Author: Opalim Lifted

Crystal Palace were beaten by Lyon in France in the Eagles’ first ever away match in the Europa League. The hosts only needed eight minutes to open the scoring, when Corentin Tolisso reacted quickest to bury the loose ball after Palace failed to cope with a corner from the right. In a quiet first half, Lyon doubled their lead in injury time as Ernest Nuamah finished well from Keito Nakamura’s low cross. Palace had come from behind to gain Premier League wins over Fulham and Nottingham Forest this season and were much improved after the break, finding a way back…

A Finnish court of appeal has reduced the prison sentence of Biafra separatist agitator Simon Ekpa from six years to four years while upholding his convictions for terrorism-related offences. In a ruling on Thursday, the appeal court upheld the convictions imposed by the Päijät-Häme District Court for participating in the activities of a terrorist group and publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent. Ekpa, 41, has been in custody since his arrest by Finnish law enforcement authorities in November 2024. He had appealed the September 2025 judgment that sentenced him to six years in prison. Prosecutors also challenged…

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has fixed November 9, 10 and 13, 2026, for the commencement of trial in the ₦15 billion defamation suit filed by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, against Adeniyi Adeyemi, Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). Presiding Judge Samira Bature fixed the dates on Thursday after a disagreement between the parties’ lawyers over Adeyemi’s request for more time to file his defence. At the resumed proceedings, Kemi Pinheiro and Olukayode Enitan, counsel to Gbajabiamila, opposed the request for an extension made by M.P. Usman, Adeyemi’s…

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has announced a new citizen-engagement platform, Ask AA, to allow Nigerians to question him directly about his political record, policy proposals and plans for the country ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The initiative will give voters an opportunity to seek answers on key issues, including the economy, security, job creation, technology and the rising cost of living. According to a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, the platform is scheduled to go live at 8.30 pm on Thursday. How Atiku’s Ask AA Platform Will…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will on Thursday inaugurate its logistics committee for the 2027 general elections as part of efforts to ensure smooth election operations across the country. A correspondent monitoring the event reported that the commission’s leadership would hold its inaugural meeting with members of the committee immediately after the inauguration at INEC headquarters in Abuja. The meeting is expected to focus on finalising logistical arrangements for the forthcoming elections, particularly the transportation and distribution of election materials. The committee comprises transport and maritime associations, aviation representatives, security agencies and paramilitary personnel. They include the Nigeria Road…

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has insisted that artificial intelligence (AI) and computer algorithms will not determine the outcome of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, stressing that the power to choose the country’s leaders rests solely with voters. Amupitan made the declaration at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, themed “Safeguarding the 2027 General Elections in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”. “Algorithms will not, and must never, decide the 2027 vote,” he said. According to the INEC chairman, while algorithms can predict patterns, optimise routes and suggest preferences, they lack the conscience,…

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered underground tunnels, heavily secured doors and suspected escape routes in an unfinished building at Camp 74, near Government House in Asaba, Delta State. The discovery followed intelligence reports about suspected drug-related activities at the property, which was raided by an NSCDC patrol team. According to the corps, operatives faced difficulties gaining access because the building was secured with multiple layers of iron doors. After spending three days attempting to breach the structure, they eventually entered through the roof. NSCDC Discovers Underground Passages Inside the building, operatives discovered underground passages with…

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has begun training 100 government officials ahead of Nigeria’s third-round assessment of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures. The five-day training, which started on October 12 in Abuja, is organised by the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), with support from SecFIN Africa. In a statement on Wednesday, NFIU Chief Executive Officer Hafsat Bakari said the programme aims to prepare members of the country’s Mutual Evaluation Working Groups for a national mock assessment scheduled for November. Speaking at the training, Bakari said the exercise would help Nigeria demonstrate the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State has trained persons with disabilities on electoral participation and inclusive voting measures ahead of the 2027 general elections. The training, held at the commission’s state collation centre in Ibadan, aimed to improve electoral awareness, strengthen understanding of voting procedures and address barriers preventing persons with disabilities from participating fully in elections. INEC Promises Assistive Devices for Voters Speaking at the event, Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Rahmon Adeniran Tella, represented by Mrs Agnes Abosede Oluwatomisin, said the commission remained committed to ensuring that eligible persons with disabilities could exercise…

US Senate Democrats have recruited and trained more than 100 congressional staffers to monitor voting and ballot counting during the November midterm elections, citing concerns about possible interference by President Donald Trump’s administration. The observers will be deployed across nine states with closely contested Senate races, including Ohio, Georgia and Michigan, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Alex Padilla told reporters on Wednesday. Their responsibilities will include documenting possible voter intimidation, threats against election workers and other irregularities during voting, ballot counting and certification following the November 3 election. “Their role is very clear: to observe, to document,…