Author: David Great

A wooden boat caught fire and burst on a river in Nigeria’s coastal state of Bayelsa on Wednesday, killing at least 20 persons, according to a police official. The boat was carrying traders who were transporting products to coastal communities, according to Bayelsa police spokesperson Musa Muhammed on Thursday. Traders conduct weekly travels between coastal towns and the state capital, Yenagoa. Last year, at least 200 people were reported died in boat accidents in Nigeria, with authorities repeatedly blaming overpopulation and poor upkeep.

Issa Hayatou, the former President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has passed away at the age of 77. His death was confirmed by a close associate who served alongside him during his tenure as CAF President. According to reports from Cameroon Concord, Hayatou passed away on Thursday in Paris. Hayatou’s leadership in African football spanned nearly three decades, as he served as CAF President from 1988 until March 2017. His tenure made him the longest-serving leader in the history of African football. In 2017, he was succeeded by Malagasy Ahmad Ahmad. CAF to hold 2025 AFCON in July–August…

A thumping 6-0 victory over Egypt secured Morocco their first-ever medal in the men’s Olympic football as they claimed the bronze medal thanks to the biggest win of the tournament. Whatever the outcome of this third-placed playoff, history was guaranteed to be made. In pursuit of their first-ever medal in men’s Olympic football, Egypt flew out of the traps and created a gilt-edged opportunity when the unmarked Osama Faisal flew in at the far post, only to see his bullet header beaten away by the strong arm of Munir. His save looked to be a defining moment midway through the…

Kurt Zouma, the captain of West Ham United, is reportedly close to moving to the United Arab Emirates. Zouma has been in talks with Dubai-based Shabab Al-Ahli, and an agreement is anticipated to be reached in the coming days. The 29-year-old has one year remaining on his contract at the London Stadium and is one of the Hammers’ biggest earners. Zouma has made over 100 appearances for West Ham since joining from Chelsea for £29 million in 2021, including starting the Europa Conference League final triumph over Fiorentina in 2023. The Frenchman was named club captain at the start of last…

In an inspiring show of sportsmanship, Nigerian cyclist Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye received vital assistance from the German cycling team during the Paris Olympics. Ukpeseraye, who was representing Team Nigeria, faced a challenging situation when she discovered she had no bicycle to compete with in the keirin and sprint events, due to the last-minute nature of her participation. “Due to the short notice of me competing at the keirin & Sprint, #teamNigeria I had no bicycle to race with on the tracks,” Ukpeseraye said in a post via her X handle on Thursday. Paris 2024: Favour Ofili finishes sixth in women’s…

Portugal defender Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira ComM popularly known as Pepe has retired from both club and international football, the 41-year-old said on Thursday. Pepe’s final game was at Euro 2024, where Portugal lost to France on penalties in the quarter-finals, making him the oldest player to feature in a European Championship finals tournament. “I want to thank God for giving me the wisdom to be able to continue my journey,” an emotional Pepe said in a video on social media which looked back on his career. “I can’t help but also thank all the presidents who bet and…

Globacom in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, launched M-Agric, an agricultural support service that guides users through practical, step-by-step processes of managing successful farming businesses across livestock, aquaculture, cash crops and value-additions. Globacom said in a press statement that it partnered with the state government to launch the agricultural lottery service in order to support the food sufficiency programme of the government and to “encourage and empower young, savvy and informed Nigerians to engage in farming to boost food affordability in the country”. According to the company, M-Agric is a lottery service which gives practical tips that…

Chelsea have secured the signing of Boca Juniors defender Aaron Anselmino for an undisclosed fee, as announced by the Premier League club on Thursday. The 19-year-old will remain on loan with the Argentinian side for the 2024/25 season before joining up with Chelsea. Anselmino has committed to a seven-year contract with the London club, having already made 10 senior appearances for Boca Juniors since his professional debut in June 2023. Anselmino, who netted his first career goal in a Copa Sudamericana victory over Trinidense in April, becomes Chelsea’s eighth signing of the summer transfer window. Chelsea, who finished sixth in…

The Nigerian Air Force says the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai has destroyed terrorists’ Improvised Explosive Devices factory at Grazah, a location deep in the Mandara Hills in Borno. This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, on Thursday in Abuja. Gabkwet said that the air interdiction was a sequel to the recent attacks on innocent civilians in the state using IEDs and suicide bombers. He said air strikes were conducted on August 2, following intelligence which revealed the sighting of a possible IED factory and storage area for…

Nigeria has arrested seven Polish nationals for raising Russian flags during anti-government protests in Kano this week, Peter Afunanya, spokesperson for the Department of State Services (DSS) said. Since August 1, hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have been protesting against President Bola Tinubu’s severe economic changes, which include the partial elimination of petrol and energy subsidies, currency devaluation, and inflation reaching three-decade highs. Some of the protesters have flaunted Russian flags. According to Amnesty International, 22 individuals have died during protests in at least six northern states, with additional protestors slain in Kano. This week, some protesters waved Russian flags…