Author: News Room

The Bayelsa State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress has urged Governor Douye Diri to adopt an inclusive leadership approach that prioritises the interests of Bayelsans over political agendas, concentrating on policies and programmes that foster sustainable development, economic growth, and enhance the welfare of the populace. Speaking with journalists in Yenagoa on Wednesday, the state Chairman of the NDC, Dauprebo Ikuromo, called on state government to “avoid attempts to entice NDC aspirants with financial incentives designed to create rifts within the party.” Ikuromo added, “No form of inducement can divert the NDC from its objective of assuming leadership of…

A maritime research group, Sea Empowerment and Research Centre, has described the six-month tenure extension of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, granted by President Bola Tinubu, as a strategic opportunity to consolidate ongoing reforms, strengthen institutional governance, and ensure a seamless leadership transition within the NCS. SEREC, in a recent news bulletin signed by its Head of Research, Eugene Nweke, explained that over the past few years, the service has recorded notable progress in revenue generation, trade facilitation, stakeholder engagement, digital transformation, and the implementation of the National Single Window initiative. The PUNCH reported that President…

Nigeria’s Cycling Federation board member Femi Thomas has described the country’s outing at the seventh edition of the Tour D’Afrique as a success, saying the performance will strengthen Nigeria’s standing on the global cycling stage. Thomas made the remarks as Team Nigeria arrived back in the country after completing the cross-border ex pedition at the ECOWAS Headquarters, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos. The 2026 edition, themed ‘Riding Against Climate Change: A 1,110km Journey with Zero CO₂ Emissions’, ran from June 12 to June 19, with 50 cyclists drawn from various states and clubs across Nigeria making up Team Nigeria. The tour…

When virality moved off-screenMemecoins have never pretended to be serious. Other blockchain projects often present themselves through promises of faster payments, scalable infrastructure or decentralized applications (DApps). Memecoins, however, draw their appeal from humor, absurdity and internet culture.A photo of a dog can become a billion-dollar asset. A frog image can trigger a wave of speculation. Communities come together around shared jokes, catchphrases and collective excitement, often with little logic beyond the energy of participation.For much of their existence, memecoins were mostly limited to screens. The risks were mainly financial. Speculators could lose money chasing momentum, but the memes themselves…

Ariana Grande brushed off a nip slip like a pro. Grande, 32, appeared to hilariously address her viral wardrobe malfunction in a recent photo with a video posted via her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, June 24. The throwback clip, which featured Victorious alum Liz Gillies, showed the dynamic duo sipping on champagne while recreating an iconic scene from the 1995 movie Showgirls. Gillies, 32, then looked down towards Grande’s chest and said, “You have great t**s.” Courtesy of Ariana Grande/Instagram “They’re really beautiful,” she added while smiling at the singer. Grande, who was dressed in a low-cut pink top and…

A Nigerian national, Franklin Nwadialo, has been sentenced to five years in prison in the United States for orchestrating a long-running online romance scam that defrauded victims of more than $3.5 million. The sentence was handed down on Tuesday by the US District Court in Tacoma, Washington, according to a statement shared by the US authorities and posted on the official X account of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Wednesday. Mr Nwadialo, 42, was convicted on 14 counts of wire fraud linked to a romance fraud scheme that targeted vulnerable individuals, many of them elderly, widowed or…

The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Women, Children Affairs, Empowerment and Social Development, Joanah Gigi, has warned operators of orphanage homes in the state to strictly comply with laws and regulations governing child adoption or risk sanctions, including closure of their facilities. Speaking during a meeting with stakeholders, particularly private orphanage home operators, in Yenagoa, the commissioner stressed the need for all adoption-related matters to be handled in collaboration with the ministry. The meeting was held shortly after her return from the National Policy Forum on Women, Children and Families, organised by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development…

A United States-based Nigerian social worker, Akeatha Diane Akintola, has been sentenced to five months’ imprisonment for stealing more than $17,000 in Social Security benefits meant for a disabled child placed under her care in Washington State. PUNCH Metro learnt from a statement issued on June 18 by the US Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, that Akintola, 48, pleaded guilty to theft of public funds after unlawfully diverting $17,638 intended for a minor with intellectual disabilities. The department stated that Akintola was taken into custody immediately after her plea and sentencing hearing before Magistrate Judge Kate Vaughan. The statement…

Mama Kemi now skips breakfast so that her children can eat lunch. Her tricycle-driver husband spends N7,000 daily on fuel that cost N1,500 when President Bola Tinubu took office. Not long ago, she pulled her eight-year-old daughter from private school because fees doubled and garri costs more than minimum wage. In Oyo, a grainy phone video shows toddlers crying in the bush. Their teachers, abducted from Baptist Nursery and Primary School in May, beg President Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde to negotiate their release. One teacher has already been beheaded on camera. Three years after Tinubu declared “fuel subsidy is…

The leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party escalated on Wednesday as two rival factions separately presented certificates of return and nomination documents to their candidates for the 2027 general elections. Each of the factions insisted that it was the party’s legitimate leadership and expressed confidence that the Independent National Electoral Commission would recognise its nominees. The Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led Interim National Working Committee and the faction led by Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, held parallel events in Abuja, where they unveiled candidates and rallied supporters ahead of the next general elections. The development came barely 24 hours before…