BREAKING NEWS: Alleged Privacy Invasion: Lagos Court Rules In Falana’s Favour, Awards $25,000 Damages Against Meta

A Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square has awarded $25,000 in damages in favour of renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) against Meta Platforms Inc., the U.S.-based tech giant owned by Mark Zuckerberg, over alleged invasion of privacy.

In a judgment delivered on Tuesday, Justice Olalekan Oresanya held that Meta, as a global technology company that hosts and monetises content, owes a duty of care to individuals affected by materials published on its platform.

Falana, through his lawyer Olumide Babalola, accused Meta of publishing motion images and a voice caption titled “AfriCare Health Centre” on Facebook, falsely suggesting that he was suffering from prostatitis. He argued that the publication violated his constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

The court agreed that the publication amounted to an unlawful intrusion into Falana’s private life, despite his status as a public figure, and ruled in his favour in the $5 million suit.

Eyo Festival 2025: Tinubu Carries Sacred Staff as Lagos Hosts Historic Cultural Carnival After Eight Years

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday, December 27, attended the grand finale of the 2025 Eyo Festival at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, where he carried the sacred opambata staff, a key symbol of the ancient carnival. Dressed in traditional white regalia, the president joined thousands of revellers as Lagos revived the historic festival for the first time in eight years. Tinubu described the Eyo Festival as a powerful expression of Lagos’ cultural identity and tourism potential, urging participants to celebrate peacefully while preserving the state’s rich heritage during the peak ‘Detty December’ season.

JUST IN: The Eyo festival, popularly known as the Adamu Orisha Play, kicked off with vibrant processions as residents, visitors, and spectators poured into Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, on Saturday for the 2025 edition.

Nigeria @ 65: The worst is over, we’ve turned a new corner Tinubu.

Remembering the founding fathers, Tinubu recalled the sacrifices and vision of the country’s founding fathers, Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Margaret Ekpo, Anthony Enahoro, Michael Okpara, Aminu Kano, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and others, saying “they believed it was Nigeria’s manifest destiny to lead the entire black race as the largest black nation on earth.”

We have not strayed too far

Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey since October 1, 1960, Tinubu said: “While we may not have achieved all the lofty dreams of our forebears, we have not strayed too far from them. In 65 years, we have made tremendous progress in economic growth, social cohesion, and physical development.

“At independence, Nigeria had 120 secondary schools and two tertiary institutions. Today, we have over 23,000 secondary schools, 274 universities, 183 polytechnics and 236 colleges of education. We have witnessed a significant surge in healthcare, infrastructure, telecommunications, aviation, and defence.’’

Civil war, military rule, resilience
The President acknowledged Nigeria’s turbulent history but noted that Nigerians weathered the storm and kept hope alive.

“We fought a bitter civil war, endured military dictatorships and political crises. But in all, we weathered every storm and overcame every challenge with courage and grit,” he said.

According to him, for 65 years, Nigeria has endured profound social, economic, and political trials.

He said: ‘’We survived a civil war, military dictatorships, and recurring political crises. In spite of these setbacks, we have recorded progress in economic growth, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social cohesion.

‘’At Independence, Nigeria had just 120 secondary schools with 130,000 students. Today, there are over 23,000 secondary schools. In 1960, we had only the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology. As of 2024, Nigeria boasts 274 universities, 183 polytechnics, and 236 colleges of education. Healthcare, telecommunications, aviation, and financial services have all expanded remarkably.

Unfinished business
Declaring that like the founding leaders, he had committed himself irrevocably to the unfinished business of nation-building, President Tinubu said he inherited a near-collapsed economy, distorted by decades of bad policies.

BREAKING: Nigerian teacher, Mr Seyi Anifowose, has officially entered the Guinness World Records for convening the largest gathering of teachers in history, a feat achieved at the “Let There Be Teachers Conference 2025” held on September 20 at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

Woman in trouble for burning girl's private part with hot knife.

IN what can best be described as man’s inhumanity to man, a seven-year-old girl is presently writhing in pain as she receives medical attention at the emergency ward of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), following severe burns around her lower body, particularly her private parts.

The development, which occurred in Magama-Gumau, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, followed after she was reportedly brutalised by her brother’s wife, identified as Suwaira Ibrahim, who allegedly burnt her private part with a hot knife.

Reports from the area indicated that the little girl was accused of being a witch by the brother’s wife through a process yet to be explained.

