Author: News Room

A defence witness, Nnamdi Offial, on Thursday told the Special Offences Court in Ikeja that officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission attempted to coerce his client, Henry Omoile, into implicating former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele. Offial, who represents Omoile—the second defendant in the ongoing $4.5bn and N2.8m fraud trial of Emefiele—made the allegation while testifying in a trial-within-a-trial ordered by Justice Rahman Oshodi to determine whether Omoile’s statement to the EFCC was given voluntarily. He alleged that EFCC investigators offered inducements, including the promise of bail and possible non-prosecution, if Omoile agreed to provide incriminating evidence against…

The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a yet-to-be-identified man for allegedly bathing a teenager with acid in the Shagari area of the state. PUNCH Metro learnt from a statement on Thursday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Nguroje, that the incident occurred on Wednesday. According to Nguroje, the victim had run to the nearby police division in the area to report the incident. The state police spokesperson stated that the victim narrated that the suspect attacked him while he was on his way to the mosque. He stated, “The Adamawa State Police Command has commenced an investigation into…

Recently, Iran has witnessed a rise in unrest and protests in several cities, primarily driven by economic grievances and public dissatisfaction with living conditions. Expressing such demands through lawful and peaceful means is a legitimate right of citizens. However, developments on the ground indicate that in some cases, these protests were diverted from their original path and escalated into unrest shaped by hidden agendas and foreign interference. This article seeks to examine these developments and shed light on the role of external actors. Respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly, has…

The African Private Capital Association has disclosed that Africa’s investment teams outperform global averages for women in senior roles. This was one of the findings of its Gender Diversity in African Private Capital Report, which was released on Wednesday. The PUNCH reports that the African Private Capital Association is the nexus of private capital in Africa, championing and enabling private capital investment in Africa. As the pan-African industry body, AVCA plays a significant role as an effective change agent for the industry and acts as the trusted independent source of information, insight, and intelligence, inspiring investor confidence and making the…

Defending champions Nigeria will face familiar opposition after being drawn alongside Zambia, Egypt and debutants Malawi in Group C of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to be staged in Morocco, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The final draw took place on Thursday (yesterday) at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, with the 16 qualified teams seeded into four pots based on the FIFA Women’s World Ranking of December 11, 2025. Host nation Morocco was automatically placed in position A1, while Nigeria, the holders, occupied position C1. The Super Falcons’ meeting with Zambia renews a recent rivalry,…

Scholars are set to converge on the University of Chicago for a conference to examine how Christianity is increasingly being mobilised to shape national identity, political authority and ideological movements across the world. The conference will bring together leading scholars of global Christianity to interrogate the growing entanglement of Christian beliefs, symbols and institutions with nationalist projects worldwide. The University of Chicago Divinity School will host the three-day international public conference titled, “Christianity, Nationalism, and Ideology in a Globalised World,” from January 28 to 30, 2026, at Swift Hall on the university’s campus. Conference organiser, Dr Abimbola Adelakun, in a…

Crypto usage in Iran has spiked amid the country’s mass protests, with a surge of Iranians withdrawing Bitcoin to preserve value amid instability, according to Chainalysis.Protests in Iran began around Dec. 28 over worsening economic conditions, after the Iranian rial hit record lows against the US dollar. Demonstrations escalated nationwide, with Iran’s regime responding by cutting internet access, carrying out mass arrests, and reportedly killing thousands. Chainalysis said in a report on Thursday that Iran’s crypto ecosystem hit $7.78 billion in 2025, which accelerated amid the ongoing unrest with a substantial increase in the number of daily crypto transfers and…

Kiefer Sutherland’s tumultuous personal life includes two high-profile divorces and a broken engagement to Julia Roberts. The 24 actor got married for the first time at age 20 to Camelia Kath in 1987. While they shared his stepdaughter, Michelle Sinclair (née Kath), and one biological daughter, future Veep star Sarah Sutherland, Kiefer and Camelia split in 1990. Shortly after his first divorce, Kiefer got involved with his Flatliners costar Roberts. They were supposed to tie the knot in June 1991 in a lavish Hollywood ceremony, but Roberts called off their engagement only four days before the wedding. “[Kiefer] wasn’t waiting…

A bank official on Thursday narrated to the FCT High Court in Abuja how a private company received large transfers of funds from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Services (KSIRS) during the tenure of Governor Yahaya Bello. The ninth prosecution witness, David Ajoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, confirmed six separate transfers amounting to millions from KSIRS to Bespoque Business Solutions Limited (BBSL). While the name BBSL has surfaced in previous witness testimony, its exact relationship to the alleged N110 billion fraud case remains unverified as of press time. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mr…

The Nigerian National Assembly, Abuja. The House of Representatives still has an opportunity to correct course. By reaffirming the enforceability of duly issued regulations, clarifying the limits of committee authority, and recommitting to fair, neutral oversight, it can restore confidence in parliamentary governance. Doing so would not weaken the House; it would strengthen it. The House of Representatives occupies a sacred place in Nigeria’s constitutional architecture. It is entrusted not only with lawmaking, but with safeguarding the rule of law through principled, impartial oversight. When that responsibility is compromised, the damage extends far beyond institutional embarrassment — it strikes at…