Author: Daily Post Nigeria

The Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, has enforced the suspension of Wikki Tourists defender, Abubakar Aliyu.

Aliyu has accumulated five yellow cards the season, the latest was in the 3-1 defeat against Ikorodu City on Tuesday.

The defender will now miss the Bauchi Elephants matchday 37 encounter against Rivers United on Sunday.

The league body backed the center referee Joseph Ogabor for his decision despite criticism from Wikki Tourists.

The punishment was communicated to Wikki Tourists in a statement signed for the Chief Operating Officer by x Stanley Ike-Richard.

The league body reminded Wikki Tourists that the referee has full authority to enforcing the laws of the game in connection with the match appointed for.

NPFL: Wikki Tourists’ Aliyu suspended for Rivers United clash 

 Nigeria National League, NNL, Chairman, George Aluo has commended the organization and quality of the 2025-26 Super Four playoff.

 Aluo said the event marked a significant upgrade for the second-tier league.

DAILY POST reports that the tournament took place at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.

“The ambiance is excellent. This stadium is world-class outside of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, it’s the best in the country,” Aluo stated to the media.

“The pitch is fantastic, and the teams are playing good, competitive football.

“The referees have done a great job, officiating in a relaxed but professional atmosphere. Everything has come together well, and I’m really impressed.”

Sporting Lagos were crowned the champions of the competition.

NNL: Aluo praises standard of 2026 Super Four playoff

The equities market bounced back from its bearish trend on Friday, ending the week on a bullish note as investors raked in N3.24 trillion in gains. 

Accordingly, the All-Share Index (ASI) advanced by 5,041.22 points, or 2.10 percent, to settle at 244,775.83, up from 239,734.61 posted in the previous trading session.

Consequently, the year-to-date return rose to 57.30 percent, while market breadth closed positive as well, recording 45 gainers against 31 losers.

On the gainers chart, Dangote Cement, Cadbury, Mecure, Neimeth, and Livingtrust Mortgage led by 10 percent each, settling at N1,088, N72.60, N72.60, N9.90, and N3.52 per share, respectively.

On the flip side, UACN and Industrial and Medical Gases led the losers’ chart by 10 percent each, finishing at N171 and N42.30 per share, respectively.

In the same vein, Eterna fell by 9.93 percent, closing at N33.55; Learn Africa dipped by 9.89 percent, ending the session at N8.20; and Deap Capital Management shed 9.69 percent, settling at N5.50 per share.

Further analysis showed that market activity declined for the day, as total volume traded fell by 36.89 percent to 1.16 billion shares valued at N59.80 billion in 72,733 deals.

Access Corporation emerged as the most traded stock by volume, with 104.43 million shares exchanged, accounting for 9.04 percent of the day’s total volume.

MTN Nigeria led in value terms with transactions worth N7.39 billion, representing 12.35 percent of the total value traded. 

Nigerian stock market bounces back, investors record massive N3.24tn gains

Former Big Brother Naija All Stars winner, Ilebaye Odiniya, has sparked widespread concern among fans after appearing in an emotional live video in the early hours of Saturday, allegedly showing her being assaulted by unidentified men.

In the video, which has since circulated widely across social media platforms, the reality TV star was seen visibly distressed, crying, and repeatedly pleading for help while showing noticeable swelling on her face.

During the livestream, Ilebaye called on people around her to assist her as the disturbing situation unfolded.

“Come and open the door, I want to be going,” she was heard saying, while at other moments she screamed, “Please come and help me.”

As of the time of filing this report, the exact circumstances surrounding the alleged assault remain unclear, and it has not been officially confirmed whether the incident was reported to law enforcement authorities.

The viral footage has sparked widespread reactions online, with fans, supporters, and social media users expressing deep concern for her well-being while calling for a full investigation into the incident.

Neither Ilebaye nor her management team has issued an official statement clarifying the events or providing additional details regarding the situation.

BBNaija Star Goes Live Pleading For Help Over Alleged Attack is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Activist, Omoyele Sowore, has slammed Femi Fani-Kayode, describing the former Minister of Aviation as a liar.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently appointed Ita Solomon Enang as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Germany. 

Femi Fani Kayode, who was deployed earlier to Germany as an ambassador, was redeployed to South Africa 

Fani-Kayode came on X to announce his redeployment and claimed he made the request himself, adding, among other claims, that he likes South Africa. 

In a post on X, Fani-Kayode said, “I am pleased to announce that Mr. President has graciously approved my appointment as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to South Africa.”

“This decision came just a few days after the initial announcement of my posting to Germany, and after I formally communicated to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, my discomfort with Germany due to several personal reasons. 

“Given that I have spent most of my life in Europe, I expressed my preference for South Africa, a country I have never visited but have a strong interest in.

“I also conveyed my desire to serve in a nation that aligns with my beliefs, convictions, and values regarding global affairs, one that boasts the largest economy in Africa, maintains closer ties with Nigeria, and resonates more closely with my political perspectives on foreign relations and a pan-African vision.

“Consequently, I submitted a request for redeployment to South Africa two days after the initial announcement. I am delighted to report that after the then Foreign Minister (H.E. Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar) considered my reasons, he favorably relayed my request to Mr. President, who graciously approved it.”

