President Bola Tinubu on Friday received Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The meeting, which took place behind closed doors, underscores ongoing consultations between the President and state governors across the country.
Eno, who is the All Progressives Congress leader in Akwa Ibom State, was accompanied Akpabio, a former governor of the state and two other politicians from the state to the meeting.
Details of the discussion were not immediately disclosed as of the time of filing this report, but the visit is believed to center on strengthening collaboration between the Federal Government and Akwa Ibom State, as well as addressing issues of national interest.
The trio posed for photographs after the meeting, reflecting a cordial atmosphere and mutual commitment to advancing governance and development initiatives.
Russian drone and bomb fire killed at least six people across Ukraine’s east and south, local authorities said Friday, as Russia resists US President Donald Trump’s call to halt its invasion.
Moscow has escalated long-range aerial attacks on Ukraine’s towns and cities as well as frontline assaults and shelling over the past weeks, defying Trump’s warning it could face massive new sanctions if no peace deal is struck.
The latest strikes killed at least three people in the Dnipropetrovsk region — an important industrial mining territory under increasing pressure from Russia’s attacks.
“Administrative buildings, a shop and private houses have been damaged,” Governor Sergiy Lysak said on Telegram after a morning drone attack caused a fire to break out in the region’s Kamyanske district, where two were killed.
A 52-year-old man was killed in another drone attack elsewhere in the region.
And in the Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions — all of which are partially occupied by Russian forces — attacks killed another three people.
Ukraine said Russia fired 35 long-range drones overnight — a relatively low number compared to the several hundred Moscow is capable of launching.
Moscow said it shot down 73 Ukrainian drones over its territory, including 10 it said were heading for the capital, Moscow.
Snoop Dogg has become co-owner of Championship side Swansea City in an unlikely alliance between the world of rap and football, the Welsh club announced.
The 53-year-old American star joins former Real Madrid stalwart and Croatia World Cup finalist Luka Modric in the club’s ownership structure.
Snoop Dogg made a surprise appearance on the club’s social media channels last week, modelling their new home jersey for the 2025-26 season and the club announced on Thursday that he has become an investor.
His involvement comes after American businessmen Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen took over the club last November.
Swansea will hope that Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, can use his 100 million-plus social media followers to boost the club’s profile as they seek to return to the Premier League for the first time since they were relegated in 2018.
Swansea’s owners have said they want to generate greater revenue, which would allow them to invest more in new players under the profit and sustainability rules in British football.
The 53-year-old rapper said on the club’s website: “My love of football is well known, but it feels special to me that I make my move into club ownership with Swansea City.
“The story of the club and the area really struck a chord with me. This is a proud, working-class city and club. An underdog that bites back, just like me.
“I’m proud to be part of Swansea City.”
Swansea announced in April that Modric, who this week joined AC Milan at the age of 39 after leaving Real Madrid, had acquired a stake in the club.
“To borrow a phrase from Snoop’s back catalogue, this announcement is the next episode for Swansea City as we seek to create new opportunities to boost the club’s reach and profile,” Swansea’s owners said in a statement.
“Snoop’s colossal global fanbase and audience will certainly help us do that, and he has made clear to us throughout this process just how excited he is at the prospect of joining the club.
“Snoop has openly shared his love of football and his desire to be involved in the game and we expect his involvement to support us putting as competitive a team as possible out on the field.”
Swansea’s Welsh rivals Wrexham have achieved a meteoric rise to the Championship — the second-tier of English football — since Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased the club in 2020.
EU countries on Friday signed off on a new package of sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, including lowering a price cap on Moscow’s oil exports.
The 18th round of economic punishment against Russia since its 2022 invasion was approved after Slovakia dropped a weeks-long block following talks with Brussels over separate plans to phase out Russian gas imports.
“The EU just approved one of its strongest sanctions packages against Russia to date,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
“Each sanction weakens Russia’s ability to wage war. The message is clear: Europe will not back down in its support for Ukraine. The EU will keep raising the pressure until Russia ends its war.”
Slovakia’s Russia-friendly leader Robert Fico dropped his opposition after getting what he called “guarantees” from Brussels over gas prices as the bloc pushes to cut off Russian imports by the end of 2027.
As part of the new sanctions designed to sap Russia’s war chest, diplomats said the EU has agreed to lower its price cap on Russian oil exported to third countries around the world to 15 percent below market value.
