Author: Opalim Lifted

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria, as well as the state governments, to drop criminal charges against activists, journalists, rights defenders and others who are on trial “solely for peacefully exercising their human and democratic rights”. SERAP equally asked the government to “immediately release anyone still being arbitrarily detained solely for peacefully exercising their human and democratic rights”. The demand was among the recommendations in a report titled, ‘Broken Promises’: Systematic Crackdown on Civic Space, Democratic Rights And Media Freedom In Nigeria’, released by SERAP on July 3, 2024, in Abuja. The…

A trigger-happy police officer has reportedly shot dead a betting agent identified as Anuoluwapo Abiodun in the Imala/Elega area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. Abiodun, a graduate of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, reportedly operated a betting shop in front of a popular hotel in the area and was closing his shop for the day when he was gunned down on Friday night. An eyewitness who spoke to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity alleged that the officers were drunk and coming out of the hotel when one of them shot the deceased. Our correspondent further gathered that the officers…

Fresh queues for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as fuel surfaced in Abuja, parts of Niger and Nasarawa States on Friday, following the closure of many filling stations operated by independent marketers. Dealers closed their retail outlets due to their inability to access petrol as a result of the hike in the ex-depot price of the commodity to N710/litre by private depot owners. Motorists besieged the few stations that dispensed petrol on Friday, particularly those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and some major oil marketers in Abuja and neighbouring states. This led to massive queues in outlets,…

Canada claimed a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Venezuela on Friday to reach the Copa America semi-finals for the first time after an absorbing contest finished 1-1 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. With the teams all square after five attempts each in the shootout, Wilker Angel had his spot-kick saved by Maxime Crepeau and Ismael Kone buried the winning penalty to send Canada through. “Emotions are running high, I’m so happy for everyone who is supporting us,” Crepeau, who made two saves in the shootout, told Fox Sports. “It’s a lot of work and now we have the…

Newly-elected UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer on Friday made his first set of appointments into the cabinet. This follows his centre-left Labour Party’s landslide general election victory that ended 14 years of Conservative rule. Starmer arrived as the party’s first PM since Gordon Brown in 2010 and had been asked by King Charles III to form a government during a meeting at Buckingham Palace on Friday. Below is the list of the new cabinet members: Angela Rayner – Deputy Prime Minister Rachel Reeves – Chancellor David Lammy – Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper – Home Secretary Pat McFadden– Chancellor of the…

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told US President Joe Biden on Friday that British support for Ukraine’s war with Russia was “unwavering”, in a first call hours after Britain’s new leader took charge. “The leaders reiterated their steadfast commitment to Ukraine and the prime minister underscored that the UK’s support for Ukraine was unwavering,” Starmer’s Downing Street office said in a readout. “The leaders discussed their shared commitment to the special relationship between the UK and US, and their aligned ambitions for greater economic growth,” the statement added. It said Starmer “looked forward to working side by side across the…

France kept their cool and converted all their kicks in the post-match shootout to edge Portugal 5-3 on penalties after the two sides played out a goalless stalemate in their European Championship quarter-final tie on Friday. Theo Hernandez stroked home the winning kick for a perfect sequence after Joao Felix’s effort, the third for Portugal, hit the post. France will now play Spain in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Munich. Defeat for Portugal likely spells the end of the 21-year international career of 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who converted their first kick in the shootout but was also responsible for one…

President Joe Biden of the United States has expressed his readiness to work with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer. Biden expressed his readiness to strengthen the relationship between the US and UK under Starmer’s tenure. In a post on his X page, the US president congratulated Starmer on his emergence as PM. Biden wrote, “Congratulations to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. “I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.”…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos, said the union may consider going on strike if the government does not respond to its demands after all the nationwide protests. For some weeks now, ASUU chapters have been engaging in nationwide protests. They also wrote open letters to the Federal Government to request that the agreements the government had with the union be implemented. Members of ASUU-UNILAG and students on Thursday protested the nine unresolved demands of the union by the Federal Government. The students, who came out to support their lecturers, displayed placards with inscriptions including “Education…

Spain kept themselves on course to win a fourth European Championship as Mikel Merino’s 119th-minute goal sent them into the semi-finals and eliminated hosts Germany following a pulsating encounter at Stuttgart Arena. This was the most anticipated match of the tournament so far as it put together the resurgent home nation against arguably the best-performing side to date at Euro 2024 – and it certainly lived up to expectation. Played with aggression, tension and drama the contest barely let those watching pause for breath from the moment Dani Olmo gave Spain the lead six minutes into the second half. The…