OBE-JEDO, Ondo State (BN24)— The Nigerian Navy has dismantled an illegal crude oil refinery in the Obe-Jedo and Obe-Adun communities of Ilaje Local Council, Ondo state, Nigeria, arresting seven people and seizing large quantities of stolen diesel and makeshift weapons, authorities said Friday.
Navy Captain Aliyu Usman, commander of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Igbokoda, said the operation was based on credible intelligence about economic sabotage and maritime crime. “Our team acted on verified information that crude oil theft and illegal refining activities were ongoing in these riverine communities,” Usman said.
During the raid, naval operatives recovered approximately 3,000 liters of refined diesel stored in jerrycans, along with several cooking ovens used to refine stolen crude oil. Officers also recovered machetes and locally made firearms believed to have been used to resist arrest.
Usman said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects initially arrested were secondary participants who have since been released. The main operators of the refinery remain at large and have been declared wanted.
The operation faced significant resistance. A group of hired youths and some women reportedly attempted to shield the illegal activities, forcing the Navy to withdraw temporarily to avoid escalation. “The team later returned in the early hours of the following day and discovered that stolen crude oil and refined products had been relocated to a nearby bakery and other makeshift storage facilities,” Usman said. “The illegal refinery was subsequently deactivated following directives from Defence Headquarters.”
Authorities said the illegal refining operations not only fuel economic sabotage but also pose environmental hazards. Crude oil theft and makeshift refining can cause oil spills, soil contamination, and damage to fishing resources critical to local livelihoods.
Captain Usman condemned the violent resistance as a “dangerous innovation” by criminal elements bent on frustrating security operations and sabotaging national resources. He said the operation aligns with the Chief of Naval Staff’s directive to prevent crude oil theft and protect Nigeria’s maritime and coastal assets.
“The Nigerian Navy urges law-abiding residents of riverine communities to resist being used by oil thieves,” Usman warned. “These criminal ventures benefit only a few individuals while destroying the livelihoods and ecosystems of entire communities.”
Authorities also cautioned that anyone obstructing Navy operations against crude oil theft would be treated as an accomplice and face prosecution under Nigerian law.
The Navy said it will continue intensified patrols and intelligence-led operations in the Niger Delta and other affected regions to dismantle illegal refineries and curb the theft of crude oil, a key national resource.
WASHINGTON (BN24)— President Donald Trump announced on Oct. 31, 2025, that he has designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” (CPC) under U.S. religious-freedom law, asserting that Christians in Nigeria face an existential threat from radical Islamist violence. In a post on his social-media platform, Trump wrote, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’”
The move revives a policy originally applied to Nigeria in 2020 before being withdrawn during the previous administration. Under U.S. law, CPC designation signals serious violations of religious freedom and allows for diplomatic and economic consequences, though it does not automatically trigger sanctions. In his post, Trump called on U.S. lawmakers, including Representative Riley Moore and Representative Tom Cole, along with the House Appropriations Committee, to investigate “atrocities” in Nigeria and report back. He emphasised U.S. readiness to protect Christian populations worldwide.
The Nigerian government swiftly rejected the designation, calling the data behind the claims “inaccurate and misleading”. The Ministry of Information stated that violence in Nigeria is not faith-targeted but stems from terrorism, banditry, and communal conflict
Lawmakers in Washington, including Senator Ted Cruz, had urged redesignation of Nigeria, citing reported killings of Christians and destruction of churches. They argued that such action would provide diplomatic tools for pressure, including suspending arms sales until the Nigerian government takes tangible steps to halt the violence.
In Abuja, officials maintained that the narrative of a Christian genocide is part of a coordinated lobbying effort to destabilise Nigeria. A presidential spokesman described the campaign as driven by foreign interests rather than grounded in the country’s complex security reality.
This decision places Nigeria back in the spotlight of U.S. religious-freedom and human-rights policy, and could prompt deeper diplomatic engagement or sanctions if follow-through actions are pursued. As the designation takes effect, observers will watch how the U.S. and Nigeria respond in the coming weeks.
