Hosts Morocco beat Nigeria 4-2 on penalties to reach the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON final after their semi-final clash on Wednesday finished 0-0 at the end of extra time.
Morocco will play Senegal in Sunday’s showpiece after they defeated Egypt 1-0 in the other semi-final earlier thanks to a Sadio Mane strike.
The United States government has paused visa processing for citizens of Nigeria and 74 other countries as it moves to tighten enforcement of public charge rules aimed at preventing migrants likely to depend on public benefits from entering the country.
According to a State Department memo obtained by Fox News, the pause will take effect from January 21 and will remain in place indefinitely while screening and vetting procedures for visa applicants are reviewed.
Under the directive, US consular officers have been instructed to refuse visas under existing immigration laws during the review period.
The decision affects nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Thailand and Yemen.
The full list of affected countries has not yet been officially released by the State Department.
A State Department spokesperson said that immigration from the affected countries is being paused to prevent the entry of individuals who may rely heavily on welfare and public benefits in the United States.
The public charge rule, which has been part of US immigration law for decades, allows officials to deny visas or entry to individuals considered likely to depend primarily on government assistance. Its enforcement has differed across administrations, with wide discretion given to consular officers.
Officials said exemptions from the pause would be very limited and granted only to applicants who clearly meet public charge requirements after further review.
Burkina Faso sacked their coach Brama Traore and all of his staff on Wednesday following their exit of the African Cup of Nations at the hands of bitter rivals Ivory Coast.
“The decision was taken after results well below what was expected of our national team at the continental tournament,” the Burkina Faso football federation leader Oumarou Sawadogo said.
Sawadogo spoke of “bitter disappointment” and an objective of reaching at least the semi-finals.
Burkina Faso, who also failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup, were beaten 3-0 by neighbouring Ivory Coast, who were defending champions, in Marrakesh last Monday.
Manchester United winger Amad Diallo struck the opening goal and created the second for Yan Diomande before half-time. Substitute Bazoumana Toure completed the scoring.
Burkina Fasio did beat both Sudan and Equatorial Guinea in the group phase but also lost to Algeria.
Traore, 63, took up the job in March 2024 replacing Frenchman Hubert Velud, who was sacked after a last-16 exit at the previous AFCON.
The Kano State Hospitals Management Board has admitted that the death of Aishatu Umar, a mother of five, was caused by medical negligence at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre in Kano.
In a statement, its Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman, said preliminary investigation ordered by the Executive Secretary, Dr. Mansur Mudi Nagoda, confirmed that surgical scissors were left inside the patient’s body after a procedure.
The Board announced the immediate suspension of three personnel directly involved in the case from clinical duties.
It also referred the matter to the Kano State Medical Ethics Committee for further investigation and disciplinary measures in line with professional standards and the law.
“The Board extends its deepest condolences to the family of the late Aishatu Umar and sympathizes with them over this painful loss. We reassure the public that negligence will not be condoned in any form,” the statement read.
Daily Trust had earlier reported how Aishatu Umar died after doctors allegedly abandoned surgical scissors in her stomach following an operation at the government-owned Urology Centre in Kano.
Her husband, Abubakar Muhammad, narrated that his wife suffered severe complications after the surgery, which eventually led to her death despite repeated complaints to the hospital.
The incident sparked outrage among residents and raised concerns about poor oversight and accountability in public health facilities.
Many Nigerians also took to social media to demand justice for the deceased and reforms in the healthcare system.
Pastor Isaac Oyedepo, founder of the Isaac Oyedepo Evangelistic Ministries has announced that his ministry will begin holding Sunday services in Abuja and, in line with God’s instruction, will not collect offerings.
Church Times on Tuesday reported that he made this known in an online message it monitored.
In the video, which was posted on Sunday, January 11, Oyedepo emphasised that the ministry’s primary focus is discipleship and equipping people to follow Jesus, rather than traditional financial practices.
Addressing the financial aspect of the ministry, Oyedepo clarified that “God gave him specific instructions not to collect offerings.”
While he maintained that there is nothing inherently wrong with the practice in other ministries, he “noted that for this specific assignment, his focus must remain solely on the spiritual development of the people.”
The announcement coincided with the launch of the ministry’s Sunday Services, which are scheduled to hold weekly in Abuja.
During the broadcast, Oyedepo explained that his approach is modeled after the early ministry of Jesus Christ.
All Jesus did during his early ministry was to make disciples; the fire fell, and they were filled and refilled. Before He left, He commanded us to do the same,” he stated.
