US President Donald Trump granted pardons on Monday to more than 1,500 of his supporters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a bid to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Trump, just hours after taking office, also ordered that all pending criminal cases against Capitol riot defendants be dropped.

Among those receiving a pardon was Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right Proud Boys, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for directing a military-style assault on the Capitol.

Stewart Rhodes, the leader of another far-right group, the Oath Keepers, had his 18-year prison sentence commuted to time served. Both Tarrio and Rhodes had been convicted of seditious conspiracy.

Describing the rioters as “hostages,” Trump said at a White House signing ceremony that he had granted “full pardons” to more than 1,500 defendants.

“We hope they come out tonight, frankly,” he said.

A total of 1,583 people were charged in connection with the assault on Congress by Trump supporters seeking to disrupt certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.

Trump repeatedly pledged during his election campaign to pardon those who took part in the attack, calling them “patriots” and “political prisoners.”

Trump, whose first term as president ended under the cloud of the Capitol assault, has repeatedly played down the violence of January 6, even going so far as to describe it as a “day of love.”

More than 140 police officers were injured in hours of clashes with rioters wielding flagpoles, baseball bats, hockey sticks and other makeshift weapons, along with Tasers and canisters of bear spray.

– ‘Outrageous insult’ –

The Capitol assault followed a fiery speech by then-president Trump to tens of thousands of his supporters near the White House in which he repeated his false claims that he won the 2020 race.

He then encouraged the crowd to march on Congress.

Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the pardons, calling them “an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol.”

“It is shameful that the president has decided to make one of his top priorities the abandonment and betrayal of police officers who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peaceful transfer of power,” Pelosi said.

Trump was charged by special counsel Jack Smith with conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

But the case never made it to trial, and ahead of the inauguration was dropped under the Justice Department’s policy of not prosecuting a sitting president.

Trump’s move on Monday granted a “full, complete and unconditional pardon” to everyone convicted of involvement in the riot and ordered the immediate release of those still in prison.

He commuted to time and served the sentences of nine members of the Oath Keepers, including the founder Rhodes. Five members of the Proud Boys also had their sentences commuted.

President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization, a body he has repeatedly criticised over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the White House hours after his inauguration, Trump said the United States was paying far more to the UN body compared to China, adding: “World Health ripped us off.”

The United States, the largest donor to the Geneva-based organization, provides substantial financial support that is vital to the WHO’s operations.

Its withdrawal is expected to trigger a significant restructuring of the institution and could further disrupt global health initiatives.

This marks the second time Trump has sought to sever ties with the WHO.

During his first term, the United States issued a notice of intent to withdraw, accusing the organization of being overly influenced by China during the pandemic’s early stages.

That move was later reversed under former president Joe Biden’s administration.

In his new executive order, Trump directed agencies to “pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO” and to “identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO.”

The administration also announced plans to review and rescind Biden’s 2024 US Global Health Security Strategy, which was designed to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats, “as soon as practicable.”

The timing of the US withdrawal comes amid mounting fears over the pandemic potential of the current bird flu outbreak (H5N1), which has infected dozens and claimed one life in the United States.

Meanwhile, WHO member states have been negotiating the world’s first treaty on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response since late 2021 — negotiations now set to proceed without US participation.

On Monday, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers said it would file a lawsuit against the federal government’s decision to allow telecom operators to increase tariffs by 50 per cent.

NATCOMS president Deolu Ogunbanjo, in an interview in Lagos, said the Nigerian Communications Commission did not carry subscribers along.

Mr Ogunbanjo said that NATCOMS understood the dilemma faced by the telecommunications industry and had suggested a five per cent to ten per cent marginal increase in tariff. He said that the approval by the federal government for telecom operators to hike tariffs but capped at 50 per cent maximal increment was unacceptable.

According to Mr Ogunbanjo, earlier, economic experts had x-rayed the telecoms sector and said that it was in intensive care, meaning that it needed to be attended to.

“The industry operators can opt for an initial public offer for Nigerians to buy shares in their companies as a way of raising funds. However, a situation where a whole 50 per cent is granted for a tariff hike is not cheap. It is a no from us subscribers.

“I mean, for what we are already going through, no for us, we will challenge this in court,’’ Mr Ogunbanjo stated.