A resident and activist in the area, Kabiru Mohammed Abdulkadir, narrated that: “Zuwaira’s child told her that she saw the victim, Habiba (not real name), amongst a group of witches and was taken to a man to confirm whether she really belongs to a witchcraft group.

“The man told them that she is not a witch, but Zuwaira disagreed with the confirmation. They returned home from where they went and she heated a knife on fire to burn her private part, believing that if she’s a real witch, she won’t feel pain.

“It was her loud cries that disturbed the neighbours and when we got there, we saw the situation and insisted that the case be reported to police.”

In a video clip obtained by our correspondent, the little girl’s private parts and laps were burnt and had progressed to rot.

The activist added that it was the bad odour from the wound that disturbed the whole household while she found it difficult to defecate and pass urine.

I will leave if he beats me, says Jarvis after being pushed publicly by peller.

TikTok creator Amadou Elizabeth Aminata, popularly known as Jarvis, has spoken out following a viral video that captured her boyfriend, fellow content creator Habeeb Hamzat, known as Peller, pushing her during an altercation.

Reacting in a video online, Jarvis dismissed claims that she was being beaten in the relationship and made it clear that she would not tolerate abuse.

“Advise your family. I’m not going to hide under the fact that I’m a small girl. I’m a small girl, but I’m old enough to take responsibility for what I want.

“You people are saying Peller is beating me. Are you people okay? I don’t know, maybe you guys are using Peller’s kind of eye to be looking at me. I’m not a child and if a man is beating me, this is not the 1960s, where they would tell the lady her husband is beating to not leave. Me I’m not doing that, if it was something like that, I would have left. My life first.

“That pushing was not it actually. It was a no no but I believe that he will change.”

The incident occurred after the pair attended singer Seyi Vibez’s concert at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos.

A short clip of the confrontation circulated widely on social media, sparking outrage and criticism of Peller’s behaviour.

In response to the backlash, Peller released a statement on Instagram, expressing frustration that the viral moment was taken out of context.

Nationwide alert: FG warns of five-day flooding in 19 states
6th August 2025.

The Federal Government has forecasted heavy rainfall over a five-day period that may trigger flooding across 19 states and 76 locations.

The warning, issued on Tuesday by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre of the Federal Ministry of Environment, called on stakeholders and residents to take urgent precautionary measures.

This comes as devastating floods struck Ogun and Gombe states on Tuesday, with other states including Lagos, Plateau, Anambra, and Delta also affected by the disaster.

According to the centre’s flood prediction obtained by our correspondent, the affected areas are expected to experience rainfall likely to cause flooding from August 5 to August 9, 2025.

The predicted states and locations are Akwa-Ibom (Edor, Eket, Ikom, Oron, Upenekang); Bauchi (Tafawa-Balewa, Azare, Jama’are, Kari, Misau, Jama’a); Ebonyi (Abakaliki, Echara, Ezilo); Cross-River (Ogoja Edor, Obubra); Nasarawa (Keana, Keffi, Wamba); Benue (Agaku, Buruku, Gboko, Igumale, Ito, Katsina-Ala, Ugba, Vande-Ikya); Kaduna (Jaji, Kafancha, Birnin-Gwari, Zaria) and Katsina (Bindawa, Bakori, Daura, Funtua).

Others are Kebbi (Bagudo, Birnin-Kebbi, Bunza, Gwandu, Jega, Kalgo, Kamba, Kangiwa, Shanga, Ribah, Sakaba, Saminaka, Yelwa, Gauri-Banza); Kano (Bebeji, Gezawa, Gwarzo, Kano, Karaye, Tundun-wada, Wudil, Kunchi); Niger (Kontagora, Rijau, Ringim); Plateau (Mangu); Taraba (Donga, Takum); Jigawa (Diginsa, Gumel, Dutse, Gwaram, Hadejia, Miga); Yobe (Machina, Potiskum); Zamfara (Anka); Sokoto (Sokoto, Wamakko); Borno (Biu); and Gombe (Bajoga).

Flooding in Nigeria has become a yearly occurrence that claims lives and destroys many properties. Last year, 31 states were reportedly affected by flooding, causing hundreds of deaths, injuring thousands of others and affecting 1.2 million.

On September 10, 2024 the Alau Dam collapsed, causing floods in Borno State, killing at least 150 people, displacing 419,000 others and causing the community to submerge 70 per cent.

Fela Died Poor, But He Was For the People — Singer Made Kuti Reflects on Grandfather’s Legacy and Struggles.

Afrobeat singer and grandson of the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Made Kuti, has shared deeply personal insights into the life, struggles, and enduring legacy of the music icon, revealing that Fela d+ed financially broke and largely uncelebrated until his children ensured he received a fitting people’s burial.

