Author: Vincent Osuwo

Gunmen suspected to be cultists have killed a popular shawarma vendor simply identified as Benjamin in Ebutte-Ipakodo, Ikorodu, Lagos State. The victim, also known as Benji, was the owner of the popular Chibest Shawarma in the neighbourhood. According to eyewitnesses, the incident happened on Tuesday, at 8:30 p.m., while Benjamin was serving customers at his roadside shop. On Sunday, a local who only identified himself as Samson informed PUNCH Metro that unidentified gunmen broke into his fast food restaurant and shot him at close range. He also stated that the attack was linked to a cult-related gang rivalry. “He was…

China will begin granting visa-free entrance to nationals of five Latin American countries on June 1, in an effort to boost ties with the area, according to the Associated Press. Brazilian, Argentine, Chilean, Peruvian, and Uruguayan citizens will be able to stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa under a one-year experimental programme, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the policy reflects China’s commitment to enhance cooperation with Latin America and encourage cultural and economic exchange. “We welcome more foreign friends to visit China, to experience the colourful and…

Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, his personal office announced on Sunday. “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,” the statement read. The press release continued: “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management.” According to…

No fewer than 17 people died after a fire ripped through a building in the Indian city of Hyderabad, local officials said Sunday. The inferno broke out early Sunday morning in a three-storey building that houses a jewellery store. The fire disaster response emergency and civil defence agency in southern Telangana state, where Hyderabad is located, said they received the call for assistance shortly after 6 a.m. local time (00:30 GMT). “The fire broke out on the ground floor and spread to the upper floors. Firefighting and search & rescue operations were carried out simultaneously,” it said. The statement also…

Timothy Omotoso, a Nigerian televangelist acquitted of raping young women from his church, is set to depart South Africa on Sunday, according to local media, only days after prosecutors announced they would revisit the case. Omotoso was found not guilty of 32 crimes, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking, after serving eight years in prison. The ruling sparked outrage across South Africa because the judge claimed prosecutors bungled the case. The 66-year-old pastor was scheduled to leave Johannesburg’s OR Tambo Airport for his native Nigeria, according to public broadcaster SABC and Newsroom Afrika television. Images broadcast showed Omotoso at…

The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward 5 in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, Mr Nelson Adepoyigi, who was kidnapped a few days ago, has reportedly died in the custody of his abductors. Adepoyigi was kidnapped by armed men at his farm entrance on Ifon-Owo Road in Ifon, the local government headquarters, on Monday. The gunmen allegedly called the family and demanded a ransom of N100 million for his release, but the family apparently raised N5 million. The situation took a turn when the bandits, dissatisfied with the amount offered, detained the two guys who…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has denied speculation that he may oppose President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election if the Peoples Democratic Party zones its presidential ticket to the South. He reaffirmed his support for Tinubu’s administration, stating that he had no intention of running against the guy he was serving. In an interview with BBC News Pidgin on Saturday, Wike stated, “I will not contest. Why would I compete against someone I work for?” Reaffirming his support for Tinubu, Wike said there was currently no strong opposition figure capable of unseating the president. “They said…

Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili delivered a historic performance in the 2025 Adidas Atlanta City Games on Saturday, breaking the world record in the women’s 150m with a fantastic time of 15.85 s (2.0 m/s) at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. The 22-year-old became the first woman in history to run the event in under 16 seconds, surpassing the previous mark of 16.23s established by Bahamian Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo in 2018. Ofili’s sprint capped an excellent performance by Nigerians at the high-profile street meet, which included top global athletes in a fan-friendly open-air setting. Tobi Amusan, a world record holder and…

Sporting Lisbon retained their Portuguese title on Saturday, defeating Guimarães 2-0 to hold off rivals Benfica on the final day of the Primeira Liga season. Both Sporting and Benfica were tied on points heading into their last game after a tight 1-1 derby stalemate last weekend left the title race on a knife edge. Benfica needed to better their result to win, but they drew 1-1 at Braga, and even a victory would not have sufficed because Rui Borges’ team won and held the advantage head-to-head. Pedro Goncalves broke the tie in the second half, and Sporting’s leading scorer, Viktor…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, predicts more high-profile opposition figures joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming months, indicating Nigerians’ growing trust in the ruling party. The APC has recently welcomed prominent opposition members, including Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire Peoples Democratic Party structure in the state. Additionally, opposition federal lawmakers from the PDP and Labour Party have joined the APC, citing internal crises in their previous political platforms. Abbas made the announcement during the party’s North-West Zonal Stakeholders Meeting in Kaduna on Saturday. He…