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Middle East: UN condemns attacks on peacekeeping troops

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The head of UN peacekeeping operations said its troops would remain at their posts in Lebanon despite fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Australia has imposed fresh sanctions on Iran.

 

UN Security Council voices “strong concern” for peacekeepers in southern Lebanon during emergency session in New York UNIFIL head says peacekeepers to remain in their positions Australia imposes fresh sanctions on Iran

Here are the latest developments on the Israel-Lebanon escalation, Gaza and the wider Middle East region on Tuesday, October 15:

Australia imposes fresh sanctions on Iranian individuals

Australia’s government has imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on five Iranians who contribute to the nation’s missile defense program, Foreign Minster Penny Wong said.

She said that Iran’s launch of at least 180 ballistic missiles against Israel on October 1 was “a dangerous escalation that increased the risk of a wider regional war.”

The sanctions were imposed on two directors and a senior officer at Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization. The director of the Shahid Begheri Industrial Group and the commercial director of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group were also targeted.

The announcement brings the total number of Iran-linked people sanctioned by Australia to 200.

“Australia will continue to hold Iran to account for its reckless and destabilizing actions,” Wong said.

Israeli government says it will listen to US but make own ‘final decisions’

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Israel would listen to the United States but make its own decisions based on national interest.

“‏We listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interests,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that was first quoted by The Washington Post and later by news agencies including Reuters.

The statement comes amid anticipation that Israel will retaliate to Iran’s missile strikes on October 1.

The Washington Post reported, citing two official sources familiar with the matter, that Netanyahu assured the US that Israel would rather strike Iran’s military assets over its oil and nuclear facilities.

The US is a steadfast supporter of Israel in its conflict with Hamas and now Hezbollah. However, President Joe Biden has warned Israel against striking Iran’s energy facilities in order to avoid a further expansion of regional war and a spike in global energy prices.

UN Security Council expresses ‘strong concern’ over attacks on peacekeepers

The United Nations Security Council voiced “strong concern” over attacks on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon days after at least five were wounded during fighting in the area.

The Security Council reiterated its support for the mission’s role “in supporting regional security” after a session late on Monday in New York City.

It follows a series of incidents in which members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers in southern Lebanon were wounded by Israeli military fire, often at their designated posts.

In one notable incident on Sunday, two Israeli tanks burst through the gates of a UNIFIL base, the UN said. At least five peacekeepers were injured. Israel has rejected the UN’s acocunt of the incident.

Members called on all parties “to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and UN premises,” said Switzerland’s UN envoy Pascale Baeriswyl, who serves as the acting president of the Security Council.

“They recall that UN peacekeepers and UN premises must never be the target of an attack,” he said.

UNIFIL is tasked with supporting efforts to disarm militias in southern Lebanon and return the Lebanese army to that area. Israel has criticized the peacekeeping operation for failing in its mission to stabilize the region.

Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday repeated a call UNIFIL troops to leave certain areas near the border during its military operations. He accused Hezbollah of using the UNIFIL forces as “human shields,” staying in close proximity to them intentionally.

But the peacekeeping force has repeatedly said it will stay at all of its posts.

“A decision was made that UNIFIL will currently stay in all its positions, in spite of the calls that were made by the Israeli forces to vacate the positions that were in the vicinity of the blue line,” said the UN’s head of peacekeeping operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

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Imo: Mortuary owner on the run as police declare him wanted over alleged organ harvesting

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One Mr. Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, a mortuary owner in Umuhu Autonomous Community in Ngor-okpala LGA, Imo State, is now on the run after the police declared him wanted over allegations of organ harvesting in the facility.

Oparaugo also runs a hotel in the community.

The Imo State Police Command carried out an operation at the mortuary which led to the discovery of disjointed and unkempt corpses in the facility.

The manner in which the dead bodies were tampered with, according to the police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, suggested that organ harvesting is going on in the mortuary.

In a statement made available to journalists, Okoye disclosed that the operation was personally led by the police commissioner, Aboki Danjuma, acting on credible intelligence concerning the activities of the morgue.

He added that the operation was assisted by a vigilante group from the LGA, in line with ongoing efforts to curb kidnapping and other violent crimes within the state, especially along the Owerri–Aba Expressway.

The statement disclosed that decomposed and mutilated corpses were discovered in unhygienic conditions in the morgue.

“Following these discoveries, both the hotel and mortuary were sealed on the directive of the state government. The suspect’s residence was also searched, and crucial exhibits were recovered,” the statement explained.

Okoye further hinted that a forensic report which was documented by the pathological department of the State Specialist Hospital will be used in the ongoing investigation.

He added that the Commissioner of Police assured the public that all accomplices would be identified and brought to justice.

