Deadly violence in Nigeria tied to United Methodist Church schism over LGBTQ policies

A religious schism has turned deadly in Nigeria, with a church member fatally shot and two young children killed as homes were set ablaze, according to United Methodist News Service.

The news service said the reported violence on Sunday stemmed from a schism in the worldwide United Methodist Church over its decision to repeal LGBTQ bans — and the ensuing formation of the new Global Methodist Church by breakaway conservative churches.

According to the news service, a United Methodist church member was shot and killed in a confrontation between both factions in Taraba, a state in northeast Nigeria. Homes were set ablaze, claiming the lives of two children, ages 2 and 4, of the overseer of a United Methodist school and nursery, the news service said. Another 10 church members were reported injured.

The worldwide Global Methodist Church held its inaugural general conference earlier this year. It was created by churches breaking away from the United Methodist Church — an international denomination with a strong U.S. presence.

While the UMC, at its general conference in May, lifted its longstanding bans on LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage, it also granted local conferences the right to set their own standards. The West Africa Central Conference, which includes Nigeria, restricts marriage to between a man and a woman and instructs its churches to follow national laws on LGBTQ issues, according to the news service.

In a statement, local United Methodist bishops condemned the violence and asked that there be no retribution.

"We are outraged that such an atrocity would occur among Christians, especially brothers and sisters who were once part of the same Methodist family," they said in a statement.

"We further urge GMC members, at all levels, to put an immediate end to the violence and refrain from disseminating misinformation that fuels fear and disdain that can lead to violence," they said.

The Assembly of Bishops of the Global Methodist Church issued a statement saying it is actively looking into the allegations and is seeking to determine what has happened.

"We mourn the loss of human life, decry the use of violence in any form, and call on both Global Methodists and United Methodists to serve as agents of peace," it said.

AP

Ademola Lookman named African players of the year

Nigeria's Ademola Lookman has been crowned the 2024 African Footballer of the Year at the Confederation of African Football (Caf) Awards in Marrakesh.

The Atalanta forward saw off competition from Ivory Coast's Simon Adingra, Guinea's Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco and South Africa's Ronwen Williams.

Lookman is the second consecutive Nigerian to claim the award after Victor Osimhen in 2023.

Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda made history as the first Zambian to win the women's prize, finishing ahead of Moroccan Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria's Chiamaka Nnadozie.

The winners are voted for by a panel of experts which includes members of Caf's technical committee plus African media professionals, players and coaches.

Lookman's standout year

Lookman, 27, was hot favourite to pick up the award for the first time in his career after an impressive 2023-24 season.

He played a key role in helping his Italian club win the first European trophy in their history with a memorable hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen - making him the sixth player to score a treble in a European club final and the first since 1975.

On the international scene, Lookman was named in the team of the tournament at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, scoring three goals as the Super Eagles finished as runners-up to the hosts in February.

The former Everton, Fulham and Leicester City player was also the only African on this year's men's Ballon d'Or shortlist, finishing 14th.

Lookman has again proved instrumental for Atalanta this season, scoring eight goals in Serie A to help his team go top of the table.

BBC

Almost 800 arrested over Nigerian crypto-romance scam

Nigeria's anti-graft agency said it had arrested 792 suspects in a raid on a building believed to be a hub for fraudsters who lured victims with offers of romance, then pressed them to hand over cash for phoney cryptocurrency investments.

The suspects, including 148 Chinese and 40 Filipino nationals, were detained on Dec. 10 at the seven-storey Big Leaf Building in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren said.

The luxury building housed a call centre mostly targeting victims from the Americas and Europe, he added.

Staff there would make contact with people through social media and messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram, then seduce them online or offer them apparently lucrative investment opportunities, Uwujaren told reporters.

Once victims were hooked, they were pressured to transfer money for fake cryptocurrency schemes and other non-existent projects.

"Nigerian accomplices were recruited by the foreign kingpins to prospect for victims online through phishing, targeting mostly Americans, Canadians, Mexicans and several others from European countries," Uwujaren said.

