Headlines
AFCON 2019 Friendly Games: Super Eagles to Play Zimbabwe, Senegal
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will test their resilience against the national teams of Zimbabwe and Senegal in pre-AFCON 2019 friendly matches in June.
This was revealed in a statement by the Nigeria Football Federation.
The Super Eagles, who are three–time African champions, will commence camping in Asaba, capital of Delta State on June 2. This is ahead of the clash with the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Stephen Keshi Stadium on Saturday, June 8.
Zimbabwe, who have in their ranks, globally –acknowledged talents such as Knowledge Musona and Kharma Billiat, finished top of a qualifying group that included two-time African champions, Democratic Republic of Congo, a resurgent Liberia and 1972 AFCON winners, Congo Brazzaville.
The day after the match with the Warriors, the Super Eagles delegation will depart Asaba aboard a chartered flight for Ismailia, Egypt, where they will set up a final training camp.
On June 16, the Eagles will file out against Africa’s top ranked team, Senegal, at the Ismailia Stadium in their final tune –up game.
This is a match to look forward to. It is a match between Africa’s number one and number three –ranked teams, just few days to the kick –off of the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations.
The president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, said on Thursday, “We have sealed the matches with the Warriors of Zimbabwe and the Lions of Teranga and these are two matches we are really looking forward to.
“There cannot possibly be a better way to get into the AFCON spirit than playing the number one –ranked team in Africa just before the finals begin.”
His Senegalese counterpart, Augustine Senghor, stated: “We shall only have one friendly match against Nigeria as we prepare for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.”
Apart from being Africa’s number one –ranked team, the Lions of Teranga have in their ranks the revered Liverpool FC of England point man, Sadio Mane. They come up against a Nigeria side also brimming with talent, depth and creativity.
The day after the clash with Senegal, the Super Eagles’ delegation will move to Alexandria, venue of their Group B games. They take on Burundi on June 22, tackle Guinea on June 26 and confront Madagascar on June 30.
Premium Times
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the postings of 31 career and 34 non-career ambassadors to various countries and the United Nations. The Senate confirmed the ambassadors-designate last December.
POSTINGS OF NON-CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS
S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED
1. SENATOR GRACE BENT: LOME-TOGO
2. SEN. ITA ENANG: SOUTH AFRICA
3. IKPEAZU VICTOR: SPAIN
4. NKECHI LINDA UFOCHUKWU: TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL
5. MAHMUD YAKUBU: QATAR
6. PAUL OGA ADIKWU: THE VATICAN CITY HOLY SEE
7. VICE ADMIRAL IBOK-ETE EKWE IBAS: THE PHILIPPINES
8. MR. RENO OMOKRI: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
9. HON. (ENGR.) ABASI BRAIMAH (FMHR): BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
10. MRS. ERELU ANGELA ADEBAYO: PORTUGAL
11. BARR. OLUMILUA OLUWAYIMIKA AYOTUNWA: TOKYO, JAPAN
12. RT. HON. UGWUANYI IFEANYI LAWRENCE: ATHENS, GREECE
13. BARR. CHIOMA PRISCILLA OHAKIM: WARSAW, POLAND
14. AMINU DALHATU: UNITED KINGDOM, UK
15. LT. GEN ABDULRAHMAN BELLO DAMBAZAU: BEIJING, CHINA
16. HON. TASIU MUSA MAIGARI: GAMBIA
17. OLUFEMI PEDRO: AUSTRALIA
18. BARR. MUHAMMED UBANDOMA ALIYU: ARGENTINA
19. LATEEF KAYODE ARE: USA
20. AMB. JOSEPH SOLA IJI: RUSSIA
21. SEN. JIMOH IBRAHIM: UN PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
22. FEMI FANI KAYODE: GERMANY
23. PROF. ISAAK FOLORUNSO ADEWOLE: OTTAWA, CANADA
24. AJIMOBI FATIMA FLORENCE (F): AUSTRIA
25. MRS. LOLA AKANDE (F): SWEDEN
26. AYODELE OKE: FRANCE
27. YAKUBU N. GAMBO: SAUDI ARABIA
28. SENATOR PROF. NORA LADI DADUUT: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
29. BARR. ONUEZE CHUKWUJIKA JOE OKOCHA SAN: DUBLIN
30. DR. KULU HARUNA ABUBAKAR: TUNIS, TUNISIA
31. RT. HON. JERRY SAMUEL MANWE: PORT OF SPAIN, T&T
POSTINGS OF CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS LIST
S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED
1. AMB. NWABIOLA EZENWA CHUKWUMEKA: COTE D’IV/OIRE
2. BESTO MAIMUNA IBRAHIM: NIAMEY-NIGER
3. MONICA OKWUCHUKWU ENEBECHI: SAO TOME, STP
4. AMB. MOHAMMED MAHMUD LELE: ALGIERS-ALGERIA
5. ENDONI SYNDOPH PAEBI: OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO
6. AHMED MOHAMMED MONGUNO: CAIRO EGYPT
7. AMB.JANE ADAMS (NEE OKON) MICHAEL (F): KINGSTON-JAMAICA
8. AMB. CLARK-OMERU ALEXANDRA (F): LUSAKA-ZAMBIA
9. CHIMA GEOGGREY LIOMA DAVID: BAMAKO-MALI
10. AMB. ODUMAH YVONNE EHINOSEN: MALABO –E/GUINEA
11. AMB WASA SEGUN IGE: BEIRUT, LEBANON
12. RUBEN ABIMBOLA SAMUEL (F): ROME, ITALY
13. AMB.ONAGA OGECHUKWU KINGSLEY: MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE
14. AMB.MAGAJI UMAR: KINSASHA, DR CONGO
15. AMB.MUHAMMAD SAIDU DAHIRU: NEW DELHI-INDIA
16. AMB. ABDUSSALAM HABU ZAYYAD: DAKAR-SENEGAL
17. AMB SHEHU ILU BARDE: ACCRA GHANA
18. AMB.AMINU NASIR: ETHIOPIA
