A renewed wave of attacks in northern Nigeria, including suspected suicide bombings targeting crowded public places, has heightened tensions. At least 20 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured by militia in Borno State. The violence has also raised fresh security concerns ahead of Nigeria’s next general elections, with analysts warning it could depress voter turnout in the northeast, where displacement and fear remain widespread.
Monday, March 23, 2026
Northern Nigeria on edge following series of attacks
A renewed wave of attacks in northern Nigeria, including suspected suicide bombings targeting crowded public places, has heightened tensions. At least 20 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured by militia in Borno State. The violence has also raised fresh security concerns ahead of Nigeria’s next general elections, with analysts warning it could depress voter turnout in the northeast, where displacement and fear remain widespread.
Galatasaray's Osimhen to buy Istanbulspor and build Nigeria-Türkiye talent pipeline
According to a report by Afrik-Foot, Osimhen's goal is not simply club ownership. The 26-year-old wants to establish what has been described as a "football bridge" between Nigeria and Türkiye, creating a structured pathway for young African talent to develop and eventually reach European football.
A pipeline from Lagos to Istanbul
Under the reported plan, Osimhen intends to open a football academy branch in Nigeria dedicated to scouting and developing young players from grassroots levels. Those players would then be funneled through Istanbulspor, using the Turkish club as a launchpad for eventual transfers into the broader European market.
The system Osimhen envisions would see young Nigerian footballers develop and gain experience before moving to Europe through Istanbulspor, effectively turning the club into a development hub with direct ties to West African talent.
Why Istanbulspor
Istanbulspor, founded in 1926, is one of Istanbul's oldest football institutions. The club has experienced significant fluctuations in its fortunes over the decades, competing at various levels of Turkish football. Its status as a historic but lower-profile club could make it an attractive acquisition for an investor looking to reshape a team's identity and sporting model without the financial burden associated with Türkiye's top-tier clubs.
The concept of active players investing in club ownership, while still uncommon, has gained traction in recent years across global football, as high-earning athletes increasingly look to leverage their wealth and industry knowledge into long-term business ventures within the sport.
Osimhen's prolific season continues
The reported acquisition plan comes during one of the most productive stretches of Osimhen's career. The Nigerian international has appeared in 29 matches across all competitions for Galatasaray in the 2025-26 season, scoring 19 goals and providing 7 assists.
Osimhen originally rose to prominence in European football through spells in Belgium, Germany, France, and most notably Italy, where he became one of Serie A's most feared strikers during his time at Napoli. His move to Türkiye has done nothing to diminish his output, and his off-pitch ventures suggest he is already thinking about life after playing.
US drones deployed to Nigeria alongside troops for intelligence, training
The U.S. military has multiple MQ-9 drones operating in Nigeria alongside 200 troops to provide training and intelligence support to the military, which is fighting Islamist militants across the north, U.S. and Nigerian officials told Reuters.
The troops are not integrated within Nigerian units on the frontline and the drones are collecting intelligence and not carrying out airstrikes, officials from the two countries said.
However, the U.S. deployment, which follows U.S. airstrikes targeting militants in northwest Nigeria in late 2025, shows the U.S. getting back involved in tackling Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked insurgencies that are spreading across West Africa.
The U.S. military previously had a $100 million drone base in neighbouring Niger with about 1,000 troops monitoring militants across the Sahel region, but that was closed in 2024 after the Niger junta requested their departure, part of a broader rejection of western military support by countries in the Sahel region.
An assault by suicide bombers on a northeastern Nigerian garrison town this week showed how a 17-year insurgency there can still strike urban centres.
Meanwhile, militants have stepped up their attacks in the northwest, near the border with Benin and Niger, where a long-running banditry crisis risks mutating into another operating zone for Islamists.
A U.S. defence official said the drones had been deployed alongside troops at the request of the Nigerians to collect intelligence. “We see this as a shared security threat,” the official said.
Major General Samaila Uba, director of defence information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, confirmed that the U.S. was operating assets from Bauchi airfield in the northeast.
