Daily Digest Online

ABUJA, Nigeria — The president of West Africa's primary political and economic bloc has declared the region is in a "state of emergency," citing a dangerous spiral of military coups, attempted takeovers, and escalating security crises that threaten the future of democracy. Omar Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, issued the stark warning on Tuesday during an address to the bloc's mediation and security council. His statement came just two days after a coup attempt was thwarted in Benin, the latest in a series of military power grabs that have destabilized the region. Last month, a successful coup in Guinea-Bissau ousted former President Umaro Embalo. "Events of the last few weeks have shown the imperative of serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to invest in the security of our community," Touray told the council. "Faced with this situation, E...

YOLA, Adamawa State — The Headquarters of the Nigerian Army's 23 Brigade has issued a formal, detailed response to reports that its soldiers killed women protesters on Monday, categorically denying the allegations and providing an alternative narrative of a complex communal clash involving local militias. In a press statement released on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, the military command described earlier media reports as "baseless," "unfounded," and "an attempt to smear the image of the Brigade." The statement presents a timeline of events that directly contradicts claims that soldiers escorting the Brigade Commander opened fire on a women's protest. The Army's Account: A Timeline of Violence and Militia Action According to Captain Olusegun Abidoye, the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the Brigade, the incident stemmed from a long-simmering "communal clash" between the Bachama a...

GEORGIA — In a disturbing twist on a classic childhood joy, Georgia authorities have dismantled a violent prison-based gang that prosecutors say used the allure of ice cream trucks and bounce houses to recruit children into a life of violent crime. The four-year investigation, which culminated in November 2025, led to the conviction of 16 members of the "1-8 Trey Gangster Bloods" in Barrow County Superior Court. Among those convicted was the gang's statewide leader, Jamar "Supreme" Ramsay, who prosecutors revealed was directing the criminal enterprise—including its youth recruitment—from a state prison cell where he was already serving a life sentence for murder. From Prisons to Playgrounds: The Anatomy of a Gang The scope of the gang's operations was vast and chilling in its organization. According to the Georgia Attorney General's Office, the racketeering conspiracy spanned from January 2019 to October 2022. Authori...

At least seven women were killed and several others wounded on Monday after soldiers escorting a senior military commander allegedly opened fire on a group of protesters in Adamawa State. The women had gathered to protest what they described as a delayed and ineffective security response to a deadly militia attack on their communities earlier in the day. The Sequence of a Tragic Day The incident occurred in the Lamurde Local Government Area, an agrarian region plagued by communal violence and periodic militia raids. 1.  The Initial Attack: The day's events began with a coordinated morning assault by suspected Chobo-speaking militia on several communities within Lamurde LGA. As is often the case in these clashes, the attackers left before security forces arrived, leaving residents traumatized and accusing the military of an unforgivably slow response. 2.  The Protest: Frustrated and grieving, a group of women gathered at Rigange Junction to protest the...

He Was 75... It Happened in Their Home" – Shocking case unfolds in small Mississippi town as octogenarian faces murder charge after a fatal 911 call. It’s a tragic love story with a violent, shocking end. In a quiet home on Tibbs Road in Sledge, Mississippi, a domestic dispute between two seniors turned deadly, leaving a 75-year-old man dead and his 82-year-old girlfriend behind bars. Mattie Crockett, 82, is now sitting in the Tunica County Jail, charged with murder after authorities say she shot and killed her boyfriend, James Larry Jr., 75. The bond has been set at a hefty $100,000. The Fateful 911 Call The drama unfolded just after 3:15 p.m. when a calm but devastating 911 call came into the Tunica County Sheriff’s Office. The caller? Mattie Crockett herself, who reportedly admitted to the operator that she had just shot her boyfriend. When deputies and emergency crews raced to the scene, they found James Larry Jr. with a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead ...