Fola Badmus

Police Arrest Armed Robbery Suspects, Recover Operational Motorcycle

Operatives of the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two armed robbers, Segun Adeyemi ‘m’, aged 32, and Abayomi Ajayi ‘m’, aged 24, who were caught in the act of dispossessing unsuspecting citizens of their valuables, around Shoprite Ikeja and Maryland axis.   The suspects, who were part of a three-man gang operating on a motorcycle, were trailed and arrested following a swift Police response to a distress call.   On 29th September, 2025, at about 1915hrs, the operatives received a distress call that the vicious gang was attacking people in the area. The Police operatives acted promptly, two (2) of the suspects were arrested, while the third escaped. The operational motorcycle used by the gang was recovered as an exhibit. Preliminary investigation revealed that the three-man gang came from Mushin to carry out their criminal activities in Ikeja before luck ran out on them. Investigation is being intensified to arrest the third suspect now at large. The arrested suspects are currently in custody, while efforts are ongoing to track down the other members of the gang. All the suspects involved will be prosecuted upon conclusion of investigations. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, commended the operatives for their swift intervention and appreciated members of the public whose cooperation made the arrests possible. He reassured residents of the Command’s unwavering commitment to rid Lagos State of criminal elements and urged citizens to continue to provide timely and credible information to the Police for effective crime prevention and control.

Read More

FIFA Unveils Official Match Ball of World Cup ’26: TRIONDA

The countdown to the game-changing FIFA World Cup 26 has reached its latest significant milestone with the launch of the adidas TRIONDA, the Official Match Ball of the competition. The name TRIONDA can be translated from Spanish as “three waves”, and, alongside other unique and innovative design features, celebrates the fact that, for the first time, three host countries – Canada, Mexico and the United States – are uniting to host the FIFA World Cup. This reveal builds upon other recent landmark tournament events, including the unveiling of the Official Mascots , the news that FIFA will donate USD 1 to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund for every FIFA World Cup 26 ticket sold and the announcement that more than 4.5 million fans from 216 countries and territories entered the Visa Presale Draw – the first of several ticket sales phases for the eagerly anticipated event. “The Official Match Ball for the FIFA World Cup 26 is here and it’s a beauty!” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “I am happy and proud to present TRIONDA. adidas have created another iconic FIFA World Cup ball, with the design embodying the unity and passion of next year’s host nations Canada, Mexico, and the United States.” “I can’t wait to see this beautiful ball hitting the back of the net. The countdown to the greatest FIFA World Cup ever is on – and the ball is rolling!” The ball’s vibrant design features a red, green and blue colour scheme that pays homage to the three host countries, while a brand-new four-panel construction with fluid geometry replicates the waves referenced in the ball’s name. These panels connect to form a triangle in the centre of the ball in a nod to the historic union of the three host nations. Iconography that represents each host country adorns the ball, with the maple leaf for Canada, an eagle for Mexico and a star for the United States, while gold embellishments pay tribute to the FIFA World Cup Trophy, underlining the significance of the stage provided by FIFA’s flagship tournament. TRIONDA boasts several key performance innovations. The four-panel construction incorporates intentionally deep seams, creating a surface that produces optimal in-flight stability by ensuring sufficient and evenly distributed drag as the ball travels through the air. Additionally, embossed icons that are only visible up-close elevate grip when striking or dribbling the ball in wet or humid conditions. Connected ball technology again features in the Official Match Ball of the FIFA World Cup, with a state-of-the-art 500Hz motion sensor chip delivering insight into every element of the ball’s movement. This technology sends precise data to the video assistant referee system in real time, enhancing match officials’ decision-making, including in relation to offside incidents. TRIONDA’s arrival continues the momentum leading up to the 23rd edition of the global extravaganza and comes ahead of important international match windows in October and November, during which more nations are set to seal their berths at the tournament, and the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup 26 in Washington DC on Friday, 5 December 2025.

Read More

U20 World Cup: Flying Eagles Edge Saudi Arabia 3-2 to Brighten Round of 16 Chances

Nigeria defeated Saudi Arabia 3-2 in an eventful group F encounter in Talca on Friday morning to earn three points and brighten their chances of reaching the Round of 16 at the ongoing 24th FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile.   Midfielder Nasiru Salihu scored Nigeria’s first goal of the tournament by converting in the 10th minute, but the Asians were back on level terms in the 21st minute through Amar Alyuhaybi.   Undaunted, the seven-time African champions went in front again as Amos Ochoche scored with seven minutes left in the first period. The first half ended with Nigeria leading 2-1.   Six minutes into the second half, Saudi Arabia were again back on level terms, thanks to Talal Haji.   Nigeria secured victory with four minutes into added time when captain Daniel Bameyi converted from the penalty spot.   Victory means the two-time World Cup finalists will reach the Round of 16 if they get a result against Colombia on Monday.  

