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Vinicius Junior (24) has silenced rumours about a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, saying he wanted to stay at Real Madrid for "many more years" in an interview published on Friday. "Being able to keep making history here is very important for me and my family. I hope to stay in the team for many more years," he told club media. Spanish media had reported that Vinicius received a stratospheric offer to join a club in Saudi Arabia, which has attracted stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in recent years. Vinicius notched his 100th Real Madrid goal during a Champions League fixture against Salzburg last week, joining a pantheon of legends including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Raul, Alfredo Di Stefano and Brazilian compatriot Ronaldo. "I came here as a boy, at 18 and with lots of dreams. I didn't think I would score so many goals in a short time," he added in the interview. "Entering club history i...

A  report by the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative has unveiled that N3.5 trillion was unaccounted for by various government agencies. The organization highlighted issues from the 2021 audit of the Nigerian Government. A total of N2.9 trillion was unaccounted for due to unrecovered outstanding revenue/debts. According to the report, N7.4 billion was unaccounted for due to irregularities in awarding contracts, N115.8 billion due to irregular payments, and N167.6 billion due to payments for unexecuted jobs/contracts. Under-deduction of taxes amounted to N129.3 million, while non-deduction reached N2.6 billion, and non-remittance stood at N11.6 billion. Payments lacking supporting documents totaled N8.3 billion, violations of the federal government’s e-payment policy amounted to N18 billion, and misapplication of funds was N663.9 million. Funds unaccounted for due to lack of due process in awarding contracts amounted to N20.3 billion. Unaccounted expenditures were N122.5 billion,...

Nigerian workers have announced February 4, 2025, as the date to embark on a nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications services tariff hike in the country. The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. This comes as the Nigerian Communications Commission on January 20, 2025, announced the approval for telecom companies to hike services tariffs by 50 percent. The approval has sparked a wide tide of rejection by Nigerians, including the NLC. In an update to press home their opposition against the telecom tariff hike, the NLC vowed to shut down the country through a nationwide protest. This is part of its mobilisation against the planned 50 percent telecom tariff hike. DAILY POST reported that the nationwide protest was agreed on at the ongoing National Administrative Council, NAC, of the labour union. The protest aims at sounding a note of warning to the government that workers would resist the planned hike as it would worsen the povert...

Japan saw a record number of suicides among school pupils in 2024, health ministry data showed Wednesday. The latest data among those in elementary through high school edged up to 527 from 513 cases in 2023, the ministry said. The total number of people of all ages dying by suicide fell 7.2 percent to 20,268, sharply lower from the record high of 34,427 cases in 2003. The number among people aged younger than 20, including those at school, also fell to 800 in 2024 from 810 in 2023, the latest data showed. “We regard this very seriously,” Keiichiro Tachibana, deputy chief cabinet secretary, told a regular press briefing. “We will continue do our utmost to take measures to protect children’s lives and to realise a society where no one is pressed into taking their own life.” The health ministry was expected to issue its analysis of the data in March after more figures become available. Japan annually sees the number of teen suicides rise at the end of every summer break in late August thr...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu   joined other leaders yesterday in decrying the paradox of Africa’s vast energy wealth coexisting with widespread insufficiency. He described it as an unacceptable reality that demands urgent action. The President joined other leaders in adopting the Dar es Salaam Declaration, which commits to providing access to electricity for 300 million people in Africa by 2030. He was in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he participated in the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit. The President returned to Abuja at about 7:40pm and was received by senior government officials. The two-day Summit was hosted by the government of Tanzania in collaboration with the African Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the World Bank Group. A high point of the event was the presidential endorsement of the Dar es Salaam Declaration by African leaders at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre. Following the reading of the Declaration, leaders from Nigeria, Chad, Côt...

