Brazil Supreme Court rejects former president Bolsonaro, Trump ally, request for house arrest

CC™ PersPective

Global News Desk

Brazil’s Supreme Court has rejected former president Jair Bolsonaro’s request to convert his prison sentence for plotting a coup to house arrest, according to a ruling published Thursday.

Bolsonaro’s lawyers submitted the request Wednesday, citing a “real risk of a sudden worsening” in health for the far-right ex-leader as the reason to serve his 27-year sentence at home.

Bolsonaro, 70, has been hospitalized for more than a week after undergoing surgery for a groin hernia and then a procedure to treat recurring bouts of hiccups.

“Contrary to what the defense alleges, there has been no worsening of Jair Messias Bolsonaro’s health condition,” judge Alexandre de Moraes stated in his decision.

In office from 2019 to 2022, the ex-president has for years been dealing with complications from an abdominal stab wound he suffered during a 2018 campaign rally, requiring several major surgeries.

Bolsonaro is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday, according to his doctors.

He will then have to return to the small room where he is serving his sentence at a federal police facility in Brasilia.

In September, Brazil’s Supreme Court found Bolsonaro guilty of conspiring to stay in power after narrowly losing 2022 elections to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Prosecutors said the plot, which included a plan to assassinate Lula, failed because of a lack of support from military top brass.

Bolsonaro, an ally of US President Donald Trump, dismissed the trial as a “witch hunt” aimed at preventing him from running for president again in 2026.

He has been under house arrest until shortly before the start of his prison term in November.

He was detained and sent to prison after he took a soldering iron to his ankle monitoring bracelet in what the court saw as an escape attempt.

Bolsonaro said his actions were the result of medication-induced paranoia.

The Supreme Court last month rejected his appeal against his conviction.

His supporters have had more success in the conservative-controlled Congress, which has passed a law that could reduce Bolsonaro’s sentence to just over two years.

Lula has vowed to veto the law. However, Congress has the last word and can override him.

Bolsonaro’s conviction has thrown open the race for president in October 2026 elections.

With his comeback chances looking increasingly shaky the right-winger has tapped his son Flavio Bolsonaro, a 44-year-old senator, to succeed him at the head of Brazil’s conservatives.

To win election, the younger Bolsonaro may have to beat fellow conservative contenders as well as 80-year-old Lula, who has signaled he may seek a fourth term.

Perils of a Narco-State as Mexico arrests alleged drug cartel leader wanted by US

CC™ PersPective

Global News Desk

An alleged leader of the notorious Sinaloa cartel wanted by the United States has been arrested in Mexico on drug and terrorism charges, Mexican government sources said Wednesday.

Pedro Inzunza Noriega was accused by the United States in May of trafficking large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and heroin into the country as the second-in-command of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a faction of the cartel now believed to be defunct.

He was taken into custody in Mexico’s northwestern Sinaloa state, the sources said.

The US indictment marked the first time an alleged leader of the cartel was charged with “narco-terrorism and material support of terrorism,” according to the Justice Department.

“The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said at the time.

“Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over; we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.”

Since returning to the White House last year, US President Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on drug trafficking.

His administration has conducted strikes on alleged drug boats in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, killing more than 100 people.

Trump has demanded that Mexico increase its efforts to combat drug trafficking, threatening tariffs on Mexican exports if more is not done.

Noriega’s son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, who was charged alongside his father, was killed by Mexican military personnel during an anti-drug operation in November.

Master of Self-aggrandizement - Peter Obi extolls his own ‘leadership’ values with incendiary narrative

CC™ PersPective

Global Political Desk

“I once washed British Airways in-flight toilet – Peter Obi reveals”

The former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has cited an experience from his time as a serving governor to underline what he described as his problem-solving and leadership qualities.

Obi made the disclosure earlier this week during a Space chat on with his supporters, known as the so-called Obidients.

Recounting the incident, Obi said the episode occurred during a flight on British Airways several years ago.

