P resident Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned violent protests and criminal acts against foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, saying they do not reflect the views of South Africans or government policy. In a statement issued at 8:56 AM on Monday, 11 May 2026, from “The Desk of the President” and posted on his official X account , Ramaphosa urged the country to protect its international reputation and the solidarity it has built with the rest of Africa since 1994. “As a country, we must reject attempts to damage our country’s international reputation and to undermine the solidarity that has defined South Africa’s relations with the rest of Africa since the dawn of democracy,” President Ramaphosa said. He pointed to South Africa’s refugee protection system, which allows displaced people to live in communities, work, and access healthcare and education instead of being confined to camps. Ramaphosa noted that this approach reflects the country’s commitment to human rights and African in...

K wara State University (KWASU) has announced it will stop its Top-Up and Higher National Diploma (HND) Conversion programme from the 2025/2026 academic session. The decision follows a directive from the National Universities Commission (NUC). In a statement released on Monday, the university’s Registrar, Dr. Kikelomo W. Sallee, said the move was necessary to comply with NUC regulations that govern university education across Nigeria. “KWASU will discontinue the Top-Up/HND Conversion programme starting from the 2025/2026 academic session,” the statement read. “This action is in line with the guidelines issued by the National Universities Commission, the body responsible for regulating all universities in the country.” The university noted that the NUC would issue further guidance on what will happen to students already enrolled in the programme.  “The NUC will provide directives on the status of current students on the programme at KWASU in due course,” the statement added. The sus...

L agos motorists heading to the Island should expect a temporary diversion as the state government shuts part of Eko Bridge for urgent safety checks and rehabilitation works starting Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, confirmed the closure in a statement released on Sunday. He said the affected section runs from Apongbon to Ijora Olopa, while the lane leading into Lagos Island will remain open to traffic. To reduce disruption, the government is urging commuters to use the Third Mainland Bridge as an alternative route during the exercise. Osiyemi noted that traffic management and security personnel will be stationed along diversion routes to guide drivers and maintain order. “In view of the closure between Apongbon and Ijora Olopa, members of the motoring public are advised to use the Third Mainland Bridge to access their desired destinations,” the statement read. “The inward Lagos Island carriageway will remain open to motorists. Adequate...

O peratives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recovered 2,326 kilograms of imported cannabis worth over N5.8 billion in a raid on a Lekki mansion, according to Vanguard Newspaper.  The Special Operations Unit of the NDLEA stormed the stash house at 36 African Lane, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, on Friday, May 8. Officers found 4,000 parcels of “Loud”, a potent strain of cannabis, with an estimated street value of N5,815,000,000. Two Mercedes Benz buses and various designer sachets used for packaging the drugs for retail sale were also seized at the location. In a separate operation on Wednesday, May 6, NDLEA officers raided a makeshift “skuchies” production factory in Ijora Badia, Lagos. Two suspects, Bose Jamiu and Gbenga Gege, were arrested at the scene while allegedly mixing cannabis with other illicit substances. Authorities recovered 270 litres of the prepared skuchies and 106 grams of Tramadol 225mg. NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said three persons living wi...

A s Afrobeats has gone global and earned worldwide recognition, the directors behind its most watched videos have become key cultural figures. These Nigerian filmmakers turn hit songs into cinematic stories that reach millions, blending local culture with bold creative ideas. Their work has helped define how the world sees Afrobeats. The directors below are presented in no order of importance or ranking. Each has made a distinct mark on the genre’s visual growth. Director Pink   P raise Onyeagwalam is one of the few prominent female directors in Afrobeats. She broke through with Chike and Simi’s “Running To You,” a video praised for its emotional storytelling. Through Pinkline Films and Pinkline Academy, she directs high profile work and trains emerging filmmakers. Kemzart A diukwu Daniel Nkemakolam, known professionally as Kemzart, is a Nigerian director recognized for concept-driven visuals. He gained prominence with Shallipopi’s “Cast” and has since directed high-impact videos f...

