NIGERIA, UAE REMOVE TARIFFS ON OVER 13,000 PRODUCTS UNDER NEW TRADE PACT

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The Federal Government has announced the elimination of tariffs on 6,243 products imported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while the UAE has removed tariffs on 7,315 products imported from Nigeria under a new trade agreement aimed at expanding market access and boosting non-oil exports.
The development was disclosed on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in a document detailing the Nigeria–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed in January 2026.
According to the ministry, the agreement will expand market access opportunities for Nigerian products, businesses and professionals in the UAE, while also facilitating investment flows between both countries. It described the pact as a major milestone in Nigeria’s economic diversification and non-oil export drive.
On its part, the UAE agreed to eliminate tariffs on 7,315 Nigerian products. Tariffs on 2,805 products, representing 38.3 per cent, will be removed immediately, while tariffs on 1,468 products will be eliminated within three years and those on 3,042 products within five years. The UAE excluded or prohibited 593 products from the agreement.
On the Nigerian side, the agreement provides market access for UAE industrial and consumer goods. Nigeria will immediately remove tariffs on products such as mineral fuels, machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, iron and steel, plastics and related articles. Tariffs on fish, fruits, vegetables and apparel will be phased out over five years.
The ministry said Nigeria excluded sensitive products from tariff elimination, including meat and dairy products, certain vegetables, vegetable oils, cocoa preparations, cereal and flour products, tomato paste, alcoholic beverages, soaps and detergents, as well as some cotton yarns and fabrics.
Beyond trade in goods, the agreement also covers services and investment. Nigeria’s commitments span 99 specific services across 10 sectors, while the UAE’s commitments cover 108 services across 11 sectors.
The Federal Government said the agreement would enable Nigerian businesses to expand with confidence, benefit from stronger protections and seize new opportunities in the UAE, adding that the pact aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

CHEKWAS OKORIE UNVEILS NEW POLITICAL MOBILISATION PLAN FOR IGBO AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTIONS

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The Convener and National Chairman of the Igbo Agenda Dialogue (IAD) Chief Chekwas Okorie, on Wednesday unveiled a renewed political mobilisation strategy for Ndigbo ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking at a press conference in Enugu, Okorie argued that the end of the 1970 civil war did not bring genuine reconciliation, accusing the Federal Government of abandoning its “No Victor, No Vanquished” posture.
Okorie accused successive administrations of sustaining the marginalization of the Southeast through neglect of eastern seaports, poor federal infrastructure, and the exclusion of qualified Igbo professionals from key national appointments. He warned that prolonged exclusion had driven some Igbo youths toward separatist agitation, causing instability, economic disruption, and loss of lives in the Southeast and South-South.
As part of its immediate plans, the IAD will host the first Igbo Political Summit in 56 years in April 2026 in Enugu, where an Igbo Political Charter, the first since the historic Ahiara Declaration will be unveiled.
Okorie also condemned voter apathy, citing INEC figures showing that only 2.2 million of over
The IAD is targeting at least 20 million registered voters in the Southeast and 15 million Igbo voters outside the region ahead of the 2027 elections. Okorie said the organisation, inaugurated in August 2025, was created to reset Igbo political engagement within Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
He also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu and other “prisoners of conscience”, describing such a move as “a symbolic and healing gesture of reconciliation to the Igbo people.

RIVERS LAWMAKERS URGE COLLEAGUES TO HALT IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST GOVERNOR FUBARA

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Port Harcourt, January 14, 2026 – Two more members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have called on their colleagues to withdraw impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Ngozi Odu, advocating dialogue over confrontation.
The lawmakers, Barile Nwakoh (Khana Constituency I) and Emilia Amadi (Obio/Akpor Constituency II), made the appeal two days after fellow legislators Sylvanus Eyinna Nwankwo and Peter Abbey publicly urged restraint and reconciliation in handling the ongoing standoff between the legislative and executive arms of government.
Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, Nwankwo, Minority Leader of the House representing Omuma State Constituency, said leaders within and outside Rivers State had called for leniency. He encouraged fellow lawmakers to reconsider impeachment and explore peaceful alternatives.
Abbey, representing Degema State Constituency, acknowledged that while the governor may have violated constitutional provisions, mistakes are possible. He stressed that the administration has a responsibility to prevent future breaches.
The lawmakers’ statements highlight growing calls for dialogue and reconciliation as the state grapples with tensions between its executive and legislative branches

