Ramadan 2026 has started, and Nigerian Muslims are not lagging behind in taking part in the spiritual exercise in the holy month Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the NSCIA and Amirul Mumineen, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, announced the commencement in Nigeria However, no less than three governors have adjusted the working conditions for workers in their states in the name of Ramadan Ramadan 2026 officially started on Wednesday, February 18, following the announcement of the sighting of the moon by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)and Amirul Mumineen, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Football pundit Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal does not have any world class players. Although the former Manchester United striker admitted that Mikel Arteta’s side know how to win matches but they still do not have a superstar in the team. Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League table and their chances of winning the league have taken a hit after their 2-2 draw against Wolves last night. The gap at the top of the league table is now five points with Manchester City having a game in hand. Rooney believes the Gunners are lacking a superstar player like other title winning teams in the past who had players like Didier Drogba, Sergio Aguero and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has set a return date for injured Reds striker Alexander Isak. Speaking at his press conference today, as quoted by Empire of the Kop, Slot stated that he expected Isak could be back by late March or early April. DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ONAPPLE&GOOGLE PLAY The Dutch tactician did stress, however, that that won’t necessarily mean the Sweden international would be ready to play straight away. See below for Slot’s comments in today’s press conference as he also backed Isak to come back a “different player” from the one Liverpool fans saw this season…

GistReel Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge shared six goals in a dramatic 3-3 draw in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off on Wednesday night. Both Nigerian internationals played decisive roles, with Ademola Lookman scoring for Atletico and Raphael Onyedika producing a goal and an assist as Brugge fought back from two goals down. Atletico race ahead The visitors struck early when a VAR review awarded them a penalty in the eighth minute. Julian Alvarez converted confidently to give Atletico a 1-0 lead. Brugge pressed for a response and were denied a penalty appeal after the ball struck Koke’s arm, a decision that earned coach Ivan Leko a booking for dissent.

Arsenal have lost two massive points as Wolves come down from two goal down to draw 2-2. The equaliser comes late in stoppage time after a huge mistake from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ONAPPLE&GOOGLE PLAY Despite holding a comfortable two-goal lead for much of the match, Mikel Arteta’s side crumbled late in the game, dropping two vital points in the race for the crown. Hugo Bueno’s stunning goal gave the home side some confidence to get something from the game.

Rosy Meurer has continued to respond to rumours that her marriage to Olakunle Churchill is troubled over his ex-wife’s recent move Tonto Dikeh, the businessman’s ex-wife, recently reconciled with him as they both celebrated their son’s birthday Many social media users dragged Rosy over her post, noting that her body language suggests she may indeed be troubled Rosy Meurer, the wife of Tonto Dikeh’s ex-husband, Olakunle Churchill, has shared a post that did not sit well with many of her fans. Rumours had been circulating that the actress’ marriage was troubled after her husband reunited with his ex-wife to celebrate the birthday of their son, King Churchill.

Newcastle United goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos has been linked with a move away from the club at the end of the season. A report via SportWitness claims the 31-year-old is looking to force a move away from the club in the summer. DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ONAPPLE&GOOGLE PLAY Vlachodimos wants out The 31-year-old Greek international has struggled for gametime since he joined Newcastle from Nottingham Forest in 2024. Newcastle paid £20 million to sign the goalkeeper, but he is not a key part of their plans anymore.

“Audit” is the word that no taxpayer wants to hear from the Internal Revenue Service. Some 24 percent of taxpayers are worried about being audited by the IRS, according to a poll by survey data firm Morning Consult. Thankfully, there are several things people can do to reduce the chances of being audited, said CPA Emily Shacklett, a senior wealth advisor at Dallas-based financial management firm Hightower Signature Wealth. Shacklett, who has more than 20 years of experience in taxes and wealth management, including at one of the leading accounting firms in the world, KPMG, shared her advice with…

GistReel Senate President Godswill Akpabio has hailed the newly signed Electoral Act as a bold step towards strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, describing it as a product of careful work and national interest. He spoke at the State House shortly after President Bola Tinubu assented to the bill, saying lawmakers acted with patriotism and resisted pressure while drafting the legislation. Akpabio maintained that the National Assembly paid close attention to Nigeria’s unique political environment and refused to be swayed by what he called undue interference. According to him, the lawmakers reflected the “

Juventus have set their sights on Tottenham defender Destiny Udogie as their primary target to bolster the left flank, according to reports from CalcioMercato. The Italian giants are reportedly preparing for a summer shake-up that could see current wing-back Andrea Cambiaso depart the Allianz Stadium. DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ONAPPLE&GOOGLE PLAY Cambiaso, who is under contract until 2029, has had an inconsistent first half of the 2025/26 campaign. Despite a flashes of brilliance, including a goal in the recent 3-2 Derby d’Italia loss to Inter Milan, the Ligurian defender has struggled for consistency.

