General news

• World Cup set for kickoff after high ticket prices, visa issues dog buildup

  11-06-2026 09:46 via vanguardngr.com
  The World Cup kicks off Thursday with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, launching a sprawling tournament of 48 teams that will last nearly six weeks.The extravaganza hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada is the biggest World Cup in history, stretching until the final in New Jersey on July 19.It is projected to generate a record-breaking $13 billion in total revenue.But football’s world governing body FIFA has faced stinging criticism ove
  
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• Lagos 2027: Sanwo-Olu unveils Hamzat, Sonayon-James as APC flagbearers

  11-06-2026 11:11 via vanguardngr.com
  Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unveiled Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the state, with Princess Damilola Sonayon-James as his running mate ahead of the 2027 election.Sanwo-Olu made the announcement in a post on his verified X handle on Thursday, describing the duo as a leadership team capable of sustaining and expanding development across Lagos State.He said the selection reflects the administration’s focus o
  
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• US, UK, Canada, 19 others tell Iran to stop attacks ‘on our soil’

  11-06-2026 11:10 via vanguardngr.com
  Twenty-two countries including the United States and European nations jointly warned Iran on Thursday to stop attacking people “on our soil”.Iran’s security services were condemned for their “deplorable” use of international and local criminal gangs for plots in Europe, North America and Australia.“Attempts to kill, kidnap, harass, intimidate, or otherwise attack people on our soil, undermines national sovereignty and international norms. These actions must s
  
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• Kylian, Neymar lead football-inspired baby names across South America

  11-06-2026 11:00 via vanguardngr.com
  What’s in a name? A victory foretold or a homage to greatness past?Across South America, a legion of pint-sized Kylians and Neymars will be following the fortunes of the stars to whom they owe their names when the World Cup kicks off on Thursday.But in a year’s time, depending on which players shine, expectant parents may be leaning towards Lamine (Yamal, Spain), Ousmane (Dembele, France), Harry (Kane, England) or Vitinha (Portugal).In Ecuador, which is taking part in its fifth Worl
  
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• ISWAP commanders, IEDs specialist surrender to troops in Yobe

  11-06-2026 10:27 via vanguardngr.com
  The Nigerian Army says two commanders of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), including a suspected Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) specialist, have surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI in Yobe.This is contained in an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.The report stated that the two terrorists, identified as Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar, surrendered to troops of the 159 Battalion in Geidam on June 8.
  
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• Nigerians fleeing xenophobic attacks in S’Africa head home

  11-06-2026 10:20 via vanguardngr.com
  The first group of Nigerians repatriated from South Africa following escalating anti-immigrant attacks were due to land in Lagos on Thursday, officials said.Anti-foreigner violence has convulsed South Africa for weeks as gangs armed with sticks, whips and shields have marched through parts of the “rainbow nation”, demanding that people with no residency papers leave by June 30.Foreign nationals have reported being intimidated and beaten by mobs going door to door, families have been
  
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• FG, Ethiopia sign prisoner transfer agreement for jailed Nigerians

  11-06-2026 10:13 via vanguardngr.com
  By Favour UleborThe Federal Government has signed a Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement with Ethiopia, paving the way for the repatriation of more than 100 Nigerians currently serving prison sentences in the East African country.In a press statement on Thursday, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Magnus Eze, said Nigeria and Ethiopia had also agreed to commence immediate implementation of the bilateral agreement in line with their respec
  
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• South Africa brace for Azteca test against Mexico in World Cup opener

  11-06-2026 10:11 via vanguardngr.com
  South Africa coach Hugo Broos has challenged his players to block out an expected wall of sound on Thursday when they take on co-hosts Mexico in their World Cup opener.Broos, 74, will be making an emotional return to the Estadio Azteca when he leads South Africa into their daunting Group A assignment in Mexico City.The former Belgium international experienced first-hand the noise of the Azteca during the 1986 finals in Mexico, where he played in the Red Devils’ opener against the hosts.Br
  
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• Police foil plot to kidnap Chinese national in Ogun

  11-06-2026 10:06 via vanguardngr.com
  By James OgunnaikeThe Ogun State Police Command has foiled a planned kidnapping of a Chinese national and arrested two suspected conspirators allegedly involved in a plot to demand a ransom of N50 million from the victim.The suspects, identified as Chinedu Onwuemena, 41, and Jimoh Ojo, 37, were arrested by operatives of the Obalende Police Division, following intelligence reports of an impending abduction along the Ijebu-Ode/Odogbolu Expressway.According to the Police Public Relations Officer o
  
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• Troops uncover suspected IPOB/ESN safe house in Enugu, recover arms

  11-06-2026 09:50 via vanguardngr.com
  Troops of Operation UDO KA have uncovered a suspected safe house belonging to members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Enugu State.This is contained in an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.The army said the operation was carried out by troops of 82 Division Garrison and Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA in conjunction with operatives of the Department of State Servi
  
