Category: Nigerian Tribune

Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe were on target as Real Madrid defeated Malaga 4-0 in La Liga on Sunday to maintain their perfect start under manager Jose Mourinho.

Bellingham opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a superb individual effort, collecting the ball 35 yards from goal before dribbling past three Malaga players and firing beyond goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero.

The England midfielder, who scored seven goals at the summer’s World Cup as the Three Lions finished third, has now scored twice this season.

Bellingham was involved again seven minutes later as Real doubled their lead.

Herrero parried a shot, but Bellingham headed the rebound towards goal before the ball bounced off the goalkeeper and crossed the line. The goal was credited as an own goal by Herrero.

Real extended their advantage to 3-0 after just 30 minutes, with Trent Alexander-Arnold providing the assist.

The England full-back, who was left out of the Three Lions’ World Cup squad, delivered a cross from the right that Mbappe superbly volleyed into the net.

Real completed the scoring in stoppage time when Vinicius Jr pulled the ball back from the byline following a quick counter-attack, allowing Arda Guler to tap home from close range.

After the match, Mourinho described Bellingham as an ‘incredible player’ and praised his influence on the team.

‘He is very demanding of himself and he is also demanding of others. I didn’t want to see him defend almost like a second left-back,’ Mourinho said.

The Portuguese manager also praised the attacking relationship between Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Mbappe, saying the trio have the quality and understanding to play together.

‘Very, very good players want to play together always, because they have the same speed of thought, the same quality and they always have to be compatible,’ Mourinho said.

‘It was said that I didn’t want the three, but what I say is that I always want the best. There is empathy and collective work. They are all very good.’

Mourinho returned as Real Madrid head coach in the summer after previously managing the Spanish giants from 2010 to 2013. During his first spell, he won the Copa del Rey in 2010-11 and La Liga the following season.

The victory leaves Real Madrid top of La Liga with nine points and Barcelona can join them on the same points on Monday if they defeat Rayo Vallecano at home.

Nigeria’s return to the FTSE Russell Frontier Market Index has opened a fresh window for the country to attract international investors and deepen liquidity in the domestic capital market, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NGX Group, Temi Popoola, has said.

FTSE Russell confirmed on Thursday that Nigeria’s reclassification from Unclassified to Frontier Market status will take effect from the market open on September 21, 2026, following a review of the country’s transition to the T+1 settlement cycle.

The decision is expected to restore Nigeria’s visibility among global portfolio investors after the country was removed from FTSE Russell’s equity country classification framework amid concerns over foreign exchange liquidity and the ability of international investors to repatriate capital.

Popoola said the immediate challenge for the Nigerian market was to convert the renewed international visibility into increased foreign participation, stronger trading liquidity and greater capital mobilisation for businesses.

‘This is an important moment for Nigeria’s capital market. But the real significance of returning to Frontier Market status is the opportunity it creates for the next phase of our market’s development,’ he said.

‘We have to turn greater international visibility into broader participation, deeper liquidity and more capital for Nigerian businesses.’

FTSE Russell’s decision followed an additional assessment of Nigeria’s T+1 settlement framework, which became operational on June 1, 2026.

International investors had raised concerns that the shorter settlement cycle could create a de facto prefunding requirement, potentially restricting foreign participation in Nigerian equities.

However, following engagements with Nigerian market authorities and feedback from the FTSE Equity Country Classification Advisory Committee, FTSE Russell said it had not identified any material settlement, operational or funding problems since the implementation of T+1.

The development provides a major validation of Nigeria’s market infrastructure and its ability to operate within a shorter settlement timeframe.

The reclassification process began in October 2025, when FTSE Russell placed Nigeria on its Watch List for possible reclassification, citing improvements in foreign exchange liquidity, capital repatriation and market accessibility.

NGX Group, the Securities and Exchange Commission, global custodians and institutional investors subsequently engaged with FTSE Russell to address concerns surrounding the settlement transition.

