🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Panama eliminated from World Cup after 1-0 loss to Croatia
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Panama was eliminated from World Cup contention after a 1-0 defeat to Croatia. Ante Budimir's 54th-minute goal secured the win for Croatia, keeping their hopes of advancing to the last 32 alive. Panama's coach, Thomas Christiansen, expressed pride in his players' performance against the higher-ranked Croatian side, despite the elimination. He noted that Panama had made strides forward in the tournament. Croatia's Luka Modric made his 200th international appearance in the match. Panama's Jose Luis Rodriguez nearly scored in the first half, with his header being redirected off the bar by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. Croatia will face Ghana for a spot in the final 32, while Panama will play England in their final match of the tournament. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic commented on Modric's milestone, describing him as a "very humble" and "simple" person who is a "born leader."
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadFormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar has voiced concerns regarding the ongoing detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, cautioning that overly strict bail conditions could undermine constitutional protections and public trust in the justice system. In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the Federal High Court's refusal to review El-Rufai’s bail conditions as troubling, arguing that conditions impossible to meet amount to a “constructive denial of bail.” He maintained that while courts have discretion in setting bail, these powers must be exercised reasonably and align with justice principles, emphasizing that an accused person is innocent until proven guilty. Atiku questioned the rationale behind bail requirements that allegedly demand a defendant produce a serving Grade Level 17 federal civil servant with verifiable property in Abuja’s high-end Maitama or Asokoro districts. He warned that such judicial decisions could set precedents affecting the liberties of ordinary citizens, stressing that the judiciary must inspire confidence in the fairness and accessibility of justice. Atiku also expressed concern about a growing perception that opposition figures and government critics are increasingly embroiled in legal disputes, stating that no democracy thrives when legal processes appear to punish dissent. While not commenting on the allegations against El-Rufai, Atiku insisted that constitut
Must ReadAllen Onyema, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, has called on Nigerians to implement a non-violent economic boycott of South Africa. This appeal comes in response to ongoing xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants, including Nigerians, in South Africa. Onyema, speaking on Arise Television, advocated for Nigerians to cease investing in South Africa and instead encourage their businesses to invest within Nigeria under terms set by the Nigerian government. He criticized South African authorities for their perceived failure to protect foreign nationals during periods of unrest, questioning the absence of adequate security forces to prevent attacks. Onyema highlighted the positive contributions of many Nigerian migrants to the South African economy through business establishment and job creation. While supporting calls for stronger diplomatic action, he explicitly rejected violent retaliation against South Africans or South African-owned businesses in Nigeria, citing that many Nigerians hold shares in these companies and benefit from the employment they provide. His remarks follow renewed anti-foreigner protests in South Africa, which have led to demands for undocumented migrants to leave the country by June 30.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has criticized Peter Obi's pledge to increase Nigeria's electricity generation by 10,000 megawatts within four years if elected president in 2027. Onanuga stated that Nigeria already possesses an installed generation capacity of approximately 13,500 megawatts, suggesting Obi's promise indicates a misunderstanding of the country's power infrastructure. He identified the primary challenges in the power sector as structural constraints, including insufficient gas supply, substantial legacy debts owed to gas suppliers amounting to over N4 trillion, and deficiencies in the national transmission network. Onanuga highlighted that many power plants are underutilized due to these issues. He also mentioned President Bola Tinubu's commitment to power sector reform, evidenced by the signing of the Electricity Act, which empowers states to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity. Onanuga noted that some states are already leveraging this new framework, and he claimed an improvement in power generation under the current administration since May 2023. He further described the national grid as outdated and mentioned ongoing government reforms, including the proposed Grid Asset Management Company Limited, aimed at modernizing critical assets.