KICNEWS

Category: News

  • AFCON qualifiers: Nigerian fans worried as Eagles face Benin again

    AFCON qualifiers: Nigerian fans worried as Eagles face Benin again

     

    The battle of optimism and pessimism is on between Nigeria and Benin Republic after both countries were drawn in the same group for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Thursday in South Africa, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

     

    Fresh from beating Nigeria 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June, the Cheetahs and the Super Eagles are drawn in Group D of the series, which also has Libya and Rwanda, another team in Nigeria’s current 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group.

     

    Next year’s AFCON will be held from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026 following the decision of CAF to adjust the schedule of the tournament due to the congested FIFA calendar.

     

    The six-match qualifying series has been spread over the FIFA windows in September, October and November, with two matches in each seven-day window. The comprehensive fixtures are expected to be released by CAF soon.

     

    The Eagles’ 2-1 defeat in the hands of Benin Republic, who are managed by former Nigeria coach Genort Rohr was the last assignment the Eagles embarked on.

    It proved to be a damaging blow for the Eagles’ World Cup chances, leaving them with three points from four games and fifth in Group C of the World Cup qualifiers. Coupled with another bad result in the last window, Finidi George also resigned as Eagles coach, and the Nigeria Football Federation are still hunting for a foreign technical adviser to replace the new Rivers United coach.

     

    Rwanda on the other hand are currently top of Nigeria’s group in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with seven points, same as South Africa and Benin. Nigeria and Rwanda are yet to meet on the road to the USA, Canada and Mexico 2026 but will meet over two legs in the 2025 AFCON before the end of the year

  • Father, son remanded for allegedly stealing N75m from Lagos firm

    Father, son remanded for allegedly stealing N75m from Lagos firm

     

    Thirty-one-year-old Babatunde Ishola and his father, Bayo, have been remanded by the court at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre for allegedly stealing N75m belonging to a lotto company in Lagos State.

     

    The defendants were arraigned on two counts of stealing and diversion of funds at the Yaba Magistrates’ Court in the state.

     

    The duo were alleged to have taken money from the company’s account and diverted it to their accounts and those of their cohorts who are now at large.

    In a document signed by the police prosecutor, Mike Enejere, the first defendant, Babatunde, served as the account officer of the lotto company as the funds were diverted between 2020 and 2023.

    The charge read in part, “That you, Ishola Mubarak Babatunde, Ishola Rasheed Bayo, and others now at large, between 2020 and 2023, at Lotgrand Limited, a registered lotto company in Lagos, within the Magisterial District of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit stealing. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

  • BRICS: New Nation To Jail People Who Use The US Dollar

    BRICS: New Nation To Jail People Who Use The US Dollar

    A new South African nation is following the BRICS de-dollarization mission, planning to jail any people in the country who use the US Dollar.

     

    As the economic alliance has continued its efforts to abandon the US Dollar, Zambia has become the latest country to ditch the greenback and plans to force its citizens to do the same by law.

    A draft document released by the Bank of Zambia on Saturday revealed that individuals caught using foreign currency for local transactions could face up to ten years in prison or substantial fines. Zambia is a smaller country in the South African region, this latest drafted rule is likely targeting the US Dollar specifically to garner attention from the BRICS bloc.

     

    Former Zambian president Thabo Mbeki also appears on board with the new initiative to abandon the US Dollar. In a recent discussion around the US Dollar, he said that China, India, many African countries, and those in Latin America had been questioning the use of the US currency as a trading currency in the world. He added if two countries who did not use the dollar as their currency got into trade agreements there was no use in using it.

     

    The proposed anti-US Dollar law in Zambia will require all local public and private transactions to be conducted in Zambian kwacha (ZMW) and ngwee. Zambia Central Bank’s Deputy Governor for Operations, Francis Chipimo, at a trade fair in Ndola, emphasizes the importance of using local currency during your travels in support of this new law. Chipimo highlights the detrimental effects of dollarization on the country’s economy. The Deputy governor adds that it hinders effective monetary and exchange rate policy management. Thus, ending reliance on the US dollar will only help the country, which is a similar sentiment in other countries across the continent.

     

    ndeed, multiple other African nations are working in similar veins to ditch the US greenback for trade. Recently, BRICS member China has had a strong influence across the continent, especially in Zambia. The Bank of China, for example, offers services in Zambia, South Africa, and Kenya’s Nairobi. That is not just a development that marks greater Chinese cooperation, but one that is indicative of a much greater economic shift.

     

  • Sanwo-Olu wants CAC to simplify registration for startups as deadline for PoS operators nears

    Sanwo-Olu wants CAC to simplify registration for startups as deadline for PoS operators nears

     

    The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appealed to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to simplify its registration process, especially for startups and small businesses that might struggle to pay registration fees.