Speaking in a heartfelt interview, Made revealed that contrary to popular belief, Fela’s fame had waned by the mid-1990s. “By ’96, ’97, people weren’t speaking positively about him anymore. His popularity had faded in the media and in public opinion,” he said.

He added that despite his legendary status, Fela died with very little wealth and was largely abandoned by the society he fought for. “He was broke. Fela died poor. My dad had to use his own resources to support him.

Fela was the kind of person that, even when he made a lot of money, would come back to Kalakuta, open a box of cash and say, ‘Anybody that needs, take.’ It was an open house policy,” Made explained.

He described the difficult upbringing of his father and aunt under Fela’s strict egalitarian principles. According to Made, Fela refused to let his children call him “dad” or receive any special treatment, insisting that everyone in Kalakuta was equal.

“My dad had to earn everything on his own, even his place as first son. That was how Fela wanted it,” he noted. Made believes that the tra¥ma of growing up in such an unconventional household still haunts his father and aunt, saying, “They need therapy. They watched Fela rise, fall, and d+e without ever being treated differently.”

The turning point in Fela’s posthumous reputation, Made said, came when his children decided to give him a public, people’s burial. “They took him to Tafawa Balewa Square and were told, ‘Nobody’s coming.’ Then millions showed up. They took his body through the streets back to Kalakuta. It was aired on the TV” he recounted. Made said, It took his de@th for people to realize what he truly stood for.

ASUU Members Resume Work As FG Pays June Salaries.

The Federal Government on Tuesday released the long-awaited June 2025 salaries of lecturers and other staff in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, prompting chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to instruct their members to return to work.

Naija News reports that the payment ends weeks of tension and a “no-pay-no-work” stance adopted by several ASUU chapters following five consecutive months of delayed salaries.


The delays were reportedly caused by the migration of academic staff from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), a process overseen by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

According to Punch, at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, the ASUU branch chairperson, Haruna Angulu, confirmed that lecturers had resumed their duties after the June salaries were credited to their accounts.

Similarly, the ASUU chapter at the Federal University of Kashere issued a memo directing members to resume academic activities, citing the release of salaries.

At the University of Jos, a circular from the institution’s bursary department confirmed the payment of delayed wages, which led to the reversal of the earlier work boycott by the lecturers.

Education Minister Attributes Stability To Dialogue
Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, in a statement on Tuesday, noted that the current atmosphere of stability across tertiary institutions was the result of sustained dialogue.

“It is not by coincidence that Nigerian public tertiary institutions have remained open and stable for the past two years, something that has not happened in several decades,” the Minister stated in Abuja on Tuesday.

He attributed the peace to sustained dialogue, mutual respect, and the Tinubu administration’s commitment to resolving longstanding issues affecting both academic and non-academic staff.

ASUU Proceeds On Nationwide Strike Over Delayed June Salaries.

ASUU Dismisses 'No Work, No Pay' Threat By Govt, Insists On Strike

More branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) across the country have suspended academic activities following delays in the payment of June 2025 salaries by the Federal Government.

Naija News reports that this development follows an earlier warning by the ASUU National President, Chris Piwuna, who stated in an interview with Punch that the union would enforce a “no pay, no work” policy if salary payments were delayed.

Despite the warning, several academics in public universities and polytechnics have yet to receive their June salaries, prompting widespread withdrawal of services.

According to Punch, the University of Jos chapter of ASUU, led by Chairman Jurbe Molwus, in Plateau State, announced a total withdrawal of services, citing non-payment of salaries.


“Our members have abstained from lectures and statutory meetings in accordance with the NEC resolution, which mandates service withdrawal if salaries are not paid by the third day of a new month,” Molwus stated.

He added that the branch’s strike monitoring team had been activated to ensure compliance.

Similarly, at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, the ASUU branch also confirmed that lecturers stayed away from academic duties.


The Chairman of ASUU-ATBU, Angulu Haruna, accused the Federal Government of “deliberate negligence” in handling university staff salaries.

“While other government workers are paid on time, universities are treated as afterthoughts. We’ve been told the delays are due to migration from the IPPIS platform, but that excuse no longer holds water,” Haruna lamented.

At the University of Abuja, lecturers were noticeably absent from classrooms on Monday, as sources confirmed that most staff were complying with ASUU’s directive.


In a related development, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) also issued a stern warning to the government on Sunday night, threatening to commence a nationwide strike if their salaries are not paid.

