Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

The new Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has delayed the start of his traditional rites, he returned to Canada, postponing the process ahead of his scheduled coronation on April 4. After receiving the staff of office and certificate of appointment from Governor Seyi Makinde on January 13, Owoade was expected to begin the series of traditional rites required for his enthronement. However, instead of initiating the rites, the Alaafin-elect left for Canada the following day. According to PUNCH, a source close to the monarch revealed that Owoade needed to return to Canada to officially resign from his professional commitments…

Ruben Amorim on Wednesday sought to clarify his bombshell statement that his Manchester United side are “the worst team” in the club’s history, with the manager accepting a share of responsibility for the crisis at Old Trafford. United’s 3-1 defeat against Brighton on Sunday was the sixth loss in their past nine Premier League games under Amorim, who arrived in November to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag. The club, languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table, face Scottish giants Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday, a competition in which they are well-positioned to qualify for the…

Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD FCTA) has commenced a three-day warning strike over unpaid salaries, allowances, and other demands. The strike has grounded activities in government hospitals in Abuja. The President of ARD FCTA, Dr George Ebong, disclosed this in a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. Dr Ebong said the strike came after a three-week ultimatum issued last year by the doctors elapsed. Speaking on behalf of ARD, Dr Ebong decried the neglect of hospitals and doctors’ welfare in the nation’s capital. He stressed that doctors in Abuja have become abandoned projects, calling on the…

The Federal Government has congratulated Donald Trump following his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States of America. A statement signed by the Acting Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa on Tuesday, said Nigeria and the United States have enjoyed cooperation in diverse areas of mutual interest, especially promoting good governance, sustainable development, and the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. “Nigeria therefore looks forward to further strengthening our historic, strong, and vibrant strategic partnership for the benefit of all our people,” the statement added. Trump was sworn in for a historic second term as president on…

Prince Harry Wednesday dramatically settled a hotly disputed lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s UK tabloid publisher, which apologised for hacking the British royal’s phone and agreed to pay him “substantial damages”. Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers offers “a full and unequivocal apology” to the prince “for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them”, Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne told the High Court in London. AFP

Yet-to-be-identified gunmen have abducted a medical doctor working with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State. This is coming barely three days after the launch of the joint security force, Operation Udo ga-achị, meaning, Peace must reign, in the state, by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, as part of his administration’s strategic move to combat crimes and restore lasting peace and security in the state. The victim, a neurosurgeon, identified as Dr. Collinus Onuigbo, was said to have been kidnapped in the late hours of Tuesday. According to reports, he was kidnapped in front of his residence, a few…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed plans by the Federal Government to establish an aircraft manufacturing firm in Nigeria. The facility is a collaboration between XeJet and indigenous banks, aiming to transform Nigeria into a regional hub for aviation services. Keyamo announced this during the launch of XeJet’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, MRO, facility and flight support centre in Abuja. He noted that the move aligned with the government’s vision to support local operators and boost the nation’s aviation industry. Keyamo said: “Since we came to office, we’ve been focused on attracting MRO facilities to…

Wildfires in Brazil last year consumed a total area larger than all of Italy, a monitor reported Wednesday, as the country continues to battle blazes often set by farmers and ranchers illegally expanding their territory. Some 30.8 million hectares (119,000 square miles) of vegetation were burned in Brazil in 2024, a 79 percent increase from 2023, monitoring platform MapBiomas reported. Fires in the Amazon, a crucial carbon sink for the rest of the world as well as a global hotspot of biodiversity, accounted for 58 percent of the damage. The figures are discouraging news for the government of President Luiz…

A Federal high court in Kaduna State has denied the bail application filed by Mr Bashir Saidu, the former chief of staff to the immediate past Governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai. Saidu, who also served as Commissioner for Finance under the El-Rufai administration, was arraigned on 10 counts bordering on money laundering, embezzlement and stealing of public funds belonging to the Kaduna State Government. He was arrested on January 2nd, 2025 by the police and was later remanded at the Kaduna correctional centre in the state capital. However, when the matter came up for mention before Justice Isa Aliyu…

President Donald Trump’s administration has removed Admiral Linda Fagan — the first woman to lead a US military service — as the head of the Coast Guard. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Coast Guard, did not immediately respond to a request on Tuesday for comment on Fagan’s dismissal. Fox News cited a senior official saying reasons included her failure to address border security threats, excessive focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, and an “erosion of trust” over the Coast Guard’s investigation into sexual assault cases. Trump and other Republicans have long railed against government programs aimed…