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• NAF airstrike kills scores of terrorists in Lake Chad Basin

  11-06-2026 09:48 via vanguardngr.com
  The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its precision air strikes have neutralised scores of terrorists at Metele in the Northern Tumbuns area of the Lake Chad Basin.This is contained in a statement on Thursday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.Ejodame said that the operation was conducted in the early hours of Wednesday.He also said that the operation was launched after credible intelligence and subsequent Intelligence, Surve
  
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• Iran says will target any vessel traffic in Strait of Hormuz

  11-06-2026 09:43 via vanguardngr.com
  Iran’s military command said Thursday it will target any ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, after it struck two vessels attempting to pass through the strategic waterway, as talks to end the war faltered.The United States launched a new wave of attacks against Iran on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump vowing to “hit them hard” after accusing Tehran’s negotiators of “playing us for suckers”.The Khatam al-Anbiya command said Thursday, “any vessel
  
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• Cartoon: ‘Your Excellency, please, focus left’

  11-06-2026 09:32 via vanguardngr.com
  Read Also: Terrorists kill vice principal, 2 others in Kogi, Edo shuts schoolsVanguard News
  The post Cartoon: ‘Your Excellency, please, focus left’ appeared first on Vanguard News.
  
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• China’s Temu, JD.com among 5 summoned over false advertising

  11-06-2026 09:12 via vanguardngr.com
  Chinese e-commerce giants Temu and JD.com were among five major platforms summoned for talks over misleading advertising on Thursday, Beijing’s market watchdog said.The talks with company representatives, held by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, come as local and national authorities crack down on excessive “involution-style” competition.Official efforts to tame “involution” — a popular tag used to describe the race to outcompete th
  
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• Keyamo orders probe, grounds aircraft after unauthorized landing near Asaba

  11-06-2026 08:53 via vanguardngr.com
  The Federal Government has grounded a private aircraft and suspended its operator’s permit following a dramatic incident in which the aircraft made an emergency landing on a road under construction near Asaba and later departed without regulatory clearance.Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the development in a statement posted on his X account, describing the incident as a serious breach of aviation regulations and security protocols.According to Key
  
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• Customs intensifies anti-smuggling operations against vegetable oil imports

  11-06-2026 08:42 via vanguardngr.com
  ….Vows to Protect Local Producers, InvestmentsBy Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau ChiefThe Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified efforts to combat the smuggling of vegetable oil into the country, unveiling plans to launch intelligence-driven special operations aimed at protecting local investments, preserving jobs and supporting the growth of the agricultural value chain.The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a meeting with stakeholders in the veg
  
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• Prison Congestion: Judges face backlash over unjust bail conditions

  11-06-2026 08:38 via vanguardngr.com
  By Ikechukwu NnochiriAs concerns mount over the country’s rising prison population, judges and prosecuting agencies have been identified as part of the problem.
  The imposition of excessive, impractical, and hard-to-meet bail conditions not only undermines the constitutional presumption of innocence for accused persons but also swells the prisons with awaiting trial inmates.
  As of February 9, 2026, Nigeria’s total inmate population stood at 80,812, as disclosed by the Nigeria Correct
  
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• Dickson urges NDC supporters to avoid ‘meaningless quarrels’ ahead of 2027 election

  11-06-2026 08:38 via vanguardngr.com
  The national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has called on party members and supporters to avoid internal disputes and focus on strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general election.Dickson made the appeal in a statement issued on Thursday following his interview on ARISE TV, where he addressed concerns over alleged irregularities in the party’s recently concluded primaries.The former Bayelsa State governor acknowledged that some aspirants we
  
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• Ebola Threat: Health writers seek inclusion in Tinubu’s task force, hail N10bn emergency fund

  11-06-2026 08:29 via vanguardngr.com
  By Chioma ObinnaThe Health Writers Association of Nigeria, (HEWAN) on Wednesday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to include health journalists in the newly established Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness, warning that misinformation and public panic could undermine Nigeria’s response to the deadly outbreak ravaging parts of Africa.
  The association, however, commended the President for what it described as a “swift and proactive” response to the growing
  
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• Nigeria raises AI concerns at ILC 

  11-06-2026 08:25 via vanguardngr.com
  By Victor Ahiuma-Young, GENEVA, Switzerland
  As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes workplaces across the globe, governments are increasingly grappling with a difficult question: how can societies embrace technological innovation without sacrificing jobs, workers’ rights and economic inclusion? Read Also: Global Award: Arrests, intimidation won’t stop us until workers are free — AjaeroAt the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference, ILC, in Geneva, Nigeria
  
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• Dollar to Naira exchange rate today, June 11, 2026

