NEWS

A video capturing the moment police officers in Bayelsa State detained several women for possessing a sex toy has sparked widespread outrage on social media. The viral footage shows the young women being subjected to a roadside stop-and-search by the officers. Upon discovering a dildo in one of the women's bags, an officer labeled the item an "exhibit." He then demanded that the commuters accompany the team to the local police station. The commuters strongly challenged the officers, questioning how owning a sex toy constitutes a criminal offense. The officers refused to back down and insisted on taking the women in for questioning. During the encounter, one of the women accused the police of harassment and using derogatory labels, claiming an officer called them “lesbians.” Th...

How religion and tribalism fractured a nation blessed with promise Nigeria — Decades after independence, many citizens believe the country’s deepest wounds were not caused by a lack of resources, but by the divisions that slowly poisoned national unity. “Religion divided our hearts, tribalism blinded our minds, and together they stole the unity Nigeria needed to rise.” Those words have resurfaced across conversations, political debates, and social commentary as frustration grows over insecurity, corruption, ethnic tension, and economic hardship in Africa’s most populous nation. Despite enormous oil wealth, cultural diversity, and human talent, Nigeria has struggled to build a united national identity. Analysts say ethnic loyalty and religious sentiment have ...

President Tinubu has pledged that his administration will ultimately defeat terrorists and bandits.The President made the pledge in his Eid-el-Kabir message released on Tuesday, May 26. In the message, President Tinubu acknowledged the continued attacks by “heartless terrorists and bandits” on some communities but declared that affected citizens “are neither abandoned nor forgotten”. “We will ultimately defeat all the forces of evil” he said The President highlighted some of the positive outcomes of his administration’s economic reforms, insisting that the country has exited a difficult period. “Just as sacrifice brings reward, I am happy that the sacrifices and efforts we have made over the past three years have yielded a more stable economy, making our country a preferred ...

Two people are suspected of being infected with Ebola in Milan, northern Italy, according to the Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Monday. The individuals, a man and a woman originally from Como, are said to have recently returned from Uganda, where they had been working as aid workers for three months. They reportedly developed symptoms, including high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. The man is said to have suffered intestinal problems, while the woman experienced neurological symptoms, the report said. Ebola disease is caused by viruses belonging to the Orthoebolavirus genus. Three strains are known to cause major outbreaks in humans: Ebola virus (Zaire), Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus. The suspected cases come amid heightened concern over Ebola outbreaks in p...

Two people are suspected of being infected with Ebola in Milan, northern Italy, according to the Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Monday. The individuals, a man and a woman originally from Como, are said to have recently returned from Uganda, where they had been working as aid workers for three months. They reportedly developed symptoms, including high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. The man is said to have suffered intestinal problems, while the woman experienced neurological symptoms, the report said. Ebola disease is caused by viruses belonging to the Orthoebolavirus genus. Three strains are known to cause major outbreaks in humans: Ebola virus (Zaire), Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus. The suspected cases come amid heightened concern over Ebola outbreaks in p...

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has ordered the deployment of special forces and aerial surveillance units to Oyo State following a series of recent kidnapping incidents. According to the Defence Headquarters, the move is aimed at strengthening security operations in affected areas and ensuring the arrest of those responsible for the attacks. Military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja said the Armed Forces acknowledged the security situation in Oyo State and expressed condolences to affected families and residents. He added that the CDS had directed an expanded security response involving aerial monitoring and specialised ground troops working alongside state authorities. He said intelligence-led operations had already begun yielding results and assured tha...

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revise its 2027 general election timetable, citing inconsistencies with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026. Delivering judgment on Tuesday, May 26, in a suit filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the court held that while INEC has constitutional authority to set and adjust election timetables, it must operate strictly within the legal timelines established by law. The case challenged parts of INEC’s revised schedule, particularly the shortened deadlines for political parties to submit candidate details and carry out substitutions. Justice James Omotosho ruled that INEC cannot lawfully reduce the 90-day period allowed for candidate substitution under section 31 of the Electoral...

A group of male police officers has gone viral for going undercover as s£xy female dancers to catch a notorious drug dealer in Thailand. The team, comprising five male cops and one female officer, shared a picture of themselves on Facebook, posing in dresses and smiling, after a successful operation during a street dance festival in the Thai province of Lopburi. The suspect, a man named Mekha Fa-wap-wap, was found with 53 methamphetamine pills, more than 200 plastic bags to hold drugs, and a mobile phone, according to police. Cops suspected Mekha of involvement in illegal activity but decided to disguise themselves as dancers during a street festival to catch him off guard, the Vietnamese outlet Doi Song & Phap Luat reported. He now faces charges for possessing category one...

The Federal Government has cancelled $717.7m in undisbursed World Bank financing for Nigeria’s troubled electricity sector, effectively terminating the remaining portion of a $1.52bn power sector recovery programme amid mounting tariff shortfalls, worsening financial pressures, and persistent implementation challenges across the industry. Documents obtained by The PUNCH from the World Bank website on Monday showed that the cancellation followed a formal request by the Federal Government and a joint decision by both parties to discontinue financing under the Power Sector Recovery Performance-Based Operation due to evolving sector realities and the inability to achieve key reform milestones. According to the World Bank restructuring paper, the cancelled amount represents the entire und...

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday, May 25, that he asked Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan to join the Abraham Accords en masse to normalize relations with Israel as he tries to negotiate an agreement to end the war with Iran.  Pakistan rejected the proposal. None of the other countries has so far publicly reacted to Trump's demand, and a positive response was unlikely when public mistrust of Israel in these Muslim nations remains high over the scale of its military offensive in Gaza. Trump said he spoke on Saturday to leaders of those countries, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which have already signed the accords, a set of agreements to normalize relations with Israel. “I am mandatorily requesting that all Countries immedi...