Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday hosted dignitaries from across the country as Oba Rashidi Ladoja was formally crowned the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland at Mapo Hall.
The coronation ceremony drew the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; a former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; a former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; a former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and a former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke.
Earlier, the Afobaje of Ibadanland, Chief Waheed Popoola, performed the traditional rites by placing Akoko leaves on Oba Ladoja’s head at the Labosinde Compound, Oja’ba, before the monarch proceeded in a grand procession to Mapo Hall for the official ceremony.
The new Olubadan’s entourage included political allies such as Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun (Ibadan South) and former Oyo State governor candidate, Teslim Folarin.
Also in attendance were Senator Yunus Akintunde (Oyo Central), Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North), and Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, who represents Ogbomoso North in the House of Representatives, alongside other federal and state lawmakers.
President Bola Tinubu and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, are expected to join the ceremony for the official presentation of the staff of office to the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency has cancelled its ‘JICA Africa Hometown’ initiative, citing “misunderstandings and confusion” over the programme.
JICA announced the withdrawal in a statement on its website on Thursday, weeks after reports claimed Japan would create a special visa category for Nigerians who wished to relocate to Kisarazu, a city designated as “hometown” to Nigerians and other Africans under the scheme.
On August 26, the Japanese government denied the visa plan after the Director of Information at the State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, issued a statement relaying that Japan would introduce a “special visa category” for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who want to move to Kisarazu to live and work.
Clarifying its position, JICA said the use of the term “hometown” and the idea of “designating” Japanese municipalities as such led to “misunderstandings and confusion within Japan, placing an excessive burden on the four municipalities.”
The statement read, “Originally, under this initiative, it was envisioned that exchange programs would be coordinated and implemented among the Japanese local governments, relevant African countries, and JICA. The specific details were to be determined later.
“However, JICA believes that the very nature of this initiative—namely, the term “hometown” and the fact that JICA would ‘designate’ Japanese local Governments as “hometowns”—led to misunderstandings and confusion within Japan, placing an excessive burden on the four municipalities. JICA sincerely apologizes to the municipalities involved for causing such situation.
“JICA takes this situation seriously. After consulting with all parties involved, JICA has decided to withdraw the “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative.”
The initiative was launched in August during the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development with the goal of promoting exchanges between four Japanese municipalities and four African countries through cultural and educational programmes.
JICA, however, stressed that it had never undertaken initiatives to promote immigration and has “no plans to do so in the future,” adding that it would continue supporting other forms of international exchange.
In August, confusion arose after the State House announced that Japan had designated Kisarazu city as the “hometown” for Nigerians and would introduce a special visa category for young, skilled Nigerians wishing to live and work there.
However, the Japanese government quickly dismissed the claim.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan clarified that while the JICA Africa Hometown initiative aimed to promote cultural and developmental exchanges between selected African countries and four Japanese cities, it did not involve immigration benefits or special visas.
The clarification came after Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Japan, Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, and Kisarazu’s Mayor, Yoshikuni Watanabe, publicly received a certificate naming the city the “hometown” of Nigerians, further fuelling reports of migration opportunities.
A sighting of a suspected drone briefly shuttered a Danish airport on Friday for the second time in a few hours, after the country’s prime minister said the flights were part of “hybrid attacks” that may be linked to Russia.
Drones have been seen flying over several Danish airports since Wednesday, causing one of them to close for hours, after a sighting earlier this week prompted Copenhagen airport to shut down.
That followed a similar incident in Norway, drone incursions in Polish and Romanian territory and the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets, which raised tensions in light of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“Over recent days, Denmark has been the victim of hybrid attacks,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a video message on social media on Thursday — referring to a form of unconventional warfare.
She warned that such drone flights “could multiply”.
Investigators said they had so far failed to identify those responsible, but Frederiksen stressed: “There is one main country that poses a threat to Europe’s security, and it is Russia.”
Moscow said Thursday it “firmly rejects” any suggestion that it was involved in the Danish incidents. Its embassy in Copenhagen called them “a staged provocation”, in a post on social media.
Denmark’s Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard earlier said the aim of the attack was “to spread fear, create division and frighten us”.
He added that Copenhagen would acquire new enhanced capabilities to “detect” and “neutralise drones”.
Denmark will on Friday join other EU countries, mostly along the eastern border with Russia, in the first talks on proposals to build a “wall” of anti-drone defences in the face of the tensions with Moscow.
