News February 06, 2026 Atiku hosts Aisha Buhari, daughter in Saudi Arabia

 

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has hosted the wife of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, and members of her family during their visit to Saudi Arabia.

Atiku disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that the former First Lady, her daughter Hanan, and other relatives paid him a courtesy visit while they were in the Kingdom to perform the lesser hajj.

“I was honoured to host Hajiya Aisha Buhari, wife of former President Muhammadu Buhari, her daughter Hanan, and other family members during their visit to me in Saudi Arabia. Like me, the former First Lady and her family are in the Kingdom on a lesser hajj,” Atiku said.

The former vice president, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, is also in Saudi Arabia for the religious exercise.

The visit is seen as a notable interaction between families of two prominent political figures from different political parties, coming amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku served as Nigeria’s vice president from 1999 to 2007 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He has contested for the presidency multiple times and was the PDP’s candidate in the 2019 and 2023 elections.

Aisha Buhari served as Nigeria’s First Lady from 2015 to 2023 during the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari, who governed under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Since leaving office, the former president and his family have largely maintained a low political profile.

News February 06, 2026 FG orders six-week partial shutdown of Lagos–Ibadan Expressway

 

The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works, on Thursday announced a six-week partial closure of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway to carry out urgent repairs on expansion joints at Kara Bridge, Magboro Bridge and Arepo–Punch Bridge.

The ministry said the measure was necessary to resume critical rehabilitation work that had earlier been suspended on the Lagos-bound section of Kara Bridge following complaints from motorists over prolonged traffic congestion.

Speaking with journalists at Kara Bridge, the Ogun State Federal Controller of Works, Michael Komolafe, apologised to road users for the disruption and assured that better traffic management measures would be put in place to guarantee swift and lasting repairs.

Komolafe explained that the expansion joints on the three bridges had deteriorated badly, creating safety concerns and contributing to accidents.

He said the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had directed that the repairs be treated as urgent.

According to him, work had already been completed on half of the Lagos-bound sections of the Magboro and Arepo–Punch bridges, while the remaining portions on the Ibadan-bound side would now be fixed.

The contractor and General Manager of CBC Construction Company, Andy Duan, said the project would last six weeks, with equipment mobilisation expected to be concluded over the weekend and full construction set to begin on Monday.

He noted that sections of the expansion joints at the Magboro and Arepo–Punch bridges had been completed, while half of the Lagos-bound side of Kara Bridge was already done.

“At Kara Bridge, we have finished half of it. So we are facing the other half of it. Instead of causing traffic, that’s why we suspended the work temporarily. Now we are getting instructions from the Ministry of Works to resolve this issue,” Duan said.

He added that the expansion joint at Kara Bridge was in very poor condition and had been responsible for accidents.

Duan said materials such as barriers would be deployed before the diversion begins to secure the temporary work area. He added that traffic signs, warning lights and other safety devices would be installed to protect workers and ensure safe movement of vehicles.

“We are supposed to start immediately, but we are shifting it to Monday. We expect to complete half of each expansion joint within a week. For the Ibadan-bound side, covering three bridges, we will divide the work into phases so each bridge takes about a week,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Kehinde Hamzat, assured motorists that arrangements had been made to maintain smooth traffic flow throughout the construction period.

He cautioned drivers against driving against traffic, warning that offenders would face sanctions.

Hamzat said the repair work was prompted by reports of failing expansion joints that had caused ditches and crashes, especially on Kara Bridge.

He appealed to motorists to cooperate and remain patient, describing the closure as necessary to enhance road safety and infrastructure.

News February 06, 2026 EU wraps up digital skills initiative to boost inclusive growth in North-East Nigeria

 

The European Union has completed its digital skills promotion programme designed for women, hard-to-reach youth, and persons with disabilities after three years of focused intervention aimed at expanding inclusive digital opportunities in Borno and Yobe states. The initiative sought to bridge the digital gender gap and reduce exclusion while strengthening the capacity of communities operating in fragile environments.

