Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

The Lagos State Police Command has clarified that the six persons who were recently released after spending almost four years in prison, were not arrested or prosecuted for participating in the #EndSARS protests, but rather for taking advantage of the protest to commit crimes. In a statement released on X.com on Friday, the command explained that the six men were prosecuted for breaking and stealing, offenses they committed under the guise of the protests. The police added that despite being found guilty, the court exercised its discretion and granted them pardon. The statement read, “Clarification: They were not arrested or…

Nigeria Immigration Service on Friday confirmed technical issues with its online payment platform for passport applications. The agency apologised for the downtime and assured the public that it is working to restore seamless service as soon as possible. In a public notice posted on its X account, NIS said it regretted any inconvenience caused and requested patience as it resolved the issue. It was titled, “Technical Hitches with Online Payment Platform.” “We apologise for the downtime being experienced with online applications on our Passport Service windows. “The Service is assuring the public that within the shortest possible time, seamless service…

Russian strikes killed eight civilians across Ukraine, regional authorities announced Friday, over two years and a half since Russia invaded its neighbour. Attacks killed two in the northeastern Sumy region, the national police said. Further to the east, in the Kharkiv region bordering Russia, two civilians died in an attack, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said. Rescuers also removed a body from the rubble from another attack that took place earlier this week, Synegubov said. Donetsk governor Vadym Filashkin reported another death in an attack on the region. Moscow has pushed on with its offensive in the Donetsk region even as…

President Bola Tinubu has charged the Nigerian Armed Forces to remain vigilant and proactive in addressing regional security threats. He gave the charge at the Graduation Ceremony of Course 32 of the Nigerian Defence College Abuja. Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu said his administration is determined to make Nigeria safe for investment and economic prosperity. He emphasised the need for strategic leadership to address the mirage of security challenges in the country. A total of 111 participants took part in the course, with 19 foreign participants. Addressing the participants, the VP urged them to continue to uphold…

Kola Ologbondiyan, immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says party members want someone from the North-Central zone to occupy the position of National Chairman of the party. Speaking on Channels Television programme ‘Politics Today’, Ologbondiyan said that is the only way justice and fairness can be entrenched in the party. He said the current Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, should revert to his position as the Deputy National Chairman North for genuine reconciliation to take place as the North-Central has been denied the position of the National Chairman after the suspension of Dr Iyorchia Ayu.…

Ilkay Gundogan said he had returned to the “best club in the world” after re-signing for Manchester City from Barcelona on Friday. The former German international won five Premier League titles and the Champions League among 12 major trophies during his first spell at City between 2016 and 2023. Gundogan departed the English champions just over a year ago to join Barca. However, the 33-year-old and the Catalan giants reportedly agreed to rescind his contract after just one season to pave the way for a return to the Etihad. In his sole season in Spain, Gundogan scored five goals and…

Democratic nominee Kamala Harris vowed Thursday to be a president who “unites” Americans, as she slammed White House rival Donald Trump for wanting to “pull our country back to the past.” Addressing the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the US vice president insisted she would be a stronger fighter for the middle class than Republican Trump, advocate for reducing gun violence, and help “reform our broken immigration system” to reduce undocumented border crossings. “I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations, a president who leads and listens — who is realistic, practical and has common sense…

A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in the Ikeja area of Lagos has acquitted and discharged six men who were standing trial for breaching public peace during the 2020 #EndSARS protest. The defendants, Daniel Joyinbo (31), Adigun Sodiq (28), Kehinde Shola (32), Salaudeen Kamilu (29), Sodiq Usseni (33), and Azeez Isiaka (34), had entered a plea bargain agreement and pleaded guilty to the charge of breaching public peace, as brought against them by the Lagos State Government. After reviewing the plea bargain agreement, Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi found the defendants guilty and convicted them of the offence. In place of sentencing, however,…

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, on Friday described the murder of the Head of Gatawa District in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Isa Bawa, as heinous, senseless and unacceptable. Bawa was kidnapped alongside his son and six others in July while travelling from Sokoto to Sabon Birni near the Niger border. The team sent to deliver the ransom demanded by the bandits met Bawa’s corpse. Before his death, a video of the 74-year-old monarch appealing for his release from the hands of his abductors went viral last Saturday. A statement by the Ministry of…

Rescuers scoured the Thai jungle Friday for nine missing people after a turboprop plane crashed southeast of capital Bangkok, though authorities expected no survivors. The aircraft went down in the jungle of Chachoengsao province on Thursday, and all on board were believed dead, Thai officials said. Nine people — including two pilots and seven passengers — were travelling from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport to Trat province, an area on the Gulf of Thailand known for its beaches, when the plane went down. “It happened at around 3:10 pm (0810 GMT). We are trying to find those missing, but we believe that…