Metro
Haiti gang leader threatens to kill kidnapped US, Canadian missionaries
Published
5 years agoon
By
AFPThe leader of a Haitian gang who kidnapped a group of North Americans over the weekend has threatened to execute them, according to a video seen by AFP.
The footage shot Wednesday but released Thursday on social media showed Wilson Joseph, wearing a suit and surrounded by armed men, in front of coffins containing the bodies of five members of his gang.
“Since I’m not getting what I need, I’ll kill these Americans,” Joseph said, speaking in Haitian Creole.
A senior US official speaking on condition of anonymity said the video appeared to be genuine.
“As far as I know, the video that appeared online today is legitimate,” the official told reporters late Thursday. “It’s not a fake video as far as we can tell right now.”
“We are in contact with the Christian Aid Missionaries. We are in contact constantly with Haitian National Police. The FBI is on the ground in Haiti and in contact with all the parties involved,” the official added.
The kidnappers are demanding $17 million ransom for the hostages’ freedom, security sources have told AFP.
On Saturday the group of 17 US and Canadian missionaries and their children were kidnapped in broad daylight while on a visit to an orphanage in the heart of an area in eastern Port-au-Prince, which is under control of the gang.
The Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, to which the abducted missionaries belong, said the group included 12 adults aged 18-48, along with five children aged eight months, three, six, 13 and 15.
The United States has advised Americans not to travel to Haiti, in particular, due to kidnappings they say regularly include American citizens.
Since December 2020, Haitian police have sought Joseph for crimes including assassination, kidnapping, vehicle theft, and hijacking of cargo trucks.
– Controlled by gangs –
Meanwhile on Thursday motor-taxi drivers blocked roads and snared traffic in the Haitian capital to protest against fuel shortages caused by gangs controlling oil access.
Across the city, demonstrators have voiced outrage over being forced to buy gasoline on the black market.
Gangs’ tightening grip on Port-au-Prince since June has prevented secure access to two of Haiti’s three oil terminals.
Armed groups hijacked more than a dozen tankers at the third, located in the Cite Soleil slum, in early September.
On Thursday, near one barricade of flaming tires, protestors accused authorities of favoring fuel imports over renewable energy.
“We don’t have an electricity grid in Haiti, so we have to look for diesel to run a generator,” said one 30-something student who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons.
“We have all the sun in the world but solar panels are overpriced,” he said.
Against the backdrop of growing gang influence, Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced late Thursday the appointment of a new police chief, Frantz Elbe, after the resignation of his predecessor Leon Charles.
“It’s time to get to work. We would like public peace to be restored, to return to normal life, and to find the path of democracy. Finally, we would like to organize elections,” said Henry on Twitter.
Related
You may like
Metro
Woman allegedly sets co-wife, two children ablaze in Kano
Published
7 hours agoon
May 13, 2026By
Mega IconResidents of the Hotoro area of Kano were thrown into panic after a woman allegedly set her co-wife and two children ablaze in a late-night domestic attack.
The incident occurred on Monday night in the Mai Allo area of Hotoro, leaving four persons with varying degrees of burns.
The victims — a 28-year-old woman and her two children aged seven and three — are currently receiving treatment at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala and Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.
Their father, who reportedly sustained injuries while attempting to rescue the victims from the inferno, is also undergoing treatment.
A relative of the family informed that they received a distress call around 3am informing them that the woman, her husband and the children had been set ablaze.
According to the source, the victim had spent less than two weeks in her matrimonial home before the attack occurred.
“She is about 28 years old. The children are from her previous marriage. They are stepchildren to the husband, who works as a tricycle rider,” the relative added.
Residents of the area described the incident as horrifying and called on security agencies to ensure justice was served.
“We are shocked by what happened. This kind of violence has no place in our community,” a resident said.
The suspect has since been taken into custody at the Mariri Police Division.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kano State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Related
Metro
Flood threat looms as FG lists 226 LGAs in high-risk zones
Published
4 weeks agoon
April 15, 2026By
Mega IconThe Federal Government on Wednesday disclosed that no fewer than 226 Local Government Areas across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory fall within high flood-risk zones in 2026.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, made this known during the public presentation of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency held at the State Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Utsev said a total of 14,118 communities in 266 LGAs across the affected states and the FCT had been identified as highly vulnerable to flooding.
He listed the states as Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT.
The minister added that 405 LGAs in 35 states fall within the moderate flood-risk category, with Ekiti State as the only state not captured under this classification.
He further noted that 923 communities in 77 LGAs across 24 states would experience minimal flooding.
“Low flood risk incidences are expected in Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara,” Utsev said.
The minister also disclosed that the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook introduced a community-based flood forecasting system designed to provide location-specific predictions for faster response and intervention.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening emergency response systems and promoting sustainable development nationwide.
Represented by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, the President said the government had reviewed existing challenges and acknowledged the critical role of rescue teams in mitigating disasters.
He noted that efforts were ongoing to enhance the capacity and coordination of relevant ministries for more effective and timely emergency responses.
Tinubu stressed that improved communication, strategic planning, and collaboration remained vital to addressing emerging challenges and ensuring better service delivery.
The President added that with strengthened systems in place, the government was confident of mitigating risks and improving outcomes for citizens.
The event, themed ‘Smart Water Resources Management: Moving From Oil To A Water-Based Economy’, was attended by ministers and key stakeholders in the water and environmental sectors.
Related
Metro
Robbers attack Akure health centre, abduct three workers
Published
2 months agoon
March 28, 2026By
Mega IconPolice authorities in Ondo State have confirmed a robbery attack at the Basic Health Centre in the Oke-Ijebu area of Akure, the state capital, in the early hours of Saturday.
It was gathered that three suspects armed with pump-action rifles and cutlasses invaded the facility after arriving in a black Toyota Venza, which they parked along the main road. The assailants reportedly scaled the perimeter fence to gain access to the premises.
During the attack, three health workers on duty were forcefully dispossessed of their personal belongings, including mobile phones and a Point of Sale terminal. The suspects subsequently whisked the victims away towards the Olokuta Correctional Centre axis along Ondo Road.
The spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday.
According to him, “Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspects ordered them to remove their clothing and subsequently abandoned them in the bush before fleeing the scene. The victims, however, found resort from nearby staff of the Correctional Service.”
Jimoh disclosed that security patrols had been intensified, while collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilante groups had been strengthened to enhance safety across the state.
He urged residents to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, adding that members of the public should promptly report suspicious activities or useful information to the nearest police station or other security agencies.
The police spokesman assured residents that the command remained committed to safeguarding lives and property and would not relent in efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
Related
Advertisement
Entertainment
Adekunle Gold, Simi welcome twins
Ayefele drops new album, Reflections
Reggae Legend, Jimmy Cliff, Dies At 81
Photos: Davido blows $3.7m on lavish Miami white wedding for Chioma
FAAN probes K1 for spilling alcohol on airport officer during boarding
Odunlade Adekola loses father
MegaIcon Magazine Facebook Page
MEGAICON TV
Advertisement
Trending
-
Politics1 day ago2027: APC Perfects Consensus Strategy for Oyo
-
Politics2 days ago2027: Oyo APC Set for Credible Direct Primaries, Says Alake Adeyemo
-
News1 week agoTCN plans power outage in Ibadan over substation maintenance
-
Crime & Court8 hours agoEx-Power Minister Mamman Jailed 75 Years Over ₦33.8bn Fraud