LAGOS APC VOWS TO PREVENT ELECTION RIGGING, CITES STUDY ON 2023 POLL IRREGULARITIES

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The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that it will not allow the opposition to rig future elections in Nigeria, while rejecting claims that it was solely responsible for alleged irregularities during the 2023 general elections, citing a recent independent statistical analysis which it said challenges the narrative.
The APC spokesperson in Lagos State, Seye Oladejo, said the study conducted as part of a Data Science master’s thesis at Pan-Atlantic University analyzed election results from more than 123,000 polling units nationwide.
According to Oladejo, the analysis found that electoral irregularities were not limited to one political party.
The party said the study showed that the highest concentration of statistically significant anomalies occurred in areas regarded as strongholds of the Labour Party, particularly in parts of the South-East.
It noted that while Lagos State recorded an anomaly rate of 2.3 per cent, higher rates were observed in other states, including Anambra with 24.9 per cent, Enugu with 16.7 per cent and Imo with 10.9 per cent.
The APC further stated that the report identified a disproportionate number of “perfect scores” in Labour Party strongholds, describing such vote distributions as statistically suspicious.
Oladejo said the findings undermine allegations that the 2023 elections were rigged by the Federal Government or the ruling party, further adding that the study suggested electoral malpractice during the polls followed “opportunity rather than ideology,” implying that some parties alleging rigging may themselves have benefited from irregular practices.
While acknowledging the report’s conclusion that the 2023 general elections were neither completely fraudulent nor entirely free of irregularities, the party argued that malpractice had become more subtle and would require closer scrutiny ahead of future elections.
The party also expressed support for electoral reforms, including independent audits of election data, real-time transmission of results, improved technical capacity for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the prosecution of electoral offenders regardless of party affiliation.
It further reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process before, during and after future elections.

COURT FIXES JAN 23 FOR HEARING IN PDP LEADERSHIP DISPUTE

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The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed January 23, 2025, for the hearing of an application seeking a stay of further proceedings in the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The application was filed by the faction of the party led by Kabiru Turaki, in response to a suit instituted by the group aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter on Wednesday to allow counsel to the plaintiffs, Onyechi Ikpeazu, respond to the application for stay of proceedings.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025, was filed by the Wike-aligned PDP faction through its acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman, and factional National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to restrain the Turaki-led leadership listed as the 5th to 25th defendant from parading themselves as national officers of the party. They also seek an order stopping the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) from granting the Turaki faction access to the PDP national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
In addition, the plaintiffs are urging the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting any office address from the Turaki faction other than the one already in its records. They also want the court to declare that INEC, the police and the DSS are bound to enforce earlier judgments delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu.
Justice Abdulmalik had earlier granted an ex-parte order directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the Turaki-led faction filed an appeal and also brought a motion for stay of proceedings, alongside a motion on notice asking the judge to recuse herself on grounds of alleged bias.
When the case was mentioned on Wednesday, Ikpeazu told the court that it had previously ruled that all pending applications would be taken together with the substantive suit and that the plaintiffs were ready to proceed.
However, counsel to the Turaki faction, Chief Chris Uche, informed the court that an appeal against the ex-parte order had already been entered at the Court of Appeal and assigned suit number CA/ABJ/CV/1770/2025.
The judge directed him to file a formal response and adjourned the case to January 23rd for the hearing of the stay application.

SIX KILLED IN THREE DAYS AS SUSPECTED ARMED HERDERS ATTACK BENUE COMMUNITIES

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At least six people have been killed in a series of attacks by suspected armed herders in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State over the past three days.
The attacks, which occurred between Sunday and the early hours of Tuesday, also left several others injured, while a woman and a child were reportedly abducted.
Among the victims was a retired warrant officer who was killed in Asa 2 area of Otukpo. A former councillor and four other residents were also killed in Otobi-Akpa community within the same local government area.
Sources said two people were shot on Sunday along the Otobi–Akpam Road, while the retired warrant officer was attacked and killed in Asa 2, Otukpo. The suspected attackers were said to have fled the area after the shootings.
The killings escalated in the early hours of Tuesday, January 13, when gunmen invaded Otobi-Akpa community around 1:30 a.m., killing five people, including the former councillor.
Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogri, told journalists on Tuesday that the Sunday attack was carried out by bandits masquerading as herders.
The lawmaker representing Otukpo/Akpa constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Kennedy Angbo, confirmed the incidents and expressed concern over the persistent attacks on communities in the area.
Angbo recalled that on Sunday, suspected attackers opened fire on passengers aboard a Benue Links bus near Otukpo, leaving three people injured and hospitalised.
The Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Internal Security, Joseph Har, also confirmed the attack, stating that he received a report from the Commander of the Community Protection Guard in the area.
According to the report, suspected Fulani kidnappers believed to be in search of food for their captives attacked a provision shop in Otobi-Akpa community at about 1:30 a.m. The report further noted that four persons had been kidnapped recently and were yet to be released.
Victims of Tuesday’s attack were identified as Ochi Ugbabe, a former councillor and Peoples Democratic Party House of Assembly candidate in 2019; Achibi Onah; Eje Eba; and Sunday Iruja. The identities of other victims were yet to be confirmed.

