NIGERIA NEWS
Fubara: All can never be well, everybody knows my position – Wike
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has suggested that the political rivalry between him and Governor Siminalyi Fubara of Rivers State is far from over.
Wike stated that “all can never be well in politics,” noting that a recent comment by Fubara may indicate ongoing tension between them.
The Minister made the remarks on Monday while fielding questions during his monthly media parley in Abuja.
Recall that Fubara, while declaring for the All Progressives Congress (APC), said that some people were still doing “corner, corner” while supporting President Bola Tinubu.
The governor appeared to be referring to the FCT Minister, who has remained a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite working under the ruling APC.
Responding to questions about the matter, Wike said he was not aware of anyone “following President Tinubu and doing ‘corner, corner’.”
He insisted that his support for Tinubu is open and well known to all Nigerians, denying that he is acting secretly.
Wike said: “I don’t know who is following Tinubu and doing ‘corner, corner.’ How could that be when the whole of Nigeria knows that I have stated openly that this is what I will do? Even when governors of the PDP accused me of working for Tinubu, my position was clear.
“If I were doing ‘corner, corner,’ so many people would not have supported Tinubu. The council chairmen wouldn’t have gone.
“I’ve always stated this: why most people don’t trust politicians is that they don’t keep their word, which is very wrong. I don’t want to be that kind of politician. I want to be a politician that, once I say something, you can rely on it. Everybody knows that once I state what I will do, I will do it.
“No, no, it’s not well. It’s not about everything being well; in politics, all can never be well.
“People are always economical with the truth. The governor cannot claim that I have not intervened between him, the speaker, and the leadership of the House. He cannot say I have not engaged with the elders, even when he was present.
“So, regarding this issue of ‘corner, corner’, who? Everybody knows my stand. Everybody knows that my position is not hidden.”
A video circulating online captures a heart-wrenching moment as a lady breaks down in tears while watching a Christmas chicken struggle for its life.
In the clip, she is seen weeping uncontrollably, unable to bear the thought of the bird being killed for the festive meal.
Woman overcome with emotion watching bird struggle for festive meal
A family member try to console her, repeatedly saying “sorry” as she struggles with her emotions.
At one point, her family member asks if she would be able to eat the chicken once it is eventually cooked, showing how deeply she empathises with the animal.
Family tries to console her
According to the video, the woman’s heart simply could not take the sight of the struggling bird.
Despite repeated attempts to calm her, she remained distraught, clearly torn between respecting her family’s celebration and her own emotional response.
Video highlights compassion and empathy during festive preparations
The clip has resonated with viewers for its raw portrayal of empathy, showing that feelings of compassion can extend to animals and situations that many might consider routine.
It also raises questions about how tradition and festive celebration intersect with personal values, and how small acts of kindness leave a lasting impression on those who witness them.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has indicated that the political rift between him and Rivers State Governor, Siminalyi Fubara, is far from being resolved.
Wike stated that “all can never be well in politics,” suggesting that recent remarks by Fubara point to lingering tensions between them.
He made the comments on Monday while responding to questions during his monthly media briefing in Abuja.
Fubara, while recently declaring support for the All Progressives Congress (APC), had said that some individuals were backing President Bola Tinubu in a “corner, corner” manner, a comment widely interpreted as a reference to Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite serving in the APC-led federal government.
Reacting to the remark, Wike said he was unaware of anyone secretly supporting President Tinubu, insisting that his own support has always been open and public.
“I don’t know who is following Tinubu and doing ‘corner, corner.’ How can that be when the whole of Nigeria knows that I have openly stated my position?” Wike said.
He recalled that even when PDP governors accused him of working for Tinubu, he never denied it and maintained a clear stance.
“If I were supporting Tinubu secretly, many people would not have supported him. Even council chairmen would not have followed,” he added.
Wike stressed that politicians lose public trust when they fail to keep their word, noting that he has always been consistent and transparent about his political decisions.
“I don’t want to be that kind of politician. Once I say something, people should be able to rely on it. Everybody knows that when I state what I will do, I will do it,” he said.
The FCT minister further dismissed suggestions that all was well politically between him and Fubara, reiterating that disagreements are inevitable.
“No, it’s not about everything being well. In politics, all can never be well,” he said.
He also rejected claims that he had not attempted to mediate the political crisis in Rivers State, stating that he had engaged with the governor, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, and other political stakeholders, including elders of the state.
“People are economical with the truth. The governor cannot say that I have not intervened between him, the Speaker, and the leadership of the House. He cannot also deny that I have engaged with elders, even in his presence,” Wike said.
Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, has sparked fresh debate after describing Nigerians who support recent United States airstrikes on militant camps as “stupid.”
He said such support shows a poor understanding of national security and Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The cleric faulted the Federal Government for approving foreign military action on Nigerian soil.
He insisted that Abuja should immediately ask the United States to withdraw its forces from the country.
The comments followed reported U.S. airstrikes on suspected Islamic State-linked militant locations in Sokoto State.
The strikes were said to be carried out with Nigeria’s consent and based on shared intelligence.
Authorities explained that the operation was aimed at weakening terrorist networks operating in the North-West.
Reacting strongly, Gumi argued that allowing foreign troops to operate in Nigeria was a grave mistake.
He warned that such involvement could expose the country to bigger security threats.
Speaking in a video, the cleric criticised citizens who welcomed the strikes.
He said many Nigerians were celebrating out of frustration over prolonged insecurity.
According to him, desperation should not push the country into surrendering control of its security.
He said, “The Nigeria government should call the attention of the ambassadors concerned to immediately withdraw the US military intervention on Nigeria insurgency fight.”
