Man dies in dispute over girlfriend (Punch)
A 25-year-old man, Usman Mohammed, has been killed following an alleged scuffle with some miscreants over his girlfriend.
Arewa PUNCH learnt that a violent altercation had also earlier ensued, which resulted in a fatal injury.
The incident occurred in Barkin Sale, Minna, Niger State, when Usman visited his girlfriend, Halima Usman, at her residence in the Deeper Life Upper Base neighbourhood. Read more
Last surviving twin rescued by Mary Slessor dies at 115 (DailyTrust)
The last surviving female twin to be rescued by Mary Slessor, a Scottish Missionary in Arochukwu Ancient Kingdom of Abia, over a century ago, Madam Malinda Mgbafor Okereke, otherwise called Mama Nsu Bekee, is dead.
A statement issued on behalf of the family by the only surviving son of the deceased, Bishop Okechukwu Okereke, and made available to newsmen in Umuahia, Abia State capital, on Thursday, disclosed that she died at the age of 115.
According to the statement, the centenarian and her twin sister, Mgbokwo, were born during the harmful traditional practice of the killing of twins in the community. Read more
Nigeria would have been better had MKO Abiola become president — Son (Channels)
Nigeria would have become far better economically had democracy hero Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola been allowed to become president in 1993, his son Jamiu has said.
“Nigeria would have been better because, at that time, it was a very special time in global times; that 1993 period was a time when the world itself was having an international economic boom,” he said on Thursday during Channels Television’s June 12 Special Forum to celebrate Nigeria’s 26 years of unbroken democratic rule.
“So, we could have tapped into that. But what did we get in return? We got a Kleptomaniac as head of state. I am not going to talk about (Sani) Abacha because he has his problems wherever he has found himself,” he said. Read more
Democracy gradually being dismantled — Atiku (Sun)
Former vice president Atiku Abubakar, has said the gains of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which “blossomed” with the return of democracy in 1999, is steadily being eroded.
Atiku, in a statement, yesterday, said the country is on the precipice, as a one-party dictatorship is allegedly displacing democratic order gradually. He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of governing with the intent to dominate and silence opposition. He alleged that what presently obtains in the country is a conquest and not governance.
The former vice president said: “Thirty-two years ago, Nigeria stood on the cusp of greatness. The wind of democratic change was sweeping across Africa, and all eyes turned to our nation with hope — hope that Nigeria would rise as a beacon of liberty, justice, and self-determination. I was privileged to be an active participant in that defining chapter, which culminated in a historic election that captured the imagination of the world and reshaped our political destiny. Read more
We’ll work with FG to deepen democracy — Governors (Leadership)
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to deepen democratic governance and build a more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous nation.
In a Democracy Day statement released on Thursday, the chairman of the NGF and governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, congratulated Nigerians on the commemoration of the country’s 26 years of uninterrupted democratic rule.
“On behalf of my colleagues at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I congratulate all Nigerians on the commemoration of Democracy Day,” Governor AbdulRazaq said. “June 12 is a watershed in our national history. We therefore join President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and other stakeholders to honour our heroes and heroines who played significant roles in the struggle for democratic rule.” Read more
Missing boy found after 27 days in Lagos (Guardian)
Ovie Kehinde Iyomaterie, the young boy whose sudden disappearance sparked concern, has been found alive and well 27 days after he went missing in Lagos.
Iyomaterie, who disappeared on May 13, 2025, along Orchid Road in Lekki, was located in Bariga on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
His discovery came less than 24 hours after The Guardian reported his disappearance. Read more
Youths rally for Tinubu in Lagos, Abuja (Nation)
Hundreds of youths yesterday took to the streets in some city centres, including Lagos and Abuja, to drum support for President Bola Tinubu.
The youths, under the auspices of “Team Nigeria” and decked in national “green-white-green” colour, urged the government to continue with policies that would better the livelihoods of the masses.
They displayed unity and patriotism as they converged under the Ikeja Bridge as early as 7:45am chanting solidarity songs. Read more
‘Masterful’ romance novel wins Women’s Prize for Fiction (BBC)
This year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction has been awarded to Dutch author Yael van der Wouden for The Safekeep, a novel about an unlikely romance in the Netherlands in the 1960s.
The judges called the book an “astonishing debut… a masterful blend of history, suspense and historical authenticity”.
The story follows a reclusive woman whose brother asks if his girlfriend can move in with her for the summer. Initially repulsed by her new housemate, a closer relationship gradually develops between the two women. Read more
Legal win for son tricked into moving to Africa by parents (BBC)
A teenager who was tricked into going to boarding school in Africa has won a significant legal victory against his own parents.
The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be identified, was taken from London to Ghana in March 2024 after being told a relative was ill.
In fact, his parents wanted to get him out of London as they feared he was being drawn into criminal activity. Read more
Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear sites and military chiefs, U.S. denies any role (Axios)
Israel launched a massive wave of attacks across Iran on Thursday night, bombing nuclear and missile sites, targeting military leaders and nuclear scientists, and conducting covert sabotage operations on missile and air defense sites.
Why it matters: Israel is directly attacking its biggest and best-armed adversary without backing from the U.S., which swiftly distanced itself from the operation.
