Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Historic £1m Transfer Marks Milestone For Women’s Football As Arsenal Sign Olivia Smith From Liverpool. In a groundbreaking moment for women’s football, Arsenal Women have secured the signature of Canadian star Olivia Smith from Liverpool for a world-record transfer fee of £1m. The 20-year-old forward, who has dazzled in the Women’s Super League (WSL), becomes the first women’s player to break the seven-figure barrier, eclipsing the previous record of £900,000 set by Chelsea for US defender Naomi Girma earlier this year. Smith, who joined Liverpool from Portuguese side Sporting CP for a club-record £210,000 just 12 months ago, made…

Super Falcons Secure Quarter-Final Spot With Late Victory Over Botswana At WAFCON 2024. Nigeria’s Super Falcons clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Botswana in their second Group B match at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), securing their place in the quarter-finals. The match, held at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca, Morocco, on Thursday, 10 July 2025, saw substitute Chinwendu Ihezuo score the decisive goal in the 89th minute, ensuring Nigeria’s second win of the tournament. The Super Falcons, aiming for a record-extending 10th WAFCON title, entered the game with confidence after a commanding 3-0 win…

Nigeria Stands Firm Against US Pressure To Accept Venezuelan Deportees, Says Foreign Minister. Nigeria has firmly rejected pressure from the Donald Trump administration to accept Venezuelan deportees, including prisoners, from the United States, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar. The announcement, made during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on 10 July 2025, underscores Nigeria’s resolve to prioritise its domestic challenges over external demands. Tuggar revealed that the US has been urging several African nations, including Nigeria, to take in Venezuelan nationals, some of whom are former inmates. “The US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries…

Vice President Shettima Challenges Tinubu Over Fubara’s Suspension. Vice President Kashim Shettima publicly contradicted President Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, asserting that the president lacks the constitutional authority to remove an elected governor. Speaking at a book launch in Abuja, Shettima declared that “no president has the power to remove an elected councillor, let alone a governor,” igniting fresh debate over the legality of Tinubu’s actions. Tinubu had announced Fubara’s six-month suspension, alongside his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly, in a nationwide broadcast on 18 March 2025. Citing prolonged…

NITDA Launches National Cybersecurity Conference To Tackle Nigeria’s Skill Gap. On Wednesday, 9 July 2025, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), kicked off the inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference (NCSC 2025) in Abuja. The two-day event, themed “Building a Resilient Digital Future,” aims to address Nigeria’s critical cybersecurity workforce shortage and bolster the nation’s digital defences. NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Abdullahi, revealed that Nigeria faces a staggering 90.6% cybersecurity workforce gap, with only 25,760 professionals available to serve a population exceeding 220 million. To meet global standards, the country…

Senate President Akpabio Replaces Senator Natasha As Committee Chair. On Thursday, 10 July 2025, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the removal of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The decision, revealed during a plenary session in Abuja, saw Senator Aniekan Bassey, representing Akwa Ibom North-East, appointed as her successor, effective immediately. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Kogi Central, has faced a turbulent period in the Senate. This marks the second time she has been stripped of a committee leadership role. Initially, she chaired the…

“There Is No Force On Earth That Can Stop China From Reclaiming Taiwan,” Declares Xi Jinping. Chinese President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed China’s unyielding determination to reunify Taiwan with the mainland, delivering a forceful statement during a recent address. His bold declaration has reignited global focus on the sensitive issue of cross-strait relations, raising concerns about potential escalation in an already tense region. The remarks come against a backdrop of heightened activity in the Taiwan Strait, where military manoeuvres and sharp diplomatic exchanges have become increasingly frequent. Xi’s comments align with his earlier statements, such as those in his…

16-Year Old Girl Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Murder Of FUT Minna Lecturer. A 16-year-old girl, Joy Afekafe, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a High Court in Minna, Niger State, for her role in the brutal murder of Dr. Mrs. Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu, a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna. The verdict, delivered on Wednesday by Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of Minna High Court No. 4, also included a 10-year sentence for armed robbery, to be served concurrently. The shocking crime, which occurred on 28 October 2023 at the lecturer’s residence in the Gbaiko area…

PDP Rejects Coalition Rumours, Emphasises Party Unity And National Convention. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has firmly dismissed speculations of forming coalitions with other political parties, reaffirming its commitment to internal unity and preparations for its national convention. In a statement issued on 3 July 2025, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) addressed what it described as misleading reports, clarifying that no official decision has been made regarding any political alliances. The PDP’s statement comes amid growing speculation about potential mergers or coalitions, particularly with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as Nigeria’s political landscape heats up ahead of the…

Japan Sets New Global Internet Speed Record At 1.02 Petabits Per Second. Japanese researchers have achieved a monumental breakthrough, shattering the world record for internet speed with a staggering 1.02 petabits per second, a rate so fast it could theoretically download the entire Netflix library in under a second. This remarkable feat, announced on 29 May 2025 by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in collaboration with Sumitomo Electric Industries, marks a significant leap forward in optical fibre communication technology. The record-breaking speed was achieved using an innovative 19-core optical fibre, which transmitted data over an…

Breaking: Supreme Court Upholds Monday Okpebholo As Edo State Governor. The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful governor of Edo State, bringing an end to a contentious legal battle over the 2024 gubernatorial election. The unanimous decision, delivered on Thursday, 10 July 2025, by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, for lacking merit. The court’s ruling upholds earlier decisions by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition…

EFCC Uncovers Staggering Corruption In Nigeria’s Oil And Gas Sector. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has exposed what it describes as “mind-boggling” levels of corruption within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, as the agency intensifies its probe into the sector’s financial dealings. EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, speaking on Wednesday, revealed that the commission’s ongoing investigation, launched just three weeks ago, has already uncovered extensive financial misconduct, with much more expected to be revealed as the inquiry deepens. Olukoyede highlighted the scale of the corruption, stating, “What we have discovered is mind-boggling. And we have only just opened…