Uganda's King Oyo Buried Amid Succession Controversy; Six Nigerians Extradited to US for Romance Scam > 월드뉴스

Uganda’s King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has been buried at the Karambi Royal Tombs, marking the end of a turbulent succession period for the Tooro kingdom. Oyo, who passed away last month at the age of 34 in the United States while undergoing cancer treatment, was known as the world’s youngest monarch when he ascended to the throne at just three years old in 1995. His appointed successor, Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a news anchor, performed a traditional ceremony by casting nine coffee berries into the grave, symbolizing the formal transfer of power. The burial coincided with the 31st anniversary of Oyo’s coronation and followed a series of disputes within the royal family over succession. While Kijanangoma was chosen by a royal committee, Oyo's immediate family claimed he had a son who should inherit the throne, a claim that remains disputed. Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu urged unity among mourners to honor Oyo's legacy, as tensions surrounding the succession persist.

Six Nigerian nationals have been extradited to the United States from South Africa, where they were apprehended in 2021, for their involvement in an online romance scam that defrauded American women of over $6 million. The men were linked to an organized crime group known as Black Axe, which is notorious for cyber-enabled financial fraud. South African police confirmed that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation facilitated their handover to US officials at Cape Town International Airport. The suspects face charges of wire fraud and money laundering, accused of targeting more than 100 women, including retirees and businesspeople, through deceptive online relationships. This extradition follows a broader Interpol operation aimed at dismantling West African organized crime networks, which recently led to multiple arrests and significant asset seizures in South Africa.