On Monday afternoon, a deadly auto crash during a street car race left five people dead, including three suspected internet fraudsters and two local residents. The tragic accident happened when one of the cars lost control and crashed into a roadside shop. The street race was reportedly organised around a N30,000 bet, according to a source. The suspected internet fraudsters, commonly called Yahoo boys, had arranged the race with this amount wagered on the winner. This fatal incident shines a light on the dangers of illegal street racing, especially when organized around betting and the risks innocent bystanders face when such reckless activities take place near public areas. The community is left mourning the loss of life and calling for increased enforcement to prevent similar tragedies. Authorities are expected to investigate further to hold those responsible accountable.
Apple rejects Elon Musk’s claims of App Store bias amid AI app rivalry
Apple has firmly denied Elon Musk’s recent claims that the App Store unfairly blocks competition, saying the platform is “designed to be free and fair of bias.“ Musk, who owns X (formerly Twitter), accused Apple of making it nearly impossible for apps competing with OpenAI’s ChatGPT to succeed in the App Store. He even threatened legal action over the issue. The standoff comes amid a broader, current feud between Musk and OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman. Apple responded with a statement emphasizing that its App Store features thousands of apps chosen through objective methods, including charts, algorithms, and expert curation. The tech giant pointed out that several AI apps rival ChatGPT – like DeepSeek and Perplexity, have reached top positions on the store charts. Meanwhile, Musk questioned Apple’s lack of promotion for his own apps, X and the AI chat app Grok, noting that while Grok ranks fifth most downloaded free app in the UK and X is the top news app globally, Apple has not featured them in the App Store’s “Must Have” section. Altman pushed back by accusing Musk of boosting his own X posts for personal gain and dismissed Musk’s claims as serving his own agenda rather than the AI community’s interests. This battle seems to have emanated from a deeper clash rooted in their past. Musk co-founded OpenAI to develop AI benefiting humanity. However, since OpenAI introduced a for-profit arm and partnered closely with Microsoft, Musk has expressed disappointment, arguing they moved away from their original ideals. Lawsuits and sharp accusations have marked their rivalry, including Musk’s failed $100 billion bid to buy OpenAI earlier this year.
Nigerian Bar Association condemns Ibom Air over passenger treatment, calls for ban withdrawal
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the treatment of Ms. Comfort Emmanson on an Ibom Air flight and is demanding the immediate withdrawal of the lifetime flight ban imposed on her. The NBA described the incident on August 10, 2025, where Ms. Emmanson was forcibly removed from the aircraft, publicly stripped of her clothing, and humiliated, actions that were widely circulated online. The association called these acts “heavy-handed, unlawful, and degrading,” stressing they violate human dignity and Nigerian law. The NBA also criticized the decision by Ibom Air and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to impose a lifetime ban on Ms. Emmanson without giving her a fair chance to respond. They insist that such sanctions should be regulated by the appropriate government authorities, not airlines alone. Further, the NBA condemned the sharing and circulation of unedited footage showing Ms. Emmanson’s exposure, labeling it a serious invasion of privacy and criminal. They demand that those responsible for distributing the video be identified and prosecuted. Calling for an independent investigation into the events leading to the incident, the NBA urged the withdrawal of the ban, a public apology to Ms. Emmanson, and compliance with aviation standards protecting passenger rights. The NBA additionally offered pro bono legal support to Ms. Emmanson to ensure her rights are safeguarded.The NBA’s firm stance shows its undeniable role to protecting citizens’ rights amid concerns over airline conduct and regulatory oversight.
Lagos to pilot digital house numbering system in Ikeja next week
Lagos State Government is set to launch a digital house numbering system in Ikeja next week, introducing a unique digital address for every property across the state. Known as the Identifier Project, this system assigns each building a digital identity embedded with QR codes and local government-specific colour codes. The system aims to improve navigation, emergency response, urban planning, revenue collection, and security by making property information instantly accessible. Unveiled by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Nigeria Land Titling, Registration and Documentation Programme (NLTRDP) event, the project marks a major step towards modernizing Lagos’ infrastructure and addressing long-standing land administration challenges. Dr. Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, stated that the system will reduce rental fraud, enhance service delivery, and provide critical data such as property ownership and outstanding bills through digital scanning. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, said the system is part of a national drive to increase formally titled land from under 3% to 50% in ten years. Following the pilot phase in Ikeja, the digital numbering system will expand statewide, placing Lagos as a smart city in Africa.
AI startup Perplexity offers $34.5 billion to buy Google’s Chrome browser
San Francisco-based AI startup Perplexity has made a surprising move by offering $34.5 billion to buy Google’s Chrome browser amid current antitrust scrutiny of the tech giant. Perplexity, known for its AI-powered search technology, announced its unsolicited offer to Alphabet, Google’s parent company, hoping to get ahead of a potential government order that could force Google to divest Chrome. This bold proposal came as a result of the federal antitrust cases accusing Google of monopolizing the internet search market. The United States government is considering strong measures like forcing Google to sell Chrome and licensing out search data to competitors to break Google’s grip on the market. While Google plans to appeal the ruling and negotiate softer fixes, these efforts could take years. Industry experts are cautious. Some say the $34.5 billion bid seriously undervalues Chrome, which could be worth almost three times that amount. They also warn that splitting Chrome from Google could harm user experience and reliability. Despite skepticism, Perplexity says it has strong financial backing from major investment funds and recently valued itself at $18 billion after raising $100 million. The startup plans to invest $3 billion over two years to grow Chrome and its open-source Chromium project.Perplexity’s ambitions go beyond this offer, they are preparing to launch their own AI-powered browser called Comet. The company says it won’t make secret changes to Chrome if the deal happens and promises stability for users and advertisers. Analysts like Colin Sebastian describe the offer as a “vast undervaluation” but acknowledge Perplexity’s serious intent and funding. Meanwhile, regulators’ decisions and Google’s responses remain uncertain.
Ibom Air denies involvement in video of passenger stripped and dragged off plane
The management of Ibom Air has dismissed claims that the airline released a widely circulated video showing a passenger stripped naked and forcibly dragged off an Ibom Air plane. Aniekan Essienette, the Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, clarified the airline’s position in an interview with TVC News on Monday. She confirmed that while the incident was recorded onboard an Ibom Air flight, the video was neither recorded nor shared by Ibom Air staff. The video triggered significant controversy on social media, raising questions about airline conduct and passenger treatment. However, Ibom Air’s statement firmly distances the airline from responsibility for the release and distribution of the footage. However, Ibom Air’s statement firmly distances the airline from responsibility for the release and distribution of the footage. It remains to be seen if further investigations or official statements will follow or if Ibom Air will take additional measures to address public concerns.