News

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The 61st edition of the Argungu International Fishing Festival commenced on Saturday at Mata Fada in Argungu town, Kebbi State, with the heaviest fish weighing 59 kilograms.

The Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Saturday afternoon, noting the remarkable size of the catch recorded at this year’s outing.

“61st Argungu fishing festival, biggest fish caught 59Kg,” Dare said.

The annual cultural event attracted thousands of fishermen, tourists, and culture enthusiasts from different parts of Nigeria and outside the country. Excitement heightened as a large crowd of the anticipated 40,000 participants rushed into the river shortly after noon. This happened before the formal opening ceremony and ahead of the arrival of President Bola Tinubu.

Reports from the venue indicated that in the fishing contest, “Abubakar Usman from Maiyama Local Government Area emerged overall winner with a 59kg catch.

“Abdullahi Garba from Argungu placed second with a 40kg fish, while third position was jointly claimed by Nasir Garba and another contestant, who each landed a 33kg catch.”

While announcing the winners, the Kebbi State Deputy Governor stated that the champion would receive “two Toyota vehicles donated by the Sokoto State Government, bags of WACOT rice and a cash prize of ₦1 million.

“The second-place winner received a car, a Hajj slot and ₦1 million, while the joint third-place winners were awarded two motorcycles each and ₦750,000.”

Earlier, President Tinubu arrived in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, where he inaugurated two major projects. The projects included the newly built State Secretariat and the renovated Central Motor Park. He later proceeded to Argungu to formally declare the festival open.

The Argungu Fishing Festival dates back to 1934. It was established to celebrate peace between the Sokoto Caliphate and the Kebbi Kingdom. Over time, the festival has grown into an internationally recognised cultural event that features fishing contests, traditional music, dance, wrestling, arts, crafts, and other cultural displays.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to produce a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sani Zaria, before it on February 18 over allegations linking him to a coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.

The order followed proceedings on Friday before Justice Peter Lifu, who presided over a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the cleric. Zaria has remained in custody since December 2025.

Earlier in January, the Defence Headquarters confirmed the arrest of 16 military officers during the first week of the month in connection with an alleged attempt to overthrow the current administration.

Court documents showed that the cleric was first arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before he was transferred to the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency.

Respondents in the suit include the EFCC, DIA, the attorney-general of the federation, and Jaiz Bank Plc.

The applicant is asking the court to order his release. He argued that his continued detention has no lawful basis.

During the hearing, the federal government was unable to present a valid court order authorising his detention. The development drew criticism from the bench.

Justice Lifu had earlier instructed the DIA to produce any detention order or provide legal justification for holding the cleric under applicable laws, including provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

The judge faulted the length of the detention. He subsequently ordered the intelligence agency to produce the cleric in court. The appearance, the court noted, will allow consideration of his bail application pending the continuation of the case.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has said he deliberately chooses to appear “weak” in order to sustain peace and stability in the state.

The governor spoke on Friday in Lagos while receiving the 2025 Man of the Year Award presented by New Telegraph.

During his remarks, which focused on the burden of leadership, political disputes, and reconciliation, Fubara dedicated the honour to his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

“I do not care how you interpret it or misinterpret it. I also dedicate this award to somebody who discovered me, not minding the situation — the honourable minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike,” he said.

“He discovered me, and it is the discovery that gave me this loudness. Today is a very special day, and also special for everyone who has believed in me, and I know that for believing in me, you have a share of special pain.

“Some people have described these pains as weakness, while others say it is being strong. But I choose to be weak for a lot of reasons, weak because I want peace. Weak because we need to survive.

“Weak because I need to also protect those things that are dear, not just to me, but to our dear nation. Weakness is a virtue. It pays at the right time.”

Fubara thanked his family and residents of Rivers State for their patience and composure despite the prolonged political crisis in the state.

The development comes amid efforts to ease tensions between the executive arm and the Rivers State House of Assembly. Recently, President Bola Tinubu intervened and facilitated a truce between both sides after months of political strain, impeachment threats, and divisions within the legislature. Many lawmakers in the assembly are known allies of Wike.

