General news

• Messi dedicates Argentina’s World Cup semi-final win over England to Maradona

  16-07-2026 19:47 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Adegboyega AdeleyeLionel Messi paid an emotional tribute to the late Diego Maradona after inspiring Argentina to a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England, saying the World Cup semi-final triumph was “a gift” for the football legend.The 39-year-old captain, who created both of Argentina’s goals in Wednesday’s thrilling victory, reflected on Maradona’s enduring legacy after guiding the defending champions into a second consecutive FIFA World Cup final, where t
  
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• Jonathan commiserates with Amaechi over mother’s death

  19-07-2026 00:01 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed sadness over the passing of Dame Mary Amaechi, mother of a former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.Jonathan, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Ikechukwu Eze, on Saturday in Abuja, extended his heartfelt sympathies to Amaechi, the entire Amaechi family and all those mourning the late matriarch.He described the death of a mother as a profound loss, noting that although death is inevitable, the enduring legacy of a li
  
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• Lagos: Troops arrest 6 illegal bunkering suspects at Orile

  18-07-2026 23:42 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiThe Nigerian Army, weekend, said that it’s troops of 65 Battalion have successfully dismantled a suspected illegal bunkering site in the Orile area of Lagos State, leading to the arrest of six suspects and the recovery of items linked to the illicit activity.Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations said, “The operation, conducted on 16 July 2026, followed credible intelligence on the activities of suspected economic saboteurs op
  
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• Oyo APC crisis deepens as six governorship aspirants reject Sharafadeen Alli’s candidacy

  18-07-2026 23:28 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Adeola BadruA fresh crisis has emerged within the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after six of the party’s 11 governorship aspirants rejected the emergence of Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 general election.The aggrieved aspirants insisted that the APC has not lawfully produced a governorship candidate, arguing that the process leading to Alli’s emergence failed to comply with the provisions of the Elect
  
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• Spain’s Yamal aims to join elite club of teenage World Cup winners

  18-07-2026 23:23 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Lionel Messi will become the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup final on Sunday as Spain’s Lamine Yamal seeks to join an elite group of teenage winners.The match at the MetLife Stadium will be the first meeting between Argentina’s Messi and the player who has succeeded him as Barcelona’s new homegrown idol.The only player to appear in a final at an older age than Messi is Dino Zoff, the Italy goalkeeper who was 40 in 1982.Yamal, in sharp contrast, only turned 19 l
  
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• Wenger admits World Cup hydration breaks split opinion

  18-07-2026 22:30 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Arsene Wenger said Saturday he accepted that the hydration breaks used at this year’s World Cup were not universally popular and said FIFA will assess whether to implement them in the same way in the future.Wenger, FIFA’s head of global football development, told a briefing on the eve of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina: “Sometimes people didn’t like it and we have to analyse after the World Cup what the impact was.”For this World Cup, FIFA brought i
  
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• Three die, four injured in lone truck accident in Anambra – FRSC

  18-07-2026 22:20 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra Sector Command, has confirmed the death of three persons while four others sustained injuries in a lone road crash along the Nnobi–Agulu–Awka Road.The Sector Commander, Mrs Bridget Asekhauno, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Awka.Asekhauno said the crash occurred on Friday near St Jude Catholic Church, Adazi-Ani, and involved a Mercedes-Benz 608 commercial truck with registration number XB270NNL.She said a preliminary investi
  
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• Gang members shoot policeman while gunning for rivals linked to NURTW leaders

  18-07-2026 22:18 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Evelyn Usman“We did not know there were policemen in the area. It was Temidayo who fired the gun, while I was hit by bullets fired by the policemen.”Read Also: Herdsmen seize mourning siblings, mother’s corpse in BenueThis was the account of 45-year-old Agbeyangi, a caterer arrested after a failed reprisal attack by suspected cultists in the Mafoluku area of Oshodi, Lagos, ended in a gun battle with policemen on routine patrol.Agbeyangi, who sustained a gunshot wound in the
  
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• Back-to-back World Cup winners: Argentina seek to join elite group

  18-07-2026 21:26 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Argentina are one game away from becoming just the third team to successfully defend the World Cup, with European champions Spain standing in their way.AFP Sport looks at how previous winners fared if they reached the final at the following tournament.Italy, 1938Italy were the first team in World Cup history to retain their title, beating Hungary 4-2 in the final of the 1938 tournament in France.Four years earlier they had edged past Czechoslovakia in the final in Rome.The Italians wore black s
  
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• OAIC opposes proposed FRSC bill provision on preaching in commercial vehicles

  18-07-2026 21:16 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) has expressed concern over reports that a proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act could classify preaching in commercial vehicles alongside activities such as hawking.The statement was signed by Elder Israel Akinadewo, FCA, PhD, President of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), Nigeria Region. In it, the association said it believes preaching should not be treated in the same manner as commerci
  
