Africa

Niger coup attempt: Gunfire, explosions rock Niamey as soldiers revolt

Published

2 months ago

August 29, 2026

Niger coup attempt: Gunfire, explosions rock Niamey as soldiers revolt

Niger Republic was plunged into fresh tension on Saturday, August 29, 2026, after a group of soldiers reportedly launched an uprising in the capital, Niamey, attacking strategic military and government locations in what authorities described as a mutiny and sources close to the military government characterised as a failed coup attempt.

Heavy gunfire and explosions were reported around the Diori Hamani International Airport, the adjoining Base 101 military facility and areas close to the Presidential Palace, as security forces moved to contain the uprising.

Niger’s Defence Minister, General Salifou Mody, said the soldiers had broken military discipline, attempted to detain some of their colleagues at Base 101 and opened fire on sensitive locations in the capital.

According to Mody, loyal defence and security forces responded rapidly, preventing the mutiny from spreading and gradually restoring control over the affected areas.

The minister said the authorities had mobilised security personnel to contain the situation and protect key government and military installations.

However, security sources said the confrontation was more serious than an isolated disciplinary incident, with the soldiers reportedly attempting to move against the country’s leadership.

A security source cited in international reports said the mutineers attempted to enter the Presidential Palace, but were repelled by members of the presidential guard loyal to military leader General Abdourahamane Tchiani.

The reported attempt to reach the presidential compound heightened concerns that the incident could develop into a broader challenge to the military government.

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The unrest also affected Niger’s state broadcaster, with television and radio transmissions reportedly interrupted during the early stages of the confrontation.

State broadcasting later resumed, carrying the government’s account that mutinous soldiers had attacked sensitive sites and that loyal security forces had moved to contain them.

Residents in parts of Niamey reported hearing sustained exchanges of gunfire, while security forces were deployed around strategic locations, including the airport, military installations and government facilities.

Authorities subsequently appealed to residents to remain calm and continue with their normal activities, insisting that security forces were in control of the situation.

However, reports indicated that the situation remained fluid, with some of the soldiers allegedly barricaded at Base 101 while security forces worked to fully secure the facility.

The identities of all the soldiers involved, their precise demands and the extent of their support within the armed forces had not been fully established as of Saturday.

There were also no independently verified casualty figures immediately available.

The latest incident is particularly significant because Niger has been under military rule since July 2023, when General Tchiani led the overthrow of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

Tchiani subsequently became the head of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), the military body that has governed the country since the coup.

The new uprising represents a potentially serious internal challenge to the junta, particularly as Niger continues to face attacks from jihadist groups operating across the country’s borders with Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.

Niger’s armed forces have been fighting insurgent groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State in several parts of the country, with military units frequently deployed to remote and conflict-affected areas.

The security situation has been one of the central issues used by the military authorities to justify their continued hold on power.

The latest unrest also comes amid major changes in Niger’s foreign and defence relationships.

Since the 2023 coup, the military government has distanced itself from France and several Western partners while strengthening ties with Russia and deepening security cooperation with neighbouring military-led governments in Mali and Burkina Faso.

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have also formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) after breaking away from the regional Economic Community of West African States.

Despite those changes, persistent jihadist attacks have continued to pose a major challenge to the three Sahel countries.

The strategic importance of the locations targeted during Saturday’s unrest also added to the seriousness of the incident.

Base 101, located near Diori Hamani International Airport, is an important military facility and has previously been targeted by armed groups.

The airport itself has also faced security threats in 2026, highlighting the vulnerability of strategic infrastructure in the capital.

The latest confrontation therefore has implications beyond the immediate political crisis, as any prolonged instability in Niamey could affect the government’s ability to coordinate military operations against insurgent groups across the country.

The Nigerien government has maintained that loyal security forces are restoring order and has urged citizens to reject rumours and remain calm.

Meanwhile, investigations are expected to focus on the soldiers involved, their motives, their possible demands and whether other elements within the armed forces supported the attempted uprising.

While the government has so far characterised the incident as a mutiny and breach of military discipline, reports from sources close to the regime have described it as an attempted coup.

The competing descriptions reflect the political sensitivity of the incident, coming three years after the military itself seized power through a coup.