– Russia sabotage warning –
Drones were spotted on Wednesday and early Thursday at airports in Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg and at the Skrydstrup air base before leaving on their own, police said.
Aalborg airport, located in northern Denmark, was initially shut down for several hours, and closed again for about an hour from late Thursday into early Friday morning due to another suspected sighting.
“It was not possible to take down the drones, which flew over a very large area over a couple of hours,” North Jutland chief police inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said about the initial Aalborg incident.
The head of Denmark’s military intelligence, Thomas Ahrenkiel, told a news conference the service had not been able to identify who was behind the drones.
But intelligence chief Finn Borch said: “The risk of Russian sabotage in Denmark is high.”
Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told a news conference the flights appeared to be “the work of a professional actor… such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time”.
He said it had posed “no direct military threat” to Denmark.
Frederiksen said Thursday that she had spoken with NATO chief Mark Rutte about the incidents.
Lund Poulsen said the government had yet to decide whether to invoke NATO’s Article 4, under which any member state can call urgent talks when it feels its “territorial integrity, political independence or security” are at risk.
French President Emmanuel Macron said his country stood ready “to contribute to the security of Danish airspace”.
Copenhagen is set to host a summit of European Union leaders next week.
– ‘Feel rather insecure’ –
Police said investigations were under way with the Danish intelligence service and the armed forces.
The drone activity shook some in Denmark, including 85-year-old Birgit Larsen.
“I feel rather insecure. I live in a country where there has been peace since 1945. I am not really used to thinking about war,” she told AFP in central Copenhagen.
Others were less concerned.
“It’s probably Russia, you know, testing the borders of Europe. They fly close to the borders and stuff and try to provoke, but not threaten,” said 48-year-old Torsten Froling.
The drone flights came after Denmark announced it would acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, as Russia would pose a threat “for years to come”.
Luka Modric and Kevin De Bruyne will face off on Sunday night when Serie A champions Napoli travel north to face AC Milan and the first true test of their title defence.
Both icons of 21st-century football, veterans De Bruyne and Modric, chose Italy for the latter end of their careers and have so far impressed for their respective clubs.
De Bruyne has started all five of Napoli’s fixtures in the opening few weeks of the season, including the four league wins from fou,r which have put Antonio Conte’s team top of the division on a perfect 12 points.
He has already scored twice this term as Conte tries to create a special role for the 34-year-old who joined Napoli in the summer after leaving Manchester City.
De Bruyne and last season’s player of the year Scott McTominay will be up against another formidable midfielder pairing in 40-year-old Modric and France’s Adrien Rabiot as Milan begin to warm up after a bumpy start.
Tuesday’s 3-0 Italian Cup win over Lecce was a fourth straight win in all competitions for Milan, who sit three points behind Napoli in third and could yet be a dark horse for the Scudetto.
None of Napoli’s major rivals have stood out yet and Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri benefits from having no European football to worry about, just like Conte on his charge to his sixth league title as a manager.
Napoli meanwhile host Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday night and last weekend Conte warned against “the physical and mental stress” of having to play every three or four days.
Milan will also be able to welcome Rafael Leao back to the fray as the Portugal winger returned to team training on Thursday morning.
Leao hasn’t played since suffering a calf injury in a Cup win over Bari last month but is set to make his league debut for the season, probably from the bench.
That is a major boost for Milan, especially as Napoli will be without star defender Alessandro Buongiorno who suffered a hamstring injury last weekend and will miss both Sunday’s clash and the visit of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Juventus will have a chance to take provisional top spot on Saturday when they host unbeaten Atalanta with a two-point gap separating them from Napoli.
Ademola Lookman will likely get more playing time in Turin after being brought back into the fold by Ivan Juric last weekend with the visit of Club Brugge coming up on Tuesday.
Juric will be hoping Lookman can help Atalanta in the Champions League after the Bergamo outfit were humiliated by Paris Saint-Germain in the opening round of matches in Europe’s elite club competition.
Key stats
4 – Napoli are the only team left with a 100 per cent record after winning their first four Serie A matches of the season.
59 – The number of club trophies won by Modric and De Bruyne.
