PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 NSCDC LAGOS STATE COMMAND MAKES SEIZURE OF FOUR THOUSAND LITRES OF PMS FROM CRIMINAL ELEMENTS IN BADAGRY. Keshinro sends stiffer warning to all vandals, illegal dredgers in Lagos State ... In line with the clear vision of the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, PhD., mni, OFR to deploy the three ( 3 ) Cs; Collaboration, Cooperation and Coordination as part of strategic operational methods to dislodge the illegal activities of vandals and economic saboteurs in the country, the Lagos State Command has achieved another milestone with its recent display of successful operational activities today. 2.The State Commandant, NSCDC, Lagos State Command, Mr Adedotun Keshinro today, Wednesday, 12th November, 2025 paraded over four thousand litres of Petrol Motor Spirit ( PMS ) recovered from smugglers who attempted to cart away the product through illegal routes and the water ways in the Badagry axis of the state . 3.On ...

 More than 1,000 players have been suspended by the Turkish Football Federation in a widening betting scandal, including national team defender Eren Elmali, who plays for Galatasaray.   Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu has described the scandal as a “moral crisis” and vowed to purge the sport of “all its filth.”   The TFF has referred 1,024 players, including 27 from Turkey’s top-tier Super Lig, to a disciplinary commission.   Matches in the third and fourth divisions are suspended for two weeks, but games in the Super Lig, led by defending champion Galatasaray, and the second tier will continue.   The TFF said it has started urgent negotiations with the world governing body FIFA to request a 15-day extension to the winter transfer window so that clubs can deal with shortages caused by the player suspensions.   Turkish football has been rocked in recent weeks by investigations into alleged widespread betting by referees, and now playe...

 Drama as actor Taye Arimoro and actress Peggy Ovire clash on movie set There’s been tension online following an altercation between Nollywood actor Taye Arimoro and actress Peggy Ovire alongside her team. In a viral live video shared by Arimoro, the actor alleged that the misunderstanding began after he tried to leave the movie location past his agreed contract time. According to him, his call time for the next day was 10 a.m., and his contract for that night was meant to end by 11 p.m. He claimed he had waited until around midnight before insisting on leaving, but was reportedly blocked from doing so. In the live video, Taye alleged that Peggy instructed her driver to block his car to prevent him from leaving. He also showed visible injuries to his gum and lips, alleging that he was assaulted during the confrontation. Taye Arimoro further claimed that his car tires were deflated in the heat of the incident. Meanwhile, Peggy Ovire also accused the actor of assaulting her driver, c...

 Return Home, Shehu Sani Advises Nigerians With Revoked US Visas Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has urged Nigerians and other Africans affected by the recent mass visa revocation in the United States to return home promptly to avoid possible arrest by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a post shared on his X (Twitter) account on Monday, Sani reminded Africans living abroad that no matter how long they remain in foreign lands, those countries will never truly be their home. He wrote: “Nigerians and other thousands of Africans whose visas were recently revoked by President Trump should hasten to leave the country and return home before they get arrested by ICE. No matter how long you live in the comfort of your adopted home, you will someday be reminded that it’s not your father’s house.” Sani’s remarks follow reports that the US State Department has revoked more than 80,000 visas since January 2025 under President Donald Trump’s administration, over twice t...

 Ekong: Eagles didn’t demand special bonus — we only want outstanding allowances cleared William Troost-Ekong says the Super Eagles are not boycotting training due to a special bonus demand ahead of the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup. In a tweet on Tuesday, the Eagles captain confirmed the team boycotted training over unpaid allowances and bonuses by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Ekong was reacting to reports that the players had demanded an increase in their bonuses for the World Cup playoffs. The players and officials refused to carry out their scheduled Tuesday evening training session in protest. TheCable understands that players are yet to receive their allowances for qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2026 World Cup playoff. Some older members of the team are reportedly owed bonuses dating back to 2019. Nigeria play Gabon in one of the semi-finals for the 2026 African World Cup playoffs on Thursday. The winner of the match will fac...

