1. Prominent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, including the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee members, have waded into the rift between the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
2. The National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Advisor, says at least 5,000 repented Boko Haram fighters have been reunited with their families. It says none of the ex-combatants returned to the battle ground after six months of the deradicalisation programme.
3. A district head in the Zazzau emirate council of Kaduna State slumped at an occasion, on Thursday, and later died at the Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, Kofar gayan Zaria. The Sarkin Yakin Zazzau, Alhaji Rilwan Yahaya Pate, slumped attending an occasion along with the Emir of Zazzau, Mallam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli.
4. Opposition to the planned 50 per cent telecommunication tariffs hike has thickened with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Thursday, informing its affiliate unions and state councils to ensure total mobilization of workers and allies ahead of the February 4, nationwide mass protest against the planned tariff hike.
5. The Naira on Thursday appreciated to N1,493 per Dollar in the official foreign exchange market. Data published by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed that the exchange rate for the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, NFEM, fell to N1,493 per dollar from N1,506 per dollar on Wednesday.
6. The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, granted bail to detained activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, to the tune of N10 million with one surety in like sum. The court, in the ruling that was delivered by Justice Musa Liman, held that the surety must be a responsible individual with landed property that is not valued below the bail sum.
7. A passenger plane and a military helicopter collided mid-air near Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing 67 passengers. According to Al Jazeera, the incident occurred around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration.
8. No fewer than 21 children, aged between seven and 15 years, have been rescued by operatives of the Yobe State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service from suspected child traffickers. It was learnt from a statement signed by the Comptroller of the Yobe State Command, SS Jega, on Thursday, that the syndicate was intercepted at the Geidam Control Post, Dunari, Yobe State while attempting to transport the children to the Niger Republic.
9. An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti on Thursday sentenced four persons to death by hanging for conspiracy and armed robbery. The five condemned persons —Ojo Tope, Aderopo Temitope, Oyedele Oluwatobi, Damilola Christopher, and Ekundayo Ajiboye — were arraigned before Justice Lekan Olatawura on April 16, 2024, on five counts bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery.
10. Two members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Lanre Afinni and Hon Sylvester Ogunkelu, are currently being held at the Department of State Security, DSS, office in the state. According to a reliable source within the House, the two are under interrogation in connection with the removal of Hon. Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker.
