Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The Flying Eagles were unlucky to lose 1-0 to Norway in their opening match of the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup finals on Monday despite dominating play and creating a hatful of chances, particularly in the second period.

Norway went ahead after they were awarded a contested penalty in the 9th minute, but the Flying Eagles fought hard to redeem things, only to be denied penalty awards on two occasions in the second half.

Kparobo Arierhi’s left-footed shot inside the box drifted just wide in the 47th minute, with the goalkeeper completely beaten, and in the 63rd minute, Tahir Maigana’s left-footed shot inside the box was stopped by the base of the upright.

The two-time silver medallists launched onslaught after onslaught against the Europeans, but Norway had too many players behind the ball in the box and foiled dozens of attempts.

In the 71st minute, the crowd rose to cheer the equalizer, but midfielder Nasiru Salihu’s rising shot from the right rose a little too high, beating the goalkeeper and the crossbar.

Seven minutes from time, the tireless Tahir Maigana cocked the trigger from afar, only to see his effort miss the target narrowly.

The Flying Eagles will take on Saudi Arabia in their second match of the competition on Thursday.

President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has described the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN) as a dependable partner in advancing reforms that will reposition Nigeria’s commercial and insolvency law practice.

This was stated at the opening of BRIPAN’s 2025 Annual International Insolvency Conference.

The two-day conference, held on September 25 and 26 at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, had as its theme: ‘Deepening Insolvency Tools for Resolving Commercial and Financial Challenges of Businesses.’

In his goodwill message, Osigwe said the association had consistently contributed to shaping business recovery processes and enhancing the legal framework for insolvency.

‘BRIPAN has remained a dependable ally to the Nigerian Bar Association in strengthening the practice of commercial law and in developing pragmatic solutions to the challenges of insolvency.

‘This conference presents another opportunity to deepen knowledge, sharpen skills, and reimagine insolvency practice in ways that promote economic growth and protect businesses. Our hope is that the deliberations here will lead to concrete reforms that safeguard jobs and build investor confidence in Nigeria.’

BRIPAN President, Chimezie Ihekweazu, SAN, said the association had stepped up its training programmes and regulatory engagements to expand capacity in the field.

He informed over 1,100 members had been trained within the past year, and draft Insolvency Practice Directions had been concluded for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and Federal High Court.

Ihekweazu said: ‘Our mission is clear, to build a modern insolvency framework that not only resolves financial distress but also gives viable businesses a second chance at survival.

‘We have worked tirelessly on capacity development and regulatory reforms, including draft practice directions for our superior courts. These are deliberate steps to ensure that insolvency practice in Nigeria is not only globally competitive but also tailored to the realities of our economy.

‘The goal is to create a system where business rescue is possible, where creditors are treated fairly, and where entrepreneurship can thrive without the fear of arbitrary collapse.’

Conference Planning Committee Chairman, Albert Folorunsho, stressed that the event went beyond academic debate, describing it as a practical commitment to shaping the future of Nigeria’s economy through insolvency reforms.

‘This gathering is not just an academic exercise or a ritual conference. It is about building a framework where insolvency is not seen as the end of a business, but as a process of preservation, continuity, and recovery.

‘It is about protecting jobs, securing investments, and giving our economy the resilience it needs to compete globally. Every session and every conversation at this conference must translate into tangible reforms that will strengthen the Nigerian insolvency landscape.’

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of Arise Television anchor, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, who was killed during an armed robbery at her Katampe residence in Abuja on Monday, September 29, 2025.

In a condolence message signed by its Secretary, Comrade Jide Oyekunle, the NUJ described Maduagwu as a brilliant and dedicated journalist whose professionalism and poise left a lasting impression on colleagues and viewers.

The Council extended condolences to her family, friends, and Arise Television, stressing that her untimely death highlights Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.

It also urged the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant agencies to conduct a thorough forensic investigation and ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice.

In honour of her memory, the NUJ urged members of the media community to reflect on the values Somtochukwu upheld: integrity, excellence, and service to society, while offering prayers and support to her grieving family.

‘Though her life was brief, her impact was profound. May her legacy continue to inspire courage and truth in journalism.’

The NUJ FCT Council prayed for strength and comfort for her loved ones, and called on journalists across the country to remain united, vigilant, and supportive of one another during this period of collective mourning.

Actress Regina Daniels caused a stir on social media on Monday with a video of herself and her husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, using the restroom.

The viral video captured the look on Ned’s face as he seemingly showed his displeasure before going on to pee.

Regina, who’s a mother of two, was seen quickly blocking the camera’s view as her husband appeared to be using the restroom.

According to the timestamp on the video, the incident occurred around 5:30 am.

The playful moment has since generated a flurry of comments from fans, with many praising Regina for her swift and protective gesture, while others found humor in the early morning recording.

