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 “No electricity, no vote,” South Africans threaten to shun ruling party ANC Residents in Katlehong, a township outside Johannesburg, have resolved to boycott South Africa's upcoming local elections on November 4 due to long-standing failures by authorities to provide basic services like electricity. For over 20 years, around 180 households in the community have relied on illegal electrical connections pulled from neighboring areas to power their homes. Angry over the lack of formal grid infrastructure, residents are directing their frustration at the ruling African National Congress (ANC). "We have made a collective decision: no electricity, no vote," said community leader Lesiba Rankapole, 59. "We know it is illegal, but we had no choice because we cannot live without electricity. Our children cannot progress without electricity." "I was born ANC, but today I do not want anyone to tell me about the ANC because I am suffering," added 57-year-old resid...

 Ghanaian man demands GH¢140,000 from wife after DNA test reveals their son is not his biological child A resident of Abrepo Junction in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, is demanding GH¢450,000 in compensation from his legally wedded wife after a DNA test reportedly revealed that their two year old son is not his biological child. According to him, he married Vivian after she became pregnant, a situation that led to him being sanctioned by his church, the Church of Pentecost, for engaging in premarital intimacy.. Speaking on Oyarepa Afutuo, a television programme on October 21, 2026, Aikins disclosed that his marriage has been troubled by persistent misunderstandings and allegations of infidelity. He alleged that despite their marriage, his wife continued communicating with her former boyfriend, a development that raised suspicions and created tension between them. Aikins further claimed that their marital problems worsened after his mother-in-law allegedly advised Vivian to avoid becomi...

 ‘El-Rufai Is My Brother, I Have No Problem With Him’ — Isa Ashiru African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Hon. Isa Ashiru Kudan, has described former Governor Nasir El-Rufai as his brother, insisting that he has no personal issues with him despite their political differences in the past. Ashiru made the remarks during an exclusive interview with DCL Hausa, where he spoke about El-Rufai’s detention and their current relationship. The two politicians were on opposing sides during the 2023 Kaduna governorship election, when Ashiru contested under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while El-Rufai, then governor, supported Uba Sani as his successor. However, both men are now associated with the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections. Speaking about his relationship with El-Rufai, Ashiru said political disagreements had never translated into personal animosity between them. “Malam, I want to assure you, not just Malam Nasir alone. Even with other part...

 BAUCHI STATE POLICE COMMAND PRESS RELEASE TRAGIC END TO ARGUMENT OVER CAR WASH PROCEEDS: POLICE ARREST 40-YEAR-OLD MAN FOR CULPABLE HOMICIDE IN BAUCHI The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 40 years old man, Sallau Inuwa, popularly known as 'Liman Katagum', for allegedly stabbing a colleague to death following a heated argument. The sad incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, 22nd October, 2026, at about 0830hrs, at a car wash in Bauchi Metropolis. It was reported that an argument ensued between the suspect and one Ibrahim 'M' 45 years old over a tag price per vehicle washed. In the heat of the moment, the suspect allegedly picked a sharp knife and stabbed the victim severally. Regrettably, despite efforts to save him, Ibrahim was confirmed dead at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi. Upon receiving the report, 'A' Division Operatives immediately swung into action. Credible information revealed that the sus...

 Olukoyede Now Fellow of MINILS Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, Kwara State, has announced plans to name the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede a Fellow of the National Labour Institute (FNLI)  in recognition of his achievements in the fight against economic and financial crimes. Explaining the decision to honour the EFCC Chairman, the Institute stated, “In view of your sterling achievements as stated above, I am glad to inform you that the management and staff of the Institute have endorsed the conferment of the Fellow of the National Labour Institute (FNLI) on you,” Director-General/CEO of the Institute, Issa Aremu said. The letter added that the award represented the Institute’s “premium appreciation” of Olukoyede’s achievements.   The investiture will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, during a conference on illegal mining, corruption and climate resilience organised ...

 BREAKING NEWS ANAMBRA POLICE: CP NNANNA HOLDS PEACE MEETING OVER ST FAITH ANGLICAN CHURCH DISPUTE, URGES RESOLUTION THROUGH CHURCH HIERARCHY The Anambra State Police Command has intensified efforts to sustain peace and prevent any breakdown of law and order in connection with the ongoing dispute involving St Faith Anglican Church, Awka. As part of these efforts, the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, psc, mnips, today, 23rd October 2026, held a meeting with the parties involved in the dispute at his office. During the meeting, the Commissioner acknowledged the ongoing court proceedings relating to the matter and emphasised the importance of respecting the judicial process. He urged the parties to pursue peaceful dialogue and explore appropriate channels within the church’s established ecclesiastical hierarchy to resolve their differences, without prejudice to the ongoing court proceedings. The CP stressed that parishioners and worshippers must not be...

