Author: Press Room

Angela Onwuzoo In commemoration of the 2025 International Day of the African Child, the United Nations Children’s Fund has urged the government to increase the budget allocations for children’s health, education, nutrition, protection, and social welfare. UNICEF said there was an urgent need to raise investment in child-focused sectors and programmes in Nigeria to protect their rights and enable them to thrive and transition to adulthood without deprivations. The United Nations agency noted that when the government champions and implements child-centered budgets, it leads to the realisation of the objectives of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child…

South Africa defender Ime Okon has revealed he never had a doubt about representing the Bafana Bafana ahead of the Nigerian senior national team, the Super Eagles, Soccernet.ng reports. Okon has drawn a line under his international allegiance, confirming his full commitment to South Africa despite eligibility for Nigeria. Born in Johannesburg to a South African mother and Nigerian father, the 20-year-old centre-back had the option of representing either of the African football giants. Ime Okon, born to a Nigerian father and a South African mother But after making his debut for Bafana Bafana in the 2025 COSAFA Cup, Okon…

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has said the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) goes far beyond its 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, but is largely rooted in ego battles among party members, including himself. Governor Lawal, during a parley with journalists in Zamfara, yesterday, stated that the problem was not limited to any single individual. “Everybody has their own issue; it is not just about Atiku Abubakar; it is beyond him,” he said. “It is an internal problem within the PDP, and we are making a conscious effort. I think it is about people’s egos; everybody, no exception.” When asked if…

A new report released by Connected Development (CODE) on Wednesday revealed a surge in the prices of staple food items since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023. The report, which tracked the average cost of essential commodities from May 29, 2023, to May 29, 2025, showed price hikes exceeding 100 per cent for key staples such as yam, rice, maize, garri, and beans. The document, which is the 2024 Annual Report of the organisation tagged “The Year of Active Citizen,” presented to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, said the price of yam, a dietary staple, has skyrocketed by…

The Oyo State Executive Council has approved a sum of ₦63,479,858,000 for the overhaul of the Government House structures. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, described the current state and ambience of the Government House as an embarrassment and an unbefitting facility. Oyelade noted that for the past six years, the governor and his deputy have been living in their personal houses instead of their official residences at the Government House. The commissioner stated that the banquet hall at Government House will be completed before the 50th anniversary of Oyo State, next year, as…

There was panic at the Mokola area of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, as armed robbers attacked some shops in the bustling community. As gathered, the armed robbers shot continuously into the air to scare away innocent people. It was gathered that no fewer than three people sustained gunshot wounds during the robbery, which took place near the Mokola bridge, Ibadan. Eyewitnesses said the victims were attacked as they were about to enter a store to buy provisions meant for retail. They stated that the armed robbers must have traced the victims to the store as they succeeded in carting…

Belgian Jupiler Pro League club Genk are set to open pre-season camp on Friday, June 20, and they have shared an update on Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare, Soccernet.ng reports. Arokodare just came off a career-best season that saw him contribute 23 goals and seven assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. Get Our Sports News First – Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now! That has seen him become the subject of transfer talks. There have been speculations that the 24-year-old striker will leave Genk this summer, amid links with English, German, and Portuguese clubs, but nothing concrete has emerged yet. Genk…

The family residence of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Oduaghan in Ihima, Okehi Local Government of Kogi State, was attacked a second time on Tuesday. News of the attack was issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Media Office. Senator Natasha’s media aide revealed that armed men invaded the residence and vandalised the glass doors and windows. The attack was halted by the prompt response of officers from the Okehi Police Division working together with community vigilantes and concerned youths. The Guardian learnt that a suspect identified as Suberu Josa, a known ritualist believed to be affiliated with the lawmaker’s…

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that more than three million Nigerians are currently suffering from drug use disorders, warning that the country’s drug prevalence rate—now at 14.4 per cent—is nearly three times the global average. UNODC Country Representative Cheikh Ousman Toure delivered the message through the Deputy Head of the UNODC in Nigeria, Danilo Campisi, during an event at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) headquarters in Abuja to mark the commencement of the 2025 World Drug Day activities. According to Campisi, the rise in drug abuse—particularly opioids such as tramadol—is more than…

The recent nomination by President Bola Tinubu of three statutory commissions in Rivers State, particularly the appointment of Dr. Michael Odey from Cross River to chair the State Independent Electoral Commission board, has stirred strong emotions among Rivers people. According to the residents, at a time when trust in government institutions is fragile and tempers remain high over the declaration of a State of Emergency in the state, they wished that a qualified ‘unifier’ from the state was appointed. A policy analyst and convener of the Rivers Peace Initiative, Obinna Ebogidi, in his reaction, stated that the collective focus and…