News

29 Bag 30-year Prison Terms Over Alleged Coup Attempt In Venezuela

Published

2 years ago

May 22, 2024

A Venezuelan court has imposed prison sentences of up to 30 years on 29 people found guilty of participation in a failed attempt to upend President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

The sea-borne incursion, dubbed Operation Gedeon, was foiled by Caracas in May 2020, with eight participants killed by the military.

Officials said the operatives had sought to invade Venezuela by sea from Colombia to overthrow Maduro.

Caracas claimed it was headed by retired soldiers and foreign mercenaries and financed by the opposition — which has denied the allegations.

The United States also denied involvement.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab said Wednesday that 20 of the 29 accused were sentenced to the maximum of 30 years in prison, and the rest to 21 years.

The charges included terrorism, treason and trafficking in weapons of war.

“It begins to close a black episode” in Venezuelan history, Saab wrote on X, repeating claims that “foreign actors and powers” were involved in “this mercenary operation… that sought to murder officials at the highest level,” including Maduro.

The Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy, an NGO, published the names of those sentenced, including Josnars Adolfo Baduel — the son of a general who had turned on Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez and died in prison in 2021.

Baduel’s sister Andreina said her sibling had been the victim of “torture” in detention and called his sentence “unjust.”

“The judiciary has been hijacked” by the state, she told AFP, and said the sentence would be appealed to international courts if possible.

According to Saab, some participants in the failed mission remain at large.

Last year, he accused ex-opposition leader Juan Guaido — briefly recognized by the United States and other countries as Venezuela’s legitimate president after Maduro’s widely-questioned 2018 reelection — of having financed the operation with US funds then under his control.

Two American former soldiers were sentenced in Venezuela to 20 years in prison, but later freed in a prisoner exchange.

AFP

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.