Author: Naija Daily News

By Douglas Maha with agency report Shell Plc transferred $5.34 billion to the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2024, making Africa’s top oil producer its largest sovereign beneficiary worldwide, even as the energy major retreats from onshore oil operations. The figures, disclosed in Shell’s annual Payments to Governments report, show Nigeria ahead of traditional top recipients like Brazil, Oman, and Norway. The UK-headquartered company made total government payments of $28.1 billion globally last year. Shell’s payments to Nigeria surged nearly 41% from 2023, driven largely by production entitlements and royalties tied to its upstream joint ventures. Over 70% of the…

By Deborah Nnamdi Ghanaian immigration officials reported that more than 2,000 undocumented foreign nationals were detained in Accra on Friday during a coordinated operation aimed at dismantling criminal networks and addressing the rise in street begging. According to the Immigration Service, 2,241 individuals were arrested during early morning raids—of these, 1,332 were children. Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak stated on Facebook that the operation was initiated in response to growing concerns over organized street begging involving foreign nationals. “This activity poses a national security threat and tarnishes our country’s image,” he wrote. Mubarak noted that many of those apprehended had entered…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Ebonyi State High Court sitting in the Ohaukwu Judicial Division has sentenced four individuals to death by hanging for the murder of 26-year-old Chinonso Elom, popularly known as Oscar. The incident occurred on February 5, 2023, in the Ngbo community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, where both the victim and the convicts hail from. Those sentenced to death are Anthony Elom (alias Tidy), Chibueze Onwe (alias Chief), Chukwuemeka Ugah (alias Parity), and Uchenna Odono, who is reportedly related to a senior council official. According to court findings, the four, along with an accomplice, ThankGod Onwe—currently at large—arrived…

By Deborah Nnamdi Cristiano Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr star forward, has claimed the top spot on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes for the third straight year, further cementing his dominance in global sports. Forbes estimates Ronaldo’s total earnings at $275 million (approximately £206 million), a $15 million increase from the previous year. Much of this boost comes from lucrative off-field ventures, including endorsements and sponsorship deals driven by his staggering 939 million social media followers. This marks the fifth time in his career that Ronaldo has led the prestigious list. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry rose to second place with…

By Deborah Nnamdi A woman known only as Gift, believed to be in her early 40s, has been taken into custody by officers of the Nkpolu Police Division in Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for allegedly severing the tip of her male lover Mr. Sunday’s penis. The incident occurred on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Bishop Okoye Street, Mile 3, Diobu, Port Harcourt. According to reports, the conflict began when her lover, Sunday, requested sex, but Gift refused, allegedly because he uses sex-enhancement drugs that cause him to last excessively long during intercourse. It was learned that Mr. Sunday allegedly…

By Deborah Nnamdi In response to the growing challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and youth unemployment in West Africa, the ECOWAS Commission has approved multimillion-dollar grants to support the establishment of training centres focused on Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA). These centres aim to equip young people with the skills needed to build sustainable agribusinesses. Dr. Gle Koffi Emmanuel, Chairman of the Regional Steering Committee for EOA and representative of the ECOWAS Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, announced the launch of the inception workshops in Lagos. The events were organised in collaboration with the West African Secretariat of Ecological…

By Deborah Nnamdi As preparations for the 2027 general and presidential elections begin, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has announced that the people of Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District—and the entire state—have unanimously endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno, and himself as sole candidates for their respective offices. Akpabio made the declaration during the second phase of his constituency empowerment program, which included the commissioning of various projects and the distribution of support items to over 3,000 beneficiaries. Speaking at the event, Akpabio praised Governor Eno for fostering unity and peace in the state, highlighting that this atmosphere of…

By Deborah Nnamdi Residents of the Aduragbemi community in Ido-Osun, Osun State, took to the streets on Friday to protest the collapse of a newly tarred road that was washed away by rain just a day after its completion. Carrying placards and marching through the affected area, the protesters accused the contractor of delivering substandard work and called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to take swift action. The residents expressed outrage that the road, which was tarred on Wednesday, May 14, failed within 24 hours following a rainfall on Thursday, May 15. They urged the state government to investigate the project…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended five individuals in connection with the abduction and illegal sale of a two-week-old baby for N3 million. Among those arrested is a woman who had been entrusted with the care of the teenage mother of the infant. The suspects are currently in custody following an in-depth investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). According to CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the Lagos Police Command, the case was first reported at the Ajah Police Division on May 5. A man had alerted authorities that his 16-year-old cousin, identified as Miss…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Niger State Police Command has announced the arrest of three individuals who allegedly impersonated operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and abducted students from Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University, Lapai. In a statement released on Friday in Minna, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, revealed that two additional individuals who served as informants for the suspects were also apprehended. According to Abiodun, the police received a report around 8:00 p.m. on May 13, stating that four men had stormed an off-campus student lodge, pretending to be EFCC officials. They abducted two students and…