In July, an NGX Group delegation held further engagements with FTSE Russell, global custodians and institutional investors, providing evidence on the performance of the T+1 framework and measures being implemented to align Nigeria’s market infrastructure with international standards.

The Federal Government described the reclassification as another milestone in its capital market reform agenda.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the development validated the country’s reform efforts and provided a platform for Nigeria to pursue its longer-term ambition of attaining Emerging Market status.

The Ministry also recognised the contributions of NGX Group, the SEC, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Central Securities Clearing System and other market stakeholders to the outcome.

Popoola said NGX would continue to focus on improving the competitiveness of the Nigerian market and strengthening its contribution to economic growth.

‘Our ambition is to build a market that is increasingly competitive globally and more relevant to Nigeria’s economic growth,’ he said.

The FTSE decision comes as Nigeria seeks to strengthen the capital market’s role in mobilising long-term funding for infrastructure, businesses and broader economic development.

On August 6, the NGX Group Board met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where discussions focused on capital market reforms and the role of the market in supporting the country’s economic transformation.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s international market reclassification momentum is extending beyond FTSE Russell. SandP Dow Jones Indices has placed the country on its Watch List for possible reclassification to Frontier Market status under its 2027 Country Classification Annual Review.

The next step in the FTSE process will be the publication of the Frontier Index Series annual indicative review files from September 2, ahead of Nigeria’s formal reclassification on September 21.

For the Nigerian market, the immediate test will be whether the restored classification translates into actual foreign inflows, improved liquidity and a broader investor base.

Beyond the index label, market participants will be watching to see whether the reforms that secured Nigeria’s return to the Frontier Market universe can deliver sustained international participation and position the domestic exchange for eventual progression towards Emerging Market status.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and rights activist, Mr Femi Falana, on Sunday, called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take what he described as decisive action against the illegal arrest and detention of citizens across the country.

The SAN, in a statement titled, ‘Time for NBA to Stop Illegal Arrest and Detention of Nigerian Citizens’, argued that the NBA, under its new leadership, must enforce existing laws designed to protect the rights of suspects.

Falana referenced Section 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and Section 70 of the Nigeria Police Force Establishment Act, 2020, which mandate Chief Magistrates to conduct monthly visits to all police stations within their magisterial districts.

In his words, during such visits, Chief Magistrates are empowered to inspect arrest records, order suspects to be taken to court for arraignment or trial, and grant bail in deserving cases.

The human rights activist stressed that both laws also empower judges of the Federal High Court to visit other detention facilities within their jurisdiction to ensure that suspects are not detained beyond the constitutional limit, lamenting that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court has yet to designate judges for the task.

According to him, ‘We are compelled to call on the Nigerian Bar Association under the leadership of Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya to ensure that members of the Human Rights Committees of all the 145 branches of the Association make it a point of duty to accompany the Magistrates during the monthly visits and inspection of police stations.’

Falana equally tasked the leadership of the NBA with mounting pressure on the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to designate judges to conduct monthly visits to all detention facilities other than police stations.

The SAN also made reference to Section 21 of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, which makes the President and national officers of the NBA official visitors to all correctional centres in the country, calling on them to immediately carry out their statutory duties.

Falana cited the judgment in The Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar v Police Service Commission and Ors (Suit No: NICN/ABJ/264/2025), where Justice O. Y. Anuwe of the National Industrial Court declared that police authorities have a mandatory duty to deploy police officers who are legal practitioners to every police division to enforce human rights in policing, as mandated by Section 66(3) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020.

‘In line with the terms of this judgment, the new NBA leadership should ensure that police officers who are legal practitioners are assigned to every police station to monitor the observance of the human rights of suspects,’ the SAN stated.

Falana added that the NBA should invoke relevant laws to end the illegal arrest and detention of indigent citizens by the police and other law enforcement agencies.

A pro-Tinubu support group, Renewed Hope for Greater Nigeria (RHGN), says it is finalising plans to meet with the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide to appeal to the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Deputy National Leader (Southeast) of RHGN, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Owerri at the weekend.

