The Recap Of Top 10 key stories that you might have missed this Saturday evening, 17th January, 2026
Tinubu returns to Abuja after Abu Dhabi summit, Paris holiday
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after attending the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where he witnessed the signing of a trade agreement between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the President’s return in a statement released on Saturday.
The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi trip.’
The President departed Nigeria for Paris on Sunday, December 28, 2025, for the remaining portion of his annual leave.
He then proceeded to Abu Dhabi for the annual summit, which ran from January 11 to 15.
In 2025, the President was also in Abu Dhabi for the same summit.
On the sidelines of the summit, Nigeria and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
Qatar Airways aircraft makes emergency landing in Lagos
No fewer than 248 passengers narrowly escaped death on Friday night after a Qatar Airways aircraft developed a technical fault mid-air and was forced to make an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency confirmed that the aircraft, which was fully loaded with 248 passengers and 12 crew members, encountered the problem while airborne within Nigerian airspace, triggering distress alerts and an immediate emergency response.
According to a preliminary report by LASEMA, obtained by PUNCH Online, the agency said it activated the state’s emergency response plan immediately upon receiving the distress call through its 767/112 toll-free emergency lines.
Oriyomi Hamzat declares Oyo 2027 governorship bid under Accord Party
Popular Oyo State based media personality, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat has officially announced his intention to run for governor in the 2027 elections under the Accord Party.
In a public declaration, Hamzat, who is also the founder of Agidigbo FM stated,
“I am publicly declaring today that in 2027“I will not campaign for anyone or mobilise crowds for anyone.
“I will contest in the gubernatorial election under the Accord Party.
”The announcement signals Hamzat’s full commitment to his own political ambitions, stepping away from backing other candidates as he positions himself for the Oyo State governorship race.
Hoodlums kill mother, six children in Kano
Seven people, including a 35-year-old woman and her six children, were killed on Saturday in a violent attack at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters in Kano, the state police command has confirmed.
The victims, identified as Fatima Abubakar and her children, were attacked at their residence by unknown hoodlums who reportedly broke into the house and inflicted fatal injuries using dangerous weapons.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the command received a distress call at about 12:10 pm on January 17, reporting the attack on the household of one Haruna Bashir.
He said the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Bakori, immediately mobilised a team of officers to the scene, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Lawal Mani.
According to the police, the victims were evacuated to the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, where medical personnel confirmed them dead.
Bodija explosion: Victims seek fresh compensation amid N30bn controversy
Victims of the Bodija explosion and their families, two years after the incident that claimed lives and destroyed properties in Ibadan, have renewed calls for compensation and sustained support amid ongoing controversy surrounding the reported N30bn intervention fund.
The calls were made Saturday at an interdenominational remembrance service held at All Souls Church, Old Bodija, Ibadan, to mark the second anniversary of the tragedy.
The remembrance service was organised by the Bodija Estate Residents’ Association (BERA) in collaboration with the Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group (DOVG), and was attended by residents, community leaders, religious leaders and representatives of the Oyo State Government.
Speaking at the event, the President of BERA, Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose, appealed for calm among residents while stressing the urgent need for renewed assistance for families still affected by the explosion.
Seun Kuti, Mr P end fued after 2023 election clash
Nigerian artistes Seun Kuti and Peter Okoye, also known as Mr P of the former P-Square group, have ended their long-running feud that began during the 2023 general elections.
The rift started in 2023 over their differing opinions about the presidential ambition of Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate at the time.
Tension flared when Kuti referred to Obi as an “opportunist,” a comment that triggered a strong reaction from Okoye, who fired back by questioning Kuti’s relevance and achievements in the music industry.
Their back-and-forth soon turned into a bitter exchange on social media.
Recently, signs of reconciliation emerged after both men were seen warmly greeting each other at a Lagos nightclub.
A video of the moment, which went viral on Saturday, showed the two musicians hugging and shaking hands.
In the clip, Kuti was heard telling Okoye, “We are artistes, we can’t be fighting over politicians,” a statement Okoye agreed with as they made peace.
Why we disconnected power supply to FCT Water Board – AEDC
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) on Saturday disclosed that it disconnected electricity supply to the Federal Capital Territory Water Board following repeated failures to pay bills stretching over a year.
AEDC, Head, Brand Marketing & Corporate Communications, Omede Odekina in a statement explained that supply has been restored due to appeals and concerns raised by residents.
Omede noted that AEDC has issued the board a two-week period to present a credible plan to offset the debts.
“AEDC wishes to clarify that the disconnection followed the accumulation of over one year of outstanding electricity debt by the FCT Water Board, despite several notices, engagements and opportunities provided to regularise the account
JUST IN: Super Eagles secure AFCON 2025 bronze
The Super Eagles clinched the bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Egypt in a tense penalty shootout following a goalless draw in the third-place playoff.
In a hard-fought encounter at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca on Saturday, January 17, both sides battled intensely but failed to break the deadlock after 90 minutes.
The match went straight to penalties, where Nigeria held their nerve to triumph 4-2
Ademola Lookman sealed the victory with a composed spot-kick, capping a dramatic shootout that saw the Super Eagles convert their chances decisively.
This win extends Nigeria’s perfect record in AFCON third-place matches, marking their record Despite the disappointment of their semi-final penalty defeat to hosts Morocco, the Super Eagles bounced back with resilience and determination, ending the tournament on a high note and delivering pride to millions of Nigerians.
Nigeria reaffirms ECOWAS leadership as Shettima attends Guinea president’s inauguration
Nigeria on Saturday reaffirmed its leadership role within the West African sub-region as Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, attended the swearing-in and inauguration of Mamadi Doumbouya as President of Guinea.
The ceremony, held at the GLC Stadium in Nongo, Conakry, followed President Doumbouya’s victory in the December 2025 general elections, which formally ended a four-year military transition in the country.
Shettima’s outing in Conakry was highlighted in a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha.
His presence at the inauguration underscored Nigeria’s commitment to democratic governance and regional stability, reinforcing its long-standing leadership role within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
PDP mulls membership dues for funding
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to return to members at all levels to raise money as a way of stopping god fatherism that has crippled the party.
National Publicity Secretary of the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the party, Comrade Ini Ememobong, stated this at the weekend.
He said the party was going through a rebirth process, while aiming to reclaim power from the All Progressives Congress(APC) in 2027.
Ememobong said:
“Life is a curve; you go from the bottom to the apex and back down again.
We started from zero in 1998, ruled for 16 years, and then began a descent. We have reached the bottom of the valley, and now we are heading back up.
This is a rebirth process, which is always painful. We are analyzing our mistakes and successes.
“We have both “qualitative” and “quantitative” voices in the party. While the qualitative voices (the elite) are important, democracy is a game of numbers.
We are balancing these while navigating the court process. Simultaneously, we are using a “poly-opportunity strategy”—fighting in court while conducting grassroots mobilization and stakeholder engagement.
