative transfer allowances expected to be paid to officers affected by the recent mass redeployments across state and zonal offices, and that the figure was not released by Mrs. Ayeni.  There is an internal revolt within the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) over allegations of financial impropriety trailing the administraCption of the Council’s Executive Director, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, following a controversial nationwide staff redeployment exercise estimated to have cost ₦72 million. Multiple senior sources within the NEPC said that the ₦72 million figure represents the cumulative transfer allowances expected to be paid to officers affected by the recent mass redeployments across state and zonal offices, and that the figure was not released by Mrs. Ayeni. However, insiders insist that the expenditure was neither appropriated nor captured under the NEPC’s 2025 budgetary provisions,...

 A relative of Oluwasanmi told SaharaReporters on Thursday morning that the former Alpha-Beta employee was detained on Wednesday at the State Intelligence Department (SID) Command Headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos. The Nigeria Police Force has detained Comrade Segun Oluwasanmi, a whistleblower who accused Alpha-Beta Consulting Limited of corruption and tax evasion. A relative of Oluwasanmi told SaharaReporters on Thursday morning that the former Alpha-Beta employee was detained on Wednesday at the State Intelligence Department (SID) Command Headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos. Comr Segun Oluwasanni was detained yesterday (14/01/25) by SID command headquarters, Ikeja. According to the IPO, he’s going to be arraigned in court today (15/01/26) but the court is yet to be disclosed,” the relative stated in a message. The family member added that Oluwasanmi was allowed to contact his family and lawyer shortly before his detention. He was just asked to call his family and lawyer when they decided to ...

The   Indigenous People of Biafra  (IPOB)   has accused the Nigerian state of orchestrating insecurity in the South-East to justify the continued detention and conviction of its leader,   Nnamdi Kanu , describing the process as a “judicial absurdity” built on lies and propaganda. In a strongly worded press statement signed by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group alleged that violence across the South-East escalated only after Kanu’s extraordinary rendition in June 2021, claiming political actors deliberately fueled chaos in order to pin the blame on him. According to IPOB, the alleged strategy was aimed at retroactively justifying Kanu’s abduction, detention, and prosecution, despite the fact that he was already in state custody at the time the crimes he was accused of were said to have occurred. Court Ruling Sparks Outrage IPOB expressed outrage over the judgment delivered by Justice  Binta Nyako Omotosho , which reportedly cit...

  Some Nigerian soldiers deployed to fight BokoHaram insurgents in the North-East under Operation Hadin Kai have accused their commander of withholding their operation allowances The soldiers said their morale has dropped sharply as they continue to confront terrorists without receiving the allowance meant to sustain them during operations. According to them, they are “currently in the bush fighting terrorists,” adding that the operation allowance is “supposed to ensure they live comfortably while fighting.” They noted that “even though the money is small, it is still going a long way,” but alleged that their commander is now withholding it. Operation Hadin Kai covers parts of the North-East, including Sector 1 Maiduguri, Borno State; Sector 2 Damaturu, Yobe State; Sector 3 Maiduguri, Borno State; and Sector 4 Yola, Adamawa State. The soldiers said other states in the North-East geopolitical zone are not part of Operation Hadin Kai. They explained that the operation allowance is pa...

  Vice President JD Vance speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon/AP. Mere hours after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent killed a woman Wednesday in Minneapolis, the Trump administration staked out a maximalist position. It wasn’t just that the agent was justified in shooting 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good because he legitimately feared her running him over. It was that the woman “willfully and viciously ran over” the agent, President Donald Trump said. It was an act of “domestic terrorism,” according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. State and local officials have disputed the shooting was in self-defense. Videos of the shooting reviewed by CNN show nuance, and it remains unclear exactly what took place beforehand

egrding  Another tanker seized: The US has seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, according to a source, a move that comes after the US seized two Venezuela-linked tankers earlier this week. US President Donald Trump is set to meet with oil executives today as part of a efforts to persuade America’s largest energy companies to return to Venezuela. Further attacks halted: Trump said he canceled a “second wave” of attacks on Venezuela, citing the country’s cooperation with the US in the week since leader Nicolás Maduro was ousted. The Venezuelan government announced yesterday it will release a “significant number” of political prisoners, a key US demand. The White House said earlier this week that President Donald Trump was “not afraid” to continue seizing sanctioned oil tankers despite concerns that it could ratchet up tensions with Russia and China. He’s going to enforce our policy that’s best for the United States of America,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporte...

 Abubakar Malami (right), who is married to the daughter of former President Muhammadu Buhari (left), was widely seen as the most influential minister in the last government. A Nigerian court has granted bail to the country's former attorney general, Abubakar Malami, along with his wife and son, who are facing money laundering charges. Malami, 58, was one of the most influential figures in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023. He was charged last month with 16 counts of money laundering and abuse of office worth a total of 8.7bn naira ($6m; £4.5m), and has been held in prison since 30 December. In court, he pleaded not guilty to all charges. He previously described his arrest as politically motivated. The lawyer, who is married to Buhari‘s third child, Nana Hadiza, recently left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the opposition African Democratic Congress, which is viewed as the biggest rival to the APC in the 2027 general el...

  Actress and producer Funke Akindele has officially shattered box office records once again. Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has surpassed her previous work to become the highest-grossing film of all time in West Africa. The film reached this historic milestone after crossing the ₦1.77 billion mark at the box office in early January 2026. This is according to box office performance data from cinema distributors and industry trackers across the region. The development shows the growing commercial power of locally produced films and Funke Akindele’s continued dominance as Nollywood’s most bankable filmmaker. The film’s record-breaking run comes after weeks of sustained audience turnout, strong word-of-mouth, and consistently high weekly grosses, positioning it ahead of Akindele’s previous blockbuster, Everybody Loves Jenifa, which ended its theatrical run at about N1.8 billion.

  The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally served an impeachment notice to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu. The move marks the third major attempt to remove the governor since 2023, following his return to office in September 2025 after a six-month state of emergency. Recall that the assembly on Thursday during an emergency plenary, commenced the impeachment of the governor and his deputy. 26 members of the House accused the governor of misconduct, capable of undermining democracy in the state. The notice which was addressed to the governor, contained the signature of at least 19 lawmakers. The notice also contained about 8 alleged gross misconducts by the governor and his administration. In a post on its official Facebook page,the assembly said, “The impeachment notice has been successfully served on the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara”.