2025 | Page 164 of 264 | Trendbrio.com

Taiwo Awoniyi Set To Be Brought Out of Induced Coma After Surgery

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi is expected to be brought out of an induced coma on Wednesday after urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury sustained in Sunday’s match against Leicester. The Nigeria striker was injured after colliding with a post during the 2-2 draw at the City Ground, after which the Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, stormed on to the pitch. Forest anticipate Awoniyi will make a full recovery, though it remains unclear when he will be discharged from hospital. He underwent surgery on Monday. It was a medical decision to place Awoniyi into an induced coma to stabilise his condition and for the 27-year-old’s own comfort. Awoniyi returned to the pitch on Sunday after lengthy treatment after the incident in the 88th minute. Awoniyi clattered against a post in an attempt to meet Anthony Elanga’s cross. Elanga was in an offside position when he collected the ball but the assistant referee did not raise their flag until after Awoniyi’s collision, in line with International Football Association Board (Ifab) guidance. In a statement on Tuesday, Forest said Marinakis’s decision to go on the pitch stemmed from his frustration at the incident, which left Forest, who had used all of their permitted substitutes, with 10 men for the closing stages. A draw dented their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. “His [Marinakis’s] deep frustration at seeing our player lying on the ground in severe pain – something no one with genuine care could ignore – triggered him to go on the pitch,” it read. “He would do the same if such an unfortunate event were ever to reoccur.” Forest also disputed suggestions that Marinakis had a confrontation with the head coach, Nuno Espírito Santo, after entering the pitch. “There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue,” the statement said.

EFCC Presents Ninth and Final Witness against Suswam in Alleged N3.1b Fraud

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 presented the Ninth and last Prosecution Witness, PW9, Ape Sunday against the former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan. The Commission is prosecuting Suswan alongside his then Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia on amended 11-count charge, bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of N3.1 billion (Three Billion, One Hundred Million) being part of the proceeds from the sale of the state government’s shares, held on its behalf by Benue Investment and Property Company Limited. During Wednesday proceedings, prosecuting counsel, A.O Atolagbe informed the court that the prosecution was presenting its ninth and the last of its witnesses, implying that it was closing its case with the testimony of the witness. The closing of its case with PW9 followed the inability of the 10th Prosecution Witness, PW10, Mrs Shiedu Awade to testify in court due to ill health. The Ninth Prosecution Witness, PW9, an investigator with the EFCC, while being led in evidence informed the court that PW10, a former cashier and executive officer of Benue Investment and property Ltd has been on admission in National Hospital, Abuja and that it was impossible for her to show up in court to testify due to the serious nature of her illness. In response to prosecution’s final presentation of witnesses, counsels to the first and second defendants C.E Ugbozor and Paul Erokoro, SAN, respectively informed the court that they will be filing “a no case submission” and requested that the judge grants them 14 days period to so, while prosecution counsel on his part requested the court to grant him 21days to enable him file his response to the defence’s “no case submission.” Justice Lifu adjourned the matter till June 24, 2025 for the adoption of the defence “no case submission.”

Abuja Court Jails One for Internet Fraud

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

Justice A.I. Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court Jabi Abuja, has convicted and sentenced Danji-Fari Ubadallah to two-months imprisonment for internet fraud. He was arraigned on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 on one-count charge bordering on internet fraud. The charge reads “That you, Danji-Fari Ubadallah sometime in 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court cheated by personation when you created a Facebook account with the profile name Precious Rashel a United States of America citizen and under that assumed character obtained the sum of $50.00 (Fifty United States Dollars) from his victim one Rueben GI through a gift card and traded same with one Zhang Jie a Chinese citizen and received the Naira equivalent in your Opay account number 8100877271 under the false pretense that you are in a romantic relationship with him, a fact you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Law.” When the charge was read to him, he pleaded guilty to it, prompting prosecution counsel S.N. Robert to pray the judge to convict and sentence him. Justice Kutigi convicted and sentenced Ubadallah to two months in the Correctional Center with an option of N90, 000 (Ninety Thousand Naira) fine. The judge also ordered that the iPhone which was used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government. Ubadallah bagged the imprisonment when he was arrested for internet crime. He was charged to court and convicted.

