Tinubu to Catholic Bishops: My reforms hard choice Nigerians must face (DailyTrust)
President Bola Tinubu has said while he understands what Nigerians are going through, the present economic reforms were necessary to build a resilient country and guarantee the future.
The President who stated this Friday in Abuja when he received the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), added that the reforms were hard choices Nigerians must face.
President Tinubu highlighted the importance of citizens and leaders investing in the nation to build a strong society, stressing that the tax reform presented a good investment opportunity for citizens to build their nation. Read more
Customs seize 34,470 litres of petrol in Taraba (Channels)
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says its operatives of the Operation Whirlwind have intensified its fight against fuel smuggling, leading to a major crackdown on smugglers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, in Gembu and Kan-Iyaka border communities of Taraba State.
Gembu, the headquarters of Sardauna Local Government Area (LGA), and Kan-Iyaka, a transit route into Cameroon, have become notorious for illicit fuel smuggling activities.
Speaking in Jalingo during a public auction of the seized items, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, revealed that a total of 34,470 liters of petrol were confiscated from smugglers in a swift operation. Read more
Police rescue Catholic priest as kidnappers kill seminarian in Edo (Guardian)
The Edo State Police Command on Friday said it rescued Reverend Father Philip Ekeli, who was kidnapped alongside Seminarian Peter Andrew in the state on March 3.
This came as Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has disclosed that his administration would do all within its powers to rid the state of all criminal elements.
The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Moses Yamu, announced the rescue of Ekeli in a statement in Benin on Friday. Read more
Kaduna distributes 7,000 motorcycles to workers (Leadership)
Kaduna State government has distributed 7,000 motorcycles to civil servants, 4,000 of which are electric in its effort to ease the transportation burden on workers across the state.
Governor Uba Sani who flagged off the distribution, said the initiative was the first of its kind in Nigeria, promising to continue to create and innovate to improve the conditions of citizens.
Represented by the deputy governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, the governor said government recognised that transportation costs could be a significant burden for civil servants. Read more
Kel-P denies Solidstar’s claims, says he created his own sound (Nation)
Record producer Kel-P has addressed claims by singer Solidstar, who alleged that he was “groomed” by him and that his musical style was stolen and used for Burna Boy.
Speaking in a recent interview on the Urban96 podcast, Kel-P dismissed Solidstar’s January accusations, stating that he developed his own musical style and that some artists mistakenly believe they own a sound just because a producer worked with them.
He also reflected on his early collaboration with Solidstar, revealing that he worked with the singer without receiving any payment. Read more
River Crisis: Sagay to Wike, allow Fubara to breathe (NewTelegraph)
A constitutional lawyer and scholar, Professor Itse Sagay, has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, to cease further hostilities towards Governor Sim Fubara of River State, saying the crisis between the two is impacting negatively on good governance in the state.
Commenting on the development in a telephone chat with Saturday Telegraph yesterday on the ongoing crisis in the South South state, Sagay carpeted the minister for scheming to become a minister and governor at the same time. Governor Fubara has been at loggerheads with the minister over some irreconcilable differences with regards to the governance and politics of the state with the two deeply digging into the war trenches. Read more
Buhari’s ex-ministers lead APC defection train to SDP (Punch)
There are strong indications that some former ministers of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari will move en masse to the Social Democratic Party.
A senator in the ninth Assembly, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said at least 10 former members of the Buhari cabinet were moving to the SDP.
“What they’re waiting for is the finalisation of the party structure in their respective states,” the source said. Read more
2027: Storm gathers against Tinubu (Sun)
Ahead of the 2027 presidential election in Nigeria, forces appear to have risen up to stop the re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu, thus, confirming Saturday Sun’s exclusive report, published in its December 14th edition, 2024.
Leading the pack of the opposition against Tinubu, for now, is former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. With his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), it seems the opposition against President Tinubu and the APC is taking shape gradually with aggrieved elements in the ruling party at the forefront.
Like Saturday Sun had predicted, El-Rufai has since reached out to the former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former APC National Chairmen, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Although, Oyegun and Adamu were never in the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Saturday Sun’s investigations revealed that an understanding has been reached among the leadership of the CPC for all of them remaining in the APC, to move en masse to the SDP. It is not clear as at press time if the decision enjoys the endorsement of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who led the then CPC into a merger that formed the APC, ahead of the 2015 presidential election. Read more
Wendy Williams opens up about successful cognitive test after welfare check (USAToday)
Wendy aced the test.
Wendy Williams scored “10 out of 10” on a mental capacity test at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City after being removed from a memory care unit of an assisted living facility by police officers, Williams revealed during a Tuesday interview on “The Breakfast Club.”
The former talk-show host, who called in to the radio program with Ginalisa Monterroso of the Connect Care Advisory Group, also said she did not drop a “help me” note out the window of the facility. She and Monterroso called police to plead her case.
“I told them I am not incapacitated as I’ve been accused, and the floor that I live on is the memory unit,” Williams said. “The people who live there don’t remember anything, unlike me. Why am I here? What is going on? It’s a cry for help.” Read more
South Africa : woman swept away by floodwaters in KwaZulu-Natal province (AfricaNews)
A woman’s vehicle was carried off by powerful floodwaters that led to extensive destruction and disturbances in KZN on Thursday night.
A woman in South Africa lost her life due to severe flooding in Pinetown on Friday.
Rescue teams are currently working to clear debris in the affected area. Read more
Trudeau ending tenure as Canada’s PM ‘at his best’ amid Trump threats (AlJazeera)
It happened in early January. But for many Canadians, Justin Trudeau’s announcement that he planned to resign as Canada’s prime minister already feels like a lifetime ago.
That’s because, in the weeks since, the country has been upended by a series of unprecedented shifts coming from south of the border.
Canada is facing the prospect of a prolonged trade war with the United States, and US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex the country, fuelling widespread anger and uncertainty. Read more
Jenna Ortega ‘in talks to star in Single White Female remake’ (FilmNews)
Jenna Ortega is in talks to star in a remake of ‘Single White Female’.
The 22-year-old actress – who is perhaps best known for playing the lead role in the hit Netflix show ‘Wednesday’ – and Taylor Russell are both being eyed to star in a remake of the 1992 erotic thriller film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The original movie – which was based on John Lutz’s 1990 novel, ‘SWF Seeks Same’ – starred Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and was directed by Barbet Schroeder. Read more
South African ambassador ‘no longer welcome’ in US, Rubio says (BBC)
The US is expelling South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying he is “no longer welcome in our great country”.
In a post on X, Rubio accused Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool of hating America and President Donald Trump.
He described him as a “race-baiting politician”, adding “we have nothing to discuss with him”. Read more
Kendrick Lamar seemingly addresses Drake’s lawsuit on Playboi Carti’s ‘Music’ album (HipHopDx)
Plaboi Carti‘s new album Music is finally here — and it features a guest verse from Kendrick Lamar that appears to address the messy aftermath of his beef with Drake.
Adopting some of Carti’s distinct vocal quirks, the Compton native spits a playful yet braggadocious verse on “Good Credit” which includes a curious mention of “conspiracy theories.”
“The numbers is nothing, the money is nothing, I really been him, I promise / Say Kenny been heavy out West and I carry the weight, n-gga, I’m Luka Dončić / Conspiracy theories is a given, but I must admit it, you got the wrong person,” he raps. Read more
Osimhen bags hat-trick in Galatasaray’s 4-0 home win vs Antalyaspor (CompleteSports)
Victor Osimhen continued his impressive scoring form as he bagged his first hat-trick for Galatasaray in their 4-0 win against Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Friday.
Osimhen has now scored 20 goals, has four assists in 22 appearances in the league this season for Galatasaray.
The Super Eagles striker has taken his tally across all competitions to 26 goals, five assists in 30 matches. Read more
Edem budgets N15m for 5th Calabar Table Tennis challenge (DailyTrust)
Former African Table Tennis champion and four-time Olympian, Offiong Edem, has disclosed that she has earmarked over N15 million to stage the 5th edition of the Calabar Table Tennis championship.
Speaking to journalists at the UJ Esuene Stadium Calabar, the table tennis star said that the championship slated for April 17th to 19th would attract 10 states from the South-south and South-east region of the country.
She explained that prize money will be N2.5m while N10m is budgeted for the purchase of table tennis equipment, including bats, jerseys, and balls for distribution to the clubs and participants. Read more
London Marathon set to break world record (Guardian)
The 2025 London Marathon is set to make history as the world’s largest field in the discipline.
More than 56,000 runners are expected to complete the 26.2 miles on Sunday, April 27.
That would exceed the current record of 55,646 finishers set by the New York Marathon in November. Read more
Fernandes hits back at Ratcliffe over ‘overpaid’ jibe at Manchester United (AlJazeera)
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes says it is not the players’ fault for the contracts signed off by the club as he hits back at claims by co-owner Jim Ratcliffe that some are “overpaid”.
Fernandes was singled out for praise by Ratcliffe, who also said some of the United squad were “not good enough”, in a range of media interviews this week.
The United captain led by example by scoring a hat-trick in Thursday’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad to book a place in the quarterfinals of the Europa League. Read more
Thomas equals Sawgrass record as McIlroy two off lead (BBC)
Justin Thomas equalled the TPC Sawgrass course record with a stunning 10-under-par 62 at The Players Championship in Florida, while Rory McIlroy is just two shots off the lead at the halfway stage.
It represented a remarkable turnaround from Thomas, who carded a six-over 78 in his opening round and began Friday in serious danger of missing the cut.The 31-year-old American became the first player to register 11 birdies in a single round at the PGA Tour’s flagship event as he matched the course record set by Tom Hoge in 2023. Read more