Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 1st May, 2025
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerians to appreciate President Bola Tinubu for not interfering with the agency’s anti-graft activities.
Naija News reports that Olukoyede, speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, dismissed allegations that Tinubu is using the Commission to target members of opposition parties.
According to him, the President’s primary concern is how the heads of key ministries and government agencies are delivering on their mandates.
Olukoyede added that Tinubu is keen on performance, but some people are distracting him from the good work he is doing.
A meeting has held between the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Naija News understands the meeting, which was held at Wike’s residence in Abuja, is targeted at resolving the political crisis which has engulfed Rivers State as a result of the disagreement between the Governor and his predecessor, eventually resulting in the declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu.
This platform earlier reported the meeting between the two political figures.
Sources quoted by Premium Times added that Fubara was led to Wike’s residence by Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and a former Governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba.
The source narrated that during the meeting which held on Friday, 18 April, into the wee hours of Saturday, 19 April, Fubara prostrated for Wike, held his leg and called him ‘my oga.’
When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister, on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, confirmed the meeting between Wike and the suspended Governor took place, but he couldn’t confirm what was discussed because he wasn’t privy to it.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State of its readiness to receive him into its camp.
The APC said it agrees with the submission of the Governor that the plane of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has become unsafe to travel.
The ruling party made the submission in a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, shortly after the Akwa Ibom State Governor sparked defection talks with his recent statement about affairs in the PDP.
Naija News recalls that Governor Eno raised eyebrows and sparked widespread speculation about his political future after questioning the viability of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a platform for his aspirations beyond 2027.
Addressing a large crowd at the Town Square meeting for the Ukanafun/Oruk Anam federal constituency on Tuesday, Governor Eno likened the PDP to a faulty aircraft, suggesting that if the party’s direction remained unstable, he might consider switching to a more reliable vehicle, an apparent metaphor for defection.
The APC, in response, said it agrees with the submission of the Governor on the PDP and, in contrast, assured him that the APC has highly competent pilots and crew who are ready to fly with him to his desired destination.
The party assured him that the APC plane is fit and ready to accommodate him.
The Nigerian Army has denied reports that 26 soldiers lost their lives in an explosion caused by Boko Haram in Borno State.
A statement on Wednesday released by the Nigerian Army across its social media pages clarified that there is no truth in earlier reports which claimed 26 soldiers lost their lives and 20 others were wounded in the explosion caused by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted on the road by Boko Haram terrorists.
The Army statement added that only two soldiers lost their lives and one other sustained injuries in the unfortunate incident which occurred on Tuesday, 29th April while the military men were on escort duty for civilians moving from Damboa to the Komala exchange point.
It promised that a detailed report would be made available on the incident later.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has insisted that only a northern candidate can challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Naija News reports that Momodu, during an appearance on Arise TV on Wednesday, countered the comments by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who dismissed opposition coalition talks as “dead on arrival”, saying it was worth pursuing.
Dele Momodu also stated the opposition party has been fair to the South, citing the administrations of former Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.
The Court of Appeal in Calabar, Cross River State, has upheld the conviction and three-year jail term handed to Professor Peter Ogban for tampering with the outcome of the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial election to benefit Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, the appellate court maintained the earlier ruling of the High Court sitting in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, which had found Ogban guilty of electoral malpractice.
The court took a firm stance against Ogban’s misconduct, highlighting the seriousness of his actions given his academic standing and the public trust placed in him during the electoral process.
Professor Ogban, an academic in Soil Physics at the University of Calabar, served as the returning officer for the senatorial poll. He came under prosecution by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following findings that he manipulated collated figures to favour then-Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.
Ogban was convicted for falsifying results to inflate Akpabio’s votes against his opponent, Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Akpabio has denied any involvement in the electoral misconduct.
The investigation and legal action that led to Ogban’s conviction were spearheaded by the former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Barrister Mike Igini.
His efforts resulted in the prosecution of two academics, Ogban and Professor Ignatius Uduk, for their roles in announcing doctored election results. The ruling by the Court of Appeal now solidifies one of those landmark convictions.
Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, better known as Davido, has expressed admiration for gospel singer, Moses Bliss.
Naija News reports that the heartwarming video making the rounds online captured the unexpected moment the duo met each other while Moses Bliss and his mother were on their way to London to visit his wife and newborn.
While heading to board his flight, the Grammy-nominated singer spotted Bliss and walked over excitedly to greet him.
The singers hugged and exchanged pleasantries.
Davido also commended Bliss, saying his songs are healing.
Nigerian online streamer and content creator, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, has stated that he does not feel close to his family any longer.
Speaking in a recent conversation with fellow TikToker, Sandra Benede, the 19-year-old lamented that he is the breadwinner of his family.
He revealed that a lot of responsibilities have being forced on his shoulders at a very young age.
The content creator stated that he now prefers sending his family money for upkeep as he doesn’t wish to see them anymore.
An Ogun State Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Ifo Local Government Area, has sentenced street-hop artist Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, to three months in prison with an option of a ₦30,000 fine.
Portable, who gained popularity with his street music, was found guilty of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest during an incident that occurred in November 2022.
The musician was arrested in March 2023 following an altercation with a police inspector. According to the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Olumide Awoleke, Portable physically attacked the police officer and obstructed officers who were attempting to serve him with an arrest warrant.
The charge sheet revealed that on November 18, 2022, at approximately 11:00 am in Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District, Portable, along with others now at large, conspired to commit felony, including assault and theft.
In his judgment, Chief Magistrate, Babajide Ilo ruled that the singer was guilty of Counts 1 and 2. He sentenced the defendant to one month’s imprisonment with an option of a ₦10,000 fine for Count 1 and two months’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦20,000 fine for Count 2.
In a thrilling UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, Barcelona and Inter Milan played out a dramatic 3-3 draw at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, setting up a tantalizing second leg in Milan.
The match exploded into life right from the start, with Marcus Thuram opening the scoring for Inter in the 1st minute after capitalizing on a defensive lapse from Barcelona.
Inter kept their foot on the gas, doubling their lead in the 21st minute through Denzel Dumfries, whose driving run and clinical finish stunned the home crowd.
Barcelona responded swiftly. The Catalans found a lifeline in the 24th minute through young sensation Lamine Yamal, who calmly slotted home to make it 2-1.
Ferran Torres levelled the tie in the 38th minute with a composed finish after a well-worked attacking move.
The second half saw the intensity rise further. Dumfries scored his second of the night in the 63rd minute to restore Inter’s lead, but just two minutes later, fortune favoured Barcelona as Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer deflected the ball into his own net to make it 3-3.
Both sides pushed for a winner in the final stages, but the scoreline remained locked, giving fans a six-goal thriller and a semifinal worthy of its billing.
