WHALEXTRA

Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke , OPWS, have killed a suspected bandit believed to be linked to the attack that resulted in the death of former Secretary to the Government, SSG, of Benue State, Professor David Salifu. The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Ahmad Zubairu. Zubairu said the operation was carried out in Jotar village, close to the Quarantine Checkpoint, after security operatives received credible intelligence about the activities of suspected kidnappers in the area. According to Zubairu, troops deployed at Kyado quickly moved to the location on July 2, 2026, to stop the criminal gang from carrying out its planned operation. “On arrival at the scene, troops engaged the armed suspects in a fierce gun battle, neutralising one of the terrorists while others fled with suspected gunshot wounds,” he said.

  Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to either resign or abandon any plans to seek re-election in 2027, citing the worsening insecurity across the country. In a statement released on Monday, Obi expressed concern over the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State more than 50 days ago. Following a visit to Governor Seyi Makinde, he said the prolonged delay in rescuing the victims reflects a failure of leadership and governance. The former Anambra governor revealed that he was surprised to learn that President Tinubu had allegedly not contacted Makinde over the abduction. Obi said previous presidents, including Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, regularly reached out to state governors during major security crises.

At least two people died on Wednesday during massive celebrations in Mexico City as the national team advanced to the next round at the World Cup, according to the local government. A 19-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man died of asphyxiation, according to the city’s health ministry. Authorities have not confirmed the death of a third person, reported by local media. The celebrations came after Mexico beat Ecuador to record their first World Cup knockout win since 1986, sending the co-hosts into the round of 16. More than a million people gathered in the streets of Mexico City, mainly around the Angel of Independence monument, according to estimates by the city government.

  France winger Michael Olise has moved to the top of the assists chart at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after another impressive display in Les Bleus’ Round of 32 victory over Sweden. Olise registered two assists in France’s comfortable 3-0 win, helping Didier Deschamps’ side book a place in the Round of 16, where they will face Paraguay. The Bayern Munich star set up two second-half goals to take his tally to five assists in the tournament, making him the outright leader in the playmaking rankings. The 24-year-old also came close to opening his goalscoring account with a spectacular bicycle-kick before half-time, but his effort crashed against the post. Olise’s five assists are already the highest by any player in a single World Cup campaign since 1994, underlining his influence in France’s run to the knockout stages.

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru , has approved a major cabinet reshuffle, and redeployed commissioners in a move aimed at strengthening governance and improving service delivery. The changes were announced on Monday by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebe, while briefing reporters after the State Executive Council meeting at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Abakaliki. Omebe said the reshuffle followed the swearing-in of two new appointees into the administration—Prof. Omari Omaka (SAN), who was inaugurated as Commissioner for Tertiary Education, and Njoku Onyekachi Felix, who was sworn in as Special Assistant to the Governor and subsequently assigned as Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation. Under the new arrangement, Hon. Chidi Onyia has been redeployed from the Ministry of Solid Mineral Development to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development. Mrs. Dr. Ngozi Obichukwu moves from the Ministry of Aviation to the Mini...

  The member representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will secure an easy victory in the 2027 general election. Oseni, an All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial aspirant for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the achievements recorded by the Tinubu administration over the past three years have positioned the President for re-election, insisting that no opposition party can prevent Nigerians from returning him to office for a second term. The lawmaker spoke in Ibadan during an empowerment programme he facilitated for farmers in his constituency, where more than 7,000 beneficiaries received farm inputs, agrochemicals and farming tools. Oseni, who chairs the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), also reaffirmed his commitment to mobilising support for the President through the Remi Oseni Committee of Friends (ROCOF...

Three African nations have secured places in the Round of 32 at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking a strong showing for the continent at the expanded tournament. Out of the 10 teams representing the continent, Morocco, South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire have so far confirmed their places in the knockout stage. Egypt, Ghana, Cabo Verde, Algeria, Senegal and Congo DR remain in contention ahead of their final group matches as of Friday, June 26. Morocco finished runners-up in Group C after a 4-2 victory over Haiti, setting up a Round of 32 clash against Group F winners the Netherlands on June 29. South Africa made history by reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time after recovering from an opening defeat to co-hosts Mexico.

  The parents of a Nigerian student convicted of robbery and blackmail in the United Kingdom have appealed to the authorities to review the verdict, insisting that their son was wrongly convicted and is innocent of all the charges against him. Mr Aderinkola Akinrinola and Mrs Olayinka Akinrinola made the appeal in a statement released in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, following the conviction of their son, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola , by a UK court on June 19, 2026. He is currently being held in a prison in Nottingham pending his sentencing, scheduled for July 27. The distraught parents alleged that the conviction was based largely on circumstantial evidence and their son’s association with the principal suspect in the case. They explained that their son met Richile Vagnu shortly after resuming his studies as a first-year student at Leicester University in September 2025, describing their relationship as that of acquaintances rather than close associates.