Category: PM News

Tottenham Hotspur’s home struggles deepened on Sunday as Aston Villa came from behind to snatch a 2-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Rodrigo Bentancur had given Thomas Frank’s men a dream start just five minutes in, finishing coolly from close range after Micky van de Ven’s cushioned header. The Uruguayan celebrated by tucking the ball under his shirt, a tribute to his pregnant wife.

But that early joy quickly turned sour. Morgan Rogers brought Villa level with a thunderous strike from 20 yards that flew past Guglielmo Vicario in the 37th minute, silencing the home fans.

Injuries continue to haunt Tottenham. Already without James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke, the team lost captain Cristian Romero in the warm-up and later saw Mathys Tel limp off with a knee issue.

Villa made them pay for their frailties. In the 77th minute, substitute Emiliano Buendia struck the winner – a composed finish into the bottom corner after Lucas Digne’s clever setup.

Tottenham had chances to rescue a point late on, but debutant Randal Kolo Muani wasted a golden opportunity, skying his shot over the bar from close range in stoppage time.

The result means Spurs have now lost 11 of their last 18 home league games, a worrying record for Frank, who replaced the sacked Ange Postecoglou earlier this season. The defeat also ends their seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions, leaving them sixth on the table.

For Unai Emery’s Villa, the story is quite the opposite. After their worst league start since 1964, the Midlands side have now won five straight matches in all competitions and extended their unbeaten streak to eight. The victory also marked a breakthrough – Villa’s first away win over a top-four side after collecting just one point from six such trips last season.

Nigerian media personality, Natasha Akide also known as Tacha, has declared that she will not settle down for love alone.

Tacha, in an interview with Yanga FM, stated that her views on marriage has changed since she became a celebrity.

She added that her future husband must match her financial status.

‘I can’t marry just for love. I’m looking for a billionaire. I’m a millionaire, so my potential husband should be richer than me. I’m certain I can’t marry for love,’ she said.

The media personality has been in the limelight since 2019, after participating in Big Brother Naija reality TV show.

President Bola Tinubu has warmly congratulates Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, on the 9th anniversary of his ascension to the throne on Monday, October 20.

The President joins the government and people of Edo State, the traditional council, and family members in celebrating with His Royal Majesty on the occasion, which marks the Oba’s nearly a decade of unrelenting service to his domain and the nation.

President Tinubu commends the Oba’s commitment to promoting peace, unity, and social harmony within his domain, and his support in combating societal challenges, such as human trafficking and illegal migration, particularly among the youth.

President Tinubu also applauds the Oba’s strong advocacy for a cultural renaissance, the preservation of traditional values, and his efforts to repatriate African artefacts from Western countries.

As the Oba of Benin marks nine years on the throne of his ancestors, the President extols his leadership in preserving Benin’s cultural heritage and passing it on to the upcoming generations.

President Tinubu prays that the Almighty God will grant the Oba of Benin a longer life, good health, and more historic achievements on the throne of his ancestors.

Troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have in the last 24 hours, rescued no fewer than 23 kidnap victims, apprehended key terror collaborators and destroyed illegal oil refineries in different parts of the country.

A credible source at Army Headquarters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that troops had sustained momentum in ongoing counterterrorism and internal security operations nationwide.

In the Northeast, he said the troops of Operation HADIN KAI apprehended three Chadian nationals at Gamboru Motor Park in Ngala, Borno, with 12 Starlink internet devices and a solar battery suspected to be logistics meant for Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

Also, in Yobe, the source said the troops of 233 Battalion intercepted a tricycle conveying fuel and other supplies for insurgents.

According to him, troops of 222 Battalion under 21 Special Armoured Brigade repelled an ambush in Konduga, killing one terrorist and recovering a dane gun.

In the North Central, he said the troops under Operations Mesa and Whirl Stroke recorded major breakthroughs with the arrest of four suspected kidnappers at Akuna village in Kogi.

According to him, a combined team of troops and security agencies rescued 23 kidnap victims, including four Chinese nationals, from terrorists’ enclaves in Chigogo Hills, Kwara.

‘Troops also foiled a kidnap attempt along the Chikara-Abaji road, rescuing one victim and evacuating two others with injuries, while two suspected terrorist leaders were arrested in Shendam, Plateau.

‘In the Southeast, troops of Operation UDO KA raided a hotel in Ngor Okpala, Imo State, believed to be a kidnappers’ den.

‘Two men claiming to be police officers were caught with two AK-47 rifles, 58 rounds of ammunition, and other items.

