This handout photo released by Russia-appointed governor of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, shows the site of a drone attack on a hotel in Khroly on January 1, 2026. (Photo by The Governor of Kherson region Vladimir Saldo / AFP)Russia on Thursday said Kyiv was behind a deadly drone strike on a hotel in the Moscow-held part of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region that killed at least 20 people celebrating the New Year. According to a Russia-appointed governor of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, “the enemy” fired three drones that “struck a cafe and hotel on the Black Sea coast in Khorly” where “civilians were celebrating the New Year”. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of carrying out a “terrorist” attack against the civilian population. An AFP analysis based on Ukrainian air force data showed a slight fall in overnight Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine in December.

Anthony Joshua is helped out of his Lexus SUV following a crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday. The Ogun State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the arrest of the driver of the ill-fated Lexus SUV conveying the World boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, and two of his close friends before it crashed on Monday around Danco, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. “The driver of the Lexus SUV in connection with the Anthony Joshua accident case is currently in custody. The Lagos and Ogun state governments, however, on Wednesday, announced the discharge of Anthony Joshua from the hospital following the tragic road accident. The two state governments once again commiserated with the families of the deceased, describing the incident as painful and deeply unfortunate.

After 36 matches spread across six groups, the 16 survivors from 24 hopefuls clash in eight second-round matches over four days. Fit-again Hakimi is set to lead title favourites Morocco against Tanzania, Salah will captain Egypt against Benin, and Osimhen-inspired Nigeria tackle Mozambique. Morocco v TanzaniaA mismatch on paper as Morocco, whose only previous title came 50 years ago, are 101 places above Tanzania in the world rankings. South Africa v CameroonSouth Africa debuted in the AFCON 30 years ago by hammering Cameroon 3-0 in Johannesburg. Nigeria v MozambiqueLivewire Osimhen is a huge aerial threat and could have scored hat-tricks against Tanzania and Tunisia in Group C, but managed just one goal.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has fired back at Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, over comments where the governor blamed the minister for the political troubles in his state. “I watched what the Bauchi governor is saying, that all the problems he’s having, that I’m the one because I said I would put fire in his state. “So this is just to tell Nigerians, tell them to leave me alone; go and face your problems. He also addressed Bala’s tenure as FCT minister between 2010 and 2015, challenging the Bauchi governor to account for his own record in Abuja before criticising the current administration. They are in Lagos, Wike; they are in Bauchi, Wike.

Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang controls the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. An injury-time winner by Bazoumana Toure condemned Gabon to a 3-2 defeat against defending champions Ivory Coast at the AFCON on Wednesday. “Given the Panthers’ disgraceful performance at the AFCON, the government has decided to dissolve the technical staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and remove players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” Minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula said on Gabonese television late on Wednesday. “The national team highlights two major problems: the lack of method and the dispersion of resources,” he added. That could, however, land Gabon in trouble with football’s world governing body FIFA, which bans government interference in the affairs of its member associations.

The Lagos State dumpsite operations witnessed an unprecedented average of 576 trips per day during the festive period, highlighting the volume of waste generated and the scale of operations by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) at the time. “Together, these resources facilitated an average of 576 trips per day to the dumpsites, with operations running continuously throughout the festive period. Beyond routine operations, LAWMA also played a pivotal role in supporting cultural activities. “This intervention allowed for faster waste evacuation, minimised delays, and supported the overall effectiveness of the festive period operations. Gbadegesin stressed that LAWMA’s festive period activities demonstrated a comprehensive and coordinated approach to waste management.

The Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), has arrested a suspected suicide bomber and recovered materials used in making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Bama Local Council of Borno State. The arrest followed sustained joint operations based on credible intelligence by troops of the 152 Task Force Battalion, working with other security agencies to secure Banki and four other border communities with Cameroon. Uba said preliminary investigations revealed that Mustapha hails from Bama Local Council and was also found with additional incriminating materials linked to terrorist activities in border communities with Cameroon. Further intelligence exploitation led to the arrest of the fertiliser dealer and the recovery of an additional six bags of urea fertiliser, bringing the total seized to 12 bags. He added that troop morale and fighting efficiency remain high as operations continue to restore lasting peace and security in the North-East.

As is the case at the beginning of every New Year, Nigerians are exchanging pleasantries at the start of 2026. Given our experiences in the year that has just ended, the task before Nigerians is to ensure that the year 2026 is different. The task before Nigerians is to use 2026 to prepare for a transparent, credible electoral process in 2027, a process in which the votes of Nigerians will count. The outcome of an electoral process lacking in transparency cannot be said to reflect the will of the people. Our priority in 2026 must be the creation of a new Nigeria where the people and their leaders will practise politics as an ethical project.

