January 2025 | Page 16 of 18

Cricket W/Cup: Nigeria set for India training tour

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has approved training tour of India for the Nigeria U19 Women’s Cricket Team in preparation for their debut appearance at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup slated to take place in Malaysia from January 18, 2025. NSC Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, made the announcement during a briefing highlighting the Commission’s commitment to supporting the team. Discussions during the meeting centered on the logistics, technical, and financial assistance being provided by the NSC in collaboration with the Nigeria Cricket Federation. Hon. Olopade emphasized the importance of this historic participation, praising the federation’s leadership under Uyi Akpata for their efforts in promoting cricket in Nigeria. He further expressed the alignment of this initiative with the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE), which aims to empower youth, particularly young girls, through sports. This milestone signified the growth of cricket in Nigeria and underscores the nation’s readiness to compete on a global stage. Hon. Olopade stressed the need for both media and public support to inspire the team as they represent the country. The training tour in India, followed by the World Cup in Malaysia, will provide the young athletes with exposure and experience crucial to their development. The NSC’s approval of the tour not only reflects the Commission’s dedication to sports development but also serves as a reminder of the unifying power of sports. As one of four debutant nations, alongside Samoa, Nepal, and host Malaysia, Nigeria’s participation marks a new chapter in the country’s cricket journey.

West Ham sack Lopetegui, five staff members

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

West Ham United have sacked head coach Julen Lopetegui after seven months in charge, with former Chelsea boss Graham Potter listed as the leading candidate to take over. The Spaniard had been preparing for the team for their FA Cup third-round tie against Aston Villa on January 10. But the board have decided to act, bringing an end to the 58-year-old’s tenure. Lopetegui was relieved of his duties by David Sullivan after holding crunch talks with the West Ham owner in a meeting on Monday. It comes after the Hammers were left languishing in 14th place in the Premier League table following their 4-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City. A club statement reads: “West Ham United can confirm that head coach Julen Lopetegui has today left the club. “The first half of the 2024/25 season has not aligned with the club’s ambitions and the club has therefore taken action in line with its objectives. “The club can confirm that assistant head coach Pablo Sanz, head of performance Oscar Caro, head analyst Juan Vicente Peinado, fitness coach Borja De Alba and technical coach Edu Rubio have also left with immediate effect. “The board would like to thank Julen and his staff for their hard work during their time with the Hammers and wish them every success for the future. “The process of appointing a replacement is underway. The club will be making no further comment at this time.”

NFF’s Anyansi suffers injuries in Armed robbery attack

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

First Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu sustained injuries following an armed robbery attack at his residence in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday. This is according to a press statement made available by the Federation. President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau on Wednesday morning paid a visit to Anyansi-Agwu’s Abuja home, whose family was attacked by armed robbers some hours earlier. During the visit, Alhaji Gusau prayed for quick return to good health for Chief Anyansi-Agwu, who was injured in the attack, and for the entire Anyansi-Agwu family. He also thanked God that no life was lost in the attack. “The NFF President has been to the house of Chief Anyansi-Agwu. I will also be going to his house shortly to empathise with him and his family. This is an unwholesome incident and the Executive Committee, Management and Staff of NFF feel the stress of the Anyansi-Agwu family at this period,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said. Thenff.com learnt that armed men invaded the Gwarinpa Estate home of former Enyimba FC chairman, Chief Anyansi-Agwu in the early hours of Tuesday, 8th January 2025 and ransacked the entire house. They inflicted injuries on Chief Anyansi-Agwu and carted away one of his cars, as well as mobile phones, cash and other items worth several millions of naira. The football administrator is presently receiving treatment at an undisclosed location in the Federal Capital.

Trump asks US court to halt sentencing in criminal case

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Donald Trump has asked the US supreme court to pause criminal proceedings in his New York hush-money case, according to a filing released on Wednesday. This follows a New York appeals court denying his bid to halt sentencing on Friday in his hush-money case, Reuters reported, in which he became a felon last spring. The president-elect on Monday lost an attempt to put off his sentencing on Friday for his criminal conviction stemming from money paid to an adult film star to silence her about an alleged affair with Trump years ago. In a filing released on Wednesday, Trump’s lawyers asked the nation’s top court to immediately order a stay in the case, as he sought an appeal to resolve questions of presidential immunity following an earlier supreme court ruling. That appeal effort could reach the supreme court as well, his lawyers noted. They also urged the court to issue a temporary “administrative stay” while it considers the request for a broader pause, the filing said. Trump won another term in the White House and is set to take office on 20 January. He has who denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by a jury last May of a plot to influence the 2016 presidential election. The hush-money case made Trump the first US president, sitting or former, to be charged with a crime and also the first to be convicted. Since the verdict, his lawyers have made two unsuccessful attempts to have the case tossed.

