Nigeria Thrash Gabon 4–1 in World Cup Play-off Showdown.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria delivered a dominant performance on Thursday night, defeating Gabon 4–1 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Play-off clash.

The match, played at the Stade Prince Moulay El Hassan in Rabat, Morocco, saw Nigeria assert control early and maintain pressure throughout the game.

Victor Osimhen scored twice as Nigeria’s Super Eagles delivered a commanding 4-1 win over Gabon in extra time, booking their place in the next stage of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Thursday at Stade Mohammed V in Rabat, Morocco.

After a goalless first half, Nigeria broke the deadlock through Akor Adams, who capitalised on a defensive error to put the Eagles ahead early in the second half. Gabon responded with a late equaliser just four minutes from time, sending the match into extra time.

In extra time, Chidera Ejuke calmly restored Nigeria’s lead before Osimhen added two more goals to seal a resounding victory. The Super Eagles’ defence, marshalled by Benjamin Frederick and Calvin Bassey, held firm to deny Gabon any comeback.

The result edges Nigeria closer to a World Cup spot, following their dominant 4-0 triumph over Benin Republic in the group stages, during which Osimhen scored a hat-trick. Gabon, finishing second in Group F behind Ivory Coast, also advanced to the playoff round.

With this victory, Nigeria move to the top of their qualification group, strengthening their chances of booking a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Super Eagles Get World Cup Hope Alive as FIFA Punishes South Africa Over Player Scandal.

According to a report from BBC, South Africa’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been dealt a major setback after the country’s football association (SAFA) was sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player in the qualifiers.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled that midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who had accumulated two yellow cards in earlier matches and was due to serve a one-match suspension, was wrongly included in South Africa’s 2-0 win over Lesotho on March 21.

His participation was deemed a violation of Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the 2026 World Cup Preliminary Competition Regulations.

In its decision announced on Monday, September 29, FIFA declared the match forfeited, awarding Lesotho a 3-0 victory.

SAFA was also fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena received a formal warning. “The forfeiture decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee,” FIFA said in a statement, per Africa Soccer.

The ruling significantly alters the group standings, with Benin Republic now leading on 14 points (+4 goal difference), ahead of South Africa, also on 14 points but with an inferior goal difference (+3).

Nigeria follows with 11 points (+2), Rwanda also has 11 (0), Lesotho sits on 9 (-3), and Zimbabwe trails with 4 (-6).

With only the group winner guaranteed an automatic ticket to the World Cup and the runner-up possibly advancing via inter-confederation play-offs, the October fixtures will be decisive in determining South Africa’s fate.

Inside 150-year old Ogun community where students use tiles as white board, practice open defecation.

Forty pieces of ceramic white tiles arranged systematically serve as a maker board for students of the St Johns Anglican Primary School, Ebute-Igbooro, an agrarian community in the Yewa North Local Government area of Ogun State.

The tiles board, divided in three sections with a green marker, reads mathematics, english studies and basic technology.

While the date written on it bears 30/09/2025, the appearance is decades behind.

The school, with about 242 learners from different surrounding villages, presently has seven classrooms, a yellow and green painted three-block on the right and an unpainted crumbling and cracked four-block classroom on the left.

The St Johns Anglican Primary School, founded in 1955 also had an uncompleted classroom and other dilapidated structures with palm roof ceilings.

Ebute-Igbooro is a 150-year-old community that sits at the border between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

Founded in 1875, the community with its residents speaking the Yoruba Ketu dialect has its major occupation as farming, while the women supplement the household income by producing fufu, garri, and engaging in other petty trades.

Despite existing for 150 years, the community’s severe neglect and the harsh effects of economic hardship are starkly evident in some of its barefoot school children, who lacked uniforms, textbooks, and even school bags.

Super Eagles’ Flight to Uyo Delayed After Aircraft’s Windscreen Cracked Mid-Air.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that the Super Eagles’ return to Uyo for Tuesday’s decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic was delayed after their aircraft developed a cr+cked windscreen mid-air.

The ValueJet Airline plane, which had earlier flown part of the team to Polokwane for the match against Lesotho, made an emergency return to Luanda, Angola, shortly after takeoff during a refuelling stop.

According to the NFF Communications Department, the pilot acted swiftly to ensure the safety of all passengers, and the aircraft landed safely back in Luanda without casualties.

The incident occurred as the team was heading home following a 2–1 away win over Lesotho, a result that boosted Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The victory lifted the Eagles to third place in Group C with 14 points, behind Benin Republic (17) and South Africa (15).

The NFF stated that ValueJet, in coordination with the Federal Government, the Ministers of Aviation and Foreign Affairs, and the Chief of Staff to the President, is working urgently to secure permits for a replacement aircraft from Lagos to transport the delegation to Uyo.

Tuesday’s fixture is seen as a must-win for Nigeria. Only group winners qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the four best runners-up advance to the playoffs.

To keep their qualification hopes alive, the Super Eagles must defeat Benin Republic and hope South Africa drops points in their final game. Anything less would end Nigeria’s bid to return to the world stage after missing Qatar 2022.

The clash at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo is being viewed as a defining moment for the three-time African champions, who are determined to reclaim national pride and secure a place at FIFA 2026.

The aircraft conveying Nigeria’s Super Eagles from South Africa to Uyo for their final World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic made an emergency landing in Luanda, Angola, on Saturday after developing a technical fault mid-air.

Benin varsities, Nigerian polys in NYSC fraud;Many pensioners earn N5,000 monthly, NUP laments.

