BREAKING: Carter Efe beats Portable in celebrity boxing match

Street artiste and ZaZoo crooner, Habeeb ‘Portable’ Badmus, suffered his first defeat in celebrity boxing on Friday night as social media comedian, Carter Efe, outclassed him across three rounds to win by unanimous decision at the Chaos in the Ring 4 event held at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

All three judges scored the bout 27-30 in favour of Efe, stripping Portable of his status as celebrity boxing king.

Portable, who had beaten Charles Okocha and Speed Darlington in previous bouts to claim two belts, had entered the ring with characteristic swagger, promising to add a third title at Efe’s expense.

“I will use you to collect my third belt. Charles Okocha was bigger than you, Speed Darlington was bigger than you, and I beat them. I will beat you now,” the street artiste had warned ahead of the fight.

Efe, however, was unmoved, responding, “One punch and you fall.”

The skit maker backed up his words in the ring. In the opening round, Portable came out aggressively, throwing wild, erratic punches in his trademark style, but the taller Efe absorbed the pressure and countered with crisp uppercuts and body punches that troubled the singer’s smaller frame.

Portable’s approach did not change in the second round as he continued to throw wide shots and clinch repeatedly, but Efe grew sharper, landing more solid combinations. The third round followed a similar pattern, with Efe consistently finding his mark before the final bell.

The result confirmed Efe as the new celebrity boxing champion.

Actress Funke Akindele, others stranded at London Airport over 10-hour flight delay by Air Peace

Nollywood filmmaker, Funke Akindele has called out Air Peace after passengers, including elderly travellers, were stranded at London’s Gatwick Airport for nearly 10 hours without their luggage, hotel accommodation or clear communication from the airline.

Akindele took to X on Friday to demand immediate action from the airline.

She said passengers had been waiting since 6:30am with no proper updates after being told a bird strike had caused the delay.

“Air Peace, this is unacceptable. Passengers (including elderly people) have been stranded since 6:30am at London Gatwick Airport with no proper communication.

“After hours of delay, we were told there was a bird strike and promised a hotel. Hours later, people are still sitting at baggage claim hungry, exhausted, and without their bags,” she wrote.

The filmmaker said elderly passengers were struggling and families were worn out.

She demanded the airline release the luggage and provide the hotel it had promised.

In a second post published alongside a video of the current situation, Akindele said the situation had not improved.

“Air Peace, what is going on? Since 7am at London Gatwick Airport and it’s almost 4pm — no bags, no hotel, no proper updates. “Passengers are stranded. People are tired and hungry. Release the luggage and take care of your passengers NOW,” she wrote.

Air Peace responded to her first post, expressing empathy and attributing the disruption to factors beyond its control.

“Such actions are never intentional as we prioritise safety and operational efficiency, and while we strive for on-time departures, certain factors beyond our control can sometimes cause delays,” the airline said.

It added that its team was working to provide all affected passengers with adequate assistance and urged them to bear with it.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no confirmation from either party that the luggage had been released or that hotel accommodation had been provided.

Oyo APC split over Alli as consensus governorship candidate

The race for the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State has taken a contentious turn as divisions deepen within the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the reported endorsement of Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s consensus candidate.

At a high-level leadership summit held in Samonda, Ibadan, prominent APC stakeholders announced their support for Alli, describing the move as a strategic step towards early political alignment ahead of the next general elections. The meeting, attended by party leaders across the state, was convened to deliberate on electoral strategy and chart a unified path forward.

Speaking at the gathering, Senator (Chief) Hamzat Ayo Adeseun disclosed that the endorsement followed extensive consultations among party stakeholders and was reinforced by the position of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. According to Adeseun, the President’s stance carries significant influence as the national leader of the APC.

“Mr President remains the leader of our party, and his opinion on who flies the party’s flag must be given due consideration,” Adeseun said, adding that Alli had already indicated interest in contesting the governorship seat prior to the endorsement.

Also speaking, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, a director at the South West Development Commission, confirmed that he had engaged with the President, whom he claimed supported Alli’s emergence as the party’s preferred candidate. Ibikunle urged other aspirants within the APC to align with the consensus decision in the interest of party unity and electoral success.

In his response, Senator Alli expressed gratitude for the endorsement, pledging to run an inclusive administration if elected. He assured party leaders and members that he would not take their support for granted.

However, the endorsement has been met with stiff resistance from other influential blocs within the party, exposing cracks in the APC’s internal cohesion in Oyo State.

