A former church pastor who once chased fame on American Idol has been found guilty of murdering his wife inside their Ohio home. Caleb Flynn, 40, shot his wife, Ashley Flynn, 37, twice in the back of the head while she slept. It happened on February 16 at their house in Tipp City, close to Dayton. When police arrived, Flynn told them that strangers had broken in and shot her. Investigators, however, did not buy his story. The case went to trial for eight days. Then the jury took less than three hours to reach a decision. Flynn cried as the verdict was read out. He was found guilty on nine charges, including aggravated murder and tampering with evidence. He now faces life in prison with no chance of parole, and he will be sentenced on October 5. So how did police link him to the crime? The court heard that officers used body camera video, along with data from Flynn's iPhone and Apple Watch. According to the BBC , dozens of witnesses also took the stand during the trial. The most im...

  T he United States says it is working with Nigeria to acquire 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters, a step both countries describe as a boost to Nigeria's defense and to security across the region. When two governments say they are "advancing" a partnership, the real test is what they are willing to put on the table. For the United States and Nigeria, that answer now includes a fleet of 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria confirmed that both countries are planning the acquisition. The Mission described it as clear evidence of a shared commitment to build up Nigeria's defense capabilities. The statement said security cooperation between the two nations "continues to advance." In simple terms, the work they do together is not slowing down. It is picking up pace, and both sides say the goal is the same: a safer and more secure region. The helicopters, however, are only one part of the picture. According to the U.S. ...

T he Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has urged leaders and support groups of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State to close ranks and deliver victory for President Bola Tinubu in 2027. According to Champion Newspaper , Tegbe made the call during engagements in Ibadan with the party's Reconciliation Committee led by Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, the State Executive Committee led by Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, and the Tinubu Support Group at Yemetu. He commended the reconciliation efforts after the primaries and promised to join in reaching out to aggrieved aspirants to ensure full unity. Tegbe said the President's reforms in the power sector are already showing modest gains, with generation and transmission now above 5,300 megawatts, which is improving supply to homes, markets and factories.

T he presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, has said his administration will bring back fuel subsidy, but only after tackling corruption in the system. Obi stated this on Monday in Sokoto during a town hall meeting organised for the Obi/Kwankwaso presidential ticket, according to Vanguard Newspaper . He explained that the real issue with subsidy is corruption, and once the corrupt practices are removed, his government will restore the subsidy to reduce hardship. "People are talking about subsidy but what is all about it is corruption. By removing the corruption, I assure you that we will bring back subsidy," he said. Obi said corruption is the major problem facing Nigeria and promised to stop all forms of corruption in every sector if elected in 2027. He urged Nigerians to vote for NDC candidates at all levels in the next general elections, noting that fixing the country is a collective responsibility. He added that his party is committ...

O WERRI, Nigeria — The red carpet will return, but that is not the real story this time. The IMOIFF Creatives and Film Festival, previously called the Imo International Film Festival, has fixed November 26 to 28, 2026, for its third edition in Owerri, the Imo State capital. The festival, put together with Julob Entertainment, says it wants to do more than show films. This year, the focus is on giving young creatives the skills and connections to earn a living from their talent. That decision was shaped by a reality many young Nigerians know too well having big ideas but little money or support to bring them to life. To capture that fighting spirit, the organisers chose Kwechiri as theme. It is an Igbo word that means to stay strong and refuse to give up. It is summed up in the festival slogan: "Keep Going. Keep Creating. Keep Becoming." The founder of the festival, filmmaker Izu Okafor, said the theme was chosen because it mirrors what young creatives go through every day. A...

T rouble is brewing in the Nigeria Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to an exclusive report by Punch Newspaper, the party's decision to begin registration of all support groups has triggered a fresh row with the powerful movements backing its presidential ticket. The crisis started after the NDC's National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, announced that the registration exercise is free and will be handled only by the Directorate of Support Groups at the party's national headquarters in Abuja. He warned that no state chapter or official is authorized to register any group or collect money, adding that any violation would attract disciplinary action under the party's constitution. But the directive was rejected by the Obi-Kwankwaso camp. The Director-General of the OK Movement, John Ughulu, insisted that his movement is an independent political organization and will not surrender its structure to the NDC. He said neither the Nigerian c...

