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 …
…now, consistently advocated the need for former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi and other opposition leaders to close ranks and present a formidable candidate against Tinubu, rather than the current fragmentation in the opposition landscape. Read Also: 2027 may become coronation, not election, if opposition…
…pitch,” Eleojo stated. In his remarks, the General Manager of Rangers International, Amobi Ezeaku, commended both Afrinvest and the NPFL for championing initiatives aimed at securing the financial future of Nigerian football. “I appreciate Afrinvest for agreeing to sponsor this workshop that is about to change our fina…
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…
…on the exercise, while calling on chairmen of the affected local government areas to mobilise residents to participate. Umoren also appealed to security agencies to provide adequate security throughout the exercise to ensure a peaceful process and boost public confidence. He assured residents that the commission would…
…preference automatically, as confirmed on the official WhatsApp Help Center. Managing mobile data and network speed It is important to keep in mind that sending high-definition videos requires significantly more data and a strong cellular connection. If your network subscription is limited or your signal is slow, stick…
…disclosed that items recovered from the suspects included nine cartons of i17 Air Flip mobile phones, 10 cartons of i17 Air Pro Flip mobile phones, four Oraimo, New Age and Rex power banks of various capacities, and two wristwatches, among others. He said the suspects were arrested on July 20, 2026, at about 5:30 p.m.…
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), of lying over the airport incident. Speaking on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television, Mr Keyamo said Obi “lied like a fish drinking water” a…
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…
…and the same great-grandparents, according to a report by independent journalist Steve Robinson. The report notes that such relationships are legal under Maine state law and are not uncommon in the rural North Maine Woods region near the Canadian border.While Jackson, a former logger and former president of the Maine S…
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…
…officers in their struggle. Should the need arise, law officers in other states may be mobilised to join the industrial action in solidarity,” it added. Among the demands of the striking workers are the payment of the outstanding 50 per cent furniture allowance for 2020, full payment of the 2024 furniture allowance, ro…
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…
…done today is to enhance our capacity to be able to reach out not just for electoral mobilisation but to be able to improve the lives of Nigerians,” Israel said. He added, “From this moment, we are now mummy’s men for Asiwaju and we are going to set structure to run campaign in the 36-states of the federation.” Express…
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…
…regional visa hubs, including Lagos, Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Nairobi, Johannesburg and Kinshasa. Twenty-five other posts, including Abuja, will now offer only American Citizen Services and limited non-immigrant visa services, while Bangui and Khartoum will have no consular visa operations at all.…
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…