Read More

Rivers Hoopers Show Character to Outclass Lagos Legends

Reigning Nigeria Basketball Premier League (NBPL) champions Rivers Hoopers put up a performance underlined by resilience and character, as they overturned a 4-point deficit at halftime to beat Lagos Legends 89-70 in the final game of the Atlantic Conference Phase Two. In what was essentially a battle for pride and supremacy, it was Lagos Legends who scored the game’s first points as they opened up an early lead that stretched to nine points at 26-17 by the end of the first quarter, which was characterised by near misses for the KingsMen. The KingsMen improved in their shot accuracy during the second quarter, as vice-captain Buchi Nwaiwu and Victor Sunday combined for fourteen points to cut the deficit to four points with the halftime score at 47-43. The halftime break offered Rivers Hoopers Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu the opportunity to make tactical tweaks, reinforcing how the team contained their opponents. “The first thing that I spoke about in the huddle today was transition defense, the need to get back on time quickly. We didn’t do that well. When we corrected it later on, the game changed [in our favour], but in the first half they killed us on the transition offense. “It’s something that we’re definitely going to work on going forward,” he revealed. The KingsMen responded positively to Odaudu’s halftime instructions and, buoyed by the vociferous crowd, came out with much verve in the third. Samuel Sani showed outstanding industry, scoring big points along with vital rebounds. But it was John Idoga who got the crowd rocking with a game-tying shot from deep to level the score at 61-61, before Abdul Malik sent the arena into a frenzy with the last sequence of the third quarter, sinking one free throw followed by a brilliant layup to hand the hosts the lead for the first time with the score at 64-61. From that moment on, it was one-way traffic as Malik’s energy inspired the team to an outstanding performance in the fourth quarter, during which they restricted their opponents to just nine (9) points while scoring twenty-five (25) to close out the game at 89-70. Speaking after the game, Odaudu could not hide his admiration for his standout performers. “I am very proud of both of them, Malik and especially Favour [Komene]. They changed the tempo and the dynamic of the game. They are my two MVPs for today’s game. These are people who hadn’t seen major minutes in all the games, but they stepped up when it mattered most and helped us out. He further said such mentality shown by Malik and Favour is what makes Rivers Hoopers formidable. “That’s how it’s supposed to be. There’s no specific day, and there’s no particular person who is a hero on this team. Anybody can wake up any day and bail us out, and that’s what Milk did today,” he pointed out. Buchi Nwaiwu alongside John Idoga, top-scored for the KingsMen with fifteen points, while Sani (14) and Victor Sunday (12) also hit double figures. The result meant Rivers Hoopers completed Phase Two of the Atlantic Conference with a perfect record, much to the delight of the team’s gaffer, who also pointed out some areas for improvement. “I’m happy that it was a clean sweep, but I’m also not happy with the way we played. It wasn’t entirely convincing. I don’t think the scoreline reflected the true situation of the game. We started off really badly with too many mistakes; we missed too many open baskets, so it’s something that we have to go back to the drawing board and work on. In all, I’m happy that we won, and we’ll move on from there.” Attention now shifts to Phase Three of the NBPL 2025 season which will see the top four teams from both Conferences gather for the Playoffs at a yet to be named venue.

Read More

EFCC Arrests 42 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Gashua

Operatives of the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 42 suspected internet fraudsters in Gashua Local Government Area of Yobe State. They were arrested in a sting operation on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 at different locations within Gashua, following credible intelligence on their involvement in computer-related crimes. Items recovered from them include seven motorcycles, one Mercedes Benz car, fifty-five (55) phones and laptops, as well as playstation 5 (PS5) and playstation 4 (PS4) consoles respectively. Intelligence available to the Commission linked the suspects with various forms of internet-related fraud. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.  