“This support builds on the newly established U.S.-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders,” he told Reuters. “Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”
‘IDENTIFY, TRACK AND RESPOND’
Uba said the timeline for the U.S. deployment in Nigeria would be determined in agreement by both sides.
MQ-9 drones, which are sometimes known as Reaper drones and can loiter at high altitude for more than 27 hours, can be used for both intelligence gathering and airstrikes.
Neither Uba nor the U.S. official would comment on specific cases where U.S. intelligence had led to the Nigerians targeting militants, but Uba said that U.S. forces were helping Nigeria “identify, track and respond to terrorist threats”.
Late last year, Reuters reported that aircraft based in Ghana had been conducting intelligence gathering flights for the U.S. military over Nigeria.
The troops are not integrated within Nigerian units on the frontline and the drones are collecting intelligence and not carrying out airstrikes, officials from the two countries said.
However, the U.S. deployment, which follows U.S. airstrikes targeting militants in northwest Nigeria in late 2025, shows the U.S. getting back involved in tackling Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked insurgencies that are spreading across West Africa.
The U.S. military previously had a $100 million drone base in neighbouring Niger with about 1,000 troops monitoring militants across the Sahel region, but that was closed in 2024 after the Niger junta requested their departure, part of a broader rejection of western military support by countries in the Sahel region.
An assault by suicide bombers on a northeastern Nigerian garrison town this week showed how a 17-year insurgency there can still strike urban centres.
Meanwhile, militants have stepped up their attacks in the northwest, near the border with Benin and Niger, where a long-running banditry crisis risks mutating into another operating zone for Islamists.
A U.S. defence official said the drones had been deployed alongside troops at the request of the Nigerians to collect intelligence. “We see this as a shared security threat,” the official said.
Major General Samaila Uba, director of defence information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, confirmed that the U.S. was operating assets from Bauchi airfield in the northeast.
“This support builds on the newly established U.S.-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders,” he told Reuters. “Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”
‘IDENTIFY, TRACK AND RESPOND’
Uba said the timeline for the U.S. deployment in Nigeria would be determined in agreement by both sides.
MQ-9 drones, which are sometimes known as Reaper drones and can loiter at high altitude for more than 27 hours, can be used for both intelligence gathering and airstrikes.
Neither Uba nor the U.S. official would comment on specific cases where U.S. intelligence had led to the Nigerians targeting militants, but Uba said that U.S. forces were helping Nigeria “identify, track and respond to terrorist threats”.
Late last year, Reuters reported that aircraft based in Ghana had been conducting intelligence gathering flights for the U.S. military over Nigeria.
MILITANTS REMAIN A PERSISTENT THREAT
The United States – which has had a long partnership with Nigeria’s military, providing training and selling weapons – said it carried out airstrikes in the northwest on Christmas Day to stop the targeting of Christians in the region.
Nigeria’s government and experts on the conflict have rejected claims of a concerted anti-Christian campaign, saying it oversimplifies a complex crisis.
It was not immediately clear who carried out the March 16 attack on the garrison town.
Uba said it was still being investigated, adding that both Boko Haram militants and ISWAP, an Islamic State-allied faction, remain a persistent threat, adapting their tactics over time.
“We continue to assess that these organisations will seek opportunistic targets and may attempt to demonstrate relevance through high-visibility attacks,” he said.
The United States – which has had a long partnership with Nigeria’s military, providing training and selling weapons – said it carried out airstrikes in the northwest on Christmas Day to stop the targeting of Christians in the region.
Nigeria’s government and experts on the conflict have rejected claims of a concerted anti-Christian campaign, saying it oversimplifies a complex crisis.
It was not immediately clear who carried out the March 16 attack on the garrison town.
Uba said it was still being investigated, adding that both Boko Haram militants and ISWAP, an Islamic State-allied faction, remain a persistent threat, adapting their tactics over time.
“We continue to assess that these organisations will seek opportunistic targets and may attempt to demonstrate relevance through high-visibility attacks,” he said.
