The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has released his prophecies for 2026, projecting economic relief for Nigeria and a possible reversal of the mass migration trend popularly known as “japa.”

Pastor Adeboye delivered the prophecies during the church’s annual crossover service held at Redemption City on New Year’s Eve, offering messages of hope for Nigeria and cautious optimism for the global community.

Speaking on the national outlook, the cleric disclosed the first part of a two-part prophecy, noting that he would pray further on the second part before deciding whether to release it later in the week.

According to him, 2026 would witness a noticeable reduction in hunger across the country, alongside renewed growth in small and medium-scale enterprises.

“This year, there will be a reduction in hunger. Small and medium enterprises will begin to blossom,” Adeboye declared

In a prophecy that has since gained wide attention online, the RCCG leader also predicted a “reverse japa” trend, describing a situation where Nigerians who had migrated abroad would begin to return home.

“He says something that I can only describe as reverse japa. Many who japa will come back home,” he said.

On the global stage, Pastor Adeboye said 2026 would be relatively calmer than the previous year, particularly in terms of global conflict.

“On the international scene, he says the chance of a major war is less this year than last year,” he noted.

However, he cautioned that weather patterns would largely mirror those of 2025, with the possibility of a few major hurricanes occurring during the year.

Overall, the cleric described 2026 as a year of breakthroughs, predicting unprecedented success for individuals who remain steadfast in faith.

Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has called on members of the public to report and register the names of relatives or loved ones who may be missing following the fire at the Great Nigeria Insurance, GNI, House on Martins Street, Lagos Island.

Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, made the appeal on Thursday, stressing that the step is crucial to address concerns about people reportedly trapped under the collapsed section of the building.

He said, “The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency wishes to reassure the public that search and rescue operations are ongoing.

“Our trained responders, supported by specialized equipment, are working tirelessly to ensure that all affected areas are fully assessed and that no one is left unaccounted for.”

Oke-Osanyintolu urged anyone unable to reach relatives, colleagues, or loved ones believed to have been in or around the building during the fire to visit the LASEMA Complaints Unit at the scene to register their concerns.

Information collected will be verified and used to compile a consolidated list of missing persons to aid rescue and identification efforts.

He added that LASEMA is collaborating closely with other emergency response, health, and security agencies to ensure an orderly and thorough operation, while continuing to provide timely updates to the public.

The Permanent Secretary also urged the public to cooperate fully with emergency responders as they carry out the search and rescue operations.

National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, has said that former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi will soon announce the party he would contest through in the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during an interview on ‘Prime Time’, a programme on Arise Television monitored by DAILY POST, Tanko said Obi would take that decision by himself.

“A lot of people are waiting for Peter Obi to make a decision on which party he will be contesting through.

“That means he is wanted in Nigeria and even around the world. That is a valuable asset. So, we will let Obi let the cat out of the bag by himself.

“He has made it clear that he is working very closely with a coalition. Obi is a team player, and everyone will be happy with his decision.

“And like when he was on the media space, he made it clear that he has been part of a coalition, and that coalition has produced a political party. So he’s working very close with that coalition. He has been part of it. He has contributed to it.

“So, whenever he wants to make his own pronouncement, it is going to be something that everybody will be glad and be happy about, because he is a team player who believes that Nigeria must be free because we are suffering so much at the expense of people who do not have good intention toward this country.

“So His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi will make his pronouncement very soon,” he said.

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says he will not defect from the Labour Party despite plans by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to leave the platform.

Otti made this declaration on Tuesday during his monthly media briefing in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, saying he had decided to remain in the Labour Party to help rebuild and reposition it.

He revealed that Obi had personally informed him of his intention to exit the party and that he had no objection to the decision, but emphasised that his own political path would be different.

“If you remember, I joined the Labour Party before Peter Obi, so I did not join the party with him. He has communicated to me that he is leaving the Labour Party. I gave him my blessings. But I will remain in the Labour Party, and I told him that I would continue the struggle to rescue the Labour Party,” Otti disclosed.

The governor also described the Labour Party as the platform that brought him to office, noting that his loyalty remained with the party for now.

“That is the party that brought me to power. If we fight and get to the end, and we are able to reposition the Labour Party, then we can discuss other options. Therefore, for now, I am not defecting to any party,” he added.

He equally reacted to recent calls by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, urging him to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Otti said he was not interested in being drawn into political distractions.

Otti acknowledged Kalu’s recent distribution of financial support to vulnerable people in the state, saying it aligned with his own appeal for assistance to the less privileged during the Christmas period.

The Obaseki family of Benin, Edo State, on Tuesday declared support for the decision of their son, Dr Pedro Obaseki, to seek legal redress over the “humiliation” he suffered on Sunday.

A mob had stripped the former Managing Director of DAAR Communications on Sunday morning at the Uwa Primary School football field in Benin over alleged disrespect to the Oba of Benin.

In a video that made the rounds on social media, he was stripped naked, intimidated and forcefully taken to the palace, where the chiefs took him in before further actions were taken.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the Okaegbe of the Obaseki family Worldwide, Pa. Daniel Obaseki, condemned the manner in which Pedro was beaten.

He said, “No father, mother, brother, sister, or person of good conscience can witness such sordid humiliation of a son of Benin—a respected professional, cultural ambassador, and member of a front-line, noble family—without being profoundly shaken.”

He, on behalf of the family, condemned the incident as “barbaric, shameful and a gross violation of fundamental human rights.”

Daniel said the family deliberately delayed their reaction to properly digest the bizarre incident and await the response of constituted authorities.

“Dr Pedro Obaseki has conducted himself honourably at all times, and that there was absolutely no justification for the violence allegedly visited upon him,” he said.

