Author: Press Room

Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has challenged the legal foundation of his brother’s terrorism conviction, arguing that any criminal conviction must be anchored on a valid law in force at the time judgment is delivered. In a statement shared on Tuesday, the younger Kanu defended the detained IPOB leader’s courtroom exchange with Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, describing it as “a legitimate constitutional challenge rather than an act of defiance.” According to him, the issue at the centre of the case is whether the…

Ex-Super Eagles captain Jay-Jay Okocha has recalled some of his favourite World Cup moments ahead of the 2026 edition set to kick off on Thursday, Soccernet.ng reports. The 52-year-old represented Nigeria at three World Cup tournaments: the 1994 edition in the United States, the 1998 edition in France, and the 2002 edition co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. While the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder holds the record for most dribbles in a World Cup match (15 against Italy), he never scored a goal nor assisted in the tournament. Jay-Jay Okocha goes past Roberto Mussi of Italy in the 1994 FIFA…

A signed Polaroid photograph of Nigerian artist Ayra Starr posing in a black hoodie at the NPR studio with her signature at the bottom. Photo Credit: NPR Music/Instagram If you’ve been waiting for Ayra Starr‘s Tiny Desk Concert, consider this your sign to stop everything and press play. The Nigerian superstar finally made her debut behind NPR’s iconic desk, and she gave us a version of herself we don’t get to see every day. Gone were the statement heels, the mini skirts, and the full glam. Instead, Ayra showed up in a simple black sweatsuit and let her voice take…

The Federal Capital Territory Football Association has announced June 19 as the final deadline for the registration of clubs participating in the 2025/2026 season of the FCT FA Division One League in Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Secretary of the FCT FA, Haruna Ilerika, said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja that registration commenced on April 8 and was scheduled to close on May 30, but has now been extended to June 19. “This is to give clubs adequate time to complete their payments,” he said. According to Ilerika, the registration fees have been fixed…

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has raised the alarm over the proliferation of illegal drug outlets across the country, revealing that Nigeria has an estimated three million unregistered pharmaceutical premises, compared with fewer than 50,000 registered outlets. The society warned that the development poses a major threat to public health and medical safety, as millions of Nigerians could be obtaining drugs from unregulated outlets operating outside the supervision of licensed pharmacists. The President of the PSN, Ayuba Tanko, disclosed this in a statement sent exclusively to PUNCH Healthwise while commending recent Federal High Court judgments that resulted in the imprisonment…

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will begin their quest for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games with a second-round qualifying clash against Comoros, Soccernet.ng reports. This comes after the island nation completed a stunning 30-0 aggregate victory over Sudan in the opening round of the CAF Women’s Olympic Football Tournament qualifiers. The two-legged encounter between Comoros and Sudan, played in Morocco in June 2026, produced one of the most one-sided scorelines ever recorded in African women’s football. Comoros ran out 17-0 winners in the first leg on June 3 before following it up with another emphatic 13-0 victory five…

West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has denied allegations of sexual misconduct as the Independent Football Regulator confirmed it is seeking information relating to his suitability under its owners, directors and senior executives regime. The regulator said it was “in contact” with West Ham and would use its statutory powers to obtain “urgent information” regarding Sullivan following allegations made by multiple women. The claims, published by BBC Panorama and The Times, accuse the billionaire businessman of abusing his power and preying on young women for sex over several decades. The women were reportedly in their late teens or early twenties…

• NDC, Obidient supporters bicker over party controlA fresh political storm is brewing within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is reportedly considering leaving the party following a dispute over the replacement of candidates linked to his Kwankwasiyya movement in Kano State. The latest development comes amid deepening internal tensions within the party, which had earlier been masked by a fragile power-sharing arrangement between the Kwankwasiyya bloc and the wider NDC establishment. A parallel controversy had earlier erupted within the party, with senior officials accusing Kwankwaso of attempting to dominate party structures and control…

Northerners in South-West decry being profiled as bandits, Boko HaramThe Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has cautioned Nigerians against blaming a particular ethnic group for the crimes committed by a few individuals, warning that such narratives threaten national unity and social cohesion. In a strongly worded message on his X-Handle, Obi said the growing tendency to frame criminality along ethnic lines is both unjust and dangerous, saying that no ethnic group should be judged by the actions of criminals who do not represent the values of their people. Obi, who said he understood…

The Federal Government on Monday declared that it is displeased with the South African government’s failure to respond firmly enough to the renewed wave of xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerian nationals, warning that retaliatory diplomatic gestures, including a review of bilateral privileges, were being actively considered and were not off the table. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who briefed State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also rejected outright claims by some South African authorities that the Nigerians under attack were illegal migrants. She argued that Nigerian passport holders were being…