After four months of trial, Justice Hannah Olushola Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin today, Thursday, sentenced Abdulrahman Bello, the suspected killer of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, a 24-year-old final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, to death by hanging.
The court, however, discharged and acquitted four other suspects: Ahmed Abdulwasiu ‘M’, 41 years; Suleiman Muyideen ‘M’, 28 years; Jamiu Uthman ‘M’, 29 years; and Abdulrahmon Jamiu ‘M’, 31 years.
Recall that Alfa AbdulRahman Bello, the killer of the final-year student of Kwara State College of Education Ilorin, Hafsoh Lawal, at the commencement of the trial confessed before the court to killing his Facebook lover for money rituals.
He also claimed to be an Islamic cleric and that he carried out the act all alone.
Bello, who said he killed Lawal because he needed human hands for money rituals, regretted that if only he had known another way to source the needed ingredient, he wouldn’t have killed her.
On February 13, 2025, Hafsoh Lawal was said to be attending a naming ceremony of her friend’s newbornbaby when AbdulRahman Bello called her to his residence somewhere around Offa garage area of Ilorin.
AbdulRahman Bello, during the trial, told the court that after having bouts of sex with Hafsoh, he choked her by the neck, after which she passed on, and he then dismembered her body.
At another time, AbdulRahman Bello said Hafsoh Bello died of asthma after having rounds of sex with her and that the fear of how to dispose of the lifeless body caused him to dismember her body. (Vanguard)
Canada plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday, a major policy shift that drew an angry response from US President Donald Trump and was rejected by Israel.
Carney said the move was necessary to preserve hopes of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a long-standing Canadian goal that was “being eroded before our eyes.”
“Canada intends to recognise the State of Palestine at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025,” the prime minister said.
This makes Canada — a G7 nation — the third country, following recent announcements by France and the United Kingdom, to signal plans to recognise a Palestinian state in September.
Carney said the worsening suffering of civilians in Gaza left “no room for delay in coordinated international action to support peace.”
Israel blasted Canada’s announcement as part of a “distorted campaign of international pressure,” while Trump warned that trade negotiations with Ottawa may not proceed smoothly.
“Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine,” the US president wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them.”
Asked by reporters if there was a scenario where Canada could change its position before the UN meeting, Carney said: “There’s a scenario (but) possibly one that I can’t imagine.”
Canada’s intention “is predicated on the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to much-needed reforms,” Carney said, referring to the body led by President Mahmoud Abbas, which has civil authority in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Carney said his plans were further predicated on Abbas’s pledge to “hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no part, and to demilitarise the Palestinian state.”
With Wednesday’s announcement, Carney positioned Canada alongside France, after President Emmanuel Macron said his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during the UN meeting, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move.
The Israeli embassy in Ottawa said, “Recognising a Palestinian state in the absence of accountable government, functioning institutions, or benevolent leadership, rewards and legitimises the monstrous barbarity of Hamas on October 7, 2023.”
The PA’s Abbas welcomed the announcement as a “historic” decision, while France said the countries would work together “to revive the prospect of peace in the region.”
Canada’s plan goes a step further than this week’s announcement by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Starmer said the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various “substantive steps,” including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Carney stressed that Canada has been an unwavering member of the group of nations that hoped a two-state solution “would be achieved as part of a peace process built around a negotiated settlement between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority.”
“Regrettably, this approach is no longer tenable,” he said, citing “Hamas terrorism” and the group’s “longstanding violent rejection of Israel’s right to exist.”
The peace process has also been eroded by the expansion of Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, Carney said.
The prime minister said a two-state solution was growing increasingly remote, with a vote in Israel’s parliament “calling for the annexation of the West Bank,” as well as Israel’s “ongoing failure” to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
He framed his decision as one aimed at safeguarding Israel’s future.
“Any path to lasting peace for Israel also requires a viable and stable Palestinian state, and one that recognises Israel’s inalienable right to security and peace,” Carney said. (Punch)
The Presidency on Thursday announced that President Bola Tinubu has extended the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
The tenure of the CG of Customs is due to expire on August 31, 2025, but the President has extended his tenure by one year.
The Presidency, in a statement by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the extension, approved by Tinubu, will enable Mr. Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete critical initiatives of the administration.
The statement listed the reforms to include the modernisation of the Nigeria Customs Service, the implementation of the National Single Window Project, and the execution of Nigeria’s obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol.
