Author: Lifestyle & Wellness Desk

Ibom Air has imposed a permanent travel ban on a passenger identified as Comfort Emmanson after an onboard altercation and a confrontation with airport security on the airline’s Uyo–Lagos service on Sunday. The carrier said the passenger’s conduct “posed a serious threat to the safety of our crew, passengers, and aircraft.” In a statement, the airline alleged Ms. Emmanson refused to switch off her phone before departure from Uyo, then, upon arrival in Lagos, attacked the Purser—tearing off her wig and glasses—slapped another crew member, and attempted to yank a fire extinguisher from its mount. Ibom Air said security was called and the passenger was restrained and handed over to the Nigeria Police. The company also filed a report with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and affirmed a “permanent restriction” from its services. Multiple videos shared online showed a scuffle aboard the aircraft and later on the tarmac at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, where security operatives moved the passenger into a waiting bus. The NCAA’s spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, reacting to the clips, reminded travelers to comply with crew instructions on safety procedures, including switching off mobile devices during takeoff and landing. The ban follows earlier incidents this year involving unruly behavior affecting Ibom Air operations, which prompted warnings from aviation authorities. Ibom Air reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for violence or interference with crew duties and said legal action may follow.

A prominent Al Jazeera correspondent, Anas al-Sharif, and four colleagues were killed when an Israeli strike hit a tent used by journalists near Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital late Sunday, the network said, calling it a targeted attack on the press. Al Jazeera identified the other victims as correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, camera operators Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and their assistant Mohammed Noufal. The outlet said seven people were killed in total when the tent was struck outside the hospital’s main gate. The Israel Defense Forces said the strike targeted a “terrorist cell,” asserting that al-Sharif was involved in militant activity—claims Al Jazeera and press-freedom groups reject as unfounded. The Committee to Protect Journalists said similar accusations had previously been used to justify violence against reporters. Funerals for the journalists were held Monday in Gaza City, where colleagues and relatives gathered to mourn. Press-freedom researchers say the Gaza war is the deadliest on record for journalists. Al Jazeera condemned the strike as a “premeditated assassination” and urged international bodies to hold Israel accountable. The network said the attack followed days of heavy bombardment across the city that al-Sharif had been documenting in live reports and videos. The strike comes amid a renewed phase of Israeli operations around northern Gaza. Israel has previously accused some Gaza-based journalists of affiliation with Hamas, while rights groups have warned against criminalizing reporters and demanded independent investigations into journalist deaths. The Financial Times reported that the military declined to address questions about the strike’s timing and the journalists’ known broadcast locations. Al Jazeera said the killings underscore the escalating risks for media workers covering the 22-month war. International outlets reported that al-Sharif had become one of the most recognisable on-the-ground voices for Arabic-language audiences throughout the conflict.

  The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested the founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Adefolusho Aanu Olasele (also known as Abbas Ajakaiye), over his alleged role in multiple shipments of illicit drugs from Ghana to Nigeria. Olasele, who had reportedly been on the run for months, was picked up on Sunday, 3 August 2025, at his church in Okun Ajah, Lekki, Lagos, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said in a statement. Operatives waited until the end of the service and arrested him as he exited the premises. According to the agency, the pastor fled to Ghana in June after investigators linked him to two cannabis consignments: 200kg recovered at Okun Ajah Beach on 4 June and 700kg allegedly found in his delivery van on 6 July. Babafemi said Olasele confessed to ferrying the consignments via waterways from Ghana. Separate raids and seizures Lagos (Thu, 7 Aug): NDLEA operatives raided an apartment in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, arresting Benjamin Ukoh and seizing 32 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 15.63kg. Nasarawa (Sat, 9 Aug): A combined 3,093kg of skunk was recovered at New Karu from Emmanuel Asoquo Johnny (51), Okem Raphael (33) and Chekwube Odo (25). Kano: Fri, 8 Aug: Nura Yahaya (29) arrested in Geza, Kumbotso with 639 blocks of skunk weighing 359kg. Wed, 6 Aug: Umar Adamu Umar (27) detained on the Zaria–Kano road with 9kg of Colorado (a synthetic cannabis strain). Gombe: Fri, 8 Aug: Raid on an uncompleted building in Tudun Wadan Pantami yielded 550,266 opioid pills; Usama Isah arrested. Sat, 9 Aug: Ibrahim Adamu (23) arrested on Potiskum road, Bajoga, with 50,000 tramadol capsules. Edo (Wed, 6 Aug): A Toyota Hiace from Onitsha to Isanlu (Kogi) was intercepted at Ewu Junction; 23,940 tramadol capsules, 1,100 tablets and 400 pentazocine ampoules recovered. Driver Taiye Jethro arrested. NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers involved and urged personnel nationwide to maintain a balanced approach to drug control operations.

