Author: Opalim Lifted

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has sharply criticised Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi for claiming that Christians in the Middle Belt are “burying empty coffins” to fabricate a narrative of genocide. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Sylvanus Ukafia, the PFN described Gumi’s allegation as baseless, inflammatory and easily disproved. Ukafia said the idea that communities are staging funerals without real victims is “illogical and deeply insulting,” noting that burials across Nigeria—Christian, Muslim or traditional—are rooted in identity, family and communal rites. He argued that no culture in the country practices burying empty coffins, and that…

The online buzz involving US-based entrepreneur Max “Makispoke” Obae and Ezra Olubi has taken a new twist following the release of chats allegedly showing Olubi’s friend, Ozzy Etomi, admitting to infidelity. Etomi’s situation is unfolding amid the controversies surrounding her close associate, Olubi. The uproar began after Obae hosted an X Space titled “My Piece”, where she accused Olubi of misogyny and recounted their troubled past. Her claims quickly gained traction on X, prompting users to resurface disturbing old tweets from Olubi’s previously deactivated account. The backlash intensified as the resurfaced posts — containing sexually explicit and alarming statements —…

Prolific Nigerian scorer Victor Osimhen could be the key figure when the Super Eagles face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday in a fight for 2026 World Cup qualifying survival in Rabat. The winners of the African play-offs final will advance to a six-nation intercontinental tournament in Mexico in March, involving each football region except Europe. But the losers will bow out of the race to be among the record 48 nations set to participate in the global showpiece, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Nigeria and DR Congo were among four countries handed a second chance…

Nigeria could pull nearly 14 million people out of poverty if it adopts a structured N20,000 monthly cash-transfer programme targeted strictly at poor households, the World Bank has warned in a new assessment of the country’s welfare system. In its report, The State of Social Safety Nets in Nigeria, obtained on Friday, the Bretton Woods institution said the country’s existing social protection schemes are too weak, poorly funded and badly targeted to provide meaningful relief to the more than 100 million Nigerians living in extreme poverty. It also revealed that only 44 per cent of current benefits actually reach poor…

Gunmen have reportedly killed Umar Moriki, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at Fegi village near Gidan Dawa in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara state. The incident was said to have occurred in the early hours of Saturday while the politician was returning to Kaduna from Gusau, the Zamfara state capital. On Friday, Moriki was among the APC stakeholders who attended a meeting and a reception organised in honour of Bello Matawalle, the minister of state for defence, who visited the state. The APC chieftain was buried on Saturday. In a statement on Saturday, Yusuf Gusau, spokesperson of the…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has elected Kabiru Turaki, former minister of special duties and intergovernmental affairs, as its national chairman. The election took place on Saturday during the party’s national convention in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. Turaki, who was the sole candidate for the top position of the main opposition party, secured 1,516 votes. His emergence followed the earlier withdrawal of Lado Danmarke, the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate in Katsina state. Despite pulling out of the race, Danmarke still received 275 votes. Solarin Sunday Adekunle polled 633 votes to emerge as the deputy national organising secretary. Ex-minister Turaki…

Benin Republic has approved a major constitutional shake-up, extending the presidential term from five to seven years — a move that will reshape the country’s political future ahead of the 2026 elections. Lawmakers passed the amendment on Friday in a decisive 90–19 vote, confirming that presidents will now serve a single seven-year term, renewable only once. “From now on… the President of the Republic is elected… for a term of seven years renewable only once,” the national assembly announced in a statement on Saturday, emphasising that no individual can exceed two terms in their lifetime. The extension isn’t limited to…

Fans heading to AFCON Morocco 2025 will enjoy smoother travel as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the tournament’s Local Organising Committee confirmed on Friday that electronic visas will now be issued free of charge. The offer covers supporters from countries that typically require a visa to enter Morocco. According to CAF, fans can now obtain their free e-visas via the YALLA app ahead of the tournament, which runs from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, amid a surge in global interest and ticket demand. Visitors will need two key documents: a Fan ID and an e-visa. Both…

The Federal Government has raised the alarm over Nigeria’s inability to feed more than 50 million cattle owned by rural dwellers, describing the situation as a national emergency that threatens food security, livelihoods and stability. Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, sounded the warning on Friday at the opening of a two-day ECOWAS Policy Dialogue Workshop on the PRISMA livestock research project. Represented by Dr Peter Alike from the Permanent Secretary’s office, he said the crisis highlighted why the livestock sector could no longer be neglected. According to him, the livestock industry is already contributing over $32 billion to…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has recaptured Abdulazeez Obadaki, a wanted terrorist and one of the notorious escapees from the July 2022 Kuje prison break in the FCT. Over 800 inmates, including Boko Haram suspects  fled when insurgents overran the facility. Obadaki, a member of the Ansaru terror group, was arrested on Friday morning. He is accused of orchestrating the 2022 bank robberies in Uromi, Edo State, and the fatal shooting at Deeper Life College in Okene, Kogi State. His arrest adds to the string of breakthroughs announced earlier by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, who in August confirmed…