Headlines
NFF rates Nigeria’s Olympics outing best in 13 years

The Nigeria Football Federation has rated the recent performance by Nigerian athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as one of the best in the history of the country.
This is as the football federation failed to qualify the Super Eagles and Super Falcons for Tokyo 2020 despite football being Nigerians favourite sport with a historic Olympic gold the pinnacle of its success.
The country of 210 million people made history 25 years ago when their football team struck gold in Atlanta at the expense of top-rated Argentina, the first Olympic title won by an African team.
But for the Tokyo Games, both the men’s and women’s football teams failed to qualify; with 11 athletes disqualified at the games over officials’ negligence.
However, the country won two medals – bronze and silver – to rank 74th in the overall medal table amid a shortage of jerseys, and controversy over SAMSUNG phones at Tokyo 2020.
In a statement, the football federation also congratulated sports minister Sunday Dare for a “commendable” out at Tokyo 2020 Olympics and lambasted the immediate past sporks minister Solomon Dalung for a woeful Rio 2016 outing, where Nigeria won only a bronze.
The statement read, “The Nigeria Football Federation has felicitated with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the person of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare on Nigeria’s outing at the 32nd Olympics which ended in Tokyo, Japan a few days ago.
“Nigeria earned one silver and one bronze medal from the Games, with a slew of promising performances as several athletes reached the final of their events. For the first time since 1996, a Nigerian athlete was in the final of the glamour event of the Games – the men’s
100m sprint. Young hurdler Oluwatobiloba Amusan narrowly missed netting a medal as she finished fourth in the women’s high hurdles final.
“The Nigeria contingent may not have returned with the harvest of medals that many hoped for, but there are bright lights all around and some brilliant individual performances that give hope for the next Games in Paris. At the end of the day, the silver and bronze medals earned in Tokyo make the just-ended Olympics Nigeria’s best outing in13 years. That is commendable.
“The Sports Minister, in his capacity, and the Ministry of Sports as a body worked their socks off. The Honourable Minister was exemplary; he explained, encouraged, and empathized with the athletes as necessary and led the cheer at most of the venues where Nigerian athletes competed.
“He is such a wonderful breath of fresh air from the immediate Minister of Sports who rather constituted himself into a bulwark and divisive force against Nigerian athletes at the last Olympics in Brazil. We do not wish to recall his inglorious remarks against the football team when the team was camping in the USA. That football team eventually ended up winning Team Nigeria’s only medal – a bronze – at the Games.”
Headlines
Police arrest 6 for vandalism, receipt of stolen items in Jigawa

The Police Command in Jigawa, has arrested six suspected vandals in the Kazaure Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Lawan Shiisu, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Dutse on Monday.
Shiisu said that five of the suspects, aged between 28 and 53, were arrested for vandalism, while the sixth suspect, a 30-year-old, was apprehended for allegedly receiving stolen items.
He explained that two of the suspects were arrested on Feb. 26 after allegedly vandalising streetlight, armoured cable wires and individual conduit service wires in the Bandutsi area of the LGA.
He added that three more suspects were arrested on Feb. 28 after allegedly conspiring to vandalise approximately 2,000 meters of high-tension wire in the Faru and Daba villages of the same LGA.
According to him, during interrogation, the suspects identified Musa Yahaya, a 30-year-old from the Wajen Gabas area in Kazaure town, as an accomplice and the receiver of the stolen items.
The command’s spokesperson alleged that Yahaya was aware that the cable wires belonged to the government and were stolen items.
He added that the suspects, who had allegedly confessed to the crime, had since been charged to court.
Headlines
Supreme Court nullifies Rivers LG elections

The Supreme Court on Friday, nullified the Local Government election in Rivers State, which was conducted on Oct. 5, 2024.
A five-member panel of the apex court unanimously held that the election was conducted in violation of relevant laws.
Justice Jamilu Tukur, in the lead judgment, agreed with the appellant, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that conditions precedent were not complied with before the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) held the election.
Justice Tukur held that there was no evidence that the voters’ registration continued until 90 days before the election and that the requisite notices were issued as required by law.
Headlines
Anike Agbaje-Williams, Africa’s First Face on TV, Passes Away at 88

Nigeria has lost a broadcasting icon as Chief Anike Agbaje-Williams, Africa’s first female television broadcaster, has passed away at the age of 88.
Her family announced her passing in a statement signed by Mrs. Banji Sokoya, revealing that the veteran broadcaster died peacefully in Ibadan, where she lived most of her life.
“Goodnight, my ever so cherished mummy, boss, and mentor. We’ll surely see in the morning,” the statement read.
Born on October 23, 1936, Agbaje-Williams made history as the first face to appear on television in Africa when she featured on Western Nigerian Television (WNTV) in Ibadan during its test transmission and official launch on October 31, 1959. She was also the first voice heard on Africa’s first commercial radio station, Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service (WNBS), earning her the title of “Double-First.”
She had a distinguished career in broadcasting, rising through the ranks to become a respected producer and director of programmes before retiring in July 1986.
A devoted member of All Saints Church, Jericho, Ibadan, she was also one of its oldest choristers. Her family described her as a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose legacy will be cherished forever.
“The family profoundly mourns the passing of a great icon. We take comfort in knowing she lived a glorious, remarkable, and impactful life. She inspired many fans and mentees over the years,” the statement read.
The family has requested privacy during this period of mourning, with funeral arrangements to be announced later.
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