New Post Africa

Category: Crime Diary

  • FG to Establish Fire Stations in 109 Senatorial Districts

    FG to Establish Fire Stations in 109 Senatorial Districts

    KANO, NIGERIA — The Federal Government has announced plans to establish fire stations in all 109 senatorial districts across the country as part of efforts to mitigate fire disasters and strengthen emergency response.

    Controller General of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Dr Olumode Samuel-Adeyemi, disclosed this during an on-the-spot assessment of the Singer Market in Kano State, following the February 14 fire incident.

    Samuel-Adeyemi said a dedicated fire post would be established at Singer Market to curb recurring outbreaks. He conveyed the condolences of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to the government and people of Kano State, particularly traders who lost lives and property worth billions of naira.

    Strengthening Response and Prevention

    The CG explained that the initiative is part of a broader plan to:

    • Expand fire coverage nationwide through senatorial and local government fire stations.
    • Construct water reservoirs in major markets to ensure quick access to water during emergencies.
    • Collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for crowd control during incidents.
    • Intensify public education and inspections through the Inspectorate and Enforcement Unit to enforce compliance with fire safety standards.

    He identified faulty electrical wiring, unsafe fuel storage, cooking inside shops, use of generators, lithium battery installations, and unattended appliances as major causes of market fires.

    Samuel-Adeyemi also noted that although firefighters arrived at Singer Market within 20 minutes, access was delayed due to obstructed roads. He appealed to Nigerians to give right of way to fire trucks during emergencies.

    Legislative Backing

    The CG added that the proposed amendment of the Fire Service Act would strengthen enforcement powers, including the authority to seal premises that fail to install required fire safety equipment.

    He commended the Kano State Fire Service and other emergency agencies for their cooperation and assured continued federal support in equipment and training.

  • Ifunanya Nwangene, Nigerian Singer Who Died of Snakebite, Laid to Rest

    Ifunanya Nwangene, Nigerian Singer Who Died of Snakebite, Laid to Rest

    ENUGU, NIGERIA — The remains of rising Nigerian singer Ifunanya Nwangene were laid to rest in her hometown in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. Her death on January 31, 2026, after a snakebite in her Abuja apartment, sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

    According to reports, Nwangene was rushed to hospitals, including the Federal Medical Centre, but was unable to access life-saving antivenom. Her tragic passing has reignited debate over Nigeria’s struggling healthcare system, long plagued by poor funding, corruption, and inadequate drug availability.

    Observers note that the incident underscores the impact of the ongoing “Japa” syndrome, where medical professionals leave Nigeria in search of better opportunities abroad, further straining the country’s health sector.

    In response, the Nigerian Senate leadership has directed hospitals nationwide to stock antivenoms to prevent similar tragedies. However, questions remain over how effectively such a directive can be enforced, given systemic challenges.

  • U.S. Sanctions Boko Haram Sponsors Amid Rising Violence in Nigeria

    U.S. Sanctions Boko Haram Sponsors Amid Rising Violence in Nigeria

    WASHINGTON, D.C. / ABUJA: The United States government has sanctioned eight individuals in Nigeria for alleged links to Boko Haram, the Islamist insurgent group responsible for widespread violence across Nigeria’s northeast, northwest, and north-central regions, as well as in the wider Lake Chad Basin covering Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Boko Haram, designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the U.S. in 2013, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since its insurgency began in 2009.

    The sanctions were announced in a publication by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which blocks the property and interests of designated persons. Among those listed is Salih Yusuf Adamu (a.k.a. Salihu Yusuf), born August 23, 1990, who was convicted in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 for establishing a Boko Haram cell to raise funds for insurgents in Nigeria. Others named include Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, Khaled Al-Barnawi, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki.

    The U.S. indictment alleges that all sanctioned individuals actively participated in Boko Haram’s operations in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

    This action follows the October 31, 2025, designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, after reports that jihadist groups killed more than 7,000 Christians and abducted 7,800 others in the first seven months of 2025.

