A 22-year-old Royal Marine has appeared in court to admit killing a 29-year old man with a single punch. Commando Joseph Jones pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Manchester-born chef Cemal Yilmaz following an incident in Church Street in Exmouth, Devon, on 13 December. Jones appeared before Mr Justice Garnham at Exeter Crown Court and is set to be sentenced in March. Jones, who was based at the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone, was previously bailed by Exeter Magistrates' Court to live at home in Wolverhampton. At that hearing, Jones' solicitor said it was an "extremely tragic case for all concerned".

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against drug trafficking in January 2026, arresting 46 suspected traffickers, seizing 6,439 kilogrammes of illicit drugs and securing seven convictions. A breakdown of the seizures showed that the agency recovered a total of 6,439.4 kilogrammes of drugs, made up largely of cannabis. Of this figure, 6,438.31 kilogrammes were cannabis, including 4,063.87 kilogrammes destroyed on a cannabis farm and 2,374.46 kilogrammes seized during raid operations. On the legal front, the command secured seven convictions in January, while seven new cases were charged to court. According to the command, a total of 105 cases are currently pending before the Federal High Court in Benin.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has paid a glowing tribute to legendary American gospel singer, Ren Kenoly, who died at the age of 81. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the passing of the late singer was confirmed on Tuesday, triggering an outpouring of tributes from gospel music communities, ministers and Christian faithful around the world. The PFN president commiserated with the family of the late singer, praying that God comfort, strengthen, and abide with them at this critical time. He was globally celebrated for his powerful live worship recordings and his influential role in shaping contemporary praise and worship music. Others include Welcome Home (1996), and High Places: The Best of Ron Kenoly, blending gospel, praise and contemporary Christian music in a way that influenced generations of worship leaders.

The Senate has voted against a proposal seeking to compel the electronic transmission of election results, rejecting an amendment to Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Amendment Bill. The amendment, which was debated during plenary, aimed to make it compulsory for presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit polling unit results electronically to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal in real time. Under the proposal, transmission would occur after results had been entered on the prescribed Form EC8A, signed and stamped by the presiding officer, and countersigned by party agents. ALSO READ: CVR: INEC registers 4,423 new voters in AnambraLawmakers, however, declined to adopt the provision and instead retained the existing wording of the Electoral Act. The current law gives INEC the discretion to determine how results are transmitted, stating that “the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”By rejecting the amendment, the Senate effectively preserved INEC’s authority to decide the mode of results transmission, rather than making electronic upload to the IREV portal a statutory requirement.

The Edo State Commissioner for Power, Paul Usenbor, has said that the free pre-paid meters released by the Federal Government to be distributed to electricity consumers across the federation have yet to get to Edo State. “We enacted the Electricity Law in February 2025, and I have taken deliberate steps to develop an Edo State Power market. “Some of them are hawking for letters from the Edo State Government to go and use to solicit funds. Speaking on the free metering policy of the Federal Government, Usenbor said the free metres were yet to arrive in Edo State. “As we speak, the free metres have not arrived, Edo.

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has issued fresh guidance on the long-standing controversy surrounding the deduction and remittance of check-off dues for pensioners’ unions, clarifying the jurisdictional boundaries of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN). In the correspondence, the Ministry stated that it was formally notifying PTAD of its position on the appropriate assignment of jurisdictional scope for the two pensioners’ unions in line with existing labour laws and regulations. Based on these distinctions, the Ministry stated that check-off dues should be deducted and remitted strictly to the appropriate union in line with the defined jurisdictional boundaries. L1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004), which grants workers the right to opt out of check-off dues arrangements voluntarily. The Ministry urged PTAD to treat the letter as an official directive guiding the remittance of check-off dues in line with the clarified jurisdictional framework.

Dauda stated this at the ongoing money laundering case filed against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). On payment made into one Faizat Business Enterprise, the defendant’s counsel told the witness to look at the transaction of 6th May 2022, in the 6th column. The purposes of other payments, according to the witness, ranged from agrochemicals to farm inputs and medical consumables. Daudu then asked, “Do you know if this defendant (Yahaya Bello) is a local government chairman and which local government in Kogi state?”“No, the defendant wasn’t a local government chairman,” the witness responded. The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, thereafter, adjourned the case to 5th and 6th February, 2026, for continuation of the trial.

