Regional News

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announce withdrawal from ICC – DW – 09/23/2025 Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger on Monday announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a joint statement, the military-led West African states said that the court’s jurisdiction had “transformed into an instrument of neocolonial repression in the hands of imperialism.” Because of this, the neighboring states accused the ICC of becoming “a global example of selective justice.”

Ghana returns US-deported West Africans amid torture concerns | Africanews Eleven West African nationals deported by the United States to Ghana have been returned to their home countries, despite fears they could face torture, persecution or inhumane treatment.  The group, who arrived in Ghana with three other US deportees, had filed a lawsuit to stay their deportation, but when it came to court on Tuesday, their lawyer said they had been removed over the weekend, and the suit was therefore irrelevant.   “We have to inform the court that

Four Dead, Several Injured in Boko Haram Attack on Adamawa Community – HumAngle Boko Haram insurgents raided Wagga Mongoro, a rural community in Madagali Local Government Area (LGA), Adamawa State, in northeastern Nigeria, on Tuesday night, Sept. 23. They killed four residents, injured several others, and destroyed property, including a church, homes, and vehicles. Cyrus Ezra, a resident, told HumAngle that several residents began fleeing when the terrorists invaded the community at about 11:40 p.m. “They killed David Mbicho, his son Daniel, Jude Jacob,

Uncontrolled hypertension threatens millions of lives, economies- WHO The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns over the global burden of hypertension, warning that despite being both preventable and treatable, the condition continues to kill millions each year. The global health body, in a new report noted that hypertension also poses a serious threat to health systems and economies. The second Global Hypertension Report, was released at an event co-hosted by WHO, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Resolve to Save Lives during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The report revealed that 1.4 billion people were living with hypertension in 2024.

Nigerian Army Court-Martial Jails 4 Soldiers for Arms Racketeering in Maiduguri – Abc News Nigeria Maiduguri, Borno State — A Special Court Martial convened by the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri has handed down life imprisonment sentences to three soldiers and a 15-year jail term to another after finding them guilty of arms and ammunition racketeering, theft, and aiding the enemy. The trial, presided over by Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi at the Headquarters

Shettima arrives in New York for UNGA 80 | Premium Times Nigeria Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in New York, United States of America, to attend the 80th week-long session of the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled to hold in the city from Monday, 22 September to Sunday, 28 September, 2025. Representing President Bola Tinubu, the vice president is set to deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the global event, participate in the UN high-level general debates and attend various side events.

Uncontrolled hypertension threatens millions of lives, economies- WHO The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns over the global burden of hypertension, warning that despite being both preventable and treatable, the condition continues to kill millions each year. The global health body, in a new report noted that hypertension also poses a serious threat to health systems and economies.

FG Warns of Heavy Rainfall, Flooding in 15 States, 69 Communities – Abc News Nigeria The Federal Government has sounded the alarm over imminent heavy rainfall and flooding expected to hit 15 states and no fewer than 69 communities between September 24 and 28, 2025. The warning, issued on Wednesday by the Ministry of Environment’s National Flood Early Warning Centre, was signed by Usman Abdullahi Bokani, Director of the Erosion, Flood, and Coastal Zone Management Department.

Almajiri Teacher Arrested for Assaulting Pupil in Bauchi The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old Almajiri teacher, Lawal Nasiru, of Unguwar Jarmai in Darazo Local Government Area, for allegedly assaulting one of his pupils. The victim, identified as 11-year-old Sa’id Sani, an Almajiri attached to Nasiru’s Tsangaya School, was reportedly tied with a heavy rope and beaten with a stick and thick cable, leaving him with multiple injuries. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

Nigerian Fire Service Officers Drown in Debt Over Unpaid Salaries – HumAngle In December last year, Talle Bello* received his appointment letter to join Nigeria’s Federal Fire Service. Like many others, he saw it as a turning point, a chance to finally support his family with stability and contribute meaningfully to his country.  But nearly ten months later, he has not received a single salary payment.  Talle is yet to be enrolled on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the

Floods Push Families from Their Homes in the Benue River Valley to the Streets – HumAngle Under the scorching sun, away from their makeshift tent of thatch, bamboo, and a tarpaulin sheet used as roofing, Pwanabeshi Job* washes clothes with a three-month-old baby strapped to her back. Her two-year-old son plays nearby, while her eldest fans the burning coal to ensure lunch can be ready. Her husband was out. Before resorting to life on the streets of Imburu, a community in Numan Local Government Area,

Snakebite victims pay N500,000 for anti-venom treatment in Gombe – Yerwa Express News Snakebite patients in Gombe State have decried the soaring cost of life-saving treatment and called for urgent government intervention. Some of the patients who spoke to newsmen in Kaltungo Local Government on Thursday, appealed to both the state and Federal Government to act swiftly. Ali Idris, a resident of Bojude Village said he was bitten by a snake and spent eight days in hospital.

