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Massive 2,492-Carat Diamond Discovered in Botswana: Second Largest in the World
Massive 2,492-Carat Diamond Discovered in Botswana: Second Largest in the World....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
A groundbreaking discovery has been made in Botswana: a massive 2,492-carat diamond, now recognized as the second-largest diamond ever found globally. Announced by Lucara Diamond on Thursday, this monumental gem was unearthed from the Karowe diamond mine in northeastern Botswana using advanced X-ray detection technology.
The diamond, only surpassed in size by the historic 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond discovered in South Africa in 1905, represents a significant milestone in the diamond mining industry. Lucara Diamond, the Canadian company behind the find, did not disclose the stone’s estimated value. However, it is already hailed as “one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed,” according to Lucara’s statement.
Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, which has been in use since 2017, played a crucial role in detecting and preserving this remarkable stone. The technology is designed to identify and safeguard large, high-value diamonds, ensuring their preservation during extraction.
On Thursday, Lucara Botswana’s managing director, Naseem Lahri, presented the translucent diamond—roughly the size of a palm—to President Mokgweetsi Masisi. President Masisi expressed his excitement, acknowledging the find as “the largest diamond to be discovered in Botswana to date and the second in the world,” and noted its potential impact on the nation’s infrastructure and economy.
Botswana, a leading global diamond producer, relies heavily on diamond mining, which constitutes 30 percent of its GDP and 80 percent of its exports. Since gaining independence from Britain in 1966, the country’s fortunes have dramatically changed with the discovery of diamonds, establishing it as the world’s top diamond producer by value.
Lucara Diamond contributes a 10 percent royalty on the gross sales value of diamonds from the Karowe mine to the Botswana government, whether the diamonds are sold as rough stones or polished. President Masisi envisioned the benefits of this massive find, suggesting it could lead to significant infrastructure developments in the country.
Tobias Kormind, managing director of Europe’s largest online diamond jeweler, 77 Diamonds, confirmed that this diamond is the largest rough diamond discovered since the Cullinan Diamond, whose fragments are part of Britain’s crown jewels. Kormind attributed the discovery to advanced technology that allows for the extraction of large diamonds without breaking them into smaller pieces, hinting that more such finds could be on the horizon.
Before this discovery, the largest diamond found in Botswana was a 1,758-carat stone named Sewelo, also mined by Lucara in 2019. The company had previously unearthed a 1,174-carat diamond in 2021 using similar X-ray technology. The Karowe mine, operational since 2012, has sold 216 diamonds for over $1 million each and more than 11 individual diamonds for over $10 million each.
Despite the current challenges facing the diamond industry, including competition from lab-grown diamonds and weakened market spending, President Masisi remains optimistic about the diamond’s value. The Financial Times has reported that insiders estimate the diamond could be worth upwards of $40 million.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has dismissed claims by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that it is part of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement on Thursday, NNPP National Secretary Ogini Olaposi said the party is not affiliated with the ADC and has no plans to join or merge with the coalition.
He clarified that the involvement of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and members of the Kwankwasiya Movement in ADC activities does not represent the NNPP as a political party.
Olaposi also claimed that only a minority of Kwankwasiya supporters followed Kwankwaso, insisting that many of them have since joined the APC.
He further accused Atiku of misinformation, stressing that NNPP remains an independent political party focused on contesting elections on its own platform.
According to him, any previous association with the Kwankwasiya Movement ended after the 2023 general elections, adding that Kwankwaso and some associates had already been expelled from the party.
The NNPP maintained that it respects other political parties but has no interest in joining the ADC coalition.
National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, has said the 2027 presidential election would be concluded by 12 noon if a Peter Obi–Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket emerges under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Tanko made the remark during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, while reacting to comments by ADC chieftain Dele Momodu, who had suggested a possible Atiku–Obi alliance.
Momodu had argued that a pairing of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi could perform strongly in the election, citing their past collaboration in 2019 and Obi’s 2023 electoral performance.
Responding, Tanko questioned the logic of choosing a candidate who might win a primary but lose the general election, insisting that the Obi–Kwankwaso combination would be more formidable.
He further warned that if the ADC fails to zone its presidential ticket to the South, the party risks losing the 2027 election.
Tanko maintained that with Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso on the same ticket, victory would be decisive and swift.
The Nigeria Police Force has extradited a fugitive, Matthew Chukwuemeka Adebiyi, to the United Kingdom over allegations of murder and drug trafficking.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The operation was coordinated through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Abuja following a formal request from UK authorities in September 2024.
According to Police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the suspect was arrested on January 23, 2025, by INTERPOL operatives after an extradition request was received.
He said extradition proceedings were filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, which later granted the request on February 16, 2026.
Authorities said Adebiyi is wanted in connection with the alleged murder of Joshua Boadu in June 2018, after which he reportedly fled to Nigeria.
He is also accused of involvement in the supply of crack cocaine, a Class-A drug, in the United Kingdom between 2017 and 2018.
Following the court order and completion of legal processes, he was handed over to UK law enforcement officials on April 14, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the force’s commitment to international cooperation and warned that Nigeria would not serve as a safe haven for fugitives.
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