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 STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU TO SAINT LUCIAN STUDENTS: EDUCATION IS YOUR GREATEST TOOL; BE BOLD, DISCIPLINED, AND COMMITTED   President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to deepening collaboration with Saint Lucia in education, culture, and technology.   The President visited the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in Morne Fortune, Castries, on Tuesday, the fourth day of his State Visit to Saint Lucia.   He engaged with faculty, staff, and students of the institution named after Sir Arthur Lewis, the 1979 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences.   Addressing the gathering, President Tinubu described the student community as vital to building a stronger Afro-Caribbean future.   He announced a cultural exchange opportunity for the college's performing arts group following a stage performance of The Drum Maker, based on the work of Saint Lucian playwright Kendel Hippolyte.   "I offer a trip—at their convenience—for the performing a...

 Siasia Reveals Mikel Obi Offered $50,000 Bribe to Join 2008 Beijing Olympics Squad Samson Siasia, former head coach of Nigeria’s U23 national football team, has disclosed that ex-Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi offered $50,000 to secure a spot in the Nigerian squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In an interview with Elegbete TV on YouTube, Siasia recounted how Mikel, then a bench player at Chelsea, initially declined to join the team for a crucial Olympic qualifying match against Ghana. “I pleaded with him to help us, but he refused, saying he was busy with Chelsea,” Siasia said. Nigeria went on to secure qualification with a 0-0 draw in the match, without Mikel’s involvement. Siasia revealed that after qualification, Mikel’s agent approached him with a €50,000 offer to include the midfielder in the Olympic squad. “I told them it wasn’t about money,” Siasia stated. “He didn’t help us during the qualifiers, so I couldn’t drop someone who fought for the team just to bring him in...

 Atiku, former Senate President David Mark, Secondus, Lamido, and other PDP leaders are currently holding a high-level, closed-door critical meeting in Abuja. The meeting, which is being held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel is focused on determining whether the PDP leaders will fully integrate into the proposed 2027 coalition party or maintain their positions within the party while forming an electoral alliance. In addition to Atiku and Lamido, other PDP stalwarts present at the meeting include a former PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, ex-Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi). Other PDP figures in attendance include Senator Ben Obi, former PDP National Women Leader Josephine Anenih, former National Organising Secretary Senator Austin Akobundu, ex-National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan, and former National Youth Leader Abdullahi Maibasira, among others.

 ANAMBRA STATE POLICE CONDEMNS THE INDISCRIMINATE SHOOTING IN OGBOJI THAT RESULTED IN FATAL INJURIES TO TEN PEOPLE AND ASSURES THAT THE COMMAND SHALL HUNT DOWN THE PERPETRATORS The Anambra State Police Command has condemned the indiscriminate shooting incident that resulted in fatal injuries and fatalities to ten persons on the evening of 30th June, 2025, at Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area. The Police has further assured that the Command shall hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.  The armed criminals came in two Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) and attacked the gathering of a group unprovokedly, shooting sporadically. The victims were rushed to the Hospital and regrettably, 10 (ten) people were confirmed dead. The bodies have been deposited in the morgue. Meanwhile, the Police - led security team has taken over the scene and are working on necessary information to arrest the preparators. _Further development would be communicated, please_ *SP Tochukwu I...

 Algerian court upholds writer’s 5-year sentence in a case that’s strained ties with France A court in Algeria on Tuesday upheld French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal’s five-year prison sentence in a case that has raised alarm over freedom of expression in Algeria and pushed tensions with France to the brink, AP reported. The ruling denies a request made by prosecutors at an appeal hearing last week. They asked a judge to give Sansal the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The “2084: The End of the World” author was charged in March under Algeria’s anti-terrorism laws and convicted of “undermining national unity,” receiving his initial five-year sentence then. Sansal’s appeal was closely watched in both France and Algeria. It caps a saga that has turned the novelist into a unlikely cause célèbre, uniting francophone writers, members of France’s far right and European lawmakers in a rare chorus demanding his release. The issue arose last year when, in an interview with a French r...

