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Adamawa

The African Union Commission has commended the Federal
Government for proper management of the more than two million Internally Displaced Persons in the North East.
Commissioner for Political Affairs, African Union Commission, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi,  made the commendation during an inspection visit to Malkohi IDPs camp in Yola recently.
Abdullahi, who led the officials of the commission to the camp, said that they were impressed with the way and manner Nigerian government was actively intervening in all aspect of humanitarian assistance to the IDPs.
“I have travelled to many parts of the continent but this is the only place (Nigeria) I find government at federal and state levels are actively intervening in all aspects of assisting and helping the IDPs.
“This is very unique for the Nigerian government”, she said.

Bauchi

Bauchi State Government has announced the 2016 Hajj
fares for all intending pilgrims in the state.
Alhaji Abdullahi Hardawa, Executive Secretary, State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board announced the fares in Bauchi in an interview with newsmen.
Hardawa said that the state government has approved N1,028, 68.92 as minimum fare, N1, 077, 318.92 for medium fare and N1,175, 818. 92 as maximum fare.
Hardawa said that all intending pilgrims from the state had already made minimum deposits of N850, 000.
He said that intending pilgrims wishing to pay for the minimum fare would pay a balance of N178,068.92, while those wishing to pay for the medium and maximum fares are expected to pay N227,318.92 and N325,818.92 balance respectively.
Hardawa said that all the intending pilgrims were expected to complete payment in their respective registration centres before the end of Ramadan Fast to enable the board complete necessary arrangements.

Borno

The Nigerian Army, said it relocated the 2nd Commanding
Officers’ Workshop from Enugu to Maiduguri to further enhance its operations against Boko Haram terrorism in the North-East.
The Chief of Training, Maj.-Gen. Hassan Umaru, and Logistics, Nigerian Army Headquarters Army, Abuja made the clarification at the closing of the workshop in Maiduguri.
“The workshop was supposed to be held in Enugu, but in the wisdom of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), we decided to relocate it to Maiduguri.
“This is because we want to apply ourselves to the anti-insurgency operation that we are conducting here,” Umaru said.
He expressed optimism the participants would add value to the anti-terrorism war at the end of the workshop.
“The set of officers are from 82 Division in Enugu and its environs.

FCT

The Federal Government has announced the dissolution
of the Executive Management of Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria Limited.
Notice of the dissolution is contained in a statement issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Babachir Lawal,  in Abuja.
He then directed the Managing Director of the company, Mr James Olotu, to handover immediately to Mr Chiedu Ugbo, who had been appointed as Acting Managing Director of the company.
According to the SGF, all Executive Directors of the company and the General Manager, Audit, are to handover immediately to the most senior officers in their respective departments.

Kaduna

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the
Nigerian Army headquarters had adopted holistic approach in addressing the infrastructural decay in its barracks and other institutions across the country.
Buratai said this while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after inaugurating two newly built blocks of hostels for students of the Nigerian Army School of Artillery in Kachia, Kaduna State.
He said the infrastructure gap in the barracks would require consistent intervention over a period of time for the situation to improve.
Buratai said the present Army command under his watch had embarked on massive renovation of existing structures as well as the construction of new buildings to ameliorate the situation in the barracks.
Kebbi

The Kebbi State Government has announced the portfolios
of the seven newly appointed members of the StateExecutive Council that were sworn-in last week.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Press secretary to the governor, Abubakar Dakingari and made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
According to the statement, Alhaji Maigari Abdullahi Dakingari is Commissioner of Higher Education ; Alhaji Abubakar Besse, Commissioner forYouths and Sports and Alhaji Zailani Yauri for Budget and Economic Planning.
Others are, Alhaji Umar Usman Kambaza,Commissioner for Health ; Alhaji Musa Kalgo, Information and Culture ;Alhaji Muhammad Gado, Environment and Alhaji Garba Dandiga, Ministry of Agriculture.