The closing event, held in Maiduguri on 4 February 2026, brought together key stakeholders, including officials of the European Union, implementing partners, civil society groups, and state government representatives, to review achievements and share lessons from the programme.

Supported with €750,000 from the European Union, the project was carried out by ZOA International between 2023 and 2026. It targeted the reduction of the digital gender divide, improved access to digital training, and enhanced the capacity of grassroots civil society organisations across 30 communities in Borno and Yobe.

Speaking at the closing ceremony in Maiduguri, the Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, highlighted the programme’s emphasis on inclusive and people-centred digital development.

“This project shows how well-targeted digital investments can deliver lasting impact—by empowering communities, strengthening local institutions, and supporting inclusive economic growth,” De Luca said. “Through the Global Gateway strategy, the European Union is backing practical, people-centred digital transformation that responds to local realities and leaves no one behind.”

He stressed the significance of digital inclusion in areas affected by conflict, noting: “Digital inclusion is not a luxury; it is a necessity for resilience, innovation, and meaningful participation in today’s economy. For marginalised communities in conflict-affected regions, access to digital skills is essential to stability, opportunity, and long-term recovery.”

Highlighting the EU’s forward-looking direction, De Luca added: “Looking ahead, the European Union wants initiatives like this to translate into real economic value. Our focus is on ensuring that skills, infrastructure, and innovation lead to viable enterprises, job creation, and durable economic resilience within local communities.”

Giving an overview of the results, ZOA Programme Manager, Godwin Dominic, said the intervention recorded measurable impact in the targeted communities.

“Over the course of implementation, the programme trained 18,193 individuals, established 32 IT hubs, and supported the formation of a Digital Literacy Working Group to strengthen coordination and sustainability,” Dominic said. “In addition, six schools were capacitated with access to IT services, expanding opportunities for digital learning and skills development across communities in Borno and Yobe states.”

Representing the Borno State Government, the Executive Secretary of the Borno Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (BICTDA), Engr. Mohammed Kabir Wanori, commended the project for aligning with the state’s development priorities, policies, and strategies, while improving opportunities for women and young people.

With the programme now concluded, partners reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining the digital infrastructure, skills, and community capacity built during the initiative, to ensure continued inclusive economic participation and resilience across North-East Nigeria.

News February 06, 2026 Appeal Court affirms N2.5bn judgment against ABU, orders CBN to release funds

The Court of Appeal on Friday affirmed the judgment against Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, over the more than N2.5 billion debt owed to 110 former staff members.

The university had disengaged the employees in 1996.

The appellate court further directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to immediately release the judgment sum to the affected staff, whose unlawful termination had earlier been nullified in the Nov. 30, 2015 decision of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).

The court warned that failure to comply would expose the bank’s principal officers to disciplinary measures.

A three-member panel of the court issued the orders in two unanimous judgments delivered by Justice Okon Abang, who authored the lead decisions in both appeals.

The first ruling concerned the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/476/2023, filed by ABU, the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) against the Nov. 30, 2015 judgment.

The second decision related to the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1064/2022, filed by the CBN, challenging the garnishee order absolute issued by the NICN on Jan. 27, 2022. The order directed the apex bank to pay the N2.5 billion judgment sum to the disengaged workers, led by Joseph Ekundayo, from ABU’s funds in its custody.

Justice Abang upheld the arguments of counsel to the disengaged staff, Adegbiyega Kolade, and resolved the three issues identified for determination against the appellants.

The court held that the appeal filed in 2023 against a judgment delivered in 2015 was an afterthought and rejected the appellants’ claim that they were denied fair hearing at the trial court.

K “Having resolved the three issues formulated by the appellants against them, this appeal is devoid of merit. It is accordingly dismissed.”

The court also awarded N5 million in costs against the appellants in favour of the 110 disengaged staff.

