BANNER NEWS

Year: 2026

  • Police Find Missing Six-Year-Old Girl, Announce Shooting Range Exercise in Cross River

    Police Find Missing Six-Year-Old Girl, Announce Shooting Range Exercise in Cross River

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter
    The Cross River State Police Command has found a six-year-old girl earlier reported missing in Calabar.
    The child was discovered loitering around Henshaw Town Secondary School in Calabar South during routine patrols by police officers.
    She has since been taken into protective custody at the Police Headquarters on Diamond Hill, Calabar, as efforts to locate her parents or relatives have so far proved unsuccessful.
    Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ewa E. Sunday Akata, said all necessary steps were being taken to reunite the child with her family.
    “Despite efforts by the Command, the child’s family has not yet been traced,” Akata stated, appealing to members of the public with useful information to contact the police.

    Meanwhile, the Command has announced a routine shooting range exercise scheduled to hold on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
    In a separate statement, Akata said the exercise will take place in the morning hours at Asabanka Anyanganse Community in Akpabuyo Local Government Area.
    He explained that the exercise is part of ongoing efforts to retrain police personnel and inspect service arms and other operational equipment in line with professional policing standards.
    The police spokesperson urged residents not to panic at the sight of increased police presence or the sound of gunfire during the exercise.
    He further advised residents, farmers and passers-by to stay away from the shooting range and its immediate surroundings to avoid accidental exposure to stray bullets or psychological distress from gunshots.
    The Command thanked members of the public for their understanding and continued cooperation.

  • FG Emphasizes Education for Northwest Street Children

    FG Emphasizes Education for Northwest Street Children

    FG Emphasises Education for Northwest Street Children
    By BANNERNEWS Reporter
    The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to educating street children across Northwest Nigeria, with the enrollment of no fewer than 10,000 out-of-school children already underway, beginning from Kano State.
    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (Northwest), Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, disclosed this during the first day of school resumption at Kawaji Primary School in Kano.
    Yakasai said the initiative forms part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope education agenda, aimed at reintegrating street children and school dropouts into formal education.
    According to him, the programme targets children who had never attended school as well as those who had dropped out, popularly known as Almajirai.
    “During the break, we identified about 200 children in this neighbourhood alone. Today, they have been enrolled and provided with uniforms, school bags and exercise books,” Yakasai said.
    He added that the intervention also extends to teachers, noting that educators in the selected schools were supplied with teaching materials such as notebooks, chalk and cardboard papers to enhance effective classroom delivery.
    Yakasai explained that the programme would be expanded across Kano, with three schools targeted in each district in the next academic term.
    “We are committed to ensuring that at least 10,000 out-of-school children across the Northwest are enrolled before the end of President Tinubu’s administration,” he said.
    He also drew attention to the poor state of public school infrastructure in the region, revealing that engineers had inspected dilapidated structures and prepared bills of quantities for rehabilitation.
    “Many public schools are in urgent need of repairs. We intend to take these findings to the Presidency to ensure the schools are restored to standard,” Yakasai added.
    If you want it shorter, more feature-style, or with official reactions from education authorities, say the word.

  • Internal Disputes Force Governor Yusuf, 21 Lawmakers, 44 LG Chairmen Out of NNPP

    Internal Disputes Force Governor Yusuf, 21 Lawmakers, 44 LG Chairmen Out of NNPP

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter
    Internal leadership disputes within the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have forced Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, 21 members of the State House of Assembly and 44 local government council chairmen to resign from the party.
    The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
    According to the statement, Yusuf formally conveyed his resignation in a letter addressed to the NNPP Chairman of Diso-Chiranchi Ward in Gwale Local Government Area, with effect from January 25, 2026.
    In the letter, the governor expressed appreciation to the party for offering him a political platform and for the support he received from its leadership and members across Kano State since 2022.
    However, he attributed the mass exit to persistent leadership disagreements and prolonged legal battles that have continued to unsettle the party’s structure at both state and national levels.
    Yusuf said the unresolved disputes have led to widespread disenfranchisement among party members, widening divisions and cracks he described as increasingly irreconcilable.
    He noted that the decision to leave followed careful reflection and was guided by what he considered the best interest of the people of Kano State.
    The governor stressed that the resignation was taken in good faith and without bitterness, reaffirming his commitment to peace, unity and the continued development of the state.
    The statement added that eight members of the House of Representatives also resigned from the NNPP alongside the governor, a development widely seen by political observers as a major blow to the party’s political structure in Kano State.

