General news

• 5 top countries on brink of exit at 2026 World Cup

  24-06-2026 16:19 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage is heading into its decisive final round, with several countries facing the prospect of an early exit if results do not go their way.With qualification places still up for grabs, a number of teams must secure positive results in their last group matches to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.Here are five countries under the most pressure heading into the final round of fixtures.South Africa
  South Africa’s World Cup campaign hangs in
  
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• Trials of two Ebola treatments to start in DRC next week – WHO

  24-06-2026 20:03 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Trials of two separate potential treatments to fight the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are expected to begin next week, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday.A total of 1,048 Ebola cases, including 277 deaths, have been confirmed in DR Congo since the outbreak was declared on May 15 — although many experts believe the true toll is significantly higher.This outbreak is down to the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus — for which there are
  
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• We will safeguard state police from being abused by governors — Senate

  24-06-2026 19:59 via vanguardngr.com
  
  …Senate Passes State Police Bill…As lawmakers approve constitutional amendment to establish Federal and State Police Services nationwideBy Henry UmoruABUJA — The Senate on Wednesday said the proposed state police system would be protected from abuse by governors through stringent constitutional safeguards, federal oversight mechanisms and judicial review provisions, as lawmakers passed the constitutional amendment bill establishing state police services across the country.Th
  
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• 2027: Nobody gives power, you must take it — Wike tells PDP candidates

  24-06-2026 19:51 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Luminous JannamikeABUJA — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and National Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, urged party members to prepare for a fierce political battle ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that political power is never given but taken through struggle, sacrifice and hard work.Addressing the PDP’s 109th National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in Abuja, Wike told party faithful that opposition politics deman
  
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• US revokes passports of citizens owing over $2,500 in child support

  24-06-2026 19:36 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Emmanuel OkogbaThe United States Department of State, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has announced that Americans with significant outstanding child support debts may have their passports revoked or be denied new passport issuance.In a notice issued by the State Department, authorities stated that citizens who owe more than $2,500 in child support are not eligible to receive a U.S. passport.“To be eligible for a U.S. passport, you must pay any o
  
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• APC suspends Kebbi chairman, Zuru LG party chair over alleged infractions

  24-06-2026 19:21 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Haruna Aliyu, Birnin KebbiThe Kebbi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the suspension of its State Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Kana-Zuru, and the APC Chairman of Zuru Local Government Area, Hon. Aliyu Abubakar Abiola.In a statement signed by the State Party Secretary, Alhaji Sa’idu Muhammad Kimba, and made available to journalists in Birnin Kebbi, the party said the suspension followed complaints received from stakeholders within the Zuru Emirate.
  
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• Olympics to offer all Games competitors $10,000 grants

  24-06-2026 19:16 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The International Olympic Committee, which has been under growing pressure to introduce prize money to the Olympics, on Wednesday announced it was setting up a grant for every athlete who takes part in the Games.“Every athlete at the Olympic Games will be eligible for a new $10,000 (8,800 euros) ‘Fit for the Future Olympian Grant’,” said the IOC on its website, adding that the total fund would be worth $140mn for each four-year Olympic cycle.“All Olympians, no matt
  
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• FG discovers major Platinum, Gold, Nickel deposits in Kaduna, seeks fresh investments

  24-06-2026 19:15 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Gabriel EwepuABUJA — The Federal Government has announced major mineral exploration breakthroughs in Kaduna State, revealing the discovery of significant deposits of platinum, gold, nickel, copper, lithium, rare earth elements and other strategic minerals.Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, disclosed this on Wednesday at the 5th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2026) in Abuja, themed “One Africa, One Resource Vision.”Accordin
  
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• We have never posted officers to any checkpoint around port environment — AIG Okunade

  24-06-2026 19:13 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Efe OnodjaeThe Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Maritime, AIG Okunade Ronke, has denied allegations that officers were deployed to illegal checkpoints around port access roads, insisting that no such authorization exists within the system.Her clarification came as the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Ports Authority stepped up a coordinated operation aimed at dismantling illegal checkpoints and unauthorised roadblocks along the Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors i
  
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• Tincan customs generates N111.2bn in May, as CAC Anani vows higher performance

  24-06-2026 19:07 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Efe OnodjaeThe TinCan Island Port (TCIP) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded a revenue collection of N111.2 billion in May 2026, consolidating its status as one of the Service’s top-performing commands.The newly deployed Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Joseph Anani, disclosed this on Wednesday during his maiden interactive session with maritime journalists at the command headquarters, saying the result reflects improved compliance by stakeholders, operational
  
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• Security, tax, environmental concerns stall reopening of Oshodi Resettlement Market

