Compilations of top 10 key latest happenings that you need to know this Saturday morning, 3rd January, 2026
Sex scandal: Popular pastor steps down as PFN mulls sanctions
The Senior Pastor of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries, Chris Okafor, has stepped down from pastoral duties amid growing outrage over multiple sexual allegations against him.
The cleric had last Sunday publicly apologised to an actress, Doris Ogala, during a service at his church, where he knelt on the pulpit, admitted to past “mistakes,” and sought forgiveness.
The development follows his wedding to a new bride, identified simply as Pearl, on December 16, 2025, and attended by prominent clerics.
Okafor was said to have gone ahead with the ceremony despite Ogala’s viral accusations of betrayal, emotional manipulation and reneging on a promise of marriage after a long-term relationship
In separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, several members of the church, however, dismissed the allegations, describing them as desperate moves by individuals trying to extort money from their “man of God”.The pressure to step down
As the allegations escalated on social media in recent weeks, with more women coming forward with different narrations, Saturday PUNCH gathered that respected leaders in the Christian community pressured Okafor to step down in order to douse tension.
APC controls 28 states as Plateau gov defects
Opposition parties in the country lost further ground on Friday following the defection of the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, to the All Progressives Congress.
Mutfwang’s defection comes on the heels of a similar move by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who joined the ruling party on December 9.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, was also said to be on the verge of joining the APC following a protracted crisis within the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
The Kano State chapter of the APC, which confirmed the governor’s imminent exit, said he was expected to join the party in the coming days.
Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that Mutfwang’s defection have extended the APC’s dominance to 28 states, including four that were previously considered strongholds of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Gospel singer Sinach holds medical outreach in Abia, commends Otti
Popular gospel singer, Osinachi Egbu, widely known as Sinach, and her husband, Joseph Egbu, have commended Governor Alex Otti for what they described as his intentional and visionary leadership, which has transformed Abia State across key sectors of the economy.
Sinach spoke on Friday shortly after visiting Otti at his country home in Umuehim Nvosi, Isialangwa South Local Government Area.
She said the visit was to appreciate the governor for his support towards a medical outreach organised by the Joseph and Sinach Egbu Foundation, recently held in Aba, the commercial hub of the state.
According to her, the Otti administration has demonstrated people-centred governance, marked by clear vision and deliberate policies aimed at improving the lives of Abians.
The gospel music icon and her husband, both indigenes of Abia State, said they were impressed by the visible changes across the state, describing Otti as an “intentional governor” whose impact is evident in infrastructure development, environmental renewal, and citizen engagement.
“We are from Abia, and we can see what the governor is doing. These are exemplary things.
We came to say thank you for his visionary work and to let him know that we truly appreciate it,” Sinach said
“He is such an intentional governor, and we are seeing the results. We came to appreciate him and also to thank him for the medical support,” she added.
A’Ibom AG gives 124 students scholarships, urges them to excel
The Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Uwem Andrew-Essien, has awarded scholarships to 124 students from the Atiamkpat community in the Onna Local Government Area of the state who are currently studying in tertiary institutions across the country.
Speaking while presenting cheques to the beneficiaries in Onna LGA on Friday, the AG said the initiative was a personal commitment to giving back to society.
He described education as a reliable and sustainable investment in human development, explaining that the scheme was conceived to motivate indigenes of the community and other young people to embrace education and remain focused on their academic goals despite prevailing economic challenges.
He said,
“Education is a reliable and sustainable investment in human development.
This scholarship scheme is a personal initiative to give back.
It was conceived to motivate indigenes of our community and other young people to embrace education and remain focused on their academic goals despite prevailing economic challenges.”
Destiny Etiko reflects on 2025, looks forward to bigger wins in 2026
Destiny Etiko has expressed heartfelt gratitude to her fans, friends, and family for standing by her in 2025, making it an unforgettable year.
In a new year’s message on Instagram, the drama doll thanked them for their love and support, saying it kept her going despite challenges.
“Your encouragement kept me going, even on days when the journey felt heavy,” she wrote.
Etiko prayed that 2026 brings greater opportunities, good health, louder wins, and fulfilled dreams for everyone.
The actress reflected on 2025, saying it brought lessons, growth, challenges, and beautiful moments.
She’s grateful for her fans’ unwavering support and looks forward to a brighter 2026 .
