The recap of top 10 key latest happenings that you might have missed this Sunday evening
Tinubu heads to Türkiye for state visit Monday
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Monday, for a state visit to the Republic of Türkiye.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed on Sunday titled ‘President Tinubu to undertake state visit to Türkiye.’
“The visit is aimed at strengthening the existing cordial relations between the two countries and exploring further areas of cooperation in security, education, social development, innovation, and aviation,” Onanuga said.
It also reciprocates an earlier state visit to Nigeria by the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, from October 19 to 20, 2021.
During President Tinubu’s visit, both countries will engage in strategic political and diplomatic discussions on shared values in finance, communication, trade and investment.
Lagos to recover unpaid taxes through banks, employers, business partners — LIRS
The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service has announced that it will enforce its statutory powers to recover unpaid taxes from defaulting taxpayers through third parties, including banks, employers, debtors, tenants and business partners.
This is contained in a public notice dated January 21, 2026, and sighted by our correspondent on the LIRS website on Sunday.
According to the notice signed by the Executive Chairman of LIRS, Mr Ayodele Subair, the state revenue service is empowered by Section 60 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, to direct any person holding money on behalf of, or owing money to, a taxpayer who has failed to settle a final tax liability to remit such funds.
The agency said the power of substitution applies to unpaid Personal Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duties and Withholding Tax administered by LIRS.
Second term: Fubara, Kano gov battle uncertainty
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his Kano State counterpart, Abba Yusuf, are facing uncertainty over their chances of securing second-term tickets in the All Progressives Congress, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.
Fubara has formally defected to the APC, while Yusuf is expected to join the ruling party anytime from now after his official resignation from the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
However, multiple sources in the APC say the governors’ return tickets are not guaranteed because powerful party leaders and entrenched political interests in Rivers and Kano states are contesting their ambitions.
This has triggered intense manoeuvring within the APC in both states, with governorship aspirants vowing to resist any attempt to impose the two governors and insisting that transparent and competitive primaries must be conducted ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kaduna gov breaks ground for 5,000-vehicle mega bus terminal
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has announced plans to construct what he described as Nigeria’s largest inter-state bus terminal, aimed at transforming mobility, security and economic activity in the state.
The governor disclosed this on Sunday while performing the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ultra-Modern Inter-State Bus Terminal along the Eastern Bypass in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Sani said the project, which will occupy 20 hectares of land, is designed as a dual terminal with the capacity to accommodate over 5,000 vehicles, supported by intelligent traffic management systems and advanced surveillance infrastructure.
According to him, the terminal will be fully accessible, with escalators and elevators to cater for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
No presidential ticket for Kwankwaso in 2027, Keyamo declares
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said that the former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has “boxed himself into one of the tightest corners in his political career” over what he described as his refusal or indecision to accept an earlier political olive branch from the All Progressives Congress.
Keyamo, who issued a statement on Sunday, noted that he had “always admired Engr. Mohammed Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso from a distance,” but argued that recent political developments had left the former governor facing a narrowing set of choices ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition is at the centre of his current dilemma.
The statement partly read, “Kwankwaso wants to be President, but none of the major political parties will pick him as a candidate in 2027. APC & PDP are going South & ADC’s ticket is Atiku’s to lose.
Amosun backs Tinubu for second term
A former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has said it is fair for the South to complete an eight-year presidential tenure with President Bola Tinubu, in line with Nigeria’s rotational arrangement.
Amosun made the statement on Sunday at the Ake Palace Pavilion in Abeokuta while addressing members and leaders of the All Progressives Congress who had gathered to mark his 68th birthday.
Reaffirming his membership of the APC, the former governor openly declared support for Tinubu’s re-election ahead of the 2027 general election, stressing that equity and national stability demand respect for zoning between the North and South.
He noted that although Tinubu hails from the South-West, his presidency represents the entire country, adding that respecting the rotational agreement is a “no-brainer” for anyone who truly desires unity and fairness in Nigeria.
Explosive materials cause Lagos industrial estate fire — Fire service
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has said explosive materials stored inside a warehouse triggered the fire outbreak that gutted parts of the Amuwo-Odofin Industrial Estate in Lagos on Saturday night.
The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Controller General, Margaret Adeseye, following the containment of the inferno after several hours of firefighting.
According to the statement, the fire broke out at an expansive warehouse located on Coker Market Road, Amuwo-Odofin Industrial Layout, Mile 2, where large quantities of explosive substances were kept in hundreds of 200-litre drums.
“The affected warehouse was stocked with explosive materials stored in hundreds of 200-litre drums, which posed a significant risk to surrounding facilities,” Adeseye said.
Kano Gov Abba Yusuf to defect to APC on Monday
Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State is set to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, January 26, 2026, following his resignation from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Friday.
This is contained in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, in Kano on Sunday
The move is expected to strengthen cooperation with the Federal Government, accelerate development, enhance security, and improve service delivery in Kano State.
Yusuf had previously joined the APC in 2014, winning the party’s primary election for the Kano Central Senatorial seat.
He will formally register as an APC member alongside 22 state lawmakers, eight federal lawmakers, and 44 local government chairmen.The governor will also launch the APC e-registration exercise in the state.
NABTEB extends timeline for 2026 NCEE registration
The National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) has extended the registration timeline for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) into Technical Colleges, assuring stakeholders of a seamless process.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr Aminu Mohammed, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday in Benin through the board’s Assistant. Director, Media and Protocol, Uchechukwu Olisah.
Mohammed said the board had approved a four-month registration window for the examination, adding that the move was aimed at easing pressures on candidates and families.
He said the registration would start on Jan. 26 and close on May 24, while the examination would be conducted nationwide on June 6.
The registrar explained that this followed the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, approving the 2026 examination and registration framework.
It’s now difficult to speak truth to power under Tinubu’s govt – Makinde
The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, stating that it has become increasingly difficult to speak truth to power under the current government.
Makinde made the remarks at the weekend during the 60th birthday celebration of the Oyo State President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev. Samson Anetomobi
In his address, the governor contrasted the present situation with what he described as a more consultative style of governance during the tenure of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the immediate past Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, whose leadership style Makinde said he deeply missed.
