NEWS

A former Chief Financial Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Umar Ajiya, has strongly denied allegations of financial impropriety against the company, insisting that neither NNPCL nor its employees are involved in stealing public funds.Ajiya made the remarks during a hearing of the Senate Public Accounts Committee, which is currently examining claims of financial mismanagement within the state-owned oil company.His response came after Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, reportedly described NNPCL as a “house of thieves” while raising concerns about the company’s financial operations.Rejecting the allegations, Ajiya maintained that the company has operated transparently and has not misappropriated any funds. He also corrected reports...

Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh says one of his greatest wishes is to witness an African country lift the FIFA World Cup trophy before the end of his lifetime.Oliseh, who played a key role in Nigeria’s historic gold medal triumph at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, noted that while Africa has enjoyed several memorable moments on football’s biggest stage, the continent is still waiting for its first World Cup title.Since the tournament began in 1930, 49 African teams from 13 different countries have participated in the World Cup. However, only one African side has managed to reach the semi-finals — Morocco national football team at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.That achievement surpassed the previous best performances by African nations, including Cameroon in 1990, Seneg...

Evacuated Nigerians from South Africa have arrived in Lagos after recent xenophobic tensions that left many residents in fear.The evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday, aboard an Air Peace aircraft.Their return followed efforts by the Federal Government in response to renewed attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier said that the first group would return on Thursday morning.The flight, which was coordinated by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies, was part of efforts to bring home Nigerians affected by the recent violence and anti-immigrant protests in South Africa.The evacuees arrived safely at the airpo...

Concern has continued to grow within media circles in Osun State following the reported arrest of the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Osun State Council, Olalekan Akindoju, by police officers in Osogbo, on Thursday morning.The development was confirmed by the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Council, Adeyemi Aboderin in a post on the official Osun NUJ WhatsApp platform.Aboderin said, “IMPORTANT NOTICE. Policemen reportedly arrested Hon.Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Osun State Council, Olalekan Akindoju at his residence on Thursday morning.“His apartment was allegedly raided by policemen, and he was taken to the State CID, Osogbo. More details coming.The Osun NUJ chairman, in a chat with DA...

The senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District of Edo State in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Senator Joseph Ikpea, has commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for the proactive steps he took by closing down some secondary schools in the state following a red alert raised by the Department of State Services (DSS) on the plan by bandits to attack some schools in the state.Senator Ikpea said that by closing some of the schools prone to the threat as warned by the DSS, Governor Okpebholo had shown uncommon leadership and full grasp of the elementary principle of governance which places a premium over the wellbeing of the people.The senator, in a statement he endorsed in Benin, the Edo State capital, said that with the situation of security in the nation, it was just...

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has expressed concern over what it described as the erosion of internal democracy within Nigeria’s political parties following the removal of indirect primaries from the Electoral Act 2026.According to the council, the change is gradually concentrating the power of candidate selection in the hands of a few influential political figures, reducing the role of ordinary party members in the democratic process.The warning came as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) disassociated itself from a lawsuit challenging the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general elections. At the same time, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and INEC renewed efforts to combat vote-buying, electoral fr...