That comes despite EU allies failing to convince US President Donald Trump to go along with the plan.
The cap is a G7 initiative aimed at limiting the amount of money Russia makes by exporting oil to countries across the globe such as China and India.
The oil price cap, set at $60 by the G7 in 2022, is designed to limit the price Moscow can sell oil around the world by banning shipping firms and insurance companies dealing with Russia to export above that amount.
Under the new EU scheme — which is expected to get the backing of G7 allies like Britain and Canada — the new level will start off at $47.6 and can be adjusted as oil prices change in the future.
In adddition, officials said the EU is blacklisting over 100 more more vessels in the “shadow fleet” of ageing tankers used by Russia to circumvent oil export curbs.
There are also measures to stop the defunct Baltic Sea gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 from being brought back online.
Among other targets, sanctions will be placed on a Russian-owned oil refinery in India and two Chinese banks as the EU seeks to curb Moscow’s ties with international partners.
There is also an expanded transaction ban on dealings with Russian banks and more restrictions on the export of “dual-use” goods that could be used on the battlefield in Ukraine.
The new sanctions will be formally adopted by EU ministers later on Friday.
The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria has issued an urgent call for government and security intervention as a wave of vandalism and theft targeting critical infrastructure threatens to disrupt services nationwide.
The Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, said in a statement on Thursday that the surge in attacks on telecommunications facilities could lead to a nationwide network collapse if not urgently addressed.
Between May and July 2025, multiple incidents of vandalism were recorded at telecom cell sites in Rivers, Ogun, Osun, Imo, Kogi, Ekiti, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The targeted attacks, according to operators, have disrupted services, caused prolonged network blackouts, and led to severe congestion, leaving millions of Nigerians without reliable connectivity.
“Since the Federal Government’s decisive interventions earlier this year to support industry sustainability, our members have made unprecedented investments in network optimisation and capacity upgrades.
“We are working tirelessly to improve service quality nationwide, but these acts of sabotage are setting us back”, the telecom executive stated.
According to ALTON, the telecommunications industry is currently undergoing its largest infrastructure expansion in recent years. Operators are modernising transmission equipment, overhauling power systems, and laying thousands of kilometres of fibre-optic cables to extend coverage and boost capacity. However, this progress is being undermined by increasing cases of theft and vandalism.
The association revealed that thieves are targeting essential telecom components, including power cables, rectifiers, fibre optic cables, feeder cables, diesel generators, batteries, and solar panels. These items, ALTON stressed, are not just ordinary materials but represent the backbone of Nigeria’s communications network, security systems, and digital economy.
“The affected infrastructure belongs to our members as well as other network operators who depend on these facilities to keep the country connected.
“When these components are stolen or vandalised, it is not only phone calls and data that are affected. Our banking systems, emergency services, healthcare, education, and national security platforms are all compromised”, operators said.
States with the highest number of reported attacks include Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger, Osun, Kwara, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
ALTON warned of a growing black market for stolen telecom equipment. Batteries from telecom sites are reportedly being sold for home and office inverters. Solar panels stripped from telecom towers are resold to households, while diesel fuel meant for powering telecom base stations is being siphoned off and sold on the grey market.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant and avoid buying suspicious items,” the group noted. “If you purchase stolen telecom equipment, you are not just aiding criminals; you are participating in a national crime.”
Telecom infrastructure in Nigeria has been officially designated as Critical National Infrastructure under Federal Government Gazette No. 133, Volume 108, dated 17th March 2021.
According to ALTON, vandalism, sabotage, or illegal possession of telecom assets constitutes a serious criminal offence with severe legal consequences.
The operators warned that continued sabotage of telecom facilities poses a direct threat to Nigeria’s economic stability and national security, noting that mobile and broadband services support essential sectors such as banking, security, healthcare, and education.
In addition to deliberate acts of vandalism, ALTON cited frequent fibre cuts caused by uncoordinated road construction and civil works across the country. The association said road projects along highways and urban roads often destroy underground fibre optic cables, resulting in massive service outages and financial losses.
ALTON called on the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services, and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to immediately deploy security measures to protect telecom infrastructure and prevent a total collapse of communications services.
