Author: Press Room

The National Association of Nigeria Students and Take It Back Movement Nigeria, on Thursday, traded words over the abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The duo engaged themselves verbally during a Town Hall Series, Oyo State, organized by the News Central, with the theme, “Oyo At A Crossroads: Security, Safety and The Future,” held at Ibadan Civic Centre, Agodi in Ibadan, the state capital. In their separate interviews with The PUNCH on the sideline of the meeting, NANS and the movement disagreed over the recent protest on the Oyo abductees in which…

Many Super Eagles fans would have watched with a tinge of ‘what if’ as South Africa’s return to the FIFA World Cup after a 16-year absence began in disappointing fashion, Soccernet.ng reports. On Thursday night, Bafana Bafana fell 2-0 to Mexico in the opening game of the 2026 tournament at the packed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Goals from Julián Quiñones in the ninth minute and veteran striker Raúl Jiménez in the 66th minute handed the hosts a comfortable victory in front of 80,824 supporters. However, the result was only part of the story. Three red cards, costly mistakes and…

Fellow Nigerians Today, we celebrate not only democracy but also the enduring Nigerian spirit. For 27 unbroken years, since May 29, 1999, Nigerians have chosen their leaders through the ballot, witnessed peaceful transitions of power, and resolved disagreements in courtrooms and legislative chambers—not through violence. We have experienced the longest stretch of civilian rule in our history. Our democracy is not perfect, but it is ours, and we must continue to defend and strengthen it. In the coming days, Ekiti and Osun States will hold elections. I urge INEC, security agencies, and all parties to ensure these polls are peaceful…

Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, spoke with some selected journalists on the worsening insecurity in the country, the National Assembly’s position on defence spending, state police, anti-kidnapping legislation, economic reforms and other pressing national issues. SEYE OLUMIDE was there. What informed the Senate’s decision to reject calls for a probe into defence and security spending amid growing security challenges? Security remains the most urgent challenge facing Nigeria today. Every region of the country has experienced one form of security threat or another, whether terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes, oil theft or other forms of violent criminality. Therefore, no responsible government…

Ijaiye Ojokoro Junior College Following the panic in the Ojokoro area of Lagos State over false news of a bandit attack in a high school complex in the community, with parents rushing to the school premises to secure their wards, the state government has called for calm. Speaking on the development, the Lagos State Education District 1, which oversees 99 public junior and senior secondary schools across the Agege, Alimosho, and Ifako-Ijaiye zones, assured that there was neither banditry nor kidnapping in the area, but miscommunication in an already volatile society. The government explained that Ijaiye Ojokoro Junior College, which…

Janet Ogundepo A Nigerian physiotherapist and academic based in South Africa, Prof Ushotanefe Useh, has been honoured with the 2026 World Physiotherapy Africa Region Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to physiotherapy education, research, public health, and professional development across Africa. The award was presented during the World Physiotherapy Africa Region Conference held on June 5–6, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda. In a letter conveying the decision, the World Physiotherapy Africa Region said Useh was nominated by the South African Society of Physiotherapy and subsequently recommended by the Africa Region Awards Committee after a thorough review of his achievements. The…

The private sector is stepping up efforts to promote ethical leadership and responsible citizenship among young Nigerians, with a growing focus on embedding values such as integrity, accountability and social responsibility into the education system. The push was on display on Thursday at the grand finale of the 2026 Ethical Living Initiative Competition in Lagos, a youth-focused programme organised by the African Capital Alliance Foundation in partnership with Enactus Nigeria. The initiative brought together students from 40 secondary schools across the state after six weeks of ethics workshops and mentorship sessions. According to the organisers, the programme has engaged more…

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway in Mexico, Canada and the United States, African players are backing the continent’s representatives to challenge the rest of the world, inspired by Morocco’s historic achievement at the last edition in Qatar, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. With the tournament expanded to 48 teams, Africa will be represented by 10 countries — Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia. Since the first edition of the global showpiece in 1930, no African nation has won the World Cup. Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) all…

Sandstorm sweeps through Birnin Kebbi Residents of Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, experienced a severe sandstorm on Thursday as strong winds carried large amounts of dust across the city, reducing visibility and disrupting normal activities. The sandstorm, which swept through several parts of the metropolis, left roads, homes, and business premises covered in dust. Motorists were forced to drive cautiously due to poor visibility, while many residents sought shelter indoors to avoid exposure to the dusty conditions. Videos and photos shared on social media showed thick clouds of dust engulfing parts of the city, with residents expressing concerns…

Deborah Tolu-Kolawole The Federal Government has unveiled a new National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (NSP) 2026–2030 aimed at shifting Nigeria’s HIV response from heavy reliance on donor funding to a sustainable, locally driven model. Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Thursday, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Temitope Ilori, said Nigeria had reached a critical stage in its fight against HIV/AIDS and must adopt a new approach to financing and implementing programmes. Ilori noted that although the country had recorded significant progress in reducing new infections and expanding access to treatment over…