Author: Press Room

A medical doctor has been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services for allegedly transporting medical supplies from Sokoto State to suspected kidnapping gangs operating in Kwara State. The Kwara State Government disclosed the arrest in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Friday. The suspect was reportedly intercepted in Jebba, Moro Local Government Area, following intelligence linking him to a syndicate responsible for delivering medical items to armed groups across the region. The statement read, “The Department of State Service has taken into custody a medical doctor who was ferrying drugs from Sokoto to kidnappers…

Former Nigeria defender Leon Balogun has paid a glowing tribute to his long-time centre-back partner William Troost-Ekong, who announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, Soccernet.ng reports. The pair, famously christened the ‘Oyinbo Wall’, anchored Nigeria’s defence for seven years and became one of the most recognisable partnerships in modern Super Eagles history. Balogun, born in Berlin to a Nigerian father and German mother, made his Nigeria debut in 2014 and was among the first wave of foreign-born players of the last 30 years who chose to represent the Super Eagles. Nigeria vs Czech Republic, friendly match. Image shows…

The Supreme Court on Friday struck out a suit filed by Osun State Government that sought to compel the Federal Government to release withheld allocations belonging to local government areas in the state. A seven-member panel of the apex court, in a split decision of six to one, held that the legal action brought by the Attorney General of Osun State lacked competence. According to Vanguard on Friday, in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris, the court held that the LGCs of Osun state lacked the locus standi to activate the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction on behalf of…

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, says the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition is faltering because it has yet to settle questions on zoning and the rotation of key offices. The former Anambra governor spoke in an interview on YouTube by ‘Advocacy for Good Governance.’ Obi added the coalition must tidy up loose ends and agree on a shared direction for the country. “Today, I’m a member of the Labour Party, okay, and I subscribe to the coalition, the ADC coalition, for the 2027 election and I believe in it,” Obi said. “Today, I’m…

Deny alleged human rights abuse at detention facilityOperatives of the Imo State police command have neutralised two kidnappers and arrested 12 suspects.During recent operations, the security officers also found the body of a kidnap victim, 12 phones, arms and ammunition. The victim’s body has been deposited in a morgue. The command’s spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, confirmed in a statement that the operations were carried out by officers of the Agwa Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), on Obudi/Mgbala Road in Oguta Local Council. The officers engaged a gang of kidnappers using a white mini bus. In a separate…

The European Commission formally proposed transferring direct supervision of all crypto asset service providers to the European Securities and Markets Authority.This supervision was previously placed under the Markets in Crypto-Assets framework, with the licensing authority working with national regulators.The legislative package aims to eliminate regulatory fragmentation across 27 member states by granting ESMA powers comparable to those of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over U.S. markets.The proposal arrives just nine months after its announcement in the Savings and Investments Union strategy.The strategy highlighted the political urgency behind capital markets integration as Europe confronts competitive pressures from U.S. financial markets.Source:…

The Senate on Thursday expressed grave alarm over a fast-spreading lead-poisoning crisis in Ogijo, a densely populated community straddling the boundary between Ikorodu (Lagos) and Ogun East Senatorial District. It described it as a full-blown environmental and public-health emergency that threatened thousands of lives. The motion, jointly sponsored by Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), was brought under Matters of Urgent Public Importance pursuant to Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 (as amended). Lawmakers cited scientifically verified reports of extreme lead contamination linked to a cluster of used lead-acid battery recycling factories…

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has confirmed that Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi has started working on the grass and is close to returning to action, Soccernet.ng reports. Awoniyi has spent the last two weeks on the sidelines due to a knock. After a tough start to the campaign, he had finally started getting consistent minutes, so the injury put a spanner in the works for him. ​That knock has kept the striker out of the Tricky Trees’ last two games against Brighton and Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, it appears that the Super Eagles star is set to make his return.…

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Youth Province 1, in partnership with other youth provinces across Lagos, has reportedly spent N40m on its free-bus-to-work initiative, which provided morning and evening transportation for commuters across the state. Youth Province 1 disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that this year’s edition ran from November 24 to December 5. According to the statement made available to PUNCH Online on Friday, the morning routes covered RCCG Jesus Palace (Festac) to CMS; Oworonshoki to CMS; Redemption City to 7UP; Redemption City to Sagamu; Redemption City to Trinity Towers (VI); Redemption City to Agege;…

Nigeria forward Umar Sadiq may have revived his international prospects after scoring his first-ever Copa del Rey goal for Real Sociedad in their 2–0 win away to Reus FC Reddis on Wednesday evening, Soccernet.ng reports. The 28-year-old, who has struggled for opportunities this season, was making just his sixth appearance of the campaign and arrived at a moment when injuries to key Sociedad attackers have opened a fragile window for him to re-establish himself. Once transfer-listed in the summer, and close to deadline-day moves including talks with Valencia, Sadiq has battled for form and visibility for much of the past…