On Monday, the NCC, the industry’s regulatory body, released a statement saying it had acceded to the requests of operators to hike tariffs. This was announced in a statement.

The NCC said it had approved the 50 per cent tariff adjustments in response to prevailing operational costs. It said this was less than the 100 per cent demanded by some telecom operators.

It said its decision was pursuant to its power under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, to regulate and approve tariff rates and charges by telecommunications operators.

The NCC added that, while recognising the concerns of the public, the decision was made after extensive consultations with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors.

“The NCC has prioritised striking a balance between protecting telecoms consumers and ensuring the sustainability of the industry, including the thousands of indigenous vendors and suppliers who form a critical part of the telecommunications ecosystem.

“The NCC recognises the financial pressures faced by Nigerian households and businesses and remains deeply empathetic to the impact of tariff adjustments. To this end, the commission has mandated that operators implement these adjustments transparently and in a manner that is fair to consumers,” the NCC explained.

It added that these adjustments would support the ability of operators to continue investing in infrastructure and innovation, ultimately benefiting consumers through improved services and connectivity.

The NCC also mentioned that consumers would benefit from better network quality, enhanced customer service, and greater coverage within the country.

U.S. President Donald Trump says tariffs of 25 per cent on products from Canada and Mexico could be introduced as early as February, hours after taking office as US president on Monday.

Speaking at the White House while signing various orders shortly after his inauguration, Mr Trump said, “We’re thinking in terms of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada because they’re allowing vast number of people … to come in.”

“I think we’ll do it February 1,” Mr Trump added, referring to the potential start date for the tariffs.

Earlier on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Mr Trump did not intend to impose tariffs on trading partners like Canada, Mexico, and China.

Instead, he planned to instruct the authorities to assess trade relations with China and its neighbours on the North American continent, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a summary of a planned memorandum and Trump’s advisers.

Shortly after winning the election in November, Mr Trump threatened to impose tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China.

There are also fears in the EU that Mr Trump could impose new tariffs.

Tariffs are a type of surcharge on imported goods. They are paid as goods enter the country.

Mr Trump imposed a range of tariffs on imported goods during his first term in office from 2017 to 2021.

Pastor Williams Kumuyi has led prayers at President Donald Trump’s Inaugural Prayer and Praise meeting in Washington D.C.

Kumuyi is currently in the US on invitation to attend today’s inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States.

The cleric had in a late night post on Sunday, shared images of himself in a meeting with Congressman Robert Pittinger and Pastor Lucas Miles of Turning Point USA.

In a video being circulated online, Kumuyi was seen being invited to pray for the church in America.

https://twitter.com/TheNationNews/status/1881344938731872671?t=8242bvryBONFy13Y5HKWTw&s=19

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has welcomed the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, and other principal officers of the House during a courtesy visit to his office in Alausa, Ikeja, earlier today.

The visit, which took place ahead of the weekly State Executive Council meeting, was highlighted in a post by the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, alongside his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, received the Speaker and her delegation before leading them to the Council Chamber, where both parties reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a harmonious working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government in Lagos State.

The Principal Officers that accompanied Madam Speaker:

Deputy Speaker: Hon Mojeed Fatai (Ibeju-Lekki State Constituency 1)

Majority Leader: Hon. Temitope Adedeji (Ifako Ijaiye 1),

Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Richard Kasunmu (Ikeja 2)

Chief Whip, Hon. Sanni Babatunde (Kosofe 1)

Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. David Setonji (Badagry 2)

A British teenager on Monday pleaded guilty to charges of murdering
three young girls in a knife attack in northern England in July, a crime that caused days of nationwide rioting.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, changed his pleas from not guilty to guilty on what was due to be the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

He pleaded guilty to the murder of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, who were at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in the town of Southport in July.

Mr Rudakubana also pleaded guilty to 10 charges of attempted murder relating to the attack, as well as producing the deadly poison ricin and the possession of an al Qaeda training manual.

Judge Julian Goose said he would sentence Mr Rudakubana on Thursday.

Eleven people were injured when a transport vessel collided with a ferry on the Elbe river in the northern German port city of Hamburg, the fire brigade said on Monday.

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One person sustained life-threatening injuries, a spokesman said near the scene of the accident.

The spokesperson said vessels collided near the Köhlbrand bridge in southwestern Hamburg at around 6:43 a.m. (0543 GMT), adding that 25 people were affected by the accident.

