EXPERTMATTER

Israeli police have announced the arrest of two top aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of the ongoing ‘Qatargate’ investigation into suspected unlawful ties between Netanyahu’s inner circle and Qatar. The suspects, identified by Hebrew-language media as Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, were taken into custody earlier today, according to a brief police statement. The arrests are linked to an investigation by Lahav 433, Israel’s national crime unit, and the Shin Bet security agency. Authorities are probing suspected ties between Netanyahu’s senior aides and Qatari interests. Due to a court-imposed gag order, further details remain undisclosed. The ‘Qatargate’ scandal gained traction following reports that Feldstein, Netanyahu’s former spokesman, allegedly compromised national security by stealing and leaking classified IDF documents. Additionally, Feldstein is accused of working on behalf of Qatar, using an international firm hired by Doha to influence Israeli media with...

The Adamawa State Government has confirmed incidents of dog bites and resulting rabies in some communities of Yola South and Girei local government areas. The government, affirming reported rising cases of rabies in the affected communities, cautioned residents to be watchful, as the situation has serious public health implications. The Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Livestock and Aquaculture Development, Dr. Amin Suleiman, told newsmen that the ministry has received reports of dogs biting both humans and other dogs. “Affected individuals are currently receiving medical treatment under the close supervision of the ministry’s Rapid Response Squad,” the permanent secretary disclosed. He added that suspected rabid dogs have been quarantined at an approved government veterinary clinic in Yola for further examination. He assured that his ministry is working closely with the state Ministry of Health and Human Development to contain the outbreak. “We urge pet owners, particular...

Nigerian football legend Mutiu Adepoju (54) says the Super Eagles must keep pushing forward despite their slim chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Still riding high from their 2-0 away win in Rwanda, the three-time African champions played a 1-1 home draw with Zimbabwe, putting their qualification hopes in jeopardy. Victor Osimhen  gave Eric Chelle's team a 74th-minute lead against the Warriors, but a 90th-minute goal from substitute Tawanda Chirewa ensured the points were shared at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium. With just seven points from six matches,  Nigeria  occupy the fourth position in Group C, six points behind leaders South Africa, who secured a 2-0 away win against Gernot Rohr’s Benin Republic. "Before the game against Zimbabwe, I said Nigeria might qualify for the World Cup, but it would be tough. Now, it is even tougher," Adepoju told Flashscore.com while explaining where the Eagles went...

The Chicago Bulls left Thursday night with a thrilling win after Josh Giddey (22) hit the game-winning half-court shot at the buzzer! The shot came after a flurry of heart-pumping moments with the Bulls first scoring six points in six seconds to take the lead.  But Lakers point guard  Austin Reaves  hit a clutch layup to put LA back on top. It wasn't until Giddey launched a prayer at the buzzer that sent the fans inside the United Center into a frenzy. The Bulls have now won four straight with two of those wins coming against the Lakers and the others against the  Denver Nuggets  and  Sacramento Kings .  Standing with a 33-40 record, Chicago is currently sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. 

Celebrity  Disc jockey   DJ Cuppy   has expressed optimism about Nigeria’s potential to elect a female President, drawing inspiration from Namibia’s recent achievement. Namibia made history by becoming the first African country to have a female President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and a female Vice President, Lucia Witbooi. This milestone has sparked hope for DJ Cuppy, who believes it could pave the way for women in Nigeria to take on leadership roles. Namibia’s achievement is a significant step forward for gender equality in Africa, and Nandi-Ndaitwah’s leadership is expected to bring about positive change. DJ Cuppy said on social media: “Namibia just made history… Africa’s FIRST country with BOTH a female President AND female Vice President. Maybe there’s hope for Nigeria one day after all…”

Actress Annie Idibia has made a comeback to social media, barely two months after the highly publicised marriage breakup with music star 2Baba. Her return to Instagram has sparked widespread attention with fans and followers eagerly awaiting her next move. In a symbolic gesture, Annie deleted all her photos on Instagram, signaling a fresh start and new chapter in her life.  The actress’s marriage to 2Baba, with whom she shares two children, ended in January 2025, when the music icon announced their separation on social media. Annie reportedly sought treatment at a rehabilitation centre while 2Baba has moved on with his new fiancée, Natasha Osawaru, an Edo-lawmaker. Annie’s return to social media has been met with an outpouring of support and encouragement from fans, who are rooting for her to emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.

