Author: News Room

The Nigerian government has withdrawn the cyberbullying and criminal defamation charges it brought against Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan last year. The government preferred the charges against her last year before separate courts, following her remarks publicly accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio and homefront political rival, former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, of plotting to have her assassinated. She made the controversial claim on a live television programme and during her homecoming rally in her hometown, Ihima, in Kogi State, in April last year. The remarks came in the aftermath of her six-month suspension by the Senate and raging battle…

All humanity belongs either to the first Adam or to the last Adam. Sometime in 2016, I received a phone call from a representative of the Igbo community in Lagos. He said they were having a general meeting and had decided to honour me with an award for being a good friend of the Igbos. But, according to the precepts of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, I do not receive honour from men. (John 5:41). So, I humbly declined the honour. Today, there are no ethnic distinctions or discriminations in my fellowship, Healing Wings. There is no difference between…

Pope Leo XIV has said the welfare of Venezuelans should take precedence over all other interests, following the removal of President Nicolas Maduro in a US-led operation. Speaking after his Angelus prayer at St Peter’s Square on Sunday, the first American pope told the crowd that “the welfare of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over all other considerations.” He said the situation in Venezuela should lead to “overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace,” while also “guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country.” The pope stressed the need to respect the rule of law and human rights,…

Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has criticised Nigerian judges for freeing individuals accused of looting billions of naira meant for arms procurement, saying such judicial decisions are undermining the fight against terrorism and banditry in the country. Falana said the courts were “not helping matters” by relying on what he described as dubious technicalities to discharge prominent figures indicted for stealing security funds, even as soldiers on the frontlines remain poorly equipped. Speaking with journalists at his Ilawe-Ekiti hometown on Saturday, the senior advocate lamented that terrorists and bandits now appear better armed than Nigerian troops because funds…

Gunmen have demanded a N200m ransom for the release of young medical doctor Ibrahim Tahir and his brother Abu, who were kidnapped in Auchi, Edo State, on January 2. The father of the abductees, Momoh Tahir, told PUNCH Metro on Sunday that the kidnappers contacted the family to demand N200 million as ransom. He said that after much discussion, the gunmen reduced the ransom to N100m, expressing hope that further negotiation would lead to an additional reduction. He lamented that it had been a harrowing experience for the family and prayed for the safe return of his children. He said,…

By any serious measure of development, the strength of a nation is inseparable from the strength of its institutions. Institutions – public, private, and civic – shape incentives, enforce rules, and determine whether policies translate into real outcomes. In Nigeria, decades of underperformance in governance, economic management, and service delivery point to a fundamental challenge: weak and poorly reformed institutions. For a country of over 220 million people, projected by the United Nations to become the third most populous nation by 2050, institutional reform is no longer optional; it is an urgent national imperative. Nigeria’s institutional weaknesses are well documented.…

A two-term former member of the House of Representatives, Jelili Amusan, has begun mobilising grassroots political stakeholders in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections. A statement obtained by PUNCH Online on Thursday noted that the mobilisation, which was held at Amusan’s residence in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Wednesday, drew members of the All Progressives Congress from the state’s 20 local government areas. While addressing party members, Amusan, who represented Abeokuta South, Obafemi-Owode, and Odeda Federal Constituency in Ogun State, said the meeting was convened to formally galvanise grassroots support for Tinubu…

FirstBank is set to host its annual economic outlook event for 2026. In a statement, the bank announced that the Nigeria Economic Outlook 2026 will take place on Tuesday under the theme “The Great Calibration: Mastering Resilience in an Era of Asynchronous Growth.” The PUNCH reports that the event is an annual customer-facing session designed to provide insights into prevailing economic realities and help customers navigate the economy at the start of the year. Commenting ahead of the event, the Acting Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, FirstBank, Olayinka Ijabiyi, said the initiative would help customers make informed decisions based…

Ahead of their round of 16 clash against Mozambique on Monday (today) at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Super Eagles centre-back Calvin Bassey has stressed the team’s desire to stop conceding goals as they aim to progress in the tournament, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Nigeria finished top of Group C with three wins from three games, but concerns were raised over their defence, which conceded four goals during the group stage campaign. The Super Eagles were pegged back by Tanzania in their opening game before an Ademola Lookman match-winner sealed victory. Tunisia also threatened a comeback after…

Samsung’s latest update to its Family Hub smart fridge line adds a feature I’ve always wanted — voice-activated door opening and closing.Using the device’s built-in Bixby voice control, you will soon be able to say “Shut the fridge door,” or “Open the door,” and your machine will obey.According to a press release from Samsung at CES 2026 this week, the voice commands will open the door fully, not just a smidge — over 90 degrees. You can also tap the door with the palm or the back of your hand to activate the movement.This could be super helpful when cooking,…