Kogi

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has renamed the
Kogi State University, Ayangba , after the late first civilian governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu.
Bello announced the change in the name of the 15- year-old university during a statewide broadcast to mark his victory at the state governorship election petition tribunal.
He said that naming the university was the ultimate honour that could be done to the memory of the late colourful politician who ruled the state twice as the civilian governor from 1991 to 1993 and 1999 to 2003.
Audu himself established the university in 2001 and named it Prince Abubakar Audu University but his successor , Alhaji Ibrahim Idris changed the name to Kogi State University in 2004.
Justifying his decision to restore the university to its original name, Bello said that Audu laid a solid foundation for the growth and development of the state.

Kwara

A cleric, Rt. Rev. Philip Adeyemo, has called for the election
of a leader with high humility and genuine spiritual intent as the next president for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Adeyemo told our correspondent in Omu-Aran, Kwara, that the need for a leader who could not be easily subjected to unwarranted external influence informed the call.
Our correspondent reports that the tenure of the incumbent CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, ends in July paving way for the election of a new leader.
Adeyemo, who is the Bishop of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Omu-Aran Diocese, Kwara State, noted that anybody who aspired for any position must be spiritually, ethically and theologically sound.
He decried the situation where CAN administration was polarised along political affiliations and undue government interference contrary to laid down rules and regulations.
According to him, such a person should have nothing less than two-third of churches in Nigeria under its close supervision and should be a disciplined man who can pass the “temptation of money’’.
Lagos

The Comptroller of Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) Command
of the Nigeria Customs, Lagos, Mr Benjamin Aber,  has urged officers of the command recently trained by the military to bring to bear on their jobs the skills acquired.
Speaking on the four-week just concluded capacity building training for 65 officers of the command, Aber noted that the training would enhance the officers’ jobs.
Aber told our correspondent that the training would help to sharpen the skills of the command’s enforcement officers.
“The officers were trained on weapon handling, assembling and range to enable them to combat smugglers’ activities.
“Since I resumed at the KLT command, I introduced a format to make the command the best that others will emulate,” he said.

Niger

The Niger State House of Assembly, has dismissed
insinuations that it is a rubber stamp of the executive arm of government in the state.
The Speaker, Ahmed Marafa, made the statement in Minna while speaking to newsmen on the activities of the Assembly in the past one year.
Marafa said the House was made up of legislators with conscience and high integrity, adding that nobody was interfering with or controlling the affairs of the House.
“In our one year in office, we have proved beyond reasonable doubt that the eighth legislature is an assembly with a difference.

Ogun

The Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). has arrested two members of a syndicate which specialises in pipeline vandalism on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The command also recovered a total of nine vehicles and seven motorcycles from the suspects as well as 3,000 jerry cans in an operation at Oluwo-Ifote village in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state.
Our correspondent reports that the two male suspects were aged 33 and 21.
It was gathered that other members of the syndicate fled when NSCDC operatives stormed a thick forest in Oluwo-Ifote where fuel was being scooped from a vandalised NNPC pipeline.

Plateau

A Jos High Court has granted bail to Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, a
former governorship aspirant in Bauchi State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Thursday arraigned Adamu before Justice Yakubu Dakwak of State High Court II on charges of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.
Also charged along with Adamu was his company, Solid Unit Nig. Ltd, for allegedly collecting the sum of N23, 431, 000 from one Olajide Olaleye, for the supply of iron ore and zinc which were not delivered.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Banjamin Manji, told the court that the action of the accused contravened section 8 (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Law of 2006.

