Author: Opalim Lifted

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International Nigeria (TI-Nigeria) have described the acquittal of former petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke by a United Kingdom court as a setback for global anti-corruption efforts, while calling on Nigerian authorities to strengthen domestic accountability mechanisms. In a statement signed by Executive Director Auwal Ibrahim Musa, the organisation said it respects the unanimous verdict delivered by a jury at the Southwark Crown Court in London after 46 hours of deliberation. However, it argued that the outcome should serve as a wake-up call for Nigeria to improve its anti-corruption framework and ensure justice…

Oracle has reduced its global workforce by 13% in fiscal 2026, cutting around 21,000 roles as it continues a broad restructuring drive influenced in part by artificial intelligence (AI) adoption across its operations. The company’s annual filing, released on Monday, shows its headcount fell to 141,000 as of 31 May 2026, down from about 162,000 in the same period last year. The reduction comes alongside a sharp rise in restructuring costs. Oracle spent $1.84 billion on severance payments and exit-related expenses in fiscal 2026, compared with $374 million in the previous year, reflecting the scale of its ongoing organisational changes.…

Former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday visited the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) amid an ongoing investigation into alleged financial misappropriation during his tenure. Sources within the anti-graft agency disclosed that the visit is connected to an active probe into alleged diversion of about N1.3 trillion said to have occurred while he served as governor of Delta State from 2015 to 2023. The former governor was previously arrested by the EFCC in November 2024 over the allegations. He is accused of diverting public funds and allegedly using state resources to acquire properties in…

The trial of Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, over alleged access to a telephone conversation involving Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA), continued at the federal high court in Abuja on Monday. During the court proceedings, the video showing el-Rufai’s interview on Arise Television on February 13, 2026, was played. According to NAN, Deji Adeyanju, activist and lawyer, who was subpoenaed, appeared as the second witness to the Department of State Services (DSS) in the case. The Case During an interview on ‘Prime Time’, an Arise Television programme, el-Rufai said “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, allowing him to listen to…

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says cooking gas prices have surged to as high as N2,100 per kilogram across parts of the country due to non-cost reflective pricing by marketers. The disclosure was made during a presentation by the agency’s chief executive, Rabiu Umar, at an emergency stakeholders’ meeting convened by the petroleum ministry. Marketers blamed for price distortion The regulator said wholesalers and retailers are selling liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) well above its indicative price benchmarks, with consumers paying significantly more than official guidance. Prices currently range between N1,400/kg and N2,100/kg depending on region, despite…

The Presidency has strongly criticised Peter Obi after his call for President Bola Tinubu to resign, describing the comparison he drew with a recent political development in the United Kingdom as flawed and misleading. Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had suggested that President Tinubu should consider stepping down, referencing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement that he would leave office following public dissatisfaction over economic challenges and unmet promises. Starmer had said on Monday that he would resign amid growing public pressure over economic conditions and governance concerns in the UK. Reacting, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga…

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to resign over the “monumental failure” in governance. Obi said he was inspired to reflect on political accountability after listening to the resignation speech of Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, who announced plans to step down amid public dissatisfaction over economic challenges and unmet campaign promises. The former governor of Anambra said Nigeria’s current situation mirrors the criticisms Tinubu levelled against former President Goodluck Jonathan before the 2015 elections. According to Obi, Tinubu repeatedly called on Jonathan to resign over insecurity and economic…

Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway booked their place in the last 32 of the World Cup with victory over Senegal in New Jersey. After just two games in the competition, the Manchester City striker has now scored twice as many goals (four) as any other Norway player in World Cup history. Full-back Marcus Pederson, on as an early substitute, capitalised on a poor clearance from Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly to put Norway 1-0 up late in the first half – before Haaland took over in the second. He raced on to Martin Odegaard’s incisive through ball to double the…

Kylian Mbappe scored twice to move joint-second in the all-time World Cup goalscoring list as France cruised past Iraq in a weather-delayed game in Philadelphia. Mbappe netted early in both halves to take his World Cup goals tally to 16 in 16 games, two shy of Lionel Messi who broke Miroslav Klose’s record hours earlier. France v Iraq became the first match at this World Cup to be interrupted by severe weather, with the second half beginning more than two hours after the first period ended because of lightning strikes in the area. Heavy rainfall earlier in the day had…

A prosecution witness has told the Federal High Court in Abuja how she allegedly lost N58.1 million in an investment scheme linked to a bitter kola export business promoted by a couple currently facing trial over an alleged N740 million fraud. The witness, Chinyere Okoroafor, testified before Justice Ekerete Akpan on Monday during the trial of Osabohein Alex Ologbose, Chief Executive Officer of Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited, and his wife, Hope Onome Oghelemu. The defendants and their companies are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a seven-count charge bordering…