New Post Africa

Category: Crime Diary

  • NGO calls for probe into alleged deaths in military facility, urges calm

    NGO calls for probe into alleged deaths in military facility, urges calm

    ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Unity Advocacy Group (UAG) has called for a thorough investigation into allegations that about 150 members of a Fulani community died in a military-controlled detention facility in Kwara State, urging Nigerians to remain calm.

    The group’s Convener, Ifeanyi Aigbedion, made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Aigbedion said the claim, reportedly attributed to Amnesty International, remains unverified and should not be treated as established fact.

    He stressed that allegations of such magnitude require proper verification by competent authorities before any conclusions are drawn.

    He warned that the circulation of unconfirmed reports, particularly on sensitive security and ethnic issues, could inflame tensions and undermine national unity.

    According to him, while the allegations are serious and warrant attention, they must be subjected to a transparent and independent investigation through appropriate legal and institutional channels.

    Aigbedion noted that the Nigerian Armed Forces have maintained a record of professionalism and respect for human rights in both domestic operations and international peacekeeping missions.

    He added that the military’s conduct under the United Nations, African Union and ECOWAS frameworks has earned recognition for discipline and adherence to international humanitarian standards.

    The UAG convener also cautioned against narratives that could misrepresent security institutions based on unverified claims, stressing the importance of balanced and fact-based reporting.

    He called on relevant authorities to carry out a comprehensive investigation and make the findings public in order to address speculation and restore public confidence.

    Aigbedion reaffirmed the group’s commitment to national unity and peaceful coexistence, urging the media and the public to prioritise accuracy, restraint and responsible communication in handling security-related matters.

  • South African security authorities warn protesters over xenophobic violence

    South African security authorities warn protesters over xenophobic violence

    PRETORIA, South Africa (NPA) — The South African Police Service National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has warned individuals and groups participating in protests across the country to conduct themselves peacefully and within the confines of the law amid rising tensions linked to xenophobic violence.

    The security warning comes following renewed attacks and killings of foreign African nationals in parts of South Africa, with disturbing videos circulating on social media attracting international condemnation.

    In a statement, NATJOINTS stressed that while the South African Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest, such rights must not be exercised through violence, intimidation, or unlawful conduct.

    Protesters were urged to refrain from inciting violence, avoid carrying dangerous weapons, respect the rights and dignity of all persons regardless of nationality, and comply with directives issued by law enforcement officers deployed to maintain public order.

    The agency said security personnel had also been directed to strictly enforce the law and take decisive action against individuals found carrying weapons or engaging in incitement. “NATJOINTS will not tolerate any actions that threaten public safety or undermine the rule of law,” the statement said.

    According to the security structure, members of the SAPS Public Order Police have been deployed to monitor demonstrations and ensure law and order is maintained, warning that anyone found violating the law would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

    NATJOINTS further reiterated that acts of vigilantism and lawlessness would not be tolerated under any circumstances. The agency added that joint operational structures across the country remained actively engaged in combating crime through intensified security operations, including Operation Shanela, which it said continues to result in the arrest of thousands of suspects weekly for various violent and serious crimes.

    The renewed wave of xenophobic violence has triggered criticism from several African countries, with accusations that South African authorities have not done enough to halt attacks targeting foreign nationals.

    Earlier, members of the Nigerian Senate condemned what they described as South Africa’s silence over attacks and killings involving Nigerians and other African migrants, while calling for punitive measures against the country.

  • Amnesty International slams court ruling against SERAP, urges immediate quash

    Amnesty International slams court ruling against SERAP, urges immediate quash

    ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Amnesty International Nigeria has expressed grave concern over the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ordering the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to pay N100 million in damages to officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) in a defamation suit.

    The ruling, which imposed significant financial penalties, public apologies, and annual interest payments, stemmed from a September 2024 incident during which DSS operatives reportedly visited SERAP’s Abuja office without prior notice, questioned staff members, and stationed armed personnel outside the premises.

    Amnesty described the judgment as a dangerous precedent, warning that it risks undermining freedom of expression, association, and civic participation in Nigeria. “The judgment sends a deeply troubling signal about the state of civic space in Nigeria,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. The organisation characterised the case as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), aimed at intimidating civil society and discouraging accountability efforts.

