Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi A 33-year-old Nigerian man, Lucius Njoku, has been handed a suspended prison sentence in the United Kingdom for posing as a female nurse to work at an NHS hospital in Cheshire. Njoku reportedly used the identity of his friend, Joyce George, also a Nigerian, to secure work as a healthcare assistant at the Countess of Chester Hospital between February and April 2024. According to the UK’s Telegraph, Njoku wore George’s NHS name badge—which carried her photograph—and worked several shifts at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency department without detection. His deception was uncovered only after a patient confronted…

By Deborah Nnamdi Nollywood actor and filmmaker Daniel Etim-Effiong has made a powerful directorial debut as his first feature film, The Herd, grossed N30.1 million in its opening weekend at the Nigerian box office. Data from the Nigerian Box Office shows that the crime thriller earned N28.8 million between October 17 and 19, 2025, and a cumulative N30.1 million in its first week. The impressive debut places The Herd among the strongest-performing Nollywood releases in the latter half of 2025, marking a successful transition for Etim-Effiong from actor to director. Co-produced by FilmOne Studios, ToriTori Films, Serendipity HHC, and Airscape,…

Residents of Enugu metropolis will experience a series of scheduled power outages from Wednesday, October 22, to Thursday, October 31, 2025, as MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) carries out maintenance and upgrade works across several parts of the city. The company announced the development in a statement issued on Monday by its Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, in Enugu. According to the statement, the outages will occur daily between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the 10-day period. Ezeh explained that the planned interruptions are part of the rehabilitation and reinforcement projects being undertaken by the Transmission Company…

Nigerian fintech giant Moniepoint Inc. has secured an additional $90 million in funding to accelerate its expansion across Africa and other international markets, bringing its Series C round total to $200 million. The funding round drew participation from leading global investors, including Visa Inc., Development Partners International (DPI), LeapFrog Investments, and Alphabet Inc.’s Google Africa Investment Fund. Moniepoint’s Senior Vice President, Ross Strike, confirmed the development in an interview, noting that global investor confidence in Africa’s fintech sector continues to rise. “We have seen more interest coming slowly from global investors, especially those that have seen other emerging markets, willing…

By Deborah Nnamdi ChatGPT users in Nigeria will begin paying more for their subscriptions starting November 1, 2025, as OpenAI introduces a 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) on all paid services in compliance with Nigerian tax laws. The new tax means the monthly cost of ChatGPT Plus will rise from N31,500 ($20) to about N33,862.50 ($22.43). OpenAI announced the adjustment in an email to Nigerian users, citing adherence to Section 10 of the Value Added Tax Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (as amended), and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Information Circular 2021/19. The company also advised…

By Deborah Nnamdi The World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have endorsed Nigeria’s Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) model as a benchmark for sustainable health reform and efficient resource management in developing countries. The endorsement was made during a high-level dialogue on “Scaling Health Reforms” at the 2025 World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C., which brought together global health leaders, ministers, and development partners to explore strategies for financing healthcare, supporting local pharmaceutical production, and improving primary health service delivery. Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, presented the country’s achievements under the…

By Deborah Nnamdi Nollywood actor Shawn Faqua and his bride, Sharon Ifunanya Maduekwe, have made history by hosting Nigeria’s first-ever wedding aboard a moving train. The unique ceremony, held on Sunday, took place along the Lagos–Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway, where one of the train coaches at the Mobolaji Johnson Train Station was transformed into a beautifully decorated wedding venue on wheels. Departing from the Alagomeji-Yaba Station in Lagos, the train carried the couple, their guests, and their love story across the tracks—both literally and symbolically. Following their traditional wedding, the couple’s white ceremony took an unconventional turn. As the train…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 17-year-old boy, Auwal Dahiru, alongside five others, for allegedly plucking out the eyes of his seven-year-old sister, Rukayya Muhammad, in a suspected money ritual attempt in Bayan Dutse Village, Wailo, Kubi Ward, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday. According to Wakil, the incident was reported on October 17, 2025, by one Muhammad Adamu of Bayan Dutse Village at the Soro Divisional Police Headquarters. “Preliminary investigations revealed that the seven-year-old victim, Rukayya Muhammad,…

The Delta State Police Command has arrested four suspected cultists for allegedly initiating a toddler into their group in the Sapele area of the state. The incident, which sparked outrage on social media, was captured in a viral video showing the suspects blindfolding the child and forcing him to drink a hot beverage as part of the initiation ritual. The terrified toddler could be heard crying as the act was carried out. Confirming the arrest in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, described the incident as “evil,” adding that the suspects were apprehended following swift police…

By Deborah Nnamdi A Kano High Court has sentenced two men, Aliyu Hussaini and Amir Zakariyya, to death by hanging for the murder of a lecturer at Northwest University, Kano, Buhari Imam. The duo was found guilty on a three-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, and culpable homicide. Delivering judgment, Justice Fatima Adamu held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the defendants’ actions showed a “total disregard for human life.” “I hereby sentence the defendants to five years’ imprisonment each for conspiracy, 10 years’ imprisonment each for robbery without an option of fine, and…