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By Muhammad Abubakar

Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to mobilise support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Abba Atiku was received Thursday evening in Abuja by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, and the APC National Vice Chairman (North East), Mustafa Salihu.

He also announced the renaming of his political group to Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, a body originally founded in 2022 as the Atiku Haske Organisation.

Reacting, Atiku Abubakar described his son’s decision as entirely personal, noting that such choices are normal in a democracy, even within families.

While reaffirming his democratic principles, he criticised the APC over what he described as poor governance and worsening economic and social conditions, pledging to continue working with others to offer Nigerians an alternative path to relief, hope, and progress.

By Uzair Adam

The Sokoto State Government has dismissed as false and misleading claims circulating on social media that bandits forced residents of Tidibale village in Isa Local Government Area to flee their homes.

Reacting to a viral video on Wednesday, the government said the footage was wrongly interpreted, explaining that although the people shown are from Tidibale, they were not displaced by any bandit attack.

According to the state government, the movement of residents was a temporary and precautionary step taken after a rumour of a possible security threat surfaced in the area.

It explained that the rumour, which caused fear among villagers, was reported by the ward councillor, Hon. Dayyabu Sani, to the Chairman of Isa Local Government Area, Sherifu Kamarawa.

The chairman, acting swiftly to prevent panic or harm, directed that residents be temporarily conveyed to the local government headquarters in Isa.

The government confirmed that the situation has since been brought under control, noting that the affected residents have safely returned to their ancestral homes in Tidibale.

It added that security agencies have intensified patrols in and around the community to forestall any criminal activity.

As part of measures to further strengthen security in the area, the state government disclosed that it has approved the establishment of a Forward Operations Base in Tidibale.

The facility is expected to boost security operations and complement existing formations across Isa Local Government Area.

The government reassured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property, particularly in rural and security-challenged communities.

It said it would continue to work closely with conventional security agencies, the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps and recognised vigilante groups to maintain peace across the state.

It also warned against the politicisation of security matters and urged citizens to support security efforts by cooperating with authorities and exposing informants who aid criminal elements within their communities.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has issued a statement to correct what it calls misleading reports about the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on banking services.

In a press release dated January 15, 2026, the NRS categorically denied that the Nigeria Tax Act had newly imposed VAT on banking fees, commissions, or electronic transfer charges.

The Service clarified that VAT has always been applicable to fees for services rendered by banks and other financial institutions under the country’s longstanding VAT regulations.

It stated there is no new tax obligation for customers arising from recent legislation.

The NRS urged the public and all stakeholders to disregard the misinformation and to depend only on its official channels for accurate tax information.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Several members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have commenced the deployment of military personnel to Greenland following growing diplomatic strain between the United States and its European partners over the future of the Arctic territory.

Denmark, which holds responsibility for Greenland’s defence, confirmed that troops and military hardware were moved to the island under “Operation Arctic Endurance,” a multinational exercise designed to reinforce security collaboration in the region.

France, Germany, Sweden and Norway have all announced plans to dispatch limited numbers of military officers and reconnaissance units to Greenland.

According to CNBC, the teams will participate in coordinated drills on the sparsely populated island.

French President Emmanuel Macron disclosed on social media that French forces had already begun relocating to Greenland and that further deployments would follow.

Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, also verified that Swedish officers would take part in the Danish-led exercises alongside other NATO partners.

The troop movements followed high-level talks in Washington involving Danish and Greenlandic officials as well as senior United States government figures, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Before the meetings, President Donald Trump restated his position that the United States “needs Greenland” for national security reasons.

His comments raised concern in both Copenhagen and Nuuk.Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen described the discussions at the White House as “frank but constructive.”

He, however, admitted that a “fundamental disagreement” remained regarding the future of the island.“It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland,” Rasmussen said, while reaffirming Denmark’s stance on Greenland’s sovereignty.

Greenland’s authorities, with backing from Denmark and other European partners, have consistently dismissed any proposal that suggests American ownership or direct control.

They insist that defence arrangements should operate within NATO structures and follow international legal standards.

Recent opinion polls show that most Greenlanders oppose U.S. control. A significant majority also favours eventual independence from Denmark.

Denmark has announced additional plans to expand its military footprint around Greenland. The programme includes the deployment of aircraft, naval vessels and more troops.

Defence officials said the measures aim to enhance routine security and reassure residents amid increasing geopolitical pressures.