 TINUBU MOURNS VETERAN NOLLYWOOD ACTOR, RICHARD FRANCIS DURU President Bola Tinubu has expressed sorrow over the death of veteran Nollywood actor Richard Francis Duru, who died at the age of 57, extending condolences to his family, colleagues, fans and the Nigerian film industry. In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President describes Duru’s death as a painful loss to Nollywood and the nation’s creative community. President Tinubu acknowledges the contributions of veteran actors to the growth of Nigeria’s film industry, particularly in shaping its artistic identity, nurturing emerging talents and projecting Nigerian stories, culture and values to audiences at home and abroad. He notes that the legacies of artists who dedicate their lives to entertaining, educating and inspiring society endure beyond their lifetime, adding that Duru’s contributions would remain part of Nollywood’s rich history and cultural heritage. Pre...

 BEDC Strike: “I Don’t Know Whether He Belongs to NDC or ADC” — Governor Okpebholo Heads to Abuja Over Edo Power Outage “When they start hearing about APC popularity in Edo, they quickly cut off electricity in Edo. I’m going to meet him in Abuja today. You can’t be playing politics with people’s lives. I don’t know whether he belongs to the NDC or ADC.” — Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, reacts to the ongoing BEDC strike as he heads to Abuja to meet the company’s chairman. The BEDC workers embarked on strike over unresolved salary adjustments, minimum wage implementation, promotion issues, unpaid allowances and other welfare demands. The industrial action has disrupted electricity supply in Edo and other states served by the company.

 The Nollywood actor shared a photo of Francis Duru with the caption: "Such a tragic and heartbreaking loss. May God grant his family the strength and fortitude to bear this loss. May his soul rest in peace. RIP Francis Duru.💔"

 NIGERIA GETS  NATIONAL CANCER BIOBANK NETWORK Nigeria has stepped up efforts to strengthen cancer research and improve treatment results through the establishment of a National Cancer Biobank Network with eight centres across the country’s six geopolitical zones. Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Prof. Usman Aliyu, said the initiative would help generate locally relevant scientific evidence to support cancer diagnosis, research and treatment. Findings show people of African ancestry remain underrepresented in global cancer research, leaving many treatment guidelines and medical interventions largely informed by studies involving other populations. The network, established by NICRAT in partnership with BioVana, will collect, process and preserve tissue samples, blood and associated patient data for cancer research, genomic studies and clinical trials. At a capacity-building workshop for participating institutions, NICRAT  emphas...

CBN APPROVES JPMORGAN MERCHANT BANK NIGERIA IN PRINCIPLE The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted Approval-in-Principle to JPMorgan to establish JPMorgan Merchant Bank Nigeria Limited, marking a major step in the United States bank’s expansion plans in Nigeria. The approval will enable JPMorgan to proceed with plans to convert its longstanding Lagos representative office into a fully licensed merchant bank. However, the proposed bank cannot commence operations until it fulfils all outstanding regulatory requirements and obtains a final operating licence from the CBN. The apex bank has also approved the proposed board of the institution, naming Adedapo Adedayo Olagunju as Managing Director. The development follows JPMorgan’s deposit of 50 billion naira with the CBN to meet the minimum capital requirement for a nationally authorised merchant bank.

 Meghan Markle issues bombshell statement following 'disturbing allegations' about her dad Meghan Markle has broken her silence on allegations made about her father Thomas Markle Snr by her brother Thomas Markle Jr. Meghan's half-brother Thomas Markle Jnr told The Sun that he found child s*_ images in his father's possession and alleges he has reported to police in the Philippines. However, in chat with the Daily Mail, Thomas Markle Snr has vehemently denied possessing child s_* images and called the allegations "sick lies". Reacting, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, revealed she was informed of the allegations back in 2018 after a letter had been sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. She said: “I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed. “In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. ...

