Connect with us

News

Obaseki, Rema Perform Groundbreaking For 6000 Capacity Edo Arena

Published

on

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and afrobeats sensation, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, on Wednesday, performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the Edo Arena, a state-of-the-art conference hall and event centre.

The Edo Arena which is to be called ‘The Dome’ is sited at former Garrick Memorial School Ground, Ekehuan Road, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Rema arrived in his hometown of Benin, Edo State, on Tuesday, ahead of his highly anticipated homecoming concert scheduled for Friday, August 30, 2024.

Advertisement

Obaseki and Rema were joined by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo and the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Diaspora Affairs, Uyi Oduwa Malaka, among other top government functionaries.

READ ALSO: Obaseki Inaugurates LG Autonomy Implementation C’tte, Chaired By Edo Attorney General

The elated music sensation thanked the people of the State for their relentless love and support, commending Governor Obaseki for his bold reforms and projects that have improved the lives of the people and transformed the State in the last eight years.

Advertisement

I am happy to be here. I thank Edo people for their prayers and support. I am proud of the State, especially the growth recorded so far. I am proud of the togetherness, passion and zeal to make it greater.”

Commending the governor for the project, Rema said, “I am proud of the youths and ready to take part in anything that will give a drive to the youths, strengthen and motivate them. This is a blessing and I will see to it that this project is finished well.”

On the idea behind the development of the project, Governor Obaseki stated, “When we came into government in 2016, we didn’t have a venue for events but rather we were hiring canopies for events and renting places for large events, especially when we invite people out of the State. It became clear that we needed to have a venue where we could host large events.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Obaseki Swears In Two Permanent Secretaries, Charges On Quality Service

“In the course of our planning, we realized that Edo has a unique advantage. They don’t call us the heartbeat of Nigeria for nothing. Edo enjoys tremendous traffic as most Nigerians move through Edo State and we noticed that it’s a huge economic advantage for us.

“We have the capacity to host national events and attract all Nigerians here. We made strategic plans as we began to sell our culture and position ourselves to attract more people to our State.

Advertisement

“We are using sports to attract people to our State as we remodeled the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium into a world-class sports center. We can boast today of the best sporting facility in Nigeria. To host cultural and entertainment events, we used the old Observer premises into a world-class sound stage that can host about 2,000 to 3,000 guests.”

He continued: “This is limiting because we can’t hold events larger than 3,000 people. So, we saw the urgent need to create a larger venue to host events, be it concerts, conferences, symposiums, or conventions. This has been the driving force behind the government acquiring this piece of property 5 years ago from the Garrick family.

READ ALSO: Obaseki Hosts Victorious Edo Queens, Champions Of WAFU Zone B

Advertisement

“This premises, which is about 5 hectares of land, is supposed to be an entertainment hub, hosting many events, from concerts, to national conferences, symposiums and other larger events.”

Noting that the Dome will drive the influx of people into the State in line with the government’s vision to make the state a tourist destination, the governor said: “The number of large people that will come will enjoy the culture and what the people of the State can offer. Hotels will spring up in different locations in the State, creating room for the employment of more youths.

“This is what many countries in the world live on, not petroleum or crude oil but tourism. These countries don’t have the fraction of what we have in the State in terms of tourism. What they have is the infrastructure to support tourism as this is what we have started to build in Edo State.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: JUST IN: FG Reveals Identity Of Woman Threatening Mass Killing Of Nigerians In Canada

“When completed, this will be one of the biggest and largest spaces that would attract events into the State. This project is important to us as most of our projects embarked on by our administration have opened the State for more investors to come in.

“The ones we have built are fully occupied as the government has no doing business but creating the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the State. It will be made available to citizens who want to run them. Just like we did with the Radisson Hotel.”

Advertisement

According to him, “The role of government is to be an enabler to allow things to happen. This property is prime in the city. We want to make it attractive by beginning this development. We are using this opportunity to create the awareness that this facility exists and using the opportunity to have our global superstar, Rema to be part of this event.

“When you have people like Rema associated with a project like this it becomes a global project.”

Advertisement

News

Why Sowore Was Taken To Prison After Bail – Police

Published

on

The court granted bail to Sowore with N500,000 and two sureties, which his legal team was working to perfect at the time of the police action.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja shortly after the incident, human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, accused the police of violently attacking and removing Sowore moments after his bail was granted.

Adeyanju alleged that more than 50 armed officers stormed the court premises, descended on Sowore, and took him away by force while refusing to present a valid remand order.

Advertisement

“Sowore had just been granted bail, and while we were conferring with him here, the police suddenly launched an attack. More than 50 officers violently descended on him and took him away by force. We don’t even know where they have taken him,” he said.

READ ALSO:Why We Arrested Sowore – Police

He said the officer who led the operation briefly displayed what he claimed was a remand order but refused to allow Sowore’s lawyers to inspect it.

