Morocco cracks down on AFCON black market ticket sales as eight arrested

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CASABLANCA-(MaraviPost)-Moroccan authorities have arrested eight people in a major crackdown on the illegal sale of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tickets, following widespread complaints from football fans about inflated prices and fraud.

The arrests were carried out after security agencies uncovered an organized network involved in reselling AFCON match tickets on the black market at prices far above their official value.

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The suspects allegedly used social media platforms to advertise and distribute the tickets.

The operation was coordinated by judicial police units working alongside cybercrime investigators, who monitored online activity linked to suspicious ticket sales.

The eight suspects were apprehended in six different cities across Morocco, highlighting the wide geographical spread of the illegal operation.These cities include Rabat, Temara, Agadir, Salé, Marrakech and Mohammedia.

Investigators say the suspects exploited high public demand for AFCON matches, particularly for games involving popular national teams and matches scheduled in major stadiums.

Reports indicate that tickets originally sold through official channels at relatively affordable prices were resold at extreme mark ups.

In some cases, tickets priced at around 150 Moroccan dirhams were allegedly resold for more than 1,000 dirhams.

Some victims also reported being scammed with fake or invalid tickets, prompting authorities to treat the matter not only as an economic offense but also as a case of fraud.

Police officials confirmed that digital evidence, including online advertisements and electronic communications, played a key role in identifying and tracking the suspects.

All those arrested have been placed under judicial investigation as authorities work to determine whether the network involves additional individuals or wider criminal links.

Prosecutors are expected to decide on formal charges once investigations are complete with offenses likely to include fraud, illegal commercial activity and misuse of digital platforms.

Meanwhile, Moroccan authorities have issued a strong warning to the public, urging football fans to buy AFCON tickets only through officially approved CAF ticketing platforms.

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2025 AFCON: Chipolopolo Gaffer Sichone praises team’s composure against Mail

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…..Mali 1-1 Zambia…

By Edwin Mbewe

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MOROCCO-(MaraviPost)-The Zambia National Football team head coach, Moses Sichone said patience, belief, and trust in his players helped the team to secure a 1-1 draw against Mali.

Leicester City star Patson Daka scored a dying minutes goal with a beautiful header to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Mali in their 2025 TotalErnegies Africa Cup of Nations opening match at the Mohammed V Stadium.

In a post match interview, Sichone admitted that starting a tournament against a strong opponent is always difficult.

“It’s never easy to play the first game. Mali scored early because we gifted them the goal. We struggled a bit, but I also have to praise the boys for keeping calm and ensuring we left the game at nil all at the recess”, Sichone said.

He also highlighted the significance of star Patson Daka, who scored the equalizer in the additional time.

Sichione also came to the defence of the squad against criticism on the social media.

“I want Facebook coaches to stop attacking our players and start showing them respect.

The goal-minder Willard Mwanza was another standout performer, making a vital penalty save.

“I was not moved by the referee’s decision to award Mali a penalty. I trusted myself completely. As the Malian came, I just looked at him and knew I was going to stop his kick”, Mwanza said.

The Chipolopolo next assignment is against Comoros Island who lost 2-0 against the host Morocco in their opening game.

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“I will not remarry after my husband’s death”—Former Nigerian First Lady Aisha Buhari at 35, find out why?

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LAGOS-(MaraviPost)-Former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has revealed that she has no plans to remarry, describing the decision as pragmatic rather than moralistic.

“She will not remarry, she says, almost with a shrug,” she told Dr Charles Omole, author of the new 600-page biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, which was unveiled at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.

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“It is not a moral pronouncement so much as a pragmatic one: she has grandchildren; one husband was enough,” the book added.

The 22-chapter biography traces Buhari’s life from his early years in Daura, Katsina State, to his final hours in a London hospital in mid-July 2025.

It presents Mrs. Buhari’s stance on remarriage as a refusal to conform to cultural binaries that often portray widows as either betrayers or saints.

“In a culture that sometimes reads remarriage as betrayal or saintliness, her answer refuses both scripts. It is simply a woman naming the contours of her future,” the book explained.

“Looking ahead, Mrs. Buhari plans a quieter public life, dividing her time between family, philanthropy, and travel.

“Her plans are domestic and cosmopolitan at once. She will holiday with friends and associates. She will dote on grandchildren so they will remember her not as a moving figure behind tinted glass but as a presence in their childhood rooms.

“She will run her foundation, the Aisha Buhari Foundation, and the cardiovascular and medical centre in Kano that has already completed over two hundred procedures.

“She will host, collaborate, and extend the same ethic of care that animated her politics into a quieter, more sustainable hospitality,” the book noted.

Omole described Mrs. Buhari’s decision as a personal reset after years in the political spotlight.

“If the republic expects a politics of eternal return, she offers a politics of departure instead: let others take the stage; let the house heal,” he said.

“For Aisha Buhari, her marriage served as both a refuge and a trial.

“It gave her a platform to voice her opinions, only to punish her for doing so. It opened doors to the decision-making spaces, but those spaces became unwelcoming.

