Stop Inviting African Dictators, Falana Tells NBA Over George Weah Invitation

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has strongly criticised the Nigerian Bar Association for inviting former Liberian President George Weah to address its annual conference, accusing Weah’s administration of undermining judicial independence and disregarding ECOWAS Court judgments during his tenure from 2018 to 2024. Falana made the remarks in a video posted on the NBA’s YouTube channel on Monday, a day after Weah delivered the keynote address at the conference held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday. The senior lawyer urged the NBA leadership to stop inviting what he described as “dictators in Africa” to address Nigerian lawyers, stating, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m delighted to be here. But let me say this, because you know I have to be frank with the audience. And this goes for the leadership of the Bar. I want to appeal that the Bar Association must stop—stop inviting dictators in Africa to come and address us.”

Falana alleged that under Weah’s presidency from 2018 to 2024, Liberia’s judiciary was effectively “captured,” forcing citizens to seek justice beyond the country’s borders at the ECOWAS Court. He stated, “Mr. Weah, George Weah, who was here yesterday and was talking about the judiciary: in his country, his regime captured the judiciary to the extent that they had to contact some of us outside the country to get legal redress in the ECOWAS Court.” The senior lawyer cited a case involving the Mandingo people of Liberia, whose landed properties were allegedly seized during the country’s civil war. According to him, the ECOWAS Court ruled in their favour, but Weah allegedly refused to enforce the judgment. “The ECOWAS Court gave them judgment. George Weah refused to comply with the judgment. The new government of Boakai has just set up a committee for the enforcement of that judgment,” he said.

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Falana also referenced the case of a former associate justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia who, according to him, was removed from office without proper justification. He said the matter was taken to the ECOWAS Court, which nullified the dismissal, awarded the judge $200,000, and ordered his reinstatement—but alleged that Weah again refused to comply. “Again, we went to the ECOWAS Court. The ECOWAS Court set aside his dismissal and awarded him $200,000. He was ordered to be reinstated. Mr. George Weah refused to comply with the judgment.” Against this background, Falana questioned Weah’s suitability to address Nigerian lawyers on democracy, judicial independence, and the rule of law. “Now, that is the man coming here to talk to us about the rule of law and democracy,” he remarked.

Falana further alleged that drug trafficking flourished during Weah’s administration, claiming that drug barons became influential during his tenure. He noted that on August 19, Weah’s former Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor, was arrested and is currently standing trial over an alleged $370 million drug trafficking case. This allegation comes amid a major drug scandal in Liberia, where in June and July 2026, authorities intercepted two massive cocaine shipments—237.6 kilograms at Roberts International Airport and 3,971 kilograms in Duazon, Margibi County—with a combined estimated street value of approximately US$336 million. The seizures have intensified concerns that transnational drug trafficking organisations are using Liberia as a transit point for cocaine destined for Europe. In response to the scandal, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai ordered the dismissal, suspension, and prosecution of several government officials and security personnel allegedly linked to the investigation, including officials from Roberts International Airport, the Liberia National Police, the National Security Agency, and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency.

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Falana also criticised Weah over an incident involving his son, Timothée Weah, who represented the United States at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He alleged that Weah spent nine days in Qatar supporting his son during the tournament while using Liberian government resources. “So when you now have such a character… You know, during the last World Cup in Qatar, his son, Timothee, was playing for the United States of America, not for Liberia. This man left his country for nine days, took the money of that country to go and cheer his son in Qatar. So please, next time you want to invite African leaders, there are some of them that require inviting,” Falana said. He suggested more worthy African leaders for the NBA to invite, citing the president, vice president, and speaker of Namibia—all of whom are women—as well as the late former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Falana’s criticism came shortly after Weah used his keynote address to call for stronger institutions and an independent judiciary. The former Liberian president urged lawyers and judges to remain impartial and uphold justice without fear or favour. Weah argued that democracy could not survive on “strong men” but required institutions capable of protecting democratic values. He warned against governments that present themselves as democratic while engaging in corruption or working with judges to weaken the rule of law. “Democracy does not survive on the strength of elections alone. Elections are merely the doorway into democracy, not the house itself. What keeps democracy standing are institutions, and among the most important of these are an independent judiciary and a principled Bar,” Weah said. He also recalled his decision to concede defeat in Liberia’s 2023 presidential election before the final results were completed, saying the interest of the country and the will of the people must always prevail over personal ambition, adding, “A tyrant with a certificate of return is still a tyrant.”

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who declared the conference open, similarly called for a courageous and independent judiciary, saying judges must uphold the truth irrespective of status or social affiliations. The 66th NBA Annual General Conference, held in Port Harcourt, was themed “Beyond Limits.”

Stop Inviting African Dictators, Falana Tells NBA Over George Weah Invitation

INTERPOL Operation Jackal IV: 58 Arrested in Global Crackdown on West African Crime Networks

30 Dead, Scores Abducted in Coordinated Mosque Attacks in Niger State 

A wave of coordinated terrorist attacks on four mosques in Niger State has left at least 30 people dead and more than 60 others abducted, in one of the deadliest assaults on religious worshippers in the region this year. The attacks, which took place on Friday, 21 August 2026, targeted communities in Borgu Local Government Area during the weekly Juma’at prayers, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes and sparking a major security response.