 TINUBU APPOINTS AL-MAKURA AS NEW UBEC BOARD CHAIRMAN 1st July, 2025      President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, as the new Chairman of the Governing Board for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, made the announcement at the launch of the AFD-supported ICT Development Project in 10 selected Nigerian universities. A businessman and politician, the new UBEC Board Chairman also represented Nasarawa South District in the 9th Nigerian Senate from 2019 to 2023. UBEC is under the Federal Ministry of Education. The former Governor has recently been endorsed by some stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the North Central geopolitical zone for the vacant party’s National Chairmanship seat, following the resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje on health grounds.

 NASAWARA: DOMA CHAIRMAN DISTRIBUTES MOTORCYCLES TO SECURITY AGENCIES 1st July, 2025    The Executive Chairman of Doma Local Government Council in Nasarawa State, Mr. Jonathan Okuba Addra has distributed motorcycles to the Nigerian Police and other security agencies.  Addra distributed the motorcycles on Monday in a ceremony held at the Council Secretariat in Doma.  Speaking during the distribution, the Council Chairman commended security agencies for their pivotal role in curbing crimes and reinstated the commitment of his administration to the safety of lives and property.  He described the event as a significant milestone in their collective pursuit for a safe and secure Doma.  The dignitaries who attended the event included the Vice Chairman of the area, principal officers and members of the Legislative Arm, representatives of the country's security agencies and some critical stakeholders who commended the Council Chairman for prioritizing the welf...

 NIGER GOV. BAGO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY ON GENERAL HOSPITAL MINNA 1st July, 2025        Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State has declared a state of emergency on the General Hospital Minna, citing the urgent need for a total overhaul of the dilapidated facility. This is contained in a statement on Tuesday in Minna by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso. Wakaso stated that the governor made the declaration during the weekly State Executive Council (SEC) meeting, noting that the hospital, which was built over 50 years ago, had deteriorated significantly. Bago added that the facility was no longer fit to serve the medical needs of the state’s growing population.  “The hospital has been overstretched for many years, and its current state poses a serious challenge to effective healthcare delivery in the capital and beyond,” he added. He therefore immediately constituted a committee of special advisers and relevant stakeholders ...

 KILLINGS: NYSC MEMBERS SAFE IN BENUE - GOV. ALIA 1st July, 2025   Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue has assured of adequate security for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posted to the state. Alia gave the assurance on Tuesday during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Batch A Stream II NYSC members’ orientation camp in Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area of the state. The governor said the state had deployed additional security personnel to vulnerable areas to enhance and ensure the safety of the corps members throughout their service year. He said that the state had experienced insecurity through unprovoked attacks on communities in recent times, but insisted that his administration would not rest on its laurels to end it. The governor said his administration had consistently engaged with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen security intervention and provide lasting solutions to the persistent attacks in the state. Alia encouraged the corps...

 GUNMEN REPORTEDLY ABDUCTED BENUE COMMUNITY YOUTH LEADER, RAYMOND NAGO ASEMA  1st July, 2025        In a troubling incident that has sparked widespread concern, a youth leader in Makurdi, Hon. Ambassador Raymond Nago Asema, was reportedly abducted from his residence by unidentified men in uniform believed to be operatives of the Nigeria Police. The incident, which occurred at approximately 2:30 PM on Monday, was disclosed in a statement issued by Emmanuel Slimchild Shishim, Chief of Staff to the youth leader.  According to the statement, Hon. Asema was trailed and forcefully taken away shortly after returning to his home. The men did not disclose their identities or reveal the destination to which the youth leader was being taken. As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from the Nigeria Police Force or any relevant security agency confirming or denying involvement in the incident. The development has generated anxiety...

