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Kamaru Usman Apologises After Leaked Private Call With Anthony Joshua Sparks Backlash

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Former UFC welterweight titleholder Kamaru Usman has issued a public apology after a private FaceTime conversation with ex-heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua surfaced online without permission. The leaked footage appeared in a YouTube video Usman posted on Wednesday and captured an emotional exchange between the two fighters in the aftermath of a tragic road accident in Nigeria that killed two of Joshua’s close friends. The call was made on December 30, a day after the crash, while Joshua was still hospitalised and shortly before an MMA event in Lagos. The accident occurred on December 29 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and claimed the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, both close associates of the boxer. Joshua survived the crash and was rescued from the damaged vehicle before being taken to Duchess International Hospital for treatment. In the video, he is seen on a hospital bed with bandages on his head and body, speaking candidly to Usman about the loss and admitting the weight of the tragedy had not fully registered. During the call, Usman asked about where the victims were seated in the black Lexus at the time of the accident. “One was in the front and one was behind him, on the right side. They both passed away. It still hasn’t sunk in. It still hasn’t hit me yet,” Joshua said. “I’m sorry for that, man. You scared the world, I’ll tell you that right now,” Usman responded. “Life is short, man. Life is short. And now look, I get to speak with you for the first time,” Joshua added. “I know. It’s a funny way how things move, you know? We thank God,” Usman replied. Anthony Joshua speaking to Kamaru Usman whilst still in hospital, following his recent crash. 🚨pic.twitter.com/YuISttaaex — Cloudbet (@Cloudbet) January 8, 2026 Usman also reflected on the public reaction to the incident, saying, “You scared the world. It’s crazy because, obviously, we deal with the haters and all the bull**** every time, and it sucks that it takes something serious like this to really see how many people have their eyes on you.” The decision to release the clip triggered widespread backlash online, with many criticising Usman for sharing such a personal and painful moment. Addressing the criticism on his Instagram story on Thursday, Usman admitted fault and apologised for the oversight. “After seeing what’s being written, it’s quite heartbreaking. Being on camera that whole day in preparation for The AKO Show, it completely slipped my mind that my conversation was recorded,” he wrote. “I realised afterwards and asked about it. I take full responsibility for not properly reviewing the video that was released and for failing to keep my private conversation with my brother, AJ, private. SMH. Big L on me. That’s not something I would ever do to a friend or brother.” After seeing what’s being written it’s quite heartbreaking. Being on camera that whole day in preparation for The AKO show, it completely slipped my mind that my conversation was recorded. I realized after and asked about it. I take full responsibility for not properly watching… — KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) January 8, 2026

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Morocco Defeat Cameroon 2–0 To Advance To AFCON 2025 Semifinals

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Morocco sealed a place in the semifinals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a convincing 2–0 win over Cameroon on Friday night at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The Atlas Lions struck first in the 26th minute through Brahim Diaz, who capitalised on sustained pressure to give the hosts an early advantage. Cameroon attempted to respond in the second half but were unable to find a breakthrough, and their challenge faded further when Ismael Saibari doubled Morocco’s lead in the 74th minute. Morocco’s quarterfinal appearance followed a narrow 1–0 victory over Tanzania in the Round of 16. They had earlier topped Group A with seven points, ending the group stage in style with a dominant 3–0 win against Zambia. Cameroon reached the last eight after edging South Africa 2–1. The Indomitable Lions finished second in Group F on seven points, having recorded wins over Gabon and Mozambique and a draw with Côte d’Ivoire.