Fixtures (times GMT)
Saturday
Como v Cremonese (1300), Juventus v Atalanta (1600), Cagliari v Inter (1845)
Sunday
Sassuolo v Udinese (1030), Roma v Verona, Pisa v Fiorentina (1300), Lecce v Bologna (1600), AC Milan v Napoli (1845)
Liverpool, flawless in their Premier League title defence so far this season, will face a serious test when they visit unbeaten Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Arsenal cannot afford another Newcastle nightmare, while Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is in desperate need of a winning run.
AFP Sport looks at three key talking points ahead of the weekend’s action:
Palace pose Liverpool threat
Liverpool have got off to a flyer with seven straight wins in all competitions, but the Premier League leaders will face a stern examination at Selhurst Park.
The Reds, bolstered by their knack for scoring late winners, have marched five points clear after reeling off five successive league victories.
However, Oliver Glasner’s Palace are also flying high, in fifth place.
The FA Cup holders are the only other unbeaten team left in the top division and have enjoyed recent success against Arne Slot’s men, beating them on penalties in the Community Shield season curtain-raiser at Wembley in August.
Palace also drew 1-1 with champions Liverpool at Anfield on the final day of last season, an impressive result that ranks as part of their current 16-match unbeaten run in competitive matches dating back to April.
With Hugo Ekitike suspended, British-record signing Alexander Isak is set to lead the Liverpool attack after scoring his first goal for the club in the midweek League Cup win against Southampton.
Isak will be closely watched by Palace’s England defender Marc Guehi, who was on the verge of joining Liverpool before the move collapsed on transfer deadline day.
No margin for Arsenal error
Desperate to end their agonising wait for a first English title since 2004, Arsenal cannot afford another costly slip-up when they head to Newcastle, which has not been a happy hunting ground recently.
Mikel Arteta’s second-placed side, Premier League runners-up for the past three seasons, are already trailing in Liverpool’s wake after losing to the champions at Anfield and dropping two points against title rivals Manchester City.
The Gunners, without a trophy since 2020, are developing an unwanted reputation for crumbling when the pressure mounts and the trip north will provide another test of their mettle.
Arsenal have been beaten on their past three visits to St James’ Park, including a League Cup semi-final second-leg defeat last season after a Premier League loss earlier in the campaign.
Newcastle have won four of the past six meetings regardless of venue and Eddie Howe’s men have plenty of motivation after taking just six points from their first five matches.
Amorim seeks Man Utd momentum
Manchester United boss Amorim has his sights set on finally winning successive league matches as his side travel to struggling Brentford on Saturday.
Amorim has endured numerous low points since he arrived from Sporting Lisbon in November, including a humiliating League Cup loss at fourth-tier Grimsby in August, fuelling speculation over his future.
United have steadied the ship a little with consecutive home league wins against Burnley and Chelsea — the first time they have managed that in Amorim’s reign.
But the 40-year-old is still far from secure after a miserable 3-0 loss at Manchester City, in a match sandwiched between the two wins at Old Trafford, exposed the many issues bedevilling Amorim’s team.
If United cannot return home with three points from Brentford, languishing in 17th place after losing three of Keith Andrews’ first five games in charge, the questions surrounding Amorim will grow even more uncomfortable.
Fixtures (1400 GMT unless stated):
Saturday
Brentford v Manchester United (1130), Chelsea v Brighton, Crystal Palace v Liverpool, Leeds v Bournemouth, Manchester City v Burnley, Nottingham Forest v Sunderland (1630), Tottenham v Wolves (1900)
Sunday
Aston Villa v Fulham (1300), Newcastle v Arsenal (1530)
The Jigawa State House of Assembly has approved a N58 billion supplementary budget for the 2025 fiscal year.
This decision came after the adoption of the report from the House Committee on Appropriation during a plenary session of the Assembly held on Thursday at the Assembly’s complex in Dutse, the state capital.
The original 2025 budget, tagged “Budget of Innovation and Transformation for Greater Jigawa,” was passed on December 31, 2024, at N689.3 billion. It includes N90.7 billion for personnel costs, about N70.2 billion for recurrent expenditures, and over N537 billion for capital development programs.
Besides, the Assembly also approved N17 billion to support the 27 Local Government Councils, covering both their recurrent and capital expenses for the year.
Presenting the supplementary budget report during the plenary session, the Committee Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Hamza-Adamu, explained the increase is due to expected additional revenues from federal allocations to the state.