  O akland officials have ordered Nigerian physician Dr. Matthew Bernard and his partner Lynn Warner to pay $915,135 for cutting down dozens of protected trees without approval at their Claremont Avenue property, according to Blueprint Newspaper . City staff carried out several inspections of the hillside lot between February 2021 and May 2022 after receiving complaints about illegal felling. The visits confirmed that mature trees had been removed in violation of local conservation rules. More than 20 residents attended a council hearing to push for strict enforcement, arguing that the area’s dense canopy helps lower wildfire risk and supports ecological balance. Bernard told the council the trees were “dead, dying, leaning, or hazardous” and said a certified arborist had recommended their removal. Authorities rejected his request to retroactively legalize the work or link new plantings to planned construction. Instead, they imposed the fine and placed a lien on the property, block...

  A frica’s biggest night for film and TV lit up Lagos on Saturday as stars, filmmakers, and creators gathered for the 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards ( AMVCA ). The event started at 7 p.m. at Eko Hotel and Suites, honoring the best work in movies, series, and digital content from across Africa. Many fans joined live on Africa Magic channels on DStv and GOtv, others streamed online. Below are the winners and nominees in various categories: ✓ Best Movie Writing Winner: 'My Father’s Shadow' by Wale Davies    Other nominees: • 'The Herd' by Lani Aisida   • 'Blackout' by Ikenna Okpara   • 'Cards on the Table' by Shirleen Wangari   • 'Gingerrr' by Xavier Ighorodje   • 'Suky' by Isaac Ayodeji   • '3 Cold Dishes' by Tomi Adesina   ✓ Best TV Series Writing Winner: 'MTV Shuga Mashariki' by Annette Shadeya, Natasha Likimani, Mkamzee Mwatela, Arnold Mwanjila, Makgano Mamabolo   Other nominees:  ...

G alatasaray have been crowned Turkish champions after beating Antalyaspor 4-2 at home on Saturday. The win at RAMS Park in Istanbul gave Galatasaray an uncatchable lead with one game left to play. It is their 26th league title and their fourth in a row. The match started badly for the home side. Antalyaspor, who are fighting to avoid relegation, took the lead just before half-time through Soner Dikmen. They went ahead again in the 62nd minute when Soner scored his second goal of the game. Galatasaray hit back quickly. Mario Lemina equalized in the 56th minute, and striker Victor Osimhen made it 2-2 from the penalty spot in the 66th minute. Osimhen then put Galatasaray ahead in the 78th minute, and defender Kaan Ayhan added a fourth goal in stoppage time to seal the win. The result set off celebrations at the stadium and across Istanbul. Fans waved flags, lit torches, and danced in the streets as news spread that the title was secure. Coach Okan Buruk’s team bounced back after losing 4...

19 passengers and 3 crew to be flown to Merseyside on Sunday after screening in Tenerife B ritish passengers and crew from a cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak will fly home on Sunday and go straight into hospital quarantine, according to The Guardian . Nineteen British passengers and three crew members will be taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral. The same hospital housed returning British nationals during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ship, MV Hondius, has 146 people on board. After spending days stranded off Praia in Cape Verde, it is now heading for Tenerife. Cape Verde officials refused to let it dock over fears that an outbreak could overwhelm their health system. Before leaving Tenerife, all passengers will be screened for hantavirus on Sunday morning. Anyone who tests negative and shows no symptoms will then travel on to their home country. The UK group will be escorted by government staff and flown back free of charge. In a message to staff, Janelle Hol...

N igeria’s U-20 women’s team, the Falconets, have booked their place at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland after a hard-fought 3-2 aggregate win over Malawi’s Young Scorchers. The Falconets sealed qualification on Saturday despite losing 2-1 in the second leg in Lilongwe. Their 2-0 win in the first leg in Ikenne a week earlier gave them the edge they needed to advance. Malawi came out strong and took the lead early in the first half. A defensive slip by Nigeria allowed the hosts to head home and shift the momentum. Nigeria nearly hit back soon after when Favour Nkwocha met a cross from Kindness Ifeanyi with a header that bounced off the crossbar. The pressure mounted in the 55th minute when Malawi scored again to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate. With the game on a knife edge, coach Moses Aduku turned to his bench for a spark. That change worked almost immediately. In the 62nd minute, substitute Precious Oscar pressed a Malawian defender into a mistake and kept her composu...