African leaders demand equity and UN reform, decrying marginalization | Africanews With a powerful, unified voice, African leaders addressed the 80th United Nations General Assembly this week, issuing a stark call for a fundamental shift in global power dynamics. From reforming the UN Security Council to demanding equitable trade, their message centered on a refusal to accept continued marginalization and a demand for Africa’s rightful place as a sovereign partner on the world stage. A central theme echoed by multiple leaders was the urgent need to overhaul the United Nations, particularly its Security Council.

Nigerian music star Davido joins Grammy voting academy | Africanews Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Davido has officially become a voting member of the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards. As a member, Davido will now help decide winners in music’s most prestigious categories. Speaking on the milestone, he said: “Understanding the importance of how our voices are heard, I am participating in the GRAMMY Award process. It is a game-changer. I have learned that voting empowers you to have a say in what is considered and voted on in each season. I am honoured to be part of the Recording Academy community, and I look forward to voting.”

Burkina, Mali, Niger residents hail ICC exit as step to sovereignty | Africanews People in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have welcomed the Alliance of Sahel States’ withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), framing it as a step toward full independence. The three members of the West African alliance on Monday announced their immediate departure from the United Nations-backed body calling it an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression”. Emmanuel Kafando, a resident Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, described the decision as a good one in terms of “total independence” for the country. “It was high time we left this court, which was practically designed – or pre-designed – only for African leaders and not for all the leaders of the world,” he said.

US threatens visa ban for corrupt Nigerian officials | Africanews The US mission in Nigeria says it will bar government officials and other high-profile individuals from entering the United States if they are found to be corrupt. In a post on social media platform, X, it warned that they risk visa restrictions as part of Washington’s broader push for accountability and good governance. The US government has in the past imposed bans on Nigerian politicians accused of undermining elections and democratic processes. Last month, London-based independent policy institute, Chatham House, warned that despite 25 years of reform attempts, corruption

As the High Seas Treaty takes effect, Africa can help chart its course | ISS Africa On 19 September, a landmark ocean governance accord bucked the global move away from multilateralism, marking a new era for the high seas, which cover roughly two-thirds of the world’s ocean. The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Treaty) has secured its 60th ratification – the threshold for entry into force.

150 construction workers killed in 2024 — NSITF – Yerwa Express News The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has expressed concern over more than 150 construction site accident-related deaths recorded in 2024. Oluwaseun Faleye, Managing Director of NSITF, said this during his presentation at the 69th Annual General Meeting, AGM, of the Federation of Construction Industry, FOCI, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Peace and Security

ECOWAS in Crisis: A Case for Ambitious Reforms | ISS Africa Confronted with political fragmentation, epitomised by the 2025 withdrawal of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) stands at a crossroads: preserve the status quo, confine itself to economic integration (its original mandate), or pursue deeper political integration. This brief argues for the latter, urging ECOWAS to seize today’s window of opportunity for ambitious reforms.

Nigeria must prevent dung being used for IED terror attacks | ISS Africa Boko Haram factions are increasingly using dung to disguise improvised explosive devices (IEDs), in particular landmines, and boost their ignition. These landmines are similar to conventional antipersonnel landmines – not in their shape and composition – but in their tactical use and mode of activation. Nigerian army senior staff told researchers from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) that animal excrement had been used to prevent the

Cameroon: Amnesty calls for release of 36 activists, five years after crackdown Cameroon on Monday is marking ​​five years since protests organised by the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) were violently repressed by the authorities. More than 500 people were arbitrarily arrested, 36 of whom remain in jail. As the country gears up for presidential elections, human rights group Amnesty International is calling for their release.

Chad’s move to drop presidential term limits slammed as ‘burial of democracy’ Chad’s revised constitution was overwhelmingly approved by the National Assembly on Monday and is due for a final vote by the Senate on 13 October. If it passes there too, then the president will sign the constitution into law. Among other changes, the reform extends the president’s term from five to seven years, renewable without limit. Malloum Yoboïdé Djeraki, head of the opposition Social Democratic Party for a Change of Power (PDSA) and a member of the special parliamentary committee tasked with examining the proposed revisions, told RFI he was taken aback by the scope of the changes.

Military troops kill dozens of terrorists, arrest 120 criminals – DHQ The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) have said that Nigerian troops have killed dozens of terrorists, nabbed no fewer than 120 criminals, and rescued 41 kidnapped victims in the last one week across theatres of operation. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Markus Kangye, a major general, made this known at a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja. Mr Kangye said the operations were conducted between 14 and 22 September in the North-east, North-west, North-central, South-south and South-east theatres of operation. In the North-east, he said troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised several Boko Haram

FG renews commitment to ending torture, upholding human rights  The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating torture and upholding human rights across all detention and law enforcement institutions, in line with both domestic laws and international obligations. Delivering a keynote address yesterday at a sensitisation workshop organised for law enforcement agencies in Abuja, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. B.E. Jedy-Agba, underscored the urgent need for institutional reforms to end torture and inhumane treatment in detention facilities nationwide.