    The rights group urged Nigerian authorities to quash the ruling and end judicial harassment of SERAP and other civic actors, stressing that defamation laws should not be misused to silence critics. Amnesty referenced Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which guarantee freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, adding that Nigeria’s international obligations require protection of these rights.

    Amnesty warned that misuse of defamation suits against civil society could weaken oversight, discourage whistleblowing, and undermine anti‑corruption efforts. “Civil society organisations must be able to carry out their legitimate work without fear of harassment or punitive legal action. Undermining these efforts ultimately harms the public interest and erodes trust in democratic institutions,” the statement concluded.

  • Nigerian Army eliminate terrorists in Zamfara, recover weapons

    Nigerian Army eliminate terrorists in Zamfara, recover weapons

    GUSAU, Nigeria (NPA) — Troops of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA of the Nigerian Army, have intensified offensive operations against suspected terrorists in Zamfara State, killing two insurgents and recovering weapons during coordinated clearance missions across parts of the state.

    According to a statement issued on May 5 by Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North West), the operations were launched in the early hours of May 4 targeting identified terrorist enclaves in Talata Mafara and Maradun Local Government Areas.

    The military said the operations covered strategic locations including Maikwanuga village in Talata Mafara LGA, as well as Aljumma, Gidan Dawa, Magami Didi, and Tungar Magaji villages in Maradun LGA.

    During the offensive, troops reportedly engaged armed terrorists in Tungar Magaji village with what the military described as “overwhelming firepower,” resulting in the death of two suspected terrorists while others fled the area.

    Following the encounter, security forces conducted a search operation and recovered one AK-47 rifle, a loaded magazine containing 30 rounds of ammunition, and a motorcycle.

    The military said the operations form part of ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist hideouts within the Bagega–Sunke forest corridor and restore security to affected communities in the North-West region.

    “Operation FANSAN YAMMA remains steadfast in its mission to protect lives and property and will continue to sustain offensive actions against terrorists within its area of responsibility,” the statement said.

    The task force also urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible and timely intelligence to aid ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

  • SERAP rejects court judgment ordering N100m damages over defamation suit, heads to appeal

    SERAP rejects court judgment ordering N100m damages over defamation suit, heads to appeal

    ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has rejected a judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court ordering the organisation to pay N100 million in damages to officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged defamation.

    Justice Yusuf Halilu, who delivered the ruling in Abuja, also directed SERAP to publish public apologies, pay N1 million as litigation costs, and a 10 per cent annual interest on the damages until the judgment sum is fully settled.

    Reacting to the decision, SERAP described the ruling as “seriously flawed” and a threat to civic space and freedom of expression in Nigeria.

    The organisation said it had instructed its lawyers, including Tayo Oyetibo and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, to immediately file an appeal against the judgment.

    SERAP further described the suit as a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP), alleging that the legal action was designed to intimidate civil society organisations and discourage accountability advocacy.

    The group also accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of allegedly using defamation laws and state institutions to suppress dissenting voices.

    The case originated from a September 2024 publication by SERAP alleging that DSS operatives unlawfully entered its Abuja office after the organisation called for an investigation into corruption allegations involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

    DSS argued that the publication defamed its officials personally, but SERAP maintained that its statements were directed at the agency as an institution and not at individual operatives.

    The ruling adds to growing debates over civic freedoms, defamation laws, and the relationship between state institutions and civil society groups in Nigeria.

  • Nigeria, Ghana deepen anti-drug partnership to combat trafficking cartels

    Nigeria, Ghana deepen anti-drug partnership to combat trafficking cartels

    ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) of Ghana have strengthened bilateral cooperation against drug trafficking and related transnational crimes in West Africa.

    Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, stated this on Tuesday while receiving a Ghanaian delegation led by NACOC Director General, Maxwell Obuba Mantey, during a benchmarking visit and study tour of the agency’s operational model at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja.

    Marwa said the renewed collaboration between both anti-narcotics agencies should serve as a strong warning to drug trafficking networks operating within the West African sub-region.

    “Let this visit serve as a warning to those who seek to destabilize our societies with illicit drugs: Nigeria and Ghana stand united. We will continue to innovate, collaborate, and dominate the tactical space until our streets and communities are safe,” he said.

    According to a statement signed by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA boss noted that the visit reflects the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and Ghana and reinforces their shared commitment to regional security.