Gumi said praising foreign military action amounts to betraying the nation’s long-term interests.
He argued that powerful countries often pursue their own agenda under the guise of fighting terrorism.
He added, “This is nothing but a betrayal of our Nigerians. Some people will be saying that since we cannot end the insecurity and we have United States government intervention, why don’t we gladly accept the help?”
He went further to mock those who shared such views.
“There are stupid people whose thinking faculty is very small; they are the ones who will think so,” he said.
The cleric also launched a personal attack on the U.S. leadership.
He accused the United States of violence across the world and questioned its moral authority.
“This person (US President Donald Trump) must be stopped and chased out. This is a person that has his hands stained with the blood of children and adults,” Gumi said.
Using a metaphor, he questioned Nigeria’s reliance on Washington for security.
“How can you call for assistance from a thief when they enter your house?” he asked.
In a separate Facebook post titled ‘The Symbolism of the US Strike’, Gumi said Nigeria had committed a strategic blunder.
He argued that foreign powers fighting terrorism often worsen civilian suffering.
According to him, “terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror.’”
He warned that no country should allow its land to become a battleground for global power struggles.
He added that foreign troops usually come with hidden political and economic interests.
Gumi suggested alternative partners for Nigeria’s security needs.
He said countries like China, Turkey, and Pakistan could offer support without turning Nigeria into a war zone.
He claimed U.S. involvement would only draw hostile forces into the country.
He also cautioned that American intervention framed as protection for Christians could worsen religious tensions.
According to him, such actions could weaken unity and erode Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The Chairman of Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Group Plc, Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, has set an ambitious agenda for the Nigerian capital market in 2026, emphasizing stronger competitiveness, deeper liquidity, and enhanced international alignment as core priorities.
In a detailed review titled “2025 Capital Market Review and a Forward-Looking Agenda for 2026,” he outlined strategic pillars expected to guide investors, regulators and operators into the new year.
He highlighted total market capitalization at N149.88 trillion comprising equities, bonds and Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) as of December 24.
Kwairanga identified regulatory and policy reforms, the ongoing recapitalisation realignment in the financial sector, and increased participation across investor classes as three key drivers of market’s historic performance.
What the NGX Chairman is saying
The NGX Group Chairman is saying that sustaining the gains of 2025 will require long-term investing discipline, policy harmonisation, transparent governance practices and technology-led market access.
He stressed the importance of coherent tax and FX policies, improved regulatory clarity, deeper investor education, and enhanced infrastructure to strengthen Nigeria’s capital market resilience and global attractiveness.
Kwairanga’s 2026 agenda is anchored on three interlocking fronts — investors and issuers, regulators, and market operators — each expected to drive reforms that support stability and depth.
Agenda setting for 2026: Priorities for Stakeholders, Regulators and Operators
1. For Investors and Issuers
The NGX Chairman urged market participants to adopt long-horizon, diversified investment strategies capable of strengthening capital stability. He highlighted the growing importance of technology in investor engagement and called for stronger adherence to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, which he said are now central to attracting global capital.
2. For Regulators (SEC, CBN and Policymakers)
He emphasised the urgency of harmonising tax, FX and cross-border repatriation rules to minimise volatility, particularly for foreign investors. Clearer policies on capital gains tax, settlement efficiency, disclosure standards and product innovation — including derivatives and exchange-traded products — will be vital, he said, in sustaining investor confidence.
3. For Market Operators (NGX and Intermediaries)
Kwairanga called for accelerated investment in market infrastructure, technology platforms, cross-border connectivity and continuous investor education. Market integrity, transparency and strong enforcement mechanisms, he added, remain fundamental to deepening local and international trust.
2025 Market Performance:
Kwairanga noted that Nigeria’s capital market delivered a commendable performance in 2025 despite macroeconomic headwinds, FX uncertainties and global volatility. With strong reforms, robust corporate actions and expanded investor participation, the market ended the year at a historic high.
Total market capitalization soared to about N149.88 trillion as of December 24, 2025. Equities accounted for N98.89 trillion (about 65.31% of total market cap), driven by strong earnings, sectoral resilience across banking, consumer goods, industrials and telecoms, and sustained investor appetite for fundamentally strong companies.
The NGX All-Share Index surged by about 49.17% by 24 December 2025 to close at 153,539.8 points, a performance that places the NGX among Africa’s top-performing exchanges.
Domestic investors dominated activity at roughly 79–80% of transaction value, while foreign investors accounted for 20–21%, reflecting rising offshore interest albeit constrained by FX dynamics and policy ambiguity.
The primary market also strengthened as the exchange recorded a wave of new listings and equity issuances with total capital raised rising to an estimated N6.34 trillion — boosted significantly by bank recapitalization programmes.
Foreign participation recovery with gaps
Foreign portfolio investment improved year-on-year, with several periods showing double-digit increases in offshore flows. Yet, participation remains low relative to domestic activity, averaging around 20–21% in recent months. Persistent FX instability and uncertainties around capital gains tax continue to weigh on foreign investor decisions.
Kwairanga, however, noted that the uptick in total foreign inflows signals a renewed global interest in Nigerian assets, but sustained progress will depend on predictable policies and a more stable macroeconomic environment.
According to him, the key drivers behind the 2025 upswing include:
- Reforms aimed at FX unification and transparency
- Stronger corporate actions and recapitalisation in the financial sector
- Increased retail and institutional participation supported by digital channels and healthy dividend payouts
- Improved governance frameworks and sectoral performance across the market
What you need to know
Nigeria’s capital market is closing 2025 on strong gains, with total market capitalisation surging to N149.88 trillion as of December 24—effectively pushing the market to the brink of the N150 trillion milestone for the first time in its history.
