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Tinubu mourns founder of Mighty Jets FC, Isyaku Ibrahim

President Bola Tinubu has commiserated with the family, associates, and the people of Nasarawa State over the death of elder statesman and founder of Mighty Jets Football Club, Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, who passed on Saturday in Abuja at the age of 88.

In a statement issued yesterday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the late Ibrahim as a businessman, politician, and sports promoter whose life was dedicated to the service of the nation.

“President Bola Tinubu has sent a message of condolence to the family and associates of business leader, politician, and sports promoter Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, who died on Saturday at 88 in Abuja,” the statement partly read.

The late Ibrahim, a native of Wamba in Nasarawa State, was a prominent chieftain of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN, in the Second Republic, and later played a role in the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during the transition to civil rule in 1998.

Tinubu praised his lifelong contributions to Nigeria through business ventures, political involvement, and community leadership, recalling in particular his founding of the Jos-based Mighty Jets FC, which flourished for decades as one of the country’s most prominent football clubs.

The President extended his condolences to the government and people of Nasarawa State and prayed for the repose of the soul of the late politician. (Vanguard)

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Terence Stamp, Superman villain and star of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, has died

British actor Terence Stamp – who famously played General Zod in Superman and Superman II – has died at the age of 87.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who was born in London’s East End, also starred in hits such as Theorem, A Season in Hell, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

He formed one of Britain’s most glamorous couples with Julie Christie, with whom he starred in Far From the Madding Crowd in 1967.

In a statement, his family said he died on Sunday morning, adding: “He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come.”

Stamp was born on 22 July 1938 and was the son of a tugboat stoker.

Growing up in London during the Second World War, he endured the Blitz as a child and left school to work initially in advertising before later securing a scholarship to go to drama school.

Stamp received various accolades during his career, including a Golden Globe in 1962 for most promising newcomer for Billy Budd and a Cannes Film Festival best actor award in 1965 for The Collector.

He also received Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for his performance in Billy Budd, as well as a second BAFTA nod in 1994 for his role in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – which co-starred Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce.

His most high-profile role was that of General Zod, the villainous leader of three Kryptonian criminals in the 1978 movie Superman and its 1980 sequel Superman II – which starred Christopher Reeve in the lead role.

His other films also include Young Guns, The Limey and Valkyrie with Tom Cruise.

Most recently, Stamp starred in director Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho. The 2021 psychological horror film also featured Diana Rigg, Anya Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith.

As well as appearing on television and on stage, Stamp additionally lent his voice for video games – appearing in the likes of Halo 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Stamp liked to recall how he was on the verge of becoming a tantric sex teacher at an ashram in India when, in 1977, he received a telegram from his London agent with news that he was being considered for the Superman film.

“I was on the night flight the next day,” Stamp said in an interview with his publisher Watkins Books in 2015.

After eight years largely out of work, landing the role of villain General Zod – the megalomaniacal leader of the Kryptonians – the full glare of Hollywood’s limelight fell on the London-born star.

Buoyed by his new role, Stamp said he would respond to curious looks from passers-by with a command of: “Kneel before Zod, you b***ards,” which was said to have gone down a storm. (SkyNews)

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By-elections: Tinubu hails APC’s dominance, commends INEC

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the winners of the by-elections held on Saturday, August 16, across 16 constituencies in 12 states, in which the All Progressives Congress secured victory in 12 of those constituencies.

The announcement was made in a press release issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday afternoon.

Announcing the results of the elections, Onanuga said APC won in 12 constituencies, the All Progressives Grand Alliance won in two, the Peoples Democratic Party won in one, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party won in one.

The statement noted that the president commends INEC “for the hitch-free elections, mostly devoid of violence,” and lauded the newly appointed APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, for steering the party to its first major triumph under his leadership.

Tinubu also congratulates the APC governors and other leaders on the success of the by-elections.

“Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda has shown leadership capacity and demonstrated what is achievable when popular candidates are fielded and with unity of purpose among party leaders,” the statement quoted the president.

“To all APC faithful and the electorate, thank you for the confidence reposed in our party. Be assured that our Renewed Hope slogan is not a mere slogan. Our destination is a better, more secure and prosperous Nigeria. We shall take you there, by the Grace of God,” he said.