Although the United States already operates military facilities on the island through long-standing agreements, Trump’s renewed advocacy for greater control has unsettled European leaders. Many fear that any attempt to alter Greenland’s status could undermine NATO unity and international norms.

On Wednesday, Trump again insisted that Americans “need Greenland for the purpose of National Security.”

He warned that Russia or China might seek control of the territory if the U.S. and its allies failed to act.

By Aminu Babayo Shehu

Nigeria is entering a period where technology is no longer optional for national development. Around the world, countries that once depended on natural resources are rapidly transforming their economies through innovation, high-tech manufacturing and knowledge-driven industries. Nigeria’s long-term plan, Nigeria Agenda 2050, recognises this reality. One of its key policy directions is to accelerate technology development across all sectors to increase the production of high-technology products. This policy is not simply aspirational. It is urgent, practical and necessary for economic survival.

For decades, crude oil has dominated Nigeria’s revenue base. Yet oil is a finite resource, prone to global price shocks and increasingly less attractive as the world shifts to renewable energy. Technology products, on the other hand, are expanding at a scale that dwarfs resource-based industries. The global tech market is projected to exceed $10 trillion over the next decade. Nations that embrace high-tech production are generating new wealth, attracting investment, and creating jobs at a pace unimaginable under traditional economies.

Countries such as South Korea, Singapore, India, and China were once struggling nations with limited natural resources. South Korea transformed from poverty to a top global economy by investing in electronics, telecommunications, robotics and semiconductors. Today, companies like Samsung contribute more to South Korea’s GDP than the entire oil sector contributes to Nigeria.

China shifted from low-wage manufacturing to high-tech dominance in areas such as electric vehicles, drones, AI, and telecommunications. Its tech exports now reshape global markets. India invested heavily in its tech talent, building the world’s largest IT outsourcing industry and becoming a leading hub for software engineering, fintech, and space technology. These countries show that consistent investment in research, innovation, and human capital produces national transformation.

Nigeria has the potential to make similar progress, but time is not on our side. The world will not wait for us. If we continue to rely on crude oil as our primary revenue source, we will fall even further behind. Our young population, one of the largest in Africa, is an asset only if it is empowered with digital skills, research opportunities, and innovative platforms. Otherwise, it becomes a liability.

High-technology production can reshape Nigeria’s economy in several ways. First, it will diversify national revenue and reduce the need for excessive borrowing. Countries with strong technology sectors generate significant income from intellectual property, digital services, hardware production, and global tech partnerships. Nigeria can do the same by promoting local manufacturing of electronics, renewable energy components, agri-tech equipment, medical devices, cybersecurity solutions, and AI-powered tools.

Second, investment in technology drives innovation across all sectors. Agriculture can be transformed through agri-drones, smart irrigation and data-driven farm management. Healthcare can be strengthened through telemedicine, diagnostic tools and biotechnology research. Security agencies can rely on surveillance drones, satellite imaging and digital intelligence rather than outdated methods. Education can be improved through digital learning platforms, simulation labs and computing infrastructure. These are the kinds of advancements that lift entire nations.

Third, high-tech development creates high-quality jobs. Instead of exporting raw materials, Nigeria can export advanced products and services. Instead of depending on foreign technology, we can build our own solutions. Instead of losing talented youth to migration, we can build an economy that retains and rewards them.

However, none of this will happen by accident. Nigeria must deliberately invest in research and development, strengthen universities and technical institutions, build innovation hubs, support local manufacturing, and fund STEM programs from primary school through postgraduate level. Policies must be consistent, leadership must be committed, and institutions must have the resources needed to produce world-class results.

If Nigeria takes the Nigeria Agenda 2050 technology policy seriously, we can transition from a raw-material exporter to a high-tech producer within a generation. But if we continue to postpone action, the cost will be grave. Nations that invest early in technology win the future. Nations that delay are left behind.

Nigeria has the talent, the population and the potential. What we need now is the political will and the investment to match our ambition. High-technology production is not just an economic option. It is the pathway to sovereignty, prosperity and long-term stability.

Aminu Babayo Shehu is a Software Engineer, Mobile Developer, and Technology Advocate. He can be reached at absheikhone@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Nigerian bank and fintech users are bracing for a sudden increase in everyday banking costs as the government mandates a 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) on certain financial services starting Monday, 19 January 2026.