    He warned that transnational organised crime, especially drug trafficking and associated money laundering activities, continues to evolve across borders, requiring deeper cooperation among regional partners. “The threat posed by transnational organized crime, particularly drug trafficking and its associated money laundering activities, knows no borders,” Marwa said.

    He added that intelligence-led operations, interdiction strategies, digital forensics, and operational best practices remain critical in narrowing operational space for criminal cartels across the region.

    Marwa described the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NDLEA and NACOC as the major highlight of the engagement.

    According to him, the agreement provides a legal and operational framework for combating illicit drug production, trafficking of psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals, as well as related money laundering activities.

    “This agreement moves our relationship from informal consultation to a structured, aggressive, and unified front against drug barons,” he stated.

    In his remarks, Mantey described Nigeria as a leading force within the region, noting that Ghana regards the country as an “elder brother” in regional affairs.

    “Nigeria has consistently played a leading role within our region, and Ghana holds that leadership in the highest regard,” he said.

    The NACOC Director General said the partnership between both agencies reflects the deep historical and diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Ghana.

    According to him, the visit was aimed at strengthening existing cooperation through intelligence sharing, joint operations, training, and institutional collaboration.

    Mantey warned that the drug trade across West Africa is becoming increasingly sophisticated, with traffickers adopting new methods, including the use of maritime routes and synthetic drug networks.

    He noted that Ghana is witnessing a growing domestic drug problem despite historically being considered mainly a transit point for narcotics trafficking. “No single country can effectively address this threat in isolation,” he said.

    Mantey added that the newly signed MoU must produce measurable outcomes through coordinated operations, stronger intelligence sharing, structured training exchanges, and closer collaboration between both agencies.

    Also present at the event was the acting Ghanaian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gladys Mansa Yawa Feddy Akyea, alongside senior officials of the Ghana High Commission, members of the NACOC delegation, and top management staff of the NDLEA.

  • Sowore condemns alleged assault on TheCable journalist Olalekan Fakoyejo by soldiers in Lagos

    Sowore condemns alleged assault on TheCable journalist Olalekan Fakoyejo by soldiers in Lagos

    LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — Nigerian activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore has condemned the alleged assault of a journalist with TheCable by two Nigerian Army officers in the Ikeja area of Lagos, southwestern Nigeria.

    Sowore, a politician and former presidential candidate, in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, called on relevant authorities to identify those responsible for the assault, investigate the incident, and ensure those involved are held accountable.

    According to him, anything short of accountability would reinforce impunity.

    He further stated that beyond sanctioning those directly involved, the incident highlights what he described as a deeper problem regarding the deployment of military personnel in ways that undermine the rights of Nigerians.

    Sowore referenced the case involving “Justice Crack,” who he said was recently remanded in prison after being arraigned before a court in Abuja.

    Earlier, TheCable, in a video report titled “Soldier Assaults TheCable Journalist in Lagos,” said a soldier assaulted Olalekan Fakoyejo, the newspaper’s assistant business editor, following a remark about traffic obstruction in the Ikeja area of Lagos State.

    The newspaper said the incident occurred on Saturday, May 2, while Fakoyejo was travelling from Ikeja to Ogba in a commercial tricycle popularly known as “Keke Napep.”

  • US man of Nigerian descent Victor Kolawole, accomplice plead guilty in multi-million-dollar U.S. bank fraud scheme

    US man of Nigerian descent Victor Kolawole, accomplice plead guilty in multi-million-dollar U.S. bank fraud scheme

    BOSTON, United States (NPA) — Two Massachusetts men have pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to their roles in a multi‑million‑dollar scheme to defraud banks across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

    Victor Kolawole, 26, of Brockton, and Keith Wainaina, 24, of Lowell, admitted to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Julie E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2026 and September 9, 2026, respectively. The pair were arrested in July 2025 alongside four others.

    Prosecutors said that beginning no later than December 2022, Kolawole and Wainaina conspired with Phalentz Vernot and others to steal customer data from local banks, including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and account details. Imposters were recruited to pose as customers using fake identification documents, withdrawing large sums in cashier’s checks.

    Wainaina and Kolawole then deposited the checks into accounts they controlled, later purchasing additional cashier’s checks payable to Vernot. Vernot used part of the proceeds to pay imposters and bank insiders who helped bypass verification protocols.