“Stanley Morocco Oparaugo has been declared wanted. Anyone with useful information should contact the nearest police station or call 0803 477 3600.
Maximum security has also been deployed along the Owerri–Aba Expressway. The Command assures travelers during the holidays of its commitment to their safety,” the statement added.

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Royal Family Reacts After Popular Musician, KWAM 1 Shows Interest In Becoming Next Awujale Of Ijebuland

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The Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu-Ode, next in line to produce the new Awujale of Ijebuland, Ogun State, has instructed Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, to confirm his family’s royal lineage to validate his membership in the ruling house.

KWAM 1, in a letter dated December 3, 2025, addressed to the chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Agunsebi Quarters, Ijebu-Ode, announced his interest in the stool, describing himself as a “bonafide son” of the ruling house.

KWAM 1 also stated that his candidacy aligns with Ijebu customary law and the Ogun State Chieftaincy Laws.

In an interview with Punch, the Chairman of the ruling house and former National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Abdulateef Owoyemi, said only bonafide members of the family would be allowed to participate in the selection process.

Owoyemi explained that KWAM 1, Olori Omooba of Ijebu land and others interested in the stool have been directed to complete the Fusengbuwa ruling house royal lineage data form.

According to him, the form, which requires contenders to trace their genealogy back seven generations, ensures that only genuine princes from the family can participate, thereby blocking “strangers” from claiming the throne.

He said, “The first step for anyone interested in contesting for the Awujale throne is to declare their lineage by filling the standard Fusengbuwa ruling house royal lineage data form. Once confirmed as a legitimate member of the ruling house, they can then apply for the expression of interest form.

“We have told him, just like everyone else interested in the Awujale throne, that the first step is to declare his lineage. He will do this by completing the royal lineage data form, showing his full name, which parent and grandparent he descends from, and continuing up to seven generations.

“The completed form will be signed and submitted to the head of the ruling house unit of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, who will affirm that he is a genuine member. Only then will the process move forward.”

Owoyemi emphasised that although the application window for the throne officially closed on December 5, KWAM 1 had been given a five-day extension, which would lapse on December 10.

He noted, “We won’t shut anybody out of picking the next Awujale, but we must ensure that you are a legitimate member of Fusengbuwa. Every right comes with responsibilities. For a royal family, everyone must prove their legitimacy by completing the royal lineage data form.

“When we receive the form, we will review it meticulously. If clarification is needed, we will contact the applicant. We welcome men of influence who will use their influence to enhance the throne, not to claim it, ensuring that what truly belongs to our family is preserved.”

Owoyemi explained that the local government has given them 14 days to select candidates, and the ruling house hopes to have a new Awujale by the second or third week of January 2026.

He added, “The local government has given us 14 days to select candidates, which expires on December 18. After that, the kingmakers have seven days to deliberate and choose one candidate, whose name will be forwarded to the governor.

“Legally, the government then has 21 days to conduct background checks and security clearance, allowing for objections or protests. After this period, the State Executive Council will ratify the nominee, and the governor will announce the next Awujale, after which coronation rites will commence.

“So, combining the candidate selection, kingmakers’ deliberation, and legal objection period, we are looking at around 42 days. Therefore, we expect the next Awujale to emerge between the second and third week of January.”

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U.S. Surveillance Fighter Jet Flies Over Kwara, Ekiti As American Officials Arrive In Abuja

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By Peter Agba Kalu

 

Like I revealed to you earlier today several US Marine officers arrived Nigeria yesterday and some moved straight to several terrorism hot spots.

Today, another security expert and Sahel conflict reporter, Brant Phillip, confirmed my earlier story.

 

But, he went further to disclosed that earlier today U.S. reconnaissance flights were being conducted over parts of western Nigeria, reportedly originating from a U.S. military facility in Ghana as I equally revealed earlier this week

 

The unusual military activity in Nigeria’s airspace has raised fresh questions about the scope of a growing security partnership between Abuja and Washington, following reports that a United States surveillance fighter jet was sighted flying over Kwara and Ekiti States.

 

The operation, according to security analysts, marks a significant turn in U.S. intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) activity in the region, with potential implications for Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy.

 

The development comes as the first batch of Senior U.S. officials reportedly arrived in Abuja on Wednesday night, fuelling speculation about imminent announcements on bilateral security arrangements.

 

While the Nigerian government has yet to issue an official statement, information emerging from defence experts suggests that the United States may be deepening its involvement in Nigeria’s fight against extremist groups.

 

It is believe that Nigerian officials are keeping quiet because even America has not made open the scope of their operations and how the level of their involvement be.

 

Keep a date with me for up-to-date insiders information of the Trump’s threat

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