Benfica manager José Mourinho has issued a stark warning ahead of the UEFA Champions League play-off clash against Real Madrid, describing the Spanish giants as “wounded and dangerous” following their dramatic defeat against his side last month. The defeat in Lisbon saw the 15-time European champions drop from third to ninth, missing out on automatic qualification. And a wounded king is dangerous,” Mourinho said, reflecting on the psychological edge his side may hold. Mourinho, speaking ahead of the rematch, emphasized the challenge ahead:“The tie will be very demanding, without a doubt. Real Madrid, however, remain a formidable force, currently topping La Liga, two points ahead of rivals Barcelona.

Senator Kwankwaso arrived in Abuja this afternoon, where he was met with party officials and NNPP chieftains before heading home,” he said. The legislation, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 (HR 7457), was introduced by Riley Moore (R-West Virginia) and co-sponsored by Chris Smith (R-New Jersey). The bill recommends visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against individuals and entities accused of involvement in religious freedom abuses. Those listed include Kwankwaso, Fulani-ethnic nomad militias, and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, along with Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore. Aside from the defence put up by the party, Kwankwaso has yet to comment publicly on the proposed US sanctions.

While Washington tightens the noose on terror-linked networks, the Federal Government is turning up the legal heat on former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai. Meanwhile, the National Assembly convened an emergency plenary to consider shifting the 2027 presidential election date. National Assembly may shift 2027 presidential election dateIn a surprise move, the National Assembly reconvened for an emergency plenary session, cutting short its recess to discuss possible adjustments to the scheduled 2027 presidential election date. Super Eagles set friendly against Jordan as World Cup decision loomsThe Nigeria national football team are scheduled to play an international friendly against Jordan national football team in Amman during the March 23–31 FIFA window, according to reports. However, Nigeria’s participation is contingent on the pending FIFA ruling on the country’s eligibility protest concerning the DR Congo national football team.

6 for his global hit Calm Down, which features U.S. pop singer Selena Gomez. In the article, the magazine stated that while the original version of the song gained traction on its U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, the remix with Gomez pushed it into mainstream success, peaking at No. It added that the singer had not returned to that chart since, though he recorded six top-10 entries on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart as of June 7, 2025. “‎After releasing the original “lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-wo-wo-wo-wo”-ing version of “Calm Down” in 2023, Nigeria’s Rema noticed it breaking on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. To list Rema is outrageous, ew,” Wanderlust who identifies as #Erinma_2809 added.

The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the arrival of about 100 United States military personnel and associated equipment in Nigeria. “The Defence Headquarters wishes to announce the arrival of about 100 United States military personnel and associated equipment at Bauchi Airfield. He further stated that Nigerian troops and the U.S. advisers would commence a series of joint training engagements and intelligence-focused cooperation initiatives. “Nigerian troops, alongside these advisers, will commence a series of joint training engagements and intelligence-focused cooperation initiatives. “These activities are designed to enhance the capacity of Nigerian troops to effectively identify and neutralise extremist terrorist groups seeking to destabilise the nation.

advertisementUnable to integrate immediately into the troop’s social structure, Punch found comfort in an unusual companion, a plush orangutan toy given by a zookeeper. Even as he interacts with other monkeys, the toy remains close by, acting as a source of emotional security. The research revealed that emotional comfort is as important as physical survival in development. The plush toy acts as what psychologists call a “transitional object,” something that helps an individual cope with stress, uncertainty, or loneliness. Punch’s story highlights a broader truth about human and animal psychology: early relationships shape how individuals handle fear, belonging, and change.

President Bola Tinubu on Monday praised the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, during a visit to Adamawa State, describing him as committed and courageous in the discharge of his duties. Speaking during the unveiling of some projects in the state, Tinubu commended Ribadu’s performance and expressed confidence in his leadership. “The National Security Adviser, the son of the soil, Nuhu Ribadu, I will say clearly here that you are doing an excellent job and we are seeing the results,” the President said. The President’s remarks come amid recent allegations made by the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the NSA. However, the Office of the National Security Adviser has reportedly directed El-Rufai to submit evidence of the alleged procurement of Thallium Sulphate to the Department of State Services for further investigation.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed February 24, 2026, to hear a suit seeking to compel the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress and other political parties over alleged constitutional breaches. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/25, was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and five political parties — African Democratic Congress, Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party, and Action Alliance. Speaking with journalists after the stalled hearing, counsel for the plaintiff, Yakubu Ruba (SAN), said the action seeks a judicial interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions governing the registration and continued recognition of political parties in Nigeria. “We are before the court purely for constitutional interpretation. At the centre of the dispute is whether INEC is constitutionally bound to deregister political parties that failed to meet minimum electoral performance thresholds prescribed by law.

