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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA — Aggrieved members of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in Edo South Senatorial District have rejected the party’s national reconciliation committee, describing it as a charade that cannot heal the wounds of injustice caused by its leaders. They said a stolen mandate cannot be reconciled away and stressed that injustice does not become legitimate simply because a committee has been established to manage the anger it created. A statement issued by Agbonaye Osazee Ofo on behalf of the aggrieved members said the disputed election cannot be wished away. The members contended that the committee’s main objective…

The Baule District, one of the three constituent districts of the historic Tula Chiefdom in Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe State, occupies an important place in the history of Southern Gombe. The Tula Chiefdom served as the first headquarters of the former Tangale–Waja Native Authority during the colonial period before the administrative headquarters was later relocated. Today, that historical legacy continues through the communities that make up Kaltungo, Billiri, Balanga and Shongom Local Government Areas. The people of the Baule District acknowledge and appreciate the developmental strides of the Government of Gombe State under the leadership of Muhammadu Inuwa…

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been knocked out of the race for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to Burkina Faso in the final of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-20 Championship. The defeat at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, also ended Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. The WAFU Zone B final carried added importance, as the winner was guaranteed a place at the 2027 U-20 AFCON, which will serve as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. With Burkina Faso emerging…

Spider-Man: Brand New Day held its grip atop China‘s box office for a second weekend, pulling in $28.9 million (RMB 196.6 million) over the Aug. 7-9 frame for a local total of $185.4 million (RMB 1.26 billion) in 12 days.  The Sony tentpole launched in China with a massive $121.3 million five-day haul, of which $19 million came from Imax, a record for the format in the market. The film is now days away from surpassing the $199 million earned by 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, the last U.S. superhero release to clear $100 million in China. But it was…

President Bola Tinubu’s decision to expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions marks one of the boldest restructurings of the military in recent years, aimed at decentralising command, strengthening security and reducing response time to emerging threats. But as the new formations take shape, questions around manpower, resources, logistics and, particularly, the geographical contiguity of the states under each command are emerging, raising important questions about how effectively the ambitious reform can deliver on its promises. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports  In sweeping reforms and restructuring that will decentralise Nigerian Army commands, tighten border security, and cut down the time it takes soldiers…

Harry Potter fans have forced a new multimillion-pound power cable between the UK and Ireland to be relocated after complaining it would desecrate the “grave” of Dobby, a fictional elf.The character was laid to rest on Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, during the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Fans of the wizard series now come to leave stones reading “Here Lies Dobby” despite being asked not to by the land owner, the National Trust, because the beach is an ecologically sensitive site.Dobby’s ‘grave’ at Freshwater West. Photograph: Sam Cuthbertson/AlamyThe £430m Greenlink interconnector, which links the National Grid…

• Etukudoh demands living wage, better working conditions for civil servants Sunday Aborisade in Abuja  A retiring senior pension officer in the Federal Civil Service, Mrs. Maria Nkereuwem Etukudoh, has warned that the current minimum wage is inadequate to sustain Nigerian workers amid rising costs of living, calling on the Federal Government to urgently introduce a living wage that reflects prevailing economic realities. Etukudoh, who retired after 25 years in the Federal Civil Service, including her tenure as Head of the Pension Unit at the Federal Ministry of Finance, said soaring costs of fuel, transportation, food, housing and other essential…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.What do Beyoncé, Sean Penn, Alexa Chung and 19-year-old American rapper Nettspend have in common? They’re all “cigfluencers”, says Jared Oviatt, the 27-year-old founder of the Cigfluencers Instagram page. Oviatt launched the channel in 2021 with mostly archive photographs of models and actors smoking; today his account is home to more than 500 images, most of them new shots, and 100,000 followers.“It’s hard to define a cigfluencer,” says Oviatt, whose feed includes pictures of Carrie Coon, Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve. “But…

Sadly, there hasn’t been a new episode of No Dogs in Space since July of 2024. Part four of the podcast’s series on Can wrapped up an abbreviated season three, which focused on experimental rock. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seasons one and two, but the show seemed to be gearing up for a deep dive into Krautrock, and I was hype. Unfortunately, that episode ended with hosts Marcus Parks (Last Podcast on the Left) and Carolina Hidalgo declaring they were going to do another season on punk (the topic of season one), only for the feed to go…

Recent move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to freeze Osun state government’s account reignites debate over timing, independence and results of the country’s anti-graft war. Iyobosa Uwugiaren writes. Baarely days before the Osun State governorship election, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found itself at the centre of another political storm. Reports emerged that the commission had frozen a bank account belonging to the Osun State Government. Governor Ademola Adeleke and his supporters immediately accused the EFCC of political interference, warning that the action was capable of crippling government activities on the eve of a crucial election.…