Author: Naija Daily News

Seyi Makinde is expected to formally declare his presidential ambition on Thursday, May 14, during a major political rally scheduled to hold at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, in what supporters describe as a significant step toward the 2027 general election. The event, tagged “Unity Mega Rally Ibadan 2026,” is expected to serve as the official launch of the Oyo governor’s anticipated 2027 presidential bid, alongside the unveiling of a political alliance involving the Peoples Democratic Party and the Allied Peoples Movement, as well as other candidates aligned with the emerging coalition reportedly being championed by Makinde and his loyalists. Sources…

The Nigerian entertainment industry has been thrown into mourning following the death of popular Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo, who reportedly died at the age of 40 after a prolonged battle with cancer. Reports said the actor passed away on Monday, May 11, after months of battling the illness, leaving colleagues, fans, and admirers across the country in shock. Multiple Nigerian media outlets confirmed his death on Tuesday, sparking an outpouring of tributes across social media. Among those who paid tribute was actress Funke Akindele, who shared an emotional message on Instagram. She wrote, “Hmmmmmm. Rest in peace, Alex. I tried…

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has revealed that women now outnumber men in higher education globally, although inequalities in access, completion rates, and leadership opportunities continue to persist across regions. UNESCO disclosed this in its first global trends report on higher education released on Tuesday, showing that there were 114 women enrolled in higher education for every 100 men worldwide in 2024. According to the report, gender parity in higher education has now been achieved in all regions except Sub-Saharan Africa. The organisation noted that Central and South Asia recorded significant progress, moving from 68 women enrolled…

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has announced that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the conviction and sentence of a human trafficking convict for trafficking, procurement for prostitution, and organising foreign travel that promotes prostitution. NAPTIP disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the apex court, in a unanimous judgment delivered on May 8, 2026, upheld the earlier rulings of the trial court and the Court of Appeal in the case involving Titilayo Folorunso. According to the agency, investigations revealed that the victim was allegedly deceived with promises of a teaching job…

Suspected kidnappers have abducted a businessman in Irawo, Atisbo Local Government Area, in an attack that also left a 10-year-old girl with gunshot injuries. The incident occurred on Monday after the victim was allegedly trailed from Kraal Market in Ago-Are to his filling station in Irawo before the assailants followed him to his residence, where he was seized at gunpoint and whisked away to an unknown destination. The injured girl, identified as Modinat Aleshinloye, was reportedly hit by gunfire during the attack and was immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment and extraction of pellets. Confirming the incident, Olayinka Ayanlade,…

The Enugu State Government has announced the arrest of a woman, Mrs Ogechi John, over the alleged killing of her nine-year-old stepdaughter, Amanda John, in Enugu. In a statement released on Monday through Governor Peter Mbah’s WhatsApp media platform, the government identified the suspect as an indigene of Oderiko in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. According to the statement, Mrs John was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in connection with the death of the child, who was allegedly beaten to death at their residence in Nchatancha, Emene, Enugu East Local Government Area. The government, citing…

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday played a video recording in which a Zaria-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abdulkadir Sani, standing trial over an alleged coup plot, told investigators he had warned suspected conspirators that their mission would fail and that members of the group would eventually betray one another. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik also ordered a joint trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of statements and video recordings the prosecution sought to tender against the six defendants. The ruling followed objections by defence counsel, who argued that the statements were obtained in violation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the list of top-performing candidates in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin from Ekiti State emerging as the highest scorer nationwide. The list was unveiled on Monday during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja. Owoeye scored 372 out of a maximum of 400 points in the examination. She selected the University of Lagos as her institution of choice, where she intends to study MBBS. Enwere Kingsley Ikenna from Imo State followed closely with a score of 370. He chose Nile University…

Photo: Ilebaye Odiniya, 2023 BBN All-Star winner The father of former Big Brother Naija All Stars winner, Ilebaye Odiniya, has spoken publicly for the first time following the viral family altercation involving his daughter, claiming he was provoked before allegedly assaulting her during a confrontation at their residence in Abuja. Emmanuel Odiniya, in a voice note reportedly shared on Facebook on Sunday by Kogi-based journalist Jeremiah Promise Enemona Ocheme and now circulating online, said the incident was not motivated by hatred for his daughter but by frustration over what he described as a drastic change in her behaviour after winning…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee for the Rivers State House of Assembly has dismissed as false a purported list of cleared and uncleared aspirants for the 2027 elections, saying the document did not originate from the committee or the party leadership. Reports had earlier emerged that the committee had concluded the screening of 98 aspirants seeking to contest the party’s primaries, with claims that 65 aspirants allegedly linked to the state governor were not cleared, while 33 said to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, were cleared by the committee chaired…