Below The Headlines - 126
Immigrant goats in Kano and Aleti Crystal will beat you up for a small fee
Our read-along of How Africa Works continued this week covering Mauritius and Ethiopia. I also published the promised update on the six-month ban on shea nut exports. Yesterday The New York Times published a glowing feature on Aliko Dangote. This morning I published my response to it.
The coming week is going to be a busy one on 1914 Reader. Tomorrow (yes, Sunday) morning, the next chapter of The Whispering Class will go out. This one is about murder. A lot of murders. On Monday, we publish our next read-along of How Africa Works and on Wednesday you’ll get our podcast with Dan Wang. I also have a meditation on fish I hope to sneak out sometime in the week. Stay with us and don’t go anywhere else!
I make a deliberate choice not to include stories about ritual killings in this newsletter because I find them unsettling and they are of course easy fuel for stereotypes. But I see them in the papers all the time and while I will still not include them, I really hope that this is a problem that will go away.
Enjoy the usual selection below.
Nigerian Media
Some goats immigrated to Nigeria and farmers are happy:
But today, a quiet revolution is unfolding within Kano’s livestock sector and it is being driven not by cattle, but by rare, foreign-bred goats that are turning small-scale farmers into high-value livestock entrepreneurs.
For many farmers, small ruminants were once considered secondary livestock, often raised for domestic consumption or modest income.
Today, foreign exotic goats are becoming prized assets that attract wealthy buyers, commercial breeders, and livestock enthusiasts alike.
For Malam Sunusi Ali Musa, the journey into exotic livestock breeding began accidentally, as he claims to have started it as a passion.
“We started with breeding luxury birds and noticed that people showed intense interest in animals that are not commonly found in this region. We then decided to explore exotic goat breeding, not for business purposes, but as a passion,” he said.
The farmer noted that his first investment was acquiring Saanen goats from the Middle East, a decision that would later redefine his business fortunes.
“Widely regarded as one of the world’s most productive dairy goat breeds, Saanen goats are known for their exceptional milk yield and adaptability. These goats produce large quantities of milk daily, and are relatively resistant to diseases. Some buyers keep them for commercial milk production as the milk is said to be highly medicinal, while others keep them as luxury animals in their homes or farmhouses,” he explained.
You read a story like this and you really really just wonder…
The Federal High Court sitting in Gombe and presided over by Justice H.I.O. Oshomah on Thursday sentenced 51-year-old Hamidu Damisa to prison for child trafficking offences.
Damisa, a resident of Putuki Pargale in Balanga Local Government Area, was accused of selling a one-year-old boy, identified as Destiny, from Bogar Degri in the same local government.
The prosecuting counsel, Musa Yila Kopyo, told the court that the defendant was arraigned on a two-count charge related to child trafficking.
According to him, “The first count is contrary to Section 13(1) and (2) of the Child Trafficking Law, 2015.”
He added that the second count alleged that Damisa attempted to sell the same child, an offence “contrary to Section 29 of the Child Trafficking Law, as amended in 2015, and punishable under Section 21 of the same law.”
When the charges were read in court, Damisa pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, the prosecution presented two witnesses, including the convict’s wife, who testified in the matter.
After considering the submissions and evidence presented, Justice Oshomah found Damisa guilty and sentenced him in accordance with the provisions of the Child Trafficking Law.
A recurring story, this time from Calabar:
There was pandemonium in the early hours of Thursday as commercial drivers in Calabar blocked major roads in protest against alleged multiple taxation, harassment, and extortion by both authorized and illegal enforcement agents in the state capital.
The protest, which affected major routes in Calabar, including areas around the University of Calabar, caused a gridlock as drivers barricaded roads to drive home their demand, as well as seek for urgent government intervention.
Speaking with journalists, Mr Etim Asuquo, a minibus driver, said in addition to the daily ticket payment of ₦700, operators are still harassed and fined under different subheads on a daily basis.
“We buy tickets every day, even on Saturdays and public holidays, yet they won’t allow us to work freely. If you stop briefly to pick a passenger, they accuse you of wrong parking and fine you between ₦60,000 and ₦100,000,” he informed.
“It is sad that in Cross River we buy ticket everyday including public holidays and Saturday for 700 naira which is one of the most expensive in the country. This is not so in our neighboring States,” Asuquo said.
As you know, we like to keep an eye on fake things here. This is not an easy task since it can be very difficult to distinguish between what is fake and what is real. Take for example this story about fake miracles:
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested six persons accused of posing as pastors to defraud residents through staged miracles in Idanre, Idanre Local Council.
The suspects, identified as Fadahunsi, Kolade, Tijani, Iyanuoluwa, Arijesulola and Ademola, were apprehended during a coordinated operation by tactical teams of the command in collaboration with Community Safety Officers.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, said the suspects allegedly operated as a group, assigning roles to create a façade of legitimacy and win the confidence of their victims.
He said preliminary investigation showed that they posed as pastors and religious leaders, staging fake miracles and spiritual interventions to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.
“They allegedly exploited the faith, emotions and vulnerabilities of individuals by promising divine solutions to financial difficulties, health challenges and other personal problems, only to defraud them through various forms of obtaining by false pretence and related scams,” he said.
