Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi Nigerian fintech giant Paystack, owned by global payments company Stripe, has officially entered Nigeria’s banking sector with the launch of Paystack Microfinance Bank, following its acquisition of Ladder Microfinance Bank. The move marks a significant expansion beyond payments into full-stack financial services. The new microfinance bank, announced on Wednesday, will operate independently of Paystack Payments Limited, with its own licence, governance structure, and product roadmap, while maintaining close collaboration with the core payments business. Paystack said the decision to move into banking is informed by insights gained from supporting over 300,000 businesses and millions of consumers across…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Kano State Hospitals Management Board has suspended no fewer than three personnel in connection with the death of a Kano woman, Aishatu Umar, following a surgical procedure at the government-owned Abubakar Imam Urology Center, where scissors allegedly used during the operation were forgotten inside her body. Officials of the board confirmed that a preliminary and transparent investigation established that the incident indeed occurred at the facility. Following the findings, the affected personnel were suspended from clinical duties with immediate effect. In a statement issued by the board’s Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman, the Executive Secretary of…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have formally signed and unveiled a new agreement aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s university education system and fostering lasting industrial harmony. The agreement was signed and publicly presented on Wednesday at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Conference Hall in Maitama, Abuja, marking a fresh phase of engagement between the government and the lecturers’ union. The event was attended by key stakeholders in the education sector, including the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, alongside other senior…

The Nigerian Police have invited prominent Itsekiri chiefs and leaders for questioning following renewed tension in the Ugborodo community over the killing of an indigene, Emiko Onuwaje, on December 20, 2025. The invitations were issued by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5, Benin City, AIG Salman Dogo Garba, as part of investigations into alleged conspiracy, murder, arson and incitement of communal violence linked to a lingering youth leadership dispute in Ogidigben, a neighbouring riverine community. Those invited to appear before the police on Wednesday, January 14, include Chief Ayirimi Emami; Hon. (Chief) Thomas Ereyitomi; Chief Oma…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Katsina State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the illegal possession of a large cache of highly explosive materials in the state. The items were intercepted in a Volkswagen Golf vehicle at Koza village in Daura Local Government Area following intelligence-led patrols along major highways. According to a statement on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Sadiq, the arrest was in line with the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on heightened vigilance and proactive policing. Sadiq said police operatives, while conducting a stop-and-search operation on January 7,…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Ondo State Police Command has arrested three suspected human traffickers and fraudsters and rescued three victims during an operation in Akure, the state capital. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, the prime suspect, a 30-year-old Togolese national identified as John Apiah, allegedly used two women, Blessing Assiah and Laro Larisa, to lure unsuspecting victims with false promises of securing international passports and American visas. The suspects were said to have fraudulently collected a total of 1.6 million CFA francs from the victims, who were initially accommodated in a hotel before being moved to a rented…

By Deborah Nnamdi The United States has delivered critical military supplies to Nigerian security agencies to support ongoing operations across the country, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced on Tuesday via X. “U.S. forces delivered critical military supplies to our Nigerian partners in Abuja. This delivery supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasizes our shared security partnership,” the post read. The delivery aligns with the Federal Government’s efforts to deepen security cooperation with the US, including enhanced intelligence sharing, defence equipment provision, and other support against terrorists and violent extremist groups. In November, a Nigerian delegation led by National Security…

By Deborah Nnamdi Five people, including former House of Assembly candidate Igbabe Ochi, have been killed in a fresh attack on Otobi community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. The attack occurred at around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, following a foiled kidnapping attempt in the same area on Sunday night. Local sources said the attackers, suspected to be herdsmen, stormed the community after patrols by volunteers and youths had temporarily withdrawn. The gunmen reportedly shot the victims near the transformer junction and looted food and other valuables. Otobi has previously suffered multiple attacks, including the killing of 13…

By Deborah Nnamdi Nigeria has been ranked 72nd out of 188 countries in the 2025 Government AI Readiness Index, placing it among the top-performing nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to Oxford Insights. The annual index assesses governments’ preparedness to implement artificial intelligence in public service using 69 indicators across six pillars, including policy capacity, governance, AI infrastructure, public sector adoption, development and diffusion, and resilience. Within Africa, Nigeria ranked fourth, behind Kenya (65th), South Africa (67th), and Mauritius (71st). Ten African countries made the global top 100, reflecting uneven but growing AI adoption across the continent. The report described Nigeria…

The Kaduna State Police Command says it has successfully repelled an attempted attack by armed bandits in Giwa Local Government Area of the state, killing two suspects and recovering firearms. The operation followed credible intelligence indicating an impending attack on Idisu village in Idisu Ward of Bayan Kogi. According to the police, the bandits were mobilising to invade the community after residents allegedly failed to pay an illegal levy imposed on them. Spokesman of the command, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the criminals were led by a notorious kingpin identified as Kachalla Sanusi Bajira. Acting on the intelligence, the Commissioner of…