Driver, passenger hospitalised as vehicles collide in Lagos (Punch)
A minibus driver, alongside his passenger, was hospitalised after sustaining severe injuries in an accident that occurred along the Lekki-Ajah Expressway on Thursday.
PUNCH Metro learnt from a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, that the accident occurred when the driver of a Ford Jeep rammed into the minibus in the vicinity of the Ikota School along the expressway.
Following the incident, the driver of the minibus reportedly slipped into a coma while a passenger aboard the bus suffered severe injuries. Read more
CBN rakes in N600bn as treasury bills demand spikes (Sun)
Despite tightening fiscal conditions and elevated interest rates, investors’ appetite for Nigerian debt instruments remained strong as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised N615.8 billion from its latest Treasury bills auction held on May 21.
This marks a slight increase from the N598.3 billion sold at the previous auction on May 7, and underlines the growing reliance on domestic debt instruments as government revenue continues to fall below projections.
Daily Sun gathered that the 91-day bills attracted robust interest whilst the apex bank offered N50 billion, but subscriptions climbed to N72.56 billion. The bank allotted N71.67 billion at a stop rate of 18 per cent. Read more
Remi Tinubu Donates N100m To Support Creative Education For Children (Leadership)
First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has donated N100 million to support creative education for children across the country through the Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative.
The donation, made on behalf of her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), was announced at a Charity Gala Night organised by the Spouses of Heads of Mission in Nigeria, held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The gesture aims to enhance access to arts-based learning for Nigerian children, particularly those from underserved communities. Read more
JAPA: How to keep your Nigerian SIM cards active while abroad (Tribune)
As more Nigerians relocate abroad in pursuit of better opportunities, many leave their Nigerian SIM cards inactive, unaware of the risks involved.
This seemingly harmless oversight has led to cases of SIM number recycling, which can expose unsuspecting former users to identity theft and financial fraud.
SIM card recycling is a legal practice in Nigeria. According to Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, Director of Public Affairs at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), “a SIM card or a line left dormant for up to a year can be recycled and sold to a new user.” Read more
Makinde’s 2027 presidential posters flood Kano (DailyTrust)
Campaign posters promoting Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for the 2027 presidential election were on Thursday cited across streets and strategic locations in Kano.
The posters, boldly displaying Makinde’s picture with the inscription, “To Move Nigeria Forward 2027”, were seen in high-traffic areas across the city, including the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) roundabout, Wapa area (former site of Triumph Newspaper), Dangi Flyover, and the ever-busy Kwari Market.
Daily Trust reports that the publicity campaign is being spearheaded by a political support group, Nigeria Youths Awareness Group Makinde 2027 (NYAG Makinde 2027), which says it is mobilizing support across Northern Nigeria for Makinde’s potential bid for the presidency. Read more
2027: I’m expecting more defections to APC – Tinubu (Guardian)
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday projected more defections from opposition political parties into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that the realignment is a natural outcome of Nigeria’s evolving democratic landscape.
Speaking at the APC National Summit held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he was officially adopted as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 election, President Tinubu said the APC remains the dominant political platform steering the aspirations of Nigerians.
“You don’t blame people bailing out of a sinking ship,” the President declared. “I’m expecting more to come, that is the game. We are in a constitutional democracy that guarantees freedom of movement and freedom of association. Welcome to the progressives.” Read more
INEC creates AI division to strengthen electoral credibility (Vanguard)
The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has approved the creation of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division under the ICT Department to continuously harness the positive aspects of the innovation and mitigate its negative impact on elections.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun disclosed in Abuja on Thursday.
Olumekun said the division will enable the commission to better coordinate and maximise existing technology investments through centralised AI governance. Read more
Miley Cyrus reveals Harrison Ford warned her against unorthodox tour (Independent)
Singer Miley Cyrus has said that she almost embarked on an extremely unorthodox tour before actor Harrison Ford advised her against launching the “expensive” fan experience.
The 31-year-old singer will release her ninth album Something Beautiful at the end of May, followed by a film of the same name in June, which features a surprise cameo from runway model Naomi Campbell.
Until the Indiana Jones star stepped in, the album’s “unique visual experience” was originally going to take the form of a series of live performances Cyrus intended to host “in the forest and at the pyramids” among other unspecified “intimate places that are filled with beauty”. Read more
Donald Trump Stops Harvard Enrolling International Students
(Newsweek)
On Thursday, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effectively halting its ability to enroll international students and forcing any current international students to transfer or lose their legal status.
Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment by email on Thursday.
President Donald Trump has targeted Harvard after the university openly defied demands to limit pro-Palestinian activism and end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices. Read more
Rod Stewart has “so much more music” he wants to create at 80 (People)
Rod Stewart is 80 years young.
In an interview with AARP The Magazine as their June/July cover star, the “Maggie May” singer spoke about how, at 80 years old, he is still thinking about making new music.