Egypt 2025: Zubairu Promises A More Composed Flying Eagles against South Africa

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago06 mins

Aliyu Zubairu has assured that the Nigeria U20 squad will be even better when they take on South Africa’s Amajita in the first semi-final of the ongoing CAF U20 Cup of Nations in the city of Ismailia on Thursday evening. Pundits have praised the seven-time champions for dominating the tough quarter-final encounter against Senegal at the same venue on Monday, before sending the Cup holders out of the tournament after a 3-1 penalty shootout win. “I believe we are going to have a great semi-final against the South Africans. I can guarantee that our approach will be much better, as the anxiety of whether or not we will earn a FIFA World Cup ticket is no longer there. It was a tense 120 minutes for ourselves and the defending champions on Monday. “We have the World Cup ticket now and are quite happy. Against South Africa, we will play with great determination and composure, as we aim for the trophy, but without the tense atmosphere around the last match. Of course, we know the little matter of the rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa and what the game means, and we will go in there to do a real battle,” Head Coach Zubairu said on Tuesday. The man who led El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri to win last year’s President Federation Cup competition believes his team has improved considerably since the first match against Tunisia on the first day of May. “We can all see that the team has improved, and actually getting better with each match. We will go all out against the South Africans.” Apart from their seven titles, Nigeria have also finished as runners-up on two occasions (1999 and 2007), and as bronze medallists on two other occasions as well (2009 and 2013). To set up a clash with the most-decorated team in the competition’s history, the Amajita had to also endure a 120-minute affray against the Democratic Republic of Congo, also at the same Suez Canal Authority Stadium where the Flying Eagles upended Senegal’s expectations. They won their own game 1-0 after extra time. Nigeria had collected four of her seven titles (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989) before South Africa (isolated for decades) was assimilated back into global sport following the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990. Amajita’s first experience of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations was in 1997, and they finished as runners-up to hosts and winners Morocco. Nigeria did not qualify for the finals. Four years later, in Ethiopia, both Nigeria and South Africa finished bottom of their pool and exited at the group stage in what remains Nigeria’s worst outing ever in the history of the tournament. In 2009, Nigeria defeated South Africa 2-1 for bronze, and four years later defeated Mali by the same margin to also pick up the bronze medals in Algeria. As hosts in 2011, the Amajita crashed out at the group stage after winning one and losing two matches, while Nigeria roared to her sixth title with a 3-2 defeat of Cameroon in the final in Soweto. In 2015, Nigeria grabbed her seventh title in Senegal, while South Africa’s campaign ran into the sands in the group stage after losses to Ghana and Mali. Eight years ago, Nigeria didn’t qualify for the competition when South Africa finished in fourth place. In 2019, in Niger Republic, Nigeria defeated South Africa 5-3 after penalty shootout to win the bronze medals, after both teams had tied scoreless in a group phase encounter. In the second semi-final on Thursday, hosts and four-time winners Egypt – conquerors of 1999 world champions Ghana -will take on Morocco in Cairo.

NWFL Confirms Sole Approval of ₦200,000 Best Goalkeeper of the Season Award Sponsorship

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) has officially confirmed that the only approved sponsorship for the 2024/2025 season is the End-of-Season Best Goalkeeper Award, valued at ₦200,000, and sponsored by the Judith Chime Foundation. The award will be presented at the conclusion of the ongoing NWFL Premiership Super Six, which runs from May 9 to 17, 2025, at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State. Following the review of a proposal from the Judith Chime Foundation, the NWFL approved only the goalkeeper award in accordance with its operational guidelines and commitment to professionalism. In a statement, the Chief Operating Officer of the NWFL, Ms. Modupe Shabi, expressed appreciation for the Foundation’s initiative while clarifying the league’s regulatory stance. “We sincerely appreciate the Judith Chime Foundation’s gesture in rewarding excellence among NWFL Premiership goalkeepers. However, it is important to state that only the ₦200,000 End-of-Season Best Goalkeeper Award has been formally approved for the 2024/2025 season,” Shabi said. She also commended Judith Chime, former Super Falcons goalkeeper, for her continued support for women’s football development in Nigeria. “Judith Chime has consistently demonstrated a deep passion for the women’s game. Her Foundation’s contribution reflects our shared goal of spotlighting talent and dedication within the league,” she added. To maintain the league’s standards and commercial framework, the NWFL COO emphasized that no other cash prizes or material donations have been sanctioned. “This decision is part of our commitment to protecting the integrity and value of the NWFL, especially as we continue to attract growing corporate and commercial interest,” Shabi stated. The NWFL remains open to well-structured, transparent partnerships that align with its vision for the sustainable growth of professional women’s football in Nigeria.