President Trump publicly opposed an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear sites on Thursday, saying he still believed a nuclear deal was possible. Read more
Google, Spotify & YouTube down for 10s of 1000s of users worldwide (Metro)
Google platforms, Spotify and YouTube were down for tens of thousands of users worldwide.
There were 13,000 reports of issues with Google Cloud and 27,000 reports for Spotify just before 11.30am PT on Thursday, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages of online services.
‘We are experiencing service issues with multiple GCP products,’ stated a Google Cloud status page. Read more
Ukraine keeps up pressure on Russian airfields and war production (AlJazeera)
Ukraine has kept up the pressure on Russian airfields and war production in the past week after its highly successful Operation Spiderweb, which destroyed Moscow’s strategic bombers on June 1.
Russia responded with its biggest air raids on Ukrainian cities, causing dozens of civilian casualties and introducing a jet-powered version of the Iranian-designed Shahed drone.
On Friday, Ukraine struck at least three fuel tanks at Engels airbase 500km (310 miles) southeast of Moscow. Fires were also reported at Dyagilevo airbase, 170km (105 miles) from the capital. Both had been targeted in Operation Spiderweb. Read more
Chris Brown speaks out on the trappings of fame (HipHopDx)
Chris Brown has spoken out about the trappings of fame and revealed what he does to make himself feel “grounded”.
In a new Instagram post, the controversial R&B singer, who is currently on tour in Europe, posted pictures of himself wandering around cities at night.
He then wrote in the caption: “Fun fact: I like to sneak out by myself when I’m in different cities. It helps me feel human and normal. That’s really important for my mental due to the fact that I just can’t walk around freely during the day. Keeps me grounded.” Read more
Ezekiel, Ajayi rewrite NCAA history in blazing start (Punch)
Nigeria’s finest collegiate athletes stormed out of the blocks on the opening day of the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, with Ezekiel Nathaniel and Kayinsola Ajayi delivering record-breaking performances that put their names in history books, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The duo rose above a star-studded field of global collegiate talent at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon to post the most outstanding Nigerian results on day one of the four-day championship.
Competing in the men’s 400m hurdles semifinal, Nathaniel produced a scintillating run of 47.86 seconds, setting a new Nigerian national record and personal best. Read more
Transfer: Why we did not sign Osimhen – Al-Hilal President (Sun)
Fahad Bin Nafal, president of Al-Hilal, has cited two reasons for the club’s failure to bring in Victor Osimhen and other key players this summer.
Bin Nafal cited “illogical” counter-offers and fatigue..
The Saudi Pro League club has chosen Simone Inzaghi as their new manager, only days after losing the Champions League final to Inter Milan. Read more
Lewis Hamilton admits ‘relief’ at discovering Ferrari car issue ‘massively’ hindered his Spanish GP performance (Sky)
Lewis Hamilton squashed any Fred Vasseur ‘exit’ rumours and admitted he felt ‘relieved’ after the Spanish GP when the team discovered an issue with the car
Lewis Hamilton has admitted it was “a relief” to discover after his poor performance at the Spanish Grand Prix than he had been “massively” hindered by a technical issue with his Ferrari.
Hamilton started from fifth on the grid in Barcelona and moved up to fourth on the first lap, but then struggled badly for pace as he took the chequered flag in sixth, having been ordered to let through team-mate Charles Leclerc who finished third.
The seven-time world champion cut a despondent figure during his post-race interviews as he suggested the lack of pace was down to his driving rather than the car, but Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur later said that Hamilton had been impacted by an issue with his SF-25. Read more
USATF make major announcement over World Championship after American track and field star forced to pull out (EssentiallySports)
One door closes and another opens in a big way. Just months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, USA Track & Field dropped a surprise update that reshaped their marathon lineup. A key member of the women’s team, Betsy Saina, originally locked in and ready to represent, has officially stepped down. But not due to injury or form. This time, it’s because she’s expecting a new chapter in life: motherhood. And with that, Team USATF had a decision to make fast. So, who would step up in her place?
The answer? Jess McClain, who’s been quietly putting in the work and building an elite resume over the past few years. Though originally named an alternate, McClain now finds herself thrust into the global spotlight. She’s not just a replacement; she’s a contender. McClain finished an impressive seventh at the Boston Marathon in April, clocking 2:22:43, the fastest time by an American woman in that race.
She also placed fourth at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon with a personal best of 2:25:46, and came fourth in the 10,000m at this year’s Olympic Trials on the track and field. In short? She’s more than ready. But… is it her championship? It will be a first for McClain to wear the Team USATF kit on the world scene, and she will be in good company. Read more
McIlroy falters as Spaun sets pace at bruising US Open (BBC)
Rory McIlroy found Oakmont Country Club a bruising challenge as only five players from round one’s morning wave ended under par at the US Open.
Masters champion McIlroy had started well and was two under through nine holes, but then unravelled with four bogeys and a double bogey as he posted a four-over 74.
JJ Spaun, who McIlroy beat in a play-off to win The Players Championship in March, leads the way on four under. The American had four birdies in his opening eight holes and his is the only bogey-free round halfway through day one. Read more