Author: straightnewsng.com

Captain William Ekong, wing-back Olaoluwa Aina and forwards Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi are back in the Super Eagles’ squad, for next month’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda. This year’s AFCON’s Man-of-the-Competition, Ekong, was discountenanced for the Matchdays 3 and 4 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying race in June as he was recovering from injury, while Aina, Awoniyi and reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen were out injured altogether. There are three goalkeepers, including AFCON 2023 star, Stanley Nwabali, seven defenders, six midfielders and seven forwards. Related news NFF…

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)’s  approval of the Oando Plc acquisition of Eni’s 100 per cent stake in the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC Ltd) within 18 months has raised serious concerns. It is alleged that other transactions like the Shell/Renaissance and the Mobil/Seplat deals — continue to suffer delays. Eni first announced the deal with Oando on September 4, 2023, but it stalled after the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) which holds the remaining 60 per cent stake in the projects, suggested it could exercise its pre-emption rights. Within 12 months, NNPC retracted its position,…

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja on Tuesday said the military will join in resolving food crisis in the country. Speaking in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital at the opening ceremony of the COAS Combined 2nd and 3rd Quarters Conference, Lagbaja pledged the Army’s resolve to wade in through the review of its agricultural policy. “Furthermore, the Army Headquarters is reviewing some proposals for partnerships with Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government and reputable private organizations on how best to collaborate to resolve food crisis in the country,” he added. On the fallout of the recent nationwide hunger…

The Nigeria Football Federation has announced that it has agreed with German tactician, Bruno Labbadia, to become the Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, Super Eagles. In the early hours of Tuesday, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi said: “The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Mr. Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles. The appointment is with immediate effect.” Born in Darmstadt, Germany on 8th February 1966, Labbadia, won two caps for the German national team in his playing career that took him through clubs…

Popular crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, declared how he provided meals for more than 2,500 inmates during his incarceration at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Lagos. In an Instagram post made on his page on Sunday, Bobrisky stated his efforts to assist the inmates by sharing videos of the food items he distributed. The clips displayed the extensive provisions he arranged, including large quantities of meat, rice, and other essentials, which were all delivered to support the prisoners. Bobrisky expressed his deep concern about the dire conditions he witnessed within the prison. He described the situation as “heartbreaking,” which…

Former England manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, died this morning at the age of 76. Eriksson, who famously made history by becoming England’s first foreign boss when he took the role in 2001, died on Monday morning after suffering from pancreatic cancer. The Swede had been ill for a while and in January 2023 announced the shocking news that he ‘had at best a year to live’. He had recently resigned from his post as sporting director of Karlstad in his native Sweden and had sought medical advice after collapsing during a 5km run, with doctors also discovering he suffered a stroke.…

President Bola Tinubu has appointed new Directors-General for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS). In a statement on Monday, presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said Tinubu appointed Mohammed Mohammed as the new NIA boss while Adeola Ajayi has been appointed to lead the secret police. Ngelale said the fresh appointments followed the resignations of Ahmed Rufai of the NIA and Yusuf Bichi of the DSS. Tinubu had retained Bichi and Rufai in June 2023 when he fired all service chiefs and heads of security agencies. Related news NBA Secures release of Lawyer detained by DSS…

The Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged politicians in Nigeria to stop weaponising insecurity against their opposition in office. Okonjo-Iweala spoke before lawyers at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Sunday. The former Nigerian finance minister who delivered a keynote address entitled, A Social Contract For Nigeria’s Future noted “We cannot have socio-economic development without security. We certainly cannot have security without development. “We all know that security has been weaponised in our country for political…

A pan Niger Delta women Non-Governmental Organisation has called on oil-bearing communities in Akwa Ibom State to engage Multinational Oil Companies operating in their communities on needs assessment, community development plan and social inclusion, if their communities must be developed. The Program Officer of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Rivers State, Mrs Idongesit Alexander, made the call recently in her presentation during a one-day training programme organised by the centre with support from Ford Foundation held at Villa Hilton Hotels & Apartment, Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo. Mrs Alexander who presented a paper entitled: Capacity Building Training On Gender, Social…

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has asked the Nigerian government to explain why Oando Plc, owned by President Bola Tinubu’s nephew, got accelerated approval to buy the onshore assets of AGIP and ENI. Atiku said this was while other transactions such as the Shell/Renaissance deal and the Mobil/Seplat continue to suffer delays. He also accused the government of giving Oando undue preferential treatment in the oil and gas sector to the detriment of more competent investors. The former Vice President in a release signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, slammed Tinubu’s administration for implementing…