International News
India: Nigerian, 2 Indians Arrested For Dating App Scam
Indian police reported on Thursday that four individuals, including a Nigerian national, have been apprehended for defrauding several Indian women through matrimonial apps.
The group allegedly pretended to be doctors, engineers, and IT professionals to establish connections with women on various dating platforms.
They further convinced these women to send them money under the guise of paying customs fees for gifts.
The arrested suspects were identified as Chibaka, also known as Tall Issa, from Nigeria, as well as Aman Kumar, Rahul Singh, and Santosh Kumar, all residents of Delhi.
According to the cybercrime division of the Gurugram police, the gang had allegedly accumulated a large number of illegal items, including 25 mobile phones, 65 ATM cards, 34 cheque books, and 12 passbooks.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Priyanshu Diwan reported that the suspects had formed a criminal organization to carry out their activities. These findings were reported by Hindustantimes.com.
According to him, “The Nigerian was the kingpin of the gang and met the other suspects in Laxmi Nagar area of Delhi. They used to scan profiles of the victims on matrimonial sites and later befriended them on social media such as Instagram and Facebook,” he said.
He explained that the gang members were apprehended after a 36-year-old woman filed a complaint on March 22nd, alleging that she had been defrauded of ₹16 lakh (equivalent to approximately N9m). Following the complaint, the police launched an investigation, which led to the discovery of the gang’s operation and their eventual arrest.
According to the woman’s complaint, she received a friend request on Instagram on January 26th of this year from an individual who identified themselves as a doctor residing in the United Kingdom.
“We exchanged our numbers and started chatting on WhatsApp. The suspect said he would be sending some gold items and £20,000. On January 30, I received a call from a woman who introduced herself as an employee of a courier company in Mumbai and said that gold and foreign currency had arrived in my name,” said Sampa Pal, a resident of DLF Phase-4.
The woman stated that she was asked to deposit ₹55,000 as tax, which she did, but was subsequently asked to deposit a further ₹3,27,920. On February 2nd, the suspect then requested that she deposit ₹3 lakh followed by ₹2.98 lakh.
The victim eventually deposited a total of ₹16 lakh within a week before realizing that she had been scammed. The suspect then demanded an additional ₹7.26 lakh.
The police conducted an investigation and subsequently registered a case on February 17th, charging the suspects under Section 120B (conspiracy), 419 (impersonating), and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Cyber Crime police station.
“During questioning, the suspects revealed that the Nigerian man was deported from Mumbai eight years ago, who returned to India on a Schengen visa and another passport. We are still verifying whether his passport is original or forged. He was continuously active in committing matrimonial frauds,” ACP Sangwan said.
The police disclosed that the gang had opened over 100 bank accounts that were used to transfer money. One of the suspects had been withdrawing money from various locations using ATMs and had even traveled to different cities to avoid detection by the police.
A devastating fire has swept through a girls’ boarding school in central Kenya, leaving at least 16 students dead and dozens more injured in one of the country’s worst school tragedies in recent years.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Utumishi Girls Academy, located in Nakuru County, roughly 120 kilometres north of Nairobi. Authorities said the fire broke out around 1:00 a.m. while about 220 students were asleep inside the dormitory.
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Emergency responders, including the Kenyan Red Cross and local security agencies, rushed to the scene and evacuated survivors.
At least 73 students have been hospitalised with varying degrees of burns and smoke inhalation, while rescue operations and search efforts continued into the morning.
Police sources said the cause of the fire remains unknown, and investigations have been launched to determine what triggered the deadly blaze.
The affected dormitory has since been cordoned off as forensic teams examine the scene.
Parents gathered anxiously outside the school as authorities worked to account for all students. Officials have urged calm, assuring that full details will be released once investigations are completed.
The tragedy adds to a troubling history of school dormitory fires in Kenya, where boarding schools remain common.
In previous years, similar incidents have raised serious concerns about safety standards and emergency preparedness in educational institutions.
Government officials are expected to revisit school safety regulations following the latest disaster.
Global oil prices climbed sharply on Thursday following reports of a new United States military strike on Iran, raising fresh concerns over stability in the Middle East and possible disruptions to global energy supplies.
Brent crude rose significantly in early trading, while West Texas Intermediate also recorded gains as investors reacted to renewed hostilities and uncertainty around the fragile ceasefire in the region.
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According to reports, the latest US action included targeted strikes on Iranian positions following a series of drone and maritime incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military described its operations as “measured and defensive,” aimed at preventing further escalation and protecting strategic interests in the region.
The developments triggered immediate reactions across global financial markets, with Asian stocks mostly declining amid fears that prolonged conflict could disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical route for nearly a fifth of global crude supply.
Market analysts warn that sustained instability could push energy prices even higher, fueling inflationary pressures worldwide and potentially forcing central banks to maintain tighter monetary policies.
In Asia, major indices recorded losses, while tech-driven gains in select markets were overshadowed by broader investor caution. Safe-haven assets strengthened slightly as traders moved away from riskier positions.
Economists say the situation remains highly volatile, with conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran adding to uncertainty.
Any further escalation, they caution, could send oil prices even higher and deepen global economic pressure.
For now, investors are closely watching diplomatic developments and military activity in the region, as the world braces for possible further shocks to energy markets.
The United States has issued its strongest travel advisory against Uganda, warning citizens to completely avoid travel to the country due to an ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus disease.
In the updated alert, the United States Department of State upgraded Uganda’s travel status to Level 4, the highest risk classification, which is widely understood as a “Do Not Travel” warning.
The decision was based on serious health threats and the rapid spread of the virus in affected areas.
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Authorities also warned of the risk of cross-border transmission, noting that continued movement across neighbouring countries could worsen the situation despite ongoing containment efforts.
Previously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had placed Uganda under a lower-level health advisory, advising travellers to take standard precautions.
However, a surge in infections and deteriorating conditions led to the tightening of restrictions.
Meanwhile, Ugandan authorities have stepped up emergency response measures, including stricter border surveillance, movement restrictions in affected zones, and reductions in public transportation and market activities in high-risk areas.
Health agencies remain on high alert as the outbreak continues to raise concern over possible regional spread across East Africa.
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