Author: Mayor

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have reaffirmed that any negotiations to end the war with Russia must include Ukraine at the table. During a phone call on Thursday, both leaders emphasized that a lasting resolution cannot be achieved without Kyiv’s direct involvement. Their statement comes amid concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for a swift peace deal, which reportedly excluded Ukraine and key European allies from initial discussions with Russia last week. According to a readout from Trudeau’s office, the Canadian leader reiterated his country’s unwavering support for Ukraine. He stressed that sustainable peace…

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has clarified that the recent Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, has effectively restored the tenure of sacked local government chairmen and councillors in Osun State. In a statement issued on Thursday evening, Fagbemi emphasized that the tenure of the affected officials, who were elected during the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), remains valid until October 2025. He urged the Osun State government to halt any plans to conduct fresh local government elections in the interest…

Fenerbahce, Ajax, and AS Roma advanced to the Europa League round of 16 after hard-fought victories in their knockout playoff ties on Thursday. Turkish side Fenerbahce sealed their qualification with a 5-2 aggregate win over Anderlecht. Their second-leg match in Belgium ended 2-2 after being briefly halted due to crowd disturbances. The players left the pitch early in the game but returned 20 minutes later to complete the fixture. Ajax Amsterdam narrowly progressed against Union Saint-Gilloise. The Dutch side trailed early and went down to 10 men after Davy Klaassen’s red card, but a 93rd-minute penalty from Kenneth Taylor secured…

A legal practitioner, Barrister Alexander Uchenna Ozougwu, has been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, over allegations of defrauding victims of N1,323,850,000 through a fraudulent foreign exchange investment scheme. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Uyo Zonal Directorate, arraigned Ozougwu on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, before Justice Sergius Onah. According to Dele Oyewale, Head of Media & Publicity for the EFCC, Ozougwu faces six counts of obtaining money by false pretence, in violation of Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has kept the country’s benchmark interest rate steady at 27.50% following a decline in inflation. This decision was made by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) during its 299th meeting in Abuja. CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso, speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, explained that the decision to maintain the rate was influenced by the recent decrease in inflation, which fell to 24.48% in January after a rebasing of the Consumer Price Index. “The members of the MPC unanimously agreed to retain the interest rate at 27.50 percent,” Cardoso stated. SERAP demands reversal of ATM…

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has expressed his gratitude to ex-military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, for restoring his rank and honour. Gowon made the remarks during a book presentation by Babangida on Thursday in Abuja, where he acknowledged the former military leader’s role in saving him from treason charges. Gowon, an elder statesman, also praised Babangida for their enduring friendship and his contributions to Nigeria’s development. He said, “I had a very rough time in government; I was even charged with treason. Later, President Shagari rescinded that order, and you (IBB) eventually restored my rank and honour.…

Apple has officially introduced the iPhone 16e, a new addition to its iPhone 16 lineup, designed to offer a more affordable yet feature-packed smartphone option. Priced at $599, the iPhone 16e combines modern design with advanced technology, targeting a wider audience seeking premium features without the premium price tag. The announcement was made in a February 19 release on Apple’s official news website, titled “Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family.” According to Bloomberg, the new device aims to boost Apple’s growth following a slow holiday season. The iPhone 16e replaces the iPhone SE,…

Kylian Mbappe delivered a stunning hat-trick as Real Madrid secured a commanding 3-1 victory over Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, advancing to the last 16 with a 6-3 aggregate win. This marks the third time in the last four seasons that Real Madrid has eliminated Manchester City at this stage of the competition. The match at the Bernabeu began with Real Madrid asserting their dominance early. Just four minutes in, Raul Asencio’s long ball was misjudged by Ruben Dias, allowing Mbappe to calmly chip the ball over the stranded Ederson to open the scoring. Mbappe’s early…

Liverpool missed a crucial opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table after a dramatic 2-2 draw against Aston Villa in a pulsating encounter at Villa Park. The result leaves the Reds eight points clear of Arsenal but maintains their unbeaten away record this season. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for Liverpool in the 24th minute, capitalizing on a costly mistake by Villa’s new signing, Andres Garcia. The defender’s errant pass fell straight to Diogo Jota, who set up Salah for his 24th league goal of the campaign. However, Villa responded strongly, with Youri Tielemans…

Football fans have taken to social media to express their outrage over Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s recent comments about forward Ademola Lookman. The backlash follows Gasperini’s criticism of Lookman’s missed penalty in their 3-1 Champions League defeat to Club Brugge, which resulted in Atalanta’s elimination from the tournament. In the post-match press conference, Gasperini labeled Lookman as “one of the worst penalty takers” he had ever seen, stating that the Nigerian forward was not supposed to take the penalty and criticizing his record even in training. Fans quickly rallied behind Lookman, flooding Atalanta’s official Facebook page with demands for…