“President Tinubu commends all the political parties and candidates who participated in the election and enjoins them to continue to be guided by the spirit of sportsmanship, fair contest and magnanimity, which are enablers of enduring democracy,” the statement concluded. (Punch)

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Four jailed seven years for vandalising EEDC property

The High Court of Ebonyi State sitting in the Afikpo Judicial Division holden at Afikpo, presided over by Justice Nicholas Nwode, has sentenced four persons to seven years imprisonment following a three-count charge of conspiracy, vandalism, and stealing.

The convicts, Ikechukwu Esseh, Ikedinachi Uche, Ukpai Godwin, and Uchenna Kalu, were arrested on November 28, 2023, for attacking a 7.5MVA Injection Substation belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc, located at Education Board Road, Afikpo, in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

This development was made known in a press statement on Wednesday, by the Group Head, Corporate Communications, Mr Emeka Ezeh.

According to Ezeh, the presiding judge, after carefully reviewing all evidence presented before him and considering the high incidence of vandalism and stealing of electrical installations in Afikpo, sentenced the accused to five years imprisonment on count one, seven years imprisonment on count two, and five years imprisonment on count three, to run concurrently without option of fine.

The statement read in part, “The management of EEDC commends the judiciary for the judgement and appeals for the speedy trial of other pending matters.

“We commend the judiciary for the judgement and hope that this will serve as a deterrent to others out there, who may engage in such criminal acts.

“The company equally appreciates the efforts of the General Youth President and Afikpo Task Force Team for mobilising to apprehend these vandals, a clear indication of community support and collaboration in the protection of electricity infrastructure.”

Ezeh appealed to customers to support efforts aimed at safeguarding installations in their neighbourhood.

He lamented how the activities of vandals had negatively impacted the company’s operations and the quality of service delivered to its customers.

“As a result, we continue to commit scarce resources to restore vandalised equipment – funds that would ordinarily be channeled to other areas of our operations that will benefit our customers,” Ezeh noted.

He urged customers to remain vigilant and protect electricity installations in their neighbourhoods from vandalism, warning that such incidents inevitably lead to service failure and inconvenience. (Punch)

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FG backs Elias for election to ICJ

The Federal Government has nominated Dr Taoheed Elias as the country’s candidate for election to the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, through a statement posted on the social media platform X.

“On behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am honoured to announce the nomination of Dr. Taoheed Elias as Nigeria’s candidate for election to the International Court of Justice @CIJ_ICJ,” Tuggar stated.

The minister praised Elias as one of the most respected figures in international law, citing his “distinguished record of legal scholarship, decades of service to the global community, and dedication to the principles of justice, equity, and the rule of law.”

“His contributions embody the ideals upon which the ICJ was founded and the values enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,” Tuggar added.

“This nomination reflects Nigeria’s steadfast belief in a rules-based international order, one in which justice is impartial, peace is safeguarded, and all nations, regardless of size or power, have an equal voice in shaping a fairer and more secure future for humanity,” the statement continued.

The government urged the international community to support the nomination, stating confidence that Elias’s election would “strengthen the cause of global justice and advance the peaceful settlement of disputes among nations.”

If successful, Elias would become the fourth Nigerian to serve on the ICJ, following in the footsteps of Charles Onyeama, Bola Ajibola, and his father, Taslim Elias.

He is a member of the Institut de Droit International and has served as legal adviser and director at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague.

He is also the current president of the administrative tribunal of the OPEC Fund for International Development, chairman of the Islamic Development Bank administrative tribunal, and a former president and member of the OPEC appeals committee.

The ICJ, commonly regarded as the highest court for resolving disputes between sovereign states, was established in 1945.

It serves as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and is based in The Hague, Netherlands. (Punch)

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Court jails five internet fraudsters in Benin

The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction of five internet fraudsters before Justice M. Itsueli of the Edo State High Court in Benin City.

This was disclosed in a statement by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday , noting that credible intelligence exposed their involvements in fraudulent internet activities

The convicts, Ayo Korede, Ogbemudia Osaretin, Harry Ehimien, Osasumwen Osahenator and Efosa Richard, were prosecuted on separate one-count charges bordering on impersonation, obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of fraudulent documents.

