Author: Press Room

Rwandan-Ugandan artist Somi posing for her promotional album artwork for What Does It Take to Bloom? It has been six years since Somi last released a full body of original work, and now the Rwandan-Ugandan singer-songwriter is finally ready to share what she’s been creating. The multi-award-winning artist has announced her new album, What Does It Take to Bloom?, arriving on 7 August via Salon Africana. Alongside the announcement comes its first single, “We’re All Falling,” giving listeners an early glimpse into the world she has been building over the past few years. If you’ve followed Somi’s music, you’ll know…

Former Super Eagles and Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has tipped four African nations to make a deep run into the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament, Soccernet.ng reports. The 33-year-old represented Nigeria at two World Cups (2014 in Brazil and 2018 in Russia). After winning the AFCON 2013 trophy with the Super Eagles under Stephen Keshi, Onazi became a crucial part of the Nigerian team moving forward. The versatile midfielder played all four games at the 2014 World Cup and was having a stellar performance against France before Blaise Matuidi stomped on his ankle, and he was replaced by Reuben Gabriel.…

A man has been arrested in the Federal Capital Territory after police discovered that he had held his own sister captive in a locked room under chains for over one year and four months. The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the disturbing case while briefing journalists in Abuja on Monday, describing it as one of the most dehumanising scenes his officers had encountered. He said the command received a distress call on June 12, 2026, indicating that a woman, Grace Aniekuoku, 36, was being held in chains and locked inside a room by her brother, Chinedu Aniekuoku. The…

Anozie Egole Twenty-five final-year students of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, have received research grants under the Nigeria Food Security Scholars Programme, an initiative of the Nigerian Food Security Project designed to promote research-driven solutions to Nigeria’s food security challenges. The beneficiaries were awarded project-based grants totalling N3.211m, alongside certificates of participation, to support research in areas including food security, agricultural supply chains, climate resilience, post-harvest loss reduction, sustainable food systems, and other related fields. This was contained in a statement obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday. According to the statement, the scholarship presentation ceremony was attended by…

Former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has revealed his favourite moment at the World Cup for Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports. The former Lazio midfielder enjoyed a remarkable international career with the Super Eagles. He first made his mark on the global stage when he helped Nigeria finish as runners-up at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup before making his senior debut in 2012. Onazi went on to earn 53 caps for Nigeria and was a key member of the squad that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, securing the country’s third continental title and their most recent AFCON triumph till date.…

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested four suspects over alleged murder and child abuse in separate incidents committed across the state. The suspects were arrested following trending videos and credible information from concerned members of the public. This was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, on Monday. Ikenga said the command intercepted a trending video of the exhumation of a corpse in Nkpor and a 10-year-old boy inflicted with various serious degrees of injuries all over his body, and has taken into custody four suspects linked to the offence. The statement read,…

Over the past year, a single figure (₦210 trillion) has dominated Senate hearings, media headlines, and public anger. It led to a former Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) boss being summoned, an arrest warrant being issued, and that same warrant being scrapped within 24 hours. The inquiry began in May 2025, after lawmakers reviewed Auditor-General reports for 2019 and 2020. The Senate Public Accounts Committee then examined NNPCL’s audited financial statements prepared by external auditors, plus the records of National Petroleum Investment Management Services NAPIMS (now NNPC Upstream Investment Services), and raised questions about inconsistencies. The NNPCL told the Senate…

Tunisia’s 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has reopened painful memories for African football supporters, Soccernet.ng reports. Played at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico, the Group F clash saw Sweden expose Tunisia’s defensive weaknesses in a result that instantly became one of the heaviest defeats suffered by an African nation at the World Cup. Across the tournament’s history, African teams have produced unforgettable performances, from Cameroon in 1990 to Morocco in 2022. However, there have also been difficult days when some of the continent’s strongest sides were completely outclassed. 2026 World Cup:…

Germany’s Kai Havertz, Sweden’s Yasin Ayari and United States forward Folarin Balogun are setting the early pace in the race for the adidas Golden Boot at the FIFA World Cup 2026, with each player scoring twice in their opening matches. Balogun, the 25-year-old AS Monaco striker, became the first player to score multiple goals for the United States in a FIFA World Cup match since 1930 after netting twice in the first half of the co-hosts’ 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their Group D opener at Los Angeles Stadium. Here is a Monday update curated from the FIFA website by…

Uthman Salami The first thing that hits visitors to the Oja Agbe Market in Ifo, Ogun State, is the suffocating stench from a towering dumpsite that looms over traders, buyers and residents. As residents and traders raise fears of food contamination, recurrent disease outbreaks and deadly accidents linked to the refuse-filled road, the market has become a symbol of a community trapped between neglect and survival, UTHMAN SALAMI writes It was a rain-soaked Saturday, May 29, 2026, when this reporter visited the popular farmers’ market in Oja Oba along Sholu-Kajola Road in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.…