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.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A review of court records has shown that judges across the United States have repeatedly ruled against the detention practices of immigration authorities under President Donald Trump’s administration.

According to Reuters, findings indicate that since October, courts have issued more than 4,400 rulings that deemed the detention of immigrants by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unlawful. The decisions represent a major legal setback for the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policy. Despite this, detentions have continued in many instances.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston of West Virginia criticised the government’s position in one of the cases. He wrote, “It is appalling that the Government insists that this Court should redefine or completely disregard the current law as it is clearly written,” while ordering the release of a Venezuelan detainee.

Many of the rulings stem from the administration’s shift away from a long-standing interpretation of federal law. For nearly three decades, immigrants already residing in the United States could seek release on bond while pursuing their cases in immigration courts. The policy change has triggered widespread legal challenges.

In response, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said the administration is “working to lawfully deliver on President Trump’s mandate to enforce federal immigration law.”

Data shows that the number of people held in ICE custody has surged to about 68,000 this month. That figure represents an increase of roughly 75 percent since Trump assumed office last year.

However, the administration recorded a legal victory at an appeals court in New Orleans. U.S. Circuit Judge Edith Jones ruled that earlier administrations’ limited use of detention powers did not eliminate the authority to expand their application. She stated that prior restraint “does not mean they lacked the authority to do more.”

Government officials argue that the spike in lawsuits was expected. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the trend came as “no surprise” and added, “especially after many activist judges have attempted to thwart President Trump from fulfilling the American people’s mandate for mass deportations.”

Court filings show that detained immigrants have submitted more than 20,200 federal lawsuits seeking release since Trump took office. Judges have ruled in at least 4,421 of those cases that ICE held detainees unlawfully.

One example involved Joseph Thomas, an 18-year-old Venezuelan student arrested during a traffic stop in Wisconsin alongside his father. Both men were asylum seekers with legal work authorisation. Their lawyer, Carrie Peltier, argued they were targeted for “driving while brown.” Judges later ordered their release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz ruled that Joseph’s detention was illegal. He cited a lack of proof that ICE possessed a warrant at the time of arrest. In a separate decision, U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud affirmed that the teenager’s father qualified for a bond hearing. He wrote, “This raises an issue of statutory interpretation that courts in this District have repeatedly considered and rejected, and it will be rejected here as well.”

Legal experts say habeas corpus petitions have become the primary legal route for detainees seeking freedom. The constitutional mechanism allows individuals to challenge unlawful detention in court.

The wave of litigation has placed pressure on the justice system. More than 700 Justice Department attorneys are now assigned to immigration detention cases. Some have appeared in over 1,000 lawsuits each.

Judges have also faulted authorities for failing to comply with release orders. In Minnesota, Schiltz said the government violated 96 court orders across 76 cases. A federal prosecutor in the district later described the caseload as an “enormous burden” on government lawyers.

In New York, U.S. District Judge Nusrat Choudhury ruled that ICE violated two “clear and unambiguous orders” after transferring a detainee while misrepresenting his location to the court.

The Justice Department has defended its actions. Spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre said the administration “is complying with court orders and fully enforcing federal immigration law.” She added, “If rogue judges followed the law in adjudicating cases and respected the government’s obligation to properly prepare cases, there wouldn’t be an ‘overwhelming’ habeas caseload or concern over DHS following orders.”

Advocacy groups continue to assist detainees. Lawyers often wait outside immigration courts to file emergency petitions that prevent transfers to distant detention centres.

Still, many immigrants struggle to access legal relief due to cost or lack of awareness. Judy Rall, the U.S. citizen wife of a Venezuelan detainee, said she could not afford the legal fees required to file a habeas petition. Her husband remains in detention despite having no criminal record. Reflecting on their situation, she said, “Our home burnt down, and I had told them I needed him to come help,” adding, “I assume that is the reason.”

The growing number of lawsuits continues to test the capacity of the courts as legal battles over immigration detention intensify nationwide.

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

An Indian teacher and activist, Rouble Nagi, has won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize for her groundbreaking work in bringing education to marginalized communities across India. The award was presented on Thursday at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, an event that attracts leaders from around the world.

Nagi, founder of the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, has established over 800 learning centers in India. These centers provide structured education for children who have never attended school and supplement learning for those already enrolled. She also paints educational murals across slum walls, teaching literacy, science, mathematics, and history.

Accepting the award, Nagi said the recognition was not just for her but for India. She recalled starting 24 years ago with 30 children in a small workshop, and now reaching over a million children.

> “I think every step has just motivated me, inspired me to take every child in India to school,” Nagi said. “You know when I was a child it was my dream to see every child at school and as you grow up fulfilling that for as many as we can reach, I think it’s a very humbling experience.”



Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation, which awards the prize, praised Nagi’s dedication.

> “Rouble Nagi represents the very best of what teaching can be – courage, creativity, compassion, and an unwavering belief in every child’s potential,” Varkey said. “By bringing education to the most marginalized communities, she has not only changed individual lives, but strengthened families and communities.”