The association also commended the Nigerian Communications Commission for establishing a dedicated portal where citizens can report vandalism or suspicious activities. Nigerians are encouraged to use the portal by emailing protect@ncc.gov.ng or dialling 622.
“This is a desperate and urgent moment. The industry cannot handle this crisis alone. We need coordinated national action from security agencies, the government at all levels, regulators, the media, civil society, and the public. Our economic stability, national security, and digital future depend on it”, they said.
A petroleum tanker carrying 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, on Thursday, exploded in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
PUNCH Online gathered that the incident occurred at Celica junction, on the new Ife Expressway in Ibadan.
Eyewitnesses explained that the fire incident was as a result of break failure, which made the vehicle lose control.
One of the witnesses said, “The tanker hit a Prado jeep and another car. And in the process, the tanker fell and exploded.
“Although no casualty was recorded, the fire affected the car and the Prado jeep.”
Confirming the incident in a statement in Ibadan, the state capital, the state Fire Service Chairman, Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the development to our correspondent, adding that no casualty was recorded.
He said, “The incident was reported at exactly 18.27hrs on Thursday.
“The firemen swiftly swung into action by applying chemical foam compound and restricted the fire from spreading to the nearby Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation petrol station and surrounding properties. The fire was jointly extinguished with officers from the Federal Fire Service.
“The fire incident was as a result of failure of breaking in system of the truck whist on motion which made the vehicle lose control, hit a Prado jeep and a car, then fell and caught fire.
“No casualty was recorded but the fire affected the trailer tanker and a car, while a Jeep was hit by the trailer into the nearby gutter,” he explained.
Aare Adetola Emmanuelking Mourns Former President Muhammadu Buhari, Pays Tribute to a National Icon
In a heartfelt condolence message, Sir Aare Adetola Emmanuelking KOF, the Group Chairman of Adron Group, has joined the rest of the nation in mourning the death of former President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, describing his passing as the departure of a patriot, a soldier, and a statesman whose legacy will remain indelible in Nigeria’s history.
In the statement released to the press, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking expressed his deep sorrow over the death of the former Head of State and President, calling it a moment of “national grief and solemn reflection.”
“His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, was more than a leader, he was a symbol of discipline, duty, and commitment to national integrity. His life, marked by sacrifice and stoic patriotism, leaves behind a legacy that will resonate far beyond his years.”
The business leader and philanthropist praised the late Buhari’s journey from the military trenches to the highest civilian office in the land, noting the rare courage and conviction with which he navigated leadership in both roles.
“From the battlefields as a gallant general to the seat of power as a democratically elected President, he served with honour. He was austere, yet compassionate; firm, yet loyal to the unity of Nigeria,” Aare Adetola Emmanuelking remarked.
He extended his deepest sympathies to the family. “You have not only lost a patriarch, but the nation has lost a father figure, a sentinel of moral strength, and a resolute defender of the Nigerian dream”, he stated.
He urged Nigerians not to mourn as those without hope, but to reflect on and uphold the values of discipline, resilience, and unity, which were embodied by the former President.
“Though his voice may now be silent, the echoes of his convictions for a greater Nigeria will continue to inspire generations to come,” he concluded.
The former President, who served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1983 to 1985 and later as a two-term civilian President from 2015 to 2023, passed away leaving behind a storied legacy of service to the nation.
Sir Aare Adetola Emmanuelking’s tribute joins a chorus of voices across the nation and the world, honouring a man whose life was an attestation of loyalty, sacrifice, and enduring national purpose.
The Coalition of Political Parties in Lagos State on Thursday applauded the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission for ”conducting a free, fair, and credible local council election” in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that LASIEC on Saturday conducted council election into the 20 Local Governments, 37 Local Council Development Areas, and 376 councillorship seats in the states.
The ruling APC won all 57 chairmanship seats and secured 375 out of the 376 councillorship positions, according the state electoral commission.
Some opposition parties have rejected the results of the election, saying the election was deeply flawed and so, not credible.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday in Ikeja, the Spokesman for the Coalition and Lagos State Chairman of defunct Alliance for Democracy, Chief Kola Ajayi, however, commended LASIEC’s Chairman, Retired Justice Bola Okikiola-Ighile and her team “for living up to expectations.”
Ajayi commended the umpire’s professionalism and commitment to what he called electoral integrity in the face of notable challenges.