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• Onikate to honour Lagos businessman Rilwan Bamgbala with Okanlomo title

  18-07-2026 21:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Onikate of Ikate Surulere, Oba Lateef Atanda Adams, has announced that businessman and hospitality guru, Rilwan Bamgbala will be conferred with the traditional title of Okanlomo of Ikate Surulere, while his wife, Mrs. Oluwadamilola Bamgbala, will be honoured as Yeye Okanlomo Ikate Surulere.
  The announcement is part of activities marking the monarch’s 10th coronation anniversary. The installation ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Ikate Surulere Palace on July 22, where several
  
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• Woman allegedly kills husband’s mistress’ two-month-old baby in Benue

  18-07-2026 20:41 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Peter Duru, MakurdiA 25-year-old woman, identified as Erdoo Ugede, has been arrested for allegedly killing the two-month-old son of her husband’s alleged mistress in Ankyoov, Ikyogbaji Council Ward of Gwer East Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State.A source in the community disclosed that the tragic incident occurred after the suspect reportedly invited the child’s mother and her baby to live with her in her matrimonial home, despite knowing that the child was fathered by he
  
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• IPAC vows to deliver 2.5m votes for C’River in 2027 polls

  18-07-2026 20:38 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABARThe Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Cross River State chapter, has vowed to mobilize no fewer than 2.5 million votes for the state in the 2027 general elections, citing ongoing voter registration efforts across the 18 local government areas.The State Chairman of IPAC, Engr. Effiom Edet, disclosed this on Saturday in Calabar during an interaction with newsmen on the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, democratic participation and the future of the state.E
  
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• Chelsea reach agreement with Aston Villa to sign Morgan Rogers⁠

  18-07-2026 20:33 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Emmanuel OkogbaChelsea have reached an agreement with Aston Villa to sign attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers in a deal worth £117 million, beating off competition from Arsenal.The 23-year-old, who can play on the left wing or as a number 10, is set to undergo a medical in London on Monday and is expected to sign a contract until June 2032, with the option of a further year.As per The Athletic’s football correspondent, David Ornstein, Chelsea moved swiftly to secure the deal, anti
  
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• NY mayor says still mulling arrest of Israel’s Netanyahu during UN meet

  18-07-2026 20:21 via vanguardngr.com
  
  New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is in talks over whether to try to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an upcoming UN summit, he said in an interview published Saturday — prompting a sharp rebuke from Netanyahu’s camp.“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani told The New York Times. “He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.”The leftist Mamdani, who has called Israel an
  
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• 2 US soldiers killed, 1 missing after Iran strikes on Jordan

  18-07-2026 20:11 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Two US service members were killed and one went missing in action in Jordan following a barrage of missile and drone strikes from Iran, the Pentagon said Saturday.US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the soldiers were killed Friday when US and partner forces “defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.”One US service member is missing in action, while four others have been evacuated to Jordanian hospitals, CENTCOM said in a post on X.AFP
  The post 2 US soldiers killed,
  
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• Iran will teach US ‘unforgettable lessons’, says Supreme leader

  18-07-2026 20:01 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to teach the US “unforgettable lessons” as renewed hostilities flared on Saturday, saying Washington’s attacks in spite of a framework deal to end the war showed Donald Trump’s signature to be worthless.“Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it,” he said, in a
  
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• ActionAid to FG, States: Urgently mitigate flood impact on Nigerians

  18-07-2026 19:55 via vanguardngr.com
  
  .tasks Govt on practical implementation of safe school initiative.expresses worry over 35m Nigerians facing hungerBy Gabriel EwepuABUJA – AS Nigerians grapple with different challenges, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, Saturday, tasked the Federal and State Governments to urgently protect the lives and property of Nigerians as high floods begin from July.The call was made by AAN’s General Assembly and Board of Directors, at its Annual General Meeting, which the Convener, Igho Akeregha presen
  
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• Herdsmen seize mourning siblings, mother’s corpse in Benue

  18-07-2026 19:48 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Peter Duru, MAKURDIThree siblings travelling from Abuja to Benue State with the remains of their late mother have reportedly been abducted by suspected armed herdsmen along the Ogobia–Otukpo Road in Ohimini Local Government Area of the state.Read Also: 10 African countries with the strongest military in 2026The victims were said to have been kidnapped in the early hours of Saturday between Omutele and Ankpechi communities while transporting their mother’s body from Abuja to their
  
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• Full List: Gov Inuwa swears in 23 commissioners

  18-07-2026 19:37 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ben Ngwakwe, GombeGombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on Saturday, inaugurated 23 commissioners alongside newly-appointed Special Advisers and Permanent Secretaries. He charged them to hit the ground running as his administration enters its final year in office.Read Also: N210b duplicate allocations: Atiku demands NASS’ probe of 2026 budgetSpeaking during the swearing-in ceremony at the International Conference Centre, on Saturday in Gombe, the governor also took a swipe
  