The transport ship, a barge, had come loose, but the spokesman said it was initially unclear why.

Barges were flat-bottomed boats with no drive to transport goods on canals and rivers.

Hamburg was a seaport on the Elbe river, some 100 kilometres from its mouth on the North Sea.

It’s Germany’s biggest seaport and one of the busiest in Europe.

President Joe Biden pardoned officials accused of committing treasonable felonies against President-elect Donald Trump.

The outgoing president also pardoned Anthony Fauci for his controversial handling of events leading to the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2019. Mr Fauci was found to have committed perjury when he lied to a parliamentary committee investigating the historic pandemic that he did fund dangerous virus research in China, among other allegations.

Several others, especially retired General Mark Milley, were also pardoned after being accused of committing treason. Mr Milley had placed a phone call to American adversaries in China during Mr Trump’s first term in office, assuring them he would disregard orders from the president. Mr Milley denied wrongdoing.

Members and staff of the House committee that investigated the January 6., 2021, Capitol riot and police officers who testified before the committee were also pardoned by Mr Biden.

“I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics,” Mr Biden said in a statement. “But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.”

Mr Trump had said he would look into criminal cases relating to the individuals, accusing them of weaponising the justice system to prosecute him.

The Military High Command has confirmed the killing of the son of Bello Turji, a notorious terrorist leader, in a recent clearance operation on his stronghold on Fakai high ground in Zamfara.

This was disclosed in a statement by the director of defence media operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Buba said the terrorist leader’s son was killed alongside scores of other terrorists during a coordinated operation between troops of Operation Fansan Yamma and the air component.

Mr Buba added that the operation was conducted on January 17 along the Shinkafi, Kagara, Fakai, Moriki, Maiwa, and Chindo axis.

According to him, the intensity of troops’ firepower resulted in high terrorist casualties and their logistics hub destroyed.

“The operations also resulted in the rescue of several kidnapped hostages held captive by Bello Turji.

“The terrorist leader, Bello Turji, in a gross cowardly act, escaped abandoning his son and combatants,” he said.

Mr Buba said the troops also destroyed another terrorist kingpin camp known as Idi Mallam along Zango Kagara Forest, killing three terrorists and apprehending three suspected collaborators.

He noted that troops recovered two machine guns, one AK47 Rifle with a magazine containing 11 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.

“Other things the troops recovered were 61 rustled cattle and 44 sheep, among other sundry items. Troops are sustaining the onslaught against the terrorists.

“Overall, the troops continued to demonstrate commitment to the safety and protection of all citizens across the country,” he said.

On the eve of her husband, Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, Melania Trump announced the launch of her own cryptocurrency, $MELANIA.

The initiative follows the earlier introduction of the $TRUMP cryptocurrency, both of which have gained traction.

Taking to X late Sunday, Melania shared, “The Official Melania Meme is live! You can buy $MELANIA now.”

According to its official website, the $MELANIA coin is a crypto asset built on the Solana blockchain, a popular network known for its scalability and speed. The website emphasises that the coin is “not intended to be, or the subject of, an investment opportunity or a security.”

Similar disclaimers are also present on the $TRUMP cryptocurrency’s site.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration and said that the so-called special relationship “will continue to flourish for years to come.”

The US president-elect will be sworn into his second term in the White House on Monday, eight years after he first took the oath of office.

Starmer paid tribute to the “depth of friendship” between the 47th president and the UK, and pledged to continue to “work together to ensure the success of both our countries and deliver for people on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Trump spent the eve of the inauguration at a rally, where he declared his supporters had “built a new American majority that will lead our country to success for generations to come.”

UK politicians, including Nigel Farage, are in the American capital ahead of the ceremonies, but questions remain over what impact the second Trump presidency will have on economies across the world if he follows through on threats to implement tariffs.

In a statement on Sunday evening, Starmer sent his congratulations to Trump.

“For centuries, the relationship between our two nations has been one of collaboration, cooperation, and enduring partnership.

“It is a uniquely close bond,” the prime minister said.

“Together, we have defended the world from tyranny and worked towards our mutual security and prosperity.”

Starmer and the president-elect met in New York in September at Trump Tower, ahead of the U.S. election, and at the time the UK leader said he is a “great believer in personal relations on the international stage.”

