Nigerian News: Morning Headlines – 02 September 2026

September 2, 2026

Atiku’s Lawyer Halts Court Proceedings, Refuses To Serve Suit Papers On Tinubu’s Counsel

Proceedings in a suit filed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar before a Federal High Court in Abuja ended abruptly on Tuesday after his lawyer refused to serve the suit’s originating documents on President Bola Tinubu’s lawyer. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was filed in Atiku’s name and that of his party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), seeking, among other things, to disqualify President Tinubu from contesting the January 16, 2027, presidential election.

PDP Chieftain, Daniel Osi Orbih, Is Dead

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Daniel Osi Orbih, is dead. A statement signed by Francis Udukhomoi Orbih, Esq., on behalf of the Orbih family, confirmed his death. Orbih, the Kulukulu 1 of Ogoni Land and Oduma of Uzairue, reportedly died on Monday, August 31, 2026.

Five Dead As Building Collapses On Family In Ilorin

A mother and four of her children have died after a section of a three-storey building collapsed on them at Popo Giwa, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday morning. The tragedy occurred at No. 41 Popo Giwa Street, beside Gogoro Mosque, where eight members of the family were trapped beneath the rubble. Three people, including the father, were rescued as emergency responders worked to reach those trapped in the collapsed section.

Police Launch Probe Into Inciting Comments By Borno Commissioner, Others

The police high command says it has launched a critical probe into the alleged inciting comments made by the Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba. It also said the Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Danjuma Shekwolo, and the Senator representing Osun East, Francis Fadahunsi, are currently under investigation for the same offence.

Gunmen Kill Two, Abduct APC Chairman In Fresh Kano Attack

Gunmen have killed two people and abducted the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman of Rogo Local Government Area of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Fanka, in a fresh overnight attack on the community. The latest attack came barely 24 hours after gunmen killed the APC Chairman of Rantan Ward in Bebeji Local Government Area, Alhaji Garba Buba, and another resident, Sulaiman Zunduma.

NSCDC Arrests 19 Illegal Miners In Edo Forest Raid

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 19 suspected illegal miners operating in a forest in Edo North, while two alleged operators said to be behind the activities are currently at large. The suspects were arrested on Friday, August 28, 2026, during a raid on an illegal gold mining site in the Okpella/Ososo/Egbetua forest axis of Etsako East and Akoko-Edo Local Government Areas of Edo State.

Presidency Slams US Lobbying Firm Over Atiku’s Push For Tinubu Records

The Presidency has criticised a United States lobbying firm engaged by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over its campaign for the release of records relating to President Bola Tinubu, describing the effort as a politically motivated attempt to create a crisis ahead of the 2027 elections. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, made the position known in a statement on Tuesday.

Turaki-Led PDP Faction Endorses G-100 Opposition Coalition

The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has endorsed the G-100, a group of 100 opposition stalwarts driving the process of creating an all-opposition front to challenge President Bola Tinubu of the APC in the 2027 presidential election. The faction, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, Ini Ememobong, on Tuesday, said the decision to join forces with other credible political forces was informed by the challenges faced by Nigerians.

Kwara Assembly Declares Two Lawmakers’ Seats Vacant Over Defection

The Kwara State House of Assembly has declared the seats of two lawmakers, Saba Yisa Gideon of Edu Constituency and Olusola Odetundun of Irepodun Constituency, vacant following their defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The development followed a letter from the APC State Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Salihu Yakubu Danladi, requesting the vacation of the seats.

23 Dead As Diphtheria Outbreak Hits Jos North

Twenty-three people have died from a diphtheria outbreak in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, with 143 suspected cases recorded. Nine diphtheria patients are currently hospitalised in Plateau State, while health authorities have intensified clinical and community interventions to contain further spread of the disease.

Court Adjourns Atiku’s Suit Seeking To Disqualify Tinubu From 2027 Presidential Race

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned until September 28 a suit filed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar seeking to bar President Bola Tinubu from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

The case, filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was brought by Atiku, a presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with the party listed as the second plaintiff.

Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were named as the first, second and third defendants respectively.

