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Entertainment featured

No cabal in Nollywood cinemas, says Mo Abudu

Media entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu, has dismissed allegations that a cabal exists in Nollywood working with cinema owners to deny certain films access to screening slots. In recent weeks, some filmmakers and cinema-goers have taken to social media to allege that films are sometimes removed from scheduled screenings, replaced […]

Business

Namibia probes TotalEnergies, Petrobras offshore acquisition without approval

Namibia has raised concerns that TotalEnergies and Petrobras acquired new offshore interests in the Lüderitz Basin without notifying the energy ministry or securing the required approvals. This was disclosed in a statement by Namibia’s Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy on Sunday, according to Reuters. On Friday, French oil major TotalEnergies and Brazil’s Petrobras announced […]

Economy featured

Senate hails FG’s launch of $7.7trn Halal economy plan

The Senate has hailed the Federal Government for the bold and forward-looking launch of Nigeria’s National Halal Economy Strategy. This strategic policy initiative aims to position the nation to competitively access the estimated $7.7 trillion global halal market and accelerate economic diversification. In a statement signed yesterday by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on […]

Travel

UK firms spent ₦556bn sponsoring 84,106 Nigerians’ work visa

British employers spent an estimated N556.6 billion on work visa sponsorships for 84,106 Nigerian skilled workers in the fiscal year ending March 2024. This figure comes from data obtained by The PUNCH from the UK Home Office. The workers were mainly employed in the healthcare, information technology, and engineering sectors. The amount ranks Nigeria as […]

Opinion

Education empowers against slavery, brute force — Adeleke

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has described education as an essential tool to empower people against slavery and brute force. He made the statement on Thursday during the inauguration of Minaret University, Ikirun, and the investiture of the institution’s pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullah Abdur-Rahman. Adeleke said Osun under his watch is building upon the legacy […]

Customs, FAAN ranked worst-performing agencies in May 2024
featured News

Customs seize ₦3.3bn contraband in major crackdown

The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service has intensified its anti-smuggling operations, intercepting 144 smuggling attempts and seizing various contraband goods with a duty paid value exceeding ₦3.3 billion. The intercepted items included rice, petroleum products, vehicles, illicit drugs, used clothing, vegetable oil, wildlife products, and other prohibited or restricted goods. […]

News

US missionary accuses Benue govt of sabotaging Yelwata market project

An American missionary has levelled serious allegations against the Benue State Government, claiming it deliberately blocked his efforts to construct a modest market in Yelwata community for survivors of recent terrorist attacks and banditry. The missionary, identified in various reports as Alex Barbir, founder of the humanitarian organisation Building Zion, had proposed rebuilding the market—destroyed […]

US court jails Nigerian hacker for $2.5m identity theft
Scams

Nigerian jailed for defrauding 400 Americans in $6m inheritance scam

A United States federal court has sentenced Nigerian-national Tochukwu Albert Nnebocha to more than eight years in prison for his involvement in a long-running transnational inheritance fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable Americans. According to a statement published on the US Department of Justice website on Friday, “a Nigerian National was sentenced today to […]

Helth

Ibadan JOHESU resume work Monday after 84-day strike suspension

The Joint Health Sector Unions chapter at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, will resume work on Monday following the national body’s suspension of its 84-day strike. The JOHESU UCH Chairman, Comrade Oladayo Olabampe, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria m in Ibadan on Saturday. Olabampe explained that the decision to […]

Paramount to boost film, reinvent cable brands after $8.4bn Skydance merger
Business

Paramount aims to clear antitrust hurdle for Warner Bros. offer

Paramount Skydance Corp. is aiming to wrap up a Justice Department antitrust review of its tender offer for Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. shares within the coming weeks. The company has been supplying the government with requested information, according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter. Once submitted, a 10-day waiting period will follow, during […]

featured Scams

I lost millions to Tinder scammer promising marriage – Lagos entrepreneur

A Lagos-based entrepreneur and corporate worker, Bukola Yunisa, has opened up about how she was emotionally devastated and financially ruined after falling victim to a romance scam on Tinder. According to an interview with The PUNCH, Bukola narrated that the man, who posed as a loving widower and property developer ready for marriage, allegedly defrauded […]

Opinion

US congress blasts Nigeria’s $9m lobbying to hide religious abuses

A United States congressional hearing has sharply criticised the Federal Government of Nigeria’s $9 million lobbying contract with a Washington firm, describing it as an apparent attempt to minimise grave human rights violations and religious freedom concerns in the country. According to The PUNCH, the criticisms surfaced during a joint session of the House Subcommittee […]