Good Day! Below is a Summary of News Stories Across Nigeria and Abroad:
1. The Air Peace flight carrying over 270 Nigerian students from the Aswan Airport in Egypt has landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The NAF C-130H jet also conveying about 80 persons also touched down moments later. After over a week of assurances by the Federal Government, the Nigerian evacuees were finally airlifted home, escaping the deadly conflict in Sudan. The evacuees arrived at the airport in the midst of heavy security presence, including mostly wingmen of the Nigerian Air Force. CHANNELS
2. Millions of electricity consumers may be plunged into darkness in the coming weeks as the Federal Government via the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the Market Operator have begun a massive disconnection of debtor electricity distribution companies from the national grid. Findings showed the development followed notices of disconnection from the grid served on some of the Discos by the Market Operator. The MO, a division of the Transmission Company of Nigeria had informed some Discos, including generating companies of the disconnection plan, due to failure to make remittances of ancillary services bills. PUNCH
3. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has condemned the call by the Arewa Community in Southern Nigeria that President Muhammadu Buhari should not release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu before May 29. IPOB warned the Arewa community to stop talking trash against Kanu’s release. The leader of the Community, Musa Saidu, made the call while faulting the remark by the President-General of Ohanaeze, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.Reacting, the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful, described the Arewa community as a mushroom group displaying its ignorance for the world to see. DAILY POST
4. The World Bank’s board of governors yesterday elected former Mastercard CEO, Ajay Banga, to a five-year term as president, ushering in an Indian-born finance and development expert to revamp the lender to tackle climate change and other global crises. Banga, 63, was nominated for the post by US President Joe Biden in late February and was the sole contender to replace David Malpass. He starts the new job on June 2. The election came after World Bank board members interviewed Banga for four hours on Monday. Malpass’ last day at the bank will be June 1. The decision came in a vote by 24 of the board’s members, with Russia abstaining, instead of the usual consensus-based process, a source familiar with the process said. VANGUARD
5. Golden Eaglets head coach, Nduka Ugbade has shifted attention to his team’s next game against South Africa following Wednesday’s defeat to Morocco. The two-time champions suffered a 1-0 defeat against the Atlas Cubs to put their qualification into the quarter-finals at the ongoing 2023 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations on hold. The Golden Eaglets now faced a must win contest against South Africa on Saturday to be sure of a place in the last eight. Ugbade highlighted what his side must do to come out victorious against their next opponent. DAILY POST
6. Nollywood actress Ronke Oshodi Oke has accused her daughter’s college of negligence, as she recounted in a video posted on her Instagram page how her daughter was poisoned, possibly by her friends or roommates. Three weeks ago, at 3:45 am, she received a distress call informing her that her daughter had been hospitalised after drinking hypo. Upon arrival, Ronke found her daughter in distress, crying and appearing dishevelled. Although it is unclear how her daughter came to drink hypo, Ronke suspects that her friends or roommates were attempting to poison her. Ronke explained that she had purchased a non-transparent water bottle for her daughter to take to school, which she drank from using a straw, making it possible for her to be poisoned. PULSE
6. The federal government has said more aircraft need to be made available to evacuate Nigerians affected by Sudan war from Egypt. Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabir, stated this at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, while awaiting the arrival of 376 stranded Nigerians from Egypt She said if four airplanes can move at once, everyone would definitely arrive. According to her, Egypt officials insist that the airplanes sent from Nigeria must be able to accommodate the number of Nigerians available to travel, else they would not let them evacuate anyone. DAILY POST
7. Renowned Nigerian actress, Genevieve Nnaji On Wednesday, May 3, 2023, marked her 44th birthday on social media after being absent from it for several months. She posted a new photo of herself with the caption “plus one” on her Twitter page. Furthermore, she used her Instagram stories to share birthday greetings from her friends, including Waje, Stella Damasus, Uche Jombo, Funke Akindele, and Ini Edo. PULSE
8. Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Josephine Otabor popularly known as Phyna, has said that the reality show is too toxic. The reality show star walked away with a N100 million grand prize after emerging as the winner of the ‘Level Up’ edition in 2022. Phyna disclosed this on her verified Instagram handle in a video she shared on the platform on Thursday. She is the second female housemate after Mercy Eke to win the show. Although she did not explain the reasons for her opinion. PUNCH
9. The Kaduna State governor-elect, Uba Sani, has pledged not to interfere with the freedom of the press when he takes over the affairs of the state. He said the preservation of the press should be sought through the constitution or other legal protection entities. In a statement issued on World Press Freedom Day, Sani said, “Such freedom which implies the absence of interference from the state; would be preserved by my administration but such preservation should only be sought through the constitution or other legal protection and security.” While commending the professionalism of Nigerian journalists, Senator Uba Sani pledged his administration’s sustained cooperation with the press.While commending the professionalism of Nigerian journalists, Senator Uba Sani pledged his administration’s sustained cooperation with the press. DAILY POST
10. Veteran Nigerian Pop musician, Chris Mba, has died after a long battle with heart issues. The musician, who was famous in the 1980s for his jerry curl and hits like ‘Funky Situation’, ‘Baby Don’t Cry’, ‘Making My Way’ and ‘Love Everlasting’, died on Wednesday at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Lagos. Michael Odiong, the General Manager of Premier Music, which Mba was signed to, shared the news on Thursday in a post shared via his Instagram account. LEADERSHIP
PROCYON NEWS
