All posts tagged: Kidnapped

Nigeria: Hundreds of kidnapped women, children freed from Boko Haram jihadists

Nigeria: Hundreds of kidnapped women, children freed from Boko Haram jihadists

Published by Sam Flores

Several hundred people kidnapped by Boko Haram earlier this year from a village in the northeastern state of Borno were freed over the weekend, a senator and local youth leader said Sunday. Kidnappings, often for ransom, have become a key tactic of Boko Haram jihadists in their 17-year-old insurgency against the Nigerian state, mostly concentrated in the northeast. Read moreAcross Africa: ‘Mothers of Chibok’, a story of sadness and strength Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), said his group “has secured the release of all the 416 women and children abducted from Ngoshe”. They were released Saturday, Kaigama told journalists. Mohammed Ali Ndume, a senator from Borno, confirmed the release to AFP. It was not immediately clear how the victims’ release was secured. But separately, the military said it executed an “intelligence-led rescue operation” freeing 360 people. Read moreJoint Nigeria-US strikes kill 175 Islamic State group fighters, both militaries say The victims had been held by Boko Haram militants “under harsh conditions after being abducted from several communities, particularly within the …

British ‘mafia boss’ Steven Lyons kidnapped by law enforcement, lawyer claims, after capture in Bali and deportation to Amsterdam | UK News

British ‘mafia boss’ Steven Lyons kidnapped by law enforcement, lawyer claims, after capture in Bali and deportation to Amsterdam | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

Lawyers for one of Europe’s top “mafia bosses” have accused law enforcement of “kidnapping” the fugitive as part of an international underworld extradition saga. Steven Lyons, the alleged head of the infamous Lyon crime clan based in Scotland, is accused of running a global criminal empire involving money laundering, drug trafficking and shifting millions through shell companies. He attended an extradition hearing in Amsterdam on Thursday after being deported from Indonesia under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Spanish authorities. Extraordinary pictures from Bali captured Lyons, who they branded a “mafia fugitive”, being paraded by Indonesian authorities in an orange prison suit and handcuffs. Spain has no extradition treaty with Indonesia meaning he was sent to the Netherlands as part of the process. Today’s hearing, which was filmed by Sky News, marks a critical turning point in a years-long international investigation into what police claim is a multi-million-euro empire operating across Europe and the Middle East. What happened in court? While the Amsterdam proceedings focused solely on whether Lyons can legally be handed over to …

Katie Price missing husband latest: ‘This is not a publicity stunt’ insists reality star who fears Lee Andrews has been kidnapped

Katie Price missing husband latest: ‘This is not a publicity stunt’ insists reality star who fears Lee Andrews has been kidnapped

Published by Daniella Wilson

Katie Price fears that she may ‘never’ find husband Lee Andrews The TV personality revealed that none of Andrews’ family have heard from him and that she’s feeling “anxious” about when he’ll be found. “I don’t know if this is going to go on for weeks, months, years or never. That’s now what’s going through my mind because five days is a long time for someone to go missing,” she said. “All I can do is keep myself busy, look after myself, look after my head and just get on with each day. Because I still have to get on with life.” Lauren Morris20 May 2026 05:00 ‘The Apprentice’ star Luisa Zissman flies to Dubai to find Lee Andrews Posting on Instagram on Monday, she filmed herself at Heathrow Airport, picking up some tissues for Andrews. When I find him, he will be crying, probably need some therapy after his ordeal, his kidnapping.” “So the plan is I’m just gonna go to a lot of warehouses and shout his name in hope that he comes …

Katie Price latest: reality star’s ‘missing’ husband Lee Andrews ‘feared kidnapped’ as Foreign Office issue statement

Katie Price latest: reality star’s ‘missing’ husband Lee Andrews ‘feared kidnapped’ as Foreign Office issue statement

Published by Daniella Wilson

Katie Price shares last phone call with Andrews: ‘We are wondering if he’s been kidnapped’ Price revealed in her YouTube video on Saturday that she last spoke to husband Andrews on Wednesday night – and could see in a video that his hands were tied. “He had ties around his hand, not handcuffs, and a hood, and he said, ‘Look, they’re coming back for me,’ that is the last FaceTime call I had,” she said. “He was in a van, but the windows were white with a mesh. It looked like an old, dirty van.” Earlier in the video, she suggested that he may have been “kidnapped”, adding: “He’s definitely a missing person now.” Katie Price says Lee Andrews said ‘they’re coming back for me’ In last message Lauren Morris19 May 2026 10:10 FCDO ‘supporting’ Andrews’ family The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has spoke out about Lee Andrews’ disappearance, revealing that they are assisting his family’s search for him. A spokesperson for the FCDO told The Independent on Monday: “We are supporting the family …

Iran-backed Iraqi armed group releases kidnapped US journalist

Iran-backed Iraqi armed group releases kidnapped US journalist

Published by Sam Flores

American journalist Shelly Kittleson, was kidnapped from a Baghdad street corner last week, has been released, an Iraqi official with direct knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday. Kittleson was freed in the afternoon, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly. He did not share her current whereabouts but said that prior to her release, she had been held in Baghdad. The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement earlier on Tuesday that it would release Kittleson. The group said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing prime minister”, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that “this initiative will not be repeated in the future”. The statement added a condition — that Kittleson must “leave the country immediately” upon her release. The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kataib Hezbollah had not previously acknowledged that it was the one responsible for Kittleson’s abduction, …

Gucci Mane Allegedly Kidnapped, Held at Gunpoint By Pooh Shiesty

Gucci Mane Allegedly Kidnapped, Held at Gunpoint By Pooh Shiesty

Published by Daniella Wilson

Gucci Mane was allegedly kidnapped and held at gunpoint by Pooh Shiesty, who forced the rap mogul to sign a document releasing him from his recording contract, according to federal prosecutors. Pooh was of nine people charged on Thursday for executing a “coordinated armed takeover” of a Texas music studio, prosecutors said. They face sentences of up to life in prison. According to the complaint, Pooh arranged a meeting in January with Gucci to discuss the terms of his recording contract. Once he was inside the studio, others in his group stormed the room, with one of the defendants barricading the door to prevent people from escaping. Pooh proceeded to brandish a pistol and demanded that Gucci release him from his contract. Federal prosecutors said that victims were robbed of cash and jewelry, among other valuable items. One victim was choked until he was almost unconscious, the complaint alleged. Hours after the operation, several of the defendants posted pictures on social media showing the allegedly stolen items, which include Rolex watches. “Nine defendants travelled to …

American journalist kidnapped in Iraq

American journalist kidnapped in Iraq

Published by Sam Flores

An American journalist was kidnapped in Iraq on Tuesday by suspected Iranian-backed militants, according to the State Department and the country’s Interior Ministry. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. The journalist was identified in the hours after her kidnapping came to light as freelancer Shelly Kittleson, with Al-Monitor, one of the publications she works for, calling for her “safe and immediate release.” Dylan Johnson, the assistant secretary of state for global affairs, said in a post on X that the State Department was “aware of the reported kidnapping of an American journalist in Baghdad, Iraq.” He said the State Department had “previously fulfilled our duty to warn this individual of threats against them” and would “continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible.” Shelly Kittleson.via Facebook He said that an individual believed to have been involved in the kidnapping had been captured and was in Iraqi custody. This person had ties to the Iranian-aligned militia group Kataib Hezbollah, Johnson said. …