General news

• Liverpool complete £123m Barcola transfer from PSG

  31-08-2026 15:25 via vanguardngr.com
  By Adegboyega AdeleyeLiverpool have completed the signing of France forward Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth up to £123 million, strengthening their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.The transfer was confirmed by BBC Sport, with Liverpool paying an initial £106 million plus £17 million in potential add-ons for the 23-year-old.Barcola has signed a five-year contract and becomes Liverpool’s fifth new arrival of the summer, following Victo
  
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• VIDEO: They threatened to keep us for one month, kill us, rescued corps member recounts ordeal in Kogi

  31-08-2026 22:31 via punchng.com
  
  A rescued National Youth Service Corps member, David Ayodele, has recounted how he and other abductees were allegedly threatened with death by their captors after they were taken into a forest in Kogi State. Ayodele said the kidnappers threatened to keep the victims in captivity for one month and kill them, while warning them againstRead More: https://punchng.com/video-they-threatened-to-keep-us-for-one-month-kill-us-rescued-corps-member-recounts-ordeal-in-kogi/
  
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• BBNaijaS11: Abi emerges head of house for second time

  31-08-2026 22:31 via punchng.com
  
  Big Brother Naija Season 11 housemate, Abisola “Abi” Ayoola, has emerged as the Head of House for the second time this season after defeating Gerard in the final round of Monday’s challenge. The victory makes Abi the first female housemate to win the Head of House title twice in the Show Ya Sef house. AnnouncingRead More: https://punchng.com/bbnaijas11-abi-emerges-head-of-house-for-second-time/
  
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• 70% of Nigeria’s food farmers, processors are women — UN

  31-08-2026 22:31 via punchng.com
  
  The United Nations says women account for about 70 per cent of people involved in food crop production, processing and commercialisation in Nigeria, but remain constrained by limited access to land, finance, technology, markets and productive resources. The UN disclosed this on Monday at a press conference in Abuja, to commemorate the International Year ofRead More: https://punchng.com/70-of-nigerias-food-farmers-processors-are-women-un/
  
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• Tinubu rejoices over release of abducted NYSC members, others

  31-08-2026 22:13 via vanguardngr.com
  By Johnbosco AgbakwuruPresident Bola Tinubu has expressed delight over the successful release of 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and six other Nigerians who were abducted last week in Kogi State by criminals.The President commended the security agencies for what he described as a well-coordinated search-and-rescue (SAR) operation that ensured the kidnapped victims regained their freedom.President Tinubu, in his X handle @officialBAT, directed the security agencies to ensur
  
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• National Laureate Committee extends entry deadline to Sept 15

  31-08-2026 21:50 via vanguardngr.com
  By John Alechenu
  The National Laureate Committee has extended the deadline for submission of institutional entries for the 2026 National Laureate Programme to September 15, 2026.The initial deadline was August 31, 2026.
  The extension was sequel to appeals by tertiary institutions for more time to conclude their internal selection processes for the inaugural edition of the programme.This was contained in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Ita Ekpenyong, in Abuja, on Monday.The Committee explai
  
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• EFCC now freezing suspicious funds in 72hrs, targets crypto wallets – Olukoyede

  31-08-2026 21:46 via vanguardngr.com
  The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, says the commission is shifting focus from waiting for crimes to occur to preventing them through early detection and asset freezing.Olukoyede disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a media interactive session marking his third year in office.He said the EFCC had established the Fraud Risk Assessment and Control Department (FRAC) to monitor suspicious financial movements and act within 72 hours.“Why must
  
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• BBNaijaS11: Aikou, Flora exit Gambit, can now win N160m

  31-08-2026 21:42 via punchng.com
  
  BBNaija Season 11 housemates Aikou and Flora, who were previously guaranteed places in the finale but barred from winning the grand prize as Gambits, have been reinstated as full housemates and are now eligible to compete for the ₦160m prize. The development was announced on Monday, following Sunday’s “Operation Release the Gambit” twist, which gaveRead More: https://punchng.com/bbnaijas11-aikou-flora-exit-gambit-can-now-win-n160m/
  
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• ‘No one will decide my future’ – Richarlison braces for Everton switch

  31-08-2026 21:36 via vanguardngr.com
  Tottenham striker Richarlison is braced to rejoin Everton despite warning that “never again will anyone decide my future”.Everton are in talks with Tottenham over a potential deal to bring the Brazil international back to Merseyside.Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi claimed on Saturday that Richarlison had been left out of the squad for the 2-0 loss against Newcastle because “too many times he asked to leave”.But Richarlison took to Instagram on Monday to portray an entire
  
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• G100 summit about parties, not candidates — ADC

