A series of explosions in Nigeria, many at churches holding Christmas services, have killed at least 25 people. The explosion in Madalla, 25 miles from the capital of Abuja, is where the fatalities are being reported. The NY Times reports, "A radical Muslim sect, Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility." more ›

The city has filed a federal lawsuit against Nigeria over allegations that the nation's government owes the city millions in back real estate taxes. According to the suit, the African country failed to pay taxes for commercial office space and other non-tax exempt spaces in its 22-story Second Avenue building, known as the "Nigeria House," the Post reports. more ›

With nerves running high after the December 25 incident of a Nigerian man allegedly trying to set off an explosive on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit, the flight crew of today's NWA Flight 253 asked for emergency help because of a disruptive Nigerian passenger, an incident the Department of Homeland Security later characterized as "nonserious." The Detroit Free-Press reports, "A law enforcement official says the man removed from a flight to Detroit today posed no security risk to the plane. The official says the passenger was taken into custody after becoming verbally disruptive on landing. Subsequent interviews by investigators determined he was a businessman who became ill during the flight." (CNN said the passenger had locked himself in the lavatory for an hour.) more ›

The U.S. government charged Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian man, with attempting to destroy a Northwest Airlines plane as it was landing in Detroit yesterday. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said, "ad this alleged plot to destroy an airplane been successful, scores of innocent people would have been killed or injured. We will continue to investigate this matter vigorously, and we will use all measures available to our government to ensure that anyone responsible for this attempted attack is brought to justice." And the Justice Department's statement notes: more ›

Outspoken Nigerian dissident and afrobeat trailblazer Fela Kuti was beaten and arrested hundreds of times during his turbulent life, which came to an end in 1997 due to AIDS-related complications. Several years after his death, Femi and Yeni Kuti, his eldest son and daughter, opened a performance venue and cultural center in Lagos called the New Afrika Shrine, a living tribute to their father and his famous commune-nightclub-recording studio, which was burned down by the Nigerian army. Femi, who has since taken up the afrobeat torch, performs with his band Positive Force often at the New Afrika Shrine, which has become a refuge for politically active youths and a source for information in defense against the AIDS. more ›

The Queens DA's office and NYPD announced that they broke up an international major identity theft and credit card ring. The scam, which cost individuals and banks $15 million, has roots in—wait for it—Nigeria, involved the suspects using "spoofing" technology. The suspects would call credit card companies, masked their voices, and were able to "spoof" the companies into thinking they were calling from the cardholder's actual phone number, allowing them to change PIN numbers, order new cards and increase credit lines. Then they would buy expensive items, take out cash, or sell the cards to foreign buyers. The Daily News reports, "The scam was discovered nearly two years ago when a Queens Realtor opened a package meant for one of his employees and found 60 credit cards - the type 'normally issued in anticipation of a customer's card expiring,' [Police Commissioner] Kelly said." more ›

Andrew Berends, a documentary filmmaker, was arrested by Nigerian authorities are filming in the country's oil region. He was released 36 hours later, but faces more questions. According to the AP, the Nigerian military spokesman Lt. Col Sagir Musa said, "He had no security clearance. It is for his own safety. If something happens to him it’s an embarrassment to the security agencies... The S.S.S. will investigate him and once they are satisfied they will release him, God willing.” However, Reporters Without Borders says Berends was "doing his job... It is absurd for the authorities to think that, by arresting him and his interpreter, they can conceal the economic and ecological disaster unfolding in the Niger Delta.” Espionage carries a death sentence in Nigeria. Here's the CIA Factbook on Nigeria. more ›