Author: Opalim Lifted

The CIA has released 71 intelligence reports covering the months and years before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, shedding new light on what the agency told former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush about al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. The disclosure, made on Friday as the United States marked 25 years since the attacks, contains 70 reports produced before 9/11 and another dated September 12, 2001. The documents include assessments prepared for the President’s Daily Brief (PDB), a report distributed to the president and senior administration officials. Two of the documents had already been released as part of…

The Nigeria High Commission in the United Kingdom has announced plans to refund £50 to applicants who paid a £70 administrative fee for the ongoing passport intervention exercise. The refund will bring the administrative charge down to the standard £20 fee. The commission announced the decision in a notice published on its website on Friday, following protests and scrutiny over the additional charge. The fee for the intervention exercise was initially set at £20 during a similar exercise under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. However, the high commission had charged applicants £70, despite the fee reportedly not being…

Anulika Onyeanusia, the 36-year-old woman arrested in Anambra State over the alleged sexual abuse of her daughters, has pleaded with Nigerians for forgiveness. Onyeanusia was arrested a few days ago in Onitsha after she allegedly sexually assaulted her daughter using sex toys to create sexual content. The arrest followed the circulation of a disturbing livestream involving the child, which sparked public outrage and calls for authorities to intervene and protect the minor. During a preliminary investigation, the suspect admitted to making money from the material, with $300 said to be the highest amount she had received. She alleged that her…

Fulham and boss Alvaro Arbeloa claimed their first Premier League point of the season with a goalless draw at Liverpool. Less than 72 hours after the Reds beat Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, Andoni Iraola’s side lacked the intensity and urgency they showed on Wednesday night as they failed to score for the first time this term. Arbeloa came into this game under pressure, with his side having lost each of their first three league games since he took charge in the summer. But his side put in a solid away performance and could have taken all three points…

Nigeria’s High Commissioner-designate to South Africa, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has demanded urgent action from the South African Government following the reported killings of two Nigerians in Johannesburg. Fani-Kayode said the deaths of Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo had raised fresh concerns over the safety of Nigerians living in South Africa. Reacting to the killings in a statement made available to Tribune, Fani-Kayode said he was “mortified and deeply shocked”, warning that Nigeria’s patience over the situation was wearing thin. Fakunle was allegedly shot dead at his home in Johannesburg on September 4 after reportedly receiving a series…

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has extended the end of its ongoing passport intervention exercise in the United Kingdom (UK) from September 19 to October 3. Akinsola Akinlabi, NIS public relations officer, said in a statement on Friday that the extension followed a directive from Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, in response to “the high turnout and interest shown”. The passport intervention, scheduled to run from September 7 to 19, was launched to clear backlogs involving new passport applications, renewals and pending cases. According to Akinlabi, 1,477 Nigerians were successfully processed and enrolled within the first four days of the…

Two Nigerians have been killed in separate incidents in South Africa amid renewed concerns over xenophobic and anti-migrant attacks against foreigners. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the deaths in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi. The victims were identified as Taiwo Fakunle and James Nwankwo. According to the ministry, Fakunle was killed at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg, on September 4, while Nwankwo died the following day in Somerset, Cape Town. The ministry said Nwankwo was reportedly killed following the use of “gruesome interrogation techniques” by officers of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The…

Kylian Mbappe has criticised a viral meme that superimposes his face onto the body of a dictator, saying it shows “a lack of political and human awareness”. The Real Madrid and France forward, 27, said he understood there was a “funny side” to the AI-generated meme but that it downplayed serious issues. It is seemingly used by some fans on social media to reflect the way Mbappe dominates matches, while others have suggested it refers to his influence at clubs. Speaking in an interview with France Football, Mbappe said: “There’s a funny side to it because you can sense that,…

Hull City have been fined £30,000 over discriminatory chanting during their 4-0 FA Cup defeat by Chelsea in February. The club is now urging supporters not to engage in the same chant when they face the Blues in the Premier League on Saturday. It also revealed that three supporters had been banned for “a minimum of three years” following February’s game at the MKM Stadium. Three people were arrested for allegedly engaging in homophobic chanting at the match, during which spectators were repeatedly warned to stop the chants over the PA system and messages were displayed on screens. The chanting…

Residents of Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Friday took to the streets to protest the growing wave of kidnappings and attacks in their communities. The protesters raised concerns over the worsening security situation and called on the Federal Government and Sokoto State Government to take urgent action to protect lives and property. They demanded the deployment of additional security personnel and operational equipment to vulnerable communities, alongside increased patrols, surveillance and intelligence-led operations to curb the attacks. The residents also called for stronger coordination among security agencies to identify and apprehend those behind the attacks and restore…