The death toll in the capsized boat carrying 52 passengers has risen to 29 after two days of “search and rescue” operations along the Yobe/Kumadugu River in Yobe State. The boat was sailing from Adayini town in Jigawa State to the Guri community of Nguru Local Council Area of Yobe State. Speaking on Monday in Nguru on the outcomes of the search and rescue operations, the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mohammed Goje, revealed that the death toll in the Saturday boat mishap along the river has risen from 25 to 29. “Henceforth, no boats or canoes will be allowed to operate once it is 6:00 p.m. daily,” adding that the Saturday boat mishap that killed about 30 passengers and sailors was attributed to overloading and poor visibility on the waterways. “It has become state policy for boat operators to have and strictly wear life-saving jackets while on board any canoe or boat in the state,” declared Goje in Nguru.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Monday expressed serious concern over the rising cases of kidnapping across the country, even as it frowned at the reported attack on women protesting at the gate of the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin. The Kwara State Police spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the incident and said it was under investigation, while Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq also condemned the attack. Afenifere condemned the assault on the protesters, noting that they were unarmed and posed no threat. In a statement, Mr David Ampitan, spokesman for Ayetoro-Kiri community in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, alleged that protesters were tear-gassed. Afenifere recalled several recent security incidents, including the December 2025 attack on Ayetoro-Kiri community, the abduction of nine persons in Adanla, a suburb of Igbaja in Kwara State, and the bombing of a police station in Ipele, Ondo State, on New Year’s Eve.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun State, Christopher Arapasopo, on Monday demanded an immediate end to what he described as the serial arrest of workers within the premises of local government secretariats across the state. Although the Osun State Police Command did not confirm the arrest of any staff, sources within the All Progressives Congress in the state said between two and three local government workers were apprehended while allegedly attempting to smuggle documents out of council secretariats. Pictures and videos purportedly showing the arrested workers alongside documents allegedly found in their possession were also circulated on social media on Monday. “The governor has done so much for labour and the people of Osun, and we will reciprocate appropriately. We will not run away from anybody.”Reacting, the Osun State Police Command neither confirmed nor denied the arrest of the workers.

The incident occurred shortly after midnight along Akongntekong Road, Ete. The tragedy has plunged the Ukpum Ete community into mourning and renewed the national debate over the conduct of armed security personnel attached to private facilities. Moments later, the soldier allegedly fired his rifle, hitting the 13-year-old boy, who collapsed and died at the scene. The socio-cultural organisation of the area, Mboho Ukpum Ete, has condemned the killing in strong terms. “The President General of Mboho Ukpum Ete expresses deep dissatisfaction over the unprofessional conduct of the army personnel attached to Sterling Petrochemical,” the statement read.

(Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)Captain Mohamed Salah scored after 124 minutes to clinch a 3-1 extra-time victory for Egypt over plucky minnows Benin in an Africa Cup of Nations last-16 thriller in Agadir on Monday. Record seven-time champions Egypt stay in Agadir to face title-holders Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso on Saturday in the quarter-finals. When Egypt threatened again soon after, centre-back Yohan Roche rescued Benin, clearing the ball as it was trickling toward the net. While Egypt had more possession in the opening half, Benin held their own and it took a superb sliding tackle from Hamdy Fathy to halt a Benin counterattack. Then, a parry from 37-year-old Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy prevented substitute Dossou giving Benin a shock lead.

On September 2, 2025, Mr. Yakubu, whose name featured in the course of the investigation, was invited and he volunteered his statement. “Mr Yakubu submitted a ledger to the commission evidencing records of his transactions wherein the details of customers and the amount of dollars sold by them are recorded. “Mr Ibrahim Sani gave a statement on how he had been using Yakubu, the BDC operator, to send money to different individuals and companies. Mr Ibrahim equally confirmed how he usually deposits huge amounts of money (Dollars) with Mr Yakubu, who, in turn, sends his naira equivalent to individuals and companies’ accounts provided by him. Mr. Ibrahim, however, denied ownership of the N30.7 million found in Yakubu’s account as at the time of making his statement,” the anti-graft agency added.

Tata Motors has officially revealed the new Tata Punch ahead of its debut on January 13, 2026. Design refresh inspired by the Punch.evThe 2026 Tata Punch facelift adopts a more modern design, borrowing heavily from the Punch.ev and Tata’s latest SUVs. However, instead of a full-width LED light bar, the ICE Punch facelift features a blacked-out unit with sleek LED DRLs, giving it a distinct identity. The facelifted Punch will feature Tata’s new steering wheel with an illuminated Tata logo, finished in black with black leather. Turbo-petrol engine finally coming to the PunchThe headline upgrade for the facelifted Punch is the introduction of a turbo-petrol engine paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

A former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, on Monday described the death of Senator Godiya Akwashiki as a profound and immeasurable loss to Nasarawa State and the nation, saying the National Assembly would deeply miss the late lawmaker. Describing Akwashiki as a close friend and political ally, Al-Makura said his replacement would not be easy. Also paying tribute, the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in Nasarawa State, Hon. Speaking during the condolence visit, Andaha said the late senator distinguished himself through uncommon commitment to his people and outstanding representation. Senator Godiya Akwashiki was very committed to his people and very dear to our hearts,” he said.

