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  Student Arrested For Filming Classroom Assault On Teacher In Malaysia Police in Malaysia have arrested a 16-year-old after reportedly injuring a teacher with an axe at a private school in Kuching, Sarawak. According to Malaysian authorities, the incident occurred at approximately 7:50 am on Wednesday, October 21, at Tunku Putra-HELP School in Sarawak. CCTV footage reportedly shows the teenager entering a classroom armed with an axe and striking a female teacher. He subsequently exits before returning through another entrance and swinging the weapon towards fleeing students. When the teacher attempts to intervene, the suspect allegedly tries to attack her again. However, one male student reportedly managed to overpower him and confiscate the weapon. Sarawak acting police commissioner Saifullizan Ishak said the police received an emergency call, informing them that the student had brought firecrackers to the school and injured a teacher. The teacher was reported to have sustained c...

FIFA okays Normalisation Committee to run Nigerian football The Bureau of the FIFA Council on Thursday approved the appointment of a Normalisation Committee to manage the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation, pending fresh elections into the NFF Executive Committee. According to a letter signed by FIFA Secretary General, Mattias Grafström and addressed to Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme MON, “the normalisation committee shall consist of a suitable number of members, who will be appointed jointly by FIFA and CAF as soon as possible.” The letter also informed that “the period during which the normalisation committee shall perform its functions shall expire as soon as it has fulfilled all of its tasks, but by no later than 31 May 2027.” None of the members of the normalisation committee will be eligible for the positions to be filled during the upcoming NFF elections under any circumstances. In the meantime, the Secretariat of the NFF will continue with the day-to-day running of the organisation...

Ebola: No need to cancel campaigns, gatherings, says Minister The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has said there is no immediate need to cancel political campaigns, conferences or other large public gatherings following Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported Ebola virus disease case. Pate, however, warned that the government would review the situation and consider appropriate restrictions if the outbreak worsened, stressing that decisions would be based strictly on scientific evidence and public health considerations. The minister spoke on Thursday in Abuja during a press briefing on the government’s response to the Ebola case, assuring Nigerians that the patient was receiving treatment and showing encouraging signs of recovery. “Thankfully, that individual has been taken care of and, in fact, is recovering. Today, I spoke to the clinicians, and I understand that laboratory results are showing great improvement, and there is a possibility that she would recov...

 I Didn’t Betray El-Rufai; He Used My Political Structure To Win Elections - Bashir Sa’idu  Former Chief of Staff to Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Hon. Bashir Saidu, has denied allegations that he betrayed the former governor, who is currently in detention. Saidu, who was among El-Rufai’s former allies who publicly announced their separation from him, made the clarification during an interview with RFI Hausa. Daily Trust had earlier reported that El-Rufai accused some people he supported during difficult times of abandoning him, a statement that generated further political controversy. However, in the latest interview, Saidu maintained that he and El-Rufai jointly built the political structure that paved the way for the former governor’s rise to power. “We were the first to suffer before him. I was arrested and taken to prison on New Year’s Eve, where I spent 50 days. I was moved from one court to another until the judge who agreed to hear the case revoked my bail. I w...

Country Music Icon John Anderson Dies at 71, Just Weeks Shy of 72nd Birthday The country music world is deeply saddened by the passing of iconic singer John Anderson, who has died at the age of 71. His family announced his death on Wednesday, October 21, revealing that the revered artist passed away peacefully in his sleep, just weeks before he was set to celebrate his 72nd birthday. In a heartfelt statement, Anderson's family described him as a cherished husband, father, grandfather, and friend. They emphasized that his significance to them extended far beyond his illustrious career as a performer, highlighting the love he shared and the memories they created as his most profound legacy. A Distinguished Career and Lasting Influence Anderson's distinctive voice and memorable songs resonated with generations of country music lovers. He was widely celebrated for hit tracks such as "Swingin'", "Straight Tequila Night", and "Seminole Wind". His imm...

 Salawa Abeni Reveals How Bola Tinubu Provided Crucial Aid During Health Crisis Veteran Nigerian singer Salawa Abeni has opened up about a profoundly challenging period in her life, revealing how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, prior to his presidency, extended crucial assistance during a debilitating health crisis. The 'Queen of Waka Music' shared this emotional testimony during her recent 50 years on stage celebration, expressing heartfelt gratitude for Tinubu's timely intervention. A Period of Profound Grief and Deteriorating Health Abeni's ordeal began following the devastating loss of her child, an event that plunged her into deep emotional distress. This personal tragedy cascaded into a severe decline in her health and significant financial hardship. Her condition reportedly worsened to the extent that she could barely walk without the aid of a walking stick, a stark contrast to her vibrant public persona. Feeling increasingly isolated and with limited options, Abeni...

