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Nigerian News: Morning Headlines – 24 September 2026
APC Expels Ex-Agege LG Chairman Egunjobi, Yusuf Over Defection to APM
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expelled former Agege Local Government Chairman, Ganiyu Egunjobi, and former Agege Constituency II aspirant, Azeez Yusuf, following their defection to the Allied Peoples Movement.
State APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, announced the expulsion in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday. He accused the two former members of anti-party activities and disloyalty.
OK Movement Vows Not to Surrender Structure to NDC Ahead of 2027
The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, on Wednesday vowed not to collapse or surrender its structure to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2027 election.
The movement’s Director-General, John Ughulu, said it would not allow the NDC or any other organisation to absorb its national, state, local government and ward structures.
NSCDC Arrests Three Over Alleged NNPC Pipeline Vandalism in Abuja
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), FCT Command, has arrested three suspects over the alleged vandalism of an NNPC petroleum pipeline in Dafa, Kwali Area Council, Abuja.
The FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing journalists at the corps’ Kwali Divisional Office.
Undergraduate Swept Away by Flood in Asaba, Body Recovered Two Days Later
A university undergraduate was swept away by floodwater in Asaba, Delta State, while travelling with her father. Her body was recovered two days later.
The incident occurred on Monday at Okotimi Layout, behind the Asaba Specialist Hospital, following a downpour. The girl was reportedly travelling with her father in a Toyota Corolla when floodwater pushed the vehicle into a drainage channel.
El-Rufai Laments Silence of Ex-Colleagues, Says He Holds No Grudge
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has lamented the silence of some of his former colleagues, friends and associates amid his current circumstances. He said he does not resent those who have chosen not to stand by him.
In a statement titled “My Relationships and the Aftermath,” El-Rufai said he had received concerns over the apparent silence of people he had publicly supported or closely associated with in the past.
NCDC Issues Advisory as Nigeria Placed on “High Alert” Over DRC Ebola Outbreak
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a public health advisory following the latest update on the ongoing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The centre said Nigeria had been placed on “high alert” as it continued to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and response measures against any potential threat from the outbreak.
Masari: No President I’ve Met Has Plans Like Tinubu’s
Former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s plans for Nigeria are unmatched by those of any president he has encountered in nearly four decades of political involvement.
Masari, who spoke at a public function in Kaduna, said his assessment was based on his long experience in Nigerian politics.
Naira Appreciates in Parallel Market and NFEM
The naira on Wednesday appreciated to ₦1,375 per dollar from ₦1,383 in the parallel market on Tuesday.
It also appreciated to ₦1,328 per dollar at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM).
Plateau Police Pay Over ₦25m to Families of Fallen Personnel
The Police Command in Plateau has disbursed more than ₦25 million to the families of its personnel who died in active service.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Ayodeji Faniyan, presented cheques to 22 families on Friday in Jos. He said the gesture was part of a life insurance scheme for the beneficiaries.
Tinubu Welcomes $12m Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship, Says It Will Boost MSMEs
President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the $12 million Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship (ACE), saying it will strengthen Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem and boost business growth.
This is contained in a statement by the Presidential Spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday in Abuja. Tinubu said the centre would help establish, strengthen and grow businesses, noting that small enterprises remained important to Nigeria’s economy.
“Every Nigerian Should Go Through Military Training” – Defence Minister Musa
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has proposed military training for every Nigerian citizen.
According to him, the hunger, exhaustion and physical strain that come with military training give people a perspective on life they cannot get anywhere else.
Naija News reports that Musa stated this on the African Leadership Podcast with Ken Giami. He explained that the experience would help ordinary citizens understand the work carried out by members of the Armed Forces.
The former Chief of Defence Staff noted that citizens who go through such training would understand what it means to keep moving even when physically exhausted, hungry or deprived of normal comfort.
$800m Ima Gas Project Shows My Reforms Are Paying Off – Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has said the reforms initiated by his administration in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector are beginning to attract fresh investments. He cited the $800 million final investment decision taken by AMNI International and TotalEnergies to develop the Ima Gas Field.
Naija News reports that Tinubu disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the project was evidence that measures introduced to make investment in the sector more attractive were beginning to yield results. The Ima Gas Field, discovered in 1973, had remained undeveloped for more than fifty years.
According to Tinubu, his administration had, since assuming office, introduced a series of Presidential Directives and Executive Orders aimed at improving the investment climate in the oil and gas industry. One of the reforms introduced incentives aimed specifically at encouraging the development of onshore and shallow-water gas projects that had remained dormant for years.
EFCC Declares Ex-Pension Boss Abdulrasheed Maina Wanted
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, wanted over an alleged case of receiving stolen property.
Naija News reports that a wanted notice released by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday identified Maina, 61, as an indigene of Biu, Borno State.
The EFCC asked members of the public with useful information about his whereabouts to contact the commission, the nearest police station or other security agencies. It listed its offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja as points of contact.
Maina previously faced prosecution by the EFCC over allegations involving pension funds. In November 2021, the commission said it secured his conviction on a 12-count charge involving money laundering, fictitious bank accounts and fraud relating to about ₦2 billion. The court sentenced him to a cumulative 61 years, with the terms to run concurrently, and ordered him to refund ₦1 billion to the Federal Government.
Tinubu Removed Fuel Subsidy Without Looking at Possible Issues – Kwankwaso
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has berated President Bola Tinubu for removing the fuel subsidy without considering the cushioning effects.
