Category: Foreign

Ghana’s Former Finance Minister Arrested in US by ICE, Begs for Legal Relief

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Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been arrested in the United States by officials of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over alleged immigration violations, triggering widespread reactions both in Ghana and abroad. Ofori-Atta, who served as finance minister under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was taken into custody after authorities said he overstayed his visa while in the United States. He is reported to have travelled to the US for medical reasons but remained beyond the period permitted under his immigration status. Following…

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Witness Tells UK Court: Diezani Spent £170,000 on London Furniture in One Day

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A prosecution witness in the United Kingdom has told a London court how former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly spent about £170,000 on luxury furniture within 24 hours during a shopping trip in London. The testimony was given on Monday, February 2, 2026, at Southwark Crown Court, where UK prosecutors are pursuing a case involving allegations of corruption and money laundering connected to Nigeria’s oil sector. All defendants have denied the allegations. Alison-Madueke, a former OPEC president, is standing trial alongside her brother, Doye Agama, a former…

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US Deploys Small Team of Troops to Nigeria to Boost Counterterrorism Efforts

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The United States has deployed a small team of troops to Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation against terrorism in West Africa, the head of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, said on Tuesday. Speaking during a press briefing, General Anderson said the deployment followed discussions between both countries on the need to do more to address terrorist threats in the region. According to him, the decision has led to increased collaboration, including the deployment of a U.S. team with what he described as “unique…

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Fela Kuti Makes History as First African to Receive Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

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Legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has posthumously etched his name deeper into global music history after becoming the first African artiste to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Recording Academy announced the honour as part of its special merit awards, recognising Fela’s enduring influence on world music, political consciousness and cultural identity decades after his death in 1997. Widely regarded as the creator of Afrobeat, Fela fused jazz, funk, highlife and traditional African rhythms into a revolutionary sound that transcended entertainment and became a vehicle for resistance against…

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Nigerian-Born U.S. Professor in $1m Childcare Scam, Blames ‘Greed, Temptation and the Devil’

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A Nigerian-born United States green card holder and university professor, Nkechy Ezeh, has admitted to looting $1 million (£780,000) meant for poor children in a massive childcare fraud and tax evasion scandal in Michigan. Ezeh, now facing up to 25 years in federal prison, pleaded guilty to running an elaborate wire fraud scheme that prosecutors say robbed vulnerable families to fund a life of luxury. According to court filings, the professor set up fake daycare centres, forged invoices and diverted public childcare subsidies into her personal accounts — sharing the…

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US Halts Immigrant Visa Processing for Nigeria, Russia, 73 Other Countries

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The United States has halted immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria, Russia, Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran and Brazil, citing the need to review screening procedures under the long-standing “public charge” rule. The pause, which takes effect January 21, will remain in place indefinitely while the U.S. State Department reassesses how consular officers evaluate applicants who may become dependent on public assistance after entering the country. A State Department spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, said the measure is aimed at protecting U.S. taxpayer resources and preventing abuse of welfare programmes.…

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EFCC Arraigns Austrian National for Failing to Declare $800,575 and €651,505 at Lagos Airport

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned an Austrian national, Kavlak Onal, for allegedly failing to declare large sums of foreign currency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. Onal was arraigned on Friday, January 9, 2026, before Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Okotie Eboh. According to the anti-graft agency, the defendant was intercepted on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, while attempting to board an Emirates Airline flight to Dubai. EFCC stated that Onal…

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Indian Police Arrest Nigerian Lady for Smuggling Cocaine Hidden in Bread Loaves

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Indian police have arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian national posing as a student for allegedly trafficking cocaine concealed inside bread loaves. Operatives of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) apprehended the suspect after recovering 121 grams of cocaine, valued at about ₹1.2 crore, hidden inside hollowed bread loaves packed among food items in her backpack. According to a report by The Times of India on Tuesday, the suspect was identified as Olajide Esther Iyanuoluwa, who entered India last year on a student visa but was never enrolled in any educational institution. Investigations…

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US Partially Suspends Visa Issuance to Nigerians, 18 Others From January 2026

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The United States has announced a partial suspension of visa issuance to nationals of Nigeria and 18 other countries, effective January 1, 2026. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria disclosed this on Monday via a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, citing Presidential Proclamation 10998, a security-focused directive aimed at restricting and limiting the entry of certain foreign nationals into the United States. According to the statement, the suspension affects nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas, as well as most immigrant…

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US Halts Green Card, Citizenship Processing for Nigerians

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The United States government has suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications for Nigerian nationals, following an expansion of its immigration and travel restriction policies. The development is part of a broader U.S. move affecting several countries, with Nigeria placed under what officials describe as partial immigration restrictions. The policy does not amount to a total travel ban but significantly limits access to permanent residency and naturalisation pathways. According to reports, the suspension applies to new and pending applications for permanent residence and U.S. citizenship filed by Nigerians.…

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