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According to FIFA’s judicial body, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was fined 1,000 Swiss francs ($1,270; £950) for failing to maintain proper "order and security" when fans threw objects onto the pitch. The actions breached Article 17.2.b and Article 17 of FIFA’s disciplinary code.
The Chairperson of the Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, described the attacks as “heinous” and reaffirmed the AU’s firm stance against terrorism and violent extremism targeting civilian populations.
Local officials say at least 34 people were killed when the attackers moved through remote settlements in Kebbi state, carrying out what survivors described as a carefully planned operation.
The alert follows claims by Ukrainian officials that two Nigerians were killed in combat last year, although Nigeria has not officially confirmed these deaths.
Bandit attacks, including kidnappings and raids, have been a persistent problem in Nigeria for years, but reports indicate an increase in violence in the western and central regions recently.
President Bola Tinubu was elected in February 2023 in a single round, securing roughly 36 percent of the votes and defeating former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. Obi has confirmed that he will run again in the 2027 election
The two were among 792 suspected Internet and cryptocurrency fraud suspects arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Lagos in December 2024.
The assault comes as Nigerian Defence Minister Chrisopher Musa officially acknowledged that a small contingent of US troops is in the country to support intelligence and training operations.
After his death, social media circulated videos that appeared to show his body being transported to a mortuary, sparking speculation about what caused his passing. Family members clarified that he had suffered from a persistent illness that triggered seizures.
Police said the gunmen struck the churches in Kurmin Wali, Afogo ward, around 11:25 local time. Witnesses reported that the attackers were heavily armed and arrived in groups, blocking all exits and forcing congregants into the surrounding bush.
A tactical guide to the AFCON quarter-finals, breaking down Mali v Senegal, Morocco v Cameroon, Nigeria v Algeria and Egypt v Ivory Coast, with low-scoring games expected and four favourites tipped to edge through.
Omawumi Ogbe, speaking on behalf of the family, said they were “devastated by this profound loss” and expressed appreciation for the messages of support from friends, fans, and well-wishers. The statement also asked the public to respect their privacy and keep the family in their prayers.
Police in Ogun State said the 36-year-old boxer was rushed to hospital with minor injuries. Two other people were confirmed dead following the collision.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations’ Conflicts to Watch in 2026 report, several ongoing and potential conflicts on the African continent remain significant sources of instability in the year ahead.
A journalist based in Plateau state said families of those taken hostage have already started receiving ransom demands from the kidnappers. The identities of the gunmen remain unclear, and security agencies have not yet issued an official statement on the incident.
Nigeria's federal government described the latest release as a "moment of triumph and relief", after one of the country's worst mass kidnappings.
The Nigeria Football Federation claims the dispute revolves around a set of players who recently changed their international allegiance. Among them are Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, both of whom appeared in the match. The NFF argues these players violated Congolese law, which prohibits dual citizenship, yet they reportedly hold European and French passports.
These events reflect growing insecurity in Nigeria’s central and north-western regions, where armed gangs frequently carry out kidnappings, raids on villages, and attacks on religious sites. At the end of November, over 250 children and 12 staff members were abducted from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger state, in one of the largest recent incidents.
The aircraft touched down in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, which the Nigerian Air Force said was the closest airfield to ensure the plane’s safety. However, the account from the three Sahel countries, formally known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), disagreed, insisting the plane had entered Burkina Faso without permission and had been forced to land.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited Papiri last week and met Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna and his delegation, assuring them that the children would soon be returned safely. Despite the latest rescue, about 153 students and 12 staff members are still being held by the kidnappers.
Reports indicate that at least 402 people, mostly children, have been kidnapped since mid-November, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Their release comes amid a surge in abductions of young people across the country over the past two weeks.
The WFP report released on Tuesday relies on the latest Cadre Harmonise assessment of food and nutrition across West Africa and the Sahel. It shows that Borno State remains the hardest hit, where ongoing insurgent attacks have devastated communities and disrupted farming and livelihoods for more than 16 years.
The Christian Association of Nigeria says they have been reunited with their families.
According to the Christian Association of Nigeria, 215 pupils and 12 staff members were taken during the predawn raid. Police reported that the armed attackers, often referred to locally as bandits, struck the school at about 02:00 local time (01:00 GMT), seizing students from their hostel while the campus slept.
During the confrontation, one teacher was shot dead while trying to protect the students, and another was injured and is receiving treatment at a local facility. Eyewitnesses described a large group of armed men, locally referred to as bandits, who opened fire randomly to terrorize the campus before heading straight for the hostels.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the policy, implemented three years ago, had not achieved its goals and would be discontinued immediately, affecting learners from pre-primary through to university levels.
AU Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emphasized that the ongoing violence in the region is highly complex and cannot be equated with mass atrocities seen in other African countries.
In an official statement, Tinubu dismissed claims that Nigeria is religiously intolerant, insisting such characterisations do not reflect the country’s reality.
In an explosive post, the Republican leader, who had campaigned unsuccessfully for the Nobel Peace Prize, said on social media he asked the Pentagon to map out a possible plan of attack, one day after warning that Christianity was “facing an existential threat in Nigeria.”