Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi The Anambra State Government has ordered the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders failed to open for business despite a directive by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to ignore the Monday sit-at-home linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The shutdown, announced on Monday, comes amid mounting concerns over the economic toll of recurring sit-at-home observances across the Southeast. State authorities have warned that the continued disruption of commercial activities could undermine revenue generation and jeopardise budget implementation. A media aide to the governor, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, described the sit-at-home practice as deeply…

By Deborah Nnamdi A private jet carrying eight people has crashed while attempting to take off from Bangor International Airport in the US state of Maine, aviation authorities have confirmed. The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 600, went down at about 7:45 p.m. local time on Sunday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The identities and condition of those on board were not immediately known as investigations began. The crash occurred as a powerful winter storm swept across large parts of the United States, causing widespread travel disruption and power outages. Pilots at Bangor International Airport were reportedly struggling with…

Photo: Governor Abba Yusuf …Ganduje announces Abba as Kano APC leader, vows automatic ticket for gov By Didimoko A. Didimoko Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the need to act in the overall interest of peace, stability and accelerated development of the state. Yusuf announced his defection on Monday at an event held at the Coronation Hall of the Kano State Government House. He said the decision was driven by the need to foster unity and fast-track development across Kano, stressing that his primary focus remains the delivery of good…

…List of coup plotters, states of origin The Defence Headquarters has confirmed that the Special Investigative Panel constituted to probe 16 senior officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces over allegations of indiscipline and other serious service breaches has concluded its work, with the affected officers now set to face a military court martial. The announcement comes three months after the military hierarchy and the Federal Government denied the alleged plot to topple President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government. Military experts told Naija Daily News that it was troubling that all the prominent figures listed as masterminds of the coup hail from…

A powerful and historic winter storm sweeping across much of the United States has claimed at least 10 lives, knocked out power to over a million homes and businesses, forced massive flight cancellations and left officials urging residents to stay off the roads as dangerously cold conditions persist into the week. The Winter Storm Fern has dumped snow, sleet and freezing rain from the southern Plains to the Northeast, creating hazardous travel conditions and widespread disruption. The US National Weather Service warned that an Arctic air mass trailing the system will drive temperatures to perilously low levels for days, prolonging…

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 12 suspects and recovered a cache of dangerous weapons and illicit drugs in two separate intelligence-led operations carried out within the state. The first arrest was made on January 22, 2026, at about 4:10 p.m., when operatives of the command’s Buffalo Patrol Team, during a routine stop-and-search at the Head Bridge boundary between Anambra and Delta states, intercepted a green Toyota Sienna travelling from Anambra into Delta State. The occupants of the vehicle, all dressed in mufti, claimed they were on their way to Delta State to welcome a visiting religious…

A successful appraisal and exploration campaign by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and Chevron Nigeria Limited has confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons in the shallow offshore western Niger Delta, boosting confidence in the asset and the wider prospectivity of the area. The result follows the completion of the Awodi-07 well, drilled by Chevron Nigeria Limited as operator of the NNPC Ltd/Chevron Joint Venture. The well forms part of the JV’s broader strategy to further define and unlock hydrocarbon resources within its portfolio. Drilling activities began in late November 2025 and were concluded by mid-December 2025. According to…

The long-running corruption case involving Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, is set to enter full trial in London on Monday, bringing to a head years of international investigations into alleged corruption in Nigeria’s oil sector. Alison-Madueke, 65, is facing six criminal charges — five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery — over allegations linked to her time in office between 2010 and 2015. According to prosecutors, the former minister allegedly received “financial or other advantages” from individuals connected to two international energy companies between 2011 and 2015, in exchange for improperly…

By Douglas Maha, with agency reports Global oil prices remained largely stable on Monday, staying above Nigeria’s 2026 budget benchmark of $64.85 per barrel, as supply disruptions and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to support the market. Market data tracked by Reuters showed that Brent crude futures dipped slightly by 7 cents, or 0.1 per cent, to $65.81 per barrel as of early Monday trading. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also eased marginally by 6 cents, or 0.1 per cent, to $61.01 per barrel. The mild pullback followed a strong rally in the previous session, when…

Photo: Olayemi Cardoso, CBN Governor Nigeria’s local currency may be trading significantly below its true worth, according to renowned economist Bismarck Rewane, who estimates the naira’s fair value at about N1,257 to the dollar. Rewane, the Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), said an analysis based on the purchasing power parity (PPP) framework suggests that the naira is undervalued by approximately 11 per cent, a situation he noted is not unusual for emerging-market currencies. He made the remarks while speaking at the 2026 Economic Outlook forum organised by the Association of Corporate Treasurers of Nigeria (ACTN), where discussions centred…