Advertisement

Adeyanju said, “The officer flashed the document, and when we insisted on reviewing it, he pocketed it and ordered that they must go.

“When we asked where they were taking him, he said Kuje Prison. We demanded to see the remand order as endorsed by the court, but he refused.”

He further alleged that during the scuffle, the police accused Sowore of insulting the Inspector General of Police, saying, “Because Sowore called the IG useless, they must deal with him.”

Advertisement

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Police Arrest Sowore

The lawyer said the officers tore Sowore’s shirt during the confrontation and dragged him away even as his legal team was still perfecting his bail conditions.

However, while responding to Sowore’s re-arrest via X (formerly Twitter), the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the police acted within the law, adding that officers were empowered to use commensurate force to carry out their duties.

Advertisement

Hundeyin, who attached a remand warrant to his post, wrote, “Except we want to be mischievous, we all know that once court grants a suspect bail, it comes with the caveat that until the bail conditions are met, the suspect remains in custody.

“Where it is clearly spelt out on the remand warrant that the suspect be remanded in a correctional facility, not police custody, it is the duty of the police to hand over the suspect to the Nigeria Correctional Service, who would then process his bail conditions.

“This has always been the practice. Why should this be different? Also, as law enforcement officers, we are empowered by law to employ commensurate force to get our mandate achieved.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

FIFA’s Use Of Kebbi Stadium In Banner Sparks Outrage, Funding Row

Published

on

Global football body FIFA has stirred a storm of reactions across Nigeria after showcasing the Birnin Kebbi Stadium project in Kebbi State — a facility co-funded with the Nigeria Football Federation — on its official social media pages.

FIFA on Saturday used an image of the project, dating back to 2023, as the new profile banner on its official X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.

The image, showing a half-furnished stadium in Birnin Kebbi, quickly went viral.

Advertisement

Built under the FIFA Forward Programme, the stadium was meant to symbolise progress in grassroots football. But as the photo circulated online, fans flooded social media with outrage and speculation.

Some netizens interpreted FIFA’s post as a subtle jab at the NFF, following recent allegations of fund mismanagement.

The uproar comes just days after football critic Chinedu Mobike, via his official Instagram handle #c_mobike, on October 23, 2025, accused the NFF of squandering millions of dollars meant for infrastructure projects, including its twin project in Delta State.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:JUST-IN: NFF Pulls Out Super Eagles From AFCON Qualifier After Libya Airport Nightmare

Mobike, in his viral video, claimed that FIFA gave the NFF “1.2 million dollars for two stadiums” — one in Kebbi and another in Ugborodo, Delta State — which, he alleged, “till today did not see daylight.”

Comparing Nigeria’s FIFA-funded projects with those of other nations, Mobike alleged that while “other countries used the funds to truly develop football, Nigeria produced nothing to show.

Advertisement

“The NFF should sit up…There are no active projects promoting football or sports in Nigeria,” Mobike said.

According to The PUNCH, the next day, Friday, October 24, 2025, the NFF issued an official statement, which it described as a “fresh clarification to misinformation” by some social media users (names not mentioned) who claimed the NFF “collects millions of dollars from FIFA annually to misappropriate.”

The statement, retrieved from the NFF website, was titled: “NFF: Monies received from FIFA & CAF are for specific purposes, and audited in every cycle.”

Advertisement

While Mobike’s video reignited calls for reform, the hashtag #SaveNigerianFootball has been trending on X, as users express frustration and hope that collective pressure might finally bring transparency to Nigerian football governance.

READ ALSO:SWAN Orders Nationwide Boycott Of NFF Activities

In its October 24 statement, the NFF firmly denied any wrongdoing, explaining that every dollar received from FIFA or CAF is tied to a specific purpose and audited annually.

Advertisement

“The monies meant for development purposes are tied to specific projects.

“FIFA Forward funds are properly specified and under strict adherence to financial regulations, compliance, monitoring, and auditing at every stage,” the NFF said.

The Federation cited ongoing FIFA Forward projects such as the NFF/FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, stressing that every phase is verified before funds are released directly to FIFA-approved consultants.

Advertisement

Dismissing the viral reports as “fictitious figures,” the NFF added that those spreading misinformation “would find no reason to seek clout if they had any idea how much it costs to organise a single match of any of the national teams.”

But the clarification failed to calm the storm.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: NFF Appoints New Super Eagles Coach

Advertisement

Instead, FIFA’s quiet profile update on Saturday reignited debate, with many Nigerians reading it as a silent but deliberate signal.

Many questioned how long it would take to fully complete a mini-stadium project that came to light in May 2023, after the groundbreaking event in September 2020 by the former Kebbi governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.

In December 2023, it was reported that Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris unveiled the FIFA/NFF-backed stadium project, saying it was designed to “boost the morale of youths in the state.”