T he Lagos State Police Command has identified the police officer seen in a viral video misbehaving in a public bus. The officer is Inspector Osumah Frank. The video started trending on Wednesday after the officer was filmed making rude and careless comments while in public. Many Nigerians who watched it said his behaviour was not fit for a police officer. In a statement on Thursday, the police said they have taken note of the video and have already started disciplinary action against him. According to the police, what the officer said in the video was his personal opinion and not the position of the Lagos Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force. The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Tijani Fatai, said officers must behave well at all times, whether on duty or not. He said wearing the police uniform comes with responsibility, and any action that brings shame to the force will not be allowed. The Command's spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, also said the matter is being handle...

F or 47 days, investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo lived as a migrant, travelling from Kano in Nigeria through Zinder, Agadez and Dirkou in Niger, into Al Gatrun, Sabha and Tripoli in Libya, to reveal what Africans endure on the road to Europe. The danger started early in the Sahara. Armed soldiers stopped his truck. He raised his hands in surrender. They searched him and seized his satellite tracker - the device his team used to follow his location every hour. He told them it was a power bank. From that moment, he lost contact with his newsroom and had to hide his phones to keep reporting. Shortly after, his truck was stopped by desert bandits - four men with local guns shouting in the dark. After a long exchange with the traffickers, they were allowed to pass. At the next checkpoint, soldiers who acted like robbers searched small bags for expensive phones. When they were about to find his hidden phones and cash packed inside tea and milk sachets, his driver intervened and told the...

P resident Bola Tinubu has assured investors that his government will keep Nigeria's business environment stable and predictable, as Ogun State signed a major agreement with global logistics giant DP World to build a new deep seaport. The deal was signed in Paris on the sidelines of an investment event, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Governor Dapo Abiodun led the Ogun State delegation, while DP World was represented by its Group Chief Executive Officer, Yuvraj Narayan and senior executives. The agreement covers two major projects, the Gateway Deep Seaport and the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, both to be sited in Ogun Waterside. The Presidency said they are expected to attract over $7 billion in fresh investment and create more than 50,000 direct jobs when fully operational, with thousands more indirect jobs across the value chain. For years, ships coming into Nigeria have had to squeeze int...

J ournalist Fisayo Soyombo has published the second chapter of his undercover report on how Africans risk their lives to reach Europe through the Sahara Desert. The investigation was originally done by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, FIJ. Soyombo spent 47 days living as a migrant, travelling from Kano in Nigeria through Niger Republic into Libya, with the hope of crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Italy. According to him, this second part of the three-part series shows how African migrants lose everything on the desert route their dignity, money, belongings and freedom in the hands of Arab traffickers. Soyombo explained that their truck left Agadez at 6:39am on Friday, June 12, 2026. There were five passengers and six traffickers. Two traffickers sat in front with the driver, while four sat at the back with the migrants. He said their bags were tied so tightly that they could not bring out soap, toothpaste or toothbrush. They had to wash with only water. Just 30 minutes int...

O utrage on social media has led to the arrest of a man seen in a viral video brutally beating a toddler in Ikorodu, Lagos. In the video which spread quickly on Tuesday, the man was seen flogging the little child repeatedly on the head and body with what appeared to be a charger cable. The disturbing clip triggered anger across the country, with many Nigerians demanding justice for the child. Acting swiftly, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, said it got wind of the video on Tuesday, September 22, and immediately activated its response team. The agency said it reached out to the child's mother, who confirmed that she had already reported the abuse at Imota Police Station. The Family Support Unit of the police also confirmed that the case was earlier lodged with the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency, LNSA. By Wednesday, September 23, the suspect had been tracked down and arrested. He is now in police custody while investigations continue. The DSVA disc...

