Author: Damilola

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has announced that the moon signalling the beginning of Shawwal has not been sighted in Nigeria. The declaration was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs in conjunction with the National Moon Sighting Committee. The statement was signed by Sambo Wali Junaidu, Wazirin Sokoto and chairman of the committee. The development means that Friday, March 20, 2026, will be observed as Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. “His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, is set to preach at Lambeth Palace on Thursday as part of activities marking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing state visit to the United Kingdom. Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, is a key centre of the Church of England. According to details of the official itinerary released by AFP, the First Lady will also hold meetings with representatives of the Church of England during her visit. The trip marks Nigeria’s first state visit to the United Kingdom in nearly 40 years and is expected to focus on deepening diplomatic and…

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai under the Nigerian Army, working alongside the Nigerian Air Force, have reportedly neutralised at least 61 ISWAP fighters during a failed infiltration attempt in Malam Fatori, located in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State. According to a report by Zagazola Makama, which cited sources involved in the operation, the insurgents launched the attack in the early hours of Wednesday. The report said the terrorists advanced on foot and deployed armed drones in an effort to breach the defences of troops stationed at the 68 Battalion base. Sources said the assault, “which came through the…

A Federal High Court sitting in Delta State has ruled that Nigerians are entitled to record police officers carrying out stop-and-search duties in public spaces. Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa delivered the judgment on Tuesday while ruling on a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo. The suit named the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission (PSC), and the Attorney-General of the Federation as defendants. In a statement, Uwaifo described the ruling as one containing “far-reaching pronouncements on police accountability and citizens’ constitutional rights,” adding that the court held that “anonymous policing is unconstitutional”.…

Veteran filmmaker and CEO of Wale Adenuga Productions, Wale Adenuga, has refuted claims by actor Abiodun Ayoyinka, popularly known as Papa Ajasco, that he is financially struggling. Ayoyinka had sparked online discussions after alleging financial difficulties despite his long-standing role in the iconic TV series Papa Ajasco and Company. In response, Adenuga described the narrative as “false and misleading” and provided context on his professional relationship with the actor. “My first impression when I watched the trending Papa Ajasco video was that he had taken the comedy into the public space,” Adenuga said. “I am happy for him, as his…

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that FIFA has dismissed its petition against the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the alleged use of ineligible players during the November 2025 World Cup playoffs. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the General Secretary of the NFF, Mohammed Sanusi, said the federation is dissatisfied with the ruling and has already initiated an appeal. “We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the decision, which rejected our petition. I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process…

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday departed Abuja for a state visit to the United Kingdom — the first by a Nigerian leader in 37 years. The Airbus A330 conveying the President and the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, took off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 10:00 a.m. According to a statement issued on Monday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the President and his wife will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle from March 18 to 19. Tinubu is the first Nigerian leader to be received by a British monarch at Windsor Castle.…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in Taiwo Oyedele as minister of state for finance. The brief swearing-in ceremony took place at about 2:30 pm on Monday at the president’s office inside the State House. While congratulating the new minister, Tinubu thanked Oyedele for accepting the responsibility to serve the country and commended his contributions to Nigeria’s ongoing tax reforms. “You are just a very dedicated and highly determined individual. It didn’t take much for me to decide where you fit and where you need to be to further help the country,” the president said. Tinubu also acknowledged that managing…

The Nigeria Police Force in Ondo State has said the suspects recently apprehended near Akure Airport are not bandits but individuals suspected of supplying logistics to kidnappers operating in the area. In a statement issued on Monday by  the spokesperson for the Ondo police command,Abayomi Jimoh, dismissed an earlier report by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) claiming that four bandits had been arrested close to the airport’s perimeter near the Eleyewo community in Akure. The New Daily Prime reported FAAN had said in a statement late Sunday that the suspects were captured during what it described as a…

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) says the Africa Cup of Nations has experienced a 61% increase in global viewership, describing the tournament as one of the fastest-growing sporting events worldwide. CAF revealed the figures in preliminary research findings published on its website on Monday ahead of the release of a comprehensive report on the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025. The governing body noted that the detailed report will be issued in the coming weeks by Nielsen, an independent international research agency. According to CAF, the rise in audience numbers was largely driven by expanded international broadcast…