Author: bibncollar

A dispatch rider, Mr Monday Osazuwa, who is the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele on Monday, told the court he kept no record of monies collected for Emefiele. Osazuwa disclosed this before a Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja when he was again cross-examined by Emefiele’s counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN). Emefiele is standing trial over alleged abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of $4.5bn and N2.8bn. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had, on April 8, 2024, arraigned Emefiele along…

Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward #07 Vinicius Junior reacts during the Spanish league football match between RC Celta de Vigo and Real Madrid CF at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo on October 19, 2024. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP) Brazil and Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior has reacted after coming second in the 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or award. Vincius wrote on X: “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready,” in a post that instantly went viral on social media. Recall Real Madrid boycotted the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris after the Spanish club announced its delegation…

A Federal High Court Judge Justice Simon Amobeda has refused to comply with a judicial transfer order to Kogi State, nearly three months after the directive from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John T. Tsoho. Justice Amobeda, who had been based in Kano, was posted to Kogi in July 2024, yet he has remained in Kano. According to reports, Justice Tsoho issued a nationwide posting directive dated July 12, 2024, mandating all reassigned judges to report to their new divisions, which include major centres such as Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, Kwara, and Kogi.…

Mr Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT on Monday, threw his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to actualise local government autonomy. The minister disclosed this on Monday when he inaugurated the upgrading of War College/Army Checkpoint Road and other ancillary roads in Ushafa, Bwari Area Council, Abuja. Wike, who said he had no apology backing the move for local government autonomy, urged residents of local government areas to hold their council leaders accountable. He lauded the good working relationship himself and the Minister of State, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud have with the chairmen of the six…

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been named the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, becoming the first Premier League player in 16 years to scoop the prestigious prize. Rodri, who picked up an ACL injury in September against Arsenal, enjoyed the standout season of his career in 2023-24, winning a fourth consecutive Premier League title and lifting the Euro 2024 trophy with Spain. The 28-year-old won the Best Player award from the tournament in Germany last summer despite being forced off at half-time in the final against England. He was helped on to the stage after arriving on crutches, having been ruled…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed concern over the blackout in the northern region of Nigeria in the last week. He is now leading efforts to end the disruption that has paralysed social and economic activities, summoning the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The President has directed the Minister of Power and relevant agencies to speed up the pace of work to restore electricity to all the affected states in the North. President Tinubu is saddened by the reports of vandalism and wilful destruction of power infrastructure and other public assets that caused…

Injury-hit Italian Serie A side Genoa announced the signing of former Italy striker Mario Balotelli on Monday. Genoa have seven players out injured including forwards Junior Messias, Vitinha and Caleb Ekuban and have decided to take a gamble on free agent Balotelli, who last played in Serie A for Brescia four years ago and last season was at Adana Demirspor in Turkey. “Balotelli is a new player for Genoa, welcome Super Mario” confirmed the club down in 18th after Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Lazio. Balotelli has signed until the end of the season, Italian media reported. Born in Palermo…

Universities across the country, especially those owned by the federal government, were on Monday shut down by non-academic staff under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU and the Non-academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions, NASU. The step followed the decision of the national leaders of the two unions that their members should start an indefinite industrial action as a result of the failure of the government to pay them four months of their salaries that were withheld following the 2022 strike by university workers. Situation in UNILAG The Branch Chairman of SSANU, the…

The Northern Governors Forum has stated that the economic hardship currently faced by Nigerians is more pronounced in the northern region than in the southern region due to disparities in economic inequality. The forum also expressed concern over the darkness currently experienced in the northern region, emphasising the urgent need to build additional transmission lines and diversify energy supply to address the issue. Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, the Chairman of the forum, disclosed this on Monday during a meeting with traditional rulers in the region in Kaduna. The governor noted that the “End Bad Governance” protests that took…

Real Madrid are hugely disappointed and angry at what they consider to be an injustice with an award that for the club loses its value and “right now ceases to exist”. In fact, Los Blancos have cancelled the special programming they had planned for the Ballon d’Or on RMTV, which was going to last five hours. There will be no trace of the Ballon d’Or from now on at Valdebebas and at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. It was yesterday morning when Real Madrid began to receive information that perhaps Vinicius would not be the winner. It was all speculation, but…