  I n a recent interview conducted by Biodun Busari for Punch Newspaper , Lagos businessman Onyema Ekpenyong said he wants justice after his elder brother, Andrew Ekpenyong, was found dead in a South African mortuary. Andrew, a mechanic from Akwa Ibom State, moved to South Africa in 2007 after his Abuja workshop was demolished during Nasir El-Rufai’s time as FCT minister. He lived there for nearly 20 years with his wife, two children, girlfriend, and apprentice. Onyema said Andrew got a call on Sunday evening, left home, and never came back. That night, South African police searched his house but found nothing wrong. The next morning, the Nigerian community in South Africa was directed to a government mortuary where they identified Andrew’s body. Police said he died after falling while jogging. But people who saw the body said it had handcuff marks and injuries that looked like he was beaten. Andrew’s girlfriend and apprentice were in the house when police came. The girlfriend said...

Photo illustration: Image digitally generated. I n a recent report, Techpoint Africa said fake restaurants were approved and started selling on Nigeria’s food delivery apps Glovo and Chowdeck during a test carried out by the outlet. According to the report, the probe began after a food vendor, Corporate Ewa, posted on X in December 2025 that several stores on Glovo were allegedly impersonating her business using photos from her social media. Techpoint Africa said it then tested the platforms’ onboarding process by posing as a restaurant that was not listed on either app. The outlet alleges that on Glovo, it used a fake address, a made-up tax ID, and photos taken from the real restaurant’s Instagram page. The report states the platform did not flag the false tax ID or check it against public records from the CAC or tax authorities. Techpoint Africa says the fake store was approved within 48 hours and received a device for order tracking after paying a ₦20,000 activation fee. The repor...

A bia State University has denied allegations of student exploitation involving a lecturer in its Mass Communication Department, calling the reports “defamatory” and “misleading.” We earlier reported that Dr. Kingsley Izuogu was accused of forcing students to make compulsory payments for handouts and exam related issues. The claim was supported by a voice-over video posted on X by Alex Onyia, CEO of EduCare. Hours after the video went viral, ABSU distanced itself from the claims. The university’s spokesperson, Chijoke Nwogu, warned against broad accusations that could harm the school’s name and academic standing. ABSU said it has zero tolerance for exploitation, misconduct, and unethical behavior, and is committed to maintaining academic integrity and discipline. The university has not announced any investigation into the allegations.

A student of Abia State University has alleged that passing grades in the Mass Communication Department are tied to cash payments, sparking fresh debate over academic integrity at the institution. In a viral Voice-over video shared on X by Alex Onyia, CEO of Educare, the student accused Dr. KC Izuogo, lecturer for Fundamentals of Media Relations, of running a “pay to pass” system. She said students were required to buy handouts for N5,000 and textbooks before their test scores would count. On top of that, she alleged a “sorting” fee of N15,000 to N20,000 was demanded to secure a pass grade. “No matter how well you studied or performed in the exam, your result was already decided by whether you paid,” she said. Students who refused, she added, were either failed or given grades of D or E. According to her, many students paid out of fear of repeating the course, while those who complained faced retaliation. The Voice-over video has drawn widespread attention online, with netizens now ca...

F ormer U.S. President Donald Trump has said the 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket prices are too high and could prevent ordinary Americans from attending. In an interview with The New York Post  on Wednesday, Trump said he was surprised to learn that tickets for the U.S. team’s opening match against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12 cost $1,000. He said he would not pay that amount himself. “I did not know that number,” Trump told The Post. “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either.” Trump said the prices could lock out working-class fans, including many of his supporters.  “If people from Queens and Brooklyn and all of the people that love Donald Trump can’t go, I would be disappointed,” he said. “I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.” He pointed to the high cost of final tickets as another concern. Tickets for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey average nearly $13,000, compared to about $1,600 for the...