19, February 2026

Should Pope Leo Visit Cameroon? ⁰

Pope Leo plans to visit Cameroon shortly, although details of the controversial trip have not yet been confirmed by the Vatican. Questions are being raised about whether the Pope’s presence bestows legitimacy on the regime of 93-year-old President Paul Biya. In the nineth year of a vicious civil war, the Central African nation held an election last October which was considered neither free nor fair by respected monitoring groups. Biya remains in power after four decades at the helm of a country considered corrupt by Transparency International and other observers. Meanwhile, Amnesty International points to dozens of political prisoners held in appalling circumstances.

Does the Pope’s visit offer an opportunity for the Church to draw attention to the regime’s shortcomings, urging a change of direction, and a respect for human rights and democracy? PAV asked several Cameroonian civil society leaders for their views. Some names have been omitted to preserve their safety.

According to Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, winner of the International Women of Courage Award in 2021, “The Pope embodies the voice of the voiceless and intercedes with Jesus to end our suffering. That is why we are happy with the arrival of the Pope in Cameroon. His visit must be part of our reconciliation and social justice process. We ask Pope Leo to entrust the Virgin Mary to undo the knots of disagreement, establish mutual forgiveness, and talk to leaders in order to cultivate compromise.”

Madame Ngo Mbe draws attention to the truth and reconciliation process inspired by Pope Francis in the Central African Republic as an example of what can be achieved.

Dr Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate at the National Democratic Institute in Washington DC agrees. “His Holiness is in a position to know the suffering and misery that Cameroonians have endured under the repressive and kleptocratic regime of a 93 years old autocrat. The world will be watching the Pope’s every step and every word to be sure the biblical downtrodden who constitute the vast majority of the Cameroonian population can find voice and a future while counting on the Holy Father.”

However, Paul (his last name is omitted for his security), who leads a development NGO, asks what the Pope hopes to achieve. “Is it to endorse the current system, encourage looting, the appropriation of resources by the system’s elites, violence, and political grudges? To help Cameroonians mourn the thousands of deaths resulting from conflicts in the Northwest and Southwest or post-electoral crises?”

Like Madame Ngo Mbe, Paul hopes Pope Leo will prompt a process of reconciliation and sustainable peace. “Knowing the regime’s ability to deceive everyone in order to maintain power and preserve its privileges, one fears that the visit might be nothing more than an endorsement, a blessing that the regime is seeking.”

Judith (last name omitted to protect her security), a Cameroonian Diaspora “seeking positive change back home and conflict resolution through dialogue”, urges the Pope not to visit Cameroon “at this fraught moment.” She continues, “If he does come, I pray he will speak with the moral clarity of our social teaching – affirming the dignity of every person, the primacy of the common good, and the duty of authority to serve the people – by urging the regime to respect the will of the electorate.”

Sharing Judith’s concerns is Serge Banyongen, professor of political science at the University of Ottawa. “If Pope Leo XIV visits Cameroon, he will be welcomed by ceremonies and carefully curated images of stability, in which the Yaoundé regime excels. Above all, the Pope must learn the truth about the suffering Church in Cameroon. Priests, religious, and lay faithful have been murdered, some in cold blood. Two bishops, Mgr. Balla and Mgr. Plummey, along with countless priests and nuns, have died in circumstances that were never credibly investigated. Their deaths remain wounds that have yet to heal. When the Catholic Church has spoken prophetically, calling for justice, dialogue, and reform, it has been humiliated, intimidated, and pressured into silence.”

Source: panafricanvisions

19, February 2026

UK: Former Prince Andrew arrested! ⁰

The King’s brother was arrested at 08:00 GMT on Thursday morning at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk – here’s how the news broke

Meanwhile, King Charles does not respond to questions about Andrew’s arrest as he attends an event in central London – watch the moment.

Earlier, the King, who was not told of the arrest in advance, released a statement saying “the law must take its course”. Prince William and Catherine are understood to support his remarks.

Police are searching addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk, including the Royal Lodge in Windsor where the former prince lived until recently.

It comes after Thames Valley Police said they were assessing a complaint over the alleged sharing of confidential material by the former prince with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew, who turns 66 today, has previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein; he has not responded to the BBC’s requests for comment on the specific allegations in relation to the release of millions of Epstein files in January.

