Author: Vincent Osuwo

The nationwide strike declared by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday paralyzed operations at key oil and gas regulatory institutions, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The industrial action, which followed a weekend mandate from the union’s National Executive Council, saw members across the country withdraw their services, effectively closing down crucial agencies that drive Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. Our correspondent reported that the main gate at the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja was…

Typhoon Bualoi blew roofs off houses and uprooted power poles along Vietnam’s coast, killing at least 11 people, local and national officials reported on Monday. The storm, the tenth to batter Vietnam this year, made landfall late Sunday, bringing gusts of 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour. Authorities in three provinces told AFP that thousands of homes and businesses had been damaged or destroyed. AFP photos show corrugated metal roofs ripped off buildings and household detritus strewn across flooded streets in coastal Nghe An province. “The wind blew my roof to the sky, and then it fell down, breaking everything.…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued an ultimatum to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, and other prominent figures in the party to register at their respective wards before the end of the year or risk losing recognition as members. Speaking in Yola, the Adamawa State Chairman of the ADC, Shehu Yohanna, said the party had unveiled its membership register, stressing that only those with valid membership cards would be acknowledged. “Atiku Abubakar should go to his ward in Jada Local Government and register, and Babachir should go to his…

Robert Lewandowski scored the winning goal with a header in the second half, allowing Barcelona to come from behind and secure a victory over Real Sociedad, placing them at the top of the La Liga standings. With the match tied at 1-1, Barca’s coach Hansi Flick introduced Ballon d’Or runner-up Lamine Yamal in the 58th minute. Just moments later, the 18-year-old maneuvered past a defender and delivered an exquisite cross that an unmarked Lewandowski converted with a header. Real Sociedad had stunned the hosts by taking the lead in the 31st minute through a counterattack, where Alvaro Odriozola finished off…

AC Milan announced their ambitions for the Serie A title on Sunday with a decisive 2-1 victory over Napoli, positioning them at the top of the standings even after playing more than half an hour with a man down. Christian Pulisic shone for Milan at the San Siro by assisting Alexis Saelemaekers’ opening goal in the third minute and then scoring himself shortly after the half-hour mark. The American forward’s standout performance against a Napoli side hampered by injuries propelled Milan to first place with 12 points, ahead of both the reigning champions and Roma, who secured a 2-0 win…

The Federal Government has firmly denied recent assertions by some international forums and internet commenters that terrorists operating in Nigeria are conducting a systematic genocide against Christians. In a statement made on Sunday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the administration characterized the assertions as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive,” claiming that they distort the country’s complicated security concerns. According to the minister, framing Nigeria’s war against terrorism as a targeted effort against a certain religious group simplifies the problem and risks inciting ethnic and religious discord. “The violent activities of terrorist groups are not confined…

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has urged the federal government and security services to act quickly to obtain the release of one of its members, Onyesom Peace Udoka, who was kidnapped alongside her sister and others along the Lokoja-Okene route in Kogi State. Udoka, who was recently called to the Bar, was kidnapped while returning from the event in Abuja. In a statement released on Sunday, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, decried the incident as “unacceptable and utterly condemnable,” emphasizing that no family should be forced to go through such anguish. “It is heartbreaking that at a time when…

Former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki has accused the Kwara state government of being indifferent about the security of its inhabitants’ lives and property. Saraki, addressing the weekend in Ilorin during the state Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claimed that the surge of killings, kidnappings, and the collapse of the security system in Kwara state is unparalleled. According to Saraki, “In the last 12 months, about 70 people have been reportedly killed in Kwara North and South, while about 50 people have sustained various forms of injury from the assailants. “Within the same period, about 42 people have…

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said his team deserved their 5-2 humiliation by rivals Atletico Madrid in Saturday’s derby clash. Los Blancos, the league leaders, had won all of their previous games this season but were outplayed by Diego Simeone’s team at the Metropolitano Stadium. “We didn’t play well as a team, or in pressing; we were not at the level that we should be,” Alonso told reporters. “We’re in a construction phase; today was our first loss, and we have to take conclusions from what happened, but there are no excuses. We’re hurting; it’s a derby and a deserved…

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa State Command, said it has launched a manhunt for attackers who stormed a rented male hostel belonging to students of Bilyaminu Usman Polytechnic, Hadejia, located along the Hadejia to Malam-Madori road. It should be noted that on Thursday, a rented off-campus male hostel, located not far from BUPoly and housing students from the institution, was attacked by suspected assailants using dangerous local knives. The assailants, who were apparently equipped with sharp local knives, attacked the students, stealing their phones and other valuables, leaving many people terrified in the neighborhood. In an…