Nigerian Newspaper Headlines, Naija News for Thursday 19th February 2026

Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines And Naija News For Thursday 19th February 2026.

1. President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) into law, days after the Independent National Electoral Commission released the timetable for the 2027 general elections. The signing ceremony took place at the State House, Abuja, at about 5:00pm on Wednesday, with principal officers of the National Assembly in attendance.

2. Malam Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State, has been moved into custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The former governor, who spent 48 hours at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was later arrested after being granted bail by the anti-graft agency.

3. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed an Executive Order directing the direct remittance of oil and gas revenues to the Federation Account, in a major fiscal reform aimed at curbing leakages, eliminating duplicative deductions and boosting revenues available to the three tiers of government.

4. The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has transferred the detained Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir Zaria to the Department of State Services (DSS) after being accused of coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s government. A Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Peter Lifu had on Friday ordered the DIA to produce the cleric on February 18 to determine his bail application.

5. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned against electoral malpractice, giving an “express mandate” to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to apprehend vote buyers during Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.

6. The Naira on Wednesday appreciated to N1,380 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,385 per dollar on Tuesday. However, the naira depreciated to N1,340 per dollar in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, NFEM.

7. Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, on Wednesday, denied the allegation that governors, who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, were induced monetarily to decamp their former party. The governor also dismissed speculations of a strained relationship with the elder statesman and former Defence Minister, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd).

8. The Federal Government has ordered the immediate closure of a mining site in Plateau State after about 37 villagers reportedly died from inhaling toxic gases during artisanal mining activities. It was gathered from a post by security analyst Zagazola Makama on X on Wednesday that 25 other persons were hospitalised after exposure to suspected carbon monoxide at the mining site in Zurak, located in Wase Local Government Area.

9. The Independent National Electoral Commission has said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems would be deployed in all polling units for the Federal Capital Territory area councils election, while results would be uploaded to the Result Viewing portal to enhance transparency. This was disclosed by the Chairman of the electoral commission, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, at a high-level stakeholders’ forum on Wednesday.

10. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Bayelsa State said it arrested 600 suspected drug offenders and seized 621.55 kilogrammes of illicit substances between January and December 2025. The State Commander, Kanu Chukwuemeka, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Yenagoa.