    According to court filings, Wainaina deposited or attempted to deposit more than $762,000, while Kolawole deposited approximately $373,000 in cashier’s checks drawn on victims’ accounts. Vernot pleaded guilty in December 2025 and is scheduled for sentencing on July 22, 2026.

    The charges carry severe penalties: up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit money laundering, and a mandatory two‑year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft. Sentences will be determined by the court under federal guidelines.

  • Amnesty International demands disclosure of missing Malian opposition figure Mountaga Tall

    Amnesty International demands disclosure of missing Malian opposition figure Mountaga Tall

    BAMAKO, Mali (NPA) — Amnesty International has called on Malian authorities to urgently disclose the whereabouts and condition of prominent lawyer and opposition politician Mountaga Tall following his reported abduction by armed men in Bamako.

    In a statement issued after Tall’s disappearance in the early hours of May 3, Amnesty International said the veteran pro-democracy figure was taken from his residence by hooded armed men travelling in unlicensed vehicles, with no official explanation provided regarding his detention or possible charges.

    Reacting to the development, Ousmane Diallo, Senior Researcher on the Sahel at Amnesty International’s Regional Office for West and Central Africa, expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the incident.

    “We are alarmed by the disappearance of Mountaga Tall who was taken from his home by armed men wearing hoods. To date, no one knows if or where he is being held, and if charges have been brought against him,” Diallo said.

    The rights group urged the Malian authorities to immediately reveal Tall’s fate and whereabouts, release him if no charges exist, or ensure due legal process if he is being investigated for any offence.

    Amnesty International also accused authorities of intensifying restrictions on civic space and targeting political dissent and human rights activities in the country.

    Diallo noted that the organisation had documented what it described as a pattern of abductions allegedly carried out by operatives linked to Mali’s National Agency for State Security (ANSE), warning that such actions could amount to enforced disappearances under international law.

    “If this abduction was conducted by, or with the support or acquiescence of state agents, it amounts to an enforced disappearance and places Mountaga Tall outside the protection of the law and at high risk of torture or other ill-treatment,” the organisation stated.

    Tall, leader of the National Congress for Democratic Initiative (CNID), is regarded as one of the major figures in Mali’s democratic transition during the 1990s. In recent years, he has publicly challenged decisions by the military-led authorities, including the dissolution of political parties, while also representing detained political figures in court.

    The incident comes amid rising political and security tensions in Mali following coordinated attacks carried out on April 25 by the Islamist armed group Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), alongside the Front for the Liberation of Azawad, across six cities in the country. The attacks reportedly resulted in multiple casualties, including the death of the country’s defence minister.

    On May 1, a military court in Bamako announced that investigations into the attacks were ongoing and that several individuals, including politicians and military personnel, had already been arrested, with more arrests expected as authorities intensify security operations.

    Amnesty International urged the Malian government to uphold its international human rights obligations and ensure the protection of political freedoms and due process amid the ongoing crackdown.

  • Court to deliver judgment in DSS N5 Billion defamation suit against SERAP

    Court to deliver judgment in DSS N5 Billion defamation suit against SERAP

    ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja is set to deliver judgment tomorrow, Tuesday, 5 May 2026, in the N5 billion defamation lawsuit filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) against the Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

    The case stems from SERAP’s allegation that the DSS unlawfully invaded its Abuja office on 9 September 2024, shortly after the organisation called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to probe alleged corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and reverse the increase in petrol pump prices.

    In its defence, SERAP, represented by senior lawyers Tayo Oyetibo, SAN and Ebun‑Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, insisted that the DSS invasion was unlawful and described the suit as frivolous and vexatious. The organisation argued that the publication in question was directed at the DSS as Nigeria’s secret security agency, not at individual officials.

    SERAP further alleged that DSS operatives stormed its office, interrogated staff, demanded official documents, and concealed their identities. It cited evidence from its visitor’s book showing discrepancies in the names used by DSS officials during the visit.

    In a statement today, SERAP condemned the lawsuit as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), warning that such practices undermine the 1999 Nigerian Constitution [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations. “These authoritarian practices will surely fail and those perpetrating them will be held to account,” the group said.

    The DSS, however, has maintained that its visit to SERAP’s office was part of a “routine investigation,” though observers note contradictions in its public statements and legal filings.

    The judgment, expected tomorrow, is anticipated to set a significant precedent in the ongoing debate over the limits of state power, civil society activism, and freedom of expression in Nigeria.