Author: Faith Daniel
Nigeria’s federal government has firmly dismissed allegations that it paid a substantial ransom to Islamist militant group Boko Haram to secure the release of more than 200 pupils and staff abducted from a Catholic boarding school late last year. The claims, published by the AFP news agency and attributed to unnamed intelligence sources, suggested that a large financial payment was made to ensure the captives’ freedom. Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, described the report as “completely false and baseless”, accusing it of undermining the credibility and professionalism of the country’s security forces. He also categorically denied assertions that two…
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has formally thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his role in helping to secure the release of 17 South African citizens who were allegedly misled into taking part in the war between Russia and Ukraine. The South African government revealed in November that it had received distress messages from the men, who had travelled to Russia after being promised bodyguard training, only to find themselves deployed to active combat zones in Ukraine. According to the presidency, four of the men returned to South Africa last Friday. Eleven more are expected to arrive in the country…
A London court has heard audio recordings in which a former Nigerian oil minister is alleged to have confronted two wealthy oil businessmen accused of bribing her, after their relationships with her reportedly deteriorated. Prosecutors say Diezani Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources, was given what they describe as an extravagant lifestyle in the UK, funded by men seeking access to lucrative government oil contracts. In one recorded exchange played in court, Alison-Madueke can be heard warning: “I will be happy to escort all of you to jail along with myself.” The 65-year-old denies five counts of…
Sudan’s civil war is being reshaped by relentless drone warfare in the country’s south-central Kordofan region, where intensified strikes are killing civilians in large numbers and turning the area into the conflict’s most consequential new front line. After nearly three years of fighting, the centre of gravity has shifted. With both sides having entrenched their positions in earlier battle zones, Kordofan has emerged as the epicentre of hostilities, a region whose strategic value lies not only in geography but also in its vast gold and oil resources. The war pits Sudan’s national military, the Sudanese Armed Forces, against the paramilitary…
The youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe has been formally charged with attempted murder following a brief court appearance in South Africa. Bellarmine Mugabe, 28, was arrested last week after a 23-year-old man was shot and seriously injured at a private residence in the affluent Johannesburg suburb of Hyde Park on Thursday. He was taken into custody alongside his bodyguard, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze, 33. Neither man has publicly commented on the allegations. Appearing in court dressed in black, Bellarmine Mugabe remained composed as the charges were read out. He is expected to reappear next week for a…
Chad has announced the immediate closure of its eastern border with Sudan, saying the measure is necessary to prevent the spillover of violence from Sudan’s ongoing civil war. The border will remain closed “until further notice,” according to Chadian authorities. A government spokesperson said the decision followed repeated incursions by Sudanese armed groups into Chadian territory. While the move is primarily aimed at protecting civilians, officials said limited exemptions could be granted on humanitarian grounds, provided they receive prior authorisation from the relevant authorities. The announcement came after intense fighting broke out in the border town of al-Tina, where clashes…
Australia’s prime minister has formally told his UK counterpart that his government would support legislation to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession, adding international weight to growing calls for constitutional action following the former prince’s arrest. In a letter to Keir Starmer, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Canberra’s backing for any proposal that would strip Andrew of his place in the succession. Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, is currently eighth in line to the throne. Andrew remains in the line of succession despite having been stripped of his royal titles, including the use…
Somalia, long ranked among the world’s weakest military powers, is in advanced negotiations with Pakistan to acquire up to 24 JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets in a deal estimated at $900 million. If finalised, the agreement would represent Somalia’s most substantial defence investment in decades and a decisive step toward rebuilding its long-dormant air force. According to Defence Security Asia, the talks signal a dramatic shift for Mogadishu, which has lacked a functional fixed-wing combat capability since the collapse of the Somali state in 1991. The proposed acquisition comes amid intensifying geopolitical tensions in the Horn of Africa and…
Despite growing resistance across Africa to the expansion of Western military footprints, Somalia and its breakaway region, Somaliland, have both moved to court the United States by offering access to strategic ports and air bases. The parallel overtures underscore intensifying geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa, a region of mounting strategic importance. In contrast to several African governments that have scaled back or expelled Western forces in recent years, Mogadishu is signalling a willingness to deepen its military partnership with Washington. Somali authorities have formally proposed renewing an existing military cooperation agreement that would grant the United States access…
Feb 23 — Gold prices slid more than 1% on Tuesday, retreating from a three-week high reached earlier in the session, as a firmer U.S. dollar and profit-taking pressured prices while investors awaited further clarity on tariff plans from U.S. President Donald Trump. Spot gold fell 1.1% to $5,172.11 per ounce by 08:27 GMT, snapping a four-session winning streak. U.S. gold futures for April delivery were down 0.6% at $5,191.50. The U.S. dollar strengthened by 0.2%, making dollar-denominated bullion more expensive for holders of other currencies and weighing on demand. “There was some profit taking as prices spiked to highs…