“In 2014, she was entrusted with meeting the nation’s expectations; by 2014, she was excluded from acknowledgement,” it further read.

After his divorce in 1988, Muhammadu Buhari married Aisha Buhari on 2 December 1989.

Born in 1971 in Adamawa State, she became First Lady when Buhari returned to power in 2015.

The couple were married for 35 years and had five children.

Source: tribuneonlineng.com

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Malawi Courts Russian Investment at Russia–Africa Partnership Forum in Cairo

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LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi has called on the Russian Federation to deepen practical, results-oriented cooperation in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, mining and health.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. George Chaponda made the remarks at the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, currently underway in Cairo, Egypt, where African and Russian leaders are discussing ways to strengthen political and economic cooperation.

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Chaponda said Malawi attaches great importance to the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan 2023–2026, describing it as a critical tool for translating political commitments into tangible development outcomes.

He noted that the Action Plan aligns closely with Africa’s Agenda 2063 and Malawi Vision 2063, both of which prioritise inclusive economic growth, industrialisation, human capital development and long-term economic resilience.

The minister outlined Malawi’s development priorities, highlighting energy and fuel security, increased food production, value addition in the mining sector and improved health service delivery.

He said Malawi is seeking strategic partnerships to modernise fuel supply systems, expand access to agricultural inputs and mechanisation, promote domestic mineral processing and strengthen pharmaceutical supply chains and medical training.

Chaponda emphasised that Malawi is positioning itself as an attractive investment destination, noting that the country is implementing policy and regulatory reforms aimed at creating a stable and investor-friendly environment.

“Widely known as the Warm Heart of Africa Malawi is open for business and welcomes increased Russian investment in projects that support national development goals while contributing to broader regional and continental objectives under the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum,”he said.

The Russia–Africa Partnership Forum is seen as a key platform for strengthening cooperation between Russia and African countries across economic, social and technological sectors.

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Uganda Airlines passengers stranded in Dubai amidst plane availability crisis

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KAMPALA-(MaraviPost)-Passengers who booked flights with Uganda Airlines are currently stranded in Dubai, with reports indicating that there’s no available plane to transport them back to Uganda.

These passengers had booked their tickets earlier and even checked in at Dubai International Airport, only to be left waiting with no clear indication of when they’ll be able to depart.

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Uganda Airlines has so far failed to provide an alternative solution or communicate effectively with the stranded passengers, leaving them frustrated and concerned about their travel plans.

The situation highlights the challenges faced by airlines and passengers alike, particularly in regions with limited flight options or operational disruptions.

Similar incidents have occurred in the past, such as when airspace closures over Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait led to widespread flight cancellations and delays at Doha and Dubai airports.

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Burkina Faso releases Nigerian air force crew detained after emergency landing

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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Burkina Faso on Wednesday released 11 Nigerian Air Force personnel who were detained more than a week ago after their aircraft made an emergency landing, Nigeria’s foreign minister said.

“Through sustained dialogue, we also resolved the matter concerning Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew, reaffirming the effectiveness of diplomacy in addressing sensitive issues,” Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar said Thursday in a statement on X.

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Burkina Faso’s military junta, led by Ibrahim Traoré, released the personnel after meetings with a Nigerian delegation led by Tuggar, the statement said.

The personnel detained on Dec. 8 included two flight crew members and nine passengers, officials said.

“Matters have been resolved,” Alkasim Abdulkadir, a spokesperson for Tuggar, told The Associated Press. “They are no longer detained.”
Nigeria and Burkina Faso agreed to hold regular consultations and pursue steps to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional integration, Abdulkadir said.

The Nigerian Air Force said last week that the aircraft was headed to Portugal for scheduled maintenance when it made the emergency landing in western Burkina Faso. The air force said the landing was done in accordance with international guidelines and standard safety procedures.
But Foreign Minister Tuggar said Wednesday in a televised speech on Burkina Faso’s state broadcaster that there were “irregularities concerning the overflight authorizations” and apologized for the incident.

The emergency landing had prompted the Alliance of Sahel States to place its air and anti-air defenses on maximum alert with authorization “to neutralize any aircraft that violates the confederation’s airspace,” according to a statement by Gen. Assimi Goita, leader of Mali’s military junta. The alliance includes Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

The crew will now fly the aircraft to Portugal for the scheduled maintenance, Nigerian foreign ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said Thursday
The emergency landing occurred at a time of fractured relations between the Alliance of Sahel States and Nigeria, which was involved in intervention efforts that helped reverse a short-lived coup earlier this month in Benin, where the Nigerian Air Force conducted airstrikes targeting the coup plotters. Burkina Faso is on the northwest border of Benin, and Nigeria is on Benin’s eastern border.

Nigeria is among 15 members of West Africa’s regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formed the Sahel alliance after withdrawing from ECOWAS, which the alliance accuses of inhumane, coup-related sanctions and working against the interests of citizens in alliance countries.

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