Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – Jean‑Guy Blaise Mayolas, the president of the Congolese Football Federation, along with his wife and son, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a court found them guilty of embezzling about $1.3 million in funds provided by FIFA for football development programs in the country. The ruling, delivered by a court in the Republic of the Congo on Tuesday, concluded a major corruption investigation that has shaken football administration in the nation. Prosecutors accused Mayolas and his family members of diverting money meant to support grassroots football initiatives and administrative development within the federation. Investigators said the…

Taiwo Oyedele Elegbede Abiodun The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Taiwo Oyedele as a minister-designate under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced the approval after lawmakers endorsed the nominee through a voice vote in the Committee of the Whole. Oyedele is expected to succeed Mrs Doris Uzoka-Anite as Minister of State for Finance. The confirmation of the outgoing chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms followed his screening by the lawmakers on Wednesday. Senators spent over two hours grilling the nominee before eventually confirming him as a minister-designate. Taiwo Oyedele…

Manny Ita  – Cuban activist Rosa María Payá has called upon United States President Donald Trump to facilitate an end to the island’s communist administration as part of a broader effort to “make Cuba great again.” Speaking on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, Payá advocated for the U.S. government to maintain and intensify its pressure on Havana, citing a backdrop of nationwide blackouts, severe food shortages, and a deepening economic collapse. Addressing the U.S. leader directly, Payá expressed the solidarity of the opposition movement, stating, “To President Trump, it’s important for you to know that the Cuban people are grateful for…

Manny Ita  – Former England international Eni Aluko has secured a landmark legal victory against ex-manager Joey Barton after a High Court ruling brought an end to a prolonged period of social media harassment. According to reports from PA Media, Aluko was awarded more than £300,000 in damages and legal costs after successfully suing Barton for libel centered on a series of defamatory posts made on the platform X. The proceedings concluded with a formal stay, resulting in the former Manchester City midfielder being ordered to pay a total financial penalty of £339,000 to cover both reputational damage and the…

Manny Ita  – The Lagos State Government has issued a four-month ultimatum to allottees of the state-owned Ojokoro Estate to remove all illegal structures and unauthorized extensions within the premises. Disclosed in an official statement on Monday, March 9, 2026, the directive is part of a broader enforcement drive intended to restore the original design integrity, safety, and order of government housing schemes. According to the Ministry of Housing, the move follows a surge in unauthorized constructions that contravene the established layout of the estate. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Abdulhafis Toriola, expressed concern over these breaches during…

His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has approved a targeted fiscal incentive designed to unlock the longawaited Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Bonga Southwest Aparo (BSWA) deepwater project, marking a milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing drive to attract strategic investments and accelerate sustainable economic growth. The project is estimated to attract about $20 billion in Foreign Direct Investment and position Nigeria for a new era of deepwater production. The approval followed months of intensive technical and commercial negotiations involving NNPC Limited as the concessionaire, the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen,…

Manny Ita  – The Federal Government has directed the immediate deployment of approximately 100,000 conversion kits to facilitate the transition of vehicles, including tricycles, from petrol to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Highlighting the urgency of the initiative, Michael Ahmed, a key official in the transition programme, explained that these kits are designed to allow vehicle owners to modify their engines to run on gas, providing a cheaper alternative to traditional fuels. Ahmed noted that the conversion programme is expected to commence shortly, with preparations already finalized across designated centers nationwide. “The conversion centres across the country will be bustling with…

Manny Ita  – Prince Adewole Adebayo, the former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has issued a blistering assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, characterizing his tenure as a “historic disaster” for the Nigerian federation. Speaking on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the legal practitioner and politician, who has become one of the administration’s most vocal critics, claimed that the current government has failed to provide a viable roadmap for the country’s economic recovery or national security stability. Adebayo asserted that the policy directions taken by the administration since 2023 have only served to deepen the hardships faced by…

Manny Ita  – The Nigerian government has initiated the evacuation of its citizens from Iran as the military conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran continues to intensify. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), confirmed on Tuesday that Nigerians willing to depart are being escorted by embassy officials to the Armenian border for safe passage. While the exact number of evacuees remains unspecified, Dabiri-Erewa assured that no Nigerian casualties have been recorded since the hostilities began. ​“Willing Nigerians are being escorted across the Armenian border by officials of the Nigerian embassy in Iran for safe…

Elegbede Abiodun The National Identity Management Commission has declared that Nigerians living outside the country can now obtain their National Identification Number through accredited enrolment centres abroad, eliminating the need to travel home for registration. The commission unveiled this in a statement on Tuesday that the overseas enrolment programme, introduced in 2019, allows eligible applicants to complete biometric registration through a network of licensed partners operating across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Under the arrangement, NIMC licenses Nigerian companies that collaborate with partner organisations in host countries to capture applicants’ fingerprints, facial images, and supporting documents on behalf of…