With the suspected bandits numbering about 30, storming the community on New Year’s Eve around 10:00 p.m. with a barrage of sporadic gunshots and detonation of dynamite, the Divisional Police Station was set ablaze. The residents, who were stunned by the incident, stated that the gunmen, armed to the teeth, targeted the police facility with heavy firepower before eventually razing it. The attackers, numbering about 20, came into the Ipele community and began to shoot sporadically before attacking the Police Divisional Station in Ipele. While confirming the situation, the state police command stated that the attackers set the station ablaze, leading to the destruction of the building and several exhibits. “The Command clarified that, contrary to reports circulating on social media, no church was attacked during the incident.

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has directed his lawyers to withdraw all ongoing defamation lawsuits against several individuals, saying he was moved by counsel during a New Year Mass. Speaking at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo on Thursday, Akpabio said he had filed nearly nine lawsuits against individuals he accused of defaming him. In late 2025, Akpabio filed a N200 billion defamation lawsuit against her over allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied and urged her to substantiate in court. Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife also filed defamation suits against Akpoti‑Uduaghan over claims she said had harmed her family’s reputation. With Thursday’s announcement, Akpabio has formally ended all pending legal disputes arising from defamation claims, signalling closure to the publicised litigations as the year begins.

The National Assembly said it has taken steps to address public concerns over alleged discrepancies in the Tax Acts, promising to make available certified copies of the bills signed by President Bola Tinubu. The Director of Information, Mr Bullah Bi-Allah, in a statement on Thursday, said the Assembly has directed the Clerk to release the transmitted tax bills. He said the management had taken note of the alleged discrepancies between votes and proceedings of the National Assembly and the gazetted versions of passed tax acts. To strengthen institutional processes, he said the National Assembly would review procedures for the transmission and gazetting of bills. “No request for gazetting an act of the national assembly will be entertained by the printing press, unless initiated by the Clerk to the National Assembly or his authorised representative.

A family source who was inside the palace when the attack unfolded told The PUNCH via telephone on Thursday that panic ensued as the assailants opened fire. They used their guns to break down the door, gained entrance and requested for the Kabiesi, and he came out. “We were about 10 in the palace around that time to come spend the holiday with Kabiesi, so everyone was hiding during the incident. The reported abduction comes amid a disturbing rise in insecurity in Kwara State, particularly in Ifelodun and other rural communities. The monarch was held in captivity for weeks before being released after community-led negotiations and payment of a substantial ransom.

Adeola also known as #niqabprintertondoyati in a TikTok video post in front of an undisclosed police stationThe hijab-wearing TikTok creator, Adeola, who recently faced backlash over controversial posts, has issued a public apology, admitting that the content was inappropriate and contrary to Islamic values. In a video shared on her Tiktok page, Adeola, who uses the handle @niqobprintertondoyati said, “I’m making this video to sincerely apologise for my recent videos. May Almighty Allah forgive my shortcoming and guide me to always do better. Please accept my sincere apology.”She added, “I’m really sorry. Please forgive me.”The apology comes after her earlier posts sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many users describing the content as inappropriate for a hijab-wearing Muslim influencer.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has assured residents of a stronger economic future for the state in 2026, announcing that the government will begin offsetting accumulated gratuity arrears dating back to the early 2000s. Mistakes may have been made in times past, but the New Year is an invitation to begin again, this time on a clean slate. In the New Year, we shall consolidate the gains of the last 31 months to further expand our system of advantages. As we did in the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years, we have also committed 20 per cent of our entire budgetary outlay to the education sector in 2026. Our objective is to consolidate the gains we have made in the last two and a half years in repositioning the education sector for relevance in the new age,” he said.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said the state government will commit N5 billion to manpower training and development in the state civil service in 2026. Otti disclosed this in his New Year broadcast on Thursday, noting that the only guarantee for the sustainability of any public sector reform is the readiness of institutions to effectively interpret and execute their service mandates. The governor revealed that across ministries, departments, and agencies, his administration has introduced the adoption of a new work ethic through the introduction of multiple layers of incentives. “Our target is that by the end of the New Year, we shall have 100 electric buses covering all the major urban and semi-urban routes in the State. Beyond the introduction of electric buses, 2026 will also see new levels of commitment to the development of critical transport infrastructure.