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Governor Alex Otti’s Aides Survive Gunmen Attack In Owerri, No Casualties Reported

Labour Party Recognises Alex Otti As National Leader

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The Labour Party (LP) has formally recognised Abia State Governor Alex Otti as its national leader while extending goodwill to its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following his move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The decision was announced in a communiqué issued by the party’s National Secretary, Darlington Nwokocha, after a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) held on Wednesday to address issues concerning the party’s stability, growth, and strategic direction. According to the communiqué, the NWC unanimously endorsed Governor Otti as the national leader of the party. It also expressed best wishes to Peter Obi, stating that the Labour Party’s leadership wishes him success in his future political pursuits and in his new party. The NWC further recognised former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, as the party’s national chairman. The party explained that this position is consistent with the Supreme Court judgment of April 4, 2025, which ruled that the tenure of Julius Abure as national chairman had expired. The Labour Party urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accord Nenadi Usman and the National Secretary, Nwokocha, full recognition in line with the court ruling already acknowledged by the electoral body. It also reaffirmed that all congresses and the National Convention of the party would be conducted strictly in line with the provisions of its constitution, encouraging members at all levels to participate actively. The party thanked its members and Nigerians for their continued support, stressing that the Labour Party remains united and committed to promoting equal opportunity, social justice, and good governance. The Labour Party placed third in the 2023 presidential election, with Peter Obi as its flagbearer.

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Court Orders NARD To Suspend Strike Planned For January 12 Pending Hearing

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The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja has prohibited the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and its members from going on strike starting January 12. The order was issued on Friday by Justice Emmanuel Subilim following an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The defendants in the suit (NICN/ABJ/06/2026) include NARD, its National President Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleman, and Secretary General Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim. The court said the restraining order will remain in force until the suit is determined and adjourned the matter to January 21 for hearing. The Federal Government has been directed to serve the order on the defendants, who may apply to vary or discharge it within seven days of receipt. Justice Subilim said the court took into account the FG’s submissions, led by Mrs. Maimuna Lami Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, as well as the supporting affidavits and annexures. He ruled: “An interim order of injunction is hereby granted restraining the Defendants Respondents, their members, servants, agents, privies, and/or any other person acting on their behalf or at their directives from calling, directing, organizing, participating in or embarking upon any form of industrial action, including but not limited to strikes, work stoppages, go-slows, picketing or any other form of industrial protest or disruption; as well as taking steps preparatory to or in furtherance of any industrial action, from the 12th of January, 2026, until the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.” The court added that it was satisfied the case warranted an interim injunction. NARD had announced plans for an indefinite strike, citing the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreed welfare demands. The announcement came after an Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held on January 2. The association had earlier suspended a 29-day strike on November 29, 2025, after the FG promised to meet its demands within four weeks—a deadline that passed without visible progress.

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Senegal Defeat Mali 1–0 To Advance To AFCON 2025 Semi-Finals

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Senegal secured a 1–0 victory over Mali in the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 quarter-finals in Tangier, booking their spot in the semi-finals. The only goal of the match came in the 27th minute from Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye. Mali’s hopes were further hampered when Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma was shown a second yellow card in added time before halftime, reducing the Eagles to ten men. The win reinforces Senegal’s dominance over Mali, keeping the Lions of Teranga unbeaten against their neighbours and marking their fifth appearance in an AFCON semi-final. The team also extends an impressive streak of 15 consecutive matches without defeat in the tournament. Mali had advanced from the Round of 16 via penalties against Tunisia but struggled to break through Senegal’s organised defence. The Eagles, who had drawn all their matches in regulation time prior to this game, exit the tournament without reaching a semi-final for the first time since 2013. Senegal now move closer to AFCON glory and will face a high-stakes semi-final clash as the tournament reaches its concluding stages.

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INEC Receives Over N1 Trillion In 2026 Budget Ahead Of 2027 Elections