Banditry: Giving criminals free pass in the name of dialogue is unacceptable – Northern League – Daily Trust The League of Northern Democrats (LND) has charged Northern governors to live up to their responsibilities by putting in place measures to protect their states. The democrats also warned against the recent call for negotiations with bandits, saying dialogue only has meaning if tied to verifiable disarmament and real de-escalation to protect citizens and restore order. 

How insecurity forced markets, NYSC camp closures in Kwara – Daily Trust The security situation in Kwara State escalated over the weekend with the twin announcements of the closure of cattle markets in Kwara South and the relocation of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp from Yikpata in Edu Local Government Area to Ilorin. These two senatorial districts, along with the northern parts of the state, have been hotbeds of insecurity despite efforts by the state government and various security agencies to tackle the issue.

Humanitarian

3 children found dead in father’s car in Borno – Daily Trust Three children were discovered dead in their father’s car at the Zannari area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Father of two of the victims, Babagana Zanna Jaridama, a well-known social media political critic, alleged that the killing was connected to a recent post in which he accused some politicians of sabotaging Governor Babagana Zulum.

Children recently orphaned by Boko Haram return to School in Yobe – Daily Trust At least 100 children whose parents were killed in Mafa village in Babbangida, headquarters of Tarmuwa local government area of Yobe State, have been enrolled back in school. Daily Trust reports that many people were killed in a brutal Boko Haram attack on September 1, 2024. Boko Haram insurgents had stormed Mafa community, killing at least 80 people, setting houses, shops and market ablaze.

With aid abating, African solutions must kick in | PSC Report Seventy-five percent of the world’s humanitarian crises are on African soil. Since 1946, it has been home to one-third of all armed inter- and intra-State conflicts and, since 1989, 75% of non-state conflicts. The number of displaced Africans has doubled since 2018 – more than 44 million have been forced from their homes. For the 14^th consecutive year, conflict, violence, unrest, climate change and disasters have displaced record numbers of citizens.

Hundreds of Nigerian women protest in push for more female MPs Hundreds of women descended on the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Monday to push for a bill that would add women-only seats in the Senate and House of Representatives. Several African countries, from Senegal to Rwanda, have increased their number of female legislators by using quota systems. Nigeria, which has some of the lowest numbers of women in parliament worldwide, has no such system. It counts just four women senators out of 109, and 16 women in the

The Missing Horseman of Adamawa – HumAngle Auwalu Saidu remembers his elder brother, Babayo, with robes and horses. The kind worn and ridden by royalty in northeastern Nigeria. He remembers him through colours, too. Royal festivities in their hometown of Mubi, Adamawa State, are a spectacle of more colours than the rainbow, but Babayo’s signature colours were white and red. He wore the robe, called babban riga in Hausa, proudly.

Nigeria backs AU plan to deploy two million community health workers Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the African Union’s (AU) plan to scale up the deployment of two million community health workers (CHWs) across the continent by 2030 to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and achieve universal health coverage. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, made this known on Tuesday at the African CDC’s 2nd Taskforce Meeting of the Community Health Continental Coordination Mechanism (CCM) Principals.

When Clinics Fail: Women in Borno community turn to herbs for family planning It was 1:05 p.m. on a hot Sunday in Benisheik, a small community in the Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State. As a wind swept across the dusty road that divides the town, two women stood in conversation under a tree. “I will not go back to any hospital again,” said one of them, Yagana Isma’il*, 25, her anger unmistakable as she spoke. Benisheik is a community steeped in tradition, and Mrs Isma’il’s story reflects a common theme in the community. A mother of five children within seven years, she described her silent battles with reproductive health.

Nigeria risks hunger, naira crash as FG floods markets with imports The Federal Government’s duty-free food imports and resulting price crash could worsen Nigeria’s food insecurity, an expert has warned. Mr. Joseph Unogwu, Country Director of the Agricultural Development for Economic Growth Initiative (AgDEG), said this on Sunday in an interview in Makurdi.

The Federal Government had in July 2024 opened borders for a 150-day window to allow duty-free imports of rice, maize and wheat. The measure, according to Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari, was meant to curb food inflation and ease the high cost of living.

Parliament: Women seats bill gains ground – Daily Trust The push for special seats for women in the national and state assemblies gained momentum Monday at a national public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, women groups, the United Nations, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other stakeholders expressed support for a bill seeking the

dRPC, partners launch manuals on Islamic perspective on prevention of GBV (LIVE UPDATES) The development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) today begins a two-day Stakeholder dialogue on the Islamic Perspective on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention in Abuja. The event, jointly organised by the dRPC, Muslim Opinion Leaders for the Prevention of GBV in Northern Nigeria, and the Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue, will feature the launch of key manuals.

Mobilization and economic development

Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.23 percent in Q2 2025 – Daily Trust Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.23 percent, according to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The report said the average daily production of crude oil rose to 1.68 million per barrel, a four year quarter high since 2022. This means that Nigeria was able to meet its quota set by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for the quarter.