Ngoforo said the engagement with Obi and the wider Igbo political establishment would commence in the coming days.

He said the group’s immediate objective was to secure victory for Tinubu across all polling units in the five South-East states, arguing that Obi’s withdrawal could form part of a broader political strategy for the region.

According to him, stepping down from the 2027 presidential contest would not amount to the end of Obi’s political ambition, noting that the former Anambra State governor was still young enough to pursue the presidency at another time under circumstances he said could be more favourable to the Southeast.

Ngoforo said the proposal was based on a long-term political strategy aimed at securing Tinubu’s support in the Southeast, strengthening relations between the region, the Southwest and the North, and positioning the Southeast for a stronger claim to the presidency when power next returns to the South.

He said RHGN was perfecting plans to approach the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership under Senator John Azuta Mbata, as well as elder statesmen, including Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, and other influential Igbo leaders to lead a delegation to Obi and persuade him to step down for Tinubu.

Ngoforo stressed that the proposed intervention was not aimed at diminishing Obi’s political stature but at persuading him to place what he described as the long-term strategic interests of Ndigbo above the immediate pursuit of the presidency.

He said Obi should examine the 2027 contest beyond personal ambition and consider whether a broader political bargain could place the Southeast in a stronger position to secure the presidency in the nearest future.

The RHGN leader also cited the internal crisis within the NDC as another reason Obi should reconsider his presidential bid.

He pointed to disputes surrounding the processes through which candidates were selected across constituencies in the Southeast, arguing that the controversy had weakened the party’s political structure.

He said, ‘The controversy had generated deep discontent within the party and totally weakened the political structure that Obi would ordinarily depend upon for a presidential campaign.

‘In my assessment, a presidential ambition is only as strong as the political machinery behind it, and the fragmentation of what once appeared to be a strong support structure raises serious questions about the viability of another presidential bid under the present circumstances.

‘RHGN believes Obi should therefore consider whether continuing the contest from a weakened opposition platform represents the best use of his considerable political capital.’

Ngoforo further said RHGN’s consultations with political leaders in Northern Nigeria had reinforced its belief that Obi’s reported commitment to serving only one term would not be sufficient to secure northern support for his presidential ambition.

He argued that presidential politics could not be reduced to a promise of a four-year tenure, saying political interests were driven by calculations around power, succession and political security.

‘The politics of presidential succession cannot be reduced to a promise of a four-year tenure. Northern political interests, like those of every other geopolitical zone, are likely to be driven by realistic calculations about power, succession and political security.

‘RHGN’s argument is that Igbo political strategy must recognise this fact instead of assuming that a one-term pledge would automatically unlock northern support for an Obi presidency,’ he said.

According to Ngoforo, the Southeast should also consider the potential benefits of building a strategic political relationship with the Southwest.

He noted that the South-South had produced former President Goodluck Jonathan, while the Southwest had produced former President Olusegun Obasanjo and currently occupies the presidency through Tinubu.

He argued that since Tinubu would be constitutionally limited to the current electoral cycle if re-elected, the Southeast should consider supporting him now while building a political alliance capable of yielding benefits when power next returns to the region.

Ngoforo said, ‘Rather than viewing 2027 solely as a contest to be won or lost, Ndigbo should view it as an opportunity to accumulate political goodwill and establish reciprocal obligations with other regions.

‘The strategic logic is straightforward: Nigeria’s presidency cannot be secured by any geopolitical zone acting entirely alone. The Southeast may possess a compelling historical and political case for producing the next president from the region, but converting that aspiration into electoral reality requires alliances outside the region.

‘I believe that supporting Tinubu’s second-term bid could create a political debt that becomes useful when the Southeast eventually makes its own claim. The objective should be to ‘be in their debt, so that they owe in reciprocity’.

‘For RHGN, political power is not merely about immediate votes; it is also about relationships, alliances, trust and the capacity to mobilise support across regional boundaries.’

He also cited what he described as policy convergence between Obi and the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy.

Ngoforo described the subsidy removal as one of the most politically difficult economic decisions taken by the Federal Government.