In its Nov. 30, 2015 judgment, the NICN had declared the disengagement of the workers unlawful, ordered their reinstatement and directed the payment of their salaries and entitlements, calculated at over N2.5 billion.

In the second judgment delivered on Friday, the Court of Appeal criticised the role played by the CBN in what it described as efforts by the original judgment debtors—ABU, the FME and the AGF—to frustrate enforcement of the judgment.

Justice Abang resolved the two issues in the appeal against the CBN.

He rejected the apex bank’s claim that the NICN lacked jurisdiction to entertain the garnishee proceedings and issue the garnishee order absolute.

The court ruled that the NICN had the necessary jurisdiction, as the garnishee process was incidental to enforcing the Nov. 30, 2015 judgment in the substantive employment dispute.

Justice Abang observed that the judgment creditors had no claim against the CBN in the garnishee proceedings to justify the bank’s position that the Federal High Court was the proper forum.

He questioned why the CBN chose to spend public funds on an appeal despite having the money to satisfy the judgment after the trial court made the garnishee order absolute.

He said: “The CBN ought to have released that money to the judgment creditors when the judgment was not set aside or stayed. Why is CBN holding the brief for the judgment debtors?

“The conduct of the CBN in this case is reckless and condemnable to the extreme. There is no reason for the CBN to have filed this appeal. Its conduct is oppressive.

“It is not the duty of the garnishee to play the role of an advocate for the judgment debtors by shielding them from the effect of the judgment,” he said.

Justice Abang also faulted CBN’s lawyer, Sen. Ita Enang, for accepting the brief instead of advising his client to comply with the order.

He added: “Counsel ought to have advised the appellant on the futility of filing this appeal or withdraw his services if his client insisted on proceeding with the appeal.

“Since 2018 when the order nisi was made, the CBN has held on to the money and has been trading with it at the expense of the judgment creditors. This is man’s inhumanity to man.”

Justice Abang said the CBN was wrong to support the original judgment debtors—ABU, the FME and the AGF—in preventing the workers from enjoying the fruits of the judgment.

He also dismissed the bank’s argument that the workers needed the AGF’s consent before initiating garnishee proceedings against it.

Relying on the Supreme Court decision in CBN versus Interstella Communications Limited, Justice Abang held that where the AGF was a party to the original suit, his consent was not required before commencing garnishee proceedings.

He dismissed the appeal and directed the CBN to release the judgment sum to the workers without delay.

Justice Abang warned that failure by the bank to comply would attract disciplinary action against its principal officers.

The court also awarded N5 million in costs against the CBN in favour of the disengaged ABU staff.
Other members of the panel, Justices Adebukola Banjoko and Eberechi Wike, concurred with the lead judgments in both appeals.

Crime News February 06, 2026 Residents flee Sokoto community as bandits kill traditional ruler, religious leaders

 

Residents of Magarau in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State have abandoned the settlement after bandits allegedly loyal to notorious kingpin Bello Turji killed the village head, the chief Imam and other community figures.

The once-busy community is now deserted, with houses left empty and property destroyed following the assault.

A video shared online by security analyst Bakatsine captured the aftermath of the attack, showing the state of the village after the violence.

The narrator in the video pointed to the residence of the late village head while describing the extent of the destruction.

“I hope the general public can see; this is what is left of the house of the late village head of Magarau, who was killed by armed bandits,” he said.

“This is the centre of the village and you will not find anyone here, not even an animal. They were displaced while many others were killed.”

Footage also showed the abandoned home of the late chief Imam.

According to the narrator, several buildings were damaged and properties looted during the attack.

“Also, as you can see in this video, that is the deserted house of the late chief Imam of Magarau, who was also killed by the bandits. Houses were demolished and food items were carted away. And the entire village is now empty; no one is living there,” he said.

The video further captured the locked residence of the head of the local vigilante group, who was also killed in the attack.