T here is tension in Calabar South following the death of an unidentified woman in a hotel room along Clifford Lane. The Cross River State Police Command has now released her photograph to the public, asking anyone who knows her or her family to come forward. Police said the case is being treated as suspected murder. In a statement released on Wednesday, September 23, the Command said this is a follow-up to its first report on the incident on September 8. According to the police, investigation so far shows the woman did not lodge alone. She checked into the hotel with a male guest who has now disappeared and is nowhere to be found. The police said they are making efforts to track him down and to understand what really happened in that hotel room. The Command appealed to Nigerians to help identify the woman. "As part of ongoing efforts to establish the identity of the deceased, the Command is releasing her photograph and appeals to anyone who recognises her or may have information...

A dapted from an investigation by Fisayo Soyombo, published by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) What does it actually take for a person to reach Europe by land and sea? Nigerian investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo decided to find out the only way that would yield the full truth: by living it. Posing as a migrant, he spent 47 days retracing one of Africa's most dangerous routes from Kano in northern Nigeria, through Niger's trafficking hubs, and into Libya, the last stop before migrants attempt the Mediterranean crossing to Italy. His journey began deceptively smoothly. A "connection man" in Kano handed him off to the first of what would eventually be a long chain of traffickers, each passing him to the next until he reached Libya. According to FIJ's reporting, a single trip from Nigeria to Libya typically involves twenty to thirty different traffickers working in relay. Before setting off, Soyombo took real precautions: he sewed a hidden pocke...

S uper Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is back with the national team after months away from international duty, as Nigeria steps up preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. According to Complete Sports Newspaper, Nwabali has linked up with his teammates in Ikot Ekpene ahead of the double-header against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. The confirmation was made by the team’s media officer, Promise Efoghe. His arrival brings the number of players in camp to 21, with captain Wilfred Ndidi and winger Samuel Chukwueze still expected to join the rest of the squad. The 30-year-old is returning to the fold after losing his place following a long period without club football. He last featured for Nigeria in January during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. After the tournament, he parted ways with South African side Chippa United in February to chase a move abroad, but the deal fell through and he remained without a club for close to six months. That setback cost him a spot in ...

T he Federal Government may shut down the Lagos section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in the next two weeks if motorists fail to obey safety rules. Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olufemi Dare, gave the warning on Monday during a press briefing. He said the Minister of Works, David Umahi, directed that the road be closed if there is no improvement. “In another two weeks, if there’s no improvement, His Excellency has directed that we are coming back to shut down the road,” Dare said. He said the government is worried over overspeeding, illegal parking of trucks, illegal U-turns, Okada and Keke on the highway, street trading, and open grazing. According to him, the Lagos portion is about 103km made up of 47.474km and 56km sections with 10 major bridges planned for each section. Construction is still ongoing on the bridges. “Ordinarily, we ought not to have opened it until all the bridges are completed,” he said. Dare said despite the 30km/h limit clearly displayed, many driv...

T he Federal Ministry of Education has drawn a firm line, distancing itself entirely from a group calling itself the National Parent-Teacher Association of the Federal Unity Colleges. In plain terms, the Ministry says this organisation has no right to speak for the country's Unity Colleges, their parents, or their PTAs and any instructions coming from it should be treated as exactly that: unofficial noise, not government policy. The clarification, contained in a press release dated 21 September 2026, couldn't have been more direct. According to the Ministry, this self-styled "National PTA" is neither recognised nor authorised to represent any of the 118 Federal Unity Colleges scattered across Nigeria. That means whatever appeals, directives, or announcements the group puts out carry no official backing none at all. For families with children in Unity Colleges, this isn't just bureaucratic housekeeping it's a heads-up worth paying attention to. Parents rely on ...