‘Four hotel staff were also taken into custody,’ he said.

In the Niger Delta, the sources said the troops of Operation Delta Safe destroyed illegal refining sites in Delta and Rivers States.

‘At Ughoton in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta, troops seized 775 litres of illegally refined diesel hidden in a hotel and arrested the manager.

‘Another 150 litres of kerosene was intercepted from suspected bunkerers in Rivers State, who have been handed to the NSCDC,’ he added.

All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kogi State has held an endorsement rally for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for re-election in 2027.

The event took place on Saturday, October 18th, 2025, at the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre in Lokoja, the state capital.

The rally brought together key stakeholders in the party, including ward, Local government executives, state exco members, party stalwarts, women, and youth wings.

The event was proof of the popularity enjoyed in the state by both the president and the governor.

The Chairman of the President Bola Tinubu/Ododo For 2027 in Kogi State, former Kogi West Senator Smart Adeyemi, lauded the president for various reforms aimed at taking Nigeria to a greater height.

Adeyemi added that since 2019, Nigeria’s economy was running below expectations, and by 2023, it was near the state of collapse, noting that if not for the president’s decision to put efforts at revamping it, the country would have been in serious economic woes.

‘When President Tinubu came on board, he had chosen to put Nigeria’s economy in the right perspective and took some hard decisions, which by the grace of God the reforms are delivering dividends of democracy now,’ he said.

A former Kogi governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, who moved the motion for the president and governor to run for second term, also expressed unwavering commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda.

While speaking further, the immediate past governor of Bello, described President Tinubu as a humanist and a courageous man who means well in his efforts to move Nigeria to the next level of concrete social, economic and political development.

Bello also commended Governor Ododo for embarking on people -oriented policies and programmes and urged the people to vote for the president and Ododo in the next election, assuring them that ‘under APC, we shall get to the promise land.’

Ododo thanked the people for the confidence reposed in him to run for the gubernatorial election come 2027. He also thanked the president for the Renewed Hope Initiative, which he said has transformed the lives of Nigerians.

‘We thank Mr. President, my father, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. You are a sincere father leading from the front. I refused to be scared because I have Mr. President and mentor Former Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello on my side.

‘Let us not be distracted by noise, let’s stand behind Mr. President, he is the real power behind Nigerian development,’ he said.

Prophet Ikechukwu Samuel, founder of Shiloh Word Chapel, Abuja, has prophesied the imminent release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, while cautioning him to act wisely upon regaining freedom.

Speaking during a Sunday service in Abuja, the cleric, in a dramatic spiritual demonstration, declared that God had revealed to him that Kanu would soon be set free from detention.

To illustrate the prophecy, Prophet Samuel reportedly held up a padlock before his congregation and unlocked it, symbolizing what he described as the breaking of the shackles of incarceration.

‘God has shown me that Nnamdi Kanu will be released,’ the prophet declared, as worshippers reacted to the symbolic act.

However, Prophet Samuel coupled his prophecy with a stern warning to the IPOB leader, urging him to exercise wisdom and restraint in handling his affairs after his release.

He said, ‘Kanu must learn how to manage the position of freedom and leadership,’ stressing that how he conducts himself after regaining liberty would determine the success or failure of his renewed mission.

Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, following his arrest and extradition to Nigeria. He is currently facing charges of treasonable felony and terrorism before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The prophecy comes amid sustained agitation from Kanu’s supporters for his unconditional release, while the Federal Government insists that due judicial processes must take their course.

Prophet Samuel’s revelation has since generated widespread conversation among observers of Kanu’s ongoing legal and political battles.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted consignments of illicit drugs concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothes bound for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to a statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the interceptions were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a courier company in Lagos.

Babafemi said two suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures.

‘One of them, a cargo agent Boladale Riliwan, was arrested on October 7, 2025, following the discovery of 15 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in 10 pieces of giant rechargeable electrical bulbs he presented in a carton for airfreight to the Democratic Republic of Congo at the export shed of the Lagos airport,’ Babafemi added.

Babafemi said another suspect, a 48-year-old UK-based public health assistant, Olawale Hakeemot, was arrested on October 12 at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the MMIA, Ikeja.

He said she was found with 2,300 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in frozen snails while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester, United Kingdom.

‘Attempt by another syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam hidden in female clothes going to the United States was also thwarted by NDLEA officers at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, 16th October,’ he added.

In Adamawa State, Babafemi said operatives intercepted a suspect, Bello Buba, at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South Local Government Area, with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic.

