Nigerian News: Morning Headlines – 28 August, 2026

Tinubu Swears In Abel Enitan as New Head of Civil Service of the Federation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), formally ushering in new leadership for the federal bureaucracy.

The President administered the oath of office to Enitan during a brief ceremony at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, a week after announcing his appointment as successor to Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who retired after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60 in line with civil service rules.

Enitan, who hails from Osun State, was the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service before his appointment, having spent seven years and seven months in that role across different government institutions.

His previous postings included the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the Vice President and the Federal Ministry of Education, giving him broad experience across public administration.

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Tinubu Orders Comprehensive Reform of Nigerian Football, Directs Consultations With FIFA, CAF

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a “comprehensive reform” of Nigerian football following a string of disappointing outings that have seen the country’s senior men’s and women’s national teams fail to qualify for major international tournaments.

In a statement on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said the overhaul had become necessary to address persistent structural weaknesses blamed for Nigeria’s inability to translate its abundance of football talent, huge public investment and passionate following into consistent results.

According to the President, Nigerian football keeps struggling despite progress recorded in other sports since the restructuring of the sector under the re-established National Sports Commission (NSC).

Tinubu consequently directed NSC chairman, Shehu Dikko, to work with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) secretariat to facilitate a broad, consultative reform process, adding that the process must involve appropriate engagement with FIFA and CAF to protect Nigeria against sanctions for governmental interference.

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Jegede Resigns From PDP Amid Party Crisis

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ondo State, Barrister Eyitayo Jegede, has resigned from the crisis-ridden party.

Jegede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), tendered his resignation in a letter dated August 7, 2026.

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FG, Governors Agree to Deploy CNG, Electric Vehicles to Cut Transport Costs From October

The Federal Government and state governors have agreed to jointly leverage cheaper Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric vehicles to reduce the cost of intra-state transport from October 1.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu disclosed this after his meeting with governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.

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Minority Caucus Urges Tinubu to Act Decisively Against Rising Terrorism in Northern Nigeria

The minority caucus of the House of Representatives has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate and decisive action to end the escalating wave of terrorism leading to bloodshed across Northern Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the caucus decried the scale of killings and growing attacks on communities in the region.

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Umahi Orders Arrest of Hartland Nigeria MD Over N14bn Road Contract

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, on Wednesday ordered the arrest of the Managing Director of Hartland Nigeria Ltd over the alleged non-performance of an 11-kilometre road contract for which the company reportedly received about N14 billion.

Umahi gave the directive during an inspection of road infrastructure along the Agbor-Asaba-Onitsha corridor in Delta State, expressing anger that the contractor had completed only about 40 per cent of the work despite receiving the funds.

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Chaos in Port Harcourt as Young Man Dies Under Suspicious Circumstances at Hotel

It was a chaotic scene on Thursday morning after a young man, simply identified as Charles, died under suspicious circumstances at a hotel in Eagle Island Estate, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

It was gathered that family members and friends of the deceased stormed the hotel after learning of his death and demanded an explanation from the management.

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‘Provide Evidence’ – Police Reply VeryDarkMan Over Kidnapping Comments at NBA Conference

The Nigeria Police Force has invited social media activist, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, to provide evidence backing his allegation that some police officers at checkpoints collude with kidnappers and bandits.

The Force, in a statement on Thursday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said it had taken note of comments made by Otse at the recent Nigerian Bar Association conference in Port Harcourt, describing the claims as false, unsubstantiated, unfair and demoralising, particularly as they were made without corresponding evidence.

The Police said officers who put their lives on the line to prevent crime deserve better than a blanket accusation, but assured that any individual officer found to have compromised their duty would face the full weight of internal discipline and the law.

It therefore charged VDM to immediately provide evidence to justify his claims, assuring that such evidence would be treated with urgency and investigated thoroughly.

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Court Orders NDLEA to Produce KC Luxury After 14 Days in Custody Without Charge

Justice Friday Ogazi of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce detained Lagos social media influencer and businessman, Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as “KC Luxury,” following his alleged 14-day detention without a formal charge.

The order was made on Thursday in an ex parte application filed by Afolabi through his counsel, A. Labi-Lawal, SAN, pursuant to the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.

The court also directed the anti-narcotics agency to respond within five days to the fundamental rights application challenging Afolabi’s continued detention and show cause why he should not be released or admitted to bail.

