News Flash - Abia ThinkTank News

Feb

2026

Gunmen Kidnap Nine Worshippers During Church Vigil In Benue

Gunmen Kidnap Nine Worshippers During Church Vigil In Benue The Benue State police command has confirmed the abduction of nine worshippers at Saint John’s Catholic Church, Ojije, in the Utonkon District of Ado Local Government Area of the state. The victims were reportedly kidnapped on Sunday night while attending a vigil on the church premises, as gunmen stormed the area and whisked them away. Udeme Edet, the police spokesperson for the Benue police command, confirmed the incident to journalists on Monday, saying the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, had deployed tactical units to rescue the abducted worshippers. According to Ms…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

CAC To Register 3,500 Small Businesses For Free Nationwide

Business, FGN, News Flash

CAC To Register 3,500 Small Businesses For Free Nationwide The Corporate Affairs Commission has announced free business name registration for 3,500 small businesses across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Registrar-General of the Commission, Hussaini Magaji, disclosed this in a post on the commission’s X handle on Monday. According to Magaji, the initiative is aimed at reducing the cost of business formalisation for micro and small enterprises and encouraging more entrepreneurs to operate within the formal economy. He said the move reflects the commission’s commitment to promoting entrepreneurship, lowering start-up costs, and supporting inclusive economic growth…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

2,000 Stranded Trucks Roll Out As Nigeria Reopens Benin, Niger Boarders

Business, Economy, News Flash

2,000 Stranded Trucks Roll Out As Nigeria Reopens Benin, Niger Borders No fewer than 2,000 trucks earlier stranded at Nigeria’s borders with Benin and Niger Republics have begun movement following the reopening of the Kamba and Tsamiya border posts in Kebbi. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the reopening is in line with the directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Kebbi Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mahmoud Matawalle-Ibrahim, officially opened the borders to trucks from Benin and Niger on Monday in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of the state. He said, “The reopening of…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

CAC Wipes Out 400,000 Firms As It Cleans Up Company Register

Business, FGN, News Flash

CAC Wipes Out 400,000 Firms As It Cleans Up Company Register The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has deregistered over 400,000 companies in 2025 over prolonged inactivity and failure to meet statutory requirements, in a move to sanitise the country’s corporate register. Registrar-General of the commission, Mr Hussaini Magaji, who disclosed this during activities marking the CAC’s 35th anniversary in Abuja at the weekend, said the exercise was aimed at strengthening confidence in the country’s corporate regulatory framework. Magaji said the mass deregistration became necessary to weed out inactive and non-compliant entities and protect the integrity of the commission’s database. “In…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Nnamdi Kanu Orders Total Cancellation Of Monday Sit-At-Home In South-East – IPOB

Human Rights, News Flash, Politics, Security

Nnamdi Kanu Orders Total Cancellation Of Monday Sit-at-Home In South-East – IPOB The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced the permanent cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home directive across the South-East, effective Monday, February 9, 2026. The directive comes directly from IPOB leader Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who emphasized that the people should return to schools, workplaces, and markets without fear or intimidation. IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, stated that any attempt to enforce the sit-at-home from this point forward would be considered opposition to Kanu’s orders and the Biafran cause. “All markets, schools, offices, transport services, and economic activities must…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Bandits Kidnap Catholic Priest, 10 Others, Kill 3 In Fresh Kaduna Attack

News Flash, Northern Nigeria, Religion

Bandits Kidnap Catholic Priest, 10 Others, Kill Three In Fresh Kaduna Attack Again, terrorists in Kaduna State have abducted a Catholic priest and 10 other residents while killing three persons during an attack on Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area. The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan confirmed the abduction of Reverend Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, who was reportedly taken alongside the other victims in the early hours of Saturday. In a statement, the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Reverend Father Jacob Shanet, expressed deep sorrow over the incident and called for prayers for the victims. “Dear…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

President Tinubu Present As Bello Matawalle’s 10 Children Wed In Abuja

Humanitarian, Marriage And Love, News Flash

Tinubu Present As Bello Matawalle’s 10 Children Wed In Abuja President Bola Tinubu and Carlos Manuel Vila Nova, President of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, were among the dignitaries who attended the wedding of the children of Bello Matawalle, minister of state for defence. Matawalle celebrated the weddings of his ten children, five daughters and five sons, at the National Mosque, Abuja, on Friday. The minister gave away his daughters—Maryam, Safiyya, Farida, Nana Firdausi, and Aisha—while his sons—Ibrahim, Abdul Jalal, Surajo, Bello, and Fahad—also tied the knot. The Islamic ceremony was officiated by Imam Luqman Zakariyah, who…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Akpabio Admits, Defends Removal Of ‘Real-Time’ From Electoral Bill

National Assembly, News Flash, Politics

Akpabio Admits, Defends Removal Of ‘Real-Time’ From Electoral Bill President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Saturday admitted that the Senate deliberately deleted the provision for “real-time” transmission of election results from the Electoral Bill, 2026. Akpabio said the Senate took the decision because it believed that “technology must save and not endanger democracy.” He spoke in Abuja at the unveiling of a book titled “The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria”, authored by Senator Effiong Bob. The Senate President likened the issues raised in the book to the challenges faced by lawmakers in the course of their duties, including the…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

North-South Alliance: Obi – Kwankwaso Ticket Proposed Ahead Of 2027

News Flash, Politics, Presidency

North–South Alliance: Obi–Kwankwaso Ticket Proposed Ahead Of 2027 Supporters of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have proposed a joint presidential ticket pairing Peter Obi and Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general election. The proposal was announced on Friday in Kano by Abba Sadauki Gwale, who spoke on behalf of several Kwankwaso support groups. He said the idea reflects the desire of their supporters to back a political alliance that can address Nigeria’s growing insecurity and economic hardship. According to Gwale, the Obi–Kwankwaso ticket could run on any political platform, stressing that public…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

Protest Turns Prayer For Governor Alex Otti As Aba Women Encounters Dr. Arinze Etie (BemsSoft GMD)

Abia State, Good Governance, News Flash

The day the protest became a prayer for His Excellency, Alex Otti. The women of Aba were astonished when they encountered Dr. Etie (BemsSoft), the Access Bank Super Agent, during their protest over the revenue payment. The Super Agent, a strong supporter of Alex Otti and a brand ambassador for Access Bank, guided them on a brief journey of civic responsibility, highlighting that revenue is essential for development in the new Abia. The women, who initially arrived feeling disheartened, left filled with joy and offered prayers for His Excellency in appreciation of the good work he is doing. It served…