19. ABUBAKAR MUSA MUSA: N’DJAMENA, CHAD
20. AMB. HAIDARA MOHAMMED IDRIS: THE HAGUE-NETHERLANDS
21. AMB.BAKO ADAMU UMAR: RABAT-MOROCCO
22. AMB. SULU GAMBARI OLATUNJI AHMED: MALAYSIA
23. AMB.ROMATA MOHAMMED OMOBOLANLE (F): TANZANIA
24. AMB. SHAGA JOHN SHAMAH: BOTSWANA
25. SALAU, HAMZA MOHAMMED: TEHRAN, IRAN
26. AMB.IBRAHIM DANLAMI: KENYA
27. IBRAHIM ADEOLA MOPELOLA (F): COTONOU-BENIN
28. AMB.AYENI ADEBAYO EMMANUEL: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
29. AMB.AKANDE WAHAB ADEKOLA: BERNE-SWITZERLAND
30. AMB. AREWA (NEE ADEDOKUN) ESTHER (F): WINDHOEK-NAMIBIA
31. AMB.GERGADI JOSEPH JOHN: LIBREVILLE-GABON
32. AMB. LUTHER OGBOMODE AYO-KALATA (F): SIERRA LEONE
33. DANLADI YAKUBU NYAKU : KHARTOUM-SUDAN
34. BELLO DOGON-DAJI HALIRU: BANGKOK, THAILAND
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already received agrément from the United Kingdom for the High Commissioner-designate, Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu. Similarly, France has sent the agrément for Ambassador Ayo Oke.
The Ministry has also conveyed the nominations of the other 62 designated envoys to all the countries concerned, including a request for their agréments in line with standard diplomatic practice.
President Tinubu has directed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should immediately commence the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and High Commissioners.
Bayo Onanuga,
Special Adviser to the President,
(Information and Strategy)
March 6, 2026.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to the former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, his son Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife Asabe Bashir in the sum of N200 million each and two sureties in like sum.
As part of the bail conditions, one of the sureties is to deposit title deeds of properties in highbrow Maitama or Asokoro.
The defendants have been ordered to deposit their international passports with the court.
They are to remain in the custody of the Nigerian correctional service pending perfection of their bail conditions.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter until March 16 for the commencement of the trial.
Headlines
Israeli Ambassador Accuses Iran of Spreading Terror, Sponsoring Extremist Activities in Nigeria
Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, has accused Iran of sponsoring extremist activities in Nigeria and other parts of the world, alleging that Tehran supports groups aimed at destabilising countries while pursuing its hostility against Israel.
Freeman made the remarks on Friday while speaking during an interview on The Morning Show on Arise News.
The envoy claimed that Iran is the only country within the United Nations that openly expresses a desire to destroy another sovereign state, referring to repeated threats against Israel.
According to him, the Iranian government has, over several decades, supported militant groups and terror organisations around the world in pursuit of that objective.
Freeman alleged that Iran has backed groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, adding that Tehran was also behind the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas against Israel.
He further claimed that Iranian activities aimed at spreading instability have been observed across several regions, including Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa.
Speaking specifically about Nigeria, the Israeli ambassador alleged that the Islamic Movement of Nigeria receives backing from the Iranian government.
According to Freeman, statements of support from Iran’s leadership, including posts by Ali Khamenei on social media, have openly indicated such ties.
He said: “The issue here is about Iran. Iran is the only country in the world, in the United Nations, who expressly desires to wipe another country off the face of the earth. Iran has stated its very policy is to destroy Israel. Is to wipe Israel off the map is to make sure they kill every single person and no regime, no country that has an express desire to destroy Israel, and it’s not only an expressed desire.
“We’ve seen over 47 years, they’ve taken all the actions they can in order for that to happen. We’ve seen them sponsor terror organizations. They were behind October the seventh massacre of Hamas. We’ve seen them sponsoring Hezbollah. We’ve seen them acting in Europe. We’ve seen them acting in Australia. We’ve seen them acting in Nigeria.
“We’ve seen these people acting all across the world in order to spread disturbance for them to try and carry out their aim of destroying Israel, and Israel will not allow another country to have nuclear weapons when they’ve expressly stated they want those weapons to destroy Israel”.
“I think that it is well documented. We know that there are certain movements, for example, the Islamic movement of Nigeria is sponsored and is backed by the Iranian regime. This is not me saying this, we’ve seen that documented by the Iranian regime.
“The Supreme Leader posted on X his support and his backing there. So that’s very open. And there are other areas as well that Iran is working for, destabilizing, not only Nigeria, but all of West Africa.”
