Category: News

England’s Lionesses were given a hero’s welcome in London as thousands of fans lined the streets to celebrate their UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 victory with an open-top bus parade and rally outside Buckingham Palace. The triumphant team, led by head coach Sarina Wiegman, lifted the trophy high as they toured the capital before taking the stage for a celebratory event featuring music, cheers, and emotional speeches. One of the most memorable moments came when Wiegman joined Afro-fusion superstar Burna Boy on stage, singing and dancing along with her favourite artist to the delight of fans. The surprise collaboration marked a joyful climax to the team’s historic win. The Lionesses secured their Euro 2025 title following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Germany in the final, cementing their place as one of the most successful women’s football teams in the world. Draped in flags and medals, the players addressed the crowd, thanking supporters and pledging to continue inspiring the next generation of female athletes. The celebration marked not only a sporting achievement but also a powerful moment of unity and national pride.

Tragedy struck in Jigawa State as a wooden boat carrying mostly school-aged girls capsized, leaving six people confirmed dead and seven others still missing. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) confirmed the incident, which occurred in Zangon Maje, Taura Local Government Area of the state. According to officials, the boat was transporting 17 passengers—16 of them girls aged between 10 and 13—from Digawa in Jahun Local Government Area to Zangon Maje when it capsized midway across the river. So far, six bodies have been recovered and two survivors rescued. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining seven missing passengers. The accident has once again raised serious concerns about the safety of informal transport systems, particularly on inland waterways and among vulnerable groups such as children. Authorities have urged community members to exercise caution and avoid overcrowded or unlicensed water transport vessels, especially during the rainy season when water levels are high and unpredictable. The state government is yet to issue an official statement, but local emergency response teams remain at the scene to assist with recovery efforts and provide support to affected families. Ask ChatGPT

Thirty-five women and children who were abducted by bandits in Niger State have been rescued by the Nigeria Police and are now set to be reunited with their families and communities. The victims, comprising 16 women and 19 children, were taken hostage at different times, with some of the abductions dating as far back as 11 years ago. The most recent incidents occurred in February 2024 in Shiroro and Rafi Local Government Areas. According to police sources, the rescue operation took place between July 3 and 5, when the victims were intercepted while being moved to another location by their captors. Tragically, many of the rescued women had been forcibly married to their abductors and now have children born during their captivity. One of the victims, Zuera Ahmed, disclosed that she was kidnapped from Maiduguri in 2013 and has since given birth to two children while in captivity. Authorities revealed that following their initial rescue, some of the women expressed a reluctance to return home, citing psychological trauma and long-term attachment to their captors. However, after days of therapy and counselling, the victims have agreed to reintegrate into society. Plans are currently underway to facilitate their safe return and provide continued psychosocial and economic support to aid their recovery and reintegration. The rescue comes amid heightened security operations across the country, with Nigerian security forces stepping up efforts to dismantle bandit camps and restore peace in affected regions. This latest success underscores the ongoing commitment by security agencies to combat kidnapping and other forms of insecurity, particularly in the North Central region.

A yet-to-be-identified man was shot dead by gunmen while attempting to buy food at Ojo-Igbede, in the Ojo area of Lagos State. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, July 19, has sparked fear among residents of the community. PUNCH Metro gathered that the victim, who was reportedly new to the area, had stepped out to purchase a plate of food from a vendor when two men on a motorcycle arrived at the scene. According to an eyewitness, the assailants—both wearing caps—approached the man while he was in line, ordered him to kneel (or lie down, as some accounts state), and then shot him in the head at close range. The attackers fled the scene immediately after the shooting, leaving the victim in a pool of blood. “The victim is new in this area, and no one knew his name. He had only come out to buy cooked food. While he was in the queue with others, two men on a motorcycle arrived and beckoned to him. When he went closer, they asked him to lie down. At first, he refused but later complied. Then they shot him,” a witness told our correspondent. Photos obtained by PUNCH Metro showed the lifeless body of the victim as onlookers gathered around. An anti-cultism advocacy group on X (formerly Twitter) also commented on the incident, suggesting that the murder may be cult-related. The platform claimed that the attackers were members of the Aye cult group, although the victim’s possible affiliation remains unclear. “Another man was killed in Ojo. Aye cultists claimed it, but there was controversy surrounding the victim’s affiliation. Sources confirmed that the victim had just moved into the area and was out buying food when he was called out and executed,” the post read. A resident, identified only as Bode, described the incident as terrifying and said it had prompted community members to strengthen their local security measures. “There was serious panic after the shooting. No one knows who could be next, so we’ve decided to be more vigilant and proactive with our community security,” Bode said. Efforts to reach the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as calls to his line went unanswered. A text message sent to his phone also remained unreplied as of the time of filing this report. This incident comes on the heels of another recent killing reported by PUNCH Metro, in which a man identified as Scoro was stabbed to death in the Lagos Island area during a public brawl linked to a property dispute. Three suspects were later arrested in connection with that case.