Abdulsamad Rabiu’s net worth rose to $12.3 billion as of February 18, 2026, according to Bloomberg His wealth increased by $915 million in one day, with a year-to-date gain of $2.13 billion Rabiu owns 98% of BUA Cement and 93% of BUA Foods, making them key contributors to his fortune Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria. Nigerian businessman Abdulsamad Rabiu’s net worth has risen to an estimated $12.3 billion as of February 18, 2026, according to figures tracked by Bloomberg.

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Felix Nmecha has performed well for Borussia Dortmund and has been linked with a move to the Premier League. Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are positioning themselves for a summer for the German midfielder, as per FussballDaten. It remains to be seen where he will end up. The player has a contract with the German club until 2028, and he could cost around €45-55 million. The German club rates the 25-year-old highly, and they will not let him leave for cheap. It remains to be seen whether the interested parties are prepared to pay up.

AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit has been linked with a move away from the club in recent months. Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal are interested in securing his signature. According to a report from Defensa Central, Liverpool have made initial contact to sign the talented young midfielder, and the player is in discussion over a potential move. On the other hand, Real Madrid have yet to make any effort to sign the player. Smit has tremendous potential and could prove an excellent acquisition for Liverpool. DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE!

We’ve got a list of every free agent who’ll be on the market this summer as they come towards the ends of their contracts with Premier League clubs. There’ll surely be plenty of teams out there looking to snap up some free agents, and this summer will see some exciting opportunities emerging, with big names about to be out of contract. Manchester United veterans Harry Maguire and Casemiro will surely have clubs chasing them, while Liverpool could say goodbye to both Ibrahima Konate and Andrew Robertson. Read on for the full list below…

Chairman, Hausa Community in Rivers State, Musa Saidu, confirmed that four northern traders were killed during the Oil Mill Market protest Hausa community leadership in Rivers State, reported widespread looting and vandalism of shops owned by northern traders Police Public Relations Officer, Rivers State Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the police were not aware of any confirmed fatalities Rumuokwurusi, Rivers state - The Hausa community in Rivers state has confirmed that four of its members were killed during violent protests that broke out at the Oil Mill Market in the Rumuokwurusi area of Port Harcourt last weekend.

Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea reportedly look to have been given a boost regarding their transfer pursuit of Yan Diomande. DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ONAPPLE&GOOGLE PLAY According to talkSPORT, it seems the RB Leipzig winger may be available for £80m this summer, which is lower than previously reported, while that price could even fall further if his club miss out on Champions League qualification. Writing in his CF Bayern Insider column recently, Christian Falk provided an update on Diomande’s situation, reporting thathe could leave Leipzig for around £86.6m this summer.

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

GistReel Popular content creator Immunizer has reacted to the viral assault story shared by Mirabel, sparking widespread discussion online. In a video that has gained attention across social media, Immunizer claimed that the viral account of Mirabel being raped in her Lagos apartment contains inconsistencies that suggest the story may not be true. Immunizer Questions Mirabel’s Story Immunizer opened his reaction by pointing to what he described as “damage control” from Mirabel after her video went viral. He suggested that certain elements in her story and videos did not align with the…

According to Football Insider, Jean-Philippe Mateta is attracting interest from Newcastle United. Eddie Howe is keen on signing players who have experience in the Premier League and Mateta is someone who knows the league well and has performed well for Crystal Palace during his time at the club. The French striker was looking for a move away from Selhurst Park in the winter transfer window but after failing a medical at AC Milan, he had no choice but to stay at Palace. The summer transfer window will once again bring the opportunity for Mateta to leave the club and Newcastle United have now joined the race for his signature, giving the striker another option as he considers his next move.

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Ramadan began in Nigeria on 18 February 2026 and an Islamic scholar listed common mistakes to avoid The expert also shared a list of good habits Muslims need to practice during the month of Ramadan He shared his experience and highlighted things many people were not aware of in an exclusive chat with Legit.ng Every year, many Muslim faithfuls celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, and several weeks into 2026, an official report confirmed the start of fasting in Nigeria. In a recent report by Legit.ng, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar, confirmed the sighting of the crescent, which signals the start of Ramadan in Nigeria.

Manchester United will be hiring a new manager this summer, and latest bookies odds have current interim manager Michael Carrick as the favourite for the job. DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ONAPPLE&GOOGLE PLAY Carrick is set to be in charge of Man Utd until the end of the season, and at first it looked like they would surely eventually replace him with someone more experienced when it came to appointing a permanent successor to Ruben Amorim. Names like Oliver Glasner, Thomas Tuchel, and Gareth Southgate have been linked with the Red Devils, but Ladbrokes now have Carrick as the odds-on favourite for the full time job.