In his reaction, Sowore wrote on X, “If you trust claims like those from @realFFK, you’re likely to believe almost anything. 

“Of course, he is lying, no sane country would accept an unstable character like Femi Fani-Kayode as a diplomat in their country.”

‘Liar, no sane country will accept you’ – Sowore slams Fani-Kayode over Germany claim

Lyon forward, Endrick, has insisted that Santos star Neymar will completely dedicate himself to the Brazilian team and to everyone in the Brazilian Football Confederation if he is selected by head coach Carlo Ancelotti to be part of the team’s World Cup squad.

Endrick spoke during a recent interview with PLACAR magazine while discussing whether Neymar should be selected for the Brazilian national team to go to the World Cup next month.

Ancelotti is expected to release his final squad list for the World Cup, and one of the major topics in the past few weeks has been whether the former Real Madrid manager would include Neymar’s name.

Speaking on the development, Kendrick, however, admitted that Ancelotti has the final decision.

The 19-year-old said of Neymar, “He is a great player, and we all know how amazing his potential is. May God bless him on the 18th, of course, first and foremost, according to God’s will, and then it will be Ancelotti’s decision.

“If he can be selected for the national team, I have no doubt that he will completely dedicate himself to the team, not only for the team, but also for everyone in the Brazilian Football Confederation.”

World Cup 2026: What Neymar will do if Brazil coach Ancelotti selects him – Endrick

The Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, has announced the appointment of David Fizdale as new head coach of  D’Tigers.

Fizdale’s appointment comes on recommendation of NBBF technical committee.

 The American has coached in the National Basketball Assocation (NBA) all his life.

The 51-year-old started his coaching career with the San Diego in 1998.

The former point guard last worked as assistant coach at Phoenix Suns.

Fizdale, who  is expected to contribute meaningfully to coaches education, player development pathways, and broader technical growth within the Nigerian basketball ecosystem left his role with the Phoenix Suns last year.

NBBF appoints Fizdale as D’Tigres head coach 

A Public Policy Analyst and Development Expert, Abba Kakah, has decried that Nigerian democracy is being played by the courts of law.

Fielding questions in an interview on ‘Prime Time’, a programme on Arise Television on Friday, Kakah said Nigerian politicians are not sincere and do not play by the rules.

He referenced the Nigerian second Republic politicians who stood for democracy and were patriotic.

The analyst equally bemoaned that the contemporary crop of politicians are greedy, selfish, and in most cases, criminal minded.

“Nigerian democracy today is being played by the various courts of law in the land. What we have today is a politicized judiciary, because in most cases in democracy, the judicial role is supposed to be minimal.

“And in the case of Nigeria, we have grown or graduated to a point where actually the courts are the ones deciding, not the Nigerian public, not the voters.

“Because the politicians themselves are not sincere. They are not honest. They don’t play by the rules. That’s the reason it’s happening,” he said.

Nigerian democracy being played by courts – Kakah

Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, has picked the top contenders ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Messi, whose country are the current champions, also said they are right to dream of back-to-back success at the tournament.

But the Inter Miami superstar however warned that teamslike France and Spain, “are in better shape.”

Speaking in an interview with host Pollo Alvarez, Messi said: “As of today, France are in great shape again.

“They have a ton of top-level players.”

Messi also picked Spain and Brazil as countries to watch out for at the World Cup.

He described Portugal as a “very competitive” team and pointed out that traditional European powerhouses like Germany and England are always dangerous.

2026 World Cup: Messi picks top six contenders for trophy

Four defendants have been found guilty in the United States for roles in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse nearly five years ago.

A federal jury in Miami on Friday convicted Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, James Solages, and Walter Veintemilla of conspiracy to provide material support resulting in death.

According to court records and evidence, the quartet colluded to overthrow Moïse and install a successor so that they could obtain lucrative government contracts in Haiti.

They recruited allies in the U.S., 22 former Colombian Army soldiers and Haitian gang heads. Eight of the co-conspirators pleaded guilty for their roles, and six of them testified at trial.

From late May to early June 2021, Ortiz, Intriago, Solages, and Veintemilla discussed a plan to kidnap Moïse at his sister’s house, drug him, and force him to resign.

But that scheme failed, causing the defendants to switch to another tactic of kidnapping the late leader when he returned from an international trip on June 19, 2021.

They eventually decided to order Colombian hirelings to attack Moïse’s home and eliminate him. The co-conspirators in Haiti obtained black-market weapons and ammunition for the mercenaries.

Solages, the mercenaries, and Haitian allies struck on July 7, 2021, fatally shooting President Moïse in his bedroom in the Pelerin 5 area near Port-au-Prince, and wounding the First Lady, Martine Moïse.

Prosecutors said after learning of the assassination, Veintemilla, who played a key role in financing the operation, called a co-conspirator and proclaimed: “The rat (President Moïse) is in the box.”

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg stated that using American soil as a base for a violent machination overseas constitutes “a grave violation of our laws and our sovereignty.”

U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Florida, Jason Quiñones, said the plot destabilized a nation and ended with a sitting president’s murder. “The jury has spoken, and the rule of law has answered,” he added.

All four defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra for the Southern District of Florida is expected to determine their years behind bars.

Four men convicted in US over Haiti President Moise’s killing