Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Newcastle Manager Eddie Howe Admitted To Hospital, To Miss Manchester United Clash. Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has been admitted to hospital and will miss Sunday’s crucial Premier League encounter against Manchester United, the club confirmed on Saturday. Howe, 47, who has reportedly been feeling unwell for several days, was taken to hospital late on Friday evening. In a statement released by the club, Newcastle revealed that their head coach is “conscious and talking with his family” as he undergoes further medical tests. “The Magpies’ head coach was admitted to hospital late on Friday evening having felt unwell…

Omu-Aran Youths Protest Against Outrageous Electricity Billing By IBEDC. Youths in Omu-Aran, a town in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, staged a peaceful protest on Friday over what they described as outrageous electricity bills issued by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC). The protesters voiced their strong disapproval of a sudden change in the community’s electricity billing classification from Band C to Band A, which they claim has resulted in unaffordable electricity charges for the month of March. Gathering as early as 8:00 a.m. at the Bareke roundabout in the heart of the town, the demonstrators…

Lagos To Hold Local Government Elections On 12 July. The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has officially announced that local government elections will take place across the state on Saturday, 12 July 2025. Mr Tope Ojo, LASIEC’s Head of Public Affairs, disclosed this development on Friday, confirming that the elections will cover 57 council chairmanship positions and 376 councillor seats. In the event of any inconclusive outcomes, a re-run has been scheduled for 19 July. The elections will span across all 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State, encompassing a…

Nigerian Football Legend Christian Chukwu Dies At 74. Christian Chukwu, the former captain and coach of Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has passed away at the age of 74. His death was confirmed on Saturday, 12 April 2025, though details surrounding his passing remain unclear at this time. Chukwu, affectionately known as “Chairman,” was a towering figure in Nigerian football. As a player, he captained the Green Eagles to their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980. Transitioning into coaching, he led the national team and also managed clubs both domestically and internationally, including stints in Kenya…

Vigilantes Rescue Abducted Woman In Lokoja Prayer Mountain Attack. In a courageous act of community defence, local vigilantes have successfully rescued a woman, Mary Adams Gure, who was abducted by armed men during a violent raid on a prayer mountain in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State. The incident occurred late on Thursday night, 11 April, around 11:00 p.m., when gunmen stormed a remote prayer site in the Egbola area along Agbaja Road. The attackers disrupted a religious gathering by firing sporadically to create panic before forcefully leading worshippers into the surrounding bush. According to intelligence reports cited by…

Troops Neutralise Notorious Bandit Leader In Katsina State Offensive. Troops of Operation Fasin Yamma (OPFY) have recorded a significant victory in the fight against banditry, successfully neutralising a notorious kingpin known as Malam and four of his gang members in a daring offensive in Katsina State. The operation, which took place along the Kandamba-Faskari axis, was carried out with precision and determination, as part of the Nigerian Armed Forces’ ongoing efforts to restore peace and security in the North-West region. Security sources confirmed that the troops engaged the criminals in a fierce gun battle, resulting in the death…

Strong Winds Hit Northern China Including Beijing As Authorities Urge Citizens To Stay Indoors. Authorities across northern China have taken decisive measures in response to extreme weather conditions that affected millions over the weekend. Powerful winds, stemming from a polar vortex, swept through the region, prompting safety advisories, travel disruptions, and the temporary closure of major public sites. In Beijing, residents were urged to remain indoors as gusts reached over 100 miles per hour, uprooting trees and causing structural damage. Emergency services acted quickly, evacuating thousands and suspending public transport to ensure public safety. Popular tourist destinations and…

U.S. Embassy Introduces New Visa Interview Requirements For Nigerian Applicants. The United States Embassy has announced updated visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants, with the new measures set to take effect from Monday, 22 April 2025. In a statement released by the Embassy, all applicants attending visa interviews at the U.S. Consular Sections in Abuja and Lagos must now present a DS-160 confirmation page featuring a barcode that begins with “AA” followed by two zeroes (00). This specific barcode format must precisely match the one used to schedule the applicant’s visa appointment online. The Embassy warned that any…

FG Reaffirms Commitment To Fairness In Appointments, Dismisses Claims Of Lopsidedness. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has firmly dismissed allegations of imbalance in the distribution of federal appointments, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to fairness, equity, and national unity. In a statement released on Friday, Akume emphasised that all appointments made under President Bola Tinubu’s administration strictly adhere to the Federal Character Principle, as outlined in Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This reassurance follows public debate sparked by Senator Ali Ndume of the North East geo-political zone, who accused…

Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Reserves Likely To Finish In 64 Years Says NUPRC. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has projected that the country’s crude oil reserves could sustain national demand for the next 64 years, while natural gas reserves are estimated to last up to 93 years. This projection was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the Commission’s Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe. The figures reflect Nigeria’s official petroleum reserves position as of 1 January 2025. According to the statement, Nigeria’s 2P crude oil and condensate reserves now stand at 31.44 billion barrels…

NERC Fines Eight DisCos ₦628 Million For Overbilling Unmetered Customers. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has imposed a fine of ₦628,031,583.94 on eight electricity distribution companies (DisCos) for failing to comply with the approved monthly energy caps for unmetered customers in the third quarter of 2024. In a statement issued on Thursday, NERC identified the sanctioned DisCos as Abuja, Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, and Yola. The companies were found to have breached the provisions of the commission’s 2020 Order on Capping of Estimated Bills (Order No: NERC/197/2020), which is designed to align estimated billing for unmetered…

Police Launch Investigation Into Ikeja CCTV Shop Explosion Near Computer Village. The Lagos State Police Command has commenced a thorough investigation into an explosion that occurred on Thursday evening at a CCTV equipment shop located on Kodesho Street, close to the bustling Computer Village in Ikeja. According to a statement released on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the incident was reported at approximately 6:35 p.m. Prompt response teams, including operatives from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit, the Mobile Police Detachment, and other police formations, swiftly arrived at the scene to secure the area…