He stated, “The 2025 Appropriation Law appropriated N698.3 billion for recurrent and capital expenditures, but with the supplementary N58 billion, the total budget now stands at N756.3 billion.”
Mr. Hamza-Adamu urged lawmakers to exercise strict oversight to ensure the funds are used wisely and only for their intended purposes.
“The Assembly remains focused on transparent and effective budgeting to drive progress in Jigawa State during the 2025 fiscal year,” he emphasised
The chairman also highlighted that “this supplementary budget signals an effort to boost ongoing development projects and enhance service delivery across the state.”
The PUNCH online reports that the report of the committee was unanimously adopted after Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sani Isyaku Abubakar, who chaired the plenary, put the motion forward for voting.
More than 400 golfers are set to compete in the Nigeria @ 65 Independence Golf Tournament at the Tukur Yusuf Buratai International Golf Resort and Country Club, Abuja.
The week-long tournament, organised to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary, will also honour retired and serving officers of the Nigerian Army.
The Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Dr James Agbonhese, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday that the tournament aims to promote unity, camaraderie and national pride.
“This is more than a sporting competition. It is a reflection of our national values; unity, perseverance, discipline and excellence,” Agbonhese said.
He said the event would also feature the commissioning of new facilities at the resort, including a midway hut, a modern golf practice range, a back nine starter shed and a golf cart bay.
Agbonhese commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Grand Patron of the tournament, for his unwavering support.
The Vice Chairman of TYB Golf Club, Dr Ali Peters, who represented the Club Captain, Maj.-Gen. Samson Jiya, said the event was a symbolic tribute to the military’s role in safeguarding national unity.
“As we celebrate, we must reflect on the legacy of our founding fathers and the sacrifices that brought us this far,” Peters said.
He added that the new facilities would greatly improve the golfing experience for members and visitors.
Jummai Adamu, a member of the LOC, said more than 100 female golfers, including three professionals, would participate in this year’s tournament, reflecting golf’s growing popularity among women in Nigeria.
Tournament Manager, Mr Shola Adebayo, said the event would feature daily games, networking sessions and cultural showcases.
“It’s set to deliver not just top-level golf but an unforgettable experience for everyone involved,” he said.
The tournament tees off on Sept. 27 and will conclude on Oct. 1 with a ceremonial tee-off.
Expected dignitaries include the DSS Director-General, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, and Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye.
Others expected are diplomats, retired senior officers and other distinguished guests.
An award ceremony will be held later in the day to crown the tournament champion and honour winners across various categories.
A 30-year-old man, Mutawakilu Ibrahim, has been arrested by the Kano State Police Command for allegedly stabbing his grandparents to death during a heated argument over food at their residence in Kofar Dawanau Quarters, Dala Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, the incident occurred on Thursday morning, around 9:30 am, and was promptly reported at the Dala Divisional Police Headquarters.
The suspect, believed to be under the influence of intoxicants at the time of the attack, allegedly used a knife to inflict multiple stab wounds on his grandfather, Muhammad Dansokoto, 75, and grandmother, Hadiza Tasidi, 65, following a disagreement over food.
The victims were rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, where medical personnel confirmed them dead on arrival.
Their bodies were examined and subsequently released to family members for burial in line with Islamic rites.
In response to the tragedy, the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Homicide Section, for a discreet investigation.
“The suspect will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation,” the police spokesperson added.
Kano State, Nigeria’s most populous state, has witnessed an increase in reported cases of violent crimes within family settings in recent years.
Security experts and community leaders have often linked such incidents to drug abuse, mental health challenges, and rising economic hardship, which put pressure on family relationships.
The use of illicit substances, particularly among youths and young adults in Kano, has been a recurring concern.
Authorities and civil society groups have repeatedly warned that drug abuse often fuels violent behaviour and domestic disputes, sometimes leading to fatal outcomes.
The Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has disclosed that Nigeria went over a decade without attracting any new investments in the oil sector until the advent of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to the minister, the stagnation crippled growth and weakened confidence in the industry, but recent reforms are beginning to restore investor interest.
The minister made this known in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Nneamaka Okafor, on Thursday, following his keynote address at the United States–Nigeria Council’s session on oil sector collaboration, held on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“At the heart of Nigeria’s renewed energy agenda is a clear and deliberate policy direction: to open our oil sector to deeper, smarter, and more strategic partnerships. The time to invest is not just now, it is ripe.