 Meghan Markle's father under investigation over disturbing discovery Authorities in the Philippines and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation have launched a joint inquiry into allegations involving Thomas Markle Sr., PEOPLE Magazine reports. The investigation commenced after his son, Thomas Markle Jr., reported finding “hundreds, if not thousands” of illicit digital materials among personal items at his father's former residence in Cebu City, Philippines. "When I found this material I was horrified and I had no option but to report my dad," Thomas Jr. said. According to official law enforcement updates, the items—which include an old mobile device and storage electronics—were turned over to specialist operatives for digital forensic examination. In a sworn statement provided to investigators, Markle Jr. indicated that he felt legally obligated to notify law enforcement immediately upon finding the materials. The 82-year-old retired television lighting di...

 Territorial Police at Katwe have recovered 40 motor vehicle batteries following investigations into the theft of batteries from Nyanama Mena Granite Limited in Nyanama Zone, Makindye-Sabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District.   The incident was reported on 7 October 2026 by Ghebrengusi Ezra Bairu, an Eritrean national, who reported that 10 company concrete mixer vehicles had been vandalised and 20 N150 batteries stolen. The incident is believed to have occurred at around 4:00 am when unknown suspects allegedly accessed the company premises using ladders. Investigations led to the impounding of motor vehicle registration number UAL 499E on 18 October 2026 and the arrest of a suspect identified as Mubiru Farouk. During questioning, the suspect reportedly disclosed that the batteries had been hidden at his premises in Nakawa Market, Nakawa Division. On 19 October 2026, a team of police officers from Katwe proceeded to the premises and recovered 40 motor vehicle batteries, including...

 IGP DISU RECEIVES LASU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DELEGATION, IS CONFERRED WITH EMERITUS MEMBERSHIP The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, today, Thursday, 22nd October 2026, received a delegation of the Lagos State University (LASU) Alumni Association led by its President, Mr Morisson Quakers, SAN, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. During the visit, the Association conferred emeritus membership on the IGP in recognition of his achievements and contributions to public service. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Association’s President commended the IGP’s leadership and commitment to people-centred policing, personnel welfare and inter-agency collaboration. He noted that the policy direction and priorities of his administration would shape the legacy of his tenure and assured him of the Association’s continued support. The Chairman of the Association’s Board of Trustees, Mr Lekan Ogunbanwo, described the IGP as a worthy representative of the Universi...

 OGUN POLICE FOILS CULT INITIATION, ARRESTS 3 STUDENTS, RECOVERS WEAPONS The Ogun State Police Command has foiled a suspected cult initiation in Owode-Yewa, arresting three students aged 12, 18 and 18 following timely intelligence about a planned cult-related activity tagged “Kito Day” involving students from different secondary schools in the area. Acting on the information received on 22nd October 2026, the Divisional Police Officer, Owode-Yewa, swiftly deployed a team of detectives in collaboration with the Vigilante Group of Nigeria to the scene. The operation led to the arrest of the three suspects and the recovery of one English axe, two knives, one short cutlass, one rubber toy gun and a school bag. The case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, today, 23rd October 2026, for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Ebola patient in Nigeria is Swiss diplomat’s wife — Report The woman who tested positive for Ebola in Nigeria is the wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja, with Switzerland’s government saying she is believed to have contracted the virus while travelling in Uganda, Reuters reports on Thursday. The 42-year-old Ugandan-born woman tested positive on October 20, in what Nigerian authorities described as the country’s first confirmed Ebola case in more than a decade. In a statement sent to Reuters on Thursday, Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said the woman had spent about a week at a private clinic in Abuja with symptoms before her diagnosis. “She is believed to have contracted the virus whilst travelling to Uganda around two weeks ago,” the ministry said. It added that her husband, who travelled with her, was in isolation but had not developed symptoms. Make PUNCH part of your everyday experience. Add us to your Preferred Sources “Her husband is in isolation; he has n...

 Anambra Assures Residents on Ebola, Strengthens Surveillance Against Ebola and Lassa Fever By Chris Chikelue The Anambra State Government has urged residents to remain calm following reports of a confirmed Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assuring the public that no case has been reported in the state. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, gave the assurance Oct. 21, during a press briefing in his office, disclosing that the state had strengthened disease surveillance to ensure the early detection and prompt management of any suspected case. Obidike said surveillance measures had been reinforced at health facilities and other entry points, while community health informants across the state’s wards were being mobilised to identify and report suspected cases. “We have zero cases of Ebola in Anambra, and surveillance has been put in place at the airport and various hospitals in the state to detect any case,” he said. The commissioner explained that the stat...