NFF, Ogun State Seal Pact on Football Matches and Events!

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago04 mins

Ogun State, the Gateway State, has signed up to be a strategic partner of the Nigeria Football Federation in delivering events, programmes and activities of the football-governing body, in a way that will strengthen the football economy as the country strives to create a vibrant sports economy to support the New Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This pact was sealed in Abeokuta on Sunday after the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau and a delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun. The Gateway State, renown and applauded for the excellent serenity it offers, alongside remarkable sporting and social infrastructure, has over the years and decades played host to matches of the various National Teams, as well as matches of major tournaments that Nigeria has hosted, including the FIFA U17 World Cup finals in 2009. The State has also hosted matches of Confederation of African Football club competitions. Recently, the magnificent facility in Ikenne-Remo (Remo Stars Stadium), built by billionaire football investor and philanthropist, Hon. Kunle Soname, has played host to matches of the senior women national team, Super Falcons, and the U17 girls, Flamingos. Few days to the commencement of the 2025 National Sports Festival which the State is hosting, Gusau led a delegation of the NFF to inform His Excellency that, as a result of Ogun State’s ever-growing sporting and cultural relevance in the Nigerian, African and global context, the NFF has decided that the State host the forthcoming friendly matches of the Super Falcons against their Cameroonian counterparts, Indomitable Lionesses. The first match will take place at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne-Remo on Saturday, 31st May while the second match will take place at the newly-renovated MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta on Tuesday, 3rd June. Ogun State has also been handed the hosting right for the WAFU B U17 Boys Championship that Nigeria will stage in September this year. Gusau’s delegation included the NFF 2nd Vice President/Chairman NPFL, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye and; Members of the NFF Executive Committee, Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi, His Excellency Silas Agara and Ms Aisha Falode.

Mali’s Military Dissolves Political Parties Amid Crackdown on Opposition

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago02 mins

Mali’s military leader, Assimi Goita, has formally approved the dissolution of all political parties in the country, according to a statement read on state television Tuesday. The decision follows recommendations from a recent national dialogue that also proposed extending Goita’s rule by five more years, raising fears of deepening authoritarianism in the West African nation. The move comes after protests in the capital, Bamako, on May 3 and 4, where demonstrators rallied against military rule, chanting pro-democracy slogans and denouncing dictatorship. In response, the junta suspended all political activities nationwide ahead of a planned May 9 protest, forcing opposition groups to cancel the demonstration. Human rights organizations have raised alarm over reports of opposition figures disappearing in recent days. Human Rights Watch said Abba Alhassane, Secretary-General of CODEM, was abducted by masked men claiming to be gendarmes, while El Bachir Thiam, leader of the Yelema party, was seized by unidentified individuals in the town of Kati. Goita, who first seized power in a 2020 coup, initially promised to hold elections by February 2022, a pledge that remains unfulfilled. With political repression intensifying, critics warn that Mali is veering further away from democratic governance under the guise of security and stability.

Navy Dismantles Nine Illegal Refineries in Rivers Seizes 175,000 Litres of Stolen Products

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago02 mins

Port Harcourt, May 14, 2025 — The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder has dismantled nine illegal refining sites and seized approximately 175,000 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. The operation, carried out on May 12, exposed an extensive network of illicit activities, including 45 refining ovens, 30 storage reservoirs, and 75 dugout pits, according to a statement by Commodore Cajethan Aniaku, Commander of NNS Pathfinder. Details of the Seizure: The illegal facilities were destroyed on-site to prevent further exploitation and environmental harm. The Navy also discovered two wellheads connected via underground pipes used by oil thieves to siphon crude directly to their camps. The pipes were dismantled as part of the operation. “The Nigerian Navy, under the leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, remains committed to combating crude oil theft and illegal bunkering,” said Commodore Aniaku. “These activities pose grave threats to our national economy and energy security.” No arrests were made as the perpetrators fled before the arrival of the tactical squad. Aniaku praised the personnel for their bravery and professionalism, reaffirming the Navy’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s oil infrastructure through ongoing anti-theft and bunkering operations.