“Recall that for over ten years, prior to the coming of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria did not have any new investment in the oil sector, but with the reforms we have carried out, which have created an atmosphere that is globally competitive and attractive, we now have new investments running into billions of dollars”, the minister stated.
“All inactive blocks during the period of no investments are in the basket now and up for grabs. We have a longstanding relationship with the US and US companies; beyond these relationships, there are new opportunities for new investors, both in the upstream sector and other sectors.”
The minister noted that, under the leadership of Tinubu, Nigeria’s oil sector has witnessed significant progress over the past two years, including increased production output and a more attractive investment climate.
He urged global investors to seize emerging opportunities in Nigeria’s rapidly transforming oil industry, citing ongoing reforms, enhanced production capacity, and the country’s growing regional influence as key drivers of growth.
“Thanks to bold reforms and globally competitive fiscals, Nigeria has significantly ramped up production and repositioned itself as a dependable energy hub across West Africa and the continent,” he said.
]Lokpobiri attributed this transformation to the successful implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, which he described as a “robust, investor-friendly legal framework” that is driving growth and restoring investor confidence.
He also emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to energy transition efforts, affirming that the country would continue to leverage its fossil fuel reserves to finance its energy mix, while adhering to international climate agreements.
“We are fully aligned with the Paris Agreement, and remain committed to cleaner, more sustainable exploration,” he said.
“Our doors are open, our laws are clear, and our environment is conducive; now is the time for U.S. and global investors to become part of Nigeria’s energy success story.”
The current administration has repeatedly assured international partners that Nigeria remains committed to energy transition goals, but argues that oil and gas revenues will play a crucial role in financing renewable energy expansion.
Recent policy shifts, such as the removal of fuel subsidies, efforts to deregulate the downstream sector, and renewed emphasis on gas monetisation, have also been positioned as signs of Nigeria’s seriousness in reforming its energy industry.
These reforms are part of the government’s efforts to attract $30bn in sectoral investments by 2027 and at least $60bn by 2030.
A Delta Airlines flight en route from Lagos, Nigeria, to Atlanta, United States, was forced to make an emergency diversion to Accra, Ghana, following a fire incident in the aircraft’s oven.
According to the spokesperson for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, on Thursday, the incident occurred on Tuesday, 23 September, affecting Flight DL055, which had departed from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
He said airline officials confirmed that while the fire was swiftly contained and posed no threat to passengers, the delay caused the crew to exceed their expected duty time, making them unable to continue the journey as scheduled.
Following the unscheduled landing in Accra, the airline initiated rebooking arrangements for stranded passengers. Some were accommodated on a Delta Accra-New York service the same evening, with further passengers rebooked on the following night’s flight.
He said, “However, some passengers were rebooked on the airline’s Accra-New York flight the same evening, and this effort was repeated on Wednesday night for additional passengers.
“Flight DL055 LOS – ATL finally departed from Accra today, 25 September 2025, at approximately 1200 hrs.”
In a related development, Delta Airlines also cancelled its inbound flight ATL-LOS (Atlanta to Lagos) for Thursday, 25 September.
Though passengers were said to have been informed in advance, “The airline provided hotel accommodations and ground transport for those who still reported to the airport.”
To mitigate the disruption, the airline rebooked 23 affected passengers on Air France, while others were scheduled to travel via British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa.
The remaining passengers will be airlifted on Delta’s regularly scheduled flight tomorrow, 26 September, at 11:40 a.m.
He added, “Regarding today’s 25 September 2025 ATL – LOS arrival cancellation, although passengers were duly informed about the cancellation, the airline accommodated those who arrived at the airport by providing transportation to hotels as reported in the flight disruption this morning.
“Twenty-three passengers had been rebooked on Air France, while others would be airlifted on British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa Airlines. The remaining passengers are scheduled to depart on the airline’s scheduled flight tomorrow, 26 September 2025, at 1140 hrs.
Contrary to earlier reports, the Air France flight from Lagos has not been cancelled and is expected to operate at 01:30 a.m.
“Air France flight has not been cancelled as speculated, but would operate at 0130 hrs. Kindly note that I am attending meetings in Montreal, but I have had to constantly leave the hall to make calls and get feedback.
“Follow-up continues. While wishing you safe travels, do not hesitate to reach out to me if there is a further need to,” Achimugu added.
