AFCON 2025: French Legend Zinedine Zidane Spotted Supporting Son Luca as Algeria Defeat Sudan 3–0 in Group E Opener

Football icon and 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane drew widespread attention after being spotted at the AFCON 2025 match between Algeria and Sudan, held at the Stade Prince Moulay Hassan in Rabat, Morocco. The former France and Real Madrid legend was present to support his son, Luca Zidane, who featured as goalkeeper for Algeria’s national team, Les Fennecs, during their Group E opener.
Algeria secured a convincing 3–0 victory over Sudan, with Zidane watching from the VIP section as cameras captured him in the 24th minute, sparking excitement among fans across Africa and on social media. His presence added emotional significance to the match, as supporters praised the three-time FIFA World Player of the Year for publicly backing his son on one of African football’s biggest stages.
Social media users lauded Zidane’s strong family values, describing him as a proud father watching Luca carve out his own identity in international football. Many highlighted the symbolism of Luca wearing jersey number 23, while representing Algeria rather than France, as a continuation of the Zidane legacy in a new direction.
Luca Zidane has previously explained his decision to play for Algeria, citing his family roots and deep cultural connection to the country through his grandfather. He described the call-up as an obvious and emotional choice, noting that his family fully supported the decision.
Zidane’s appearance at AFCON 2025 further underlined the global appeal of the tournament, as Algeria began their campaign in strong fashion while capturing the hearts of football fans with a moment that blended sporting excellence with family pride.

Bandits Impose ₦8 Million Levy on Zamfara Community in Retaliation for Commander’s Death

Bandits in Kaya village, Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, have imposed an ₦8 million levy on the community as retaliation for the killing of notorious bandit commander Isuhu Buzu during a joint security operation by the Zamfara State Community Protection Guard (ZCPG) and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). Residents, who deny involvement in the operation, describe the levy as collective punishment against innocent civilians. The threat has heightened fear and tensions in the village, with concerns over potential violent reprisals, loss of lives, and property destruction. Community leaders have appealed to the Zamfara State Government and security agencies to intervene by deploying more security personnel, intensifying patrols, and ensuring the protection of Kaya village and surrounding areas.

#ZamfaraBandits #CommunityLevy #SecurityCrisisNigeria

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Lawyers File Appeal, Challenge Conviction and 50-Month Sentence

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team has filed an appeal against his conviction and 50-month prison sentence on two prostitution-related charges, arguing the trial court acted unfairly and relied on conduct for which he was acquitted. Combs was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The appeal claims the judge overstepped the jury’s verdict, misapplied the law, and wrongly interpreted consensual sexual encounters as criminal. The defense also argues that the encounters were protected by the First Amendment.

#SeanDiddyCombs #Appeal #ProstitutionCharges #USLegalNews #FirstAmendment #NYCTrial #SexTrafficking #Racketeering #InternationalNews

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Lawyers File Appeal, Challenge Conviction and 50-Month Sentence

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team has filed an appeal against his conviction and 50-month prison sentence on two prostitution-related charges, arguing the trial court acted unfairly and relied on conduct for which he was acquitted. Combs was found not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The appeal claims the judge overstepped the jury’s verdict, misapplied the law, and wrongly interpreted consensual sexual encounters as criminal. The defense also argues that the encounters were protected by the First Amendment.

#SeanDiddyCombs #Appeal #ProstitutionCharges #USLegalNews #FirstAmendment #NYCTrial #SexTrafficking #Racketeering #InternationalNews

Pandemonium In Anambra Market As Hoodlums Invade Emordi Shoe Dealers’ Market In Onitsha, Brutally Attack Traders And Leave Many Hospitalised

Chaos erupted at the Emordi Shoe Dealers’ Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, after suspected hoodlums stormed the market in broad daylight and launched a violent attack on traders, leaving several people seriously injured. Eyewitnesses described the invasion as coordinated and terrifying, with traders beaten indiscriminately and phones allegedly seized and destroyed to prevent documentation. Victims accused a former market chairman, Nwabueze Umeh, of masterminding the assault amid a prolonged leadership dispute and alleged land corruption. Several injured traders, including the incumbent chairman, Okwudili Anigbogu, are currently receiving medical treatment, as frightened traders appeal to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for urgent intervention to restore peace and safety.