He further stressed that spiritual growth requires a “consistent journey” through the Word of God, questioning, “How healthy would our churches be if people were truly deep in the Scriptures?”
This move followed years of dedicated service at Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), the global ministry founded by his father, Bishop David Oyedepo.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Gwagwalada has arraigned a former senator representing Adamawa North, Ishaku Elisha Abbo, over allegations of rape involving a 13-year-old schoolgirl.
Abbo and a second defendant were brought before the court on Wednesday in a criminal matter filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The case, Charge No: CR/635/25, titled Inspector General of Police v. Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo & Anor, is being heard before Justice I. Mohammed in Court 50 of the FCT High Court, Gwagwalada.
When proceedings commenced, the court confirmed that the matter was properly constituted and that all parties were present.
Counsel appearances were announced with J. B. Anzaku representing the prosecution, while M. J. Numa (SAN) appeared for Abbo. Sunusi Musa (SAN) represented the second defendant.
Two other lawyers, K. O. Otumala and Dahiru Ibrahim, were present to watch brief for the nominal complainant, but the arrangement immediately drew an objection from Abbo’s legal team.
Abbo’s counsel challenged the propriety of “watching brief” in a superior court of record, urging the judge not to recognise their appearance.
Justice Mohammed, however, cautioned the defence against escalating what he described as a minor issue, directing counsel to provide judicial authorities in support of the objection. The judge added that the appearance could be struck out if the authorities were convincing.
Despite the objection, the court continued with the arraignment as the charges were read to both defendants in open court.
Following their not guilty pleas, counsel for the two defendants informed the court that bail applications had been filed and sought permission to move them.
The court granted the request, after which Abbo’s counsel argued his bail application. The prosecution filed a counter-affidavit in response, though it did not oppose the application. Defence counsel, however, raised concerns over what he termed late service of the counter-affidavit.
The second defendant’s bail application was also moved, with the prosecution similarly responding through a counter-affidavit.
After considering arguments from both sides, Justice Mohammed stood the matter down briefly to prepare rulings. On resumption, the court granted bail to both defendants with conditions.
Abbo was granted bail in the sum of ₦50 million, with two sureties of good repute, and was ordered to surrender his international passport. The second defendant was granted bail in the sum of ₦40 million, also with two sureties of good repute.
The case was adjourned to February 11, 2026, for hearing.
The arraignment follows earlier reports that the Nigeria Police filed multiple charges against the former lawmaker, relating to allegations of rape and sexual assault involving a minor. Investigators reportedly concluded there was sufficient basis for the matter to be tested in court.
Abbo represented Adamawa North Senatorial District until he lost his seat after an appellate court decision in October 2023.
The Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, on Tuesday sought to calm public fears over the new tax laws, insisting that neither the old regime nor the new one empowers any authority to tax money sitting in Nigerians’ bank accounts.
“Whether old tax law or new tax law has nothing to do with your personal bank account, whether you’re a company or you are an individual.
“Don’t forget that tax is a percentage of your profits. So if you have an asset, the asset is not to be taxed. We only tax the profits. We only tax the return,” Adedeji said on Journalists’ Hangout, a programme aired on TVC.
His comments come amid widespread rumours and anxiety around the reforms that took effect on January 1, 2026, including claims that transfers, account narrations, or savings balances could trigger automatic deductions by tax authorities.
Adedeji dismissed such claims as miscommunication, adding that there is “no law that allows anybody to go into your bank account and tax you because you transfer money or you keep money.”
According to him, personal transfers, gifts, and intra-account movements do not fall under the tax net by default.
“If you transfer money from your account to my brother, that is a personal transaction between both of you. It has nothing to do with tax authority, whether at the state level or at the federal level,” he said.
He also pushed back against the idea that banks can be instructed to debit accounts for tax simply because of the existence of funds or the description attached to a transfer.
“There’s no such provision in any tax act. Whether you describe it or you don’t put any description, tax law, both the old law or even the new law that we have now has not given anybody any right to come into your personal account and tax you and instruct the bank to debit you,” he said.
Adedeji used the interview to frame the transition from the Federal Inland Revenue Service to the Nigeria Revenue Service as more than a change of name, describing it as an institutional overhaul designed to simplify compliance and modernise collection.
He said the transition provisions were embedded in the law signed in June, with commencement on January 1, 2026, based on the national tax policy principle that major changes should allow adjustment time for businesses and administrators.
Adedeji claimed early market signals supported the direction of the reform, though he did not cite figures.
He argued that beyond “rumours”, Nigeria had begun seeing positive responses reflected in market activity and broader sentiment.