For now, Nigerien authorities say security forces remain in control of the capital as efforts continue to secure affected military facilities and determine the full circumstances surrounding the uprising.

Niger coup attempt: Gunfire, explosions rock Niamey as soldiers revolt

Africa

Djibouti Boat Disaster: 139 Migrants Dead, Dozens Missing

Published

2 days ago

October 11, 2026

Trends Admin

Djibouti Boat Disaster: 139 Migrants Dead, Dozens Missing

At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, have died after an overcrowded boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti while carrying passengers towards Yemen, in one of the deadliest recent disasters along the migration route to Gulf countries.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, said the vessel was carrying more than 300 people when it overturned near Guhere, north of Obock, during the night of October 8–9, 2026.

Initial reports put the death toll at 109, including 15 children, with more than 116 people missing. Subsequent reporting by Reuters and the Associated Press cited an updated toll of at least 139 dead, with about 84 people still missing. The figures may continue to change as authorities verify recoveries and survivors.

The boat was reportedly carrying around 305 people, according to the IOM’s later account. At least 82 people survived the disaster, although early reports gave a slightly different survivor count.

The 15 children among the initially reported dead comprised nine girls and six boys. The IOM also reported that 52 of the bodies recovered were men and 42 were women.

The vessel capsized shortly after setting out on the perilous journey across the waters separating Djibouti and Yemen. Survivors said the boat was overcrowded, while the IOM described the incident as a devastating reminder of the dangers confronting people attempting the crossing.

The agency’s Chief of Mission in Djibouti, Alexandre Coissac, said its teams were working with local authorities to provide emergency assistance to survivors and affected families.

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Djiboutian authorities continued search-and-rescue operations as concerns mounted over the fate of those still missing. Local authorities were also providing medical care and arranging burials for recovered bodies.

The IOM said survivors were receiving assistance at its migrant response centre in Obock, including healthcare, food and psychosocial support.

The tragedy highlights the risks faced by migrants travelling along the Eastern Route, which connects the Horn of Africa to Yemen and, for many, onward destinations in the Gulf region.

Many people undertaking the journey are from Ethiopia and Somalia. They seek employment and better living conditions, while others are fleeing insecurity, conflict, drought and other hardships.

Despite the dangers, migrants continue to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the hope of reaching wealthier Gulf countries. The journey exposes them to shipwrecks, trafficking, exploitation and other serious threats.

The risks have been compounded by instability in Yemen, where fighting continues between the internationally recognised government and Houthi forces, alongside wider regional tensions. Meanwhile, renewed conflict and difficult living conditions in parts of Ethiopia have added to the pressures driving people to leave.

According to the IOM, more than 900 migrants died or went missing along the Eastern Route in 2025, as the number of people attempting the journey increased.

The UN agency has called for greater support for Djibouti’s response, including search-and-rescue operations and emergency assistance for migrants.

The latest shipwreck has renewed calls for safer and legal migration pathways, as humanitarian agencies warn that people will continue to risk dangerous sea crossings while seeking security and economic opportunities.

As recovery operations continue, the final death toll may rise further as authorities verify missing-person reports and establish the number of people who were aboard the vessel.

Djibouti Boat Disaster: 139 Migrants Dead, Dozens Missing

Africa

FBI Raids Ghana Scam Centre, Detains Over 130 in $10m Fraud Probe

Published

5 days ago

October 8, 2026

Trends Admin

FBI Raids Ghana Scam Centre, Detains Over 130 in $10m Fraud Probe

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has raided a suspected scam centre in Ghana, detaining more than 130 people and uncovering nearly $10 million in identified losses linked to an international fraud operation targeting Americans.

The operation, carried out under the FBI’s Operation Blackout, also led to the seizure of more than 300 electronic devices, while investigators identified 89 victims, FBI Director Kash Patel said.

Patel announced the operation on Thursday, saying the Ghana raid was part of the FBI’s wider campaign against transnational scam networks operating through so-called scam compounds.

However, the FBI has not classified everyone detained as a suspected fraudster.

