O yinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, says she will quit immediately if solid evidence shows the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association presidential election was compromised. The incoming NBA leader made the pledge Thursday during a TVC News interview, pushing back against claims from rival candidates and some lawyers that the vote was skewed in her favor. She insisted the electronic balloting faced unprecedented public oversight and revealed no signs of tampering. “This process has been scrutinized more than any NBA election since we adopted universal suffrage and e-voting,” Badejo-Okusanya stated. “My opponents allege it was rigged for me, yet the data tells a different story.” She explained that her lead held steady from start to finish, with no unexplained spikes that typically signal ballot stuffing. “I never fell behind. No opponent overtook me. The margin only grew wider,” she said. “Votes came in gradually, not in suspicious dumps of 20, 30 or 50 at once. The system refreshed every 10 seco...

G etting locked out of your Google Account is about to get less stressful.  Google has launched a new recovery option that lets you get back into your account with a short video selfie. Think of it as a spare key, except this one is your face. The feature is now live at https://g.co/signin-selfie. It was built for those familiar moments  buying a new phone, forgetting a password, or not having your usual device nearby. Instead of searching for backup codes or trying to remember answers to old security questions, eligible users can now prove who they are by recording themselves. Signing up takes less than five minutes. Google asks you to face your phone camera and make a few simple moves, like turning your head slightly or tilting your chin. This helps the system capture your face from different angles and create a secure reference. Later, if you get locked out, you’ll do the same thing. You record a quick live video and Google matches it to the encrypted clip you saved when yo...

  A buja will play host to Africa’s football leadership this November after CAF confirmed Nigeria as the venue for its Ordinary General Assembly. Citing a report by Punch Newspaper, CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe announced the decision on Wednesday during a press briefing in Johannesburg. The briefing focused on the confederation’s roadmap following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “We are going to Abuja, Nigeria for the Ordinary General Assembly in November,” Motsepe said.   “Nigeria has a rich football heritage. That is why we picked the country. It also guides our plan to deliver real impact in all 54 member nations, from South Africa and Kenya to Cameroon and beyond.” The CAF leader said the organization will continue to prioritize development projects and financial support so every member association feels the benefit. He also weighed in on Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 World Cup, calling it a significant gap for the continent. “I remind my Nigerian friends often a Worl...

T he Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has exposed a widespread payroll fraud that saw 908 fake employees siphon about N942 million from federal coffers, with the Nigeria Police Force leading the list of offenders. ICPC Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) said the commission’s audit of 50 ministries, departments and agencies uncovered phantom staff whose names were secretly added to government payrolls. The findings, reported by BBC Pidgin on Wednesday, show how corrupt officials exploited the system to steal public money. Ghost workers are fictitious names inserted into payroll records so insiders can collect salaries illegally. In some cases, staff allegedly enrolled relatives or friends who never worked for the government. One case revealed a man who listed his wife, son and mother-in-law as employees while also drawing wages meant for 12 other workers. The police force topped the list with 570 suspected fake workers. “We identified 570 people we suspec...

G overnor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has approved automatic jobs for seven National Youth Service Corps members who distinguished themselves during their service in the state. The governor also presented N1 million each to 66 outstanding students, teachers and recipients of national honours at an award ceremony held on Tuesday at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, disclosed this in a statement issued after the event. Speaking at the ceremony, Aiyedatiwa said the decision reflects his administration’s belief that talent and hard work must be recognized and retained to drive the state’s development. “Today we are celebrating excellence because it deserves to be encouraged,” he said. “These corps members, students and teachers have shown commitment, creativity and discipline. They are role models for others and true representatives of Ondo State.” The governor paid special tribute to teachers, describing...

N igeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, will arrive in Abia State on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to celebrate a heritage that has defined Ukwa East for generations: the Akwete weaving tradition. The Abia State Government announced the visit on Monday. Governor Alex Otti and his wife, Priscilla, will host the First Lady during the one-day engagement. The centerpiece of the visit will be the Akwete Weaving Cooperative Society in Akwete, Ukwa East Local Government Area. There, Mrs. Tinubu will sit with master weavers and witness the intricate handcraft that has made Akwete cloth a cultural symbol far beyond Nigeria’s borders. According to the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, Akwete textile has for centuries been one of the country’s proudest cultural exports and a vital source of income for women in the area. From the cooperative, the First Lady and Governor Otti will move to Akwete Central School Field for a civic reception slated for 10:00 a.m. Officials said the gathe...

