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FG dismisses Transparency International (TI) verdict on Nigeria

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Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed

Federal Government, yesterday, dismissed the recent verdict on Nigeria by Transparency International (TI), which said the country dropped five places in the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

The government said it is not bothered by the verdict, as TI is oblivious of the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption successes.

It boasted that some of the government’s legacy projects have been facilitated with funds known as Abacha loot, hitherto stolen and stashed abroad by a former Nigerian leader but returned to the country.

This came against the backdrop of reports that Nigeria scored 24 out of 100 points while ranking 150 among 180 countries on the 2022 Corruption Perception Index released by TI, a development which has continued to stoke concern by citizens.

Although the country maintained its previous year’s (2021) score of 24 out of 100 points, however, there was a change in rank from 154 to 150, as some other countries performed more poorly in 2022.

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Fielding questions, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, downplayed the rating, saying the Nigerian government’s fight against corruption is not at the whims and caprices of the global agency.

The minister spoke after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said: “We are not really worried or bothered about rating of the TI, because we know that everything we do is to ensure that we fight corruption the best way we know how to. If TI is not seeing this, then I think it has to change its template. But, again, we’re not fighting corruption to impress TI.

“We are not fighting corruption because we want to impress Transparency International or any organisation whatsoever. We’re fighting corruption because we believe if we do not fight corruption, there’ll be no growth, either in terms of the economy or even political.”

The minister added: “Therefore, what we do and what we’re putting in place to fight corruption is not because we want to be rated by anybody. I can assure you that we do not know what template TI is using. Whatever template it is using, it is clearly oblivious of what this administration is doing to fight corruption.

“Corruption fighting is not just by how many people have you arrested? How many people have you tried? How many people have you convicted? Of course, even in that respect, we have a very impressive record.”

Guardian

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Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams

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Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams
University of Nigeria Nsukka with Professor Kamoru Olayiwola Usman

Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams

NSUKKA, ENUGU STATE — Tragedy has struck the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), following reports that six fresh graduates of the institution have been found dead inside an apartment in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, Enugu State.

The victims, reportedly comprising five females and one male, were said to have been discovered lifeless on Thursday morning, barely a day after completing their final examinations.

The incident has thrown the university community into mourning, with students and residents struggling to come to terms with the shocking development.

According to reports, the deceased had recently concluded their academic activities and were said to have participated in sign-out celebrations marking the completion of their studies.

The gathering, which was expected to be a moment of excitement and celebration after years of academic pursuit, reportedly ended in tragedy.

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The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear, as there are conflicting reports about the number of victims and what transpired inside the apartment.

Meanwhile, the Acting Public Relations Officer of the university, Inya Agha Egwu, has acknowledged receiving enquiries about the incident and assured journalists that the university management would issue an official statement.

Efforts to obtain an immediate response from the Enugu State Police Command were reportedly unsuccessful as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, were unanswered.

As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the deceased and the actual cause of their deaths had yet to be officially established.

The tragic development has raised concerns across the university community, with students and residents awaiting further information from the police and university authorities.

Further details will be provided as official statements emerge.

Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams

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BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season

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BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season
Michael Carrick

BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick with immediate effect following the club’s disastrous start to the 2026/27 season.

The 45-year-old Englishman was reportedly informed of the decision on Thursday morning after the club’s hierarchy concluded that a managerial change was necessary to address the team’s poor performances.

Carrick’s dismissal follows a disappointing run of results that has left Manchester United languishing in 18th position on the Premier League table, with just one victory from their opening 10 league matches.

The decision was reached following discussions involving chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Carrick had come under mounting pressure in recent weeks, particularly after Manchester United suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth.

Although he was initially given another opportunity to turn the situation around, Sunday’s dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa reportedly proved decisive.

United fought back from a two-goal deficit to rescue a point through two late stoppage-time goals. However, the result extended the club’s disappointing run and left them trapped in the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is expected to take over as Manchester United’s next head coach.

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The Argentine, who currently manages the United States men’s national team, has reportedly reached a verbal agreement in principle with the Old Trafford club.

Manchester United are expected to activate a release clause believed to be worth approximately £7 million to secure his departure from the US national team, where his contract runs until 2030.

The overall compensation could rise if Pochettino brings members of his preferred coaching staff to Old Trafford.

Pochettino previously managed Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and is now being linked with a return to the Premier League.

Carrick’s dismissal represents a dramatic turnaround after his impressive performance during the second half of last season.

Appointed in January following the departure of Ruben Amorim, the former Manchester United midfielder guided the club to a third-place Premier League finish and secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

However, his success last season could not shield him from the consequences of United’s poor performances this campaign.

Pochettino’s potential first major assignment could be a high-profile Premier League encounter against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22, as Manchester United seek to revive their struggling season.

BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season

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Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

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Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

KATSINA STATE – A notorious bandit leader identified as Kachalla Bello has reportedly been killed during a fierce gun battle between rival armed groups in a forest in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Bello was reportedly among those killed when rival bandit factions engaged in a deadly confrontation on Tuesday evening, November 10, 2026, amid an apparent struggle for territorial control.

According to local sources and counter-insurgency reports, the clash involved heavy exchanges of gunfire, leaving several fighters dead.

The late bandit leader was reportedly notorious for terrorising farming communities across parts of Katsina State through attacks, abductions and other criminal activities.

Beyond kidnapping for ransom, Bello was accused of subjecting some of his victims to forced labour on farmlands allegedly belonging to him.

Local accounts indicated that he frequently abducted farmers while they were working on their farms and compelled them to work on his farmland before considering their release.

His alleged activities reportedly contributed to insecurity, economic hardship and displacement among residents of affected communities, particularly farmers who depended on agriculture for their livelihoods.

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However, the Katsina State Police Command had yet to officially confirm Bello’s reported death as of the time of filing this report.

The Command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, reportedly said he was making efforts to verify the incident and establish the exact location of the alleged confrontation.

He explained that security personnel were working to identify the location of the clash and liaise with the relevant Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) for further investigation.

Meanwhile, security observers have repeatedly identified rivalries and internal disputes among armed criminal groups as factors contributing to violent confrontations within bandit networks operating across Nigeria’s North-West region.

The circumstances surrounding Bello’s reported death, including the number of casualties recorded during the encounter, remain unclear.

Further details are expected as security agencies work to establish what happened.

Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

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