Junta Head, Mamadi Doumbouya, Secures Presidency in Guinea’s Contested Election

Observers say the election aimed to formalize Doumbouya’s grip on power. His victory gives him a seven-year mandate.

Mamadi Doumbouya and Wife

Guinea’s military ruler, Mamadi Doumbouya, has been declared the winner of the country’s presidential election, according to provisional results released on Tuesday.

Doumbouya, who came to power in a 2021 coup, secured about 86.72% of the vote, the General Directorate of Elections announced on Tuesday. The National Front for the Defense of the Constitution, a citizens’ coalition, denounced the process as an “electoral charade.”

The election took place amid a wave of coups and military takeovers across Africa, reflecting widespread public frustration over governance failures, insecurity, and economic hardship.

His victory had been widely anticipated, as major opposition figures were either barred from running or living in exile. With much of the opposition sidelined, the fragmented field offered no serious challengers. Several opposition leaders had also urged voters to boycott the election.

Ahead of Sunday’s vote, analysts noted that Guinea’s weakened opposition virtually guaranteed Mamadi Doumbouya’s victory, viewing the election as an attempt to legitimize his rule. The election commission reported a turnout of 80.95%, though opposition groups contested that figure. Former government minister Yero Balde finished a distant second with 6.51% of the vote.

The outcome, widely expected, grants Doumbouya a seven-year mandate under a new constitution adopted in September that also lifted a prior ban on military officers seeking public office.

Analysts and opposition leaders have dismissed the vote as a bid to legitimize Doumbouya’s continued rule, pointing out that most major opposition figures were barred or in exile, while others urged a boycott.

YAME Digital Australia

Anthony Joshua, One of the Top Ten Wealthiest Black Individuals in the United Kingdom, was Involved in a Tragic Road Accident in Nigeria

No matter how rich you are individually as a Nigerian, we are all collectively poor! Very poor.

Anthony Joshua

You only realize this during emergencies. A fire breaks out, and there is no fire service. An accident happens, and there is no first aid, no ambulance, no system.

https://t.co/usmynVmh8B

The Top 10 Black Rich Profiles in the United Kingdom.

— Yame.space (@SpaceYame) December 28, 2025

Today, a world boxing champion like Anthony Joshua was involved in a car accident, and not a single ambulance showed up. Someone that rich and globally known. People gathered around him as if it were a carnival. No safety measures. No trained response. Just chaos.

Note: To enlarge the video view, use the pinch gesture or tap the blue circle on the video player.

Nigeria's road safety authority shared this image of the crash site

An accident that claimed two lives!

Last month, an aide to a sitting governor was stabbed at a political event. Somebody lifted him on his shoulder! Such a gory sight!

Still no ambulance. Not even for a governor’s aide.

That is real poverty.

In Nigeria, money does not save you in a crisis. Influence does not protect you. When it matters most, everyone is poor.

Anthony Joshua injured in Nigeria car crash that killed two team members

Makuochi Okafor, BBC Africa, Lagosand Ian Aikman

READ

To the rich and influential Nigerian who thinks demanding a better country is for the poor masses, one day you will understand. In an emergency, you are just as poor as the rest of us. Nigeria is poor! Poor, poor.

Rest in Peace to the dead —Ayodeji and Sina, and wishing Anthony Joshua a quick recovery.

YAME Digital Australia

---

“UPDATE: January 2nd, 2026: Prosecutors on Friday charged Anthony Joshua’s driver, 46-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, with four offences at the Sagamu Magistrate Court in Nigeria, according to police sources.

The charges include causing death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and operating a vehicle without a valid licence.

The former heavyweight champion was hospitalized with injuries following the crash and was discharged on Wednesday.”

— Source: Nigeria Police

Joshua (center) was involved in the crash that killed his team members, including his personal trainer, Latif Ayodele (left), and strength coach, Sina Ghami (right).

Sierra Leone almost entirely axed from UK aid budget: ‘Lives of mothers and babies are at stake’

Sierra Leone, which has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, is losing tens of millions in grants for maternal and newborn health.

The Independent Report

The UK has been accused of “quietly” axing virtually all aid money to Sierra Leone, including a £35m grant for maternal and newborn health – the first example to emerge of a country losing out in the government’s plans to shrink the global development budget by 40 per cent.

The UK-funded programme to Sierra Leone was providing essential medicines and training in hospitals, as well as working to ensure access to blood and testing for preventable causes of maternal death like pre-eclampsia (a serious complication causing high blood pressure).

Run by a consortium of charities including Concern Worldwide and Helen Keller International, it will see its funding reduced from £35m to £1m by 2027, before closing.

---

“Government seems blind to the global tide of change and unwilling to recognize the urgency of deep economic and institutional shifts. Instead of strengthening national institutions and preparing for the challenges ahead, our leaders remain trapped in politics, propaganda, and self‑preservation. Even as the “gravy train” approaches its last station, they continue to behave as though it will run forever,” ~ YAME Digital Australia.

---

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had signaled that some countries would stop receiving aid altogether, but few details have come out so far. However, Pete Baker, deputy director of global health policy at the Center for Global Development think tank, has told The Independent that grants to countries were being cut “quite quietly behind the scenes”.

“You'd hope that they'd be willing to be more transparent around some of these cuts given that lives are at stake,” he said.

With a much smaller aid budget, the FCDO is prioritizing spending on big international funds like the global vaccine alliance Gavi and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. These funds have still received cuts, but at a smaller scale than the overall 40 per cent being sliced from the aid budget.

The government has also pledged to maintain its contribution to the humanitarian responses in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan. After spending on these areas, there is little money left over to send directly to other countries in need.

Another part of the Sierra Leone grant delivered by UNICEF, which included buying in essential medicines for pregnancy and birth, will end in March - raising questions about how the government in Sierra Leone will take on the sudden expense.

UNICEF was also providing special care baby units for sick or premature newborns.

UNICEF spokesperson for Sierra Leone, Suzanne Wooster, said: “Reductions in funding for newborn and child health risk disrupting essential services at a critical time. UNICEF continues to work closely with the government of Sierra Leone and partners to mitigate impacts and safeguard gains made for children and newborns.”

“We understand there's some trade-offs there,” Mr Baker, of the Center for Global Development, said. “But this is one of the poorest countries in the world.

“It's got really terrible maternal mortality and child mortality rates”.

The FCDO was expected to publish further details of where aid cuts will fall over the next three years in the autumn, but this has been delayed – likely into next year, The Independent understands.

An FCDO spokesperson said: “The UK is committed to defending and promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights, and we will continue to work with international partners in support of women and girls.” But, they added, the department has been, “clear we must modernise our approach to development to reflect the changing global context”.

The UK had invested more than £187.9m into Sierra Leone’s health system over the last decade, they added.

Mr Baker said that the UK had a “long history of both leadership in global health and reasonably good transparency around some of its decision-making,” which it would be a “shame to lose”.

Sierra Leone had been “a very high priority for UK aid, and it's getting some very severe cuts,” he added. “I think that would be helpful for the public to understand”.

This article has been produced as part of The Independent’s Rethinking Global Aid project

Rachel Schraer Global Health Correspondent | Thursday 18 December 2025 12:40 GMT

June 16, 2025: A New Travel Ban is on the Horizon for Additional Countries

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

“Such a move would represent another escalation of the Trump administration's aggressive stance on ‘BLACK’ immigration.”

“If only Black folks can get their act together!”

— Source: YAME Digital

A new travel ban is being proposed that could affect additional countries.

On June 16, the U.S. State Department, in an internal memo reviewed by The Washington Post, indicated that it is considering adding 36 more countries to a list that might face visa bans or other restrictions. This list includes 25 African nations, such as significant U.S. partners like Egypt and Djibouti, as well as Nigeria, along with countries in the Caribbean, Central Asia, and several Pacific Island nations.

The internal memo sets a 60-day deadline for these targeted nations to meet specific requirements; otherwise, they may face a full or partial entry ban. Such a move would represent another escalation of the Trump administration's aggressive stance on immigration.

The memo, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to U.S. diplomats who work with the countries, said the governments of listed nations were being given 60 days to meet new benchmarks and requirements established by the State Department. It set a deadline of 8 A.M. Wednesday for them to provide an initial action plan for meeting the requirements.

The cable was first reported by the Washington Post

---

Most Read from YAME Digital:

In accordance with the presidential proclamation, the U.S. Embassy has suspended issuance of tourist, business, student, and exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas (categories B, F, M, and J) to nationals of Sierra Leone and can only issue immigrant visas for immediate family members of U.S. Citizens (IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5) or adoption (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4) to nationals of Sierra Leone.

Trump signs proclamation to ban travel from several countries

---

REUTERS: Trump administration weighs adding 36 countries to travel ban, memo says

By Humeyra Pamuk | June 16, 2025 5:44 AM EDT

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.

Earlier this month, the Republican president signed a proclamation that banned the entry of citizens from 12 countries, saying the move was needed to protect the United States against "foreign terrorists" and other national security threats.

The directive was part of an immigration crackdown Trump launched this year at the start of his second term, which has included the deportation to El Salvador of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members, as well as efforts to deny enrollment of some foreign students from U.S. universities and deport others.

In an internal diplomatic cable signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department outlined a dozen concerns about the countries in question and sought corrective action.

"The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days," the cable sent out over the weekend said.

The cable was first reported by the Washington Post.