BOSTON (BN24) — President Donald Trump’s administration cannot suspend food aid for millions of Americans during the ongoing government shutdown, two federal judges ruled Friday, ordering the government to use contingency funds to maintain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The dual rulings by judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island came in lawsuits seeking to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from suspending SNAP benefits, known as food stamps, starting Saturday. The decisions potentially preserved food assistance for 42 million low-income Americans who depend on the monthly payments.
Both judges ordered the administration to report back Monday on compliance with their decisions. The USDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment, leaving uncertainty about whether benefits would be distributed on November 1 as scheduled.
The rulings emerged as Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue trading blame for the shutdown that began October 1, with SNAP benefits becoming a political flashpoint in the funding impasse.
SNAP benefits are available to Americans whose income falls below 130 percent of the federal poverty line, equivalent to $1,632 monthly for a one-person household or $2,215 for a two-person household in many areas. States administer the benefits on a day-to-day basis, with payments distributed monthly.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, concluding a hearing in a lawsuit filed by cities, nonprofits and a union, determined that the administration’s decision not to tap $5.25 billion in contingency funds for November benefits was arbitrary.
“There is no doubt and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn’t already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food, for their family,” McConnell stated during the hearing.
The judge ordered the agency to distribute emergency funds “as soon as possible,” adding that if the money proved insufficient, the agency should determine whether funds from a separate account containing approximately $23 billion could be utilized.
Minutes earlier, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston ruled that the administration was incorrect in claiming it was legally prohibited from using contingency funds to pay SNAP benefits during the shutdown. The Boston ruling came in a lawsuit brought by 25 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia.
Talwani, who like McConnell was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, concluded that “the suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the contingency funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments.”
The USDA has stated that insufficient funds exist to provide full benefits costing $8.5 billion to $9 billion monthly. The administration claimed the agency lacked authority to distribute payments until Congress passes spending legislation ending the government shutdown.
The USDA’s shutdown plan released last month indicated contingency funds were available to maintain SNAP benefits if Congress failed to enact spending legislation averting the October 1 funding lapse. However, the department updated its website last week stating no benefits would be issued November 1, declaring “the well has run dry” and prompting the lawsuits.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins Friday morning characterized arguments by Democrats in Congress and Democratic-led states that the USDA possessed funds for November SNAP benefits as “a lie.”
Rollins argued the contingency fund can only be used when money for the food aid program is appropriated, stating the agency intends to reserve the funds for natural disaster responses or other emergencies.
“It is a contingency fund that can only flow if the underlying appropriation is approved,” Rollins told reporters on Capitol Hill alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson.
During a Thursday hearing, Justice Department attorney Jason Altabet warned that partial payments, unprecedented in the program’s history, could prove difficult, noting that officials were “legitimately scared” about whether antiquated state systems could handle the distribution.
“The agency thinks it would be catastrophic,” Altabet said, raising concerns about the technical capacity to implement partial benefit payments.
Both McConnell and Talwani indicated the administration possessed the ability to fund SNAP benefits fully if it exercised discretion to tap additional funding sources to cover shortfalls.
The court decisions represent a significant legal setback for the Trump administration’s handling of the shutdown’s impact on social services. The rulings suggest judges found the administration’s interpretation of its funding authority too restrictive.
SNAP represents one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty programs, serving tens of millions of Americans including children, elderly individuals and people with disabilities. The monthly benefits help recipients purchase food at grocery stores and authorized retailers.
The potential suspension of benefits had created widespread alarm among anti-hunger advocates who warned that millions of families would face immediate food insecurity. Food banks and charitable organizations indicated they lacked capacity to serve the additional demand that would result from SNAP suspension.
The lawsuits reflected growing concern among state officials and advocacy organizations about the shutdown’s impact on vulnerable populations. Democratic-led states argued the administration possessed both legal authority and available funds to continue the program.