It was gathered that the raid conducted around 1am on December 16, 2024, targeted an old bungalow near St. Mary Catholic Church, Ifofin, and Ogbon Idio in the Ilesa-East Local Government Area. The Department of State Services (DSS) has revealed details of a covert operation that led to the arrest of 10 suspected members of Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Ilesa, Osun State. It was gathered that the raid conducted around 1am on December 16, 2024, targeted an old bungalow near St. Mary Catholic Church, Ifofin, and Ogbon Idio in the Ilesa-East Local Government Area. A team of about 30 DSS operatives carried out the operation, which had been in motion for 90 days. The suspects, identified as Adamu Abubakar (aka Abu Aisha), Babagana Bashuli, Muhammed Adam, Mustapha Abacha, Katuru Muhammed, Babakura Abacha, Muhammed Ciroma, Ali Gambo, Muhammed Umoru, and Muhammed Bundi, were reportedly undergoing training on manufacturing and detonating explosives at the time of their...

According to the report, a large portion of the funds was dedicated to supplying essential food staples such as rice, beans, maize, and other commodities.  The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government reportedly spent a total of N9.74billion for the procurement and distribution of food items as part of its efforts to mitigate the nationwide food crisis in 2024.  This was revealed by BudgIT on its platform, GovSpend, a civic-tech organisation advocating for transparency and accountability. According to the report, a large portion of the funds was dedicated to supplying essential food staples such as rice, beans, maize, and other commodities. The report showed that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security led the initiatives, making multiple payments to contractors responsible for the emergency supply of palliative foodstuffs to various federal constituencies.  Key transactions included payments for the delivery of rice, beans, and garri to help alleviate ...

Ruud van Nistelrooy (48) admitted Leicester's 2-0 defeat against Crystal Palace on Wednesday was the lowest moment of his reign at the relegation-threatened club. Van Nistelrooy's side suffered a sixth consecutive loss as they missed a host of chances at the King Power Stadium before Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marc Guehi netted for Palace. Second-bottom Leicester are two points from safety after winning just three of their first 21 league games this season. "There's hope there, the spirit is there in the team, but today is a big blow," Van Nistelrooy said. "It was I think the lowest that we've felt so far in my spell because today we had high hopes of proving ourselves with points and a performance." Former Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy, who served as the Old Trafford club's interim boss prior to Ruben Amorim's appointment in November, was hired by Leicester following Steve Cooper's sacking. But the former PS...

African football great Yakubu Ayegbeni (42) says Arsenal must sign a striker to have a chance of winning the Premier League this season, ahead of Liverpool. The Gunners kept up their bid for the Premier League title with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night. After being initially put behind by Son Heung-Min’s opener, Mikel Arteta’s side fought back to secure all three points with Dominic Solanke’s own goal and a strike from Leandro Trossard. With the result, Arsenal have moved up to second in the standings, now just four points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. While not dismissing the possibility of the Gunners challenging the Reds to end their 21-year wait, the former Middlesbrough and Everton striker believes the club needs more firepower in attack to make it happen. "This season is proving to be quite challenging. When you look at how Liverpool are...

Nollywood actress Faithia Williams is celebrating a proud moment as her son, Khalid Balogun, graduates with a first-class degree from the   University of Lagos . The elated mother shared the news on Instagram, posting a photo of Khalid alongside a heartfelt message. In her post, she expressed immense joy and gratitude, applauding her son for his dedication, hard work, and perseverance. Faithia prayed for her son’s continued success, happiness, and fulfillment, asking that he be guided by faith, courage, and determination as he embarks on his new journey.  She wrote: “Hmm, I’m short of words… Alhamdulillah! Alhamdulillah! Alhamdulillah! My darling son, @khalidgram__ I’m overwhelmed with joy and gratitude as I celebrate your incredible achievement! You’ve worked tirelessly and persevered through the challenges, and today, you’ve emerged with a FIRST CLASS DEGREE from the University of Lagos’ Creative Department! “Alhamdulillah, my heart is bursting with pride and love for you, m...

