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Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi feared dead in helicopter crash
But the conditions of Ebrahim Raisi and Hossein Amirabdollahian, his foreign minister, and the passengers still remains unknown.
Ahmad Vahidi, the Iranian interior minister, blamed the crash, which came just a month after Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel, on poor weather conditions. State media described the incident as an “accident”.
The chief of staff of the Iranian military ordered the entire army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be put to use in the large-scale rescue mission.
More than 65 search and rescue teams, medical crews and drones were deployed to the area near Jolfa, a city on the border with Azerbaijan, some 375 miles north-west of Tehran.
But the rescue effort was earlier hampered by thick fog and the arduous terrain. Searches using helicopters had to be called off when darkness fell.
The national broadcaster stopped its regular programming to show prayers being held for Mr Raisi across the country, while live coverage of rescue teams combing the mountains played in a corner of the screen.
The helicopter the officials were travelling in was a Bell 212 acquired by the Iranian military in the 1970s, during the last years of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s reign.
Iran operates a variety of helicopters – most dating to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution – and international sanctions have made it difficult to obtain spare parts for them.
Mr Raisi had been in Azerbaijan early on Sunday to inaugurate a dam with his counterpart Ilham Aliyev. After visiting one site, the president and his entourage took off in a convoy of three helicopters to inaugurate another when contact was lost with his aircraft.
“At around 1pm, the president left Tabriz to inaugurate two projects but the helicopter lost contact shortly after leaving,” said Mohsen Mansouri, the head of the search and rescue teams.
Also on board the missing helicopter were the province’s Friday Prayer leader and the local governor.
“Three helicopters left Tabriz but, half an hour later, two of them lost contact with the one carrying the president,” the official said.
Mr Raisi (left) greets workers at the site of the Iran-Azerbaijan-constructed Qiz-Qalasi dam early on Sunday CREDIT: EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
An Iranian official told state TV that brief contact was made with one of the passengers and one of the crew members after it crashed. However, Hossein Hatami, the representative of Kalibar, where the helicopter crashed, said that no such contact had been established with the passengers.
Iran’s cabinet, chaired by first vice-president Mohammad Mokhber, held an emergency meeting on Sunday night, after which the health minister and executive vice-president were instructed to travel to the area.
The crash comes at a time of widespread dissent within Iran. The country’s clerical rulers face international pressure over Tehran’s support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, as well as its nuclear programme. Tehran has recently begun enriching uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader who holds ultimate power in the country, sought to reassure citizens, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs.
“The people of Iran should not worry, there will be no disruption in the work of the country,” he said.
“We hope that Almighty God will return the respected and honourable president and his companions to the arms of the nation. Everyone should pray for the health of this group of servants.”
“We are experiencing difficult and complicated conditions. It is the right of the people and the media to be aware of the latest news about the president’s helicopter accident,” Ali Bahadori Jahromi said.
“In these moments, patience, prayer and trust in relief groups are the way forward.”
Mr Raisi, a hardliner who formerly led Iran’s judiciary, quickly ascended the ranks of the Islamic Republic, and is now considered a potential successor to the supreme leader.
He won Iran’s closely stage-managed 2021 presidential election, a vote marked by the lowest turnout in the Islamic Republic’s history.
His victory brought all branches of power under the control of hardliners, after eight years in which the presidency had been held by Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist who entered into a nuclear deal with Washington.
However, Mr Raisi’s standing may have been dented by widespread protests against clerical rule and a failure to turn around Iran’s economy, hamstrung by Western sanctions.
He was sanctioned by the US in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, when he served as a member of the “death chamber” that decided their fates.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
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