A truck driver has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years after smuggling £7.2 million of cocaine hidden in a shipment of Kim Kardashian’s Skims clothing. According to BBC report, officers stopped Jakub Konkel’s lorry at Harwich International Port in Essex on 4 September and found 90kg of cocaine concealed in the trailer doors. The 40-year-old had transported the drugs as part of a legitimate delivery of Skims products from the Netherlands. Konkel, of Kartuzy in northern Poland, pleaded guilty to smuggling Class A drugs at Chelmsford Crown Court. Judge Richard Wilkin said he acted as a “willing driver,” collecting the drugs from an industrial estate in Belgium and driving them to Hook of Holland for a ferry to the UK. He was paid €4,500 (£3,918) for the job. The court heard that officers became suspicious of how Konkel was driving a lorry carrying 28 pallets of clothing. An x-ray revealed the modified trailer doors, and a phone linked to the operation was set to wipe itself after 18 hou...

T he Anambra State House of Assembly has dismissed reports that it recently passed a new burial law, calling the claims false and misleading. According to a Champion Newspaper report, Franklin Osankwa, Special Adviser to the Speaker’s Office, said the clarification was in response to a Punch Newspapers headline alleging that the state had banned cows, goats, and other condolence gifts at funerals. “For the record, this publication is false, misleading, and a gross distortion of facts,” Osankwa stated. He clarified that the 8th Assembly has not introduced, debated, or passed any burial legislation. The regulatory framework being referenced was enacted in 2019, before the current Assembly was inaugurated, and no amendments have been made since. Osankwa described the attribution of a non-existent law to the present Assembly as unprofessional and a tactic to generate traffic and public outrage. He urged media outlets to treat journalism as a public responsibility rather than a tool for c...

  T he US government has temporarily lifted a visa bond requirement for football fans from five African countries attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The State Department announced Tuesday that citizens of Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia who have purchased valid World Cup tickets and registered on the FIFA Pass system will no longer need to pay the $5,000–$15,000 refundable bond. The exemption applies only to those who booked through the system, which has been open for expedited visa appointments since April 15. The bond policy was introduced last year for travelers from 50 countries with high visa overstay rates and security concerns. World Cup players, coaches, and staff were already exempt. “The United States is excited to organise the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history,” said Mora Namdar, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs. “We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets.”  Namdar described the waiver ...

T ax administration in Nigeria is getting a major overhaul as the federal government launches a single Taxpayer Identification number to replace the fragmented system that has long frustrated individuals and businesses. The Nigeria Revenue Service announced the rollout of the unified Tax ID via its official X account, saying it will serve as the sole identifier for all tax dealings across federal, state and local levels in partnership with the Joint Revenue Board. The move is backed by Sections 6, 7 and 8 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act of 2025. For years, taxpayers have had to manage different numbers depending on the level of government they were dealing with. The practice led to duplicate paperwork, conflicting records and delays in processing. Under the new system, every taxpayer will now use one number for life for registration, filing returns and making payments. Officials say the change is designed to simplify compliance and cut down on administrative friction. By consoli...

  John Arum Azi speaks after his release. Photo: Champion Newspaper A Jos-based keyboard technician, John Arum Azi, is finally free after spending 11 days in the hands of kidnappers who collected N10.3 million from his family for his release. Azi shared his experience on Sunday after a thanksgiving service at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Jos. According to Champion Newspaper report, he said the kidnappers beat him daily and left him with barely enough food and water throughout his time in captivity. The ordeal started on April 11, 2026, when Azi got a call from an unknown number in Kaduna. The caller said he needed help fixing a keyboard and sounded like it was a small job. After some convincing and a N15,000 payment for transport, Azi agreed to go. He left Jos early that Saturday morning from Farin Gada motor park, expecting to be back the same day. But things changed as soon as he arrived in Kaduna. He was taken from Giwa park to a remote village, where the men he met pulled ou...

  N igerian and U.S. forces have killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIS worldwide, in a joint operation in the Lake Chad Basin. The strike took place overnight in an area long known for extremist activity. Both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and U.S. President Donald J. Trump confirmed the mission early Saturday, saying it was carefully planned and carried out without a hitch. Trump said al-Minuki had been hiding in a heavily fortified compound, believing he was safe in Africa. “He thought he could disappear here, but our people on the ground kept us informed,” “He won’t be planning attacks on Americans or spreading terror on this continent again. His removal is a major setback for ISIS.” Trump said. Tinubu said the raid also killed several of al-Minuki’s senior commanders. Early reports from the ground show the mission hit its targets with precision. He thanked U.S. forces for their professionalism and said the operation proves what can be achieved when both coun...

  A uthorities at Gombe State University have confirmed that a newborn baby boy was found at the female hostel on Friday. The university described the incident as unfortunate and said it is working with security operatives to trace those behind it. Napthali Hadu, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, confirmed the development during a telephone interview with The Punch Newspaper. “I also heard about the unfortunate incident today at school. I will get back to you as soon as I gather more details,” Hadu said. He added that steps are already being taken to identify the person responsible and make sure they face the necessary consequences.  “Security agencies are doing everything within their powers to fish out the perpetrator,” he said. The baby has been moved to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, where doctors are attending to him. As part of the ongoing investigation, the university has restricted access to the female hostel. This is not the first time such a case has...

