T his Sunday, 19 July, Spain and Argentina will meet at New York New Jersey Stadium for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ final. But the stakes just got higher. For the first time in FIFA history, the team that lifts the trophy will also receive special championship rings. It’s a new chapter for football, borrowing a tradition long loved in American sports. Only 2,026 rings will ever be made, each one numbered to mark the year. Thirty rings will go to the winning squad. The other 1,996 will be sold to fans around the world as Official Licensed Products. One side of each ring features the World Cup trophy. The other side will be designed to show who won it. Every ring is made to fit its owner and comes with a certificate of authenticity. After the final whistle, the winning captain and head coach will get temporary rings to mark the moment. The full set of 30 permanent rings will then be made to size and handed over later, so each player gets a perfect keepsake of their win. With the final almos...

D omestic air travel in Nigeria is set for a major upgrade as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) prepares to launch V-Pass, a biometric identity system designed to make flying faster, safer, and more seamless. Announced on Thursday, July 16, 2026, the initiative will allow passengers to verify their identity using facial recognition instead of relying on physical documents at airports. FAAN said it has partnered with Verxid Technologies Limited to deploy the system, following a strategic meeting where both teams reviewed rollout plans, security protocols, and ways to improve passenger experience. Under the new scheme, travellers will receive a secure digital identity after a one-time enrolment. Nigerian passengers will register with their National Identification Number (NIN) and a facial scan, while foreign travellers will enrol using their international passports through Optical Character Recognition and biometric authentication. Once registered, passengers will be verif...

T wo people have lost their lives to rabies in the Federal Capital Territory after being bitten by infected dogs, authorities confirmed yesterday. The deaths happened in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils and are part of eight confirmed rabies cases reported in the FCT. According to Thisday Newspaper, Dr. Karnak Dandam, who heads Veterinary Services at the FCTA’s Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, announced the deaths during a press briefing in Abuja. He said all eight victims had samples tested at the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State, and the results came back positive. The first set of samples was sent to the lab in March and confirmed that same month. Another batch was submitted in early June, with results released on June 15. The FCTA is now taking quick steps to stop the disease from spreading further. Officials are calling on residents to get their dogs and cats vaccinated and to report any dog bites right away.  Dandam explained that r...

T he National Population Commission (NPC) has started a new digital system to register births and deaths across Nigeria. The goal is to fix the country’s identity problem by recording every birth and death using modern technology. The Guardian reports that the system became active on 1 July 2026 in all 36 states and the FCT. NPC Chairman Hon. Aminu Ibrahim Yusuf made the announcement in Abuja on Wednesday. He said Nigeria sees about five million births each year, but many are never officially recorded. At present, only 57 percent of births are registered nationwide, and death registration is under 20 percent. Without proper records, many Nigerians lack legal identity, and the government misses key data for planning. “This is a major step toward a modern civil registration system that meets global standards and backs President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” Yusuf said. The new Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (ECRVS) system uses the VitalReg platform. It ends the old ...

T he Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has taken firm action against the crew behind last month’s bizarre landing near Asaba Airport, suspending the pilots and grounding the aircraft involved. NCAA Director-General Capt. Chris Najomo announced the sanctions Tuesday at the Airport Business Summit in Lagos. He said the jet’s Permit to Fly has been withdrawn and both pilots barred from operating in Nigerian airspace until investigations conclude. The incident happened when a chartered aircraft touched down on a road under construction close to Asaba Airport in Delta State. The unusual landing raised alarm across the aviation sector and prompted calls for a full probe. While the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau began the initial safety review, Najomo said the regulatory side of the case is now with the NCAA. The agency has started its own independent inquiry into what went wrong. “The NSIB has handed the investigation to us, and we are conducting our own inquiry,” Najomo stated. “As we s...

T he Federal High Court has introduced new rules to make sure pre-election disputes are settled faster and more fairly ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. Chief Judge Justice John Terhemba Tsoho approved the changes in the Amended Federal High Court (Pre-Election) Practice Directions, 2026. The court announced the update on Wednesday through its Director of Information, Dr Catherine Oby Christopher. The new directions replace the earlier version that started on June 26, 2026. The court said the changes are meant to cut delays and help judges meet the strict timelines set by the Constitution and the Electoral Act. The rules rely on Sections 254 and 285(9), (10) and (14) of the 1999 Constitution, plus Sections 29(5) and 88(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026. One major change affects anyone who wants to challenge party primary results. Such persons must now include all necessary parties in their lawsuit. The court says this will help it hear every side and settle disputes properly. Beca...

F rench President Emmanuel Macron will visit Nigeria later this year for a State visit, French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS Marc Fonbaustier announced Tuesday night in Abuja. The trip comes two years after President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to Paris. Speaking at France’s National Day celebration, Fonbaustier called the upcoming visit a chance for both leaders to review progress on their joint roadmap and set new priorities for cooperation. “Together, our two Presidents will assess the progress of our roadmap and outline the key elements of our relationship for the years to come,” he said. “These will undoubtedly be ambitious and mutually beneficial for our two peoples.” Fonbaustier stressed that Nigeria-France ties are built on equality. “The partnership between Nigeria and France is, in reality, not just in words, a partnership between equals,” he said. He added that this means listening, open communication, and joint decision-making without prejudice or interference. Both countr...

S pain has formally apologised to France after remarks by former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy about the diversity of the French World Cup squad triggered anger in both countries. The issue came up ahead of Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final between France and Spain. According to Reuters, Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called his French counterpart to say Rajoy’s comments were “intolerable” and did not reflect what most Spaniards believe. “It is very serious to use skin colour to decide who is a citizen and who is not,” Albares said. He described the comments as carrying “the poison of racism and xenophobia.” The problem started after Rajoy wrote in Spanish news site El Debate that France had “a squad of the very highest calibre”, but added that there were “no French players in it.”  The comment appeared to target the African and Afro-Caribbean background of several players in the current French team, including captain Kylian Mbappé. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro ...