     

    The Governor stated this on Thursday during a courtesy call on him by the Registrar-General of CAC, Mr Hussaini Magaji, at Alausa, Ikeja.

     

    This appeal comes amid the struggle by Point of Sales (PoS) operators to meet the July 7, 2024 registration deadline set by the CAC.

    Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, suggested that the CAC could adopt a model similar to the state tax card, which provided a database for the government to manage infrastructure needs without burdening businesses.

    While expressing the state government’s willingness to collaborate with the CAC to ensure seamless registration of businesses in the state, he emphasized the need for more sensitization to correct the perception that registering with the CAC was difficult.

     

     

  • Ogun emerges worst among Southwest states with bad roads

    Ogun emerges worst among Southwest states with bad roads

     

    Ondo, Oyo, Osun follow the suit

    …Prices of foodstuffs, service, and transport up by 100%

    …Ogun govt has constructed at least 2 roads each in 20 LGs – Abiodun

     

    Trending news on social media such as Twitter now X, Facebook, and TikTok, among other social media platforms, indicate that Ogun State is regarded by Public Opinion as the worst among the Southwest States in terms of the presence of bad and less motorable roads.

     

    Some citizens and residents of the State who posted various messages on social media that the Sunrise Daily reported on Channels Television on Wednesday mentioned Alagbole, Akure, Ogijo, Sango-Ota, Ifo, Ewekoro, among others as different portions of bad roads which dotted all the three Senatorial Districts of the State.

     

    Statements like “#DapofixOgunroads: Nigerians call on Dapo Abiodun to suspend ‘steeze lifestyle’, focus on government”, and “This is Sango-Ota in Ogun State. Mr Governor has done nothing to fix the floods in that area”, among others, came to the fore on Wednesday on both social media and during Sunrise Daily aired on Channels Television.

     

    According to some people, this is putting more hardship on the residents, especially those living around the border towns such as Ojudu, Alagbole, Akure, Sango-Ota, Ogijo, and Magboro.

    Adewunmi Adenekan, a resident of Alagbole, told BusinessDay that he had to abandon his car at home and travel to Lagos daily to work. “Having seen the impassable condition of our roads in Alagbole, Akute and Ojodu, I usually go to Lagos on public transport daily”, Adenekan said.

  • Anambra police recover 14 vehicles from gunmen’s camps, invite owners for collection

    Anambra police recover 14 vehicles from gunmen’s camps, invite owners for collection

    The Police in Anambra State have recovered 14 vehicles after raiding camps belonging to gunmen terrorizing the state.

    A press release by the spokesperson of the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the raids on the camp and the recovery of the vehicles were done in different parts of the state.

    In a release sent to DAILY POST, Ikenga said: “This is to inform the general public and good people of Anambra State that during several operations on a raid of criminal camps, vehicles, tricycles, and motorcycles were recovered.”

    He said the vehicles were either snatched through armed robbery, stealing, murder and forceful/criminal dispossession of properties by men of the underworld.

    “Owners are requested to come to the office of the State Criminal Investigations Department, Awka, with valid proof of ownership for a claim,” he said.

    He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam assured members of the public that the Command was committed to ensuring that stolen properties were always recovered and returned to their rightful owners to assuage the sense of deprivation the victims of such crimes went through.

    He listed the vehicles to include: Space Wagon Passat with reg number: NNE 48 AS, Volkswagen Golf with reg number: THE 479 AA, shuttle bus with reg number: AGU 364 ZW and a Mitsubishi bus with reg number: CN 25 ABJ.

    Others are a shuttle bus with reg number: JJT 442 ZF, another shuttle bus with reg number: AWK 913 ZQ, a TVS tricycle without reg nos, another TVS tricycle with reg number: AAH 410 VW, a Topstar motorcycle without reg number, a Honda today without reg number, a Honda cub without reg number, a Sanyang motorcycle without reg number, a Keystone motorcycle without reg number, and a Honda today motorcycle without reg number.

     

  • EXCLUSIVE: Ogun Governor, Abiodun To Buy N2.4billion Toyota SUVs For Lawmakers, Earmarks N19billion For ‘Contingencies’ In His Office

    EXCLUSIVE: Ogun Governor, Abiodun To Buy N2.4billion Toyota SUVs For Lawmakers, Earmarks N19billion For ‘Contingencies’ In His Office

    A total of N2.4billon is expected to be spent by the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun for the purchase of 25 Toyota sports utility vehicles for members of the state House of Assembly despite the nationwide economic downturn, a copy of the state’s 2024 approved budget seen by SaharaReporters has revealed.

    Abiodun had on December 30, 2023, assented to the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N703 billion.

    Christened “Budget of Sustained Growth and Development”, the governor claimed the figure was made up of N415.66 billion capital expenditure and N287.37 billion recurrent expenditure.