Source: BBC

17, February 2026

Murder of 3 Cameroonians: Nigeria police arrest shrine chief priest, 3 others ⁰

The Anambra State Police Command says it has arrested four suspects in connection with the murder of three Cameroonian nationals in the state.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who made this known in a statement issued on Monday, said security operatives have intensified efforts to arrest the fleeing gang leader and other members of the criminal network involved in the crime.

Ikenga identified the suspects, all male, as 27-year-old Chukwuemeka Emmanuel, popularly known as “Ugoebenajah,” who is alleged to be the Chief Priest of a shrine; 27-year-old Nwabunne Bright; 21-year-old Chinecherem Chiama; and 38-year-old Michael Ekwunife.

The police spokesperson said the operation, which took place on February 13, 2026, led to the recovery of two pump-action guns, one locally made Beretta pistol, a machete, assorted criminal charms, expanded ammunition, 10 live cartridges, and five live 9mm rounds in the Nando community, Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the arrest of the suspects followed the confession of two suspects earlier arrested and currently in custody.

Ikenga said that while acting on the information obtained, operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad in Awkuzu mobilised to a shrine in Nando believed to be linked to the suspects.

“On approaching the shrine, about thirty able-bodied men were observed gathered at the premises,” Ikenga stated.

“Upon sighting the Police, the armed men opened fire on the operatives. The Police operatives responded professionally, engaging the armed men in a gun duel.

“While the prime suspect, Uchenna Mmaduamaka Nicholas, a native of Oroma Etiti Anam, escaped alongside other gang members with bullet wounds.

“Also during the gun battle, one of the arrested armed suspects sustained a bullet injury on the thigh and was immediately taken to a hospital, where he is currently receiving medical treatment.”

The Command said the four suspects are undergoing interrogation, while a manhunt has been launched to track down the fleeing gang leader and other members of the criminal gang.

Reaffirming its commitment to protecting lives and property, the police urged residents to provide credible information to support ongoing investigations, assuring that further developments would be communicated in due course.

Source: Sahara

17, February 2026

Iran Supreme leader to Trump: “Warships can be sent to the seabed” ⁰

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has responded to repeated US military threats against Iran, saying that the weapons that can sink the American carriers are “more dangerous” than the warships.

“The American president [Donald Trump] repeatedly says that their military is the strongest in the world. The strongest military in the world, however, can sometimes be struck so hard that it cannot even get back on its feet,” Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday while addressing thousands of people from East Azarbaijan Province.

“They keep saying, ‘We have sent an aircraft carrier toward Iran.’ Fine—an aircraft carrier is certainly a dangerous piece of equipment. But more dangerous than the carrier is the weapon capable of sending it to the bottom of the sea,” he added.

Source: Presstv

17, February 2026

Jesse Jackson dies aged 84 ⁰

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84.

Jackson died peacefully on Tuesday morning surrounded by his family, they say in a statement

“Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family say.

Jackson fought for civil rights alongside Martin Luther King Jr in the 1960s and was twice a candidate for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988

He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 and was hospitalised for observation last November after being diagnosed with a degenerative condition.

Source: BBC

16, February 2026

Joshua Osih: going, going, gone!! ⁰

The Social Democratic Front (SDF) faced open internal dissent within its governing bodies. Stéphane Rivel Nguemalieu and Charlie Tchikanda, respectively shadow cabinet ministers for water and energy, and for social affairs, sports, and youth development, signed on January 26, 2026 a “motion calling for the resignation of the national president of the SDF for poor results and opaque party management.”

The two officials blamed Joshua Osih for what they described as a “derisory result” in the 2025 presidential election and for “multiple failures” during the campaign. They summarized their assessment: “In October 2025, our candidate-president secured only 1% of the vote, a derisory result that reflects a lack of strategy, preparation, and lessons learned from the 2018 failure.”

According to the signatories, the result confirmed the failure of a commitment Joshua Osih made in October 2023 during the party’s 10th Congress. At that time, he pledged to “build a strong, conquering SDF capable of winning the 2025 presidential election, or at least improving on the 2018 result.”

Campaign Described as “Approximate”

Stéphane Rivel Nguemalieu and Charlie Tchikanda first criticized a gap between assurances and operational reality. They recalled that the candidate-president claimed that “everything was fully ready in terms of logistics, resources, and human capacity,” but they pointed to operational failures during the campaign.

