The woman in the photo is Christa Gail Pike. She is currently the only woman on Tennessee's death row and, having been sentenced at just 20 years old, is often noted as the youngest woman ever sentenced to death in the U.S.
The crime occurred in January 1995 when Pike was an 18-year-old attending a Job Corps program in Knoxville, Tennessee .
Driven by jealousy involving her boyfriend, Pike and two accomplices (her boyfriend and another student) lured 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer into the woods. For over about 30 minutes, they tortured and beat Slemmer, carving a pentagram into her chest. Pike delivered the fatal blow by striking her skull with a chunk of asphalt .
Prosecutors described it as an act of "extraordinarily brutal" cruelty.
After nearly 30 years of appeals, Pike's execution is currently scheduled for September 30, 2026 . If carried out, she would be the first woman executed in Tennessee in over 200 years .
Though her lawyers are currently fighting the sentence through a clemency petition and a religious-liberty lawsuit regarding the lethal injection process.
Do you think she should be executed?
🇺🇸 TENNESSEE WILL EXECUTE ITS FIRST WOMAN IN OVER 200 YEARS, ON SEPTEMBER 30.
Christa Gail Pike was 18 when she tortured and killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995, cutting her throat, carving a pentagram into her chest, and crushing her skull.
you sentenced someone to death by brutally murdering her. Now, the state is sentencing you to death and you are crying. What's the cry for?
God! Some people wicked pass devil oo. See as human being brutally ended the life of a fellow human becos of what?? God abeg ooo. Abeg make sept., 30th reach fast.
princepee: Lionel Richie should slow down .... He don't need all this concerts . He have made money and name . He should just retire and enjoy his old age.
Or he will go the way of Micheal Jackson
them no dey hear. Leave am. Overdo people. No be so onyeka onwenu take collapse for stage that year. Next thing na R.I.P everywhere. You dey 77years and your body don dey give you signs yet you still dey organize mumu concerts. Continue. No use your head.
Aminu Masari, former speaker of the house of representatives, says in almost 40 years of his involvement in politics, he has not seen a president with better plans for Nigeria than Bola Tinubu.
Masari spoke in a viral video published on Tuesday via Facebook by HM Arewa, a media group which relays news in Hausa.
In the video, Masari was addressing a group of women at a recent public function said to have been held in Kaduna.
“Even if I were asked to swear, on my age and my political involvement for almost 40 years, I can confidently say I have never seen a president with better plans to make Nigeria great than Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I have simply never seen anyone like him,” he said.
The former Katsina governor said those who claim Tinubu has done nothing are repeating a pattern of criticism witnessed during previous administrations.
He cited the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying critics raised issues of sectionalism and tribalism after Obasanjo’s first four years in office.
Masari also said similar criticisms were directed at the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that the same pattern is being replicated under Tinubu.
“The people who claim that Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done nothing are the kind of people who never appreciate when someone is doing well,” he said.
“A short look at our history shows that in 1999, after Obasanjo finished his first four years, these same people came out with issues of sectionalism and tribalism.
“They did the exact same thing to Goodluck Jonathan, and that is exactly what they are doing now.
“Those among them who are still alive, along with the ones they raised to think the same way, are the ones behind this.”
Masari added that some of the critics also try to whip up religious sentiments as though each religion exclusively belongs to a particular ethnic group.
“What surprises me about our people when they talk about religion is this, is religion exclusive to the Hausa, the Yoruba, or even the Igbo?” he asked.
He appealed to women preachers to use their influence to discourage divisive rhetoric as the 2027 election gathers momentum.
“Each and every one of you knows how to talk to her husband or children better than anyone else can,” Masari said.
“This divisive talk is only being pushed by people who are deeply selfish.”
Masari served as speaker of the lower chamber of the national assembly between 2003 and 2007 during Obasanjo’s second term in office.