While some praised the actress for her protective gesture and sense of humor, others criticised the video as being inappropriate and disrespectful.

One social media user commented: ‘He saw the video recording and still brought it out. I didn’t even see anything, so everyone should rest. If he had a problem with it, he would have asked her to delete it.’

Another critic wrote:’So disrespectful.’

A third user added: ‘It’s shameful! To showcase a serving senator this way is completely unacceptable.’

HP Inc. has raised concerns over evolving cyberattack techniques that are making it increasingly difficult for traditional security tools to detect threats.

The company’s latest threat insights report highlights how cybercriminals are refining long-standing methods such as phishing and ‘living-off-the-land’ (LOTL) attacks.

LOTL attacks involve the use of legitimate system tools to carry out malicious activity, making them difficult to distinguish from normal operations.

According to HP Threat Researchers, attackers are now chaining multiple, often less common, binaries in single campaigns, complicating efforts to flag suspicious behavior.

The report, based on data from millions of endpoints running HP Wolf Security, identified several recent campaigns. One involved a fake Adobe Reader invoice that contained a reverse shell script hidden in a small SVG image. The file, disguised as a legitimate Adobe Acrobat Reader document with a fake loading bar, was geofenced to German-speaking regions to evade automated detection.

Another campaign hid malware inside pixel image files. In this case, attackers embedded an XWorm payload within Microsoft Compiled HTML Help files disguised as project documents. The infection chain used PowerShell and CMD scripts to extract the payload and erase traces of the attack.

Researchers also observed the continued spread of Lumma Stealer, one of the most active malware families in the second quarter of 2025. Despite a law enforcement crackdown in May, attackers used IMG archive attachments and LOTL techniques to distribute the malware through multiple channels.

‘Attackers aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they are refining their techniques,’ said Alex Holland, Principal Threat Researcher at HP Security Lab. ‘We’re seeing more chaining of living-off-the-land tools and the use of less obvious file types, such as images, to evade detection.’

Dr. Ian Pratt, Global Head of Security for Personal Systems at HP Inc., added that the challenge for organizations lies in balancing security and usability. ‘Living-off-the-land techniques are notoriously difficult for security teams because it’s hard to tell legitimate activity from an attack. Even the best detection will miss some threats, so defense-in-depth with containment and isolation is essential to trap attacks before they can cause harm,’ he said.

HP’s findings underscore how cybercriminals continue to adapt, using creativity and technical precision to stay ahead of security defenses.

Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central) has congratulated Sir Victor Akpoguma, Principal Partner of the law firm V.E. Akpoguma and Co., on what he described as his well-deserved conferment of the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

In his statement, Dafinone noted Akpoguma’s elevation is a recognition of his over three decades of meritorious service to the legal profession and society at large.

‘Sir Victor has demonstrated uncommon brilliance, integrity, and resilience in the practice of law since establishing V.E. Akpoguma and Co. in 1999. His elevation as SAN is not only a personal triumph but also a source of pride to the Urhobo Nation and Delta State,’ the Senator remarked.

Describing him as an illustrious son of Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Senator Dafinone emphasized that Akpoguma’s professional journey reflects the virtues of hard work, excellence, and commitment to justice. He added that Akpoguma’s recognition brings honour not only to his family and community but also to the entire Urhobo Nation.

‘On behalf of the good people of Delta Central, I congratulate Sir Victor Akpoguma SAN on this outstanding achievement. May this milestone inspire the next generation of legal practitioners to strive for excellence, and may God grant him continued wisdom, strength, and success in his service to the nation and humanity,’ Dafinone stated.

A civil society group, Frontier Waves, has faulted remarks by Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno South at the Senate over his call for President Bola Tinubu to issue an executive order in resolving the dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, Ndume had said the president could act decisively, even ‘like a dictator,’ to end the crisis that reportedly arose after the alleged disengagement of over 800 refinery workers.

‘The best thing is for the president to sign an executive order calling them off. He has the right to dissolve them. In this case, I don’t mind if he acts like a dictator because some situations require very drastic measures,’ Ndume had said.

Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Frontier Waves expressed concern over the senator’s position, saying it did not reflect the role of a lawmaker in a democracy.

The statement, jointly signed by the group’s President, Oluwa Vincent, and Secretary, Ramsey Nede, noted that rather than recommending strong-arm measures, the senator should have encouraged dialogue to resolve the dispute between the refinery management and the union.

The group stressed that trade unions such as PENGASSAN and NUPENG are recognized under Nigerian law and have historically played important roles in protecting workers’ rights in the oil and gas sector.

According to Frontier Waves, ‘When two parties have issues, the best way is to look for ways to resolve their differences amicably. Calling for dictatorial action against unions undermines the democratic values Nigerians uphold.’

The group further urged President Tinubu to promote dialogue and reconciliation in the matter, adding that respect for union rights is central to sustaining Nigeria’s democratic system.