One of the charges read: “That you Ogbemudia Osaretin on or about the 31st of July, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, in your iPhone 14 Pro Max, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges. Prosecution counsel I. M. Elodi, I. K. Agwai, K. Y. Bello, A. A. Ibrahim, Ibrahim Faisal and M. S. Dahiru urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while defence counsel appealed for leniency, saying the convicts were remorseful.

Justice Itsueli sentenced Korede, Osaretin, Osahenator and Richard to two years in prison each or a fine of N200,000, while Ehimien was given two years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000, with an option of community service.

The EFCC said,”All the convicts forfeited their phones, laptop computers and balances in their respective bank accounts, being the tools and proceeds of their crimes, to the federal government, and further undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.” (Punch)

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Atiku condemns Tambuwal’s arrest, says EFCC now a political tool

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of weaponising anti-corruption agencies to pressure opposition leaders into defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Atiku lamented that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been turned into a political tool.

On Monday, the EFCC detentained former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal over alleged financial misconduct, it also invited former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha over corruption allegations during his brief tenure.

Reacting, Atiku claimed Tambuwal’s detention was solely because he is a member of the coalition seeking to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

He stated, “The only reason the EFCC has detained the former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is because he is a member of the opposition Coalition. It is a continuation of the Tinubu-led administration’s agenda to harrass, intimidate, and decimate the opposition.

“The reality unfolding before us today is that the Tinubu administration, as with other aspects, has objectified the fight against corruption as a political tool to coerce opposition leaders into the ruling party.

“We are living witnesses to a growing trend where the state and its operators have assumed the roles of a bully by making corruption and the fight against it a political agenda.

“Certainly, that is not the objective for which I worked hard during our administration to create the EFCC.”

Atiku stressed that while fighting corruption needs everyone’s support, using it as a political weapon must be condemned by civil society and Nigeria’s international partners.

The statement read in part, “It is as though today, anyone who associates with the opposition is a target for phantom corruption allegations and, it is as though, as soon as they are coerced into the political agenda of President Tinubu, their ‘sins’ are forgiven.

“That, definitely, is not how to build institutions. That, certainly, is not how to fight the monster of corruption. Indeed, such tendencies provide the stimulant for corruption to thrive

“We have seen how the EFCC has been used to empty opposition state governors into the ruling party, and the tea party is not about to end anytime soon.

“While the genuine fight against corruption is a matter that requires the total support of all Nigerians, the objectification of it as a political agenda should be roundly condemned by all in civil society spaces and friends of Nigeria in the international community.

Atiku vowed that opposition leaders would resist any anti-democratic attempts to force the nation into a one-party dictatorship. (Punch)

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2027: No politician, including Jonathan, can defeat Tinubu —Presidential aide

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has dismissed speculations about former President Goodluck Jonathan posing a threat to Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.

He also declared that no politician in Nigeria today has the capacity to defeat Tinubu at the polls.

Bwala, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, was asked if there is a need to worry over the recent clamour for Jonathan to run for office in 2027.

He said, “I see that some unscrupulous elements are trying to hoodwink former President Goodluck Jonathan to come into politics so they can destroy his reputation, which, after he left government, he has been building by becoming an international figure globally.

“And why do I say that? The southern Nigeria where President Goodluck Jonathan comes from, has all turned to us. You have seen governors coming.

The presidential aide also questioned the motives of northern political figures urging Jonathan to run, noting that some of these individuals were instrumental in opposing him during his presidency.

“The elements that are going to him in the north, asking him to come to run, were they not the ones that chased him away?
“So what hope does he have that this time around, they are calling him because they mean well for him? Then look at the political class that is coming together to cajole him to come into politics. I know President Goodluck Jonathan is smarter than that.”

Bwala expressed confidence in Tinubu’s victory should Jonathan runs.

“But if President Jonathan decides to run, let me tell you, I have seen the political climate in Nigeria today, and I will speak to facts, not conjecture. There is not a single politician that has the capacity to knock off President Bola Tinubu.”

