Author: TheScrutinyNG

Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen has called Captain William Ekong, rave-of-the-moment Ademola Lookman, in-form winger Moses Simon and 20 other players for this month’s home-and-away 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying battle with the Mediterranean Knights of Libya. Wing-backs Olaoluwa Aina and Bruno Onyemaechi are included, as well as goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoya, defenders Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Calvin Bassey, midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika and Alex Iwobi, and forwards Taiwo Awoniyi, Victor Boniface and Samuel Chukwueze. Reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen is excluded on grounds of injury, just as South Africa-based centre-back Olisa Ndah, but defender…

Michael Eja, the director general of Cross River Lottery and Gambling Agency, has revealed that approximately 60 million Nigerians engage in gambling daily. Eja made this known during the launch of a new sports betting platform, Woskybet, in Abuja on Friday. The noted that the gambling industry in Nigeria was a booming valued between N500 billion and N600 billion. Eja noted that despite the industry’s rapid growth, 90% of the potential market remains untapped. He said that Lagos State alone generated $243 million in revenue last year. According to him: “The betting industry is worth about $1 billion in Africa.…

Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Mineral Development, has cautioned against arbitrary closure of mining operations by State Governments, warning that such act could abort efforts by Federal Government to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and provoke divestment. He handed down the warning while announcing a fact-finding committee to look into the face-off between Osun State Government and Thor Explorations Limited, owners of the Segilola Resources Operating Limited over taxation and operational matters. The caution note was contained in a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Segun Tomori in Abuja on Saturday. He warned that mining operations…

The Federal Government has assured that no Nigerian has been affected in Lebanon following renewed hostilities between the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and the Hezbollah. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Saturday, said the Nigerian Embassy in Lebanon has been actively working to protect its nationals. Besides, the statement by the Ministry’s Spokesperson,   Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, also confirmed that the government has set up machinery for emergency evacuation of Nigerians in Lebanon. The statement reads:”Further to the deteriorating situation in Lebanon over the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, the Federal Government has commenced preparation for evacuation of Nigerians in Lebanon…

Further tension may trigger between Russia and Ukraine, as both countries exchanged sharp statements over allegations of interference in Nigeria’s domestic affairs. The Russian Government on Friday issued a stern warning to the United States, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom for accusing it of sponsoring protests in Nigeria. Russia, in a release, said the countries should rather be blamed for attempting to interfere in Nigeria’s internal affairs and undermine its bilateral relations with Russia. The Punch reports that the warning comes amid growing concerns over foreign influence following the October 1st protests across Nigeria. The protests followed earlier demonstrations on…

Explosions have rocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Secretariat located along the bush Aba Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. It was gathered that the explosives suspected to be dynamites shattered buildings and property in the secretariat, creating panic in the neighborhood. The explosion reportedly pulled down the gate of the secretariat destroying doors, windows among other valuables. The incident happened on the day scheduled for the controversial local government elections in the State.  It was learnt that it was the second time the Chief Tony Okocha-led APC would be experiencing such an attack at its secretariat.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the nation’s second-highest national honour, on House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.  This upgrade, announced in a statement issued yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, comes after the House of Representatives debated the initial honour conferred on Abbas, calling for a higher recognition.  Initially, President Tinubu had awarded Abbas the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in his 64th Independence Anniversary speech on October 1. However, the House of Representatives felt the honour was not befitting of the Speaker’s…

An Appeal Court in the United States has urged former World Champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr., to pay a Nigerian company, Zinni Media Concept Limited, N4.2 billion in damages over breach of contract and fraud. The appellate court, through that ruling, upheld the ruling of a lower court ordering the former boxing great to pay the said sun. A statement by the company’s media executive, Alex Nwankwo said the appellate court found merit in the ruling of a lower court, which found Mayweather guilty of breach of contract agreement, expressing satisfaction of the organisation over the ruling.  The agreement with Zinni…

The welfare of teachers in Nigeria is top priority of the Federal Government as the government has reiterated its stance on improving their wellbeing. Professor Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, said this, noting that it was time teachers begin to reap their benefits directly alongside the services they render against the notion that their rewards come later. Speaking through the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu,during a conference organised by the College of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU ,as part of activities to celebrate the 2024 International Teachers Day, Mamman said his ministry’s current policy was…

The hassle associated with processing and issuance of Nigerian passports to individuals will soon be over as the citizens will soon start processing their passports right from their homes. However, only Nigerians who are 18 years and above, and those who are applying for re-issue of their expired passports will be able to process and obtain the contactless passports while fresh applicants will need to appear and register their biometrics at a passport processing centre for their passports. The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the new strategy at a stakeholders’ forum where the contactless passport processing App was…