FIFA president Gianni Infantino has pulled the plug on the plan to allow private investment in the World Cup which had sparked a furious global backlash even among his allies. AFP Sport details the timeline of the dramatic few days which significantly weakened Infantino, who had been basking in the warm afterglow of a …
The Federal Government has expanded the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative to 10 states, with more than 9,000 personnel now trained to help secure forests and other ungoverned spaces used by kidnappers, bandits and other criminal groups. The Office of the National Security Adviser disclosed this in a statement on Fr…
The United States Mission in Nigeria has warned intending travellers against using artificial intelligence or digital editing tools on their passport photographs. The mission said such photos would not be accepted for visa applications. In a statement on its official X handle on Saturday, the mission said passport phot…
Australia has tightened its grip on the medal table at the ongoing 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, opening a commanding lead as just over half of the participating teams have secured medals with the competition entering its closing stages. The latest medal standings released on Saturday as obtained by PUNCH Online …
Leading the headlines on Saturday morning is former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who described his choice of Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in 1999 as the biggest mistake of his presidency. The South African government has also rejected claims that Nigerian singer, Ayra Starr, and her team were denied visas, while …
The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, has said that President Bola Tinubu disagreed with the assessment of the economy and security concerns raised by members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria during their meeting at the State House, Abuja. PUNCH Online had reported …
Afrinvest has deepened its partnership with the Nigeria Premier Football League to drive digital transformation, strengthen commercial capacity, and position Nigerian football clubs for sustainable revenue growth. The commitment was reaffirmed on Wednesday during the NPFL–Afrinvest Media and Marketing Workshop in Enugu…
Africa must stop exporting raw materials and instead focus on adding value to its natural resources if it is to fully harness the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area. The National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Patience Okala, said this on…
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Friday suspended the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in the state Ministry of Justice, Abubakar Jungudo, pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of misconduct levelled against him. The suspension followed the governor’s approval of the constitution of a…
The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced the process of restoring the suppressed Abraka, Ughelli South II and Isoko North II State House of Assembly constituencies in Delta State. The commission said the exercise was aimed at restoring representation to the affected communities in line with court jud…
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured residents of Osun State that the winner of the August 15 governorship election will emerge through the ballot, not violence. Amupitan gave the assurance on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh O…
A 30-year-old woman, Habse Ubale, has been allegedly hacked to death after being accused of witchcraft in Garin Malam Village, Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. The Bauchi State Police Command said one suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident, while two others were on the run. The state Pol…
The United States Mission in Nigeria has commended Nigerian-American physician and entrepreneur, Dr Ikenna Okezie, for his contributions to transforming kidney care and expanding access to quality healthcare in the US. The mission, in a post on its X handle on Friday, described Okezie as the Chief Executive Officer and…
But reacting on Friday, LOAN said threatening workers would not address the issues that prompted the industrial action, urging the government to engage the aggrieved law officers instead. The position was contained in a statement jointly signed by the association’s National President, Ernest Edomwonyi, and National Sec…
Canada has clarified its citizenship rules for people born outside the country, emphasizing that citizenship claims are determined through a direct line of descent from a Canadian parent and the citizenship status of each person in that chain at the time of birth. The rules mean that people born abroad may be recognize…
The Benue State Police Command has said it is treating the disappearance of a seminarian attached to the Catholic Bishop’s residence in Otukpo as a missing person case, contrary to reports that he was abducted by gunmen. The command’s spokesperson, DSP Peter Aondona, said the police had not received any official report…
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged young people to remain focused on achieving greater success, warning against becoming complacent with little accomplishments. She gave the advice on Friday while receiving the leadership of the All Progressives Congress National Youth Wing at the State House in Ab…
Nigeria’s domestic gas suppliers delivered an average of 2.05 billion cubic feet of gas per day in the first half of 2026, achieving only about 65 per cent of the country’s Domestic Gas Delivery Obligation target, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has disclosed. The development highlights a persiste…
The US Mission in Nigeria has reminded Nigerians that routine visa services at the embassy in Abuja will end from August 1, 2026. The mission reiterated that applicants must henceforth process their visas at the Consulate General in Lagos, the newly designated regional hub. The US Mission in Nigeria issued the reminder…
A Nigerian returnee investor, Charles Avwenagha, says he is considering relocating permanently to the United Kingdom and renouncing his Nigerian passport after a £75,000 loan he took there to fund his Abuja business went down the drain. According to him, his establishment, Stopover Bar and Grill in Lokogoma, was demoli…
A professor of Yoruba folklore, literature and culture at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof Olusola Ajibade, has said Christians and Muslims in Yorubaland have, without realising it, adopted elements of Isese, the Yoruba indigenous religion, into their worship styles and music. Ajibade, whose research inter…
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has recovered vandalised public infrastructure from suspected vandals. The command also uncovered a network involved in the illegal production and use of fake diplomatic and official government number plates. The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this on Friday…
Arsenal's long-awaited return to the summit of English football was about far more than lifting the Premier League trophy. Behind the title triumph that ended a 22-year wait lay a painstaking rebuild driven by culture, patience, leadership and a renewed bond between the club and its supporters, according to an in-depth…
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has sealed 383 pharmaceutical premises across Ogun State for operating in violation of regulatory standards, warning that the activities of illegal drug outlets pose serious risks to public health and national security. The Head of the Council’s Enforcement Department, Suleiman Chiroma, …
The University of Lagos has celebrated one of its students, Peter A. Fagbola, after he emerged as a winner at the Huawei Global ICT Competition held in Shenzhen, China. Fagbola, a student of the Department of Systems Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and a member of the ABS-CITS Huawei Academy, was part of Team…