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A Nigerian author Jerry Falade has lost a publishing deal worth more than $2 million after concerns emerged that artificial intelligence may have been used in writing or editing his debut crime novel, Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body.

The novel, scheduled for publication in 2028, sparked a bidding war involving 14 publishing houses, with Macmillan U.S.‘s Minotaur imprint reportedly securing the rights.

However, Falade’s literary agents later withdrew the manuscript, saying they could no longer verify that AI was not involved in its creation.

In an email to publishers, the agents said they initially trusted Falade’s assurance that the manuscript was written and edited without AI, but later concluded they could no longer authenticate how it evolved from its original draft to the final version.

Marc Gerald of Europa Content, which handled the U.S. auction, said an editor first raised concerns about possible AI use. Although the agency initially accepted Falade’s explanation without using AI-detection software, it cut ties with the author on July 29 after saying aspects of his account had changed.

Falade has denied using AI, arguing that Black authors are unfairly subjected to such allegations when their work gains international attention. He noted that some white authors have openly acknowledged using AI without facing similar consequences.

He also referenced U.S.-based Black authors Mia Ballard and HM Wolfe, who lost publishing deals earlier this year over similar claims. Falade added that AI-detection tools are known to produce false positives and maintained that publishing professionals who reviewed the manuscript would have identified any genuine misuse of AI.

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Imo State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for the Osun governorship election, Hope Uzodimma, has responded to singer David Adeleke, also known as Davido, over comments made ahead of the August 15 governorship poll in Osun State.

According to a report by Premium Times, Davido, while addressing supporters in his capacity as head of the youth campaign mobilisation team for Governor Ademola Adeleke, alleged that a politician from Imo State was planning to interfere in the Osun governorship election.

Although the singer did not mention any name, he alleged that the politician intended to use the election as a political battleground to prove a point and urged the individual to allow the people of Osun State to freely choose their preferred candidate.

Reacting in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Electronic and Creative Media, Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, Uzodimma said Davido’s appeal was misplaced and should instead be directed to the people of Osun State, who would ultimately decide the outcome of the election through their votes.

The governor maintained that, as Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and the APC National Campaign Council for the Osun election, he had consistently advocated a peaceful, free and credible electoral process.

Uzodimma also stated that the APC would continue to appeal to the conscience of Osun voters to support and elect the party’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.

He further claimed that many voters in Osun were prepared to vote out Governor Ademola Adeleke over what he described as the administration’s failure to fulfil its campaign promises.

According to him, indications across the state suggested that a significant number of voters had rejected the current administration and were ready to embrace a new direction by voting for the APC in the August 15 governorship election.

Uzodimma also advised Davido to focus on preparing his uncle for life after office rather than making emotional appeals, insisting that the electorate appeared ready to support the APC candidate.

The Imo governor added that the singer should consider employing Governor Adeleke as a dancer in his music band after the election, expressing confidence that the governor could be out of political office after the governorship poll.

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No fewer than five suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists has been reportedly killed in a premature explosion while assembling explosives in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter insurgency reporter, the terrorists who died in the explosion include an alleged medical officer and four improvised explosive device (IED) specialists.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at Maina Daya Village, located between Sabon Tumbu and Jubilaram, about 29 kilometres east of Monguno.

According to the sources, the explosion killed Usman Dan Fulani, described as an ISWAP medical officer, alongside two foreign Arab IED technicians and two ISWAP bomb-making experts.

The sources said the incident occurred while the terrorists were allegedly preparing improvised explosive devices for deployment, suggesting the group was planning further attacks along key military supply routes in the Sector 1 area of Operation HADIN KAI.