Author: statereporter

Onyinyechi Mark from Nigeria has set a new Paralympic record in the women’s 61kg powerlifting division. State reporters revealed that Mark lifted an impressive 150kg to make this extraordinary achievement, surpassing the former record established by fellow Nigerian athlete, Lucy Ejike. Mark’s outstanding performance guaranteed Nigeria its third medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. She overcame the challenge from China’s Cui Jianjin, who won silver after lifting 140 kilograms. Mexico’s Amelia Perez won bronze, falling 10 kilogrammes behind her Chinese rival after pulsating lift attempts. Nigeria has a rich legacy in the Paralympics, particularly in powerlifting and athletics. During…

The Special Adviser to the President Bola Tinubu on Media & Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has announced an indefinite leave of absence. State reporters gathered that Ngelale proceeded on the leave to attend to pressing medical matters affecting his immediate family. In a statement he posted on his general communication WhatsApp platform on Saturday, Ngelale revealed that he submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff on Friday. He noted that the memo was a means of notifying him of the decision to pause his functions, including his roles as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chairman of the Presidential…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has clarified its stance regarding the recent accusations by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which suggested that NNPC’s actions were undermining the operations of Dangote Refinery Limited (DRL). According to a statement issued on Saturday by Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC, the company refuted claims that changes in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would prevent the Dangote Refinery from offering competitive prices. NNPC emphasized that it is not the sole buyer of petroleum products in Nigeria and that the market remains open for competitive pricing from…

A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has called on the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun, to step down in order to help resolve ongoing internal conflicts within the party. Speaking in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Ologbondiyan stressed that Damagun’s resignation would allow for necessary reforms and help restore the PDP’s stability. His call aligns with previous demands from some party members, including 60 PDP House of Representatives members, who accused Damagun of being too close to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and urged him to resign. Ologbondiyan blamed Damagun for…

The sudden deactivation of the verification portal by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria in February has plunged countless Nigerian nurses and midwives working abroad into turmoil. Currently, healthcare workers are encountering hurdles in renewing their licences and meeting the regulatory requirements set by international bodies. Already, some nurses without the necessary verification from the NMCN find themselves in violation of visa conditions and employment laws, resulting in legal consequences. Saturday PUNCH gathered that many nurses abroad, including United Kingdom and United States, had been forced to return to the country over the issue. Among them is a nurse,…

The United States has sentenced two Nigerian brothers to 18-year imprisonment each for engaging in sextortion of a 17-year-old high school student, Jordan DeMay. Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, also bagged five years of supervised release over conspiracy to sexually exploit minors. This was disclosed in a press release by the US Justice Department on Thursday revealing that the duo exploited and extorted money from over 100 persons, not excluding 11 minors, which led to the death of DeMay, a resident of Marquette, Michigan. Speaking via the statement, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said the sentence of the…

Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has announced the dissolution of the 17 Local Government Transition Implementation Committee Chairmen, effective 6th September 2024. The Governor disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday night. The committees were constituted on 9th June 2023 and were initially scheduled to last six months, but their tenures were extended several times until Friday night. The Governor’s statement, signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Gyang Bere, directed the Directors of Personnel Management in the 17 LG areas to assume responsibility for the administration of the local governments until elections are…

The scheduled second interrogation of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, by the police did not take place on Thursday as planned, with Ajaero and the NLC Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, failing to appear at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja. A Punch correspondent who was at the FCID confirmed the absence of both Ajaero and Ugboaja, who were expected to answer questions regarding an ongoing investigation. A source familiar with the situation disclosed that the NLC leaders had informed the investigating team in advance that they would be unavailable for the scheduled interrogation. The source said,…

Football Fans in Ghana couldn’t stomach Ghana’s unexpected home defeat to Angola in Kumasi, Ashanti on Thursday, September 5, as they agitated violently after the game. Angola secured a surprising 1-0 victory over Ghana in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Kumasi thanks to a late goal from substitute Felicio Milson. The defeat marked Ghana’s first loss at the Baba Yara Stadium since 2000. Despite having more shots at goal and possession, Ghana couldn’t break down the Angolan defense. In a viral video after the game, some irate Ghanaian football fans could be seen destroying some facilities at…

The recent decision by the Federal Government to peg the minimum age for candidates sitting for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination may have come to stay, the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education has said. The Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, had in July stated that with effect from 2025, any candidate below the age of 18 will not be allowed to sit the SSSCE and without which such students cannot secure admission to higher institutions of learning. The announcement has generated heated debate among parents and education stakeholders. In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on…