 Keyamo orders 21-day flight restriction for 46 Ebola contacts Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has directed that 46 people identified as contacts of Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient be prevented from travelling by air for at least 21 days. Keyamo announced the directive after a virtual meeting with Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate on Wednesday, October 21. He said the group comprises 44 people who had contact with the patient at a hospital after she developed symptoms, alongside two members of her domestic staff. The minister instructed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to notify domestic and international airlines while health authorities continued efforts to isolate and monitor the contacts. Being identified as a contact does not mean a person has tested positive. The statement did not announce 46 new Ebola infections. Keyamo also directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to strengthen surveillance at international airports. He listed temperature checks, travel-hist...

 EFCC Arraigns Suspect for Alleged $285m Crude Oil Fraud against Singaporean The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday October 21, 2026, arraigned one Amechi James Oduofor before Justice C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court Benin City for crude oil fraud. Oduofor, 6, 4 was arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of $285,000 (Two Hundred and Eighty Five thousand Dollars) from a Singaporean. One of the charges reads: "That you Amechi James Oduofor, sometime in 2020 within the jurisdiction of this honourable count did knowingly make a false document to wit: a false identity card of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation with the name Engr. Wilcox Bright as a Desk Manager – Operations Offshore Loading Petroleum, with intent that one Jimmy Kee, a Singaporean,  may,  in the belief that it is genuine be induced to pay the aggregate sum of $285,000 (...

DSS SECURES SEVENTH DEATH SENTENCE AS ADAMAWA COURT CONVICTS THREE FOR KIDNAPPING CATHOLIC PRIESTS A High Court of Adamawa State has sentenced three men to death for kidnapping two Catholic priests in February 2025, bringing to seven the number of death sentences reportedly secured by the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2026. The convicts, Taledo Demiel, Namomai Medan and Mikaila Yusuf, were sentenced on Thursday by Justice Christopher Mapeo after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, harbouring kidnapped persons and negotiating to receive ransom. The case involved the abduction of Reverend Fathers Matthew Dutsemi and Abraham Sauman. The latest judgment adds to a series of capital convictions recorded in different courts across the country this year in cases involving kidnapping, terrorism, armed violence and the killing of civilians.On May 20, 2026, an Ekiti State High Court sentenced two men, Ibrahim A...

 YOBE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY APPROVES STATE POLICE SERVICE, 25 OTHER BILLS  The Yobe State House of Assembly has approved the establishment of a State Police Service as part of its resolutions on the proposed alterations to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, transmitted by the National Assembly to state legislatures for consideration and approval. The resolution was reached during plenary following deliberations by members of the House on the proposed constitutional amendment bills, which require the approval of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly in accordance with the constitutional amendment process. Speaking on  resolution the speaker of the House Chiroma Buba Mashio said the  bills were forwarded to state legislatures to consider and vote on the proposed changes in line with the constitutional requirements for altering the nation's supreme law. Mashio has clarified that the House position on the proposed establishment of S...

 LASPA REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN PARKING MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS The Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring sustainable, technology-driven and well-coordinated parking management solutions across the State for better service delivery. The General Manager of the Parking Authority, Mrs. Adebisi Adelabu, during a recent interview, emphasised the importance of stakeholder collaboration, public compliance and private sector participation in achieving the mandate. She noted that technology and innovation are central to LASPA’s approach to modern parking management, stressing that effective technology-driven solutions depend on accurate data, reliable systems and proper integration among relevant agencies. Mrs. Adelabu disclosed that LASPA is putting systems in place for better service delivery through more effective and efficient parking management. She identified other unique qualities to be deployed for authorised parkin...

PRESS RELEASE APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL  When disrespect becomes the staple of political statements Alhaji Atiku Abubakar continues to foul up the political arena, with statement after statement dripping with insult and disrespect to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  A statement credited to the former vice president on the latest public health issue opened with a title linking the President’s first name to Ebola and questioning how the Presidential Task Force spent the N10 billion approved for the emergency. We believe linking and rhyming President Bola Tinubu’s name to Ebola only risks turning a serious health concern into a vehicle to ridicule the President of the Federal Republic. The statement showed patent ignorance about the virus and why the traveller from Uganda was not detected on arrival at the Abuja airport. For anyone infected with the virus, the incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing 8 t...

Colombian authorities seize 7.6 tonnes of cocaine bound for the Netherlands Colombian authorities have seized 7.6 tonnes of cocaine bound for the Netherlands at the port of Cartagena, in what President Abelardo de la Espriella described as the country's largest drug seizure in the past 10 years. "The National Police has just achieved the largest cocaine seizure in the port of Cartagena in the last 10 years," he wrote on X. Speaking in Cartagena, the president said the joint operation was carried out in cooperation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). "There is no truce against narco-terrorism! Every dose we prevent from reaching the streets saves lives, and every dollar we take from them weakens their criminal structures," he added. De la Espriella said the shipment was worth 43 billion Colombian pesos domestically and would have been worth more than $200 million once it reached the Netherlands. According to Colombia's National Police, the drug...