The statement further added that “President Tinubu recognises Mr. Adeniyi’s steadfast leadership and commitment to service.
“The President is confident that this extension will further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service in achieving its strategic mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security.” (Vanguard)
The Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia on Wednesday dissolved the State Executive Council.
Alia announced the dissolution in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Tersoo Kula, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi.
Kula said that the governor informed the council members of the dissolution at the end of the 12th (2025) SEC meeting.
The chief press secretary said that the governor directed the commissioners to hand over to the permanent secretaries of their ministries as soon as possible.
He appreciated all the former commissioners who worked with him for two years and urged those who might not be reappointed, to remain in the party.
He said those who would not be reappointed are only paving the way for other citizens to also contribute their quota to the development of the state.
Meanwhile, the governor has approved the immediate appointment of Mr Moses Atagher, a legal practitioner, as the new Chief of Staff to replace Mr Paul Biam.
Kula said that Atagher is a former two-term attorney general and commissioner for justice in the state.
Atagher, who is a seasoned administrator, is also the former acting managing director of the Federal Mortgage Bank.
Speaking for the dissolved commissioners, immediate past Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mr Bemsen Mnyim, appreciated the governor for giving them the opportunity to serve the state.
“At every stage in life, everywhere you are called to serve is a school. We have learnt a lot while working with you,” Mnyim said. (Punch)
Joan Anderson, who coined the name for the hula hoop and played an unsung role in its rise, has died age 101.
The former model was visiting her native Australia from her home in the US when she spotted groups of people swivelling wooden hoops around their waists.
She was so mesmerised by the growing craze in Australia that she had one of the strange new toys shipped to the US.
The 2018 documentary Hula Girl retold Ms Anderson’s story of dubbing it the hula hoop after the hip-swivelling Hawaiian dance, and how it was she and her husband who first showed it to a toy company boss.
It went on to sell millions and become a global sensation – but the couple went uncredited for their role in its rise.
Recounting meeting the boss of American toy conglomerate Wham-O in the early 1960s, Ms Anderson told documentary makers: “We told him, ‘we’ve called it the hula hoop,’.
“He said, ‘looks like it has some merit, if it makes money for us, it’s going to make money for you’.”
Ms Anderson claimed the deal was sealed with a “gentleman’s handshake” and it began to fly off the shelves in the US.
But in the years that followed, the firm’s boss “kept putting us” off, Ms Anderson said, and the pair eventually filed a lawsuit which resulted in a modest financial settlement – but crucially, no formal recognition of their role in its rise.
Later accounts of its invention mentioned how an “Australian friend” brought an early version to the US.
She told documentary makers: “I think that bugged me more than anything. It was never reported correctly at all. I was not a ‘friend’.”
Born Joan Constance Manning in Sydney on 28 December 1923, she worked as a swimsuit model and met Wayne Anderson, a US Army pilot, on Bondi Beach and married him soon after.
Speaking to the BBC, the filmmaker behind the story of Ms Anderson’s life said: “Telling Joan’s story was such a rewarding experience.
“She was 94 when we met and even with everything she’d been through, she had lived an amazing, full life.
“Seeing her finally get the recognition she deserved after all those years was incredible.”
Ms Anderson died on 14 July at a nursing home in Carlsbad, California, having lived “a wonderful life”, her family said.
She is survived by two sons, a daughter and six grandchildren. Another son, Carl, died in 2023. (BBC)
Nigeriancitizens have praised the Super Falcons for helping the nation momentarily forget its problems following the women’s national team’s stunning comeback victory to claim a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco.
The 3-2 victory against hosts Morocco in Rabat saw the Falcons stage a remarkable comeback from being two goals down on Saturday night, prompting celebrations across the football-mad nation.
President Bola Tinubu led the country in celebrating the women’s squad, telling the team in a post-match video call that their “spectacular performance exemplifies the determination that defines the Nigerian spirit.”
“You have lifted our spirits. You are a pride to your generation,” Tinubu said.
“You have achieved the mission the nation dreamed of and prayed for. Nigeria celebrates you.”
The triumph, dubbed Mission X, provided a welcome tonic for many Nigerians enduring the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation as the government carries out economic reforms.
Taye Stephen, a father of three, told The PUNCH, “I’ve stopped watching the national teams for a while, but I’m so happy I watched this final. They have made all of us so happy.
