Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

I congratulate Chiamaka Nnadozie, Adekunle Lookman and the Super Falcons for their remarkable achievements at the CAF Awards. This is the reward for your dedication, talent, and passion for the round leather game. You have brought pride to Nigeria and showcased the excellence of our athletes on the African stage. To the Super Falcons, you continue to represent the resilience and strength of Nigerian women, making us proud every step of the way. Congratulations to you all. Keep soaring to greater heights. Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

The Nigerian women’s national football team, Super Falcons, have been crowned National Team of the Year at the CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco. This feat, announced on Monday, 16 December, 2024 by the Confederation of African Football(CAF) at the presentation ceremony held in Marrakech, Morocco, has further cemented their dominance and excellence in African football. The prestigious recognition highlights the team’s outstanding performances and remarkable contributions over the past year, as they continued to represent Nigeria at the highest level of women’s football on the continent. The CAF Awards celebrate the best in African football annually, recognising teams, players, and…

Nigeria’s Super Falcon goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, on Monday, 16 December, 2024, was crowned the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year at the 2024 CAF Awards. This solidifies her reputation as one of the finest shot-stoppers in world football, winning it last year in 2023. Last year, Paris FC of France shot-stopper beat fellow goalkeepers in the form of Moroccan shot-stopper Khadija El-Rmichi and South Africa’s Andile Olaminii. The Paris FC and Super Falcons goalkeeper was honoured during the grand ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco on the night of Monday, 16 December, 2024 after a phenomenal year that saw her deliver consistent, match-winning performances on both…

Nigerian winger and Atlanta of Italy mercurial player, Ademola Lookman on the night of Monday, 16 December, 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, crowned 2024 African Player of the Year. This award bestowed on Lookman was as a result of his impressive performances for both club and country. He was the standout winner in a year he dazzled the world with his breathtaking skills and scoring abilities. Speaking after being presented with the award by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, assisted by his CAF counterpart, Patrice Motsepe, Lookman advised youths not to be deterred by failures. He advised youths to learn to turn failures into strength and…

Troops of the 6 Division of the Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, have arrested 29 suspects involved in illegal oil bunkering and deactivated 42 illegal refining sites in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states. The Assistant Director of Public Relations of the division, Lt. Col. Danjuma Jonah, who made this disclosure in a statement, said military operations, which were conducted from 9th to 15th December 2024, resulted in the deactivation of 42 illegal refining sites, arrest of 29 suspected oil thieves and confiscation of 197,000 litres of stolen products. Jonah, who said the troops demobilised 32 boats, 12 vehicles and eight motorcycles used…

A former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has explained the influence of cabals after Muhammed Buhari’s victory in 2015. He spoke on the Mic On Podcast published on Sunday, 15 December, 2024. Dalung, who served as minister in the first term of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, alleged how a powerful group hijacked power after the former president’s victory in 2015. Asked to describe what a cabal means, he said it is “a group of ambitious people who were also appointed by the same president to help him govern but they will run his presidency at their own expense and interest.” He…

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr Umo Eno, has insisted that the N80,000 minimum wage for state civil servants will only be implemented after a thorough verification exercise. The governor said no threat of industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) would compel him to bypass this process. Eno, who stated this while speaking during the 17th annual State Christmas Carol Service in Uyo, themed “Peace and Holiness with All Men”, also assured civil servants of a 13th-month salary payment. However, he clarified that the bonus would be calculated based on the existing salary structure, pending the completion of the…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has cautioned the public to refrain from bush burning during the harmattan season to prevent property damage and loss of lives. NEMA’s Head of Operations in Edo State, Ojuedene Kenoma, issued the warning at a workshop aimed at training local government officials and volunteers in disaster prevention, response and control measures. Kenoma stressed the need for preparedness, especially during harmattan when bush burning is prevalent. “Disasters such as tanker accidents, fire outbreaks, or other emergencies occur unexpectedly. It is essential to cultivate a culture of preparedness, awareness and effective response, particularly at the grassroots,”…

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering strategic collaborations with security agencies to enhance tax collection and enforcement. The revenue agency made this disclosure at the weekend in Abuja during a security briefing and meeting between top FIRS officials and law enforcement agencies. Highlighting the critical role of security agencies in achieving the organisation’s ambitious tax targets, the Director of Security, Safety and Fleet Management at FIRS, Gregory Wilfred Asuquo, said: “One thing we’ve come to understand is that we cannot do it alone. We need stakeholders across the board to work together with us. “Tax…

The federal government, through the Debt Management Office (DMO), has concluded plans to raise N120 billion through the auction of two federal government bonds. The auction, scheduled for Monday, 16 December, 2024, will offer investors an opportunity to subscribe to reopened debt instruments, with settlement set for 18 December, 2024. According to Investopedia, a government bond auction is the process of selling short- and long-term government bonds to investors in an attempt to minimise the cost of financing national debt. The DMO in an announcement said the bonds were being offered at N1,000 per unit subject to a minimum subscription of…

