T he Oyo State Government has urged residents not to sell cows and rams on main roads during the upcoming Eid al-Kabir celebrations across all 33 local government areas. Officials also reassured cattle rearers and farmers that the 2019 law banning open grazing is not targeted at any ethnic group. The announcement came on Thursday, May 7 in a statement released after a stakeholders’ meeting in Ibadan on obeying the Anti Open Rearing and Grazing Law passed in 2019, according to News Digest . “Applying the 2019 Anti Open Rearing and Grazing Law is not meant to intimidate or target any group in Oyo State,” the government said. “Every local government has approved markets where this trade can take place.” Those at the summit agreed to follow the law, noting its benefits for public health and the economy. They also called for joint efforts with the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority to educate traders, farmers, and herders. Speaking at the event, Aderonke Aderemi, head of the Oyo St...

Photo illustration: Shakira and Burna Boy did not perform together. Image digitally generated. F IFA has picked “Dai Dai” by Shakira with Burna Boy as the main song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The event will be hosted together by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Shakira shared a 67-second sneak peek of the track on Thursday, May 7. She filmed it at Rio’s Maracanã Stadium, a legendary venue in world football. In the lively clip, the Colombian singer dances on the field in a yellow top, blue skirt, and sneakers. She’s joined by dancers and surrounded by footballs as the beat picks up. The video wraps up with fireworks bursting over the stadium. As the camera pulls back, the words “We Are Ready” appear across the roof. Fans can expect the song to capture the excitement as the world gets set for the first World Cup held across three host nations. Watch Shakira’s 67-second teaser for “Dai Dai” here

N igeria and South Africa are holding urgent diplomatic talks as the recent xenophobic tension pushed Nigeria to consider evacuating its citizens from South Africa, according to a report by Sahara Reporters. The discussion took place on Thursday, May 7, 2026, between Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and South Africa’s Foreign Minister, Ronald Lamola, following an anti migrant protest in Durban on May 6. Security forces prevented the protest from turning violent. Lamola said South Africa is worried about Nigeria’s plan to bring home Nigerians who want to leave. Odumegwu-Ojukwu said her government cannot ignore the harassment and killings of Nigerians and that evacuating those who wish to return is now a priority. She also called on South Africa’s police and courts to treat attacks on Nigerians more seriously and to ensure those responsible face immediate action. Although Tuesday’s protest remained calm, the Nigerian Mission has advised citizens to close shops ...

A Ghanaian petition calling on the African Union to act against xenophobic attacks in South Africa is making the rounds online. The letter, dated May 6, 2026 and signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, urges the AU to place the issue on the agenda of its Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in El Alamein, Egypt, set for June 24 to 27. The move follows growing concern across West Africa after several viral videos showed Africans, including Nigerians and Ghanaians, being threatened and harassed in South Africa. Nigeria had already taken diplomatic steps after reports emerged that two of its citizens were killed in related incidents. Ghana itself summoned South Africa’s Acting High Commissioner in Accra  to lodge a formal protest, and says it is still closely monitoring the safety of its nationals there. In the petition, Ghana is asking the AU to do more to hold member states accountable to their human rights commitments. It also wants the continental body to launch an i...

  T ed Turner, the media maverick who founded CNN and redefined how the world consumes news, died at 87, Turner Enterprises announced Wednesday. He passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family, according to  CNN .   Turner debuted CNN on June 1, 1980, as the first round the clock news channel. At the time, critics dismissed the idea as unrealistic. The network proved its value during the 1991 Gulf War, delivering live coverage when no other outlet could. The feat earned Turner Time magazine’s “Man of the Year” recognition for making global events immediate for millions of viewers.   Known as “The Mouth of the South,” Turner built his media empire from a small Atlanta station he acquired in 1970. He transformed it into WTBS, cable’s first superstation, by broadcasting its signal across the U.S. via satellite in 1976. CNN became the flagship of a group that later included TNT, Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies. He also owned the Atlanta Braves ...