  31-08-2026 21:17 via vanguardngr.com
  By Luminous JannamikeThe African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed suggestions that the absence of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, from the G100 Summit was linked to concerns over the sincerity, credibility or transparency of the process, saying the party was fully represented at the event.The party said there was no need to read anything into Atiku’s absence, insisting it was neither a snub nor a vote of no confidence in the summit.Rather, the ADC said, the gathering wa
  
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• Dangote Refinery secures court orders against NMDPRA

  31-08-2026 21:13 via vanguardngr.com
  By Innocent AnabaA Federal High Court, Lagos, has restrained the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, a federal agency charged with the responsibility to regulate, monitor, and supervise technical and commercial operations in the country’s midstream and downstream petroleum value chain, and others from shutting down Dangote Petroleum Refinery, under the guise of performing oversight functions.Justice Akintayo Aluko made the order on Monday while granti
  
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• India cannot withdraw from water treaty with Pakistan, tribunal insists

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  An international tribunal on Monday ordered India to “observe its obligations” under a treaty with Pakistan on the sharing of the Indus and other rivers, which the New Delhi government sought to suspend. It also made an order “prohibiting” India from carrying out works at two hydro-electric projects that could breach the 1960 Indus WaterRead More: https://punchng.com/india-cannot-withdraw-from-water-treaty-with-pakistan-tribunal-insists/
  
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• Evening recap: Tinubu’s lawyer speaks on US allegations, military rescues 15 NYSC members, and other top stories

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  President Bola Tinubu’s lawyer in the United States has argued that the President would have been indicted, arrested, and prosecuted if there were evidence linking him to drug trafficking in the country. Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has rescued 21 kidnapped victims, including 15 NYSC members, in Kogi State. Former presidential aide Reno Omokri also defendedRead More: https://punchng.com/evening-recap-tinubus-lawyer-speaks-on-us-allegations-military-rescues-15-nysc-members-and-other-top
  
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• Borno gov orders suspension of absentee village, ward heads in war-ravaged town

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has directed the immediate suspension of all village and ward heads in Mallam-Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area, following their absence during his visit to the community. The governor’s spokesperson, Dauda Illiya, said in a statement on Monday that Zulum gave the order during a working visit to the border community,Read More: https://punchng.com/borno-gov-orders-suspension-of-absentee-village-ward-heads-in-war-ravaged-town/
  
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• VIDEO: Mysterious floating island spotted, disappears in Canada reservoir

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  A mysterious tree-covered island has appeared and subsequently vanished from a reservoir in British Columbia, Canada, leaving local residents and officials intrigued by its sudden movement. According to TMZ on Monday, the floating landmass, estimated to cover more than 105,000 square feet, was spotted earlier this month on the Williston Reservoir, north of Mackenzie. TheRead More: https://punchng.com/video-mysterious-floating-island-spotted-disappears-in-canada-reservoir/
  
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• Tinubu hails rescue of 15 NYSC members, six others abducted in Kogi

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  President Bola Tinubu has expressed relief over the rescue of 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps and six other Nigerians abducted by criminal elements in Kogi State. Tinubu, in a statement on X on Monday, said the 21 abductees were rescued on Monday afternoon following a coordinated Search and Rescue operation by securityRead More: https://punchng.com/tinubu-hails-rescue-of-15-nysc-members-six-others-abducted-in-kogi/
  
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• NUPRC retains $300 helicopter levy, exempts offshore oil platforms

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has retained the $300-per-landing Helicopter Levy for Air Navigational Services imposed on upstream operators, but ruled that the separate Terminal Navigational Charge does not apply to helicopter landings at private offshore facilities and oil platforms. The decision ends months of uncertainty among operators and helicopter service providers over theRead More: https://punchng.com/nuprc-retains-300-helicopter-levy-exempts-offshore-oil-platfor
  
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• Nigeria’s economy grows 4.43% in Q2 – NBS

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  Nigeria’s economy grew by 4.43 per cent year-on-year in real terms in the second quarter of 2026, higher than the 4.23 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Monday. The figure also represents an improvement from the 3.89 per cent growth recorded in the first quarterRead More: https://punchng.com/nigerias-economy-grows-4-43-in-q2-nbs/
  
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• ITF opens 47,600-litre capacity fuel station in Plateau

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  The Industrial Training Fund has opened a new fuel station in Jos, Plateau State, a move the agency said would improve access to petroleum products, particularly for its staff, while expanding its footprint in Nigeria’s economic development. The Director-General of the ITF, Dr Afiz Ogun, who commissioned the fuel station on Monday, said the newlyRead More: https://punchng.com/itf-opens-47600-litre-capacity-fuel-station-in-plateau/
  
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• FG targets December completion of Kaduna-Kano rail line

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  The Federal Government has said the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano railway route will be completed and ready for operation by December as part of ongoing efforts to revive the country’s rail transportation system. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Funsho Adebiyi, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the 19th National Council on Transportation. Adebiyi said the FederalRead More: https://punchng.com/fg-targets-december-completion-of-kaduna-kano-rail-line/
  
