Author: Opalim Lifted

Armed bandits have kidnapped the wife and daughter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State. The victims, Hajia Fatima and her daughter Amina, were taken late Sunday night after gunmen stormed Sakpefu community around 11 p.m., firing sporadically before breaking into the home of the party chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Swasun. Eyewitnesses said the assailants operated with little resistance, while local vigilantes arrived too late to stop the abduction. A manhunt is now underway, though there are no reports yet of their rescue. The attack follows recent violence in Patigi, where bandits struck…

Nottingham Forest have sacked manager Nuno Espirito Santo, the Premier League club confirmed on Tuesday, after the Portuguese admitted last month that his relationship with the club’s owner Evangelos Marinakis had broken down. “Nottingham Forest Football Club confirms that, following recent circumstances, Nuno Espirito Santo has today been relieved of his duties as Head Coach,” the club said in a statement. Nuno, appointed in December 2023, guided Forest through a relegation battle in his first season, before exceeding expectations in the 2024-25 campaign. Forest spent several weeks in the top three last term and finished seventh after their best top-flight…

Italy prevailed in a whirlwind game to beat Israel 5-4 in their World Cup qualifier in Hungary on Monday after the Italians scored two own goals, twice came from behind and conceded a late equaliser but scrambled a win to stay in the hunt in Group I. Italy had won their first game under new manager Gennaro Gattuso in a 5-0 home win over Estonia on Friday and, while it was far from a five-star performance on neutral ground away to Israel they somehow came away with the three points. Italy’s victory puts them to second in the group on…

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has launched its official WhatsApp Channel to provide Nigerians with real-time safety tips, verified updates, and a direct line of engagement with the public. The initiative aims to strengthen transparency, build trust, and ensure that citizens receive accurate information straight from the source. “Together, we can build a safer Nigeria for all,” the police said in a terse statement, urging citizens to subscribe to the channel for timely updates. Findings by Chronicle NG reveal that the WhatsApp channel had garnered over 2,700 subscribers at the time of filing this report. With this step, the NPF…

The Federal Government of Nigeria has moved to dispel public concern over reports of a new 5% fuel surcharge, stressing that the levy is not a creation of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. According to Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, the fuel surcharge has been in existence since the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Act of 2007. Its inclusion in the recently passed Nigeria Tax Act 2025 is simply for harmonisation and transparency, not immediate enforcement. Oyedele explained that the surcharge will only take effect when the Minister of Finance issues an official…

This note seeks to clarify matters arising regarding the 5% fuel surcharge referenced in the new tax laws. The surcharge is not a new tax introduced by the current administration. It has existed under the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Act, 2007. Its restatement in the new Tax Act is for harmonisation and transparency, not for immediate implementation. Below are key questions and answers for public understanding: 𝐐1. Did Tinubu’s administration introduce a 5% surcharge on fuel? A1. No. The surcharge already exists under the FERMA Act (2007). The new Tax Act only restates it for harmonisation. It was not…

In a breathtaking finale at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz powered past Italy’s Jannik Sinner to win the 2025 US Open men’s singles title. The 22-year-old claimed his second Flushing Meadows crown with a gripping four-set triumph, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, against his top-ranked rival. The showdown marked the third straight Grand Slam final between the world’s two best players – and it lived up to every expectation. Alcaraz flew out of the blocks, breaking Sinner early to dominate the opening set 6-2. But the Italian struck back with fierce precision, taking the second 6-3 to level matters. Refusing…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested Uchelue Ikechukwu, a 75-year-old man, for alleged drug trafficking in Anambra. In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesperson, said Uchelue was nabbed on Thursday at Umudioka, Dunukofia LGA of Anambra, with 26.7kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis. Eneh Makuo, Emmanuel Chiemeli, Uwakwe Matthew, Chukwujekwu Ehirim, Ifeanyichukwu Olisa, and Odoh Chukwuma were also arrested, allegedly in possession of various quantities of opioids and skunk cannabis, in the Nkwelle and Amichi areas of the state. NDLEA also apprehended Alfa Andrew on Tuesday after operatives, supported by troops…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has vowed that Nigeria will not bow to terror, as he condoled with the people of Borno State over the deadly attack on the Darajamal community in the Bama Local Government Area. The late-night assault on Friday claimed several lives, including civilians and soldiers, in one of the bloodiest Boko Haram strikes in recent months. In a statement on Monday, Shettima described the incident as a profound national tragedy, assuring that the Federal Government was resolute in strengthening military operations to root out insurgents. “I extend my heartfelt condolences to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, the people…

The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT), has begun a seven-day warning strike over what it described as the collapse of the city’s health system. Resident doctors are medical school graduates training as specialists. They dominate the emergency wards of hospitals in Nigeria and are crucial to quality healthcare delivery nationwide. The physicians announced the industrial action in a communique signed by George Ebong, ARD-FCT president, alongside other members of the executive. They said the health sector in the nation’s capital is plagued by long-standing systemic failures that require comprehensive and urgent reforms. Ebong said doctors in the…