Author: News Room

There was palpable fear in Osun State on Wednesday following the sudden collapse of a podium where guests, including Governor Ademola Adeleke, were seated at a rally held in Ijebu-Jesa. In a 30-second video obtained by The PUNCH showing the moment the podium caved in, Adeleke, Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, and the spokesperson of the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, were among those on the platform when the incident occurred. In the video, musical performances were ongoing when the event anchor brought the session to a close and was about to announce…

The Gombe State Police Command has arrested a 35-year-old man identified as Musa Adamu for allegedly attacking his girlfriend with a hammer, attempting to strangle her, and robbing her of N100,000 in Gombe. According to the command, the suspect, a resident of Riyal Quarters, was arrested following a complaint lodged by the victim at the Pantami Divisional Police Headquarters. The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that the incident occurred in the early hours of June 9, 2026. He stated that the victim reported that at about 2:00 a.m., the suspect allegedly…

Almost 100 years after the first FIFA World Cup in 1930, football’s biggest prize returns from June 11 to July 19, 2026, co-hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada. For Africa, this edition feels different. The continent’s impact has been modest — only 37 World Cup wins in history, with Morocco’s 2022 semi-final the high point. But with a record 10 African nations qualified, the question is louder than ever: “Is this Africa’s time?” Africa’s World Cup story has been defined by landmark moments rather than trophies. Cameroon reached the quarterfinals in 1990, Senegal matched it in 2002, and Ghana…

Nigeria is targeting a major expansion of its electricity generation capacity, with plans to achieve 209,000 megawatts of power generation by 2050, especially with 53 large-scale renewable solar power projects valued at about $11bn underway, according to a report by IIR. The projects, which IIR said are being tracked across the country, form part of a growing pipeline of solar investments aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s energy mix and improving electricity access, particularly in underserved communities. The report indicates that the 53 large-scale solar projects are currently underway in Nigeria, reflecting rising investor interest in the country’s renewable energy sector. The…

The World Cup kicks off Thursday with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, launching a sprawling tournament of 48 teams that will last nearly six weeks. The extravaganza hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada is the biggest World Cup in history, stretching until the final in New Jersey on July 19. It is projected to generate a record-breaking $`13 billion in total revenue but football’s world governing body FIFA has faced stinging criticism over the eye-watering costs of tickets while Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has seen a top referee, Iranian team…

Market analysts have cautioned that Bitcoin and gold may face further headwinds this year following a 4.2% annual increase in the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) in May, according to figures released on Wednesday. The surge in the consumer price index, a broad gauge of goods and services costs across the US economy, deflated hopes that the central bank will reduce rates, with some analysts now expecting rate hikes later this year — bad news for riskier assets such as crypto. US inflation surges to a three-year high. Source: Trading Economics Bitcoin has already had a troubling first half of the…

Tracy Morgan is sharing the brutal details of the fatal car crash with friends after they were hit by a Walmart truck. Morgan, 57, sat down with Saturday Night Live’s Marcello Hernández for Variety & CNN’s Actors on Actors episode that was released on Wednesday, June 10. In the conversation, the Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins star recalled getting into an accident with friends Ardie Fuqua and the late James McNair, who was killed in the crash. Back in 2014, Morgan was riding in a limousine with Fuqua and McNair — who also went by the stage name Jimmy…

Mixed reactions have trailed the Edo State Government’s decision to temporarily shut down three secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state over alleged kidnap threat. The state government earlier announced the closure of the schools after the State Security Service warned about a plot to abduct schoolchildren. The affected schools are Ososo Grammar School, Ososo Comprehensive High School and Makeke Secondary School. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Benin, Aighomwanhi Idubor, chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Edo Chapter, described the closure as a necessary step to safeguard lives. “Life is precious. If there is…

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Lagos Division, has ordered a bank to withdraw the dismissal of a former employee, Mr Tajudeen Balogun, and awarded him N5.5m in damages after finding that the bank wrongfully terminated his employment based on incorrect information supplied by Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Justice Maureen Esowe, who delivered judgment in Suit No. NICN/LA/471/2022, held that the bank breached its disciplinary procedures and denied the claimant a fair hearing before dismissing him over allegations linked to discrepancies in his academic records. The court also awarded N500,000 as costs of litigation in favour of Balogun. “The defendant…

Some residents of Fowowawo, Ajerogun and Magbon-Etido communities in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have fled their homes following a failed abduction attempt that left no fewer than six people dead. PUNCH Metro correspondents who visited the communities on Wednesday observed that several houses and shops were under lock and key, while activities in the usually busy settlements had significantly reduced. Recall that suspected kidnappers invaded a dredging site in the area in the early hours of Monday in an attempt to abduct a Chinese national, but the operation was unsuccessful. The Ogun State Police Command had confirmed…