Author: TheScrutinyNG

Former Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye, came off the bench to score on his CAF Confederation Cup debut as Enyimba recorded their first win in the group stage of the competition. Enyimba trounced Black Bulls of Mozambique 4-1 in Uyo tonight. It was a sweet revenge for the Nigerians, who lost to the Mozambicans in Maputo last month. Ideye showed great composure in the 68th minute, when he rounded up Black Bulls goalkeeper before he slotted home Enyimba third goal of the match. Enyimba took the lead after six minutes through the lively Joseph Atule only for the Mozambicans to…

By Festus Adedayo The door of life is binary; it opens either ways, inwards or outwards. So goes an age-long wisdom. When the Thisday newspaper, on January 1, 2025, announced President Bola Tinubu as its Man of the Year pick, emotions of Nigerians ran riot. Was that decision a product of editorial science or newspaper shamanism? Nigerians asked. To many, the newspaper’s editors must have meandered into some kind of trance, communed with with some unseen spirits and emerged therefrom with their odd pick. To others, Thisday hit the bull’s eye. Suffering Nigerians were even ready to, in the lingo of the millenials, cut…

Suspected terrorists have killed Alhaji Amadu Surajo, the acting chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Katsina State, during an attack on Mai Rana village in Kusada Local Government Area late Saturday night. The attackers also killed three others, injured several people, and abducted Surajo’s first and second wives, along with one of his daughters, a university undergraduate. Reports have it that the assailants later released the first wife. Surajo, who previously served as MACBAN’s state secretary, had been elevated to Acting Chairman following the mysterious disappearance of the association’s former Chairman and National Vice…

Former Secretary to the Government of Kwara State (SSG), Alhaji Saka Abimbola Isau, is dead. Saka, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, died at an undisclosed hospital in Adewole, Ilọrin, on Saturday after a brief illness at 69 years A close ally of former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Isau served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice during Saraki’s administration. He was said to be hale and hearty a day earlier on Friday when he actively participated in a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Ilọrin Juma’at Mosque Central Working Committee. While…

The Nigerian Army has clarified the arrest and detention of a Point of Sale (POS) operator, Nansak Selbar, in Plateau State, accusing him of facilitating kidnappings and receiving ransom payments for terrorist groups. The Army dismissed claims circulating on social media that Major General Nansak Shagaya risks a N100 million punishment for allegedly detaining Selbar illegally, describing such narratives as false and misleading. In a statement signed by Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, the Army detailed the allegations against Selbar. “Mr. Nansak Selbar was arrested for facilitating kidnapping activities by receiving ransom payments on…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has told Ndigbo that all Nigerians belong to one big family called Nigeria, asserting that the only difference is that the citizens are living in different parts of the country. Tinubu said this while meeting with stakeholders from the southeast geopolitical zone in Enugu on Saturday, saying he understood the challenging nature of the job before contesting in the 2023 election. The president was in Enugu to commission projects embarked upon by the state governor, Peter Mbah. Tinubu disclosed his belief in his ability while harping on the importance of hard work in building a nation.…

Popular Nigerian gospel artiste, Nathaniel Bassey has been invited to perform at the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast of US President-elect Donald Trump. The prayer breakfast, a non-governmental and non-political gathering, heralds Trump’s inauguration in Washington, DC on January 20. The prayer breakfast which will be hosted by Reverend Merrie Turner, is billed to take place at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria Presidential Ballroom in Washington, DC. Other notable speakers and gospel ministers expected at the event include Dr. Alveda King, Pastor Mario Bramnick, Revivalist Rebecca Macchi, and Dr. Dominiquae Bierman. In an Instagram post, Nathaniel Bassey confirmed his participation, stating: “Let’s…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Mr Mele Kolo Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) Limited to “account for and explain the whereabouts of the alleged missing N825bn and $2.5bn meant for ‘refinery rehabilitation’ and other oil revenues, as documented in the 2021 annual report by the Auditor-General of the Federation.” SERAP said the annual report was published on Thursday 27 November 2024. SERAP urged Mr Kyari “to identify those suspected to be responsible for the disappeared oil money and hand them over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences…

The Akwa Ibom State Government has expressed concern over emergency erection of illegal structures on the proposed new roads earmarked for construction from 2025. Therefore, Governor Umo Eno has warned the perpetrators that “anyone who builds illegal structures along roads designated for construction and expansion will likely suffer monumental losses as the government will not be driven by sentiments to part with public funds as compensation.” Speaking through his senior special assistant (SSA) on Research and Documentation, Dr Essien Ndueso, the governor assured that his administration was “very passionate about building and expanding infrastructure, especially to open up rural communities,”…

A group, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), an Igbo think tank, has warned against the imposition of former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro, as the President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The warning was coming ahead of the forthcoming national elections of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation. National President of ADF and former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, in a statement, said that the ADF is not against the emergence of any candidate as the President-General of the organisation, but it must be through a clean and accepted process. He said: “Due…