Author: Opalim Lifted

Dubai is offering residents more than AED3,000 (about $816) in rewards if they invite friends and family to visit the emirate, as authorities step up efforts to revive tourism following months of conflict in the region. The initiative, called “A Dubai Invite”, was launched by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and will run until October 31. According to the Dubai Media Office, residents can register loved ones through the programme’s website to unlock benefits including hotel stays, dining experiences, attraction tickets and other exclusive offers worth more than AED3,000. The campaign targets visits between July 20 and October…

Social media personality Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has been granted N20 million bail by a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged N69.15 million property fraud. Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the defendant to bail with two sureties in like sum, ruling that although the prosecution did not oppose the application, the court was still obliged to consider the seriousness of the charges and the punishment prescribed by law before granting bail. The judge also took into account the defence’s explanation regarding the whereabouts of Blessing CEO’s international passport. As part of the bail conditions,…

Ngozi Nwosu, the ace Nollywood actress, has appealed to the public for financial assistance as she battles an undisclosed health condition that has required her hospitalisation for the past three weeks. The 62-year-old film star shared her plight in a video posted on Instagram on Thursday, revealing that she is scheduled to undergo three surgeries and requires N30 million to cover the total cost of the procedures. “My people, my fans and my family. I know that you have not seen me in circulation for some time. I have been hospitalised for three weeks,” she said. “Please, the thing has…

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has dismissed claims that a reported letter from United States President Donald Trump amounts to an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing it as routine diplomatic correspondence acknowledging security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States. In a statement issued in Abuja, Frank challenged the Presidency to publish the purported letter, insisting that any authentic communication from the American president should bear the official White House seal and  Trump’s signature. “The letter is not from the White House. If it doesn’t have the White House…

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, on Thursday visited Benue State, where he warned against unauthorised persons bearing arms. The IGP, who spoke at a security stakeholders meeting held at the old banquet hall of Government House, described insecurity in the state as unacceptable and a source of “sleepless nights” for residents and security agencies. The police boss, who described Benue as once a peaceful and hospitable state, lamented that the state has presently been overtaken by crisis. According to him, the crisis had gone beyond farmer-herder clashes, stating that criminal gangs, kidnappers and political interests had worsened…

The Presidency has launched a fresh attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty by using a United States lobbying firm to submit documents about President Bola Tinubu to the administration of President Donald Trump. In a statement issued on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, questioned why Atiku had not also reported himself to US authorities over his own legal history. Onanuga described Atiku’s decision to hire a Washington-based lobbying firm as inappropriate, arguing that taking Nigeria’s domestic political disputes to a foreign government was unbecoming of someone…

A Washington-based lobbying firm hired by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has announced that it is distributing United States Department of Justice (DOJ) records relating to historical drug trafficking allegations against President Bola Tinubu to members of President Donald Trump’s administration, Congress and senior congressional staff. Von Batten-Montague-York, which signed a 12-month lobbying agreement worth $1.2 million with Atiku in March, said the move is aimed at ensuring US officials are fully informed about court filings linked to Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case. The contract also covers strengthening Atiku’s reputation in the US, facilitating engagements with American officials and countering what…

Burna Boy, the Grammy-winning Nigerian Afro-fusion star, has been announced as the headliner for the opening day of the 2026 Reggae Land Festival. The performance, scheduled for July 31 at the Milton Keynes National Bowl, will mark the ‘Ye’ hitmaker’s debut at one of the United Kingdom’s largest reggae and dancehall festivals. Organisers extended the event to three days after the original August 1–2 weekend dates sold out in record time. Burna Boy will top the bill for this year’s festival, which was introduced in response to unprecedented ticket demand. He joins an expanded lineup that includes Vybz Kartel, Shenseea,…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a nationwide enforcement operation to remove alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200 millilitres from circulation. The agency said the exercise is in line with the Federal Government’s ban on the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and small PET bottles. NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, had earlier explained that the policy is designed to protect children and young people rather than punish manufacturers. She said the decision was informed by growing evidence linking alcohol packaged in sachets…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has resumed the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, in naira, ending its brief policy of selling the product in US dollars. The refinery announced the development in a statement issued on Wednesday, saying the move would provide relief to petroleum marketers and consumers. According to the statement, the refinery has fixed its gantry price for petrol at N1,215 per litre. “Dangote Petroleum Refinery has resumed the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in naira, providing a measure of relief to marketers and consumers. The gantry price is fixed at N1,215 per litre,”…