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Treason: Former DR Congo president sentenced to d3ath in absentia
Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has been sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes and treason.
The charges concern accusations that Kabila has been supporting the M23, a rebel group who have wreaked devastation across the country’s eastern region.
Kabila was convicted on Friday by a military court of treason, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, including murder, sexual assault, torture and insurrection. He denied the charges, but did not appear in court to defend himself.
The ex-president rejected the case as “arbitrary” and said the courts were being used as an “instrument of oppression”. His current whereabouts are unknown.
The 54-year-old led DR Congo for 18 years, after succeeding his father Laurent, who was shot dead in 2001.
Kabila handed power to President Félix Tshisekedi in 2019, but they later fell out and Kabila went into self-imposed exile in 2023.
In April this year, the former president said he wanted to help find a solution to the deadly fighting in the east and arrived in the M23-held city of Goma the following month.
President Tshisekedi accused Kabila of being the brains behind the M23 and senators stripped him of his legal immunity, paving the way for his prosecution.
Decades of conflict had escalated earlier this year when the M23 seized control of large parts of the mineral-rich east, including Goma, the city of Bukavu and two airports.
Pointing to overwhelming evidence, the UN and several Western countries have accused neighbouring Rwanda of backing the M23, and sending thousands of its soldiers into DR Congo.
But Kigali denies the charges, saying it is acting to stop the conflict from spilling over onto its territory.
A ceasefire deal between the rebels and the government was agreed in July, but the bloodshed has continued.
Bandits have killed a monarch,his wife, his son, and three other residents in a deadly night attack on Olegabulu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Residents said the attack happened on Thursday night when the armed men, numbering about four and arriving on two motorcycles, stormed the palace of the monarch and opened fire on him and his family members.
According to a resident who requested anonymity, the attackers entered the community without raising suspicion, reportedly exchanging greetings with locals in the native dialect before heading straight to the royal residence. Once inside, they opened fire, killing the traditional ruler, his wife, and his son on the spot.
The attackers were said to have spent about 20 minutes in the community. After the assault on the palace, they reportedly moved to a nearby compound where they killed two additional residents and left another person injured before fleeing the scene.
Eyewitnesses described the incident as coordinated and deceptive, noting that the gunmen initially blended in with residents before launching the attack.
The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the incident, stating that five people were killed and one person sustained injuries.
He added that security operatives, including police personnel, have since visited the scene.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive full details of the attack at the time of filing this report.
Proceedings in the case involving former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, were on Thursday adjourned till May 6, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, represented the prosecution, while Bello was represented by his lead counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu.
During proceedings, the prosecution informed the court of the need for more time to respond to applications filed by the defence, while Bello’s legal team urged the court to consider their submissions and move the matter forward.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, adjourned the case to May 6 to allow all parties to adequately prepare and ensure a fair hearing.
Mr Bello is currently facing charges bordering on alleged financial misappropriation during his tenure as governor, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Nigeria is set to experience one of the highest increases in food insecurity worldwide in 2026, according to the latest Global Report on Food Crises released on April 24, 2026.
The report, compiled by agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, raised fresh concerns over worsening hunger levels driven by insecurity, economic hardship and declining humanitarian funding.
According to FAO findings, about 4.1 million additional Nigerians could fall into acute food insecurity in 2026, placing the country among those with the largest increases globally.
Reacting to the development, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Mr Alvaro Lario, said “the crisis is becoming more prolonged and difficult to contain”.
“We are no longer seeing just temporary shocks, but persistent shocks over time,” warning that the situation is placing growing pressure on global stability.
FAO noted that about 266 million people across 47 countries face high levels of acute hunger in 2025, with conditions expected to remain severe into 2026.
In Nigeria, the situation is being worsened by continued insecurity in key farming regions, rising inflation and limited access to food.
According FAO projections, over 34 million Nigerians may experience crisis level hunger between June and August 2026, during the peak of the lean season.
The FAO Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Hussein Gadain, said the combined impact of armed conflict, climate shocks, high food prices and cuts in global aid funding is pushing more Nigerians into hunger.
The report called for urgent and sustained intervention, warning that without immediate action, millions more could slide into emergency levels of food insecurity in the coming months.
BREAKING: Benue boils again as bandits invade palace, kill monarch ,wife, son three others
Yahaya Bello to know fate on May 6 as Court adjourns financial infractions case
Nigeria set to record largest surge in food insecurity globally in 2026-Reports
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