Nigerian Newspaper Headlines, Naija News for Sunday 1st February 2026

Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines And Naija News For 1st February 2026.

1. Coup Plot: Investigators Recover AA Guns, RPGs, 32 Vehicles From Suspects
A report has emerged revealing details of arms, ammunition, vehicles and cash recovered from military officers and civilians accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government last year.

An inter-agency probe panel led by the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Emmanuel Undiandeye, a lieutenant general, has concluded investigations into the foiled coup attempt, uncovering what officials described as an elaborate scheme involving reconnaissance, funding, logistics and propaganda.

Multiple security sources told Premium Times that investigators recovered two gun trucks, anti-aircraft (AA) guns, PKT machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bombs, AK-47 rifles, large quantities of ammunition and tactical gear from a lieutenant colonel attached to the Nigerian Army’s 130 Battalion.

Investigators also seized four Toyota Hilux trucks, one Toyota Prado SUV, two Toyota saloon cars and 32 Volkswagen Golf vehicles allegedly procured for covert operations.

According to sources, the vehicles were deployed to disguise movements, gather intelligence and enable discreet access to sensitive locations, including airports and other strategic facilities.

“The cars were used to move operatives around without attracting attention and to conduct reconnaissance linked to the plot,” one source said.

The investigation identified a retired major general, Adamu, as one of the key figures connected to the network. He remains at large alongside three other suspects.

Intelligence sources disclosed that one fleeing suspect was tracked to a country in South America, although his precise location has not been disclosed for security reasons.

2. ‘If We Don’t End APC In 2027, The Party May End Nigeria And Nigerians’ – Iroegbu
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dickson Iroegbu, has called on the opposition politicians to unite and stop the administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.

Iroegbu made this call on Friday, during an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’ programme, while reacting to the Kano State politics.

Iroegbu, also a member of the Obidient Movement, accused the APC of not having any plans for Nigerians and has led 50 million citizens into extreme poverty since they came into power.

According to him, if nothing is done to end the APC in 2027, then the ruling party will end Nigeria and its people.

Iroegbu added that the APC will be shocked because 2027 will be the Nigerian people against the elites who have impoverished them.

3. Pass Electoral Act Now – ADC Tells National Assembly, Warns Against Delay
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the APC-dominated National Assembly of deliberately stalling the passage of the 2025 Electoral Act Amendment Bill, warning that the delay could jeopardise the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement on Saturday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said the continued delay by the Senate and the House of Representatives raises concerns that key reforms designed to strengthen electoral integrity are being deliberately frustrated.

The ADC said the failure to promptly pass the bill for presidential assent has created uncertainty around crucial amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, particularly provisions relating to electronic voter accreditation and the electronic transmission of results.

According to the party, these provisions are “minimum requirements” for credible elections and must not be undermined by what it described as unnecessary filibustering by lawmakers.

“The failure to act promptly raises suspicions that the legislature is deliberately delaying key amendments, especially those intended to make future elections more difficult to rig,” the statement said.

The ADC warned that several proposed amendments introduce new eligibility and compliance requirements for political parties, which require adequate time for understanding and implementation.

It noted that rushing the process or creating ambiguity around the new provisions could expose opposition parties to technical disqualification and complicate preparations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party drew attention to the existing provision requiring INEC to publish election notices at least 360 days before a general election, stressing that time is already running out.

The ADC called on the National Assembly to pass the bill without further delay, warning that continued postponement could erode public confidence in the electoral process.

4. Family Members Of Detained Coup Plotters Reach Out To Top Politicians, Beg For Mercy
Family members of the 16 detained military officers who were accused of being involved in the plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu are pleading for leniency.

According to Daily Trust, family members are reaching out to top politicians and government functionaries at the seat of power, begging that justice be meted out with mercy.

No fewer than 16 military officers were said to have been indicted in a report submitted to the president after the coup plot.

According to retired senior military officers, the officers are awaiting court-martial.

The development came after the military high command said that the officers, who have been in detention since October 2025, were found guilty of the offence.

In an interview with the aforementioned publication, a family member of one of the Majors said they had to explore different options, including political solutions to resolve the issue.

