Here are the stories you should be monitoring today:

18 killed in fresh Zamfara attack

According to Premium Times, no fewer than 18 persons have allegedly been killed when armed bandits invaded two communities in the already violence-prone Zamfara state on New Year Day. Nine people were killed in Dutse and the other nine were shot dead in Manasa in the early hours of Tuesday. One of the sources who disclosed details to Premium Times said the armed bandits besieged the towns with a convoy of motorcycles, armed with assorted weapons including AK 47 rifles.

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Kano records 105 rape cases, 168 murders in 2018

In its end of the year review, the Kano State Police Command through its Public Relations Officer Magaji Majiya has said that the state recorded 337 major crime cases including 105 rapes and 168 murders in 2018. By contrast, the state witnessed a low crime rate when compared with the record of previous years.

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Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka predicts doom for Nigeria, supports President Buhari for second term

Delivering his customary New Year message, Spiritual Director of the Adoration Catholic Prayer Ministry, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka called on Nigerians to brace themselves and pray fervently against ‘impending unimaginable difficulty’ in 2019. Furthermore, the clergyman endorsed President Buhari’s second term reelection bid. “Among all the Presidential aspirants, Buhari stands in the best position  in winning the presidential election.” He said.

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2019: APC governors, senators who didn’t perform will be voted out – Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal

As the February polls draws closer, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal has said that underperforming APC governors and senators will be voted out by the electorate, unlike in 2015 when they voted “one party all through.” Lawal said this in Yola, Adamawa, while speaking to journalists. “The situation will be different in 2019. Many governors and senators have not performed. They have not replicated President Buhari’s performance. Such people will be voted out.” He said.

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We are unaware of N15.9bn payment by FG – ASUU

Reacting to the claim that the federal government had on December 31, 2018 released N15.9 billion to universities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has refuted such claim, saying that it has not been briefed on alleged payment. The Union’s president disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.