Sporting Braga has finalized the signing of 18-year-old Nigerian defender Adebisi Olamikun from the NPFL club Inter Lagos. The transfer, confirmed by Inter Lagos on July 12, involves a long-term contract reported to be worth approximately €50,000. Olamikun has already arrived in Portugal and will initially play for Braga’s youth team, with the goal of eventually breaking into the senior squad. He is now the eighth Nigerian player to join Braga, following in the footsteps of former Super Eagles defender Elderson Echiejile.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In other transfer news, Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare has declined an offer to join the Turkish club Trabzonspor. Arokodare, 25, is anticipated to depart Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer following the club’s relegation from the Premier League. Although Trabzonspor made an official bid, Arokodare is reportedly uninterested in a move to Turkey, preferring to play in one of Europe’s top five leagues. Additionally, while Serie A side Fiorentina is monitoring the forward, Wolves rejected their initial loan proposal for falling short of the club’s valuation. Arokodare is currently contracted with Wolves until 2029, with an optional one-year extension.

Akin Osuntokun, a former political adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, recently criticized the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, asserting that he did not govern effectively despite his significant popularity in Northern Nigeria. Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show one year after Buhari’s death, Osuntokun argued that the former President’s eight-year tenure failed to improve Nigerians’ living standards.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Escalation of Insecurity: Osuntokun alleged that farmer-herder conflicts, particularly involving Hausa-Fulani militias, escalated disproportionately during Buhari’s presidency because the government failed to take decisive action against perpetrators.

• Regional Imbalance in Appointments: He claimed that Buhari’s appointments to key government and security roles were heavily biased toward the North and noted that Buhari remained unapologetic regarding criticisms that his administration lacked federal character.

• Identification with Ethnic Interests: Osuntokun cited an incident from before Buhari’s presidency—when he led a delegation to meet Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina regarding a conflict in the Oke-Ogun area—as evidence of the former President’s strong identification with Fulani and Northern interests.

Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s elected President from 2015 to 2023, faced a legacy divided by praise for his anti-corruption efforts and infrastructure projects, and criticism over his management of the economy, national unity, and insecurity. Buhari passed away on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has stated that the proposed state police framework includes constitutional safeguards that allow the President to intervene if governors misuse the security forces. These provisions aim to prevent the potential use of state police for ethnic persecution, political intimidation, or other unlawful activities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Presidential Intervention: If state police are used to threaten lives, property, or commit acts of intimidation, the President has the constitutional authority to order the federal police to take over those operations.

• Dual Policing Structure: The proposal establishes a system where the state police and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) operate concurrently, with the NPF maintaining responsibility for national security issues like terrorism and cybercrime, while state police focus on public order and internal crimes within their jurisdictions.

• Local Knowledge: By recruiting officers from local communities, the state police are expected to have a better understanding of the terrain, residents, and criminal networks, which is intended to improve responses to kidnapping and banditry.

• Independence of Commandants: The framework includes a rigorous appointment process for state police commandants, who will be protected by law from undue political interference by governors or other officeholders.

• Inclusive Planning: The framework was developed through extensive consultations with security experts, the Presidency, the National Assembly, the Inspector-General of Police, governors, civil society organizations, and the public, including hearings held across all six geopolitical zones and the FCT.

Barau expressed confidence that this “masterstroke” initiative, which is supported by President Bola Tinubu, will strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture—particularly in northern regions—by bringing policing closer to the people while maintaining necessary checks and balances.