 CRS GOVERNMENT HAILS DSS OVER MAJOR ARMS HAUL The Cross River State Government has commended the Department of State Services, DSS, and other security agencies for intercepting three General Purpose Machine Guns and a cache of high-calibre arms,  In a statement, the government says the interception underscores the critical role of intelligence-led operations and inter-agency collaboration in tackling security threats and preventing dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands. It adds, the operation also highlights the need for sustained vigilance and coordinated action to dismantle arms supply networks and deny criminals the firepower to unleash violence. For the DSS and its security partners, the challenge remains to sustain the pressure, track the sources of illegal arms and ensure that those behind their movement are brought to justice.

 If the current Ebola outbreak were in Western countries, vaccines would already be available - Africa CDC boss Jean Kaseya The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya, has expressed concern over the absence of an approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television's The Morning Brief on Thursday, Kaseya suggested that international partners had not given the disease enough attention because it was largely viewed as an African problem. “If this outbreak was in Western countries, vaccines would already be available,” he said. He explained that while the Ebola strain responsible for the 2014–2016 West African epidemic has a licensed vaccine known as Ervebo, there is currently no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain. Kaseya disclosed that Africa CDC had begun clinical trials for new vaccines, including a candidate developed in Egypt. He also raised concerns about t...

 President Trump ordered to sit for deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC A federal judge has ordered US President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11. During a hearing Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ruled that Trump can't delay answering questions from the BBC's lawyers, the Associated Press reports. The president had canceled a planned October 16 deposition based on a "matter of national importance." According to the BBC's attorneys, Trump was in fact campaigning in Georgia for the midterms that day. The judge also warned the president's lawyers that if he doesn't comply with court orders to turn over records relevant to the case, the suit could be thrown out. "He was participating in party politics and prioritized that over sitting for the deposition," BBC attorney Charles Tobin told the AP, adding that "we still haven't been able to depose the plaint...

 LAGOS MOJ CELEBRATES NEWLY APPOINTED PERMANENT SECRETARIES The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has hosted a reception in honour of Mrs. Thomas-Orogan Folashade Aina and Mr. Haroun Adebayo Mubashiru following their appointment as Permanent Secretaries in the Lagos State Public Service. The event, held on Monday, 19th October 2026, at the Ministry’s Conference Room, Alausa, Ikeja, brought together government officials, colleagues, family members and friends to celebrate the appointees. In his remarks, the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, congratulated the new Permanent Secretaries, commending their diligence, perseverance, dedication and commitment to duty. He urged them and other legal practitioners to pursue career advancement with determination, noting that being called to the Bar was only the beginning of a legal career. Mr. Pedro also emphasised the importance of teamwork, mutual respect, empathy and esprit de corps, describing pos...

 NUJ, Amnesty Condemn Four-Year Jail Sentence For Kaduna Journalist The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Amnesty International have condemned the prosecution of Kaduna-based journalist Farida Isiak, who was sentenced to four years in prison, with an option of a N1.75m fine, over a Facebook post criticising the police. The organisations called for a review of the court proceedings, expressing concerns about the circumstances surrounding her arrest and the reported detention of her parents. The NUJ also demanded an impartial investigation and a fair retrial scheduled for November 3. Isiak, 23, a reporter with Nagarta Radio in Kaduna State, was prosecuted after publishing a Facebook post about the alleged arrest of her mother and the detention of her father following a dispute over N100 change from a charcoal sale. The incident reportedly started when Isiak’s mother had a disagreement with a neighbour over the change. Her mother was allegedly arrested, while her father was repor...

2027: Tinubu'll defeat Atiku, get 25 percent votes in all states - Adeyanju Activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, on Friday said President Bola Tinubu will defeat the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on January 16, 2027. Adeyanju explained that Tinubu will get 25 percent votes in every state, including Adamawa, Anambra, Kano and Oyo States. In a post on X, the human rights lawyer insisted that no presidential candidate can equal Tinubu. He wrote: "I see Tinubu defeating Atiku in January because of many reasons but let me highlight only one today. Tinubu will get 25% votes in every state in Nigeria including Adamawa, Anambra, Kano and Oyo. No other candidate can pull such numbers. Read this carefully again. "It’s only northern Nigeria we should be expecting miracle from. And they have the capacity to do so." Going into the 2027 presidential election, Tinubu will face Atiku, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate,...