He argued that if Obi agreed with the fundamental direction of major policies being implemented by the Tinubu administration, there was little justification, in RHGN’s view, for seeking to displace the government over policies with which he substantially agreed.

‘RHGN therefore sees the apparent convergence not as a reason for political rivalry but as an opening for dialogue, cooperation and a possible realignment of political forces around what it considers the broader national interest,’ he said.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allegedly removing candidates nominated by the party for the 2027 general elections and replacing them with individuals it described as ‘strange names’ unknown to the party.

The NDC National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, made the allegation while reacting to the list of candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections published by INEC on Sunday.

Zuwoghe said the development was a deliberate attempt to undermine the party ahead of the 2027 elections and create confusion and dissatisfaction among its supporters.

According to him, the alleged irregularities were particularly pronounced in Anambra State, the home state of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, where he claimed 10 names were published by INEC as NDC candidates without the party’s authorisation.

‘The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, totally condemns the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its officials over the uploading and publication of unauthorized names in various constituencies, principally in the Anambra State House of Assembly,’ he said.

He listed the affected constituencies and names as Onitsha South 1 – Umennaajiego Jude Ezenwa; Onitsha South 2 – Akpotue Obinna Chibuike; Orumba North – Nwankwo Chiemerie; Anaocha 1 – Maduagwu Eric K; Idemili North – Ngoebisi Obinna; Njikoka 1 – Isintume Charles; Nnewi South – Nwachukwu Nonso; Nnewi South 2 – Okeke Ifeanyi Akunne; Ayamelum – Nnonyelu Samson E.; and Dunukofia – Azotani Chuks Francis.

The NDC chairman said none of the listed individuals emerged from the party’s nomination process, insisting that the party did not submit their names to INEC.

‘For clarity purposes, I, as Chairman of the Party and custodian of the code given to the NDC for the upload of our candidates, never uploaded those names, and I unequivocally state that the party did not also upload those nine names,’ Zuwoghe said.

He explained that following the conclusion of the party’s primaries and appeal process, stakeholders from Anambra, working with the party leadership, representatives of Peter Obi and the appeals panel, produced and endorsed a final list of candidates.

According to him, the NDC subsequently uploaded the list through the code provided by INEC, but alleged that INEC officials responsible for the backend of the portal kept nine of the names on ‘Pending’ status.

Zuwoghe said INEC officials allegedly claimed that the names were already in the commission’s system and had been submitted by officials who monitored the NDC primaries.

He added that despite the party’s formal objection to the names and submission of the candidates it said were legitimately nominated, INEC allegedly proceeded to publish the disputed names.

The NDC chairman further alleged that INEC bypassed the party by obtaining Form EC-9 directly from the disputed candidates and uploading the forms on its portal.

‘To further confirm that there was a predetermined effort on the part of INEC to impose the said nine candidates on the party, and embarrass both NDC and Mr. Peter Obi, INEC went behind the NDC to collect the Form EC-9 directly from the candidates, bypassing the party, and uploading same,’ he alleged.

He described the action as unacceptable and contrary to the Electoral Act and INEC’s guidelines, arguing that where the commission had concerns about the authenticity of candidates submitted by a political party, it should have engaged the party rather than allegedly substituting candidates.

‘At the very worst, INEC could have left us with no candidates for those positions, if they knew they were unwilling to engage us in addressing any perceived anomaly,’ he said.

The NDC alleged that similar incidents had occurred in other parts of the country, including Benue and Imo states, and called for a comprehensive investigation into the publication of its candidates nationwide.

‘We call on the INEC Chairman to urgently and immediately cause an investigation into the matter and unravel how this came to be,’ the statement said.

The party also disclosed that it had commenced its own investigation into the alleged discrepancies, saying its preliminary findings pointed to alleged complicity by some INEC officials.

Zuwoghe accused the electoral commission of using the candidate-uploading process to allegedly blackmail and intimidate opposition parties and create internal divisions.