    In the breakdown of the budget, N2,177,700,000.00 was approved for the procurement of “25 NO OF TOYOTA PRADO VX, AUTO, LEATHER SEAT, HIGH GRADE” under the state House of Assembly.

    Also N161,772,000.00 was earmarked for the for procurement of one Toyota LC3003.5L, twin turbo for the House speaker.

    The budget also revealed that N143,106,000.00 was meant for the purchase of one Toyota LC300GX, 4.0L under the state assembly.

    Under the “Office of the Governor”, a total amount of N18,971,887,528.84 was earmarked for provision of contingencies to address unforeseen circumstances.

    Governor Abiodun has for days been trending on X over bad roads in some communities in the state.

    A user, @HauwaAllahbura had accused him of promising to fix major roads in the state when he was soliciting votes but he had failed to fulfill his promise.

    She had written in pidgin English, “Good morning Nigerians. In 2020, when Dapo Abiodun was looking for votes, he said to us on X that he was fixing a few roads listed in his tweets. Here is the condition of some of the roads in his tweet. He fix am abi him no fix am? I will allow you to judge.”

  • Government alone cannot solve house challenges in Lagos – Gov Sanwo-Olu

    Government alone cannot solve house challenges in Lagos – Gov Sanwo-Olu

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, on Tuesday, said that the state government cannot solve the housing problem alone, but promised to bridge the deficit in the state.

    Governor Sanwo-Olu revealed this during the commissioning of Lagos Building Investment Company and the Rising Lagos Apartment in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of the state.

    He said: “I must commend and congratulate once again the leadership of LBIC and our Public Private Partner, WGC for their dedication, for their innovative mind and their promotion of excellence in bringing these projects to fruition for our citizens.

    “Let me reiterate that the government alone cannot solve these housing challenges in Lagos. We will keep exploring innovative solutions. We will keep forming real, genuine partnerships.

    “We will keep investing in sustainable development to ensure that as much as possible, as humanly possible, every Lagos resident that deserves has access to a decent and affordable housing need.

    “I want to encourage and urge the private sector and all other stakeholders in real estate to continue to seize the abandoned opportunities that abound in our states and our city and to extend a hand of partnership with administration.

    “Together, we believe that we can provide much-needed housing needs that will indeed take a greater Lagos conversation, take it to a reality.”

    Earlier, Managing Director, LBIC, Olusola Faleye, had stated that the scheme was a significant achievement for the state government and its resident.

  • ‘Money miss road’ – Charly Boy reacts to viral picture of Wike

    ‘Money miss road’ – Charly Boy reacts to viral picture of Wike

    Maverick singer, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has reacted to a photo of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, making the rounds on the internet.

    In the viral photo, the FCT minister was captured wearing a blue coat, blue pants, light blue shoes, and milk hat laced with blue, while holding a black staff.

    The picture elicited mixed reactions, with many marvelling at the minister’s “unconventional” style.

    Reacting, Charly Boy applauded Wike’s fashion sense.

    He, however, added that his dress reeks of extravagance.

    Reposting the picture on his X handle, Charly Boy wrote, “Monkey wear shuit and shuit.

    “Whether you like him or not, you must agree that he is brave when it comes to fashion.

    “Kai, money miss road.” (sic)

  • At your age, I would want younger ones to respect me – Obi replies Soyinka

    At your age, I would want younger ones to respect me – Obi replies Soyinka

     

    The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has said that he would always want younger ones to respect him when he gets to age of Noble Laurette, Prof Wole Soyinka.

    Obi said, as a matter of policy as a father, he doesn’t respond whenever his fathers talk.

    He made the statement while fielding questions on Arise Television’s News programme on Wednesday.

    The statement came after Soyinka said Obi was unfit to govern Nigeria.

    He alleged that Obi was inciting his supporters to attack and insult him, especially online.

    However, speaking on the sideline of the Democracy Day celebration, Obi said he had never, knowingly or unknowingly, asked the Obidients or the younger ones to say anything against anyone.

    He said: “Well, quite frankly, I will not make any comment on that. Wole Soyinka is a father. I have a policy as a father: I don’t respond when my fathers talk. I leave it to them because when I became at their age, I would want those other younger ones to respect me. Though I would try to put myself in a position where I will respect myself before that.

    “But one of those he talked about is me inciting the ‘Obidients’. I assure you, I have never, and I will never, knowingly or unknowingly, ask the Obidients or the younger ones to say anything against a priest, immam or elder; it will never happen.

    “I don’t make comments. It’s left for Nigerians to know whether I’m fit or not. I have been a successful businessman in the private sector. I have been in the corporate world, and I will say I am one of the most successful.

    “I have also served in the state, and I ask those who attack to let us put our records and check them side by side.”