Starmer added on Sunday: “Since our first meeting in September, the President and I have spoken about the need to deepen and invest in the transatlantic relationship.

“We will continue to build upon the unshakeable foundations of our historic alliance as we tackle together the global challenges we face and take our partnership to the next level focused on shared opportunities ahead for growth.

“I look forward to our next meeting as we continue our shared mission to ensure the peace, prosperity, and security of our two great nations.

“The special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United Statesman will continue to flourish for years to come.”

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has announced the 2025 Hajj fare, with intending pilgrims from Southern states expected to pay N8.7 million, while those from Borno and Adamawa zones will pay N8.3 million.

The commission’s chairman, Prof. Abdullahi Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Fatima Usara.

Usman noted that intending pilgrims from the Northern zone will pay N8.4 million for the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

He described the fare as the result of extensive deliberations with key stakeholders, including the presidency and state pilgrims’ boards.

The statement read, “The 2025 Hajj fare for Borno and Adamawa zone’s intending pilgrims is N8.33 million. Similarly, the cost for intending pilgrims from the Southern states is N8.78 million, while pilgrims from the Northern zone will pay N8.46 million.

“This modest effort was achieved after extensive consultations to ensure inclusivity in the decision-making process”

Prospective pilgrims were advised to adhere to Saudi guidelines, register early, and make timely payments to avoid inconveniences.

For more details and a breakdown of the fare, NAHCON directed pilgrims to visit its official website or contact their state pilgrims’ welfare boards.

The chairman thanked the presidency and other stakeholders for their support, emphasizing that the commission remains committed to ensuring a seamless Hajj experience for all Nigerian pilgrims.

Nigeria’s Junior Female Yellow Greens finally got a taste of the actions at the 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia, marking their delayed debut with a two-run win over test-playing nation, New Zealand on Monday.

As it happened against Samoa on Saturday, Sarawak’s rain delayed the game but the Nigerian team’s shine wasn’t going to be denied again, as the match began over two hours after its scheduled time with reduced overs.

New Zealand elected to field first, sending the Nigerian batters into the crease.

Captain Lucky Piety hit Nigeria’s first six at a Women’s World Cup in a steadied innings as the Junior Yellow Greens finished with 65 runs for the loss of six wickets in 13 overs.

Knowing they had to come to the party with their bowling as well, Sarah Bakhita’s team took the second innings slow and steady and eventually knocked off the fourth-ranked nation for 63 runs for the loss of six wickets as well.

Bitcoin hit a record high above $109,000 on Monday as Donald Trump, who has signalled plans to deregulate the cryptocurrency sector, prepares to be sworn in as US president.

Bitcoin reached an all-time peak of $109,241 ahead of Trump’s inauguration ceremony, before falling back to $107,765 at around 0740 GMT.

The world’s biggest cryptocurrency has soared since Trump won the presidential election in November, with Bitcoin surpassing $100,000 for the first time in early December.

It came after he nominated cryptocurrency backer Paul Atkins to head the US securities regulator, reinforcing optimism the new president will deregulate the sector.

Despite having once branded cryptocurrencies a “scam”, Trump changed his stance and was a major advocate of them during his election campaign.

Over the weekend, he launched his own cryptocurrency, appropriately called $TRUMP, sparking feverish buying that sent its market capitalisation soaring to several billion dollars.

When bitcoin reached the landmark $100,000 level, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “CONGRATULATIONS BITCOINERS!!! $100,000!!! YOU’RE WELCOME!!! Together, we will Make America Great Again!”

Cryptocurrencies have made headlines since their creation, from their extreme volatility to the collapse of several industry giants, foremost among them the FTX exchange platform.

Bitcoin was conceived in 2008 by a person or group writing under the name Satoshi Nakamoto.

It was pitched as a way to break free of mainstream financial institutions by establishing a decentralised platform for transactions.

The digital currency is created — or “mined” — as a reward when powerful computers solve complex problems to validate transactions made on a meddle-proof register known as the blockchain.

Bitcoin has long been criticised for being the currency of choice for making untraceable payments on the so-called dark web, a hidden part of the internet used for criminal activities.

The asset has often come under attack for facilitating money laundering and allowing extortion through ransomware attacks.

Its carbon footprint has also been scrutinised because mining cryptocurrencies requires huge amounts of energy.

