L ionel Messi has retired from international football. The 39-year-old confirmed the decision on Monday in an Instagram statement , ending a 21-year career with Argentina that saw him become the nation’s most-capped player and all-time top scorer with 125 goals in 207 games. Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, and to Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024. He also captained the team to victory in the 2022 Finalissima. This summer he took Argentina to another World Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Spain in extra time on July 19. In his statement, Messi said the choice was painful but necessary. A post he first wrote on July 21, two days after the final, was updated after the death of his father, Jorge, on August 8.  “Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before,” Messi wrote. “I always gave it my all for this jersey. Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I’ve given everything I had. ...

H uman rights activist and 2027 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has welcomed the Department of State Services’ decision to pause his alleged cybercrime trial, but says that is not enough. The DSS had instructed its lawyer to seek an adjournment of the case until after the 2027 elections, to avoid interfering with Sowore’s participation in the polls. Reacting in a statement, Sowore described the development as proof that resistance works. He said the agency had been “forced to eat humble pie” over a prosecution he called unlawful and futile from the beginning. “We have fought too many of these battles to be intimidated now and we have prevailed again and again,” he said. “From the brutal days of military dictatorship, through the dark years of Buhari, and now under the Tinubu regime, we have remained standing, resisting, organising, and fighting.” Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., Sowore added, “A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent,” stressing that oppression grows only w...

  F or the family of the truck driver abducted in Yewa North last week, Monday brought the news they had been praying for. He is home safe. Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command rescued the driver and killed two suspected kidnappers during a raid on their hideout. The driver was taken around 11:10pm on August 25, 2026, near Ajibawo in Ibese. After the distress call came in, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit went to work. Acting on solid information, they tracked the gang to a hideout along the Papalanto-Ilaro Road. What happened next was tense. As police moved in, the suspects opened fire. Officers returned fire. When the shooting stopped, two of the kidnappers were dead. Others escaped with gunshot injuries. Police said teams are already searching for them. Inside the hideout, officers recovered two AK-47 rifles, 25 rounds of 5.6mm ammunition, two mobile phones and N2 million believed to be proceeds from crime. The truck driver was also found and freed without harm. ASP Oluborode Ope...

P resident Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the African Union to step in and end the repeated attacks on Africans and other foreigners living in South Africa. Represented at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Luanda, Angola, the President said the violence was damaging African unity and the peaceful life the continent is trying to build. Tribune Online reported the statement. He made it clear that while South Africa has the right to enforce its immigration laws, the attacks on migrants must not continue. “Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa,” the statement said. To address it, Tinubu asked AU leaders to include the matter on the agenda of the 40th Ordinary Session of the Assembly coming up in January 2027, so concrete steps can be taken. According to Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Nigeria has already starte...

F riday night at IMAX Cinemas, Lekki, started like any other. People were buying popcorn, taking selfies, and waiting for their movies. Within minutes, that calm turned into chaos. A man carrying a machete and a knife tried to walk into the cinema. Security guards at the gate stopped him. Witnesses said the man looked lost, and many believed he was on drugs. When the guards refused him entry, he snapped, Vanguard Newspaper reported. What followed was deadly. The Lagos State Police Command said the man attacked and stabbed one guard to death, and left another guard injured. Before police could fully respond, an angry crowd surrounded the suspect. The man, described as looking homeless, was beaten by the mob and died at the scene. Giving an update, police spokesperson SP Adebisi Abimbola confirmed the toll to Vanguard Newspaper:   “Two people have been confirmed dead. We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.” She said detectives are still trying to identi...

A re you a newly admitted student checking for your name on the JAMB matriculation list and finding nothing? You are not alone.  The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board says it is not a system error. Most cases happen because three simple steps have not been completed. In a message shared on its official X page on Friday, JAMB explained what candidates need to do to get their names on the list. First, JAMB said many students forget to accept their admission on CAPS. That is the Central Admissions Processing System. If your JAMB portal still shows “Not Admitted” or you never clicked “Accept,” your name will not appear. The board advised students in this situation to return to their school and ask them to process the admission properly. Second, some schools have not sent student details to JAMB. Even after you accept admission, your institution must verify you and forward your information to JAMB. “Your institution admission office has not forwarded your verified matriculation d...

