Author: Vincent Osuwo

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia on Sunday urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s management to reschedule the examination date for eight Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination candidates who were kidnapped last Wednesday. Alia made the call on Sunday while hosting the remaining 13 abduction victims who were recovered in the early hours of the day at the old banquet hall of Government House in Makurdi. The governor stated that the kidnapping victims were victims of circumstances and should not be ignored. Alia said, “Many of the students were traveling to Otukpo. Seven were regular passengers, and 15 were kidnapped that…

The National Executive Council of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has issued a stern warning over the ongoing renegotiation process between university-based unions and the Federal Government, insisting that no final agreement has been reached and threatening industrial action if talks are not concluded by the end of April. The position was outlined in a communiqué issued during a special NEC meeting conducted on Saturday at the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, when leaders evaluated progress in the bargaining process. According to a communiqué signed by Muhammad Ibrahim, National President of SSANU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian…

Real Sociedad defeated Atletico Madrid on penalties on Saturday to win its fourth Copa del Rey. Atletico twice came from behind to force extra time and penalties, but Unai Marrero saved two spot kicks in a dramatic shootout to give his team its first title since 2020. Sociedad startled Diego Simeone’s side by scoring the fastest goal in a Copa del Rey final, with Ander Barrenetxea heading Goncalo Guedes’ cross into the corner after just 14 seconds. Ademola Lookman equalized with a low slotted strike in 18 minutes, but Mikel Oyarzabal restored the Basque side’s lead from the spot in…

Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Ibrahim Galadima passed away on Saturday at the age of 74. Galadima, one of the country’s most recognized sports administrators, commanded the Nigeria Football Association (now Nigeria Football Federation) from 2002 to 2006, a period that had a long-lasting impact on the domestic game and its governance systems. Tributes have flooded in from throughout the football community, with current NFF president Ibrahim Gusau calling his passing a big setback for Nigerian sports. Gusau stated that Galadima was a mentor to many administrators and was generally respected for his ethics and leadership. “This is another…

The Premier League survival hopes of Tottenham were dealt a devastating late blow as Georginio Rutter scored a 95th-minute equalizer for European hopefuls Brighton. Tottenham were on track to break their frantic winless league run, which had reached 15 games, and climb out of the bottom three when Xavi Simons curled in with 13 minutes remaining. Instead, Roberto de Zerbi’s side is still one point from safety with only five games remaining—and their situation could deteriorate in the coming days with relegation opponents Nottingham Forest and West Ham set to play after Leeds United already distanced themselves from trouble. That…

Bandits have kidnapped a traditional ruler, his wife, and one other resident during a midnight attack on the Olayinka community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The gunmen reportedly attacked Oba Salman Aweda’s palace around 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, shooting randomly to terrify people before taking the monarch and two others to an unknown location. The tragedy has thrown the community into disarray, particularly since the king recently ascended and was formally installed by the state government. A local source confirmed the attack, saying, “Yes, it happened in Olayinka around 1 a.m. His wife and one other…

The planned defection of Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed due to disagreements over a proposed power-sharing formula. The governor, his Turaki-led PDP group, and the APC leadership were unable to reach an agreement after the ruling party reportedly rejected a 60-40 formula for controlling the party structure in Bauchi State. The governor and his supporters, on the other hand, have stated that they are willing to work with other political parties and that plans are being developed to explore new options for prospective ward-to-state defections. Addressing…

Iran blocked again the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, hours after it was reopened and with more than a dozen commercial ships transiting through the key waterway. The tossing and turning over the Strait called into question US President Donald Trump’s optimism the day before that a peace deal to end the US-Israeli war with Iran was “very close.” Tehran declared the strait open on Friday, following a cease-fire in Lebanon to end Israel’s war with Hezbollah. This sparked elation in global markets and drove oil prices plummeting, but with Trump maintaining that a US naval blockade of Iranian ports…

Dele Momodu, chieftain of the African Democratic Congress and publisher, has dismissed calls for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential election, calling the campaign against him “unbridled chicanery.” Momodu struck back on Saturday at Zekeri Idris Jr., a popular activist and Peter Obi supporter who had asked Atiku to give way to younger candidates, claiming that his projected age of 80 by 2027 rendered him ineligible for the presidency. In a post on X, Momodu claimed that those targeting Atiku were wasting their time instead of holding the governing government accountable. “Instead of making videos…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the arrest of two candidates and a parent for falsifying 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results using artificial intelligence and other electronic tools. The announcement came on Friday, when the board disclosed scores for 632,788 candidates who took the exam on Thursday, April 16. In a statement, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin said the suspects were nabbed for using official SMS result announcements to fake or manipulate scores with the purpose to deceive others, including parents and guardians. “Currently, two candidates and one parent are in custody for engaging in result…