Mokwa Flood: More bodies recovered after 14 days (DailyTrust)
Two decomposed bodies of victims of the devastating flood that swept through Mokwa town, headquarters of Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, on May 29, were recovered on Thursday.
Daily Trust had reported that flash flood submerged buildings and swept away many people from their homes following a torrential rainfall.
The Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba Arah,akot confirmed the recovery of the two bodies to our correspondent on Thursday. Read more
Bank customers petition CBN over excess charges (Punch)
The Bank Customers Association of Nigeria has revealed that it has written to the Central Bank of Nigeria about the charges being deducted from customers’ accounts.
This was disclosed by the president of BCAN, Uju Ogubunka, on Thursday at the 2025 Artificial Intelligence conference organised by SuperNews under the theme ‘Power of AI: Enhancing Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction for Better Financial Services Experience’.
This disclosure comes amid an increase and a migration to the end-user billing model for unstructured supplementary service data from charges being deducted from bank account balances, a move which BCAN had faulted, describing it as falling outside the scope of bank charges approved by CBN. Read more
Lagos community laments over three-month blackout, faulty transformer (Guardian)
Residents and business owners in Raji Oba, Awoyemi, Folarin, Ajala, Olonade, and Akinshola streets in the Alimosho Local Council area of Lagos State have expressed frustration over a prolonged power outage caused by a faulty transformer.
The blackout, which began in the second week of March 2025, has crippled businesses and severely disrupted daily life in the affected communities. The residents have called on Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to urgently address the situation by repairing the faulty transformer.
Responding to inquiries, IKEDC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Okotie, said, “I will check what is causing the delay.”
One resident, Micheal Adeagbo, highlighted the dire consequences of the blackout, saying it has worsened commercial activities and affected access to water in the area. Read more
2 women docked for allegedly fighting in public (Vanguard)
An inspector of Police in Edo State, identified as Chris from the X-Squad, has been reportedly arrested and detained for allegedly forging an affidavit to remand 22-year-old Aibuedefe Igbinova Grace in correctional custody using the court.
Two women, Mariam Olajimoke, 52 and Esther Oladipupo, 54, were on Thursday docked in an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, for allegedly fighting in public.
The duo, whose addresses were not provided, were charged with affray and conduct likely to cause the breach of peace, to which they pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp Kemi Oladapo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Sept. 30, 2024 in Ibadan. Read more
Governors agree to dismantle illegal road blocks, multiple taxes (Channels)
The 36 state governors in Nigeria have agreed to dismantle illegal road blocks and multiple taxes across the country.
They made the resolution after a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja which ended early Thursday.
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who read the communique at the end of the meeting, said the governors resolved to dismantle illegal road blocks and multiple taxes which they say was responsible for food inflation in the country. Read more
June 12: Tinubu confers CFR national honour on Dangiwa Umar, apologises for omission (Leadership)
President Bola Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (Rtd), a prominent advocate of democracy and one of the vocal supporters of the June 12 election struggle.
The President made the announcement on Thursday during the commissioning of a 100 CNG Buses in Kaduna.
Colonel Dangiwa Umar, widely regarded as a “Soldier of Democracy” for his principled stand during Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement in the 1990s, was notably absent from the list of national honours awarded on June 12—Nigeria’s Democracy Day.. Read more
Senate justifies increase of Rivers 2025 budget by N365b (Tribune)
The Nigerian Senate has defended an increase of N365 billion in the new N1.846 trillion budget presented by Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibak, as against the figure earlier transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Checks revealed that the new sum is an increase of N365 billion as against the N1.481 trillion submitted by Tinubu last month for the National Assembly’s consideration and passage.
Recall that the President had earlier said the budget proposal became necessary because of the nullification of the 2025 budget of the state by the Supreme Court and the fact that the state is currently under emergency rule. Read more
Shakira breaks own record with two new shows in Mexico (MusicNews)
Shakira announced on Thursday that she will be playing two new dates on the second leg of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour in Mexico.
The first will take place on 18 September at Mexico City’s Estadio GNP Seguros. The second will mark her first-ever performance in the state of Veracruz, where she will perform at the Estadio Luis Pirata Fuente on 24 September.
With the new dates, the Hips Don’t Lie superstar has broken her own record for the most shows in Mexico on a single tour – now reaching a total of 28 on this trek. Read more
Brad Pitt unleashes his inner fashion guy (Harper’sBazaar)
Paparazzi snapped Brad Pitt wearing head-to-toe blue!in Manhattan. It’s a simple outfit at first glance, but each detail speaks louder than the whole. He wears a blue button-down shirt from Argentinian brand Taverniti with a blouson-style, almost windbreaker effect, a pair of blue jeans that appears perfectly worn in, a brown belt, white sneakers, and gunmetal shades. Each seemingly uncomplicated element conveys careful thought behind it.
In the midst of press for F1, Pitt is continuing his streak of having fun with fashion—and this playful affinity was especially evident the past few days in New York. The outfits have only gotten wackier. Read more
A former plantation becomes a space for healing, art and reparative history (NPR)
Harpersville is a small town in Alabama.
It’s predominantly white. It’s located in Shelby County, which the local Republican Party calls the reddest county in America. It’s also home to a new museum exhibit about a particular chapter of Black history. About what happened in Harpersville after formerly enslaved people were emancipated, granted their freedom — and not much else.