Afrobeats’ global rise is on full display at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, with a heavyweight slate of contenders in Best Afrobeats underscoring the genre’s momentum. MTV and CBS unveiled the nominations ahead of the VMAs’ return on Monday, September 8, live from New York’s UBS Arena and airing on MTV (DStv 130) at 00:00 WAT. Nigerian star Asake leads the Afrobeats charge with two nods—“Active” (with Travis Scott) and “Get It Right” (with Tems)—signalling the sound’s seamless crossover with global pop. Burna Boy also scores two: “TaTaTa” (featuring Travis Scott) for Best Afrobeats and “Higher” in Video for Good, reflecting his mix of impact and mainstream reach. South Africa’s breakout phenom Tyla earns dual nominations for “PUSH 2 START” in Best Afrobeats and Best Choreography, cementing her dance-led appeal. Rounding out the category: Rema — “Baby (Is It A Crime)” Wizkid (with Brent Faiyaz) — “Piece Of My Heart” MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea — “Shake It To The Max (FLY) [Remix]” This year’s field showcases Afrobeats’ range and reach—artists topping charts, packing arenas, and reshaping pop culture—while the VMAs provide another stage validating Africa’s sound and its storytellers.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm over child malnutrition in Kano State, revealing that 51.9% of children are stunted—meaning one in every two is not growing properly due to chronic malnutrition. Speaking at the official handover of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in Takai Local Government Area, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office Kano, Rahma Farah—represented by Health Manager Serekeberehan Deres—also disclosed that more than 10% of children in the state are wasted, a severe condition where a child is dangerously underweight for their height. Farah warned that wasting greatly increases the risk of death if left untreated, stressing that child malnutrition in Kano is a serious public health emergency requiring urgent and coordinated action. He urged increased investment in both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions, particularly within the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. He also called on government, civil society, religious, and traditional leaders to expand access to nutrition services, clean water, healthcare, and education. Kano State’s Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Labaran, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling malnutrition, noting that new maternal and child health programmes have been launched. He pledged continued collaboration with UNICEF and other partners to improve child survival and development indicators. Malnutrition remains a leading cause of child mortality and poor educational outcomes in Nigeria, with the northern region bearing a significant share of the burden.

Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, 83-year-old General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has shared his vision of how he believes his life will end — peacefully, on a Sunday, after attending church service and enjoying his favourite meal of pounded yam. Speaking on the fourth day of RCCG’s ongoing international convention, themed “The Overcomers”, Adeboye reiterated a declaration he first made two years ago, stating that his passing would be sudden and free from illness. “I will die on a Sunday after attending service, eat my beloved pounded yam, and then pass on without any sickness,” he affirmed. Delivering a sermon titled “Possess Your Possessions”, Adeboye urged Christians to claim every blessing purchased for them through Christ, likening their spiritual journey to the Israelites’ conquest of Canaan. He warned that although God’s promises are assured, believers must actively fight to take hold of them. “In many cases, you may have to fight for things that are already yours,” he said, stressing that poverty, sickness, barrenness, and premature death should not be tolerated. He cited Jacob’s wrestling with the angel (Genesis 32) as a model for spiritual persistence, declaring, “It is what we tolerate that disturbs us.” The convention, which has drawn thousands to the Redemption Camp, concludes tomorrow with a thanksgiving service.

Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has proposed a five-year single term for Nigeria’s president, eliminating the option of re-election. Speaking in Bauchi on Friday during a courtesy visit to Governor Bala Mohammed, Obi argued that the current four-year renewable term encourages political leaders to focus on securing a second tenure rather than governing effectively. “I’ve said it before and I want to repeat it here — if I have the opportunity, there should be no second term for president. It should be five years straight, like in South Korea, so leaders come in knowing they have a job to do,” he said. “Right now, people spend one year governing and the rest planning for re-election. We must stop that — do your work and go.” Obi, a declared 2027 presidential hopeful, pledged that if elected, he would serve only one term and not remain in office beyond four years. He also promised to strengthen Nigeria’s political system by ensuring political parties are more influential than the individuals in elected office. “I want the party to be bigger than the president and governors so that we can have orderliness,” he stated. In response, Governor Mohammed urged Obi to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it is his “true political home” and that opposition parties must set aside ego and personal interests to unite for the good of Nigerians.