He was governor of Katsina between 2015 and 2023 and, in August, was appointed deputy director-general, parliamentary mobilisation, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 17 other presidential candidates are contesting the 2027 election against Tinubu, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as his major rivals.
The Federal Government is working to announce a new national minimum wage to alleviate the economic hardship faced by Nigerian workers.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, made this disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja at a capacity-building workshop organised for labour correspondents.
Shoretire confirmed that consultations were underway to set an official date for negotiations.
“We are yet to announce the timetable for that, but background discussions are already ongoing.
“When it’s time to get the press involved in what has been proposed and what is being negotiated, it will be revealed to you,” he said.
According to him, the government was also engaging workers in sectors where disputes over salaries and allowances remained unresolved.
This followed intense pressure from organised labour groups to review the current N70,000 national minimum wage approved by the Federal Government in 2024.
The workers are also requesting an increase to N500,000 and an immediate wage award.
They equally demanded a reduction in the petrol price to N500 per litre.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has revealed that all his children supported Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, during the 2023 presidential election.
Wike disclosed this on Monday during an interview on TVC News.
The former Rivers State governor, however, attributed their support for Obi to the controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 election.
He said the situation had changed, claiming that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had addressed the concerns surrounding the same-faith ticket.
“All my children supported Peter Obi. But now, they are saying that they never knew this man, Peter Obi, was like this.
“There are a lot of people who were carried away, but that is no longer there now. Tinubu has been able to kill the Muslim-Muslim ticket problem,” Wike said.
Wike further insisted that Obi, who is now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, cannot win the 2027 presidential election.
Farouq Aliyu, former minority leader of the house of representatives, says he rejected the N250 million offered to him to support the third term agenda of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Aliyu spoke during the ‘Naija Unfiltered’ podcast, published via YouTube on Friday.
The third term agenda was one of the most controversial issues that characterised the administration of Obasanjo.
Obasanjo served as Nigerian president from 1999 to 2007.
In May 2006, the national assembly rejected a bill that sought to amend Nigeria’s constitution, which would have allowed Obasanjo run for a third successive term in office.
The former president has repeatedly denied that he sought a third term in office.
In September 2025, Obasanjo said he never pursued such an ambition and that if he had wanted a third term, he knew how to pursue it.
Speaking during the podcast, Aliyu said Obasanjo’s third term agenda was real despite the ex-president’s denial.
Aliyu said during discussions about the third term agenda, Nuhu Ribadu, who was the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, asked him to come to Abuja for a meeting with Obasanjo.
Aliyu said he initially rejected Ribadu’s request but later accepted to meet with Obasanjo.
The former lawmaker said when he went to Abuja, he discussed the third term agenda and insisted that the move would not be successful.
He added that he was offered N250 million by someone Ribadu asked him to meet with.
Aliyu did not mention the name of the person during the interview.
He added that Aminu Masari, who was the speaker of the lower chamber at the time, rejected the sum of N400 million to support the third term bid.
Aliyu said lawmakers were offered a minimum of N50 million to support the agenda.
“Third term agenda was real. In fact, 250 million was given to me. I did not take it,” he said.
“Masari, who was the speaker then, 400 million was offered. He did not take it. Abdul Ningi, the majority leader, 400 million naira was offered to him. He did not take it.
“N50 million was dashed to small fries. They paid minimum of N50 million.”
The former minority leader said late Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation, played prominent roles in thwarting the bid for a third term.
Some residents in Lagos State have raised concerns over suspected unsafe preparation and preservation of fufu.
They expressed their concerns in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.
NAN reports that fufu, also known as akpu or santana in Nigeria, is a local staple made from fermented cassava.
The cassava is peeled, soaked for days to ferment and remove toxins, blended, strained and cooked into a smooth dough.
Ready-to-eat portions of fufu previously sold at N1,000 for 13 balls are now sold at the same price in smaller portions.
Some consumers have gradually stopped eating fufu made in Lagos over concerns about its preparation, preservation and possible food poisoning.
