
Bedriya Adem, a 35-year-old woman in Ethiopia’s Harari Regional State, has given birth to quintuplets after 12 years of trying to conceive. She delivered four boys and one girl via Caesarean section at Hiwot Fana Specialised Hospital. Doctors confirmed that both the mother and the newborns, who weighed between 1.3kg and 1.4kg, are in good health. The hospital’s medical director, Dr Mohammed Nur Abdulahi, noted that the pregnancy occurred naturally, without in vitro fertilisation, making the birth exceptionally rare. Bedriya expressed immense joy, describing the birth as an answered prayer after years of emotional pain and social pressure. She revealed that doctors initially detected four babies, with the fifth discovered during delivery. Bedriya also acknowledged the emotional support from her husband during her struggles. The quintuplets, named Naif, Ammar, Munzir, Nazira, and Ansar, are currently under medical observation. Despite concerns about providing for five children as a subsistence farmer, Bedriya remains hopeful for support from her community and the government.
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Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, former Labour Party Lagos State governorship candidate, has appealed to Obidient movement supporters for patience regarding his decision to remain with the African Democratic Congress ADC instead of joining the Nigerian Democratic Congress NDC. His appeal, made on X, responded to criticism from supporters questioning his refusal to defect alongside Peter Obi and other opposition figures to the NDC. Rhodes-Vivour acknowledged the frustrations surrounding current opposition realignments and thanked supporters for their dedication to the movement and to Peter Obi. He urged patience with his political choices, drawing a parallel to his controversial move from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Labour Party before the 2023 elections. He assured supporters that his political relationship with the Obidient movement would remain strong ahead of the 2027 elections, asking them to "hold on till the end of the month." This follows a supporter's warning that remaining in the ADC could weaken his political chances in Lagos, suggesting that Funso Doherty might become the preferred choice for Obidients if he secures the NDC governorship ticket. Rhodes-Vivour had previously reaffirmed his commitment to the ADC, stating it is the platform he helped build. This development occurs amidst growing political realignments within Nigeria’s opposition bloc ahead of the 2027 general elections, including Peter Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso formally joining t

The Senate has confirmed Rabiu Umar as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority NMDPRA following his screening on May 5, 2026. Lawmakers commended his professionalism, industry knowledge, and strategic vision for Nigeria’s petroleum sector. Umar, nominated by President Bola Tinubu on April 29, 2026, pledged to strengthen national energy security, eliminate supply bottlenecks, and ensure stable fuel availability nationwide. His agenda focuses on supply resilience, regulatory efficiency, investor confidence, and nationwide product accessibility. Umar stated that while global events may influence fuel prices, Nigeria must build a petroleum system strong enough to absorb shocks and protect supply. With over two decades of experience in downstream petroleum, logistics, and manufacturing, including senior roles at Oando Plc and Dangote Group, Umar outlined immediate priorities such as strengthening the operational readiness of Nigeria’s 22 depots and ensuring nationwide stock buffers. He emphasized that energy security is measured by fuel availability when and where Nigerians need it. Industry groups, including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN, the Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria PETROAN, and stakeholders within the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, endorsed his nomination. Umar committed to repositioning the NMDPRA as an efficient regulator and a catalyst for investme

Nigerian pilgrims in Madinah have started their journey to Makkah for Hajj 2026, following a four-day stay in Madinah. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NAHCON reported that 9,756 pilgrims have been transported to Saudi Arabia by the four official airlines: Max Air, Umza Airline, Air Peace, and Flynas. NAHCON advises pilgrims wishing to visit the Rawdah Prophet Mohammed’s burial chamber to coordinate with their State Pilgrims Boards. Access to the Rawdah is subject to availability and approved bookings due to congestion. Pilgrims are reminded that while visiting the Rawdah is a blessed opportunity, it is not a requirement for the validity of Hajj rites.
Must ReadInstagram has officially ceased support for end-to-end encrypted direct messages as of Friday, May 8, 2026. The platform announced this change on its Help page, informing users that encrypted messaging would no longer be available. Users with chats affected by this update will receive instructions on how to download any messages or media they wish to retain, and some may need to update their app to access this download feature. End-to-end encryption is a privacy feature designed to ensure that only the sender and recipient can access messages or calls, preventing third parties, including the platform owner, from viewing conversations. Instagram explained that encrypted chats used special security keys stored on users' devices, ensuring that only devices with these keys could unlock messages. This protection also applied to voice and video calls, meaning even Meta could not access these communications. However, users could still share encrypted content through reporting features or by forwarding messages outside the chat. This announcement has sparked online discussions regarding digital privacy and data security. Meta Platforms, Instagram's parent company, has not yet provided further details on why the feature was discontinued.