Iran has relocated its remaining nuclear scientists to secure, undisclosed locations following the killing of more than 30 researchers in Israeli attacks, senior Iranian officials told The Telegraph. Many no longer live in their homes or work at universities, instead residing with their families in guarded villas in Tehran or northern coastal cities. A confidential list seen by The Telegraph names over 15 surviving scientists—part of a broader group of around 100 identified by Israel. They now face a stark choice: continue their work and risk assassination or abandon the nuclear programme altogether. University lecturers tied to the programme have been replaced by staff with no nuclear links. The heightened security comes amid fears of further assassinations and the recent execution of Iranian scientist Roozbeh Vadi, accused of aiding Israel during the June war. Israeli analysts say the survivors, including experts in explosives, neutron physics, and warhead design, are “dead men walking,” despite round-the-clock protection. They note that Iran’s nuclear programme is structured with deputies and small research teams to ensure continuity after any loss. Some scientists are believed to have stepped into roles at the Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which Israel claims works on nuclear weaponisation. Israeli intelligence has also targeted universities in Tehran linked to military and nuclear research, such as Shahid Beheshti University and Imam Hossein University. Iran maintains its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, but the June conflict—with U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities and Iranian missile attacks on Israel—has intensified calls within Iran to rethink its stance. At funerals for victims, relatives urged withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and acceleration toward building a bomb. The June strikes also killed leading scientists in nuclear physics and radiopharmaceuticals, including Amir Hossein Faghi, known for advancing cancer treatment technologies. Observers say these losses have severely damaged Iran’s scientific capacity, while those who remain know they will likely stay in Israel’s crosshairs.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has reiterated that Kyiv will not surrender any territory in exchange for peace, but expressed readiness to work with U.S. President Donald Trump toward achieving a genuine and lasting resolution to the war. “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier,” Zelenskiy declared in a post on Telegram and X, describing any agreement reached without Ukraine’s participation as a “dead solution.” Trump announced on Friday that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15, with Zelenskiy apparently excluded from the talks aimed at ending Russia’s invasion, now in its fourth year. According to sources, senior officials from Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe are expected to convene in the UK ahead of the Trump–Putin summit. Zelenskiy’s remarks mark his first response to reports that discussions between Washington and Moscow may involve a settlement that cements Russia’s control over territories seized during the conflict. Such a deal would reportedly require Ukraine to relinquish Crimea—illegally annexed by Russia in 2014—and the entire Donbas region, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from parts of Luhansk and Donetsk still under Kyiv’s control. “Any decisions made without Ukraine are, in effect, decisions against peace. They will achieve nothing,” Zelenskiy said. “The answer to Ukraine’s territorial question is already enshrined in our Constitution. No one can, or will, deviate from that.” He reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness to work with Trump and “all our partners” to secure “a peace that cannot be dismantled by Moscow’s ambitions.” Meanwhile, hostilities continue. Russia’s defense ministry reported shooting down 118 Ukrainian drones over its territory overnight, including two targeting Moscow. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 47 drones and two Iskander missiles, with Ukrainian air defenses intercepting one missile and 16 drones by early morning.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued fresh guidelines for Nigerians using its self-service portal to modify National Identification Number (NIN) records, emphasizing tighter access controls to improve data security. NIMC, in a Thursday statement signed by Head of Corporate Communications, Dr. Kayode Adegoke, said a self-service account is locked to the exact device and browser used at registration. Attempts to sign in from any other device or browser may be blocked. Key restrictions Device & browser lock: Your self-service account is uniquely linked to the browser and device you used when you created it. Access from unfamiliar setups: Logins from different devices/browsers can be denied by design. Cache & unlock limits Don’t clear your cache: Clearing the browser cache can reset settings and trigger an account lock. Limited unlock attempts: If locked, you have up to five unlock requests. Exceeding this limit requires a formal unlinking before access can be restored. NIMC urged users to follow the guidelines to avoid interruptions and ensure a smoother experience, noting these measures are in place to protect user identities and strengthen service delivery. Background The self-service modification portal is part of NIMC’s ongoing digitization drive. In October, the Commission stopped processing data modifications at enrollment centers and moved these activities online, highlighting the convenience of updating information securely from anywhere.