China on Monday executed a man who killed 35 people in a car rampage in the southern city of Zhuhai in November 2024, in the country’s deadliest mass attack in years.

On November 11, Fan Weiqiu, 62, deliberately drove a small SUV through crowds of people exercising outside a sports complex, also injuring 45 in China’s worst such crime since 2014.

He was sentenced to death last month, with a court saying his motives “were extremely vile, (and) the nature of the crime extremely egregious.”

State broadcaster CCTV said Monday a Zhuhai court “executed Fan Weiqiu in accordance with the execution order issued by the Supreme People’s Court.”

The municipal public prosecutor “sent personnel to supervise (the execution) in accordance with the law,” CCTV reported.

Fan’s attack sparked widespread public shock and soul-searching in China about the state of society. He was detained at the scene with self-inflicted knife wounds and fell into a coma, police said at the time.

At his trial last month, Fan pleaded guilty in front of some of the victims’ families, officials and members of the public, state media said.

The court found he “decided to vent his anger” over “a broken marriage, personal frustrations and dissatisfaction with the division of property after divorce.”

It concluded that his methods were “particularly cruel, and the consequences particularly severe, posing significant harm to society”.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to eradicating discrimination based on ethnicity within the state.

Otti made this statement on Saturday in Aba during the wedding ceremony of Clement Owunna Jr., son of the Chief Executive Officer of Starline, and his wife, Chinelo.

He emphasized that Abia State welcomes people from any tribe as long as they pay their taxes, effectively recognizing them as sons and daughters of the state.

Otti praised Clement Owunna for his contributions to the state’s socioeconomic development through strategic investments.

He said: “I told myself, I have stayed here and become a very successful Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. But by the time you retire, there might be no home to return to. So, I sacrificed that job and struggled for nearly ten years, and today, we are here.

“What you see in Abia State in the last 19 months is just a dress rehearsal. You haven’t seen anything yet. I’m not boasting; I know what this state can achieve.

“The first thing we abolished was the concept of ‘state of origin.’ If you live here, you are from here.

“Recently, I appointed someone as the Head of Service of the State. Some people said he is from Edo. I don’t know about that. He came here in 1999 through the National Youth Service Corps, distinguished himself as the best Corps member, and was retained in the civil service.

And now, someone wants to tell me he isn’t from Abia State?

“We are building a model state. No matter the criticism, we remain focused and determined. If you visit Aba in the next year, you might not recognize it.

“Nearby, there was an abandoned project called Enyimba Hotel. Soon, you might see a Radisson Blu on that site, with a conference center beside it and a leisure park across from it. This is our home, and we must fix it.”

Otti thanked the people for their support and assured them that he would use the state’s resources solely for its development.

Nearly two weeks after raising the alarm over alleged 200 death threats to his life, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Felix Morka, has reportedly not formally petitioned the police as he vowed to do.

Following a heated media exchange between him and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Obi, Morka had on January 8 alleged that he received 400 threats, including two 200 death threats, from persons believed to be Obi’s supporters.

Speaking on Arise TV on January 8, Morka said, “Peter Obi’s allegations that my words in that interview threatened his life have triggered serious consequences.

“As of now, I have documented 400 threats, about 200 of which are explicit death threats. These are written threats that I will be submitting to law enforcement agencies.

“In these messages, individuals have detailed how they plan to harm me—threatening to shoot me, behead me, and carry out other gruesome acts. This is not mere rhetoric. It has even extended to direct threats against some members of my family. These are explicit and graphic threats, not vague insinuations.”

Vowing to submit a petition to the law enforcement agencies, the APC spokesman said, “I did not threaten Peter Obi in any way. Those issuing these threats are acting on their own, but I trust that law enforcement will respond swiftly to bring them to justice.”

However, an inquiry from the police showed that Morka had yet to submit any petition over the alleged death threats.

When contacted, the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said he didn’t receive any report of the alleged death threats.

“I’m not aware of what you are saying. Has he informed us?” Adejobi queried.

Efforts to reach Morka one week after his vow to petition security agents with the evidence of the death threats were unsuccessful.

Aside from not responding to calls made by the correspondent, the APC image maker did not also respond to the SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to his mobile line for clarification.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said Obi’s camp was not bothered whether Morka succeeded in providing security agencies with evidence of the death threats or not.