Advertisement

He noted that the project cost $1,183,000, with the state government donating four hectares of land and paying ₦19 million in compensation to landowners.

Earlier, in May 2023, FIFA described the Kebbi project as part of its commitment to grassroots football, writing on its website InsideFIFA: “It is no surprise, then, that Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi, was chosen back in 2020 as the site for the construction of an artificial football pitch now available for young boys and girls to use.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: NFF Appoints New Super Eagles Coach

Advertisement

Meanwhile, a second pitch is under construction in Ugborodo… these two ambitious projects have received around USD 2 million in funding from FIFA through its Forward Programme.”

Online Reactions
Social media erupted with interpretations and comparisons.

Some users viewed FIFA’s action as subtle recognition rather than mockery. One X user, @Poka741997, wrote: “FIFA updating their header is symbolic. It’s recognition for Nigeria, even if the stadium’s budget is modest by international standards.”

Advertisement

Others saw it as a global embarrassment.

User #_AsiwajuLerry commented: “FIFA changed their Twitter header to the $1.2m stadium built by the NFF. Global shame.”

READ ALSO:Joy As NFF Gifts Super Eagles Coach, Finidi George Car Worth N125m

Advertisement

Echoing that sentiment, #OyokunyiOkon added: “This is embarrassing. The NFF should be ashamed that FIFA is showcasing a $1.2 million ‘stadium’ in Kebbi that clearly reflects misplaced priorities and poor accountability.”

Comparing Nigeria’s project to Senegal’s 50,000-seat Stade Abdoulaye Wade, user #FemiOguntayo2 remarked: “Nigerians want to build a world-class stadium with $1.2m… Haba! We know NFF is corrupt but haba na…

“This is Stade Blaise Sené (also known as Stade du Sénégal or Abdoulaye Wade National Stadium) in Diamniadio, Senegal. Its total construction cost was $270 million, funded largely by the Senegalese government and built by Turkey’s Summa Construction Company. FIFA’s way of mocking the NFF. How did they spend $1.2m on that stadium? Exposing the kwaruption in the NFF?”

Advertisement

Another user, #mario99amr29, suggested FIFA’s post was deliberate: “We know what’s at play.

If FIFA can display this at the expense of other successful projects, maybe it’s a subtle callout. Nigeria vs Kenya: A case study.”

As of press time, FIFA had yet to issue any official comment explaining the use of the Kebbi stadium image on its banner. PUNCH

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Police Arrests Principal Supplier Of Weapons To Bandits In Delta

Published

on

The Special Assignment Team of the Delta state Police Command has arrested a key supplier of weapons to bandit groups in the northern part of Nigeria

The suspect, one Ahmed Ibrahim (31) male, resident of Ekpan in Uvwie local government area, has long been on the command’s watch list for his alleged role in several high-profile kidnapping and armed-robbery operations.

The Commands Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Bright Edafe, in a statement disclosed that acting on credible intelligence from the Force Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU), Abuja, operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT), led by ASP Julius Robinson, arrested a female suspects, one Jamila Abubakar, at Conoil Filling Station, Warri–Patani Road, Effurun.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Police Arrest Murder Suspect, Recover Corpse In Delta

The statement revealed that upon her arrest, officers discovered the cash sum of ₦550,000 neatly concealed beneath her bag and suspected to be proceeds from illicit transactions.

According to DAILY POST her apprehension provided a crucial lead that set off a well-coordinated follow-up operation.

Advertisement

Buildin on that intelligence, the operatives stormed Niger-Cat area of Warri, where they successfully arrested a notorious arms peddler, one Ahmed Ibrahim (31) male, resident of Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area, at about 0725 hrs on 22nd October 2025.

“A search led to the recovery of a bag containing one hundred and fifteen rounds 115 rounds of 7.63mm AK-47 live ammunition, 220 rounds of SMG rifle ammunition, and 32 live cartridges”.

READ ALSO:Police Arrest Murder Suspect, Recover Corpse In Delta

Advertisement

Edafe further noted, that preliminary investigations revealed that, the suspect is a key supplier of weapons to bandit groups in the north and has long been on the Command’s watch list for his alleged role in several high-profile kidnapping and armed-robbery operations.

According to the statement, Ahmed Ibrahim, is also linked to the kidnap and murder of one Ogheneovo Onemu (female), who was abducted on May 27, 2024 at Edjekota community in Ughelli North LGA, and later murdered after a ransom payment of ₦4,000,000.

Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, described the breakthrough as another testament to the Command’s unwavering commitment to stemming the flow of illegal arms, dismantling criminal syndicates, and bringing offenders to justice.

Advertisement

The CP urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting the Police with timely and credible information to aid the fight against crime, assuring the public that the Command will sustain its momentum against criminal elements and remain resolute in protecting the lives and property of all law-abiding citizens.

Continue Reading

Trending