In a notice to its customers, Moniepoint, one of the country’s leading fintech platforms, revealed that the tax will apply to services such as POS transactions, mobile banking transfers, USSD fees, card issuance, loan processing fees, and Moniebook subscriptions.

The company reassured customers that the change is not a price hike by Moniepoint, but a government requirement to remit VAT to the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), formerly known as the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

“The NRS has communicated a deadline of 19th January for all financial institutions – including commercial banks, microfinance banks, and electronic money operators – to start collecting and remitting VAT,” Moniepoint said in its announcement.

Services such as interest on loans and deposits, however, will remain exempt from the tax.

For the average Nigerian, this seemingly small tax could add up. A ₦50 transfer fee, for example, will now attract an additional ₦3.75, which will go straight to the government rather than the bank.

Analysts say the VAT could stir public frustration as Nigerians grapple with rising costs, especially for digital financial services which have become a lifeline for many in the country.

Financial experts warn that the new rule is just the beginning, urging citizens to review all banking charges carefully to avoid being caught off guard by the added government levy.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Direct communication between senior officials of the United States and Iran has reportedly come to a halt as diplomatic relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate.

A senior Iranian official disclosed to the Reuters news agency on Wednesday that discussions between Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, and the United States special envoy, Steve Wittkof, have been suspended.

The development comes at a time when President Donald Trump has issued threats of possible intervention as Iranian authorities intensify actions against protests within the country. In response, Tehran has vowed to strike United States military bases in the region if it comes under attack.

Over the past year, the United States and several European allies had pursued renewed diplomatic engagement on Iran’s nuclear programme. However, the Iranian official indicated that the current climate has erased any chance of meaningful progress.

He said the threats from Washington have weakened ongoing diplomatic initiatives. He added that proposed meetings between Araghchi and Wittkof, which aimed to address the long-standing nuclear dispute, have been called off.

The official also revealed that Tehran had asked United States allies within the region to “prevent Washington from attacking”.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has brought a senior associate of former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai before a Federal High Court over an alleged ₦311 billion money laundering scheme.

Amadu Sule, Managing Director of TMDK Terminal Limited, was arraigned in Kaduna on a five-count charge.

The charges, signed by the Head of ICPC’s High-Profile Prosecution Department, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, include unlawful retention of proceeds of fraud and money laundering, contrary to the 2022 Money Laundering Act.

The case centers on over ₦311 billion traced to company accounts in Fidelity Bank, Stanbic IBTC, and Providus Bank. ICPC alleges the funds, received from companies including INT Towers Limited and IHS Nigeria Ltd for purported petroleum product supplies, are proceeds of crime.

The commission asserts Sule “reasonably ought to have known” the money was illicit.

ICPC further accuses Sule and his company of illegally retaining hundreds of billions in tax components from the disputed deals, despite alleged awareness of fraud in the underlying transactions.

These actions, described as direct handling of illicit proceeds, could attract enhanced penalties under anti-money laundering laws.

The case has garnered significant attention due to TMDK Terminal Limited’s known long-term business and political ties to the el-Rufai family, including the former governor and his elder brother, Bashir.

The court has adjourned the matter until January 15 for the hearing of Sule’s bail application.

By Uzair Adam

Former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said mounting political tension and pressure on grassroots officials informed his decision to allow some of his supporters in the state to align with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Kwankwaso made the disclosure in a video message that went viral on Tuesday evening, where he described the political climate in Kano as increasingly tense and emotionally draining for local government officials following the political dominance of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said the situation had taken a serious toll on several chairmen, councillors and other political appointees, many of whom reached out to him in distress.

According to Kwankwaso, some of the officials were experiencing sleepless nights and deep confusion, while others reportedly required medical attention due to the pressure they were under.

“Many chairmen and councillors called me to explain what they were going through. Some could not sleep, some were deeply confused, and some were even placed on hospital drips,” he said.

The former governor explained that the rising tension compelled him to consult widely in order to reduce the hardship being faced by his loyalists, noting that many of their legitimate expectations from government were yet to be met.

He said maintaining a rigid political position under such circumstances could have worsened the suffering of the affected officials, which led to the decision to allow them to take steps that would bring relief.

“We agreed that all chairmen, councillors, supervisory councillors and anyone who was asked to sign should go ahead and do so. We have no issue with that,” Kwankwaso said.

He dismissed suggestions that the move was linked to early preparations for the 2027 general elections, stressing that the time for such political battles had not yet arrived.