The judges’ orders requiring Monday reports on compliance suggest skepticism about the administration’s claims regarding funding limitations and legal constraints. The reporting requirement enables courts to monitor whether the government follows through on distributing benefits.
The technical challenges raised by the Justice Department attorney regarding state payment systems highlight the complexity of administering benefits during the shutdown. Many states rely on older computer systems that may not easily accommodate irregular payment schedules or amounts.
Two Russian mobsters were sentenced to 25 years in federal prison Wednesday for a failed plot to assassinate Iranian American journalist and women’s rights activist Masih Alinejad at her New York’s Brooklyn home — a plan U.S. prosecutors say was orchestrated and financed by the Iranian government to silence her global advocacy.
In a Manhattan courtroom, Alinejad faced her would-be killers, Rafat Amirov, 46, and Polad Omarov, 41, calling them agents of fear who tried but failed to break her spirit. “I crossed an ocean to come to America and have a normal life, and I don’t have a normal life,” she told the court. “I’m a brave woman. I’m a strong woman. They couldn’t break me. But they brought fear to my life. These criminals turned my life upside down.”
U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon condemned the plot as a “terrible, terrible crime” and said her sentence should serve as a warning to any foreign government or criminal network that seeks to carry out violence on American soil. “This kind of conduct will not be tolerated by the United States,” she said.
The case exposed an elaborate network linking organized crime and Iranian intelligence. Prosecutors said Amirov and Omarov, both high-ranking members of the Russian mob faction known as the Gulici, were motivated by a $500,000 payment from Tehran to arrange Alinejad’s killing in July 2022, after previous attempts to kidnap her failed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lockard told the court that Iranian officials hoped the assassination would send a message to women defying the regime. “The intended target was not just Masih Alinejad,” Lockard said. “It was the millions of women who look to her to be their voice and to shine a light on the regime’s brutality.”
Masih Alinejad
Alinejad, 49, fled Iran in 2009 after being banned from journalism. She later built an international following from New York City through her campaign “My Stealthy Freedom,” encouraging Iranian women to film themselves removing headscarves in protest of compulsory hijab laws.
The 2022 plot came “chillingly near success,” prosecutors said, interrupted only by chance — Alinejad happened to be out of town when a hired gunman arrived at her Brooklyn residence. U.S. law enforcement discovered and disrupted the plan before it could be executed.
Outside court, Alinejad, wearing a symbolic red coat “because the killers wanted to see me covered in blood,” declared victory over fear. “Justice is beautiful,” she said. “They wanted to see me dead on my porch, but I am alive. I am standing.”
Standing beside her was Barry Rosen, a former American hostage in Iran, who called Alinejad “one of the most important voices in the world.” Alinejad, clutching a yellow sunflower, vowed to continue fighting for the women of Iran despite years of threats and constant relocation. “Now I cannot even ride a bicycle with the wind in my hair,” she said. “I have to look over my shoulder. But I will never stop.”
FBI agents in Michigan have arrested multiple people accused of plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend, the bureau’s director, Kash Patel, announced Friday on social media.
The law enforcement operation unfolded across suburban Detroit, with investigators saying the suspects’ plan appeared to have been inspired by Islamic State extremism. Authorities are now examining whether those arrested had been radicalized online, according to two officials briefed on the investigation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly.
Patel said additional details will be released later but stressed that there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
FBI agents and Michigan State Police were seen near Fordson High School in Dearborn on Friday, where officers entered and exited a house as part of the investigation. Witnesses reported seeing agents carrying paper bags and other items from an evidence truck. In Inkster, another Detroit suburb, FBI personnel were also spotted at a local storage facility.
Jordan Hall, an FBI spokesperson in Detroit, confirmed that “there is no current threat to public safety,” but declined to comment further on the case.