#AnambraState
#OnitshaMarket
#MarketViolence

Altered Tax Act Sparks Constitutional Crisis for President Tinubu, Warns Dr. Nasiru Aminu

Dr. Nasiru Aminu raises alarm over alleged unconstitutional alterations to the Nigeria Tax Bill by the Executive under President Tinubu. Originally transmitted to the National Assembly in October 2024, the bill, covering the Tax Administration Act, Revenue Service Act, and Joint Revenue Board Act, was reportedly modified without legislative approval. Key changes include alterations to tax administration powers, reporting requirements, appeal processes, and enforcement provisions, undermining legislative oversight and constitutional checks and balances. The author warns that if the President knowingly assented to a doctored bill, it could trigger personal accountability, ministerial resignations, and even impeachment proceedings.

#NigeriaTaxAct #Tinubu #ConstitutionalCrisis #LegislativeOversight #TaxReform

Turaki-Led PDP Accuses INEC of Bias, Insists Wike’s ‘Committee of Friends’ Is Not a Faction Amid Leadership Dispute

The Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of hypocrisy and sustained bias, insisting that there is no faction within the party despite claims by the electoral body. In a strongly worded statement, the PDP faulted INEC’s refusal to recognise and upload the names of its elected National Working Committee members following the party’s November 2025 convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to the party, INEC’s position—anchored on subsisting Federal High Court judgments—is misleading, as those judgments have already been appealed with applications for stay of execution before the Court of Appeal. The PDP further alleged that INEC deliberately suppressed key facts in court, including its own role in monitoring PDP National Executive Committee meetings, the convention process, and party primaries conducted in Osun and Ekiti states under the current leadership.
Warning against interference in internal party affairs, the PDP cited recent Supreme Court rulings barring INEC from meddling in party leadership disputes. It maintained that all legitimate organs of the party, including the Board of Trustees, Governors’ Forum, National Assembly caucuses, and state chairmen, recognise the Turaki-led NWC. The party dismissed the Wike-backed “committee of friends” as illegitimate, urging members to remain calm while the legal process continues.

#PDP
#INEC
#NigerianPolitics

Tanker Crashes Into Senate President Akpabio’s Convoy in Ibadan, Kills Police Dispatch Rider Weeks to Retirement

A tragic road accident in Ibadan, Oyo State, has claimed the life of a police dispatch rider attached to Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s convoy after a petrol tanker rammed into the procession on Sunday. The Senate President disclosed the incident during plenary on Tuesday, confirming that the deceased officer, DSP Ibrahim Hussaini, died instantly after being run over while escorting the convoy from the Ibadan airport following an official engagement.
Akpabio revealed that the officer, a native of Kogi State, was buried shortly before the Senate session and left behind two wives and four children. Hussaini, who had served in the Senate President’s convoy since 2023, was reportedly due for retirement in 2026. The incident sparked solemn reactions in the Senate, with lawmakers observing a minute of silence in his honour.
In response to the tragedy, Akpabio appealed to ministries, departments and agencies to offer automatic employment to the deceased officer’s children, pledging to personally secure their jobs if necessary. The fatal crash has renewed concerns over the safety of security personnel attached to convoys and the growing risks faced by police dispatch riders on Nigerian roads.
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#Akpabio
#RoadAccident
#NigeriaPolice

Atiku Accuses Tinubu Administration of Forging Tax Reform Law, Labels It “Act of Treason”

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of illegally altering Nigeria’s tax reform legislation after it was passed by the National Assembly, calling it a “brazen act of treason.” Atiku claimed the alleged modifications undermine legislative supremacy, strip Nigerians of due process, and impose excessive financial burdens on citizens and businesses. He highlighted provisions such as arrest powers for tax authorities, property seizure without court orders, and forced USD computation for petroleum operations. Atiku urged the Executive to suspend the law, called on the National Assembly to correct the changes, and appealed to the judiciary and civil society to uphold constitutional governance.