“We were coming back on British Airways years back; I was a serving governor. The entire toilet was messed up. She opened that toilet to use it; it was messed up and she walked away,” he said.

According to him, rather than ignore the situation, he decided to clean the toilet himself after the previous user walked away.

‘I Cleaned It Because I Might Use It Again’

Obi said his action surprised a member of staff who later discovered the toilet had been cleaned.

“I went in there, and she came back. The entire place was cleaned. She didn’t even tell me, but she told a minister and somebody else where she works in the office,” he said.

Quoting the woman, Obi added, “She said, ‘I can’t believe this’.”

He explained that his reason for cleaning the toilet was simple and practical.

“The people called me; I said I cleaned it because maybe I would be the next person that would go back there to use it,” Obi stated.

The former Anambra governor used the story to urge Nigerians to take responsibility when they encounter things that are wrong, instead of looking the other way.

“When you see things that are wrong, clean them. I don’t have house help in my house; everybody knows that. Let us stop all this fake life,” he said.

However, British Airways had yet to react to Obi’s claim as of the time of filing this report.

Former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua survives deadly auto accident while traveling in Nigeria

Joshua in wrecked vehicle

CC™ PersPective

By Eghosa Ogbeifun

Two-time World Heavyweight Champion and boxing icon, Anthony Joshua was involved in a ghastly auto accident in Nigeria that nearly took his life. 

Reports indicate that an SUV transporting Joshua collided with a stationary truck. However, the exact circumstances of the crash are still under investigation, with officials working to determine what led to the incident.

The 36-year-old former heavy weight champion being rescued from the wrecked vehicle, appearing to have suffered injuries.

Authorities in the South-Western state have yet to issue a statement on the matter and details of the injuries to the boxer and the identity of the persons who died are unclear as of now. 

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the incident in an official statement signed by Assistant Corps Marshal and Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide.

According to the FRSC, the crash involved a Lexus SUV carrying Anthony Joshua and a stationary truck.

“The incident involved two vehicles: a black Lexus Jeep with registration number KRD 850 HN (private) and a stationary red commercial Sinotruck with unknown registration number. A total of five adult males were involved in the crash.

“Two persons sadly lost their lives, one sustained injuries, while two others escaped unhurt. Anthony Joshua was rescued alive and sustained minor injuries.

“The injured victim was evacuated for medical attention, while the remains of the deceased were conveyed to Livewell Morgue, Ajaka, Sagamu,” the statement said.

It noted that the Nigeria Police Motor Traffic Division (MTD) was duly notified for further investigation and necessary documentation.

According to the FRSC, preliminary findings indicate that the Lexus Jeep, which was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck well packed by the side of the road.

“The primary causes of the crash being excessive speed and wrongful overtaking constitute serious traffic violations and remain among the leading causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways,” FRSC said.

The Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured victim, Anthony Joshua a speedy recovery.

FRSC reiterated its warning to motorists to avoid dangerous overtaking, excessive speed, and disregard for traffic regulations, particularly on high-speed corridors such as the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

It urged motorists to exercise patience, maintain lane discipline, and prioritize safety over haste, especially during the festive travel period.

Video Credits - TV360 NIGERIA

Divide and Conquer - Second scramble for Africa as Israel recognizes Somaliland as sovereign nation

CC™ PersPective

By Foreign News Desk

Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland is a “threat” to security and stability in the Horn of Africa and encourages secessionist groups, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Sunday.

Israel announced on Friday it was officially recognizing Somaliland, a first for the self-proclaimed republic that in 1991 declared it had unilaterally separated from Somalia.

Addressing an emergency parliamentary session, Mohamud said the move was “tantamount to a blunt aggression against the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and the unity of the people of the Somali Republic”.

He added that “the violations of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) and his attempts to divide the Federal Republic of Somalia is (a) threat to the security and stability of the world and the region, and encourage the hardline groups and secessionist movements, which exist or can exist in many regions of the world”.

Somaliland, which has for decades pushed for international recognition, enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own money, passport and army.