 Ex-Naval chief scammed, turned to force in Abuja land clash – Wike’s Aide Mr Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended the minister’s actions during Tuesday’s confrontation with a naval officer in Abuja. He described the incident as the outcome of a land scam that misled a former naval chief. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, Olayinka said the disputed plot of land in question was originally allocated in 2007 for park and recreation purposes, not for residential or commercial development. “That particular land was allocated to a company in 2007, Santos Estate Limited, for park and recreation. “The company did not do anything on the land because that place is a parkway, it’s a walkway, it’s a road corridor. You don’t build there,” Olayinka said. He explained that in 2022, the company applied to the FCT Administration for a change of lan...

  ‘Rejected Rivers politician can’t lead revolt against Tinubu’s reelection’ – APC hits Amaechi Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Wednesday lambasted former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi over his remark that Nigerians should mobilize because President Bola Tinubu can be defeated in 2027. It described Amaechi’s remark as a “well-deserved contempt,” and “political hallucination.” The spokesman of the state arm of the party, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, said a politician who was rejected at home can’t a national revolt against Tinubu. In a statement, Oladejo wondered how a man declared political non-grata wants to lead a national mobilization. He said: “Amaechi is free to dream, but he must stop mistaking his nightmares for national reality. “Let us start with the obvious: Amaechi is a political orphan – disowned in Rivers, irrelevant nationally, and steadily sinking into total political oblivion. “In Rivers State today, mentioning Amaechi’s name in po...

 DSS charges man for advocating military coup The Department of State Services has filed a six-count charge against 27-year-old Innocent Chukwuemeka Onukwume for allegedly calling for a military coup in the country. The charges, brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/610/2025, relate to posts Onukwume made on his verified X account (@theagroman) in October 2025. According to the DSS, the posts encouraged the removal of the ruling All Progressives Congress, the suspension of the federal government and support for the military in taking over the country. In the charge filed on Tuesday by DSS counsel A.M. Danalami, Onukwume’s actions were said to contravene Sections 46A(1) and 59(1) of the Criminal Code Act, as well as Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 (as amended). Some of the statements attributed to him include: “A coup in Nigeria is needed. Dispose of APC, suspend the Nigerian government and join the ...

 Increasing breakdown in family marriages is a ticking time bomb – Alaafin The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has said that a working child protection system is a prerequisite for any nation aspiring for growth and development. He stated that planning for development without an enforceable set of laws, policies, regulations and services across social sectors could only amount to a futile exercise. He said, “Children represent the future and ensuring their healthy growth and development ought to be a prime concern of all. It is a fact that nations that experience prosperity are where family stability is jealously guarded. “To achieve global development goals, Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child provides for the protection of children in and out of the home. Similarly, Nigeria’s Child Rights Act 2003 provides for children’s rights. “This explains why, in spite of being regarded as precious gifts from God and best hope for the future, children are st...

 Aliko Dangote to establish a $1 billion industrial facility. This complex will combine cement manufacturing, coal extraction, and electricity production. Discussions between representatives of Dangote and Zimbabwean officials were reportedly initiated at the Afreximbank Annual Meetings held in Abuja in June. According to The Zimbabwean, Paul Tungwarara, who serves as the investment adviser to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has confirmed that arrangements are being made for a significant meeting between the president and the prominent Nigerian entrepreneur. He said, “The richest man in Africa is coming to Zimbabwe at the invitation of President Mnangagwa. “The two have been in constant communication and we are presently working on the logistical aspects of the visit. “We are keen to ensure that he makes a significant investment in Zimbabwe and avoid what happened during his previous visit in 2015, when he came but did not return.”

 $91,000 Fraud:  Court Jails Man Nine Years for Stealing, Issuing Dud Cheques in Lagos Justice Ismail Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted and sentenced one Obinna Kingsley Anijiofor to nine years imprisonment for offences bordering on stealing and the issuance of dud cheques. Anijiofor was arraigned on February 10, 2025, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended three-count charge involving the sum of ₦9,500,000 (Nine Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) and $32,000 (Thirty-Two Thousand United States Dollars) part of a total $91,000 (Ninety-One Thousand United States Dollars) belonging to Obinna Kingsley Onwubuariri. According to the EFCC, the funds were entrusted to Anijiofor for the importation of goods, but he dishonestly converted part of the money to his personal use.  One of the counts reads: “That you, Obinna Kingsley Anijiofor, on or about the 31st day of December 2021, in ...