Officials familiar with the investigation said the suspects had been discussing potential attacks in an online chatroom. Some members of the group referred to their plan as taking place on “pumpkin day,” a coded reference to Halloween, one official said. It remains unclear whether the group had acquired weapons or materials necessary to carry out an attack, but the nature of the discussions prompted authorities to move quickly with arrests late Friday.
A local attorney, Hussein Bazzi, who was present at the Dearborn home, said he was representing individuals connected to the case but declined further comment when contacted by phone.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer confirmed she had been briefed by Patel and thanked law enforcement for what she called their “swift action,” though she did not provide details.
Residents in the Dearborn neighborhood said the arrests came as a shock. “It’s really scary because we have a lot of relatives around this neighborhood,” said Fatima Saleh, who lives next door to one of the homes raided.
The arrests come months after a separate terrorism case in the Detroit area. In May, the FBI detained a man named Ammar Said, accused of plotting an attack against a U.S. Army facility on behalf of the Islamic State group. Said’s supposed co-conspirators turned out to be undercover FBI agents. He remains in custody on charges of attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization, and prosecutors have since filed a criminal “information” document — a possible sign of forthcoming plea negotiations.
Authorities have not indicated whether the latest arrests are connected to that earlier case, but Patel said Friday’s operation underscores the FBI’s ongoing efforts to “detect, disrupt, and dismantle threats before they endanger American lives.”
Queens (BN24) – New York City was pummeled by torrential rains that shattered October rainfall records, killing two people in flooded basements and disrupting flights across the region’s major airports, officials said late Wednesday.
Authorities confirmed that a 39-year-old man in Brooklyn and a 43-year-old man in Manhattan died after becoming trapped in flooded basement areas as storms swept through the city. The downpour, described by meteorologists as historic, brought the city to a standstill with flash floods inundating streets, subways, and homes.
Emergency responders in Brooklyn said a scuba team recovered the body of the 39-year-old victim after he tried to rescue one of his dogs in the basement of a three-story townhouse. In Manhattan, police discovered another man’s body in a flooded boiler room, with investigations into the cause of death ongoing. Both incidents occurred while the National Weather Service had flash flood warnings in effect across parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.
Mayor Eric Adams said the deluge overwhelmed New York’s drainage systems. “This storm broke rainfall records for October 30,” Adams said on X. “Much of the rain forecast to fall over several hours came down in just ten minutes.”
According to the National Weather Service, Central Park recorded 1.85 inches (4.7 cm) of rainfall, LaGuardia Airport logged 2.09 inches (5.31 cm), and Newark Liberty International Airport saw 1.99 inches (5.05 cm). The sudden downpour turned streets into rivers, leaving cars submerged and trees toppled across neighborhoods.
Airport officials at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark confirmed that dozens of flights were delayed or canceled due to flooding and ground stoppages. “Street flooding was highly localized,” one transport official said, “but several intersections and airport access roads became impassable for hours.”
City workers were deployed overnight to clear clogged drains, while weather authorities issued coastal flood warnings for low-lying areas of the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. The heavy rain, which followed a season of unusually warm and wet weather, exposed the limits of New York’s aging stormwater infrastructure.
Mayor Adams warned that climate-related storms are hitting the city with growing frequency and intensity. “When you look at the amount of water coming down,” he said, “our sewer systems are just not built to handle that.”
The latest storm marks one of the most severe October rain events on record for New York City, following similar floods that paralyzed the city in 2021 and 2023. Officials said recovery crews remain on alert as additional showers are forecast in the coming days.
MADRID (BN24)— Real Madrid and the promoters of the Super League are demanding more than $4 billion in damages from UEFA, accusing European football’s governing body of unlawfully obstructing the breakaway competition, according to a source who spoke to AFP on Thursday, October 30.
The claim follows a Spanish court ruling on Wednesday, which dismissed UEFA’s appeal and sided with the Super League backers, thereby opening the door for the clubs and organizers to pursue substantial financial compensation.
