Nigerian Newspaper Headlines, Naija News for Friday 16th January 2026

Nigerian Newspaper Headlines, Naija News for Friday 16th, January 2026, Can Be Accessed Below.

1. Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has described the decision of his son, Abba Abubakar to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as “entirely personal”. Abba had joined APC and pledged to work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

2. In the absence of President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima presided over the Armed Forces Remembrance Day activities, on Thursday. The president, who has been out of the country since last year, is currently attending a summit at the United Arab Emirate.

3. A father and his son have reportedly been killed at Imande Avur, Abande community in Mbaikyor District of Turan land in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State. Locals said the incident occurred on Wednesday while the victims, Elder Abur Alam and his son, Ikyaa Bashi, were working on their farms in a bid to earn a living.

4. Nigeria’s headline inflation rate dropped to 15.15 percent in December 2025, down 2.18 percentage points from 17.33 percent in November, the National Bureau of Statistics has reported. The decline was revealed in the NBS Consumer Price Index report for December 2025, which also showed that inflation remains significantly lower than the 34.8 percent recorded in December 2024.

5. The Army said on Thursday that its troops of Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace (JTF OPEP) on Operation Peace Shield have achieved positive operational results against criminal elements, with neutralisation of seven criminal elements in gun duels in Kaduna. It said these successes include neutralising criminals, rescuing kidnapped victims and recovering arms and ammunition.

6. Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday inaugurated the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs after 15 years, with the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, emerging as its first chairman. The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, was conspicuously absent from the inauguration, which was held at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan.

7. Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, failed to resume plenary on Thursday, exactly one week after adjourning its last sitting. The development came amid rumours that some lawmakers were plotting to impeach Amaewhule during the scheduled sitting.

8. Two Nigerians, Chukwudi Okafor, 31, and Samuel Eze, 34, who are living in India, have been arrested for allegedly beating their friend, Emeka Christian, to death following a dispute over a woman in Pune, India. It was learnt from India on Thursday that the incident occurred in the Pisoli-Phursungi area of Pune in the early hours of Monday.

9. Yobe State Police Command says it has commenced an investigation into the cause of a road crash that claimed six lives along the Potiskum–Damaturu highway on Thursday. It was learnt on Thursday from eyewitnesses that the accident occurred when a truck and a trailer collided, allegedly due to wrong-way driving.

10. Veteran journalist, Dele Momodu, has become the latest addition to the African Democratic Congress train by officially declaring his membership in the party months after dumping the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. The former presidential aspirant declared his ADC membership in Benin City on Thursday.