 Five MS-13 members found guilty of brutal murders in Los Angeles  A Los Angeles jury on Monday convicted five MS-13 gang members of a series of violent murders carried out to boost their status within the organization. The Justice Department detailed that the victims were killed in multiple ways, including strangulation, shootings, machete attacks, and beatings with baseball bats. Some were thrown off cliffs or down hills in the Angeles National Forest. Prosecutors said the killings occurred between 2017 and 2019 and targeted individuals who either broke gang rules or were suspected of ties to the rival 18th Street Gang. One victim was killed for claiming a leadership role in MS-13, while another was shot for violating the gang’s methamphetamine rules. In a separate attack, a suspected 18th Street member was lured by two teenage girls, then strangled, stabbed, beaten, and thrown off a cliff. Another victim was shot in the Malibu Hills under the guise of a casual meet-up. Los ...

 At least 42 migrants feared dead after boat overturns off Libyan coast, UN reports At least 42 migrants are missing and presumed dead after their boat capsized off the Libyan coast last week, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The tragedy occurred when the vessel’s engine failed amid rough seas early on Nov. 3, just hours after departing from Zuwara, a coastal city in northwestern Libya. Seven survivors were rescued days later after being stranded at sea for nearly a week. They were discovered during a Libyan search operation near the al-Buri Oil Field on Saturday. The rubber boat was carrying 49 people—47 men and two women—when it overturned. Among the missing are 29 migrants from Sudan, eight from Somalia, three from Cameroon, and two from Nigeria. The IOM said the survivors, who suffered severe sunburn and skin irritation from prolonged exposure to seawater, received emergency medical care, food, and water upon rescue. They were transferred to Trip...

 Inflation declines further to 16.84% Inflation is projected to moderate further in the near term, supported by sustained exchange rate stability and improved food supplies from the ongoing harvest season, according to the Economic Intelligence Unit of Access Bank Plc. Headline inflation is expected to ease to 16.84% year-over-year in October 2025, from 18.02% in September, representing a 1.18 percentage point decline. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is projected to rise by 2.1 points to 129.8 points in October 2025 from the previous month.  The methodology used by the report entails the application of an autoregressive model using lags of the composite consumer price index (CPI) and a survey-based inflation expectation within the same product definitions adopted by the NBS

 President Tinubu to editors: Let verification be your anchor; balance your principle, professionalism your guide OPENING ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU GCFR AT THE NIGERIAN GUILD OF EDITORS' ANNUAL CONFERENCE, STATE HOUSE, WEDNESDAY, 12TH NOVEMBER 2025.   PROTOCOL   It is my privilege to welcome you to the State House for this year’s Annual Conference of the Nigerian Guild of Editors. Your presence here reflects the enduring importance of the media in shaping national direction and strengthening democratic life. I commend the leadership of the Guild for sustaining this tradition of reflection and professional engagement. 2.  The theme you have chosen, "Democratic Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors", invites us to reflect on the state of our democracy and the ways in which public discourse can either strengthen or weaken the bonds that hold our nation together. This conversation is necessary as we continue to build institutions that are tra...

 Alleged ₦110.4bn Kogi Fraud:  Witness Details Multiple Cash Withdrawals from Kogi Govt Accounts The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, continued on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presenting more evidence detailing multiple suspicious cash withdrawals allegedly linked to the Kogi State Government House accounts. Bello is being prosecuted alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of ₦110.4 billion. At the resumed hearing on Wednesday,  the sixth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, continued his evidence-in-chief, narrating a series of large and repeated cash withdrawals made by Abdulsalami Hudu and others from the Kogi State Government accounts b...

