
Atiku Abubakar, former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 general elections, congratulated Morocco on their qualification for the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He described the achievement as a proud moment for Africa. Morocco became the first African nation to reach the last eight of the 2026 tournament after a 3-0 victory over Canada. In a post on his verified X handle, Atiku hailed the Atlas Lions for their impressive performance, stating that the victory had once again raised Africa’s profile on the global football stage. He added that Morocco had lifted the hopes of an entire continent and reminded the world that African football belongs on the biggest stage. This feat adds to Morocco's growing reputation, following their historic semi-final appearance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as the first African and Arab nation to do so. The achievement has garnered commendations from fans, sports administrators, and political leaders across Africa.
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mrs. Mary Barek, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine. The cocaine was concealed in fake plantain peels within her luggage as she tried to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London on June 28. Mrs. Barek, a caregiver in the UK, admitted ownership of the recovered cocaine. In a separate operation, the NDLEA also arrested Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student, in Anambra State on June 29, identifying him as the leader of a drug trafficking syndicate. This followed the interception of 5.80 kilograms of cocaine hidden in cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Malaysia. Four other suspects were initially arrested in Lagos in connection with this case. Additionally, NDLEA operatives made several other arrests across different states: Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke was arrested in Taraba State on July 4 with 43,980 capsules of Tramadol; Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were apprehended in Kaduna State on July 2 with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine; Francis Ifara Eja, 65, was arrested in Ebonyi State on July 4 with 231.7 kilograms of skunk; Alhaji Babani, 75, was apprehended in Plateau State on July 3 with 15 kilograms of skunk; and Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, were arrested in Gombe State on July 1 with 556 kilograms of cannabis sativa. The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse
Must ReadThe Socio-Economic Rights and Project SERAP has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to provide an explanation for the allocation of over ₦1.3 billion to a "fictitious" presidential council in the 2026 Appropriation Act. SERAP also urged the National Assembly leadership to investigate the circumstances surrounding this allocation and to disclose all related documents. In a Freedom of Information letter dated July 4, 2026, SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, requested certified copies of documents pertaining to the approval of ₦1,302,978,784 for the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council PFIPC/Presidential Economic Advisory Council. The organization further asked the National Assembly to use its constitutional powers to investigate the allocation to what it describes as "a fictitious presidential council" and identify those responsible for any irregularities. SERAP also sought records identifying members of the National Assembly committees that reviewed the allocation and the names of public officers who defended the proposal. The organization questioned whether the allocation was part of the Executive's original Appropriation Bill or introduced during the appropriation process. SERAP highlighted reports indicating the PFIPC/Presidential Economic Advisory Council received funds despite the Presidency stating it was never established, raising concerns about the integrity of Nigeria's appropr

MrBeast has been named the world's highest-earning digital creator on the 2026 Forbes Top Creators ranking, with estimated earnings of $300 million. The industry's 50 biggest influencers collectively generated $1.02 billion over the past year, a 20 percent increase from 2025. Forbes noted that the creator economy has evolved into a mainstream entertainment industry, with social media personalities producing films, television content, and large-scale business ventures. Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, has a global social media following of 873 million and a business empire including YouTube, Beast Industries, Feastables, Lunchly, Viewstats, and Amazon Prime's Beast Games. Dhar Mann ranked second with $65 million, followed by Steven Bartlett with $52 million. Other top earners include Markiplier, Rhett & Link, Codie Sanchez, Mark Rober, IShowSpeed, Druski, and Charli D’Amelio. The ranking considered estimated gross earnings between March 2025 and March 2026, audience size, engagement levels, and entrepreneurial activities, as leading creators expand into various sectors beyond social media.