A resident of Ajegunle, Miss Omena Udonwa, said her past experiences with fufu preparation had led her family to start making it themselves.
Udonwa said she was dissatisfied with the way some producers processed the staple.
“I saw a piece of rubber inside a fufu I bought recently and, if not for my vigilance, I would have consumed it.
“I once saw a producer who used detergent to wash the cassava and saw nothing wrong with what they did,” Udonwa said.
A Costain resident, Mr Adedayo Falade, said he loved fufu because it gave him the energy to engage in hard labour without getting tired easily.
Falade, however, expressed displeasure over the preparation methods used by some producers, saying they resulted in foul-smelling and sticky fufu.
“I rarely eat fufu now. Some fufu stays for days and even weeks on sale without patronage due to poor preparation methods.
“In spite of my love for fufu, I would rather source it from outside Lagos because I no longer trust how it is prepared here.
“Some processors in Lagos are just greedy for extra gain, so they can boycott good practices just to sell the product,” Falade said.
Another resident of Agege, Mrs Anuoluwapo Ayeni, said some fufu processors could be trusted, but consumers needed to be careful about where they bought the staple.
“Fufu is a good meal, but I urge Lagosians to be careful where they purchase their fufu.
“It will be beneficial to know how the fufu you consume is sourced and prepared to avoid health challenges in the future.
“We still have good processors, but they are few. Everyone should be sure of what they consume,” Ayeni said.
However, a fufu processor at Santana International, White Sand, Oyingbo, Mrs Hope Aniekan, described the stages involved in processing and storing the staple.
Aniekan said the cassava was first peeled and thoroughly washed with clean water before being soaked for about two days.
She explained that the soaked cassava was taken to a mill for grinding and subsequently filtered to remove unwanted particles.
According to her, after 30 minutes, the resulting paste was placed in a sack, covered with plantain leaves and weighted with a heavy stone.
“We adopt the traditional procedures in processing our fufu here. Our fufu can be trusted and our customers can attest to it.
“We only make use of salt in our fufu as a means of preservation to prevent the infestation of maggots.
“No other harmful additives are in our fufu, but I can only speak for myself. I don’t know how others process theirs.
“We have heard rumours of some unscrupulous processors adding harmful substances to quickly ferment their fufu,” she said.
Another resident and trader of the staple, simply known as Mama Chinonso, at Costain, said she used a warmer to preserve her fufu.
She said the method could keep the fufu fresh for three days during warm weather and up to one week during cold weather.
“I don’t add anything to preserve my fufu for long. When I am supplied, I simply keep it in my warmer to maintain its freshness.
“In warm weather, the fufu can last for three days and still be edible, but in cold weather, it can last up to a week.
“My family and I eat from it, so I won’t sell what I cannot eat,” she said.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has celebrated his wife, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as she marks her 66th birthday.
In a heartfelt post on X on Monday, the President described Oluremi as his truest friend, confidante and crown, praising her patience, grace and uncommon courage through their years together.
“Oluremi mi, @SenRemiTinubu. Today, I celebrate the woman who has walked beside me with patience, grace and uncommon courage,” Tinubu wrote.
Quoting a Yoruba adage, the President said, “Àwọn àgbà sọ pé, ‘Ìyàwó rere ni adé ọkọ rẹ̀.’ A good wife is her husband’s crown,” adding that his wife has given true meaning to the biblical description of a virtuous woman.
President Tinubu recounted how the First Lady stood by him through uncertain times, offering prayers, counsel and honest truth even when it was difficult to hear.
“In difficult times, when the future was uncertain, you stayed calm beside me and prayed with me. Through all these years, you have remained the one who truly understands me,” he stated.
He also lauded her impact beyond their home, from her work with the New Era Foundation during his tenure as Lagos State governor to the Renewed Hope Initiative, through which she has supported young boys and girls, widows, elderly citizens, women farmers and persons affected by tuberculosis.