“Sometimes, this is what Nigerians need to forget the issues going on here and just enjoy togetherness and joy. Let’s hope the Eagles can do the same when it’s their turn.”
Muhammad Awwal, a taxi driver who relocated to the northern city of Kano to escape the violence of Borno state, the epicentre of the jihadist insurgency, hailed the Falcons for helping Nigerians to momentarily forget the problems.
“Everywhere, people erupted in celebration after the final whistle. All our problems were drowned in the frenzy of celebration of the spectacular win,” Awwal told AFP.
“Last night, all the problems tormenting us – the high cost of living, banditry and Boko Haram violence – disappeared. It was a great relief, thanks to the Falcons,” he said.
Abuja housewife Comfort Zamani agreed, saying, “Life has not been easy, but at least the girls helped us to forget the hardships, even if for only a few hours.
“They have given us some hope that we should keep fighting and not give up even when things are rough.”
The victory confirmed the West Africans as the queens of women’s football in Africa, having now won 10 titles in 13 editions of the continental championship, providing a rare moment of national unity and joy amid challenging times. (Punch)
President John Dramani Mahama has turned to experienced hands in his latest diplomatic appointments, nominating former NDC National Vice Chairman Alhaji Said Sinare as Ghana’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia – a familiar terrain for the seasoned diplomat who previously held the same position during Mahama’s first term.
The July 21 appointment letter from the Presidency, sighted by our newsroom, forms part of a broader reshuffle that sees eight new envoys deployed to strategic posts including South Korea, Italy and Kenya. But it’s the Saudi Arabia posting that’s generating the most buzz in diplomatic circles, given the Gulf nation’s growing importance to Ghana’s economic interests.
“Sinare isn’t just going as an ambassador – he’s going as Ghana’s chief negotiator in one of our most critical bilateral relationships,” a Foreign Ministry insider revealed. “From oil deals to Hajj arrangements and infrastructure financing, Riyadh has become too important to leave to inexperienced hands.”
The ever ambitious diplomat brings rare credentials to the table, having previously served as Ghana’s top envoy in both Saudi Arabia and Egypt. His deep understanding of Arab diplomacy and extensive network across the region are seen as major assets at a time when Ghana is seeking to attract Middle Eastern investment.
Political analysts view the move as part of Mahama’s strategy to rebuild Ghana’s diplomatic corps with proven performers. “This is back-to-basics foreign policy,” remarked University of Ghana international relations professor Nana Akosua Ankomah. “Rather than political appointments, we’re seeing the return of career diplomats who know how to open doors for Ghana.”
The appointment has been widely praised within government circles, with NDC executives describing Sinare as “the right man to reconnect Ghana with our Gulf partners.” His supporters point to his track record of facilitating Saudi investment in Ghana’s energy sector during his previous tenure.
As Ghana positions itself to benefit from shifting global economic alliances, these ambassadorial selections suggest a clear foreign policy direction. With Sinare back in Riyadh, expectations are high for tangible results in Ghana-Saudi relations – from increased oil cooperation to better conditions for Ghanaian migrant workers.
The Foreign Ministry is expected to complete accreditation processes within weeks, paving the way for what many hope will be a new chapter in Ghana’s economic diplomacy. For Sinare, it’s an opportunity to build on his legacy; for Ghana, a chance to solidify crucial Gulf partnerships at a time of global uncertainty. (Vanguard)
The Presidency has defended President Bola Tinubu’s $150,000 reward to the Super Falcons, arguing that the gesture is well-deserved, especially when compared to the ₦150 million prize money awarded to winners of the reality TV show, Big Brother Naija.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu’s generous reward to the Super Falcons following backlash from some Nigerians about the gifts splashed on Nigeria’s women’s national team.
Defending the President’s gesture in a tweet on Tuesday, Onanuga compared the gifts to prize money awarded by reality show Big Brother Naija, saying some Nigerians didn’t appreciate President Tinubu’s gifts to the victorious players.
He wrote: “When you remember that Multichoice, the organizer of the BBNaija reality show, is offering the winner ₦150 million grand prize, you wonder why some Nigerians are unappreciative of President Tinubu’s rewards to the Super Falcons. President Tinubu has rewarded excellence, creativity, hard work, soccer artistry and the undying Nigerian spirit.”
The comment comes amid debate over Tinubu’s lavish package for the national women’s football team after they clinched their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco on Saturday.