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• EFCC sacks 40 staff over corruption, says Olukoyede

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that more than 40 personnel have been dismissed for corruption and financial malpractice since he assumed office. Olukoyede said more than five of the dismissed officers were currently being prosecuted, while case files involving others were being prepared for prosecution. The EFCCRead More: https://punchng.com/efcc-sacks-40-staff-over-corruption-says-olukoyede/
  
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• 20 African NGOs demand investigation into Guinea mass grave

  31-08-2026 21:10 via punchng.com
  
  Twenty African civil society organisations are demanding an independent, official investigation into six bodies found bound and blindfolded a week ago in a mass grave in southwestern Guinea. Local sources told AFP at the time that young people gathering firewood found the six male bodies in the village of Allassoyah in Lower Guinea’s Forecariah administrativeRead More: https://punchng.com/20-african-ngos-demand-investigation-into-guinea-mass-grave/
  
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• Soldiers kill 324 terrorists, arrest 375, rescue 621 kidnapped victims in August

  31-08-2026 21:07 via vanguardngr.com
  By Kingsley OmonobiTroops fighting in different theatres of operation against insecurity/national threats neutralised a total of 324 terrorists and criminal elements, rescued over 621 kidnapped victims and arrested over 373 terrorists/criminal elements in August.Troops discovered and deactivated 21 illegal refinery sites in the Niger Delta, and recovered 686,800 litres of stolen crude oil products from economic saboteursDirector of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, at a bri
  
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• Foreign Aid Bill threatens civil society independence, HRW tells National Assembly

  31-08-2026 21:05 via vanguardngr.com
  ABUJA — Human Rights Watch, HRW, has urged the National Assembly to reject provisions in the proposed Foreign Aid (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026, warning that the legislation could undermine the independence of civil society organisations and further shrink civic space in Nigeria.The rights organisation said although transparency and accountability in the management of foreign aid, grants and donations were legitimate objectives, the proposed regulatory framework cou
  
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• FG targets $750M private investment for cloud infrastructure – SGF

  31-08-2026 21:05 via punchng.com
  
  The Federal Government has unveiled plans to target $750 million in private sector investment for local cloud and data infrastructure over the next 24 months, alongside the rollout of a nationwide 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, made this disclosure on Monday at the GITEX 2026 Government LeadershipRead More: https://punchng.com/fg-targets-750m-private-investment-for-cloud-infrastructure-sgf/
  
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• BOOT Party urges INEC to address glitches in candidate portal

  31-08-2026 21:03 via vanguardngr.com
  By Gabriel EwepuABUJA — The Because Of Our Tomorrow, BOOT Party, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to address glitches in its Candidate Nomination Portal to prevent political parties from being subjected to unnecessary agitations.The party’s call followed an alarm raised by the National Democratic Party, NDC, over alleged discrepancies in the names of its candidates uploaded on the INEC portal.Speaking with Vanguard, National Chairman of the BOOT Party,
  
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• 2027: Tinubu leads Atiku, Obi in early forecast — PIG

  31-08-2026 21:00 via vanguardngr.com
  By Ishola BalogunAs Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 presidential election, an early political forecast has placed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.The Political Intelligence Group (PIG) of Politico.ng, Lagos, in its assessment of the country’s current political configuration, projects that Tinubu would win 20 states if the presidential election were held under the prevailing circumstances.Atiku is
  
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• 2027: We have words, courts, laws as weapons — ADC

  31-08-2026 20:57 via vanguardngr.com
  By Luminous JannamikeThe African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Monday vowed to resist alleged intimidation and attempts to frustrate its candidates ahead of the 2027 general election, declaring that it would deploy the courts, laws and its voice rather than violence.
  With campaigns gathering momentum, the opposition party said its candidates must be prepared to confront provocations through lawful means while keeping their own campaigns free of hate speech, ethnic and religious profiling and pol
  
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• Actress Carolyna Hutchings quits ‘Real Housewives of Lagos’ show

  31-08-2026 20:55 via punchng.com
  
  Nollywood actress and entrepreneur, Carolyna Hutchings, has announced her exit from the reality television show, The Real Housewives of Lagos, saying she has moved on from the programme and wants to be left out of anything relating to the show. Hutchings, who returned to the third season of the reality series after taking a breakRead More: https://punchng.com/actress-carolyna-hutchings-quits-real-housewives-of-lagos-show/
  
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• EFCC sacks over 40 staff for corruption, prosecutes 5 others

  31-08-2026 20:50 via vanguardngr.com
  The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, says more than 40 staff members have been dismissed for corruption and financial malpractice in the last three years.Olukoyede disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a media interactive session to mark his three-year stewardship at the commission’s headquarters.The chairman also said that about five of the commission’s staff are currently being prosecuted for corrupt practices.“In the past two and a
  
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