Atiku’s case centres on allegations that Tinubu submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to INEC as part of the documents used to establish his qualification for the presidency.

In an affidavit filed in support of the case, Atiku alleged that the NYSC certificate submitted by Tinubu carried the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle,” which he claimed was not the President’s correct name.

The former vice president argued that the document was therefore not genuinely issued to Tinubu and accused him of providing false information to the electoral commission.

Atiku further alleged that the disputed certificate had been used by Tinubu since 1999, when he contested the Lagos State governorship election.

Defence Headquarters Reveals Why US Withdrew Troops From Nigeria

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified that the reported withdrawal of about 200 United States military personnel from Nigeria does not amount to a collapse or termination of the security partnership between the two countries.

The clarification was made on Tuesday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, during a security briefing organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre.

Uba said the military had received several requests from journalists seeking clarification on reports concerning the planned withdrawal of American troops from Nigeria.

According to him, the presence of US personnel in Nigeria has always been linked to specific missions and operational objectives, meaning that adjustments to their deployment should not be viewed as an end to bilateral defence cooperation.

The New York Times had reported last week that the United States was planning to withdraw troops from Nigeria.

However, the report came after the commander of the United States Africa Command, General Dagvin Anderson, disclosed in July that “much of our forces” had already been withdrawn.

Anderson had also stressed that the adjustment would not end Washington’s cooperation with Abuja.

Reacting to the reports, Uba said the Nigerian military considered the troop reduction a mission-specific adjustment rather than a deterioration in relations between both countries.

‘We Only Trained Officers’ – INEC Denies Replacing NDC Candidates On Nomination Portal

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that the commission removed its validly nominated candidates in some states and replaced them with unauthorised names are unfounded.

INEC, in a statement on Tuesday by its Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated that any claim that the Commission independently uploaded or altered candidate information is unfounded and untrue.

The rebuttal follows an earlier allegation by the NDC that INEC illegally replaced some of its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, INEC, in its reaction, said it only trained officers recommended by the political parties, after which the portal access codes were issued directly and in person to each party’s National Chairman, and not by proxy.

It added that the list of candidates was generated for each party as submitted by the party, jointly signed by the National Chairmen and National Secretaries of the party.

INEC emphasised that candidate nomination is the exclusive responsibility of political parties.

IPOB Issues 14-Day Ultimatum To FG Over Nnamdi Kanu’s Case, Threatens 2027 Election Boycott

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to list and hear its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal, or it will boycott the 2027 general election across the South-East.

The ultimatum was issued in a press statement released on Tuesday by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, who said the development followed renewed concerns by Kanu’s family over the delay in hearing the appeal against the IPOB leader’s conviction and life sentence.

Powerful accused the Federal Government of avoiding the court after moving swiftly to secure Kanu’s conviction, stressing that the IPOB leader had written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal, seeking the immediate listing and hearing of his pending cases.

IPOB also faulted the Supreme Court’s decision, which overturned Kanu’s discharge and acquittal by the Court of Appeal, insisting that the apex court exceeded its constitutional powers by pronouncing on individual counts already quashed by the Court of Appeal.

The statement added that the group would consider mobilising for a boycott of the 2027 elections if the government failed to act within the stipulated period.

EFCC Sacks Over 40 Staff Over Corruption Scandal

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed more than 40 of its personnel over alleged corruption and financial misconduct in the last two and a half years.

EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed this on Monday while speaking with media executives and journalists in Abuja.

According to him, more than five of the dismissed officers are currently facing prosecution, while case files involving other personnel are being prepared for legal action.

Olukoyede said the disciplinary measures were part of efforts by the commission to ensure that its personnel maintain the highest level of integrity while investigating and prosecuting corruption cases.

The EFCC boss maintained that officers of the commission cannot effectively fight corruption if they are themselves involved in corrupt practices.

He disclosed that the agency had also introduced measures aimed at strengthening accountability among its personnel.

Fake Agencies: Tinubu Govt Tightens Civil Servants’ Deployment

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government has tightened controls over the deployment and redeployment of civil servants, directing Ministries, Departments and Agencies to stop moving officers belonging to recognised professional pools without approval from the authorities responsible for their postings.