But it has been diplomatically isolated since its unilateral declaration of independence, even if it has generally experienced greater stability than Somalia, where Al-Shabaab Islamic militants periodically mount attacks in the capital Mogadishu.

Somalia’s government and the African Union reacted angrily after Israel’s announcement.

Mogadishu denounced a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty, while Egypt, Turkey, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union all condemned the decision.

The European Union also insisted that Somalia’s sovereignty be respected, with foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni calling for “meaningful dialogue between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia to resolve long standing differences”.

Regional analysts believe that a rapprochement with Somaliland would provide Israel with better access to the Red Sea, enabling it to hit Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Israel repeatedly hit targets in Yemen after the Gaza war broke out in October 2023, in response to Houthi attacks on Israel that the rebels said were in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The Iran-backed Houthis have halted their attacks since a fragile truce began in Gaza in October.

In addition, press reports a few months ago said Somaliland was among a handful of African territories willing to host Palestinians expelled by Israel.

Neither the Somaliland authorities nor the Israeli government has commented on those reports.

“Somalia will never accept the people of Palestine to be forcibly evicted from their rightful land to a faraway place, let it be Somalia or elsewhere,” Mohamud told parliament.

He also warned Netanyahu “against the transfer of its wars in the Middle East to Somalia. Somalia will not allow military bases that are used to attack other countries; it is ready to take part in the stabilisation of the region and the world in general.”

US, Nigeria differ in details over airstrikes on terrorists

CC™ PersPective

Foreign Affairs Staff

Following surprise US strikes targeting militants in Nigeria, it remains unclear who or what was actually hit as Washington and Abuja tell slightly different stories.

Complicating matters is the fact that the strikes were delayed by American President Donald Trump, apparently to prioritise the symbolism of launching the attack on Christmas — and allegations that Washington backed out of issuing a joint statement with the Nigerians.

The two countries agree that the strikes hit targets linked to Islamic State, but neither one has provided details on which of Nigeria’s myriad armed groups were targeted.

“Twenty-four hours after the bombing, neither Nigeria nor its so-called ‘international partners’ can provide clear, verifiable information about what was actually struck,” activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore said Saturday.

Nigeria is battling multiple jihadist organisations, including several linked to Islamic State. Neighbouring countries are also fighting IS-linked groups, and there are worries those conflicts are spilling into the country.

Mohammed Idris, the country’s information minister, said late Friday that the strikes “targeted ISIS elements attempting to penetrate Nigeria from the Sahel corridor.”

In an interview with Sky News, Daniel Bwala, adviser to President Bola Tinubu, named Islamic State, a murky armed group named Lakurawa, or “bandits” — non-ideological armed gangs that dominate northwestern Nigeria — as potential targets of the strikes.

But analysts and the opposition People’s Democratic Party slammed the government for allowing “foreign powers” to “break the news of security operations in our country before our government does”.

Taking to social media the night of the strike, Trump was the first to take credit for the overnight Thursday into Friday strikes in northwestern Sokoto state — sparking worries from Nigerians that their sovereignty had been violated.

Trump also told US outlet Politico that the strikes had been scheduled earlier than Thursday, “And I said, ‘nope, let’s give a Christmas present’.”

The following morning, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar insisted it was a joint operation, with Tinubu ultimately giving the go-ahead and Nigeria supplying intelligence for the strikes.

He later told broadcaster Arise News that, while he was on the phone ahead of the strikes with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the two had agreed on issuing a joint statement, but Washington rushed out its own.

Late Friday, almost 24 hours after the strikes, it was Nigeria that finally provided clarity around what the targets were: “two major Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves” in Sokoto state’s Tangaza district, according to Idris.

Other villages were hit by what the information minister said were debris from the strikes.

Images from an AFP photographer in Offa, in neighbouring Kwara state, showed crumbled buildings, destroyed by the debris, with roofs caved in and belongings scattered among the wreckage.

