Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

A Spanish appeals court overturned Friday former Brazil international footballer Dani Alves’ rape conviction, arguing his trial was marked by “shortcomings” and “inaccuracies”. Alves was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail in February last year for raping a young woman in the VIP bathroom of a Barcelona nightclub on December 31, 2022. The 41-year-old, who won the Champions League three-times with Barcelona, was released from jail last March pending his appeal after he posted the one million euros ($1.1million) bail set by the court. The appeals court said its four judges had “unanimously” accepted the player’s appeal and “annulled” his conviction,.…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has appointed Heirs Holdings Founder and Group Chair, Tony Elumelu, to its Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth, convened by IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva. His appointment was disclosed in a statement on Friday. The Advisory Council of the IMF comprises global business leaders, policymakers, and academics, dedicated to identifying and addressing regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship. Its mandate is to recommend policies that enhance resource allocation, stimulate innovation, and catalyse sustainable private sector-led economic growth. “Elumelu, Africa’s leading advocate of entrepreneurship and whose Foundation has funded, mentored and trained over 25,000 African entrepreneurs since 2015,…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared businesswoman and socialite Aisha Achimugu wanted. The agency’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, made this known in a circular released via the EFCC’s X handle on Friday. According to the EFCC, Achimugu is wanted by the agency in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering. The circular reads, “The public is hereby notified that Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering. “Achimugu, 51, is an indigene of Ofu Local Government Area of…

The Defence Headquarters says the incident involving some soldiers at the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company some weeks back is under review, vowing to sanction anyone found culpable. A viral video some weeks back showed some armed men in military uniform storming the headquarters of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company at Ikeja, Lagos State, with some staff of the company seen running for safety. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Friday, Chief of Defence Civil Military Relations, Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole, acknowledged that there are some underlining issues that caused the incident, but said that what was seen in…

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has denied some media reports which claimed that he received campaign funds from the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the 2023 election. Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, described the reports that he received money from Sanwo-Olu, who is a key member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a “is a blatant lie from the pit of hell.” “We at Atiku Media Office have taken note of reports in a section of the media that the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu @jidesanwoolu through Ms…

Thai authorities have declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Friday after the city was hit by a major earthquake centred in Myanmar. Damage was reported to buildings across Bangkok after the 7.7-magnitude quake, including a 30-storey under-construction skyscraper that collapsed in the city’s north. Medical workers transport an earthquake casualty in the compound of a hospital in Naypyidaw on March 28, 2025, after an earthquake in central Myanmar. A powerful earthquake rocked central Myanmar on March 28, buckling roads in capital Naypyidaw, damaging buildings and forcing people to flee into the streets in…

The Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has cleared the air on the plan to apply Sharia Law in some states of the South-West, including Oyo, noting that his administration will not oppose anything that is in line with the Constitution. The clarification came against the backdrop of a media report that the Oyo State Government would go to court to challenge the plan. Governor Makinde declared that members of the public can approach the Sharia Panel if they feel like doing so. The governor, who stated that the panel could be an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, noted that the court…

The Delta State College of Nursing Sciences has issued a disciplinary query to a student nurse, Osato Edobor, for allegedly recording and posting an “unauthorised” video on social media during the visit of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Delta State. A picture of a letter sent to Edobor was posted by Arise New journalist Oseni Rufai on Friday via X. The letter, signed by the provost of the institution, Evbodaghe Rita Ogonne, and dated March 27, 2025, accused Edobor of engaging in a “malicious act” by recording herself singing and posting an “unofficial response” to a song during…

The Anambra State Fire Service is currently on  intervention at the scene of fire outbreak at Ifejika Street, by Sokoto Road, Onitsha. It was gathered that the fire which began at one of the buildings at about 6:20am has escalated into a nearby building. The cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained but residents, passersby and men of the fire service who are already on ground were seen making rescue efforts to salvage some properties and goods from the building. The head of the Media and Publicity Unit of the Anambra State Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the…

President Bola Tinubu has expressed condolences to Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, wife of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, over the passing of her daughter, Mrs. Bisola Kola-Daisi. In a statement issued on Friday and signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the death as an unexpected and heartbreaking loss. “In a poignant conversation with the bereaved mother on Thursday, President Tinubu conveyed his deep sympathy to the family during this time of profound loss, acknowledging the unexpected and heart-wrenching departure of a cherished daughter, devoted wife, and mother of…