“There’s so much more music I want to create. I’ve got a covers album, a country album, and a Faces album all in the works. I just can’t stop. Even when I’m spending time with my grandkids, my passion for music drives me. I feel like I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted, but there’s still more to come.” Read more
Cannes 2025: Paul Mescal says ‘‘The History Of Sound’’ and Brokeback Mountain comparisons are “lazy and frustrating” (FarOut)
Speaking at the Cannes Festival for the debut of his new film, “The History Of Sound”, Paul Mescal aired grievances about the rhetoric used towards the queer film.
The film, directed by Oliver Hermanus, features Mescal and Josh O’Connor as two men experiencing a budding romance during the First World War.
On May 21st, Mescal addressed the common parallels drawn between the upcoming movie and the 2005 queer classic Brokeback Mountain. “I personally don’t see the parallels at all, other than the fact that we spent a bit of time in a tent,” said Mescal at the Cannes press conference for the film. “But each to their own. There’s a bigger question there in the fact that it draws your attention to ‘why do I think that it’s not that film?’” Read more
Jin talks BTS reunion, new music on Tonight Show (UPI)
South Korean singer Jin told Jimmy Fallon about reconnecting with K-pop boy band BTS and performed a new song on The Tonight Show.
The band, which also consists of J-Hope, Suga, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook, is slated to reunite following their military service.
“It was great to be alone, but when they come back, since they worked very hard, I’m going to honor them and give them great respect,” Jin told Fallon Wednesday. “They are my lifesavers, so I need to show my appreciation and take care of them.” Read more
Florida court orders ex-Mexican security chief to pay millions to Mexico (AlJazeera)
A Florida court has ordered Mexico’s former head of public security to pay more than $748m to his home country for his alleged involvement in government corruption.
Thursday’s ruling brought to a close a civil case first filed in September 2021 by the Mexican government.
The case centred on Genaro Garcia Luna, who served as Mexico’s security chief from 2006 to 2012. Garcia Luna is currently serving more than 38 years in a United States prison for allegedly accepting millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel. Read more
Gateway Games: Edo’s Osaretin beats Ukpeseraye to 200m cycling gold (Punch)
Nigeria’s junior cycling champion, Godwin Osaretin, claimed gold in the 200m cycling sprint at the 2024 National Sports Festival on Thursday, beating Nigeria’s first cycling Olympian, Ese Ukpeseraye, 2-0 in the final, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
In a best-of-two races to determine the 200m champion, Osaretin beat Ukpeseraye twice to deny her the defence of the 200m gold she has won consecutively at the 2020 National Sports Festival held in Edo and the 2022 edition hosted by Delta State.
Osaretin’s victory sent the cycling finish line near Kobape, along the Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway, into jubilation by Edo athletes and athletes from other states. Read more
Aruna Bows Out Of ITTF Championships (Vanguard)
Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna has exited the 2025 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Aruna succumbed to Brazil’s Hugo Calderano in a one-sided fourth round men’s singles clash at the Lusail Arena on Thursday.
Billed as one of the tournament’s exciting matchups, the contest fell short of expectations, with Calderano displaying outright dominance from start to finish. Read more
Under-pressure Ange Postecoglou wants to stay on and build on Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph (RTE)
Under-fire Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglu insists he has unfinished business at the club after they won their first trophy in 17 years with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.
For weeks the Australian has looked set for the exit as woeful domestic form has left Spurs 17th in the Premier League and even bringing home a trophy – as he promised he would do in his second season – may not be enough to save him.
“That decision is not in my hands. It doesn’t affect me, if it had affected me you would have seen it in the build-up. All I cared about was this thing,” he told TNT Sports. Read more
French Open draws: Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu handed tough paths (Guardian)
Jack Draper will have to navigate a challenging draw at the French Open to consolidate his breakthrough clay-court season with a deep run at Roland Garros, where he is still seeking his first win.
Draper, the fifth seed, will begin against the Italian left-hander and fellow 23-year-old Mattia Bellucci, who is ranked No 68. Draper has been drawn in Jannik Sinner’s quarter and a career-best run in Paris could culminate in a last-eight match with the top seed.
Draper has made dramatic strides on clay in the last month, a surface on which he previously had minimal experience at the highest level. At the Madrid Open, a Masters 1000 tournament, he made his first tour-level final on the surface, losing to Casper Ruud, before an impressive quarter-final run in slower conditions at the Italian Open in Rome. Read more
Rodrygo to Arsenal transfer given seal of approval as Mikel Arteta told to repeat Declan Rice trick (SportsMole)
Arsenal should have no qualms about paying £20m or £30m over the odds to sign reported target Rodrygo from Real Madrid this summer, Gunners expert Charles Watts believes.
Speculation surrounding the Brazil international’s future has been heating up over the past couple of weeks, and it has been reported that Arsenal are now showing a serious interest in signing him this summer.Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is believed to be a huge fan of Rodrygo, who has registered 23 goal contributions from 50 appearances in the 2024-25 season but has been outshone by the likes of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. Read more