The Super League, launched in April 2021 by 12 of Europe’s leading clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester United, collapsed within days amid widespread fan protests, particularly in England, and threats of sanctions from UEFA and FIFA. The league was intended to offer a closed competition for elite clubs, bypassing the traditional qualification processes of domestic leagues. Its abrupt failure became one of the most controversial episodes in modern European football.
Legal battles over the league’s creation continued for years. In December 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that UEFA and FIFA’s attempts to block the Super League were in violation of European competition law. The ECJ found that the two governing bodies had abused their dominant positions in European football by preventing free competition, creating barriers for new initiatives, and interfering with club autonomy. Following the ECJ’s ruling, a Spanish judge confirmed that UEFA and FIFA had engaged in anti-competitive conduct, reinforcing the Super League organizers’ right to seek damages.
The Madrid court also rejected separate appeals from La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation, removing further obstacles for financial claims. A22 Sports Management, the company promoting the Super League, criticized UEFA for refusing to engage in meaningful reform despite “months of discussions,” stating that the company had “no other choice” but to seek compensation for damages incurred.
“After years of legal proceedings, UEFA can no longer ignore binding court decisions,” said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart. “By abusing their monopoly and preventing new initiatives, they have caused substantial damage to numerous clubs, players, and other stakeholders across Europe.”
UEFA, however, maintained that its regulatory framework remains valid and that the ruling does not legitimize the abandoned Super League project. In a statement to AFP, the organization said, “This ruling does not validate the abandoned Super League project announced in 2021, nor does it undermine UEFA’s current authorisation rules, adopted in 2022 and updated in 2024, which remain fully in force. These rules ensure that any cross-border competitions are assessed on objective, transparent, non-discriminatory, and proportionate criteria.”
Despite UEFA’s stance, Real Madrid hailed the court’s ruling as a significant legal victory, highlighting that it confirmed the governing body had “seriously infringed the European Union’s free competition rules” by abusing its authority. The Spanish giants emphasized that they will continue pursuing financial redress while advocating for reforms aimed at the long-term health of European football.
“The club will continue to work for the good of global football and fans, while claiming substantial damages from UEFA,” Real Madrid said in an official statement.
Legal experts suggest that this case could have broad implications for European football, potentially opening the door for other clubs and organizations to challenge governing bodies’ control over competitions. The decision may also influence future reforms in UEFA’s tournament authorizations, cross-border league approvals, and the broader governance of European football, with millions of euros at stake.
DAR ES SALAAM (BN24)— Protests intensified Thursday across Tanzania’s major cities after a general election that many residents and opposition figures described as unfair and marred by repression. In Dar es Salaam, police used tear gas and fired gunshots into the air to disperse demonstrators who returned to the streets following violent clashes during Wednesday’s vote.
Demonstrators in the commercial capital, as well as in northern cities including Arusha and Mwanza, protested the disqualification of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s two most prominent challengers and what they describe as an escalating clampdown on political dissent. Witnesses reported that government offices and other buildings had been set ablaze during Wednesday’s unrest, prompting authorities to impose an overnight curfew in Dar es Salaam, a city of more than seven million residents. Internet access, disrupted during the election, was slowly returning by Thursday.
Human rights activist Tito Magoti said he had received reports of at least five deaths linked to Wednesday’s protests, while a diplomatic source told Reuters there were credible reports of at least 10 fatalities in Dar es Salaam. Government officials and police spokespeople did not respond to repeated requests for comment, and Reuters could not independently verify the casualty figures.
Provisional results announced by the state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation showed Hassan winning commanding majorities across numerous constituencies. The president, who has held office since 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, initially received praise for easing restrictions on opponents and reducing censorship that had intensified under her predecessor. However, critics note that the current administration has continued to face accusations of unexplained abductions and harassment of political opponents. Although Hassan ordered an investigation into alleged abductions last year, no official findings have been released.
