Today in Africa — Feb 19, 2026: 1,000 Kenyans Recruited by Russia, INTERPOL Arrests 650 Cybercriminals Across Africa

Every day, OkayAfrica shares a roundup of news we’re following but haven’t published as full articles. These short updates cover what’s happening on the continent — in culture, politics, and beyond. For more on stories like these, be sure to check out our News page, with stories from across the regions.

Kenyan Intelligence Report Says 1,000 Nationals Recruited to Fight for Russia

Kenya’s National Intelligence Service has told parliament that 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight for Russia in the Russia–Ukraine war, far higher than the government’s earlier estimate of 200. The report says 89 Kenyans are currently on the front lines, 35 are in military camps in Russia, 39 are injured, 28 are missing, and at least one has died. It details what lawmakers called a “deeply disturbing” network of rogue officials allegedly working with human trafficking syndicates and recruitment agencies to move Kenyans abroad. Intelligence findings point to collusion involving airport staff, immigration officers, anti-narcotics officers, Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers, National Employment Authority staff, and alleged links to personnel at the Russian embassy in Nairobi and Kenya’s embassy in Moscow. Russia’s embassy has denied any involvement in illegal enlistment, saying it does not recruit foreigners and has not issued visas for military participation.

The report says recruiters mainly target ex-soldiers, former police officers, and unemployed men aged 20 to 50, promising monthly pay of up to 350,000 Kenyan shillings, plus bonuses. Once in Russia, many are reportedly given minimal training — as little as nine days for weapons and explosives — before being deployed to combat. With tighter checks at Nairobi’s main airport, traffickers are said to have rerouted recruits through South Africa, Uganda, and other neighboring countries. Authorities say several suspects, including an alleged mastermind, are under investigation. Kenya has shut down more than 600 recruitment agencies suspected of fraud, repatriated 27 fighters, and is providing psychological support. Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi is expected to visit Moscow next month as Nairobi pushes Russia to bar the recruitment of Kenyan nationals.

Over 650 Arrested in INTERPOL-Led Cybercrime Crackdown Across 16 African Countries

Police in 16 African countries have arrested more than 650 suspected cybercriminals and recovered over $4.3 million in a sweeping operation led by INTERPOL. The eight-week effort, known as Operation Red Card 2.0, ran from December 2025 until January 2026 and targeted networks behind online investment fraud, mobile money scams, and fake loan apps. Investigators linked the schemes to more than $45 million in global losses, identified at least 1,247 victims, seized over 2,300 electronic devices, and shut down more than 1,400 malicious websites, servers, and internet addresses.

Arrests included suspects tied to high-yield investment scams that used fake testimonials and fabricated account dashboards to lure victims on social media and messaging apps. In Côte d’Ivoire, police dismantled a mobile loan fraud ring accused of targeting vulnerable users with deceptive apps, hidden fees, and harassment while harvesting personal data. In Nigeria, authorities arrested suspects accused of breaching a major telecom company’s internal system by using stolen staff logins to resell siphoned airtime and data. INTERPOL says the crackdown shows how organized cybercrime networks operate across borders, with investigations still ongoing.

At Least 37 Miners Killed by Toxic Gas at Abandoned Lead Site in Nigeria’s Plateau State

At least 37 miners died from carbon monoxide poisoning early yesterday, Wednesday, February 18, at a mining pit in Kampani, in the Wase area of Nigeria’s Plateau state, according to a police source and a security report seen by Reuters. The incident happened around 5:45 a.m., with another 25 miners taken to the hospital. Preliminary findings say the victims, aged 20 to 35, inhaled toxic gas while working underground.

Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, says the site was an abandoned lead mine with stored minerals known to release dangerous gases. Villagers, reportedly unaware of the risk, entered the tunnel to extract minerals and were exposed to the fumes. Alake ordered the closure of mining areas under licence 11810, operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited and owned by Abdullahi Dan-China in Zuraq. The federal government has shut down all mining activities in the area pending investigation, while security forces have sealed off the site to prevent further access.

