Foreign

Shehu Sani, Sowore Break Silence On US Capture of Venezuela’s Maduro

Published

5 months ago

January 3, 2026

The U.S. move to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on Saturday has drawn sharp criticism from former Nigerian senator Shehu Sani and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, as well as concern from the United Nations and world leaders.

President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that U.S. forces had carried out a “large-scale strike” in Venezuela, capturing Maduro and his wife, just two hours after explosions rocked the capital, Caracas.

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” Trump said.

In a statement, Shehu Sani condemned the action, comparing it to previous U.S. military interventions: “Mr Trump condemned Bush for removing Saddam and condemned Obama for removing Gaddafi; here he, acting without Congressional consent or approval, and without regard for international law and respect for the sovereignty of Venezuela, invaded Venezuela and removed their President.

“I would like history and posterity to record me as one who has unreservedly condemned this action that doesn’t reflect the interests and wishes of the good people of the United States.”

Historical context shows that U.S. leaders have previously engaged in controversial regime changes.

In March 2003, President George W. Bush launched a military invasion of Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein, who was captured near Tikrit in December 2003 and executed in 2006.

Similarly, in 2011, President Barack Obama backed NATO-led intervention in Libya that led to Muammar Gaddafi’s capture and death in Sirte in October 2011.

Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore also criticised the Venezuelan operation.

“In light of the illegal regime change agenda pursued by the U.S. President, in Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, the time has come to confront an uncomfortable truth.

“The UN has devolved into a ceremonial tea party, impotent, compromised, and largely irrelevant. Its persistent failure to restrain unilateral aggression, war crimes, and abuses of power exposes a deep and incurable structural rot,” Sowore said.

He argued that the UN should be replaced by “a truly credible coalition of nation-states designed to serve humanity, uphold justice, and prevent tyranny.”

However, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed that he was “deeply alarmed” by the strikes. His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said on Saturday that the UN chief is “deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected,” and called on “all actors in Venezuela to engage in inclusive dialogue, in full respect of human rights and the rule of law.”

Several countries have also condemned the alleged U.S. operation, including Iran, Colombia, Cuba, Russia, Spain, Germany, Italy, and China, among others, raising concerns over the international legality and precedent of the strike.

Foreign

BREAKING: 12 Killed in Tragic Plane Crash Near Missouri Airport

Published

4 hours ago

June 15, 2026

The Daily Voice

At least 12 people have been killed in a plane crash in Missouri in the midwestern United States, according to authorities.

The crash on Sunday was near Butler Memorial Airport in Bates County, south of the state’s largest city, Kansas City.

“Troopers are on scene assisting the Butler Police Department & Bates County Sheriff’s Office of a Fatal Plane Crash near the Butler Memorial Airport,” the Missouri State Highway Patrol posted on X.

“At this time reports indicate all occupants (12 total) have perished,” it said.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant Justin Ewing said the plane was taking people up to skydive.

Emergency responders received a call that a plane was down and engulfed in fire around 11:30 am local time (16:30 GMT) on Sunday, he said.

They were able to extinguish the fire shortly after the crash, he said, describing the scene as “brutal.”

“It landed in a field adjacent to the airport, but I think they’re shutting down the roadway just as a precaution,” Ewing said.

The identities of those killed were not immediately released.

Ewing said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was on scene investigating the crash.

The cause was not immediately available.

Foreign

Relief as Marketers Release Cheaper Petrol Prices Nationwide

Published

3 days ago

June 12, 2026

The Daily Voice

The cost of importing petrol into Nigeria dropped sharply following the recent decline in global crude oil prices, creating fresh competition for local refiners, including the $20 billion Dangote Refinery.

New data released by the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) showed that the landing cost of imported Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, had fallen to N1,117 per litre as of June 4, 2026.

The figure was significantly lower than Dangote Refinery’s gantry price of N1,250 per litre, leaving a difference of N133 per litre.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s fuel market is facing renewed uncertainty after the Dangote Refinery reportedly reduced petrol production, prompting fuel marketers to increase imports of cheaper products amid concerns over supply stability.

The development comes at a sensitive period for global energy markets, with rising crude oil prices and geopolitical tensions already putting pressure on fuel costs worldwide.

According to industry monitor IIR Energy, the Dangote Refinery has reduced operating rates at its key gasoline-producing unit, the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU), by about 34%.

The reduction is linked to technical issues affecting the unit, which plays a major role in converting heavy crude residues into valuable products such as petrol, diesel and cooking gas.

Foreign

JUST IN: Mali’s Defence Minister Killed As Army, Rebels Clash

Published

2 months ago

April 26, 2026

The Daily Voice

Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, has been killed following a wave of coordinated attacks targeting military installations across the country.

Camara reportedly died from injuries sustained during an attack on his residence in Kati, a key military garrison town located about 15 kilometres from Bamako.

The assault, which occurred barely 24 hours before his death, involved a suicide car bomb and formed part of a broader offensive across the country.

The attacks were reportedly carried out by fighters linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, alongside Tuareg rebels from the Liberation Front of Azawad.

According to Al Jazeera, the attackers were able to breach Kati, considered one of the most secure military locations in Mali.

Camara, a key figure in Mali’s military leadership, rose to prominence after playing a central role in the coups of 2020 and 2021 that brought the current junta to power.

Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque described his death as significant.

“He was one of the most influential figures within the ruling military leadership… His death is a major blow to the country’s armed forces,” he said.

The coordinated offensive extended beyond Kati, with gunmen attacking several locations including Bamako, Gao, Kidal and Sevare.

“As we speak, people in the garrison town of Kidal can still hear heavy gunfire and loud explosions,” Haque said, adding that the operation remained ongoing more than 24 hours after it began.

The attacks have intensified pressure on Mali’s interim leadership, with analysts suggesting that security forces were overwhelmed by the scale and coordination of the violence.

However, Interim President, Assimi Goita, was reportedly moved to safety and remains in control of the military.

International bodies, including the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the United States Bureau of African Affairs, have condemned the attacks and called for urgent measures to restore stability.