The recap of top 10 key latest stories you might have missed this Wednesday evening, 21st January, 2026
DSS summons Awujale nominees as kingmakers cancel ‘meet-and-greet’
The Awujale Kingmakers Council has announced the cancellation of a planned meet-and-greet earlier scheduled to be held at the Aafin Awujale, directing instead that Awujale nominees report to the Department of State Services office in Ijebu-Ode on Wednesday by 11 am.
This was contained in a formal communication dated January 20, 2026, addressed to the Chairman of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi; his deputy, Otunba Dokun Ajidagba; and the Vice Chairman, Prof. Fassy Yusuf.
According to the notice, all Awujale nominees are required to present themselves at the DSS office located along NTA Road, beside the State Psychiatric Hospital, off Igbeba Road, Ijebu-Ode, by 11:00 a.m. prompt.
The council stated that the decision led to the cancellation of the earlier engagement at the Aafin Awujale and expressed regret for any inconvenience the sudden change may cause.
FG doubles January bond borrowing to N900bn
The Federal Government has moved to significantly scale up domestic borrowing, planning to raise as much as N900bn from its January 2026 bond auction.
The amount doubles the N450bn it targeted in January 2025, as fiscal pressures and refinancing needs continue to mount.
Offer documents released by the Debt Management Office show that the January 2026 auction will feature three reopened Federal Government of Nigeria bonds with a combined size of N900bn, marking a 100 per cent year-on-year increase in the size of the January offering.
In January 2025, the government seemed to adopt a more restrained borrowing posture, offering three bonds across the five-year, seven-year, and 10-year segments.
NBA demands probe into task force assault on Anambra lawyer
The Nigeria Bar Association, Awka Branch, has condemned the assault on a lawyer by operatives of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra task force and has called on the state government and relevant security agencies to investigate the incident.
The task force is a state-run enforcement body responsible for environmental sanitation, enforcement of government cleanliness policies and maintenance of order across the state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Awka Branch, Michael Ozojiofor, said the incident occurred on Monday at the Eke-Awka Market in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
According to him, the lawyer, identified as Charles Ifeanyi, was brutalised by operatives of the task force, including men of the Agunaechemba security outfit, over what he described as a false allegation that the lawyer interfered with their enforcement exercise.
Ekiti boosts electricity supply with new power projects
Ekiti State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving electricity access by strengthening the national grid and expanding the state’s Independent Power Project to key institutions across the state.
The Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, said on Wednesday that the electricity intervention projects, implemented under the National Integrated Power Project, are aimed at boosting power supply and reliability throughout Ekiti.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement in Ado-Ekiti, Aluko said,
“The project represents another step in Ekiti’s journey toward energy security, economic growth and improved quality of life for its citizens.”
He highlighted specific projects, including the extension of a four-kilometre 33kV power line from Central Bank of Nigeria Junction, Ado-Ekiti, to Iyin-Ekiti, and a six-kilometre 11kV line from Ayoba Junction, Government House, to the Ureje area of the state capital.
Ikeja Computer Village Fire: Traders appeal to Sanwo-Olu for financial support, blame power surge
Traders affected by the devastating fire that razed part of a commercial building at Computer Village, Ikeja, have appealed to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for financial assistance to cushion their losses, which run into several millions of naira.
The inferno, which occurred past midnight on Tuesday at a one-storey commercial building on Somoye Street, Ikeja, destroyed 13 shops dealing in computers and accessories.
The entire upper floor of the building was completely gutted.
Preliminary reports attributed the fire to an electrical power surge following the restoration of electricity supply by the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC).
No life was lost in the incident, though a Lagos State Fire Service official sustained minor injuries and was treated on-site by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).
Insecurity hits all faiths, not a religious war — Presidency insists
The Presidency on Wednesday dismissed claims that Nigeria’s insecurity is driven by religious targeting, insisting that violence across the country affects people of all faiths and should not be framed as a religious war.
The position was articulated by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Abba Tijjani Hashim, during an interaction with the Methodist Archbishop of Anambra, Most Rev. Dr. Vincent Onoh, as part of ongoing engagements between government officials and religious leaders on peace, unity and national stability.
FCCPC begins clampdown on digital money lenders
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has begun enforcement measures to clamp down on Digital Money Lending (DML) operators for failing to regularise their dealings with the commission.
The Director of Corporate Affairs, FCCPC, Mr Ondaje Ijagwu, in a circular on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the commission had removed such operators from its list of approved digital lenders.
According to him, FCCPC’s register is intended to guide the public on operators that have met the applicable regulatory requirements as of the time of publication.
He said the commission had also started structured engagement with relevant application hosting platforms and payment service providers, as part of ongoing enforcement and compliance monitoring activities.
”Further regulatory steps will be undertaken in accordance with law and established procedures.”
For those provisionally designated as eligible under transitional arrangements, the commission has issued a deadline of April 2026 to regularise their registration under the DEON Regulations.
Protest rocks INEC HQ over Warri re-delineation
A calm but resolute protest by the Warri Indigenous Women Forum on Wednesday drew attention to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, as the women accused the Commission of carrying out a re-delineation exercise they say threatens the political survival of the Itsekiri people in Delta State.
The women urged INEC to immediately suspend the exercise, warning that any further steps while court cases are still pending could amount to contempt of court and risk destabilising peace in the Niger Delta.
They also appealed to the Federal Government, the United Nations and the international community to intervene, describing the situation as one with grave political and humanitarian implications.
Why Auxiliary couldn’t attend court on Tuesday- Agodi Correctional doctor
A medical doctor attached to Agodi Custodian facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Dr Wasiu Adeyemi, on Wednesday explained why a former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi also known as Auxiliary was absent for his case on Tuesday. Dr Adeyemi said Auxiliary was rushed out of court because he was feeling dizzy.
He spoke while appearing before Justice Adetujoye, presiding over Court 11, Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan on Wednesday.
The Nation reports that the judge had on Tuesday summoned the medical doctor to appear before it to give the true situation about the health status of the former Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS) after he was rushed out of the court before his case which had been adjourned for continuation of hearing on January 20 and 21, 2026 would come up.
Police arraign 11 over murder of Arise news journalist, security guard
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arraigned eleven suspects in connection with the killing of Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, a journalist with ARISE News, and Mr. Barnabas Danlami, a security guard, who were murdered during a robbery attack in Abuja.
The suspects were arraigned on Tuesday, 21 January 2026, before a court in the Federal Capital Territory over the incident, which occurred on 29 September 2025 at Unique Apartments, Katampe Extension, Mabushi area of the FCT.
According to the police, those standing trial include Shamsu Hassan, Sani Sirajo, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Abdulsalam Saleh, Suleiman Badamasi, Zaharadeen Mohammed, Musa Umar (also known as “Small”), Mashkur Jamil, Suleiman Sani, and Abubakar Usman.