Tanko, who also doubles as Obi’s media aide, vowed that the supporters would solidly stand by his principal in his zeal to liberate Nigerians from the current ‘oppressive and authoritarian’ regime.

According to him, the threat against Obi has been watched by Nigerians, including the police, and it is also on record.

He said, “Let Morka report to the agencies as he said. We have made our point. It is already on record that he made threats to Peter Obi’s life. Everybody, including the police, has a particular documented interview.

“If he claims to have anything against Peter Obi, let him bring it. We will tackle it. But at the moment, he is the one who needs to defend himself in the eye of the law. So, if he likes, let him continue with his libel and unfounded statement. But we will not gratify him anymore with any of our statements.

“It is even wrong to place him and Peter Obi on the same pedestal. What the APC is trying to do is to reduce the argument to Morka and Obi. But they are not from the same realm. If it was President Tinubu that was talking, he could be obliged to speak back to him.”

A Russian strike killed four people in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, city officials said on Saturday, in what the country’s foreign minister called a “heinous” attack with ballistic missiles.

At least three more were wounded, while a separate overnight strike on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia wounded 10, the regional governor said.

Kyiv is frequently targeted by Russian drones and missiles but deaths are rare in the capital, which is heavily protected by air defence systems and better able to fend off attacks than elsewhere in the country

“We already have four dead in Shevchenkivsky district,” Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said in a Telegram post, referring to a central area of the capital.

“Yet another proof that Putin wants war, not peace,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said in a post on social media.

“He must be forced to accept a just peace through strength — maximum economic and military pressure,” he added.

The air force said it had downed two Iskander ballistic missiles as well as 24 Russian attack drones overnight.

But it said the downed missiles “fell” on Kyiv’s central Shevchenkivsky district, damaging an industrial building, a subway to the metro and residential buildings, and temporarily knocking out local water supplies.

An AFP reporter in Kyiv saw flooding on the street at the site of the attack and the charred remains of a bombed-out McDonald’s outlet.

Air defences had been in operation in the capital throughout the night, the city’s mayor said in updates posted to social media.

The attack came at a time when Kyiv has upped its aerial attacks on Russian energy and military facilities in recent months.

Kyiv’s army has conducted strikes on several Russian oil depots recently, including two major attacks on a facility near a military airfield in Russia’s Saratov region that triggered days-long blazes.

In Ukraine, Russian forces also targeted Zaporizhzhia overnight, the latest in a wave of strikes against the southern city.

Regional governor Ivan Fedorov said Russia had “cynically” targeted the centre of the city “while everyone was sleeping”.

Ten people were wounded of whom one was in a serious condition, he said.

The Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Navy, Akarakumo, Badagry, Lagos, on Friday handed over 109 bags of foreign parboiled rice to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

In a statement, Navy Capt Linus Osuman, the commanding officer of the FOB, Badagry, said two fibre boats carrying 109 bags of foreign rice were intercepted by his men on January 6 in the Kposuko community along Badagry creeks.

“At about 11:30.p.m. on January 6, the Nigerian Navy FOB patrol team on routine patrol, acting on an intelligence tip-off, conducted a cordon and search around the Kposuko community along Badagry creeks.

“During the search, a total of 109 bags of foreign parboiled rice were discovered in two fibre boats around Harmony Jetty.

“The products were suspected to have been smuggled into Nigeria from Benin Republic. No suspects were arrested as they fled on sighting own patrol team,” he said.

Mr Osuman said the 109 bags of foreign rice were being handed over to the deputy comptroller of customs, J.I. Ohagwu, the officer in charge of operations, Seme Customs.

He said this was in line with the Harmonised Standard Procedures on Arrest, Detention and Prosecution (HSOP-AD&P)2016.

Mr Osman stressed naval chief Emmanuel Ogalla’s mission of maintaining and equipping a professionally competent and ethical naval force “while leveraging on all elements of national power for the effective defence of Nigerian’s maritime area of interest against all forms of threat in fulfilment of national security imperatives.

“Accordingly, these sustained efforts of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Badagry, are all geared towards complying with the stated mission as well as the CNS Strategic Directive 2023-6.

“This is to ensure a safe and secure maritime environment in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea for economic activities to thrive.

“The efforts are also in line with the dictates of the ongoing Operation Water Guard,” he said.