Dozens of protesters returned to the streets Thursday in at least three neighborhoods of Dar es Salaam, where police fired tear gas and gunshots, according to Reuters witnesses. Smaller demonstrations were also reported in Arusha and Mwanza. The British government confirmed that international flights to and from Dar es Salaam’s airport had been canceled, and flights to Arusha and near Mount Kilimanjaro were also suspended.
Magoti described the protests as a reflection of Tanzania’s growing civic consciousness. “The people are rewriting our political culture from being cows, if I use this word respectfully … to being active citizens,” he said.
The unrest stems largely from the exclusion of the opposition’s leading parties. Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, was disqualified in April after refusing to sign a government-mandated code of conduct, and its leader, Tundu Lissu, was charged with treason. The candidate of ACT-Wazalendo, another opposition party, was also barred from contesting. As a result, Hassan faced only minor-party challengers in the presidential race, raising concerns about the credibility and competitiveness of the election.
The government instructed civil servants to continue working from home through Friday and advised the general public to remain indoors unless necessary, a directive posted on the official Instagram account of government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa.
Political analysts say the protests highlight Tanzania’s increasingly tense political landscape and underscore longstanding concerns about the fairness of elections in the country. Opposition parties and rights organizations have criticized the government for undermining democratic processes through disqualifications, arrests, and intimidation. The unrest also tests Hassan’s leadership at a time when she has sought to balance political reform with continuity from Magufuli’s more authoritarian style.
The ongoing demonstrations carry broader implications for Tanzania’s stability, economic activity, and international image. Dar es Salaam, as the nation’s economic hub, has seen businesses shuttered and transport disrupted. Meanwhile, Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous archipelago that also held elections on Wednesday, continues to experience political tension amid long-standing local grievances and opposition suppression.
Observers warn that if the government fails to address citizens’ demands for transparency and inclusivity, Tanzania could face prolonged unrest and damage to its democratic institutions. For now, the protests signal a significant moment in the country’s political evolution, with citizens increasingly willing to challenge state authority despite heavy-handed government responses.
VATICAN CITY (BN24)— In an extraordinary testament to redemption and faith, Pope Leo XIV has declared Bartolo Longo, a former Satanic priest who later devoted his life to God, as one of the newest saints of the Catholic Church. The canonization, announced Sunday at St. Peter’s Basilica, included six others, among them three nuns, a Venezuelan physician known as the “doctor of the poor,” and an archbishop martyred during the Armenian genocide.
Born in 1841 in the southern Italian town of Latiano, Longo was raised in a devout Catholic family and trained as a lawyer at the University of Naples. His spiritual life took a dark turn following his father’s death, when he became deeply involved in occult practices. Historical records and Church documents describe that he allegedly served as a Satanic priest, performing rituals, practicing extreme fasting, and even claiming to have made a pact with a demon.
However, Longo’s life underwent a profound transformation after meeting Professor Vincenzo Pepe, who guided him back to Catholicism. Renouncing his past, Longo vowed celibacy and dedicated himself to acts of penance and charity. He joined the Dominican Third Order in 1871 and committed his life to spreading devotion to the Rosary and serving the poor.
Over the following decades, Longo became known for his charitable works in the city of Pompeii. He founded the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii, which later became one of Italy’s most visited Marian pilgrimage sites. He also established an orphanage for girls in 1887 and an institute for the sons of prisoners in 1892, followed by another home for the daughters of prisoners in 1922.
Longo’s dedication extended to his voluntary service at the Neapolitan Hospital for Incurables, where he cared for patients for two years. His deep compassion and reformative zeal earned him the nickname “Apostle of the Rosary.”
Miracles attributed to Longo’s intercession began to emerge during his lifetime. According to accounts recorded by the Catholic News Agency, the day he unveiled a portrait of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii, a 12-year-old girl suffering from incurable epilepsy was reportedly healed completely. This event fueled public devotion to the Virgin Mary and solidified Pompeii’s reputation as a center of faith and healing.