Nagi plans to use the $1 million prize to establish an institute that will offer free vocational training. UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini, added that Nagi’s recognition highlights the crucial role teachers play in shaping lives.

> “Teachers matter,” Giannini said. “We are honoured to join the Global Teacher Prize in celebrating teachers like you, who, through patience, determination, and belief in every learner, help children into school — an act that can change the course of a life.”



Nagi is the tenth recipient of the Global Teacher Prize since it was established in 2015. Past winners include educators from Kenya, Palestine, Canada, and Saudi Arabia, all recognized for their efforts to improve access to education in challenging environments.

Her work continues to inspire and redefine what is possible in education for underserved communities worldwide.

By Abdulhameed Ridwanullah

This week, the article titled “Something Big Is Happening” was published on X by AI entrepreneur Matt Shumer. It became viral with around 80million views, 36k retweets, 105k likes and 5.7k comments at the moment of this writing. The virality stems from the central thesis of the post – AI disruption of white-collar jobs within years. Days later, the CEO of Microsoft AI, Mustafa Suleyman, while granting an interview to the Financial Times, claimed that the tasks undertaken by white-collar workers will be automated within 12 to 18 months (watch the details in the video). Previously, Dario Amodei predicted that up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs would be automated within one to five years in his January 2026 essay.


All week, the debate has been whether AI will take your job. The discourse is loud. Spoiler alert! The discourse is almost entirely about the West. The Global South is often an afterthought. So, when I read Shumer say, “the experience everyone else is about to have,” or Suleyman say, “most tasks fully automated in 18 months”, I ask: Whose experience? Automated for whom?


The West debates whether AI will take their jobs. Much of Africa is still waiting for the jobs AI is supposedly coming to replace.


Most importantly, studies have shown that automated AI moderation barely works in the Global South (read the CDT study by Mona Elswah and her colleagues here). In my PhD research, I study how AI content moderation systems fail in Nigerian languages. The failures are systematic, not incidental. Moreover, there are over 2000 languages in Africa. AI moderation seldom works in 3 major Nigerian languages. There is a wide gap between what Silicon Valley promises about AI and the deliverables to the world population. That is the story.


Moreso, this doomsday discourse about new technology is not new. The pattern is real. Connor Boyack’s rejoinder (AI isn’t coming for your future. Fear is) beautifully captures by invoking Bastiat’s insight about the “seen and unseen” changes brought by new technology. The debate all week has been focused on the “seen”, but the “unseen” invoked by Boyack are the new industries and possibilities that emerge when technology reduces costs and eliminates drudgery. No doubt, every major technology disruption has eventually created more than it destroyed. If anything, Africa’s unofficial content creation economy is a pointer to such an opportunity. 


However, the challenge is that the benefits are never evenly distributed. They are concentrated where infrastructure exists, languages are resourced, and capital flows. The boom and doom are not the same for a worker in London or Boston and someone in Cape Town, Lagos, Kano or Nairobi. One pays $20 ChatGPT subscription and enlists AI as a co-pilot. But the other is faced with the unseen failure of AI moderation, wreaking havoc in their community. This inequality runs in both directions: who benefits from AI’s capabilities and who is harmed by its failures.


So, the future of AI is not one story. It is two. While professionals in well-resourced economies leverage, adapt, upskill and thrive, billions of people in low-resource economies remain in the blind spot of a technology that was never designed for them.  


The real question is not whether AI will take your job. It is whether AI will equally serve everyone or continue to perpetuate historical inequality.
This is the conversation we should all be having.

Abdulhameed Ridwanullah is a doctoral researcher working on AI and platform studies in Nigeria at Media for Empowerment and Impact Lab, Northeastern University, Boston. He can be reached at olaitanrido@yahoo.com

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.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Residents of Surulere Community in Amikanle, near the Command area of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, have been thrown into distress after suspected landgrabbers invaded the neighbourhood and destroyed multiple properties.

According to a report t a Nigerian newspaper, the Punch, homeowners said the attackers, widely known as Omo Onile, stormed the community on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. They allegedly demanded payments ranging from N15m to N25m from property owners. Those who failed to comply reportedly had their buildings pulled down.

Findings revealed that at least 50 structures have been affected. The demolished properties include residential houses, shops, and perimeter fences.

Residents explained that the invaders arrived in large numbers. They claimed to be acting on court documents from the Federal Housing Authority, authorising them to collect renewal fees. They also threatened to demolish any structure whose owner refused to pay.

One of the children of an affected landlord, identified simply as Oluwafewa, alleged that security personnel accompanied the group during the operation, which lasted about two weeks. He said the development left many families devastated.

“The thugs asked the landlords to obtain a form, which cost N100,000. Then they demanded an initial payment of N5m, with N10m to be paid later. They charged different prices for different houses.

“Some said they were asked to pay N25m, but they demanded N15m from my parents,” he said.

