‘Nigeria needs deep political, legal reforms to tackle insecurity’
Nigeria must urgently reform its governance structures, political culture and legal institutions to confront the deep-rooted causes of insecurity threatening national stability, experts have warned. According to him, insecurity in Nigeria must be understood beyond the absence of war, to incorporate the concept of human security, the social and economic protection of citizens, particularly the most vulnerable. He noted that episodes of banditry, insurgency, kidnappings, political killings and communal clashes reflect a deeper breakdown of social trust and a widening disconnect between citizens and the political class. The tendency to deploy ethnicity, religion and patronage for political competition, he said, has intensified conflicts rather than eased them. Jinadu blamed recurrent instability on Nigeria’s fragile state capacity, weakened by decades of zero-sum politics, elitist legal practices and public institutions captured by partisan interests.
Source:The Guardian
December 20, 2025 07:38 UTC
A swim for unity at Bondi beach, the scene of Sydney’s darkest day. But on land tensions fray
View image in fullscreen The park footbridge at Bondi, a scene of violence less than a week ago, has reopened. View image in fullscreen A poster of 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach shooting. Australia’s current prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has announced a similar measure, but faces a different political climate. “Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia,” the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said. “Ahmed al-Ahmed represents the best of our country,” the prime minister said of the father of two, newly a citizen of his adopted homeland.
Source:The Guardian
December 20, 2025 07:09 UTC
The Guardian Top 100 stars: Osimhen in, Ademola Lookman no
Victor Osimhen is the only Super Eagles star to be listed on the prestigious Guardian Top 100 footballers in the world for 2025. The Galatasaray star striker was listed at the 46th best player. Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, who was CAF Player of 2024, did not make the cut. Ousmane Dembélé was named the best player of the year by the British newspaper The Guardian. This comes as no surprise, as the PSG forward has also won the Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Men’s Player.
Source:The Guardian
December 20, 2025 06:56 UTC
NASA’s PUNCH Spies Comet Lemmon
NASA’s PUNCH Spies Comet LemmonIn late 2025, as comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) swept past the Sun and brightened in Earth’s night skies, NASA’s Earth-orbiting PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission was watching the comet blaze through its field of view, providing a natural tracer of the Sun’s effects across the inner solar system. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This movie, made from images taken by NASA’s PUNCH mission, shows comet Lemmon from Oct. 22 to Nov. 12, 2025. NASA/Southwest Research InstituteDiscovered in January 2025 using a NASA-funded survey telescope on Mount Lemmon in Arizona, comet Lemmon first appeared in PUNCH’s view in October. Comet Lemmon continues to be visible in PUNCH images, though it is now getting fainter with each passing day. Southwest Research Institute, based in San Antonio, leads the PUNCH mission and operates the mission’s four spacecraft from its facilities in Boulder, Colorado.
Source:Punch
December 20, 2025 06:02 UTC
Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua Judges' Scorecards, Punch Stats and Prize Money
Anthony Joshua landed a combination capped with a straight right hand in the corner to knock out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their boxing match on Friday evening in Miami's Kaseya Center. Joshua hit Paul with two lefts and then a right to win the eight-round match. ESPN's Andreas Hale had the fight 50-44 after five rounds for Joshua before the knockout. According to CompuBox, Joshua landed 48 of his 146 punches thrown (33 percent). Paul landed 16 of 56 punches thrown (29 percent).
Source:Punch
December 20, 2025 05:33 UTC
Madrid battle Chelsea, City for Ahanor
Real Madrid have emerged as the latest European heavyweights monitoring Nigeria’s highly rated teenage defender Honest Ahanor, intensifying a transfer race led by Chelsea and Manchester City, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle are also actively monitoring his progress, while Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig have sent scouts to watch him in Italy this season. Ahanor joined Atalanta in the summer in a deal worth around €20m, yet his rapid adaptation to senior football has made a prolonged stay far from guaranteed. Chelsea and Manchester City scouts have reportedly been virtually ever-present at Atalanta matches in recent weeks, reflecting the seriousness of their interest. Atalanta remain in a strong negotiating position with Ahanor contracted until 2028.
Source:Punch
December 20, 2025 04:44 UTC
Ahmed Musa: Great commander, true legend bows
In many years to come, Musa’s outstanding service to the Super Eagles will remain a talking point in the nation’s football history. A true football legend, he had an exceptional service, dedication, and contributions to Nigerian football for 15 years. Apart from his display of seriousness on the pitch, which led to his accomplishment on the biggest stages at two FIFA World Cup, Musa inspired a generation of young footballers. He bowed out during the week as the most capped player in Super Eagles history with an unprecedented 111 international appearances. He is also one of only two African players to score two braces at the World Cup, alongside the legendary Roger Milla, and ranks as the third-highest African goalscorer in World Cup history.
