Homepage Lagos from Monday, February 16th, 2026

A court document dated 16th February 2026 accuses former Kaduna governor Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of admitting on live TV that he and others “unlawfully intercepted the Phone Communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu,” and says that admission could amount to criminal offences.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for a thorough review of the country’s electricity sector, saying frequent national grid collapses and stagnant power production show that the sector’s privatisation has failed.

The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has confirmed that Value Added Tax (VAT) has been removed on land, buildings and rent under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, a move he said will ease housing costs and support tenants and property investors.

The United States has placed sanctions on eight Nigerians accused of links to terror groups and cyber-related criminal activity, freezing any assets they hold under U.S. jurisdiction and warning Americans not to engage with them.

Nigerian sprinter Favour Ashe, one of the country’s fastest men over 100 metres, has reportedly moved to represent Qatar internationally, sparking concern within Nigeria’s athletics community and prompting an investigation by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

Former presidential candidate and opposition figure Peter Obi has insisted that votes in the 2027 general election “must count” and warned that anyone who tries to undermine the outcomes will face legal consequences.

The Lagos State Government says a recent court judgment that limits the powers of Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) officials applies only to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and not to states with their own traffic laws.