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Turkey-Syria earthquake death toll crosses 24,000

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The death toll from the Turkey-Syria earthquake has reached 24,000 as rescuers continued to work around the clock to find survivors.

In Turkey, the number of fatalities has risen to 20,665, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has said.

It said that nearly 93,000 victims have been evacuated from the quake zone in southern Turkey and that more than 166,000 personnel were involved in the rescue and relief efforts.

Meanwhile in Syria, more than 3,500 people have been reported dead.

At least 870,000 people urgently needed food in the two countries after the quake, which has made up to 5.3 million people homeless in Syria alone, the UN warned.

Search and rescue teams from Indonesia have departed for Turkey to assist with the international aid effort following this week’s deadly earthquakes.

Two military aircraft with more than 50 staff and 24 tonnes of aid were dispatched from the Halim Perdanakusuma air force base in Jakarta on Saturday.

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“Our task in this first batch is attached to the SAR (search and rescue) team or the response agency in Turkey, this team will get SAR assignments around the Hatay area to search for victims in collapsed buildings,” Bambang Suryaputra, an official with Indonesia’s National Board for Disaster Management, said before departure.

Partner of missing footballer Christian Atsu appeals for rescue effort in Turkey

Claire Rupio, the partner of Ghanaian football player Christian Atsu who remains missing in Turkey following Monday’s earthquakes, has called for equipment to be sent to the collapsed building where the Hatayspor winger was living in Hatay province.

Atsu, 31, was initially reported to have been rescued from the rubble with injuries and transported to hospital after the quakes. However, Hatayspor team director Volkan Demirel later said the Ghanaian player was still missing.

“The club was confirming that they had found him and that he was alive and had taken him to hospital, and 11 hours later my children had to hear on the radio that they still didn’t know where he was,” Rupio told BBC News on Friday. “I still pray and believe he is alive,” said Rupio, who lives in Newcastle, United Kingdom, where Atsu once played.

See also  Turkey-Syria quake death toll passes 35,000 as focus turns to survivors

“I appeal to the Hatayspor club, the Turkish authorities and the British government to send the necessary equipment to get people out of the rubble, especially my partner and father of my children,” she said.

Rupio said that Nana Sechere, Atsu’s agent, is now in Turkey trying to reach the building in Hatay where he lived.

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Nigerian arrested over alleged sex crimes in US, faces deportation

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A 53-year-old Nigerian, Olatunde Olusanjo, has been arrested in Los Angeles by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over alleged sexual offences.

According to ICE, Olusanjo was arrested on April 21, 2026, by its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit and is currently in its custody pending deportation proceedings.

In a social media post by its Los Angeles office, the agency linked his arrest to prior criminal allegations, including child molestation, sexual battery and sexual solicitation.

It described Olusanjo as a “criminal alien and convicted sex offender”.

“Los Angeles ERO arrested Olatunde Abiodun Olusanjo, 53, of Nigeria, Apr. 21,” the statement reads.

“Olusanjo has previous arrests for child molestation, sexual battery and soliciting lewd conduct. He is in ICE custody pending removal.”

The arrest comes amid continued enforcement actions by US  authorities against foreign nationals with prior criminal records.

In recent years, several Nigerians have been arrested and prosecuted in the US for offences ranging from cybercrime to violent and sexual-related charges.

See also  Ghanaian footballer, Christian Atsu found dead in the rubble of devastating Turkey earthquake

In February, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it had arrested 79 Nigerians described as among the “worst of the worst” criminal offenders.

The suspects faced allegations ranging from sexual assault, fraud, manslaughter, cocaine smuggling, kidnapping, and robbery.

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Thai Police find N67m, cocaine in Nigerian suspect’s home

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Operatives of the Thailand Police have arrested Nigerian national, Nwaiwu Ifeanyi, following the discovery of approximately 1.5 million baht (over N67 million) hidden in the ceiling of his bathroom during a late-night raid.

The operation, carried out over the weekend, also led to the arrest of three other individuals believed to be connected to the same drug distribution network.

Authorities reportedly recovered cocaine, cash, a vehicle, and valuable jewellery during the raid.

According to details from Khaosod English, investigators had been monitoring the suspect’s activities before apprehending him near Silom Soi 1. At the point of arrest, officers allegedly found about 27 grams of cocaine in his possession.

The other suspects taken into custody include a Swiss national, Thomas Giubibini, alongside two Thai nationals identified as Thanayot Asawamethi and Nattawat Wangkitjinda. All are facing charges related to drug possession.

In total, authorities said they seized roughly 30 grams of cocaine, cash amounting to 1.5 million baht, additional foreign currency worth about 15,000 baht, and jewellery estimated at 400,000 baht.

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Investigators disclosed that Ifeanyi had lived in Thailand for over 17 years under a family visa obtained through a Thai spouse. However, officials now suspect the marriage may have been arranged to facilitate his stay and operations.

Police further alleged that the suspect coordinated drug transactions through encrypted messaging platforms, which officers were able to infiltrate before making the arrests. He reportedly resisted arrest but was subdued, after which he is said to have admitted involvement in the illicit activities.

The arrest comes amid ongoing efforts by Thai authorities to clamp down on drug trafficking networks. It also follows a recent case involving another Nigerian, Ukoma Nuzbech, who was earlier arrested for allegedly evading trial in a separate drug-related case.

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NDLEA intercepts UK-bound Cocaine, Loud concealed in food flasks, snacks

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted cocaine concealed in food flasks bound for the United Kingdom.

According to a statement signed by the Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, the interception took place on April 9, 2026, leading to the arrest of two cargo agents, Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39.

The agency disclosed that 12 large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms were discovered hidden in the false bottom of food flasks at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.

The illicit consignment was scheduled for shipment via a Virgin Atlantic flight to the UK.

Further investigations identified the sender as a 52-year-old freight forwarder, Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, who was subsequently apprehended.

In a separate operation at the airport’s import shed, NDLEA officers on April 8 intercepted 2.90 kilograms of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack food packs arriving from the United States aboard a Delta Air Lines flight.

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Two clearing agents, Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested, while the consignee, 29-year-old fashion designer Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, was later nabbed at his residence in Ogba, Lagos.

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