“We equally appreciate the security agencies for their neutrality and professionalism throughout the electoral process, which contributed significantly to the peaceful conduct of the elections.
“To all the successful candidates across the state, we extend our heartfelt congratulations.
“We urge you to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship and be magnanimous in victory, recognising that true leadership is measured by service and inclusivity,” he said.
Ajayi, however, expressed the coalition’s concern over recurrent voter apathy in the elections, which he said, was not good for democracy.
He said that democracy should be inclusive and participatory for best outcomes.
Ajayi added, “The coalition, comprising both registered and de-registered political parties, civil society organisations, and ethnic-based groups—also notes with concern the persistent issue of voters apathy.
“In view of this, we advocate the formation of a tripartite engagement mechanism involving the State Government, LASIEC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, National Orientation Agency, Civil Societies and other relevant stakeholders.
“This is to strategise on voters education, awareness, and participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We must collectively take urgent steps to reawaken the public interest in the electoral process and remind our citizens that voting is not just a right—it is a civic responsibility and a powerful tool for change.”
Ajayi reaffirmed the group’s commitment to deepening democracy and strengthening democratic institutions in the state and Nigeria at large.
The Defence Headquarters has stated that Nigeria remains an independent nation capable of making its own decisions, particularly on security and counterterrorism matters.
This follows recent comments by the Turkish government alleging that members of a group it designates as the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation are operating in Nigeria under the guise of educational and healthcare institutions.
Speaking at a dinner in Abuja on Tuesday to mark Turkey’s Democracy and National Unity Day, the Turkish Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, claimed that FETO still has an active presence in the country.
He said, “The presence of such an organisation poses a threat to every country in which it operates… particularly in the fields of education and healthcare.”
Poroy added that Turkey continues to brief Nigeria on what it views as the group’s subversive activities and urged Nigerian authorities to remain “vigilant and cautious.”
However, in a response while briefing journalists on the military operations in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, said the Defence Headquarters does not recognise the claims as official or verified.
“Information from the person you are talking about, as far as Defence Headquarters is concerned, is an unofficial announcement. Everybody is free to say whatever they want. There is freedom of information, “he said.
He noted that Nigeria cannot be swayed by external commentary or claims that do not align with its own intelligence and national interest.
“Nigeria is an independent sovereign nation that can think and act for itself,” Kangye said.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s diplomatic and military relationships with several countries, Kangye cautioned against accepting unverified foreign narratives, especially those that may undermine national integrity or incite suspicion.
“We cannot take what other people are saying about Nigeria and accept it without our own independent assessment. Nigeria knows what it is, and the Nigerian military has its own code of conduct and operational guidelines,” he said.
Kangye also pointed to the rise of global propaganda and psychological operations, suggesting that foreign assertions could be part of broader strategic manoeuvres.
“There are propagandists all over the world. Psychological oppressions go on everywhere. That’s why we must be vigilant,” he added.
Kangye, however, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to fighting terrorism on its own terms, guided by national priorities and internal intelligence.
He reiterated that while the country values its international allies, its security decisions will always reflect its status as a sovereign state.
The Director-General of the Asue/Ogie Campaign Council, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, on Thursday, resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party.
His resignation was contained in a letter dated July 17, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman of the PDP, Ward 5, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Edo State, Andrew Esemuede.
Iduoriyekemwen cited recent developments within the party at both the state and national levels as the reason for his decision.
The letter read, “I am writing to formally resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ward 5, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Edo State.
“This is a painstaking decision for me, as the PDP has played a vital role in my political journey and personal development. For this, I remain deeply grateful and will always cherish the platform the party provided me.
“However, recent developments within the party—both at the state and national levels—have made it difficult for me to remain a member.
“The values and principles that once defined the PDP, as laid down by our founding fathers, appear to have been eroded. What we see today no longer aligns with the vision they had for a truly democratic, inclusive, and people-centred political party.”
He added that his decision was not driven by anger or haste, but by reflection and a commitment to his personal values.
“In view of this, I have decided to resign my membership of the party to enable me to concentrate fully on my family and business engagements.
“This is not a decision made out of anger or haste, but one rooted in deep reflection and a sincere desire to preserve my personal values and integrity.
“I sincerely thank the party leadership and all members of Ward 5, Ikpoba-Okha LGA, for their love and support over the years. I wish the PDP well in its future endeavours.”
