Author: Festus Adeloye

The Take It Back Movement has condemned what it described as a “disgraceful attack” on its leader, Omoyele Sowore, and movement members during Saturday’s Access Bank Lagos City Marathon. According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Director-General of TIB Global, Sowore and his team participated in the 10Km race but were met with violence and harassment at the finish line in Eko Atlantic. The statement alleged that thugs, reportedly “sponsored by the Lagos State Government” assaulted Sowore and his team, including members of the press. “After crossing the finish line, Sowore and his comrades returned to the tents…

Veteran journalist and publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu played a crucial role in reconciling late Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and founder of Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare weeks before Adebanjo’s death. Credible sources informed TheScrutinyNG that Momodu facilitated the meeting in July 2024 when the late Adebanjo who died on Friday February 14 at the age of 96 was very indisposed and had told many he was “at the departure lounge”. The relationship between Pastor Bakare and Pa Adebanjo broke down in 2020 over issues relating to the 2023 presidential election which was won by Asiwaju…

Palestinian militants released three Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian inmates freed by Israel, completing the latest swap despite fears the Gaza truce deal was near collapse. An AFP journalist saw masked Hamas gunmen parade the hostages onto a stage in front of a crowd in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Yunis, where they were made to make statements into a microphone before being handed over to the Red Cross and taken back to Israeli territory. Clutching gift bags given by their captors and certificates to mark the end of their captivity, the three men, flanked…

Veteran musician, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has been spotted shopping at a hair store alongside his new love interest, Natasha Osawaru. This public sighting comes shortly after his family expressed concerns over his whereabouts. A video that surfaced on Friday captured 2Baba and Osawaru casually browsing hair products. Earlier, 2Baba’s family had reportedly filed a petition with the Department of State Services, alleging that the singer had gone missing. His mother, Rose Idibia, also made a public plea to Osawaru, urging her to stay away from her son, especially since his divorce from his estranged wife, Annie Idibia,…

A woman who accused hip-hop stars Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 dropped her civil lawsuit on Friday, court records showed. Jay-Z — real name Shawn Carter — was accused in December of raping the girl with Combs at a party following the MTV Video Music Awards in September of 2000. The document filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York claims the accuser “hereby gives notice that the above-captioned action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice” — meaning the suit cannot be refiled. It was not immediately clear…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for sustainable health financing mechanisms that ensure efficient resource mobilisation and utilisation to strengthen Africa’s healthcare systems. Speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the sidelines of the 38th African Union Summit, the First Lady stressed that Africa’s economic growth and social stability hinge on a robust healthcare system that guarantees access to essential medical services for millions across the continent. This was contained in a press statement signed by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, on Friday. According to the release, she made the call at a High-Level Meeting on…

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Lagos Zonal command have arraigned another 11 Chinese nationals and a company before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos for fraud. In a statement shared via the anti-graft agency’s X handle on Friday, EFCC said the suspects were arraigned on separate charges bordering on cyber-terrorism, cybercrimes, possession of documents containing false pretense, advance fee fraud, and identity theft. According to EFCC, the accused are part of a group of 792 suspects connected to alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud. The statement partly reads: “The Lagos Zonal…

FBN Holdings Plc has announced a change in its brand name to First HoldCo Plc (FirstHoldCo). The company in a statement by its Secretary, Adewale Arogundade, said the change will be implemented across all its subsidiaries. It said the rebranding marked a significant milestone in the company’s journey to redefine its identity, unify its subsidiaries, reinforce its heritage, and strengthen its position as a leader in the financial services industry. First HoldCo stressed that the new name reflected its forward-looking vision. Speaking on the milestone development, Group Managing Director, First Holdco Plc, Wale Oyedeji, said, “This transition to First Holdco…

The trial of Spain’s former football chief Luis Rubiales over the forced kiss he gave star forward Jenni Hermoso wrapped up Friday, with a verdict expected in several weeks. Rubiales is accused of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso in 2023 following Spain’s triumph at the women’s World Cup in Australia, as well as coercion for allegedly trying to convince the player to downplay the incident afterwards. The global outcry over the kiss forced Rubiales to resign in disgrace and thrust the spotlight on the prevalence of macho culture and sexism in sport. Hermoso, 34, says she did not consent to…

Fire has destroyed the Gwadabawa Local Government Area office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Sokoto State. This was contained in a statement signed by the commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, on Friday. According to the statement, the fire was reported by the Administrative Secretary in charge of the State office, Hauwa Kangiwa. The statement revealed that the “fire started in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. The entire building was damaged. “Items destroyed include furniture and fixtures as well as movable electoral facilities, among them 558…