  Thirty-nine constitutional amendment bills have scaled second reading in the House of Representatives. The bills cut across various sectors including judicial reforms, electoral matters security and policing, inclusive governance, legislature, and others. Some of the proposals include: A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the establishment of state police and local government police A bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to provide that general elections to the office of the president, state governors, National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly, and local government area councils shall be conducted simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly. A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to make the Court...

MTN Group and Airtel Africa have agreed to share mobile phone network infrastructure in Nigeria and Uganda.  Statements by the duo on Wednesday said the agreement is aimed at saving investments while still increasing service coverage. Mobile operators in Africa are seeing sustained demand for digital and financial services, but building and maintaining networks is expensive, especially for fast 5G connections. The companies also said they will explore various opportunities in other markets, including Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda and Zambia. Among the deals under consideration are radio access network sharing, the largest portion of the cost in network deployment and operation; commercial and technical agreements for fibre infrastructure sharing; and, if necessary, the construction of fibre networks, they added. The companies said, “This engagement does not preclude the parties from collaborating with other operators in any respective market.” Speaking on the agreement, MTN Group CEO ...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that its operatives have busted a Ponzi Scheme academy operating in Abuja. The anti-graft agency which made this known in a statement issued on Monday said that the operatives arrested 133 suspects linked to the fraudulent enterprise.   The Commission stated that the operation was carried out on Monday at Compensation Layout in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following actionable intelligence on the illicit activities of the academy. According to the statement, the institution, identified as Q University (also known as Q-Net), was allegedly engaged in recruiting young Nigerians into a financial scam disguised as a wealth-building programme.    The academy reportedly lured individuals with the promise of unrealistic profit returns, training recruits to further enlist more unsuspecting victims into the scheme.

Samsung Electronics has announced the sudden passing of co-CEO Han Jong-hee due to a heart attack on Tuesday, leaving newly appointed leader, Jun Young-hyun, as the sole chief executive at a critical time for the company. Han, 63, had led Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices division since becoming CEO in 2022.   His death comes as the South Korean tech giant struggles to regain its footing in the competitive semiconductor and smartphone markets. Samsung confirmed in a regulatory filing that Jun, who was appointed co-CEO just last week at the annual shareholders' meeting, will now oversee the entire company.    Jun was previously promoted in 2024 to head the semiconductor division, which has lagged behind rivals such as SK Hynix and TSMC in the booming artificial intelligence chip sector.   Following the news of Han’s death, Samsung’s shares fell by 0.5%, mirroring a broader decline in the South Korean stock market.

Stakeholders have urged the Nigerian government to strengthen local production and supply chains for horticulture and grapes to tap into the European Union’s €43 billion horticulture and grape import markets. The call was made during a webinar organised by the EU-Nigeria Agribusiness Platform , titled “Market Insights: Opportunities in the EU Edible Vegetables, Floriculture, and Grapes Import Markets.” The event brought together horticulture businesses, scientists, academia, government officials, farmers’ associations and service providers from Nigeria and EU countries. Participants emphasised the need for Nigeria to capitalise on the lucrative markets. Bonaventure Mwaghania, CEO of Cenacle Kenya Limited, highlighted Nigeria’s strategic advantages, including proximity to EU countries and competitive sea freight rates.

Four persons have been confirmed dead, and three others sustained various degrees of injury in a motor accident in Katsina State. The incident occurred on Sunday morning when a Volkswagen Golf car veered off the road, resulting in the death of the driver and three passengers. The victims were returning from Musawa, where they had gone to visit a sick person when the accident happened along the Musawa-Dan-Ali road around 11 am. A resident of Dan-Ali, Alhaji Tukur Dan-Ali, confirmed the incident and identified the deceased as Sama’ila Abdulmudallabi, Rabilu Ahmed, Hashiya Saminu, and Nana Aliyu. He noted that all the deceased were family persons and residents of Dan-Ali village. The injured, Hajara Abdulmudallabi, Jamila Abdulmudallabi, and Maikudi Salisu, are currently receiving treatment at the Katsina Federal Teaching Hospital.