By David Lewis, Reuters
Nigeria says it has pulled in $2.6 billion into mining as it seeks US backing to make Africa a global critical minerals hub
Nigeria has attracted more than $2.6 billion in foreign direct investment into its mining sector over the past two years, as the government steps up reforms and seeks to position the country as a key player in the global supply chain for critical minerals.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this during a panel session at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington, D.C., where policymakers and investors discussed Africa’s role in meeting rising global demand for minerals used in electric vehicles, batteries and renewable energy technologies.
Speaking on the panel titled “Critical Minerals in Africa: Meeting Global Demand,” Alake said recent reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector, including digitised licensing, improved regulation and tighter security, had helped restore investor confidence and attract new capital.
He said the government has also moved to tackle illegal mining through a special enforcement unit known as the Mining Marshals, which has arrested more than 350 suspects in the past year, with over 150 cases already in court.
“We have successfully de-risked and sanitised the mining environment, making it conducive to foreign direct investment,” Alake said.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this during a panel session at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington, D.C., where policymakers and investors discussed Africa’s role in meeting rising global demand for minerals used in electric vehicles, batteries and renewable energy technologies.
Speaking on the panel titled “Critical Minerals in Africa: Meeting Global Demand,” Alake said recent reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector, including digitised licensing, improved regulation and tighter security, had helped restore investor confidence and attract new capital.
He said the government has also moved to tackle illegal mining through a special enforcement unit known as the Mining Marshals, which has arrested more than 350 suspects in the past year, with over 150 cases already in court.
“We have successfully de-risked and sanitised the mining environment, making it conducive to foreign direct investment,” Alake said.
Push for regional energy and mining corridors
Beyond domestic reforms, Nigeria is pushing for broader African cooperation to strengthen the continent’s role in global mineral supply chains.
Alake urged the United States and African governments to support the development of regional energy hubs and industrial corridors to power cross-border mining operations and local processing.
He pointed to existing infrastructure initiatives such as the Lobito Corridor as models that could be replicated across the continent.
Similar corridors, he said, could be developed along the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor in West Africa and the Walvis Bay Corridor in Southern Africa to support mining, manufacturing and regional trade.
According to him, shared energy infrastructure, including large-scale power projects, could support multiple countries within a corridor, reducing costs and encouraging local mineral processing rather than exporting raw materials.
“If three to five such corridors are developed in Africa, we would significantly advance industrialisation across the continent, creating a win-win outcome for both Africa and the West,” he said.
Beyond domestic reforms, Nigeria is pushing for broader African cooperation to strengthen the continent’s role in global mineral supply chains.
Alake urged the United States and African governments to support the development of regional energy hubs and industrial corridors to power cross-border mining operations and local processing.
He pointed to existing infrastructure initiatives such as the Lobito Corridor as models that could be replicated across the continent.
Similar corridors, he said, could be developed along the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor in West Africa and the Walvis Bay Corridor in Southern Africa to support mining, manufacturing and regional trade.
According to him, shared energy infrastructure, including large-scale power projects, could support multiple countries within a corridor, reducing costs and encouraging local mineral processing rather than exporting raw materials.
“If three to five such corridors are developed in Africa, we would significantly advance industrialisation across the continent, creating a win-win outcome for both Africa and the West,” he said.
Reforms aimed at diversifying Nigeria’s economy
Nigeria has long relied on oil for government revenue, but the sector’s volatility and declining production have pushed authorities to accelerate efforts to diversify the economy.
Mining, which contributes less than one per cent to GDP, has been identified as a priority sector due to Nigeria’s deposits of lithium, gold, tin and other critical minerals.
Alake said reforms introduced over the past two and a half years now guarantee secure tenure for mining licences, a key demand from investors who require long-term stability before committing capital to exploration and processing projects.
To further attract investment, the government is offering tax waivers on imported mining equipment, allowing full repatriation of profits after taxes and royalties, and expanding access to certified geological data to reduce exploration risk.
