Top 5 Stories Of The Day | Nollywood Mourns as Veteran Actor Francis Duru Dies at 57

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.

Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has died at 57 after a brief illness, his family announced in a statement shared on his official Instagram page on Friday.

The family thanked fans and well-wishers for their prayers, love, and support, and asked for understanding during this difficult period. Duru is survived by his wife, Adokiye, and their children.

His death comes months after he dismissed reports in June claiming he was battling a life-threatening illness. In an Instagram video, the actor described the circulating footage as false and criticised those spreading the claims.

Barclays plans to cut around 5,000 jobs as it modernises its operations and expands the use of artificial intelligence (AI), affecting about 5% of its global workforce.

The bank has already removed 1,000 positions and expects another 4,000 cuts by the end of 2026. The reductions will mainly affect its UK retail banking operations, with some losses expected in India, where it handles back-office services.

However, Unite union general secretary Sharon Graham accused Barclays of using AI as an excuse to cut jobs, arguing employers should retrain staff instead. Other banks, including HSBC and Standard Chartered, have also flagged AI-related job cuts.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, claiming the naira’s devaluation has made Nigerians 300% poorer and pushed the country towards becoming the world’s poverty capital.

Speaking at the Financial Times Africa Summit 2026 in London on Wednesday, Obasanjo said the naira fell from about ₦500 to $1 to ₦1,500 following reforms introduced in 2023. He argued that the sharp decline had severely reduced Nigerians’ purchasing power.

The former president also dismissed calls to give Tinubu more time, saying he had yet to see signs of economic improvement.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Amnesty International have condemned the four-year prison sentence handed to Kaduna reporter Farida Isiak over a Facebook post criticising the police. She was also given the option of paying a ₦1.75 million fine.

The 23-year-old Nagarta Radio journalist reportedly posted about her mother’s arrest and her father’s detention following a dispute over ₦100 change from a charcoal sale. The NUJ said she later deleted the post and apologised.

Although Isiak has been granted bail, the union is demanding an impartial investigation and a fair retrial scheduled for November 3, raising concerns about the court proceedings and her family’s treatment.

Nigerian rapper Gilbert Bani, popularly known as A-Q, has revealed how he survived a machete attack by about 10 masked men in East Legon, Accra, Ghana.

In an Instagram post on Thursday, the rapper said the attackers surrounded him on five motorcycles while he was taking a walk at about 10pm on October 17. He suffered injuries, including a blow to his elbow, before a passer-by rescued him and rushed him to hospital for surgery.

A-Q said the Ghana Police Service was investigating the incident. He confirmed he was now safe and urged the public to avoid speculation and share useful information with the police.

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