FIRE DESTROYS FILLING STATION, TANKER, MOTORCYCLE IN SAKI, OYO STATE

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A devastating fire on Tuesday completely destroyed the RSK Adebowale Multipurpose Filling Station, a petrol tanker, and a motorcycle in the Ofiki area of Saki, Oyo State.
The incident was confirmed on Wednesday by the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Mr. Moroof Akinwande, in a statement issued in Ibadan.
According to Akinwande, the agency received a distress call from Alhaji Mufutau Badmus, Saki Branch Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), alerting them to the fire.
Firefighters, led by Mr. Kolade Taiwo, quickly mobilised to the scene. Akinwande said the personnel successfully extinguished the fire and prevented it from spreading to nearby properties. He commended the Ofiki Division of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for providing security during the operation.
The fire services chief also urged filling station owners across the state to prioritise fire safety guidelines to prevent such incidents.
Recall that, on January 9, a fire at a filling station in the Kara area of Kishi, Irepo Local Government Area, destroyed property worth millions of naira, including three vehicles and a community power house. An eyewitness said the fire started around 5 p.m. following an explosion at the power house, which ignited nearby combustible materials and spread to adjoining property.

OYO POLICE RESCUE KIDNAP VICTIM, ARREST THREE SUSPECTS

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The Oyo State Police Command has rescued a 60-year-old kidnap victim, Isiaku Saidu, in Iseyin, Iseyin Local Government Area, following a dramatic gun duel with armed suspects.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the operation was carried out under directives from the state Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, who ordered that no stone should be left unturned to ensure the security of lives and property across the state.
Accoding to Ayanlade, the command has recorded multiple operational successes, including the foiling of kidnapping attempts, the rescue of abducted victims, and the arrest of murder suspects, over the past week.
He explained that on January 11, 2026, about five armed hoodlums invaded Budo via Bassi Camp in Iseyin and abducted Isiaku Saidu and upon receipt of the information, the state Commissioner of Police directed that everything must be done to rescue the victim and apprehend those responsible.The Divisional Police Officer of Ago-Are, in collaboration with partner agencies, conducted aggressive patrols and bush-combing operations, which led to the discovery of the suspects’ hideout.
Upon sighting the combined team, the suspects opened fire, engaging the operatives in a gun duel. This confrontation resulted in the neutralisation of one suspect, while another was arrested and is currently cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The remaining suspects fled the scene with bullet wounds.
However, the police have urged members of the public to report anyone with bullet injuries to the nearest police station as they continue to pursue the remaining suspects.

FG HONOURS FALLEN BRIGADIER GENERAL, OTHER ARMY PERSONNEL FOR GALLANTRY AND SERVICE

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The Federal Government has conferred national honours on serving personnel and veterans of the Nigerian Army, including a brigadier general killed by terrorists in Borno State, in recognition of gallantry, sacrifice, leadership and service to the nation.
The awards were presented at the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day Gala Night held on Tuesday at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Colonel Appolonia Anele.
According to the statement, late Brigadier General Musa Uba was honoured with the Gallantry Award for displaying exceptional courage and leading troops from the front during counter-insurgency operations in Borno State. Uba was killed in November 2025 after terrorists ambushed troops along the Damboa Road axis near Wajiroko while they were transporting military equipment.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, received the Service and Sacrifice Award in recognition of his leadership and contributions to national security.
Other recipients of the Service and Sacrifice Award included Major General Abdulsalami Enesi Abubakar, Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI, and Major General Faruk Mijinyawa, former General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Lagos, for their operational leadership and dedication to duty.
Brigadier General Usman Ahmad received the Mission Success Award for his role in repelling terrorist attacks and sustaining operational effectiveness under pressure.
In the innovation category, Colonel Ibrahim Mohammed Gero was honoured for developing a redesigned ballistic gunboat deployed in support of Operation DELTA SAFE.
The statement also noted that late Colonel B. Umaru was posthumously awarded the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Excellence Award for his contributions to Operation HADIN KAI, while late Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Ebisingha Alari received the Fallen Heroes Award for his role in counter-terrorism operations in the North-East.
The Nigerian Army described the honours as a testament to the Federal Government’s commitment to recognising courage, innovation and sacrifice in the defence of the nation

FG, ASUU Unveil Renegotiated Agreement to Boost University Sector

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The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have unveiled a renegotiated agreement aimed at resolving long-standing disputes in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Speaking at the unveiling of the agreement in Abuja on Wednesday, Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa described the pact as a renewed trust, restored confidence, and a decisive turning point in the history of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
Alausa credited President Bola Tinubu for personally driving the process, saying, “For the first time in the history of our country, a sitting President took full ownership of this long-standing challenge confronting our tertiary education system and accorded it the leadership attention it truly deserved.”
He explained that decades of unresolved remuneration issues and welfare gaps had led to recurring industrial actions, disrupting academic calendars and threatening students’ futures. The current administration, he said, chose dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric.
The 2025 agreement follows a renegotiation process that began in 2017 to review the 2009 Federal Government–ASUU pact, which was due for revision in 2012. Previous committees under past administrations, chaired by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibrin, and Nimi Briggs, failed to produce a final agreement.
The federal government and ASUU hailed the agreement as a landmark achievement expected to ensure uninterrupted academic calendars, improved welfare for lecturers, and a stronger tertiary education system in Nigeria.