Nigeria has long relied on oil for government revenue, but the sector’s volatility and declining production have pushed authorities to accelerate efforts to diversify the economy.
Mining, which contributes less than one per cent to GDP, has been identified as a priority sector due to Nigeria’s deposits of lithium, gold, tin and other critical minerals.
Alake said reforms introduced over the past two and a half years now guarantee secure tenure for mining licences, a key demand from investors who require long-term stability before committing capital to exploration and processing projects.
To further attract investment, the government is offering tax waivers on imported mining equipment, allowing full repatriation of profits after taxes and royalties, and expanding access to certified geological data to reduce exploration risk.
U.S. lenders signal interest, but warn on stability
At the same event, Sarah Whitten of the Export-Import Bank of the United States said American financial institutions are willing to support mining projects in Africa, particularly those linked to the energy transition, but stressed that political stability and consistent policies remain critical.
“American banks are ready to support projects, but our role is to catalyse and unlock private sector capital,” she said.
The discussion also included government officials and executives from mining investment firms and technology companies, reflecting growing international competition for access to Africa’s mineral resources as countries race to secure materials needed for clean-energy technologies.
At the same event, Sarah Whitten of the Export-Import Bank of the United States said American financial institutions are willing to support mining projects in Africa, particularly those linked to the energy transition, but stressed that political stability and consistent policies remain critical.
“American banks are ready to support projects, but our role is to catalyse and unlock private sector capital,” she said.
The discussion also included government officials and executives from mining investment firms and technology companies, reflecting growing international competition for access to Africa’s mineral resources as countries race to secure materials needed for clean-energy technologies.
By Ayodeji Adegboyega, Business Insider Africa
Related story: Poverty forces Nigerian families into backyard mining
Alleged ‘Fake Prince’ Arrested in Nigeria as Another Apparent Victim of the Romance Scam Comes Forward
Within a week of the release of an OCCRP documentary exposing an online fraud operation, Nigerian authorities arrested a man allegedly involved in the scheme, while another apparent victim of the same scam came forward in Romania.
In last month's documentary, Exposed: Fake ‘Dubai Prince’ Tracked to Nigeria, reporters identified Nzube Henry Ikeji, 31, who was afterwards taken into custody. Charges have not been filed, a spokesman for Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crime Commission told OCCRP.
Ikeji’s arrest came nearly a week after the video revealed how he allegedly posed as the real-life Crown Prince of Dubai, cultivating a romance that defrauded $2.5 million from Laura, a Romanian businesswoman.
A second apparent victim of the scam came forward to OCCRP's Romanian member center Context.ro after watching the documentary. Ana, who is also Romanian, presented Context.ro with documents indicating she was targeted by the same operation that left Laura in debt.
Both women were first contacted on LinkedIn by someone posing as the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and claiming to represent a humanitarian foundation affiliated with the royal family of the United Arab Emirates.
Communications provided by the women show that Ana first heard from the fake prince in October 2022, while he reached out to Laura a month later. Both were offered and accepted “an official vip humanitarian membership permit” for the sum of 7,748 UAE dirhams, which was paid out as 1,850 euros ($2,112).
It is common for romance scammers to impersonate the Crown Prince of Dubai in a variation of the classic romance scam, which involves an impersonator cultivating an online relationship with a victim with the goal of milking them for as much money as possible before they realize they’ve been swindled.
In the case of both Laura and Ana, identical email addresses with similar messages and fake royal membership cards were used, indicating they were victims of the same group of scammers. Laura is a first name and Ana is pseudonym, as both victims wish to remain anonymous out of embarrassment.
Ikeji could not be reached for comment on the latest allegations involving Ana. An email bounced back undelivered, while his previous lawyers did not respond to a request for comment. Message to his WhatsApp did not deliver. He previously told reporters that he did not scam Laura or anyone else, and alleged that OCCRP’s documentary was a “targeted plan” to destroy his reputation.
