1. The United States has delivered military equipment to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as Washington and Abuja continue to strengthen security cooperation against terrorism and other threats in the region.
The equipment was transported by a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and delivered at locations in Lagos and Kainji.
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), which highlighted the delivery on Thursday in a statement, said the equipment was provided under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement between the United States and Nigeria.
2. The Federal Government says Nigerian students will receive 100 megabytes (MB) of free data daily to access selected educational websites and digital learning platforms from October 1, 2026. The initiative, developed by the Nigerian Communications Commission in collaboration with telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education, will initially benefit students in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
3. The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has ruled out stepping down for his African Democratic Congress counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying any decision on a possible opposition alliance must now be taken by the political parties rather than individual candidates. Obi said the issue was no longer about whether he or Atiku would personally make way for the other, stressing that both men are now presidential candidates of separate political parties.
4. Rabiu Kwankwaso, Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has asked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to drop his bid for the 2027 presidency. Speaking to members of the Fulani Farmers Association who visited him at his Abuja residence, Kwankwaso said Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, should devote his time to his traditional responsibilities.
5. The death toll from the incident involving residents of Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State has risen to 27, as the state government has commenced a crackdown on the sale of herbal drinks and other unapproved substances in the affected communities. Residents of Araromi Obu and Odigbo town reportedly fell ill after consuming substances suspected to be herbal drinks, with 24 deaths initially recorded in the two communities.
6. The family of the late Chiamaka Chilaka, a student of the College of Nursing Sciences, Alor, Anambra State, has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to order a fresh investigation into her death, alleging foul play. Chilaka reportedly died on June 14, 2026, in circumstances the family believes may have involved murder at a compound where she lived in Anambra State.
7. Fresh pressure is mounting on petrol prices as the estimated landing cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has climbed to ₦1,311.36 per litre, surpassing the ₦1,265 per litre gantry price of Dangote Petroleum Refinery by ₦46.36. The development has raised fears of another increase in petrol pump prices as international crude oil prices continue to rise, with Brent crude trading at about $105 per barrel on Thursday.
8. Economic hardship, ignorance and dwindling purchasing power are fuelling the growing trade in fake and substandard goods in Nigeria, with consumers increasingly settling for cheaper products without fully understanding the risks involved, stakeholders have said. They said the situation had become particularly troubling as many Nigerians struggle to meet their daily needs, forcing them to prioritise price over quality.
9. The Nigerian Army says troops have rescued 13 kidnapped victims, intercepted 300 rounds of ammunition and neutralised a suspected kidnapper in separate operations nationwide. The operations also disrupted illegal bunkering, recovered suspected illegally refined petroleum products and intercepted a trailer conveying illegally mined ilmenite.
10. The Kano State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the killing of a popular political commentator, Ibrahim Khalil Danshagamu, who was attacked with sharp objects at his residence in Gaida Quarters, Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state. The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa.
