Author: Opalim Lifted

French club Lyon will be demoted to Ligue 2 at the end of the season if they do not improve their finances, and will be banned from signing players in January. Lyon owner John Textor is also co-owner of Premier League club Crystal Palace, and the largest shareholder of Brazilian club Botafogo. His Eagle Football Group recently announced debts of £422m. The DNGC, the body which oversees the accounts of French professional football clubs, made the ruling on Friday. The Ligue 1 giant will also have their payroll supervised by the DNGC. Seven-time French champions Lyon are likely to have…

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu, Enugu State, has denied a bail application made by one Blessing Amaka David-Agwa, an alleged fake fertility nurse, and ordered an accelerated hearing in her trial. The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Blessing Amaka David-Agwa on a 45-count charge of impersonation, forgery, and obtaining by false pretense to the tune of N28,278,600 (twenty-eight million, two hundred and seventy-eight thousand, and six hundred Naira). Chronicle NG reports that Spokesman Dele Oyewale on Friday disclosed this in a statement. The…

Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an accelerated trial of the four bloggers charged with defaming and cyberstalking the management of GTCO (Guaranty Trust Holding Company), including its Group CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje. The four accused—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—are facing 10 amended charges for allegedly publishing false information about the company through various social media platforms. At the resumed hearing of the matter on the 13th and 14th of November, Justice Faji also dismissed the bail applications, citing the serious nature of the alleged offences, which include charges that…

President Bola Tinubu has called for a violence-free governorship election in Ondo State and commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its readiness for the exercise. “As Ondo State prepares for its off-cycle governorship election, President Bola Tinubu urges all political stakeholders and the electorate to uphold peace and decorum and fulfil their civic responsibilities without fear before or after the elections,” presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said in a Friday statement. “President Tinubu anticipates a democratic process in the state that will genuinely reflect the people’s will and power to freely choose their leaders.” Security personnel have been deployed…

The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit instituted by 16 states of the federation against the Attorney-General of the Federation, challenging the constitutionality of the Acts establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and two other anti-corruption agencies. The other agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). The Supreme Court dismissed it for lacking in merit. Delivering the Lead Judgement, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, held that the states were completely wrong in holding that EFCC established by an act of the National Assembly, was an illegal and unlawful…

The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, demolished 138 shanties around the canal bank in the Ajao Estate Canal. In a video shared by the state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, shared on X.com on Friday, the occupants of the now demolished shanties paid between N60,000 and N100,000 in annual rent. “In continuation of concerted measures to reduce the scourge of environmental infractions and illegal encampment in public spaces, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, on Thursday demolished 138 shanties around the canal bank in Ajao Estate Canal where illegal…

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Daniel Bwala, the spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar campaign in 2023, as his special adviser on public communications and media. Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said in a statement on Thursday that Tinubu also appointed Olawale Olopade as the director-general (DG) of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Abisoye Fagade as the director-general of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism. The president also appointed Adebowale Adedokun as the DG of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). “Olopade, the new director-general of the National Sports Commission, is a sports…

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with two games to spare in the qualifying series. Nigeria with 10 points in the kitty are assured a top two finish following the shock lone goal victory recorded by Libya in the Group D match away to Rwanda in Kigali. The Super Eagles are billed to face Benin Republic’s Cheetahs Thursday night in Abidjan before returning home to round off their qualifying campaign against Rwanda on Monday. Neither Rwanda on five points nor Libya who are now on four points can do enough to overtake the Super…

The body of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has arrived in Abuja where he will be buried on Friday. The Nigerian Airforce plane NAF 918 carrying the body of the late COAS landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, at around 12:15pm on Thursday. The remains of the late COAS left the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos around 11am. The military top brass were on ground to receive the remains of the late COAS in Abuja, with military band playing to the loudest. Upon arrival at the Abuja airport, a…

Claudio Ranieri has been appointed head coach of Roma until the end of the season – six months after announcing his retirement. Ranieri has also taken on a role advising the Italian club’s owners and will help in the search for a permanent manager. At the end of the season the 73-year-old will “transition into a senior executive role”, the club said. Ranieri, who has managed his hometown club twice before including a temporary stint in 2019, retired in May after guiding Cagliari to survival. His appointment comes after the sacking of Ivan Juric on Sunday. Claudio Ranieri open to…