Nigerian rapper and actor Falz has recalled a frightening encounter with armed bandits while travelling along the Abuja–Lokoja Expressway.

Speaking on the Afropolitan podcast, Falz said he was travelling with members of his team when armed men suddenly attacked their vehicle. He explained that most of the passengers were asleep until a loud sound woke them.

According to him, they soon realized they were under attack after spotting armed men wearing turbans and carrying rifles on the road.

Falz said the attackers fired at their vehicle, with one of the bullets passing through the middle of the car, putting everyone inside in danger.

The rapper revealed that one of the gunmen immediately demanded money while others searched through their bags after cutting them open.

He said, “We just heard a loud bang. Everyone woke up and looked ahead. We saw these turban-tying, AK-47-wielding, dangerous-looking men in the middle of the expressway. The first bang we heard was actually a gunshot. They had shot at our car.”

Falz added that the attack unfolded within seconds.

“The second bullet came flying through the middle of the vehicle. Everything happened within four or five seconds. The first thing the man asked me was, ‘Where is the money?’ I kept begging him, telling him there was no money,” he said.

He explained that the gunmen searched through their belongings before fleeing.

“They started bringing out the bags, cutting them open and searching everywhere for money. When I heard the siren, I thought help had arrived. Instead, they increased the gunfire before eventually leaving us there. I was trying to stop cars and tell them we’d just been robbed. Not a single person stopped,” Falz recalled.

The rapper described the experience as terrifying, saying the attack placed everyone in the vehicle in grave danger.

Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar has announced that she has embraced Christianity after recovering from a prolonged illness she said lasted for nine years.

In a post shared on her Instagram page, the actress said she has dedicated her life to Jesus Christ, describing her recovery as a testimony of God’s intervention.

According to Halima, her health struggles lasted for several years before she experienced what she believes was divine healing, prompting her to commit herself to serving God.

She said:

“I’m a brand new person now. I have given my life to Christ. I want to serve God because He has helped me. I almost died. They almost killed me. This is not about movies; this is about restoration and testimony. Halima Abubakar is back, big and better.”

The actress also recounted receiving prayers from a female apostle, admitting that she had initially been rude because of her condition at the time.

She said:

“I was somehow rude to Apostle because of my mood then, but she still went ahead to pray with me over the phone. I later felt the impact of her prayers regarding my health, so I started searching for her number via my WhatsApp calls. I eventually got in touch with her, she continued to pray with me and God took control of everything through her.

“Right now, I’m ready to serve God because He wants me to serve Him. He has delivered me, so I need to serve Him and preach His gospel to the people.”

Halima said her experience has completely changed her life and that she now intends to devote herself to her Christian faith and sharing her testimony.

Nollywood actor and filmmaker Deyemi Okanlawon has claimed that mediocrity is often rewarded over excellence in Nigeria, making it more difficult for professionals to succeed.

Speaking during a recent episode of the Dear Ife podcast, Okanlawon argued that the country’s environment tends to favour people who are less serious about professionalism.

According to him, being overly professional can sometimes hinder career growth and success in Nigeria.

He said:

“In a country where mediocrity reigns, you can’t be too serious. I was joked that you can’t be too professional to succeed in Nigeria. Those who act the most unserious succeed the most.

“I have realised that you have to tone your intellect down a lot to succeed here.”

His remarks have sparked conversations on social media, with many Nigerians sharing differing opinions on whether professionalism and excellence are adequately rewarded in the country.