The Police Command in Lagos State has detained a 22-year-old member of an armed robbery syndicate specialising in car theft. The command’s spokesman, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin , confirmed the arrest and detention in a statement to journalists on Saturday in Lagos. Hundeyin said that the suspect was apprehended in the Ikotun area of the state through intelligence gathering. “The syndicate targets vehicles in the Eastern part of Nigeria and transports their victims’ cars to Lagos and sell them. “During interrogation, he confessed to receiving three Lexus 330 and one Lexus 350 2017 model from an accomplice, a woman, who is still at large,” Hundeyin said. The police image maker said that the suspect led a team of operatives to where he sold the cars. “One Lexus 350 silver in color and a Lexus 330 black in color were recovered,” he said. According to him, efforts are in top gear to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and possible recovery of all the stolen vehicles. The spokesperso...

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday began hearing the case of defamation instituted by two operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). The officers instituted the case last September following SERAP’s refusal to apologise to the DSS after accusing operatives of the secret police of invading its Abuja office. Miffed by the action of the civil society organisation, the DSS officers, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, filed the defamation lawsuit in October 2024, seeking ₦5 billion in damages from SERAP. In addition to the remedy sought by the officers for what they called reputational harm, the two officers also demanded that SERAP should publish an apology on its website, national dailies and television stations. The duo also demanded the payment of N50 million for legal costs and 10 per cent annual interest on the N5 billion until payment is completed. At the resumed hearing, the court adv...

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s unilateral removal of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Obi described the removal of Fubara, his deputy, and members of the House of Assembly as unconstitutional and reckless. In a statement issued on his X handle, he warned that such actions threaten Nigeria’s democracy, undermine the rule of law, and set a dangerous precedent for governance. According to Obi, the decision has plunged the country back into lawlessness, undoing the democratic progress made over the past 26 years. He accused the President of displaying a “dangerous willingness to trample on democracy” by bypassing constitutional processes and arbitrarily declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State. The statement read: “The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State is not just reckless—it is a clear attempt to return us to a state of nature and tighten the government’s grip on power at...

Bandits attacked Dutsin-Ma town in Katsina State on Tuesday night, abducting two students of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma in the Bayan Gidan Radio area. The incident was disclosed by a security analyst, Bakatsine, in a post on his official X handle on Wednesday. According to Bakatsine, the armed assailants stormed the area late in the night, causing panic among residents before abducting the students. “Yesterday night, bandits attacked Dutsin-Ma town, Katsina State, abducting two students of Federal University Dutsin-Ma in the Bayan Gidan Radio area.” Efforts to reach the state police command for an official statement were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

The United States has has frowned at the remarks made by South Africa’s ambassador to the United States about President Donald Trump were unacceptable. US State Department spokesperson stated this on Monday while speaking with reporters after Washington last week made the decision to expel the envoy. Ties between the two countries have reportedly gone sour after Trump cut US financial aid to South Africa, citing disapproval of its land policy and its genocide case against Washington’s ally Israel at the International Court of Justice. The expulsion of ambassador Ebrahim Rasool amid an article that quoted him as saying President Donald Trump was leading a white supremacist movement, was the last straw. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said on Saturday in a post on X that he was expelling Rasool, calling him a race-baiting politician, who hates Trump, and reposting the article from right-wing website Breitbart. “These remarks were unacceptable to the United States, not just to the pre...

An explosion has rocked the Trans-Niger Pipeline at Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The explosion occurred late on Monday night near the Bodo-Bonny Road under construction. The affected section of the major pipeline is currently on fire, though the exact cause of the explosion remains unknown at this time. It is not yet clear whether the incident resulted from human interference, especially amid recent threats by militant groups to attack oil installations in the state .

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said he has plenty of respect for the Premier League club's former skipper Roy Keane but he wants to do things in his own way after the Irishman criticised his work rate. Fernandes , who was named man of the match for his performance in  United 's 3-0 win at relegation-threatened Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday, was criticised by Keane in an appearance on the  Stick to Football  podcast. The 30-year-old Portugal midfielder has often been criticised for his on-field demeanour and has admitted in the past that his gesticulating and complaining can rile up both teammates and opponents. "I do things in my own way," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "Obviously it's not nice to hear those things about you, but at the same time it motivates you and obviously people think there's a lot of things you need to improve. "You have to take it in a positive understanding that whatever people are saying, if it's ...

