Punch Newspapers - Latest News

Champions League: What inspired Real Madrid’s comeback against Man City -Ancelotti

Agency Report — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:55:15 +0000

Carlo Ancelotti said the “history of the club” helped his Real Madrid side stage another Champions League comeback to down Manchester City on Wednesday and reach the final. The 13-time European champions trailed 1-0 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate in the last-four tie entering the 90th minute, but Rodrygo scored a late double…

Customs probe man’s death in accident involving patrol vehicle

Olaide Oyelude — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:37:15 +0000

The Katsina Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has begun an investigation into circumstances surrounding a road accident which claimed the life of a disabled person with three other persons sustaining injuries on Wednesday. The accident, which occurred around Natinsta Barracks area along the Katsina-Jibia highway in the afternoon, was said to have involved…

26-year-old lady found dead in Ebonyi hotel room

Edward Nnachi — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:36:35 +0000

Panic has gripped residents of Abakaliki metropolis as a 26-year-old lady, Ugochukwu Nworie, has been allegedly raped to death in Ebonyi State. The PUNCH gathered that the incident took place at Hope-in Hotel, Ngbowo Street, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital. The Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed the incident on Thursday morning. It was gathered that…

SAN faults withdrawal letter in APC nomination form

Segun Adewole — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:35:05 +0000

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Ogala, has said the Form 18 ‘Letter of Withdrawal’ attached to the expression of interest and nomination form of the All Progressives Congress to be signed by aspirants is wrong, if compulsory. The letter, which had to be signed before a Commissioner of Oath/Public Notary before submission, stated, “I…

2023: 17 APC aspirants jostle for Ayade’s job

Ada Wodu — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:15:48 +0000

Seventeen governorship aspirants in the All Progressives Congress in Cross River State are jostling to take over from Governor Ben Ayade in 2023. The state Chairman of the party, Alphonsus Eba, stated this on Wednesday evening after the inauguration of the seven-man ad hoc committee led by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba. He said the committee was…

Police arrest suspected kidnapper in Nasarawa

Collins Sunday — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:06:46 +0000

The Nasarawa state police command says it has arrested Ibrahim Hassan, a 42-year-old man for kidnapping a herdsman in the Awe Local Government Area of the state, and collected a ransom of N10 million before he was released. Our correspondent gathered that the suspect who is the gang leader of a kidnapping syndicate, abducted the…

Champions League: Why Man City lost to Real Madrid -Guardiola

Agency Report — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:24:13 +0000

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola put his side’s latest Champions League collapse down to the unpredictability of football after Real Madrid produced a stunning late fightback to reach the final. City led 1-0 on the night at the Santiago Bernabeu and 5-3 on aggregate heading into the 90th minute before two goals in 88 seconds…

Delta PDP chairman raises the alarm over cloned phone number

Dele Ogunyemi — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:15:34 +0000

Suspected fraudsters have reportedly cloned the telephone number of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Delta State, Kingsley Esiso. The suspects were said to have sent messages to aspirants on the party platform, requesting huge sums of money to help them secure the party’s tickets. The Executive Assistant to the Delta State Governor on…

One way: Hit-and-run Lebanese crushes lady’s leg in Lagos

Kayode Oyero — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:12:18 +0000

A Lagos-based Lebanese hit-and-run driver, John Greg, has crushed the leg of a lady, Omotomi Akinsanya. The incident happened on Wednesday morning on the Sanusi Fafunwa Road in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State. Greg reportedly drove against traffic, hit Akinsanya and sped off, leaving the young lady in a pool of blood. The…

African men are not ‘naturally’ polygamous

Abimbola Adelakun — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:03:24 +0000

The news that actor Yul Edochie took a second wife rebooted discussions about polygamy. Typical of our clime, issues bordering on long complex history too quickly descended into superficial exchanges and self-serving arguments. It gets worse when the interventions are headlined by a self-labelled “deep thinker” whose grasp of any issue hardly goes beyond his…

Navy intercepts N10.7bn stolen crude oil, others in April

Solomon Odeniyi — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:56:50 +0000

THE Nigerian Navy on Wednesday said it saved the country from losing N10,701,793,052.5 to oil thieves and economic saboteurs in April. A breakdown from the Nigerian Navy revealed that a total of 6,558,000 litres Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel valued at 720/litre which equals to N4,721,760,000; 16, 423, 414 litres (103,291.91 barrels) at…

Imo hoodlums kill police officer two months after resumption

Chidiebube Okeoma — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:48:28 +0000

An Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ukam Efut, has been shot dead at a security checkpoint at Agwa in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. PUNCH Metro gathered that the victim was killed on Tuesday by gunmen. After shooting the officer dead, his killers reportedly chopped off his private parts and fled with them….

JUST IN: Police take over PDP secretariat in Abia

Agency Report — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:45:52 +0000

Armed police operatives were seen at the secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party, in Abia State on Thursday. The policemen restricted movement in and out of the secretariat located at Finbars Road, Umuahia. They were said to be working with “an order from above”. The Publicity Secretary of Abia PDP, Fabian Nwankwo, said workers and officials…

Which Nigerians will play in Europa finals?

