Author: Mayor

It was a triumphant night for Nollywood at the 11th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), with Seven Doors, a historical drama series by Femi Adebayo, emerging one of the evening’s biggest winners. The production earned Femi Adebayo the Best Lead Actor award, while Chioma Chukwuka clinched Best Lead Actress for her role as Amaka. The actress was not present to receive the award, which was accepted on her behalf by Adebayo. Seven Doors, co-directed by Femi Adebayo, Adebayo Tijani, and Tope Adebayo, tells the story of King Adedunjoye, a reluctant monarch plagued by a generational curse. “To break it,…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has identified Anambra and Lagos as the states with the highest number of suspects involved in malpractice during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). At a press conference held on Friday at JAMB’s headquarters in Abuja, the Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that a total of 80 suspects were being investigated by the police over various forms of exam fraud. According to him, new and increasingly sophisticated methods of cheating were detected during both the registration and examination phases. He said, “The new methods include identity and biometric frauds involving combined thumbprints…

Troops of Sector 3, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), operating under Operation Hadin Kai, have eliminated a suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) informant during a nighttime ambush in Borno State. The operation, carried out in the early hours of Friday, was part of the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity IV and took place in the Karagawaru area of Kaga Local Government Area. Military sources revealed that the ambush was executed by the 29 Task Force Brigade, acting on “credible intelligence.” According to the sources, “the troops strategically positioned themselves at a suspected crossing point.” “At approximately 12:30 a.m., they…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Directorate, has secured the conviction and sentencing of 32 internet fraudsters in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Osogbo, Osun State. According to a statement issued on Friday by EFCC’s Head of Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the fraudsters were convicted before seven High Court judges in Ibadan and one in Osogbo. The convicts, including Udoka Uzo Omefe, Adedara Ademola Ayobami, Ajayi Elijah Oladimeji, and 29 others, faced various one-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, advance fee fraud, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of fraudulent documents. One of the…

FIFA has announced that the Women’s World Cup will expand from 32 to 48 teams beginning with the 2031 edition, aligning it with the men’s format. This decision was made unanimously by the FIFA Council, which cited the significant growth of women’s football globally. The expanded tournament will introduce a 12-group format, increasing the number of matches from 64 to 104 and extending the competition by one week, according to the world’s football governing body. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the move was influenced by the success of the 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand, which was won by…

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has stated that his players will have to earn their spots in the starting lineup for the Europa League final by performing well in the club’s remaining Premier League fixtures. However, he emphasized the importance of managing the squad to prevent injuries. United secured their place in the Europa League final after defeating Athletic Bilbao, setting up a clash against Tottenham Hotspur. With their league campaign all but over—sitting 15th and unable to reach a top-half finish—Amorim said the focus would now shift to individual performances over the next three games, starting with West Ham…

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has debunked reports suggesting that the Federal Government has initiated extradition proceedings against Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). In a statement released on Friday by his Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, the AGF clarified that his remarks during a recent stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja were misrepresented. The statement read, “The attention of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has been drawn to media reports where he was erroneously reported to…

The Nigeria Police Force has rescued 25 Ivorian nationals from a cross-border kidnapping syndicate operating in Ogun State. The operation, executed in collaboration with Interpol, also led to the arrest of eight suspects. Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed the development in a statement on Friday. He explained that the operation followed a formal request from the National Central Bureau (NCB), Abidjan, prompted by a report from Kaussi Marianman. Marianman had alleged that her son, Ladji Yoa Pierre, was lured to Nigeria under the pretext of securing travel documents to Belgium by individuals identified as Simon Oliver and Michael…

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been named the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year for the third time, following a remarkable campaign that saw him play a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph. Salah received an overwhelming 90% of the votes from the 900-member FWA panel, highlighting the dominant impact he has had this season. The Egyptian becomes only the second player to win the award three times, joining Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. The 32-year-old forward delivered an outstanding performance throughout the season, contributing 28 goals and 18 assists to guide Liverpool to their second Premier…

The Abia State Government has announced plans to transform the proposed new Government House at Ogurube Layout, Umuahia, into a five-star hotel. This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Okey Kanu, during a media tour of the abandoned facility on Thursday. He explained that a new Governor’s Office and Lodge would instead be constructed at the current Government House complex. Addressing speculations about the ownership of the current Government House, Kanu clarified, “And let me debunk another lie. Before now, they said that the current Government House was a rented apartment. But it is not a rented apartment.…