“Nigerians know you for your compassion, kindness, generosity of spirit and steadfast faith. For you, compassion has never recognised the boundaries of tribe, region or religion,” the President said.
Reflecting on their journey together, Tinubu said if life gave him another chance, he would still choose his wife.
“A long journey teaches a man the true value of a good partner. We have travelled a long road together… If life returned me to the beginning, I would choose the same road that led me to you. Through every mile, my heart has always remained at home with you,” he wrote.
He concluded with a prayer for his wife: “Happy 66th birthday, my darling Oluremi. I pray that God Almighty will grant you many more years in good health and joy.”
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to reduce food waste and adopt sustainable practices to protect the environment
Tinubu made the call in a message marking the 2026 World Cleanup Day, observed on Sunday with the theme, “ From Clean Plates to Clean Cities."
She said the focus on food waste was particularly important as climate change, conflicts and other global challenges continued to disrupt food production and supply.
“This year’s focus on food waste is particularly important at a time when climate change, conflicts, and other global challenges continue to disrupt food production and supply,” she said.
The First Lady urged Nigerians to become more responsible in how they purchase, prepare, consume, and preserve food.
"I encourage households, businesses, and communities to reduce food waste, dispose of refuse properly, and adopt more sustainable practices that protect our environment," she added.
Tinubu said collective efforts were needed to build cleaner and healthier communities for present and future generations.
"Through our collective efforts, we can build cleaner, healthier communities for present and future generations," she said.
Veteran entertainer Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy, has defended his daughter following her engagement to her female partner, saying he cannot dictate how a 50-year-old woman should live her life.
The entertainer made this known in a post shared on his Instagram page while responding to criticism over his daughter’s relationship.
Charly Boy said that at her age, his daughter is old enough to make decisions about her life, adding that his responsibility as a father is to offer advice rather than control her choices.
“How you wan tell 50-year-old woman how to live her life? At that age, she don already live enough life to know herself. As a father, I fit advise. I fit talk my mind. But I no get remote control for another adult’s life,” he wrote.
He also revealed that his daughter has five grandchildren and a great-grandson, noting that she would always remain his daughter regardless of the choices she makes.
“She gave me 5 grandchildren and a great-grandson, and for that and many other reasons, she will always be my daughter,” he said.
According to Charly Boy, his daughter had experienced difficulties in her previous marriage before meeting her current partner.
"She was in a marriage where she saw pepper. Na after she commot dia, she jumped into dis one,” he added.
The veteran entertainer said he could not choose happiness for his daughter, recalling that his own father could not prevent him from becoming the person he wanted to be.
“I no fit choose her happiness for her. My own father couldn’t stop me from becoming Charlyboy, the man I wanted to become.
“So who am I to stand in front of my daughter and try to control the life she has chosen for herself?” he asked.
Charly Boy said everyone deserves the freedom to pursue happiness, adding that he wishes his daughter and others happiness.
“Everybody deserves the freedom to pursue their own happiness. I wish her happiness. I wish everybody happiness. At the end of the day, na love remains. Make everybody live their truth and find their own happiness,” he added.
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, says that if he becomes President in 2027, anyone importing hard drugs into Nigeria will face a life sentence, irrespective of the person’s status.
Obi made the vow on Saturday during a town hall meeting with NDC members and supporters in Kaduna State.
He also urged candidates of other political parties to avoid making unrealistic campaign promises that they cannot fulfil if elected into office.
“If I assume office as President of Nigeria, anybody importing hard drugs will face a life sentence. Our youths have died a lot because of hard drugs,” he said.
He equally called on political parties to focus on the challenges facing Nigerians by engaging directly with the people.
The former Anambra State governor also pledged to spend his annual holidays in Nigeria rather than abroad if elected president.
According to him, the President should remain close to the people and use such periods to visit different parts of the country, especially communities facing insecurity and other challenges.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he wished Nigerian entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlie Boy, had resembled his late father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, whom he described as a great man.