He said the suspect allegedly drove from the Benin Republic to smuggle the drugs into Nigeria.

‘A suspect, Bello Buba, was intercepted at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South LGA with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic car he drove all the way from Benin Republic to smuggle the consignment into Nigeria on Sunday, October 12,’ he said.

In Ekiti State, he said operatives destroyed 53,250 kilograms of cannabis on 21.3 hectares of farmland in Ilawe-Ekiti and recovered an additional 1,140 kilograms packed in 70 bags. Three suspects-Matthew Emmanuel, 26; James Moses, 27; and Israel Samuel, 20-were arrested during the operation, which lasted between October 12 and 13.

Similarly, Babafemi added that 17,400 kilograms of cannabis were destroyed on 6.96 hectares of farmland in the Aponmu forest reserve, Akure, Ondo State, on October 12.

‘In Oyo state, Aliyu Muhammed, 50; Babarinde Segun,32; Ogunbiyi Sanjo, 30; and Ajani Oluro,30, were nabbed with 596kg skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora, while Jacob Afolabi, 30, and Salako Oluwatobi, 25, were arrested with 273kg of the same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan, on Thursday, October 16,’ he added.

In Ogun State, Babafemi said Joseph Andrew was arrested with 88 kilograms of cannabis at Ona-Imeko on October 15, while in Imo State, 42-year-old Festus Udoh was caught with 13,000 pills of opioids along the Onitsha-Owerri Road.

Also in Enugu, he said operatives recovered 74.5 kilograms of cannabis from the store of one Joseph Chukwujamaa at Umuogbo-Agu village on October 18. In Lagos, 11 bags of cannabis weighing 117 kilograms were recovered from the base of a suspect, Ramoni Olukowi, in Mushin on the same day.

‘A total of 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in a container earlier watch-listed by NDLEA coming from India during a joint examination of the shipment with men of Customs service and other security agencies at the Apapa port on Tuesday, October 14,’ the statement added.

The length and width of the United States of America on Saturday witnessed crowds of millions of people protesting against what they perceive to be rising authoritarianism and corruption under President Donald Trump.

According to local media, more than 2,700 ‘No Kings’ rallies were due to be held in all 50 states in what is thought to be the largest mobilization against the Trump Administration yet.

Organizers estimated that some 7 million people protested across the country in suburbs, towns and all major cities.

The media have reported huge crowds in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston with protests also seen in deep red states-in Birmingham, Alabama and Billings, Montana.

According to the TIME online, some experts have speculated that the demonstrations could be the largest in modern U.S. history.

‘Today, millions of Americans stood together to reject authoritarianism and remind the world that our democracy belongs to the people, not to one man’s ambition,’ Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, co-founders of Indivisible, which helped organize the event, said in a statement.

The protests come in response to an unprecedented use of presidential power by Trump in his second term.

The magazine recalled that, since January, President Trump has ordered the National Guard into Democratic-run cities to quell protests and aid in immigration enforcement, launched a crackdown on left-wing and liberal groups, and implemented a sweeping mass deportation program that has seen masked federal agents engaged in military-style raids and detained people without due process.

The ‘No Kings’ rallies enjoys the backing of Democrats from across the ideological spectrum.

Former presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton have both given their support, along with progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and independent Senator Bernie Sanders.

Sanders is quoted to have told protesters at the rally in Washington, D.C. that: ‘We’re here because we love America.’

He called out billionaires who attended Trump’s inauguration- Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, saying: ‘This moment is not just about one man’s greed, one man’s corruption, or one man’s contempt for the constitution; this is about a handful of the wealthiest people on earth, who in their insatiable greed, have hijacked our economy and our political system in order to enrich themselves at the expense of working families throughout this country.’

Bill Nye, beloved children’s television program host known for ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy,’ also addressed D.C. protestors, lamenting the Trump Administration’s treatment of scientists-likely addressing the major cuts that have occurred at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under new head Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

He lamented, saying: ‘They do not promote the progress of science. They suppress it, to the detriment of our health, well-being, and international competitiveness.’

Protests were reportedly organized all over the country so that most Americans were only an hour away from a planned event.

TIME quoted Jill Ortman-Fouse, a community organizer in Silver Spring, Maryland, as saying that the protest there had doubled in size since the last ‘No Kings’ event in June.

Another woman whose job has been impacted indirectly by the federal furlough of workers, and who reportedly brought her one-year-old son to the protest in Silver Spring for the second time, told TIME she was Jewish and ‘grew up hating fascism, so to see it happening here is heartbreaking. It’s an assault on my soul.’