The simultaneous strikes occurred in the communities of Dekara, Kpenya, Sabon-Gida, and Gidan-Zana, also known locally as Gbezhin. Armed assailants surrounded the mosques as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers, rounding up men, young boys, and elderly villagers before marching them into nearby forests. According to local officials, many of the victims were killed while being forced through the dense bush, their bodies recovered by community members and buried over the weekend.

Confirming the death toll, the Chairman of Borgu Local Government Area, Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, told Daily Trust on Monday that nearly half of those abducted had been killed by their captors. “From the records I have, those kidnapped were a little above 60. Those that were killed were close to 30,” he said. He also confirmed that properties, including the residence of the District Head of Dekara, Abubakar Umar, were set on fire during the attacks. The chairman added that the military had moved into the area and that calm had been restored, though he acknowledged that many residents had already fled to safer locations.

However, there are significant discrepancies in the number of people taken captive. While official figures put the number of abducted worshippers at just over 60, residents have told reporters that more than 60 people were taken from the Dekara central mosque alone, and at least 100 people from Gbezhin remained unaccounted for as of Sunday. A terrorist group has reportedly released a video claiming to hold about 500 hostages, including women and children, and urging relatives to identify their loved ones among those being held. Among those believed to be in captivity are the 90‑year‑old village head of Ka’ada, who had only recently been freed from a previous kidnapping, and the chief imam of the mosque.

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In the aftermath of the attacks, fear has gripped the affected communities. Dozens of families have fled to the nearby town of New Bussa and some have crossed the border into the neighbouring Republic of Benin, following threats from the attackers that anyone remaining in the villages would be killed. A resident told Daily Trust that only a handful of people are still in Dekara, with most having abandoned their homes and livelihoods.

Security forces have launched a joint operation to track down the attackers and rescue those still in captivity. The police have confirmed that a coordinated effort involving the military and other security agencies is underway. However, rescue and security operations are facing serious obstacles. The rugged terrain and poor road networks in the area are hindering the movement of personnel, and residents have warned that improvised explosive devices have been planted along routes that security operatives would normally use. This comes just over a month after an army captain and two soldiers were killed by an IED explosion in the same local government area in July 2026.

Some residents have called on security agencies to adopt the same approach used in the recent rescue of more than 40 students and teachers in Oriire, who were freed after 56 days in captivity following a month‑long intelligence‑driven operation. That operation, according to Army spokesman Jonah Danjuma of the 2 Division in Ibadan, focused on identifying the masterminds behind the abduction and dismantling their network and hideouts within the Old Oyo National Park. Several arrests were reportedly made in Oyo State and other parts of the country, disrupting the group’s activities.

The attacks in Borgu are not an isolated incident. Residents have told reporters that seven out of the ten wards in the local government area are currently affected by insecurity, with hundreds of people, mostly farmers, displaced and dozens killed. The affected wards include Babanna, Kabe/Pissa, Konkoso, Shagunu, Dugga, Wawa and Malale. Since December 2025, more than a dozen villages in Anindita District and Babanna Area Development Council have been attacked and destroyed by terrorists, forcing entire communities to flee. One resident asked: “Contrary to the claim that normalcy has returned, our people cannot go to farms in Anindita, Babanna and Gada‑Oli axes. Schools are shut. Over 300,000 people are displaced. If normalcy exists, why are villages still empty and why is humanitarian aid yet to reach most IDPs?” The communities have called for military operations to clear terrorist enclaves within the Babanna Area Development Council, which they say are being used as staging grounds for attacks, as well as support for local vigilantes and humanitarian assistance for displaced farmers.

This latest violence follows a series of attacks in the region over the past year. In November 2025, terrorists kidnapped an unspecified number of travellers along the Wawa‑Lumma Road, intercepting two passenger vehicles and abducting all their occupants. In December 2025, a security outpost at Ibrahim Leteh village was destroyed and patrol vehicles vandalised. In January 2026, a police border patrol outpost at New Kalli village was attacked and burnt, just two days after dozens of traders and farmers were reportedly killed at Kasuwan Daji. More recently, on 18 June 2026, at least ten farmers, including traditional rulers, were killed in an attack on the Old Gangale community.

The international community has also responded. Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to urgently secure the release of the abducted worshippers, warning of the growing threat posed by mass abductions across the country’s north. The organisation described the incident as particularly alarming because the victims were targeted while observing Friday prayers, and called on the government to address the broader wave of mass abductions targeting rural communities. Amnesty noted that at least 1,100 people were abducted between January and April 2026, and that available figures may significantly underestimate the actual scale of the problem. Victims of previous mass abductions, the organisation warned, had reported severe abuses including torture, starvation, sexual violence and amputation.

The Kpenya attack occurred barely a week after gunmen killed at least 32 people during Friday prayers at a mosque in the Ungushi community in Sokoto State, including the mosque’s imam. These incidents add to a worrying pattern of violence around the Borgu‑Kainji corridor, an area where authorities and security analysts have long raised concerns about armed groups operating around Kainji Lake National Park.

30 Dead, Scores Abducted in Coordinated Mosque Attacks in Niger State