Author: Opalim Lifted

Pope Leo XIV has listed Nigeria among several countries where Christians face discrimination and persecution. The pope, in a post on his official X account on Sunday, emphasised the need for peace as a divine virtue. “In various parts of the world, Christians suffer discrimination and persecution. I think especially of Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other countries from which we frequently hear of attacks on communities and places of worship,” he wrote. “God is a merciful Father who desires peace among all His children! I accompany in prayer the families of Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,…

The Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has dismissed reports alleging that female inmates nationwide are being denied menstrual hygiene products, insisting the claims are inaccurate and misleading. In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, the Command’s spokesperson, DSC Adamu Samson Duza, said the Service remains committed to its mandate and international correctional standards. He explained that sanitary pads and other hygiene supplies are issued monthly, free of charge, with each distribution logged in welfare registers. Duza noted that all custodial facilities are equipped with healthcare units staffed by qualified nurses and doctors who attend…

DR Congo clawed back from an early blow to dump Nigeria out of the World Cup race, winning 4–3 on penalties after a tense 1–1 draw in Rabat and booking their spot in March’s intercontinental playoffs. Nigeria made a dream start, striking inside three minutes when Frank Onyeka pounced on a loose ball and fired home via a deflection past Lionel Mpasi. But DR Congo grew into the contest and equalised on 32 minutes, with Elia deftly lifting the ball over Stanley Nwabali after Cedric Bakambu’s cross ricocheted kindly into his path. The second half and extra time were cagey,…

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have signed a multi-year partnership to strengthen accountability in the health sector. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, announced this on X on Sunday. Pate stated that the pact focuses on monitoring, tracking, and auditing all expenditures related to the nationwide overhaul of health infrastructure across all local government areas. The federal government is currently undertaking a large-scale project to rehabilitate and upgrade primary healthcare centres in Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. The initiative forms part…

The Super Eagles have received a major lift after CAF confirmed that Wilfred Ndidi is eligible to play in Sunday’s high-stakes 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff final against DR Congo, ending almost 48 hours of uncertainty over the midfielder’s status. In a post on their official X account on Saturday, the team revealed that CAF had clarified its disciplinary rules, stressing that yellow cards collected during the World Cup qualifiers do not carry over into the playoff stage. Only players with confirmed suspensions are barred. “CAF has confirmed that Wilfred Ndidi is eligible to feature for the Super Eagles in…

Kabiru Turaki, the newly elected chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has promised to restore discipline and return the party to its grassroots, declaring that the era of impunity is over. Turaki emerged chairman on Saturday at the PDP national convention in Ibadan, where he secured 1,516 votes during the exercise held at the Adamasingba Stadium. In his acceptance speech, the former minister of special duties and intergovernmental affairs said he fully understands the weight of the mandate given to the new National Working Committee, adding that the party must immediately reconnect with Nigerians. He assured members that the…

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…