P residential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has said age and Nigeria’s zoning arrangement may prevent him from contesting again after the 2027 election. In a recent interview with media personality Rufai Oseni on Monday, Obi admitted that running in 2031 looks unlikely for him.  “It depends on what happens,” Obi said. “I don’t want to say it now because people may think I’m saying it because of some people.” The former Anambra State governor said the question first came up when a secondary school student asked him if he would try again after 2027. That question, he said, got him thinking about time and politics. Obi explained how Nigeria’s informal zoning system works against a long political career. Under the arrangement, power rotates between the North and South every eight years. “If I don’t contest now and power goes to the North in 2031, then by the time it returns to the South, I will be 78,” he said. “At that age, I don’t think I will still be...

A 30-year-old man, Musbawu Amodu, is in police custody in Nasarawa State after he allegedly beat his 20-year-old wife to death during a quarrel over food. The incident happened on Sunday in Angwan Yahaya, Agyaragu community in Obi Local Government Area. The matter was reported at the Agyaragu Police Division around 12:30 p.m. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, officers rushed to the scene immediately after the report. The woman was taken to the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Lafia for examination and to preserve her body. During questioning, the suspect reportedly admitted to the attack. He told police he acted out of anger after his wife allegedly refused to cook. The disagreement, police said, turned physical and ended in tragedy. The suspect was also said to have shown regret for what happened. The couple had been married for six years and left behind two children a boy and a girl. The Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa, Shetima Mohammed, has ...

S uper Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has said he plans to go back to school and obtain a university degree after he quits football. The Galatasaray attacker, 27, disclosed this in an Instablog TV interview now making rounds online. He stated that despite his success in football, education remains a priority. “Growing up teaches you that not everything comes from the classroom. Life gives its own lessons too,” Osimhen said. He pointed out that football careers are brief, so players must think about what comes next. “Getting a degree would mean a lot to me. I’m considering it. You can’t play ball forever. After 20 or 25 years, it ends,” he noted. Although he has other ventures to depend on after retirement, Osimhen said earning a degree is important to him and to motivate young people. “I have options when I stop playing. But I still want to lead by example and show the younger ones the way,” he added. He also addressed youths who left school due to hardship. He told them it is never too...

A s reported by Daily Post Nigeria, a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has sentenced Justice Odey to death by hanging for the murder of 35-year-old Benedict Agara. Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay delivered the judgment on Thursday in suit No. LD/17040C/2021. The court found Odey guilty under Section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The incident occurred on April 3, 2021, at Block 33, Flat 102, Jakande Housing Estate. Prosecutors told the court that a disagreement over a woman identified as Amina escalated into a fight. Odey allegedly attacked Agara with a broken bottle, stabbing him multiple times in the hand, stomach and other parts of his body. Agara later died from the injuries. The prosecution, led by Titilayo Olanrewaju Daud and Z. O. Abdulaziz, called one witness, ASP Mariam Ibrahim, the investigating officer, and tendered six exhibits. In her ruling, Justice Nicol-Clay said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. She dismissed the defense’s argument that t...

A s reported by The Guardian Newspaper , the National Industrial Court has barred police officers who are not appointed as Legal Officers from performing legal duties in civil matters, and ordered the Nigeria Police Force to deploy qualified lawyers to every police division nationwide. According to the report, the judgment delivered on Saturday in Abuja said the ruling was necessary to strengthen professionalism, protect human rights, and enforce compliance with the Police Act, 2020. The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/264/2025, was filed by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law, SPIDEL. The respondents were the Police Service Commission, PSC, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Inspector-General of Police, among others. Delivering judgment, the court declared that police officers who are qualified lawyers but have not been appointed or upgraded as Legal Officers cannot perform the duties of Legal Officers. They may only handle criminal prose...

R angers International Football Club has dismissed claims by Super Eagles winger Moses Simon that he was rejected early in his career because he is not Igbo. In a recent interview, Simon described the incident as “tribalism.” The Enugu club responded on July 10, 2026, describing the allegation as inconsistent with its history and values. In a statement signed by General Manager and CEO Amobi Ezeaku, Esq., Rangers said it has functioned for more than five decades as a national institution. Though rooted in the South-East, the club noted that its players, coaches and officials have always been drawn from across Nigeria and beyond. “Rangers has been home to players united by one objective: excellence on the football pitch,” the statement said. The club explained that recruitment is based strictly on footballing ability, discipline, character and commitment. Management added that while not every trialist earns a contract, such decisions are guided by technical and administrative assessment...

I t was supposed to be a routine flight from South Africa to Lagos. But for passengers on an Air Peace flight on Thursday night, the journey turned chaotic after two men allegedly lit cigarettes inside the cabin. The Airport Police Command in Lagos confirmed on Friday that the two passengers will be arraigned. They were named as Enaruna Prince Aghama, 51, and Tony Ajayi, 43. According to police spokesperson, ASP Mohammed Adeola, Aviation Security personnel handed the men over to the International Airport Police Division at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, immediately after the plane landed. The trouble reportedly started at about 7:44 p.m., while the aircraft was still in the air. “At 1944 hours, the suspects brought out cigarettes and started smoking on board,” the police statement read. “That triggered the aircraft’s smoke detector and emergency alarm. Passengers and crew panicked.” Things didn’t stop there. Police said the men also had alcohol with them and got hostile...