 SANWO-OLU TO COMMISSION ROADS IN AGEGE, IGANDO, IKOTUN To further demonstrate an unwavering commitment to bringing relief to residents and motorists, through the provision of infrastructure for economic development across the nooks and crannies of the State, the Lagos State Government will formally commission the reconstructed Abaranje Road in Igando- Ikotun Local Council Development Area and Babajide Sanwo Olu (Old Dopemu) Road in Agege Local Government Area on Wednesday, 2nd July, 2025. The projects are additions to the 36 roads and five bridges already delivered to Lagosians this year. The Sanwo-Olu administration continues to create sustainable communities, improve connectivity, and provide effective bypasses to ease traffic gridlocks, just as it gives priority to the completion of new and ongoing projects despite the tough economic terrain. The old Dopemu Road is a strategic bypass that traverses Agege and Alimosho Local Governments, linking Akowonjo Road, Old Ipaja Road, and...

 Lagos State as a coastal state realises the enormous dangers that styrofoam packs and single-use plastics of less than 40 micron causes our drainage channels and ecosystem causing blockages and compelling the state government to channel funds that should be deployed for provision of other social services to clearing of debris from our drains.  It is on this note that the state government is officially announcing that as from today, July 1, 2025, sale and use of styrofoam and single-use plastics in Lagos State is now prohibited and anyone found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the state’s environmental laws. Let me also emphasize that any market/store that is found storing or engaging in the sale and distribution of the single-use plastics (less than 40 microns) will be sealed up by our enforcement agency and the items confiscated. This ban is expected to move the state towards realization of reduction of the quantum of waste generated in the state and at our dif...

 8 BOKO HARAM/ISWAP TERRORISTS ELIMINATED IN MANAWAJI BORNO STATE At about 5:30pm on 30 June 2025, brave troops of Operation Hadin Kai on joint fighting patrol with elements of Civilian Joint Task Force(CJTF) and Hybrid Forces(HF) made contact with Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists at Manawaji in Gamboru Ngala LGA of Borno State. Troops successfully attacked and eliminated 8 terrorists during the fierce firefight. Several weapons and ammunition of the dead and fleeing terrorists were also recovered. Own troops, CJTF and HF did not sustain any casualties. The general security situation in the area remains calm but fluid.

 Anambra to Build More Radiography Stations, Employ 150 Technicians - Health Commissioner By Chris Chikelue/Azuka Nnabuife Anambra State Government is building more Radiography stations in the state to cater for the treatment of Tuberculosis and other Non-Communicable Diseases. This was revealed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike in Awka while receiving a Multinational Health Organization, The Data for Implementation (Data.FI), stationed in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the Non-Communicable Disease (KNCD) International. The commissioner added that the government will also employ over 150 Radiographers and Technicians who will man the machines, ‘’and we are starting off immediately,’’ he said. He said that the efforts of the state government still remains to make the treatment of TB and other ailments like the HIV/AIDS free vis-à-vis making the availability of its test kits handy in government controlled healthcare centres. "We are building a radiography hu...

   Six Yoruba chiefs dethroned for attending labour party event without royal approval. Lagos monarch dethrones six chiefs for attending labour party campaign. The Ojora of Ijora and Iganmu Kingdom, Oba AbdulFatai Oyegbemi, has dethroned six chiefs for attending the campaign flag-off of the Labour Party at the Apapa area of Lagos State.  The monarch made this known following a palace meeting held on Monday, June 30, 2025.  In a statement issued by the palace media, Oba Oyegbemi stated that the chiefs had attended the political event without his consent, an act he deemed unacceptable for leaders within his domain.  The affected chiefs are Chief Lateef Ojora (Bale Alaba Oro), Chief Saliu Biliamin (Bale Alafia Dodoro), Chief Taiwo Hassan (Bale Oke Ira), Chief Idris Ojora (Bale Abule Kere), Chief Hakeem Oseni (Bale Mosafejo Amukoko), and Chief Sule Balogun (Balogun of Abule Kere). “Following the outcome of this event, which unfolded without his prior knowledge, Kabi...

