Author: Adeniyi Daniel

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly condemned the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by the United States, describing the action as a violation of international law and an assault on Venezuela’s sovereignty. Ramaphosa made his position known in a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, declaring South Africa’s solidarity with the Venezuelan people. “We reject utterly the actions embarked upon by the United States and we stand with the people of Venezuela,” the South African leader wrote. He said South Africa’s response was guided by its commitment to international…

Troops of Sector 1, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued six kidnapped victims during a coordinated security operation in the Kajuru–Kujama axis of Kaduna State. The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division Nigerian Army/Sector 1, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt.-Col. Shuaib Umar, disclosed this in a statement posted on the Nigerian Army’s official X handle on Tuesday. According to Umar, the rescue took place on January 5, 2026, during a series of clearance and dominance operations conducted across Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia and Kagarko Local Government Areas, as well as border communities around Kauru. He said the operations were aimed at…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed reports claiming it is shutting down for maintenance, describing the information as false and misleading while insisting that production remains stable and uninterrupted. In a statement issued on Monday, the refinery said it continues to operate at scale and retains the capacity to supply between 40 million and 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily through January and February, subject to market demand. “Dangote Petroleum Refinery continues to operate at scale and retains the capacity to supply between 40 million and 50 million litres of PMS daily,” the statement said. It disclosed that…

Former Delta State governorship aspirant, Dr O’Diakpo Obire, has criticised Peter Obi’s reported defection from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), arguing that strong political leaders do not abandon their party structures in the face of internal challenges. Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, Obire said Obi’s exit from the Labour Party reflected a failure of leadership, particularly his inability to build and sustain a viable party structure after the 2023 general elections. “It’s a failure on his part as a leader already, because if he were a leader who could assemble people, who…

The Lagos State Taskforce on Tuesday arrested 32 suspects during a coordinated enforcement operation across major roads on the Island and Mainland, as part of renewed efforts to curb street nuisance, illegal road obstruction and other criminal activities in the state. The operation, carried out on January 6, 2026, followed repeated complaints from members of the public over the activities of street urchins, popularly known as “Omotaku,” who were accused of posing safety risks and harassing motorists on major highways. Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Taskforce, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, said the exercise was part of the agency’s ongoing clean-up and enforcement…

The Lagos State Government has commenced clearance operations along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway to remove illegal structures and restore free flow of traffic. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement posted on his official X handle on Monday. According to Wahab, the enforcement exercise began at Alakija in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area before progressing through Iyana Iba and extending to areas opposite Lagos State University (LASU), with active operations also ongoing at Alaba Market in Ojo Local Government Area. “Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Agency (LAGESC), in collaboration with other enforcement…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday welcomed the nomination of Senator Magnus Abe from Rivers State as Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) by President Bola Tinubu. Wike expressed his appreciation during a “thank you” visit to Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State. The minister also commended the nomination of another Rivers indigene, Mr Kenneth Kobani, as a non-executive member of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). Abe, a two-term senator who represented Rivers South-East and a former board member of the Nigerian National Petroleum…

The Enugu State Police Command has busted an interstate vehicle theft syndicate, arrested suspects and recovered two Mack trucks and a Toyota Highlander SUV stolen from different states during separate operations within the state. The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, January 5, 2026. According to Ndukwe, operatives attached to the Emene Police Division, acting on credible intelligence recovered two stolen Mack trucks on December 22, 2025, at about 8:00 a.m. He said the operatives swiftly mobilised to a location in Emene, Enugu, where they recovered a yellow Mack truck…

The Ogun State Government has reiterated its plan to deliver no fewer than 3,000 affordable housing units in 2026, with a longer-term target of 10,000 units by 2027. The Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Akande Omoniyi, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abeokuta. Omoniyi said the Dapo Abiodun administration had already delivered more than 5,000 housing units across the state since assuming office in 2019. According to him, a major component of the government’s housing drive is the proposed Siun Housing Estate, which is expected to provide about 2,500 affordable two- and three-bedroom homes. “The first phase of the Siun…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has cautioned the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, to refrain from interfering in the political affairs of Rivers State. Wike issued the warning while addressing residents of Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state, following comments attributed to Basiru over recent political developments in Rivers. The APC National Secretary was reported to have criticised the party’s South-South Vice Chairman, Victor Giadom, accusing him of showing disrespect to Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Basiru was also said to have suggested that Giadom’s actions were aimed at currying…