Among the concerns the State Department raised was the lack of a competent or cooperative government by some of the countries mentioned to produce reliable identity documents, the cable said. Another was "questionable security" of that country's passport.

Some countries, the cable said, were not cooperative in facilitating the removal of their nationals from the United States who were ordered to be removed. Some countries were overstaying the U.S. visas that their citizens were being granted.

[1/2] U.S. President Donald Trump stands with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he prepares to depart for Hagerstown, Maryland, at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, U.S., June 8, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Other reasons for concern were that the nationals of the country were involved in acts of terrorism in the United States, or antisemitic and anti-American activity.

The cable noted that not all of these concerns pertained to every country listed.

"We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws," a senior State Department official said, declining to comment on specific internal deliberations and communications.

"The Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process," the official said.

The countries that could face a full or a partial ban if they do not address these concerns within the next 60 days are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

That would be a significant expansion of the ban that came into effect earlier this month. The countries affected were Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela - has also been partially restricted.

During his first term in office, Trump announced a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk Editing by Bill Berkrot

Humeyra Pamuk is a senior foreign policy correspondent based in Washington, DC. She covers the U.S. State Department, regularly traveling with the U.S. Secretary of State. During her 20 years with Reuters, she has had postings in London, Dubai, Cairo, and Turkey, covering everything from the Arab Spring and Syria's civil war to numerous Turkish elections and the Kurdish insurgency in the southeast. In 2017, she won the Knight-Bagehot fellowship program at Columbia University’s School of Journalism. She holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in European Union studies.

---

---

“UPDATE: December 16, 2025: Complete travel shutdown for immigrants and non-immigrants extended for Sierra Leone starting 1 January 2026.”

— Source: The WHITE HOUSE — Washington

Immigrant and non-immigrant travel restrictions for Sierra Leone will be completely shut down starting January 1, 2026. This is part of a new presidential proclamation signed by President Donald J. Trump on December 16, 2025, which expands earlier travel restrictions implemented in June 2025.

""It imposes full restrictions and entry limitations on 2 countries that were previously subject to partial restrictions: Laos and Sierra Leone.""

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States

– The White House

READ

Sierra Leone is now under a FULL U.S. ENTRY SUSPENSION

Under Section 4(e), all immigrant and non-immigrant entries of Sierra Leonean nationals into the United States are fully suspended starting January 1, 2026.

This means:

Sierra Leoneans cannot be issued:

• Tourist visas (B-1/B-2)

• Student visas (F, M, J)

• Work visas

• Family-based immigrant visas

• Diversity Visa (Green Card lottery)

• Business visas

New visa applications will be denied by default.

Who is NOT affected (important exceptions)

You are NOT barred if you fall into one of these categories: You can still enter the U.S. if you are:

• A U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder)

• A dual national traveling on a non-Sierra Leone passport

• Already holding a valid U.S. visa issued before January 1, 2026

• Traveling on official/diplomatic visas (A, G, NATO categories)

• Part of major international sporting events

• A U.S. government employee under a special immigrant visa

• Granted a case-by-case national interest waiver (very rare)

Family reunification is effectively shut down

One of the biggest impacts is that family-based immigration is no longer broadly allowed. Even:

• Spouses

• Children

• Parents

Do not automatically qualify anymore.

The U.S. government explicitly says family ties have been used in the past for fraud and financing of illegal activity, so family visas are no longer a blanket exception.

Why Sierra Leone specifically?

The proclamation cites Sierra Leone for:

• High visa overstay rates

• ~16% for tourist visas

• ~36% for student/exchange visas (very high by U.S. standards)

• Failure to accept deported nationals consistently

• Weak civil documentation systems

• Unreliable criminal records

• Corruption and document fraud risks

In short, the U.S. says it cannot trust documents or background checks coming from Sierra Leone.

What this means economically and socially

For individuals:

• Education pathways to the U.S. are cut off

• Medical travel to the U.S. becomes nearly impossible

• Business mobility is severely restricted

• Families remain separated indefinitely

For the country:

• Loss of remittances

• Reduced educational and professional exchange

• Diplomatic strain with the U.S.

• Increased stigma for Sierra Leonean passports globally

Is this permanent?

No — but it is open-ended.

• Reviews occur every 180 days

• Restrictions can be lifted only if Sierra Leone:

• Improves civil registration (births, deaths, marriages)

• Reduces visa overstays

• Accepts deported nationals

• Strengthens document security and recordkeeping

• Cooperates fully with U.S. vetting requests

Until then, the suspension remains in force.

Practical advice for Sierra Leoneans

• Do not apply for new U.S. visas unless you clearly qualify for an exception

• If you have another nationality, use that passport

• If you already have a U.S. visa, travel before it expires

• Focus on alternative destinations (UK, Canada, Schengen, etc.)

• Expect much stricter scrutiny globally, not just from the U.S.

Bottom line (plain truth)

For Sierra Leoneans, this is effectively a U.S. travel ban — one of the harshest levels of restriction — with very limited escape routes.

RESTRICTING AND LIMITING THE ENTRY OF FOREIGN NATIONALS TO PROTECT THE SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES

President Donald J. Trump – The WHITE HOUSE

READ

---

RELATED

“If we can lobby countries, mobilise enormous diplomatic effort, and secure regional support for a UN Security Council Seat, an ECOWAS Chairmanship, and the Presidency of OFLAD, then the vulnerabilities cited in the recent US immigration actions are not accidental.

Deficiencies in screening, information sharing, record-keeping, overstay tracking, and repatriation are not technical failures; they are the predictable outcome of governance choices.

We have prioritised image over institutional integrity, prestige over systems, and international visibility over domestic competence-and the consequences are now laid bare.”

— Source: ~ Basita Michael on X.

Note: To enlarge the video view, use the pinch gesture or tap the blue circle on the video player.

“What a Smokescreen! Several official videos presented by the Sierra Leonean authorities regarding drug arrests.”

— Source:

‘Bolle Jos’ —Jos Leijdekkers—recognized as Europe’s most wanted drug kingpin and identified as Bio's son-in-law

The International Drug Enforcement Agencies, including Interpol and Europol, possess intelligence confirming that Jos Leijdekkers—recognized as Europe’s most wanted drug kingpin and identified as Bio's son-in-law—is currently operating from Sierra Leone.

READ the article on 'Bolle Jos' Leijdekkers

YAME Digital Australia

Economic Migration

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Happy Thanksgiving from POTUS

Following the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members, President Trump, today, has ordered the federal agency responsible for managing legal immigration to the United States to conduct a comprehensive review of green card holders from what the administration describes as “countries of concern,” according to the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

When asked which nations fall under this category, USCIS referred to a presidential proclamation issued in June that lists 19 countries deemed deficient in screening and vetting procedures.

Proclamations |

June 4, 2025

Presidential Action

READ

Prospects are unfortunately unfavorable for Sierra Leone, since it appears on the list.

(i) According to the Overstay Report, Sierra Leone had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 15.43 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent. Sierra Leone has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.

(ii) The entry into the United States of nationals of Sierra Leone as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is hereby suspended.

(iii) Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Sierra Leone to the extent permitted by law.

The key concern for many Sierra Leoneans is: What constructive measures is the ambassador taking to address the growing negative narratives about Sierra Leone, and what comprehensive strategies does the government have in place to respond to these perceptions? In this context, how is the embassy team engaging partners, stakeholders, and the wider public to promote a more balanced and positive image of the country, beyond routine participation in political events and fundraisers?

Following the Thanksgiving message from the President of the United States, Chris-Vincent Agyapong wrote:

Economic Migration

As an immigration lawyer, I have a front-row seat to a global paradigm shift. The United Kingdom's recent punitive immigration proposal was a warning shot.

Now, the United States has announced even more draconian measures, with Donald Trump explicitly targeting migration from what he terms "third-world countries."

This is not a coincidence; it is a clear signal that the West is fundamentally re-evaluating its relationship with economic migrants, particularly those perceived as a potential burden on public funds.

The political rhetoric confirms this shift. The justification for these harsh policies was laid bare in a post Trump as:

“A very Happy Thanksgiving salutation to all of our Great American Citizens and Patriots who have been so nice in allowing our Country to be divided, disrupted, carved up, murdered, beaten, mugged, and laughed at, along with certain other foolish countries throughout the World, for being ‘Politically Correct,’ and just plain STUPID, when it comes to Immigration. The official United States Foreign population stands at 53 million people (Census), most of which are on welfare, from failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels. They and their children are supported through massive payments from Patriotic American Citizens who, because of their beautiful hearts, do not want to openly complain or cause trouble in any way, shape, or form. They put up with what has happened to our Country, but it’s eating them alive to do so!

A migrant earning $30,000 with a green card will get roughly $50,000 in yearly benefits for their family. The real migrant population is much higher. This refugee burden is the leading cause of social dysfunction in America, something that did not exist after World War II (Failed schools, high crime, urban decay, overcrowded hospitals, housing shortages, and large deficits, etc.). As an example, hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota. Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for “prey” as our wonderful people stay locked in their apartments and houses, hoping against hope that they will be left alone. The seriously retarded Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both, while the worst “Congressman/woman” in our Country, Ilhan Omar, always wrapped in her swaddling hijab, and who probably came into the U.S.A. illegally in that you are not allowed to marry your brother, does nothing but hatefully complain about our Country, its Constitution, and how “badly” she is treated, when her place of origin is a decadent, backward, and crime ridden nation, which is essentially not even a country for lack of Government, Military, Police, schools, etc.

