Author: statereporter

The Super Eagles of Nigeria caretaker coach, Austin Eguavoen, has suggested that he won’t give the team’s talisman, Victor Osimhen, an express starting shirt. Recall that the Super Eagles are set to face the Republic of Benin in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo at 5 p.m. later today, September 7. Ahead of the game Super Eagles won, coach Eguavoen decide on starting Victor Osimhen ahead of other attacking options who arrived at the training camp before him. Osimhen, who recently joined Galatasaray on loan, was the last player to join…

A member of the House of Representatives, representing Ideato North South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has said that no Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) was held in Rivers State. He claimed that the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike held a party with his friends, under the guise of a party congress. State reporters revealed that the PDP state congresses, took place some weeks back, and was marred by complaints from several states, including Rivers, Benue, Katsina, and Kogi. In Rivers, the congress was held despite an existing court order preventing the process. The development has led to a…

New details have surfaced on why the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and the NLC Secretary General, Emmanuel Ugboaja, were re-invited by the Nigeria Police Force after an initial summons. State reporters have informed that Ajaero was initially invited over allegations involving “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.” Following Ajaero’s first appearance on August 29, the police, in another letter signed by the Commissioner of Police, Operations, Ibitoye Alajide, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, asked him to appear again on Thursday, September 5, alongside the…

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…