Headline

U.S. Military Sends Team As Bandits Kill Over 25 In Katsina

Published

4 months ago

February 4, 2026

Editor

…Congressman vows to ensure Christians in Nigeria are protected

A team of United States (U.S.) military specialists has been stationed in Nigeria to help in the battle against Islamic militants, the top U.S. Commander for Africa revealed yesterday.

Gen. Dagvin Anderson of U.S.-Africa Command said the move came after recent talks in Rome with President Bola Tinubu, who, in late December 2025, greenlighted American airstrikes in the country that targeted Islamic militants.

The deployment of the American troops came as daredevil bandits reportedly killed more than 25 people in the Faskari Local Council of Katsina State.

The incident, which occurred in Doma, Tafoki community yesterday afternoon, was said to have also led to scores of residents sustaining injuries.

Though details of the attack are sketchy at the time of report, The Guardian learnt that the bandits stormed the community in their numbers and shot sporadically to scare residents.

The incident is coming on the heels of peace deals entered into by over a dozen council areas and repentant bandits, with Faskari being among those that had also entered into the deal.

The attack also came after the state government had agreed to release about 70 repentant bandits as a form of “prisoner swap” for 1,000 abducted residents who were voluntarily released by bandits.

A recent report, however, indicated that the 70 suspected and convicted bandits might still be in security custody following backlash from stakeholders about the planned release.

On Monday evening, a massive rally was held in the state metropolitan area where both President Tinubu and Governor Dikko Radda were endorsed by All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders for another term in office come 2027.

Many of the speakers at the event said they endorsed both leaders for their efforts to combat insecurity in the country.

General Anderson, speaking during a virtual news conference from his AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart, said he and Tinubu concurred that both countries needed to coordinate their efforts in West Africa.

He added: “That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small U.S. team that brings some unique capabilities from the U.S. to augment what Nigeria has been doing for years. I think we’ve had some really good, positive movement there.”

Anderson did not elaborate on the composition of the U.S. team or what kinds of capabilities have been set up in Nigeria.

However, the development comes at a time of increased concern about Islamic militants expanding their reach in Western Africa. In the case of Nigeria, which has long struggled with insurgencies and disorder, especially in its northern territory, the targeting of Christians by Islamic militants has gotten the attention of President Donald Trump.

Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, confirmed that a team was working in Nigeria but did not provide further details.

Meanwhile, U.S. Congressman Riley Moore has again reiterated his commitment to ending the killing of Christians in Nigeria.

Moore reaffirmed the commitment in a post on his verified X handle after meeting with Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State.

He wrote: “It was an honour to meet with the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, in Nigeria yesterday.

“We had a meaningful and productive conversation about deepening the ties between our two countries. I remain committed to working with the Nigerian government in coordination and cooperation to address these security and economic challenges, especially the persecution our Christian brothers and sisters face.

“God bless you, governor, for what you do to protect Christians and other vulnerable populations in the Middle Belt.”

Headline

Woman Passes Out After Receiving 100 Strokes Of Cane

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

A woman has passed out after she and her partner were each flogged 100 times in public for engaging in sex outside marriage under strict Sharia laws in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, was later carried away after the punishment was carried out in Banda Aceh, located at the northern tip of Sumatra island on Thursday.

A masked official dressed in brown robes administered the caning before members of the public who gathered to witness the punishment.

Her partner was also seen wincing in pain while receiving the lashes.

The pair were among several individuals punished for violating Sharia regulations in the province.

Authorities from the Banda Aceh Sharia Court and the Prosecutor’s Office handed down punishments ranging from 25 to 100 lashes for offences including extramarital sex allegedly arranged through online applications.

Aceh remains the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia operating under Sharia law, where unmarried couples are prohibited from having sexual relations.

Caning is commonly used in the province as punishment for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, same-sex relations and sex outside marriage.

Under Aceh’s Sharia regulations, child rape offenders face some of the harshest penalties, including up to 200 strokes of the cane, a prison sentence of as long as 200 months or fines equivalent to two kilograms of gold.