The police have vowed to take legal actions against Amnesty International on what it described as false publication over the bad governance protest if there is no retraction. NPF demanded an immediate retraction and public apology concerning a publication titled: “Bloody August: Nigeria government’s violent crackdown on and bad governance protests” via a letter dated January 6, 2025 to Amnesty International.  According to a statement on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Police said: “The publication in question, which includes numerous unsubstantiated claims, falsely accuses the Nigeria Police of human rights violations, police brutality, and excessive violence during the August 2024 End Bad Governance protests. Upon careful review and investigation, the NPF categorically rejects these baseless allegations, affirming that the claims are entirely false and without foundation. “The NPF emphasises that during the protests, the Police acted ...

In a bid to improve the fortunes of Nigerian football and sports at all levels, the federal government has earmarked over N31.4 billion for the renovation and upgrade of critical sports facilities across the country.  This initiative, under the National Sports Infrastructure Development Plan, is part of a broader strategy to rejuvenate the country’s sports sector, elevate athletic performance and restore Nigeria’s capacity to host international sporting events.  At the heart of this ambitious project lies the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, alongside other iconic sports facilities, such as the National Stadium in Surulere in Lagos, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu and Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt. These historic sports arenas are slated for substantial upgrades that promise to restore their statuses as world-class facilities.  According to the leadership of the reinstated National Sports Commission (NSC), the initiative refl...

Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, rejected the estimate during budget defence before a joint committee session on INEC and Electoral Matters, at the National Assembly on Friday. The INEC chairman in his presentation before the joint committee chaired by Senator Sarafadeen Alli (APC, Oyo South), said elections in Nigeria have become huge burden requiring adequate funding. He said, “Our proposal for the 2025 budget, the provision requires the sum of over N126 billion.  We have the document that has provided details line by line on how we intended to spend the N126 billion. “We would like the support of the National to enable us to achieve our responsibilities in the first line charge and most of these responsibilities are constitutional. “In a nutshell, the N40 billion budget envelope given us  for 2025 will not cover 1/3 of projected expenses which  totally amounts to over N126 billion “Aside the off-cycle elections for 21 constituencies to be filled through...

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says the country is not under “serious threat for now” for the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV).  While there have been concerns over the outbreak of the virus in certain parts of the world, the NCDC has assured Nigerians that the country is safe and there is no cause for alarm. “Let me say, there’s no serious threat for now. That’s one. Two, this HMPV virus, it’s not a new virus. It’s just that it’s not well-known. But it’s been implicated in many respiratory infections over the years, over the countries, especially in children, and elderly people,” the NCDC Director-General Jide Idris said on Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s  Sunrise Daily “Just like the normal flu, old virus or influenza, respiratory virus, it’s just one of those causes of respiratory problems.” ‘We Learned our Lessons’ The NCDC boss said the country is monitoring the situation and is on high alert with no cases reported in Nigeria yet. “We are in a ...

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday urged the government of the People’s Republic of China to increase the $2 billion currency swap between Nigeria and China to enhance trade between the two countries. He also called for an upward review of the $50 billion aid package for Africa, which China’s President Xi Jinping announced last year. China and Nigeria recently renewed their currency swap agreement, valued at 15 billion yuan (approximately $2 billion), to enhance trade and investment. Receiving the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Wang Yi, at the State House Abuja, the President said increasing the level of currency swaps will speed up the infrastructural development in Nigeria and deepen the strategic bilateral relations. “We still demand more in the area of currency swap. The level you have approved as a government for Nigeria is inadequate considering our programme. If you can increase that, it will be well appreciated. Our bond should grow stronger and become unbreakable,” the P...

Arbitration Tribunal in Lagos has ordered SANEF Creatives Limited, owned by Bankers’ Committee of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay N19.4 billion to Hanson Dredging and Marine Service Limited (HDMS). The payment is for the unlawful termination of its contract for dredging and reclamation work at Lagos Creative Entertainment Centre (LCEC), known as National Theatre. Sole Arbitrator, Ayo Fanimokun, gave the order on December 30 in his final arbitral award in the dispute between HDMS and SANEF Creatives. SANEF is a special-purpose vehicle of Bankers’ Committee comprising CBN and banks. HDMS took SANEF before Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Arbitration Tribunal in 2023 after its contract was unlawfully terminated in May 2022. In its claims through Dr. Charles Mekwunye (SAN), HDMS averred that having signed the contract for dredging and reclamation of LCEC with SANEF on November 11, 2021, it mobilised to site. It claimed to have completed over 60 per cent of ...