  24-06-2026 19:04 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Esther OnyegbulaBusiness activities remained at a standstill on Wednesday as the Oshodi Resettlement Market in Lagos remained shut following its closure by the Lagos State Government over the alleged assault of officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI.A visit to the market showed all entrances under lock and key, with official closure notices displayed at various entry points.Traders were seen loitering around the market premises, while oth
  
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• Ogun Govt reiterates ban on graduation charges in schools

  24-06-2026 19:01 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Ogun State Government has reiterated its directive prohibiting public and private schools from charging students any fee for graduation ceremonies and end-of-session parties.The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, reaffirmed this while receiving members of the Grand Union of Private Schools Association (GUPSA) at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Wednesday.He explained that the directive followed widespread complaints and controversies from parent
  
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• Video: Cubana Chief Priest launches campaign-branded luxury cars for Tinubu

  24-06-2026 19:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Popular socialite and nightlife entrepreneur, Pascal Okechukwu, widely known as Cubana Chief Priest, has generated widespread reactions on social media after showcasing customised luxury vehicles branded in support of President Bola Tinubu’s anticipated re-election campaign.Cubana Chief Priest, who is reportedly the Director of the City Boy Movement in Imo State, has remained a vocal supporter of President Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), while also expressing intere
  
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• Pipeline rupture disrupts Water Supply in Sokoto

  24-06-2026 18:59 via vanguardngr.com
  
  ….government begins emergency repairsBy Musa Ubandawaki, SokotoThe Sokoto State Government has commenced emergency measures to restore water supply following the rupture of a major pipeline that transports raw water to treatment facilities, disrupting water distribution across Sokoto metropolis and neighbouring communities.The Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Aminu Abdullahi Iya (Iyan Sokoto), gave the assurance on Wednesday during an inspection of the damaged pipeline section al
  
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• Actress Ini Dima-Okojie welcomes baby boy

  24-06-2026 18:56 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Nollywood actress Ini Dima-Okojie has announced the birth of her baby boy with her husband, Abasi Ene-Obong.The actress broke the news on Wednesday in an emotional birthday message posted on Instagram, reflecting on her transition into motherhood and the life-changing experience of welcoming her first child.Known for marking her birthdays with elaborate photoshoots and carefully curated concepts, Ini said this year was different. Instead, she chose to share a photograph taken on the day her son
  
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• Troops neutralise three IPOB/ESN operatives, recover arms, IEDs in Anambra

  24-06-2026 18:55 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiTroops of Sector 5, Joint Task Force South-East Operation Udoka, in collaboration with other security agencies, have neutralised three suspected operatives of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), during a gun battle in Anambra State.The operation was carried out on June 23, 2026, following credible intelligence on armed criminals allegedly disguising themselves in military camouflage and Nigeria Police unifo
  
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• Zedcrest Securities Brings Stocks Trading to the Zedcrest Wealth App, Expanding Access to Capital Markets

  24-06-2026 18:49 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Zedcrest Securities, the stockbroking subsidiary of Zedcrest Group, has launched stocks trading on the Zedcrest Wealth App, enabling clients to buy and sell shares of over 150 companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) directly from their mobile devices.The launch represents another milestone in Zedcrest Group’s vision of building a more connected financial services ecosystem that improves access to capital, investment opportunities, and financial markets across Africa. By bringing t
  
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• Over 150 baby deaths linked to UK maternity scandal – Report

  24-06-2026 18:49 via vanguardngr.com
  
  More than 500 mothers and babies suffered potentially avoidable harm or died due to poor care at a UK hospital, according to a damning report published Wednesday, in the country’s latest maternity scandal.At least 156 cases involved the death of babies, and six mothers also died at two units run by Nottingham University Hospitals Trust in central England.The independent probe was the largest maternity inquiry in the history of the state-run National Health Service (NHS), involving over 2,
  
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• Atiku to Tinubu: Blaming Journalists for hardship is like blaming a thermometer for a fever

  24-06-2026 18:39 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Omeiza AjayiABUJA: Presidential candidate of the African Drmocratic Congress ADC, Atiku Abubakar has said President Bola Tinubu’s decision to attack the media for reporting insecurity and economic hardship across the country is as absurd as blaming a thermometer for a fever, warning that denial does not change reality but merely postpones solutions.Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Wednesday, said it was both astonis
  
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• Troops rescue three kidnap victims, recover weapons in Zamfara, Sokoto operations

  24-06-2026 18:37 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiABUJA — Troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, have rescued three kidnapped victims and foiled a planned terrorist attack during separate operations in Zamfara and Sokoto states.The operations, carried out as part of ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and banditry in the North-West, also led to the recovery of weapons, ammunition, motorcycles and other operational items.In a statement, the Media Information Officer of the operation, Lt
  