 PRESS RELEASE CROSS BORDER CRIME: POLICE RESCUE TRAFFICKED GHANAIAN NATIONAL, CAUTIONS AGAINST FRAUDULENT TRAVEL OFFERS. As part of its ongoing efforts to crush transnational crime syndicates and clampdown on violent crimes such as kidnapping, the Nigeria Police Force, through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja, in close collaboration with police operatives of the FCT Command, has successfully rescued Sammed Iddrisu, a Ghanaian citizen who was deceptively trafficked into Nigeria under the guise of processing travel documents for migration to Europe. The operation, which was executed on 27th June 2025 in Abuja, followed actionable intelligence received from INTERPOL NCB Accra, Ghana, on 16th June 2025. Preliminary investigations reveal that on 10th January 2025, the victim’s father, Mr. Nartey Louda, was defrauded of GHC 55,000 by a trafficker identified as Attah, who falsely promised to facilitate a French visa and related travel documents for his son. Acting on thes...

 Are the Igbos cursed or are we the architects of our own problems?—-Ifeanyi Ejiofor A human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has described the challenges facing the South-East region in Nigeria as largely self-inflicted. Ejiofor lamented that the Igbo are victims of systemic conspiracies, both external and internal, but more importantly, victims of their own disunity and self-inflicted wounds, and internal betrayal, adding that the persistent exclusion and political setbacks experienced by the region cannot succeed without the complicity of certain Igbo individuals. In the statement he issued on Tuesday titled, ‘Are Igbos cursed or the architects of their own predicament? – A call for self-reflection, renaissance, and redefinition of Igbo destiny’, Ejiofor argued that the systematic marginalisation of the Igbo in Nigeria’s political landscape has often been enabled by internal disunity, self-serving elites, and shortsighted leade...

 James Cameron, the visionary behind two of cinema's highest-grossing films, is preparing to make what he expects will be his lowest-earning movie ever - and he couldn't be more committed to the project.  "Ghosts of Hiroshima" will depict the atomic bombings of Japan during WWII with unflinching accuracy. Cameron plans to recreate the horror of nuclear warfare through survivor testimonies and his signature technical precision.  "I want to do for what happened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, what Steven Spielberg did with the Holocaust and D-Day with Saving Private Ryan," Cameron explained. "He showed it the way it happened."  The director emphasized the film's urgency given today's nuclear landscape: weapons currently deployed are 1,000 to 10,000 times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Japan. As global tensions escalate and the doomsday clock ticks closer to midnight, Cameron believes audiences need this stark reminder of nuclear weapons...

 Dave Chappelle didn't mince words during his recent Abu Dhabi performance when he called out Palestinian-American DJ Khaled for his silence on Gaza.  When an audience member shouted DJ Khaled's name, Chappelle responded: "For a Palestinian, this man is awfully quiet right now. And as a Palestinian, how could you be that quiet right now? And why are you so fat? People are starving. He's the only fat Palestinian on Earth right now."  The comedian, who has previously labeled Israel's bombardment of Gaza as "genocide," also criticized Trump's approach to Middle East conflicts and ended his show with a powerful statement about being pressured to support Israel.  This raises important questions about celebrity responsibility during humanitarian crises. Should public figures with platform use their voices for social justice causes, especially when they have personal connections to affected communities?

 Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to all counts in the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students, accepting four consecutive life sentences to avoid the death penalty.  The criminology PhD student will officially enter his plea this Wednesday, just weeks before his trial was set to begin in August. Kohberger was charged with killing roommates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle's boyfriend Ethan Chapin in their off-campus home in November 2022.  The quadruple stabbing shocked the small college town of Moscow, Idaho, and launched a seven-week manhunt before Kohberger's arrest in Pennsylvania. DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene, prosecutors said.  In a letter to victims' families, prosecutors explained that the plea deal ensures Kohberger will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole, while sparing families from decades of potential appeals and uncertainty.  The case captivated nati...