Telephone tariffs will soon go up, following Federal Government’s approval of the request by telecom operators. The approval was conveyed yesterday by Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani during a meeting with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). The new tariffs regime is likely to begin next month as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the regulator of the sector, plans to release the guidelines latest by end of the month. Telephone tariffs were last increased about a decade ago. Operators’ bid for approval to raise tariffs grew louder since 2022. In recent weeks, chief executives of MTN Nigeria Karl Toriola  and Airtel Nigeria Dinesh Balsingh personally canvassed the increase in tariff to “save the industry”. At yesterday’s meeting, Tijani said the approval being considered by the Federal Government through the NCC had become imperative to stimulate growth and investments in the sector. The MNOs have bee...

O ver 30,000 residents have been told to evacuate their homes as a massive wildfire, fuelled by extreme winds, swept through Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, United States, forcing thousands to flee.    Among the evacuees are celebrities like Ben Affleck, James Woods, and the Kardashians, Mail Online reports.   The inferno, now encompassing 2,900 acres, consumes over three football fields of land every minute.  "This is pretty much the worst possible scenario for a firefight," said firefighter David Ortiz, warning residents to obey evacuation orders.   Mandatory evacuations extend to Malibu and Calabasas, with areas like Las Lomas Avenue severely affected.    Witnesses report "dozens" of homes destroyed, with million-dollar properties reduced to rubble. Distressing images show structures crumbling under relentless flames. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state-wide emergency, while President Joe Biden pledged federal assistance. "My Administration will ...

S ix Nigerian soldiers were killed in a pre-dawn attack on their base in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area, Borno State, by fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Abuja has confirmed.  The insurgents launched the assault on Sunday, arriving in gun trucks and on motorcycles.  “We lost six soldiers in the ISWAP terrorists attack on the base after an intense gun battle,” a source had said.  The attackers set fire to the base and destroyed army vehicles before being countered. Fighter jets were deployed from Maiduguri and struck the fleeing insurgents.  In an update on Wednesday, the DHQ confirmed that 34 terrorists were killed and 23 AK-47 rifles recovered.    It stated, “Troops also recovered over 200 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition. Sadly, six personnel were killed in action.”   The DHQ said the insurgents sought to retaliate for the recent killing of their commander.    It noted...

A 35-year-old man, Chima Okafor, was allegedly set ablaze by his kinsman, Obinna Obiekea, popularly known as Losky and his son, Chidubem Obiekea, over a stolen knicker jean valued at N25,000. The victim, who was dragged out of a church during a crossover night on December 31 at Nnebugwu Autonomous Community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, was allegedly set ablaze by the suspects and others at large. The victim’s father, Mr. Uche Okafor, who petitioned the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, said: “My son was dragged out of a church on December 31, at Nnebugwu autonomous community in Oguta LGA of Imo state where he was attending a crossover night and was allegedly set ablaze by the suspects.” “My son was later rescued and rushed to Congregation Of The Poor Handmaid of Jesus Christ hospital at Mgbele in Oguta where he died same day owing to high degree of burn he suffered.” The petition reads: “I urge you sir to use your good offices to ensure that those at large are arre...

Three persons repeatedly died in Ogbomoso on Tuesday when a container-laden truck lost control and fell on a commercial tricycle at Takie Junction around 9:30 a.m. The Nation gathered that the articulated vehicle lost control while navigating a bend, causing the container to topple and crush the tricycle, locally known as Keke marwa. An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said that two female passengers and the tricycle rider were trapped under the container, saying rescue efforts later confirmed all three victims died.  Efforts are underway to remove the container from the road to avert further accidents and restore traffic flow in the area.  Authorities have urged motorists to exercise caution while approaching the affected section of the road. THE NATION