The rift between the two political figures has played out publicly in recent months. Wike had opposed Fubara’s re-election ambition. He accused the governor of failing to honour an earlier peace agreement reached before the lifting of emergency rule in the state.

Earlier in the week, the FCT minister expressed optimism that the crisis between the executive and legislative arms would be resolved permanently following the president’s intervention.

Peace conditions linked to the dispute had earlier surfaced. One of the demands was the reinstatement of Sergeant Awuse, traditional ruler of Emohua kingdom, as chairman of the state’s council of traditional rulers. Fubara removed Awuse from the position in June 2024 and replaced him with Chike Worlu Wodo. Another demand involved the nomination of new commissioners.

In a fresh move, the governor dissolved the Rivers State Executive Council on Thursday. A day later, he forwarded a list of commissioner nominees to the state assembly for screening and confirmation.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Suspected Boko Haram fighters carried out fresh assaults in parts of Borgu and Agwara Local Government Areas of Niger State late Friday night.

The attacks were disclosed by security reporter and analyst, Comrade Zakari Y. Adamu Kontogora, through a post on his Facebook page where he detailed the incident.

He reported that the armed men moved across several communities. They opened fire on residents and set houses ablaze during the raids.

Quoting security operatives who spoke with his newspaper, he said no fewer than 21 people lost their lives after the gunmen invaded Konkoso community.

The sources also revealed that the assailants extended their attacks to nearby settlements such as Pissa, Zango and Tungan Maƙeri. Casualties were recorded in the affected villages. Properties were destroyed as homes and shops were burnt.

Residents were said to be gripped by fear as the attackers reportedly remained within the general area as of the time this report was filed.

There has been no official statement yet from security authorities regarding the incident or the number of casualties recorded.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have circulated a video showing a large number of women and children said to have been abducted from Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The footage, which lasts one minute and 17 seconds, was published by Sahara Reporters. It shows dozens of female captives and minors assembled in an open location while an unidentified speaker questions them. The face of the speaker was not shown in the clip.

During the exchange, the speaker asked the victims, “Where were you abducted?”

They responded, “From Woro.”

He followed up with another question, “Which local government?” and they replied, “Kaiama.”

“Which state?” he pressed.

“Kwara,” the captives answered in unison.

The speaker then asked, “How many are you?” Two women answered, “176.”

After the responses, the unidentified speaker accused the Federal Government of downplaying the number of abductees.

“You can see that your infidel government lied to people that you are not more than 30,” he said.

The video ended shortly after the remark.

As at the time this report was filed, neither the Federal Government nor the Kwara State Government had confirmed the authenticity of the footage or the number of victims mentioned by the insurgents.

Security agencies have also not released any official statement in reaction to the claims.

The incident has sparked renewed anxiety over insecurity in Kwara State. The North-Central state has not been widely known as a major centre of Boko Haram operations when compared with states in the North-East.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the date fixed for the 2027 presidential election.

The party made its position known on Saturday through a statement issued by its Kano State Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Karaye.

In the statement, the party said the presidential poll has been scheduled for 20 February 2027. It noted that the date falls within the Ramadan fasting period observed by Muslims.

The NNPP described the timing as unacceptable. It argued that the development could affect the turnout of Muslim voters across the country.

“This is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise the majority Muslim population in the country,” the party stated.

The party also accused the INEC Chairman of displaying what it termed religious bias in the choice of the election date.

It therefore urged the President to take immediate action by removing the electoral body’s chairman. The party said such a step would promote fairness and rebuild trust in the electoral system.

“For any election to be accepted by the Muslim majority in the country, the President must replace him with a more credible Christian who will ensure justice and fairness for all,” the statement added.

By Uzair Adam

A raging fire on Saturday tore through Gidan Gilas, popularly known as “Gidan Mai,” at Singa Market, destroying goods and triggering fresh fears among traders that the inferno could spread to nearby buildings.

The Daily Reality gathered that the shops, where provision materials are sold, was engulfed in flames as thick smoke rose into the sky, attracting a crowd of anxious residents and traders. Many were seen making frantic efforts to salvage goods while others attempted to stop the fire from extending to adjoining structures.