 Nigerian lawyer accuses police officers of extorting ₦3.1 million from his client along Lagos airport road A Nigerian lawyer has accused some police officers stationed along the Lagos airport route of allegedly extorting ₦3.1 million from his client. In a video shared online, the lawyer called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General of Police to investigate officers allegedly targeting Nigerians travelling to and from the airport. According to him, his client was stopped by officers who demanded to see his flight ticket before searching his phone. He alleged that rather than conducting the search at the roadside, the officers took his client to a police facility on Alhaji Aziz Street, Shogunle, Ikeja, where they threatened him, forced him to make statements against himself and collected ₦3.1 million under duress. The lawyer further claimed that the officers used POS agents and third-party accounts to receive payments instead of their personal bank accou...

Man dies after falling into father’s grave in Brazil A man has died after falling into his father’s grave when a gravestone reportedly gave way as he sat on it at a cemetery in Brazil. Metro UK reports on Thursday that the incident occurred shortly after 2.30pm on Wednesday at Sao Jose Municipal Cemetery in Linhares, in the state of Espirito Santo, northern Brazil. The man, believed to be around 40 years old, had visited his father’s grave before attending the burial of a friend who died in a traffic accident the previous day. He reportedly sat on top of the gravestone, but it gave way, causing him to fall into the grave beneath. Other cemetery visitors reportedly rushed to help after hearing a loud noise. Make PUNCH part of your everyday experience. Add us to your Preferred Sources An ambulance was called, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. A gravedigger, Nazare Bravin, said the man arrived at the cemetery, asked where his friend’s burial would take place, parked his motorc...

Impactful Healthcare delivery: West African College of Physicians confers honourary fellowship on President Tinubu. The West African College of Physicians (WACP) has conferred an Honorary Fellowship on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in recognition of his contributions to impactful healthcare delivery. ​The conferment ceremony was attended by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.

 NATIONAL BIOSAFETY MANAGEMENT AGENCY PROMISE TO SUPPORT NCDC  CONTAIN EBOLA VIRUS The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has urged Nigerians to remain calm and vigilant following the reported confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Virus Disease in the Federal Capital Territory. The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Dr Fatima Suleiman-Zuntu, reaffirmed NBMA's commitment to supporting the national response through its biosafety and biosecurity expertise. Dr Suleiman-Zuntu commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and their partners for their response efforts. She noted that Nigeria's experience in containing Ebola in 2014 underscores the importance of preparedness, coordinated action, scientific evidence and public cooperation. The Director-General said the Agency is ready to make its biosafety experts available to the NCDC a...

 SENATE ENHANCES REGULATORY POWERS OF NUC TO CURB ABUSES BY PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES Against the backdrop of alleged illegal practices in universities, the Senate has passed for second reading a legislative framework that seeks to grant powers to the National Universities Commission to penalise violations and enforce sanctions on erring institutions. The executive bill seeks to repeal and re-enact the NUC Act to further strengthen its regulatory powers as the apex body for academic accreditation in Nigeria. The proposal hopes to provide an avenue to build a resilient, high-quality and competitive higher education system that supports Nigeria's development aspirations. In the course of the second reading debate on the NUC bill, alleged infractions by the management of Tansian University, Umunya, in Anambra State, were brought to the notice of the Senate. This led to a resolution by the Senate to investigate the operations and management of Tansian University with regard to the infractio...

 ANAMBRA POLICE RECOVER STOLEN TOYOTA HIGHLANDER TRACED TO CROSS RIVER STATE THROUGH INTELLIGENCE-LED OPERATION, ARREST SUSPECT The Anambra State Police Command has recorded another operational success in its sustained efforts to combat crime and recover stolen property following the recovery of a Toyota Highlander Jeep allegedly stolen in Anambra State and subsequently traced to Calabar, Cross River State, through credible intelligence. The recovery was made on 16th October 2026 by operatives attached to the Central Police Station (CPS), Onitsha, who acted on credible intelligence regarding the vehicle’s whereabouts. During the operation, the operatives also arrested a male suspect, identified as Muonago Chibuze, in connection with the incident. Preliminary information indicates that the Toyota Highlander Jeep, with registration number ENU 387 BB, was reportedly stolen on 9th October 2026. Following the incident, intelligence-led efforts by the Police culminated in the successful ...

 PRESS RELEASE POLICE INTERCEPTS SUV WITH CONCEALED PRESIDENCY NUMBER PLATE, COMMENCE INVESTIGATION. On 20th October 2026, at about 8:00 p.m., Police operatives intercepted a Lexus LX570 SUV with a concealed number plate in Maitama District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The vehicle and its occupant were promptly arrested for investigation and subsequent prosecution. Preliminary investigations revealed that the concealed number plate bore the inscription “PRESIDENCY” and registration number 10B218 FG. Following the suspect’s claim of being the legitimate holder of the number plate, further investigations revealed that the plate’s registration documents were forged and that the suspect was impersonating a Permanent Secretary attached to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Investigations are ongoing, and the suspect will be charged to court upon their conclusion. The FCT Police Command urges residents to remain law-abiding, cooperate with police ...