Kwara Sports Arena Honours Asiwaju Mashood Shittu for Grassroots Sports Development Poet of Afrique Reporter Asiwaju Mashood Shittu (AMS), the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) House of Representatives candidate for Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, has been honoured with a prestigious award by the Kwara Sports Arena in recognition of his outstanding contributions to grassroots sports development in Offa Local Government Area. The award acknowledges AMS's unwavering commitment to empowering young people through sports and creating platforms for emerging talents to showcase their abilities and achieve their aspirations. Over the years, his support for sporting activities has provided opportunities for many youths to participate in competitive events, develop their skills, and pursue promising careers in sports. Presenting the award, the organisers commended Asiwaju Shittu's dedication to youth development and community advancement, describing his contributions as a ...

 The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, was clarifying on Thursday that the Federal Government had not yet approved Adire as the new uniform for National Youth Service Corps members. This came just hours after his earlier comments were sparking widespread reactions across the country. Olawande was taking to his official X handle to set the record straight, saying reports that Adire was replacing the iconic khaki uniform were misrepresenting what he had said during his appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. He was explaining that while he did mention Adire and Ankara during the interview, he was only using them as examples of proposals that were being considered as part of the ongoing reforms. He was stressing that no final decision had been made on either the fabric or the design. "I was simply citing examples from our consultations. I was not announcing that any particular fabric had been adopted," he was stating. According to the minister, the ...

  PMS Prices Drop Nationwide as Marketers Adjust to Dangote Refinery's New Rates   Motorists across Nigeria are beginning to enjoy lower petrol prices following recent reductions in the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. The downward price adjustment has prompted several filling stations and petroleum marketers to review their pump prices, offering some relief to consumers facing rising transportation and living costs. A market survey conducted on Saturday revealed that both independent marketers and major retail outlets have commenced selling petrol at reduced rates, particularly in Abuja and other parts of the country. The latest development comes just days after Dangote Refinery announced a reduction in its gantry price, lowering the ex-depot rate of petrol to ₦1,075 per litre. Following the adjustment, major marketers including MRS Oil Nigeria Plc and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited also reviewed thei...

  Constitution Amendment Bill Proposes State Police, Redefines Nigeria’s Security Structure A proposed amendment to Nigeria’s Constitution may significantly reshape the nation’s policing system by creating a dual policing structure that allows states to establish and operate their own police forces alongside the Federal Police. The Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, currently before the National Assembly, seeks to remove the long-standing constitutional restriction that prohibits the establishment of police forces other than the Nigeria Police Force. For decades, Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution provided that there shall be only one police force for the federation, effectively preventing the creation of state-controlled policing institutions. The proposed amendment seeks to replace that provision with a framework establishing both Federal Police and State Police as constitutionally recognised law enforcement agencies. Under the proposed arrangement, the Federal Pol...

  Belgium Moves to Digitise Congo-Era Geological Archives Amid Global Demand for Critical Minerals Belgium has begun efforts to open public access to a vast collection of geological records from the colonial era in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as global competition intensifies for critical minerals essential to modern technology and industry. The extensive archive, housed at the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren near Brussels, contains nearly 500 metres of documents, including geological surveys, maps, field reports, and mining records dating back decades. The museum has announced plans to digitise the collection and make it publicly accessible within the next five years. According to museum geologist François Kervyn, who is leading the project, the archive contains invaluable scientific information gathered through years of fieldwork conducted across largely unexplored regions of Congo during the colonial period. The records include geological studies carried out by Belgian ...

  11 Kidnap Victims Escape After Abductors Fall Asleep in Edo Forest Poet of Afrique Reporter Eleven persons abducted by suspected kidnappers in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State have regained their freedom after reportedly escaping from captivity when their captors fell asleep in the forest. One of the victims, Braimah Destiny , who spoke on behalf of the group at the Edo State Police Command Headquarters in Benin City, narrated that he was returning from his farm when he encountered six armed men wielding guns and machetes. According to him, the kidnappers abducted him alongside 10 other victims and marched them deep into the forest. “I was coming from the farm when I met six armed men. They also captured other people, making us 11 victims in total. They moved us from one bush to another throughout the night. We heard gunshots from security operatives while they were taking us away,” he said. Braimah explained that after trekking for several hours, the kidnappe...

  West Africa Reels From Deadly Floods as Death Toll Rises By Poet of Afrique News Several West African countries are battling devastating floods following days of torrential rainfall that have claimed dozens of lives, displaced residents and caused widespread destruction of homes, roads and businesses. The affected countries include Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Togo and Nigeria, where authorities continue emergency response efforts amid fears of further rainfall. In Ghana, at least 13 people have been confirmed dead after heavy downpours submerged large sections of the capital, Accra. Rescue teams and residents worked tirelessly to save stranded victims as floodwaters swept through major roads and residential communities. According to meteorological reports, Ghana recorded more than 140 millimetres of rainfall within 24 hours, one of the highest daily rainfall volumes experienced by the country since 1995. Reacting to the disaster, President John Mahama ordered the demolitio...