Headlines
African Stars File Out as AFCON 2019 Kicks Off
Stars of African football are billed to step out from today as the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations starts on Friday (today) with a record 24 teams slugging it out for the most coveted trophy in African football.
Seven-time champions and hosts Egypt are billed to set the ball rolling with a tricky fixture against Zimbabwe at the Cairo International Stadium.
The Pharaohs will be hoping to go one step further than they did at the 2017 edition of the competition in Gabon, where a late Vincent Aboubacar’s goal denied them a record 8th trophy.
Reacting to their opening game of the competition, Egypt’s head coach, Javier Aguirre, said their opening match is extremely crucial.
He said, “We have reached a very good form since we started preparing, and we have no problems either physically or technically. It’s a very important game as it’s the opening and we know the responsibility for us, yet we feel no pressure.
“We respect Zimbabwe and know them well. We will do our best come Friday (today). We are just thinking of the Zimbabwe game now and will take one game at a time.”
However, captain of the Pharaohs, Ahmed Elmohamady, said the team were in top shape to win another title.
“We are ready for the first game and our morale is very high. We play at home and promise our supporters that we will emerge champions. Our treble between 2006 and 2010 gave us great confidence and we were unlucky not to win two years ago. Being at home will push us more.”
In their pre-match press conference head coach of Zimbabwe’s national team, Sunday Chidzambwa, insists that his players are prepared for the task ahead.
“We prepared well and we believe we will do well. We are playing in a very difficult group and we also had the same in the qualifiers.
“Facing Egypt is not going to be easy because they play at home and they won the title seven times. But we are one of the best 24 teams in Africa and we will do our best.”
Group B
In Group B three-time African champions Super Eagles will be staging a return to the big stage after missing out on the 2015 and 2017 editions.
The Eagles last won the AFCON in 2013 in South Africa, beating Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final to lift the trophy.
On paper, the Eagles have one of the easiest groups as they are billed to face Burundi, Guinea and Madagascar. Most pundits see the Eagles as one of the favourites to lift the trophy despite coach Gernot Rohr calling for caution.
Group C
West African football powerhouse Senegal are one of the six countries to have got to the AFCON final without winning it, a trend this talented set of Teranga Lions stars will be hoping to change in Egypt.
Led by in-form Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane, and other stars, the Lions, one of the favourites to win the AFCON, will face Tanzania in their opening game of the competition.
Also hoping to make their presence felt at the tournament will be Algeria. Past winners of the tournament, Algeria have Manchester City’s forward Riyad Mahrez.
The Desert Foxes will be hoping to give Senegal a run for their money in Group C.
Group D
Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, and Namibia make up Group D, which is regarded as the group of death.
Ivory Coast won the 2015 edition of the competition and will be hoping to go all the way once again.
The star-studded Ivorian team will face 1996 champions South Africa in their opening game of the campaign and a favourable result will help them hold their own as one of the favourites to win the 2018 edition of the competition.
Group E
Tunisia, Mali and Angola are the favourites to make it out of this group. Although these teams might not be considered as favourites to win the competition, they will certainly pose some problems for the other heavyweights.
Group F
Defending champions Cameroon are one of the favourites in this group alongside Ghana.
The five-time African champions will have a lot to do to claim a back-to-back AFCON win in Egypt.
The Punch
Headlines
US Lawmaker Seeks More Airstrikes in Nigeria, Insists Christian Lives Matter
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
Headlines
Renowned Boxer Anthony Joshua Survives Ghastly Road Accident
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
Headlines
Atiku Warns Against Hasty Re‑gazetting of New Tax Laws
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned that any attempt to hurriedly re‑gazette Nigeria’s new tax laws could undermine parliamentary oversight and set a dangerous constitutional precedent.
Atiku’s warning follows public scrutiny over reports that the Tax Reform Acts signed by President Bola Tinubu differ from the versions passed by the National Assembly. Lawmakers, including Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns that the alterations could pose serious legal and constitutional risks, noting that they were not backed by any constitutional framework.
In a statement on X, Atiku said the directive to re-gazette the Acts effectively confirms “that the gazetted version of the Tinubu Tax Act does not reflect what was duly passed by the National Assembly,” calling it “a grave constitutional issue.”
He emphasized that under Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, a bill only becomes law after passage by both chambers, presidential assent, and gazetting.
“Gazetting is merely an administrative act of publication. It does not create, amend, or validate a law,” Atiku said, adding that any post-passage insertion, deletion, or modification without legislative approval constitutes forgery rather than a clerical error.
Atiku further warned that rushing a re-gazetting while legislative investigations are ongoing “undermines parliamentary oversight and sets a dangerous precedent,” stressing that the only lawful approach is “fresh legislative consideration, re-passage by both chambers, fresh presidential assent, and proper gazetting.”
The former vice president clarified that his position is not opposition to tax reform but a defence of constitutional order.
“This is a defence of the integrity of the legislative process and a rejection of any attempt to normalise constitutional breaches through procedural shortcuts,” he said.
The Federal government has denied wrongdoing, insisting the laws will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2026, while the National Assembly has directed the issuance of Certified True Copies of the Acts to ensure clarity and accuracy.