The expansion reflects broad-based growth across equities, bonds, and Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), underpinned by sustained reforms and rising investor activity.
Data from the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) shows that equities contributed N97.89 trillion, accounting for 65.31% of total market value. The bond market added N51.55 trillion, while ETPs, though still a relatively small segment, recorded N43.20 billion in value.
The equities market, in particular, maintained a bullish run throughout the year. The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) posted a 49.17% gain to close at 153,539.8 points as of December 24, ranking the NGX among Africa’s best-performing exchanges in 2025. Turnover also more than doubled year-on-year, driven largely by domestic investors seeking higher returns amid tight monetary conditions.
The NGX Group Chairman believes the gains made in 2025 provide a strong foundation for even greater progress in 2026. Delivering on this potential will require tighter policy alignment, infrastructure upgrades, sustained investor education and an unwavering commitment to market integrity. With coordinated effort among regulators, investors and operators, Nigeria’s capital market is poised to become deeper, more inclusive and globally competitive in the years ahead.
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Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church, widely known as Winners Chapel, has welcomed the United States (US) military action against terrorist camps in Nigeria.
According to the report, the US military launched at least 12 Tomahawk missiles on Christmas night targeting terrorist positions in Sokoto State.
The operation, conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government under President Donald Trump, has raised hopes for a significant reduction in the country’s long-standing security challenges.
Bishop Credits God for the Intervention
Reacting to the airstrikes on Sunday, Oyedepo expressed gratitude to God, noting that sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria are now in hiding.
He added that for the first time in nearly two decades, perpetrators of violence are facing pressure.
He said, “We must thank God for this sudden turnaround in Nigeria. For nearly 20 years, the persecutors have acted freely, but now they are feeling the heat.
“The Holy Spirit led a midnight prayer that has brought about this outcome. Those who caused grief to others will now face consequences.
“Judgment has begun. God has intervened in Nigeria’s affairs. All those backing these criminals are now hiding, and fire is burning in their camps. For the first time, the oppressors are becoming the oppressed.”
Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali, Monday condemned the killing of two siblings, Yusuf Daddy and his sister, Faiza, and the abduction of four others in Pindiga town, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, was described by the minister as “unacceptable and barbaric”.
He called on security agencies to intensify efforts to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice.
Alkali urged residents of the town to remain calm, stressing that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has zero tolerance for incessant killings and the abduction of innocent citizens from their homes.
He stated that those responsible for such heinous acts would not go unpunished.
“While the Gombe State Government is taking decisive steps to address this vicious cycle of violence, the Federal Government, through its security agencies, will ensure that this incident serves as a deterrent to future occurrences,” the minister said.
Alkali extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and to the Pindiga Emirate over the tragic loss.
He also prayed Allah to grant the bereaved families the strength to bear the irreparable loss and for the safe rescue and return of those abducted.
Footballers Diogo Jota and Denis Law, former heavyweight champion George Foreman and cricketer Robin Smith were among the sports stars who died in 2025.
Here is the first part of AFP’s review of the sporting figures we lost this year:
DIOGO JOTA died on July 3 aged 28 in a car crash in Spain.
The Liverpool forward was killed in the accident alongside his 25-year-old brother Andre Silva just days after he married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.
Jurgen Klopp, who brought the Portuguese international to Liverpool in 2020, said he was “heartbroken” at the death of his “great friend”.
Capped 49 times by Portugal, Jota moved to Liverpool from Wolves for £45 million ($62 million).
His goalscoring prowess quickly made him a fans’ favourite, as he netted 65 times for the Reds in five years and lifted the League Cup and FA Cup in the 2021/22 season.
Jota scored nine goals in all competitions last season as Liverpool cruised to their record-equalling 20th English league title.
DENIS LAW died on January 17 of Alzheimer’s disease & vascular dementia aged 84.
Law was part of Matt Busby’s legendary Manchester United side. He, Bobby Charlton and George Best became known as the “Holy Trinity” as United bestrode domestic and European football in the 1960s, peaking with the 1968 European Cup triumph.
The charismatic Scot missed the final as he was injured but his nine goals played a major part in getting United there.
He also had two spells at Manchester City and famously declined to celebrate scoring a goal for his new club that all but condemned United to relegation in 1974.
“He was a great Scotsman. Cantankerous, a troublemaker and he loved beating England,” said former United manager Alex Ferguson.
LEO BEENHAKKER died on April 10 aged 82.
Beenhakker was a hard-as-nails Dutch football coach who never held back whenever his credibility was questioned, as he had never played professional football owing to injury.
“You don’t have to have been a cow to be a milkman,” was one of his retorts.
He remains the only coach to have guided bitter rivals Ajax (1980 and 1990) and Feyenoord (1999) to the Dutch league title and shone in Spain by taking Real Madrid to three successive La Liga crowns from 1987 to 1989.
AHMED FARAS died on July 16 following a long illness aged 78.
Still the all-time leading scorer for Morocco with 36 goals, he was African footballer of the year in 1975.
He skippered Morocco from 1971 to 1979 and played a pivotal role in Morocco’s march to the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations title.
King Mohammed VI paid tribute to “one of the great icons of Moroccan football”.
DORIS FITSCHEN died on March 15 following a long illness aged 56.
One of the pathfinders in women’s football, she was capped 144 times for Germany, winning the European title on four occasions and an Olympic bronze medal in the 2000 Sydney Games.
The midfielder was general manager of the German team that won gold in the 2016 Rio Games.
JOHN ROBERTSON died on December 25 aged 72.
Dubbed “a Picasso of our game” by Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough, the wily Scottish winger was a key member of the side that won back to back European Cups.