Kelvin Ekerete — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:23:36 +0000

With the deciding second leg semi-final ties of the UEFA Europa and Conference League billed to take place on Thursday (today), a number of Nigerian players will be in action as they hope to help send their teams through to the final at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in Seville (Europa) and the Arena Kombëtare in…

Bestiality: Police vow to fish out dog owners

Kayode Oyero — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:12:00 +0000

The Nigeria Police Force on Thursday vowed to fish out owners of dogs who pay ladies to have sex with their pets. Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, made this known in a statement to journalists on Thursday morning. According to him, the dog owners will be punished and prosecuted upon their arrest. He also…

My presidential aspiration not a betrayal of Tinubu, says Fayemi

Kayode Oyero — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:10:58 +0000

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, says his presidential aspiration is not an act of betrayal of his erstwhile political associate, Bola Tinubu. He spoke on Wednesday when he featured on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme monitored by The PUNCH. Fayemi, the current Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, had earlier on Wednesday declared his intention…

12 years after, Jonathan says Yar’Adua’s type hard to find

Sodiq Oyeleke — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:48:36 +0000

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described his former boss, Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua, as a selfless leader. Twelve years after the former Nigerian president’s death, Jonathan said Yar’Adua’s “type is hard to find” in the country. Yar’Adua was the President of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010. He died of an illness on May 5, 2010….

OPEC cuts 2022 oil demand over economic concerns

Okechukwu Nnodim — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:30:51 +0000

…says oil producers lack capacity to replace Russian supply The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries has revised the demand for crude oil in 2022 downward following the concerns around global economic growth. OPEC’s Secretary-General, Sanusi Barkindo, announced this at the 62nd Meeting of the Joint Technical Committee via videoconference. He also stated that the loss…

Crude rises by 4% as EU proposes Russian oil ban

Henry Falaye — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:27:16 +0000

The prices of crude oil rose by four per cent on Wednesday, after the European Union unveiled plans to phase out imports of Russian oil as part of sanctions for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Brent crude futures rose $3.99, or 3.8 per cent, to $108.96 a barrel by 1121 GMT. West Texas Intermediate crude futures…

Abuja communities lament as flood submerges houses, cars

Solomon Odeniyi — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:25:47 +0000

Many houses were submerged after flood took over Dogongada, Lokogoma, Damangaza and Apo Dutse in the Gudu district areas of the Federal Capital Territory. Also, two persons were rescued from the flood. At the Lokogoma area of the FCT, houses, roads and the Dogon-Gada Bridge were affected by the flood. The flood, which was caused…

Experts canvass land valuation, others

Dennis Naku — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:23:54 +0000

The Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers has said over 80 per cent of lands in Nigeria do not have certificates of occupancy and cannot be used for any form of financial transaction. They added that incessant cases of collapsed buildings in the country was a result of the non-engagement of core professionals in…

Court adjourns suit challenging Kogi monarch’s appointment

Victoria Edeme — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:21:34 +0000

A Lokoja High Court presided by Justice Nicodemus Awulu has adjourned till May 23, 2022, further hearing on the suit challenging the appointment of Abubakar Yakubu as Ejeh of Ankpa. Awulu adjourned the suit after a new lawyer of the defendants filed a new application. A high court of Kogi State had earlier restrained the…

PUNCH Podcast: Insecurity: Army reacts to murder of military couple, vows to leave no stone unturned

Oluwakemi Abimbola — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:15:23 +0000

The spate of insecurity in Nigeria has been on the increase, with many lives lost over the years. Some of the latest victims include soldiers; Master Warrant Officer, Audu Linus and Private Gloria Matthew, who were travelling to Imo State for their traditional marriage when they were shot dead and beheaded. This action has been…

31 stocks drive investors’ gain by N262.8bn

Nike Popoola — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:14:09 +0000

Investors gained N262.8bn on Wednesday at the end of trading on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange Limited. The Federal Government had declared Monday and Tuesday as public holidays to mark the Workers Day and Eld-el-Fitr celebrations. The market capitalisation of the equities listed on the NGX rose by 0.98 per cent to N27.023tn on…

Seafarers lament unemployment, blame Cabotage Act

Anozie Egole — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:12:17 +0000

Seafarers, under the auspices of the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, say lack of enforcement and implementation of the Cabotage Act by regulatory agencies has resulted in unemployment in the industry. The President of the union, Bob Yousou, in a statement, blamed influx of foreign counterparts as the reason for…

Equities market to remain positive in 2022 – Report

Nike Popoola — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:09:28 +0000

Parthian Securities’ analysts have predicted that the Nigerian equities market will remain positive due to the increased participation of domestic players in 2022, despite being a pre-election year. Parthian Securities said in a statement that four months after the maiden edition of its free investment clinic tagged ‘Bears and bulls series’, it had held another…

Border reopening: Experts predict 60% rise in vehicle smuggling

Anozie Egole — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:06:10 +0000

• Customs says land importation of vehicles still banned Few days after the Federal Government announced the reopening of four land borders, stakeholders, including clearing agents and car dealers, have predicted a 60 per cent increase in the smuggling of vehicles into the country. The Federal Government had, last weekend, approved the reopening of Idiroko,…

Seven journalists killed in Ukraine – Report

Agency Report — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:05:14 +0000

Citing United Nations data, top independent rights experts on Wednesday said seven journalists had been killed in Ukraine while many had been facing unprecedented danger and even targeted while performing their work. The alert from UN-appointed independent rights experts, including the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, cited “numerous reports” that journalists have been…

No fire around TB Joshua’s tomb – SCOAN

Deji Lambo — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:01:39 +0000

The Synagogue Church of All Nations has denied that fire gutted the tomb covering of the late founder of the church, Prophet TB Joshua. The Head, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, Margaret Adeseye, had said the fire, which occurred on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, affected the shelter covering the late cleric’s tomb. A statement…

Serial Ekiti convict jailed seven years for stealing phone, money

Abiodun Nejo — Thu, 05 May 2022 07:00:05 +0000

An Ekiti State Chief Magistrate’s Court, Ado Ekiti District, has sentenced a 26-year-old convict, Femi Ayelegun, to seven years imprisonment without an option of a fine. Ayelegun was arraigned on two counts bordering on stealing. The charges read in part, “The convict, sometime in 2021 at Okuta-Gbokuta-lori area of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, did unlawfully…