“2027 is still far away. We pray that Allah spares our lives to reach that time. Our supporters are everywhere; we know them and they know themselves,” he added.

Kwankwaso expressed hope that the decision would help calm political tension in Kano State, particularly among those he said were being subjected to pressure, while thanking residents of the state for their patience and understanding.

He also praised Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, noting that the governor had recently acknowledged the achievements of the Kwankwasiyya administration and highlighted actions of the immediate past government which, according to him, hindered progress in the state.

In the video, Kwankwaso further alleged that the state government had introduced measures aimed at intimidating local government officials and political appointees.

He claimed that chairmen, councillors, secretaries and other office holders were allegedly compelled to write their names on lists indicating whether they supported the Kwankwasiyya movement or the Ganduje political camp.

Describing the practice as unacceptable, Kwankwaso said such actions would discomfort any well-meaning resident of Kano State, regardless of political affiliation.

He also reflected on the 2015 political transition, alleging that acts of betrayal at the time resulted in years of hardship for his supporters.

“We looked back at history and remembered what happened in 2015, when our supporters suffered for eight years because of political disloyalty,” he said.

The video has continued to generate reactions within and outside Kano State, with supporters and critics offering differing interpretations of Kwankwaso’s remarks and the broader political implications.

I watched with dismay a video circulating on social media in which an officer in uniform—possibly a cadet working with the Bauchi-Road Traffic-Agency (BAROTA)—was being chased by some youths at the Bakaro/Karofi/Shagari Roundabout. They were stoning him as he unconsciously ran across the road for his dear life.

The scenario is both frightening and disturbing. How can an officer on official duty be chased, possibly by a mob, simply for trying to discharge his responsibility of enforcing safety regulations? Unfortunately, some people now consider this a crime. For this reason, I am appealing to His Excellency Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed to issue a marching order to address this unruly behaviour.

I have often written about BAROTA, particularly its operations and engagement. On many occasions, as a spectator and observer, I have suggested ways they can improve their work to enhance the safety of motorists and other road users. This is a pledge I made with honesty and sincerity of purpose, and I will continue until the desired objectives are achieved. I am glad to see other concerned individuals involved in this advocacy. Let us maintain the tempo, please.

In his speech during the inauguration of the officers, His Excellency Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (Kauran Bauchi) made it clear that the agency was established, among other things, to address widespread road traffic violations and enhance road safety across the state.

Other responsibilities of the agency include removing and impounding vehicles obstructing highways, arresting road traffic violators, ensuring smooth traffic flow in urban centres and major towns, and promoting road safety awareness among residents. He urged the cadets to work closely with conventional security agencies to maintain order and safety on the roads.

Given the purpose of their work, these officers should be supported in discharging their duties to save lives and property, ensure safer roads, and instil discipline among motorists and other road users.

What went wrong?

Since its inception, the agency’s officers have faced numerous public challenges during official assignments. Passersby who are supposed to support them in carrying out their duties often end up creating hostile and chaotic situations.

This will not be unconnected to the poor perception and limited understanding of the essence of their work in securing people’s lives and property, perhaps resulting from their engagement and operational practices.

Way Forward. 

Therefore, it is incumbent upon the Agency to introduce workshops for its personnel on the rules of engagement in accordance with best practices, and to embark on rigorous awareness and sensitisation campaigns through stakeholder engagements with relevant groups, including NURTW, Achaba, and Keke Napep riders’ unions, as well as other road users.

There is a need for town hall meetings, street rallies, and sustained radio programmes, including phone-in segments, dramas, and jingles, to promote buy-in and public acceptance. The Agency should also involve religious and traditional institutions and encourage them to use their platforms for these campaigns. These and many more initiatives will help in addressing the growing resentment.

The leadership of NURTW and Achaba should educate their members on the importance of complying with all rules and regulations and ensure they possess all necessary documents to operate legally. The general public, on the other hand, should understand that these officers are legally engaged and work in strict adherence to the law establishing the Agency. Any attempt to obstruct or prevent them from performing their lawful duties will be treated as sabotage and will attract the full wrath of the law.

These and other similar initiatives will help bring sanity to road operations while creating an enabling environment for peaceful coexistence and harmonious relationships between the Agency and road users.

Isyaka Laminu Badamasi is at No. 555, Ajiya Adamu Road, Bauchi. He can be reached at makwalla82@gmail.com.