The statement emphasised that failure to meet salary obligations would be met with full industrial action.

Lecturers at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, are also reportedly complying with the union’s directive

A senior lecturer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Punch that most academic staff had agreed to stay away from teaching and meetings until the June salary is paid

President Tinubu has approved the appointment of 36 individuals to fill vacant positions on the governing boards of various federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria. Below is the list of appointees and their assigned institutions:

I. African Aviation and Aerospace University, Abuja
Hon. Chidi Nwogu – Member (Imo State)

II. University of Jos, Plateau State
Dr. Folashade Mulikat Kareem – Member (Kwara State)

III. Federal University of Technology, Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom State
Dipe Olusina Adeniyi – Member (Lagos State)

IV. Federal University of Technology, Babura, Jigawa State
Akanimo Umoh – Member (Akwa Ibom State)

V. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State
Mr. Babatunde Usman Jinadu – Member (Lagos State)

VI. Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State
Chijioke Paul Okeifufe – Member (Enugu State)

VII. Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State
Hon. Babatunde Olokun – Member (Ogun State)
Hon. Isah Ambaka – Member (Nasarawa State)

VIII. Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State
Dr. Olusegun Ategbole – Member (Ondo State)

IX. Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State
Hon. Isa Song – Member (Adamawa State)
Hon. Bernard Miko – Member (Rivers State)

X. Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun, Osun State
Mr. Muyideen Balogun – Member (Ogun State)

XI. Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru, Kebbi State
Hon. Mayegun Yomi – Member (Lagos State)

XII. Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State
Hon. Abbas Braimah – Member (Edo State)

XIII. Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State
Dr. Adebimpe Adebajo – Member (Ondo State)

XIV. Nigeria Arabic Language Village, Borno State
Hon. Bawa Bwari – Member (Niger State)

XV. Federal University of Health Sciences, Katsina, Katsina State
Hon. Bello Bagudu – Member (Kebbi State)
Hon. Nasarawa Mani – Member (Katsina State)

XVI. Federal Polytechnic Isuochi, Umu-Nneochi, Abia State
Hon. Shehu Kagara – Member (Kaduna State)

XVII. Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State
Dr. Francis Ogbise – Member (Bayelsa State)

XVIII. Federal Polytechnic, Munguno, Borno State
Hon. Almajiri Geidam – Member (Yobe State)

XIX. Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Delta State
Rahila Ilegbodu – Member (Taraba State)

XX. National Institute of Construction Technology, Uromi, Edo State
Hon. Shehu Lambu – Member (Kano State)

XXI. Federal Polytechnic, Kaltungo, Gombe State
Hon. Yusuf Bello Mai Adua – Member (Sokoto State)

XXII. Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure, Jigawa State
Saleh Mohammed – Member (Jigawa State)

XXIII. Federal Polytechnic, Daura, Katsina State
Hon. Adekola Aliu – Member (Osun State)

XXIV. Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State
Waidi Olajire Ayinla – Member (Osun State)

XXV. Federal Polytechnic, N’yak, Plateau State
Hon. Hashimu Abdullahi – Member (Sokoto State)

XXVI. Federal Polytechnic, Bali, Taraba State
Hon. Abdullahi Abubakar (At Ningi) – Member (Bauchi State)

XXVII. Federal College of Education, Gwoza, Borno State
Ibrahim Abba Geidam – Member (Yobe State)

XXVIII. Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Plateau State
Mohammed Nura – Member (Kebbi State)

XXIX. Federal College of Education (Technical), Isu, Ebonyi State
Hon. Abdulkadir Usman Global – Member (Kaduna State)

XXX. Federal College of Education (Technical), Ekiadolor, Edo State
Hon. Usman Balkore – Member (Sokoto State)

XXXI. Federal College of Education, Odugbo, Benue State
Hon. Goodluck Opiah – Member (Imo State)

XXXII. Federal College of Education, Omoku, Rivers State
Hon. Bassey Etim – Member (Akwa Ibom State)
Hon. Chris Eta – Member (Cross River State)
Hon. Shuaib Yahaya – Member (Katsina State)

XXXIII. Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, Oyo State
Hon. Sani M. Anka – Member (Zamfara State)

XXXIV. Federal College of Education (Technical), Keana, Nasarawa State
Hon. Yusuf Dikko – Member (Jigawa State)

XXXV. Federal College of Education, Ilawe, Ekiti State
Hon. Deacon Taiye – Member (Kwara State)

XXXVI. Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State
Hon. Isa Lawal Doro – Member (Katsina State)