He scored the only goal in the 1980 win over Hamburg. A year earlier, playing despite the death of his brother Hughie in a car accident just days before, Robertson’s cross set up Trevor Francis to head home against Malmo.
Capped 28 times — he went to the 1978 and 1982 World Cup finals — Robertson was later to be a successful assistant coach to former Forest team-mate Martin O’Neill, particularly at Celtic.
NIKITA SIMONYAN died on November 23 aged 99.
Following Charles Coste’s demise he became the oldest surviving Olympic gold medallist, the Soviet Union having won at the 1956 Melbourne Games.
He went on to score the first goal for the Soviet Union in their maiden World Cup appearance in 1958.
However, being knocked out in the quarter-finals was dimly viewed by the Soviet leaders.
“I actually thought we’d played very well, but the (Communist) Party considered our performance a failure. Well, that was the system back then,” he told the BBC.
SULEIMAN AL-OBEID died on August 6 aged 41.
Suleiman al-Obeid, known as the “Palestinian Pele”, was killed by Israeli gunfire in the Gaza Strip while waiting to collect humanitarian aid, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) said.
Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah criticised Europe’s football governing body UEFA for posting a tribute that did not mention how the former international died.
An ex-star of the Khadamat Al-Shati club in Gaza, Obeid played 24 times for team Palestine.
GOLF
FUZZY ZOELLER died on November 27 aged 74.
The American was a two-time major winner who in 1979 became the first golfer since 1935 to win the Masters at his first attempt.
The wise-cracking Zoeller added the 1984 US Open to his laurels but in 1997 his attempt at humour landed him in trouble when discussing the then 21-year-old Tiger Woods.
“Tell him not to serve fried chicken next year …or collard greens or whatever they serve,” he said, in a reference to the Masters champions’ dinner.
Zoeller apologised, but he received death threats for years and in 2008 admitted it was “the worst thing I’ve gone through in my entire life.”
GYMNASTICS
AGNES KELETI died on January 2 of pneumonia aged 103.
A quintuple Olympic gold medallist spread over two Games — Helsinki in 1952 and Melbourne in 1956 — she did not return to Hungary after the latter when the Soviet Union invaded her country.
Her life story, including surviving the Holocaust — her father was murdered in a death camp but she escaped deportation having obtained fake documents — reads like a Hollywood film script, with her feisty spirit never breaking in the face of adversity.
“It was worth doing something well in life, considering the attention I have received, I get the shivers when I see all the articles written about me,” she told AFP in 2020, weeks before her 100th birthday.
HORSE RACING
The AGA KHAN IV died on February 4 aged 88.
The Swiss-born philanthropist was bequeathed the title of Aga Khan aged 20 by his grandfather and became one of the most influential owner/breeders. Among his many star charges was the unbeaten Zarkava, who won the 2008 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s most prestigious race.
The Aga Khan — who competed for Britain in alpine skiing at the 1964 Winter Olympics — suffered a hammer blow when his superstar thoroughbred Shergar was kidnapped from his Irish stud in 1983.
The breeder’s death denied him witnessing a superb season for the Aga Khan Studs with the highlight Daryz winning the Arc.
“Dad would be over the moon every time he won the Arc, now I know what that feels like,” said his daughter Princess Zahra Khan.
RON TURCOTTE died on August 22 aged 84
The Canadian guided Secretariat on an electrifying Triple Crown run in 1973 — a sweep that ended a Triple Crown drought stretching back to Citation’s treble in 1948.
Turcotte and Secretariat — or ‘Big Red’ as he was known — set the pulses racing especially the astonishing 31-length romp in the Belmont Stakes.
Turcotte won 3,032 races in a career that ended in 1978, when he suffered injuries in a race fall that left him paralysed from the waist down.
MOTOR SPORT
EDDIE JORDAN died on March 20 aged 76 of prostate cancer.
The dynamic Irishman was a legend in his field and although he never drove in Formula One, he did race in F2, F3 and Formula Atlantic, as well as 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1981.
Ten years later he finally made it to F1 with his Jordan Grand Prix team and gave Michael Schumacher his debut in the elite in 1991.
“He always knew how to make people smile, remaining genuine and brilliant at all times,” said Stefano Domenicali, chief executive of Formula One Group.
RUGBY UNION
ROLAND BERTRANNE died on October 2 from complications relating to Alzheimers aged 75.
Nicknamed “the little furious bull”, the centre remains the France player with the most consecutive Test appearances, with 46, and racked up 66 points in his 69 appearances for his country between 1971 and 1981.
Less celebrated than teammates such as Jean-Pierre Rives, he was still a pivotal member of the historic 1977 Five Nations Grand Slam side — the only time the French have achieved the feat using the same 15 players in all four matches.
PETER BROWN died on January 12 aged 83 following a long illness.
Known as “the man on the coat hanger” owing to his extremely square shoulders he captained Scotland in 10 of his 27 Tests (1964-73) — which included three victories over the ‘Auld Enemy’ England.
A highly effective kicker, he remains his country’s leading points scorer for a forward with 66, something he immortalised on his business card.
IAN MCLAUCHLAN died on April 14 aged 83.
He won the first of his 43 Scotland caps in his mid 20s but then became an indispensable member of the front row and was 37 when he made his final Test appearance.
He captained his country in 19 Tests — winning 10 and showed his toughness by leading out his side in the 1973 Calcutta Cup match against England a fortnight after breaking a bone in his leg.
He was one of only five players to feature in all eight Test matches for the British and Irish Lions on their victorious tours to New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974.
STU WILSON died on June 8 aged 70.
A scintillating wing, he was a standout player for New Zealand from 1976-83, scoring 19 tries in his 34 Tests.