Some blacklisted universities in the Benin Republic have devised means of sneaking their graduates into the National Youth Service Corps in collaboration with certain private polytechnics in Nigeria, findings by Saturday PUNCH have shown.

Our correspondent gathered that the universities now obtain Higher National Diploma and National Diploma certificates for their graduates and students due for graduation through the private polytechnics.

After issuing the HND certificates, the polytechnics would then mobilise the affected students for the mandatory NYSC.

Saturday PUNCH also learnt that the students were asked to pay about N400,000 to obtain the HND certificates from the polytechnics, mostly located in South-West and South-East states.

Many pensioners earn N5,000 monthly, NUP laments

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners has decried the worsening plight of its members, lamenting that many pensioners, especially those at the state level, still earn as little as N5,000 monthly despite the rising cost of living.

Speaking in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Actor Zal, said most state governments had failed to prioritise the welfare of their retirees, disclosing that only 13 states were currently paying pensions and gratuities regularly.

Russian Traveller Turns into Keke Rider After Falling in Love with Nigeria.

Russian adventurer Ekaterina Kate Ivanova decided to travel round Africa, her goal was to travel from country to country, explore cultures, and document her journey. She had already crossed through parts of Asia and Eastern Europe, and Africa was next on her list. But fate had other plans the moment she landed in Nigeria.

She highlighted in an interview that she wanted to travel across Africa, but fell in love with Nigeria . Kate, believed to be in her late 20s, first arrived in Lagos out of curiosity, intending to stay for just a few days before heading to Benin Republic. But the warmth of Nigerian changed everything. According to her, the friendliness she received as a stranger in a foreign land was overwhelming .

Determined to immerse herself fully into the culture, Kate did something no one expected . She bought a keke (tricycle) and started riding it commercially .

Now, every morning, she joins other riders on the streets, hustling like a typical Nigerian . Her passengers are often stunned to see a foreigner behind the wheel. Some laugh, some take photos, and others even tip her out of admiration. She noted that Fuel scarcity, rough roads and teasing from fellow drivers are all part of her daily routine now as she enjoys the environment.

Sunday Igboho Apologises To Ooni Of Ife, Seeks Support To Clear Watchlist Status

Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo (Sunday Igboho), on Saturday formally apologised to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, during a reconciliation visit to the Ile Oodua Palace in Ile-Ife.

Before prominent monarchs and chiefs, Igboho prostrated before the Ooni, admitting his past remarks against the monarch were wrong. He thanked the Ooni for privately intervening during his detention in Benin Republic and pleaded for support to clear his security watchlist status and unfreeze his accounts.

Supporting the reconciliation, Yoruba monarchs praised Igboho’s humility and assured him of forgiveness.

The Ooni, in response, embraced Igboho, describing him as a “brilliant and courageous son of Yorubaland” and urged unity among Yoruba people.

The move marks a significant step in mending strained ties and could pave the way for broader dialogue on Yoruba self-determination.

#SundayIgboho #OoniOfIfe #YorubaNation #NigeriaNews

Why Nigeria Exports Electricity To Benin Republic, Others Despite Shortfall — Energy Commission Boss, Abdullahi
The commission’s Director-General outlined efforts to boost renewables and addressed concerns over electricity exports.

Sunday Igboho returns, calls on FG to remove his name from wanted list.
Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has returned to Nigeria from Germany.

His arrival was met with cheers as several Yoruba socio-cultural groups, including the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Agbekoya Vigilante Group, and Ifelodun Security Network, came out to welcome him.

Igboho was arrested alongside his wife, Ropo, in Cotonou, Benin Republic, in July 2021.

He had fled Nigeria following a raid by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, on July 1, 2021.

In 2024, the activist was in the country briefly for his late mother’s burial ceremony.

Upon his return to Nigeria on Tuesday, Igboho pleaded with President Bola Tinubu-led federal government to remove his name from wanted list, saying he is not a criminal and should not be treated as such.

Igboho lamented that he was declared wanted by the Late Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for an unknown offence, and it has made it difficult for him to use the Nigerian Passport as well as denied him access to his bank accounts.

Igboho stated this during a visit to the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, at his Ile Igbon Palace on Tuesday.

Arriving at the palace around 4:20 p.m., he expressed disaffection with his current situation.

“What have I done to justify my being declared wanted by Buhari’s administration. I am not a criminal and should not be treated as such.

“If not the assurance given by Olugbon, I wouldn’t have been able to make this trip. I couldn’t come to Nigeria talk less of sleeping in my house in Ibadan.

“I couldn’t access any of my bank accounts just because I am defending the interest of the Yorubaland.

“I am here to seek the intervention of Oba Olugbon on this matter. I know he is in position to appeal to the federal government to rescind decision on my being declared wanted,” he said.

Continuing, Igboho said he had raised the same issue with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade I, saying he’s tired of life in exile.

“I have raised the same matter with Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade. I have been to his Palace. I am tired of staying in exile,” he added.

On region’s security, Igboho urged the government to appoint capable individuals to oversee safety in the South West.

“If I cannot be entrusted with this responsibility, then they should appoint someone qualified, and we will fully support their efforts,” he added.

He also called on Southwest Governors to unite in their approach to the President on Igboho’s behalf, adding , “It’s time for you to return home; enough of your time abroad.”

While responding, Oba Alao recommended Igboho for a leadership role in the Southwest’s security framework, asserting: “While the Federal Government may have its national security strategies, I believe Sunday Igboho is well-suited for this responsibility. I will formally recommend him to the governors and President Tinubu within 48 hours.