metro
Baby Among Over 80 Migrants Dead After Boat Drifts for 27 Days Near Canary Islands
Baby Among Over 80 Migrants Dead After Boat Drifts for 27 Days Near Canary Islands
A horrific tragedy has unfolded in the Atlantic Ocean, where more than 80 migrants, including a baby, are feared dead after a boat carrying at least 127 people was rescued off Spain’s Canary Islands following 27 days adrift at sea. Spanish Maritime Rescue teams located the vessel approximately 65 nautical miles (120 kilometers) southwest of Gran Canaria on Wednesday afternoon using a surveillance aircraft. The rescue vessel Guardamar Urania reached the stricken craft around midnight, finding 44 survivors and five bodies on board. The discovery of the vessel, with its grim cargo of death and survival, has once again brought into sharp focus the immense human cost of irregular migration along one of the world’s most dangerous maritime routes.
The survivors, all men from sub-Saharan Africa, were described as disoriented, severely dehydrated, and suffering from the effects of drinking seawater. Many collapsed or vomited upon reaching land, their bodies pushed to the absolute limits of human endurance after nearly four weeks without adequate food or fresh water. Three survivors in critical condition were airlifted by helicopter to Hospital Doctor Negrín and Hospital Insular, while the remaining 41 were transported by sea to the port of Arguineguin on Gran Canaria. Three more survivors were subsequently taken to hospitals, bringing the total number hospitalized to six. The Spanish Red Cross, which is caring for the survivors, reported that they came from Mali or Senegal and that some were underage. According to José Antonio Rodríguez Verona, a Red Cross spokesperson in the Canaries, the survivors reported being stranded at sea for “many, many days,” having run out of provisions and fallen ill from drinking seawater—a desperate measure that often leads to fatal dehydration and organ failure.
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Tragically, due to rough sea conditions—including 20-knot winds and waves reaching 2.5 meters—rescue teams were unable to recover the five bodies found on the boat and were forced to leave them behind. The vessel was left adrift after the rescue operation, its dead passengers still aboard, a haunting reminder of the perils of the Atlantic crossing. The decision to leave the bodies behind was not taken lightly, but the safety of rescue personnel and the precarious state of the vessel made any recovery attempt too dangerous. The dead remain at sea, their final resting place the same unforgiving waters that claimed their lives.
The migrant rights group Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders), founded by human rights activist Helena Maleno Garzón, has reported that at least 83 people died during the voyage, including three women and a baby. The NGO compiles its data based on testimonies from migrants’ families and survivors, often providing the only comprehensive picture of tragedies that unfold far from land and out of official view. Survivors told aid workers that more than 100 people had originally been on board, including women and a baby, but as people died during the journey, their bodies were tossed into the ocean until survivors no longer had the strength to do so. The exact death toll remains difficult to verify independently, but the scale of the tragedy is undeniable, with 83 lives lost out of 127 who embarked on the journey.
The vessel is believed to have departed from The Gambia on August 7, according to Spain’s Civil Guard, which confirmed that markings on the boat’s hull matched a vessel reported missing from the West African nation. The boat is reported to have carried 127 or 128 people when it left, including four women and a baby. The journey from West Africa to the Canary Islands typically takes about a week under favorable conditions, but this vessel spent 27 days at sea, blown far off course by strong currents and poor weather. For nearly a month, the passengers endured starvation, dehydration, exposure to the elements, and the psychological torment of watching fellow travelers die one by one. The fact that 44 people survived at all is a testament to the human will to live, but it also underscores the sheer randomness of survival in such desperate circumstances.
This tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the immense dangers of the Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands, one of the deadliest migration routes in the world. Thousands of migrants attempt the perilous journey each year, often spending weeks at sea in overcrowded, flimsy boats, facing rough seas, strong currents, dehydration, and starvation. The route has claimed thousands of lives in recent years, yet the flow of migrants continues, driven by poverty, conflict, and the hope of a better life in Europe. Despite a 57% drop in arrivals to the islands so far in 2026, with only 5,163 migrants reaching the Canaries from January to August, the human cost remains devastating. In a report released in June, Caminando Fronteras said that a total of 1,317 migrants died while attempting to reach Spain during the first five months of 2026, with 635 losing their lives on the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands. These figures represent not just statistics but individual human beings—fathers, mothers, children, and babies—each with dreams and hopes that were extinguished by the unforgiving sea.
Canary Islands regional leader Fernando Clavijo condemned the loss of life, stating on social media: “It is intolerable that lives continue to be lost. The Canaries cannot get used to or accept as normal the fact that the Atlantic continues to be a death trap”. Clavijo added that the incident highlighted the need for a better state migration policy, saying: “We cannot continue managing migration from crisis to crisis. We are talking about lives and dignity”. His words reflect growing frustration among regional authorities who are often left to deal with the humanitarian consequences of a migration crisis that has no easy solutions. The tragedy has reignited calls for the European Union and Spanish national government to develop more comprehensive and humane migration policies that address the root causes of irregular migration while providing safe and legal pathways for those seeking refuge.
Baby Among Over 80 Migrants Dead After Boat Drifts for 27 Days Near Canary Islands
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metro
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), identified as Kamoru Omokoye, popularly known as Zobo, has been shot dead at Abijo Bus Stop in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
Omokoye was reportedly attacked around 9am on Sunday by two men who arrived at the bus stop in an unregistered Lexus RX 350 before opening fire on him.
A police source who confirmed the incident said the victim was shot in the head during the attack. The assailants reportedly sped away immediately after the shooting.
Omokoye was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Epe, for treatment but was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty.
Following the incident, detectives visited the scene and combed the area as part of efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the Lagos bus stop shooting.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, also confirmed the incident, saying the command had commenced an investigation.
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While the police source described the attackers as suspected cultists, the exact motive for the killing has not been officially established.
An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, reported that Omokoye was sitting at a drinking spot near the bus stop when the attackers arrived and opened fire. The report said other people at the location fled as the gunmen shot at the gathering.
At least three other people were reportedly wounded in the shooting.
Omokoye was said to have previously worked around Awoyaya Bus Stop before moving to GRA Bus Stop. He was also reportedly the father of an eight-month-old child.
The latest incident has heightened concerns about violent attacks around transport corridors and public gathering points in parts of Lagos State, particularly where criminal or cult-related activities have previously been reported.
Police authorities have yet to announce any arrest in connection with the killing.
The investigation is expected to focus on identifying the attackers, establishing their motive and determining whether the killing was linked to a cult-related dispute, a transport-union conflict or another criminal motive.
Residents have also been urged to provide useful information to the police that could assist in identifying those responsible for the killing of the NURTW member.
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
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metro
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board, including military personnel, family members and seven crew members.
The aircraft, an ATR-42, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed into a swampy area opposite the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on Monday morning.
The aircraft was reportedly travelling from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos on a routine military mission when communication with air traffic controllers was lost at about 9:13 a.m.
Efforts to re-establish contact with the aircraft reportedly failed before the aircraft disappeared from radar. Its wreckage was later located in the difficult-to-access swamp near the naval facility.
The victims included Nigerian military personnel and members of their families, with reports indicating that some of the family members were children returning to school. The presence of family members on the flight has added to the grief surrounding the Ondo plane crash.
The crash site, located in a swampy and waterlogged area, posed significant challenges to rescuers and recovery teams. Military personnel, emergency responders and local residents were involved in efforts to reach the wreckage and recover the victims.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed that no survivor had been found at the crash site. Responders reportedly recovered parts of the aircraft, military uniforms and identity cards from the area while efforts continued to retrieve the wreckage.
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The exact cause of the NAF aircraft crash remains unknown.
Early reports raised the possibility of adverse weather conditions, while another account suggested that the aircraft could have suffered a technical or mechanical problem. Neither explanation has been established as the cause of the crash, and officials have urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation.