P opular socialite Afolabi Kazeem Micheal, better known as KC Luxury, will remain in NDLEA custody for another month after a Lagos court approved the agency’s request to extend his detention. Justice Akintayo Aluko granted the order on August 20 to give the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency more time to investigate allegations against him, The Cable reported. KC Luxury was picked up by NDLEA officers on August 13 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport while he was said to be heading to Paris. The arrest followed the interception of 184.5kg of cocaine. The NDLEA described the seizure as the largest ever made from a courier firm in the country. Chairman of the agency, Buba Marwa, told the court that the socialite was in possession of €7,750, £2,800, N100,000 and luxury jewelry at the time of his arrest. Another suspect, Lawal Kehinde, who works with a logistics company linked to the package, was also arrested. Investigators told the judge that Nigeria is being used to move illegal...

P resident Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, citing the need to fix structural problems that have led to repeated failures to qualify for major tournaments. The directive was announced on Thursday in a statement shared on X by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. According to the President, the reform should strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, player development, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football. “Football is Nigeria’s most popular sport. It receives the most public support, investment and national attention,” Tinubu said. “Yet it continues to struggle largely because of structural deficits within the system.” He noted that while other sports have recorded progress since the National Sports Commission was re-established, football has not made the same gains. The President said it is important for Nigerian football to match the country’s talent, pas...

T he leadership of Nigerian football has changed after NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau and members of the Executive Committee reportedly resigned on Wednesday. The federation is yet to issue an official confirmation, but the move comes after months of pressure over poor results and poor management, according to a report by Independent Newspaper Nigeria. The immediate trigger was the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It is the first time Nigeria will miss the tournament since it started in 1991. Under Gusau, other national teams and clubs also struggled to qualify for major competitions. Players and officials also complained of unpaid allowances and delayed payments. Gusau had said he wanted to seek re-election, but calls for him and the board to step down grew louder. Stakeholders asked for a full review of the federation. There were also concerns about possible FIFA sanctions if government was seen interfering. But some analysts said reforms co...

R elief may be on the way for thousands of drivers stuck for months on the Benin-Asaba highway. The Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Wednesday ordered the company handling the road to leave the site immediately. He said the firm has failed to fix the road and should write the Federal Government to end its contract, as reported by Champion Newspaper . Speaking at a meeting in Edo Government House, Benin, Umahi said the concessionaire, Benin Asaba Expressway Concession Company, has not added any value to the project. “You should be removed from this site. You don’t have the capacity to fix this road,” the minister said. He also asked the company to clear all blockages causing traffic jams right away. Umahi directed the Ministry of Works to get the Independent Engineer to measure the work done so far. He warned that any bad work, including asphalt removed against the contract, will not be paid for. The cost of repairs will also be added. To ease the pain on road users, he said the bad p...

I t’s official. The Headies are back, and this year a breakout star is leading the race. Organisers unveiled the full nominee list for the 18th Headies Awards on Tuesday. The big night will hold in Toronto, Canada, on October 25, 2026, celebrating the best songs and performances released between August 1, 2024, and April 30, 2026. This year’s nominations cover 35 categories, reflecting a music scene that keeps growing bigger, bolder, and more diverse. From chart-topping veterans to fresh faces breaking through, everyone got a seat at the table. Topping the list is newcomer Fola, who earned 10 nominations off the success of his debut album 'Catharsis'. Close behind is Omah Lay with 8 nods, while Wizkid and Mavo both picked up 7 nominations each. Heavyweights Davido and Asake also pulled in 6 nominations each. On the female side, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage lead with 5 nominations apiece. The battle for 'Song of the Year' looks set to be a thriller. In the running are Kunm...

T he Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, says solving Nigeria’s unemployment problem will take more than government action. He wants communities and private businesses to take the lead. The monarch spoke in Osogbo while unveiling the second branch of Ojaja Moore, his youth-focused enterprise hub. According to Champion Newspaper , Oba Ogunwusi told the gathering: “At this point in our nation, we all must do our part. We cannot keep waiting on government alone. There should be stronger community participation and business-driven projects.” He noted that even traditional rulers must step in to create opportunities for young people. “Nigeria is at a point where we must back our youths. That is the reason we are growing Ojaja Moore,” he stated. The Ooni said the brand was set up to give young Nigerians a chance to earn, create, and build. He described Ojaja Moore as a place for young makers to show their talent and turn ideas into products and income. “It is important for our youth to showca...

M anchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City striker Bunny Shaw were the big winners at the Professional Footballers’ Association awards held early Wednesday. According to Sky Sports , Fernandes was voted the best men’s player in the Premier League for the 2025/26 season by other players. The 31-year-old set a new league record with 21 assists, beating records previously held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. He also scored 9 goals and helped United finish third in the league and qualify for Europe’s top club competition. “It is obviously a very proud moment,” Fernandes said. “They are the ones you go on the pitch against and it's probably not easy to vote for someone you play against, so it is a very good moment.” He is the first Manchester United player to win the award since Wayne Rooney in 2010. On the women’s side, City’s Shaw, 29, won the best women’s player award for the second time. She scored 21 goals, won the top scorer prize for the third year in a ...

W ork has begun on demolishing the old Carter Bridge in Lagos after the Federal Government declared it unsafe for further repairs. News Digest reported that checks done in 2013, 2019 and this year all showed the same result: the bridge’s underwater supports were badly damaged.  Works Minister David Umahi said the submerged piles and caps had weakened beyond fixing. He noted that pulling the bridge down and starting afresh was the only safe option. The bridge currently spans 1.525km. Its replacement will run 1.93km and include a flyover ramp to cut traffic jams around the corridor. The new design also provides two 105-metre water channels for boats to pass through. CCECC won the construction contract after competing with Julius Berger, CBC and China Harbour High Tech. Before that, the Federal Executive Council approved N5.6 billion for detailed design and cost estimates. For decades, Carter Bridge has linked Lagos Island to the mainland. But years of heavy traffic and salt water to...

A mericans will see the flag lowered across the country this week to remember Dolly Parton. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. flags will fly at half-staff for seven days following the death of the country music icon. Parton died at 80. Her family confirmed the news earlier in the day. In a tribute posted online, Trump called her one of the greatest voices in music history. “It is very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away,” he wrote. “This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will.” He said the flag would be lowered starting Tuesday at 6:00 PM.   “In her honor, I am lowering the American flag throughout the United States for a one week period beginning tonight at 6:00PM. Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you.” That means federal buildings, military bases, and government offices nationwide will keep their flags at half-staff until nex...

D olly Parton, the singer behind Jolene, I Will Always Love You and Coat of Many Colours, has died at 80. Her family announced the news on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, in a video posted on her official Instagram page by her nephew, Brian Seaver. "Dolly lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely," he said. Her team later confirmed she died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, calling her a "global icon and humanitarian." Born in 1946 in a poor farming family in Tennessee, Parton was the fourth of 12 children. She began singing in church at age six and performed at the Grand Ole Opry at 13. Over 60 years she released hundreds of songs, sold more than 100 million records, and had 25 US country No.1s. "Jolene" and I Will Always Love You were written days apart in the early 1970s. 'Jolene' became a worldwide hit with the line "I'm begging of you please don't take my man." "I Will Always Love You" later became the best...

US Army trainer works with Nigerian soldiers during drone training in Bauchi. Photo: U.S. Africa Command The United States is training Nigerian soldiers in Bauchi State. The focus is on using drones, treating injured soldiers on the battlefield, and other important army skills. This was announced on Monday in a report by US Africa Command, AFRICOM. The training is taking place at the US operating base in Bauchi. It is part of the ongoing security partnership between both countries to make Nigerian forces stronger and better prepared. During the training, soldiers learned many things. These include how to save lives in combat, how to handle weapons, how to hide in the bush, how to clean water, how to deal with bombs, small group tactics, and how to fly and use unmanned aircraft, also called drones. “US and Nigerian troops are training together in Bauchi to share skills, build capacity and grow the relationship between our soldiers,” AFRICOM said. Captain Gabriel Feingold, a US Army off...

F or most Nigerians, biometric verification takes seconds. For Jidds, it has meant years of waiting, explaining, and finding other ways to prove her identity. The Instagram user, known as J for Jidds, shared her experience in a video posted on Saturday. She said she was born with adermatoglyphia, a rare condition that leaves the skin on her fingers, toes and palms smooth with no ridges. According to information from MedlinePlus, the US National Library of Medicine, the condition is caused by gene changes that stop ridge patterns from forming, making standard fingerprint scanners ineffective. She first noticed the problem in 2017 during JAMB registration. She went to the center with her father and stayed all day while more than 200 other candidates were registered ahead of her. Officials tried sand, spirit, methylated spirit, chalk and even watermelon to get a readable print. At one point she rubbed her hand on a stone before she was captured, Punch Newspaper reported. The challenges co...