F ormer Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi says Nigeria’s biggest need right now is leaders with real business experience, arguing that practical wealth creation matters more than academic degrees alone. Obi made the comment during an interview on "60 Minutes with Mr. Kay" on News Central TV, hosted by broadcast journalist Kayode Akintemi. The discussion came up after former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had said he was more qualified for leadership because of his PhD. Obi responded by saying qualification depends on perspective. “Qualification is a perspective; it depends on where you’re coming from,” Obi said. “Rabiu Kwankwaso said he’s more qualified because he has a PhD. I don’t have a PhD. Today, in the country, I would say he has some experience. He’s been exposed; there’s no doubt about that.” While acknowledging Kwankwaso’s academic and political background, Obi argued that Nigeria’s current economic challenges call for a different kind of leader...

  A liko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, says some powerful people in Nigeria’s fuel import business tried to stop his $20 billion refinery. He believes they were afraid the refinery would end Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel. Dangote made this statement in an interview with Nicolai Tangen, the head of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund. He explained that these groups resisted the project because it threatened their business of importing petrol into Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer. Dangote said he decided to build the refinery because of Nigeria’s long history of fuel shortages. “For more than 50 years, Nigerians have queued for fuel, sometimes for days during Christmas, in a country that produces oil,” he said. Since government refineries were not working well, he started building Nigeria’s first private mega-refinery in 2013. The project faced many problems from the beginning. Getting the land alone took five years. Dangote also said some of the delays were caused on purpo...

N igeria is finally ready to switch fully from analogue to digital TV. The federal government says the new system will start working across the country on June 17, 2026. The announcement came from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. He spoke on Wednesday during a visit to the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited office in Abuja. “For many years, Nigerians have talked about moving from analogue to digital TV. That move is now done. We will launch it on June 17,” Idris said. He was received at NigComSat by the company’s Managing Director, Jane Egerton-Idehen. Idris said the new digital platform will change how TV, advertising, and broadcasting work in Nigeria and across West and Central Africa. One big improvement is better audience measurement. TV stations and advertisers will now see real-time data on what people watch. This makes it easier to know which shows are popular and what Nigerians want to see. “In the past, we didn’t have proper data. No...

  N igeria Democratic Congress presidential hopeful Peter Obi has said he met with senior British political and business leaders in London, including Lord Jonathan Marland, who heads the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council. In a post on his official X account , Obi explained that the meeting centered on expanding trade ties, driving economic growth, and finding ways to strengthen small and medium enterprises across Nigeria. He pointed to fast-growing economies like China, Indonesia, and Vietnam as examples, noting that their progress came largely from prioritizing support for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. He argued that Nigeria should adopt a similar strategy to boost productivity and create jobs. According to Obi, these smaller businesses are the backbone of any growing economy. He stressed that giving them consistent support, especially in agriculture and manufacturing, is key to unlocking development and employment opportunities. The former Anambra govern...

  T he Nigeria Union of Teachers has opposed the Federal Government’s proposal to exempt candidates seeking admission into the Nigeria Certificate in Education programme from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, as reported by Daily Post Nigeria . NUT President Audu Amba said the move could lower standards in teacher training. He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at a sensitisation workshop for teachers organised by 21st Century in partnership with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria. Amba expressed concern over the declining quality of candidates entering colleges of education, noting that many top-performing students now prefer universities. He warned that the trend poses a long-term risk to teaching quality in Nigeria and insisted that the profession should attract the country’s best academic performers. “Colleges of Education should have the highest-scoring UTME candidates,” Amba said. “Instead, when students fail to gain university admission, they are told ...

T he Federal Government has launched a “dual mandate” system that lets students in Federal Colleges of Education earn both a National Certificate in Education and a Bachelor of Education degree in five years, as part of efforts to strengthen the teaching profession. Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa announced the policy during a live interview on Channels Television’s 'Politics Today' with presenter Seun Okinbaloye. He said the move is aimed at reversing the decline in interest in teacher education and securing the future of training colleges. Under the system, students begin with a three-year NCE program. Those who obtain five O-level credits, including English, can proceed directly for two more years to complete their B.Ed at the same institution.  “In five years, you get an NCE diploma and you get a Bachelor of Education degree,” Alausa explained. He said the policy has already increased enrolment and is helping to build a stronger pool of qualified teachers. The program i...

P resident Bola Tinubu has given the green light for Nigeria to host both the 2026 Confederation of African Football Awards and the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly, the Nigeria Football Federation announced on Tuesday. The approval was confirmed during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, after Tinubu met with CAF President Patrice Motsepe.  Present at the meeting were Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, CAF presidential adviser Amaju Pinnick, and CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu. According to the NFF, the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly is set for October 2026. The gathering will bring together presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, leaders of the six zonal unions, and other top football officials from across Africa. The CAF Awards remain the continent’s biggest night for football, honoring the best players, coaches, and teams in a high-profile ceremony. “The President and Commander-in-Chief of the ...

T he Abia State government has set up a special committee to look into claims of harassment, extortion, and other misconduct at Abia State University, Uturu, according to The Guardian. The decision came on Monday, May 11, 2026, during the weekly meeting of the State Executive Council. Officials said the move is part of efforts to protect students and maintain discipline and integrity in the school. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the five member panel will be led by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Dr. Caleb Ajagba. Mr. Dodoh Okafor, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, will serve as secretary. Other members are Mr. Chinedu Ekeke, Professor Idowu Eluwa, and Professor Lawrence Idemudia. The committee will work with the university’s Governing Council and has four main tasks. It is to identify those behind the allegations and advise the Visitor to the university on next steps. The panel will also ex...