The directive comes as the administration of President Tinubu intensifies efforts to address concerns over fake government agencies, ghost workers and weaknesses in the personnel and institutional control system.

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation issued the directive in a circular dated August 24, 2026, with reference number HCSF/3065/V.I/275.

The directive warned that officers posted to MDAs from recognised professional pools must remain in their approved offices, departments, divisions, units or sections unless their deployment is reviewed and approved by the relevant authority.

According to The PUNCH, the circular was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, ministers, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and heads of relevant Federal Government institutions and agencies.

The Head of Service said it has observed that some MDAs continued to move officers assigned to them from professional pools without obtaining approval from the relevant posting authority.

Davis Found Guilty Of Killing Tupac 30 Years After

A Las Vegas jury has convicted former Los Angeles gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis of the 1996 killing of American rap star Tupac Shakur.

Davis, 63, was found guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon on Monday, nearly three decades after the shooting that claimed the life of the 25-year-old hip-hop icon.

The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for only a few hours.

“Count one, murder with use of a deadly weapon, guilty of first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon,” the jury foreperson announced in court.

Davis, who could be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, told Judge Carli Kierny after the verdict that he intended to appeal.

Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, in Las Vegas after attending a heavyweight boxing bout involving Mike Tyson.

The rapper was travelling in the front passenger seat of a BMW driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight when a white Cadillac pulled alongside the vehicle at a traffic light.

A gunman inside the Cadillac opened fire, hitting Shakur several times. Knight was also wounded in the attack.

Nollywood Actress, Atinuke Kareem, Is Dead

Yoruba Nollywood actress, Atinuke Remilekun Kareem, popularly known as Atinuke Kareem, has died after a long battle with breast cancer.

She died barely four months after asking the public for financial help.

Announcing the demise, the President of the Ogun State chapter of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), Owolabi Ajasa, in a post on his Instagram page on Tuesday, expressed appreciation to everyone who contributed financially toward the late actress’s treatment.

The statement shared by Owolabi read: “We sincerely appreciate everyone who contributed financially, offered prayers, encouragement, and support towards the treatment of our dear colleague, ATINUKE REMILEKUN KAREEM.”

NFF Denies Fake FIFA Letter Over Alleged Government Interference

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports that FIFA demanded clarification over alleged government interference in the affairs of the federation.

The purported FIFA letter claimed that the governing body was concerned by reports that former NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, resigned following a directive from the Presidency.

It also allegedly cited FIFA statutes protecting the independence of member associations and warned that Nigeria could face sanctions, including suspension, if the authorities failed to provide clarification.

The NFF, however, rejected the claims and maintained that the document did not come from FIFA. It also stressed that FIFA had already accepted the resignations of the federation’s former principal officers and executive committee members.

The denial came as a delegation from the National Sports Commission (NSC) and key Nigerian football stakeholders met FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Zurich, Switzerland.

Eric Chelle Names Ozebagbe, Ortega As Olympic Eagles Assistants

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has appointed Bright Ozebagbe and Deniran Ortega as his assistant coaches for the Nigerian Olympic team.

The appointment was disclosed via a press statement on September 1 by the Special Assistant on Media to the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Kola Daniel.

Chelle, who also oversees the Olympic Eagles, described Ozebagbe and Ortega as two of Nigeria’s brightest young coaches with impressive profiles. He said he was pleased to have them join his technical team as Nigeria begins preparations for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers.

Ozebagbe is the Technical Adviser of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Ikorodu City, which narrowly missed out on a continental ticket on the final day of last season. Ortega is a UEFA-licensed coach who trained with the Scottish Football Association and currently serves as one of the assistant coaches of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles.

Chelle has already briefed the NSC leadership on his plans for the Olympic Eagles and is expected to open the team’s training camp in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, soon. Nigeria’s Olympic qualifiers are scheduled to begin in November 2026.

The NSC supervises Nigeria’s men’s and women’s Olympic football teams.

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