With the 2027 polls barely two years away, opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, former Senate President, David Mark, among several others, are joining forces to sack the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Calls have also been made for former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race, although he has yet to make his position known publicly. (Punch)

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Six arrested over murder in Lagos cult clash

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested six suspected cultists in connection with the killing of one Kamoru aka Keeper during a clash in the Ebute Meta area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement sent to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday, stated that the suspects were apprehended on July 17, 2025, during an intelligence-led operation by detectives attached to the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit in the Surulere area of the state.

According to Hundeyin, those arrested include Raphael Ashim, 30; Wasiu Kareem, 33; Sadiq Olabisi, 40; Olamilekan Oluwatosin, 27; Olalekan Olugbodi, 54; and Ibrahim Oladimeji, 22.

He explained that the suspects were allegedly involved in a series of cult clashes in the community and surrounding areas, which also led to the death of the 30-year-old Kamoru.

“On July 17, 2025, detectives attached to the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Surulere, embarked on an intelligence-led operation to the Ebute Meta area of Lagos and arrested one Raphael Ashim, ‘m’, aged 30; Wasiu Kareem, ‘m’, aged 33; Sadiq Olabisi, ‘m’, aged 40; Olamilekan Oluwatosin, ‘m’, aged 27; Olalekan Olugbodi, ‘m’, aged 54, and Ibrahim Oladimeji, ‘m’, aged 22, all of whom were involved in a cult clash in Ebute Meta and its environs, which led to the gruesome murder of one Kamoru alias “Keeper”, ‘m’, aged 30.”

The police spokesperson also noted that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover their operational weapons.

“The suspects have been charged in court and are awaiting trial,” he added.

A yet-to-be ascertained number of suspected cultists have been arrested in various parts of Lagos State following a major crackdown by the Lagos State Police Command on Monday.

The arrests came barely 24 hours after the command issued a warning against cult groups ahead of the annual “7/7 Cultism Day,” known for rival clashes and reprisals.

Sources who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday said raids were carried out in areas such as Ikorodu, Idimu, Mushin, Bariga, and Iyana Iba, where the suspected cult members had gathered to mark the day.

The sources added that police recovered some exhibits from them during the raid. (Punch)

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JAMB unveils criteria for underage admission, screens 599 exceptional candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Wednesday said it will begin screening for over 500 exceptional candidates below 16 years of age seeking admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session between September 22 and 26.

The exercise will be conducted by a special technical committee set up by JAMB, according to resolutions reached during a virtual meeting of members on Wednesday.

Speaking during the meeting, Registrar of JAMB, Ishaq Oloyede, said three venues have been selected for the screening: Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri.

He said Lagos will host 397 candidates, Owerri 136, and Abuja 66.

Oloyede, who noted that out of 41,027 underage candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), more than 40,000 did not scale the first hurdle,  explained that the screening is to ensure that only exceptional and well-prepared underage candidates gain admission.

“People have been doing it in other parts of the world. We are not reinventing the wheel,” he said.

During the meeting, a subcommittee led by Prof. Taoheed Adedoja presented its report on the planned assessment, stating that candidates will face subject-specific tests followed by a brief oral interview.

The committee also resolved to request the result details from the West African Examination Council to verify the eligibility of some shortlisted candidates before they appear for interviews.

Participants in the virtual meeting included heads of tertiary institutions, government agencies, civil society representatives, members of the Nigerian Academy of Education, and the principal of Federal Government Gifted Academy, Suleja.

Recall that out of the 1.955 million candidates who sat for this year’s UTME nationwide, 599 scored above 300 but fell below the minimum admission age of 16, prompting the creation of the screening committee.

The policy aligns with the Ministry of Education’s directive setting 16 as the minimum entry age for tertiary institutions.

The initiative is designed to ensure that candidates admitted are mentally and psychologically prepared for the demands of higher education.

Four universities,  the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Jos; and Osun State University, have already informed JAMB that they will not admit underage candidates under any circumstances.

JAMB says the policy will balance academic excellence with cognitive maturity, prevent age falsification, and protect young candidates from undue parental pressure.

The Board is targeting only candidates who score at least 320 in UTME (80%), achieve a minimum of 80% in post-UTME, and secure at least 80% (24/30 points) in a single WAEC or NECO sitting. (Punch)