NDA alerts public on fake admission letters circulating online
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has issued a warning about fake admission letters circulating online, claiming to offer admission into the NDA 77 Regular Course (RC).
The academy’s Public Relations Officer, Maj. Reuben Kovangiya, alerted the public in a statement issued in Kaduna.
Kovangiya said,
“The attention of the NDA has been drawn to fraudulent letters currently in circulation, purportedly signed by the academy’s registrar, offering admission into the NDA 77 Regular Course (RC).“
The NDA wishes to state unequivocally that the letters circulating are not only fake but obviously the antics of fraudsters, whose sole intention is to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
“Members of the public are hereby informed that the approved admission list of successful candidates and reserves for 77 RC was published in the Daily Trust and Daily Sun Newspapers of Aug. 19, 2025, and on the NDA’s official website: www.nda.edu.ng.
2027: I’ll work for Tinubu’s second term, deliver Abia for APC — Orji Kalu
The Senator Representing Abia North senatorial district, and former governor of Abia state Chief Orji Uzor Kalu has vowed to deliver Abia State to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 governorship election.
Kalu stated this at Ekoli, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, during his annual New Year visit to the Chairman of the APC in Ebonyi, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha.
He said that despite the fact that the governor of Abia state a Labour Party governor is his personal friend, he will vote for his party APC in next year’s governorship election in the state.
“I was expecting that in 2027, that Abia will be captured by APC. Abia will be APC.
I will work for President Tinubu to win in Abia State. And I will work for any governor in APC to win in Abia.
Abia will be APC with me. I have brought my heart.I will lay my heart on the field. And I will work for the APC”, he said.
He urged state governors to secure their respective states and not leave such responsibility solely to President Tinubu.
Achebe’s name inspires us to carry out school projects in Anambra
The people of Ogidi, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, say, the name of the late literary giant, Prof Chinua Achebe has continued to inspire them to delve into projects in school.
The Association of Boys Secondary School (BSS, Ogidi), now Archbishop Heerey Technical College, came together to erect an edifice in the school worth over 200 million naira and handed over to the Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev Valerian Okeke.
Speaking at the event, Chairman, Building Project Implementation Technical Committee, Chief Chris Onwudiwe , said the spirit of Achebe lives in anyone from the community and indeed, Anambra State.
This, according to him, is because everybody aspires to be like Achebe, adding that being a world renowned literary giant, anything that concerns education in his community would make him turn anywhere he is.
The event was graced by Archbishop Valerian Okeke, the popular Pharmacist in Nigeria and traditional ruler of Ogidi community, Igwe, Dr Alex Onyido, while High Chief Samuel Anyawutaku, was the chairman of the dayCustoms, NDLEA smash smuggling ring, seize 30.1kg cocaine in Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Apapa Area Command, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have smashed an international drug trafficking ring that specialised in bringing cocaine and other prohibited items into the country.
The joint enforcement which was carried out in Lagos, yesterday, led to the interception of 30 slabs of cocaine weighing 30.1 kilograms concealed onboard the MV Aruna, a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, in Apapa port.
The seizure occurred on Friday, January 2, 2026; the first working day of the New Year at the Greenview Terminal within Apapa Port, Lagos.
The illicit substance was carefully hidden aboard the ship, underscoring the sophisticated tactics employed by smugglers attempting to exploit the nation’s busiest seaport.
The Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba commended the officers from both agencies for their vigilance and professionalism
Sanwo-Olu confirms eight fatalities, 13 survivors at GNI building fire
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, returned to the scene of the Christmas Eve fire at Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) building on Martins Street, Lagos Island, to assess the emergency response at the site.
A day before the governor’s visit, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said it had opened Help Desk at the site of the fire incident, to address concerns regarding persons reportedly missing.
The State’s firefighters and emergency management team, joined by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and security agencies, are yet to leave the site, combing the debris for rescue of possible survivors that could be trapped.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser – Media and Publicity to the Lagos State governor, Gboyega Akosile, the governor who was at the fire site, confirmed the death of eight victims in the inferno, with three of them burnt beyond recognition.
Thirteen traders trapped in the rubbles were rescued alive by the combined team of first responders.
Five bodies, the governor disclosed, had been identified by their families, pointing out that the State Government would conduct DNA tests on the three charred bodies evacuated from the site to identify their families.