They cited the late formation of the campaign team, partial coverage of polling stations, and unfulfilled promises to polling station representatives, whom they said leaders “abandoned at the mercy of regional presidents.”

They also cited the absence of large rallies to test popular support and described a campaign director limited to an administrative role at headquarters.

The criticisms extended to political positioning. They cited a lack of solidarity with opposition parties “victims of regime abuses,” insufficient support for victims of arbitrary arrests and detentions, ambiguous messaging on the party’s opposition stance, and a narrative rejecting coalitions that they said resulted in lost votes.

Allegations of Opaque Financial Management

Beyond strategy, the signatories targeted internal management, which they described as opaque. They denounced the absence of a formal budget and administrative and financial procedures manual, as well as repeated violations of the separation between authorizing officers, cash handlers, and spending executors.

They also questioned the transparency surrounding the use of state subsidies, among other governance-related “failures.” Based on these elements, they called on Joshua Osih “to take responsibility and resign from the leadership of the party.”

Failing that, they urged the National Executive Committee (NEC) “to adopt a resolution declaring you ineligible for the 2032 election, as well as for any potential early election.” This move revived the debate over succession at the head of the SDF, which opened after the death in June 2023 of John Fru Ndi, the party’s founding president. That period already led to the exclusion and voluntary departure of several senior party figures.

Source: Sbbc

15, February 2026

Catholic University in Cameroon expands cooperation with Europe ⁰

The exchange of experience in the scientific, cultural, and social fields between two important Catholic academic centers is the result of an agreement signed in February between the Catholic University of Central Africa in Cameroon and the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin in Poland.

The agreement was signed by the rectors: Fr. Prof. Thomas Bienvenu Tchoungui of UCAC and Fr. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski of KUL.

Due to the academic reach of the Catholic University of Central Africa, the agreement extends beyond Cameroon to include Chad, Gabon, Guinea, Congo, and the Central African Republic.

The Polish Catholic university educates students from Poland and 45 other countries, mainly from Europe—Ukraine, Belarus, and Spain—as well as a large group of students from Central Asian countries and the United States.

Therefore, as Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski emphasizes, cooperation with the university in Yaoundé goes far beyond the borders of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Africa.

“The priority is not only knowledge, but also spiritual formation, which responds to the challenges of the contemporary world,” says the rector of KUL.

From left: Fr. Jean Paul Rene Ondua Omgba, Fr. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski, Fr. Prof. Thomas Bienvenu Tchoungui

An African existential approach to social challenges

The agreement is the result of a meeting and discussions between the two rectors in the Vatican several months ago.

Both universities see in this pan-continental exchange an opportunity to deepen their own experience and seek common solutions to contemporary challenges. This may be achieved through student and academic staff exchanges.

UCAC is a university with over thirty years of tradition, established by the Conferences of Bishops of Central Africa. For years, it has educated leaders and specialists who serve the Church and society in their respective countries.

Its programs include theology, philosophy, social sciences, law, and health sciences, aligning with local development needs. At the center of its mission is always the human person and human dignity.

UCAC has already been cooperating with universities in Western Europe for many years. This agreement expands that scope to another region of the continent.

The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin has a rich tradition of more than 100 years, and Karol Wojtyła was among its professors before becoming Pope John Paul II.

The university educates nearly 10,000 students and dynamically develops its research and teaching programs internationally. The partnership with the African university now represents an opportunity for its further growth.

“Above all,” adds Prof. Kalinowski, “it offers integration of European academic experience, especially in the humanities and social sciences, with the African existential approach to understanding reality and responding to concrete social challenges.”

Tools for building community and social change

“KUL’s experience in intercultural dialogue, humanistic ecology, public ethics, and the theory and practice of education can find creative application in the African context of UCAC, where education is also a tool for social change and community building,” the rector of KUL explains.

UCAC also brings to the partnership the experience of its students and lecturers, as well as their perspective on global processes that in Europe are often overlooked—especially where religious and social life intertwine with everyday existential challenges.

Cooperation in migration, ethics, and AI

Furthermore, the cooperation between the universities fits with the Church’s global vision as a community of universities that do not compete so much as support one another in fulfilling the missionary function of education.

