Author: Vincent Osuwo

Veteran Nigeria actor Harry B Anyanwu has urged Nollywood actors and the general public to help actress Maureen Okpoko, who reportedly lost her sight several years ago. In a video that aired on X on Monday, Harry B stated that the actress requires financial assistance to access treatment that could help recover her vision. The renowned actor, who said he was with Okpoko in Enugu State, encouraged colleagues in Nigeria’s film industry to help her. “I am right here in Enugu with my sister of inestimable value, Maureen Okpoko. Nollywood, let’s reach out to her and support her. She’s blind,…

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has announced the release of the Nigerian girls who were recently detained abroad, saying they are on their way back to Nairobi. Their release follows public concern over a viral video showing the girls in detention, which prompted calls for the Nigerian government to intervene. On Instagram, #QueenBethia posted the video on Sunday: “Please tag every relevant authority because this is nonsense!!!! This cannot keep happening!! Mauritius is notorious for this!!!” “They have been held at the Mauritius airport since July 31, 2026,” she announced. NiDCOM, in a statement on Monday by its Digital…

First Bank of Nigeria Ltd has strengthened its commitment to women’s entrepreneurship by launching the “Spark A Gem Challenge”, which will offer N10 million in awards to outstanding women-owned enterprises. According to a statement issued by the bank on Sunday in Lagos, the project is a flagship programme under its “Women Preneur Pitch-A-Tonne” programme and “First Gem” proposal. It stated that the project was created to empower women entrepreneurs with business training, mentoring, networking opportunities, and financial assistance. According to the bank, the scheme received 356 applications from women-owned enterprises in agriculture, education, healthcare, food services, and other industries. It…

Iran executed two men convicted of spying for Israel, the judiciary said, the latest in a wave of hangings over alleged espionage. Since the war with Israel and the United States began in February, Tehran has ramped up executions, with many of the convicts accused of spying for Israeli intelligence. “Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat were hanged this morning for transmitting the coordinates of sensitive military and security sites to Mossad agents,” said Mizan, the media outlet for Iran’s judiciary, referring to Israel’s foreign intelligence service. It did not reveal when the pair were arrested or when they went on…

A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was untouched as fire razed neighborhoods in the northwestern US city of Spokane on Sunday. Firefighters battled to put out massive fires in the northwestern US city of Spokane early Monday, after officials said hundreds of structures had been reduced to ashes. Thousands of people were asked to evacuate their homes over the weekend after three different fires broke out in and around the city in eastern Washington state. The National Weather Service (NWS) had issued a warning for “extremely critical fire weather conditions” in the area due to strong winds and extreme…

Governor Seyi Makinde paid a visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday at his residence in the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, alongside former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi. Makinde revealed the visit in a post on his verified X handle on Sunday, where he uploaded photos from the meeting. According to the Oyo State governor, the discussions focused on key national issues ahead of the forthcoming general election. He wrote, “Earlier today, we visited Baba, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, in Abeokuta. Our discussions centered on important…

Nigeria exported 182.2 million barrels of crude oil worth N24.02 trillion in the first half of 2026 as rising worldwide oil prices increased the value of the country’s crude cargoes amid concerns about insufficient feedstock for domestic refineries. Crude oil production and export data from January to June 2026 revealed that exported crude was worth around $17.60 billion, or N24.02 trillion, at an exchange rate of N1,365 to the US dollar. According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the country produced around 263.65 million barrels of petroleum over a six-month period, with a market value of $25.41 billion,…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the publication of its presidential candidate by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ended months of speculation over the party’s participation in the 2027 presidential election. The party stated that those who expected it would fail to have a candidate had been proven incorrect. It described the placement of its presidential candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, and his running mate, Babangida Umar, on INEC’s published list of candidates as a significant step forward in its preparations for the 2027 general…

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has released new guidelines for prospective corps members ahead of the upcoming orientation camp, warning them against night travel and highlighting key requirements for registration. In a statement posted on its X handle on Monday, the scheme advised prospective corps members to prioritise safety while travelling to their assigned orientation camps. “Prospective Corps Members are advised not to travel at night to the orientation camp,” the NYSC stated. The scheme warned that candidates with discrepancies in their graduation dates would not be registered at the orientation camp. “Prospective Corps Members with discrepancies in the…

Italian giants Juventus signed Bosnian teenager Kerim Alajbegovic on a five-year deal from Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday and brought back French striker Randal Kolo Muani for a second spell at the club. Following a spectacular season with Red Bull Salzburg, the 18-year-old Alajbegovic appeared in all four of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s World Cup games this summer. Before agreeing to sell the winger to Juventus, Leverkusen exercised a buy-back clause in the contract with Salzburg. The Serie A side also completed a permanent move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kolo Muani, who had a successful loan spell in Turin during the second…