A young mechanic known only as Samson has lost his life in Lagos after falling into a deadly trap in Ibeju-Lekki. According to The Punch Newspape r, Samson owned a small workshop around Warike Estate in Abijo. On Tuesday, September 15, he received a call to come and fix a Mercedes-Benz somewhere in the area. Thinking it was a normal job, he left his shop to attend to the customer. But it was a setup. A police source revealed that when Samson arrived at the location, he was pulled into a nearby bush and brutally hacked to death. The police said they are still trying to piece together what exactly happened and who carried out the killing, although cultists are suspected to be behind it. An anti-cultism advocacy group, in a post on Thursday, said the murder was a revenge mission. The group explained that Samson was killed to avenge the death of an Eiye cult member, Ola Sheu, who was allegedly murdered by members of the rival NBM group on September 9 near Adeba Bus Stop in Lakowe, also in ...

  O yo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, and its presidential candidate have sued Abia State Governor Alex Otti over the N200 million fee imposed on presidential candidates to display campaign billboards in the state. The suit, marked HC/214/2026, was filed at the Abia State High Court by their lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN. Joined as defendants are the state's Attorney General, the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency, ASAA, and the House of Assembly. The plaintiffs said they discovered the fee while preparing for their nationwide campaign and described it as illegal, unconstitutional and contrary to the Electoral Act 2026. They raised six questions for determination and are seeking eight reliefs, including an order nullifying ASAA's regulation imposing N200 million, or any fee at all, on presidential candidates, and an injunction stopping the defendants from enforcing the fee or removing and obstructing their billboards. They want the court...

N igeria will be without star striker Victor Osimhen for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as he continues to battle a groin injury. Recall we earlier reported  how injury kept Osimhen and his teammate Lamine out of Galatasaray's match at the weekend. According to The Cable Super Eagles media officer, Promise Efoghe, announced the setback on Sunday morning. He said the 27-year-old forward has not healed enough to join the team for the international break. Coach Eric Chelle had first named Osimhen in his squad, hoping the striker would recover quickly. Both Galatasaray and the Super Eagles technical crew expected him to be fit for the league game against Trabzonspor and then for national duty. That did not happen. When Osimhen was left out of Galatasaray's squad on Saturday, it confirmed what the Turkish club had already told the Super Eagles in a letter - that he is still undergoing treatment. Efoghe said the recovery has taken longer than planned. "Victor Os...

V ictor Osimhen will spearhead Nigeria's attack as the Super Eagles begin their quest for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Head coach Eric Chelle named the Galatasaray striker in his 24-man squad for the crucial qualifiers against Madagascar on September 25 and Guinea-Bissau four days later. Osimhen remains the focal point of the team as Nigeria pushes to secure an early advantage in the qualifying series. The coach has also freshened up the squad with three first-time call-ups and two returning regulars. Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, defender Isaac James and forward George Ilenikhena have earned debut invitations, while Stanley Nwabali and Ola Aina are back in the fold. Others listed for the two games include Maduka Okoye, Bruno Onyemaechi, Benjamin Fredericks, Emmanuel Fernandez, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Chibuike Nwaiwu, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyeka, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Tolu ...

T here's a familiar buzz around England's camp this week, and it's easy to see why. Trent Alexander-Arnold is finally back. It's been well over a year since June 2025 since the former Liverpool man last pulled on an England shirt, and now, wearing Real Madrid colours, he's earned his way back into manager Thomas Tuchel's plans. Then there's Cole Palmer, whose return feels like the bigger story. Not long ago, Palmer's absence from England's World Cup squad set off a storm of questions. Many wondered how a player of his talent could be left home while his teammates flew out to chase glory. He watched, like everyone else, as England battled all the way to the semi-finals before Argentina brought the run to an end. Now, he gets his shot to prove that snub wrong. It's not just about the comebacks, though. There's genuine excitement building around some new names too. Rio Ngumoha, barely out of his teens, turned heads with a lively debut against N...