  11-06-2026 08:16 via vanguardngr.com
  The Nigerian naira traded with relative stability against the United States dollar on Thursday, June 11, 2026, across both the official Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) and the parallel market, as traders continued to monitor liquidity conditions and foreign exchange demand.Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s exchange rate portal showed that the official NFEM rate remained around the ₦1,360 per dollar mark in recent trading sessions, with the exchange rate fluctuating wit
  
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• Emir appoints Sheikh Dasuki as 13th Chief Imam of Ilorin, AbdulRazaq hails choice

  11-06-2026 08:09 via vanguardngr.com
  By Demola Akinyemi, IlorinFive months after the death of the late Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammad Bashir Imam, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has approved the appointment of Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Dasuki Imam Fulani as the 13th Chief Imam of Ilorin Emirate.The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Emir’s spokesman, Dr. Abdulazeez Arowona.According to the statement, Sheikh
  
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• Arrests, intimidation won’t stop us — Ajaero

  11-06-2026 08:06 via vanguardngr.com
  By Victor Ahiuma-YoungPresident of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has declared that arrests, intimidation and harassment would not deter the labour movement from its struggle for workers’ rights and economic justice in Nigeria.
  Ajaero spoke yesterday in Oslo, Norway, while receiving the 2026 Arthur Svensson International Award, one of the world’s most prestigious labour movement honours.
  He accused the Nigerian government of deploying fear, arrests, surveillance and o
  
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• June 12: Falana, CSOs declare nationwide protest over insecurity, hardship

  11-06-2026 08:03 via vanguardngr.com
  By Ebunoluwa SessouA coalition of civil society organisations, trade unions, youth groups, community associations, social movements, faith-based organisations and concerned Nigerians have declared June 12, 2026, as a day of nationwide protest and mass action against worsening insecurity, economic hardship and deteriorating living conditions across the country.
  The coalition said the planned protest, which coincides with Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration, was aimed at drawing attention t
  
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• Warri Tensions: PANDEF backs Oborevwori, urges unity, restraint

  11-06-2026 07:59 via vanguardngr.com
  By Henry UmoruABUJA — The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex socio-political body of the South-South geopolitical zone, has commended Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for his efforts to sustain peace and unity in the Warri area through continuous engagement with stakeholders.PANDEF also called on all parties involved in the ongoing concerns arising from ward delineation issues to exercise restraint and work towards preserving the long-standing harmony among the people of th
  
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• Safe Schools Initiative: How safe are our schools? 

  11-06-2026 07:56 via vanguardngr.com
  •As stakeholders express concerns By Adesina WahabWhen Boko Haram terrorists abducted over 276 girls in their hostels in Chibok, Borno State in 2014, little did Nigerians know that it would become the beginning of nightmarish experiences of witnessing mass abduction  of pupils, teachers and students from schools across the country. The statistics of the number of people killed, injured and those still in captivity is better imagined. In the last two years, no fewer than 650
  
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• ‘It’s nonsensical to support Obi and disparage me, NDC’ — Seriake Dickson

  11-06-2026 07:54 via vanguardngr.com
  The founder and national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has cautioned supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against attacking the party and its leadership, describing such actions as counterproductive to Obi’s presidential ambition.Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Dickson dismissed claims of a crisis within the NDC and insisted that the party remains united despite disagreements arising from
  
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• South Africa slams 5-yr ban on 268 Nigerian returnees over illegal stay

  11-06-2026 07:51 via vanguardngr.com
  By Nkiruka NnoromSouth African government has slammed a five-year travel ban on the 268 Nigerians cleared for repatriation after declaring them illegal residents.Read Also: Xenophobia: 268 Nigerians arrive from South Africa todayThe Department of Home Affairs said shortly before their departure from OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday that all 268 would be declared “undesirable” and barred from re-entering the country for five years under the Immigration Act.Head of Immigrat
  
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• FCCPC, NTDA align on service standards to drive tourism growth

  11-06-2026 07:27 via vanguardngr.com
  By Progress GodfreyThe Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) have pledged to work together to protect consumers, raise service standards, and boost sustainable tourism in Nigeria.This commitment was reinforced when NTDA Director General, Dr Ola Awakan, paid a courtesy visit to FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tunji Bello, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, according to a sta
  
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• APAPA: Middle East crisis responsible for resurgence of traffic gridlock — Shippers

  11-06-2026 07:19 via vanguardngr.com
  By Efe OnodjaeThe Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has attributed the resurgence of traffic congestion and operational hiccups along the Apapa port corridor to disruptions in the global supply chain triggered by the ongoing Middle East crisis.The Council’s position comes amid growing concerns by stakeholders over the return of gridlock on the Mile 2-Apapa Expressway, where truck queues, delayed cargo evacuation and port congestion have left motorists and businesses counting los
  
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