“We know the offence is grave considering the military laws and laws of the land, but these people are our loved ones, we can’t afford to lose them now. In fact, they are breadwinners to their respective families.

“We want to use this medium to appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to temper justice with mercy.

“He is our father; he is a father of the nation. We beg him to show mercy to them. We are not saying they shouldn’t be punished, but we don’t want their death now,” he said.

Another family member who also spoke anonymously said they were shocked hearing that their sons were detained over a coup plot.

5. Land Crisis: Ebonyi Gov Sacks Aides, Commissioners, Dethrones Monarchs
Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has sacked all political appointees from Amasiri community in Afikpo Local Government Area and withdrawn the recognition of its traditional rulers over alleged complicity in a deadly land dispute.

The decision followed a violent clash between the Amasiri community and the neighbouring Okporojo village in the Oso community of the Edda Local Government Area, which reportedly left four persons dead and several properties destroyed.

Speaking during a visit to Okporojo community on Saturday, Nwifuru accused the Amasiri community of failing to demonstrate genuine commitment to lasting peace, prompting the government to take drastic measures.

“All government appointees from Amasiri, from local government development centre management committee members to commissioners, have been sacked,” the governor said.

He added that traditional rulers from the community would lose their certificates of recognition, while all town union leaderships in Amasiri villages had been dissolved.

“The government has decided to bare its fangs,” he declared.

The governor cautioned the Amasiri people against interpreting the action as personal hostility, insisting that his administration remained fair and just.

“I am not against anybody. I only say the truth, and we love and adore the Amasiri people,” he said.

“They should have a change of heart. I am sure the community still has people who fear God and do His will.”

Nwifuru assured the people of Okporojo that the government would not abandon them, pledging that perpetrators of the violence would be arrested and prosecuted.

6. ‘Wike Has Done Well For PDP’ – Haruna Mohammed
The factional National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haruna Mohammad, has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has done well in making the party a viable opposition.

Mohammed made this known during an interview on TVC Breakfast, while reacting to the nullification of the November 2025 National convention of the party in a judgment delivered by an Ibadan Federal High Court in Oyo State.

While lauding the judiciary for standing on the side of the law, Mohammad said the judgment is not a surprise.

He said, “The judgement didn’t come to me as a surprise, I want to use this opportunity to commend the judiciary for standing firm on the side of the rule of law.

“There is no way people who stand to violate the party constitution and to go against two final judgments of the Federal High Court would think that they would still go back to the same federal High Court that said don’t do this and they want the court to reverse itself, take the position of an appellate court.

“If you look at most of the judgment delivered and relieves granted, you can’t stay them until they are set aside.

“So unfortunately if you went into foreign shopping, going into a state High Court in Ibadan that does not have jurisdiction, of which you are aware that INEC challenged the jurisdiction of that court and eventually INEC was delisted from that suit, as it is today, it’s merely an academic exercise.

“We must commend the resilience and support of the BoT headed by Mao and all members of INEC, and I must single out the steadfastness of our National Leader, Nyesom Wike. He has done well in making sure that the PDP remains intact, PDP remains a viable opposition in the country.”

7. Nigeria Army Kills Notorious Boko Haram Commander
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) ‘Operation HADIN KAI’ (OPHK) have killed a notorious Boko Haram/ISWAP Commander.

Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task, OPHK, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Maiduguri.

The terrorist was killed during an encounter around Kimba, Damboa LGA of Borno State, on 30 January 2026.

8. I’m Not The One Hindering Your Progress – Funke Akindele Speaks As Kunle Afolayan Faults ‘Dancing’ Marketing Style
Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, has stated that she is not hindering anyone’s progress in the movie industry.

Her statement comes amidst a remark from her colleague, Kunle Afolayan, who questioned the use of dance as a movie marketing strategy.

Afolayan had described marketing in the industry as exhausting, recalling his experience.

“In 2006, I did all the runs, and it was exhausting. I want to make a film if you can guarantee I don’t have to dance to sell that film.

“We need to come up with other strategies. How do we sell without exhausting ourselves?

“I don’t know how the likes of Funke Akindele and others are doing it, creating skits every day, changing costumes all the time. I can’t do it,” he said.

