- NCC plans to block fake phones from Nigerian networks
- Catholic Diocese shuts schools and hospital in Benue over repeated attacks
- El-Rufai allegedly set aside $600,000 to bribe EFCC officials
- Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer after 90-minute surgery
- Keffe D sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for Tupac’s murder
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
NCC plans to block fake phones from Nigerian networks
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced electronic checks to stop fake, cloned, and non-compliant SIM-enabled devices from connecting to telecommunications networks.
Edoyemi Ogoh, the commission’s director of technical standards and network integrity, announced the initiative at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday. He said the system would verify devices against approved technical standards, helping to improve network performance and protect consumers.
Ogoh said the NCC had worked with the Nigeria Customs Service, manufacturers, importers and telecoms operators to implement the system, following new type approval rules issued in August 2024.
Catholic Diocese shuts schools and hospital in Benue over repeated attacks
The Catholic Diocese of Gboko has ordered the immediate closure of four institutions in Ihugh, Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, following repeated attacks on church-owned properties.
The affected facilities are St Winifred Girls Secondary School, St Thomas Hospital, St Winifred Nursery and Primary School, and St Winifred Parish. The diocese also directed the withdrawal of pastoral agents from the community.
In a letter signed by Bishop William Avenya and diocesan chancellor Rev. Fr. Marcellinus Wende, the church cited attacks dating back to 2024, including repeated hostel burnings that endangered students, teachers, and staff.
El-Rufai allegedly set aside $600,000 to bribe EFCC officials
A State Security Service forensic investigator, Segun Kayode, has alleged that former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and associates earmarked $600,000 to pay Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials and intermediaries.
Testifying as the first prosecution witness at the Kaduna State High Court on Tuesday, Kayode said forensic audio recordings captured discussions about efforts to frustrate an EFCC investigation into a company called Singularity.
He alleged that $500,000 and $100,000 were allocated for the payments. The recordings reportedly mentioned AU Mustapha, Jimi Lawal, and Bashir El-Rufai, as well as plans to liquidate Singularity in Nigeria and Mauritius.
Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer after 90-minute surgery
Pope Leo has been diagnosed with lung cancer following surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, Reuters reports. The 71-year-old pontiff underwent the procedure after doctors discovered a growth during a recent examination.
A Vatican medical bulletin confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer. The operation lasted about 90 minutes and was completed without complications, with the pope waking up normally afterward.
He is expected to remain in hospital for a week, while his public engagements have been canceled until October 20. Leo had announced the discovery of the lung growth on Sunday.
Keffe D sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for Tupac’s murder
Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the former gang leader convicted of orchestrating rapper Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder, has been sentenced to at least 40 years in prison. The 63-year-old was found guilty of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon in September.
Tupac was shot in a drive-by attack in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, and died six days later. Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, was arrested in September 2024.
During sentencing, Davis told the court he would appeal. Judge Carli Kierny said Tupac’s death had robbed him of his future.
