Author: fatimah

By Safiya Mohammed Bello The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP), has rescued and repatriated 23 Nigerian youths who were trafficked to Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries for cyber criminal activities. In a statement on Wednesday, NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, disclosed that the rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with authorities in Myanmar, with critical support from the British Government and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok. According to the agency, the victims were trafficked to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, where they were allegedly compelled to engage in romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud and…

The United States government will deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to train its armed forces and strengthen the country’s fight against insecurity. Nigerian and U.S. officials made the announcement to reporters on Tuesday. Spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, General Samaila Uba, said the U.S. troops will assist with training and provide technical support as Washington increases military cooperation with Nigeria. The additional troops will supplement a small U.S. team already in the country that supports Nigerian forces with airstrike targeting. The new batch of troops is expected to arrive in the coming weeks and provide training and technical guidance, including…

The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has instructed the Business Committee to schedule the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025, widely referred to as the anti-LGBTQ bill, for consideration in the next parliamentary session. The bill, which seeks to criminalize LGBTQ activities, has sparked intense debate both within Ghana and internationally, as the country grapples with balancing traditional cultural values with human rights concerns. “The bill has gone through all the processes in accordance with the Standing Orders of the House. I therefore direct that the bill be scheduled by the Business Committee to be presented to…

Thousands of Libyans gathered on Friday in the western town of Bani Walid to pay tribute to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of longtime Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi, after he was shot dead earlier this week at his home in the northwestern city of Zintan. According to sources close to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the 53-year-old was fatally shot by unidentified masked assailants on Tuesday at his residence, in what his supporters have described as a “cowardly and treacherous” assassination. The funeral procession took place in Bani Walid, a town historically loyal to the Gaddafi family, about 175 kilometres (110 miles)…

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), has raised concern that persistent stigma and discrimination are slowing Nigeria’s progress in combating HIV/AIDS, with an estimated 1.9 million people currently living with the virus nationwide. At a sensitisation campaign in the commercial city of Lagos, NACA Director-General, Dr Temitope Ilori, said stigma remains a major barrier discouraging many from accessing HIV testing, treatment and support. According to her, Lagos remains central to Nigeria’s HIV response due to its large, mobile and diverse population, which heightens vulnerability and requires sustained intervention. She explained that the Zero Stigma Campaign is designed…

Libyan media outlets on Tuesday reported the death of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi, though the reports have not been independently confirmed. Television channel al-Ahrar cited sources close to Saif al-Islam as confirming his death without providing details on the circumstances. State-linked news agency LANA also quoted his adviser, Abdallah Othman, as confirming the report. No official statement has been issued by Libyan authorities, and major international news agencies have yet to verify the claim. Saif al-Islam, long viewed as his father’s political heir, re-emerged publicly in 2021 when he announced plans to run in…

More than 50,000 residents of Ksar el-Kebir, a northwestern city in Morocco, have been evacuated as severe flooding threatens to inundate neighbourhoods following weeks of heavy rain. Authorities have established shelters and temporary camps, and entry into the city has been restricted. Only departures are allowed, while parts of the city have experienced power cuts, and schools remain closed until Saturday. Officials said the flooding was exacerbated by water released from the nearby Oued Makhazine dam, which had reached full capacity. Rising levels of the Loukkos River have spread across multiple neighborhoods, prompting urgent evacuation measures. Ksar el-Kebir is located…

The Israeli government has declared South Africa’s ambassador to Palestine, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, persona non grata in a retaliatory move following South Africa’s expulsion of Israel’s top diplomat. The diplomatic row began after South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation declared Ariel Seidman, the chargé d’affaires at the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, persona non grata and gave him 72 hours to leave the country. South African authorities accused Seidman of using official social media platforms to attack President Cyril Ramaphosa and of inviting Israeli officials to the country without government authorisation. Both expelled officials were their respective countries’ highest-ranking…

The Malawi Ministry of Health has announced a new outbreak of poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) after it was detected in environmental samples. Secretary for Health and Sanitation, Dan Namarika, said the virus was identified through routine sewage monitoring at two locations in the country’s commercial city of Blantyre. The ministry has raised the alarm over the serious health risks posed by the virus, which can cause irreversible paralysis, especially in children, similar to the wild poliovirus. Following advice from the World Health Organization (WHO), the health authorities have urged the public to observe strict food hygiene measures to prevent the…

Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Nigerian businessman arriving from Brazil after uncovering cocaine concealed on his body and inside his footwear, as part of a series of coordinated anti-drug operations across the country. The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Uche Franklin Onyekwere, was apprehended on 29 January 2026 at the arrival terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. NDLEA officials said he arrived on a South African Airways flight from Brazil via Johannesburg and was intercepted following intelligence-led profiling. A body scan confirmed the presence of concealed substances, prompting a search that uncovered a large…