Author: Press Room

The Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin has sentenced a Nigerian man, Edward Evbagharu, to one year in prison for his role in money laundering in Ireland. Evbagharu, 46, allowed his bank accounts to be used to defraud a man of €49,000 in a romance scam. According to Irish Mirror, the Nigerian man living in Shackleton Exchange, Shackleton Drive, Lucan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to money laundering between February 12, 2021 and June 9, 2021. The report said the Nigerian, a security guard and a father of six children, had 11 previous convictions. A detective, Barry Brennan…

The Super Eagles‘ absence from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar remains one of the most painful memories for Nigerian football fans in recent years. The three-time African Champions narrowly missed out on qualification after suffering a heartbreaking playoff defeat to their West African rivals, the Ghana national football team, who progressed on the away goals rule following a 1-1 aggregate draw. While Ghana went on to represent Africa at the tournament, many observers have continued to wonder how Nigeria might have performed had they taken their place in Group H alongside Portugal, Uruguay, and South Korea. A recent supercomputer…

The father of Israel Afeare, the logistics manager of Afrobeat Maestro, Davido, is dead. Afeare, an indigene of Edo State and popularly known as Israel DMW, disclosed this to PUNCH Online in a telephone conversation on Friday. Israel DMW’s father, Mr. Afeare Eric He said his father, Mr. Afeare Eric, a retired Deputy Superintendent of police, died in an Ibadan hospital, Oyo State, at the age of 71, after a brief illness on March 2. He described his late father as his pillar of strength and as the one who made the family an indivisible unit. He said, “It is…

By Hussaini Ibrahim The Kano State Centre for Disease Control has confirmed a case of Lassa fever in the state and activated emergency response measures to contain the spread of the viral disease. The Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, Prof. Muhammad Abbas, disclosed this in a public health advisory issued on Thursday, stating that the agency had intensified surveillance and initiated contact tracing following the confirmed case. Abbas said the agency had activated rapid response mechanisms across the state to track and monitor individuals who might have been exposed to the virus. According to him, contact…

Barcelona could still make a big signing this summer, according to former club president Joan Laporta, who believes the Spanish giants have the financial strength to invest in a new star striker, Soccernet.ng reports. The Catalan club have been linked with several top forwards, including Nigeria and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen. Reports from The Athletic suggest Osimhen is among the players admired by the FC Barcelona hierarchy. His pace, power and finishing ability are seen as qualities that could suit the current Barcelona attack. The Nigerian forward joined Galatasaray for a record transfer fee last summer and quickly became a…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has increased its Premium Motor Spirit gantry price to N995 per litre, marking a sharp N221 rise within four days, amid volatility in global crude oil prices and shipping costs. A senior official of the refinery confirmed the development to PUNCH Online on Friday, explaining that the latest price adjustment followed recent shifts in global oil market fundamentals. “Yes, the price has been reviewed. The new gantry price is now N995 per litre,” the official said. The new price represents an increase from N874 per litre, which itself was introduced earlier this week after the refinery…

Crystal Palace are no longer obligated to sign Super Eagles midfielder Christantus Uche on a permanent basis, as the conditions for his mandatory transfer can no longer be met, Soccernet.ng reports. ​Following a standout debut season at Getafe, Uche moved to Selhurst Park on loan last summer. At the time, the move was among the most controversial in Spanish football; Getafe were desperate to keep him but eventually succumbed to pressure just before the deadline to comply with La Liga’s stringent financial regulations. Christantus Uche after the Everton vs Crystal Palace Premier League match. Picture credit: ImagoxGareth Evans ​The clubs…

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has urged the Ijaw ethnic nationality to sustain its agitation for the creation of additional states beyond Bayelsa, saying the struggle for constitutional restructuring must continue. Diri spoke on Friday during the 2026 national convention of the Ijaw National Congress held at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa. He said the Ijaw nation should not abandon its long-standing demand for the creation of two more states, in addition to the one already achieved. He explained that the ethnic group had originally pushed for three states, including Oil Rivers, Bayelsa and Toru-Ibe, adding that the quest…

By Animashaun Salman The Sokoto State Government has launched a statewide polio vaccination campaign aimed at stopping the transmission of the circulating variant poliovirus type 2 and protecting children from paralysis. The campaign, flag-off held on Friday at the palace of the District Head of Kware, Alhaji Muhammad Dan’iya, will run from Saturday, March 7, to Tuesday, March 10. Governor Ahmed Aliyu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, said the exercise is designed to ensure that no child in the state suffers paralysis from the preventable disease. “This campaign is aimed at interrupting the transmission…

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka left Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Tems visibly stunned during the debut episode of the club’s new series, Soccernet.ng reports. The “Link Up,” filmed at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, featured the British-Nigerian forward and Tems in a question-and-answer scene. The 24-year-old winger’s candid admission that he had never heard of global music icon Celine Dion quickly went viral, with clips of the moment dominating social media feeds. Tems teams up with Bukayo Saka. Photo credit: X/NoteSphere The episode also featured acclaimed producer GuiltyBeatz, and focused on life off the pitch. Saka and Tems explored how performing in…