Alexander Isak   has refused to rule out extending his contract at Newcastle United despite reported interest from clubs including Liverpool and Arsenal. The Swedish striker has been one of the Magpies’ standout performer this season and has scored 22 goals in 32 appearances across all competitions, including 19 strikes in 25 Premier League outings. Since moving to St James’ Park from Real Sociedad for a club-record £63m in August 2022, Isak has found the net 57 times in 99 appearances for Newcastle, and he recently became the seventh-fastest player in Premier League history to score 50 goals in the division, doing so after 76 games. Isak’s exceptional form in front of goal has understandably caught the eye of a number of top European teams, with Liverpool and Arsenal two clubs who have recently been heavily linked with a big-money summer swoop for the 25-year-old. Arsenal are known to be in the market for a new centre-forward who they hope can take them to the next level and end ...

Airstrikes by the   Nigerian Air Force   (NAF) aircraft have killed two bandits kingpins, Gero (Alhaji) and Alhaji Riga, including 20 of their fighters in Zamfara State. The bandits were killed in their hideouts at Unguwar Goga hillforest in Faskari Local Government Area of the state. A statement by the Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, said the “precision airstrikes were executed in early hours of March 13, after careful and actionable intelligence.” The statement reads: “ The strike advancing purposeful lethality, destroyed the fortified camps of notorious bandit kingpins, Gero (Alhaji) and Alhaji Riga, neutralising over 20 criminals, with additional casualties reported in the surrounding rocky hills.  “The airstrike had a decisive impact on the criminals, assessment of the full extent of the damage is ongoing.” Riga and Gero, according to the statement, were key enablers of banditry, sheltering terrorist elements responsibl...

American rapp er and YouTuber Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr., popularly known as DDG, has sacked his cameraman for flirting with his date. I n a clip of his recent livestream making the rounds on social media, the rapper was seen on a date with model Tiana at a restaurant, but his cameraman, Johnny, kept distracting them by continuously flirting with the model. His action angered the rapper who then sent him a text, informing him that he had been sacked. “Check your phone, Johnny,” he told the cameraman after sending the text. The cameraman displayed the message he received from his boss on the screen. The message reads, “You fired after stream.” DDG has been going on dates with multiple different women since his breakup with his baby mama Halle Bailey. The rapper recently announced plans to relocate to Lagos, Nigeria, saying he was tired of living in the United States.

Nollywood actor, Uzor Arukwe has reacted to the backlash over his role in Omoni Oboli’s new movie ‘ Love In Every Word. ’ Arukwe, who played the role of Odogwu Obiora, an affluent Igbo man who spends lavishly on his partner Chioma (played by Bambam), has been under fire for allegedly portraying Igbo men as “simps.” While the movie has been praised by many, especially ladies as a perfect example of how men should treat their partners, some male viewers complained that the movie exaggerated men’s responsibilities to their partners. An X user Himp2million wrote, “Anambra men are not simps. Your movie is liked only by ladies who have always had the illusion of an odogwu that’ll spend his last dime on them.” Responding to the X user, Arukwe explained that taking care of one’s partner and spending money on them doesn’t make a simp but responsible man. He wrote, “Taking care of your woman and spending money on her doesn’t make you a simp. It only makes you a responsible man. “How else do you ...

The Lagos State House of Assembly has again dismissed reports on the planned defection of 25 lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to an unnamed political party. The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Security and Strategy , Stephen Ogundipe, made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos. The Assembly had previously debunked similar defection claims on February 19. Ogundipe described the latest allegation as baseless, saying that no APC member in the Assembly was contemplating defection. He said: “It is important to recall that during the recent leadership dispute within the Assembly, a similar report emerged, suggesting that 27 members were preparing to leave the APC for the Labour Party. “That claim was also unequivocally refuted, with members reaffirming their commitment to the party and their confidence in resolving internal disagreements through established mechanisms. “We acknowledge that challenges may arise, but we remain committed to addre...

Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have rescued seven kidnapped persons in the Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. The Media Officer of OPSH, Maj. Samson Zhakom, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Jos. Zhakom said the victims were rescued on March 7 following an aggressive operation conducted by troops in the area. He said: “Our troops have rescued 7 kidnapped victims in Riyom LGA of Plateau, following an offensive operations conducted at Attakar high grounds in Ganawuri district of the area. “The operation, carried out based on intelligence reports revealed that kidnappers were keeping some victims abducted along Jos – Ganawuri road. “During the operation, troops made contact with the kidnappers and superior firepower forced them to flee into the high grounds. “Troops also recovered a bag containing a blanket and clothing materials abandoned by the criminals.” Zhakom, who said the victims had been reunited with their families, promised that the troops would soon...