Even as we have progressed technologically, Immigration Policy has eroded those gains and living conditions for many. I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country, end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country, denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility, and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization. These goals will be pursued to achieve a major reduction in illegal and disruptive populations, including those admitted through an unauthorized and illegal Autopen approval process. Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation. Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long!”

While this rhetoric is extreme and contains inflammatory positions, it resonates because it preys on real instances of system abuse. In my practice, I see this dichotomy daily. There are immense numbers of immigrants who work tirelessly and contribute economically through taxes. Yet, some validate the worst stereotypes.

I recall a colleague recounting how a client, after overstaying in the UK for six years, was granted her first 2.5 years of leave to remain. Her first question was not about how to get a National Insurance number to start working or how to enroll in a course to improve her skills. It was: "Lawyer, now that I have this, how do I remove the 'no recourse to public funds' so I can get social housing?" Her primary goal was immediate access to welfare, not self-sufficiency.

This mindset, however prevalent, is a luxury we can no longer afford. The West is tired, and the doors are closing. The only viable, long-term solution is for us to turn our energies inward. We must develop our countries, and it is imperative that more Africans consciously consider returning to contribute to this mission. We must make our nations great and prosperous in their own right.

If we do not start this urgent work now, it may be too late. The world is sending us a message, and it is one we must finally heed: our future cannot be built in their countries if we are not simultaneously building our own.

—Chris-Vincent Agyapong

---

“UPDATE: December 2, 2025 | Policy Memorandum | PM-602-0192”

— Source: US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Tap to Read or Download

SUBJECT: Hold and Review of all Pending Asylum Applications and all USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from High-Risk Countries

What a Smokescreen! This article responds to several official videos presented by the Sierra Leonean authorities regarding drug arrests

Photo L-R: ‘Bolle Jos’ —Jos Leijdekkers—recognized as Europe’s most wanted drug kingpin and identified as Bio's son-in-law, Alusine Kanneh, former Immigration Chief, and Andrew Jaiah Kaikai, Executive Director of the NDLEA (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, SL) and Immigration Chief PRIOR.

What a smoke screen!

Note: To enlarge the video view, use the pinch gesture or tap the blue circle on the video player.

The International Drug Enforcement Agencies, including Interpol and Europol, possess intelligence confirming that Jos Leijdekkers—recognized as Europe’s most wanted drug kingpin and identified as Bio's son-in-law—is currently operating from Sierra Leone.

Note: To enlarge the video view, use the pinch gesture or tap the blue circle on the video player.

He is implicated as the principal orchestrator of drug importation activities within the country.

Ongoing investigations further indicate the involvement of several corrupt officials within the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) administration and certain elements of the security forces. It is anticipated that these individuals will soon face legal scrutiny and be placed on the wanted.

The investigative bodies have already identified a number of these compromised actors, and action against them is imminent.

Instead of going after the drug kingpin.

The authorities in Sierra Leone are now cracking down on news agencies and journalists in the country for highlighting the rampant drug trafficking operations conducted by organized syndicates sheltering in the country from international drug enforcement agencies.

YAME Digital

Cocaine: Africa's New 'Gold Rush'

The chase for wealth becomes a perpetual game: Beneath the glittering profits, it unearths layers of violence, social and economic ruin, and systemic corruption, where illicit economies bleed into governance, with communities paying the highest price as state authority frays, livelihoods shrink, and cycles of crime deepen, all while criminal cartels jockey for footholds.

Trafficking by organized transnational networks generates substantial revenue for criminal organizations, now amounting to billions of dollars annually.

This concerning trend underscores the urgent need to address and combat these illicit operations.

Recent intercepts in Nigeria, West Africa

The ‘New Gold Rush’ highlights the enormous profits and far-reaching social and economic impacts of the cocaine trade. It has become comparable to historical gold rushes, spurring a fierce competition for wealth and power among criminal organizations. The recent interceptions in Nigeria, West Africa, show how innovative and diversified their trafficking methods are, expanding their reach.

The Nigeria Customs Service, operating at the Ports and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) in Lagos, intercepted a substantial cocaine shipment valued at ₦29.4 billion (approximately $235 million) in November 2025.

The drugs, weighing one tonne (1,000 kilograms), were discovered in a 20-foot container (No. GCNU1332851) that had originated from Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The discovery was made during a routine disinfection process of empty containers intended for export, rather than as part of an import shipment.

The suspicious packages were initially identified by the terminal operator, who promptly notified the authorities. This led to a joint investigation by Customs, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Police Anti-Bomb Squad.

No arrests have been made yet because the container arrived without a consignee or import documentation, making it one of the most mysterious interceptions in the service’s history.

The NDLEA took formal custody of the consignment on Tuesday for further investigation.

Law enforcement agencies from the US and UK have also joined the investigation to trace the origins and network behind the smuggling operation. The case marks the largest single cocaine seizure ever recorded at Tincan Island Port, Lagos, and highlights ongoing efforts to ensure port security and combat illicit drug trafficking.

‘The Best is Yet to Come.’ Cameroon's Paul Biya at 92 Seek Re-election

“After a tense and totally transparent election marred only by widespread disbelief, 92-year-old President Paul Biya has once again proven that Cameroon’s presidency is a lifelong internship with full benefits and no awkward exit interviews.”

— Source: UPDATE: The Constitutional Council announced on October 27 that Paul Biya, now 92 years old and the world's oldest head of state, secured more than 53%—specifically about 53.66%—of the vote, extending his rule to an eighth consecutive term. His main opponent, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, garnered approximately 35% but has contested the outcome, fueling violent protests and continued unrest in several cities across the country.

The Ancestors— made in France

TRT AFRIKA deep dive into the group of powerful elders governing Cameroon, from 92-year-old President Paul Biya to his 91-year-old potential successor.

A deep dive into the group of powerful elders governing Cameroon, from 92-year-old President Paul Biya to his 91-year-old potential successor and several other top officials in their 80s. Use the Pinch gesture or tap the blue circle on the video player to enlarge the view.

Despite facing more competitors than a local bingo night, Biya secured 53% of the vote—which is roughly the same percentage of citizens who now think elections are just a biannual episode of ‘Who Wants to Be ~President~ Forever.’

Heightened tensions in Douala and other towns in Cameroon🇨🇲 ahead of Monday's official declaration of presidential results.

Paul Biya's government has detained 30 politicians affiliated to opposition presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma, who has called for nationwide protests. pic.twitter.com/NA5naQKkSy

— Kennedy Wandera (@KennedyWandera_) October 26, 2025

His main opponent, still recovering from sprains sustained jumping to conclusions, has called the results into question, fueling violent protests and continued unrest in several cities across the country- protests that authorities described as ‘a wonderful new form of cardio for the general public.’ Meanwhile, Biya reassured the nation that his eighth consecutive term would be ‘just as exciting as the last seven—maybe with a new hat,’ and promised, ‘Temporary hardships will end soon… and permanent ones will begin.’

pic.twitter.com/QcKfsC9Qrj

— MMI News (@MimiMefoInfo) October 27, 2025

Traders at the Mokolo market in Yaoundé were taken by surprise this morning by the arrival of an anti-riot truck. Just hours before the official announcement of the presidential election results, tensions are running high.

pic.twitter.com/14Oyuq7885

— MMI News (@MimiMefoInfo) October 27, 2025

Cameroonians taken to the streets to express their discontent after the Constitutional Council proclaimed the presidential election results. In the Makepe Missoke neighborhood of Douala, Issa Tchiroma Bakary is being celebrated.

pic.twitter.com/pJFSVSjrnf

— MMI News (@MimiMefoInfo) October 27, 2025

DOUALA, CAMEROON: An elderly man, overwhelmed by grief, broke down in tears upon hearing that President Paul Biya had been declared the winner for another seven years in office.

Biya you're 92, and still want to rule the country for another 8 years? After ruling for 42 years!! What level of wickedness is this?

How can one not feel the profound despair? Free Cameroon !!

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, opposition presidential candidate, speaks, 'We will not back down!' Listen.

October 28, 2025

Use the Pinch gesture or Tap the blue circle on the video player to enlarge the view

END UPDATE

---

“Cameroonians’ Shadows: 92-Year-Old Biya Crowned Again, France the Hand Unseen.”

— UPDATE: Monday, October 13, 2025

On Sunday, October 12, Cameroon turned its eyes to the polls as 92-year-old Paul Biya, the world’s oldest sitting head of state, sought an unprecedented eighth term in office. This election, far from a mere democratic exercise, bore the marks of a deeply entrenched system where power is less won than preserved.

Biya’s reign, now spanning over 43 years, is not just an extension of tenure but a reinstatement supported by layers of influence, old and new. While the ballots crept across the polling stations, an invisible hand—one many allege belongs to France—guided the processes behind the scenes. Biya is not simply reelected; in truth, he is reinstated by the enduring legacy and ongoing influence of the former colonial power.

Despite a crowded field of nine candidates, the opposition was fragmented, and several key challengers, including the prominent Maurice Kamto, were barred from contesting, their political hopes stifled by the Constitutional Council. This court, dominated by Biya’s allies, dismissed appeals and petitions that might have weakened the incumbent’s grip. The electoral system itself—designed to ensure victory for the candidate with the most votes—was a fortress built to preserve the status quo.

The official results are to be announced by the Constitutional Council within 15 days, a body charged with confirming the outcome in a process heavily tilted in favor of the incumbent.