"Once the Nigerians are able to win the confidence of would-be victims, the foreigners would take over the actual task of defrauding the victims," he said.

Uwujaren said the Commission was collaborating with international partners and would look into potential links to organised crime. Its agents seized computers, phones and vehicles in the raid, he added.

Reuters

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Oil spill occurs at Shell terminal in Nigeria

An oil spill has occurred at the Shell loading terminal in Nigeria's Delta region after a pipeline ruptured, Nigeria's maritime agency said on Sunday.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said the spill which occurred on Saturday at the Bonny terminal has reached shoreline and that it was actively monitoring the situation.

NIMASA added that it was also working with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and other stakeholders to assess the extent of the spill and follow-up actions.

The maritime agency said SPDC has shut down the affected pipeline and deployed containment booms to protect neighbouring communities. 

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

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Nigeria reopens embassy in North Korea after nearly four-year pandemic closure

Nigeria has reopened its embassy in Pyongyang after closing the mission in early 2021 due to the pandemic, making it only the second African country with an active foothold in North Korea.

The two countries have continued diplomatic relations in the interim years through the still-open DPRK Embassy in Abuja, though accusations have emerged of attempted weapons trading between the two countries in violation of sanctions.

The Russian Embassy in Pyongyang stated in a Facebook post on Dec. 12 that Patrick Imodu Imologhome is Nigeria’s charge d’affaires and that he had “recently arrived” in Pyongyang.

Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Alexander Matsegora reportedly met Imologhome on Dec. 11 and discussed “current issues concerning the Korean Peninsula.” Matsegora offered to help the Nigerians get resettled in Pyongyang after their extended absence.

The Chinese Embassy also reported that Ambassador Wang Yajun met Imologhome on Dec. 13, though the report only mentioned discussions of China-Nigeria ties.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu appointed Imologhome as charge d’affaires back in April, according to the country’s foreign ministry, but neither side has reported details about an ambassador.

Imologhome previously served as a minister at the Nigerian Embassy to the Vatican.

His arrival ends a closure of the Nigerian Embassy in Pyongyang that lasted about three years and nine months, after the last diplomats left Pyongyang in March 2021. This followed a general exodus of most embassies due to North Korea’s strict COVID-19 rules that forbid inbound travel and restricted imports, leading to shortages and reduced quality of life for diplomats.

Pyongyang didn’t start to allow foreign diplomats back into the country until early 2023. Egypt is the only other African country with an active embassy in North Korea, its charge d’affaires remaining in Pyongyang throughout the pandemic.

North Korea appointed its ambassador to Nigeria, Jon Tong Chol, in early 2018, and he has remained in Abuja throughout the pandemic.

Ambassador Jon has held frequent meetings with Nigerian foreign ministry officials in Abuja in recent years, though most public reports have lacked details about their discussions. He signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in public health in 2020.

Though Nigeria claimed compliance with U.N. sanctions measures requiring all North Korean workers in the country to be expelled by late Dec. 2019, some health workers reportedly did not return home.

Jon also called for increasing parliamentary exchanges during a meeting with the leader of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress party in late 2023.

U.N. Panel of Experts reports in recent years have suggested that Pyongyang has used Nigeria as a staging ground or home base for conducting business in violation of sanctions, including weapons deals.

A Panel report in late 2022 said an unnamed U.N. member state had provided evidence that the DPRK’s Haegumgang Trading Corporation attempted “to broker the sale of approximately $3.5 million worth of military-related equipment to Nigeria.”

North Korea has also reportedly employed the help of a Nigerian influencer to launder illicit funds, while DPRK government-connected companies are alleged to have ignored sanctions to work with Nigerian companies in more money-laundering schemes.

Pyongyang signaled interest in developing economic ties by sending then-vice cabinet premier Ri Ryong Nam to Abuja for high-level talks in 2019.

By Colin Zwirko, NK News