On Monday, the President hosted the victorious Falcons at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and announced national honours and substantial financial rewards for the team.
Each player received a national award of Order of the Niger (OON), a three-bedroom apartment, and $100,000 (approx. ₦153 million) in cash.
The 11-member technical team was also gifted $50,000 (₦75.6 million) each in recognition of their contribution to the team’s success.
President Tinubu praised the team’s resilience, calling their comeback from two goals down against host nation Morocco “a testament to the Nigerian fighting spirit.”
Despite widespread celebration of the win, some critics questioned the size of the reward amid Nigeria’s economic challenges.
The Super Falcons’ latest WAFCON triumph marks their 10th title, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s national team. (Vanguard)
A gunman who killed four people when he stormed a skyscraper in the heart of New York on Monday evening left a note that appeared to blame the National Football League (NFL) for a brain injury, the city’s Mayor Eric Adams says.
The attacker, 27-year-old Shane Tamura of Las Vegas, shot himself dead after opening fire in a building where the American football league has its headquarters, but went to a different part of the building after taking the wrong lift.
The gunman was carrying a note in which he blamed CTE, a brain disease triggered by head trauma, for his mental illness, Adams said.
Tamura played football as a teenager but did not play in the NFL, ex-teammates have told US media.
New York City police officer Didarul Islam, 36 – who was working as a security guard at the building – was among those killed.
Another of the victims was an employee of finance giant Blackstone, who was named by her company as Wesley LePatner.
Two male civilians were also killed. An NFL employee was also “seriously injured” in the attack, the league’s commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a message to staff.
Asked about a possible motive, Adams told CBS: “[He] did have a note on him. The note alluded to that he felt he had CTE, a known brain injury for those who participate in contact sports.
“He appeared to have blamed the NFL for his injury.”
Tamura was a football player during his time at high school in California, ex-teammates earlier told NBC News.
The gunman appears to have driven across the US from Las Vegas to New York, and used an assault-style rifle during the attack.
After opening fire in the lobby, Tamura is believed to have entered a lift to the 33rd floor of the skyscraper and continued to open fire.
Mayor Adams said a preliminary investigation shows that the gunman mistakenly went to the office of Rudin Management, which owns the building.
Tamura later turned his gun on himself.
The incident brought parts of Midtown Manhattan and public transportation to a halt. A BBC journalist at the scene reported seeing scores of police vehicles and at least one person with a bloodied chest being taken away on a stretcher.
Bystanders reported hearing what sounded like gunshots and police told those in the area, including the BBC journalist, to shelter in nearby buildings. (BBC)
Chloe Kelly converted the decisive kick as England beat Spain 3-1 on penalties to lift the Women’s Euro 2025 trophy after Sunday’s game had finished 1-1 at the end of extra time, allowing the Lionesses to avenge their defeat in the World Cup final two years ago and retain their continental crown.
It looked as though Spain would repeat their victory over England in Sydney in 2023 as they dominated the game at St Jakob-Park in Basel and led through Mariona Caldentey’s first-half header.
But England did not panic, having already trailed against both Sweden in the quarter-finals and Italy in the semis before finding a way to win.
Alessia Russo headed in their equaliser just before the hour mark, and no further goals meant a shoot-out in which Kelly — who once again had a huge impact off the bench — netted the winner.
“I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to hit the back of the net,” Kelly told the BBC of her penalty.
It was an agonising way to lose for Spain, but they failed to score three of their spot-kicks, with reigning Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati seeing her effort saved.
Sarina Wiegman’s England are therefore back-to-back European champions, with this triumph coming three years after they defeated Germany in extra time at Wembley to win a first women’s major tournament.
Defeating Spain here helps make up for the agony of losing that World Cup final in 2023, and the victory also confirms Wiegman’s place among the coaching greats.
She has now won three consecutive European Championships, having led her native Netherlands to victory in 2017 before doing the same with England three years ago.
“We said we can win by any means, and that’s what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible,” said Wiegman, whose team lost to France in their first match at the tournament.
“Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible,” she added.
Spain fell short in their quest to add a maiden European Championship title to the World Cup they won in Australia.
La Roja dominated possession as expected, but ultimately paid the price for not putting the game to bed against an England side who never know when they are beaten.
“I am in shock,” Bonmati told broadcaster TVE before apologising for falling from the spot.
“Football is cruel. Everything seems bad right now, but I think we played the best football during the tournament.” (Punch)
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