Author: Opalim Lifted

The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has lamented that Nigeria’s reputation and attractiveness to international institutions such as Harvard Business School and investors have recently been severely impacted by major obvious drawbacks. Obi said this on Wednesday via his X while reacting to the omission of Nigeria from the Harvard Business School class of 2025 programme, which selected sixteen countries for its global immersion course. He said the omission of Nigeria, despite the programme leader being a Nigerian professor, is particularly striking given the country’s potential and capabilities. Choosing Kenya, Rwanda, Morocco, and Ghana…

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) conducted raids on three steel manufacturing companies in Ogun State due to the alleged production of substandard iron rods and other anti-competition practices. According to the commission, the affected companies are African Foundries Limited in Ogijo, Monarch Steel Mill Limited in Sagamu, and Kam Steel Integrated Company, also in Sagamu. Addressing journalists recently, the Acting Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, stated that the commission’s visit was based on intelligence suggesting potential anti-competitive behaviour by these companies. “Essentially, we received intelligence and surveillance reports that these companies are allegedly involved…

An Osun State High Court sentenced five men on trial for the kidnapping and murder of Ibrahim Adamu, a Fulani herder who was selling cows in Owode-Ede, Osun State, to death by hanging on Tuesday. After Adamu’s (herder) abduction, he was said to have been moved into a secluded place in his Toyota Corolla car. The herder was later killed despite paying N3 million ransom after he identified one of the perpetrators of the crime. The defendants, Ibrahim Issa, Lateef Bello, Abdul Ramon Soliu, Bello Ibrahim, and Abudu Mumini Jolaanobi Saheed, were first arraigned before the court on October 28,…

Brazil played out an action-packed 1-1 draw with Colombia in California on Tuesday to set up a mouth-watering Copa America quarter-final against Uruguay. Colombia, who finished top of Group D on seven points, will face Panama in the last eight. Daniel Munoz’s first-half strike for Colombia cancelled out an impressive early free kick from Brazil’s Raphinha. The result extended Colombia’s unbeaten streak to 26 matches, though it did mark the end of their 10-match winning run. “It was a match we all wanted to play to measure ourselves in a good moment for the team. I think we took another…

Costa Rica scored two early goals to beat Paraguay 2-1 in their final Copa America Group D match on Tuesday but failed to move into the quarter-finals after finishing third following Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Colombia. Colombia finished as group winners with seven points while Brazil also advanced as runners-up with five. Costa Rica return home with four points while Paraguay exit after three losses. “This was a very tough group. We were playing against Brazil and Colombia, two of the four favourites to win the Copa,” Costa Rica coach Gustavo Alfaro told reporters. “We had our strengths, our achievements…

Merih Demiral scored twice to send Turkey into the European Championship quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Austria on Tuesday. Demiral opened the scoring after less than a minute and netted again in the second half to set up a clash against the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday. After Michael Gregoritsch pulled a goal back for Austria in the 66th, Turkey goalkeeper Mert Gunok pulled off one of the saves of the tournament deep into injury time to palm away a close-range header from Christoph Baumgartner and prevent an equalizer. Tuesday’s game got off to a ferocious start. Both teams…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has declared a state of emergency on production in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. In a move to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production and grow its reserves, the company would replace all the old crude oil pipelines built over forty years ago. NNPCL stated that it has initiated crude oil rig sharing projects with its partners to ensure that production rigs stay in the country for between four and five years, which is the standard practice in most countries. Olufemi O. Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., made this statement available on…

Substitute Donyell Malen scored twice and Cody Gakpo got his third goal of Euro 2024 to help the Netherlands see off a spirited Romania and reach the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time in 16 years. Liverpool forward Gakpo opened the scoring with a brilliant finish midway through the first half, cutting inside before unleashing a drive into the bottom corner. The Netherlands missed numerous chances after that, but made sure they did not risk paying for it when substitute Malen stabbed in late on from Gakpo’s ball. Malen then wrapped up an impressive win for the Netherlands,…

Bandits have killed Dr. Tiri Gyan David, a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA) in Katsina State. The early hours of Tuesday saw David’s death. He was head of FUDMA Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension, and Rural Development. A resident said the assailants abducted two of the late lecturer’s children after killing him. The deceased lived in Yarima Quarters, Low-Cost Estate, and Dutsinma Local Government Area of Katsina State. The source added that the bandits invaded the community with sophisticated weapons, shooting sporadically to scare the residents. The Katsina Police Command spokesman, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, confirmed the incident but…

Niger State Police have arrested one Mohammed Isah for allegedly stabbing his friend Nurudeen Nuhu to death after a dispute over a mobile phone. The incident took place in the abattoir area of Kwata Tayi village, Minna. According to reports, the two friends engaged in a physical altercation over a mobile phone, during which Isah allegedly stabbed Nuhu in the stomach with a knife. Eyewitnesses reported that the incident took place on Sunday. After being stabbed, Nuhu collapsed and was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Niger…