Headline

UK Threatens To Deport Physically-challenged Nigerian After 38 Years

Published

1 year ago

May 20, 2024

The United Kingdom has threatened to deport a physically-challenged Nigerian man, Anthony Olubunmi George, over an alleged forged entry stamp in his passport.

George who has lived in the UK for 38 years, after he left Nigeria at the age of 24 in 1986, according to the Guardian UK.

The 61-year-old Nigerian has no criminal convictions and made several applications for leave to remain in the UK, which the Home Office has rejected, most recently on 7 May.

George’s case became the second African facing a huge disappointment with the UK Home Office after spending several years in Britain.

Vanguard reported last week that a 74-year-old Ghanaian Nelson Shardey, who has resided in the UK since 1977, was refused indefinite leave to remain despite being in the country for most of his adult life.

As the case of the Nigerian, he has never left the UK and has no criminal convictions, with the reports of having two strokes, which left him with problems with speech and mobility in 2019.

When George arrived, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister and Rishi Sunak is the ninth to hold office since George has lived in the UK.

He has endured many periods of homelessness and disclosed he has lost count of the number of friends who have given him shelter over the years, adding that he no longer has any close family in Nigeria.

The Guardian UK said in 2005, his previous solicitors submitted a forged entry stamp in his passport and have subsequently been reported to the police and the legal regulatory bodies.

George told the Guardian he knew nothing about the passport stamp until many years later. His current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, cited his poor previous legal representation as the reason for George’s problems.

In his most recent refusal, Home Office officials said: “Unfortunately this is not something that is considered an exceptional circumstance.”

Kandiah has lodged an appeal against the latest refusal.

A previous Home Office rejection of his case states: “It’s open to your family and friends to visit you in Nigeria.”

George said, “I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on – too many to count. I don’t have my life, living the way I’m living now. My health problems since I had my stroke are my biggest worry. All I’m asking for is some kindness from the Home Office.”

Headline

Published

3 hours ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Alphabet’s Chrome browser, a bold move that underscores the growing battle for dominance in the AI-driven search market.

The bid, announced on Tuesday, is more than double Perplexity’s own valuation of $14 billion.

The three-year-old company, led by Aravind Srinivas, has previously floated ambitious takeover ideas, including a proposal earlier this year to merge with TikTok’s United States business.

Google has not put Chrome up for sale and did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

The tech giant is currently appealing a US court ruling that found it held an unlawful monopoly in online search, with the Justice Department pushing for a possible Chrome divestiture as part of the case.

Perplexity, which has raised around $1 billion from backers including Nvidia and Japan’s SoftBank, did not reveal how it intends to finance the bid.

However, it said multiple funds have pledged to cover the offer in full.

The startup already operates its own AI-powered browser, Comet, but acquiring Chrome’s more than three billion users would give it a major edge against rivals like OpenAI, which is also developing an AI browser.

Perplexity has promised to keep Chrome’s open-source foundation, Chromium, accessible, while pledging a $3 billion investment over two years and committing not to alter Chrome’s default search engine.

Shares of Alphabet rose 1.6% in afternoon trading following news of the bid.

Headline

Published

3 hours ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

Google on Wednesday announced a new initiative, “Build with AI’’ in partnership with GOMYCODE to equip 1,000 Nigerian developers with critical Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills.

John Kimani, Head of Developer Ecosystem for Google in Sub-Saharan Africa, said in a statement that it was a significant move to accelerate Nigeria’s participation in the global AI economy.

Kimani said that the initiative was inaugurated to foster a new generation of tech talent capable of building transformative products that are both locally relevant and globally competitive.

He said that the initiative came at a pivotal moment, as industries across Nigeria and Africa increasingly look to technology to solve pressing challenges and drive economic growth.

According to him, by providing access to advanced AI tools such as Gemini and a curriculum with oversight from Google’s experts, the programme is set to bridge the gap between raw talent and the specialised skills required to innovate in the AI era.

The Google spokesperson said that this strategic focus was intended to accelerate the development of solutions in key sectors such as fintech, healthtech, and agritech, positioning Nigerian developers at the forefront of the continent’s digital transformation.

“We are witnessing a technological renaissance in Nigeria, driven by a vibrant community of developers who are eager to solve the challenges around them.

“Our collaboration with GOMYCODE is about more than just training; it’s about empowering this community with the tools and expertise they need to build the future,’’ he said.

Kimani noted that by equipping developers with Google’s Generative AI, it was helping to unlock a new frontier of innovation that could deliver significant economic and social impact across the continent.

He said that the 11-week programme would be delivered through GOMYCODE’s extensive network of hacker spaces, combining in-person instruction with hands-on, mentored lab work.

“This approach ensures that the training is both accessible and practical, allowing developers to immediately apply their learning to real-world projects,’’ he said.

The Country Director for GOMYCODE, Mr Babatunde Olaifa, said that GOMYCODE’s role was to provide the critical infrastructure and local expertise needed to nurture Nigeria’s tech talent.

Olaifa said that partnering with Google allowed it to bring world-class curriculum and technology directly to the developer community.

“We are creating an environment where innovation can thrive, and we are incredibly excited to see the solutions that will emerge from this programme built by Nigerians, for Nigeria and the world,” the GOMYCODE boss said.

He said that the “Build with AI” programme was now accepting applications from developers across Nigeria.

According to him, the initiative will culminate in a demo day where top participants will showcase their AI-powered solutions to a team from Google and other industry leaders.

He urged developers that are interested in being part of the AI revolution to apply by visiting bit.ly/BwAIDevTraining.

Headline

Published

4 hours ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

American-Jamaican singer Sean Kingston has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his role in a $1 million fraud scheme involving luxury goods.

Kingston, born Kisean Paul Anderson, was convicted in March alongside his mother, Janice Eleanor Turner, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Turner, sentenced last month, received five years in prison.

Prosecutors said Kingston used his celebrity status to fraudulently obtain expensive items, including a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, luxury watches, and a 19-foot LED television.

Court documents revealed he presented falsified wire transfer receipts and enticed sellers with promises of social media promotion in exchange for the goods.

U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz ordered his immediate remand after Friday’s sentencing in a South Florida courtroom, rejecting a request by Kingston’s lawyer for a delayed surrender due to health concerns.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton described the singer as a “thief and a conman,” accusing him of exploiting his fame to defraud victims for years.

His defence lawyer, Zeljka Bozanic, countered that Kingston, 35, had poor financial discipline but had begun repaying victims.

Kingston and his mother were arrested in May 2024 after a SWAT raid on his rented mansion in Fort Lauderdale.

The singer, who was born in Florida and raised in Jamaica, shot to fame at 17 with his 2007 global hit Beautiful Girls.