Longo died in 1926, leaving behind a powerful legacy of faith and transformation. His journey from a man who claimed to have “sold his soul to the devil” to one who became a servant of the Church has been held up by Vatican officials as an example of the power of repentance and divine grace.
During the canonization Mass on October 19, Pope Leo XIV highlighted Longo’s life as a symbol of hope for those struggling with sin and doubt.
“Today we have before us seven witnesses, the new Saints, who, with God’s grace, kept the lamp of faith burning,” Pope Leo said. “May their intercession assist us in our trials and their example inspire us in our shared vocation to holiness.”
Archbishop Tommaso Caputo of Pompei, speaking with EWTN following the canonization, reflected on Longo’s transformation and enduring legacy. “Longo arrived in Pompeii to take care of the properties of the countess,” Caputo said. “Walking through those streets was dangerous because of the presence of bandits and malaria, he felt an inner inspiration. From that moment, he became an instrument of the Virgin’s mercy.”
Longo’s canonization represents one of the most remarkable conversion stories in Church history. His life, once defined by darkness, has become a testament to forgiveness, redemption, and the transformative power of faith, a journey from Satanic ritual to sainthood that now holds a permanent place in the annals of Catholic history.
PATTAYA, Thailand (BN24)— Two Nigerian men believed to be part of a wider drug trafficking network in Bangkok were arrested in Chonburi province after one attempted to swallow packets of cocaine to destroy evidence, Thai police said Thursday.
The arrests followed a coordinated operation between Chonburi Immigration and Pattaya City Police, targeting foreign drug syndicates operating along Thailand’s eastern seaboard. Authorities identified the suspects as Amarachi and Ikenna, both Nigerian nationals who had overstayed their tourist visas.
The sting operation, conducted on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, in the Jomtien area of Pattaya, led to the recovery of 33 grams of crystal methamphetamine (known locally as “ice”) and 9 grams of cocaine concealed inside cigarette packs and toothpaste boxes.
During the raid, police said one of the suspects tried to swallow small pellets of cocaine in an effort to eliminate evidence. Officers acted quickly, prying open the man’s mouth and recovering the drugs before they could be ingested.
According to Pattaya police, the two men are linked to a larger Nigerian-led drug trafficking ring operating across Bangkok’s nightlife districts, particularly around the Nana Plaza area. The network reportedly uses a “mouth-concealment method,” in which suspects hide small drug packets in their mouths to evade detection during police patrols.
The Chonburi arrests were connected to an earlier Bangkok Metropolitan Police operation carried out on October 26, in which narcotics suppression officers disguised as construction workers stormed several locations around Sukhumvit Soi 11, a nightlife hub in the Nana district. That pre-dawn raid resulted in the arrest of eight Nigerian nationals and one Thai accomplice, dismantling what authorities described as a key cell in a transnational drug network catering to tourists.
Officers in the Bangkok operation seized several grams of cocaine, mobile phones used for arranging drug sales, and cash proceeds. Investigators said data retrieved from the phones helped trace connections between the Bangkok group and the suspects later arrested in Pattaya.
Both operations were part of an ongoing national crackdown on foreign criminal organizations involved in the narcotics trade and visa violations. Thai authorities say many foreign suspects in the network entered the country legally but overstayed their visas to continue illicit activities.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Songprod Sirisukha, Commander of Immigration Division 3, praised the collaboration between agencies, calling it a major victory against cross-border drug syndicates.
“We will relentlessly crack down on all forms of transnational crime, restoring safety to Pattaya and tourists worldwide,” Sirisukha said.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, with further arrests expected as police expand their probe into related drug operations in Bangkok and other tourist cities.
Thailand’s government has increased scrutiny of foreign nationals involved in criminal enterprises, following several high-profile arrests this year that exposed growing drug distribution networks tied to nightlife and tourism sectors.
Police added that the latest operation demonstrates the country’s commitment to dismantling transnational drug trafficking cells and ensuring the safety of both residents and international visitors.