In this theater of political farce, the election was less a choice and more a reiteration of a political saga scripted decades ago. The nation's youth, with a median age of 18, question a future where power circulates among the old guard while real change seems an echo too faint to grasp.

—The continuation of a reign long sustained by division, suppression, and foreign endorsement.

“There are reports of both sides claiming victory amidst political tensions.”

— Source: OCTOBER 14, 2025: UPDATE

The claim that Cameroonians have voted their 92-year-old president out of power after 43 years has not been officially confirmed.

While Cameroon's opposition candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, has claimed victory in the presidential election held on October 12, 2025. He has called on President Paul Biya, who is 92 years old and has been in power for 43 years, to concede. However, the official election results have not yet been released.

The Independent Elections Cameroon body and the Constitutional Council have not announced formal results, which are expected to be declared by October 26 at the latest.

President Biya's party has rejected the opposition's claim, and government officials have warned that only the Constitutional Council can officially declare the winner.

Angry Cameroonians protest over security forces around the residence of the opposition leader.

pic.twitter.com/kj62pMcqHp

— Typical African (@Joe__Bassey) October 12, 2025

Cameroon is rich in a variety of minerals, including bauxite, iron ore, gold, diamonds, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and rare earth elements. Although many of these resources remain undeveloped, they hold significant potential for economic growth, which the people of Cameroon are unlikely to benefit from.

END UPDATE

---

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Seriously folks! No joking around.

Cameroon's President Paul Biya, 92

At 92 years old, Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, officially announced his intention to seek re-election. His campaign slogan— "The Best is Yet to Come." Imagine, after 43 years in power.

Biya has governed Cameroon since 1982 and is set to run yet again for an 8th term. He is already one of Africa’s longest-ruling presidents, behind only Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Nguema.

In July 2025, after months of speculation, he confirmed in a tweet that he would run again.

He is running for re-election in the presidential election in Cameroon scheduled for 12 October 2025.

In a move that has shocked few but stirred fresh debate about the state of democracy in Central Africa, a leader who, if successful, could see himself remain in power until he is nearly 100 years old.

His campaign message, shared via social media, emphasizes his ongoing determination: "Much remains to be done! The best is yet to come." This announcement comes after months of speculation about his health, particularly following several lengthy public absences last year.

Biya’s continued rule has been characterized by intimidation, the preservation of elite privileges, and a strong grip on political institutions. The party system and the absence of term limits—eliminated in 2008—have facilitated prolonged leadership.

Biya rarely makes public appearances and is believed to have delegated significant authority to top aides, prompting internal debates about succession. Recent defections of long-time ministers signal tensions within his coalition, while opposition and religious groups increasingly call for new leadership. Nonetheless, elite rallies and party activities continue to support Biya’s re-election.

Many Cameroonians, especially youth, over 36% of the population under 18, express doubts about meaningful change and cite issues such as unemployment and poverty. Opposition parties remain fragmented, with some candidates and civil society groups advocating for regime change, but many express frustration over the entrenched political system.

Despite having abundant resources, Cameroon faces several ongoing challenges, including a heavy reliance on foreign aid, corruption, and persistent human rights issues.

Observers suggest that President Biya's hold on power has hindered both economic and democratic development. His bid for re-election raises significant uncertainty about the country's future trajectory.

Western countries and organizations have largely refrained from direct intervention or public criticism regarding Biya's candidacy. France, Cameroon’s former colonial power, has lost much of its regional influence and has not made any strong statements about Biya’s position.

Similarly, the United States has shown limited interest and has avoided applying noticeable pressure on Biya’s regime. The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) struggles with its own internal crises and the prevalence of entrenched regimes within its member states, which undermines its credibility to challenge Biya.

Human rights and advocacy groups have become increasingly vocal. Amnesty International, along with other observers, has criticized the Cameroonian government for its authoritarian practices and the recent imprisonment of activists, condemning President Biya's administration for suppressing dissent.

Prominent lawyers, such as Felix Agbor Nkongho, have advocated for a transition to new leadership that genuinely reflects the aspirations of the people, explicitly rejecting the notion of a perpetual incumbent.

Much of the international media coverage frames Biya’s candidacy as symptomatic of broader problems in African politics, particularly the tendency of “old guard” leaders to maintain power at the expense of democratic renewal.

BBC and DW report growing international and domestic demands for Biya to step aside, citing concerns over his age, health, and the lack of opportunities for Cameroon's youth.

Media outlets stress the risks of instability and potential electoral violence, especially given Cameroon's internal conflicts and widespread dissatisfaction with governance.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

KUSH Related Deaths: When a Ministry Responds with Suspicion Instead of Empathy, Solidarity, or Urgency

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

… It tells you governance has lost its heart and soul.

If our institutions cannot show compassion and rise to the grief and pain of the families and communities shattered by the kush crisis, then for the love of God, they must stop adding salt to injury.

Ministry of Local Government & Community Affairs Request for evidence— Kush-related deaths

A national emergency has already been declared by His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio, on 4 April 2024 under the Drug and Substance Abuse Public Emergency Response Regulations, 2024.

If, in spite of this, communications are still failing to reflect the scope and seriousness of the crisis and government officials believe it is acceptable to be making statements that undermine the very Public Emergency declared by no less a person than His Excellency, the President, then that unprecedented constitutional problem is between those officials and the President himself.

It is for His Excellency to decide what to do about those watering down his Public Emergency proclamation.

But moving on, for the love of God, those still denying the scale and rate at which people are dying from the kush disaster, yet occupying key positions, it’s high time they keep their denial to themselves and stop making heartless statements that not only offend the intelligence of people but also their humanity.

To mock the dead is to make cynics of the living.

The Bio-SLPP administration touts building a stronger, smarter youth, yet Kush-related deaths read like an unofficial census of the nation's most 'developed' human capital losses.

Is the Bio government nurturing future leaders or just curating the ultimate Kush casualty? Some words of reflection from Prof. Dr. Prince Hycy Bull in ‘The Real Crisis We Ignore.’

The Real Crisis We Ignore: “Homelessness, drug abuse, orphans, poor health, and unemployment — these are not just statistics; they are the leading causes of death on the streets of Freetown.

If we cared for our people with even half the passion we show for politics and political parties, Sierra Leone would know true peace and prosperity.

Our nation suffers not because of a lack of potential, but because we have misplaced our priorities. Too often, we care only about ourselves, our politics, and what we can gain — forgetting the heart and soul of our nation: the poor, the vulnerable, the forgotten.

It is time to turn our love for politics into love for people. Only then can we rebuild Sierra Leone with dignity, compassion, and unity. “

In an ironic twist worthy of a dark comedy, if there are any youths left to be governed.

Video Courtesy: Use the Pinch gesture or Tap the blue circle on the video player to enlarge the view

Poet George Edwin, in the Poem "Kush —To Heal —Despair?"

Is this how you should get your living

To kill humanity in the living?

With a spate of leg ulcers piling

And with the show of indifference very telling

And irreversible addiction from one generation to another, spilling

While death and life are busy bargaining as to the fate of the living

Right in the eyes of their Mummies, you make them walk on their tummies

As they sleepwalk, they thrust dagger into their homies

Yet charged to court to answer to charges, even as zombies

And the puppies blamed for the bite of the bulldogs

To the material proceeds the society gives warm hugs

Even as the future stands to face many clogs

Shelves of pharmacies now relish holding anti youthful drugs

Drugs that lay wrinkled youngsters flat on unpaved floors like public rugs

And treat them like public bedbugs

For your living, you sell dope instead of hope

But just know that you're leaving for your children a tug of war on a tiny rope

And that any prayers for them from the Vatican will boomerang on the Pope

And as you suck out life from the living for your living scope

You narrow your pathway down this steep, dark slope

Yet you argue that you push Kush down the throats of youths to heal their despair

Hopelessness, irony, or disillusionment.

Something has gone so woefully wrong socially, politically, and environmentally that the next generation—young people, the youths—might no longer be around in society.' Sierra Leone! The collapse.

**Footnote:** A special thank you to the contributors.

Basita Michael ‘When a Ministry reacts not with empathy, solidarity, or urgency but with suspicion and administrative threats.’

Prof. Dr. Prince Bull ‘The Real Crisis We Ignor’

Poet George Edwin, in the Poem ‘Kush —To Heal —Despair?’

---

---

UPDATE: 21 October 2025, 2:34 PM EST | From the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr

“Instead of offering support, the readout request for supporting data for kush-related death from the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Local Governance and Community Affairs, Bai Thuray, read like a political stunt at a time when the government needs a coordinated effort to provide services to its citizens, including the dead.”

— 21 Oct 2025, 2:34 PM EST | UPDATE from the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr

Upon request from the Local Government, the Mayor of Freetown has provided evidence of its claim in a spreadsheet with the name, sex, date collected, area, photo reference, and cemetery burial disposition of the dead found across Freetown from 7 January 2025 to 8 October 2025.

Additionally, the Mayor announced that the Freetown City Council will no longer be responsible for collecting the deceased individuals. If the Local Government wants to secure a pathologist to examine the bodies and confirm deaths related to kush, the FCC will assist in locating the corpses.

END UPDATE

YAME Digital

LDEA Seizes Over US$112,000 Worth of Tramadol at Bo Waterside Border

BO WATERSIDE, Grand Cape Mount County — The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has intercepted and seized a major consignment of the controlled substance Tramadol, valued at more than US$112,000, at the Bo Waterside Port of Entry.

