Author: Opalim Lifted

Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, has warned that anyone contemplating a coup against the government is “wasting their time”, describing those accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu as “a bunch of confused individuals”. Speaking on Arise Television on Friday, Musa said the military officers and civilians currently facing prosecution over an alleged coup plot had been identified and investigated by security authorities, stressing that they are being given the opportunity to defend themselves in court. The alleged plot first came into focus after the federal government cancelled the military parade planned for Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day celebration in…

Andoni Iraola has emerged as the leading candidate to become Liverpool’s next manager following the dismissal of Arne Slot after two seasons in charge at Anfield. Liverpool confirmed on Saturday that Slot had been relieved of his duties despite guiding the club to their 20th league title in his debut campaign. However, a disappointing second season, which ended with a fifth-place Premier League finish, prompted the club’s hierarchy to make a change. The Reds have already approached Iraola to discuss the vacant position, with the Spaniard now considered the frontrunner to take over. Iraola recently left Bournemouth after enhancing his…

Liverpool parted ways with Arne Slot on Saturday after the Dutch manager, who won the Premier League title in his first season, failed to live up to expectations in a roller-coaster second campaign that ended with the club finishing fifth. The former Feyenoord boss replaced Jürgen Klopp in 2024 and impressed in his first season as Liverpool won the Premier League title, powered by Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah’s 29 goals and 18 assists in the league. However, his second season at Liverpool transformed from a title defence into a desperate scramble for Champions League qualification. The Reds also failed to…

Former Rivers State governor and ex-minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has denied reports that he was offered the vice-presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the party’s controversial 2027 presidential primary. Amaechi, who contested the primary alongside Atiku Abubakar and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, finished second in the exercise. Atiku was declared winner with 1,846,370 votes, while Amaechi secured 504,117 votes and Hayatu-Deen polled 177,120 votes. On Tuesday, Amaechi formally rejected the outcome of the primary, alleging irregularities and voter disenfranchisement. He argued that the results did not reflect the democratic values the party had promised to uphold and described…

Teachers and civil society groups took to the streets of Ibadan on Friday, demanding urgent action to secure the release of dozens of teachers and schoolchildren abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The protesters, led by the Oyo State Teachers Action Group and supported by the Nigeria Teachers Congress (NTC), called on authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the victims, who were kidnapped during coordinated attacks on three schools in Ogbomoso on May 15. Gunmen reportedly stormed Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and LA Primary School, abducting at least 45 pupils and…

Nigeria’s Safe School Initiative, launched in the aftermath of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, is facing renewed scrutiny as a fresh wave of kidnappings and attacks on schools continues to threaten students and teachers across the country. The programme was introduced to improve security in schools, support vulnerable communities and ensure uninterrupted education in high-risk areas. However, recent incidents have reignited concerns about its effectiveness, with reports indicating that more than 100 students were kidnapped in May alone. Among the latest attacks was the abduction of students and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State…

President Bola Tinubu has said the removal of fuel subsidy by his administration helped prevent Nigeria from “imminent bankruptcy” and is supporting the country’s economic recovery, as he hosted state governors in Abuja for Sallah celebrations and his administration’s third anniversary. Tinubu made the remarks on Friday during a meeting with governors from across the country, including Lagos, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Taraba, Niger, Ekiti, Delta, Ondo, Edo, Adamawa, Benue, Enugu, Ogun and Kogi, alongside deputy governors from Borno and Kano. He said the long-standing subsidy regime had become financially unsustainable, arguing that it consumed national resources while limiting investment…

Rachael Alamu, the abducted principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle in Oriire LGA, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, to negotiate with the kidnappers. Alamu, alongside some staff members and students of the school, was abducted on May 15 when gunmen raided three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele/Yawota axis of Oriire in Ogbomoso. The gunmen, who rode motorcycles, abducted dozens of students and teachers from Community High School, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School. The assailants killed Adesiyan, an assistant headmaster at the community high school, and a commercial…

By Adeoye Adelekan Prof. Aminu Gusau, former Coordinating Director of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has called for a stronger culture of civic engagement in Nigeria, arguing that the quality of followership is a major factor in whether governments become accountable or drift toward poor governance. Speaking at a virtual roundtable organised by PANAFSTRAG and Empowered Newswire on Followership Studies themed: The Demand Side of Accountability, dedicated to the memory of Aminu Kano, the true Champion of Followership, Gusau said citizens who are informed, active and willing to question those in power can help shape better leadership outcomes in…

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to distance himself from a planned convention in Abuja, describing it as illegitimate and misleading. The Kabiru Turaki-led group had scheduled Saturday, May 30, for a convention at A-Class Park and Event Centre in Abuja, where Jonathan was reportedly expected to be affirmed as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election. However, the Wike-aligned faction rejected the process, insisting it was not an official party activity. “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party has been drawn…