#AtikuAbubakar
#TinubuAdministration
#TaxReformNigeria
#LegislativeSupremacy
#ConstitutionalBreach
#EconomicPolicy
#NigerianPolitics

Ex-Ondo Governor Akeredolu’s Convoy Staff Demand Unpaid Allowances Nearly Two Years After His Passing

Over 50 security and support personnel from the convoy of the late Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu have appealed to the state government for payment of outstanding Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) nearly two years after his tenure. The affected workers, including DSS operatives, police officers, Amotekun personnel, and official drivers, claim they served diligently during official assignments, including the governor’s medical trips, yet remain unpaid. They cite ethical and biblical principles, urging the government to investigate the pending allowances and ensure justice for those who served, some of whom passed away without receiving compensation.

#OluwarotimiAkeredolu
#UnpaidAllowances
#OndoStateWorkersRights

Kwara Families Appeal for Help as Gunmen Demand ₦500 Million Ransom for Abducted Workers

Families of five workers abducted at a road construction site along Sabaja/Owa-Onire Road in Ifelodun LGA, Kwara State, are appealing to the government and security agencies for urgent intervention. The victims include two engineers, two labourers, and a driver. Kidnappers reportedly demanded a ₦500 million ransom, an amount far beyond the families’ means. Security forces, including police, military, and local vigilantes, have launched operations to rescue the victims. This incident mirrors another recent abduction in Oba community, Isin LGA, highlighting rising insecurity and targeted attacks on construction workers in Kwara State.

#KwaraState #Kidnapping #Insecurity #NigeriaNews #RansomDemand #ConstructionWorkers #PoliceOperations

Lawyer Criticizes Nnamdi Kanu’s Life Sentence Over National Stability Concerns
Legal Opinion: Lawyer Binzak Azeez condemned the life imprisonment sentence handed to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed IPOB, arguing that strict application of the law can sometimes undermine national stability.
Comparison to the US: Azeez cited Donald Trump’s case after the January 6 Capitol attack, noting that although US laws could have led to life imprisonment, they were not applied fully to maintain order.
Key Argument: While Kanu’s conviction follows the law, the lawyer believes it fails to deter others or preserve national unity, potentially emboldening separatist sentiments.
Call for Action: Azeez hopes the Court of Appeal overturns the conviction and urges that issues surrounding the national question be resolved politically and diplomatically.
Takeaway: The case highlights a tension in law enforcement between strict legal adherence and considerations of national stability, especially in politically sensitive contexts.

Officials Behind Alleged Alteration Of Nigerian Tax Reform Laws Must Be Prosecuted — CHRICED Warns Of Assault On Democracy, Demands Arrests

The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of all officials allegedly involved in the secret alteration of Nigeria’s tax reform laws after their passage by the National Assembly. The civil rights group described the alleged tampering as legislative forgery, a gross abuse of public trust, and a direct violation of Nigeria’s constitutional order.
According to CHRICED, provisions contained in the gazetted versions of the tax laws were never debated or approved by lawmakers, including clauses granting tax authorities sweeping powers to seize funds without court orders, compel taxpayers to pay 20 per cent of disputed assessments before filing appeals, and mandate the use of the US dollar for tax computation. The organisation also alleged unauthorised alterations to petroleum income tax and value added tax provisions.
Citing Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, CHRICED warned that any post-passage alteration of legislation is illegal and undermines democracy, the rule of law, and investor confidence. While acknowledging the House of Representatives’ decision to set up an investigative committee, the group demanded an independent and transparent probe, suspension of the affected tax laws, full public disclosure of findings, and the prosecution of all culpable officials, regardless of status.

Day three Update on Lokoja Abuja highway gridlock

As the gridlock at Kotonkarfe axis along Lokoja-Abuja highway persists, an appeal is been made to the federal government to order the contractors handling the road project to open up the road to ensure free flow of traffic during the Yuletide.