Eyewitnesses said parts of surrounding buildings had already been affected, deepening tension across the busy commercial hub. “The fire is still burning, and we are afraid it may catch other shops if help does not come quickly,” one trader said.

As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the outbreak had not been ascertained, with no immediate trace to what might have triggered the incident.

Officials of the Kano State Fire Service arrived at the scene with a tanker of water, but the supply was quickly exhausted as firefighters battled to contain the flames. Another tanker was later deployed to reinforce the effort.

A private water tanker from Aspira Nigeria Limited also joined the emergency response to assist in extinguishing the fire.

However, several traders expressed concern that the number of tankers on ground may not be sufficient to completely put out the blaze.

They warned that without additional support, the fire could escalate and affect a larger section of the market.

The latest incident comes just weeks after a devastating fire outbreak at Singa Market caused heavy losses for business owners, further compounding the challenges faced by traders in the area.

China has summoned senior Western diplomats in Hong Kong after their governments criticised the sentencing of media businessman Jimmy Lai.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Office of the Commissioner of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong confirmed that the heads of the United Kingdom, United States, Australian and European Union missions were called in over remarks made by their officials.
According to the office, Chinese authorities expressed “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to the comments. It urged the governments concerned to respect China’s sovereignty as well as Hong Kong’s judicial system. The statement also asked them to halt what it described as “irresponsible” remarks on national security cases and to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Hong Kong and China.


Earlier in the month, a Hong Kong court handed Jimmy Lai a 20-year prison sentence. The ruling followed his conviction in a high-profile foreign collusion case prosecuted under the city’s national security law.


Lai, a well-known critic of Beijing and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, has faced several legal battles since the introduction of the security legislation.


The sentencing has continued to draw reactions from Western governments. Chinese officials insist that the case is purely a matter of law and national security.

Reuters

By Sabiu Abdullahi

South African authorities have arrested a woman suspected to be involved in the murder of 22-year-old Nigerian e-hailing driver, Isaac Satlat, in Pretoria West earlier this month.

The Gauteng Police Command confirmed the arrest following investigations into the violent hijacking and murder of the Bolt driver, who was attacked while on duty. His death has sparked outrage among Nigerians both in the country and in the diaspora.

According to the South African news outlet IOL, the incident occurred on February 11, 2026. Satlat was allegedly attacked inside his vehicle after picking up passengers who had requested a ride.

Preliminary investigations suggest the driver was targeted by a male and female duo who hijacked the vehicle during the trip. Satlat’s body and the stolen car were later recovered in Atteridgeville on the same day.

The police also noted a video circulating on social media that reportedly shows the victim being attacked while seated behind the steering wheel. Authorities have cautioned the public against sharing the footage.

> “The police strongly condemn the circulation of the video that depicts what appears to be a gruesome murder of the victim,” the Gauteng Police said in a statement.



The arrested female suspect is scheduled to appear before the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 16, 2026. She will face charges including hijacking and murder.

Meanwhile, authorities have launched a manhunt for the second suspect believed to have participated in the attack. The public has been urged to provide any information that could help locate the fleeing individual.

The incident has intensified concerns about the safety of Nigerian nationals working abroad, with calls for increased security measures for drivers and other expatriate workers.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Saturday that Beijing will remove tariffs on imports from nearly all African countries starting May 1, according to state media reports.

Currently, China maintains a zero-tariff policy for imports from 33 African nations. However, last year, the government pledged to extend the policy to all 53 of its diplomatic partners on the continent.

From May, the zero-tariff arrangement will apply to every African country except Eswatini, which continues to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Xi highlighted the move during the annual African Union summit in Ethiopia, describing it as a significant boost for development across Africa.

“This will undoubtedly provide new opportunities for African development,” he said, underscoring China’s role as Africa’s largest trading partner.

The country has been a major supporter of infrastructure projects across the continent through its expansive “Belt and Road” initiative.

African nations are increasingly turning to China and other international partners for trade, following the imposition of steep tariffs by US President Donald Trump last year.

The zero-tariff policy is expected to strengthen trade ties between China and Africa, giving African exporters greater access to Chinese markets while encouraging economic growth in the region.