LONDON, June 17, 2026* – Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke broke her silence Wednesday after a London jury cleared her of all bribery charges, declaring _“God will always be God and God is not a man that he should lie”. The Southwark Crown Court acquittal ended an 11-year legal battle that Alison-Madueke described as _“arduous”_ and _“traumatic not just for me but for my family, friends, my 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt and for my son”. Jury Delivers Not Guilty Verdict After 46 Hours. A jury at Southwark Crown Court found Alison-Madueke, 65, not guilty on five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The verdict came after more than 46 hours of deliberation following a five-month trial that began in January 2026. dc2c3cd6cc3f Prosecutors had alleged the former minister enjoyed _“a life of luxury”_ in London, funded by oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria. The charges included claim...

Haaland. FOXBOROUGH, MA, June 16, 2026, Erling Haaland didn’t need a hat trick to make history Tuesday. He only needed 29 minutes. The Manchester City phenomenon scored twice on his World Cup debut as Norway announced their return to football’s biggest stage with a commanding 4-1 victory over Iraq at Boston Stadium. In doing so, Haaland became the first Norwegian to score at a World Cup since 1998, ending a 28-year drought. Coach Stale Solbakken joked before the match that Haaland “was saving it for the United States” after a quiet warm-up campaign. He wasn’t lying. With Norway struggling to break down Iraq’s low block, David Møller Wolfe whipped in a perfect cross from the left in the 29th minute. Haaland, sliding to the ground, steered it past Jalal Hassan for 1-0. The relief was visible. The record books opened. Haaland. It was Haaland’s 56th goal in 49 games for Norway, but his first ever at a World Cup. Norway hadn’t scored at the tournament since June 27, ...

KANSAS CITY, MO, June 16, 2026* – Lionel Messi proved he’s not done rewriting history yet. At 38 years old, the Argentina captain became the first player to score a hat trick at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, firing all three goals as the defending champions opened their title defense with a ruthless 3-0 win over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium. With the treble, Messi moved to 16 World Cup goals — level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s all-time joint top scorer. One more, and the record is his alone. For 28 minutes, Algeria frustrated Argentina. Then Messi happened. Receiving the ball 25 yards out, he shifted past two defenders and curled a trademark left-footed strike into the top corner. 1-0. The 76,416 crowd erupted. Goal two came in the 54th minute. Julian Alvarez pressed high, won the ball, and slipped Messi in. The Inter Miami star didn’t break stride, slotting calmly past Anthony Mandrea for 2-0. The hat trick was completed in the 78th minute. Enzo Fernande...

ABEOKUTA, June 16, 2026 – Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday formally declared her intention to contest the 2027 Ogun State governorship election, promising to prioritize security, education, and youth employment. Speaking at a packed town hall meeting in Abeokuta, the former senator for Ogun Central said Nigeria’s current economic hardship and insecurity demand “experienced, compassionate leadership that understands both Abuja politics and Ogun grassroots realities.” “ Ogun Cannot Afford Another Trial-and-Error Governor” Obasanjo-Bello, who served in the Senate from 2007 to 2011, said Ogun’s debt profile, out-of-school children crisis, and rising kidnapping cases require urgent action. She pointed to the June 12 protests in Osogbo where civil society groups decried mass abductions of schoolchildren.  “If we already have 19 million children out of school and those in school are being kidnapped, what is now the future ...

ABUJA, June 16, 2026 – Nigeria moved one step closer to decentralized policing Thursday as the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a constitutional bill allowing all 36 states to create their own police forces alongside the federal Nigeria Police Force. The bill, which enjoys cross-party support, is President Bola Tinubu’s major security reform aimed at tackling kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, and communal clashes that have stretched federal police beyond their limits. The Senate is expected to adopt it later today. Why State Police Now? For decades, policing has been controlled from Abuja despite vastly different threats: Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast, mass kidnappings in the northwest, farmer-herder clashes in north-central, separatist violence in the southeast, and oil theft in the Niger Delta. Governors say they are held accountable for security but lack operational control over police in their states. Reform advocates argue state police will impro...

 The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister the African Democratic Congress and four other political parties, triggering immediate condemnation from opposition leaders who described the ruling as undemocratic and a violation of a subsisting Court of Appeal order. Justice Peter Lifu, delivering judgment in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, directed INEC to deregister the ADC, Accord Party, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, and Zenith Labour Party for allegedly failing to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration. The court held that the parties breached provisions of Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution as amended and the Electoral Act 2022. The judgment threatens to remove former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the 2027 presidential ballot, as he emerged as the ADC’s candidate earlier this year. It also affects candidates preparing for the Osun State gov...

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2026* – The United States and Iran signaled Friday that an agreement to end their war was close, with both sides agreeing on a text and Washington expecting to sign an initial deal in the coming days. A senior U.S. administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deal met President Donald Trump’s core objectives and put negotiations “in a very, very good place.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state television that changes were still possible, but the tentative agreement made clear that his country had emerged stronger from the conflict. “Iran is the winner of the war with the U.S.,” Araqchi said. Terms of Interim Agreement The so-called memorandum of understanding calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, sources on all sides of the deal said. Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, which was Trump’s stated rationale for starting the war, would take place afterward. Under...

Akpabio . ABUJA, June 14, 2026 – The Senate on Thursday directed security and intelligence agencies to intensify efforts to identify, track and arrest bandits and terrorists who openly display their activities and proceeds of crime on social media platforms, particularly TikTok. The resolution followed growing concerns over the brazenness of criminal networks using digital platforms to project influence, flaunt ill-got wealth and carry out public giveaways believed to be funded through criminal activity. The directive came during plenary after Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, moved a motion on the rising wave of bandit attacks and terrorist incursions in Kogi West and other parts of the country. During deliberations, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, introduced an additional prayer calling for coordinated action by the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other relevant security ...