The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has declared the Morocco national football team champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after ruling that the Senegal national football team forfeited the tournament’s final. The decision was announced on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, after CAF’s appeal board reviewed a protest submitted by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football. The Moroccan football authority challenged an earlier disciplinary ruling linked to the final match. After examining the case, the appeal board concluded that Senegal had violated competition regulations governing the tournament. CAF confirmed the outcome in an official statement, saying: “the Senegal National…
Author: Oluwadara Akingbohungbe
By Tobi Matthew As the 2027 electoral horizon begins to shimmer with intent, Nigeria’s political theater is witnessing a profound transformation. The whispers of the “next cycle” have matured into a calculated roar, and nowhere is this more evident than in the North Central zone. Once regarded as a fragmented “swing” region, the Middle Belt is rapidly evolving into a singular, monolithic engine of political mobilization, one that may well deliver the most decisive mandate for President Tinubu’s second-term bid. The story currently unfolding is a masterclass in elite alignment and the quiet art of consolidation. Across…
By Tobi Matthew Political developments across Nigeria are already beginning to focus on the 2027 general elections, with the presidential race gradually shaping alliances and strategies across the country. Political actors are positioning themselves, while defections into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) continue in several states. Control of state structures is becoming a key strategy as parties prepare for the next election cycle. Across Nigeria’s North Central geopolitical zone, a series of alignments among influential politicians and state leaders suggests that the region may play a major role in determining the outcome of the next presidential contest. Early political…
Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, has stressed that countries that neglect their education systems risk falling behind in development. He made the statement on Friday, March 13, 2026, while inaugurating newly renovated Chemistry and Biology laboratories at African Church Grammar School in the Apata Ganga area of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria. The upgraded facilities were donated by Adefisayo Oduwole, a member of the school’s 1976 graduating set. The project was carried out as part of activities celebrating the school’s 50th anniversary. Speaking during the event, Obasanjo emphasised that education should remain a lifelong pursuit…
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria — A Nigerian pastor widely known for his charity fundraising activities has come under intense scrutiny online after multiple allegations surfaced regarding his handling of donations and an alleged relationship with a member of his church. The cleric, Kayode Amusan, who is widely recognised by the name Agbala Gabriel, operates his ministry in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria. Over the years, he built a reputation on social media platforms for organising financial assistance for people facing serious medical conditions and financial hardship. Videos showing him praying for families and requesting donations…
Nigeria’s Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a court order extending the detention of former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, for another 14 days. The order was granted by the Chief Magistrate Court in Bwari, Abuja, to allow the anti corruption agency more time to complete its investigation into allegations involving money laundering and abuse of office. The new remand order was issued on Thursday in the presence of el-Rufai’s legal representative. It will remain in effect until Thursday, March 19, 2026. Chief Magistrate Okechukwu John Akweke approved the request after hearing an…
The United Arab Emirates has halted operations at its huge Ruwais oil refinery after a drone attack caused a fire in the industrial area where the facility is located. The refinery, operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, can process about 922,000 barrels of crude oil each day and is one of the largest refineries in the world. People familiar with the matter said the company is currently assessing the extent of damage at the plant. They requested anonymity because the details have not yet been publicly released. Authorities in Abu Dhabi earlier confirmed that emergency services were responding…
Nigeria’s Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has reportedly connected several high-value properties in Egypt to Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State. Investigators reportedly uncovered the properties during an ongoing probe into financial dealings linked to El-Rufai’s time in office between 2015 and 2023. Sources familiar with the investigation said the assets consist of three villas and six apartments located in affluent areas of New Cairo, a modern district in Egypt’s capital city. The villas are located in Arabilla Estate and Banafsik Estate, where properties typically sell for between $1,000,000 and $1,300,000. Four apartments are…
Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader after the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The announcement was made on Sunday, March 8, 2026, by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible under the country’s constitution for selecting the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. State media reports said Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen following what the council described as a “decisive vote.” In a statement released through Iranian state outlets, the Assembly of Experts urged citizens to remain united and support the country’s new leader during a period of uncertainty. The body…
A political advocacy organisation in Nigeria has asked the federal government to either bring formal charges against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai or release him from detention. The call was made by the Coalition Political Action Committee through its convener, Aminu Datti-Ahmed, during a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. The group said that keeping the former governor in custody beyond the period allowed by law would violate the Nigerian Constitution as well as international human rights standards. El-Rufai had responded to an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria’s main anti-corruption agency, on…