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• Palestinian teen footballer dies after shot during settler attack

  18-07-2026 19:20 via vanguardngr.com
  
  A 17-year-old Palestinian footballer died on Saturday, a week after he was shot during an attack by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, according to officials and relatives.Dozens of mourners dressed in black carried the body of Fadi Hamdallah al-Nassan — a player for Al-Mughayyir Club and a member of the Palestinian national youth team — from the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah to his village for burial.The Palestine Football Association accused Israeli forces of shoo
  
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• Palestinian teen footballer dies after attack by Israeli settlers

  18-07-2026 19:20 via vanguardngr.com
  
  A 17-year-old Palestinian footballer died on Saturday, a week after he was shot during an attack by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, according to officials and relatives.Dozens of mourners dressed in black carried the body of Fadi Hamdallah al-Nassan — a player for Al-Mughayyir Club and a member of the Palestinian national youth team — from the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah to his village for burial.The Palestine Football Association accused Israeli forces of shoo
  
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• Mary Habila: Police spokesperson urges public to avoid unverified claims, calls for thorough investigation

  18-07-2026 19:17 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Jeff Agbodo, AbakalikiThe spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, CSP Nkeiruka Nwode, has urged Nigerians to refrain from spreading unverified information regarding the death of Miss Mary Habila.In a statement, Nwode described Habila’s death as a tragic loss and extended her condolences to the deceased’s family, friends and all those affected.She called on the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into the
  
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• Stakeholders advocate market access solutions to reduce Nigeria’s agricultural waste

  18-07-2026 19:11 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Cynthia AloAt the backdrop of severe infrastructure gaps, some stakeholders in the agric value chain, including the Chief Executive Officer of Rashak Farms and Agro-Allied Limited, Rahmah Aderinoye and Executive Director of Community Action for Food Security, Azeez Salawu, have called for a paradigm shift from traditional storage interventions toward solving market access barriers to curb agricultural waste.This is even as they urged financial institutions and governments at the sub-national
  
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• NBA Election: Badejo-Okusanya extends lead as turnout crosses 21,000

  18-07-2026 19:11 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Henry OjeluSenior Advocate of Nigeria, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has extended her lead in the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, presidential election, emerging as the candidate to beat after a dramatic start to the poll that was delayed by a cyberattack on the association’s electronic voting platform.Read Also: Cyberattack disrupts NBA presidential electionUpdated results released at about 6:00 p.m. on Saturday showed that 21,665 lawyers out of 82,164 registered voters had
  
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• Inuwa swears in 23 commissioners, urges appointees to deliver

  18-07-2026 19:03 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ben Ngwakwe, GombeGOMBE — Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on Saturday inaugurated 23 commissioners as well as newly appointed Special Advisers and Permanent Secretaries, urging them to begin work immediately as his administration enters its final year in office.Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony at the International Conference Centre in Gombe, the governor said the new appointees had a responsibility to serve the people with integrity, diligence and accountability.H
  
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• Orji Kalu condoles Amaechi over mother’s death

  18-07-2026 19:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Orji Uzor Kalu, has expressed condolences to former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, following the death of his mother, Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi.In a statement issued on Saturday, Kalu described the late Dame Amaechi as a devoted mother, woman of faith and respected matriarch whose life reflected humility, compassion and commitment to her family and community.The former Abia
  
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• Nigeria needs merit-based appointments, policy consistency to fix power – Ex-TCN boss

  18-07-2026 18:52 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Former Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku-Tambuwal, says Nigeria needs merit-based appointments, policy consistency to fix its power sector.Tambuwal made the disclosure in an interview in Abuja.He advocated for the appointment of competent professionals based on merit rather than political considerations, saying effective leadership was critical to achieving a stable power supply.Tambuwal said private sector participation and state government i
  
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• Video: Kayinsola Ajayi beats Seville again to win London Diamond League’s 100m

  18-07-2026 18:38 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Kayinsola Ajayi raced to victory on Saturday, July 18 at the London Diamond League 2026 in the men’s 100 metres. He clocked 9.84 seconds, fending off reigning world champion Oblique Seville in the process.The Jamaican Seville came second in 9.87 at the London National Stadium, with Romell Grave of Team GB rounding out the top three in 9.97.Ajayi, just 21, equalled his season’s best. He’s the two-time and reigning collegiate champion in the NCAA.The race, held at the London Sta
  
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• Madonna, Cruise lead A-list stars at World Cup final

  18-07-2026 18:24 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The World Cup tournament was bigger than ever before this year, and so is the list of stars expected at MetLife Stadium for Sunday’s final, from Tom Cruise in the closing ceremony to Madonna and Shakira on the halftime stage.After five weeks of more than 100 matches in three countries, Spain and Argentina will vie for the title, but before the 80,000 fans on hand and billions of viewers at home find out who the victor will be, the venue will glisten with celebrities.And US President Donal
  
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