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Jubaland Leader Warns Somali President Against Power Grab Amid 2026 Election Dispute KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubaland state President Ahmed Madobe on Thursday warned Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud against consolidating power, accusing the federal leader of advancing policies he once opposed and underscoring growing rifts ahead of Somalia’s 2026 elections. Speaking at the Somali Future Council conference in Kismayo, Madobe cast the gathering as a forum to confront political tensions and said Somalia’s governance must rest…

Jubbaland’s Ahmed Madobe warns Somalia’s president against centralizing power at Kismayo forum KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubbaland State President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Ahmed Madobe, used the opening days of the Somali Future Council conference in Kismayo to warn President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud against consolidating power in ways he once opposed, sharpening a national debate over governance and inclusion. Speaking Thursday at the gathering, which he said was convened to address Somalia’s broader political challenges,…

Puntland State leader warns Somalia could fracture amid political deadlock, urges dialogue with Mogadishu KISMAYO, Somalia — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni warned Thursday that Somalia risks breaking apart if political leaders fail to listen to one another and pursue consensus, as tensions mount over governance and the path to national elections. Speaking at a conference in the southern port city of Kismayo, Deni said division would be inevitable if dialogue, mutual respect and coexistence continue to erode.…

In a significant shakeup within Nigeria's petroleum regulatory landscape, President Bola Tinubu has replaced the heads of two pivotal agencies following the resignation of their chief executives. The changes affect the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), marking a notable turn in the country’s oil and gas governance. The resignations of Farouk Ahmed, head of NMDPRA, and Gbenga Komolafe, head of NUPRC, come in the wake…

DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti (AX) — Ali Aref Bourhan, the dominant political figure who led Djibouti during the final decade of French colonial rule and helped steer its fraught path to independence, died Monday after a long illness. He was 91. President Ismail Omar Guelleh announced the death and offered condolences to Bourhan’s family, praising his decades of public service. “Ali Aref Bourhan will remain forever in the hearts of our citizens as a tireless public servant, guided by a strong sense of duty and commitment to…

Coup Attempt in Benin Foiled as Leader Flees A dramatic coup attempt in Benin collapsed over the weekend, leading to the escape of its orchestrator, Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri. Officials have confirmed that Tigri fled the country following the intervention of Nigerian military forces that came to support President Patrice Talon’s government during the crisis. On Sunday, a group of soldiers identifying themselves as the "Military Committee for Refoundation" (CMR) took to state television to announce a government…

Mogadishu — Somali and U.S. forces are intensifying a joint campaign in northeastern Somalia to capture Abdulqadir Mumin, whom U.S. officials say now leads the Islamic State group, as his estranged wife in Britain says he abandoned the family more than a decade ago and has not contacted them since. Security officials say Mumin is believed to be hiding in the Cal Miskaad mountains in Puntland State, where Islamic State fighters have fortified camps and used remote valleys to evade detection. U.S. Africa Command has said the…

Opposition Leader Anicet Ekane Dies in Custody, Escalating Tensions in Cameroon Anicet Ekane, the prominent opposition leader and head of the Manidem party, has died at the age of 74 after being held for several weeks at a military garrison in Yaoundé. His family and legal representatives claim he was denied essential medical care during his detention, where he struggled to breathe while facing serious charges, including hostility against the state, incitement to revolt, and calls for insurrection. Ekane's arrest on…

KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubaland President Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe pressed the United States to increase investment in Somalia’s federal member states during talks in Kismayo with a U.S. delegation led by Ambassador Richard H. Riley, as the region seeks to consolidate security gains against al-Shabab. In the engagement with the ambassador and senior diplomats, Madobe outlined a slate of priorities centered on security, governance and economic development, highlighting what his administration described as steady progress in…

KISMAAYO, Somalia — Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Ahmed Madobe, hosted U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Richard H. Riley in Kismayo on Friday for talks centered on security coordination and U.S.-supported development projects, according to regional officials. The working visit brought together senior members of the Jubaland administration, including the Interior Minister and the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation. Participants discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and align…