Author: Naija Daily News

The United States has stepped up military assistance and intelligence cooperation with Nigeria as part of renewed efforts to counter Islamic State–linked militants operating in the country. United States Army Lieutenant General John Brennan, Deputy Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), disclosed that Washington is increasing the supply of military equipment and intelligence sharing with Nigerian forces amid rising jihadist violence. Brennan made the disclosure in an interview with AFP on the sidelines of a US–Nigeria security meeting held in Abuja last week. According to him, the Pentagon has also maintained communication channels with military authorities in the…

By Deborah Nnamdi Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested a 65-year-old woman, Hauwa Abulazeez, for allegedly supplying drugs to Boko Haram fighters operating in Nigeria’s North-East. The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt-Col Sanni Uba. He said the suspect was apprehended on January 23, 2026, in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, following credible intelligence. According to the statement, Abulazeez is suspected to be a key supplier and distributor of cannabis sativa to Boko Haram elements operating in Askira Uba,…

Photo: Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, is set to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, January 26, 2026, following his resignation from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the governor’s spokesperson, Bature Tofa, who said Yusuf’s decision marks a return to the APC, a party he first joined in 2014. Yusuf had won the APC primary for the Kano Central Senatorial seat that year but later stepped down for Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. According to the statement, the governor’s move was informed…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has conducted ward congresses in Ahoada East and Khana Local Government Areas of Rivers State to elect delegates ahead of the February 21 House of Assembly bye-elections. The congresses were organised to select delegates who will vote in the party’s primaries for the Ahoada East State Constituency II and Khana State Constituency II bye-elections. In Ahoada East State Constituency II, the exercise was monitored by the party’s congress and primary committee, chaired by Shehu Dange, with Smart Iheanazor serving as secretary, alongside members of the party’s appeal committee. The committee toured the six wards in…

By Deborah Nnamdi Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye has spoken about the dramatic walk-off by his team and Morocco’s missed penalty during last week’s Africa Cup of Nations final, describing the incident as a human error in a highly charged moment. Gueye, who scored the decisive goal as Senegal edged Morocco 1–0 after extra time in a controversial final in Rabat, made the remarks in an interview on French television on Sunday. The match was marred by tension after Morocco were awarded a late penalty, prompting Senegal’s players to walk off the pitch in protest and causing a delay of about…

By Deborah Nnamdi The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 30-year-old Brazilian woman, Ingrid Benevides, with 30.09 kilograms of heroin concealed in factory-sealed coffee packs at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The agency disclosed this in a statement on Sunday by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who said the illicit drugs have an estimated street value of over ₦3 billion. He said the suspect was intercepted on Friday after arriving in Abuja on a Qatar Airways flight, following intelligence-led surveillance. According to the NDLEA, Benevides, who is a private security officer in Brazil, had packed the drugs…

Troops of 1 Division/Sector 1 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have foiled a bandit attack and neutralized one suspected terrorist during a snap ambush in the Maraban Rido general area of Kaduna State. The operation followed a distress call received late on January 22, 2026, reporting that armed bandits had rustled livestock in Anguwan Fulan village along the Rido axis. Acting swiftly on the information, troops were immediately deployed to the area, where they laid a hasty ambush to intercept the fleeing criminals. On arrival, the troops made contact with the bandits and engaged them with superior firepower, forcing the assailants…

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have killed a senior pastor of the Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN) and four other residents during an attack on Tarfa community in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State. The attackers reportedly struck the community around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, firing sporadically into the air, forcing residents to flee and setting several houses and shops ablaze. Witnesses said the assailants arrived on motorcycles and operated for about two hours, during which there was no resistance from security forces in the area. An anonymous resident, who said he was a victim of the attack, told reporters…

At least eight people have been confirmed dead and more than 80 others declared missing after a landslide struck villages in Indonesia’s West Bandung region on the island of Java early Saturday, disaster officials have said. The landslide, triggered by heavy and prolonged rainfall, occurred in the early hours of the morning and buried residential areas, forcing the evacuation of dozens of residents, mostly women and children. Floods and landslides are common in Indonesia during the rainy season, which usually lasts from October to March. A resident of Pasirlangu village, Oyoh, recounted hearing a loud rumbling sound around 2:30 a.m.,…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja after a week-long diplomatic and economic mission to Guinea-Conakry and Switzerland, saying Nigeria has regained a prominent place in global and regional policy discussions. A statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, said the Vice President arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Saturday. During the trip, Shettima represented President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of Guinea’s President, Mamadi Doumbouya, and led Nigeria’s delegation to the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The Vice President said the engagements underscored Nigeria’s…