Torchlight News

In a dramatic turn of events, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has undergone a significant restructuring, resulting in the dismissal of several senior officials closely associated with the former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kyari. This development comes just weeks after Kyari’s removal from the top position on April 2, 2025, marking a new chapter for the state-owned oil giant. The restructuring, which has affected over 200 employees, signals the beginning of what may be a series of staff changes under the leadership of Bayo Ojulari, who assumed the role of GCEO shortly after Kyari’s exit. Among those sacked is Lawal Sade, the former Chief Compliance Officer and Managing Director of NNPC Trading, a key figure believed to have been a close ally of Kyari. The overhaul, initiated three days after Ojulari took office, also saw the appointment of an eight-member senior management team. Notably, this restructuring has paved the way for increased female rep...

  Dembele Strike Gives PSG the Edge as Arsenal Left to Rue Missed Chances Paris Saint-Germain claimed a narrow 1-0 win over Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Emirates Stadium, with Ousmane Dembele's early strike proving decisive. The Frenchman’s goal, which capped off a flowing 26-pass move, gave the visitors a valuable advantage ahead of the return leg at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, May 7. Arsenal now face an uphill battle to keep their hopes of a first-ever Champions League title alive. Despite a raucous atmosphere in north London, Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to find their rhythm and were kept at bay by a combination of resilient defending and a standout performance from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Dembele struck inside the opening 10 minutes after a clever one-two with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, punishing Arsenal’s sluggish start. PSG dominated the early stages, carving out numerous chances, with David Raya called into action s...

  Okowa to Saraki: You Lack Moral Authority to Criticize My Defection Former Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has responded sharply to comments by ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, who criticized Okowa’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Tuesday, Okowa dismissed Saraki’s remarks—where Saraki labeled the move “shocking” and “unprecedented”—as hypocritical. He noted that Saraki himself once defected from the PDP to the APC and later returned. “I did not expect someone like Senator Bukola Saraki to comment about my decision,” Okowa said. “He has moved to and from the APC in the past. That disqualifies him from passing moral judgment on my actions.” Okowa explained that his defection was not a unilateral decision but one made in concert with key political stakeholders in Delta State, including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other senior political figures. He cit...

  Kekere-Ekun Urges NBA to Uphold Judiciary's Integrity Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to actively defend the integrity of the country’s judiciary. In a statement released by her media aide, Tobi Soniyi, the CJN responded to calls from the NBA Bar and Bench Forum for greater protection of judicial officers. Justice Kekere-Ekun highlighted that many corruption allegations leveled against judges are often baseless and intended to intimidate. She emphasized that judges often endure trauma after being investigated and cleared of wrongdoing. While she encouraged those with legitimate complaints to report them to the National Judicial Council (NJC), she condemned the filing of frivolous petitions, stressing the need for solid evidence in any corruption claims. The CJN expressed disappointment that the NBA often remains silent in the face of unsubstantiated attacks on the judiciary. She also criticized lawyers who pub...

  Court Sentences Gospel Singer Osinachi’s Husband, Peter Nwachukwu, to Death Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, husband of late gospel singer Osinachi, to death by hanging. The judge found Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide, which led to Osinachi’s death on April 8, 2022. Delivering judgment, Justice Nwosu-Iheme stated that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, meeting the legal burden required to convict the defendant. Nwachukwu was initially arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF) on a 23-count charge. These charges included culpable homicide punishable by death, spousal battery, child cruelty, and criminal intimidation, among others. During the trial, the prosecution presented 17 witnesses — including two of Osinachi’s children — and submitted 25 documentary exhibits. In his defense, Nwachukwu te...

  Senator Natasha ‘Apologizes’ to Akpabio with Sarcasm Suspended Chair of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), has issued a sharply satirical apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, rekindling national debate over gender dynamics and power struggles within Nigeria’s legislative arena. In a letter steeped in biting irony, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan extended what could only be described as an exaggerated and performative “apology” for the "offense" of upholding her dignity and self-respect in Akpabio’s presence. With deliberate mockery, she alluded to the unspoken expectation of submission, writing: "How remiss of me not to understand that my refusal to indulge your… ‘requests’ was not merely a personal choice but a constitutional violation of certain men’s entitlement." Calling out systemic sexism, she continued: "Please find it in your magnanimous heart — somewhere buried deep beneath layers of...

Full List: Davido, Rema, Odumodublvck, Others Win Big at 17th Headies Awards The 17th Headies Awards, held on Sunday in Lagos, Nigeria, celebrated outstanding achievements in Nigerian and African music. The ceremony recognized a wide range of talents and honoured notable figures in the industry. Among the early winners, Zerry DL clinched the Rookie of the Year award, while Davido was crowned Digital Artiste of the Year . Rema 's HEIS album earned him Afrobeats Album of the Year , and Tems won Best Recording of the Year with Burning . Distinguished personalities such as Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu , Alex Okosi , and Amaju Pinnick were honoured with Special Recognition Awards. In a major highlight, Odumodublvck won Next Rated Artist , beating nominees Shallipopi, Qing Madi, and Ayo Maff. This year’s event was the first of two editions, with the 18th Headies Awards scheduled for December 2025, compensating for the absence of the ceremony in 2024. Here’s the c...