Author: Press Room

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…

Portugal sealed a narrow 2-1 win over the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Dr Magalhães Pessoa Stadium, but the game saw Cristiano Ronaldo face the Green and Whites for the first time in his professional career, Soccernet.ng reports. The 41-year-old led the line for Roberto Martinez’s side last night and came close to scoring three times, but scuffed each of those chances before he was taken off shortly after the hour mark. Akor Adams’ first-half equaliser cancelled out Pedro Neto’s opener before Francisco Conceicao struck the winner in the second half to hand the hosts victory. Portugal’s head coach,…

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested the driver of a truck involved in a fatal accident that claimed the lives of a West African Senior School Certificate Examination candidate and a commercial motorcyclist along the Choba axis of the East-West Road in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state. PUNCH Metro learnt on Thursday that the tragic incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the truck reportedly lost control and rammed into a motorcycle conveying the student, identified simply as Juliet, shortly after she completed her examination. Juliet was said to have been returning home from a secondary school…

Just hours before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, FIFA released its latest men’s world rankings, Soccernet.ng reports. The latest release shows that Nigeria’s Super Eagles maintain their position as the third-highest-ranked team in Africa and 26th in the world. The ranking confirms Nigeria’s steady progress over the last 18 months despite failing to qualify for the World Cup. Eric Chelle’s side remain behind only Morocco and Senegal on the African continent, while traditional rivals South Africa and Ghana continue to trail significantly. Nigeria’s current position can be traced back to their impressive campaign at…

The Federal Government has indicated that it may seek the intervention of the African Union over recurring xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa, describing the situation as a growing continental concern that requires a broader response. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed the government’s position during an appearance on Prime Time, an Arise TV programme on Thursday. Enikanolaiye expressed concern that repeated attacks on foreign nationals were undermining the ideals of African unity and solidarity. According to the minister, Nigeria would continue to engage South African authorities at various levels to ensure the…

***Vows to take campaign to every corner of Nigeria ***Says Tinubu’s economic, infrastructure policies delivering results The City Boy Movement on Thursday unveiled plans for a nationwide mobilisation campaign aimed at securing the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027, declaring that its members would traverse every part of the country to rally support for the administration’s reform agenda. The pledge came as Vice President Kashim Shettima received the leadership of the pro-Tinubu support group at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he commended young Nigerians for standing behind the government’s economic reforms and development programmes. Director-General of the City Boy…

Two female students sitting the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and a commercial motorcyclist were killed on Wednesday in a road accident along Choba Bridge on the East–West Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The victims were said to be returning from their examination centre when the motorcycles conveying the students reportedly ran into a moving truck. According to eyewitness accounts, the students had just finished their WAEC examinations at Odoha Community Secondary School in Emohua Local Government Area and were on their way home when the crash occurred. “The students were coming back from Odoha Community…

Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis The founder of Vickyheldan Empowerment Foundation, Victory Njoku, on Thursday called for stronger collaboration between government agencies, stakeholders, and non-governmental organisations to tackle rising maternal mortality and improve women’s healthcare across Nigeria. Njoku made the call at the 2026 edition of the Her Health, Her Power Conference in Abuja.According to her, maternal mortality remains a major concern, stressing that partnerships between government and civil society groups are critical to expanding healthcare awareness and access for women. “I will tell you something from the statistics we already have. The maternal death rate is high. We are urging the government…

Colombian pop star Shakira opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a performance at the Mexico City Stadium ahead of the tournament’s kick-off fixture between El Tri and Bafana Bafana of South Africa, Soccernet.ng reports. The 49-year-old performed “Dai Dai,” the official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Nigerian afrobeats artist Burna Boy. The original song was officially released a month ago. The song translates to ‘Come on, Come on’ in English, and was written by Shakira and Burna Boy together with Benny Adam, Jon Bellion, Ed Sheeran and Alexander Castillo, who produced the song with Gerard Piqué’s…