Headline

UK Court Spares Nigerian From Deportation After Claims He’s ‘Demonically Possessed’

Published

1 year ago

March 3, 2025

A Nigerian man convicted of armed robbery and drug dealing has avoided deportation from the UK after a judge ruled he would be considered “possessed” in his home country, potentially placing him at risk.

The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 for an armed robbery at a brothel.

Seven years later, he was jailed again for supplying crack cocaine.

Despite a deportation order issued in April 2014, he appealed on human rights grounds and remains in the UK a decade later.

His continued stay has been justified by concerns that his belief in possession, combined with inadequate mental health care in Nigeria, could endanger his well-being.

Having spent significant time in a secure mental health hospital, the man now lives in the community but is still considered a “high risk of serious harm” to the public, according to experts.

He is also reported to be addicted to crack cocaine.

Judge Stephen Smith ruled that a previous judge had made an “error of law” in assessing the case.

“We note the appellant’s recurring belief that his mental ill-health is a result of being possessed,” Smith stated as quoted by The Telegraph.

“We assess that him expressing this belief would increase the likelihood that others will see his illness as being a manifestation of possession.”

A report by Amnesty International presented during the appeal supported the argument that returning him to Nigeria could expose him to harmful societal attitudes.

“It is our assessment that on return to Nigeria [the appellant] is likely … to encounter widespread attitudes that confirm and amplify his belief in demonic forces and witchcraft as being at the root of his problems,” the report stated.

The report further warned of the “substantial risk of being identified as suffering from demonic forces and faces a resultant risk of being targeted as a result.”

A doctor’s evaluation found the man suffers from a “trauma-related disorder with psychotic features.”

His condition includes intrusive memories, nightmares, and a fixation on demonic forces “playing tricks with his mind.”

He also reported being unable to move upon waking, attributing it to demonic interference.

Desire for Rehabilitation
In court, the man expressed his wish to lead a crime-free life.

“I really want to stay away from crime. I don’t want to get into that predicament again … I want to live a normal life,” he said.

His key worker testified that he had been attending the gym five to six days a week and volunteering once a week.

However, concerns over the broader implications of the case have been raised.

Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, questioned why the UK should be responsible for the man’s care.

“I think this is a worrying case and situation. Why should we as a country, be picking up the health problems of people from other countries who have committed serious crime?” he said.

“I appreciate this man has serious mental health issues, but why should it be the responsibility of Britain to solve them, fund them, and allow him to stay when he is a very serious criminal? It shows serious issues with the law.”

With the ruling in place, the case is now set for a new hearing.

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.