He said the NDC would pursue the matter ‘to the very end,’ including approaching a court of competent jurisdiction to challenge the disputed nominations and seek the restoration of its authentic candidates.

The party chairman urged the public and NDC supporters to disregard the disputed names, stressing that the individuals published by INEC in the affected constituencies were not candidates nominated by the NDC.

The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) has disclosed that the state investigated about 39,000 suspected diphtheria cases between December 2022 and August 2026, with about 32,000 cases confirmed positive and 1,800 deaths recorded.

The Director-General of KNCDC, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, disclosed this while speaking with journalists, attributing the high incidence among children largely to inadequate immunisation, particularly among zero-dose children.

Prof. Abbas said more than 55 per cent of the confirmed cases involved children who had received no vaccination.

He further disclosed that more than 27 local government areas of the state had recorded diphtheria cases, although he said the situation was largely under control due to strengthened surveillance and response mechanisms.

According to him, the state government has provided drugs and other medical consumables to support the treatment of patients, while reactive vaccination campaigns are being conducted in communities and schools whenever cases are detected.

He also raised concerns over injuries allegedly associated with traditional barbering practices, saying such injuries could contribute to the vulnerability of children to infections.

The KNCDC boss urged parents and guardians to ensure that children receive routine vaccinations, stressing the importance of immunisation in preventing diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

On cholera, Prof. Abbas said the state had identified 227 suspected cases, with laboratory tests confirming six current cases.

He urged residents to promptly report suspected cases to the nearest healthcare facility, stressing that early detection and treatment remained critical to preventing deaths and further transmission.

Prof. Abbas commended the Kano State House of Assembly, traditional institutions and community-based surveillance networks for their cooperation in disease detection and response.

He called for sustained collaboration between communities and health authorities to ensure that suspected cases are reported and investigated promptly

On the reported deaths in Rano Local Government Area, the KNCDC said investigations were ongoing, with health officials deployed to the area to gather further information and establish the actual number of cases and causes of death.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Government has constituted a Special Committee on Diphtheria Outbreak Response following reports of diphtheria cases and deaths in some local government areas, with particular concern over the situation in Rano.

The committee, chaired by Prof. Abbas, is expected to strengthen and coordinate ongoing response efforts, conduct a comprehensive assessment of the outbreak and take immediate measures to prevent further spread of the disease to neighbouring local government areas.

Members of the committee include the Director-General of the State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Prof. Salisu A. Ibrahim; Executive Secretary of the Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Mansur M. Nagoda; Director of Disease Control, SPHCMB, Dr. Tijjani Habibu; Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Aliyu Umar; and State Epidemiologist, KNCDC, Sulaiman Iliyasu Hamisu.

Representatives of the Kano, Rano, Karaye and Gaya Emirate Councils are also members, while Hussaini Rufai of the Monitoring and Evaluation unit of KNCDC serves as secretary.

The committee has been mandated to verify reported diphtheria cases and deaths across affected LGAs, strengthen disease surveillance systems and ensure daily reporting by Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers.

It will also establish a centralised data registry for tracking suspected and confirmed cases, identify immunisation gaps through intensified community mobilisation and sensitisation, and ensure the availability and timely supply of essential medical commodities to designated treatment centres.

The committee will further work closely with health personnel in affected local government areas to improve coordination, facilitate rapid information sharing, promote early detection and ensure effective management of the outbreak.

The state government urged residents, community leaders and other stakeholders to cooperate with health authorities by promptly reporting suspected cases and supporting ongoing public health interventions.

The government assured residents that it remained committed to protecting their health and would continue to take necessary measures to contain the outbreak and prevent its further spread across the state.

With just one day to the l Summit of Nigeria’s Opposition Political Parties, the G100 has called on all opposition parties, their leaders, candidates and members to approach Monday’s gathering with one fundamental understanding: ‘we are stronger together than we are apart.’

In a statement signed by its convener, Salihu Moh. Lukman, the G100 said the summit scheduled for Monday, August 31, 2026, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja comes at a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy.