The high point of his career was being in the All Blacks side that swept all four home nations aside on their 1979 northern hemisphere tour.
Wilson retired in 1984 because under the archaic amateur rules he would have been barred from playing as he profited from a book about himself and fellow wing Bernie Fraser.
ALEX WYLLIE died on March 22 aged 80 of cancer.
A fearsome-looking flanker nicknamed “Grizz”, he played 11 Tests for the All Blacks, captaining them on three occasions.
He was a highly-regarded coach, first with Canterbury then was pivotal as assistant coach when the All Blacks won the inaugural World Cup in 1987.
Less happily, he co-coached the defending champions at the 1991 edition and resigned after they bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions Australia.
BOXING
GEORGE FOREMAN died on March 21 aged 76.
Foreman was the last of the great quartet of heavyweights with Muhammad Ali, Ken Norton and ‘Smokin’ Joe’ Frazier that produced memorable bouts in the 1970s.
Foreman’s talent was evident early on when winning Olympic gold in 1968.
He won the heayweight title in 1973, inflicting Frazier’s first defeat but was to be dethroned by Ali a year later in the epic “Rumble in the Jungle” in then Zaire.
While Ali was the people’s favourite, Foreman was perceived as sullen and unlikeable.
However, 20 years later he had reinvented himself as a jocular personality and aged 45 astonishingly was once again crowned heavyweight world champion, taking down Michael Moorer, 19 years his junior.
“You want to leave something; you really do. I mean, in the end, statues and all those things, that doesn’t mean anything,” said Foreman. “Leave something that we’re all going to benefit from.”
JOE BUGNER died on September 1 aged 75.
The nearly man of a great era of heavyweight boxers, Bugner went the distance on two occasions with Muhammad Ali and once against Joe Frazier.
While a world title eluded him he was crowned European and British champion when he defeated ageing national treasure Henry Cooper in 1971.
Bugner, who was a young boy when his parents fled Hungary after the Soviet Union invaded in 1956, later moved to Australia.
In between a film career — including starring in “Street Fighter” with Jean-Claude Van Damme — there were a couple of comebacks but he ended his days in a care home suffering from dementia.
Bugner felt he never received the recognition he merited.
“When I beat Henry Cooper I was no longer British, I was a Hungarian refugee and that was just ridiculous,” he said.
RICKY HATTON took his own life on September 14 aged 46.
The popular English boxer’s funeral attracted the likes of Tyson Fury and Liam Gallagher of Oasis and thousands lined the route in his home town of Manchester.
Hatton was a popular, larger-than-life character who unified the light-welterweight division and also won a world welterweight title.
Hatton, who won 45 of his 48 professional bouts, admitted he struggled with drinking and drugs.
“People say, ‘We remember the good times.’ Well I remember the bad times,” Hatton told The Times in 2012.
SWIMMING
MAYUMI NARITA died on September 5 aged 55 of cancer.
Japan’s “Queen of the Water” won 15 Paralympics gold medals — including six at the 2000 Sydney Games and set five world records to boot in Australia.
She is Japan’s most-successful Paralympian and the fifth most decorated female athlete in Paralympic history across all sports.
TENNIS
ANGELA MORTIMER-BARRETT died on August 25 aged 93.
She battled hard to get to the top, and for want of money once spent the night at London’s Paddington Station on the way back from a tournament.
Mortimer-Barrett came out on top in an all-British women’s Wimbledon final in 1961 against Christine Truman, who at 20 was nine years her junior.
The partially-deaf Mortimer-Barrett had prior to that also won the French (1955) and Australian (1958) titles.
FRED STOLLE died on March 5 aged 86 of cancer.
He may have won two Grand Slam titles French but it is what came before that the resilient Australian is probably best known for.
Known as “Fiery”, he is still the only man to have lost his first five Grand Slam singles finals — four of them to compatriot Roy Emerson in a golden era for Australian tennis.
Emerson was to beat him in one more Grand Slam final, Wimbledon, in 1965, sandwiched in between Stolle getting the better of another two Australians, Tony Roche in that year’s French final, and John Newcombe at the 1966 US Championships.
CRICKET
HAROLD ‘DICKIE’ BIRD died on September 22 aged 92.
One of the best-known umpires of his generation, he stood in 66 Tests between 1973 and 1996 as well as 69 men’s one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals.
Bird had a modest playing career for Yorkshire and Leicestershire but made his name as an international umpire, wearing his trademark white cap.
He was given a guard of honour at Lord’s by England and India players before his final Test.
Yorkshire and England batting legend Geoffrey Boycott, who knew Bird from the age of 15, described him as “comic and lovable” and “daft as a brush”.
BOB COWPER died on May 11 aged 84 of cancer
He was the only Australian batsman to have made a triple century (307) in an Ashes Test in Australia and at over 12 hours, holds the record for the longest ever Test innings in Australia.
He was fortunate to get the chance as he had been dropped for the fourth Test of the 1965/66 series for batting too slowly, but regained his place in the fifth and final Test.
“My God! That must have been the most boring innings you’ve ever had to sit through,” he told the crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
BERNARD JULIEN died on October 4 aged 75.
A dashing West Indian all-rounder whose career encompassed the high of winning the 1975 World Cup and the low of a lifetime ban for a rebel tour of apartheid-era South Africa.
Julien suffered from the pressure of being hailed by some as the successor to the legendary Garry Sobers.
The two of them put on a West Indian record seventh wicket partnership of 155 — in just under two hours — at Lord’s in 1973.
However, he brought the curtain down on his international career in ignominious fashion in the early 1980s when he joined West Indies rebel tours of South Africa, then considered a pariah state due to its apartheid policy, for a reported £60,000 ($80,000).