The first ‘No Kings’ day of protest in June, attended by an estimated five million people, was largely peaceful, although isolated clashes broke out between police and demonstrators in several cities.

Organizers had raised fears ahead of the protest that Trump and his allies would use the protests as an excuse to launch further crackdowns on dissent.

In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced National Guard deployments in Austin, citing what he called possible threats from ‘antifa-linked’ demonstrators. Democrats there accused him of using the Guard to intimidate protesters.

The American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible, MoveOn and the American Federation of Teachers say they are taking extra precautions, focusing on de-escalation and community safety, and distributing guidance on how to respond peacefully if met with aggression by law enforcement or counter protesters.

Nigerian champions, Remo Stars of Ikenne, endured a tough evening on Sunday as they fell 5-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the first leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League second preliminary round, played at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta Ogun State.

The visitors showed their pedigree early in the encounter, controlling possession and dictating the pace.

Their dominance paid off in the 15th minute when Tashreeq Matthews opened the scoring with a composed finish after a swift counter-attack that caught the Nigerian defence off guard.

Remo Stars tried to find their rhythm, with captain Dayo Ojo and midfielder Adams Goita pushing forward, but the more experienced Sundowns side doubled their lead in the 42nd minute.

Star striker Peter Shalulile capitalised on a defensive mix-up to send a low shot beyond Remo’s Beninese goalkeeper, who was left rooted to the spot.

Just before the hour mark, Miguel Reisinho extended the lead for the visitors, firing home from close range to make it 3-0. Remo Stars’ head coach,

Daniel Ogunmodede, made several substitutions to steady the game, but the relentless South Africans continued their clinical display.

Substitute Arthur Sales made it 4-0 after receiving a fine pass from Khuliso Mudau, slotting past the onrushing goalkeeper to further silence the home crowd.

The Nigerian side, however, found a moment of consolation in the 75th minute when Olasupo connected beautifully with Adams Goita’s cross to pull one back for the hosts, giving the home supporters something to cheer about.

Any hopes of a late rally were dashed when another substitute, Katlego Ntsabeleng, combined neatly with a teammate on the right wing to seal the emphatic win for the South Africans in the closing stages of the game.

With this result, Remo Stars face an uphill task ahead of the return leg in Pretoria, South Africa, where they must overturn a four-goal deficit to stand a chance of progressing to the group stage of the continental competition.

Despite the loss, Coach Ogunmodede praised his players for their fighting spirit, admitting that the experience would serve as a valuable lesson for the young team.

‘We faced a top-quality side with a lot of experience at this level. Our boys gave their best, and we’ll take the lessons from this game into the return leg,’ Ogunmodede said after the match.

The decisive second leg will take place next weekend at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium, where Remo Stars will aim to restore pride and keep their continental dreams alive.

Dr Amina Kundiri, Director-General of the National All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Advocacy Organisation (NAWA-ORG), has appealed to the National Assembly to pass the Reserved Seats Bill currently before it.

This was contained in a statement issued by NAWA-ORG’s National Publicity Secretary, Evelyn Onyilo, on Saturday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Reserved Seats for Women Bill proposes the creation of additional seats exclusively for women in both the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.

Specifically, it calls for 37 new Senate seats-one for each state and the Federal Capital Territory-and 37 additional seats in the House of Representatives.

According to the statement, Kundiri made the appeal during a roundtable dialogue held in Abuja.

She said the passage of the bill would significantly increase the number of women in parliament and promote equity, fairness, and justice.

Kundiri noted that the organisation would continue to champion the cause of women’s empowerment, both locally and globally, to break down barriers and promote inclusiveness.

‘If passed and signed into law, the bill will increase the number of women in parliament, thereby bridging the gender gaps and disparities in governance.

‘It will also enhance women’s participation in governance and make their voices heard,’ she stated.

Kundiri commended President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for their ongoing support of gender equity in governance.

Similarly, the President of the Coalition of Northern Youth and Women Initiative for Good Governance, Attahiru Ibrahim, reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for the inclusion of women and youth in all spheres of national development.

Attahiru noted that women have long been marginalised in Nigeria’s political and governance landscape.

Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the Youth Group, Dr Hadiza Jamilu, cautioned young people against being used as political thugs and urged them to desist from drug abuse.

Onyilo emphasised that women must rise to change the narrative of marginalisation by participating more actively in politics.

She also called on the government to appoint more women and youth into leadership positions.