Author: News Room

No fewer than 21 persons have been arrested and are currently under investigation following a joint operation against illegal mining activities in Zamfara State. PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects were apprehended on Saturday at different illegal mining sites, including Boko Village in Zurmi Local Government Area and Kaya Village in Maradun Local Government Area. Confirming the arrests in a statement on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, Yazid Abubakar, said the operation was carried out by the police in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Ministry of Mines…

Let us start today’s business with an acknowledgement that this is a special week in the history of Nigeria. This is an important week for some states in Nigeria. They are celebrating the 50th year of their existence, starting tomorrow, having been created by iconic General Murtala Muhammed on February 3, 1976. Before 1976, there were 12 states, and the government’s special initiative added new states, bringing the total to 19 states. The states that might be celebrating their 50th anniversay tomorrow are Anambra and Imo, which were given birth to by East Central State; Benue and Plateau were created…

The Innovation Support Network has unveiled a strategic roadmap aimed at redefining the impact of innovation hubs across Nigeria by the fourth quarter of 2027, with plans to scale 120 innovative businesses, create over 10,000 jobs, and secure $3m in follow-on funding. The announcement was made at ISN’s Lagos Hubs Meetup, held at the Cedar STEM & Entrepreneurship Hub in Yaba, Lagos, where stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem. Chairman of ISN, Hanson Johnson, explained the vision in a statement issued on Sunday, as he said, “We want to build a globally competitive, inclusive, and investment-ready…

The Ogun State Government is yet to approve the proposed relocation of Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Senegal to Abeokuta, despite an announcement by the Nigeria Football Federation that the match will be staged at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, The PUNCH reports. A senior state government official, who requested anonymity, confirmed to The PUNCH that the decision remains subject to the approval of the state government. “Yes, we can confirm that the Nigeria Football Federation has requested that the match be moved here in Abeokuta, but the decision has not been made by the state…

February 2, 2026 12:30 am Tyla. Photo: Richie Shazam/Variety South African singer, Tyla, has won the Best African Music Performance award at the 2026 Grammy Awards, beating Nigerian stars Burna Boy, Davido and Ayra Starr in the category. Tyla clinched the prize with her song, Push 2 Start, ahead of Burna Boy’s Love, Davido’s With You featuring Omah Lay, Ayra Starr and Wizkid’s Gimme Dat, as well as Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin’s Hope & Love. The category, introduced to spotlight African music on the global stage, once again featured strong Nigerian representation, with three Nigerian artistes — Burna Boy,…

What began as a peaceful protest against demolitions in parts of Lagos quickly descended into chaos as displaced residents marched toward the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa. This eyewitness account documents the human cost of urban renewal policies and the fragile line between protest, policing and power in one of Africa’s largest city, writes JOHNSON IDOWU By the time I arrived at the Ikeja Under Bridge shortly after 10 a.m., on Wednesday, the protest had already found its rhythm—an angry, restless rhythm driven by loss. The early morning sun had barely warmed the concrete when chants pierced the…

Strategy founder Michael Saylor has hinted his firm added to its Bitcoin holdings after the cryptocurrency slid more than 13% over the weekend, briefly pushing the company’s large BTC position into the red. “More Orange,” the Strategy executive chairman posted to X on Sunday,  alongside a chart showing his firm’s $55 billion worth of Bitcoin purchases since August 2020. Saylor often posts the chart as a signal that his company has bought or plans to buy Bitcoin. Source: Michael SaylorIt would mark Strategy’s fifth Bitcoin (BTC) purchase this year, with its largest coming on Jan. 20, when it bought 22,305 Bitcoin.…

Weeks after Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, died after a brief cancer battle, her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is giving insight into the family members’ estranged relationship. “Everybody’s praying for them,” the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) told People of his family while attending the Starry Night Gala in Palm Desert, California, on Saturday, January 31. When asked if he has spoken to his cousin in the wake of her daughter’s death, RFK Jr. told the outlet, “Not recently.” Schlossberg died on December 30, 2025, following a terminal cancer diagnosis. She was 35. Related: Tatiana Schlossberg…

Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that workers of the FCT Administration received their January salary last Friday. Olayinka also said that FCTA workers have received one month’s payment out of the five months’ arrears of the wage award. He made this disclosure in a statement while faulting the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for mobilising workers in other sectors for a protest on Tuesday. According to Olayinka: “FCTA workers received their January salary last Friday, along with one month’s payment of…

A fully loaded 40-foot containerised truck has overturned along Oke Gbegun, Ishagamu Road, near LASPOTECH, Ikorodu area of Lagos State, following an alleged brake failure. The accident, which occurred around midnight, reportedly left the driver trapped inside the tractor head of the vehicle. Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, said its Rescue and Recovery Team was immediately deployed to the scene for traffic control and emergency response. In a post on X, LASTMA said “The accident involved a fully loaded 40-foot containerised truck which experienced brake failure and overturned at Oke Gbegun along Ishagamu Road. “The…