- Abuja is at a standstill as FCT workers’ strike enters week two
- National Assembly moves to clamp down on vote buying ahead of 2027 Polls
- Atiku’s son backs Tinubu and predicts his 2027 electoral win
- Fibre cuts and theft hit the MTN network as millions of users feel the strain
- Over 3,000 Boko Haram refugees cleared to return home
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
Abuja is at a standstill as FCT workers’ strike enters week two
Normal activities across the Federal Capital Territory have remained shut as the JUAC strike moved into its second week. The action follows unpaid five-month wage awards and several unresolved demands made by FCT workers.
Offices under the FCTA and FCDA, including AGIS, the Water Board and AEPB, stayed closed. The shutdown deepened as the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the local government workers’ union joined in solidarity.
Schools across the six area councils were affected, with lessons suspended. Some teachers were seen outside classrooms, saying they were instructed to withdraw services in support of the ongoing strike.
National Assembly moves to clamp down on vote buying ahead of 2027 Polls
The Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has revealed that lawmakers are pushing for stricter penalties for vote-buying and other election-related offences ahead of the 2027 general election. The proposals are contained in the Electoral Bill 2025, now before the national assembly.
Under the bill, anyone guilty of vote buying could face a ₦5 million fine, up to two years in prison, and a 10-year ban from contesting elections. He said tougher sanctions also apply to result manipulation and interference with election officials.
The bill further introduces electronic voter identification, including downloadable voter cards with QR codes, and mandates electronic transmission of polling unit results to boost transparency.
Atiku’s son backs Tinubu and predicts his 2027 electoral win
Fresh support has emerged for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election, as Abba Atiku, son of former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, declared that no party can stop Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Speaking in Yola after picking up his APC membership card, Abba praised the president’s leadership, saying Tinubu governs without tribal or religious bias and bases appointments on merit.
He said visible progress in infrastructure and human capital inspired his decision to join the ruling party. Abba urged Nigerians to rally behind Tinubu, stressing that continued support would allow the president to sustain his development agenda nationwide.
Fibre cuts and theft hit the MTN network as millions of users feel the strain
MTN has revealed that its network recorded 9,218 fibre cuts in 2025, exposing ongoing weaknesses in Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure. By November, theft and vandalism had also affected 211 sites, disrupting services for users nationwide.
In a LinkedIn post, MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola said the disruptions impacted the daily activities of millions of subscribers. He noted that the company had over 85 million users by September and acknowledged the growing responsibility that comes with such scale.
MTN also logged over 1.6 million customer complaints in 2025. Industry data shows operators recorded 118 outages in December alone, with MTN responsible for the highest number, largely due to fibre damage and power issues.
Over 3,000 Boko Haram refugees cleared to return home
More than 3,100 Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram attacks have been cleared to return from Cameroon to their communities in Gwoza and Bama areas of Borno state. The clearance followed joint screening by Nigerian and Cameroonian authorities, with support from UNHCR, at the Minawao refugee camp.
UNHCR officials said the repatriation would be voluntary, safe and dignified. Those approved include over 300 people from Gwoza and more than 2,800 from Bama, all ready to begin the journey home.
Borno state officials assured returnees of security, housing support and cash assistance. The federal government and security agencies also pledged protection throughout the repatriation process.
