Author: News Room
This absorbing interplay of history, memory, identity, skill, athletic ability, and entertainment is why the FIFA World Cup continues to evoke passion on a scale unknown to any other single sporting event. Whether it will leave any lasting legacies on the major questions facing our world today will be debated long after a winner is settled on 19 July. For 39 days, meanwhile, the world can take a break. When the FIFA World Cup kicks off on 11 June, Nigeria will be on the menu but not as a competitor. Nigerian musician, Burna Boy, will headline the opening ceremony in…
The Kano State Fire Service has recorded 58 fire incidents and 13 deaths across the state in the month of May 2026. This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi on Monday. According to the statement, the Director of the Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, disclosed this while giving a summary of the agency’s operational activities for the month. According to him, the Service responded to a total of 80 emergency calls between May 1 and May 31, covering fire outbreaks, rescue operations, and false…
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, John Odigie-Oyegun, has expressed concern over the increasing trend of defections, resignations and party switching among political leaders, describing the development as a reflection of deeper problems within Nigeria’s political system. Speaking in Benin, Edo State, on Sunday, the former governor said the frequent movement of politicians from one party to another following disagreements raises questions about the commitment of the country’s political class to national development and the welfare of citizens. Odigie-Oyegun noted that the growing rate at which political leaders abandon their parties suggests that fundamental issues remain unresolved within the…
Liverpool winger, Rio Ngumoha will not be able to take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, even if England requires a last-minute changes. This is due to the fact that the 17-year-old was not listed in Thomas Tuchel’s 55-man provisional squad, a decision made nearly a month ago. Although he was not included in England’s provisional squad, Tuchel opted to include Ngumoha as part of the training players in his 26-man World Cup roster heading to the United States. This squad also features other promising talents such as Alex Scott, Josh King, and Ethan Nwaneri, who were…
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has welcomed reports of the rescue of 360 people abducted by terrorists in Ngoshe, Borno State, while calling for renewed efforts to secure the release of other victims still being held by kidnappers and insurgents across the country. PUNCH Online had reported that the Nigerian military, particularly troops of Operation HADIN KAI, for the successful rescue of 360 abductees from the Mandara Mountains, a notorious terrorist enclave in the southern part of the state. Recall that boko Haram terrorists had attacked a military base in Ngoshe, burning operational vehicles, dispersing…
The Lagos State Security Trust Fund has equipped Divisional Police Officers, area commanders and tactical squad commanders across the state with bulletproof vests and ballistic helmets to strengthen operational safety and security response. The LSSTF disclosed this in a statement made available to PUNCH Metro on Sunday. According to the statement, the intervention underscores Lagos State’s commitment to strengthening its security architecture amid rising national security concerns. “Earlier today, Friday 5th June, by the instructions and orders of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Gov. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Ayodele…
A political support group, Lagos Diaspora for Hamzat 2027, has endorsed the appointment of former Minister of State for Defence and ex-Lagos senator, Musiliu Obanikoro, as Director General of the campaign organisation of Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat. The group described the appointment as a strategic move that would strengthen the campaign’s grassroots mobilisation and political structure ahead of the 2027 elections. In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Convener, Ayodeji Tinubu, the group said Obanikoro’s vast political experience and deep understanding of Lagos politics make him well-suited for the role. The group, which comprises Lagosians…
In this interview with OKECHUKWU NNODIM, the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, discusses the impact of tensions in the Middle East on UAE-Africa trade relations, supply chains, investment flows and investor confidence. Have the ongoing tensions dampened UAE-Africa trade relations in any way? If yes, what is being done to address them? If no, how was this achieved and how do you plan to sustain it? It is a challenging time for global trade, and one that underlines the centrality of the Arabian Gulf to the world economy. The UAE has, in collaboration with…
The Nigeria Cricket Federation is in the running for two honours at the 2025 ICC Development Awards, which will be announced in July, after emerging as a regional winner in Africa, The PUNCH reports. On Friday, the ICC announced the 30 regional winners for the 2025 ICC Development Awards, with Nigeria leading Africa in two of the seven categories. Nigeria’s first regional win came in the ICC Associate Member Women’s Team Performance of the Year category, which recognises the outstanding on-field performance of a women’s team from an Associate Member nation in an ICC event or bilateral series. Last year,…
Dancing With the Stars pro Mark Ballas and wife BC Jean made their first trip to New York City without 2-year-old son Banksi in tow — and he’s unbothered by his parents’ absence. “This date night is, like, usually there’s one with us,” Ballas, 40, told Us Weekly exclusively while attending the 2026 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7, “He was like, ‘See ya, whatever.’ He’s having the best time [without us].” Banksi might not have been around for this red carpet moment, but Ballas and Jean, 39, told Us that he’s already displaying signs of following in their musical…
