Author: Press Room

Nigeria head coach Justin Madugu has admitted that bringing 11 debutants to the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) was a significant gamble, Soccernet.ng reports. However, Madugu insists the newcomers have already proven their worth following their significant contributions to Nigeria’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Tunisia. Madugu’s squad selection raised eyebrows before the tournament began, with 11 players earning their first-ever WAFCON call-ups. Six of them — Esther Okoronkwo, Jennifer Echegini, Folashade Ijamilusi, Rinsola Babajide, Oluwatosin Demehin, and Abiodun Deborah — featured against Tunisia, and their performances helped Nigeria cruise to victory. Babajide scored one and assisted another in…

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, has recalled how former President Muhammadu Buhari was afraid that he would be kidnapped by militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta region when he offered to negotiate a peace deal with them. Speaking during the launch of the book entitled ‘According to The President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman Experience’, written by Malam Garba Shehu, he remarked that Buhari told him he could not afford to pay a ransom to kidnappers in the event he fell into their trap. He explained that it is to the credit of former President Buhari…

With just two days to go before the Lagos State Local Council election, the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has called for the postponement of the poll, due to the state’s failure to implement the Local Government Administrative Law. The group, which made this call during a peaceful protest staged at the Lagos State House of Assembly premises, expressed deep concerns and unequivocal opposition to the delay in implementing the law signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on May 7, 2025. The CHSR President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, who commended the executive arm for enacting the critical law aimed at…

Idowu Abdullahi No fewer than 43 million Nigerians are currently at risk of contracting river blindness, researchers at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research have said. The condition, also known as onchocerciasis, is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Onchocerca volvulus and transmitted by the black fly Simulium damnosum, which breeds around fast-flowing rivers in rural areas. More than 99% of infected people live in Africa and Yemen; the remaining 1% live on the border between Brazil and Venezuela, according to the World Health Organisation. In 2023, the global health body said at least 249.5 million people required…

The High Court of Lagos State has reportedly declined to expedite the hearing of an ex-parte motion filed yesterday against the conduct of the council poll to be held this weekend. The motion, concerning an impending election (the election which is capable of disenfranchising members of De Renaissance and other registered voters at large, scheduled for July 12, 2025), has raised concerns about potential violations of electoral laws and the timeliness of the court’s intervention. The applicant is De Renaissance Patriots Foundation while the respondents are the Lagos State government and three other parties, including the Lagos State Independent Electoral…

The United States has updated its visa policy for Nigerian non-immigrant applicants, with major implications for many travellers. Here’s what you need to know: 1. What Changed? The U.S. now limits most Nigerian non-immigrant visas (like tourism, business, and short-term visits) to single-entry and a validity of 3 months. This is a shift from previous policies that often allowed multiple entries and longer validity periods. 2. Who Is Affected? This change primarily affects:* Nigerian tourists (B1/B2 visas)* Business visitors* Short-term professionals or students under non-immigrant categories It does not affect:* Those with valid, unexpired visas issued under previous terms* Green…

A newly formed political group, South East Progressive Ambassadors (SEPA 2027), has declared its support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, calling on residents of the Southeast to align with the current political leadership and dismiss ongoing opposition coalition efforts. The group, made up of young professionals from the region, was unveiled at a launch event in Abuja. In a statement jointly signed by the group’s convener, John Ikeotuonye; secretary, Justin Nwankwo; and leader of its women’s wing, Vivian Nnajiofor, SEPA 2027 said it intends to mobilise grassroots support and engage in policy advocacy ahead of the next general…

Ebonyi State government on Tuesday announced that ongoing repair work at Azuinyioku bridge along the Enugu/Abakaliki/Ogoja trans-Saharan superhighway is hindering the distribution of water to Abakaliki and its surroundings. In a discussion with journalists in Abakaliki, the Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on Mineral Development and Chairman of the Oferekpe Water Treatment Plant Rehabilitation, Prince John Nwangbo, explained that the New Map Project caused damage at the bridge. He accused the New Map Project of damaging vital water pipelines essential to the state’s effort to restore the long-abandoned Oferekpe water scheme. He appealed to the people that the…

• Group protests against delay in implementation of administrative law• ActionAid, Inspired Youth Network urge massive participation The All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State chapter, has concluded its mega rally, marking the culmination of the party’s campaign efforts ahead of the local council elections scheduled to hold on July 12, 2025. The state’s APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, who spoke, yesterday, at Lagos Central Senatorial District mega rally programme, charged party members to ensure victory at the polls by galvanising support and reaching out to voters. Ojelabi stressed the party’s track record of providing development and creating an enabling environment for…

With the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by coalition forces in the country, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) fold in Ondo State has been diminished by the development. Senior members within the party, along with their followers, have aligned themselves with ADC in a move to rescue the country and the state. Among the PDP stalwarts who joined ADC are Eyitayo Jegede and Agboola Ajayi, who were the party’s candidates in the 2020 and 2024 governorship elections in the state. Other PDP political stalwarts who moved to ADC in the state include the former State Chairman of the…