- Odusote makes history at Law School as the first female DG
- 2027 electoral race: Atiku rules out step-aside talk in ADC
- Electricity bills bite hard as subsidy hits ₦1.98tn in one year
- NSCDC seeks 30,000 recruits as VIP duties stretch the workforce
- Sudan crisis deepens as violence forces mass displacement
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
Odusote makes history at Law School as the first female DG
A new era of leadership is set to begin at the Nigerian Law School following the appointment of Olugbemisola Odusote as its next director general. The appointment, approved by President Bola Tinubu, takes effect from January 10, 2026, and will last four years.
Odusote will replace Isa Chiroma, whose tenure ends on January 9 after eight years in office. Currently, the deputy director general and head of the Lagos campus, she becomes the first woman to lead the institution since it was founded in 1962.
In her new role, Odusote will oversee academic and administrative affairs across all campuses and serve as a key point of contact with major legal bodies.
2027 electoral race: Atiku rules out step-aside talk in ADC
Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has dismissed claims that any aspirant will withdraw from the African Democratic Congress presidential race ahead of 2027. He accused the ruling APC of trying to weaken the opposition through pressure and intimidation.
Responding to reports that he was being urged to step aside for a southern candidate, Atiku said all qualified contenders would freely take part in the party’s selection process. He described such calls as attempts to destabilise the ADC from outside.
Atiku stressed that the party is focused on national renewal and will choose its flagbearer through an open and transparent process.
Electricity bills bite hard as subsidy hits ₦1.98tn in one year
New figures have shown that Nigeria spent almost ₦2tn on electricity subsidies within 12 months, despite mounting debts owed to power generation companies. Data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission covers the period from October 2024 to September 2025.
During this period, subsidy costs stood at ₦471.69bn in late 2024, rose to ₦536.4bn in the first quarter of 2025, and then fell to ₦514.35bn in the second quarter. A further ₦458.75bn was recorded in the third quarter.
NERC said the burden persists because tariffs remain below real costs, forcing government support to fill the gap.
NSCDC seeks 30,000 recruits as VIP duties stretch the workforce
Nigeria’s Civil Defence Corps has asked the President for approval to recruit about 30,000 new officers, citing rising pressure from expanded duties, especially the protection of top officials. The request followed a high-level meeting involving President Bola Tinubu, the interior minister, and the corps leadership.
The proposed intake is separate from the ongoing recruitment across paramilitary agencies. It comes amid growing demand for VIP escorts following the withdrawal of police officers from such assignments nationwide.
Officials say the surge has exposed manpower gaps within the corps. Sources added that the President assured the agency its request would receive favourable consideration.
Sudan crisis deepens as violence forces mass displacement
Aid agencies say worsening fighting in Sudan, especially across the Kordofan region, is placing civilians in grave danger and triggering new waves of displacement. The UN says recent clashes and drone attacks have added to civilian deaths, particularly in North Darfur, already at the centre of the country’s hunger crisis.
According to UN figures, violence forced nearly 1,000 people to flee South Kordofan between late December and early January, while about 2,000 were displaced in North Kordofan in a single day. Around 65,000 people were uprooted in the region over two months.
The war has displaced more than 12 million people nationwide. The UN is urging an immediate halt to fighting while supporting recovery efforts in Khartoum.