I t was supposed to be a routine landing. But on July 23, an Enugu Air flight from Lagos to Benin came within seconds of a far worse ending. The Embraer jet, flight ENU4264 with registration 5N-ENR, touched down on Runway 05 at Oba Akenzua II Airport with 63 passengers and 5 crew on board. Instead of stopping on the runway, the plane kept going. It ran off the paved surface, smashed into approach lights and two abandoned concrete structures, and finally came to a rest on bare ground. Everyone walked away. Passengers and crew used the emergency slides to get out, and no one was injured. But what should have been just another incident report has now exposed deeper problems at the Benin airport. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau released its preliminary findings on Friday, and the picture is worrying. Investigators said the crash was not only about the aircraft. The airport itself made a bad situation more dangerous. NSIB pointed to three key issues. First, old equipment from a dec...

F ormer Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi says Nigerian youths are watching the wrong match.  In an X post on Saturday, Obi said that as Europe’s football season kicks off this weekend, millions of young Nigerians will be glued to their screens, celebrating goals and praising the order and quality of foreign leagues. He then asked why Nigeria cannot have the same. Obi argued that talent is not the issue. He pointed out that Nigerians are already excelling in Europe because they are playing in systems built on merit, proper facilities, security and accountable leadership. Football, he said, does not thrive in a vacuum. It grows where governance works. He listed the things that make European football work: good stadiums, academies, transport, healthcare, steady electricity and institutions that function. Those things, he said, only come when leaders make the right decisions and citizens hold them to account.   “Nigeria has the talent. What we have lacked is lead...

Minister urges Nigerians to emulate Prophet Muhammad’s virtues of compassion and unity   T he Federal Government has declared Tuesday, August 25, 2026, a public holiday to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Mawlid, the celebration of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. The announcement was made on Friday by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani. According to the minister, the holiday is to give Muslims in Nigeria and across the world the opportunity to celebrate the occasion and reflect on the life and teachings of the Prophet. “Every Eid-ul-Mawlid gives us reason to pause and draw lessons from a life defined by compassion, humility and service to others,” Tunji-Ojo said. “These are qualities our nation needs now more than ever, and I encourage every Nigerian, not just our Muslim brothers and sisters, to reflect on them.” The minister congratulated the Muslim community and called on all Niger...

P resident Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze and suspended three permanent secretaries after the ICPC exposed another bogus agency operating inside the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The suspended officials are M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah. ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, SAN, broke the news to State House correspondents on Friday following his second briefing of the President in two days. He said the Commission discovered an office bearing the name “National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office” that was allocated space within the OSGF without presidential approval and in breach of government rules. The discovery came in the course of a wider probe into the earlier exposed fake “Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” and other gaps in public service procedures.  According to Aliyu, Nwabueze promoted the fake office and had suspected collaborators with...

T he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has dropped cybercrime charges against Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad following appeals for mercy and public apologies. The two young Nigerians were arraigned on Thursday, August 20, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The EFCC had accused them of cyberstalking and spreading false information about the agency online, an offence under Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act as amended in 2024. According to the Commission, the case came from two different social media posts made earlier this year. On June 21, 2026, Maryam posted on Instagram that EFCC officers had assaulted a man named Ahmed Uthman. She claimed the action was ordered by a zonal director who allegedly collected N20 million from another person. The EFCC said the post was meant to damage the agency’s reputation. In May 2026, Abubakar was accused of sharing a fake EFCC arrest notice on X, formerly Twitter. The post carried ...

F IFA has released the full match schedule for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with 64 games set to be played across Brazil next year. The schedule was announced on Thursday at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich during the live draw for the early round of the 2027 Women’s World Cup Play-Offs. Eight cities in Brazil will host matches. Each city will stage at least seven games, and every host city will also have at least one knockout match. Tournament hosts Brazil will kick off the competition on Thursday, June 24 at the famous Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Their other group games will be played at Arena Itaquera in São Paulo on Tuesday, June 29, and at the National Stadium in Brasília on Sunday, July 4. Brasília, Porto Alegre, Recife and Salvador will host matches up to the Round of 16. Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Fortaleza will host quarter-final matches. São Paulo will also host one semi-final and the third-place match. The second semi-final and the final will both take...