‘Tomorrow’s Summit comes at an important moment for Nigeria’s democracy. Across the country, millions of Nigerians are looking to the opposition not merely to criticise the government of the day, but to demonstrate the maturity, discipline and sense of national purpose required to offer a credible alternative,’ the statement said.

Lukman noted that cooperation does not require parties to surrender their identities or ambitions, but to recognize national interest above partisan differences.

‘The G100 recognises that every political party has its own history, identity, ambitions and legitimate interests. Cooperation does not require any party to surrender these. Nor does it require political leaders to abandon their aspirations. It simply requires the wisdom to recognise that there are moments when what unites us must become more important than what separates us,’ he said.

The G100 warned that a fragmented opposition only strengthens incumbents.

‘The experience of elections in Nigeria and elsewhere has repeatedly demonstrated that a divided opposition often strengthens the incumbent. When parties competing for the same broad constituency fragment their energies, resources and votes, they risk turning their differences into an unintended advantage for those they seek to replace,’ the statement said.

‘Division is a choice. Cooperation must now become a strategy,’ the Group added.

The group said the summit provides an opportunity to build practical mechanisms for dialogue and coordination while respecting the structures of participating parties.

‘Tomorrow’s Summit provides an opportunity to begin building practical mechanisms for dialogue, coordination and cooperation, while respecting the identities and structures of participating parties,’ it stated.

‘The G100 therefore appeals to every participating party and leader to come to the table in good faith, with an open mind and with the larger interests of Nigeria at heart.’

Acknowledging that disagreements are inevitable, Lukman urged leaders not to allow differences to deny Nigerians a credible alternative.

‘There will be disagreements, competing ambitions and difficult conversations. These are natural in politics. But none should prevent us from recognising the greater danger of allowing our differences to deny Nigerians a credible alternative,’ he said.

‘Tomorrow is not about declaring winners or losers within the opposition. It is about beginning the work of ensuring that Nigerian democracy wins.

‘Alone, each opposition party can make its case. Together, the opposition can change the course of the country.’

The G100 urged leaders to remember the millions of Nigerians expecting more from the opposition.

‘As we gather tomorrow at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, the G100 urges every opposition leader to remember the millions of Nigerians whose hopes extend beyond the fortunes of any single party or politician,’ the statement said.

‘History has presented the opposition with an opportunity. We must be wise enough not to waste it.’

Nigerian gospel music minister, Esther Igbekele, popularly known as the ‘Duchess of Gospel Music’, is set to bury her mother, Madam Mary Amope Igbekele, on October 2, in Ikorodu, Lagos.

Madam Igbekele, who died on August 14, at the age of 71 following a brief illness, will be laid to rest at her residence in Ikorodu, where the funeral rites will be held at CAC Faithful Foundation Assembly.

The burial announcement comes as the family prepares to honour the memory of their beloved matriarch, whose death has left a deep void in the lives of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other loved ones.

Esther, who announced her mother’s passing on her social media page, expressed her grief in an emotional tribute that captured the depth of her loss.

Mourning the woman she described as a precious treasure in her life, the gospel artiste wrote: ‘And my mother died, death you took my gold away.’

The emotional words reflected Esther’s profound attachment to her mother and the pain of losing someone who had been a major source of love, encouragement and spiritual support.

According to Esther, her late mother was a prayer warrior, a description that underscores the important role faith played in her life and family. Her devotion to prayer and commitment to her family reportedly made her a source of spiritual strength and inspiration to those around her.

The funeral programme will begin on Thursday, October 1, 2026, with a Wake Keep and Artists’ Night, bringing together family members, friends, church members, gospel musicians and other well-wishers to celebrate the life and legacy of the deceased.

The Artists’ Night is expected to provide an opportunity for gospel music colleagues and friends of Esther to rally around her and the Igbekele family through music, prayers and tributes while honouring the memory of Madam Mary Amope Igbekele.

The following day, Friday, October 2, will be the main burial ceremony at CAC Faithful Foundation Assembly, Ikorodu, where relatives, church leaders, colleagues and sympathisers are expected to gather to bid her a final farewell.