According to the LDEA, the seizure was made around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2025, following intelligence-led operations. Officers discovered 1,067 packs of Tapentadol (Tramadol) hidden inside two white slippers bags belonging to Mohammed M. Sheriff, a 38-year-old Liberian traveling from Freetown to Monrovia.

Authorities estimate the street value of the confiscated drugs at US$112,315.78, equivalent to approximately L$21.3 million.

The LDEA credited the successful bust to enhanced border surveillance and technical training provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

“This interception represents another major victory in our ongoing fight against cross-border drug trafficking,” the agency said in a statement. “We remain committed to safeguarding Liberia’s borders and protecting our communities from the devastating effects of illicit drugs.”

The suspect is currently in custody as the investigation continues.

By Taisiah Merfee | October 13, 2025

---

RELATED

“Fadima Savage to Maada Bio: Kush and other drugs are killing our people in Sierra Leone. President Bio, please say something and take action.

I stand with Lamrana Bah! Violence against our journalists is unacceptable.”

— Source: October 14, 2025

Use the Pinch gesture or Tap the blue circle on the video player to enlarge the view.

Viral video from Sierra Leone shows two boys, believed to be around 12 years old, fighting late at night over kush as if it were candy. In the clip, the children argue intensely about the missing drug, while shocked voices in the background react with disbelief and concern#kush pic.twitter.com/e2QHhENyhs

— Yame.space (@SpaceYame) October 16, 2025

Struggling to Find Work! It Seems Like You Can't Get a Job

New Zealand is offering the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa (GWSV).

High-skilled seasonal work visa for New Zealand, effective from December 8, 2025, for operational peak seasons.

The visa is valid for up to 3 years, allowing returning seasonal workers to build long-term employment relationships in New Zealand while requiring them to spend at least 3 months outside the country each year.

New Zealand Global Impact Work Visa Application

Visa targets professionals across multiple seasonal industries: agriculture, horticulture, tourism, and outdoor recreation. No Labour Market Test or English language requirement needed for this visa.

The visa pathway is part of New Zealand's Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) framework to meet workforce demands during peak seasonal periods.

There is no explicit nationality eligibility list for the GWSV; it is open to global applicants who can meet the role requirements and employer accreditation.

Required Documents:

• Proof of a valid job offer from an accredited employer.

• Identity documents, such as a valid passport that shows nationality.

• Evidence of having worked in relevant seasonal roles for at least 3 seasons in the past 6 years.

• Health and character certificates meeting New Zealand's immigration standards.

• Role verification documents confirming the seasonal skilled role.

• Relevant health checks.

• Any other documents supporting the visa application under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) framework.

For information on the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa (GWSV) to New Zealand, visit HERE.

For documentation and relevant information about New Zealand Immigration, visit HERE.

Download or View the Sample Document:

Sierra Leone: When the Head of the Fish Rotten, the Whole Body Spoils

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Sierra Leone stands as a tragic masterpiece in the gallery of failed governance—a living proverb of what happens when the head of the fish is rotten and the rot infects every organ, fin, and scale of national life. The government, from its glitzy presidential lodges right down to the most junior official stamping forms on a rusted desk, models a form of corruption so normalized that it would be called tradition if it weren’t so plainly a crime.

The empty vows to fight the ‘cancer’ of corruption ring hollow against the evidence: the media who report on high-level graft are arrested, anti-corruption drives become circuses of accountability without consequence, and each new scandal is met by the same exhausted chorus of official denials and citizens’ shrugs.

A National Unity of Shrugs

From the president’s office down to the traffic police post, there appears to be a rare sense of unity: everyone agrees corruption is bad—especially when it’s someone else’s. Government agencies now outdo each other announcing new reforms, holding press conferences to declare they will ‘root out the rot,’ then promptly forget where the root is buried.

In the game of complicit governance, transparency and reform are whispered like superstitions, never allowed to threaten the real rites of power—patronage, bribery, kickbacks, and the eternal reinvention of mechanisms for funneling public cash into private pockets.

---

Most Read from YAME Digital: SIERRA LEONE

A billionaire bubble that bursts the moment you try to price something. Anything!

Behold, the land where one billion makes you rich on paper, but in real life, you’re still hustling for small change at Lumley Beach.

READ

---

Look at the hospital that lacks basic equipment, the roads that kill, the schools that fail, and witness how every noble promise about a ‘New Direction’ drowns in that familiar, slimy gloom.

Sierra Leone’s real statecraft is not about law or vision, but about extracting rents, ensuring loyalists are fed along the gravy train, and expanding ministries as a bloated reward for political allegiance.

When the President is always flying, who’s left to keep schools open? Let’s not overlook the education system in Sierra Leone.

The country's financial resources function like a personal ATM for the first family and their cronies.

Bio has perfected the art of frequent flyer miles as his nation’s classrooms remain overcrowded, underfunded, and gasping for air.

Education here is being starved deliberately, sabotaged by neglect so profound it has become ordinary. Sierra Leonean schools are running on fumes, and everyone knows it. Principals organize National Agendas not to inspire, but to plead year after year: the government’s ‘Free Education Scheme’ yields a staggering ten Leones per primary school child, a sum as laughable as it is tragic.

Chalk, the symbol of learning, is rationed like a luxury commodity.

Delays in payments are routine, support staff disappear, and tens of thousands of students are barred from exams. ‘Free’ education is just a slogan—schools are systematically starved by neglect, leaving children’s futures sacrificed to a system where hope is as scarce as funding.

Biting editorial column: After all, if the whole fish is spoiled, at least everyone gets a bite.

Meanwhile, ninety-nine percent of the citizens continue the grand national pastime of enduring. Some have even opened small side businesses selling laminated resignation letters for public officials—now portable, reusable, and available in ‘temporary exile’ or ‘redeployed” editions’

This is a society where even ‘anti-corruption’ has become a sort of dark theater—a demonstration not of virtue, but of the ruling class's ability to outmaneuver, out-hire, and outlast each wave of scrutiny. Each time a fresh committee is launched or another speech is made, it is not reform, but the ritual performance of accountability for the benefit of the one-percent donor class.

Those with power continue to prosper, shielded by the inertia of a worn-out citizenry resigned to enduring more of the same.

Sierra Leone is proof that when the head rots, the rot does not stop at the gills. It flows downward, suffocating dignity, opportunity, and hope. And as long as the fishmongers parade the same spoiled catch to market, the stench is everyone’s to bear.

YAME Digital 'All Rights Reserved'

---

RELATED

**Governance Failure: —What Past and Present Paopa’s and the Tologbos Have Failed to Achieve**

In Video: Here, a free medical screening event for the elderly, organized by Mohamed Sheik Kamara, known as ‘Jagaban,’ to commemorate the International Day of Older Persons, was abruptly canceled by the Sierra Leone Police— the use of state power by the SLPP to stifle and disrupt reflects a broader pattern of neglect for the health, welfare, and rights of the majority of the population, often referred to as the ninety-nine percent. This incident adds to a series of disruptions faced by Jagaban’s initiatives. Earlier this year, SLP also halted the groundbreaking ceremony for a proposed motorbike assembly plant, citing similar reasons. The harassment shows the depth of a political system that has repeatedly failed the citizens of Sierra Leone.

Note: To enlarge the view, use the pinch gesture or tap the blue circle on the video player.

The absurdity: A ‘High Horse Directives’ or ‘Cloud Commandments.’ The phrase ‘orders from above’ is a recurring theme commonly used in Sierra Leone to describe directives allegedly coming from the highest political authorities, such as the State House or leadership.

It’s strikingly ironic that, at a recent town hall meeting in Washington, DC, with the Sierra Leonean diaspora following the United Nations General Assembly in late September 2025, President Bio urged citizens living abroad to return home and share their expertise for the betterment of Sierra Leone.

Imploring to leverage their experiences and knowledge for national development, yet the actions by the SLP, with ‘orders from above,’ highlight the absurdity. It reveals a troubling inconsistency in his leadership approach.

If the president genuinely values their contributions, he must create a welcoming environment conducive to their return and involvement in nation-building, regardless of party line. Otherwise, those statements must have come from the ‘wrong side’ of Bio’s mouth for him to say.

Freetown and The Billionaires in Leones: A Comedy of Cash

Welcome to the Land of Paper Fortunes! If you’ve ever dreamed of being a billionaire, skip Silicon Valley or Dubai—just land in Freetown with a wallet full of Sierra Leonean leones (SLL /NLe).

Forget Elon Musk and his rocket—real billionaires are in Freetown, pushing wheelbarrows full of Leones just to buy soap. Here, the title Billionaire isn’t about private islands and hedge funds. It’s about how many rubber bands you own to tie up your money stacks.

Thanks to hyperinflation, you too can walk around with stacks of notes so tall they double as a pillow. The Sierra Leonean Leone has had a troubled past, with inflation hammering its value daily and relegating it to the lower tiers of the global economy. To put it bluntly, one billion leones will not even buy you a mid-range ‘Kekus.’

pic.twitter.com/Edz65CGq0F

— Yame.space (@SpaceYame) June 13, 2025

A Mid-range Kekus

Being a Leone billionaire is like being given a Monopoly set and told that you're the richest person in the world. While your wallet may be full, your stomach might not be.