Three people have been killed by hippos in Adamawa:
Kiri community in Shelleng Local Government Area of Adamawa State has raised concern over frequent attacks by hippopotamuses, which have resulted in the deaths of three people.
The attacks have occurred on different occasions, killing residents and injuring others.
The latest incident, which took place on Friday, led to the death of 65-year-old Yakubu Galadima, popularly known as Yakubu Kuri, while he was fishing.
A source close to one of the deceased told DAILY POST, “This particular person was a household man; he has about eight children. Yesterday, after Asr prayer, he went to the river to catch fish, as it is his means of livelihood, when he met his end.
“The incident happened when he was inside his fishing boat; the hippo appeared. At first he did not see it, and people outside saw it and tried to alert him, but he couldn’t hear them calling him.
“Before he noticed, it had already reached his boat. He got scared by its sudden appearance and jumped into the river, leaving his boat, and that is how the hippo got to him and caught him by his leg, then dragged him into the deeper side of the river.”
He added that the hippopotamus belongs to the government and cannot be killed without official approval.
News from Mapo Customary Court:
GRADE A Customary Court, Court 2, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has ruled in a divorce suit brought before it by a woman, Apeke, who dragged her husband, Kamoru, before the court, claiming that he was irresponsible, not loving and caring, brutish in behaviour and also fetish in nature.
Apeke told the court that she experienced woe and pain in almost all the 19 years she was married to her husband.
The plaintiff explained that the defendant was a barber when they met and got married.
According to her, the defendant later gave up his career as a barber and became a herbalist.
Apeke further said that Kamoru then became involved in fetish practices and kept disturbing and frightening objects in their house, which made her feel uncomfortable at home.
She also stated that her husband was indifferent to her well-being.
The plaintiff said that the defendant regularly burned substances that produced strong odours which she claimed were affecting her health.
She added that her condition was worsening day by day.
According to Apeke, she solely bore the burden of running their home because Kamoru regularly dodged his responsibilities towards her and their children.
A report on the aftermath of the Singa Market fire in Kano:
On Saturday, Feb. 15, around 4 p.m., a fire broke out at Gidan Glass, a plaza at Singa Market. Witnesses say the fire spread quickly, leaping from shop to shop before traders could salvage much. It burned for two days. By the time it was contained, dozens of shops had been reduced to charred frames.
Sulaiman and his brother’s shop was among them.
When he sat in the mosque that morning, he was mourning years of hard work — the savings, the small profits he reinvested, and his mother’s inheritance. “After his grandfather died, the inheritance was shared,” his close friend, Abba Abubakar, told HumAngle. “His mother gave him her portion to grow the business.”
Now, everything is gone.
The fire that tore through Singa Market is the latest in a long line of infernos that have become almost routine in Kano markets. Within 48 hours, early estimates placed losses in billions of naira. But beyond the figures lies a deeper story: how recurring fires, weak emergency infrastructure, and structural neglect continue to threaten the livelihoods of thousands of small-scale traders who form the backbone of the city’s informal economy.
Sulaiman’s story is that of hundreds of traders whose stalls were destroyed. In markets like Singa, capital is built slowly from daily turnover and rarely backed by insurance. Many traders rely on family contributions, cooperative loans, or personal savings. A single disruption can undo a decade of effort.
Non-Nigerian Media
News from Saskachoon:
Black physicians make up 1.5 per cent of the physicians in the country, according to Dr. Nnamdi Ndubuka, president of the Black Physicians of Canada group. Statistics Canada figures shows about 4.5 per cent of Canada’s population identifies as Black.
“There is a gap in the number of required Black physicians; there should be enough to provide care for the Black population,” Ndubka said.
Black Physicians of Canada unites Black doctors across the country and offers mentorship and supports. It also actively encourages Black people to study medicine.
Ndubuka says immigration programs aimed at recruiting internationally trained doctors to work in Canada have helped increase the number of Black doctors in the country.
The SHA does not measure the number in the province, but Ndubka estimated there are 25 Nigerian doctors and specialists in Prince Albert and about 200 in the province. The Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists has about 2,000 members across the country.
And in another piece about family doctors in Canada, Nigerian doctors feature as well:
Another new physician, Dr. Godwin Agbonkhese, 42, said he received offers from five different communities in Alberta but chose Stettler because of the warm welcome.
“One of the major deciding factors was the recruitment team,” said Dr. Agbonkhese, who came from Nigeria with his wife, a nurse, and their four children.
Word about Stettler had spread among Nigerian doctors relocating to Canada. Of the seven new physicians, six are from Nigeria.
While Mr. Lovell was pleased, he said Canada should produce more medical school graduates and family doctors so it need not rely on international physicians, especially from developing nations.
“It does leave Nigeria in a terrible situation,” Mr. Lovell said. “They’re training all these doctors that are phenomenal doctors and that are leaving to go to other places in the world.”
News from West Yorkshire:
Hachikaru Prosper Nyesom admitted fraud by false representation at Leeds Crown Court this week, along with her sister-in-law, Veronica Odey.
Odey did not initially know her work documents were being utilised but failed to stop the crime once she became aware.
