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Basketball Africa League: Petro, Tigers, Al Ahly, Dar City reach playoffs
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
RSSB Tigers of Rwanda, Petro de Luanda of Angola, Al Ahly Ly of Libya, and Dar City of Tanzania have qualified for the Basketball Africa League playoffs in Kigali, Rwanda, following the conclusion of the Kalahari Conference at SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. The BAL media team stated that attention now shifts to the Sahara Conference in Rabat, Morocco, from April 24 to May 5, with playoffs scheduled for May 22 to 31 at BK Arena. In conference play, Nairobi City Thunder of Kenya defeated the previously unbeaten Tigers 101-92. Derrick Ogechi led Thunder with 22 points, and Tylor Ongwae contributed 17 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Antino Jackson Jr. scored 24 points and nine assists for the Tigers. Petro de Luanda beat the Johannesburg Giants of South Africa 105-61. Javion Blake led Petro with 21 points and nine assists, while Aboubacar Gakou added 18 points and 10 rebounds. Josh Ozabor top-scored for the Giants with 19 points. The Tigers secured their playoff spot with an 82-78 win over Petro de Luanda, with Antino Jackson Jr. hitting a go-ahead three-pointer. Teafale Lenard Jr. led the Tigers with 26 points and five steals. Nairobi City Thunder also defeated the Johannesburg Giants 71-65, with Garang Diing scoring 24 points.
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Nigeria's National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, met with the newly confirmed United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, in Abuja. This meeting aimed to strengthen security cooperation between the two nations. Garcia's visit to Nigeria is his first since assuming office on June 1, 2026, and is part of a West African tour that includes C么te d'Ivoire and Mali. Ribadu stated on X that the discussion reviewed progress by the Nigeria-US Joint Working Group and reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue and cooperation on shared security priorities. Garcia, a 28-year US Navy veteran, previously served as a senior adviser to the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. His appointment filled a vacancy in the Africa post that had lasted over a year.
The president of the Senegalese football federation, Abdoulaye Fall, stated on Monday that coach Pape Thiaw's salary demands created a toxic environment for the team at the World Cup. Thiaw, 45, was sacked on Sunday after Senegal's elimination in the last 32 by Belgium on July 1. Fall explained that a breakdown in trust occurred due to Thiaw's initial refusal to sign a new contract, as he had requested a salary increase from 20 million CFA to 30,000 CFA before the World Cup. Fall also mentioned that Thiaw threatened not to travel to the World Cup if his demands were not met, and it was Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye who convinced him to change his mind. The contract was eventually signed on the eve of their second game against Norway, after Thiaw reportedly refused to sit in the dugout until it was finalized. Fall indicated that Thiaw believed federation officials were his enemies, which affected the national team's operations. During the World Cup, the Lions of Teranga experienced two group stage defeats against France and Norway before a 5-0 victory over Iraq secured their place in the knockout rounds. Under Thiaw, Senegal had won the Africa Cup of Nations in January but were later stripped of the title for walking off the pitch during the final against Morocco.
Built environment professionals are urging a thorough technical audit of the new Gombe State House of Assembly Complex construction site after a section of its cantilevered entrance canopy collapsed, resulting in one fatality and seven injuries. Experts from engineering and architecture, including Engr. Suleiman Abba of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and Engr. Musa Achindo of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, emphasized the need for an independent assessment to determine the cause and strengthen safety standards. Arc. Mustapha Adamu of the Nigerian Institute of Architects advocated for a multidisciplinary investigation. The Gombe State Government has initiated an immediate investigation, confirming eight workers were involved, with one death and seven injuries. Governor Muhammadu Yahaya expressed condolences and directed that all injured workers receive medical care at the government's expense. The Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation, along with other agencies, has been instructed to commence safety and accountability procedures. The contractor and supervising consultant are required to submit an incident report within 24 hours, followed by preliminary and comprehensive technical reports. The government assured the public that the investigation's findings would guide future actions and reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing safety and quality standards in public infrastructure projects.