Author: Damilola Olufemi

Arsenal survived a hostile London derby to secure a 1–1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, as both clubs traded blows in an ill-tempered clash marked by a red card, rough tackles, and set-piece drama. The Gunners had to withstand the pressure of a charged home crowd and a combative Chelsea side, even after the Blues were reduced to 10 men in the first half. Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was dismissed in the 38th minute following a late challenge on Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, which was upgraded from a yellow to a straight red after a VAR review. Despite…

The Kogi State Government has confirmed the early Sunday morning attack on a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area of the state. The state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, made the confirmation in a statement on Sunday in Lokoja, where he strongly condemned the incident. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that gunmen, who launched the attack, allegedly abducted the pastor, his wife and some other worshippers. The attack threw the Ejiba community into panic, with residents reportedly fleeing in search of safety. Fanwo, who described the incident as “very sad and unfortunate,” assured all…

Resident doctors in Nigeria have stepped back from strike action after a memorandum of understanding was signed with federal authorities, ending weeks of stalled hospital services across the country. The work stoppage began on November 1 when Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors President Mohammad Suleiman confirmed that members had downed tools in a “total, comprehensive, and indefinite” nationwide strike, citing unresolved welfare and system failures. The union said its demands spanned fair pay structures, unpaid salaries owed to doctors, better working environments, staffing reinforcements, and improved medical equipment. The doctors also pointed to the strain of long work hours and…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally petitioned President Isaac Herzog for a pardon in his ongoing corruption trial, describing the request as being driven by the “public interest.” Netanyahu, who was indicted in 2019, becoming a first for any sitting Israeli prime minister, is charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The allegations span several cases, including claims that he received high-value gifts such as cigars and champagne from wealthy business figures in return for political advantages. In a statement on Sunday, his office confirmed that a one-page pardon request had been submitted to the president’s legal department.…

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, has recounted how senior figures in Nigeria’s former military establishment attempted to derail President Bola Tinubu’s 1999 bid for the governorship of Lagos. Marwa, who was recently reappointed as the NDLEA boss governed Lagos between 1996 and 1999 under the military, said the resistance was triggered by Tinubu’s pro-democracy role in the National Democratic Coalition, which championed civil rule after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. He spoke on Saturday in Abuja at an event unveiling Buni Boy, the political memoir written by late journalist Niyi…

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders to open urgent talks with Guinea-Bissau’s military authorities, stressing the need for election results to be made public and for the detained opposition candidate to be freed. Speaking in Abuja on Saturday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Jonathan said it was standard for former Nigerian presidents overseeing regional missions to update the incumbent leader, particularly ahead of an ECOWAS summit he will now miss. Jonathan, who led the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission for last Sunday’s…

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a new list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation, adding to the initial trio submitted earlier this month. The nominees, drawn from across Nigeria’s political and professional spectrum, include former INEC chairman Mahmud Yakubu, Delta-born media personality Reno Omokri, and ex–Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Tinubu’s spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed the submissions in a release on Saturday, noting that the names were transmitted in letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The statement, titled ‘Tinubu nominates 32 additional ambassadors,’ outlined two categories of nominees: 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career appointees.…

In the early hours of Saturday, rumours about the death of Lere Paimo spread on social media.

Russia on Friday signalled it may escalate restrictions on WhatsApp, warning the messaging platform could face an outright ban over alleged failure to curb criminal use. Moscow had already disabled call functionality on the app in August, a move framed as part of tightening controls on foreign-owned digital services. The decision dovetails with an ongoing campaign urging citizens toward domestic, government-aligned platforms. The country’s telecom regulator, Roskomnadzor, accused the app of enabling serious offences, claiming it has been used to “organise and carry out terrorist acts in the country, to recruit perpetrators, and for fraud and other crimes against our…

Former Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday dismissed the military takeover in Guinea-Bissau as an unusual, optics-driven intervention, calling it “a ceremonial coup” and urging West African and continental bodies to release the stalled election results. Jonathan led the West African Elders Forum election observation team and was in Bissau to monitor Sunday’s presidential and legislative polls when the political crisis erupted. The crisis began a day after President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition contender Fernando Dias each claimed victory, despite the absence of a formal declaration by the electoral commission. Both sides insisted they had surpassed the 50% threshold…