The narrator said, “Also, the empty house that has been locked is the house of the head of local vigilantes; he was also killed by the bandits.”

The incident in Magarau comes amid a series of violent attacks by armed groups across parts of the country.

Nigeria has been facing worsening security challenges, especially in the North Central, Northwest and Northeast regions.

In Kwara State, gunmen recently stormed the communities of Woro and Nuku, killing at least 162 people, according to the Red Cross and local authorities, with some estimates placing the death toll at about 170.

Homes and shops were burnt as residents fled into nearby bushland, in what has been described as one of the deadliest attacks of the year.

In Kaduna State, 166 worshippers abducted during raids on churches in Kajuru Local Government Area in mid-January have reportedly regained their freedom, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed. The kidnappings initially involved about 177 people, with 11 escaping shortly after the attacks.

Benue State has also witnessed organised attacks, resulting in several civilian deaths and severe disruption to rural communities.

International News February 06, 2026 Terrorists will face consequences for attacking Christians, says Trump

 

United States’ President Donald Trump has warned that terrorists “know what is coming” if they target Christians, stressing his tough posture against groups accused of attacking Christian communities in Nigeria and indicating that the United States could take strong action if the violence persists.

He made the remarks on Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC.

“When Christians come under attack, terrorists know they are going to be attacked violently and viciously by President Trump. I know it is not a nice thing to say, but that is the way it is,” he added.

Trump’s comments come as Nigeria’s security situation continues to draw global attention, following recent assertions by Trump and some U.S. lawmakers that Christians in the country are facing widespread attacks.

Recall that Trump designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged attacks on Christians, a decision criticised by the Nigerian government, which described the claims as inaccurate and detrimental to national unity.

During his address, Trump spoke on several global security challenges and outlined how his administration was confronting extremist groups.

He stated that the U.S. military under his leadership had “knocked out” the Islamic State (ISIS) in Nigeria due to its attacks on Christians.

Trump said he was already defeating ISIS when he first assumed office, but alleged that the group regained strength during the four years he was out of power.

He also blamed ISIS for the killing of Christians in Nigeria.

“When I was out of office for four years, ISIS rebuilt again. We had a bit of ISIS again, but we knocked the hell out of them the other day in Nigeria because they were killing Christians,” Trump said.

Trump added that ISIS would not be permitted to continue killing Christians and warned that he would respond strongly if such attacks persisted.

Business News February 06, 2026 Kano govt donates N100m to singer market fire victims

 

Kano State Government has donated N100 million as relief assistance to the victims of the recent fire disaster that occurred at the famous Singer market in the state capital.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Spokesman to the State Governor,Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

Dawakin Tofa said Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf announced the donation when he visited the market to sympathise with traders whose shops were destroyed by the inferno.

The incident which occurred at the market on Monday morning consumed three big stores, resulting in significant loss of property worth millions of Naira.

During the visit, the governor expressed deep concern over the losses suffered by the affected traders and assured them of the government’s support and commitment to their welfare.

The governor directed the immediate expansion and rehabilitation of roads within the Singer market to ease movement of people and goods.

“The award of a N3 billion road expansion and rehabilitation project for Bello Road, Ado Bayero Road, Kandoki, Yolawa and Kwangiri roads is aimed at reducing flood risk and traffic congestion around Kano market’s environment,” the statement said.

Yusuf further promised to solarise the market and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the modernisation of Kano markets in line with his vision of urban renewal and economic growth.

He ordered contractors handling the road projects to mobilise to the site and commence work within 10 days.

Among those who received the governor during the visit were the Chairman of Singer market, Barr. Junaidu Muhammad Zakari, an elder of the market, Alhaji Sabi’u Bako, and the owner of the affected plaza, Alhaji Munzali Mazaf.

The market leadership expressed gratitude to the governor for the visit and his kind gesture,describing the intervention as timely and compassionate.

They commended the state government for its commitment to supporting traders and improving infrastructure within the Kantin Kwari market.