Author: Naija Daily News

A sudden fire outbreak before dawn on Monday threw traders into panic at Singa Market in Kano, leaving several shop owners counting losses as goods and stalls were destroyed before business hours. The blaze reportedly started in the early morning and swept through parts of the market, forcing nearby occupants and security guards to raise the alarm. Firefighters were later drafted in to battle the flames and stop them from reaching more crowded sections of the trading hub. Officials of the Kano State Fire Service confirmed they received an emergency call at about 3:16 a.m. and immediately mobilised response teams…

… IPOB leaders give conflicting orders Photo…IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.. Business activities have resumed at Onitsha Main Market after a one-week government-ordered closure, with traders returning to their stalls but lamenting heavy financial losses recorded during the period. The shutdown was enforced by the Anambra State Government after reports that sections of the market complied with a Monday sit-at-home directive linked to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Governor Chukwuma Soludo subsequently ordered a full closure and warned that continued defiance of reopening directives would attract stricter sanctions. When the gates reopened under tight security presence, traders quickly moved…

South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Gayton McKenzie, has dismissed claims that the country has been confirmed as the new host of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, insisting that Morocco remains the official host of the tournament. In a statement issued on Monday, McKenzie said no formal decision had been taken to relocate the competition from Morocco, countering earlier remarks credited to the Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, who had suggested that South Africa was set to take over hosting duties following Morocco’s alleged withdrawal. McKenzie clarified that South Africa has only expressed its readiness…

By Sodeeq Kamsela, Abuja Over 30,000 retired police officers have received a combined N97.5 billion in pension and retirement benefits, according to NPF Pensions Limited, the pension manager for personnel of the Nigeria Police Force. The disclosure came during the 2026 pre-retirement seminar organised by the pension firm in Lagos, where officials also said thousands of families of deceased officers have been paid death benefits running into tens of billions of naira. Acting Managing Director, Abdulkareem Gezawa, said 30,370 retirees have so far been settled since the organisation began operations, while 8,847 next-of-kin received death benefit payments totalling N39.57 billion.…

International police are now on the trail of Indonesian oil magnate Mohammad Riza Chalid after a global alert was issued over his alleged role in a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal tied to the country’s state oil operations. Authorities confirmed that Interpol placed Chalid on its red notice list on January 23, effectively asking police agencies around the world to find and detain him pending legal proceedings in Indonesia. A red notice is typically used when a suspect is believed to be outside the issuing country and may attempt to evade arrest by crossing borders. Chalid, 66, popularly nicknamed the “gasoline godfather”…

… Fela Anikulapo Kuti gets Post-humous Lifetime Achievement Award The 68th Grammy Awards delivered a night of big victories, surprise upsets and tough losses, as global music stars gathered at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to celebrate the year’s biggest records and performances. From breakthrough talents to established hitmakers, the ceremony reflected shifting listener tastes, the growing global reach of non-Western sounds and the continued dominance of streaming-era pop and genre fusion. On the winners’ side, African music again recorded a major moment as South African star Tyla took home Best African Music Performance for Push 2 Start. The…

At least 17 residents have been confirmed dead after suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched fresh attacks on communities in Guzamala and Nganzai local government areas of Borno State, triggering new fears in already fragile resettled zones. Authorities said the victims were discovered during search and recovery operations carried out after the raids on Guzamala-Abbari village and nearby settlements. Twelve of the bodies were recovered from the Guzamala axis and buried in Monguno, while five others found in Nganzai area were laid to rest in Gajiram. Confirming the development, the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, said…

South African pop star Tyla has won the Best African Music Performance award at the 68th Grammy Awards held on February 1, 2026, in Los Angeles, earning her second victory in the category. The 24-year-old singer picked up the prize with her song Push 2 Start, becoming the first artiste to win the category twice since it was introduced. She first claimed the award in 2024 with her global breakout hit Water. Her latest win further strengthens her growing global profile and underlines her position as one of Africa’s leading contemporary pop exports. The Best African Music Performance category was…

Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, has revealed that suspects behind the recently foiled coup plot allegedly planned violent actions against President Bola Tinubu and top security officials, including himself, as part of what he described as a poorly conceived takeover attempt. Speaking during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, the minister said details from investigations showed that some of the plotters identified key targets to be arrested or possibly shot if they resisted. He disclosed that he was personally listed among those to be neutralised. “I was also a target. I was supposed to be arrested, and if…

Nigeria’s financial system stayed under heavy cash pressure in January as aggressive tightening moves by the Central Bank of Nigeria drained trillions of naira from the banking space and pushed interbank borrowing rates higher. Despite a slight improvement compared to December, average system liquidity still closed the month deep in deficit at about N2.4 trillion negative, showing that banks operated under tight funding conditions for most of the period. Data from market activities show that more than N15 trillion was taken out of the system through different liquidity control tools. These included Open Market Operations (OMO) sales, treasury instrument auctions…