NEWS

The Federal Government on Wednesday banned recipients of honorary degrees from prefixing “Dr” to their names in official, academic, or professional usage. It declared that the use of the title by such recipients constitutes a misrepresentation of academic credentials, which will henceforth be treated as academic fraud, with attendant legal and reputational consequences. The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while briefing State House correspondents on two Federal Executive Council approvals that had not been announced at the last cabinet meeting, which held on April 30. Alausa, who appeared alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, said the FEC approved a uniform policy for the award and use ...

Two Ohio brothers who posed as Middle Eastern royalty have been sentenced for their roles in a series of fraud schemes totaling roughly $21 million. Zubair and Muzzammil Al Zubair, roughly 42 and 31, were sentenced on Tuesday, May 5, to 24 and 23 years in prison, respectively, according to local outlet Cleveland. “You stole a lot of money, defrauded people, and put East Cleveland in a terrible light,” US District Judge Donald Nugent said, referring to the brothers. “You basically flaunted it by driving around in a Rolls-Royce and taking private planes.” According to prosecutors, the crimes were carried out with the help of a former East Cleveland mayoral aide. The mayoral chief of staff the pair bribed, 56-year-old Michael Smedley, was also sentenced to just over eight years...

Sam Smith and their boyfriend of more than three years, fashion designer Christian Cowan, are engaged. The couple, who attended the 2026 Met Gala together on Monday, May 4, were overheard talking about their engagement at the Mark Hotel before walking the red carpet, Page Six reports. “From what I understand, it was a private engagement,” a hotel lobby spy told the publication. “They are over the moon, and from what I hear, so in love!” Smith — who identifies as non-binary and uses “they/them” pronouns — later posted about the duo’s outfits on Instagram. Quoting Cowan, Smith captioned the carousel, “I have always loved Erté. I love the way he brought costume art to the world through his visionary illustrations. “The infamous 1920s...

The Edo State Police Command has arrested a suspected armed robber and recovered firearms in the state. In a statement on Tuesday, the command’d spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, said stolen items were also recovered following a swift police response in Auchi, where the robbery took place. The statement read, “The Edo State Police Command has recorded another significant breakthrough with the arrest of a suspected armed robber and the recovery of a firearm and stolen items following a swift police response in Auchi. “On 2 May 2026, at about 02:00hrs, actionable intelligence was received at Auchi Division that a four-man armed robbery gang had invaded the residence of one Mr Okologho Prosper in the Comprehensive Secondary School area of Auchi. “Acting promptly on the information, t...

The Nigerian passport climbed six places on the Henley Passport Index since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, rising from a global rank of 95 in January 2024 to 89 in the latest April 2026 edition. However, the actual number of countries Nigerian passport holders can visit without a visa has fallen by two destinations. This is as Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Somalia, Mauritania and São Tomé and Príncipe, among others, have moved Nigeria to the “visa required” category in recent years. According to the April 2026 edition of the Henley Passport Index, Nigeria’s visa-free destinations stand at 44, down from 46 in January 2025 and 45 in January 2024. The data, drawn from three successive annual editions of the index obtained by The PUNCH, shows...

Tension gripped parts of Lagos on Tuesday after a gas explosion occurred along Adeleye Street in the Doyin area of Orile-Iganmu, leaving one person seriously injured. The incident reportedly happened while a gas attendant was refilling a cylinder inside one of the shops situated in front of a demolished building, triggering panic among residents and traders nearby. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the explosion in a statement, noting that it received an emergency call at about 12:23 p.m. and arrived at the scene within minutes. Firefighters from the Sari Iganmu and Ajegunle Fire Stations were promptly deployed to contain the situation and prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining structures. According to the agency, the explosion occurred in one of two shops...

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has cautioned Nigerians against using fraudulent platforms for passport payments. In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Akinsola Akinlabi, the service public relations officer described claims linking a religious organisation to the passport payment system as “false and misleading.” He maintained that the passport application process remains secure, transparent, and fully government-approved, stressing that it is accessible only through the agency’s official portal. “The service has not authorised any religious body, private organisation or individual to act as an intermediary or receive payments on its behalf,” he said. Akinlabi warned that any platform or link claiming to process passport payments outside the official system shoul...

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has ordered Commissioners of Police (CPs) to immediately undertake a comprehensive audit of arms and ammunition within their respective commands. Disu gave the directive on Tuesday, May 5, in Abuja at the opening of an emergency conference with CPs in charge of state commands.This directive comes days after an officer, ASP Nuhu Usman, shot de@d a suspect in Delta state. https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=1&us_privacy=1---&gdpr_consent=CQfaJIAQfaJIADlBbAENCRFsAP_gAEPgABowL-tR_G__bXlv-bb36ftkeYxf9_hr7sQxBgbJs24FzLvW7JwX32E7NEzatqYKmRIAu3TBIQNtHIjURUChKIgVrzDsaE2U4TtKJ-BkiHMZY2tYCFxvm4tjWQCZ4vr_91d9mT-t7dr-2dzy27hnv3a9_-S1UJidKYetHfv8ZBOT-_IU9_x-_4v4_MbpEm-eS1v_tWvt43d-4vP_dpuxt-Tyff7____73_e7X__c__33___Xf_7____...

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to take decisive action against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following renewed attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole suggested that authorities should consider withdrawing the operating licences of major South African-owned companies such as MTN Nigeria and DStv. He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as repeated acts of hostility against its citizens, framing the situation as an economic and diplomatic struggle. According to him, rather than Nigerians being accused of taking jobs in South Africa, they should be encouraged to return home and take up employment opportunities created by foreign companies operating within Nigeria. O...

Fresh tension has emerged within the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) after police operatives sealed off the group’s secretariat in Kaduna on Tuesday. The move prevented members of the ACF National Executive Committee (NEC) from gaining access to the venue ahead of a key meeting scheduled for Wednesday. The development has sparked confusion and anxiety, particularly among members who had travelled from across the 19 northern states, only to be denied entry upon arrival. Reacting to the situation, NEC member Muritala Abubakar described the police action as unjustified, maintaining that there is no internal crisis within the forum to warrant such intervention. He added that officers at the scene claimed they were acting on directives from a former Inspector General of Police, raising ...