  • Terrorism: Deputy Senate President Urges Troops to Flush Out Bandits in Kano

    Terrorism: Deputy Senate President Urges Troops to Flush Out Bandits in Kano

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, on Sunday urged Nigerian troops deployed to bandit-hit communities in Kano State to intensify operations and flush out criminal elements terrorising residents.

    His visit followed recent bandits’ incursions into Gwarzo, Shanono and Tsanyawa local government areas, which led to the deployment of combined security forces comprising the Army, Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    Barau arrived in Kano at about 7am and proceeded to Lakwaya Ward in Gwarzo LGA, where he inspected a troops’ camp and interacted with security operatives on the ground.

    Accompanied by the Garrison Commander of the 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Kano, Lt. Col. I. Ekoh, and other senior security officials, he also inspected a parade by the Joint Task Force led by the JTF Commander in Gwarzo, Lt. Abdullahi Sadiq.

    Addressing the troops, the Deputy Senate President commended them for their efforts in safeguarding lives and property, describing their deployment as timely and reassuring to affected communities.

    “I want to thank you for your efforts to safeguard the lives and property of our people. We also thank Mr President, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for swiftly acting on our request and directing your deployment,” he said.

    Barau urged the operatives to sustain the momentum against criminal elements, while also calling on residents to cooperate fully with security agencies to ensure lasting peace.

    From Gwarzo, he visited troops’ camps in Tsaure and Faruruwa wards of Shanono LGA and a security post in Tsanyawa LGA, addressing operatives at each location and later meeting community leaders in Faruruwa.

    Community leaders, including elder statesman Alhaji Yahaya Bagobiri and former House of Representatives member Rt. Hon. Farouk Lawan, commended the deployment and Barau’s intervention, as the lawmaker said his visit was to assess the situation firsthand, engage stakeholders, and announced plans for a dam project to address local needs, while pledging continued support for security efforts in Kano North.

  • Army Neutralises 6 Terrorists, Destroys Enclaves in Zamfara

    Army Neutralises 6 Terrorists, Destroys Enclaves in Zamfara

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter
    Troops of the Nigerian Army under the 8 Garrison Strike Force, Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFY) Sector Two, have neutralised six terrorists during a major offensive in the Sububu Forests of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State.
    The operation, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the Media Information Officer of OPFY, Captain David Adewusi, was aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves and restoring peace to troubled communities in the state.
    Adewusi said the offensive recorded significant operational successes, including the destruction of terrorist infrastructure and the rescue of a kidnapped underage victim.
    He explained that the operation began with a targeted engagement at Indulumu village in Maradun LGA, where troops confronted and neutralised two terrorists after a fierce gun battle.


    During the encounter, soldiers recovered one AK-47 rifle, a development that further degraded the terrorists’ combat and operational capabilities.
    The strike force, driven by what the Army described as unwavering resolve, advanced to Ruduno village, where troops again came under resistance from armed elements.
    In a sustained firefight, four additional terrorists were neutralised, effectively dismantling a key segment of the terror network operating within the axis.
    Items recovered at the scene included another AK-47 rifle, a magazine loaded with 28 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and two motorcycles, while terrorist logistics and mobility assets were destroyed on site.
    Beyond the combat success, the operation also yielded a humanitarian breakthrough as troops penetrated deeper into the forest and rescued an underage kidnapping victim, Halira Ibrahim, bringing relief to her family and community.
    Captain Adewusi added that the offensive extended to the destruction of multiple terrorist camps and life-support structures in Magaji, Galakaje, Filinga and Kuka Tara, actions he said had further crippled the terrorists’ ability to regroup and sustain operations.

