Author: Press Room

Wale Akinselure The Federal Government has ordered the immediate closure of three factories in Ogijo, Ogun State, over violations of occupational safety and health standards. The affected firms are African Refractory and Allied Products Limited, African Non-Ferrous Industries Limited, and Metalworld Recycling Limited. The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, gave the directive on Wednesday during an inspection of the facilities alongside officials of the ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Department. Onyejeocha said the action followed the companies’ failure to comply with earlier safety directives issued by the ministry. She expressed concern over reports of worker deaths…

Super Eagles newcomer Emmanuel Fernandez has been attracting interest from several top clubs in Europe following his impressive performances for Rangers, Soccernet.ng reports. ​The 24-year-old center-back only joined the Gers from English side Peterborough last summer. Despite his lack of top-flight experience prior to the move, he has taken to the Scottish Premiership like a duck to water. ​This season, he has made 26 appearances across all competitions, weighing in with an impressive five goals. Emmanuel Fernandez of Rangers & Daizen Maeda. Copyright: ImagoxColinxPoultneyx Fernandez has built a reputation for his aerial dominance, passing range, and physical strength. ​His stellar…

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has congratulated Muslims in Nigeria on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr, marking the successful completion of Ramadan. In a message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, on Friday, Akpabio urged Muslims to show compassion, forgiveness, and unity, and to continue the philanthropic practice of alms-giving and love for one another. “This joyous celebration reminds us of the profound values of compassion, forgiveness, and unity that Eid-el-Fitr embodies,” Akpabio said. He also called for empathy, kindness, and generosity, particularly toward the less privileged, and extended his wishes to President Bola Tinubu,…

The EFL Cup Final returns this weekend with a familiar sense of occasion, as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City face Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal under the Wembley lights. It is a fixture that brings together two of the most finely tuned sides in England, but also one that reminds us what this competition has always been about: opportunity. The League Cup has a habit of giving players their moment, whether they are rising prospects or seasoned professionals looking to leave a mark. For Nigerian football, that stage has been quietly but consistently influential. Over the years, a number of players have used…

Toheeb Omotayo The Kwara State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting oral hygiene as part of overall healthcare, marking the 2026 World Oral Health Day. In a statement issued on Thursday by the Press Secretary, Ministry of Health, Saad Hamdalat, and sighted by PUNCH Online in Ilorin, the government said the observance aims to raise awareness about the importance of oral health and encourage healthy habits among residents. Speaking at the event in Ilorin, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, represented by the Director of Public Health, Dr. Oluwatosin Fakayode, highlighted the global scale of oral…

On Wednesday, coach Eric Chelle’s 23-man Super Eagles squad list to face Iran and Jordan later this month was revealed. ​Most of the usual suspects made the cut. Players like Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi, and Ademola Lookman were all named on the list. ​However, the two most notable absentees were Galatasaray star Victor Osimhen and Stanley Nwabali, who has not played a competitive football game since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations third-place match against Egypt on January 17. ​Meanwhile, coach Chelle named some new boys, with Rangers’ Emmanuel Fernandez, Genk’s Yira Sor, and Hamburg’s Philip…

Italian populist politician Umberto Bossi, a firebrand who founded the anti-immigrant Northern League party and pushed for the wealthy north’s independence, died Thursday aged 84. Tributes poured in from Italy’s right-wing bigwigs for Senator Bossi, a friend of Silvio Berlusconi who managed to transform his small, regionalist party into an influential player in government, before running afoul of health woes and a corruption scandal. Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that “Bossi, with his political passion, marked an important phase in Italian history and made a fundamental contribution” to the Italian centre-right. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on X…

Turkish Super Lig leaders Galatasaray suffered physical and mental losses in their 0-4 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League last night, Soccernet.ng reports. Mario Lemina’s first-leg goal, assisted by Victor Osimhen, gave Okan Buruk’s side a little cushion heading into the away leg in Merseyside, but it all dipped very quickly. The initial mental defeat came seven minutes into the game after the Nigerian striker clashed with Ibrahim Konate, fracturing his right arm. The injury limited his motion and his impact on the game overall, as Galatasaray were toothless in attack without their starman. Victor Osimhen…

The Kebbi State Government has constituted a special committee to investigate the controversial death of two children at the General Hospital in Zuru. The state governor, Nasir Idris, approved the panel following rising public concern over the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly allegations that the children died after receiving a wrongful injection. The decision was conveyed in a statement issued on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi by the Secretary to the State Government, Yakubu Tafida. According to the statement, the committee will be chaired by the Commissioner for Information, Yakubu Ahmed, with the Commissioners for Health, Sama’ila Augie and Establishment, Manu…

Idowu Abdullahi The Heartland Hospital Management Corporation has met with several stakeholders and key health agencies in Imo State to deepen collaboration and fast-track Governor Hope Uzodimma’s vision for efficient, affordable, and world-class healthcare. The meeting, hosted at HHMC headquarters on Tuesday in Owerri, included leaders from the Imo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Imo State Specialist Hospital, Owerri, and Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, alongside senior HHMC executives. The HHMC Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Emmanuel Ogueri, stated that the meeting focused on several key areas, including the elimination of silos. Others, he said, included boosting synergy and aligning efforts…