Nollywood actor Dele Odule builds multi-million Naira film village

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Veteran actor and film producer Dele Odule has built a multi-million Naira film village in Oru-Ijebu, Ogun State. Odule’s colleague, Prince (Dr.) Babajide Kosoko, also a veteran in the movie industry, posted a video after his visit recently to the village named; Ile Asa. In his post Kosoko wrote; “Yesterday, I and my team visited Oru Ijebu to inspect some of the costumes to be used for Esugbayi Eleko – The Movie! “Dele Odule, who is the owner of the costumes, took me around his Ile Asa complex, a beautiful and proudly African culture complex that is set to redefine the arts and culture sub-sector. “His experience and training as an artist also came handy, as he designed the complex himself and the arts materials as shown in this video. “Dele Odule, I am proud of you and can’t wait to see that complex completed and in full operation.” Odule made his debut appearance in 1986 before he shot into the limelight after starring in the movie titled Ti Oluwa Ni Ile. He has since gone on to star in over 200 movies.

Cybercrime: Nigeria Police recover N8bn

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago04 mins

In the relentless efforts of the Nigeria Police Force to tackle every form of crime in all spheres, the Force has recorded an outstanding achievement for the year 2024 in retrospect, particularly in the area of combatting cybercrime. In the year 2024, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) successfully recovered a staggering N8,821,001,881.80 (Eight Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty-One Million, One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-One Naira, Eighty Kobo), 115,237.91 USDT, and $84,000 (Eighty-Four Thousand Dollars). These significant amounts have been restituted to the victims of cybercrime, reaffirming the commitment of the Force to protecting citizens and ensuring justice for those affected by fraudulent activities. Similarly, in the past year, the Cybercrime Unit has actively engaged in strategic operations, resulting in the arrests and prosecutions of over 751 individuals involved in cybercrime. The unit has successfully recovered a total of 685 devices that were used in these nefarious activities, which include 467 mobile phones, 137 laptops and computers, 46 routers, 4 servers, 1 drone, and 4 Starlink devices. Additionally, the operations led to the confiscation of 16 houses, 39 plots of land, 14 land documents, and 26 vehicles, further dismantling the infrastructure supporting cybercriminal activities. In recognition of its outstanding performance and dedication, the NPF-NCCC has been awarded the title of the Best Cybercrime Unit in Africa for 2024 by the INTERPOL Cybercrime Directorate based in Singapore, securing the top position among 54 participating African countries. These achievements reflects the dedication of the Nigeria Police Force to fighting cybercrime and enhancing the safety of citizens in the digital space. In furtherance to efforts towards keeping the cyberspace safe, operatives of the NPF-NCCC have apprehended 4 suspects identified as Douglass Victor ‘m’, Egbo Efe Martins ‘m’, Lucky Adesunloye ‘m’, and Ndifreke Joseph Moody ‘m’, for various cyber-related offences. The Nigeria Police remains committed towards combating cyber threats, staying steps ahead of cybercriminals, thereby enhancing the nation’s overall cybersecurity framework and protecting the welfare of its citizens in the digital era. Citizens are advised to remain vigilant and exercise caution when sharing sensitive data or interacting with unfamiliar online entities, cultivating a culture of cyber awareness and promoting responsible online behavior are essential components in fortifying the defenses against cyber threats.

French coach Deschamps to step down after 2026 World Cup

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

France’s 2018 World Cup-winning coach Didier Deschamps announced on Wednesday he will leave his post after the 2026 World Cup in North America. “I have been there since 2012, it is planned that I will be there until 2026,” Deschamps told French broadcaster TF1 on Wednesday. “I have done my time, with the same desire, the same passion to keep the France team at the highest level, but 2026 is good,” he added. Deschamps led the French team ‘Les Bleus’ to the 2018 World Cup title, becoming only the third man to win the football tournament as a player and a manager. He took over from Laurent Blanc in 2012 and has taken France to three major finals in total, losing the Euro 2016 final to Portugal and the 2022 World Cup showpiece to Argentina. Deschamps was captain when Les Bleus won their first World Cup on home soil in 1998. The 56-year-old has already set the record for longest-serving official France coach. European qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, gets under way later this year. Zinedine Zidane, who won the 1998 World Cup as a player alongside Deschamps, has long been tipped as the favourite to eventually replace him in the dugout. Now 52, Zidane has been lying in wait since ending his second spell as coach of Real Madrid in 2021. One of France’s greatest ever players, he won the Champions League three times with Madrid but has not managed any other club. “Nobody is irreplaceable,” admitted Deschamps. “I have tried to be as indispensable as possible with the results that you know, but that is behind us now.” Zidane’s shadow will continue to hang over the France team in the coming months, as they prepare for their next matches, beginning with a two-legged Nations League quarter-final in March against Croatia.

CHAN 2024: Home-Eagles to know foes January 15

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Super Eagles team B will know their Group opponents on Wednesday, 15 January as the Draw for the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 will be conducted at Kenyatta International Conventional Centre in Nairobi, Kenya at 20h00 local time (17h00 GMT / 19h00 Cairo time). The much-anticipated tournament is uniquely reserved for African footballers plying their trade in their domestic leagues and will be co-hosted Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania between 1-28 February, 2025. The CAF African Nations Championship will take place from 1-28 February, 2025 in the three countries: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The tournament will be graced by several of African football’s powerhouse nations, including reigning champions Senegal, who edged 2022 hosts Algeria in the final in Algiers three years ago to lift the title for the first time. As in previous editions, the CHAN 2024 promises to be a unique showcase of African football and a stepping stone for emerging talent to shine, such as Lamine Camara (21), who has since become a global star and was recently voted Young Player of the Year at the 2024 CAF Awards.