 RMAFC CHAIRMAN PLEDGES CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR OIL AND GAS HOST COMMUNITIES The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, OFR, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that host communities in Nigeria’s oil and gas-producing areas receive fair and transparent benefits in line with constitutional provisions. Dr. Shehu stated this when he received a delegation from the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON), led by its Chairman, Prince  Michael Emuh, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday 11th November 2025. Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Shehu commended HOSCON for its peaceful and consultative approach toward addressing issues of resource allocation and environmental justice in oil-producing areas. He emphasized that, “Without the peace and cooperation of the host communities, the exploration and production of oil and gas in Nigeria would not be possible.” The Chairman a...

  An elderly California couple were attacked in their home with a knife and screwdriver by a crazed man. Sadly, the 70-year-old husband lost his life, but against all odds, his wife made the call that got her attacker arrested.  On Wednesday, November 5th, 36-year-old Manuel Alvarez snuck into the Murrieta, CA home of 70-year-old Bob Brink and his wife Cynthia Polsgrove. Alvarez, who was armed with a knife and screwdriver, immediately attacked Bob with the knife. Unfortunately, Bob did not survive this encounter.  After taking Bob's life, Alvarez made his way further into the home, where he used the screwdriver to injure Cynthia in the head. After attacking both Bob and Cynthia, Manuel Alvarez fled the home.  Despite suffering such a brutal attack, Cynthia was able to get back up and call 911. Cynthia was rushed to the hospital, and despite suffering severe injuries, she survived the attack. Thanks to Cynthia's amazing strength and courage, police were able to locate...

 Indiana hunter arrested for the killing of two pet dogs with his bow. His son faces charges for helping cover it up.  58-year-old John Lowe is facing two charges of animal cruelty after an appalling incident that took place on October 21st. According to LaPorte County, Indiana County Sheriff's Department, a hunter that was  on the same property became aware of the incident when he heard two dogs he was familiar with start loudly yelping and whimpering. The dogs were a beagle named Josie and a chocolate lab named Bear.  The hunter who heard the commotion got down from his tree stand to investigate. As the hunter began to survey the area, he spotted John Lowe and his 22-year-old son Hayden dragging the body of Bear along the path.  According to the hunter, John told him he was looking for somewhere to dump the deceased dogs. In addition to attempting to hide the two pet dogs he had killed, John and Hayden destroyed the GPS collar on the beagle in order to hide it...

 A 5-year-old Louisiana boy lost his life while waiting for the school bus after being run over by his grandmother. The grandmother is being charged.  This tragedy unfolded in the Spartan Trace subdivision of Slidell, Louisiana, a little after 7 a.m. on the morning of Tuesday 11th.  According to reports, the young child was waiting on his school bus in his driveway.  While he was waiting, his grandmother 55-year-old Kristen Anders, exited the home and got inside of her 2016 GMC Yukon to leave for work.  Sadly, the grandmother did not notice the young child waiting for the bus and backed over him while leaving the driveway.  While investigating the death, it was determined that Anders was under the influence of alcohol and central nervous depressants at the time of the accident.  Kristen Anders was arrested on scene and is being charged with vehicular homicide. Our thoughts are with the family as they deal with this unimaginable loss.

Gabon's former first lady and her son sentenced to 20 years for corruption A Gabon court on Wednesday sentenced the former first lady and son of the country's deposed leader Ali Bongo to 20 years in prison following a two-day graft trial, Reuters reported. Sylvia Bongo, 62, and Noureddin Bongo, 33, both tried in absentia, were found guilty of embezzlement of public funds, among other charges. The Bongo family ruled the oil-rich, central African country for 55 years. The wife of Ali Bongo had been accused of manipulating her husband to embezzle taxpayers' money. She denied all charges. Her son and co-defendant, Noureddin, criticised the trial as a "legal farce" in an interview with AFP last week. And on Wednesday, Noureddin condemned the verdict as "based on the testimony of witnesses coerced". This was a "political conviction", he added, from "a justice system that takes orders from the executive branch", denying the accusations again...