NPR’s Picture Show spoke with Tyler Jones who is part of a narrative studio based in Birmingham called 1504. They have been collaborating with the Wallace Center for Arts and Reconciliation to recenter the stories of Black descendant communities through creative, embodied storytelling. Read more
Stormzy unveils #Merky Films’ debut project ‘Big Man’ with star-studded London premiere (FilmNews)
Music mogul Stormzy celebrated a significant milestone in his expansive career last night, hosting the official London premiere of #Merky Films’ debut project, ‘Big Man,’ at the BFI Southbank. The highly anticipated film, which stars Stormzy in his first-ever lead acting role, is now available to watch.
Directed by Academy-Award winner Aneil Karia, ‘Big Man’ weaves the poignant fictional tale of Tenzman, a former rap star grappling with a restless phase in his life.
His world is unexpectedly transformed when two mischievous young boys, Klevis and Tyrell, enter his orbit. This unlikely trio forge a powerful bond, reigniting Tenzman’s dormant musical passion, impulsive joy, and fragile optimism. The film masterfully blends humor, vulnerability, and quiet transformation, exploring universal themes of reconnecting with one’s younger self and embracing gratitude. Read more
James Gunn Teases His “Favorite” DCU Project “Has Not Been Announced” Yet (Deadline)
With the new DCU kicking off its Gods and Monsters phase, James Gunn is teasing his next superhero passion project.
As he prepares to release Superman, Season 2 of Peacemaker and the new series Lanterns, the DC Studios boss teased that he hopes to make his “favorite thing” in his newly formed cinematic universe next, which “has not been announced at all.”
“Then there’s another TV show that’s my favorite thing in all of this, that is hopefully getting made soon,” he told Entertainment Weekly of what’s next. Read more
Emperor, empress commemorate A-bomb victims in Hiroshima (JapanToday)
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Thursday renewed their hope for peace as they visited Hiroshima to pay their respects to atomic bomb victims on the 80th anniversary year of the end of World War II.
In their first trip to the city since the emperor’s accession in 2019, the imperial couple laid white flowers and bowed deeply at a cenotaph in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which holds the names of around 340,000 victims of the Aug 6, 1945, atomic bombing.
They later visited an exhibition hall in the park displaying relics of the atomic bombing, where the emperor remarked that it was “heartbreaking” to learn the area near the hypocenter had once been a densely populated residential neighborhood. Read more
I used to fetch water, clean gutters for N30 — Osimhen (Guardian)
Nigerian international footballer Victor Osimhen has spoken candidly about his early years in Lagos, recounting the odd jobs he took on to support himself before beginning his professional career.
In a recently released interview with broadcaster Daddy Freeze, Osimhen detailed how he performed various small tasks—including fetching water and cleaning gutters—for minimal pay while growing up in the densely populated Olusosun area of Lagos.
Speaking in the interview, the Super Eagles forward described a time when he earned between N30 and N80 for cleaning household gutters or fetching water for tenants in a nearby apartment block. Read more
Weah reacts to ‘weird’ Juventus encounter with Trump (FootballItalia)
US President Donald Trump’s press conference with members of the Juventus squad stood behind him has gone viral, with Team USA international Timothy Weah describing the situation as ‘a bit weird’.
Juventus were in Washington DC ahead of last night’s Club World Cup opener against Al-Ain but prior to kick-off, an entourage including head coach Igor Tudor and USMNT duo Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie were stood behind the President in the Oval Office as the Republican covered a range of topics including conflict with Iraq and the place of women in men’s sport.
The situation came about with the Bianconeri present in the US capital for their aforementioned CWC opener but according to the Athletic, the logistics that brought Juve stars and staff to the Oval Office are shrouded in mystery. Read more
Messi strikes as Inter Miami stun Porto at Club World Cup (Vanguard)
A Lionel Messi trademark free-kick earned Inter Miami a shock 2-1 comeback win against Porto in the Club World Cup on Thursday.
The Argentine superstar found the top corner with a second half set-piece to clinch a surprise victory for the MLS side and give them a strong chance of progressing from Group A.
Inter Miami and Palmeiras have four points each, after the Brazilian side beat Al Ahly 2-0 earlier on — the Egyptians like Porto have one point. Read more
US refuses visa for members of Senegal’s women’s basketball team, says PM (Channels)
The United States rejected visa applications for multiple members of Senegal’s women’s basketball team, which was scheduled to train in the country, the country’s prime minister said Thursday, as he cancelled the group’s participation in the practice.
The visa refusals come amid the US President Donald Trump’s administration’s immigration crackdown and tightened border controls.
The United States is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Read more
Draper beats Popyrin to reach Queen’s last eight (DailyTrust)
British number one Jack Draper fought back from a set down to come through a tricky last-16 encounter with Alexei Popyrin and keep alive his hopes of a maiden title at Queen’s.
Draper had breezed through his opening match against Jenson Brooksby on Tuesday, raising hopes he could follow in Andy Murray’s footsteps and win his home tournament.Those hopes will have been increased further after the 23-year-old dug deep to overcome world number 21 Popyrin, who knocked Novak Djokovic out of last year’s US Open. Read more