Author: Opalim Lifted

Sarah Omakwu, the senior pastor of Family Worship Center in Abuja, has criticised WhatsApp users who disable their blue tick read receipts. Sharing a clip from her recent sermon on Facebook, the cleric urged users to turn their read receipts back on, arguing that hiding them reflects insincerity. According to her, many people disable the feature to avoid responding to messages and also keep others in “suspense”. “Put back the blue tick on your WhatsApp, put it back. Taking it off is lying, and then you keep people in suspense,” she said. “Most of you who remove the blue ticks,…

Crystal Palace claimed the first European trophy in their history after defeating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the Conference League final thanks to a decisive goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta. The French striker scored early in the second half at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, tapping home from close range after Adam Wharton’s effort was pushed into his path by goalkeeper Augusto Batalla. The victory capped a remarkable spell under outgoing manager Oliver Glasner, who leaves Selhurst Park after guiding Palace to the FA Cup, Community Shield and now Conference League success within two and a half years. Both clubs were…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has won the presidential primary election of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Tunde Ogbeha, the returning officer of the ADC presidential primary election, announced Atiku as the winner of the primary poll on Wednesday night. Atiku polled 1,846,370 votes to defeat two other contenders — Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, former managing director of the defunct FSB International Bank, and Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers. Amaechi polled 504,117 votes while Hayatu-Deen got 177,120 votes. Speaking after he was presented with the ADC flag as the party’s standard-bearer for the 2027 elections, Atiku asked Hayatu-Deen and Amaechi to…

US Congressman Riley Moore has thanked Donald Trump for ordering the Pentagon to prioritise the protection of Nigerian Christians from ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). In a statement posted on Wednesday via his official X account, Rep. Moore praised President Trump for authorising a joint US-Nigerian operation that reportedly killed ISIS’s global second-in-command, Abu-Bilal al-Munuki. Moore’s appreciation followed comments by US Secretary of zwae Pete Hegseth during a White House meeting, where he explained how the operation and intelligence gathering contributed to the deaths of hundreds of ISIS fighters linked to attacks on Christians and threats to the…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has reduced its gantry price of diesel by N200 as importers reportedly receive new shipments. The refinery cut the price from N1,800 per litre to N1,600 on Wednesday, according to Platts, an independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets. Confirming the reduction, Joseph Obele, the national public relations officer of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), said the diesel price was reduced on May 26. The development comes amid a legal dispute on import licences issued or renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum…

Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday carried out the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual near the holy city of Mecca, marking one of the final rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage as Eid al-Adha celebrations began across the world. From the early hours of the morning, huge crowds of worshippers gathered in Mina, southeast of Mecca, where they threw pebbles at large concrete pillars representing the devil. The ritual reenacts the story of Prophet Ibrahim, who, according to Islamic tradition, stoned Satan at three locations where he attempted to discourage him from obeying God’s command to sacrifice his son Ishmael. More…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a man accused of impersonating a presidential aide and defrauding unsuspecting victims of about ₦25 million through false promises and fraudulent representations. The defendant was brought before a Federal High Court on charges bordering on impersonation, obtaining money under false pretences, and other related offences linked to the alleged scam. According to the anti-graft agency, the suspect allegedly presented himself as an aide attached to the Presidency to gain the confidence of victims before collecting large sums of money from them. Investigators said the accused reportedly promised to facilitate government-related opportunities…

Hope among Islamic faithful that ram prices would ease ahead of the 2026 Sallah (Eid al-Fitr) celebration has faded, as traders and buyers report falling sales and rising costs across Nigerian markets. Eid al-Fitr, also known as Sallah, is a major Islamic festival marked by the sacrificial slaughter of rams, symbolising Prophet Ibrahim’s obedience to Allah. The celebration typically includes morning prayers, sharing meat with family and neighbours, and preparing traditional meals such as pepper soup, fried meat and stew. However, many households say rising costs have made participation increasingly difficult. The President of the Ram Sellers Association in Gbagada,…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Prevention has cautioned Nigerians against the use of unverified home remedies for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), warning that substances such as bitter kola, salt water, herbs, and seasoning cubes do not prevent or cure the infection. In a public advisory titled “Ebola Virus Disease (EVD): Myths vs Facts”, the agency said misinformation circulating online could fuel panic and put lives at risk, especially amid concerns over reports of Ebola outbreaks in parts of the region. It stressed that Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case of Ebola, but warned that public vigilance…

President Bola Tinubu has assured parents of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo and Borno states that the victims will be rescued safely, urging affected families not to lose hope. The President gave the assurance in a Children’s Day message released on Wednesday, following separate attacks on schools in Oyo and Borno on May 15. Suspected terrorists had attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and LA Primary School in Ogbomoso, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. According to the Oyo State Police Command, two persons were killed during the attack while about 45 pupils, alongside teachers…