Author: Opalim Lifted

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered police top brass to protect participants of the planned #EndBadGovernance protest slated for August 1 to 10, 2024. The IGP gave the directions in a letter on Monday, following the request of human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa. Adegboruwa had, on July 26, 2024, written to the IGP on behalf of the Take It Back Movement, one of the groups planning the #EndBadGovernance protest, to request police coverage for protesters. In his response letter dated July 29, 2024, Egbetokun directed senior officers to attend to Adegboruwa’s request. The IGP response was…

The Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate for 2023, Peter Obi, has expressed his support on Sunday for the nationwide protest scheduled for August. Obi, the former Anambra State Governor, said the Nigerian Constitution allows room for protest as it is the right of citizens. He, however, warned against violence, saying such demonstrations should be done within the confines of the law. Obi identified hunger, and hopelessness among the youths as the sponsors of the protest, calling on the Nigerian authorities to engage and give a listing listening ear to the protesters. “In Nigerian Constitution, protest is allowed,” Obi told Channels…

The National Assembly has delayed the transmission of the minimum wage bill and may send it to President Bola Tinubu by Monday. The bill, which underwent second and third readings in both legislative chambers of the National Assembly within minutes of being transmitted by the President, was approved separately by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The National Assembly had said it would transmit the bill on Thursday, however, the bill had yet to be transmitted to the presidency for assent. Speaking to Punch News on Saturday, the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters, Senator Abdullahi…

Nigerian boxer Olaitan Olaore was defeated in the men’s 92kg heavyweight boxing category at the ongoing event in Paris. Olaore lost to Kazakhstan’s Oralbay Aibek, who secured a 5-0 win on points. Aibek dominated the bout, winning all three rounds with unanimous support from the five judges, who scored the match 30-26 in his favor. This victory advances Aibek to the next round of the competition. Olaore’s defeat means Nigeria’s hopes for a medal in boxing have been dashed. Huge blow as ITA suspend Nigerian boxer in Olympics Earlier, Cynthia Ogunsemilore was disqualified after failing a doping test, and Dolapo…

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that the widespread anger and hunger across the country is the main reason for the planned protest. Makinde made this declaration while speaking at the grand finale of the 2024 Ibadan Cultural Week, organised by Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII). Chronicle NG reports that August 1 has been fixed as the day for a nationwide protest against hunger across the country. Makinde, while addressing the audience at the event held on Saturday at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, the state capital, maintained that people have the right to protest. He said that…

The International Testing Agency (ITA) disclosed it has provisionally suspended Nigerian lightweight boxer, Cynthia Ogunsemilore. This was after Ogunsemilore tested positive for a banned substance on Saturday. The suspension has come ahead of her opening fight at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Ogunsemilore tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic on WADA’s prohibited list, in an out-of-competition doping control collected on Thursday. “The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter in line with the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Anti-Doping Rules,” the ITA said. Olympics 2024: Nigeria’s…

Nigeria’s hopes for a strong performance in the men’s table tennis event at the Paris Olympic Games have faded. On Saturday night, Aruna Quadri and Olajide Omotayo, the Nigerian duo, suffered disappointing losses in their first-round matches. In a thrilling round-of-64 match at the South Paris Arena, 20-year-old Eduard Ionescu of Romania stunned Aruna, who had advanced to the quarterfinals at Rio 2016. Despite leading 3-0, Aruna lost 3-4 in a nail-biting contest. Ionescu, making his Olympic debut, staged an impressive comeback after losing the first three games (11-8, 11-9, 11-6). He won the next four games (11-8, 12-10, 11-9,…

Samoa’s boxing coach died at the Paris Olympics village after the 60-year-old had a cardiac arrest, officials said on Saturday. Governing body the IBA sent its “heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues” of Lionel Elika Fatupaito following his sudden death on Friday, the day of the opening ceremony. He was treated by emergency services but they were unable to save him, according to the local prosecutor’s office, which said he died of “natural causes”. Fabregas appointed Como coach as club prepares for Serie A return “Lionel’s dedication and passion for the sport have left an indelible mark on…

FIFA deducted six points from Canada in the Paris Olympics women’s football tournament and banned three coaches for one year each on Saturday in a drone spying scandal. The stunning swath of punishments include a 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) fine for the Canadian football federation in a case that has spiraled at the Summer Games. Two assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on opponent New Zealand’s practices before their opening game last Wednesday. Head coach Bev Priestman, who led Canada to the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, already was suspended by the national soccer federation then removed…

FIFA, the world’s soccer governing body, has rejected Argentina’s complaints over a last-minute equalizer being ruled out in the Summer Olympics’ opening match against Morocco, the FA said on Saturday. “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee rejected the protest filed regarding the events that occurred in the match against Morocco,” AFA President Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia said on X, saying he is seeking explanations for the ruling. Argentina lost Wednesday’s match, the Paris Olympics’ men’s soccer opening game, with a final score of 2-1 to Morocco. The match was initially suspended with a 2-2 draw as a group of fans broke onto the…