The punishments are usually carried out publicly as a way of shaming offenders in addition to inflicting physical pain.

Such canings are often conducted outside mosques or in open public spaces, with residents watching and taking photographs during the exercise.

Human rights organisations have continued to condemn the practice, arguing that it causes emotional trauma and violates international human rights standards.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticised the punishments, saying they conflict with Indonesia’s constitution and global legal obligations.

Amnesty said in a statement: “Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’”

Despite the criticism, local authorities have defended the punishments as part of Aceh’s religious and cultural identity, insisting they serve as a deterrent against immoral behaviour.

Earlier in January, another couple in the province reportedly received 140 lashes each after being found guilty of drinking alcohol and engaging in sex outside marriage.

(Daily Mail)

Headline

Senegal’s President Sacks Prime Minister After Months-long Feud

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government following months of rising political tension between the two former allies.

The decision was announced in a surprise decree read on national television by a presidential aide, stating that Faye had “ended the duties” of Sonko and “consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state who are members of the government”.

Sonko, who remains a highly influential figure among Senegal’s youth, responded on social media, saying he would “sleep with a light heart”.

The political fallout comes at a time of growing economic strain in the country, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) putting Senegal’s public debt at 132% of its GDP.

His removal followed a tense parliamentary session on Tuesday, where Sonko openly criticised President Faye’s handling of the debt situation.

The development is striking given that Faye’s rise to power was largely tied to Sonko’s popularity and political backing.

Sonko would almost certainly have contested the presidency himself in 2024, but was barred from the race due to a defamation conviction. Instead, he threw his support behind Faye, rallying voters with the slogan “Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye”.

The alliance helped unseat former President Macky Sall in a dramatic electoral victory, despite both men having been released from prison only days before the vote.

Tensions between the two leaders had been building for months, with Faye reportedly accusing Sonko of excessive dominance within the ruling Pastef party, while Sonko accused the president of weak leadership and failing to defend him against critics.

(BBC News)

Headline

Six Nigerians Arrested In Thailand Over AI-Powered Romance Scam

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

Six Nigerian nationals have been arrested by the Thailand Police Force for allegedly operating an AI-powered deepfake romance scam syndicate from a luxury condominium along the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi Province, following a cocaine trafficking investigation that exposed their activities.

Thai authorities said the operation began after police arrested a Nigerian suspect identified as Patrick and three associates in April over alleged drug trafficking offences. During the raid, officers reportedly seized assets valued at about 2.5 million baht.

Investigators said financial transactions linked to the suspects led them to several foreign nationals living in a high-end riverside condominium near Phra Nangklao Bridge in Nonthaburi. Police discovered that many of the occupants were staying in groups of five or six per apartment under student visas despite not being enrolled in any educational institution or engaged in lawful employment.

According to Thai police, officers executed search warrants on three condominium units on May 22. The suspects allegedly refused to open their doors, forcing authorities to break into the apartments.

Videos circulating on X captured the moment police officers forcefully gained entry into one of the apartments before arresting the suspects.

During the operation, one suspect reportedly attempted to escape by climbing over a balcony, while another was found hiding on the bathroom floor while allegedly sending warning messages to occupants in neighbouring units.

Police recovered 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank passbooks from the apartments. Authorities said some of the phones were still logged into active conversations with victims at the time of the raid.

Investigators alleged that the syndicate specialised in romance scams targeting older Thai women by using AI-generated faces and manipulated video calls to create fake online identities.

The suspects allegedly posed as pilots, United States military officers, doctors and engineers to gain the trust of victims before requesting money under false pretences.

Police said the fraudsters typically claimed that valuable packages or gifts sent to victims had been withheld by customs officials and required payment of clearance fees before release.

Authorities also said they recovered scripts for sexually explicit conversations allegedly used to emotionally manipulate victims into transferring funds. Investigators claimed the group relied heavily on artificial intelligence technology to generate realistic Western faces for fake video interactions.

Thai police said all six suspects are currently facing preliminary charges bordering on illegal association and immigration overstay, while additional fraud and romance scam charges are expected to follow as investigations continue.