Source:The Guardian
December 20, 2025 03:38 UTC
Dyche cautious over Aina return
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has revealed that Super Eagles defender Ola Aina is still some way off full fitness despite making progress in his recovery from a hamstring injury, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The 29-year-old has been sidelined for three months after suffering the injury during Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in November, forcing him to undergo surgery. Aina returned to action for Forest’s Under-21s in their 2-1 win over Millwall last week, playing 53 minutes, but was omitted from Eric Chelle’s final 28-man AFCON squad. “Ola is halfway through his progress in fitness. “He is still a bit of a way off with his true fitness.
Source:Punch
December 20, 2025 02:51 UTC
NAFDAC warns Nigerians over recalled Indomie noodles flavour
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has alerted the public to the recall of Indomie brand noodles, Vegetable Flavour, over the presence of undeclared allergens. In a public alert notice on Friday with the No. It was stated that, “although the official risk of these products entering Nigeria is low due to the Federal Government’s ban on noodle importation, there remains a need for heightened vigilance to prevent possible illicit entry or circulation of the implicated Indomie brand.”NAFDAC added that it has begun monitoring activities to prevent the product from entering the country. NAFDAC also urged members of the public to report any suspected sale of the recalled product. PUNCH Online had reported that NAFDAC issued a public alert on the growing circulation of substandard and unregistered edible oils in the country.
Source:Punch
December 20, 2025 01:40 UTC
Tinubu inherited comatose economy — APC govs
Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have again expressed strong confidence in President Bola Tinubu, declaring that the country’s economy was on the brink of collapse when he assumed office in May 2023. Uzodimma accused opposition politicians of hypocrisy, arguing that many of them had previously canvassed similar policies but were now exploiting public hardship for political advantage. He said that despite criticism, Tinubu had remained focused and undistracted, noting that the administration had also adopted a “fire-for-fire” approach to insecurity. He warned that the APC-led government would not allow ethnicity or religion to be weaponised to divide the country. “The Renewed Hope agenda must be amplified to the last man on the street,” he said.
Source:Punch
December 20, 2025 01:38 UTC
CAN, Ini Edo trade words over ‘dirty’ movie title
The National Film and Video Censors Board has requested actress and filmmaker, Ini Edo, to modify the title of her film, ‘A Very Dirty Christmas’. The approval of the title was not intended to disparage or trivialize the Christian faith or the significance of Christmas, but was considered as part of a fictional and creative expression. CAN had earlier criticised the title of the movie. In her response, Ini Edo stated that the film did not mean to ridicule the Christian faith. “The title of the film is metaphorical, reflecting the story being told and the realities explored within it.
Source:Punch
December 20, 2025 00:21 UTC
Emery says rising expectations driving red-hot Villa
(Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Unai Emery said Friday that greater expectations were fuelling Aston Villa’s Premier League charge as his in-form side target a rare victory over Manchester United on Sunday. Villa are third in the Premier League, just three points behind leaders Arsenal after a stunning run of 10 wins in 11 Premier League games. Villa’s red-hot form has sparked dreams they could compete for a first league title since 1981. “I think in 30, 31 years, only three times at home, Aston Villa beat Manchester United. And I think this is a really crazy number for Aston Villa.”
Source:The Guardian
December 20, 2025 00:19 UTC
PANDEF endorses Tinubu’s oil sector reforms
The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has formally endorsed the ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing recent developments as a decisive break from years of policy drift and regulatory uncertainty in the industry. “The oil and gas sector is not an abstract policy issue for us,” Igali said. “With these two competent professionals overseeing upstream and midstream/downstream operations, the President has positioned the oil and gas sector for a quantum leap into the future,” Igali said. Remediation must be holistic, sustained, and region-wide.”The forum stressed that meaningful environmental restoration is essential to the long-term viability of the oil and gas sector and to restoring trust between host communities, operators, and the Federal Government. Dispelling predictions about the imminent decline of fossil fuels, Igali said oil and gas—particularly natural gas—would remain central to the global energy mix for decades.
Source:The Guardian
December 20, 2025 00:09 UTC
I faced obstacles on my path to presidency, Tinubu tells APC NEC
President Bola Tinubu has said his journey to the presidency was fraught with numerous obstacles, describing his emergence as Nigeria’s leader as the result of perseverance and divine intervention. “I faced obstacles on my path to the presidency,” the President said. Despite the setbacks, Tinubu attributed his eventual victory to God, saying his rise to the presidency was divinely ordained. Governor Buni and Governor Uba Sani knew the obstacles on my path to the presidency. Using a metaphor, the President urged citizens and leaders alike to show compassion to their neighbours, noting that mutual support strengthens society.
Source:Punch
December 19, 2025 23:41 UTC
Wilfred Ndidi named Super Eagles captain
Beşiktaş midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, has been appointed as the new captain of the Super Eagles ahead of the African Cup of Nations in Morocco. PUNCH Online reports that this was made known in a post on the Super Eagles’ handle on Friday. “Wilfred Ndidi has been named captain of the Super Eagles and says the responsibility means everything as Nigeria heads to Morocco,” the post read. The defender was named in the Super Eagles’ preliminary squad for the 2025 edition of the continental showpiece but called time on his Nigerian career before the final list of players was released. The Super Eagles’ first game is on December 23.
Source:Punch
December 19, 2025 23:19 UTC