Author: Opalim Lifted

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intervene in the fight against vandalism and energy theft, which he said are costing Nigeria’s power sector billions of naira annually. Tegbe made the request on Tuesday in Abuja when he led a delegation from the Ministry of Power on a courtesy visit to EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede. According to a statement by EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale, the minister said vandalism of electricity infrastructure and energy theft were undermining the power sector. He added that the Ministry of Power lacked the statutory…

Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has predicted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election by a “very wide majority”. Omokri made the prediction during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels Television’s Politics Today, arguing that Tinubu is entering the 2027 contest from a stronger political position than he did in 2023. According to him, Tinubu has consolidated his political base, gained the support of more state governors and increased his acceptance, particularly in Northern Nigeria. “The best predictor of future events is past events,” Omokri said. He recalled that Tinubu won the 2023 presidential…

China has rejected reports that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite images of a military base housing US troops in Jordan before and after an Iranian missile strike that killed three American soldiers. The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that the satellite imagery was linked to Iran’s July 17 missile strikes on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. However, the unnamed US officials cited in the report did not identify the Chinese entities allegedly involved and did not accuse Beijing of directly supplying the imagery. “We firmly oppose groundless suspicion and accusations without evidence,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson…

The Nigeria Police Force has issued a nationwide security alert over intelligence indicating increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks on schools, worship centres, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations. The alert, issued by the Department of Operations, warned that the planned attacks could coincide with the 2026/2027 academic session, prompting heightened surveillance and security measures around potential targets. According to the police, armed elements were reportedly moving from Katsina through Kaduna towards Plateau State, while suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) operatives and their local collaborators were conducting surveillance and reconnaissance of potential targets. The…

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has renewed its commitment to working with state governments, investors, creative entrepreneurs, technology platforms, hospitality businesses and other stakeholders to unlock Nigeria’s estimated $100 billion tourism and creative economy potential. The Minister, Hannatu Musawa, stated this on Monday in Lagos during the official flag-off of “Ember to Remember 2026” and the unveiling of the national tourism calendar. Musawa said the ministry was pursuing a tourism and creative economy capable of contributing significantly to Nigeria’s GDP throughout the year, while creating opportunities for young Nigerians, attracting investment, strengthening local businesses…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has adjusted the arrival and examination times for candidates sitting the first session of the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Under the revised arrangement, candidates are now expected to arrive at their designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres by 7:30 a.m., instead of the earlier 6:30 a.m. schedule. The examination will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 a.m. JAMB announced the adjustment in its weekly bulletin released in Abuja, citing safety and logistical concerns linked to candidates travelling to examination centres very early in the morning. The board said the concerns…

Nigerian dancer Iweh Pascal Odinaka, popularly known as Poco Lee, has been granted bail in the United Kingdom, Snaresbrook Crown Court has confirmed. The court said the dancer was granted bail on September 11, 2026, while his plea and trial preparation hearing remains scheduled for September 15. James Baker, the court’s admin team lead, confirmed the development in a statement. “The Defendant has been granted bail on the 11th September 2026,” Baker said. “There is a plea and trial preparation hearing on the 15th September 2026.” The clarification comes after reports circulated on social media last Friday claiming that Poco…

Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo, the Nigerian singer better known as Blackface, has revealed how he introduced Faze and 2Baba to the now-defunct Plantashun Boiz. The group, made up of Blackface, 2Baba and Faze, was formed around 2000 and broke up in 2004 after 2Baba exited to pursue a solo career under Kennis Music. Speaking on the Fresh Off The Boat podcast, Blackface said he brought 2Baba into the group after they completed school. The 50-year-old added that Faze’s voice and character stood out to him, and he persuaded 2Baba that Faze was the missing piece they needed. He admitted there was…

The Bamboo investment app has experienced login difficulties as a surge in user traffic follows the commencement of the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE public offer. Some users were reportedly unable to access their accounts on the platform as investors rushed to participate in the much-anticipated Dangote IPO. Bamboo acknowledged the disruption in a statement shared on its official X account, attributing the difficulty to unexpectedly high traffic. “Hey everyone, we’re getting a much higher-than-expected traffic trying to get into the Dangote IPO, and it’s making it difficult for some users to log into the Bamboo app. “We’re working on…

A section of the Sokoto Central Market was gutted by fire on Sunday night, destroying several shops, goods and other valuables. The fire reportedly started at about 8:30 p.m., with firefighters battling to contain the blaze as residents joined efforts to put out the flames and rescue goods from affected shops. The cause of the fire remains unknown as of the time of filing this report. No official statement had been issued by the relevant authorities regarding the incident. Police warn against reprisal after man stabs Sokoto cleric The fire was still burning as efforts continued to bring it under…