Legal and Judicial Affairs

Foiled Coup Attempt in Nigeria: A Deep Dive into Events of September 2025 A reported attempt to overthrow the Nigerian government, foiled in September 2025, has raised alarms about the stability of the country's leadership. This sinister plot allegedly included plans to assassinate senior government officials, potentially targeting President Bola Tinubu himself. The Premium Times has disclosed details surrounding this chilling event, which has unmasked deeper layers of political unrest within Nigeria. The Unraveling of…

Drone and Artillery Attack at Niamey Airport Raises Security Concerns Heavy security has been deployed around the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey following a suspected militia attack on Thursday. The incident, characterized by the use of drones and heavy artillery, has heightened tensions in a region already fraught with instability. Located approximately 10 kilometers from the presidential palace, the airport serves as a critical air force base and as the headquarters for the joint military force comprising…

At least five illegal miners were killed when an artisanal mine collapsed during heavy rains in Guruè district, Zambézia province, Mozambican authorities said Tuesday, underscoring growing safety and security concerns around unregulated mining across the country. District administrator Felisberto Ponta Vida said the landslide occurred amid torrential rainfall that swept through the area. Local officials have not released the identities of the deceased or provided details on whether more people were missing. The collapse in…

Prominent rights activist Sarah Bireete, detained on December 30 after questioning the accuracy of the voter register ahead of Uganda's January 15 general election, has been granted bail. Bireete, who leads the Centre for Constitutional Governance, faced charges for the alleged unlawful disclosure of voters' information. Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko approved Bireete's release after she met the necessary bail conditions. Her detention sparked widespread condemnation from both local and international human rights…

Former Nigerian Minister Accused of High-Stakes Bribery Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke is currently on trial in London, facing serious allegations of accepting bribes in the form of luxury goods, high-end properties, and the use of a private jet from individuals vying for lucrative oil and gas contracts. Alison-Madueke is confronting five bribery charges alongside one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, all of which she vehemently denies. During the proceedings at Southwark Crown Court,…

Rwanda Files Legal Action Against the UK Over Abandoned Asylum Deal The ongoing saga of the now-defunct migrant deal between Rwanda and the United Kingdom has escalated, as the Rwandan government has launched a legal case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The action stems from claims that the UK has failed to fulfill financial commitments under the controversial agreement, which was originally designed to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda. Under the terms of the deal signed by the former Conservative…

The Netherlands has sentenced an Eritrean national, Amanuel Walid, to 20 years in prison after finding him guilty of leading a transnational migrant-smuggling network that operated through Libya, Dutch prosecutors said Friday. Walid was convicted on a string of charges that included human smuggling, extortion, violence and money laundering. Prosecutors said members of the network detained migrants in Libya, subjected many to severe abuse in detention camps, and forced relatives in the Netherlands to pay ransoms — a pattern…

Nigerian Military Officers to Stand Trial for Alleged Coup Plot A group of Nigerian military officers is set to face a military court following accusations of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu's government in 2025. Sixteen officers were arrested in October 2025, sparking what has been described as "acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations." Authorities later confirmed that several of these officers would indeed be tried, despite initial denials of a coup attempt. Among those arrested, fourteen…

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance leader Walter Magaya appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to face four counts of rape, and the matter was remanded to Feb. 16, 2026, for a trial scheduled to run through Feb. 19, 2026. The State alleges that in June 2020 Magaya offered a 24-year-old woman a voluntary position at the PHD call centre and later invited her to what she believed was a Bible study session. According to the prosecution, the woman was lured to a church-owned hotel and raped in July 2020. The…

Nelson Chamisa, the former leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change, has announced his return to frontline politics in Zimbabwe, issuing a sweeping indictment of the country’s governance and calling for a “fresh start” to address what he described as a worsening political, economic and social crisis. In a lengthy statement released Friday, Chamisa accused the current administration of presiding over a legitimacy crisis marked by disputed elections, rigged polls, corruption, state capture and political intolerance. He…