Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

UEFA Conference League Final 2024/25: Real Betis Vs Chelsea Preview. The stage is set for an enthralling UEFA Conference League final as Real Betis face Chelsea at Stadion Wrocław in Poland on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, with kick-off at 8:00 PM WAT (9:00 PM CET). This clash pits a Spanish side chasing their first-ever European trophy against a Chelsea team aiming to make history by becoming the first club to win all five major UEFA men’s senior competitions. Here’s a detailed preview of the match, covering team form, key players, tactics, head-to-head history, and how to watch. When and Where…

Wike And Atiku Absent At PDP NEC Meeting Highlighting Internal Strife And National Concerns. In a pivotal gathering of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja yesterday underscored both the party’s internal divisions and its resolve to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The absence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike from the meeting signalled ongoing tensions within the party, as the NEC navigated critical issues while deferring contentious decisions to a future date. The NEC, chaired by Acting National Chairman Umar…

President Tinubu Seeks Senate Approval For £16.9 Billion Borrowing Plan To Boost Nigeria’s Infrastructure And Economy. President Bola Tinubu has submitted a request to the Nigerian Senate for approval to borrow $21.5 billion (£16.9 billion), including a (£55 million) grant, to fund critical infrastructure projects and stimulate economic growth. The announcement, detailed in a letter to the Senate on 27 May 2025, underscores the government’s growing debt issues aiming to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit and mitigate the economic impact of the fuel subsidy removal. In his letter, President Tinubu outlined the objectives of the 2025-2026 External Borrowing Plan, stating,…

Troops Thwart Bandit Attack In Plateau, Neutralise Three Suspects. In a decisive operation, troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have neutralised three suspected bandits in Teng and Kayarda communities of Qua’an Pan Local Government Area (LGA) in Plateau State, preventing planned attacks on local villages. The operation, which took place on Tuesday morning, also led to the recovery of weapons and ammunition, bolstering security efforts in the region. Major Samson Zhakom, Media Officer for OPSH, disclosed the details in a statement issued in Jos on Tuesday. He explained that the troops acted on credible intelligence indicating that armed militia…

Mental Health Crisis In Nigeria: WHO Report Reveals About 20 Million Live With Mental Conditions. A staggering 20 million Nigerians, representing 20% of the nation’s population, are living with mental health conditions, according to a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report. The alarming statistic was highlighted by Dr Azubike Aliche, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria-American Institute for Mental Health (NAIMH), during a mental health GAP Action training programme in Owerri on Tuesday. The four-day training, organised by NAIMH in collaboration with the Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE), is funded by the Nigeria…

Lagos State Government Announces Traffic Diversions For ECOWAS 50th Anniversary Celebrations. The Lagos State Government has issued a traffic advisory, announcing diversions on major roads in Victoria Island to accommodate the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) 50th anniversary celebrations, scheduled from 27 to 29 May 2025. The milestone event, marking five decades of regional cooperation, is expected to draw heads of state, diplomats, and key stakeholders to Lagos, the birthplace of ECOWAS in 1975. In a statement released on Monday, Bolanle Ogunlola, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, outlined the diversion…

EFCC And ICPC Recover £967.5 Billion And ₦277 Billion In Looted Funds, Says Federal Government. In a significant boost to Nigeria’s fight against corruption, the Federal Government has announced that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have successfully recovered looted funds totalling $967.5 billion (£760 billion) and ₦277 billion in cash and assets. This remarkable achievement underscores the government’s commitment to tackling financial crimes and promoting transparency, as revealed during the Asset Recovery Summit held at the Ministry of Justice in Abuja on 27 May 2025. The…

Two Oil Marketers Jailed For 14 Years Over £1.1bn Oil Subsidy Fraud In Nigeria. In a landmark ruling, Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, 27 May 2025, sentenced two oil marketers, Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, to 14 years imprisonment each for their roles in a N2.2 billion (£1.1 billion) oil subsidy fraud. The duo, alongside their company, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, were convicted on an amended 57-count charge related to conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, and using false documents. The case, prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes…

NPR And Public Radio Stations Sue Trump Over Funding Cut Order. National Public Radio (NPR), alongside other public radio organisations including Colorado Public Radio and Aspen Public Radio, has launched legal action against U.S. President Donald Trump, challenging an executive order that seeks to halt federal funding for NPR and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in a federal court in Washington, argues that the order breaches the U.S. Constitution and violates First Amendment protections for freedom of speech. The legal filing asserts that President Trump lacks the authority to implement such a measure, stating,…

ECOWAS Member States Vie To Host West African Health Organization Amid Agency Relocation. Member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are engaged in a fierce competition to host the West African Health Organization (WAHO), as part of the ongoing relocation of ECOWAS agencies from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. This development follows the formal withdrawal of these three nations from the regional bloc, prompting a restructuring of agency locations. The announcement was made by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, as ECOWAS gears up…

ICPC Chairman Calls For Transparent Judicial Appointments To Combat Corruption In Africa. Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has urged greater transparency in the appointment of judges as a vital step in tackling corruption across Africa. Speaking on Monday at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) in Lower Usuma Dam, Bwari, Abuja, Dr. Aliyu delivered a compelling lecture titled “Non-State Actors and Anti-Corruption Efforts in Africa” to participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 18 (EIMC 18). Dr. Aliyu stressed that appointing credible, principled judges is…

Non-Academic University Unions Reject Nigeria’s N50bn Allocation Formula, Demand Fairness. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-academic unions in Nigerian universities has vehemently rejected the Federal Government’s approved formula for distributing N50 billion to university-based unions, labelling it as “grossly unfair, provocative, and unacceptable.” The decision was announced in a joint statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU). Signed by NASU General Secretary Peters Adeyemi and SSANU National President Mohammed Ibrahim, the statement expressed deep dismay over the government’s…