H istory was made on Sunday. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, has been elected the new president of the Nigerian Bar Association.  For the first time in 35 years, a woman will lead the NBA. And in the association’s 66-year history, she will only be the second. How the votes played out It was a 24-hour online election that ended at 7:34 a.m. on July 19, 2026. Badejo-Okusanya came out on top with 12,317 votes. She defeated two other Senior Advocates of Nigeria. Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe got 7,934 votes, while Olumuyiwa Akinboro got 5,855.  26,184 lawyers out of 82,172 registered members voted. That’s 31.86% turnout. It didn’t start smoothly. Voting was meant to begin at midnight on Saturday, but it didn’t open until 7:35 a.m. The NBA’s Electoral Committee, ECNBA, said hackers launched a “deliberate, coordinated and sustained cyberattack” on the system.  Despite the late start, the election went on. Results were updated live on the ECNBA dashboard for everyone to see. Badejo-O...

A 67-year-old pastor has died following a disputed eviction at Admiralty Homes Estate in Lekki, Lagos, with conflicting accounts from his family and the landlord’s representatives. Punch Newspaper reported that Pastor Bolaji Olukotun passed away in the early hours of Sunday, July 13, after he was allegedly assaulted and thrown out of his apartment on Saturday, July 11. He was taken to a private hospital but could not be saved. According to his lawyer, Barrister Akpobome Deniran, the dispute started over a rent-to-own arrangement. Olukotun had leased the apartment with an option to purchase it once his tenancy ended. When the landlord put it up for sale, he could not meet the asking price. The landlord then demanded he vacate so the unit could be sold to another buyer. Deniran said he received a frantic call from Olukotun around 2 pm on July 11. “I’m dying, please come to the house,” the pastor said in a faint voice. At House B11, Deniran found him lying on the compound floor while his...

S pain won the World Cup again Sunday night, beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife Stadium.  The breakthrough arrived in the 106th minute. Ferran Torres finished a sharp passing move to give Spain a second world title, 14 years after their 2010 win in South Africa. Argentina started fast. With a huge crowd in blue and white behind them, they pressed early and played with pace. They created chances and tested Spain’s defense, but could not score. Spain needed time to settle. They kept possession, stayed patient, and waited for openings. Both teams defended well and both goalkeepers made big saves. After 90 minutes it was 0-0, so the game went to extra time. Fatigue opened things up. Spain moved the ball quickly to break Argentina’s line, and Torres was there to score. The Spanish fans erupted. Argentine supporters went quiet. Argentina pushed for an equalizer. They sent players forward and crossed the ball into the box. Spain held firm, blocked shots, and defended until the...

Queen Amina and Ibu Atelier: Hausa embroidered tunics and cushions. Photos: Provided by Ibu Atelier and Queen Amina Embroidery By Egungwu Chukwuka Benjamin ‎ I n the city of Zaria, northern Nigeria, 40 women sit side by side. Spread before them is plain cloth. In their hands are needles and thread. Slowly, patterns begin to appear. This is not fast work. It is careful work. It is the same kind of work that has been done here for hundreds of years. ‎This is Queen Amina Embroidery, a women’s cooperative named after Queen Amina, the Hausa ruler remembered for her strength. Today, the women in the workshop are showing that same strength by turning tradition into a business that feeds families. ‎As the cooperative has grown, so has the responsibility of its manager, Hassana Yusuf. A mother of four, she took over when the group had 25 women. Today there are 40, and more women are asking to join.  ‎Her role goes beyond the workshop. She speaks to buyers overseas, handles orders, and makes...

H uman rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, says he will sue the Federal Government over the allocation of new luxury houses to judges in Abuja’s Katampe district. He calls the move discriminatory and a breach of equality before the law. Speaking in a video posted by NewsCentral on Thursday, Falana questioned the legal grounds for giving judges exclusive housing perks while other public workers struggle with poor welfare and housing shortages. “I watched the handover on television yesterday and felt saddened,” he said. “Under what law are we operating? It is discriminatory and illegal. We must treat everyone equally in this country.” Falana stressed he is not against judges having decent homes. “Judges deserve comfortable and secure accommodation to do their work,” he noted. “But other citizens should get the same consideration.” He warned that the issue will soon be tested in court. “Government policies must follow the Constitution’s equality principle. If you fail to do it, you can be cha...

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 ...