Fola Badmus

NFF’s Anyansi suffers injuries in Armed robbery attack

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.

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Trump asks US court to halt sentencing in criminal case

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.

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Nollywood actor Dele Odule builds multi-million Naira film village

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.

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Cybercrime: Nigeria Police recover N8bn

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.

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French coach Deschamps to step down after 2026 World Cup

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.

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CHAN 2024: Home-Eagles to know foes January 15

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.

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CHAN’s Champions to pocket $3.5m

The Confederation African of Football (CAF) announced today that the Prize Money of the Winner of the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2024 has been increased by 75% and the Winner will now receive USD 3.5 million. CAF also announced that the total Prize Money of the CHAN Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2024 has been increased to USD 10.4 million which is an increase of 32%. The President of CAF Dr Patrice Motsepe said: “We are excited about the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2024 and have significantly increased the Prize Money of the Winner to USD 3.5 million which is an increase of 75%. We have also increased the total Prize Money of the CHAN Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2024 to USD 10.4 million which is a 32 % increase. “The CHAN is an important Competition for the development and growth of Africa-based football players and talented young players and will contribute significantly to the global competitiveness of African football and CAF Competitions. “This Competition is part of our strategy of investing in African football and making it appealing and attractive to football fans, TV viewers, sponsors, partners and other stakeholders in Africa and worldwide.” The CHAN Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2024 will start on Saturday 1 February 2025 and the final will take place on Friday 28 February 2025. The following 17 countries have already qualified for the CHAN Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2024: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Morocco, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Sudan, Zambia, Angola and Madagascar. Two additional countries will also participate in the CHAN Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2024 after qualifying from the remaining matches.

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NFF appoints Éric Chelle as Super Eagles’ head coach

The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has endorsed the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the appointment of Mr. Éric Sékou Chelle as Head Coach of Nigeria’s senior men national football team, Super Eagles. At its meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, 2nd January 2025, the NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee had recommended the appointment of former Coach of the senior men national team of Mali as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles. This recommendation was on Tuesday, 7th January endorsed by the NFF Executive Committee. Chelle, who won five caps for the Aiglons of Mali and coached clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne and MC Oran, has been Head Coach of the Aiglons since 2022. At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire, Chelle’s Mali came very close to a place in the semi-finals, losing to hosts and eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire 2-1 after extra time, after leading by a lone goal until the final minute of regulation time. The 47-year-old featured for Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais in France during his playing career. His appointment is with immediate effect, and he has the responsibility of guiding the Super Eagles to earn a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, with the next round of matches (Matchdays 5 & 6) taking place in March.

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