Author: Vincent Osuwo

President Bola Tinubu has expressed great sorrow over the death of Imam Abdullahi Abubakar, the Chief Imam of Nghar village in Plateau State’s Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, at the age of 92. In 2018, the late Imam Abubakar received national and international praise for hiding over 200 Christians during horrific communal riots that destroyed Plateau State. In a condolence message shared by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on X on Friday, Tinubu described the cleric as an extraordinary religious leader whose life was a powerful testament to faith, courage, and the sanctity of human life. “At such a time when…

Imam Abubakar Abdullahi, the Chief Imam of Yelwa and Gindin Akwati in Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, has died. In June 2018, armed terrorists raided Barkin Ladi LGA, making the late cleric well-known both nationally and internationally. He opened his mosque and home to hundreds of Christians, allegedly saving about 300 lives, and refused to hand them up despite threats to his own life. His bravery garnered him significant acclaim, including the 2019 International Religious Freedom Award from the US government. On Friday, the Plateau State Government issued a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the…

A Rivers State High Court sitting Port Harcourt on Friday, issued an interim injunction restraining the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and two others, including the Clerk of the House, from sending any correspondence to the Chief Judge of the state. The court also barred the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, from receiving, forwarding, considering, or acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment, or other document from the first to the 27th defendants for the purpose of forming a panel to investigate the alleged misconduct against the state governor and his…

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, spoke on the phone with the leaders of Israel and Iran, as reported by the Kremlin, proposing mediation in light of protests in Iran that have heightened concerns over a military conflict in the area. Independent observers report that Iranian security personnel have eliminated thousands in a harsh reaction to widespread anti-government demonstrations—a suppression that elicited threats of military intervention from the United States, Israel’s main ally. Iran has consistently charged the United States and Israel with provoking the turmoil and attempting to weaken the national unity of the Islamic Republic. In June, Iran…

The Department of State Services (DSS) in Niger State has rescued two pastors and a church member who were abducted by armed bandits in Kaduna State. The victims, Rev. Idi Buhari, Emmanuel Jacob, and Suleiman Adamu, were kidnapped on January 9, 2026, while on their way to Sarkin Pawa in Niger State to attend a wedding ceremony. Rev. John Joseph Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, received the rescued pastors in Kaduna on Friday. He stated that the pastors were safely rescued from the bush by DSS operatives…

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has endorsed caretaker head coach Michael Carrick to keep the club stable amid a volatile era, advising fans not to misinterpret his calm demeanor for a lack of power. Carrick will replace Ruben Amorim as manager of United until the end of the season, the club stated on Tuesday. The hiring comes as the club struggles to maintain stability both on and off the pitch. Rooney, who played alongside Carrick at Old Trafford, told BBC Sport on Friday that despite his casual demeanor, the former midfielder will approach the task with absolute seriousness. “Michael’s great…

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected an appeal from Aminu Sule Lamido, the son of ex-Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, regarding the forfeiture of $40,000 to the Federal Government. A five-judge panel headed by Justice Inyang Okoro determined that the appeal was baseless, upholding the rulings of the lower courts. In a unanimous decision handed down by Justice Adamu Jauro and presented by Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar, the court declared that the appeal was “destined to fail” and officially confirmed the forfeiture of the funds to the Federal Government. The incident occurred on December 11, 2012, when Aminu was apprehended…

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) and its technical partner PUMA have revealed a special edition of the official match ball, ITRI, for the CAF TotalEnergies 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday. Morocco, the host nation, will compete against Senegal in the final at Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah (kick-off 20:00 local time / 19:00 GMT), where a new champion of Africa will be determined. A post retrieved from CAF’s website on Friday states that the finalists will utilize a special version of the official match ball, with gold highlights as an homage to both teams. “The ITRI ball,…

Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have maintained that the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, will continue, describing it as the only remedy for the political turmoil in the state. The legislators announced this on Friday during a live broadcast from the front of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, following the Assembly’s failure to reconvene on Thursday as planned. Taking turns to speak to the press, the lawmakers asserted that the impeachment actions were lawful and aligned with their legislative duties. They rejected critiques of the procedure, claiming that…

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle claimed that his side studied extensively for penalties and chose the finest available kickers for the shootout, following Nigeria’s penalty shootout defeat to hosts Morocco in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final. After a goalless 90 minutes and extra time, Nigeria forced penalties against the hosts but was defeated 4-2 due to two weak kicks. Morocco’s Neil El Aynaoui scored first, followed by Nigeria’s Paul Onuachu’s cool finish. The Super Eagles had a brief lead when Hamza Igamane’s shot was excellently saved by Stanley Nwabali, but Samuel Chukwueze, who was introduced late in extra time, failed to capitalize as his poorly executed spot-kick was blocked. After Ben Seghir regained Morocco’s advantage, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru equalized for Nigeria before Achraf Hakimi put the hosts ahead once more. Bruno Onyemaechi was then denied by Yassine Bounou with Nigeria’s fourth kick,…