Afolabi was allegedly arrested by NDLEA operatives on August 13, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while preparing to travel to Paris.

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Kaduna Pays N6.7bn Monthly to Service Inherited Loans, Says Governor Uba Sani

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, says his administration pays N6.7 billion monthly from the state’s Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue to service loans inherited from the previous administration.

Sani disclosed this on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, saying the payments would continue until 2048.

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‘Wounded, Betrayed’ – Adelabu Drops 2027 Oyo Governorship Ambition

Former Minister of Power and governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Adebayo Adelabu, has dropped his 2027 gubernatorial ambition.

He made this known in a personally signed statement on Thursday titled “APC Nomination Process in Oyo State: Closing the Contest, Not Conceding the Injustice.”

Adelabu said his decision did not amount to conceding the alleged injustice that characterised the party’s governorship primary in the state, stressing that it followed deep reflection and strategic reassessment of recent developments within the party and the journey ahead.

The former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed that he had been on a short vacation outside Nigeria after what he described as the intensity and challenges of the past several months, adding that on his return he met with party leaders and supporters across the state to review concerns raised by party members, aspirants and stakeholders, extending also to senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly nominations.

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NBA Conferences Were Not Circus Shows in the Past – Falana Slams VeryDarkMan Invitation

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has condemned the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) move to invite social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), as a panellist at its ongoing annual conference in Port Harcourt.

VDM had appeared in a panel session on Tuesday titled “Known Gunmen or Unknown Gunmen,” where he spoke about his experiences covering insecurity and visiting communities affected by killings and attacks.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, Falana said the Association should have invited someone with professional experience, noting that in the past the NBA brought individuals who had paid their dues and who engaged lawyers intellectually, arguing that national security discussions should feature people with demonstrable experience in the field.

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Karma Outdated, Nothing Will Happen to Those Who Wronged You – Funny Bone

Nigerian comedian, Funny Bone, has questioned the belief that people who hurt others will always face consequences.

In a post on his Instagram page, Funny Bone said wrongdoing does not necessarily prevent people from living long or successful lives, arguing that people should not always expect life to deliver immediate justice to those who have wronged them.

He pointed out that some individuals can cause pain to others and continue with their lives without facing any obvious punishment, while some who behave badly may continue to succeed, and those who choose to live honestly and treat others well may not always receive a reward for their actions.

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They’ll Regret It in Four Years – Carter Efe Reveals Why He Wasn’t Invited to Peller, Jarvis Wedding

Nigerian skit maker Carter Efe has claimed that pressure from social media users may have played a role in the decision by fellow content creators Peller and Jarvis to get married.

Carter made the claim during an interview with Madam Joyce, saying the internet can place heavy pressure on couples, especially when followers become deeply involved in their relationships and begin making demands or predictions about what they should do.

He claimed internet pressure was part of what pushed the pair towards getting married, and disclosed that he was not invited to their wedding, alleging that Peller and Jarvis viewed him negatively and therefore chose not to have him at the ceremony.

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DSS Probe: Gusau Confirms Resignation as NFF President

Ibrahim Musa Gusau has confirmed his resignation as President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

He confirmed his resignation at a press conference on Thursday afternoon. The NFF also confirmed the resignation of other members of the Executive Committee and the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi.

The federation confirmed the development in a post on its official X page on Thursday, stating that the top officials had stepped down from their respective positions. “NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, alongside his Executive Committee and the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, have resigned from their positions,” the federation said.

Speaking at the press conference, Gusau said he had informed members of the board of his decision and advised those willing to follow suit to resign.

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2026-2027 UEFA Champions League League Phase Draw Confirmed

The 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase draw has been completed, with 36 clubs learning the opponents they will face in the first stage of the competition.

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain have been drawn against Manchester City, while Real Madrid will face Arsenal in one of the standout ties.

Real Madrid will host Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven, while travelling to Arsenal, Roma, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, LASK and AEK Athens, as the Spanish giants face a tough test in their campaign to regain the trophy.

Manchester City will host PSG, Sporting Club, Napoli and AEK Athens, with away trips to Barcelona, Porto, RB Leipzig and Lens, handing Pep Guardiola’s side a demanding schedule against some of Europe’s established clubs.

UEFA placed the 36 teams into four pots based on their club coefficient rankings before the draw, with each club set to play eight matches against eight different opponents, including one home and one away fixture against opponents from each pot.