Read More

Zidane’s Son Gets First Algeria Call-Up for Crucial World Cup Qualifiers

French soccer great Zinedine Zidane´s son Luca was called up by Algeria for the first time Thursday, with the team close to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America.   Luca Zidane, a 27-year-old goalkeeper, represented France at youth level but never for the senior national team and is eligible for Algeria through his father´s family ties.   FIFA approved a change of national eligibility two weeks ago for Zidane, who once played at Real Madrid when his father was coach there. He is now with Spanish second-division team Granada.   Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic picked Zidane in a 26-player squad for qualifying games against Somalia on Oct. 9 and Uganda five days later.   Algeria leads the qualifying group by four points and a win in either game would send the team to the World Cup being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.   Algeria has played at four men´s World Cups and reached the round of 16 at its last appearance in 2014.   Zinedine Zidane played at three World Cups for France, winning the 1998 title at home and losing the final in 2006. His red card in extra time of the 2006 final for headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi is part of World Cup lore and was his final game as a player.

Read More

Two Planes Collide in New York With One Wing Ripped Off

Two Delta Air Lines planes have collided on a taxiway at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Wednesday night. A “low-speed collision” took place between one plane arriving from Charlotte, North Carolina, and another that was scheduled to depart for Roanoke in Virginia. The crash between Endeavor Air Flight 5047 and Endeavor Flight 5155 – Endeavour is a subsidiary of Delta – took place just before 10 pm Eastern Time, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey told The Independent.   One flight attendant injured her knee in the collision and was later taken to the hospital after being treated by medics at the scene, according to the Port Authority. The pilot of 5047 radioed the ground controller in audio, which was recorded by the website LiveATC.net, according to CNN. “We have two CRJs on (taxiway) M that collided. Their right wing clipped our nose and the cockpit wind screens.”   “Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred, as the safety of our customers and people comes before all else. We apologize to our customers for the experience,” Delta said. The Federal Aviation Administration has told The Independent that it is investigating the incident.   There were 32 people on board Flight 5155, including 28 passengers and four crewmembers, while Flight 5047 contained 61 people, including 57 passengers and four crewmembers.   A video published by CBS shows a pilot telling passengers over the intercom that it “seems as though there’s an aircraft that collided with us”. “There was no impact to airport operations,” the Port Authority told other outlets. Delta Air Lines said in a statement to other outlets: “Delta teams at our New York-LaGuardia hub are working to ensure our customers are taken care of after two Delta Connection aircraft operated by Endeavor Air were involved in a low-speed collision during taxi.

Read More

Rivers Hoopers Remain Unstoppable Despite Shaky Start in 16-Point Win Over Comets

Rivers Hoopers showed grit and composure to defeat Ebun Comets 65-49 and take a third win from as many games at the ongoing Nigeria Basketball Premier League (NBPL) Phase Two.   After a slow start, the defending champions picked up the pace to lead by five points at the end of the first quarter with the score at 19-14. However, the second quarter was one to forget, as the KingsMen could only manage nine (9) points (their lowest tally for an entire quarter), and Comets scored double the points with eighteen (18). This meant the hosts would trail at halftime for the first time this season, as the score was 32-28 in favour of Comets. Speaking during his post-game interview, Rivers Hoopers Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu admitted to his team’s slow start. “I think we started badly. I noticed before jumpball [that] the body attitude was not convincing; there was no energy at all. Everything was flat. That was why we struggled, and that’s something I have to work on.” The KingsMen returned from the halftime break eager to prove a point and quickly regained the lead, with vice captain Buchi Nwaiwu firing from deep for a three-point lead which the defending champions maintained as the score stood at 46-43 entering the fourth. Rivers Hoopers closed out the game with a nearly flawless performance in the fourth, which pleased Odaudu, as they notched up nineteen (19) points while limiting Comets to a meagre six (6) points the entire quarter to wrap up the encounter 65-49. “Basketball is about stopping your opponent from scoring, not how many baskets you make.” I emphasised a lot about the defence, and they came, and they did it perfectly,” he said. Up next for the KingsMen is a date with Lagos Legends, who are also unbeaten through the Phase Two games played so far, and with both teams already assured of their spots in the Playoffs Phase of the league (last eight), Odaudu said it will be a clash of egos, but one which he will treat like any other game. “It will be treated just like any other game.” We’re going to do the same thing we always do, nothing different. It’s going to be a very intense game tomorrow because nobody wants to be beaten. It’s an ego battle right now, [and] we don’t want to disappoint our fans here at home. So we’re going to come all out and hopefully take the win,” he stated.  

Read More