He called for a thorough, lawful and impartial investigation into the incident, urging that anyone found culpable be held accountable.

He added, “The Obaseki Council has been deeply disturbed by the deplorable incident of mob violence and public humiliation meted out in broad daylight to our son, Dr Pedro Obaseki, on Sunday, 28th December 2025, by suspected individuals who are neither palace functionaries nor agents of the state.

“The Obaseki Council wishes to state categorically that it is not political or partisan. Our family has always been robust enough to accommodate diverse political views and personal convictions, provided they are exercised with civility, respect for others, and strict adherence to the law. We shall support our son to seek redress in the court.

“Dr Obaseki has conducted himself honourably, and we find no justification whatsoever for the violence visited upon him.”

While reaffirming its respect for the palace of the Oba of Benin as a unifying institution and moral compass for all Benin people, the family warned that nothing should be done by non-palace functionaries to undermine the dignity and exalted position of the revered traditional institution.

He said, “Obaseki Council is deeply mindful of the exalted position of the Palace of the Oba of Benin as a unifying force and role model for all Benin People. Nothing should be done by non-Palace functionaries to diminish these.

“In the interest of public order, justice, and societal balance, the Obaseki Council supports the use of lawful and impartial processes to ascertain the facts surrounding this incident and to hold accountable any persons found to have committed criminal acts.

“Accountability pursued calmly and lawfully is essential to prevent a dangerous descent into anarchy and to reassure law-abiding citizens that no one is above the law.”

They called on all members of the family to exercise restraint:

“We urge calm, restraint, and reflection. This moment calls for wisdom, not incitement; for justice, not vengeance; but strong resolve to restore sanity and the reaffirmation of the finest values of the Benin people,” Daniel said.

The Borno State Police Command has described as misinformation reports claiming that the Nigerian Army arrested a suspected suicide bomber in the state, insisting that the operation was carried out by the police and that no active improvised explosive device was recovered.

Recall that on Tuesday night, PUNCH Online reported that troops of Operation Hadin Kai arrested a suspected suicide bomber, identified as Abubakar Mustapha, in Borno State.

The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

According to him, the suspect was arrested on Monday by troops of the 152 Task Force Battalion, in collaboration with other security agencies, in Bama Local Government Area of the state.

The statement read in part: “The Joint Task Force North East (JTF NE), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), has recorded a significant operational success with the arrest of a suspected suicide bomber and the interception of materials intended for the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Borno State.”

Uba said the arrest followed sustained joint operations and credible intelligence aimed at securing Banki town in Bama Local Government Area.

“At about 5:40 pm on Monday, December 29, 2025, personnel deployed at the Banki Central Mosque apprehended a suspected suicide bomber identified as Abubakar Mustapha,” he said.

He added that the suspect was allegedly found in possession of materials believed to be components of a primed IED, indicating an imminent intent to carry out an attack.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect hails from Bama Local Government Area and was further discovered to be in possession of additional incriminating materials linked to terrorist activities.

“He is currently undergoing detailed interrogation to establish his sponsors, collaborators and possible links with terrorist networks operating within the area,” Uba stated.

He further assured all that troops of JTF NE OPHK continue to dominate their areas of responsibility through aggressive patrols, intelligence-led operations and sustained presence to deny JAS/ISWAP terrorists freedom of action and prevent attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure.

However, reacting to the development on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, told PUNCH Online in a telephone interview that the suspect was arrested by the police and is currently in police custody.

“The same suspect shown in the pictures released by the Army is with us. I personally interviewed him last night. The items recovered from him are not IEDs. It was a police operation,” Daso declared.

The PPRO also issued a statement in the early hours of Wednesday, warning members of the public against the spread of misinformation.

“The Borno State Police Command has observed with concern the circulation of social media videos alleging the recovery of improvised explosive device (IED) components in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State,” the statement read.

“To set the record straight, on December 29, 2025, at about 6:10 pm, operatives of the command, while on surveillance around a mosque in Banki LGA, accosted one Abubakar in possession of a bag containing electrical wires, old mobile phone batteries, assorted gadget scrap materials and pairs of shoes,” he added.

According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that the items recovered showed “no active IED fabrication or priming.”

“The case has been transferred to the State Command Headquarters for comprehensive investigation. The suspect is currently in custody, while investigations are ongoing to ascertain the circumstances and intent surrounding possession of the items,” Daso added.

He cautioned members of the public against spreading unverified information capable of causing fear or panic and urged reliance on credible and official sources for accurate information.

Executive members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP,  in Gargari Ward, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, have removed and expelled the state party chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, from the party, barely two weeks after his re-election.

A resolution signed by 27 ward executives said the decision was taken during the ward’s second executive meeting, led by the Ward Chairman, Shuaibu Hassan, with the secretary, Yahaya Saidu Dungurawa, in attendance.

According to the resolution, Dungurawa was removed over allegations of causing division within the party, fueling internal crises, failing to pay party dues, and making abusive comments against the Kano State Governor.

The executives said his alleged actions were unacceptable and harmful to the image, unity, and progress of the NNPP.

They stated that the decision followed the party’s constitution and was aimed at maintaining discipline, unity, and internal harmony within the party.

The ward leadership said copies of the resolution had been sent to the party’s local government, state, and national offices for further action.

“The decision had been communicated to the party’s national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and the Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf”.

The ward executives said the move was meant to warn party members who abuse their positions and act as if they are above party rules.

They reaffirmed their loyalty to the NNPP national leadership under Kwankwaso and pledged continued support for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, while stressing their commitment to peace, unity, and the growth of the party.