- NCDC places Lagos, Abuja, and other states on high Ebola alert
- Tinubu defends economic reforms on third anniversary in office
- Hillary Clinton mocks proposal for $250 bill featuring Trump’s face
- Austrian man jailed 15 years over planned Taylor Swift concert attack
- Ice Prince says fear of failed marriages makes him cautious about settling down
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
NCDC places Lagos, Abuja, and other states on high Ebola alert
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has placed Lagos, the FCT, and several other states on high alert following the outbreak of the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in parts of East and Central Africa.
In a public health advisory issued to health commissioners nationwide, the agency warned that Nigeria faces a high risk of importing the virus because of international travel, porous borders, and increased movement across the region. States listed as high-risk include Lagos, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa.
The NCDC said Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola cases so far but noted that preparedness efforts are being intensified to ensure rapid detection and response. According to the agency, more than 1,000 suspected cases and 247 deaths have already been reported in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Tinubu defends economic reforms on third anniversary in office
Bola Tinubu has defended the economic reforms introduced by his administration, saying Nigeria avoided fiscal collapse through what he described as difficult but necessary decisions.
In a nationwide address marking the third anniversary of his government, Tinubu admitted that the removal of the fuel subsidy and foreign exchange reforms caused hardship for Nigerians. However, he argued that the policies were beginning to stabilise the economy and rebuild investor confidence.
The president said his administration inherited serious economic challenges, including rising debt, declining revenues, and exchange-rate distortions. According to him, Nigeria spent as much as ₦18.4 billion daily on petrol subsidies at the peak of the system, with over ₦4 trillion spent in 2022 alone. He also claimed multiple exchange-rate windows led to losses exceeding ₦8 trillion through speculative activities and rent-seeking practices.
Hillary Clinton mocks proposal for $250 bill featuring Trump’s face
Hillary Clinton has joined critics mocking a reported proposal to print a new $250 note featuring Donald Trump’s face.
According to reports, officials linked to the Trump administration have pressured the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to consider the design. If approved, it would mark the first time in more than 150 years that a living person appears on US currency.
Reacting on X, Clinton joked that by the end of Trump’s term, the note might only be enough to buy a gallon of petrol and a carton of eggs, referencing concerns about rising living costs. Current US law bars living individuals from appearing on currency, although Trump allies in Congress reportedly introduced legislation seeking an exception ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Austrian man jailed 15 years over planned Taylor Swift concert attack
A 21-year-old Austrian man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of planning a terrorist attack targeting a 2024 concert by Taylor Swift in Vienna.
The suspect, identified in court as Beran A., was convicted on multiple terrorism-related charges at the Wiener Neustadt Regional Court. A second defendant, Arda K., received a 12-year prison sentence over the same case linked to the planned attack near Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium.
According to prosecutors, the pair and another suspect allegedly planned coordinated attacks linked to Islamic State operations targeting locations in Mecca, Istanbul, and Dubai in March 2024. The plot later led to security concerns surrounding Swift’s scheduled performance in Vienna, forcing the concert’s cancellation.
Ice Prince says fear of failed marriages makes him cautious about settling down
Ice Prince has revealed that he is increasingly afraid of marriage, citing failed relationships and the pressure surrounding weddings as major concerns.
In a recent interview with NevonHQ, the 39-year-old rapper said that seeing couples separate shortly after marriage has made him more careful about settling down. He also noted that many friends often ask him for financial help to fund wedding ceremonies.
The ‘Aboki’ hitmaker said he may consider marriage when he turns 40, pointing to fellow rapper M.I Abaga, who married at that age. Ice Prince added that he hopes to return to school and possibly run a farm in the future, explaining that he does not plan to continue releasing albums into his forties.