Allies of the late former governor Abiola Ajimobi and supporters of Senator Teslim Folarin have distanced themselves from the development, insisting that they were neither consulted nor aware of any formal process leading to Alli’s endorsement.

Sources within these camps described the exercise as lacking legitimacy, arguing that no credible stakeholders’ meeting was convened with broad representation across the state’s geopolitical zones. They maintained that any decision taken outside such inclusive engagement cannot be binding on the party.

Party insiders went further to dismiss the endorsement as “mere child’s play”, alleging that it does not reflect the collective will of APC members in Oyo State. They emphasised that critical decisions of this magnitude must involve stakeholders from the Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, Oyo, Ogbomoso, and Ibadan zones.

The role of some individuals at the event has also drawn criticism. Fatai Ibikunle, who was seen publicly endorsing Alli, has been questioned by some stakeholders, who argue that his actions do not carry sufficient authority to determine the party’s direction.

Additionally, party sources cautioned against linking President Tinubu to what they described as “unauthorised political theatrics”, warning that attempts to attribute endorsements to him without formal backing could mislead party members.

Further concerns were raised over the absence of the Oyo State APC chairman and members of the state executive committee from the process. Critics have labelled the exercise a “kangaroo endorsement”, alleging that it lacked institutional backing and due process.

At the centre of the dispute is the mode of selecting the party’s candidate. Several stakeholders reiterated that the APC’s established position remains the adoption of direct primaries, describing the process as sacrosanct and non-negotiable. They warned that any attempt to impose a candidate through endorsements could trigger internal resistance and jeopardise party unity.

The controversy has also unsettled other aspirants who have already purchased nomination and expression of interest forms. Many are said to be displeased with what they perceive as an attempt to confer undue advantage on a single aspirant ahead of the official primary process.

Nollywood stars, Lateef Adedimeji , Mo Bimpe welcome triplets

Nollywood actor Lateef Adedimeji and his wife, actress Adebimpe Oyebade, popularly known as Mo Bimpe, have welcomed triplets.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the actor shared the news via his verified Instagram page on Friday.

He described the arrival of his three sons as his “greatest blessing”.

“I’ve been quiet, not absent. I was building and protecting my world,” Adedimeji wrote.

The actor further celebrated his wife as a “mother of three” and his “legacy”.

His announcement follows years of intense social media scrutiny regarding their marriage.

Critics frequently trolled the couple over their childless status since their December 2021 wedding.

Previous years were marked by viral “clickbait” videos claiming the couple had twins.

Adedimeji had previously dismissed these rumors, urging fans to respect their private journey.

The news of the three boys has now sparked a frenzy of joy online. Prominent stars joined thousands of fans to celebrate the “triple miracle”.

“God is Good! I am in tears,” wrote actress Juliana Oloyede in an emotional post.

Omowumi Dada also described the triplets’ arrival as the best news for May.

Other notable well-wishers included Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, and veteran actress Fathia Balogun. 

Police arrest four suspected cultists terrorising Ondo community

Operatives of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad of the Ondo Police Command have arrested four suspected cultists in Ode-Irele, the headquarters of the Irele Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson of the command, Abayomi Jimoh, who disclosed this in a statement in Akure on Thursday, said the suspects were apprehended on 20th April, 2026, following credible and actionable intelligence obtained from an earlier arrested suspect.

Jimoh said, “Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects are linked to ongoing cult-related activities within the area. The suspects have since been charged to court in accordance with due process.”

In another operation, two men suspected to be members of the Eiye confraternity were discovered to have been involved in a series of criminal activities in Idanre and its environs.

“Findings from preliminary interrogation reveal that the suspects are members of the notorious Eiye Confraternity, a group often associated with violent criminal activities,” he stated.

Jimoh equally disclosed that some incriminating items recovered from the suspects include a blue beret commonly associated with cult groups, suspected criminal charms, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, and an unregistered red Honda motorcycle.

He noted that the suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.

“The Command has intensified efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of these criminal groups who are currently at large. Investigations are ongoing to establish the full extent of the suspects’ involvement in cult-related activities and to uncover any wider criminal network connected to them,” Jimoh added.

Commenting on the development, the Ondo Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, reaffirmed the command’s unwavering commitment to eradicating cultism and other violent crimes across the state.

Lawal emphasised that the police will continue to adopt proactive, intelligence-led strategies in tackling criminality and ensuring the safety of lives and property.