Obasanjo disclosed this during an interview with media personality, Bae U, published on Saturday, while recalling his initial perception of Charlie Boy and how his attitude towards the entertainer later changed after seeing how he cared for his father.
The former President was asked why he frequently referred to Charlie Boy as “Jaga Jaga”, to which he initially described the entertainer as someone he knew little about.
“Well, Charlie Boy is so jaga jaga that I don’t know anything about him,” Obasanjo said.
Explaining his perception of Charlie Boy, Obasanjo praised his late father, Justice Oputa, whom he said was one of the Nigerians he respected while he was alive.
“He has a good father, Justice Oputa. Oh, what a great man. I wish Charlie Boy had resembled him,” he said.
Obasanjo, however, said his opinion of Charlie Boy changed after he visited Justice Oputa and discovered that the late jurist was being cared for by his son
“When I first came to know Charlie Boy, I had no iota of regard or respect for him.
“But when I went to visit Justice and it was in Charlie Boy’s house. I didn’t know it was in Charlie Boy’s house.
“So the first thing that put me off in that house, I saw a motorcycle in front of the house. The way the motorcycle was dressed and all that, I said, ‘What is this?’
“And then I went inside the house. I saw how Justice was being taken care of and by who? Charlie Boy.
Ah, so I started changing my mind about Charlie Boy and until Justice Oputa died, Charlie Boy took perfect care of him, looked after him and he really behaved like a good child would give to his father.”
Obasanjo added that Charlie Boy also cared for his mother, whom he described as a humorous woman.
“He didn’t stop there. He did the same to his mother. And I used to frequently visit the mother, who was a great humorous woman.
“Charlie Boy took care of her. Then I started changing my mind. I changed my mind about him,” he said.
The former President further said Charlie Boy later explained that his unconventional public persona was part of his way of making a living.
According to Obasanjo, this also contributed to his changed perception of the entertainer, whom he described as intelligent.
“Then one day I asked him, I said, ‘Look, Charlie Boy, what is all this?’
“You said that Jaga Jaga, all those Jaga Jaga things that I see, is to make chop-chop and it’s an intelligent boy, that Charlie Boy, all Jaga Jaga, because you cannot do Jaga Jaga to earn a living without being intelligent,” he said.
Obasanjo said he consequently came to like Charlie Boy, although he added that it was “not too much.”
Zinedine Zidane confirmed on Friday that Kylian Mbappe would be his France captain after naming his first squad since being appointed as the successor to Didier Deschamps as coach of Les Bleus.
Real Madrid superstar Mbappe shone in his role as skipper at the World Cup and finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals, although France were beaten by eventual champions Spain in the semi-finals.
That brought the curtain down on the 14-year reign as coach of Deschamps, the highlight of which was the World Cup triumph in 2018. Zidane, who played alongside Deschamps in the France sides that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, was unveiled at the end of July as the new coach on a four-year contract.
His first matches in charge come in the UEFA Nations League, beginning with a trip to Turkey next Friday and then a meeting with Belgium in Brussels on September 28.
Zidane’s first home game at the helm will be against Italy at the Stade de France on October 2, with his new charges then hosting Belgium three days later.
The 54-year-old former Ballon d’Or winner Zidane, who retired from playing in 2006 after being sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi during that year’s World Cup final which France lost on penalties to Italy, has named several new faces in his first squad.
Centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, 21, is included as a reward for his performances with Liverpool since moving to the Premier League club during the close season.
Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul, the top scorer in Ligue 1 last season, gets a first call-up while there is a place for the midfielder Lucas Da Cunha of Como in Serie A.
Andy Diouf, the midfielder or wing-back with Inter Milan, and Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes also come in.
Notable names who were at the World Cup but who do not feature in the squad include the Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and the Inter forward Marcus Thuram, as well as the injured Arsenal defender William Saliba.