He also urged Nigerians to assess the new laws “based on facts and data, not on rumours, pointing to the absence of any widespread incident since the commencement date.
Uganda ordered an internet blackout on Tuesday, two days ahead of elections in which President Yoweri Museveni is seeking to extend his 40-year rule.
“This measure is necessary to mitigate the rapid spread of online misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks, as well as preventing of incitement to violence that could affect public confidence and national security during the election period,” the Uganda Communications Commission said in a letter to internet providers, verified by government officials to AFP.
There was no statement from the government on the shutdown. The officials said the authorities did not want to “own” the decision.
Uganda shut down the internet during the last election in 2021 — a vote that was marred by widespread allegations of rigging and state violence against the opposition, led by singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who is running again for the presidency.
The government repeatedly promised that the internet would not be shut down during the election, stating in a post on X on January 5 that “claims suggesting otherwise are false, misleading, and intended to cause unnecessary fear and tension among the public.”
The suspension was due to take effect at 6:00 pm local time (1600 GMT) and remain in force “until a restoration notice is issued”, the UCC said.
Essential state services were to be exempted from the ban, it added.
AFP
The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged the Federal Government to suspend the rollout of Nigeria’s newly gazetted tax laws, warning that the framework contains significant mistakes, contradictions, and loopholes.
In a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Obi cited an analysis by KPMG Nigeria, which identified possible concerns around the taxation of shares, dividend handling, obligations of non-residents, and foreign exchange deductions.
Obi, the report identified “31 critical problem areas, from drafting errors to glaring policy contradictions and administrative gaps,” noting that the complexity of the issues was such that “it took private meetings between the National Revenue Service and KPMG for these serious issues to be acknowledged.
If experts require closed-door discussions to navigate the complexities of our tax laws, what hope does the average Nigerian have of comprehending the obligations being imposed on them?”
Obi maintained that taxation should function as a social contract between citizens and the state and criticised the absence of broad public engagement before the laws were finalised.
“Typically, months, if not years, are dedicated to consulting with businesses, workers, and civil society before tax drafts are presented for public discussion, with the ramifications clearly explained.
“Yet, in Nigeria, we have seen no such public consultations or discussions regarding the final tax laws, leaving ordinary citizens completely in the dark about both the regulations and the benefits of the taxes they’re expected to pay.”
Peter Obi also faulted the government’s implementation strategy, stating, “We have hastily pursued collection without securing a consensus and imposed enforcement without providing adequate explanations.
“Even after the removal of subsidies, Nigerians remain in limbo, waiting for tangible benefits or relief. Instead, they are grappling with skyrocketing food prices, exorbitant transport costs, dwindling purchasing power, and escalating poverty levels.”
He further described the tax framework as “riddled with inconsistencies and producing 31 alarming red flags from a leading global accounting firm.
This is not the hallmark of responsible governance. Without trust, taxation feels like punishment. Without clarity, it breeds confusion. Without evident public value, it amounts to robbery.”
“Nigeria cannot afford to place further burdens on its already struggling citizens. What we need is a government that listens, communicates effectively, and prioritises building national consensus. This is the only viable path to genuine reform, unity, growth, and shared prosperity,” Obi concluded.
The governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo has debunked claims that he is against those who protested the rising killings and abductions of students in Ekpoma.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the governor who met with the management of the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma in Edo State said he is working with the institution to review the recent security situation in the area and the state as a whole.
Recall that 52 students were arrested and detained by the Edo State government over their involvement in a protest that rocked Ekpoma over growing insecurity within the area.
However meeting with the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration of AAU, Professor Andrew Eromonsele, the President of the Student Union of Ambrose Alli University, Osadebamen Michael, the governor reaffirmed his commitment to the students, parents and the AAU community.
His words, “I want to reassure students, parents, and the entire AAU community that my administration has nothing against the students. In fact, we have done more for the AAU community than any previous administration in the history of Edo State.”
He further directed that any confirmed student of the institution who has been unlawfully arrested in the process of restoring order will be promptly identified and released.
“The destruction of markets and property in Ekpoma is condemnable, and anyone found sponsoring or using hoodlums to destabilise our communities will be brought to justice, regardless of status or affiliation.
“The relevant security agencies, using technology-driven operations, are combing the bushes, leading to the arrest of suspected kidnappers and the recovery of firearms. We will continue to dismantle these criminal networks across Edo State.
“My government remains fully committed to restoring peace in Ekpoma and ensuring that Edo State is not held hostage by criminal elements,” Okpebholo said.