Wolves are on the verge of appointing Vitor Pereira as their next new manager, thegazellenews.com reports. Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who made this disclosure in a tweet via his X account on the morning of Monday, 16 December, 2024, said the deal to appoint Pereira is ‘almost done.’ “Wolves are closing in on the appointment of Vitor Pereira as new head coach, deal almost done. “Details being fixed on exit clause from Al Shabab as @David_Ornstein reported. It’s all set to be signed,” Romano tweeted. Wolves had sacked their manager Gary O’Neil and his backroom staff on Sunday, 15 December,…

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is backing the duo of Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie, who are in the run for CAF Player of The Year awards in the men’s and women’s categories respectively on Monday, 16 December, 2024. The country is in line to take home seven awards. Lookman will slug it out for the men’s Player of The Year Award along with Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra and PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea striker, Serhou Guirassy and South Africa goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams. “All things being equal, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman should be crowned the African Player of The Year at Monday…

A Jos Magistrates’ Court presided over by Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, on Monday, 16 December, 2024 sentenced a 20-year old tailor, Ahmad Garba to three months imprisonment for stealing six shirts and six trousers. Bokkos, who summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge, ordered the convict to pay an option of N10, 000 fine or spend three months in prison. Earlier, the Prosecutor, Inspector Ijuptil Thiawur, told the court that the case was reported on 17 November, 2024 at the “C” Division Police station by Usman Mohammed. Thiawur said that the convict trespassed into the complainant’s…

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that the Commission, in a landmark raid, arrested 792 suspects for their alleged involvement in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scam. The suspects were apprehended on Tuesday, 10 December, 2024, in a surprise operation at their hideout, an imposing seven-storey edifice known as Big Leaf Building, on No.7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos , following verifiable intelligence received by the Commission. Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, December 16, 2024, at the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Commission, Olukoyede stated that 148 Chinese, 40 Filipinos,…

Barcelona assistant coach, Marcus Sorg ,has explained why his team lost 1-0 against Leganes in the LaLiga on Sunday, 15 December, 2024. Sorg, who appeared before the press with manager, Hansi Flick suspended for two games, said Barcelona did not start the game focused against Leganes. He added that the Blaugrana failed to beat the visitors despite creating chances. Sergio González’s early goal gave Leganes all three points against the hosts. “The team did not start the game focused and that led to the goal,” Sorg said at his post-match interview. “The team have found it difficult in the league…

The Dangote Refinery said it has exported Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to Cameroon, Angola, Ghana, and South Africa in the past few weeks alone. In a statement by Dangote Group spokesperson, Anthony Chijiena, Devakumar Edwin, the Vice President of Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, disclosed this while playing host to a delegation from the Japanese Business Community in Nigeria, led by Japan’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo. Edwin, who said this while confirming that Dangote Refinery Petroleum products meet international standards and are already being exported globally, also noted that diesel has been exported across the world while jet…

Ahead of 2027 presidential poll, the North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has backed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office. The APC Forum, in a statement released after a meeting in Abuja on Sunday,15 December, 2024, said the North-Central would stand behind the President in the 2027 presidential election. The Chairman of the North-Central APC Forum, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, who stated this in statement, explained that the Forum decided to endorse Tinubu for a second term because his administration had extended several opportunities to the North-Central zone since he assumed office as President in 2023. Recall that…

The Nigerian Exchange Group, NGX, through its regulatory subsidiary, NGX Regulation Limited, NGX Regco, has wielded its big stick by issuing around 3,792 regulatory actions on license holders in 13 years. This is according to a recent report by trading license holders’ compliance, BrokerTraX. The report showed that from 2011 to 2023, 3,792 infractions were documented, including 193 rules breaches by stockbroking firms. The initiative is designed to improve investors’ confidence. A more detailed analysis of the report indicated that in 2011, the NGX Regco carried out 257 enforcement actions against stock broking firms. The number rose to 436 in…

The Presidency on Monday, 16 December, 2024 described the remarks about Nigeria made by the newly elected United Kingdom Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, as a “cock and bull story.” President Bola Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, insisted that Badenoch lied about her upbringing in Nigeria. Recall that in 2022, Badenoch accused Nigerian politicians of using public funds for their private matters. She claimed that her upbringing in Nigeria was overshadowed by fear and insecurity because the country was plagued by corruption. After she was elected as UK Conservative Party leader in November 2024, the…

The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Thursday, December 12, 2024 arraigned the duo of Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, staff of one of the new generation banks, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State for allegedly selling newly-minted N500,000 They were arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on currency racketeering to the tune of N500,000. The lone count charge reads: “That you, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, sometime in October 2024 at Enugu, Enugu state, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High…