Author: News Room

As Nigeria’s Fourth Republic enters its 27th year, political leaders, traditional rulers and policymakers gathered in Abuja on Thursday to interrogate what has worked and what has failed in the country’s longest stretch of democratic governance. The forum, organised by the Daily Trust Group under its annual Daily Trust Dialogue, was convened to assess whether democracy has delivered tangible outcomes for Nigerians beyond the ritual of elections. The Thursday dialogue with the theme, ‘Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: What Is Working and What Is Not,’ is the 23rd since the organisers set it up. In his remarks, the chairperson of the forum,…

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) have come down hard on Remo Stars, the reigning Nigerian champions, handing out sweeping sanctions after serious security and crowd-control failures during their Matchday 20 clash against Ikorodu City on 14 January. In a disciplinary ruling that underlines the NPFL’s renewed push for order, safety, and professionalism, the league confirmed that Remo Stars breached multiple provisions of its Framework and Rules by failing to provide adequate and effective security at their Ikenne home ground. What went wrong in Ikenne According to the NPFL, poor security arrangements triggered a violent brawl between supporters of both…

Niger Delta rights activist, Annkio Briggs, says members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have no power to tell the people of the state who to vote for. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Briggs said that the power to decide who governs Rivers State rests with the people, not members of the State House of Assembly. She was reacting to the impeachment saga involving the Rivers State House of Assembly and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The activist maintained the people of Rivers State want Governor Fubara to remain in office, even beyond 2027 when…

The planned defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf to the All Progressives Congress, APC, has reignited anxieties around one of Nigeria’s most sensitive traditional disputes – the lingering tussle between Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II and the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero. There are indications that the rumoured move threatens to reopen old wounds in the northwest state where power, tradition and politics are tightly intertwined. This is even as the defection speculation has also reportedly deepened political tension within Kano State, triggering strains between supporters of the Kano Governor and loyalists of his political mentor, Senator…

The Ekiti State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps, Oye Local Government Command, has arrested 16 persons suspected to be bandits who allegedly attempted to enter the state from neighbouring Kwara State. The arrests were disclosed in a statement issued by the Director of Information of the Corps, Mr Adeleye, and made available to journalists. According to the statement, tension rose in the Gede Farm settlement, Isan-Ekiti, after residents observed a large group of unfamiliar individuals moving around the area with herds of cattle. The unusual presence reportedly caused panic within the community and disrupted daily activities. In response, the Oye…

Chelsea have beaten other competitors in the transfer of Nigerian eligible talented 17-year-old fullback, Yisa Alao. Aloa, who has Nigerian heritage, will join the Blues from Sheffield Wednesday. Chelsea managed to secure his move, beating out three other Premier League teams in the process, as reported by transfer market expert, Fabrizio Romano. The transfer is said to involve an upfront fee that is more than £500,000, and there are also extra payments tied to performance that are part of the deal. Alao has been a key player at Sheffield Wednesday, moving up through the club’s academy since he first joined…

From new diplomatic appointments to academic milestones and urgent security concerns, this Friday morning’s headlines highlight key developments shaping Nigeria today. President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of three ambassador-designates to France, the United States, and the United Kingdom, while the son of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike bagged a Master’s degree in London. Security remains in focus as the US raises concerns over the abduction of worshippers in Kaduna, the Supreme Court closes the long-running Kudirat Abiola murder case, and the Lagos State Police Command responds to threats against top schools. Here’s your complete morning roundup of the top…

An overturned truck at the Otedola Bridge in the early hours of Friday caused a traffic gridlock along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. A PUNCH Online correspondent travelling along the axis on Friday observed that the gridlock stretched backwards from the Otedola Bridge to the Berger axis, as motorists heading into Lagos sought alternative routes. Confirming the incident in a post on Facebook, the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command disclosed that a secondary accident occurred as a result of the overturned truck. The post read, “Two serious accidents have occurred at Otedola Bridge, inward Lagos. “In the first…

More than 60 years after surviving a civil war that nearly shattered its fragile unity, Nigeria deserves truth, context, and healing, not narratives that fan ethnic hatred. History must be approached with care and intellectual honesty, supported by evidence from multiple credible sources, not deployed as a weapon of political convenience. Divisive claims, especially when widely circulated, threaten to undo the fragile progress toward national cohesion. A cursory review of an article published in Daily Trust on Thursday, January 15, 2025, titled “A Morning of Carnage” and attributed to Femi Fani-Kayode, reveals multiple distortions and historical inaccuracies, particularly concerning the…

Southampton interim coach Tonda Eckert is not ruling out player exits during the January transfer window, with Nigeria midfielder Joe Aribo reportedly attracting interest from his former club Rangers, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The 29-year-old featured in 32 of the Saints’ 38 Premier League matches last season, scoring three goals. However, relegation to the Championship and a change in the technical crew have limited the London-born midfielder’s involvement this term. Aribo has made just seven Championship appearances this season, none of them as a starter. The former Charlton Athletic midfielder was linked with a return to Rangers during the summer…