Author: Faith Babatunde

Canada has invited 1,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry system under the Canadian Experience Class. The invitation round was conducted on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, with candidates requiring a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 523. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the draw was conducted at 10:13:44 UTC, with a tie-breaking rule based on profiles submitted by August 17, 2026, at 22:09:00 UTC. The Canadian Experience Class is designed for skilled workers with Canadian work experience who want to become permanent residents. Applicants generally need at least one year, or 1,560 hours, of eligible…

Governor Ademola Adeleke has appealed for peace and unity in Osun State following his re-election, as the All Progressives Congress considers its legal options over Saturday’s governorship election. Adeleke was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission after polling **511,067 votes** to defeat APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who scored **444,815 votes**. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11. In his victory remarks, Adeleke extended an olive branch to his opponents, declaring that there was “no victor, no vanquished.” He promised to build on his achievements, correct his shortcomings and accelerate development under…

President Bola Tinubu has rejected former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s doubts about the viability of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, insisting that the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries will return to operation. Tinubu made the declaration when he received the Executive President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Salimon Oladiti, and other union members at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. “The refineries you mentioned are going to come back to work,” Tinubu said, explaining that his administration was working on the economic and structural issues surrounding the facilities. He stressed that simply seeing a refinery produce smoke does…

The UK government has revised guidelines covering certain land, buildings and property interests classified as bona vacantia, including updated indicative charges for property valuations. The Bona Vacantia Division announced the changes on Monday, affecting guidance on referring potentially ownerless land or buildings and applications to purchase a freehold reversion. The division said the revisions reflect increases in indicative charges associated with District Valuer fees where a valuation is required. Bona vacantia refers to property that has no legal owner. In England and Wales, certain ownerless properties can pass to the Crown and are administered through the Bona Vacantia Division. The…

Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche, has rejected claims that Christianity is subordinate to any religion in Nigeria, warning against statements capable of heightening religious tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections. Enenche spoke during the church’s Sunday service at its headquarters in Abuja, reacting to comments attributed to Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahya Jingir in support of the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. A video of the sermon shared on Enenche’s X account carried the caption, “NOBODY SHOULD TAKE THE BODY OF CHRIST FOR GRANTED!‼️” Enenche described suggestions that Christianity is secondary as unacceptable, insisting that…

Tears of joy and heartfelt embraces filled the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, on Tuesday as schoolchildren and teachers rescued from kidnappers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State reunited with their families after 56 days in captivity. Parents, who had waited anxiously for medical clearance, rushed to embrace their children as they were discharged from the hospital. Many expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, security agencies, religious leaders and Nigerians for their support and prayers. The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Olawale Olakulehin, said 31 of the 39 rescued pupils had been discharged,…

Residents of Ayinke Street in Shogunle, Oshodi, have called on the Lagos State Government to provide relief after severe flooding destroyed household property, damaged vehicles and disrupted businesses. The flooding followed heavy rainfall that caused part of a perimeter fence to collapse, blocking the free flow of water and forcing floodwater into nearby homes. Residents blamed blocked drainage channels and debris for worsening the situation. Several victims said furniture, electronics, clothing and food items were destroyed, while some vehicles were damaged or swept into nearby canals. Business owners also lamented significant financial losses after floodwater entered their shops. Residents in…

Troops of Sector 2 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have dismantled an illegal arms factory in Kebbi State, recovering five locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and arresting two suspected gun manufacturers linked to criminal groups. According to the military, the operation followed credible intelligence that led troops to a secluded compound allegedly used to produce and store illegal firearms. The raid was carried out in collaboration with other security agencies. The Media Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, said investigations have begun to identify other members of the network, including financiers and collaborators involved in supplying weapons to…

Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye has announced that he will step away from international football for as long as head coach Pape Thiaw remains in charge of the national team. The 27-year-old made the announcement on social media shortly after Senegal’s heartbreaking 3-2 extra-time defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Teranga Lions had taken a commanding 2-0 lead through Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr before Belgium staged a dramatic comeback, with Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans scoring to force extra time. Tielemans later converted a late penalty to seal Belgium’s victory. In…

Heirs Energies, in partnership with Redtech, has commissioned an Integrated Operations Monitoring Centre designed to improve operational efficiency, security and decision-making across its OML 17 asset. The company said the facility serves as a central hub that combines production monitoring, security surveillance, hydrocarbon evacuation and asset performance into a single digital platform. The centre will also support future technologies such as artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and remote operations. Chief Executive Officer of Heirs Energies, Osa Igiehon, described the project as a major step toward smarter and safer upstream operations, noting that real-time access to operational data would enable quicker decisions…