C ristiano Ronaldo will continue his journey with Portugal after new head coach Jorge Jesus included him in the squad for the upcoming international fixtures. The inclusion settles recent talk about Ronaldo's international future, as Jesus begins his spell in charge of the national team. At 41, Ronaldo remains Portugal's all-time top scorer and most capped player. His experience will be vital as the team enters a fresh Nations League campaign. Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano disclosed the development on X on Friday, stating: "Cristiano Ronaldo will continue with Portugal national team! He's been called up for the upcoming games by new head coach Jorge Jesus." Portugal are in League A, Group 4 of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League, alongside Wales, Norway and Denmark. They will host Wales in their opening match on September 24, then travel to Norway on September 27. The team will play away to Denmark on October 1, before welcoming Norway at home on October 4...

A fter the BRICS Summit ended in New Delhi, social media was flooded with alarming claims. Some posts said world leaders collapsed at the venue, suffered strokes, or were rushed to hospital. None of those claims have been confirmed. As of September 17, 2026, no official statement and no credible report has shown that any BRICS leader collapsed or was evacuated for emergency treatment during the summit. The 18th BRICS Summit was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, 2026, and it ended with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration. The only health update that has been officially confirmed involves South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The 73-year-old leader returned to South Africa on Monday after attending the summit, and on Wednesday, September 16, his office announced that he had been booked off from public engagements on the advice of his doctors to rest and recover due to ill health. The statement did not disclose the nature of his illness and did not link...

N ollywood has lost one of its greatest pillars. Veteran actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, known to millions as Olu Jacobs, has died at 84. His family broke the news on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. In a statement shared by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, on Instagram, the family described him as a dear husband, father, grandfather and uncle, and as The Lion of Lufodo. They asked the public to respect their privacy as they mourn. Born on July 11, 1942, Jacobs fell in love with acting early in life while growing up in Kano. That passion took him to London, where he trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Long before Nollywood gained global attention, he was already making his mark abroad. He featured in popular British television series in the 1970s and 1980s and took on roles in international films, holding his own on stages where few Africans were seen at the time. He later returned to Nigeria and became one of the most respected figures in the country's film industry. Wi...

O bafemi Awolowo University has been thrown into mourning following the death of a final-year student whose body was found in his off-campus apartment. The deceased is Oluwole Oluwaseun, a final-year student of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He was discovered in a critical state at his residence in the Damico area of Ooni Layout, Ile-Ife, on Monday, September 15, 2026. The university said the incident was reported around 1:30 p.m. that day. Upon receiving the alert, its Quick Response and Security Team moved swiftly to the scene. Officers from the Nigeria Police, A Division, Moore, Ile-Ife, also arrived shortly after. Oluwole was immediately rushed to the University Health Centre, where a doctor later confirmed his death. The circumstances surrounding the incident are being treated as an apparent suicide. In a statement on Wednesday, the university's Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, said the management was deeply saddened by the development. He add...

Photo credit: CAC / Cooperate Affairs Commission   F or years, it has been difficult to know who truly owns many companies in Nigeria. Names on paper often hide the real people behind big contracts and questionable deals. The Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, says it wants to change this, and it has started by training journalists and civil society groups to use a tool that exposes hidden owners. The tool is called the Beneficial Ownership Register. It is a free public database that shows the real individuals who own, control and benefit from a company, not just the directors listed on official documents. The training, which lasted for one day, brought together reporters and members of civil society organisations. The aim was to teach them how to search the register, understand what it contains, and use it for investigative work. Opening the session, the Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of the CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, said journalists and civil society groups ...

N igeria’s fight against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping has received a major lift as five new combat helicopters joined the Nigerian Air Force fleet. The new arrivals - three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters built by Italy’s Leonardo and two Airbus H-125s - landed in Lagos on Monday, September 15, with Air Force authorities confirming that two had been delivered earlier. The five aircraft are part of a larger order of ten, with the remaining helicopters expected before December. For troops on the frontline, the new addition means faster backup and sharper eyes in the sky. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, said the helicopters will give the Air Force greater flexibility to respond to distress calls and support ground forces battling insurgents and criminal gangs across the country. “The arrival of these five helicopters provides greater flexibility in the employment of airpower in support of ground troops in ongoing operations,” Aneke said. He explained that the t...