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Firefighters battle New Year Day inferno in Abuja, several states

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Federal Fire Service FFS entered the New Year on full operational alert, tackling multiple fire outbreaks across the country from midnight into the early hours of January 1, 2026, in what officials described as one of the busiest festive-season deployments in recent years.
The intensified nationwide response followed a December 2025 directive issued by the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, who had ordered that no firefighter should proceed on leave throughout the holidays.
According to a statement by the National Public Relations Officer and Head of Corporate Services of the FFS, DCF Paul Abraham, the no-leave policy proved critical as the Service moved swiftly to contain fires in several states.
The Federal Capital Territory FCT recorded its first fire incident of the year barely twenty-three minutes after midnight when flames erupted at Cake Hot Restaurant located within River Plate Park, Wuse, Abuja.
Abraham said fire crews from the Federal Fire Service and the FCT Fire Service arrived promptly and were able to stop the blaze before it could spread through the popular recreational centre.
While a section of the garden area was destroyed, no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.
Officials said property worth an estimated ?1.5 billion was saved, although losses were placed at about ?500 million.
“Preliminary findings suggested that the fire was triggered by objects thrown during New Year celebrations, reinforcing long-standing warnings over the dangers posed by fireworks during the harmattan season”, the Service said.
The Controller General had repeatedly urged Nigerians to avoid fireworks, candles and open flames indoors, warning that the dry winds characteristic of the season allow fires to spread rapidly.
He also warned the public about electrical faults and power surges and advised that electrical appliances be switched off and unplugged when not in use or when occupants leave their homes, stressing that overloading sockets and extension boxes remains a significant cause of domestic fires.
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Enugu North LG chairman presents ?10.8bn 2026 Budget, prioritises roads …Security, Healthcare, Human Capital Development

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Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area in Enugu State, Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh, has presented a Ten Billion Eight Hundred Million Naira (?10.8bn) 2026 budget to the legislative council of the local government.
The budget, tagged “Budget of Continued Growth and Consolidation,” was presented on Wednesday during a plenary session attended by councillors, department heads, and other stakeholders.
Dr. Onoh explained that the 2026 budget is designed to consolidate achievements recorded in 2025 while scaling up development across the council’s 13 wards. Priority areas include road infrastructure, grassroots security, healthcare delivery, youth empowerment, and digital governance.
He also reviewed the 2025 budget performance, highlighting significant revenue growth and successful completion of key projects. Notably, the council’s internally generated revenue more than doubled, attributed to the introduction of digital revenue collection platforms and other innovative measures.
Among the 2025 achievements, Dr. Onoh mentioned the reconstruction of major roads at European Quarters, Hilltop, Coal Camp, and Ukwa Street, Ihewuishi, as well as the upgrade of the local security architecture through the reorganisation of the neighbourhood watch into “The City Watch.”
On the 2026 budget, the chairman stated that projected revenue would come from statutory allocations, VAT, internally generated revenue, and counterpart funding through public-private partnerships.
He noted that capital expenditure would take the larger share of the budget, with over half allocated to the economic sector. Planned projects include:
Completion of transport terminals at Aria Market
Construction and reconstruction of urban roads
Establishment of two sports centres
Healthcare interventions
Youth skills development programmes.
Dr. Onoh emphasised that the projects, policies, and programmes outlined in the budget are aimed at complementing the initiatives of Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah, who is setting standards for local government councils to follow.
Responding, the Leader of the Legislative Council, Rt. Hon. Chizoba Nnamani, said the budget would be carefully scrutinised in the interest of residents before its passage.
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Christians Convert To Islam or die As ISWAP burns down Christian village

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Christians in Adamawa have been asked to Convert to Islam or die as commanded by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
.The ISWAP forcedly burnt down Christian village in Adamawa Nigeria as reported on January 1, 2026.
The Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, has continued to wreak havoc on Christian communities in the Northeast, Nigeria.
This comes as ISWAP burned down a Christian village in Adamawa State.
A security expert, Brant Philip, disclosed this on Thursday in a viral video released by the terrorists.
“ISWAP released an image of one of the Christian villages in Adamawa State burning, alongside a statement saying that all Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets, and they have an opportunity to “spare their blood” by converting to Islam or paying the jizyah tax to ISWAP,” Brant Philip wrote on X.
The move is perceived as retaliation for recent joint airstrikes by the Nigerian and United States military against a terrorist enclave in Sokoto, Nigeria.
Recall that five days ago, United States President Donald Trump announced that the US military launched airstrikes against terrorists in Sokoto State.
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