The Senate has urged the management of the North-Central Development Commission to prioritise investment in agriculture and security in its 2026 budget. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on NCDC, Sen. Titus Zam, made the call on Monday when the management of the commission appeared before the committee to defend its 2026 budget estimates. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that at the commencement of the budget defence, the committee went into a closed session to consider the commission’s budget. He listed the sectors to include agriculture, security, health, education, public infrastructure, as well as other social services needed by the people. “You know that North-Central is mostly agricultural and so agriculture must take pride of place, and it has been so embedded in their budget.

Scores of women on Monday staged a peaceful rally at the main entrance of the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to fast-track the passage of the Women Reserved Seats Bill ahead of the 2027 general election. If passed, the bill will alter the 1999 Constitution to create reserved seats for women in the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly. We have been there on the campaign for special seats bill,” she said. Opponents, however, have questioned whether reserved seats could conflict with principles of equal competition. For the women gathered at the National Assembly gate on Monday, the demand was straightforward: passage of the bill in time for implementation in 2027.

There is no hope yet for farmers who had expected that the steady drop in food prices will reverse early in 2026, as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that food inflation continued its downward trend to 8.89 per cent in January 2026. The January 2026 food inflation report released yesterday by the NBS, shows that food inflation for the month dropped to 8.89 per cent on a year-on-year basis. On a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in January 2026 dropped heavily to –6.02 per cent, down by -5.66 per cent compared to December 2025 when it was -0.36 per cent. The report shows that headline inflation also maintained its downward slide, hitting 15.1 per cent on a year-on-year basis in January 2026. The result is that food prices have become cheap, but the agrochemicals and other inputs for farming remain alarmingly high, eroding the farmers’ income.

The NBS said the January headline inflation rate was 0.05 percentage points lower than the rate recorded in December. On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 15.10 per cent in January 2026, which is 12.51 percentage points lower than the 27.61 per cent recorded in January 2025. “In January 2026, the Headline inflation rate eased to 15.10 per cent, down from 15.15 per cent in December 2025. The twelve-month average core inflation rate was 22.84 per cent, lower than the 27.24 per cent recorded in January 2025. Ebonyi, Katsina and Imo recorded the lowest year-on-year headline inflation rates at 8.72 per cent, 8.94 per cent and 10.61 per cent, respectively.

Sussan Ley’s shadow immigration minister has “serious concerns” over a proposal to ban migrants from specific regions of 13 countries – including from Gaza, Afghanistan and Somalia – outlined in a leaked hardline Liberal immigration plan. Guardian Australia has been told the proposed ban was not taken to shadow cabinet before the leadership change. In response to the leaks, Scarr – who was shadow immigration minister until Friday – said he has serious concerns over any ban. Email If you don't need strong security you can write to a Guardian Australia journalist using the details here. | Back to Back BarriesThe senior Liberal told Guardian Australia that net overseas migration could be lowered to between 160,000 and 220,000.

Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has restored its services after a temporary disruption that affected users in Nigeria and several other countries on Monday. The platform, formerly known as Twitter, had earlier experienced technical issues that prevented many users from accessing the app and website. Try reloading.”Monitoring website Downdetector showed a spike in user complaints at the peak of the disruption, indicating that the outage was not limited to Nigeria. As of the time services began normalising, neither X nor its owner, Elon Musk, had provided an explanation for the disruption. In November 2025 and January 2026, X experienced a widespread outage linked to infrastructure issues that disrupted access for users across multiple regions.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles are set to take on Jordan in an international friendly in Amman during the March 23–31 FIFA window. Nicknamed “The Chivalrous Ones,” Jordan has been drawn into a challenging World Cup group alongside defending champions Argentina, Algeria, and Austria. However, Nigeria’s participation in the game will depend on FIFA’s upcoming ruling on the country’s eligibility protest against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo in Morocco, marking the second consecutive time the West African country will not qualify for the World Cup. The outcome of the FIFA meeting could potentially reinstate the Super Eagles into the intercontinental play-offs in Mexico later this month, where one of the last World Cup tickets will be decided.