    On December 25, 2025 (Christmas Day), the U.S. military launched Tomahawk missile strikes against suspected Islamic State (ISIS) camps in Sokoto State, northwest Nigeria. The operation, coordinated with the Nigerian government, targeted militants linked to the Islamic State–Sahel Province and its affiliate, Lakurawa. The U.S. Africa Command confirmed the strikes, describing them as aimed at “ISIS terrorists in Nigeria.”

    In early 2026, the U.S. deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria, marking the first official American military presence on the ground in support of counterterrorism operations.

  • Ohanaeze Accuses Asari Dokubo of Inciting Ethnic Violence Against Igbos

    Ohanaeze Accuses Asari Dokubo of Inciting Ethnic Violence Against Igbos

    PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA — The Rivers State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has accused former Niger Delta militant leader Asari Dokubo of attempting to incite ethnic violence through what it described as a “false and venomous video.”

    In a statement issued on Monday, January 16, and made available to Newpost Africa, the chapter president, Livingstone Wechie, criticised Dokubo’s claims that Igbo communities in Rivers State were behind attacks on Northern Muslims during recent clashes in Rumuokwurusi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. Wechie said the video was “inciting and malicious,” aimed at pitching Igbos against their northern neighbours. He clarified that the violence at the Oil Mill Fruit Market on January 14 stemmed from a dispute between Benue and Hausa traders, not Igbo communities.

    Wechie stressed that Igbos are neither anarchists nor destroyers, noting their significant population in Rivers State and across northern Nigeria, where they coexist peacefully with other ethnic and religious groups. He emphasised that both Christian and Muslim Igbos live in Rivers State and respect the religious rights of others.

    The Rivers State Police Command also confirmed that the incident was a clash between Hausa and Benue traders, not involving Igbos, and that the suspect in the killing had been arrested. Wechie urged the public to disregard Dokubo’s “emotional outburst and combustible propositions,” warning that such rhetoric could destabilise the state. He commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his swift intervention, which restored calm and prevented further escalation.

  • Customs Seize Four Live Pangolins in Ogun

    Customs Seize Four Live Pangolins in Ogun

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command, Idiroko, says it intercepted four live Pangolins, an endangered species, along the Yemoamota-Abule-Igboora axis of the state.

    The Deputy Superintendent of NCS, Chado Zakari, also the Command’s Spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Ota.

    Zakari explained that the seizure underscored the service’s unwavering commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

    According to him, at about 3.00 a.m. on Thursday, a patrol team acting on credible intelligence intercepted a motorcycle in the Yemoamota-Abule-Igboora, and Ebute Igboora axis of the command.

    “Upon inspection, officers discovered four pangolins confined in wire mesh cages and concealed within a sack.

    “The sophisticated nature of the packaging suggests the involvement of an organised smuggling syndicate.

    “To evade arrest, the suspects abandoned their motorcycle and the endangered species, vanishing into the thick terrain as the evening fog rolled in,” he said.

    Zakari said that prioritising the animals’ welfare after the seizure, the Command officially transferred the pangolins to the Wildlife Conservation Centre on Feb. 13, 2026.

    He said that the handover was conducted by Assistant Comptroller Tajjudeen Bello (Acting Deputy Comptroller for Administration), on behalf of the Acting Customs Area Comptroller, Oladapo Afeni.

    The area comptroller noted that the officers acted with remarkable courage and professionalism throughout the covert operations.

    The comptroller reiterated the command’s commitment to be steadfast in its vigilance against trans-border crime and to collaborate with its partners to eliminate the illegal trade in endangered species.

    Afeni issued a stern warning to smugglers and traffickers of endangered wildlife, urging them to desist from the act.

    He emphasised that the command remained ‘battle-ready’ and fully equipped to track down and apprehend anyone undermining the law.