The woman whom Context.ro identifies as Ana said she was invited by the fake prince to apply for a job at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the humanitarian foundation launched by the actual crown prince’s father and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Laura, meanwhile, was asked by a fake prince to help MBRGI invest millions of dollars in humanitarian aid in Romania.
Neither of the opportunities were real. After they paid 1,850 euros for “official vip humanitarian membership permit” cards, both received messages saying their cards had been granted, but required another payment to be activated. Ana paid another 10,550 euros ($12,045), while Laura paid 12,550 euros ($14,328).
A fake prince had earlier steered their communications to Skype and later to WhatsApp, where he cultivated romances with them.
He told Ana that he wanted to visit her in Romania, but it would require Ana transferring 42,000 euros ($47,951). When Ana refused to send more money that she did not have, the fake prince texted her: “Now you’ve lost me and the 13,000 euros you have paid.”
While Ana stopped at that point, Laura continued deeper into the scam, exchanging thousands of messages over two years with the fake prince and even meeting his “financial manager” in London to facilitate opening a bank account.
By Marionela Toma, OCCRP
Nigerian man handed 76-year sentence in sextortion of B.C. boy
In last month's documentary, Exposed: Fake ‘Dubai Prince’ Tracked to Nigeria, reporters identified Nzube Henry Ikeji, 31, who was afterwards taken into custody. Charges have not been filed, a spokesman for Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crime Commission told OCCRP.
Ikeji’s arrest came nearly a week after the video revealed how he allegedly posed as the real-life Crown Prince of Dubai, cultivating a romance that defrauded $2.5 million from Laura, a Romanian businesswoman.
A second apparent victim of the scam came forward to OCCRP's Romanian member center Context.ro after watching the documentary. Ana, who is also Romanian, presented Context.ro with documents indicating she was targeted by the same operation that left Laura in debt.
Both women were first contacted on LinkedIn by someone posing as the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and claiming to represent a humanitarian foundation affiliated with the royal family of the United Arab Emirates.
Communications provided by the women show that Ana first heard from the fake prince in October 2022, while he reached out to Laura a month later. Both were offered and accepted “an official vip humanitarian membership permit” for the sum of 7,748 UAE dirhams, which was paid out as 1,850 euros ($2,112).
It is common for romance scammers to impersonate the Crown Prince of Dubai in a variation of the classic romance scam, which involves an impersonator cultivating an online relationship with a victim with the goal of milking them for as much money as possible before they realize they’ve been swindled.
In the case of both Laura and Ana, identical email addresses with similar messages and fake royal membership cards were used, indicating they were victims of the same group of scammers. Laura is a first name and Ana is pseudonym, as both victims wish to remain anonymous out of embarrassment.
Ikeji could not be reached for comment on the latest allegations involving Ana. An email bounced back undelivered, while his previous lawyers did not respond to a request for comment. Message to his WhatsApp did not deliver. He previously told reporters that he did not scam Laura or anyone else, and alleged that OCCRP’s documentary was a “targeted plan” to destroy his reputation.
The woman whom Context.ro identifies as Ana said she was invited by the fake prince to apply for a job at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the humanitarian foundation launched by the actual crown prince’s father and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Laura, meanwhile, was asked by a fake prince to help MBRGI invest millions of dollars in humanitarian aid in Romania.
Neither of the opportunities were real. After they paid 1,850 euros for “official vip humanitarian membership permit” cards, both received messages saying their cards had been granted, but required another payment to be activated. Ana paid another 10,550 euros ($12,045), while Laura paid 12,550 euros ($14,328).
A fake prince had earlier steered their communications to Skype and later to WhatsApp, where he cultivated romances with them.
He told Ana that he wanted to visit her in Romania, but it would require Ana transferring 42,000 euros ($47,951). When Ana refused to send more money that she did not have, the fake prince texted her: “Now you’ve lost me and the 13,000 euros you have paid.”
While Ana stopped at that point, Laura continued deeper into the scam, exchanging thousands of messages over two years with the fake prince and even meeting his “financial manager” in London to facilitate opening a bank account.
Related stories: Nigerian extradited to US for sextortion, death of an American
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