Author: Vincent Osuwo

The Nigerian Police has revealed that human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporter, Omoyele Sowore, was arrested on allegations of forgery, cyberstalking, and other criminal offences, and was not tortured while in detention. According to the Force, Sowore was detained and freed on bond well inside the 48-hour constitutional timeframe, in accordance with applicable legislation, and without violating his rights. Sowore, who had been arrested at the Force Headquarters in Abuja since Wednesday after accepting an invitation from the IGP Monitoring Unit, verified his release in a Facebook post on Friday, calling his imprisonment “illegal and unjust.” In a…

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has called for a single five-year term for Nigeria’s president. Obi made this statement in Bauchi on Friday during a courtesy visit to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed. According to him, there should be no second term for the president, and instead of four years, it should be five years, as is customary in South Korea. “I’ve said it, and I want to say it again in this Government House: if I have the opportunity, we should stop having a second tenure for president. “It should be five years…

A South African court on Friday ordered the return of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu’s body for a state funeral, siding with Zambia’s government over his family, who wanted him buried in South Africa rather than in front of his successor. Lungu, Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021, died on June 5 in South Africa while undergoing medical treatment. South Africa’s high court blocked plans for his burial in Johannesburg on June 25, hours before a private ceremony was scheduled to begin. Zambia’s government had contacted the court, stating that the ex-president, like all other presidents since Zambia’s independence from…

A Ugandan judge refused to grant bail on Friday to veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who has been in jail for almost nine months on treason allegations. The issue has aroused concerns among government critics, including opposition leader Bobi Wine and human rights organisations, about a crackdown ahead of Uganda’s national election early next year, in which President Yoweri Museveni, 80, is running for re-election. The administration denies targeting opposition figures, claiming that all those held have committed crimes. Besigye, Museveni’s former ally and personal physician, has run against him in four elections and lost each time. He has not…

Israel has sternly rejected criticism from world leaders after its security cabinet approved a decision to take control of Gaza City. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that countries that condemned Israel and threatened sanctions would “not weaken our resolve”. “Our enemies will find us as one strong, united fist that will strike them with great force,” he added. Israel’s decision to expand its war in Gaza sparked condemnation from the UN and several countries, including the UK, France and Canada, and prompted Germany to stop military exports to Israel. The Israeli security cabinet approved the plan, which lists five “principles”…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has sternly refuted recent reports alleging a shutdown of its operations, reassuring the public and market stakeholders that its activities remain fully active and stable. Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, issued an official statement in which the refinery’s management unequivocally denied that truck loading or output had been suspended. “The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is fully operational. There has been no shutdown, nor has there been any suspension of truck loading activities,” the statement reads. The refinery further highlighted that the intermittent sale of Residual Catalytic Oil (RCO) is standard business practice, typically including…

Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has demanded that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom; and former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, be expelled immediately for alleged anti-party activities during the 2023 general election. On Friday, Lamido stated on Channels Television’s Politics Today that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must show leadership by disciplining those who openly worked against its interests. “All those erring members, the Wikes, the Ortoms, the Ikpeazus and others, who openly campaigned against the PDP in the 2023 elections and who say that they are going to…

UEFA has penalised Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski for violating anti-doping rules during last season’s Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan. According to Marca, the European football federation acknowledged that both players were found guilty of “failing to report immediately to the Doping Control Station” following the match. As a result, the two have each been fined €5,000. While the infraction does not entail a failed drug test, UEFA’s rules require players designated for doping control to report immediately following a game – a policy designed to ensure the integrity of testing procedures. UEFA believes that both footballers did…

The federal government of Nigeria has reiterated its unwillingness to accept deportees from the United States, distancing itself from recent moves by countries such as Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan to accept foreign individuals deported from the United States. Kimiebi Ebienfa, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the government’s position to Saturday PUNCH in an interview, emphasising that Nigeria remained solid in its stance, citing national security and economic considerations. Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said in July that President Donald Trump’s administration was increasing pressure on African countries to accept deportees guilty of crimes…

US President Donald Trump disclosed on Friday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in Alaska and intimated that any ultimate solution to end the war in Ukraine may include swapping territories. The Kremlin later confirmed the summit, describing the location as “quite logical”. “The presidents themselves will undoubtedly focus on discussing options for achieving a long-term peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov said in a Telegram statement. Tens of thousands of people have been slain since Russia launched its full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, forcing millions to abandon their…