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Rafiatu Lawal Wins Triple Gold as Adeshina Reaches Boxing Final

Phinadon Mag

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NigeriaShinesRiyadh2025 as Rafiatu Lawal captures three gold medals in weightlifting and Zainab Adeshina advances to the boxing final, marking a strong start for Team Nigeria at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh.

NigeriaShinesRiyadh2025 began on a golden note as Rafiatu Lawal delivered a historic performance at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, winning three gold medals in the women’s 58kg weightlifting category on Sunday.

Lawal lifted 98kg in the snatch and 122kg in the clean & jerk, achieving a combined total of 220kg to secure Nigeria’s first medals at this year’s Games. The 28-year-old outclassed Niogora Abdullaeva of Uzbekistan, who took silver, and Noura Essam of Egypt, who claimed bronze.

This victory adds to Lawal’s growing legacy. Just a month earlier, she made history at the 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway, becoming the first Nigerian athlete to win three silver medals at the global event. Her previous triumphs include gold medals at the 2019 African Games (Rabat), 2022 Commonwealth Games (Birmingham), and 2023 African Games (Accra), along with a fifth-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Adeshina Advances to Boxing Final

Nigeria’s momentum continued in the boxing ring as Zainab Adeshina advanced to the final of the women’s 51kg category after a thrilling 4–1 victory over Fatiha Mansouri of Algeria at The Promenade – Art Tower venue.

Representing the red corner, Adeshina overcame a slow start to dominate the final round, earning her place in Monday’s gold medal bout against Tunisia’s Rabia Topuz.

Judges from Egypt, Iraq, Slovakia, and Australia scored the contest in Adeshina’s favour, while the Puerto Rican judge sided with Mansouri. Despite early setbacks, the 21-year-old Nigerian fought back with sharp combinations and superior movement. Mansouri’s repeated infringements led to two referee warnings and point deductions, sealing Adeshina’s win.

Australian judge Dylan Perceval scored all three rounds 10–9 for Adeshina, while other judges returned close totals of 28–27. Having already triumphed in her quarter-final bout on Thursday, Adeshina now stands one fight away from securing Nigeria’s second gold medal in boxing at the Games.

Team Nigeria at Riyadh 2025

Team Nigeria’s 46-member contingent, comprising 35 athletes and 11 officials, is competing in seven sports:

  • Athletics
  • Para-athletics
  • Para powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Wrestling
  • Boxing
  • Taekwondo

The sixth edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games, running from November 7 to 21, features over 3,000 athletes from 57 countries competing in 23 sports across world-class venues in Riyadh. The event celebrates unity, excellence, and cultural exchange across the Islamic world.

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Senate Confirms Sani Muhammad Ndanusa as Ambassador.

Ikechukwu Emmanuel

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The Nigerian Senate has confirmed the appointment of Engineer Sani Muhammad Ndanusa as a non-career ambassador and high commissioner.

The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of the report submitted by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Sani Abubakar, representing Niger North. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had nominated Ndanusa for the diplomatic position, after which he appeared before the committee for screening.

Presenting the committee’s recommendations during plenary on Tuesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced Ndanusa’s confirmation after lawmakers unanimously endorsed the nomination through a voice vote.

Akpabio congratulated the nominee and expressed confidence that Ndanusa would draw on his professional experience to advance Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives and strengthen the nation’s relations with other countries.

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Ogun Police Rescue 11 Ghanaian Nationals in Sagamu Visa Scam.

Ikechukwu Emmanuel

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The Ogun State Police Command has rescued 11 Ghanaian nationals allegedly held hostage in Sagamu after being lured to Nigeria with promises of Canadian and Spanish visas.

The victims—seven males and four females—were rescued during an intelligence-led operation conducted by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit. According to a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the operation followed intelligence received on October 19, 2026, concerning a suspected hideout.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the victims were allegedly deceived by a fellow Ghanaian national who promised to facilitate their travel abroad. Each victim reportedly paid GH₵40,000 before being brought to Nigeria and detained against their will.

The victims are currently receiving care and support, while detectives work to identify and arrest other members of the alleged criminal network.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for its prompt response and professionalism. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and combating transnational crime, stating that Ogun State would not become a safe haven for criminals.

The police urged members of the public to verify overseas travel and visa arrangements before making payments and to report suspicious activities to the authorities.

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Federal Government Confirms Ebola Case in the FCT.

Ikechukwu Emmanuel

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The Federal Government has confirmed one laboratory-diagnosed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The case was confirmed on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, after a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT. She had received treatment at the facility for several days before being isolated. She is currently receiving medical care.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, stated that contact tracing had commenced. So far, 44 close contacts have been identified, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.

The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and FCT health authorities, is taking measures to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.

Authorities have urged Nigerians to remain calm and vigilant, practise regular hand hygiene, and report suspected exposure or symptoms to public health officials. The NCDC toll-free call centre is available 24 hours a day on 6232 for information and suspected case reporting.

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