Lafarge strengthens production with plant expansion
Lafarge Africa Plc, a building solutions company and manufacturer of cement, mortar, and ready-mix concrete, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening local cement production with the expansion of its Sagamu Cement Plant in Ogun State and Ashaka Cement Plant in Gombe State. The company noted that the expansion is expected to improve product availability and enhance Lafarge Africa’s ability to serve customers efficiently across key markets. The development follows the announcement made last year that Huaxin Building Materials Group had acquired 83.81 per cent of Lafarge Africa Plc, a move the company said demonstrates the group’s commitment to Nigeria’s infrastructural development. “The expansion of our plants is a strategic investment that reinforces Lafarge Africa’s role in supporting national development. Lafarge Africa Plc said it remains focused on the disciplined execution of its expansion plans and transparent engagement with stakeholders as it continues to invest in strengthening its operations across Nigeria.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 08:53 UTC
59-year-old Chinese arrested over alleged rape of Ogun woman
A 59-year-old Chinese national has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman at a quarry site in the Kobape area of Ogun State. PUNCH Metro gathered on Wednesday that the incident occurred on January 25, 2026, at the facility located within the area. “A 59-year-old Chinese national was arrested following an allegation of indecent assault at a quarry in the Kobape area of the state,” the source said. The arrest comes amid renewed concerns over criminal allegations involving foreign nationals in the country. In July 2025, PUNCH Metro reported that operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency arrested a Chinese national, Liang Tak You, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with 50 parcels of “Loud”, a synthetic strain of cannabis, after arriving from Bangkok, Thailand.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 08:38 UTC
Kwankwaso slams Kwara killings, urges federal action
Former New Nigeria Peoples Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has condemned the deadly attacks on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing the killings as barbaric and warning that the Federal Government must not treat the worsening security situation lightly. Reacting in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Kwankwaso said he was deeply saddened and horrified by reports of mass casualties in the affected communities. “I am deeply saddened and horrified by the reported massacre of at least 162 innocent lives in the communities of Woro and Nuku in Kwara State,” he said. “I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the entire people of Kwara State, and the state government during this profound tragedy. However, Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, later confirmed that 75 residents were killed in the Woro and Nuku attacks.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 08:31 UTC
Alex Pretti: Another Provocative ICE Killing in Minneapolis
Since September 2025, immigration officers have reportedly shot 13 people in the course of Trump’s immigration crackdown. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents killed Renée Good, 37, in Minneapolis on January 7. Another American, Alex Pretti, also 37, an intensive care nurse, was also killed in Minneapolis on January 24. Former ICE chief of staff Deborah Fleischaker told CNN that “law enforcement should always be looking to defuse the situation, to de-escalate situations.”But the two officers who killed Pretti did the opposite. With the help of smartphones, Americans now record some of the atrocities of Trump’s agents for the world to see.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 08:28 UTC
China declines nuclear talks as US-Russia treaty expires
China said on Thursday it would not join nuclear talks “at this stage” after the expiry of the US-Russian New Start treaty triggered fears of a global arms race. The United States has said any new nuclear agreement would have to include China, but international efforts to encourage Beijing to join fresh talks have so far failed. “China’s nuclear capabilities are of a totally different scale as those of the United States and Russia, and will not participate in nuclear disarmament negotiations at this stage,” he said. Russia and the United States together control more than 80 per cent of the world’s nuclear warheads, but arms agreements have been withering away. It also allowed each side to conduct on-site inspections of the other’s nuclear arsenal, although these were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic and have not resumed since.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 08:24 UTC
Agric subsidy probe: Reps threaten defaulting banks, agencies
While condemning the absence of some institutions, the panel also faulted the quality of submissions made by Jaiz Bank, Unity Bank, and Access Bank. Although representatives of these banks attended the hearing, the committee noted that they failed to provide comprehensive and satisfactory information as required. The affected banks were also mandated to submit detailed documentation strictly in line with the committee’s guidelines. The House of Representatives set up the ad hoc committee amid growing public concern over the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of federally funded agricultural intervention programmes. However, rising food inflation, worsening food insecurity, and continued reliance on agricultural imports have fuelled questions about how these funds were disbursed and utilised.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 08:11 UTC
UK boarding schools woo Nigerian students at Abuja, Lagos fairs
Nigerian families will to meet representatives from United Kingdom boarding schools and learn about academics, extracurricular programmes, and student opportunities. To make this possible, leading British boarding schools will visit Abuja and Lagos in March for UK Boarding Schools Week 2026, providing parents and students with a firsthand look at the pathways and experiences offered by UK education. According to Brooks, the events provide a rare opportunity for Nigerian families to understand how a UK boarding education supports holistic development. School leaders highlighted the long-standing relationship between UK boarding schools and Nigerian families. It was reported in 2024 that no fewer than 1,500 Nigerian pupils studied at a range of preparatory, senior and sixth form schools across UK.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 08:10 UTC
Tata Discounts Feb 2026 Up To Rs 85k – Nexon, Punch, Altroz, Curvv, Harrier
Recipients of these exciting discounts included unsold MY24 chassis vehicles along with last year’s MY25 chassis vehicles. All pre-facelift models of Punch across MY24 and MY25 chassis get a uniform discount of up to Rs 40,000. The company is offering a uniform Rs 40,000 discount with Curvv for all engine options across MY24, MY25 and MY26 models. Altroz – Up to Rs 85k DiscountWe saved Altroz for the last as it gets the highest amount of discounts. Facelifted MY25 Altroz gets discounts of up to Rs 25,000 and MY26 gets a total of Rs 30,000.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 08:08 UTC
Japan atomic bomb survivors fear war as US-Russia pact expires
Photo: AFPJapanese atomic bomb survivors said Thursday they feared the world was marching towards nuclear war as the last US-Russian arms control treaty expired. The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where Tanaka lived, in August 1945. But campaigners said that Tokyo has failed to take any effective steps to encourage arms control in East Asia or to engage China to join such efforts. “I think there is absolutely no effort to realise dialogue with China,” said Hideo Asano, activist at Japan Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. The Japanese government said it would “continue working closely with the United States” to build a control framework for nuclear weapons.