A Currency Safari

It’s insane what has happened with Africa's currency in general, despite having the world's largest physical Gold reserves and abundant, valuable commodities on the continent.

GHS 40,000. Looks calm in Ghana

This is GHS 40,000. Looks calm in Ghana— But cross into Nigeria and it swells to 4.9 million Naira— suddenly you need a ‘Ghana Must Go’ bag to carry the bundles.

Not done! Jump to Uganda and it explodes into 11.5 million Uganda Shillings— forget backpack, you’re loading the notes into a pick-up truck like cement bags.

Then there’s the Leones currency: SLL | NLe. Well, will somebody please help: Forget duffels, forget trucks…

Behold, the land where one billion makes you rich on paper, but in real life, you’re still hustling for small change at Lumley Beach.

Forget push‑ups; billionaires here get biceps from hauling their notes. One trip to the market looks like you’re moving house. You don’t even carry a wallet—you bring a rice sack. Every purchase is cardio: counting out several hundred thousand just to buy mangoes while the seller looks bored halfway through.

ATMs spit out bills so rapidly you feel like you’ve won a money‑blowing game show—except the prize is worth a microwaved meat pie at the Crown Bakery on Wilberforce Street.

The Billionaire Lifestyle Siaka Stevens Edition: The Billionaire Capital Nobody Asked For

During my time at SLET, back in the days, and for a long time, you could exchange $1 (one dollar) for a few cents. And that is not even equivalent to one Leone.

What has happened to Sierra Leone's currency is insane. Being a billionaire comes with no limousines, only lorries of cash. Dinner reservations don’t involve caviar—they involve a bag of rice surviving the month. The true laughter comes from the kids, who watch their uncle boast of billions while drinking warm water. Snicked one six-year-old “uncle has billions, but no cold water in the fridge, for there is no electricity.”

Carrying around millions in Leones offers a unique workout routine. You don’t need weight when you’re lugging bundles of cash. Imagine! In the end, Leone billionaire’s life is less Picasso, more tragedy-comedy. You flaunt notes so tall they resemble manuscripts, only to trade them away for bread that tastes like betrayal.

A billion leones might stock your pantry with rice, palm oil, fish, and the occasional imported snack. Forget lobster—it’s more Maggi cubes and evaporated milk. This is not wealth, it’s cosplay wealth with no exit. A Monopoly board on steroids. A billionaire bubble that bursts the moment you try to price something. Anything!

In a nation where everyone dreams of striking it big, the true billionaires are the ones selling the tools. The rubber bands, sacks, and calculators. They are the Jeff Bezoses of every street corner.

The government insists things will stabilize, ‘Paopa, ’ ‘Trust the process, ’ it’s the only real flex left. In the meantime, the true value isn’t in the billions you carry—it’s in how many bags of rice and afternoons of generator fuel you can afford before your stack wilts under the heat of the next inflation.

YAME Digital 'All Rights Reserved'

---

The Government of Today— RELATED

'Salone is on zig-zag.' Use the Pinch gesture or Tap the blue circle on the video player to enlarge the view

Greed Abroad: FBI Nabs Ajibola Oduntan Over $100K 'Wicked' Broadway Ticket Scheme

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Ajibola Oduntan, a 47-year-old Nigerian-born Irish citizen

The fraudulent purchases triggered chargebacks from credit card companies after the performances, leaving Kentucky Performing Arts (KPA) to absorb the financial loss.

The term 'scam' is frequently used synonymously with fraud or deception and is sometimes conflated with misinformation and disinformation.

Ajibola Oduntan, residing in Ireland, was arrested by the FBI for orchestrating a scam involving $100,000 in Broadway tickets for the musical 'Wicked' in Kentucky.

Authorities allege that Oduntan purchased over 60 tickets using stolen credit card numbers and resold them on platforms like StubHub. His action caused substantial financial losses to Kentucky Performing Arts due to the refunds demanded by credit card companies. Despite attempts to mask his identity using VPNs, FBI agents traced the proceeds from StubHub sales to PayPal accounts linked to Oduntan.

A co-conspirator, known online as 'Stacy Marthins,' reportedly sold an additional 77 tickets tied to the same scheme.

According to federal prosecutors, Oduntan allegedly stole credit card information from numerous U.S. citizens to purchase at least 61 tickets to Wicked, which he then resold on StubHub, a popular ticket resale platform.

Oduntan is accused of using multiple email addresses and phone numbers to avoid detection. The scheme unraveled when U.S. travel documents linked a phone number to one of the fraudulent accounts, leading FBI investigators to Oduntan

Special Agent Daniel W. Heath uncovered a complex network of transactions involving three StubHub accounts and several PayPal accounts linked to the email addresses fenandexadex@gmail.com, romanslady001@gmail.com, and samesonbar@gmail.com. Court filings revealed that nearly $350,000 was funneled from StubHub into these PayPal accounts and subsequently transferred to Oduntan’s Revolut and Allied Irish Bank accounts in Ireland.

The breakthrough came when Oduntan applied for a U.S. visa. The phone number he provided matched one used in the fraudulent transactions, linking him directly to the scam.

Greed and How the Diaspora Got Tangled in the Web of Scam

It's all about cruising the boulevard while your wallet fills up faster than your parking meter— The greed and flashy lifestyle. ‘Get-rich-quick— ‘ Why hustle honestly when you can hustle flashy? ‘I made it... kind of.’ Because nothing screams success like a ‘bumber’ car and a bank account that rivals your neighbor’s, all earned in the most scenic roundabout way.

This trend has been notably seen among Nigerian diaspora communities engaged in various frauds and scams abroad.

Africans’ diaspora communities in particular

How misinformation contributes to a powerful enabling role by creating a distorted picture of opportunities, risks, and rewards.

Returning home as perceived 'big men' of success stories further fuels the drive by glorifying flashy lifestyles and quick riches, eroding moral boundaries, and encouraging a culture where wealth is valued over ethics. People back home are drawn to the image 'man dem werr gold-chain wae heng from neck to toe.'

Oduntan’s get-rich-quick scam fell apart, as he was unaware that the FBI routinely screens visa applications.

An arrest warrant was issued by Magistrate Judge Regina S. Edwards, but it was sealed until Oduntan arrived in the U.S. in late August.

Oduntan was taken into custody at the Grayson County Detention Center after pleading not guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was formally indicted by a grand jury on September 3, and his trial is scheduled to begin on November 10 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.

**Footnote:** Scammers often manipulate their targets by exploiting fear and greed, as these emotions are powerful and universal.

The authorities (FBI) and experts advise buyers to purchase tickets directly from venues and use secure payment methods to mitigate such risks.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

France Seized Assets Belonging to Equatorial Guinea's Vice President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mangue

Equatorial Guinea's Vice President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mangue

When African leaders and politicians exploit their nation's resources, they invest in properties abroad. The consequences are significant.

At the heart of the controversy is Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the first vice president of Equatorial Guinea, whose father, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, has held the presidency since 1979.

On Friday, September 12, the world court— THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ) ruled for the second time that Equatorial Guinea had no plausible claim to a Paris mansion once tied to Obiang’s lavish spending, clearing the way for France to move ahead with the sale.

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mangue, Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, 101-Room Mansion at the center of the dispute with French authorities. The VP was seeking to stop the sale of his 101-room mansion in Paris.

The mansion, located on Avenue Foch, was seized by French authorities as part of a corruption probe, and the court ruled that Equatorial Guinea did not have a plausible claim to get the property back or prevent its sale.

The grand 101-room mansion featured luxurious amenities, including a cinema, a nightclub, and a Turkish bath (hammam). It was allegedly financed with money taken from government funds

The dispute began when French authorities confiscated a luxury mansion in Paris, along with millions of dollars in assets, luxury cars, and other items, after Vice President Obiang Mangue was found guilty of embezzling public funds in 2017. France argued that the property was not a diplomatic mission, contradicting earlier claims made by Equatorial Guinea. Additionally, a previous court decision in 2020 confirmed that the mansion was indeed a private residence.

As a result, the International Court of Justice rejected Equatorial Guinea's request to block the sale or reclaim the property, stating that there was no proof of a diplomatic right that would require its return. Judges concluded that the claim was not plausible under international law and that France acted within legal boundaries during the investigation and seizure.

The grand 101-room mansion featured luxurious amenities, including a cinema, a nightclub, and a Turkish bath (hammam). It was allegedly financed with money taken from government funds.

Obiang Mangue has faced similar allegations and sanctions in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Brazil, for misusing public funds.

Corrupt leaders often use foreign banks, legal firms, and shell companies to conceal their illicit gains overseas while the majority of their population is drowning in poverty.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt Resigns

U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt

U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt has submitted his resignation to the White House effective September 17, citing personal reasons related to family medical considerations, and will not be returning to Freetown. Current Chargé d’Affaires Jared Yancey will continue to lead the Embassy.

“US Embassy in Sierra Leone | September 18, 2025 | Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2025”

— Source: U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt Resigns

The U.S. Embassy in Freetown announces the resignation of U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan D. Hunt. Ambassador Hunt submitted his resignation to the White House effective September 17, 2025, citing personal reasons related to family medical considerations, and will not be returning to Freetown. Current Chargé d’Affaires Jared Yancey will continue to lead the Embassy.

Ambassador Hunt completed two years of service in Sierra Leone. During his tenure, he worked tirelessly to strengthen the U.S.-Sierra Leone partnership, advancing shared goals of health, security, and economic prosperity.