  T he ECOWAS Parliament has ordered an investigation into the surge in terrorist attacks across West Africa and xenophobic violence against African migrants in South Africa.   The resolution was adopted on Tuesday during the First 2026 ECOWAS Parliament Ordinary Session in Abuja, according to report by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).   Ghanaian MP and Third Deputy Speaker Alexander Afenyo-Markin tabled the motion under Rule 71, citing it as a “matter of direct and profound importance.”   Parliament directed its Committee on Political Affairs to examine recent terrorist incidents in Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as xenophobic attacks in South Africa affecting ECOWAS citizens.   Afenyo-Markin stressed the need for accountability and stronger safeguards for West African nationals both within the region and abroad.   “A regional community that cannot protect its own citizens in transit has not yet earned its name,” he said.   ...

T he Federal High Court in Osogbo has ordered Obafemi Awolowo University to restore the degree classification of Physiotherapy graduate Shekoni Jemima Oluwagbemisola, ruling that the school illegally altered her result, The Guardian reports.   Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi held on Monday that OAU breached the student’s fundamental rights by changing her grade from “Pass with Credit” to “Pass” without lawful basis.   The court awarded Oluwagbemisola N5 million in damages and N800,000 for legal costs.   Oluwagbemisola, who earned a Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation in 2023, filed suit FHC/OS/CS/107/2025 after OAU modified her academic record.   Through counsel Princewill Okoroafor of P. O. Okoroafor & Co, she showed that OAU’s Statement of Result dated November 23, 2023, and its 47th Convocation brochure in December 2023 both confirmed her grade as “Pass with Credit.”   The dispute arose when she applied for her original certificate...

  T he National Association of Nigerian Students has issued a final warning to South Africa over violent attacks on Nigerians, saying major businesses like MTN could be forced out of Nigeria, Sahara Reporters reported.   NANS sent a letter to South African High Commissioner Thamsanga Dennis Mseleku in Abuja, expressing anger at what it called continuous and brutal xenophobic violence against Nigerians in South Africa.   The letter, signed by NANS President Comrade Atiku Isah, said the association speaks for over 40 million Nigerian students. Isah said the group would no longer tolerate what he called the systematic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.   NANS said it was unacceptable for South Africans to attack other Africans. The group noted Nigeria’s key role in ending Apartheid, stating that Nigeria provided financial and diplomatic backing and made huge sacrifices for South Africa’s freedom.   The association said the current violence go...

A n international tech CEO has shut down access to his AI app across Nigeria, saying the platform was overwhelmed by fraud. The founder, Avi Patel, announced Monday on X that his company had removed its app from Nigeria’s App Store and blocked all Nigerian IP addresses.   Patel runs Kled, an AI data marketplace that pays users to upload images, videos, and documents used to train artificial intelligence systems. The app launched about four months ago and has already processed more than 1 billion assets while paying hundreds of thousands of users globally, according to the company.   Nigeria became a major issue for the platform. After several months of uploads, the company found the fraud rate from Nigeria was about 95%. Instead of usable data, most submissions were black screens, duplicate photos, images pulled from the internet, and AI-generated content submitted at massive scale.   By contrast, the company said Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines ha...

T wo workers with the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company who were kidnapped last week are still being held, the company said Monday.   IBEDC said the staff were taken on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, while working in Ogun State. Six days later, they remain in captivity.   In a statement from its Ibadan office, the power firm said it is worried about the safety of the workers and is working with security agencies to bring them home.   “We are deeply concerned about this situation, and our thoughts are with our colleagues and their families at this difficult time,” IBEDC said.   The company said it is in close contact with the families of the victims and is giving them support. It declined to share more details, citing the delicate nature of ongoing rescue efforts.   “Given the ongoing efforts to resolve the situation, we request understanding and restraint as we prioritise the safety and well-being of those involved,” the statement adde...

