Veteran Nigerian actor Segun Remi, widely known by his stage name Chief Kanran, has passed away at the age of 72.

The acclaimed Yoruba film icon died on Friday morning, though the cause of death had not been revealed as of the time this report was filed.

Chief Kanran was a beloved figure in the Yoruba movie industry, celebrated for his unique style, humour, and powerful performances in both stage productions and films spanning several decades.

Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon Bukola Olopade, has refuted claims that the Super Falcons have not received their tournament bonuses, stating that all payments have been made except for a few cases delayed by banking issues.

Speaking on Arise News TV’s The Morning Show on Friday, Olopade said he personally confirmed with team captain Rasheedat Ajibade and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that the bonuses had been paid.

“I have spoken to Ajibade directly and I have in my phone messages between Ajibade and Mallam Shehu Dikko, the chairman of the Sports Commission, where she vehemently denied ever saying their bonuses have not been paid. I know authoritatively that all their bonuses, without going into figures, have been paid,” Olopade said. He noted that only one or two players were affected by account issues with the Central Bank.

Olopade described it as misleading to claim that bonuses remain unpaid, stressing that the funds are already in the players’ accounts.

On the $100,000 presidential gift and the three-bedroom apartments promised by President Bola Tinubu after the team’s 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations victory, Olopade assured that the government is committed to delivering them and discussions are underway to accelerate the process.

“On the promise Mr President made, we need to stop playing politics and games with everything, it will be paid. A few days ago, Mallam Shehu Dikko was still talking to the Minister for Housing and I sat down with the gentleman in charge of the Renewed Hope Homes, and work has already started on how they will get the apartments in record time,” he explained.

Olopade highlighted that the Tinubu administration has a consistent record of fulfilling promises to athletes, saying, “When we tell athletes ‘A’ will be given, they get ‘A’.”

President Tinubu hosted the Super Falcons on July 28, 2025, to celebrate their record 10th WAFCON title, announcing a $100,000 reward, a three-bedroom apartment, and national honours for each player.

However, in an interview on August 14, Ajibade was quoted as saying the team had yet to receive “any of the promises,” which stirred public discussion about the government’s commitment.

The National Pension Commission has called on the Federal Government to raise its pension contribution for police officers from 10 to 20 per cent and increase their monthly pensions to 75 per cent of their final salary before retirement.

In a statement issued on Thursday, PenCom said its Director-General, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, made the appeal during a visit to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, at Force Headquarters in Abuja.

The visit followed protests by retired police officers over poor welfare and demands to exit the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Proposed reforms by PenCom include introducing a health insurance scheme for retirees, increasing monthly pensions to 75 per cent of a police officer’s final salary, expanding the Retirement Resettlement Fund, and restructuring the police pension system.

“She also urged the Federal Government to raise its pension contribution for police officers from 10 to 20 per cent, which would substantially boost retirement savings,” the statement partly read.

Addressing calls for the police to withdraw from the CPS, Oloworaran described such a move as unnecessary and counterproductive, noting that the challenges can be addressed within the scheme. She urged patience and sustained dialogue as PenCom and the NPF work on the reforms.

Egbetokun praised PenCom’s efforts and reaffirmed the Police Force’s commitment to collaborating in resolving pension issues.

PenCom also revealed it is working with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on a new Gratuity Scheme set to commence in 2026, which will provide treasury-funded federal workers with one year of total emoluments as gratuity upon retirement.

Earlier this month, President Bola Tinubu instructed PenCom to resolve the long-standing police pension issue, emphasising that personnel who serve and protect the nation should retire with dignity and peace of mind.