Explosions in Sokoto state’s Jabo town, also apparently from the debris, shook the community and “surprised us because this area has never been” a stronghold for armed groups, local resident Haruna Kallah told AFP. No civilian casualties were reported.

The munitions used were unclear. The US military released a video showing a navy ship launching what appeared to be missiles.

Idris said “the strikes were launched from maritime platforms domiciled in the Gulf of Guinea”. He also said “a total of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper” drones.

The choice to strike the northwest has also sowed confusion among analysts, as Nigeria’s jihadists are mainly concentrated in the northeast.

Some researchers have recently linked some members of the armed group known as Lakurawa — the main jihadist group located in Sokoto State — to Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), but other analysts have disputed those links.

The strikes also come after a diplomatic spat between Washington and Abuja sparked by Trump saying the violence in the country amounted to “persecution” against Christians — a framing long used by the US religious right.

The Nigerian government and independent analysts reject the accusations.

The framing of Nigeria’s violence in religious terms, the lack of clarity around the targets and the fact that the strikes were delayed til Christmas all add to concerns from critics that the attack was bigger on symbolism than substance.

Both countries have said that more strikes are on the table.

Racism is an institution and that is what makes it next to impossible to eradicate.....

CC™ VideoScope 

Emotional Intelligence - Why silence is golden

CC™ VideoSpective

CREDITS - Motivation Matrix™

Afenifere chieftain, Opadokun identifies those sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria

CC™ PersPective

By Correspondent

Former Secretary-General of Afenifere, Ayo Opadokun, has said that those who do not want the current government to succeed are responsible for the lingering insecurity.

He said there was a deliberate plan by destructive elements to tear the country apart, insisting that terrorism, banditry and other forms of criminalities going on across the country, especially in the north, is not by accident.

The chieftain of NADECO stated this on Sunday in Offa, Kwara State shortly after his installation as Grand Patron of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the local government chapter.

He claimed that the terrorists have their sponsors from individuals of diverse interests determined to destabilise the country.

“Some Nigerians, including agents who want to destabilise Nigeria and those who do not want this government, took far-reaching decisions long ago,” he said.

“The current situation is not accidental. It is planned,” he stressed.

He said the Federal Government must erase every doubt in its fight against terrorism and intensify efforts to chase the insurgents out of Nigeria’s territory and prosecute their sponsors.

Trump recalls Richard Mills, US ambassador to Nigeria

CC™ PersPective

United States President Donald Trump has recalled Richard Mills, the US ambassador to Nigeria, as part of a sweeping diplomatic shake-up affecting more than two dozen American missions worldwide, with Africa emerging as the most impacted continent.

Nigeria is among 15 African countries whose envoys have been recalled.

Others affected on the continent include Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda.

In the Asia-Pacific region, the shake-up affected Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam, while Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia were impacted in Europe. Guatemala and Suriname were affected in the western hemisphere.

State Department officials told The Guardian UK that the affected chiefs of mission were informed last week that their tenures would end in January.

Although the diplomats had initially survived an early purge during the first months of Trump’s second term — largely aimed at political appointees — the situation changed on Wednesday when notices of their imminent departures were issued from Washington, DC.

According to Politico, the recall forms part of a broader effort to align US diplomatic representation abroad with President Trump’s “America First” foreign policy priorities. 

A State Department official confirmed that the ambassadors were appointed during the administration of former President Joe Biden and would now conclude their postings as chiefs of mission in January.

Envoys typically serve between three and four years. While their roles as ambassadors will end, the officials said the diplomats are not losing their foreign service jobs and may return to Washington for other assignments if they choose.

Mills, who was confirmed as US ambassador to Nigeria in May, is being recalled at a time of strained US–Nigeria relations, particularly over visa issues and security concerns. 

However, his departure also comes amid ongoing efforts by both countries to strengthen bilateral ties.

Recently, Mills met with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to discuss areas of cooperation, following comments by US Congressman Riley Moore that Washington and Abuja were close to finalizing a “strategic security framework” aimed at tackling terrorism in Nigeria.

NAIJA NEWS