“Within the framework of intercontinental dialogue, we can develop and create research and teaching programs related to migration, cultural changes, or devoted to ethical issues in the era of technology and artificial intelligence,” concludes Fr. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski.

Source: Vatican News

15, February 2026

President Trump deports 9 Cameroonians despite court protections ⁰

The Trump administration secretly deported nine people to Cameroon, despite many of them having U.S. court protections against such action and none of them hailing from that African nation, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

Several of the men and women sent to Cameroon on a January 14 flight from Alexandria, Louisiana, did not know their destination until they were put on a Department of Homeland Security flight and placed in handcuffs and chains, the newspaper said, citing government documents and attorneys for the deportees.

DHS, the State Department and Cameroon’s Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Reuters could not immediately reach attorneys representing the detainees.

The administration of President Donald Trump has not announced any deal in which Cameroon agreed to accept deportees from other nations.

Source: Reuter

13, February 2026

World’s rules-based order ‘no longer exists’, Germany’s Merz warns ⁰

The rules-based world order “no longer exists”, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned world leaders at a major security summit.

Opening the annual Munich Security Conference, he said “our freedom is not guaranteed” in an era of big power politics, and Europeans must be ready to make “sacrifice”.

Merz also admitted that “a deep divide has opened between Europe and the United States” – an apparent reference to US President Donald Trump’s threat to Denmark’s sovereignty by pledging to annex Greenland and his tariff policies towards other European nations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was listening to Merz and will deliver his own speech on Saturday, earlier spoke of a “new era in geopolitics”.

Some 50 world leaders are expected to attend this year’s conference, where European defence and the future of the transatlantic relationship will be discussed.

It comes at a time when US commitments to the Nato military alliance have been called into question. Trump’s ambition to acquire Greenland has also been viewed by many European leaders as a watershed moment that has eroded trust with its biggest ally.

The Russia-Ukraine war, tensions between the West and China, as well as a potential Iran-US nuclear deal are also on the agenda at the annual gathering.

Referring to multiple warnings that the rules-based order was collapsing, Merz told the conference: “I fear we must put it even more bluntly: this order, however imperfect it was even at its best, no longer exists in that form.”

He also said that “a rift, a deep divide has opened between Europe and the United States. Vice-President JD Vance said this very openly here in Munich a year ago.

“He was right. The culture war of the MAGA [Make America Great Again] movement is not ours. Freedom of speech ends here with us when that speech goes against human dignity and the constitution. We do not believe in tariffs and protectionism, but in free trade.”

Last year, Vance attacked Europe, including the UK, for policies on free speech and immigration. His speech triggered a year of unprecedented transatlantic tension.

But Merz did not write off the decades-long partnership, instead appealing directly to the US by saying “let’s repair and revive transatlantic trust”.

The German leader also revealed that “confidential talks” were ongoing with Macron on creating a joint European nuclear deterrent. He gave no further details.

France and the UK are the only two nuclear powers in Europe – but Germany and many other European nations have traditionally relied on the US nuclear umbrella within the Nato alliance for deterrence.

Ahead of the Munich conference, Rubio warned that “the world is changing very fast right in front of us” after being asked whether his message to Europeans would be more conciliatory than Vance’s a year ago.

“We live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to sort of re-examine what that looks like and what our role is going to be.”

Tensions have been heightened in recent months as Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland is vital to US national security, stating without evidence that it was “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place”.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Friday she planned to meet Rubio to discuss the US threats to seize Greenland – Denmark’s semi-autonomous territory from its Nato ally.

Source: BBC

13, February 2026

Biya regime clamps down on shadow fleet as flag purge begins ⁰

Following pressure from the European Union and Ukraine, Cameroon’s government is finally clamping down on shadow ships using its register.

Cameroon’s flag has grown by 126% over the past 12 months and is now Africa’s third-largest, according to data from Clarksons Research, largely thanks to Russian-linked tonnage entering its books. The average age of ships flying the Cameroon flag is 32.7 years.

Prime minister Joseph Dion Ngute, has now taken steps to purge the country’s flag of dark fleet tonnage. Cameroon has suspended new registrations of ships thought to be part of the shadow fleet, as well as setting out to deregister shadow ships that are already on its books.

Splash has reported repeatedly about accidents involving ageing Cameroon tonnage around the world in recent years, such as the grounding of the Liberty suezmax off Batam in late 2023 (pictured).

Source: Splash 247