BOBBY SIMPSON died on August 16 aged 89
A former Australian cricket captain who skippered them in 39 of his 62 Tests, he then had an immensely successful spell as their first full-time coach in the 1980s.
He answered his country’s call when aged 41 he returned to the national side after it lost several key players to the Kerry Packer World Series competition.
“Bob’s decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series Cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game,” said Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird.
ROBIN SMITH died on December 1 aged 62
Known as the “Judge”, the South Africa-born batter played 62 Tests for England between 1988 and 1996. He scored 4,236 Test runs, including nine centuries, and 2,419 runs in 71 one-day internationals.
He was renowned for his fearless batting against the world’s fastest bowlers, but he struggled with mental health and alcohol-related problems in retirement.
CYCLING
CHARLES COSTE died on October 29 aged 101
At the time of his death Coste was the oldest former Olympic champion — gymnast Agnes Keleti had died in January aged 103 — having won team track pursuit gold at the 1948 London Games.
The medals ceremony did not go according to plan, as he recounted to AFP: “They gave us our bouquets and then they told us ‘there will be no Marseillaise because we can’t find the record!’”
Coste was the oldest torch bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, which he described as “one of the most beautiful moments of my long life”.
FIGURE SKATING
DICK BUTTON died on January 30 aged 95.
The American was a two-time Olympic champion and a quintuple world champion. He became the first skater to successfully perform a double axel, when he won gold in the 1948 Winter Games at St Moritz.
Not content with that he upped the ante at the 1952 Olympics in Oslo when he was the first to land a triple jump.
WRESTLING
BUVAISAR SAITIEV died on March 2 aged 49 in unexplained circumstances.
The three-time Olympic freestyle champion for Russia (1996/2004/2008) and sextuple world gold medallist is widely regarded to be the greatest of all time.
Mystery surrounded his death, with a Russian wrestling official saying he died of a heart attack, while his wife maintained that he fell from a second storey window in Moscow.
ATHLETICS
GREG BELL died on January 25 aged 94.
He grew up in abject poverty, living in a chicken house until he was 12.
Encountering racism “which he detested”, he joined the US Army and was crowned Olympic long jump champion in Melbourne in 1956 despite having strained a leg muscle.
“It was one of the worst performances I could have imagined,” he said modestly.
After athletics, he became a dentist, working till he was 89.
THELMA HOPKINS died on January 10 aged 88.
Born in England but brought up in Northern Ireland she was at one point the high jump world record holder and won Olympic silver representing Britain in the 1956 Melbourne Games.
Also an accomplished field hockey player, she was capped 40 times by Ireland.
Mary Peters, who was to win Olympic pentathlon gold at the 1972 Games in Munich, said Hopkins was an idol of hers and she had been a “pioneer” for Northern Irish women athletes.
BASEBALL
BETSY JOCHUM died on May 31 aged 104.
A pathfinder for women’s baseball, she was known as ‘Sockum’ Jochum and was one of the 60 original members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, set up during World War II.
It inspired the 1992 Hollywood film starring Madonna called “A League of Their Own”.
BASKETBALL
LENNY WILKENS died on November 9 aged 88.
A Hall of Famer as both a player and a coach he was a nine-time NBA All-Star and twice led the league in assists.
Wilkens coached the Seattle SuperSonics to their only NBA title in 1979. His 2,487 games coached is an NBA record.
“He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
BIATHLON
LAURA DAHLMEIER died on July 28 aged 31 in a mountaineering accident.
The German was a seven-time world champion who at the 2018 Winter Olympics became the first woman biathlete to win both the sprint and the pursuit at the same Games.
She retired aged just 25 and turned to mountain running and mountaineering. She was killed by falling rocks while climbing at an altitude of 5,700 metres (18,700 feet) in the Karakoram range in Pakistan.
According to her wishes her body remained there.
CHESS
BORIS SPASSKY died on February 27 aged 88.
Soviet grand master who was world champion from 1969-72 and is best remembered for his epic Cold War clash with American Bobby Fischer in 1972.
Fischer had never beaten Spassky before their duel in Reykjavik and the Russian was never to reach the heights again.
He moved to France in 1976 with his third wife and became a French citizen, although he returned to Russia in 2012.
“I prefer to have good relations with my opponent. My chess suffers if I have to play a man I consider unfriendly,” said Spassky.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that there is no longer any feud between him and the lawmaker representing the FCT, Senator Ireti Kingibe.
Wike stressed that he was ready to collaborate with the senator whenever the opportunity arises in the interest of Abuja residents.
The Minister stated this on Monday during an end-of-year media parley in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he addressed reports of a frosty relationship between himself and the federal lawmaker.
According to the minister, he does not subscribe to double standards and cautioned politicians against personalising governance issues.
“I don’t like it when people try to ascribe double standards to me. We should be careful in politics. Governance should not be personal,” Wike said.
He disclosed that Senator Kingibe had, in November, written him a letter commending his efforts in transforming Abuja into a modern city, particularly appreciating the rehabilitation of Kuje Street Road.
Reading from the letter, Wike said the senator expressed gratitude to him and the Federal Government for fixing the road, noting that the intervention had positively impacted residents of the area.
“She wrote to appreciate the rehabilitation of Kuje Street Road and thanked the Federal Government for the work done. On behalf of the residents, she expressed heartfelt thanks for our dedication to service and continuous efforts to ensure that Abuja remains a modern city,” he said.
Wike added that the senator also reassured him of her willingness to continue collaborating to advance the development of the FCT.
“So, when someone thanks you for your dedication, the issue should not be personal. The only person I should be talking about is the President who appointed me,” he stated.
