Author: Opalim Lifted

Erling Haaland scored a superb hat-trick to help Manchester City continue their formidable FA Cup run under Pep Guardiola by booking a record-extending eighth consecutive semi-final with a ruthless dismantling of insipid Liverpool. Manager Guardiola had to watch from the stands as he served the second game of a touchline ban and he witnessed his team take apart toothless Liverpool in a result that will increase the pressure on boss Arne Slot. City’s previous game was at Wembley, when they triumphed over Premier League leaders Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, and the hosts backed that up with another impressive…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark of acting illegally by defying court orders and due process. In a press conference, the APC National Working Committee dismissed allegations by the ADC faction that President Bola Tinubu is weakening opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections. The ruling party described the claims as baseless, insisting that Nigeria currently has 19 registered political parties capable of contesting elections. It argued that the President has no constitutional powers to deregister any political party. According to the APC, the crisis within…

Troops of the 159 Battalion under Operation Hadin Kai have arrested a 23-year-old man suspected of spying for terrorist groups in Yobe State. The suspect was apprehended in Kanama, Yunusari Local Government Area, following actionable intelligence from members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). Security sources disclosed that the arrest took place at about 3:15 pm on March 30, after troops swiftly responded to the tip-off and moved into the area. The suspect, identified as Isah Mahammadu, is a native of Kafetowa village in Yunusari LGA. During preliminary interrogation, he denied any links to Boko Haram or the Islamic…

As Christians across Nigeria marked Easter, senior clerics used the occasion to deliver a scathing verdict on the country’s leadership, accusing politicians of failed promises and a troubling inability to protect lives. Leading voices from the Catholic, Methodist and Anglican churches warned that continued insecurity, economic hardship and political excesses have eroded public trust, urging leaders to prioritise decisive action over ceremonial Easter goodwill messages. The Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, criticised leaders who “promise and do not deliver,” questioning how Africa’s most populous nation has become “so wickedly helpless” amid rising violence. He called on…

Junta leader of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traore has declared that democracy is “slavery”, insisting that Burkina Faso must chart a radically different political path built on “total independence”. Speaking in an interview marking one year of his ideological programme, the Popular Progressive Revolution (RPP), Traore dismissed Western democratic models as violent and imposed systems. “Democracy is killing. Wherever they want to install it in the world, it’s in the blood,” he said. “Democracy is slavery. There is no democracy in this world.” The 38-year-old military leader, who seized power in a 2022 coup, argued that democracy is a tool of…

Flutterwave has secured a Nigerian banking licence, marking a major step in its evolution from a payments processor to a full-scale financial platform. Olugbenga Agboola, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Flutterwave, announced the development in a post on Thursday. According to the statement, the licence enables Flutterwave to hold funds and deposits directly, marking a significant milestone in its transition toward becoming a more comprehensive financial infrastructure platform. “By operating with direct infrastructure, we can streamline our operations and accelerate payment flows for everyone,” the statement reads. “Businesses will soon be able to hold balances within Flutterwave, access…

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha has resigned as Minister of State for Labour and Employment, signalling her return to frontline electoral politics ahead of the 2027 general elections. Announcing her decision on Friday via her official X account, Onyejeocha described the move as a transition rather than a departure from public service. “It is with a heart full of gratitude that I announce my resignation as Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment,” she said. She thanked Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to serve in his administration, adding that her exit marks “not an end but a new beginning”. Her resignation aligns…

Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Germany, Femi Fani-Kayode, has faulted criticism levelled against the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) by former presidential candidate Peter Obi. Obi had issued a statement on X praising the late military Head of State, Sani Abacha, while denigrating NADECO’s activism. He said, “Today, General Sani Abacha, once presumed the face of oppression, will be remembered as seemingly more democratic and more respectful of human rights than the so-called champions of activism from the NADECO days. Power indeed reveals character.” Reacting, Fani-Kayode described the statement as an attempt to denigrate the leaders and members of the movement, who, according…

Gunmen on Thursday evening ambushed the convoy of Mouktar Lugga, Chief of Staff to the Zamfara State governor, along the Funtua–Gusau highway. The attack occurred at about 6:16pm near Kucheri village as Lugga was returning to Gusau from an official engagement. According to a report by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the assailants launched a coordinated assault from both sides of the road. Sources said the attackers opened fire on the vehicle conveying Lugga, his driver, and two other occupants, in what appeared to be a targeted ambush. A bullet reportedly pierced the vehicle’s…

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the ongoing killings in Plateau State. In a strongly worded post on her official X account, Ezekwesili questioned the conduct of leaders who continue political activities amid widespread violence and loss of lives. She criticised what she described as indifference by those in power, asking what manner of leaders “feast while their people are being slaughtered” and fail to act decisively in the face of repeated attacks. The former minister accused the government of responding to mass…