France squad
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Robin Risser (Lens), Guillaume Restes (Toulouse)
Defenders: Andy Diouf (Inter Milan/ITA), Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool/ENG), Ibrahima Konate (Real Madrid/ESP), Pierre Kalulu (Juventus/ITA), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea/ENG), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth/ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City/ENG), Lucas Da Cunha (Como/ITA), Manu Kone (Roma/ITA), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan/ITA), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Ta[i]lks over the possible transfer of Mafab Communications’ 5G spectrum to MTN Nigeria are reopening debate over the value of the $273.6m spectrum holding and its implications for competition and investment in Nigeria’s next-generation mobile market[/i].
Industry sources who spoke to The PUNCH on Thursday confirmed that discussions over a possible sale had taken place, although no concrete deal had been reached and any transfer would require regulatory approval and engagement with other stakeholders.
If Mafab’s spectrum moves to MTN, the operator, which already controls half of Nigeria’s mobile market, would potentially have more frequency resources to deploy alongside its existing network infrastructure.
“The potential deal creates a difficult balance for the regulator. Additional spectrum could enable an established operator like MTN to improve service quality and deploy capacity more efficiently, while greater concentration of spectrum could alter the competitive position of operators that do not have comparable network infrastructure or financial resources,” Telecom consultant Ejikeme Onyeaso told The PUNCH.
Mafab and MTN each paid $273.6m for 100MHz blocks in the 3.5GHz band after emerging as winners of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s 2021 5G spectrum auction.
MTN subsequently paid an additional $15.9m at the assignment stage to secure the 3500–3600MHz block, while Mafab was assigned the 3700–3800MHz block without an additional payment.
The auction was designed to support the introduction of 5G while widening the number of operators with access to high-capacity spectrum. MTN, Mafab and Airtel submitted bids for the two available 100MHz lots before MTN and Mafab emerged as the winners.
The potential combination of Mafab’s spectrum with MTN’s extensive network and tower infrastructure could significantly strengthen the operator’s ability to expand capacity and coverage, according to an industry executive.
“The deal could benefit MTN subscribers if the additional spectrum enabled the operator to improve network capacity and coverage, particularly as demand for mobile data continued to rise. It could also make the operator more attractive to investors,” the executive argued, adding that the move could increase pressure on competing networks.
Nearly five years after the auction, Nigeria’s mobile market is developing at different speeds, with 5G adoption growing from its early stages while 4G continues to account for more than half of mobile connections. The divergence leaves operators balancing investment in newer networks with the immediate demands of their existing customer base.
An industry executive familiar with the telecoms market, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, questioned why Mafab had not developed a stronger independent ecosystem around the spectrum it acquired.
The executive argued that the industry needed to understand the reasons for Mafab’s experience before assessing the implications of a potential transfer to MTN, while also questioning how the transaction could affect the spectrum position of other major operators, particularly Airtel and Globacom.
“From a spectrum standpoint, we need to understand what position MTN put in, vis-a-vis other operators,” the executive, who also owns a telecoms firm, told The PUNCH.
Our correspondent reached out to MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications for comments on the deal but had not received responses as of the time of filing this report.
Building a 5G network is largely expensive, and the return on investment is not necessarily strong enough to justify rapid expansion for a market like Nigeria, where not so many people can afford 5G-enabled devices.
The NCC’s latest figures show that 5G accounted for 4.74 per cent of mobile connections in July 2026, compared with 54.31 per cent for 4G. The 5G share has risen from 0.12 per cent in July 2023, but 4G remains the dominant mobile broadband technology.
Against that backdrop, one industry source questioned whether acquiring more 5G spectrum should come before a clearer assessment of how additional capacity would be used. “What does MTN need the 5G spectrum for?” the industry insider asked.
The operator could require additional spectrum as its network expanded and data traffic increased, but the source questioned the economics of deploying more 5G infrastructure when the number of consumers with compatible devices remained relatively limited.