The minister further explained that his working relationship with Senator Kingibe remains intact, noting that she is a member of the Senate committee overseeing FCT affairs.
“I have a relationship with the committee overseeing the affairs of the FCT, which she is a member of. There is nothing personal between us,” Wike said.
Reacting to a recent motion raised by Senator Kingibe on the floor of the Senate, where she reportedly described Abuja as “dirty”, Wike said the motion was rejected based on Senate rules governing matters of urgent national importance.
“She raised a matter of Urgent National Importance, but by the rules, what was urgent there?” he queried.
He urged public office holders to learn to appreciate progress, arguing that acknowledging challenges in some areas should not negate the overall improvements recorded in the FCT.
“You commended me for making Abuja a modern city. The mere fact that there are two areas that are not okay does not mean we are not doing well in the FCT,” Wike said.
The minister highlighted improvements in infrastructure and security, noting that Abuja currently is significantly different from what it was a decade ago.
“Look at what Abuja used to be 10 years ago and compare it to what it is today. That alone shows progress. Part of it is security, part of it is infrastructure,” he added.
On sanitation challenges, Wike explained that the contract for sanitation services was awarded by a previous administration and that the current operators’ tenure was nearing its end.
“I told her that their tenure will soon end, after which we will carry out procurement for new operators to take over sanitation in the FCT,” he said.
Wike maintained that it was inconsistent to commend the administration for making Abuja a modern city and later describe it as dirty.
“To appreciate me for making Abuja a modern city and then turn around to say Abuja is dirty doesn’t make sense. Without infrastructure and security, Abuja cannot be described as a modern city,” he concluded.
Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has condemned the attack on women and children who staged a peaceful protest at the Kwara State Government House over rising cases of kidnapping and insecurity in their community.
A viral video circulating on social media shows women protesters being harassed and flogged by suspected hired thugs while officers of the Nigeria Police Force were present at the scene.
The footage indicates that the police officers neither intervened nor offered protection to the protesters during the attack.
Reacting in a post on his official X handle on Monday, Sowore described the incident as “one of the most despicable scenes” he had ever witnessed at a seat of government.
“It is especially disturbing that uniformed Nigeria Police officers stood by and watched as helpless women protesters were beaten, harassed, and humiliated in broad daylight,” he stated.
He also accused the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, of intolerance and high-handedness, alleging that the attack was either sanctioned or tacitly permitted by the state authorities.
“This descent into violence against women and children is unacceptable in any democracy,” Sowore added.
In the video, the women protesters, speaking in Yoruba language, were seen crying and pleading with the government to intervene in the worsening security situation in their community. They lamented repeated kidnappings affecting residents, including children and husbands.
“They have kidnapped every one of us, both young and old. We are paupers; we have no money, and there is absolutely nothing they can get from us. We are begging the public to come to our rescue. Please help us from these kidnappers. They keep abducting our children and husbands,” one of the women cried.
Sowore further called on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately identify and sanction the officers who failed in their constitutional duty to protect lives and property.
“The Nigeria Police Force must immediately identify and sanction the officers who abdicated their duty. The thugs who carried out this assault must be arrested, prosecuted without delay, and brought to justice. Anything short of this will confirm official complicity,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Government and the Nigeria Police Force have yet to issue an official response to the incident.
A renowned global boxer Anthony Joshua has been involved in a road accident on Monday in Makun, Ogun State.
The was said to have occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua reportedly collided with another car under circumstances that are still being investigated.
The said I said to have sustained minor injuries, saying that two people died on the spot.
Meanwhile, fans have flooded social media with messages of concern, while local authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has berated the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, over failure to reinstate the Paramount Ruler of Emohua, His Royal Highness, Eze Ohna Sergent Awuse, as Chairman of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council.
Naija News recalls that in 2024, Fubara replaced Eze Ohna Awuse, a close ally of Wike, with Eze Chike Worlu Wodo, as the Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
However, speaking during a special Christmas visit to his supporters in Emohua Local Government Area, at the palace of His Royal Highness, Ohna Sergent Awuse, who also serves as Chairman of the South-South Traditional Rulers Forum on Sunday, Wike slammed Fubara.
Wike revealed that Awuse had fallen ill and gone into a coma, during which the state government removed him from the chairmanship and appointed a replacement.
He said, “Chief Awuse was the Chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council.
“Chief Awuse was sick, and went into coma. Instead of praying to God, how does this man come out of this, the next thing they did, they removed him as Chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council.
“Go and reinstate Chief Awuse, go and reinstate him. Up till now, it is difficult.
“You tell me that I’m a fool? I’m a fool?
“Well, there’s always time for wrestling. Do you understand me? You know when wrestling starts. The main people don’t come out at that time.”
…Rejects Attempt To Foist Fake Law on Nigeria
The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the controversial Tax Reform Acts until investigations into allegations of alterations are concluded.
The call was contained in a press statement jointly signed by Hon. Kingsley Chinda, Minority Leader, Hon. Ali Isa J.C,
Minority Whip, Hon. Aliyu Madaki, Deputy Minority Leader
and Hon. George Ozodinobi,
Deputy Minority Whip.
“Consequently, we call on the government to suspend the implementation of the tax laws until investigations are concluded and there is clarity and certainty of the law to be implemented.
“Moreover, Nigerians and the business community are entitled to copies of the laws that they are expected to obey.
“We count on Mr. President’s democratic credentials yo be responsive and responsible and heed to this call”, the caucus stated.
