Author: Opalim Lifted

Ola Balogun, the ace Nigerian filmmaker, has directed that his organs be donated and his body be given to medical institutions after his death. The 81-year-old recently issued the directive in his will. In the document titled ‘Public Rendition of My Last Will and Testament’, Balogun said he was motivated by a recent health scare after being diagnosed with a fresh illness just days after his 81st birthday on August 1. The filmmaker, who is currently seeking treatment at the Josek Medical Centre in Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos State, said he was unable to prepare a formal will with a lawyer,…

Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu has assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force will remain neutral and professional during the Osun State governorship election, insisting the force has no political interest in the outcome of the poll. Speaking in Abuja on Friday during a meeting with civil society organisations (CSOs) led by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Disu said the police had put in place extensive security measures to guarantee a peaceful, free and credible election. The IGP acknowledged concerns over election violence, voter intimidation, political thuggery and the neutrality of security agencies, describing them as legitimate issues…

US President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders in a second attempt to scale back birthright citizenship in the United States. The move comes weeks after the Supreme Court struck down his previous attempt to eliminate the right. The executive orders, signed on Thursday, include one that expands the existing definition of non-citizens whose children are not eligible for birthright citizenship, while the second bans what the Trump administration calls “birth tourism” — the practice of pregnant women travelling to the US on non-immigrant visas to give birth so their babies can obtain US citizenship. The first order restricts…

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called for a live public hearing into the alleged fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal, insisting that the Presidency must identify officials allegedly linked to the controversy. Atiku’s reaction follows the release of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)’s interim report, which he argued raises critical questions about the role of public officials in the alleged operation of the fictitious agency. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the Presidency…

Samuel Perry, the comic actor better known as Broda Shaggi, has broken his silence months after he was hospitalised following an alleged shooting while filming. In March, the skit maker was filming around the Sango Ota Bridge in Ogun State when he was reportedly shot in the leg. He was initially rushed to a hospital in the Alakuko area of Lagos before being transferred to another facility in the Government Residential Area (GRA) in Ikeja. After months of silence, Shaggi penned an emotional message on his WhatsApp channel, thanking his supporters for their “patience and loyalty” throughout his absence. He…

A court in the US state of New Mexico has ordered Meta to pay $567 million and restrict several features on Facebook and Instagram for children, ruling that the company created a “public nuisance” by exposing young users to harm. The decision, delivered on Thursday, follows an earlier $375 million penalty imposed in March after a jury found Meta liable for making children and teenagers more vulnerable to online predators. The latest ruling comes as Meta faces mounting legal challenges across the United States over claims that its social media platforms harm children’s mental health. A major trial involving similar…

Nigeria’s organised labour has called for an urgent review of the ₦70,000 national minimum wage, arguing that soaring inflation and the rising cost of living have rendered the current wage inadequate for workers. The demand was made at the 2026 Nigeria Rights of Workers Summit in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, held to mark 88 years of legally recognised trade unionism in Nigeria. The summit, themed “The Rights of Workers: Decent Work and a Just Economy in Nigeria,” brought together labour leaders, policymakers, employers, workers, civil society organisations and representatives of the National Industrial Court. Speaking on behalf of the President…

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says an unauthorised payment has been made into one of his private bank accounts, prompting concerns over a possible breach of his confidential banking information. In a statement issued on Friday by his senior special assistant on public communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice-president said the transfer, labelled “Contribution Electioneering Campaign”, was neither requested nor authorised by him or his campaign. According to the statement, the account is strictly private and its details are not publicly available. Atiku said the payment originated from someone completely unknown to him. “The transfer…

The Osun State Government has sued the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the freezing of its statutory allocation account. In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1762/2026, filed on August 5 before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the plaintiffs are asking the court to nullify the anti-graft agency’s directive and award N2 billion in exemplary damages against the commission. Ademola Adeleke, the state governor; the attorney-general of Osun; and the accountant-general of the state are the plaintiffs in the suit, while the EFCC, its executive chairman, and First Bank of Nigeria Limited are listed as defendants. The plaintiffs are asking…

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced a planned maintenance exercise at its Akwanga 132/33kV Transmission Substation, with electricity supply set to be disrupted in parts of Nasarawa State until Saturday. In a statement issued on Friday, TCN said its maintenance crew would carry out scheduled work on the 40MVA 132/33kV Transformer TR1 at the Akwanga Transmission Substation. According to the company, the maintenance began at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 7, 2026, and is expected to be completed by 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2026. During the maintenance period, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) will be…