 Beyoncé is at the center of a growing controversy after wearing a Buffalo Soldiers t-shirt during her Cowboy Carter tour performance in Paris.  The shirt's description called Native Americans "enemies of peace, order and settlement," sparking widespread criticism from Indigenous activists, academics, and fans.   While some see this as part of Beyoncé's effort to reclaim Black Western heritage through her country music journey, critics argue it perpetuates harmful anti-Indigenous narratives that frame Native Americans as obstacles to American progress rather than victims of imperialism and genocide. The Buffalo Soldiers, while historically significant as Black military units, also played roles in campaigns against Indigenous peoples during westward expansion. This incident raises important questions about how we remember and present American history. Should celebrities be more careful about historical imagery they promote? .  One more photo below. 

 Drake has once again found himself at the center of plastic surgery rumors after posting a shirtless selfie that showcased his chiseled six-pack abs.  The photo, meant to highlight his fitness dedication, instead sparked widespread speculation about whether his perfectly defined midsection is the result of cosmetic procedures like ab etching or liposuction.   Social media users were quick to point out that his abs appeared "too perfect" compared to the rest of his physique, with many claiming they looked artificially enhanced. This isn't the first time Drake's transformation has raised eyebrows - he's been defending his natural physique for years against similar accusations. The debate highlights our culture's obsession with celebrity bodies and the pressure to achieve impossible standards. What's your take on the plastic surgery speculation? .  One more photo below. 

 Electricity subsidy rises to N1.1tr in first half of 2025 Despite federal government owing over N4trn to electricity utility companies, subsidy payment for electricity consumed in the first half of 2025 has increased to N1.186trn, analysis of monthly Multi Year Tariff Orders (MYTO) released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has shown. According to the order, the subsidy, which is owed to Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) increased by 27 per cent from the N935.81bn the government incurred in the second half of 2024 and 17 per cent increase from the N1.013tr incurred in the first half of 2024. Daily Trust reports that while the money is owed to the DisCos, it belongs to the electricity generation companies (GenCos). This is due to the DisCos being the revenue collection point of the Nigerian Electricity Market Industry (NESI), thus all money collected from electricity consumers are owned by Gencos, TCN and DisCos. Breakdown of the subsidy indicated t...

 FG clears 14,000 e-visas, targets overstayers in renewed crackdown The Federal Government has set August 1, 2025, as the deadline to begin issuing stiff penalties to foreigners who have overstayed their visas. However, it opened an online immigration amnesty portal in July to allow affected individuals to regularise their stay before the penalties take effect. “Once the amnesty period is over, we will implement the law 100 per cent and, of course, there will be a penalty for overstaying in Nigeria,” Interior Minister, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said on Monday. He disclosed this at a stakeholders’ sensitisation on major Nigeria Immigration Service innovations in international passenger travel, at the Service headquarters in Abuja. He also said the recently launched electronic visa regime has processed over 14,000 applications within its first six weeks. He told members of the diplomatic corps, “Please tell your people to take advantage of the amnesty,” adding that once the grace period...

 ‘They’re my only source of livelihood’ – Herder cries after mysterious lightning struck cows in Ogun It was a black Saturday for Abdullahi Idris, a father of six and herder who lost about 32 cows to lightning strikes recently in Osara, a village in Obantoko area of Abeokuta, in the Odeda Local Government area of Ogun State. It all started with the dark cloud, and then moved to the continuous whistle of the wind. To everyone, it was a normal rainfall, especially since it’s a wet season. Sadly, it became a tragedy as 32 big cows worth over N32 million were stuck dead by thunderstorms at about 12 p.m. The June 22 incident remains fresh in the memory of the community, as they are still gripped in shock over the occurrence that had never occurred. Idris, the owner of the cows, described the incident as strange, lamenting that his only source of livelihood had been lost. His words, “This has never happened before in all of my existence until now. Yes, I do hear about it on the radio but...