The statement further said, “We have noted with great consternation and an overwhelming sense of disappointment the current storm brewing over the Tax Reform laws that were duly passed by the National Assembly and properly signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
“Ordinarily, the controversy will have been dismissed as needless, but the gravity of the cause of the controversy is an issue of great concern to all Nigerians, especially since it borders on the accusations of unlawful alterations to the laws as passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently signed by the President.
“We are also aware that this issue has been raised by a member of the House of Representatives during one of our recent plenaries, following which the House inaugurated a high-powered committee to investigate the allegations made by the member that the tax laws have been fraudulently altered, gazetted and the altered copy circulated to the public.
“As such, we want to assure Nigerians that the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives, will stand with the entire House to see that the circumstances surrounding this illegality is exposed and the culprits brought to book in the interest of justice for all Nigerians.
“We are aware of the legitimate procedures towards the gazetting of laws, and it starts with the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) transmitting the actual copies of the laws to the relevant federal agency that gazettes all government documents, which means, the National Assembly is always the custodian of the genuine documents of the laws of the federation that have been passed, and, therefore, we will always make sure that it is the truth that prevails in moments of controversy such as this.
“We therefore call on Nigerians to disregard any purported tax laws being circulated without the signature of the CNA and the President and Commander in Chief, such did not originate from the National Assembly, and neither do they reflect the true character of what were actually passed by the Legislature and signed by the President.
“Any attempt to foist fake laws on Nigerians is an attack on the independence and constitutional role of the National Assembly in safeguarding our democracy, and the Caucus will unconditionally protect the independence of the Legislature and our democracy”.
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A credible source has confirmed that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the leader of the gang and another, who kidnapped and murdered a prominent professor of neurology, Ekanem Philip Ephraim in 2023.
The gang leader, Patrick Essien Etim, 23, and his accomplice, Bassey Antiha Asuquo, 40, were apprehended on Saturday, December 27, at a medical facility in Cross River State while planning to kidnap another medical bigwig.
According to the source, the DSS had been tracking the kidnap ring since Ephraim’s killing in July 2023, when gunmen posing as patients abducted her.
The duo has confessed to the crime, admitting that they killed the professor after collecting multiple ransom payments from her family.
‘It has been two years of torment for her loved ones, not knowing what happened to the Professor. I believe that, with this arrest, her family and loved ones will be able to finally have some peace and the much-needed closure that they deserve, the source said.
The suspects also owned up to kidnapping other victims and vandalising electricity cables, with one Isaac Ekpeyong, who was also arrested by the operatives, according to the sources.
Recall that Professor Ekanem was abducted on 13th July, 2023, by unknown gunmen who posed as patients at her private clinic at Atimbo Road, Calabar.
Her kidnapping sparked statewide protests by the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). The medical association had embarked on an indefinite strike, which crippled the health sector for over a week, in a bid to prevail on the government to rescue the Professor.
“This huge breakthrough underscores the commitment of the DSS in reverting to covertness in its operations and restoring public safety across the country,” declared the source.
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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Tinubu must complete eight years in office, insisting that political agreements reached ahead of the 2023 elections must be respected, particularly in Rivers State.
Wike made the statement on Sunday during his Christmas visits to Emohua and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of Rivers State, where he cautioned those he described as “emergency singers” of the slogan “On your mandate, we shall stand” to honour existing political commitments.
According to the former Rivers State governor, sudden public displays of loyalty to President Tinubu cannot erase past political realities.
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“For us here, agreement is agreement. You can be singing ‘on your mandate we shall stand’ today, which is fine, but we have been supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since 2023. Your new slogans will not help you,” Wike said.
He stressed that political loyalty should be demonstrated during difficult times, not after victory has been secured.
“You take stands when things are tough, not when food is ready. When it mattered most, we stood on his mandate,” he added.
Addressing the Ikwerre people, Wike recalled that they took significant political risks to support Tinubu when the outcome of the 2023 presidential election was still uncertain.
“In 2023, when people did not know that Mr. President would emerge, those of us from Ikwerre understood that politics is about risk. If you look at the votes that helped him win in Rivers State, they came particularly from Ikwerre,” he said.
Wike further argued that power should remain in the South for a full eight-year tenure, irrespective of party affiliation.
“The South must complete its eight years. Completing the eight years does not matter which party we belong to; we must give Mr. President the support to succeed,” he stated.
He added that discussions about the future of power rotation should only begin after 2031.
“In 2031, after the South has completed its eight years through President Tinubu, then we will know what next,” Wike said.
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The Nigerian Air Force, (NAF, under the auspices of the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Sector 2, has neutralized armed banditry through the execution of two high-impact precision Air Interdiction (AI) missions.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, said in a statement that the armed bandits met their Waterloo following credible, multi-source intelligence at Turba Hill and Kachalla Dogo Sule’s Camp, both in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The statement said the first strike targeted Turba Hill, a confirmed bandit hideout, adding that persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance revealed significant human activity and an operational zinc-roofed structure assessed to be central to the enclave’s activities.
Post-strike battle damage assessment confirmed the complete destruction of the structure and the neutralization of several bandits.
“The second AI mission was conducted at Kachalla Dogo Sule’s Camp, a notorious bandit stronghold identified as a key IED manufacturing and operational hub. Intelligence had linked the camp to the planning and execution of recent IED attacks along the Dan Sadau–Magami axis,” the statement said.
It added that the precision strike successfully engaged multiple active structures within the enclave, triggering intense fires that destroyed the facilities and neutralized several bandits, effectively crippling the group’s IED production and deployment capability.
The operations, according to the statement, reaffirm the Nigerian Air Force’s unwavering commitment, working in close coordination with other components of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, to deny criminal elements safe havens, degrade their combat effectiveness, and support ongoing joint efforts to restore lasting peace and security across the North-West and the nation at large.