News In Diaspora
Benin Abortive Coup: Benin Detains Nigerian Ex-Defence Minister For Alleged Role
Former Benin defence minister and leading opposition figure, Candide Azannai, has been remanded in pre-trial detention in connection with investigations into the failed coup attempt that rocked the country earlier this month.
Azannai was placed in custody on Saturday following his arraignment before Benin’s anti-terrorism court.
According to reports, prosecutors accused him of conspiring against the state and inciting rebellion.
He was arrested last week at the headquarters of his political party in Cotonou, days after the aborted takeover.
His detention comes despite his public condemnation of the coup and marks the latest development in the sweeping crackdown that followed the foiled plot.
On Tuesday, about 30 suspects, mostly members of the armed forces, were jailed on charges of treason over their alleged roles in the uprising.
On December 7, mutinous soldiers appeared on national television to announce they had overthrown President Patrice Talon.
The declaration was short-lived, as loyalist troops, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, quickly regained control and crushed the attempt.
The violence surrounding the failed coup reportedly claimed several lives, while some key suspects, including alleged ringleader Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, are still at large.
After hours of interrogation, Azannai was escorted by police from the court premises in the early hours of Saturday before being transferred into detention.
President Talon, who is expected to leave office in April after completing the constitutionally mandated two terms, has earned international praise for economic reforms.
However, critics have increasingly accused his administration of authoritarian tendencies in a country once regarded as a democratic model in West Africa.
In recent years, Benin has also faced rising jihadist threats in its northern regions.
News In Diaspora
United States Embassy in Kawait Closes Operation
The United States Embassy in Kuwait has suspended its operations “until further notice” amid escalating tensions across the Middle East.
In an official security alert issued on Tuesday, the embassy confirmed the temporary closure and the cancellation of all scheduled appointments.
“Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Kuwait Closure.
“Due to ongoing regional tensions, the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait will be closed until further notice.
“We have canceled all regular and emergency consular appointments. We will communicate when the embassy returns to normal operations,” the notice read.
The embassy did not specify a timeline for reopening but assured that updates would be provided as the situation evolves.
DAILY POST recalls that the closure follows days of intensified military activity and reported casualties in the region.
According to U.S. military sources, six American troops were killed during recent incidents in Kuwait.
In addition, three U.S. fighter jets crashed in what officials described as an “apparent friendly fire incident.”
Breaking News
BREAKING NEWS: Ghana Crack Down on Prostitution Ring, Arrest Twelve Nigerians
Operatives of the New Juaben South Municipal Police Command in Koforidua, Eastern Region of Ghana, have arrested 13 suspected commercial sex workers—12 Nigerians and one Ghanaian—during a special operation targeting prostitution and human trafficking.
Police also apprehended two additional suspects: a landlord accused of providing accommodation for the activities and a bouncer allegedly linked to the operation.
According to Modern Ghana, the arrests were carried out on Monday, February 10, 2026, following a complaint filed on February 6 by 30-year-old Nigerian woman Stella Godwill.
She told authorities she had been trafficked from Nigeria to Ghana by a woman identified as Christabel Simon Monday for prostitution.
According to the Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Ransford Nsiah, the complainant alleged she was required to meet a daily earnings target of 400 Ghana cedis but could only raise 250 cedis on the day of the incident.
Police said about 15 suspects, aged between 15 and 31, are currently in custody and will be arraigned in court after investigations. Authorities confirmed that the minor among them has been separated for protection, while arrangements are being made with the Department of Social Welfare.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Augustine Kusi Asante, the Municipal Crime Officer, warned landlords against renting properties for illegal activities, noting that Section 277 of Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960, criminalises operating a brothel and prescribes penalties including fines or imprisonment.
The suspects, police said, have violated Sections 273, 274, and 277 of the Act, which prohibit prostitution, human trafficking, and brothel operations.
Police expressed concern over the involvement of minors in commercial sex activities and urged the public to provide information that could help dismantle trafficking networks and protect vulnerable persons.
Authorities said investigations are ongoing as part of broader efforts to curb trafficking and exploitation in the Eastern Region, where previous probes uncovered syndicates that allegedly lured young girls from Nigeria with promises of hospitality jobs before forcing them into prostitution.
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