Author: News Room

  Nigeria’s news cycle is busy with drama in politics, infrastructure plans and everyday life. The Department of State Services is pushing for extended custody of ex-AGF Abubakar Malami amid a terror-financing probe, while Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, unveils new road projects. In crime and security, the son of a kidnapped Kwara monarch has regained freedom after ransom payment, even as a trader laments loss of goods in a major Lagos market fire. Business headlines show strong beer revenues, and a socialite-businesswoman is challenging EFCC’s forfeiture bid. Meanwhile, a reporter’s diary takes readers inside the daily scenes at Lagos…

Operatives of the Department of State Services have freed an Ogun State-based pastor, Kayode Olawoye, alongside two of his associates who were detained on Monday following public outcry. Olawoye became an internet sensation following his exposé on the poor state of some roads in Ogun State, which he had repeatedly drawn to the attention of the state government. A family source close to Olawoye confirmed his release in a telephone conversation with PUNCH Metro on Tuesday. In an earlier interview with our correspondent, Olawoye’s family had raised concerns over his detention after he was allegedly invited by the DSS. Speaking…

Today I will talk about a rupture in the world order, the end of a pleasant fiction and the beginning of a harsh reality, where geopolitics, where the large, main power, geopolitics, is submitted to no limits, no constraints. On the other hand, I would like to tell you that the other countries, especially intermediate powers like Canada, are not powerless. They have the capacity to build a new order that encompasses our values, such as respect for human rights, sustainable development, solidarity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the various states. The power of the less power starts with honesty.…

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to increase the contribution of Nigeria’s livestock sub-sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product from $32bn to over $74bn within the next 10 years. The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this on Tuesday in Ilorin during a livestock stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Kwara State Government, which brought together over 250 players across the livestock value chain. Represented at the event by his Special Adviser, Mr Mark Mbaram, the minister said the Federal Government was committed to repositioning the livestock sector as a major driver of food security, job creation, and…

Nigeria midfielder Alex Iwobi has revealed details of a brief exchange he had with Egypt goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir during the third-place play-off penalty shootout at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Nigeria and Egypt required a penalty shootout to decide the contest after a goalless 90 minutes, with the Super Eagles eventually claiming a 4–2 victory to secure their ninth AFCON bronze medal. During the shootout, Shobeir denied Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s opening kick for Nigeria, but he could not stop subsequent efforts from Akor Adams, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi and Ademola Lookman, despite…

Mike Novogratz’s digital asset firm Galaxy is preparing to launch a $100 million hedge fund aimed at profiting from both rising and falling crypto prices. The fund is set to launch in the first quarter and will be structured to take long and short positions across digital assets and traditional equities tied to financial infrastructure, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.Up to 30% of the fund’s capital will be allocated directly to crypto tokens, with the remainder deployed into financial services stocks expected to be shaped by digital asset regulation, blockchain adoption, and technological change, per the report. The fund…

January is already full of surprises as Meghan Trainor and husband Daryl Sabara announced the birth of their third baby. “Our baby girl Mikey Moon Trainor has finally made it to the world thanks to our incredible, superwoman surrogate,” Trainor, 32, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 20. “We are forever grateful to all the doctors, nurses, teams who made this dream possible.” The Grammy winner shared photos from Mikey’s delivery and life as a mom of three as she celebrated her daughter’s birthing journey. (The baby arrived on Sunday, January 18.) “We had endless conversations with our doctors in…

Bello El-Rufai, a son of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has become one of the most closely watched politicians in Kaduna State politics as alignments shift ahead of the 2027 general elections. Bello, the federal lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, rose to prominence within the All Progressives Congress (APC) not merely on the strength of his surname, but also through strategic political positioning. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2023, defeating seasoned contenders, including Samaila Suleiman, a former lawmaker with strong grassroots structures in the constituency. At the time, Bello enjoyed the combined weight of two powerful…

Arsenal and Real Madrid were the main talking points on a busy Champions League night, as both teams recorded big wins and sent strong messages to the rest of Europe. At the San Siro, Arsenal continued their fine run with a clear 3-1 away victory over Inter Milan. It was Inter’s third straight defeat in the competition, while Arsenal stayed perfect in the group with seven wins in as many games. The Gunners started fast and went ahead in the 10th minute. Gabriel Jesus finished calmly from inside the box after a good pass from Jurriën Timber. Inter replied eight…

Benue State House of Assembly has given its approval to a new bill establishing the Benue State Widows Commission, aimed at ending abusive cultural practices targeted at widows and shielding them from all forms of exploitation. The legislation, officially titled “A law to establish the Benue State Widows Commission and for Related Purposes, 2025,” scaled through its final reading on Tuesday during plenary in Makurdi. During deliberations, Beckie Orpin, who heads the Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare, stressed that the proposed commission is crucial because widows remain among the most at-risk groups in the state. She noted that…