Author: David Great

The trial of former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his then Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, continued on Thursday, April 10, 2025, with revelations that a N1 billion loan obtained from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Matching Grant in 2015 was never repaid. At the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, the fourth prosecution witness (PW4), Lanre Daibu, who was Chairman of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) at the time, told Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar that the loan was facilitated by Banu for payment of salaries and pensions. According to Daibu, “My lord, the second defendant, Banu,…

Chelsea took a commanding step toward the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) semi-finals with a dominant 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw in the first leg of their quarter-final clash at the Marshall Józef Piłsudski Stadium. Despite Legia boasting the tournament’s best defensive record heading into the tie with five clean sheets, the Polish side struggled to contain a relentless Chelsea team stacked with talent and European experience. The hosts started brightly, managing more shots than Chelsea in the opening half-hour, with efforts from Luquinhas and Ryōya Morishita narrowly missing the target. At the other end, Christopher Nkunku came close but…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has formally petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over what he described as a false and criminally defamatory claim made by the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. In a letter dated April 3, 2025, Akpabio urged the police to investigate and prosecute Akpoti-Uduaghan following her recent public allegation that he masterminded a plot to assassinate her. The petition, also copied to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, came in response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s April 1, 2025, address during her homecoming in Kogi State. In her speech,…

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced a temporary suspension of its Warri-Itakpe train service. The suspension, which will last for 72 hours, was revealed in a statement shared on Thursday via the X account of the Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa. According to the statement, the disruption in the train service is due to a technical engine failure that occurred on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. “In view of the situation, the NRC has suspended operations on the Warri-Itakpe route for 72 hours. This pause will allow our technical team to conduct a full audit, resolve all identified issues, and restore…

France football captain Kylian Mbappe’s legal team has taken fresh legal action against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), over an ongoing salary dispute, demanding €55 million in unpaid wages. The team has also appealed to the French sports minister and UEFA to intervene, as tensions over the issue continue to mount. “We’re going to go on the attack,” Mbappe’s lawyer, Delphine Verheyden, declared during a press conference on Thursday. Although the French League had previously ordered PSG to pay the outstanding amount, the French football federation dismissed Mbappe’s request, citing an active case in a civil court. In response,…

A U.S. federal court has given Nigerian music superstar David ‘Davido’ Adeleke 21 days to respond to a copyright infringement lawsuit accusing him of stealing a song from a group of Nigerian artists. The case, filed at the United States District Court in Manhattan on April 4, was brought by Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell, and David Ovhioghena Umaru. The four allege that Davido copied their 2022 song Work to create his 2024 track Strawberry on Ice. Also named in the lawsuit are Sierra Leonean artist Emmerson (Emmerson Amidu Bockarie), who featured on the song, and…

Former Rivers State Governor, Ada George, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of being behind the political turmoil currently rocking the state, including the controversial declaration of a state of emergency and the appointment of sole administrators across the 23 local government areas. Speaking at a media briefing, George — who governed Rivers from 1992 to 1993 and currently chairs the Rivers Elders and Leaders Forum — pointed fingers at Wike, alleging that he has been the architect of the instability in the state following his failed attempts to impose his political agenda. “He could…

Robert Lewandowski delivered a vintage performance against his former club, scoring twice to help Barcelona demolish Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. The dominant display extended Barcelona’s unbeaten run across all competitions to 23 matches (W19, D4), and further strengthened their pursuit of a historic treble. Barcelona started on the front foot, with early chances falling to Lamine Yamal and Lewandowski. The breakthrough came when Raphinha, this season’s leading Champions League scorer, tapped in at the far post — a close call for offside, but the goal…

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) pulled off a stunning 3-1 comeback victory over Aston Villa at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash, ending the English side’s seven-game winning run. Facing his former club for the first time, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery set up defensively, hoping to frustrate the hosts early on. But PSG wasted no time testing Emiliano Martinez, with Vitinha and Ousmane Dembele both drawing saves from the Argentine keeper. Villa, though short on attacking chances, took the lead against the run of play in the 35th minute. John McGinn intercepted…

The United States has initiated a new phase in its immigration policy by starting the scrutiny of social media activity of foreigners within its borders, in a bid to reinforce its zero-tolerance stance on antisemitism. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will now consider antisemitic posts or behavior on social media, as well as physical harassment of Jewish individuals, as valid grounds to deny immigration benefits. This measure applies to individuals seeking lawful permanent residency, international students, and those linked to educational institutions accused of antisemitic activity. This move aligns with executive orders issued during former…