.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Nigeria has officially secured a spot in the 2026 African Volleyball Nations Cup following a 3-1 victory over the Benin Republic during the Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on July 17.

• Match Performance: Despite losing the first set 21-25 amidst controversial officiating, Nigeria rallied to win the next three sets (25-21, 25-15, 25-20), marking a successful comeback.

• Unbeaten Streak: This win gives Nigeria a perfect 4-0 record in the qualifiers, following previous victories over Niger Republic, Ivory Coast, and Togo. The team is scheduled to play its final qualifying match against Burkina Faso today, July 18.

• Continental Championship: With this qualification, the team will head to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, to compete in the African Nations Championship scheduled for September 7–21, 2026.

• Federation Outlook: Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) President, Musa Nimrod, celebrated the achievement as a testament to the sport’s growth, noting that both the men’s and women’s national teams have now qualified for their respective continental tournaments.

• Future Focus: The federation is now shifting its preparation toward the Under-19 Boys National Team’s upcoming competition in Egypt. President Nimrod also expressed gratitude to the media for their role in increasing the profile and visibility of volleyball in Nigeria.

A petition dated July 12, 2026, has been submitted to Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding serious security allegations. An anonymous individual, identifying as an aviation industry worker, is calling for a formal investigation into claims that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), facilitated travel for a media aide using multiple identities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Circumventing Restrictions: The petitioner claims that Obi’s media aide was previously barred from flying with Air Peace due to alleged misconduct but continued to travel on the airline using different names.

• Obi’s Alleged Involvement: The petition alleges that Obi repeatedly made arrangements to help the aide evade these airline restrictions and often accompanied her on these flights.

• Interference with Security: It is further alleged that when traveling with this aide, Obi prevented airport staff from performing necessary identity verification procedures.

• Evidence Cited: The petitioner claims to have attached evidence of flight tickets and Passenger Name Records (PNR) to the document to support these claims.

• Safety Concerns: The document argues that these actions compromise aviation security and undermine the ability of airlines to enforce safety and identification protocols.

As of the report’s filing, these allegations remain unverified, and Peter Obi has not issued a public response.

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has agreed to a proposal by Mr. Nnaemeka Ikerionwu to pay the ₦25,000 airport parking fine issued to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Origin of the Fine: The fine was imposed after Peter Obi allegedly violated parking regulations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

• Context of the Dispute: Keyamo previously issued a seven-day ultimatum for Obi to pay the fine and publicly apologize to airport staff following claims Obi made in a podcast interview that he was being targeted and harassed at the airport.

• Evidence Provided: To address Obi’s allegations of unfair treatment, Keyamo released CCTV footage showing the moment the parking violation occurred.

• Resolution and Reaction:

  • Following an offer to pay the fine by Ikerionwu, Keyamo instructed him to contact the Director of Commercial and Business Development at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to arrange payment.

  • Despite accepting the payment, Keyamo still expects an apology from Obi to the airport officials.

  • Keyamo stated that the ministry successfully refuted Obi’s claims and warned the candidate to avoid making “outlandish” statements in the future intended to secure “sympathy votes”.