Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

D’Tigress Gear Up For 2025 AfroBasket Title Defence With Star-Studded Preliminary Squad. The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has unveiled a formidable 20-player preliminary squad for the D’Tigress, Nigeria’s senior women’s national basketball team, as they prepare to defend their continental crown at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 26 July to 3 August. The announcement, made on Thursday, signals the start of an intensive preparation phase for the reigning champions, who are chasing a historic fifth consecutive title. The provisional roster blends seasoned veterans with emerging talents, retaining the core of the squad that…

Cristiano Ronaldo Signs Lucrative New Contract With Al-Nassr. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Footballing icon Cristiano Ronaldo has penned a staggering new contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, cementing his status as one of the highest-paid athletes in the world. The deal, reported by SunSport, showcases the club’s ambition to dominate both on and off the pitch, with a financial package that redefines footballing wealth. The 40-year-old Portuguese superstar will earn an eye-watering £178 million annually, equating to approximately £3.4 million per week. In addition to his colossal salary, Ronaldo will receive a 15% ownership stake in Al-Nassr, valued…

Suspected Kidnapper Nabbed At Izom Cattle Market After Victim’s Identification. A suspected kidnapper was apprehended at the Izom Cattle Market in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, following a dramatic identification by one of his victims in broad daylight. The arrest, which took place on Saturday, 21 June 2025, at approximately 4:00 pm, marks a significant breakthrough in efforts to curb kidnapping in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs. According to reports, the suspect was linked to the abduction of two herders and a driver near Daku community in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, on 9 June…

Senate Issues 10-Day Ultimatum To NNPCL Over ₦200trn Unaccounted Funds. The Nigerian Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to account for ₦200 trillion in unaccounted funds, following discrepancies identified in the company’s financial records from 2017 to 2023. The directive, announced during a plenary session on Wednesday, comes amidst ongoing investigations into the state-owned oil giant, with the Senate’s Ad-Hoc Committee on Financial Oversight leading the probe. The committee, chaired by Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, representing Cross River North, highlighted significant gaps in NNPCL’s audited reports, describing the unaccounted funds as…

Court Adjourns Yahaya Bello’s N110bn Fraud Trial To July 8. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has postponed the fraud trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to July 8, 2025. The case, involving allegations of criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N110 billion, also names two co-defendants, Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu. Justice Maryanne Anenih announced the adjournment on Wednesday, scheduling further hearings for October 8, 9, and November 12, 13, 2025. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleges that Bello and his co-defendants misappropriated Kogi…

Nigeria Ranks 12th Poorest Country By GDP Per Capita In 2025, Says IMF Report. Nigeria has been ranked the 12th poorest country in the world by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2025, according to a recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), published by Visual Capitalist. The data, released on Tuesday, reveals Nigeria’s GDP per capita stands at $807, placing it among the bottom 15 of 50 nations surveyed. The report highlights South Sudan as the world’s poorest nation, with a GDP per capita of just $251, followed by Yemen, Burundi, the Central African Republic, and…

Oyo State Polytechnic, Ibadan Renamed In Honour Of Late Governor Omololu Olunloyo. In a heartfelt tribute to a distinguished statesman, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has announced the renaming of The Polytechnic, Ibadan to Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan. The decision was revealed on Thursday, 26 June 2025, during an interdenominational commendation service held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan, as part of the burial programme for the late Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, a former governor of the state. Dr Omololu Olunloyo, who passed away on 6 April 2025, just days shy of his 90th birthday, was a…

INEC Announces Bye-Elections For 16 Constituencies Across 12 States On 16 August 2025. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set Saturday, 16 August 2025, as the date for bye-elections to fill vacant seats in the National and State Assemblies across 16 constituencies in 12 states. The announcement was made by INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, during a consultative meeting with political party leaders in Abuja on Thursday, 26 June 2025. The bye-elections aim to address vacancies resulting from resignations, deaths, or court-ordered annulments, involving approximately 3,553,659 registered voters across 32 local government areas, 356 wards, and 6,987 polling…

President Tinubu Declines Signing Into Law NDLEA Amendment Bill Over Transparency Concerns. President Bola Tinubu has withheld his assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill, 2025, citing concerns over its provisions and their incompatibility with Nigeria’s existing legal framework. The decision was announced in a letter read during the House of Representatives plenary session on Thursday by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. The bill, recently passed by the National Assembly, proposed granting the NDLEA the authority to retain a portion of proceeds from drug-related crimes, a move that Tinubu argued would contravene established financial regulations. Invoking Section…

Kenyans Rally For Justice: Nationwide Protests Mark Anniversary Of 2024 Uprising. Nairobi, Kenya – June 26, 2025 – Thousands of Kenyans took to the streets across the country on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, to commemorate the first anniversary of the 2024 anti-government protests, which saw young Kenyans, dubbed the “Gen Z movement,” storm parliament in opposition to a controversial finance bill. The latest demonstrations, sparked by ongoing grievances over police brutality, corruption, and governance, have reignited public calls for accountability and reform, though they were marred by violence, with at least 16 deaths and over 400 injuries reported. The…

Global Cocaine Trade Reaches Record Highs, UN Warns. The global cocaine market has surged to unprecedented levels, with production, seizures, and usage all hitting record highs in recent times, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The agency’s annual World Drug Report, published on 26 June 2025, identifies cocaine as the world’s fastest-growing illicit drug market, driven largely by a boom in production in Colombia and rising demand in Europe, North America, and South America. The report reveals that global cocaine production soared to 3,708 tonnes in 2023, a staggering 34% increase from 2022 and…

Nigeria Leads West Africa In Intra-African Trade With £14.5 Billion In 2024, Afreximbank Reports. In a remarkable achievement for Nigeria’s economy, the country has emerged as West Africa’s leader in intra-African trade, recording a staggering $18.4 billion (£14.5 billion) in trade volume for 2024, according to the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The announcement, shared via posts on X on 26 June 2025, underscores Nigeria’s pivotal role in driving regional economic integration and highlights the growing momentum of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The Afreximbank’s African Trade and Economic Outlook Report 2025: African Resilience in a Changing World…