Author: Opalim Lifted

Gunmen have abducted Olaide John-Paul, the younger sister of Adebayo Adelabu, former Minister of Power, alongside her twin sons in Ibadan, Oyo State. In a statement, Femi Awogboro, one of Adelabu’s media aides, confirmed that John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, were kidnapped by armed men on Wednesday morning. According to the statement, the 43-year-old was abducted at about 7:30am while on her way to drop the children at school in Ibadan. “The abductors also forcefully took away her 12-year-old twin sons who were with her at the time of the incident,” the statement reads. Awogboro described…

Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed has revealed that sympathy for Peter Obi was a major reason he agreed to become his running mate in the 2023 presidential election. Speaking in an interview with Symfoni, Baba-Ahmed said Obi had approached three prominent politicians in 2022 in search of a running mate, but none accepted the offer. According to him, he felt compelled to step in because he sympathised not only with Obi’s political situation but also with the state of the country at the time. “People don’t understand that between me and Obi, there is a great deal…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 3 for judgment in the trial of five men accused of involvement in the terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo state. The attack, which occurred on June 5, 2022, left at least 41 worshippers dead and more than 140 others injured. The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting the five defendants over their alleged roles in the attack. The defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar. The development comes a week after Emeka Nwite reserved judgment in the…

Liverpool have reached a verbal agreement with Andoni Iraola to take over as head coach following the sacking of Arne Slot. Iraola left Bournemouth at the end of the season and is the clear favourite for the role at Anfield. According to a report in The Athletic, external Iraola is set to sign a two-year deal. The 43-year-old Spaniard is keen to bring Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, his assistants at Bournemouth, to Anfield as part of his coaching staff. BBC Sport understands Bournemouth are yet to have any formal contact from either Elphick or Cooper regarding their futures. Liverpool…

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians against a fraudulent social media post claiming that a free correction portal has been opened for modifications to National Identification Number (NIN) records. The social media post, referenced in the commission’s public notice on Tuesday, contains links purportedly meant for name, date of birth, gender, and other corrections. Speaking on the matter, NIMC described the post as a phishing scam designed to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. The agency said the links circulating on social media are not authorised and urged Nigerians not to click on them. “The NIMC warns…

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has implored Nigeria’s security chiefs to eliminate terrorists within 90 days or step down. In a recent video posted on the church’s X handle on Tuesday, Adeboye urged the federal government to act swiftly in addressing the country’s security challenges. “If I were asked to make suggestions, I would say quietly to our government, move fast. And tell our security chiefs, get rid of these terrorists within 90 days, or resign,” Adeboye said. The cleric noted that religious leaders can only offer advice to political authorities and…

Families of pupils, students and teachers abducted by gunmen in Yawota Community, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, have rejected rice and cash donations from government representatives, insisting that their only concern is the safe return of their loved ones. The Baale of Yawota disclosed this while speaking about the aftermath of the attack, saying affected families made it clear that material assistance could not replace the children and teachers still being held by their captors. According to the traditional ruler, heavily armed bandits stormed the community, firing gunshots indiscriminately before abducting several pupils and teachers. “They took away…

Sweden is moving towards a major overhaul of its youth justice system as it confronts a surge in gang-related shootings and bombings involving minors. The government, led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson since 2022, argues that existing welfare-based approaches have failed to contain escalating violence linked to organised criminal networks. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, a Gunnar Strömmer, said: “We have an emergency,” he said in April. “Last year, 52 children under the age of 15 were involved in legal trials suspected of murder or attempted murder. So we’re not talking about theft, not even assault or robbery. We’re talking about…

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has brought final closure to the long-running dispute over the merger between Providus Bank Limited and Unity Bank Plc, dismissing an appeal that sought to halt the transaction and formally endorsing the consolidation. A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Tijani Abubakar, ruled that the appeal lacked merit and ordered the appellants to pay costs of N10 million to each respondent. Beyond rejecting the challenge, the court took the unusual step of invoking its powers under Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to directly sanction the merger, effectively clearing all remaining…

Scotland, Liverpool and Celtic great Sir Kenny Dalglish is undergoing treatment for cancer. The former forward and manager wanted to keep the news private but confirmed the diagnosis after accidentally sharing the news initially in an “inadvertent social media post”. “I am currently undergoing treatment for cancer,” Dalglish, 75, wrote on social media. “Unlike my mobile phone use, the treatment is going well. “Ideally, this would have remained private because that’s the way it should be, but my useless technology skills have forced my hand. “Obviously I did not mean to make this matter public so I would appreciate it…