Nigeria Police Force, through INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, has repatriated a Chinese fugitive, Zhang Shijie, to Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, following his arrest in Nigeria in connection with alleged large-scale smuggling of endangered African Rosewood. Zhang, who was wanted by the Yangpu Sub-Bureau of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of Haikou Customs District, was the subject of an arrest warrant issued on 7th January, 2021 over his alleged involvement in the smuggling of approximately 1,400 tonnes of Pterocarpus erinaceus, commonly known as African Rosewood, an endangered tree species indigenous to West Africa. The consignment was valued at about 15.7 million Chinese Yuan. A statement by the Force spokesman, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said the alleged offences were committed between November 2020 and January 2021, after which Zhang remained outside China. Intelligence subsequently established his presence in Nigeria, where he was residing in Ogun State with a Chinese passport which expired since 11th November, 2023. He said following sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance and coordinated investigative efforts, operatives of INTERPOL NCB Abuja arrested the fugitive on 10 September 2026 in the Ogere area of Ogun State, after which he was repatriated to Guangzhou, China, on 16th September 2026 in furtherance of bilateral police cooperation. The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to strengthening international police cooperation and maximising INTERPOL tools and capabilities in tracking fugitives, combating transnational organised crime and preventing Nigeria from being used as a safe haven by persons wanted for criminal offences in other jurisdictions. The Nigeria Police Force said it remains committed to working with INTERPOL and international law-enforcement partners to strengthen cross-border security, disrupt transnational criminal networks and ensure that fugitives are brought within the reach of justice.
Africa
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday joined President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, at the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) in Lagos for the official opening of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery Initial Public Offering (IPO). The governor described the event as another milestone for Nigeria’s economy and said...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have paid glowing tributes to elder statesman, renowned businessman and former Governor of the old Gongola State, Alhaji Bamanga Muhammad Tukur, describing his death as a monumental loss to Nigeria and the African continent. Tukur, who died on Saturday at...
By AVESEH ASOUGH, Abeokuta – In a move aimed at positioning young Nigerians as drivers of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation, Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), has commenced a specialized training for 100 young graduate Cassava Seed Entrepreneurs (CSEs) in Ogun State. The training, which is in partnership with the Industrial Cassava...
By TOM CHIAHEMEN – Football may be a global religion, but across Africa, the passion for the beautiful game burns with an intensity all its own. From packed stadiums and neighbourhood kickabouts to endless debates over national teams, domestic leagues and star players, football has become deeply woven into...
Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has called for deliberate efforts to ensure Nigeria derives greater maritime, industrial and developmental value from its growing offshore oil and gas activities. The Commission’s Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, made the call on Tuesday while delivering a lecture at the Lagos International...
The African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO), UK Chapter, officially launched over the weekend with a 2-day inaugural programme in London that brought together policymakers, business leaders, and women changemakers from across Africa and the diaspora. —Mayoral Welcome at Islington Town Hall— The programme opened with a Town Hall...
Nigeria has called on the African Union (AU) to adopt innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms to strengthen the continent’s capacity for conflict prevention and resolution while reducing its reliance on external funding. The call was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, during the 26th Extraordinary Session...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the African Union’s decision to officially launch the African Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) on October 7, describing it as a significant step towards giving the continent a stronger voice in global financial assessments. In a statement released on Thursday, the President said the...
• Shows how Nigeria can surpass global estimated potential One of Nigeria’s topmost real estate and property entrepreneurs, My-ACE China (popularly known as ‘Mayor of Housing’), has reacted to the latest global report on real estate, which posted Nigeria and Africa as a new growth area. He has not...
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ushered in a new leadership as General Birame Diop officially assumed office as President of the ECOWAS Commission, pledging to deepen regional integration and strengthen peace and security across West Africa. General Diop, who previously served as Senegal’s Minister of Defence...
By CHIBUZOR NNABUIKE (University of Georgia, Athens) – HIGHLIGHTS: “I preferred the peace of nature in the bush to the cold lifeless cement floor of the classroom” Easily one of Nigeria’s more readable newspaper columnists, Chidi Amuta engages constantly with his fluid prose and often arresting logic. His background...
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Luanda, Angola, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. On arrival in the Angolan capital, Senator Shettima was received by senior Angolan government officials as...
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has welcomed efforts to promote safe helicopter services across Africa in a proposed Regional Action Plan. The plan is the highlight of a workshop organised in Lagos this week by the Aviation subcommittee of the International Association of Oil and Gas...
Nigeria has been ranked among the world’s 60 poorest countries by GDP per capita at purchasing power parity, according to a 2026 ranking by Global Finance magazine, with African nations accounting for the overwhelming majority of countries at the bottom of the list. Nigeria placed 56th on the list, with...
Thirty people died in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, on Sunday when a mound of rubbish in a landfill collapsed before dawn onto neighbouring homes following heavy rains, the government said. Six others were seriously injured in the 2:00 am (0200 GMT) incident in the Bbessia district’s Dar-es-salam neighbourhood on the...
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has criticised Nigeria’s political and economic system, arguing that the country has created an environment where questionable wealth is celebrated while integrity and productive enterprise are often overlooked. Speaking during an interview on News Central’s 60 Minutes with Mr. Kay, the former minister...
Former Liberian President George Weah has urged African leaders to uphold democratic principles, warning that leaders elected through the ballot can become as dangerous as dictators if they undermine democratic institutions. Speaking on Sunday at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in...
*From declining finance to trillion dollar economies as Africa prepares for transformation By ANGEL NWOKOCHA, The First Mail, Abuja Prominent leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, academia and policymakers from across the African continent would be speaking at the 2026 Innovate Africa Global Conference scheduled to start on October 12, in Kigali,...
African club football now has its roadmap for the 2026/27 season. Competitive action starts in early September, followed by another qualifying round in October. The schedule then moves through the group stage and knockout rounds before the finals in May 2027. The published dates also shape the continental fixture...