UN-Backed Experts Say RSF Assault in Darfur Shows ‘Hallmarks of Genocide’

A United Nations-backed fact-finding mission says an October offensive by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in El Fasher, Darfur, bears the hallmarks of genocide, citing mass killings and atrocities targeting non-Arab communities, especially the Zaghawa and Fur. After an 18-month siege, the RSF overran the city on Oct. 26, killing more than 6,000 people between Oct. 25 and 27, according to the UN Human Rights Office. At least 300 people were also killed in two days at the nearby Abu Shouk displacement camp. UN officials say only 40% of El Fasher’s 260,000 residents managed to flee alive, with thousands wounded and the fate of the rest unknown. The mission found that at least three criteria under the 1948 Genocide Convention were met, including killing members of a protected group, causing serious harm, and creating conditions meant to bring about their physical destruction. Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 between the military and the RSF, has killed more than 40,000 people, though aid groups say the real toll is likely far higher. The U.S. today, Thursday, February 19, imposed sanctions on three RSF commanders for their role in the capture of El Fasher. In a statement, the U.S. Treasury Department says the RSF perpetrated "a horrific campaign of ethnic killings, torture, starvation, and sexual violence" in El Fasher. 

Five Miners Trapped 800 Meters Underground After Mudslide at South African Diamond Mine

Five miners have been trapped about 800 meters (about 2,625 feet) underground since early Tuesday, February 17, after a mudslide flooded a shaft at a diamond mine in Kimberley, South Africa, according to the Congress of South African Trade Unions. Howard Marsden, general manager of Ekapa Mining, told SABC today, Thursday, February 19, that rescue teams are pumping water out of the shaft while another team drills to reach the miners and check for signs of life. The incident comes as the Minerals Council of South Africa reported 41 mining deaths last year — a record low — even as the country remains one of the world’s top producers of diamonds, gold, and platinum.

Zimbabwe Begins Rollout of Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Shot

Zimbabwe has started administering the long-acting HIV prevention drug lenacapavir, becoming one of the first countries in the world to roll it out as it works to curb new infections. Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora says the U.S.- and Global Fund-backed program will initially target more than 46,000 high-risk people across 24 sites. The country received its first batch earlier this month and has already injected early adopters as part of a phased rollout. Developed by Gilead Sciences, lenacapavir is given twice a year and is expected to help people who struggle with taking daily Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis pills. Zimbabwe, which has one of Africa’s highest HIV burdens, has met UNAIDS 95-95-95 treatment targets, and officials say the new shot could strengthen prevention efforts as infections continue to decline.

Coordinated Militant Attacks Kill at Least 34 in Northwest Nigeria

At least 34 people were killed on Tuesday, February 17, when suspected Lakurawa Islamist militants carried out coordinated attacks on several rural villages in Kebbi state, according to a security report seen by Reuters. The group, a new insurgent movement operating mainly in Kebbi and Sokoto, launched simultaneous raids in the remote border district, opening fire on residents in what survivors described as organized and indiscriminate assaults. The dead included 16 people in Mamunu, five in Awashaka, three in Masama, and two each in five other villages. The attacks followed a pattern seen in earlier raids, with gunmen overwhelming small communities and forcing residents to flee. Security forces have since deployed to the area, working to protect survivors, secure the villages, and track down the attackers.

Backlash Grows in Gabon Over Social Media Suspension

Anger is building in Gabon after authorities suspended access to major social media platforms, with opposition leaders and business owners calling the move unconstitutional and harmful. Former prime minister Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze says the decision by the High Authority for Communication oversteps its powers and violates the Constitution, arguing it will hurt small businesses and young entrepreneurs who rely on social media as a work tool. A range of businesses, from restaurants to content creators, say the ban threatens their income and contracts, especially those with partners abroad. The regulator has defended the suspension, saying online posts were spreading hateful and defamatory content that could fuel unrest. The backlash comes as President Brice Oligui Nguema faces strikes by teachers and mounting pressure from other civil servants.

Robert Mugabe’s Son Detained After Shooting in Johannesburg

South African police have detained Bellarmine Mugabe, the 28-year-old youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, after a shooting at a home in Hyde Park, an upscale suburb of Johannesburg. A 23-year-old man believed to be a gardener was shot once and is in critical condition in the hospital. Police say they found bullet cartridges at the property where Mugabe was staying, but no firearm. Two people are being questioned as part of an attempted murder investigation, though neither has been formally arrested. Authorities have not officially named Mugabe, but reporters saw him in handcuffs, and local media have identified him. Police say those detained have not told investigators where the gun is.