  • 700,000 New Babies Expected in Kano in 2026 – Nagoda

    700,000 New Babies Expected in Kano in 2026 – Nagoda

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter
    Kano State is projected to welcome at least 700,000 new babies in 2026, according to the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Mansur Mudi Nagoda.
    Dr. Nagoda attributed the high expected birth rate to the state’s 3.5 percent population growth, warning that the surge could overwhelm already stretched health facilities and personnel.
    “The rapid population growth presents a daunting health challenge for Kano, given the limited number of medical professionals,” he said.
    He revealed that the state currently faces a deficit of about 4,000 professional health workers, a gap that threatens the quality and reach of healthcare services.
    To address this, Dr. Nagoda called on training institutions to focus more on practical skills, ensuring that graduates can meet the healthcare needs of communities effectively.
    He also announced plans for the state government to recruit additional health workers and deploy them to underserved local government areas, including Doguwa, Rogo, and Sumaila.
    Dr. Nagoda advocated for a community-based staffing approach, where localities train health workers to serve their own populations, particularly in maternal and child health.
    He stressed that such strategies are essential to bridging the personnel gap and improving access to quality healthcare across the state.
    With these measures, Kano aims to strengthen its health system and better prepare for the anticipated surge in births in 2026.

  • Northern Leaders Worry as Wives, Mothers, Daughters Attended to by Male Doctors

    Northern Leaders Worry as Wives, Mothers, Daughters Attended to by Male Doctors

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter
    Northern Nigerian leaders have raised concern over the acute shortage of female health practitioners in the region, warning that the gap continues to affect healthcare delivery and cultural comfort.
    The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) lamented that the deficit has left many women in the North—wives, mothers and daughters—largely attended to by male medical personnel in hospitals.
    ACF Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said the situation has remained a long-standing source of discomfort for families across the region.
    Dalhatu spoke on Saturday at the maiden convocation of the Sardauna College of Health Sciences and Technology, Kano, where he described the development as troubling despite recent efforts to bridge the gap.
    “For years, our wives, daughters and mothers have been attended to by males in hospitals, and that was not very comfortable at all,” he said, noting that progress was being made but remained insufficient.
    He said the graduation of 78 students—about 80 per cent of them female—was a milestone that could help ease cultural and social concerns surrounding healthcare in northern Nigeria.
    The ACF chairman urged the graduates to pursue further education, stressing that a diploma was only the first step in building strong professional careers in the health sector.
    Dalhatu, who is also the Wazirin Dutse in Jigawa State, raised alarm over the wider education crisis in the North, citing estimates that about 15 million children remain out of school and warning of grave economic consequences if the trend persists.
    He announced that the ACF operates an interest-free loan scheme to support graduates seeking to establish businesses, while the college provost, Hajiya Naja’atu Abdullahi, charged the graduates to uphold integrity, empathy and lifelong learning as the institution unveiled its new administrative building and highlighted its expanding academic programmes.

  • E-Registration: APC in Nasarawa Entices Members With Prizes

    E-Registration: APC in Nasarawa Entices Members With Prizes

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State has introduced incentives to boost participation in its ongoing electronic registration exercise, promising prizes to polling units, wards and local government areas that record the highest number of registered members.

    The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Iman Ibrahim Suleiman, disclosed this during a visit to the APC state secretariat in Lafia, where she said registration teams that produce the highest number of registrants would also receive rewards.

    Suleiman urged women and youths to seize the opportunity offered by the e-registration exercise to become actively involved in party politics and contribute to strengthening the APC at the grassroots level.

    She described Nasarawa as one of the leading states in the exercise, noting that the APC “is not the greatest party in Africa for nothing,” and expressed confidence that the state would rank among the top performers nationwide.

    Commending Governor Abdullahi Sule and the state APC leadership, the minister encouraged newly registered members to mobilise others, saying each registrant should bring at least one additional person into the party.

    Suleiman said her visit was to demonstrate loyalty and commitment to the party, pledging to work tirelessly to ensure the success of the e-registration exercise across the state.

    In his remarks, the Nasarawa State APC Chairman, Aliyu Bello, praised the minister for mobilising over 100 unregistered women to participate in the exercise and for donating 12 computers to support registration efforts.

    Bello disclosed that the party had also approved cash incentives for registration officials, explaining that officials would earn ₦100 for every successful registration, with higher totals attracting larger rewards.

