The All Progressives Congress (APC) has scheduled Saturday, August 22, 2026, for its primary elections to select candidates for four restored State House of Assembly constituencies and several legislative bye-elections.   According to PUNCH, the timetable was signed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, and released on Wednesday. The affected restored constituencies are Abraka, Isoko North II and Ughelli South II in Delta State, and Yagba West II in Kogi State. The APC will also conduct primaries for legislative bye-elections in Gombe, Bauchi, Delta and Kano states. They include Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, Disina and Sakwa State Constituencies in Bauchi, Udu State Constituency in Delta and Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano. The party said the timetable followed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s restoration of four previously suppressed constituencies in Delta and Kogi after court judgments. APC primary timetable The sale of expression of interest and nomination forms began on August 18 and will end on August 20. Completed forms and accompanying documents must also be submitted by August 20. Screening of aspirants, publication of screening results and screening appeals are scheduled for August 21, ahead of the primaries on August 22. Election appeals will follow on August 24. APC fixes N6m fee for House of Assembly aspirants The APC set the combined expression of interest and nomination fees for House of Assembly aspirants at N6m, comprising N1m for expression of interest and N5m for nomination. House of Representatives aspirants will pay N10m, consisting of N1m expression of interest and N9m nomination fees. The party said female, youth and physically challenged aspirants would pay the full expression of interest fee and 50 per cent of the prescribed nomination fee. The Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency seat became vacant following the death of lawmaker Tongo Yaya.

The Nigerian Army has arrested 18 suspected illegal miners and recovered N2.47m in cash and mining equipment during an operation in Izom, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.   The suspects were apprehended by troops of the 102 Guard Battalion during a routine operation after soldiers discovered alleged unauthorised mining activities at a site in the area. Following the arrests, the Army handed the suspects and recovered exhibits to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Mining Marshals headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, for further investigation and prosecution. The NSCDC Mining Marshals Commander, Assistant Commandant of Corps John Onoja Attah, commended the Army for its cooperation in tackling illegal mining and described the operation as a demonstration of professionalism and commitment to protecting Nigeria’s mineral resources. Preliminary investigations by the Mining Marshals indicated that the suspects allegedly operated without licences, permits or affiliation with any registered mining company. The investigators also said the suspects were unable to provide evidence of lawful mineral titles or authorisation from the relevant regulatory authorities. Items recovered from the mining site included motorcycles, pumping machines, crusher engines, communication devices and cash totalling N2,468,750. Attah said the Mining Marshals would continue intelligence-driven enforcement against illegal mining, which authorities have linked to concerns over environmental degradation, revenue losses and the unauthorised exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources. He added that the NSCDC would continue enforcing the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and working with security agencies to protect the country’s solid mineral resources. The Mining Marshals said investigations had been concluded and the suspects were being processed for prosecution under the relevant provisions of the law.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has dismantled an international cocaine trafficking network allegedly using Nigeria as a transit hub for illicit drugs destined for the UK, Europe and Asia.   According to Punch, the agency arrested Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury, whom it described as the alleged Nigerian arrowhead of the syndicate. NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed the development while addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday. The agency said the investigation followed the interception of 184.50kg of cocaine concealed in a consignment being processed through a courier logistics company in Lagos. NDLEA said the seizure was the largest quantity of cocaine it had intercepted through a courier company in Nigeria. Marwa said the cartel allegedly expected to make as much as N39bn from the consignment through its international distribution network. The investigation reportedly led to the arrest of two key suspects, including Lawal Mujab Kehinde, a staff member of the logistics company allegedly involved in processing and routing consignments. The NDLEA said investigations identified KC Luxury as the alleged Nigerian coordinator of the network. According to the agency, he presented himself publicly as a luxury goods dealer and social media influencer while allegedly using the image to conceal drug trafficking activities. The suspect was arrested on August 13, 2026, at the boarding gate of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after intelligence indicated that he planned to leave Nigeria on a business-class flight to Paris. NDLEA said he was found with €7,750, £2,800 and N100,000, alongside expensive jewellery. A subsequent search of his luxury apartment on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, reportedly led to the recovery of exotic vehicles. The agency also said the cartel allegedly used false identities to conceal consignors and relied on financial facilitators to move billions of naira. Marwa said some suspected members of the network had also been arrested by authorities in the United Kingdom, describing the arrests in Nigeria and Britain as part of international cooperation against the syndicate. The NDLEA chairman said the latest investigation showed that traffickers were increasingly turning to courier and logistics companies as scrutiny at seaports and airports intensified. He warned that individuals allegedly using luxury lifestyles and social media personas to conceal drug trafficking would be pursued by the agency.

US prosecutors have accused Meta of deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to keep children hooked, while misleading the public about the risks associated with its platforms. The allegations were made as a landmark federal case opened in Oakland, California.   Twenty-nine US states are behind the lawsuit, with California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey leading the case. The states allege that Meta knew its platforms could harm young users but continued to prioritise engagement and revenue. California prosecutor Megan O’Neill told the court that Meta had built its business model around keeping users online, collecting their data and concealing information about the risks. The states accuse Meta of three main violations: misleading the public about the dangers its platforms pose to minors, deliberately designing features to encourage prolonged use, and collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent. Meta denies deliberately harming children Meta’s lawyer, Paul Schmidt, acknowledged that some users had been harmed but rejected the claim that the company deliberately designed its platforms to be dangerous. The company has maintained that it has worked with parents, experts and law enforcement to introduce safeguards for young users. Reuters reported that Meta is also disputing claims that there is a clear link between adolescent social media use and poor wellbeing. The case could have major financial and operational consequences for the technology giant. The states are seeking damages that have been reported at around $200 billion, while Meta has separately argued in court filings that the potential penalties could reach as much as $1.4 trillion, depending on how damages are calculated. The states are also seeking changes to Meta’s platforms, including measures aimed at limiting children’s screen time and restricting features they say encourage excessive engagement. Zuckerberg expected to testify Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri are among the executives expected to appear as witnesses during the trial. The proceedings are expected to last several weeks, with a verdict potentially coming later in the year. Parents and activists also gathered outside the courthouse, with some families accusing social media companies of contributing to serious harm suffered by their children. The case is being closely watched because it could influence a growing number of lawsuits against other major platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube. The allegations against Meta remain contested and have not been established as fact by the court.