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• Breaking: Senate passes State Police Bill

  24-06-2026 18:31 via vanguardngr.com
  
  ….clears Way for Dual Policing StructureBy Henry UmoruABUJA — The Senate on Wednesday passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police services across the country, marking a major step in Nigeria’s long-running efforts to decentralise policing and strengthen internal security.The legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for the Establishment of State Police and
  
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• Sokoto Court sentences three terrorists to death for arms trafficking

  24-06-2026 18:28 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Musa UbandawakiSOKOTO — A High Court in Sokoto State has sentenced three convicted terrorists, including a foreign national, to death by hanging for terrorism-related offences and illegal arms trafficking.The convicts, identified as Jabbi Alhaji Yalle, a citizen of Niger Republic, Yusuf Muhammad, popularly known as Sallau, and Kabiru Muhammad, were found guilty following a prosecution initiated by the Department of State Services (DSS).Delivering judgment in suit number SS/45C/2026, Ju
  
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• No US demand to withdraw from Lebanon – Israeli defence minister

  24-06-2026 18:22 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the United States has not demanded that Israel withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, a condition set by Lebanon in ongoing ceasefire negotiations.“We have announced that in any case we are not withdrawing and, as of this moment — and this is a diplomatic achievement — there is no American demand for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon,” Katz said in an interview at a convention of local leaders in Tel Aviv.When as
  
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• State police bill scales second reading in Senate

  24-06-2026 18:17 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Constitution Amendment Bill on State Police passed its second reading during the Senate plenary on Wednesday in Abuja.The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion to suspend Senate rules to expedite the consideration of the executive bill seeking constitutional backing for state police services.Leading the debate on the bill, Bamidele said it aims to establish state police while retaining a strong federal police structure, national standards, accountability mechanisms, and safeguards
  
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• Tinubu’s security strategy crippling kidnapping, banditry in Kogi — Ododo

  24-06-2026 18:07 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Elizabeth WilliamsLOKOJA — Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, has said the state is no longer a safe haven for kidnappers, bandits and armed robbers, attributing recent security gains to the Federal Government’s security strategy and sustained collaboration among security agencies.Ododo said the significant improvement in security across the state was driven by investments and support from President Bola Tinubu, as well as coordinated operations involving federal and state
  
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• Ogun Govt clears Mirabel of rape claim, gives update on Ifo gang rape case

  24-06-2026 18:06 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By James OgunnaikeABEOKUTA — The Ogun State Ministry of Justice has provided fresh updates on two high-profile gender-based violence cases, including the alleged rape of Miss Nsikak Abigael Emem, popularly known as Mirabel, and the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl in Ifo Local Government Area.In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), said investigations by relevant authorities established that Mirabel’s rape alle
  
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• Woman killed by vehicle in convoy on Rivers University Campus, two arrested

  24-06-2026 18:03 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Davies IheamnachorPORT HARCOURT — A young woman identified simply as Eno has died after she was struck by a vehicle travelling in a convoy within the premises of the Rivers State University in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.The incident occurred on Tuesday on one of the roads within the university campus. It was not immediately clear whether the deceased was a student of the institution.Sources said the vehicles involved in the convoy were allegedly driven by students of the university.Ac
  
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• Site engineer, 15 others trapped as five-storey building collapses in Port Harcourt

  24-06-2026 17:53 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Daniel Abia, Port HarcourtA tragic incident occurred in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday after a five-storey building under construction collapsed, trapping no fewer than 16 persons, including a site engineer, beneath the rubble.Eyewitnesses said the building caved in at about 9 a.m., causing panic among residents and workers in the area.According to sources, several construction workers and the site engineer were on the premises when the structure suddenly collapsed, burying them u
  
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• Wike to Yobo: Tell Super Eagles we are not happy about Nigeria’s World Cup absence

  24-06-2026 17:50 via vanguardngr.com
  
  ABUJA — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, urging former Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo, to convey the frustrations of Nigerians to the national team.Wike spoke on Wednesday during the commissioning of the Gwagwalada-Kuje Road project in the FCT, where Yobo was among the dignitaries in attendance.The minister said it was painful to watch countries with less footb
  
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• Military, foreign allies have broken backbone of terrorist groups — Defence intelligence chief

  24-06-2026 17:49 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiABUJA — The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, has said that the Nigerian Armed Forces, working in collaboration with international partners including the United States, United Kingdom and France, have significantly degraded terrorist groups operating in the country.Speaking on Wednesday during the Second Quarter Operations Briefing for Foreign Defence Advisers and Attachés at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) headquarters in A
  
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