The executive also pointed to continuing complaints about the quality and capacity of 4G services, raising questions about how networks would cope if consumers moved in large numbers to a technology capable of much faster data speeds.
Ahead of the 2027 general election, several Nollywood actors including Toyin Abraham, Jide Kosoko, Bukky Wright, Oga Bello, Bimbo Akintola and Eniola Badmus have been named as members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Campaign Council in Lagos State.
The actors were listed under Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate in the list of the APC Campaign Council released on Thursday by the Kadri Obafemi Hamzat Media Centre.
Toke Benson-Awoyinka was appointed as Director of the Directorate, while Kosoko is named Co-Director and Eniola Badmus as Deputy Director.
Ajala Jalingo is listed as Secretary and Dare Olateju as Assistant Secretary.
Other actors on the list include Saheed Balogun, Biola Adebayo, Foluke Daramola, Remi Oshodi, Faithia Balogun, Yinka Quadri, Abey Lanre, Tayo Sobola and Kikelomo Balogun, among others.
Nigeria's newest mobile operator, Lebara, has gone live nationwide, making its SIM cards available to the public through a network of retail outlets and registered agents across the country.
The company confirmed the launch in a statement on Monday, September 14, 2026, saying Nigerians can now pick up a physical SIM card or activate an eSIM through participating retailers.
Customers who prefer a digital process can also complete their Know Your Customer (KYC) verification remotely via the My LebaraNG application.
Teniola Stuffman, chief executive officer of Lebara Nigeria, said the go-live was a significant milestone for the company.
She said:
"We are excited to officially go live and make Lebara SIMs available to Nigerians. This is an important step for us as we begin to bring our services directly to customers.
"Our focus is on making connectivity simple and accessible while building digital experiences that give our customers more value
Lebara said it had already brought more than 1,000 retail agents into its distribution network before launch, with Slot stores among the outlets where customers can access its services from day one.
What Lebara is offering
The initial service bundle covers mobile voice, SMS and data, alongside features such as usage tracking, cloud storage, Buy Now Pay Later options for eligible devices and access to LebaraPlay, the company's entertainment platform.
Nigerians interested in becoming distributors can register through Lebara's website as the company works to deepen its reach.
How Lebara fits into Nigeria's telecoms market
Lebara is entering as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), meaning it delivers services to customers using infrastructure owned by existing network operators rather than building its own.
This approach allows the company to compete on pricing, distribution and customer experience without the capital outlay that comes with constructing a full mobile network.
The company's Nigerian operations are tied to VAS2Nets Telecommunications Limited, which holds a Tier 5 MVNO licence from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)., Punch reports.
That licence took effect in March 2024, and the brand-licensing agreement between Lebara and VAS2Nets was announced in May of the same year. Lebara later unveiled its 0724 number series and held a soft launch in Lagos in February 2026 before rolling out nationwide.
The operator now competes in a sector already occupied by MTN Nigeria, Airtel Africa's Nigerian business, Globacom and 9mobile.
i]The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has reacted to the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offering, IPO[/i].
In a statement posted on his verified X handle on Wednesday, Obi commended the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote over his giant stride in Nigeria and Africa.
Obi said that Dangote’s move validates his position that Nigeria should move from consumption to production.
He encouraged other Nigerian businesses to invest in the productive sectors of the Nigerian economy and also give fellow Nigerian citizens the opportunity to be part of the re-industrialization of the country by offering their shares to the public through public offerings.
“In the course of my engagements with Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, many of them have sought my opinion on investing in the ongoing Dangote Petroleum Refinery Initial Public Offering.
“While encouraging them to buy, I must say that I remain very proud of the commitment and breakthrough of Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s investment in the real sector of our country’s economy, across different sectors,” he wrote.
Crime › Re: Christa Pike: American Woman On Death Row To Be Executed September 30 by Kingzjayzee: 2:25pm On Sep 23
