Latest News from Thursday, February 12th, 2026

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Thursday alleged that security operatives attempted to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after his arrival from Cairo, Egypt.

The 81 Division Nigerian Army on Thursday concluded its Inter-Command Secondary Schools Sports Competition 2026 with a closing ceremony at the Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai Sports Complex, TA Lagbaja Cantonment, Ikeja.

Governor Dauda Lawal has been named Governor of the Year by LEADERSHIP Newspaper, a recognition of his administration’s strides in governance and development.

Nigerian youth are increasingly exposed to e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and other emerging tobacco products, experts warned on Thursday at the launch of the report "The New Smoke Trap".

A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives is seeking closer cooperation with Nigeria to address alleged links between illegal mining operations tied to Chinese interests and militia funding.

Workers in Nigeria’s food and beverage sector staged fresh protests against the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday.

A Federal High Court judge in Abuja on Thursday recused himself from hearing two high-profile cases filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, saying he could no longer continue because of “personal reasons.”

Ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have sparked global outrage after some seats were listed for as high as $143,750 on FIFA’s official resale platform — more than 41 times the original ticket price.

Lagos-based rights activist Hassan Soweto has begun weeks of spine therapy after doctors found serious injury following what he calls a brutal police assault during a protest last month.

Edo State is finishing preparations to host the second Niger Delta Games, with organisers and the Niger Delta Development Commission saying facilities and athlete camps are ready for a week of competition from 20th – 27th February, 2026.

A man has died and his wife is in critical condition after a granite laden truck toppled onto their car on the Lekki Ajah Expressway.

The Kwankwasiyya Movement has strongly rejected claims that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is referenced in a proposed US bill on religious freedom in Nigeria.

Aso Rock is preparing to go off the national electricity grid. The State House says the Presidential Villa will switch fully to solar power by March 2026, once ongoing testing is completed.

Reno Omokri has weighed into the heated debate over Nigeria’s electoral reforms, insisting the Senate did not reject electronic transmission of results.

The Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative, also known as Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), has warned Nigerians against involving the police in debt recovery, saying, “The Police Act 2020 does not empower the police to act as debt recovery agents.”