Reacting in a series of Instagram posts, the actress dismissed suggestions that her approach to movie promotion was hindering the progress of others in the industry,

“I’m not the one hindering your progress. Ka rin ka po, yiye nin ye ni,” she wrote.

She further stated that the entertainment industry was large enough for everyone to thrive, urging colleagues to explore alternative approaches rather than criticising existing ones.

“If you can’t beat them or join them, create your own path. No allow jealousy burn you. The sky is so big for everybody to fly,” Akindele added.

The actress also encouraged filmmakers who find the current trend exhausting to adopt other promotional strategies or engage professional marketing firms.

“Go ahead and create alternative promotion or marketing strategies for promoting your business, or hire a company to handle it. You can do it. The opportunities are endless, and everyone has their own path. I’m focused on mine, and I have faith in God’s plan for me,” she said.

9. It Irritates Me When People Say I Supported Buhari, Tinubu – Femi Kuti
Afrobeat superstar, Femi Kuti, has stated that he feels irritated when people associate him with the late former President, Muhammadu Buhari.

He stated this during an appearance on Arise Television while reacting to the posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award conferred on his father, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Femi described the award as a global recognition of a life spent fearlessly confronting dictatorship, corruption and injustice in Nigeria and across Africa.

He stated that everybody is excited about the development, adding that the honour carries deep emotional and historical significance, particularly for those who lived through the era of military rule that shaped Fela’s music and activism.

“Everybody is very happy. We’re excited. I’m in Los Angeles right now, and it’s very hard to really explain, unless you were alive in the 1970s, what my father did, fighting dictatorship in Nigeria at that time. People were very frightened of the military,” Femi said.

He recalled the repeated state violence Fela endured and the toll it took on his family.

“It was raid after raid. The burning of Kalakuta. His mother being thrown out of the window, she later died from the injuries she sustained,” he said.

“It is so hard to explain to people today how frightening it was for his children at that time. We never knew when he would be arrested, or when he would be released. It was arrest after arrest.”

Femi said Fela’s music cannot be separated from Nigeria’s political history, noting how his father’s sound evolved into a tool of resistance.

Responding to questions about how Fela might have reacted to Nigeria’s present-day political reality, Femi rejected attempts to associate himself or his family with political figures his father opposed.

“When people say that somebody like me supported Buhari, that lie irritates me,” he said.

“Or when people say I campaigned for Tinubu, those things hurt me as a person. As Fela’s son, it is impossible for us to be part of any government that is not for the people, especially governments he opposed, people who beat him, arrested him or jailed him.”

10. Premier League: Arsenal Humble Leeds To Maintain First Spot, Bournemouth, Brighton Shine
Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League summit with a commanding 4-0 away win over Leeds United, while AFC Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion also enjoyed standout moments in a busy round of fixtures.

Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League summit with a commanding 4-0 away win over Leeds United earlier today, January 31.

Arsenal delivered a clinical performance to sweep aside Leeds United and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

The Gunners were forced into a late change before kick-off, with an injured Bukayo Saka replaced by Noni Madueke. Leeds threatened early when Ethan Ampadu fired just over the bar, but Arsenal soon took control.

Martín Zubimendi opened the scoring in the 27th minute, heading home from Madueke’s delivery. Arsenal doubled their advantage before the break in fortuitous fashion when Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow turned the ball into his own net.

Arsenal continued to dominate after the interval. Viktor Gyökeres added a third in the 69th minute after being released by Gabriel Martinelli, before Gabriel Jesus sealed the emphatic victory late on with an 86th-minute finish.

Thanks to the 4-0 win over Leeds, Arsenal remain top of the Premier League table with 53 points from 24 matches, ahead of Manchester City and Aston Villa, who are yet to play their Matchday 24 fixture.

AFC Bournemouth claimed an impressive 2-0 victory at Molineux in the Premier League matchday 24 clash earlier today.

Eli Junior Kroupi broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute with a well-taken strike, assisted by Amine Adli. Wolves struggled to find a breakthrough despite several substitutions and periods of pressure.

Late drama followed as Alex Scott struck in stoppage time to secure all three points for Bournemouth, extending their positive run and boosting their mid-table ambitions.