No fewer than nine soldiers have been confirmed dead following the detonation of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the 85km Maiduguri-Gubio road in Borno. The source explained that the soldiers were travelling from Maiduguri when the incident occurred near Gubio, the council headquarters of Gubio Local Government Area (LGA). “While travelling from Maiduguri on Saturday, the soldiers stopped at a military camp at the roadside before proceeding with their journey on Sunday,” said the source. The senior military officer added that some soldiers also sustained injuries from the shrapnel of the bomb blasts, including burns to their limbs and heads. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army is yet to issue an official statement on the IED explosions, including investigations and casualties sustained from the road blasts.

A fire outbreak on Monday at the Katangowa pipeline corridor in Abule Egba, Lagos, triggered panic among residents and commuters before firefighters moved in to bring the situation under control. Witnesses said the blaze caused momentary chaos, with people scrambling to keep a safe distance as the fire spread. Before the arrival of emergency responders, some residents and passers-by attempted to contain the fire using available materials. Firefighters eventually contained the blaze and prevented it from spreading to nearby buildings and critical facilities in the area. Authorities have since advised residents to remain vigilant and avoid activities around pipeline corridors, warning that such areas pose serious safety risks.

(FILES) Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks during the presentation of the 2026 fiscal year budget at the National Congress in Caracas on December 4, 2025. (Photo by Pedro MATTEY / AFP)Venezuela’s parliament swore in Delcy Rodriguez as interim president on Monday, two days after US forces seized her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, to face trial in New York. Members of the National Assembly offered their full backing to Rodriguez — who had been Maduro’s vice president — and reelected her brother Jorge Rodriguez as parliament speaker. And we will ultimately deploy all our solidarity so that our legitimate president, Nicolas Maduro, returns victorious to Miraflores,” the presidential palace, he added. – ‘In good hands’ –Venezuela’s Supreme Court on Saturday ordered Delcy Rodriguez to assume the presidency “in an acting capacity,” and on Sunday, the military also threw its support behind her.

The Secretary to Rivers State Government, Benibo Anabraba, has officially registered as a member of the All Progressives Congress. Recall that he had resigned his membership of the People’s Democratic Party on Monday morning, but did not say what his next political party is. ‎PUNCH Online reports that in a letter titled ‘Resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party,’ Anabraba indicated that the decision to leave the PDP is personal. He further appreciated the political leverage gained from the party during the period of his membership, and he wished the party well in the future. The statement reads, “‎Dr Anabraba registered his membership on Monday, January 5, 2026, at Ward 1, Unit 1, Bob-Manuel’s Compound, Abonnema, Akuku Toru LGA of the State.

The TCL QM6K, which is also part of our recommendations for cheap TVs that look expensive, is an affordable smart TV that has an impressive feature set for its price tag. Design is another strong point of the TCL offering, and it has a thin profile and small bezels, as we mentioned in our TCL QM6K review. In other highlights, the TV sports a 144Hz panel for high refresh rate gaming, support for the variable refresh rate feature to reduce screen tearing during gameplay, and two HDMI 2.1 ports to connect high-bandwidth gaming consoles and PCs. All of these features are available at a starting list price of $800 for the 55-inch model. Finally, you can buy it in sizes ranging from 55 inches to 98 inches.

Tata Motors has revealed the Punch facelift in full ahead of its launch on January 13. The new Tata Punch gets a Punch EV-inspired exterior and interior, new features and a new turbo-petrol engine under the hood. New Tata Punch interior and featuresThe new Punch’s interior will be similar to that of the larger Tata models, such as the Nexon and Altroz. New Tata Punch powertrain optionsAlthough quite unusual for facelifts, the updated Punch will also get a new engine option under the hood. Upon launch, the Punch facelift will continue to rival the likes of the Hyundai Exter and the Citroen C3.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the 2026 Federal Government budget is designed to consolidate the gains of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda, which he said is already yielding positive results. The op-ed was cited in a statement signed by Rabiu Ibrahim, Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation. Describing the 2026 appropriation proposal as strategic, the minister said, “Our ‘Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity’ is critical. The minister also referenced efforts to address food insecurity through the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture and expanded agricultural mechanisation. He acknowledged public fatigue but urged Nigerians to remain engaged, protect public assets and reject misinformation.