  N igeria has asked South African authorities to take urgent action to stop violent attacks on its citizens.   At a meeting in Abuja, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was deeply worried about viral videos of South African protesters calling for black immigrants to leave the country. Permanent Secretary Ebienfa said the trend was disturbing given the strong ties between both nations.   The talks focused on the deaths of two Nigerians, Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew. Both died after encounters with South African security forces. Nigeria has questioned how the officers handled the cases and called for a clear, open probe into what it fears may be extrajudicial killings.  While noting that President Cyril Ramaphosa has spoken against looting and violence, the Nigerian government said words must be matched with “real action on the streets.”   To stop more attacks, Nigeria wants both countries to quickly start an *early warning agreemen...

M oniepoint CEO Tosin Eniolorunda has blamed social media, online fraud, and “hook-up” culture for Nigeria’s growing talent shortage. Speaking at 'The Platform Nigeria' event on May 1 at The Covenant Place, Iganmu, Lagos, Eniolorunda said his company has struggled to fill more than 500 roles since 2024 despite hiring only Nigerian talent. “I used to think Nigerians were really bright,” he said. “We’ve had over 500 vacancies since 2024 and we’re still struggling to find Nigerians to fill them. They don’t meet global standards. I blame social media, yahoo and hook-up culture.” Moniepoint is one of Nigeria’s biggest fintech firms. Eniolorunda said the gap between available jobs and skilled workers is hurting growth. His statements have triggered divided opinion online. Some Nigerians agreed, saying the chase for quick money and social media clout is pushing young people away from building real skills. They pointed to the rise of “Yahoo Yahoo” scams and transactional relationships ...

Bank describes claims as malicious and baseless; three suspects arrested as police widen investigation T he United Bank for Africa (UBA) has said that rumors about its chairman, Tony Elumelu, divorcing his wife are not true. Police have arrested three people for spreading the false story online. Over the weekend, UBA released a statement through Alero Ladipo, its Head of Brand and Corporate Communications. She called the social media posts “false, harmful, and meant to damage Mr. Elumelu’s name.” She added that the claims were completely made up. The fake news said Elumelu had ended his marriage to his wife, Awele. UBA said this never happened. After the story went viral, the bank reported it to the police. Three suspects are now in custody. They are Kingsley Akunemeihe, known online as @Directorkem, Chigozie Success Ihebom, and John Surpruchi Nwanorue, known as @problemchimky. Police say more people could be arrested as the investigation continues. UBA warned that anyone who started o...

  T he Lagos State Government has shut down 12 luxury apartments and shopping malls for breaking lift safety rules, according to a report by The Nation. Officials said they sent warning letters to the buildings before the deadline. The letters asked owners to register and service their elevators as required by law. But many did not comply. “Some managers refused to collect our letters. Others tried to stop our officers during enforcement,” an official of the state safety commission said. He added that the enforcement will continue to protect lives and property. Faulty lifts can put people at risk, he said. The sealed buildings include The Heritage/AXA on Awolowo Road, Ikeja; Mosesola House, Debour House, and Bosch House on Soji Adepegba Close. Others are Bridge View, Elizabeth Court, 10Bou Towers, Brion Court, Footprints Apartments, Lekki Luxury Flats, and Brasas Mall on Admiralty Way, Lekki. The commission has asked building owners and managers to register their lifts and do regul...

  E bonyi State, Nigeria Governor Francis Nwifuru has directed the recall of all suspended government officials in Ebonyi State, with the exception of staff from the Ministry of Lands whose cases are still under investigation. The governor announced the decision on Sunday during a Father’s Day church service held at the Government House Chapel, the Nigerian Tribune reports. “I want to thank our workers for their strong support to this government. To show appreciation, I have decided to honour them by recalling all government officials who were suspended for one reason or another,” Nwifuru said. He noted that officials from the Ministry of Lands are excluded because their cases are still being reviewed. In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr Monday Uzor, the governor criticized some appointees who publicly declared interest in running for office without his approval. He described the move as disrespectful. Governor Nwifuru also used the event to celebrate men on Fath...