    He thanked Governor Abdullahi Sule for providing tablets and logistics, and urged party stakeholders to intensify mobilisation efforts by taking registration forms directly to homes and communities across the state.

  • Forum Honours Elderly Bishops With Gifts, Visitations in Bayelsa

    Forum Honours Elderly Bishops With Gifts, Visitations in Bayelsa

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter

    No fewer than 14 Bishops and Archbishops of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) in Bayelsa State, aged between their 70s and 80s, have been honoured for decades of devoted service to God and the Church.

    The recognition formed part of the 2026 Bishops’ Day celebration organised by the Bishops Forum, Bayelsa State, an arm of the BCS, to celebrate veteran gospel ministers and administrators in the state.

    As part of the programme, Forum members visited the clerics in their homes, offering prayers, songs and assorted gifts in appreciation of their lifelong commitment to ministry.

    Supervisor of the Forum in Bayelsa State, Archbishop Natus Zebakeme, said the welfare outreach was designed to appreciate the selfless sacrifices and enduring contributions of the senior Bishops to the growth of the Church.

    According to him, the gesture was also meant to reassure younger clergy that faithful service and commitment would always be remembered and honoured.

    Those visited included Archbishops Eriye Igina, Emperor Akpalakpa and Zifaye V. Wiliki, as well as Bishops Effort Osain, Tokebi Mac-Eperefogha, Fakidouma, Matthew Yongosi, Agada NAJ, Ziworitein B.S.W., Okimo Theodore, Rankine James, Ngoye Jachreee, E.N. Daufa and HGA Otazi Richard Moses.

    Public Affairs Officer of the Forum, Archbishop Ebilate Charles, said prayers were offered during the visits while the well-being of the elderly Bishops was assessed in line with the Forum’s pastoral responsibility, adding that the initiative would be sustained as a continuous programme.

    The grand Bishops’ Day celebration later held at the Bayelsa State Cathedral, Ovom, Yenagoa, attracted Bishops from across the state, neighbouring states and BCS members, creating what organisers described as an atmosphere of love, unity and spiritual fellowship.

    The occasion also featured the presentation of a Compendium of Bayelsa State Bishops and a special celebration of the immediate past Bishop of Bayelsa State, Archbishop Zifaye Wiliki Votuwei, while Archbishop (Prof.) Ilami Krama, representing the Dean of the College of Bishops, Bishop Bassey Imowo, delivered a paper on the significance of the event. A total of 70 Forum members attended the ceremony.

  • Tax Collector Shoots Nursing Mother in Kogi Over Charcoal Revenue Dispute

    Tax Collector Shoots Nursing Mother in Kogi Over Charcoal Revenue Dispute

    By BANNERNEWS Reporter
    A tax collector attached to the team of a former Chief Press Secretary to the Kabba/Bunu Local Government Chairman has allegedly shot a nursing mother, simply identified as Facilla, during a dispute over charcoal revenue collection in Kogi State.
    The incident occurred at Agbede/Appa Bunu settlement in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area when the team reportedly stormed the community to enforce charcoal-related levies.
    Eyewitnesses said tensions flared during the operation, and in the ensuing confrontation, a vigilante accompanying the revenue team allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the woman.
    Facilla, a nursing mother of twins, was rushed to the Specialist Hospital in Kabba, where she is said to be responding to treatment.
    Community sources alleged that the raid was carried out without any prior announcement, notification, or official directive from either the Kogi State Government or the Kabba/Bunu Local Government regarding a ban or seizure of charcoal.
    A resident, Aremu, said Facilla only asked the team to clarify why her charcoal was being seized, explaining that she had received no notice from any government agent. “While she was speaking, one of the vigilantes suddenly shot her,” he alleged.
    Residents and charcoal workers said there had been a standing understanding with local government agents to pay between N350 and N400 per bag of charcoal, adding that the incident has sparked fear and tension in the community.
    Reacting swiftly, the Chairman of Kabba/Bunu Local Government, Barrister Zacchaeus Dare, condemned the shooting, describing it as illegal, unauthorized and unacceptable, and distancing the council from the operation.
    Dare said he had directed security agencies to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice, warning that no individual has the right to act in the name of the local government without proper authorization.

    Efforts to reach the Kogi State Police Command for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.