- FG sues Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over TV comments
- Over 52,000 Nigerians migrated to UK in 2024 – Official Data reveals
- Jonathan blames Western oil firms for Nigeria’s underdevelopment
- Education key to national progress – First Lady Oluremi Tinubu
- Trump administration sanctions Harvard, bans international student enrolment over antisemitism claims
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
FG sues Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over TV comments
The federal government has filed a lawsuit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central over remarks she allegedly made during a live television broadcast.
Filed on May 16, 2025, before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, the suit (CR/297/25) accuses the senator of making statements likely to damage another’s reputation.
The charge cites Section 391 of the Penal Code, which prohibits imputations intended to harm reputation, and notes that the offence is punishable under Section 392.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is listed as the complainant, with Akpoti-Uduaghan as the sole defendant.
Over 52,000 Nigerians migrated to UK in 2024 – Official Data reveals
Around 52,000 Nigerians migrated to the United Kingdom in 2024, placing Nigeria among the top contributors to non-EU migration, according to data released Thursday by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The migration came despite a sharp drop in the UK’s overall net migration, which fell by nearly 50 percent to 431,000 in the year ending December 2024, down from 860,000 in 2023.
The ONS report shows that most Nigerian migrants entered the UK for work and study, with 27,000 arriving on work visas, 22,000 on study permits, and 3,000 under other immigration categories.
Jonathan blames Western oil firms for Nigeria’s underdevelopment
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has criticised Western oil companies for failing to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development despite decades of oil exploration.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards Dinner in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Jonathan said the foreign firms that discovered oil in Nigeria focused more on outsourcing and importation rather than building local capacity.
He noted that unlike in countries such as China, the lack of strong laws and technical know-how in Nigeria allowed the companies to operate without ensuring meaningful benefits for host communities.
Education key to national progress – First Lady Oluremi Tinubu
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has emphasised the importance of education in driving national development, describing it as the foundation of a prosperous and progressive society.
Speaking during a meeting with the management of Germany-based Merck Foundation in Abuja, Mrs. Tinubu said no nation can advance without prioritising education.
She reaffirmed her commitment to expanding scholarship opportunities for Nigerian youths, adding that education remains a top priority for the Tinubu administration.
Trump administration sanctions Harvard, bans international student enrolment over antisemitism claims
The Donald Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s right to enrol international students, citing the institution’s alleged tolerance of antisemitism.
In a statement released on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that Harvard is barred from accepting foreign students, and those currently enrolled must either transfer or risk losing their legal immigration status.
“Consequences must follow to send a clear signal… that the Trump administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of anti-Americanism and antisemitism in society and campuses,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in a letter to Harvard.
The administration had earlier withdrawn billions in federal funding from the Ivy League school and warned that its tax-exempt status could be revoked.