Patel specifically said the more than 130 people arrested or detained included victims who are expected to be repatriated to their home countries, suggesting that some people found at the facility may have been trafficked into the operation rather than involved in running the scams.

The FBI has not disclosed the exact location of the Ghana operation, the identities or nationalities of those detained, or the Ghanaian agencies that participated in the raid.

It also remains unclear how many of those detained will face criminal charges in Ghana or possible prosecution or extradition proceedings in the United States.

Patel said the investigation was continuing, warning that scam compounds are increasingly being used to target American citizens and inflict substantial financial losses.

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The Ghana operation is the latest action under Operation Blackout, which the FBI says is targeting organised fraud networks around the world.

According to Patel, the broader operation has so far resulted in roughly $17 billion in assets seized, hundreds of alleged scammers arrested and thousands of trafficked workers freed.

More than 10,000 Americans have also reportedly been warned before losing money, with the FBI estimating that about $670 million in losses were prevented.

The Ghana raid comes amid growing concern over the international expansion of online fraud and scam compounds, with law-enforcement agencies increasingly reporting links between cyber-enabled fraud and human trafficking.

In such operations, workers can be recruited through false employment offers and allegedly transported or coerced into participating in online fraud against victims in other countries.

Ghana has previously cooperated with U.S. authorities in investigations involving transnational fraud.

In July 2026, Ghanaian national Frederick Kumi, also known as Abu Trica, was extradited to the United States after being arrested in Ghana in December 2025. U.S. prosecutors accused him of participating in a romance-fraud network that allegedly targeted more than 80 elderly Americans and caused losses exceeding $8 million.

The extradition involved cooperation between Ghanaian authorities and several U.S. and Ghanaian law-enforcement bodies, including the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Accra.

The latest FBI operation also comes as international enforcement agencies increase pressure on scam networks operating outside traditional fraud hotspots in Southeast Asia.

The FBI has not released further details about the Ghana raid, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The bureau is expected to provide additional information as investigators establish the roles of those detained and determine which individuals, if any, will face prosecution.

Those accused of criminal offences are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

FBI Raids Ghana Scam Centre, Detains Over 130 in $10m Fraud Probe

Africa

Zimbabwe Tycoon Wicknell Chivayo, Wife Among Six Killed in Helicopter Crash

Published

2 weeks ago

October 1, 2026

Trends Admin

Zimbabwe Tycoon Wicknell Chivayo, Wife Among Six Killed in Helicopter Crash

Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, have been killed in a helicopter crash that claimed six lives in Marondera Rural, east of the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.

The crash occurred at about 5pm local time on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, with the helicopter carrying six people, including Chivayo, his wife and two pilots.

Family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo confirmed the deaths, while Zimbabwean authorities said there were no survivors.

The aircraft came down in the Marondera area, about 72 kilometres east of Harare, before catching fire. Emergency responders and investigators were deployed to the scene after the crash.

Zimbabwean aviation authorities said preliminary information indicated that fuel spilled after the impact before a fire broke out. However, officials stressed that the information did not establish what caused the helicopter to crash.

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The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with aviation officials and other investigators examining the wreckage and circumstances surrounding the incident.

Police said the bodies were badly burned in the post-crash fire, making formal identification necessary. Forensic specialists were subsequently involved in the identification and investigation process.

Chivayo, 43, was one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent and publicly visible businessmen. He was known for his high-profile lifestyle, philanthropy and extensive social-media presence, where he frequently displayed luxury cars, properties and other expensive possessions.

He also maintained close links with senior political figures in Zimbabwe, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

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His business activities and political connections had previously attracted public scrutiny, including allegations relating to government contracts and political financing. Chivayo denied wrongdoing in connection with such allegations.

News of his death triggered reactions across the region, with political and business figures expressing condolences to his family.

Kenyan President William Ruto was among those who mourned Chivayo, describing the Zimbabwean businessman as a friend.

The crash has generated significant attention in Zimbabwe because of Chivayo’s prominence and his public profile, but authorities have not attributed the accident to any specific mechanical, weather or human factor.

Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, flight circumstances, weather conditions, pilot actions and other available evidence as they work to determine what caused the fatal helicopter crash.

Authorities have not announced a final finding on the cause of the accident.