Author: Nnamdi Deborah

Content creator Adebayo Ridwan Abidemi, popularly known as Isbae U, has revealed the inspiration behind his popular interview series, Curiosity Made Me Ask, saying he created the show because he wanted to establish a distinct identity beyond skit-making. Isbae U made this known during an interview with media personality Morayo Afolabi-Brown on The Morayo Show, shared on YouTube. The content creator explained that his journey in the entertainment industry had taken him through different creative paths, including singing, rapping and skit-making, before he decided to develop a format that would distinguish him from other creators. According to him, he reached…

Sixteen-year-old Thai rock musician Nene Royal has emerged winner of the latest season of America’s Got Talent, becoming the first contestant from Thailand to claim the reality talent show’s top prize. Royal, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, secured the $1m grand prize after delivering a performance of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” during the grand finale in California. Her victory came after she edged out nine other finalists, whose acts included magicians, canine performers and a robot dance crew. Speaking after the announcement, an emotional Royal expressed her excitement over the achievement. “I’m very happy and emotional right…

Haitian-Canadian author Thélyson Orélien has denied allegations that artificial intelligence was used to write his debut novel, C’était ça ou mourir (It Was Either That or Die), shortly after the book won a major French literary prize. Orélien, 38, received the Prix du Roman Fnac for the novel, but the achievement has been overshadowed by claims that portions of the book were generated using AI. The allegations were raised by an X account, Balance ton Claude, which said it had analysed several passages from the novel with Pangram, an AI-detection tool. The account claimed that passages from different sections of…

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old suspected kidnapper, Olisa Oyelu, alias “Obele”, over his alleged involvement in a 2023 kidnapping operation that resulted in the death of a victim. Oyelu was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department following sustained intelligence gathering and investigation into the incident. The command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday. According to Ikenga, Oyelu was allegedly a member of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping gang led by a suspected criminal identified as “Pincode”. He said the suspect…

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, has launched an investigation into claims by a cyber-criminal group, ShinyHunters, that it breached the bureau’s systems and stole sensitive information belonging to about 38,000 employees. The hacking group alleged that it gained access to extensive personal and professional information on FBI personnel, including names, job roles, badge numbers, residential addresses, telephone numbers and details about their spouses. The FBI, however, has not confirmed that its systems were breached. In a statement posted on X, the agency said it was aware of the claims and had commenced an investigation to establish whether…

Nigeria and the United States have entered into a new framework agreement aimed at attracting increased American investment into Nigeria’s mining industry and accelerating the development of the country’s mineral resources estimated at $700 billion. The agreement was signed on Wednesday at the Nigeria Mission House in New York by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and the United States Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau. The signing was held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The partnership is expected to strengthen cooperation between the two countries while creating opportunities for private-sector investment across…

Two men have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, over their alleged involvement in a Nigerian-Mexican drug trafficking network uncovered in Enugu State. The suspects were arrested after NDLEA operatives dismantled a clandestine laboratory allegedly established for the production of methamphetamine in Eziama community, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of the state. The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday. The suspects were identified as 45-year-old Chukwu Christopher, popularly known as Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Monday, alias George. According to the NDLEA, the suspects allegedly worked with Rodriguez Villanueva, whom the…

The National Examinations Council, NECO, has announced the release of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination results, with 804,948 candidates achieving at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics. The figure represents 58.67 per cent of the candidates who sat for the examination, marking a decline from the 60.26 per cent recorded in 2025. In the 2025 examination, 818,492 candidates secured five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. NECO Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the 2026 results during a press briefing in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday. The announcement came 63 days after the completion of the…

Nigerian Afrobeats stars Davido, Rema and Omah Lay are among the headline acts announced for the seventh edition of Afro Nation Portugal, scheduled to hold in June 2027. The organisers unveiled the first wave of performers on Wednesday, naming Davido, Rema and Congolese music star Fally Ipupa as the festival’s major headliners. The three-day festival will take place from June 9 to 11, 2027, at Praia da Rocha beach in Portimão, Algarve, Portugal. The latest line-up also reflects a strong Nigerian presence, with Omah Lay and Victony billed to perform on the main stage. Other artistes announced in the first…

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has reportedly converted to Islam after reciting the Shahadah in Doha, Qatar. The Al-Ahli defender was reported to have embraced Islam in Doha, where he currently plays for the Qatar Stars League club. Qatari newspaper Al-Arab reported the development on Wednesday. The development was also shared by Islamic cleric Dr Muhammad Salah, who posted a video on his verified Facebook account showing Troost-Ekong reciting the Islamic declaration of faith. Troost-Ekong, 33, moved to the Arab region in the summer of 2024 after joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Khaleej. He later switched to Qatar, signing for…