A ustralia has just approved a new law that forces the world’s biggest tech companies to pay local newsrooms, or hand over part of their ad money instead. Parliament passed the News Bargaining Incentive on Thursday. The idea is simple: if platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Google Search profit from Australian news, they should pay the people who produce it. The law targets companies that run major social media or search services in Australia and pull in more than A$250 million, about $178 million, in local advertising each year. According to Reuters, the firms in line include Meta, Google’s parent Alphabet, TikTok and LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft. To escape the new charge, these companies must sign paid deals with at least eight Australian publishers before their financial year ends. If they don’t, they will be hit with a levy of 2.5 per cent on all their Australian ad revenue. The government built in a twist to help smaller papers survive. Money spent on agreements with big...

A Makurdi Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday ordered that a man, Utim Ukerchia, be remanded in prison custody over allegations that he poisoned food which killed two children in Daudu, Guma Local Government Area. Ukerchia appeared in court facing charges of culpable homicide and acts of terrorism.  However, the Magistrate, Mrs N.E. Kaka’an, said the court could not take his plea because it does not have the power to handle the case. She ordered police to send the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice and set October 2 for the next hearing. The prosecutor, Insp. Godwin Ato, told the court that investigations were still ongoing and asked for an adjournment. According to police, the incident happened on May 13. Ukerchia allegedly put poison in garri and gave it to a 4-year-old girl. The girl ate it together with her brothers, sisters and six other children. In all, nine children ate the food. Hours later, the children became sick and were taken to hospital. Sadly, ...

A yet-to-be-identified young man was killed on Wednesday afternoon when a speeding truck hit him on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway around OPIC, Ogun State. The driver sped off right after. The incident occurred a few minutes before 1pm. According to those who saw it, the man was trying to cross to the other side of the road from the Lagos-bound lane, near the OPIC bus stop. Witnesses said the truck was moving very fast. It rammed into the man, ran over him, and disappeared from the scene. The force threw parts of his body across the expressway, making drivers slow down and drive carefully around the area. “I watched him cross the road when the truck hit him,” said Nojeem, who was at the scene. Nojeem said he was tired of seeing people die on that stretch. He urged the government to build a pedestrian bridge there to protect commuters. “We keep losing people here. This road needs a bridge so people can cross safely,” he said. When our reporter got to the location around 2pm, the body was ...

P resident Bola Ahmed Tinubu has named Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the next Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The appointment begins on August 27, 2026. He will take over from Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who is bowing out after reaching the retirement age of 60. In a State House statement released by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, the President described Mr. Enitan as the most senior Permanent Secretary in government today. The Osun indigene has been a Permanent Secretary for 7 years and 7 months. During that time he worked in the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the Vice President. He currently heads the Federal Ministry of Education as Permanent Secretary. President Tinubu said Mr. Enitan’s long experience gives him a clear grasp of how government runs, and that is what the civil service needs now. The President also praised Mrs. Walson-Jack for her years of service. He highlighted the reforms and new ideas introduced un...

T he Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has directed all manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to immediately remove from shelves any consumer goods that do not meet mandatory labelling requirements. In a public advisory issued on Wednesday, the Commission said its recent market surveillance and routine inspections across the country revealed a worrying rise in products with misleading information or missing critical details. Inspectors found goods without production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer addresses, ingredient lists, allergen warnings and country of origin. Some products also carried false or deceptive claims. The FCCPC said the situation poses serious risks to consumer health, safety and finances, because shoppers are denied the information they need to make informed choices. The Commission stressed that such practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, which mandates...

A big moment for Africa happened on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Benin’s music legend Angélique Kidjo, 66, became the first Black African musician to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The event happened at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard. Under sunny California skies, actors, music leaders and fans watched as her name was set into the famous sidewalk in pink and dark stone. “This is bigger than me,” Kidjo told the crowd. “We Africans have given so much to the world. Without us, music as we know it wouldn’t exist.”   She then sang for everyone, and the audience listened in silence before clapping loudly. Kidjo’s star is in the Recording section. The Walk of Fame has over 2,800 stars honoring people from movies, music, TV and theater. According to France 24 , two well-known guests spoke at the event: actor Willem Dafoe and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. > Dafoe called her the hardest worker in the business. He also spoke about her charity work with the Batonga Foundati...