He lamented that Tinubu had plunged Nigeria into a complete economic mess.
Naija News reports that Kwankwaso shared his reservations during an appearance on Arise Television on Wednesday. He asserted that Tinubu’s decision to remove the subsidy during his inauguration ruined Nigeria’s economy.
The former Kano governor insisted that Nigerians deserve to buy fuel at a cheaper price.
APC Expels Lagos Speaker Obasa’s Allies From Party
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expelled Chief Ganiyu Kolawole Egunjobi and Azeez Yusuf over alleged anti-party activities and disloyalty to the party.
Naija News reports that the two are known as allies of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa. State APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, announced the decision in a statement on Wednesday.
Egunjobi and Yusuf contested the APC primaries for Agege Constituency I and Agege Constituency II respectively during the party’s 2026 Lagos State House of Assembly primary election. Both failed to secure the party’s tickets.
The party said that after losing the primaries, the two went ahead to obtain nomination tickets from another political party instead of remaining within the APC. According to the Lagos APC, their action amounted to anti-party activity and a breach of the obligations expected of members.
The party also rejected their reported resignations, saying the move came after the alleged offences and amounted to an attempt to avoid disciplinary consequences.
OK Movement Replies Dickson, Vows Not to Surrender Structure to NDC
The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has vowed not to surrender its structure to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Naija News reports that the group made the declaration in response to a statement by the NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, on the role of support groups in the party’s 2027 campaign. Dickson had argued that support groups affiliated with political parties should not operate as rival structures, but complement them.
Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the movement’s Director-General, John Ughulu, said it would not allow the NDC or any other organisation to absorb its national, state, local government and ward structures. He argued that the movement differed from conventional support groups, insisting it was an independent political organisation.
Ughulu also rejected Dickson’s description of the movement’s decision to establish a campaign council as “nonsensical”. According to him, the movement comprises members of different political parties who support the NDC presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
“I Want to Be Born Again but What Will Happen to My Bre@sts and Bum?” – Bobrisky
Nigerian crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has revealed that he wants to become a born-again Christian but is concerned about what would happen to his body features.
Naija News reports that Bobrisky made this known in an Instagram post while speaking about his friendship with actress Tonto Dikeh and her spiritual transformation. He said watching his best friend’s new lifestyle has given him peace and made him consider becoming born again.
Bobrisky, however, questioned what would happen to his physical features if he decided to embrace the Christian lifestyle.
“I Know a Lot, I’ll Expose You to the World” – Doris Ogala Tackles Apostle Suleman
Nollywood actress Doris Ogala has criticised the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, over his comments about the performance of Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.
Naija News reports that Suleman had recently spoken positively about Otti’s administration, saying the governor could win a second term without doing much campaigning.
Ogala, who is the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate in the forthcoming Abia State election, reacted in an Instagram post. She questioned Suleman’s conduct as a pastor and challenged his assessment of developments in Abia State. She also alleged that Suleman had not visited the state despite making public claims about the situation there.
Nwabali Takes Swipe at Critics After Super Eagles Recall
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has taken a swipe at his critics after earning a recall to Nigeria’s squad for the September 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Nwabali, who returned to the national team after an extended absence, shared a Snapchat video showing his penalty saves against Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush during Nigeria’s third-place play-off at the 2025 AFCON. He captioned it, “I’m back, it’s time to keep crying.”
The Chippa United goalkeeper played a key role in Nigeria’s 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Egypt after the match ended goalless. He saved penalties from Salah and Marmoush and was named Man of the Match.
However, his fortunes changed after the tournament as uncertainty over his club future left him without regular competitive football. Naija News reports that Nwabali left Chippa United in February expecting a move to another club. The move did not materialise, and his lack of regular football eventually contributed to his omission from the Super Eagles.
Maduka Okoye subsequently became Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper and started the team’s June friendlies against Poland and Portugal. His performances increased competition for the position, while former Arsenal academy goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo also emerged as another contender.
Achraf Hakimi to Stand Trial After France’s Top Court Rejects Appeal
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi will stand trial over an allegation of rape after France’s highest court rejected his final appeal on September 23.
The Cour de cassation ruled that there were no serious grounds to admit the appeal, clearing the way for proceedings before a criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department.
Hakimi’s lawyer, Bertrand Périer, confirmed the decision, saying: “The Cour de cassation has rejected Achraf Hakimi’s appeal, judging that no serious means were of a nature to allow its admission, in accordance with the opinion of the rapporteur and the conclusions of the advocate general.”
The complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said her client remained determined to pursue the case after more than three and a half years. “After three and a half years of judicial combat, after having been slandered and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi’s defence, my client is determined to obtain justice; she will fight to the end,” Pardo said.
She added that her client hoped the trial would help other women and challenge what she described as denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence in men’s football.
Hakimi’s other lawyer, Fanny Colin, stressed that the Cour de cassation had not examined the merits of the allegation. She said the evidence would be considered during the trial.
Some stories in this batch overlap: the two APC expulsions, the two OK Movement pieces and the two naira reports each cover the same events. The APC stories also differ on details. The first describes Egunjobi as a former Agege LG chairman and says Yusuf was a Constituency II aspirant who defected to the APM, while the second says Egunjobi contested for Constituency I. I kept each as sourced, so you may want to reconcile them before publishing.