Former governor of Benue State, GabrielI Suswam, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This is contained in a letter addressed to the ward chairman of his Mbagber Council Ward in Logo local government area of the state. According to the letter dated January 4, 2025, Suswam said his decision was as a result of the party being plagued by persistent and unresolved internal conflicts. “However, the party that once stood as a symbol of cohesion, internal democracy, and progressive opposition has, regrettably, become plagued by persistent and unresolved internal conflicts. “Despite repeated interventions, reconciliatory committees, and public assurances, the party continues to operate in a state of deep internal dysfunction.

The Federal Government has commenced the full enforcement of biometric attendance verification across all centres participating in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Programme, as part of renewed efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery. The statement, which was signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs Folasade Boriowo, said the Ministry has unequivocally stated that biometric verification is now the sole approved method for validating attendance under the TVET Programme. ALSO READ: FG inaugurates national working committee to drive TVET initiative“Consequently, all payments to training centres and monthly stipends to trainees are now processed strictly on the basis of verified biometric attendance records. “Training centres were earlier notified that continued non-compliance would result in removal from the programme, with affected trainees redeployed to fully compliant centres. “The Ministry reiterates that compliance with biometric attendance verification is mandatory and non-negotiable, as it safeguards public funds and ensures that programme benefits reach their intended beneficiaries,” Boriowo stated.

The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has constructed and donated a modern, well-equipped Fire Station to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi State. The fire station also has a modern firefighting vehicle, offices for staff and a borehole for water refill, which is to operate 24 hours. He urged the management of the university to own the facilities and maintain them in other to achieve the set objectives of the project. “To our Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, Kauran Bauchi, we say thank you very much and we owe you our unreserved gratitude. May it yield fruits of peace, prosperity, and preservation for generations.Thank you, and God bless ATBU, NEDC, Bauchi State, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said a total of 4,423 new voters have so far been registered in Anambra State within four weeks in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise. The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Queen Elizabeth Agwu, disclosed this during a media chat with journalists in Awka, on Wednesday. Agwu said the exercise is currently ongoing across the 21 local government areas of the state. She expressed satisfaction over the figures registered so far within the period under review, adding that the exercise is for the upcoming 2027 general elections. Agwu urged the residents aged 18 to come out en masse and register as soon as possible to avoid rushing.

Uber reported better-than-expected revenue of $14.37 billion in its fourth-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, although its shares slipped in premarket trading after the results were released. The ride-hailing and delivery company said revenue for the period ended in December reached $14.37 billion, slightly above analysts’ estimate of $14.32 billion. Revenue increased from $12 billion a year earlier, with the mobility segment generating $8.2 billion, up 19% from the previous year, and delivery revenue rising 30% to $4.9 billion. Analysts had expected mobility revenue of $8.3 billion and delivery revenue of $4.72 billion. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said delivery growth was strongest in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region.

Prosecutors on Wednesday filed charges against 12 Israeli suspects, including reservist soldiers, for offences including “assisting the enemy in wartime,” over the alleged smuggling of prohibited goods into war-shattered Gaza. It described the operation as a “serious case of organised, systematic, and sophisticated smuggling of various goods into the Gaza Strip for profit,” which began in the summer of 2025, when war was still raging in Gaza. The justice ministry statement said charges had been filed against 12 individuals and one company. A joint statement from the police and Israel’s Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency confirmed they had “arrested several Israeli citizens and Gaza Strip residents who smuggled goods prohibited from entering the Gaza Strip”. Israeli media reported that the brother of Israel’s Shin Bet chief, David Zini, was allegedly linked to smuggling cigarettes into Gaza.

Wike gave the assurance on Wednesday while inspecting several ongoing infrastructure projects in the FCT, insisting that governance and service delivery would continue irrespective of political timelines. Politics has its own time, and the work will continue to go on. “The only way to make sure that people will be happy and see that the Renewed Hope Agenda is real is to continue with the work,” Wike said. Wike later visited an extensive road corridor running from Euclid Road through Bright Road to Tungan Madaki, a stretch of about seven kilometres. On Tuesday, Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of ongoing road and infrastructure projects across Abuja, following an inspection of several key sites.

While the late Aboderin was honoured with the Media Icon Award, Akande received the Merit Award of Excellence. Speaking at the event, Governor Seyi Makinde traced his personal journey to the free education policy of the late Chief Bola Ige, describing it as a defining pillar of the state’s legacy. That is Oyo State, the beauty of what we are celebrating today. “Infrastructure renewal, security reforms and urban modernisation later became defining priorities, helping the state overcome periods of tension and institutional testing. The PUNCH reports that Makinde inaugurated the state’s 50th anniversary on Monday, January 26, at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.