Author: News Room

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution has strongly condemned the ongoing killings of innocent citizens across Nigeria, describing the attacks as senseless and unacceptable, while calling for urgent measures to strengthen rural security and address the root causes of insecurity. In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Director-General, Joseph Ochogwu, the Institute stressed the need for effective state control over territories currently exploited as safe havens by terrorists, insurgents, and bandits. According to the IPCR, reclaiming and securing such areas is critical to restoring peace and protecting vulnerable communities. The Institute commended the recent establishment of…

The Edo State Police Command has arrested three suspected kidnappers in connection with the abduction of Dr Abu Babatunde and the killing of his younger brother. The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the arrests followed sustained intelligence-led operations targeting organised criminal networks responsible for kidnappings in Auchi and surrounding areas. “The Edo State Police Command wishes to provide updates on the ongoing investigation into the kidnapping of Dr Abu Babatunde, following successive arrests recorded during intelligence-led operations in Auchi,” the statement read. According to the statement, the first breakthrough came on February 3, 2026,…

Nigeria’s new tax laws are no longer a proposal, a rumour, or a theoretical policy experiment; they are in force, and they are here to stay. President Bola Tinubu deserves credit for taking a bold but necessary step to reform a tax system that for years placed a disproportionate burden on salary earners while leaving loopholes for inefficiency and abuse. At a time when hard choices must be made to stabilise the economy and protect the most vulnerable, the administration opted for reform over populism. That decision, now backed by real-life outcomes, is proving to be both timely and pro-people.…

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has a touchdown-worthy love story with his fiancée, Katie Hoofnagle. “Amidst the chaos of our everyday lives, every day spent with you is filled with an abundance of peace, laughter, presence, joy and love,” Hoofnagle wrote via Instagram in June 2025, celebrating Darnold’s birthday. “Here’s to another trip around the sun sharing good meals, good music, and good company.” She continued, “Happy 28th birthday to my better half, I love you more.” Hoofnagle started dating Darnold in 2023, when he played for the San Francisco 49ers. She has since been the quarterback’s No. 1 cheerleader…

Bashir Ahmad, former aide to late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has congratulated the South-East on the cancellation of the sit-at-home order in the region. In a post on his verified X handle on Sunday, Ahmad said the move is a great relief for the people of the region. Recall that there has been a sit-at-home order every Monday in the region for the past few years. DAILY POST reports that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced the total and permanent cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home across the South-East, saying the directive takes immediate effect from Monday, February 9, 2026.…

The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of suspected kidnappers in connection with the abduction of two medical doctors’ brothers in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state. DAILY POST reports that the two medical doctors were abducted on January 2, 2026, at about 7:30 p.m. along City Pride Road, Igbira Camp, in Auchi. The two medical doctors are Abu Ibrahim Babatunde and his younger brother, Dr. Tahir Abu Emhoye. While the abductors killed Dr. Tahir Abu Emhoye, a fresh medical doctor from Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, his senior brother, Dr. Abu Ibrahim Babatunde, a…

Former Manchester United captain, Roy Keane, has said Manchester City’s 2-1 win at Liverpool, is a “hammer blow” for Arsenal in the Premier League title race. City came from behind to win 2-1 at Anfield, thanks to a late Erling Haaland penalty. Dominik Szobozslai put the Reds in front with a sensational free-kick, before Bernardo Silva equalized for the visitors. The result means Pep Guardiola’s men remain six points behind Arsenal at the top of the table. “Manchester City won more than three points today,” Keane said on Sky Sports. “Psychologically, it’s a big lift… And a bit of a…

Gunmen suspected to be bandits on Sunday attacked the Koro community, a border settlement in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing one resident and sending villagers fleeing for safety. Residents said the heavily armed assailants stormed the rural community in the afternoon, firing sporadically and causing panic as people abandoned their homes. A local source told PUNCH Metro that the attackers struck unexpectedly, catching residents off guard. “The armed men came suddenly and started shooting into the air. People ran in different directions to save their lives, and one person was later confirmed dead,” the source said.…

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a suspect in connection with the death of a gospel artiste, Matthew Ogundele, popularly known as Segun Praise, and three members of his crew, who were found dead inside a music studio in the Abraham Adesanya area of Ajah, Lagos. The other victims were identified as Itunu Ogundele, Joseph Sanya and a blogger, Matthew Awosanya, also known as JoesTv. The command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the arrest to PUNCH Metro on Sunday, stating that the suspect — identified as the organiser of the event where the victims were billed to perform — is…

If infrastructure forms the skeleton of governance, the public service is its bloodstream. When the bloodstream weakens, the skeleton becomes mere decoration. Under the present administration, Ekiti’s once-respected public service appears to be drifting into a condition best described not as rebellion, but exhaustion. There are no strikes dominating headlines, no dramatic confrontations—only a quiet resignation settling into offices that once brimmed with professional pride. At the heart of this decline lies the unresolved matter of accumulated leave bonuses reportedly unpaid for several years. These are not privileges or political favors. They are earned entitlements, embedded within public service regulations,…