When asked if the group identified those backing them, he replied, “They are working for no one. They are Omo Onile, and they claimed they own the estate. The FHA has told them to desist, as it didn’t authorise any demolition.”

A visit to the area showed heavy damage across the community. Policemen were seen seated in a corner with patrol vehicles parked nearby, while some of the hoodlums remained around demolished structures.

Another resident, who spoke anonymously, alleged that violence accompanied the invasion. He said one individual was assaulted for recording the incident.

“They beat someone who was filming them on the day they first invaded our community. They nearly destroyed the man’s phone. They really dealt with us,” he said.

A different resident claimed the issue had persisted for years. He recounted how his uncle lost property under similar circumstances a decade ago after failing to meet the financial demand.

“My uncle lost his property to them 10 years ago. The matter has existed for years, and I don’t think there is any solution in sight. That was how they came about 10 years ago and demanded N5m from my uncle. He didn’t have the money to give them, and he forfeited his house,” he said.

Angered by the destruction, residents organised a peaceful protest last week. They gathered in front of the affected buildings with placards, calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other leaders to intervene.

One protester said, “They mounted our buildings and removed the roofs. We have been to many offices to lodge complaints, but no help has been offered. At this point, we don’t know what to do.”

An official of the Federal Housing Authority, who spoke anonymously, described the demolition as illegal. The official said personnel sent to monitor the situation were chased away.

“They were impersonating. The FHA didn’t send the thugs. We were told about the incident by the residents. We have written to the Commissioner of Police and even the Lagos State Taskforce to that effect. We also sent our officials to the scene, but the thugs chased them away,” he said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, said she was unaware of the incident but promised to make inquiries. She did not respond to subsequent calls or messages seeking updates.

The situation has left many residents counting losses and calling for urgent government intervention to halt further demolitions.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The United States military has conducted another lethal attack on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the deaths of three people. This latest strike adds to a series of operations that have killed at least 133 individuals since September 2025.

US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees military operations across Latin America and the Caribbean, confirmed that US forces “conducted a lethal kinetic strike” on Friday, killing three people.

The military repeated its claim that those targeted were suspected drug traffickers, describing the deceased as “narco-terrorists,” though it did not provide independent evidence to substantiate the allegations.

SOUTHCOM released a video showing a missile hitting the vessel, which exploded and was completely destroyed.

International law and human rights experts have frequently criticized such attacks, arguing they amount to extrajudicial executions even if the targets are allegedly involved in drug trafficking.

This attack follows an operation earlier in the week in the eastern Pacific Ocean. SOUTHCOM said it struck a vessel, killing two people while leaving one survivor. Officials notified the US Coast Guard about the survivor but did not provide details on the individual’s condition or likelihood of rescue.

The US first attacked vessels in international waters in September 2025. That initial strike included a follow-up attack that killed survivors clinging to the wreckage. US officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Admiral Frank Bradley, faced scrutiny over the decision to target the shipwrecked survivors.

Legal experts have warned that the US military could be implicated in a crime for killing individuals after a shipwreck.

Monitors and media tallies indicate that US forces have carried out approximately 38 attacks against 40 vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in at least 133 deaths, including the two killed earlier this week.

President Donald Trump has described the situation as an “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels, defending the operations as necessary to curb drug trafficking into the US.

Legal observers, however, have argued that the US has no authority to carry out strikes in international waters and that all alleged traffickers have a right to due process.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that top security and political figures were involved in the abduction of social media influencer, Abubakar Idris Dadiyata, who has been missing since 2019.

Sowore made the claims in a post published on his Facebook page, where he directly accused former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, of having knowledge of the incident.

According to him, Dadiyata’s abduction was “a joint operation carried out by the Nigeria Police Force,” which he alleged was ordered by former Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, with El-Rufai’s full awareness at the time both leaders were influential figures in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sowore further alleged that those he accused “didn’t just know who took Dadiyata, they likely knew why, where, and what was done to him afterwards.”

He added that the prolonged silence surrounding the case raises grave concerns, stating that “the most chilling possibility is that they murdered him and dumped him in a shallow grave somewhere, hoping time would erase the crime.”

The activist also linked the incident to what he described as a pattern of state repression, claiming he was abducted the same night in 2019 from a hotel in Lagos.

He alleged that his own arrest was carried out by operatives of the Department of State Services on the orders of then President Muhammadu Buhari, alongside former DSS Director-General Yusuf Bichi, former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, former Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, and ex-Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, whom he accused of funding the operation.

Sowore said the presence of CCTV footage at the Lagos hotel where he was arrested served as evidence that prevented what he implied could have been a worse outcome.

He concluded his statement by urging continued public attention to the case, declaring that Nigeria “must not move on from this,” and reiterating the long-running social media campaign hashtag #WhereIsDadiyata.

As of press time, the individuals and institutions named in Sowore’s statement have not publicly responded to the allegations. Dadiyata, a vocal government critic, was abducted by unknown gunmen in August 2019, and his whereabouts remain unknown despite repeated calls for investigation and accountability.