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to receive N1,013,778,401,602 in the 2026 budget presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, marking one of the largest allocations in the commission’s history. The funding comes as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections. The details were released in the 2026 Appropriation Bill by the Budget Office of the Federation, which proposes a total budget of N58.18 trillion, with projected revenue of N34.33 trillion and expenditure including N15.52 trillion for debt servicing. The budget has been dubbed the “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity.” INEC has long stressed the importance of sufficient funding to conduct credible elections. The new allocation will be critical in covering the extensive logistics required for nationwide polls, including technology procurement, voter education, and staff deployment. Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 mandates that election funds must be released at least one year before the polls. In recent years, election budgets have risen significantly. The National Assembly approved an increase for INEC in 2025, raising its budget to N140 billion from an initial N40 billion proposal. The 2023 general elections cost N313.4 billion, though only part of the approved N355 billion had been released by September 2023. In comparison, the 2019 elections cost N143 billion, while the 2015 elections were conducted at N108.8 billion. Professor Bolade Eyinla, former Chief Technical Adviser to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, projected that the 2027 elections could cost around N870 billion (about US$600 million). Speaking at a Yiaga Africa 2027 Elections Scenarios and Election Manipulation Risk Index retreat in Abuja, Eyinla described Nigeria’s elections as among the largest peacetime civil operations, requiring significant financial, technological, and logistical resources. The projected costs reflect the scale of the upcoming polls, with over 93 million registered voters, 176,846 polling units, and 1,558 electoral constituencies. After accounting for inflation and operational expansion, the estimated N870 billion is considered realistic. On a per-voter basis, this amounts to roughly US$6.72, within international norms for transitional democracies. Eyinla compared Nigeria’s election costs with other countries, noting that Kenya’s cost per voter was US$25.9 in 2017 and US$14.9 in 2022; Ghana’s was US$13.1 in 2016 and US$7.7 in 2020; South Africa’s was US$5.1 in 2019 and US$7.1 in 2024; the Democratic Republic of Congo spent US$22 and US$14.37 per voter in 2023; Liberia’s cost was US$22 per voter in 2023; and India’s 2019 election cost US$8.5 per voter. “Given the current economic conditions, inflation, and consumer price trends, conducting the 2027 general election is projected to require about US$600 million (roughly N870 billion), assuming INEC manages its resources efficiently,” Eyinla said.

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Datti Baba-Ahmed Says Atiku Has Been Contesting Presidency Since His NYSC Days, Urges Generational Change

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Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, has called for a generational change in Nigeria’s political leadership, warning that the country cannot keep recycling the same politicians if it hopes to move forward. Speaking on Friday, Datti reflected on his long political engagement with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, noting that Atiku has pursued the presidency for decades. “When I was doing my NYSC, Baba Atiku was an aspirant. In 2018 we contested primaries together, in 2023 again, and in 2027 too?” he said, questioning the repeated bids by longstanding politicians amid Nigeria’s growing social and economic problems. He argued that the nation’s leadership crisis stems partly from older political figures’ refusal to make way for younger, more dynamic leaders. “There is a need for a new generation of Nigerian leaders, and they exist. Many are ready to lead and offer fresh ideas to move the country forward,” he said. Datti also criticised the structure of Nigeria’s political system, describing it as unfriendly to credible individuals who genuinely want to serve. He said godfatherism, heavy financial requirements, and empty political promises discourage capable Nigerians from participating. “Until the political environment becomes more fair and accessible, the country will continue to lose out on the talents of its best minds,” he said. The former lawmaker concluded that millions of Nigerians are waiting for honest, selfless leadership capable of uniting the nation and addressing its deep-rooted challenges. He stressed that meaningful change will only come when a new generation is allowed to take charge of Nigeria’s future.

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Trump Warns US Could Launch More Strikes In Nigeria If Attacks On Christians Continue

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President Donald Trump has threatened that the United States could launch additional military strikes in Nigeria if attacks on Christians continue. Speaking in an interview with the New York Times, Trump was asked whether the Christmas Day missile strikes against the Islamic State in Nigeria signaled a broader campaign. He warned that further strikes were possible if the killings do not stop. The strikes followed a previous threat by Trump to send US troops into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to eliminate terrorists allegedly targeting Christians, amid claims by some US politicians of a possible genocide against Christians in the country. Nigeria retained control over decisions regarding the operation, according to Ademola Oshodi, senior special assistant to President Bola Tinubu on foreign affairs and protocol. “I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” Trump said. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.” The Nigerian government has repeatedly dismissed claims that Christians are being specifically targeted.

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