Author: Opalim Lifted

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has refused the fresh bail application of the detained Binance Holdings Executive, Tigran Gambaryan. In his ruling on the motion for bail on medical grounds, Justice Nwite rejected the request, noting that renowned Nigerian medical experts were already managing his health. The Judge, however, ordered the Nigerian Correctional Service to refer Gambaryan to a standard hospital in Abuja for treatment for three days to two weeks under security supervision. He subsequently adjourned the case to October 18, November 22 and 25, for the continuation of trial. Counsel to Gambaryan, Mark…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Umar Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the party. Justice Peter Lifu ordered that no person other than Damagum should be recognised as PDP national chairman until the party’s national convention scheduled for December 2025. Justice Lifu issued the restraining order against PDP NEC, BoT, and others while delivering judgment in a suit instituted against them by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina. The judge held that in line with Articles 42, 47, and 67…

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho has rejected Justice Binta Nyako recusal from Nnamdi Kanu, pro-Biafra agitator’s trial. Justice Tsoho also returned the case file back to Nyako to handle. A reliable source who wished to be anonymous disclosed this on Friday, Daily Post reported. The source also gave reasons for Justice Tsoho’s refusal to include: “That 2 other judges were previously recused from the case. “That the case has lingered for too long from 2015. “That the case has pended most with Justice Binta, thus making her the most suited or best placed judge…

A former Presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu travelled to the UK, so he could have time to himself for a review of his administration so far. Okupe hit out at Nigerians criticising Tinubu’s trip to the United Kingdom for a two-week holiday, NAN reported. According to him, the president wants to avoid “undue interference from political associates”, as he seeks to rejig his cabinet. Okupe said: “I have read many uninformed criticisms of the President’s holiday trip abroad. “Personally, from my understanding of how Presidents behave in periods of national crisis, I believe the President…

The United Nations (UN) said Friday that over half a million refugees, people without a nationality had acquired citizenship in the decade since it launched a campaign to end the limbo of statelessness. In a report, the United Nations’ refugee agency detailed the progress made since it launched its #IBelong campaign in 2014. Its aim was to mobilise international action to resolve the problem of statelessness. The UNHCR described statelessness as “a major human rights violation”. It leaves refugees politically and economically marginalised, unable to access critical services and particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, the agency argued. Last year,…

Economic Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has issued a stern warning to party members planning to misbehave at the party’s third elective conference, warning they will be expelled. The conference, set to elect new leadership, comes in the wake of former deputy president Floyd Shivambu leaving the party for Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. Julius Malema confirmed during a media briefing on Thursday that the conference will take place from 12 to 15 December at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, according to local media report. “Anyone who behaves outside the guidelines will not see Nasrec, and even if…

Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw against Venezuela on Thursday in Lionel Messi’s return to international duty in the South America’s World Cup qualifiers. Captain Messi, 37, fully recovered from an injury sustained in the Copa America final against Colombia in July, was brilliant in setting up Otamendi on a drenched pitch to open the scoring 13 minutes after kick-off, which was delayed by half an hour due to heavy rain. Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, filling in for Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martinez, who is serving a two-match ban for offensive behaviour, produced a fine performance to keep out Salomon Rondon’s…

England interim manager Lee Carsley’s all-out attacking strategy backfired badly as they slumped to a shock defeat by Greece in the UEFA Nations League at Wembley. Jude Bellingham’s 87th-minute goal looked to have rescued a desperately disappointing England display after Vangelis Pavlidis gave Greece a deserved lead with a composed finish four minutes into the second half. Greece responded to earn a deserved victory as Pavlidis struck again deep into stoppage time on a chastening night for England and interim boss Carsley. In the absence of injured captain Harry Kane, Carsley went without a recognised striker by using Jude Bellingham…

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland broke Norway’s all-time goalscoring record at the age of 24 in their Nations League win against Slovenia. He netted his 33rd international goal early in the game to go level with Jorgen Juve, who played in the 1920s and ’30s, and then took the outright record in the second half with his 34th Norway goal. Haaland, who made his Norway debut in 2019, has only taken 36 games to reach the record mark. Juve reached the previous record total in his first 27 games. He played at centre-back later in his career and ended on…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Thursday, dumped its initial rule that married women would be required to provide a letter of approval from their husbands to obtain a visa clearance certificate. The anti-narcotics agency initially required married women to submit a “letter of approval to travel from their husband, attached with his passport photograph,” in order to obtain the certificate, which sparked a backlash on social media. The NDLEA’s visa clearance certified individuals with no drug-related convictions in Nigeria—a requirement by some countries. However, after a social media outrage, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said the requirement has…