Solomon Ayedehin who has been on ground at Kotonkarfe reports that the gridlock is far from being over at the moment.

Sunday Igboho Appeals to President Tinubu as Fulani Herdsmen Kill Three Farmers in His Oyo Hometown

Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has raised alarm over a recent attack by alleged Fulani herdsmen in his hometown of Igboho, Oyo State. The assailants reportedly killed three farmers—Ojeniyi Ojebayo, Aderoju Mukaila, and Olawuwo Saka—after they resisted grazing cattle destroying their farms. Igboho called on President Bola Tinubu and the federal government to urgently address growing insecurity in rural southwest communities, warning that inaction could trigger wider conflict. He also expressed frustration over restrictions on his freedom and past threats to his life, while seeking support from local traditional authorities for protection and reintegration.

Ini Edo Appeals Against Withdrawal of ‘A Very Dirty Christmas,’ Insists Film Respects Christianity

Nollywood actress and filmmaker Ini Edo has pleaded with regulators and the public not to withdraw her film A Very Dirty Christmas from cinemas. In an emotional Instagram video, she clarified that the controversy is only about the title, not the content, and emphasized that the film does not ridicule Christianity. Edo expressed willingness to change the title if necessary, apologized to anyone offended, and highlighted the financial and distribution implications of pulling the movie. The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has requested the title be modified in response to concerns from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Nigerian Lady Goes Viral After Showcasing Cassava Biscuits Made in Nigeria, Earns Massive Praise and Distributor Offers Online

A Nigerian entrepreneur, Nelly Agbogu, has captured widespread attention on social media after showcasing cassava-based biscuits produced locally in Nigeria. The biscuits, known as Tapiokies, are made from cassava using locally sourced ingredients and are sold at affordable prices. Nelly revealed that she and her sister co-founded Come Again Foods, a NAFDAC-certified company focused on producing indigenous food products. Her post, in which she appealed for distributors nationwide, attracted overwhelming support, praise, and business inquiries from netizens who commended her innovation, resilience, and contribution to promoting local food production. Many users also shared personal experiences of buying and enjoying the biscuits, further boosting the brand’s visibility.

New Twist as Senate President Akpabio Takes Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Suspension Battle to Supreme Court After Appeal Court Setback

The legal dispute surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has escalated as Senate President Godswill Akpabio approaches the Supreme Court to challenge a ruling by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal. The appellate court had struck out the Federal Government’s brief of argument in the case, describing it as fundamentally defective and incompetent due to multiple procedural violations, including non-compliance with mandatory court rules on formatting, page limits, and filing requirements. Akpabio’s legal team insists the decision breached his right to fair hearing and has asked the apex court to nullify the proceedings and allow the refiling of the appeal. The move has intensified public debate, with legal experts and civil society groups questioning the political undertones of the case and warning against perceived attempts to undermine judicial independence, as the long-running rivalry between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan continues to draw national attention.

Ini Edo Breaks Down In Tears As CAN Moves To Pull Down Her Christmas Movie “A Very Dirty Christmas”, Actress Begs For Time To Change Title

Nollywood actress and filmmaker Ini Edo has emotionally reacted to the backlash trailing the title of her Christmas movie, A Very Dirty Christmas, after the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described it as offensive to the Christian faith. During a live Instagram session on December 20, 2025, the actress broke down in tears as she appealed to CAN and Christian leaders not to take down the movie, insisting she never intended to dishonour God or Christianity. Ini Edo explained that she would have changed the title earlier if she had known it would generate such controversy and revealed she is already working on modifying it. She urged critics to watch the movie first, promising to withdraw it entirely if it was found to disrespect Christian values. The controversy has continued to spark heated reactions online, with many Nigerians debating CAN’s priorities, while the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has reportedly directed the actress to adjust the movie’s title.

BREAKING: Senate President Godswill Akpabio has escalated the legal battle arising from the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, heading to the Supreme Court to challenge a ruling of the Court of Appeal that dealt a major blow to his case.