Madam Igbekele’s life spanned several generations. She was survived by her family in the cherished roles of sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, leaving behind a family legacy that extends across generations.

For Esther, the loss is particularly personal, coming from the departure of a mother whose presence and prayers had remained an important part of her journey in gospel music and ministry.

While mourning her passing, the family is expected to use the funeral ceremonies to celebrate her life, faith, values and the memories she created with those who knew and loved her.

As the date draws near, members of the gospel music community and Esther’s admirers are expected to join the Igbekele family in paying their final respects to Madam Mary Amope Igbekele, whose life was remembered for her devotion to God, love for her family and commitment to prayer.

No fewer than 21 suspected terrorists have been neutralised by troops of Operation HADIN KAI in the Kopre Mountain area of Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, with several others wounded.

This was disclosed by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, in a statement made available to newsmen.

According to the statement, ‘The operation was carried out in the early hours of Thursday by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) Tactical Team and newly inducted troops of 226 Battalion deployed to Sector 4, Adamawa State.’

‘The troops acted on credible intelligence before making a stealth insertion into the mountainous terrain and launching a precision strike on the camp.’

The statement further said the troops engaged the suspected terrorists in two separate encounters before gaining control of the area, dismantling the camp and destroying associated logistics infrastructure.

Several motorcycles, bicycles and jerrycans containing Premium Motor Spirit, which the military said were believed to have been used for terrorist logistics and mobility, were also destroyed.

The troops also recovered several AK-47 rifles, magazines and a substantial quantity of 7.62mm Special ammunition during the operation.

Goni said the troops demonstrated their ability to conduct intelligence-led operations in difficult terrain and disrupt terrorist logistics and freedom of movement.

He noted that the troops were intensifying efforts to locate and rescue persons abducted by terrorist elements.

While assuring residents that efforts would continue until all abducted persons were located and rescued and lasting peace and security restored across the North-East region, he said Operation HADIN KAI would continue its operations aimed at dismantling terrorist strongholds.

The race for honours at the 18th Headies Awards has intensified following the release of nominees for the 2026 edition, with some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars set to battle across several competitive categories.

Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Adekunle Gold, Ayra Starr, Tems, Asake and Rema are among the leading names on the nomination list unveiled by the organisers on Tuesday.

The ceremony is scheduled to hold in Toronto, Canada, on October 25, under the theme, ‘Africa to the World’.

The nominations recognise music released between August 1, 2024, and April 30, 2026, with 213 nominations spread across 35 categories.

Fola emerged as the biggest individual nominee with 10 nominations, while Omah Lay followed with eight. Mavo and Wizkid secured seven nominations each, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive awards season.

Wizkid is in contention in major categories, including Best Male Artiste, Digital Artiste of the Year, Afrobeats Album of the Year and Song of the Year. His album, Morayo, is also nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year.

Davido also features prominently, with his album 5ive nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year. His collaboration with Omah Lay, With You, earned nominations in Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Headies Collaboration and Viewers’ Choice.

Adekunle Gold joins the heavyweight contenders with Fuji nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year. He is also nominated for Best Male Artiste and Best Performer (Live) for his performance at the National Theatre in Lagos.

Among the female stars, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage lead with five nominations apiece. Ayra Starr is also in contention for Best Female Artiste, Digital Artiste of the Year and Best Performer (Live).

The Next Rated category is equally expected to attract significant attention, with Fido, Fola, Llona, Mavo and Shoday competing for the coveted prize. The category has traditionally served as a major platform for identifying the next generation of Nigerian music stars.

The organisers have also announced special honours, with veteran Congolese singer, Awilo Longomba, set to receive the Headies Hall of Fame Award, while Nigerian entertainment executive, Cecil Hammond, will receive the Special Recognition Award for his contributions to African entertainment.

With established superstars, rising acts and a new crop of contenders spread across the categories, attention will now shift to the October ceremony in Toronto, where the nominees will battle for one of Africa’s most recognised music honours.