In a message to Embassy staff, Ambassador Hunt shared:

“I have loved every moment of my time in Sierra Leone and deeply admire the work you all do to advance the U.S.-Sierra Leone relationship.”

The United States remains committed to its partnership with Sierra Leone and will continue to work closely with the government and people of Sierra Leone to build on the strong foundation established during Ambassador Hunt’s tenure.

####

For media inquiries, please contact U.S. Embassy Media Coordinator Alhassan Jalloh: jalloha@state.gov

---

RELATED

“The power plant, the Western Area Power Generation Project, will be located in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, and is intended to help address the country’s rolling blackouts and expand its national electricity system to accommodate additional renewable energy solutions in the future.”

— Source: — U.S Embassy Freetown, Sierra Leone in a Press Release “UPDATE: June 18, 2024”

US Embassy Freetown – Press Release: US Government Signs US$480 Million Compact with Sierra Leone to Transform Energy Sector

DFC, Sierra Leone Promote Access to Reliable Energy

READ

---

September 18, 2025: The Africanist Press— U.S. Taxpayer Funds May Be Missing in Sierra Leone

Transaction records from the United States International Development Finance Corporation

Transaction records from the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) reveal that hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer money have been issued as loans to various multinational corporations for the construction of a power plant in Sierra Leone, which has yet to be built.

Brian Hunt in video at the time

The DFC reportedly committed over $600 million to the Maada Bio administration for the development, construction, and operation of a 105 MW combined cycle thermal power plant, along with its related infrastructure, in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This project was intended to address the electricity crisis affecting Freetown and the surrounding communities. However, despite these substantial funding commitments, construction has not commenced in the past four years.

According to project documents and corporate financial records obtained by Africanist Press, the DFC awarded these funds in multiple tranches between fiscal years 2021 and 2024 during the Biden-Harris administration. The first disbursement of $217 million occurred in 2021 under Project ID 9000093682. In 2022, the DFC provided an additional $50 million in political risk insurance (Project ID 9000104835). Furthermore, in 2024, an additional $292 million (Project ID 9000116894) and $120 million (Project ID 9000116916) were allocated for the power plant project. In total, at least $679 million has been committed over these four years to fund the construction of the power plant, yet no construction has taken place in Sierra Leone.

The pressing questions are: Where are these funds, and why hasn’t the power plant been constructed, especially since its completion was scheduled for 2023?

Attached to this update are excerpts from the DFC-funded projects database that provide evidence of funding for the construction of the Freetown Power Plant in Sierra Leone, covering the period from 2021 to 2024. This evidence is part of over 25,000 documents collected by Africanist Press as part of our ongoing investigation into corruption in the energy sector, specifically related to the Western Area Power Generation Project in Sierra Leone.

Stay tuned!

Followers' comments on The Africanist Press Facebook page.

---

“Ambassador Hunt Gone: Will Sierra Leone Get Another USA Ambassador?”

— Source: The exit of Ambassador Hunt puts Sierra Leone in a precarious position with many unanswered questions | Prof. Dr. Prince Hycy Bull | Sep 18, 2025

Aye (NBM) and Eiye (ACN) Cult Groups Clashed in Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria, Shortly After the Signing Out of Students at Auchi Polytechnic

AUCHI: September 16, 2025: A clash erupted today between the Aye (NBM) and Eiye (ACN) cult groups in Auchi, Edo State, shortly after the signing-out ceremony of students at Auchi Polytechnic.

According to an eyewitness, the fight erupted at the Hybrid Hotel, but the details of the situation remain unclear.

pic.twitter.com/hyo6gkP5TU— Naija Confra (@naijaconfra) September 16, 2025

The two rival cult groups were known for violent clashes in the past.

Reports indicate that the area surrounding Auchi Polytechnic was thrown into chaos as two rival cult factions clashed, causing panic among students and residents.

Eyewitness accounts and social media posts described scenes of disorder near the campus gates, with students fleeing from the violence.

Community members and online commentators have voiced frustration over ongoing cult-related violence in academic settings.

A Twitter user, Fezi Wealth, with the handle '@TheFishProf' was livid. If only they could channel this energy to fight bad governance.

“Nigerian students must wake up. The real enemy is not Aye or Eiye, it is the ruling class that has destroyed education, killed opportunities, and reduced campuses to breeding grounds of frustration.”

— Source: Twitter: '@TheFishProf'

“Another sad reminder of how far many Nigerian youths have been misled. The so-called clash between Aye and Eiye cult groups in Auchi is not bravery, it is not resistance, and it is not liberation. It is a shameful expression of wasted energy and misdirected anger. These are failed sets of Nigerians who should have been using their strength to challenge bad government, demand jobs, defend education, and secure their future, but instead they are killing themselves over colours, signs, and empty brotherhoods that bring no progress.

Cultism in our schools is a product of hopelessness and a system that has abandoned young people. But instead of turning their frustration against the oppressors, they turn it against themselves. This is the tragedy of a country where the rulers have successfully broken the spirit of the youth. The energy that should be fueling a revolution is being poured into bloodshed and chaos inside campuses.

What is most painful is that while Tinubu and the corrupt elite are stealing billions every day, some youths are busy spilling each other’s blood over petty rivalries that will never change their condition. Tomorrow, those same politicians will use cult boys as thugs during elections, give them crumbs, and dump them back into poverty. This cycle has been repeated for decades.

Nigerian students must wake up. The real enemy is not Aye or Eiye, it is the ruling class that has destroyed education, killed opportunities, and reduced campuses to breeding grounds of frustration. The true signing out celebration should be to sign out from ignorance and blind violence, and to sign into a future of collective struggle for liberation.

Until our youths realize that the blood of a fellow student is not their enemy’s blood, but the blood of another victim like them, we will keep reading these sad stories. The true cult every Nigerian youth should belong to is the cult of justice, the cult of freedom, and the cult of revolutionary change. Anything less is a betrayal of their own future” ~ Fezi Wealth '@TheFishProf.'

This incident highlights the critical need for improved security and effective intervention measures at institutions to prevent future events and protect student welfare.

Sierra Leone Has Estimated Hydrocarbon Reserves of Approximately 30 Billion Recoverable Barrels of Oil Equivalent, According to a Recently Concluded Round of Seismic Research

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

African countries are increasingly making headlines for their efforts to develop local oil and gas reserves, despite significant opposition from foreign environmental organizations and international lenders. The most recent country to join the oil and gas sector is Sierra Leone, which has ambitious plans for its hydrocarbon resources.

According to oilprice.com, a leading online energy news site that provides extensive coverage of the global oil, gas, and broader energy sectors, including alternative energy and geopolitics, the reserve is estimated to be worth over US $2.31 trillion.

Earlier this month, Sierra Leone concluded a round of seismic research, hoping the findings would attract international oil companies after several discoveries that failed to yield commercial volumes of hydrocarbons.

U.S. Anadarko and Russia’s Lukoil explored the country’s waters but did not make any significant discoveries, although Anadarko found potentially commercial oil at several offshore sites around a decade ago.

Sierra Leone is set to launch a new licensing round later this year, based on the outcomes of a recent survey. ‘We are currently reprocessing that data with our multi-client partners, TGS, and we hope to present something to the market in October,’ stated the head of the country’s Petroleum Director General, as reported by Reuters last week.

Foday Mansaray noted that several major oil companies, including Shell, Hess Corp., Murphy Oil, and Brazil’s Petrobras, had purchased the new data.

An estimated 30 billion recoverable barrels of oil equivalent exist, with about 3 billion barrels located in a single discovery made by Anadarko over 10 years ago: the Vega prospect.

The development of the prospect has stalled since its discovery, as the company determined, based on early exploration, that it was not commercially viable. The same issue has occurred with Anadarko’s three other discoveries and Lukoil’s Savannah discovery.

Mansaray conveyed positive expectations for the future of the nation’s oil and gas sector following the discovery.

This story is still developing, and updates will follow as new information becomes available.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

ABOUT: Oilprice.com is owned by Advanced Media Solutions, with James Stafford as its founder and publisher. It is a leading online energy news site that offers extensive coverage of the global oil and gas sectors, as well as broader energy topics, including alternative energy and geopolitics. The site is widely recognized for its analysis and reporting and is often cited by major financial news outlets such as CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq, and Fortune. Oilprice.com is generally regarded as mostly factual in its reporting, with a focus on energy industry news, prices, and analysis.

Teens unable to walk, mothers with rash-covered babies: How the drug kush is ruining lives

Kush has shaken this part of West Africa to its core - not just Sierra Leone but Liberia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and the Gambia. It is highly addictive, ever-evolving, and affordable, with ingredients to make it sometimes shipped in from the UK.

Yousra Elbagir

Africa correspondent @YousraElbagir

Thursday 3 July 2025 16:48, UK

The highly addictive drug creating 'zombies' in Africa

A red shipping container sits on the tarmac of Sierra Leone's Queen Elizabeth II Quay, under swinging cranes and towering stacks of similar steel boxes.

This one will likely be parked at the port permanently. The contents are suspected to be the ingredients of kush, the deadly synthetic drug ravaging Sierra Leone.

Sky News was given access to the container two weeks after it was seized.

"Preliminary testing has shown that these items are kush ingredients," says the secretary of the Ports Authority, Martin George, as he points to the marked contraband in massive multicoloured Amazon UK bags and a large blue vat of strongly smelling acetone.

He adds: "Shipped from the United Kingdom."