The court heard that both women had come to the UK in the spring of 2024, with 22-year-old Odey acquiring a work permit for skilled employment.
Nyesom, 35, only had a permit to work in unskilled jobs.
Both had applied for work in the care-home sector.
The scam was uncovered in May 2024 when a picture of Nyesom sent to a recruitment agency “did not tally”, prosecutor Carmel Pearson said.
An investigation was launched and it was found that Nyesom had set up an email address in Odey’s name.
It was also found that Odey had paid £6,565 to Nyesom - the wages for the jobs Nyesom had secured under her sister-in-law’s name.
A probation report into Nyesom found that she had a nine-year-old son in Nigeria whom she was supporting with her wages.
Mitigating on her behalf, Erin Kitson-Parker said her fraud was “not sophisticated” but conceded it was serious.
She said: “She was not doing it to drive fast cars or have holidays, it was to send it to her son.
“She was mis-advised in her decision making.”
Nyesom, of Hepworth Gardens, Wakefield, has no previous convictions in the UK or Nigeria.
Odey, of Marion Grove, Wakefield, also has no previous convictions.
Mitigating on her behalf, Kristina Goodwin said: “She had no knowledge of this fraudulently activity until she confronted Nyesom.
“But she did continue to let her use them because the money was going back to her child”
Leslie Mba is going to prison for 19 years:
A man who was in Houston illegally has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for his role in a romance scam and business email compromise scheme that defrauded victims of more than $4 million.
40-year-old Leslie Chinedu Mba pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents. Mba was ordered to serve 228 months in federal prison.
Prosecutors said that from April 2018 through Dec. 2023, Mba and others, inside and outside the United States, carried out business email and romance scams targeting individuals and businesses.
According to court records, the scams often began overseas, where co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to business email accounts and redirected payments to fraudulent bank accounts.
Victims believed they were sending money to legitimate businesses, but the funds were instead funneled into accounts that were controlled by Mba and others.
Federal authorities said Mba and his co-conspirators acted as “money mules,” opening or using existing bank accounts to collect and move money from the fraud.
Who is Aleti Crystal? She beats men for a living:
A professional man-beater is in the business of vigilante justice, particularly against abusive men.
Aleti Crystal appeared on the TUBTS podcast to reveal her thought-provoking venture. Crystal is a modern-day superhero for the beaten and battered. She detailed her business to the podcast host, with the clip going viral on social media.
“I recently started a business where I beat men who beat pregnant women, underage girls, or rape victims,” she shared. “I will start working with the police, and my goal is to beat at least 1,000 men before 2027.”
The business has already turned a profit, one more valuable than her content creation. Crystal uses social media to promote her business, gaining many of her clients through platforms like TikTok.
However, according to the Nigerian Bulletin, Crystal does not do it all alone. She works with a team for her vigilante mission, as the women clients task them with teaching men the hard way.
“I beat them up properly,” added Crystal. “I have a group of people that I work with to beat them into shape.”
A feature on Temi Coker and his work in Dallas:
Duality is at the heart of artist Temi Coker’s work. The Dallas-based artist was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria until the age of 12, when his family came to America. “The idea of duality is something I still struggle with,” Coker says. “If I leave here and I go to Nigeria, they see me as ‘You’re kind of one of us, but you talk different.’” But these complicated ideas of identity and duality have always been embraced in Coker’s art.
As an introverted pastor’s kid, Coker grew up playing the keys at church. He says music was his first exposure to creativity and self-expression. “I could see how it could make people feel something, and it was also for me to express whatever I was feeling,” he remembers. He went to college originally pursuing a biomedical engineering degree, but switched to a degree in digital media. After graduating college, Coker taught photography and design at his old high school. He was especially passionate about encouraging high school students that careers in creative industries were possible.
[…]
The collection officially launched online in January, but Coker isn’t trying to put too much pressure on performance. One of the most meaningful purchases was by the mother of a longtime friend who’d seen him struggle with the decision to change his college degree. He tells another story of a big group chat with people from Nigeria with the last name Coker. Someone from the group chat texted about Temi Coker’s collection, saying, “We don’t have a Walmart in Nigeria, but this person has our last name. Let’s support him any way we can.” Coker says, “It was really cool to see that this collab is reaching back home.”
Suya is now available in Charlotte, North Carolina
Like the lamb mafé, suya reinvigorated my on-again-off-again yearning to dig deeper into my Pan-Africanism bag.
I’m serious. After the first plastic forkful of beef suya, I was ready to trade in my Ralph Lauren polo shirt and cargo pants for a long, flowing royal blue and gold agbada, listen to more Fela Kuti, read more Frantz Fanon and maybe even dump my European name from something like Ajala Babayaro like when rapper Mos Def changed his name to Yasiin Bey.
To tie this back to the beginning, my favorite barbecue in Charlotte is located on the edge of a vacant parking lot on West Carson Boulevard in an itty bitty food trailer hidden from street view behind another food trailer on the side of a hookah lounge. And it’s called Suya King.
"He added that the hippopotamus belongs to the government and cannot be killed without official approval."
For some reason, this line got me LOLing.....