Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. The Nigerian government has filed defamation charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan after she publicly accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and ex-governor Yahaya Bello of plotting to kill her. She had also previously alleged that Akpabio sexually harassed her, claims both men deny.
The charges, based on statements made during a live TV interview, argue that her accusations could damage the reputations of the two political figures. Akpoti-Uduaghan has not yet responded, and no court date has been announced. Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only four female senators was suspended for six months following her harassment claims.
2. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPC) has empowered 531 NYSC members with business starter kits and financial grants of ₦531,000 each to support entrepreneurship. At a ceremony in Abuja, beneficiaries received tools for trades like fashion design, tech, beauty, and furniture-making. NNPC CEO, represented by COO Mr. Roland Ewubare, said NNPC was committed to youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, describing the initiative as a symbol of Nigeria’s fresh leadership and a fulfillment of its promises.
3. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has strongly condemned calls from the South East House of Representatives caucus and ASUU-UNN for the resignation of JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, over recent exam glitches. In a fiery statement, MURIC’s founder, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, labeled the calls as “callous, ridiculous, unpatriotic,” and driven by ethnic bias rather than merit.
MURIC defended Oloyede’s record, stating that he transformed JAMB from a loss-making body into a revenue-generating agency, with over ₦50 billion remitted to the government under his leadership. The group accused critics of trying to “sacrifice excellence on the altar of mediocrity” and urged Oloyede to ignore what they called politically and ethnically motivated attacks.
4. The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students by stripping its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, citing non-compliance with federal law. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem framed the act as a warning to all U.S. academic institutions.
Harvard called the action “unlawful” and retaliatory, warning it threatens the university’s academic mission and the futures of over 6,700 international students, who make up 27% of its student body. Students expressed shock and fear, as many face uncertain legal status and disrupted academic plans just days before graduation.
There has been an ongoing standoff, with the administration demanding disciplinary records and surveillance data related to non-immigrant students, following previous threats to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status and freeze grants. While a California judge has temporarily blocked broader policy changes affecting foreign students nationwide, the situation at Harvard remains tense, with critics calling it a politicized attack on academic freedom and international collaboration.
5. Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy has announced the symbolic end of his “African Giant” persona, sharing an emotional message on Instagram. He revealed that this identity was “killed by his own people” and introduced a new persona, BIG 7, created to protect the remnants of his broken heart. Burna Boy described the internal conflict between his old and new selves. The announcement has sparked mixed reactions.