Source:Punch
February 05, 2026 07:49 UTC
Wike hails Tinubu for FCDA’s infrastructure success
As the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) marks 50 years since its creation, its Minister, Nyesom Wike, has attributed the recent surge in infrastructure development across Abuja and its satellite towns to the decisive interventions and support of President Bola Tinubu. He described the period since August 2023 as the most impactful in the territory’s five-decade history. The minister stressed that the jubilee must not detract from the President’s anniversary celebrations, but rather complement them. The Rivers ex-governor used the occasion to clarify what he described as a persistent public misunderstanding about the relationship between the FCT Administration (FCTA) and the FCDA. Wike explained that this was the reason the FCT Minister is statutorily Chairman of the FCDA Board, ensuring coordination and preventing institutional conflict.
Source:The Guardian
February 05, 2026 05:21 UTC
Gov. Sani commissions Kauru road, ends 45 years of neglect
Kaduna State Governor, Sen. Uba Sani, has ended what he described as 45 years of neglect of several communities in the state with the commissioning of the Pambeguwa–Kahutu–Kauru road, bringing long-awaited relief to residents of the area. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Governor Sani recalled that when he flagged off the project on August 27, 2024, the journey from Pambeguwa to Kauru took about one hour. “Today, that same journey takes less than 12 minutes because of this completed road,” he said. Today, we return not with explanations or excuses, but with a completed project that speaks for itself,” Sani said. Governor Sani explained that the newly completed Pambeguwa–Kahutu–Kauru road provides a reliable alternative route that will reduce pressure on congested corridors.
Source:The Guardian
February 05, 2026 04:57 UTC
Kurmin Wali: Gov Uba Sani confirms return of 82 worshippers
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has confirmed the return of 82 worshippers who were abducted during a church service on January 18, 2026, by bandits. The bandits had attacked Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area, abducting 177 worshippers. It was gathered that 11 of the worshippers had already returned prior to this, while 166 remained in captivity. Governor Sani extended his sympathy to the victims over the kidnapping and assured the people of Kurmin Wali community that the remaining abducted worshippers still in the bandits’ custody would be freed within a few days. Sani also commended security agencies for their gallantry, swift response, and dedication, and urged residents to continue cooperating with authorities to restore lasting peace.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
February 04, 2026 21:43 UTC
Why Buhari told me to stay out of Gombe politics — Pantami
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has revealed that late former President Muhammadu Buhari advised him to stay away from active politics in Gombe State to preserve unity and stability. He said Buhari gave him the advice during the first term of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. ALSO READ: How I acquired my properties —Malami – Tribune Online“Since then, my relationship with Governor Inuwa Yahaya has remained cordial. “Politics, like the security sector, has two dimensions: those who wear uniforms and those who do not. At that time, we belonged to those who do not wear uniforms,” he said.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
February 04, 2026 21:43 UTC
Be ‘very worried’, Trump warns Iran’s supreme leader
United States President, Donald Trump, has warned Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to be “very worried” as tensions between the US and Iran continue to rise. In an interview with NBC News on Wednesday, Trump said, “I would say he should be very worried. Yeah, he should be.”The warning comes as the US builds up military resources around Iran, with Trump considering possible action against the regime. Trump, who has threatened strikes against Iran in recent weeks amid a crackdown on street protests, said his approach has helped support demonstrators, even without direct intervention. Trump also claimed he had been briefed that Iran was attempting to restart its nuclear programme at alternative locations.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
February 04, 2026 21:36 UTC
UPDATED: Senate reduces notice of election from 360 to 180 days
However, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, soon said that electronic transmission of results was not rejected by the Senate. According to Akpabio, the Senate retained electronic transmission of results in the format it was contained in the Electoral Act, 2022. The nine-man conference committee is chaired by former Governor of Plateau State, Senate Simon Lalong, who doubles as the Chairman of the Committee on Electoral Matters. In the new proposal, INEC is to issue the notice 180 days to the date of election as against the 360 days provided in the 2022 Act. Meanwhile, there was a brief rowdiness after Akpabio named the Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, to chair the conference committee, instead of Lalong.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
February 04, 2026 20:26 UTC