The loss of communication between the aircraft and air traffic controllers is expected to form a major part of the investigation, alongside the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, weather conditions, flight-control communications and data from the aircraft’s flight recorder.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the NAF plane crash, directing the Nigerian Air Force to establish what led to the tragedy.
Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the incident as a painful loss to the country.
The President also declared three days of national mourning for the Air Force personnel killed in the crash and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country.
The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicated its readiness to provide technical assistance to the military investigation if requested. Because the aircraft was operated by the military, the primary investigation is expected to be handled by the Nigerian Air Force.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, maintenance records and communication with air traffic control to determine what happened during the final stages of the flight.
The Nigerian Air Force is also expected to release the names of the deceased after completing the process of notifying their families.
The Ondo NAF crash is one of the deadliest recent military aviation accidents in Nigeria and has renewed concerns about the safety, maintenance and operational readiness of military aircraft.
For now, attention remains focused on the recovery of the victims, identification of those who died and the investigation that will determine how the aircraft carrying 32 people came down in the Ondo wetlands.
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
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metro
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce the duty roster of personnel deployed to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on January 19, 2022—the day a cocaine consignment central to the Abba Kyari drug trial was intercepted. The ruling marks a significant development in a case that has drawn national attention and raised questions about airport security and inter-agency coordination in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Monday during the continuation of the trial of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and four other suspended officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The defendants are facing charges of alleged tampering with 21.35kg of cocaine and are standing trial on counts of conspiracy and obstruction in the illegal dealing and importation of the substance. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Julius Mba, counsel to Kyari and Inspector Simon Agirgba, told the court that the defence had filed a subpoena duces tecum—a legal order requiring a person or organisation to produce specific documents or evidence. The subpoena directs the NDLEA boss to present certified true copies of the duty roster for personnel deployed to the Enugu airport on the date in question. According to Mba, the document is essential to help the defence establish its case and demonstrate how the cocaine consignment allegedly passed through airport security.
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The court session also addressed the absence of the defence’s second witness, John Nwonke, who was expected to continue his testimony. Nwonke, who had been subpoenaed to appear, was not in court. His lawyers presented a letter dated October 2 stating that he was ill and unable to attend. The development prompted a sharp exchange between the defence and prosecution.
NDLEA counsel Joseph Sunday strongly opposed the adjournment request, urging the court to foreclose Nwonke’s evidence. He argued that the defence had failed to comply with an earlier order directing the witness to appear on Monday. Sunday also questioned the medical letter, noting that it did not disclose the nature of the illness or the hospital where Nwonke was receiving treatment. He told the court the prosecution was “not aware of any subpoena,” adding: “We don’t conduct trial by ambush.”
In his ruling, Justice Nwite declined to foreclose the witness’s evidence immediately. While he observed that Nwonke’s letter was not convincing enough to justify the adjournment, he adjourned the case until October 7, 2026, in the interest of justice. The judge warned that failure of the witness to appear on that date would lead to the foreclosure of his testimony. He also directed counsel to the first to fifth defendants to submit the names of witnesses they intend to call before the next hearing.
The trial had resumed after an indefinite adjournment in May due to Justice Nwite’s shortlisting for elevation to the Court of Appeal. The defence has been calling witnesses in an effort to establish that NDLEA operatives facilitated the passage of convicted drug traffickers through airport security. In a video played in court in March, convicts Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne alleged that their photographs were sent ahead to NDLEA officers at the airport to ensure they were cleared without proper screening. The testimony forms part of the defence’s broader argument that the defendants were not the architects of the alleged obstruction.
Kyari and his co-defendants—Sunday Ubua, Bawa James, Simon Agirgba, and John Nuhu—remain at the centre of one of the most closely watched corruption and drug trafficking trials in Nigeria’s recent history. The case has sparked widespread debate about accountability within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies and the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in combating drug crime.
The case was adjourned to October 7, 2026, for further defence proceedings.
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
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