 Venezuela would resort to guerrilla tactics in event of US attack, sources say Venezuela is moving to deploy weapons and prepare for a guerrilla-style resistance or street-level chaos if faced with a U.S. air or ground attack, new planning documents and government statements indicate. The strategy acknowledges the country’s limits in personnel and modern equipment: much of the military inventory is older Russian-made hardware, and routine shortages have left units relying on local supplies for food and basic needs. Officials have discussed a “prolonged resistance” plan that would use small units at more than 280 locations to carry out sabotage and irregular warfare, alongside a separate “anarchization” approach aimed at creating disorder in Caracas through intelligence operatives, armed ruling-party supporters, and militia members to make the capital ungovernable for foreign forces. President Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly vowed that citizens and the armed forces will resist any at...

 Colombia suspends intelligence cooperation with US following boat attacks Colombian President Gustavo Petro has directed the country’s security agencies to halt intelligence sharing with the United States in response to ongoing U.S. attacks on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific. Petro announced the order on X, stating, “All levels of intelligence within the public security forces are to suspend communications and other dealings with U.S. security agencies. This measure will remain in effect as long as the missile attacks on boats in the Caribbean continue.” Since Sept. 2, at least 75 people have died in 19 U.S. military strikes targeting boats alleged to be carrying narcotics for cartels designated as terrorist organizations by Washington. The strikes have sparked domestic and international criticism, with allegations of potential war crimes and extrajudicial killings. Petro specifically condemned one attack that killed a fisherman, Alejandro Carranza, calling it murder. The Tru...

 Special counsel arrests former PM Hwang for allegedly inciting insurrection Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn was detained on Wednesday by a special counsel on charges of inciting an insurrection linked to the former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law. Hwang, who served under former President Park Geun-hye, allegedly posted on Facebook after Dec. 3 calling for the removal of pro-North Korea forces and individuals accused of electoral fraud. He also urged the arrest of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and then-People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon. Investigators from special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team executed a detention warrant at Hwang’s Seoul home in Yongsan Ward after he ignored three prior summonses for questioning. The special counsel is examining multiple allegations tied to Yoon’s martial law attempt, including proposals to declare martial law, preparing detention facilities, plotting violent acts to stage an insurrection, and incitement. Attemp...

 USPS worker discovered dead inside mail machine, according to report GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - Federal authorities are investigating the death of a U.S. Postal Service employee at the Detroit Network Distribution Center in Allen Park, Michigan. The man, a maintenance worker in his 30s, was found Saturday inside a mail handling machine, where he reportedly became trapped for several hours. His fiancée alerted authorities after he did not return home following his shift. Officials determined he had been deceased for six to eight hours before being discovered. Mail handling machines at the facility, which sort and weigh mail, range from small units to large industrial equipment. While investigators have classified the death as accidental, the investigation is ongoing. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not yet released details. Because the incident occurred in a federal facility, federal officials are leading the probe. The distribution center remains fully...

 Texas woman faces sentencing today for threatening judge in Trump criminal case Abigail Shry is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday in Houston for making a violent, racist, and vulgar threat to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in August 2023. The call came just hours after Chutkan was assigned to oversee former President Trump’s criminal case tied to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which included the January 6 Capitol riot. Shry, 45, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transmitting an interstate threat. According to federal court filings, she left a voicemail threatening to kill anyone “who went after President Trump,” referred to Chutkan with racial slurs, and made threats against a Texas Democratic congresswoman, Democrats generally, and the LGBTQ community. The voicemail also included a warning that if Trump did not win the 2024 election, “we are coming to kill you, so tread lightly.” Investigators traced the call to Shry’s cell phone. During the investigation, Sh...

 Panama seizes 13 tons of cocaine on ferry headed for US Panamanian authorities announced on Tuesday that they seized a massive shipment of cocaine bound for the United States from a ferry in the Pacific, coinciding with increased U.S. anti-drug military operations in Latin America. Prosecutor Julio Villareal said the operation, conducted on Monday, recovered about 13.2 tons of cocaine and resulted in the arrest of 10 individuals. Officials described it as one of the largest drug seizures in Panamanian waters to date. Images released by the prosecutor’s office showed 11,562 packages of cocaine, with detainees including Venezuelans, Ecuadorians, and Nicaraguans. The ferry had departed from Colombia, a major source of cocaine destined for the United States. Panama, a key transit hub for narcotics, recorded 119 metric tons of drug seizures in 2023. The announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, which have...