The container was selected for screening based on its origin. The UK is with the EU and South America on the list of places considered high risk for the import of illicit substances, fuelling the drug trade in Sierra Leone and the region.

Kush has shaken this part of West Africa to its core - not just Sierra Leone but Liberia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and the Gambia. It is highly addictive, ever-evolving, and affordable.

The sprayed grey-green marshmallow leaves are rolled in a joint like marijuana and are extremely dangerous. Samples of the drug tested by researchers contained nitazenes, one of the deadliest synthetic drugs in the world.

"It was a shock to find them in around half of the kush samples we tested, as at that point there was no public evidence they had reached Africa," says Lucia Bird Ruiz-Benitez de Lugo from Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) who independently tested kush from Sierra Leone.

"Nitazenes are among the deadliest drugs available on retail drug markets across the world - with one nitazene in kush in Freetown being 25 times stronger than fentanyl," she added.

The shocking effects of its potency can be seen on the bodies of young men and women around Freetown. Teenagers with sores eating away at their legs, unable to walk. Mothers who smoked during pregnancy carrying sickly rash-covered infants. Young men drooling from the intense high and slumped over while still standing.

They are not the fringes of Sierra Leonean society but a growing demographic of kush users searching for an escape. People riddled by poverty and unemployment, living in the dark corners of a capital city which has endured a brutal civil war and Ebola epidemic in the last three decades alone.

An entire community of men and women of all ages is held together by kush addiction under a main road that cuts through the heart of Freetown.

They call themselves the "Under de Bridge family" and live in the shadows of the overpass, surrounded by the sewage and rubbish discarded by their neighbours.

One of them tells us the harsh conditions drive him to keep smoking kush even after losing more than 10 friends to the drug - killed by large infected sores and malnutrition.

Nearby, 17-year-old Ibrahim is pained by growing sores and says the drug is destroying his life.

"This drug is evil. This drug is bad. I don't know why they gave me this drug in this country. Our brothers are suffering. Some are dying, some have sores on their feet. This drug brings destruction," he says.

"Look at me - just because of this drug. I have sores on my feet."

---

Most Read from YAME Digital: SIERRA LEONE

Netherlands’ Most Wanted Cocaine Kingpin Hiding in Sierra Leone

** Footnote ** Opening large nightclubs in Freetown, Sierra Leone, for the top 1 percent of wealthy individuals is not the solution to the lack of opportunities for the youth. What Sierra Leone needs is industrial-scale investments in agriculture and the manufacturing sectors.

Sierra Leone: Small Country, Massive Suffering: How did it all fall apart?

---

Across a stream of sewage, a young mother expecting her second child cries from fear and anguish when I ask her about the risk of smoking while pregnant.

"Yes, I know the risk," Elizabeth says, nodding.

"I'll keep smoking while I live here but I have nowhere else to go. It helps me forget my worries and challenges."

Life under the bridge is disrupted from its sleepiness by a yell. A plain-clothed police officer is chasing a child accused of selling kush.

The lucrative industry is absorbing all age groups and spreading rapidly to nearby countries - even passing through three different borders to reach the smallest nation in mainland Africa, The Gambia.

Police hunt for kush dealers in West Africa—The Video

Gambian law enforcement has cracked down on spreading kush use with regular zero tolerance drug raids. The small population is extremely vulnerable and the country is yet to open its first rehabilitation centre. Rising xenophobia seems to be mostly directed at Sierra Leonean immigrants who they blame for smuggling kush into the country.

We spoke to one man from Sierra Leone who was arrested for dealing kush in The Gambia and spent a year in prison. He says that though he feels saddened other Sierra Leoneans are being alienated as a result of the trade he was involved in, he has no remorse for "following orders".

"Do I feel guilty for selling it? No, I don't feel guilty. I'm not using my money to buy the kush, people always give me money to get kush for them," he tells Sky News anonymously.

"I needed a job. I needed to take care of my son."

Gambia's hardline approach has been credited with driving its local kush industry underground rather than eradicating it but is still hailed as the most impactful strategy in the region. Sierra Leone's government told Sky News it needs help from surrounding countries and the UK to tackle the sprawling crisis.

Transnational crime experts like Lucia Bird Ruiz-Benitez de Lugo see the rise of kush as part of a global synthetic drugs network that requires a multi-national response.

"Coordinated action is urgently needed across the supply chain, particularly focused on nitazenes - the deadliest kush component," says Ms Bird.

"Our research indicated that kush components are being imported to West Africa from countries in Asia and Europe, likely including the UK. All countries in the supply chain bear responsibility to act to mitigate the devastating and expanding impacts of kush across West Africa, a region with scarce resources to respond."

SKY NEWS' AFRICA CORRESPONDENT WINS AWARD

• Yousra Elbagir has been named a winner of the International Women's Media Foundation 2025 Courage in Journalism Awards.
• She has chronicled the current war in Sudan, which has displaced more than 13 million people, including her own family.
• Recently, Elbagir led the only television news crew to document the fall of Goma - the regional capital of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo - to M23 rebels backed by Rwanda.
• In the past year, her reports from the frontlines of Sudan's war have broadcast massive scenes of devastation inside a global humanitarian crisis.
• She said, "Our job as journalists is to reveal the truth and inform the public. Sometimes, it's about exposing the misdeeds of the powerful. Other times, it's about capturing the scale and depth of human suffering. Our job is also getting more difficult: Information wars and contempt for legacy media are growing by the day, which makes our job even more important."
• Elbagir added: "It is an honor to receive the IWMF Courage Award and join the ranks of such incredible women journalists. The courage to share the truth in our polarised world is at the heart of public service journalism, and to be recognized for it is truly affirming - it gives me faith that people are listening."

---

“KUSH na Salone: _dis borbor start e yone quick. SaLone na sad case Man!”

— Source: In Video

KUSH na Salone: _dis borbor start e yone quick. SaLone na sad case Man! pic.twitter.com/YjzXVsAA6T

— Yame.space (@SpaceYame) July 19, 2025

---

“Youth Empowerment Advocacy | ‘Leh we Fix SaLone: One Youth at a Time.’ Educational Videos!”

— Source: Dr. Prince Hycy Bull

Authorities Seek 'Africa-hiding' Drug Lord Jos Leijdekkers' US$250m Wealth

Dutch prosecutors say they are seeking to confiscate a record 221 million euros ($253 million) from one of Europe's most notorious drug barons, thought to be hiding in an African nation.

“BREAKING NEWS: The Rotterdam court seized the illegal assets amassed by Jos Leijdekkers, also known as “Bolle Jos” or “Chubby Jos,” from cocaine trafficking and gold purchases — but left out unproven claims about luxury goods.”

— Source: CRIME UPDATE: July 14, 2025

https://t.co/H8Xsf1jmkc

Drug baron “Bolle Jos” ordered to pay €96m to the Dutch state -

— Yame.space (@SpaceYame) July 15, 2025

Notorious drug lord known as "Chubby Jos" has had $112 million seized by the court as an international manhunt continues.

The notorious European drug lord. Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos" or "Chubby Jos," is believed to be hiding in Sierra Leone.

Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos" or "Chubby Jos," was seen with the daughter of Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio

The illegal assets were amassed through cocaine trafficking and gold purchases, although unproven claims regarding luxury goods were not included.

Leijdekkers did not attend the hearing and was unrepresented. The court confirmed that the case was heard in absentia.

With today's ruling, the court has determined the amount of money Leijdekkers earned from criminal activities. The total amounts to nearly 127 million euros, of which he must pay over 96 million euros to the State.

END UPDATE

---

---

JUNE 2, 2025: Dutch prosecutors said Monday they were seeking to confiscate a record 221 million euros ($253 million) from one of Europe's most notorious drug barons, thought to be hiding in Sierra Leone.

'Africa-hiding' drug lord Jos Leijdekker; aka. Bolle Jos | Chubby Jos | Daniel Ernst | Umar Sheriff

The illegal assets amassed by Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos" or "Chubby Jos", were proceeds from cocaine trafficking, as well as purchases of gold and luxury items, the public prosecutors said.

Leijdekkers is thought to have made 114 million euros from 14 cocaine shipments over less than a year.

According to intercepted communications, the 33-year-old also spent 47 million euros on 975 kilogrammes of gold over less than six months.

Real estate and luxury goods

The prosecutors alleged that the kingpin also bought real estate and apartments in Dubai.

Luxury goods, including two Bentley cars, designer bags, jewellery, and watches, were also added to the illicit assets total, bringing the total to 221 million euros.

Jos Leijdekkers (aka. Umar Sheriff), also known as ‘Bolle Jos’ or ‘Chubby Jos’, is believed to be hiding over 4000 miles away in Sierra Leone

"This is... only a first step towards tracing Leijdekkers' assets," the prosecutors said.

A Rotterdam court last June sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia to 24 years in prison for ordering a murder and organising cocaine shipments.

---

Most Read from YAME Digital: SIERRA LEONE

Mar 7: Netherlands Most Wanted Cocaine Kingpin Hiding in Sierra Leone

---

200,000-euro reward for information on his whereabouts

He is on Europol's most-wanted list, with the European police body offering a 200,000-euro reward for information leading to his arrest.

In January, Dutch authorities said they were "absolutely certain" he was hiding out in Sierra Leone.

Images showing Leijdekkers in the company of senior Sierra Leonean officials have sparked speculation that the cocaine lord has cosied up to the West African country's political class.