Regional News
How Borno, FG repatriated thousands of refugees after 10yrs in Chad – Yerwa Express News
Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, Governor of Borno, has led a Nigerian delegation to Chad to begin the repatriation of 7,790 refugees displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency. The refugees, mostly from Borno, fled to Baga Sola in Chad nearly a decade ago.
Niger: At least 10 soldiers killed in an ambush | Africanews
An ambush by a “group of criminals” killed at least 10 Nigerien soldiers near the border with Burkina Faso this week, Niger’s ruling military junta said. An intervention unit was sent to the west of the country on Monday to arrest criminals who were stealing cattle in Takzat, a village in western Niger, according to a military statement released Wednesday evening. “It was during this operation that a group of criminals ambushed the detachment of the internal security forces, resulting in the loss of 10 of our soldiers .” The statement did not specify who the criminals were.
At least 17 students die in fire in northern Nigeria | Reuters
At least 17 students died in a fire in northern Nigeria’s Zamfara state on Tuesday night, a state police spokesperson said on Wednesday. The students at an Islamic school in Kauran Namoda town in Zamfara State, who were between seven and 17 years old, died in the blaze while around 12 others were taken to hospital with severe burns, the police said.
Yobe delegation visits largest fertilizer plant in Morocco – Daily Trust
In the effort to resuscitate the Yobe State fertilizer blending plant, an advanced team to Morocco yesterday visited the World’s largest fertiliser company, the OCP/Jorf Lasfar fertilizer complex. The team, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Baba Malam Wali, had the commissioners of Agriculture, Mustapha Goniri; Higher Education, Prof. Bello Kawuwa; Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ibrahim Adamu Jajere, and the Chairman of Damaturu Local Government Council, Bukar Adamu.
Nigeria’s Tems wins African Music Performance Grammy | Africanews
It was a first for Nigeria at the much-awaited 67th Grammy Awards ceremony in fire-ravaged Los Angeles on Sunday night. Singer Tems, became the second-ever winner of the African Music Performance Award for her Afrobeats hit, Love me JeJe, from her debut album, “Born in the Wild”. The Nigerian recording artist said she felt “blessed”. “As much I think I have something and I’m talented and I have all
Maiduguri Flood: Borno govt, FG meet over modalities to start work on Alau Dam – Yerwa Express News
The Borno State Government and the Federal Government have met to discuss the modalities for rehabilitating and reconstructing the Alau Dam, following the approval of funds by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Professor Joseph Utsev, minister of water resources and sanitation
Mali’s new mines law needs review to win back investors, gold mine CEOs say | Reuters
A new mining law in Mali that raises taxes and seeks to hand over big stakes in assets to the state and local investors will need to be loosened up if gold companies are to invest in new projects there, company CEOs told Reuters. The new rules compel companies operating in Africa’s second biggest gold producer to divest a 35% share of new projects to Malian investors – up from 20% previously – and raise royalty taxes to 10.5% from around 6%.
FG mulls scrapping of junior, senior secondary education system – Daily Trust The federal government has urged the National Council on Education (NCE) to scrap Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School and adopt a compulsory 12 years of uninterrupted basic education in the country. The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the call at the 2025 extraordinary National Council on Education meeting in Abuja on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
Mali gold mine accident kills more than a dozen, including women and children | Reuters
Thirteen artisanal miners, including women and three children, were killed in southwest Mali on Wednesday after a tunnel in which they were digging for gold flooded, the national union of gold counters and refineries (UCROM) said on Saturday. The incident occurred at an open-pit gold mine near the village of Danga in the Kangaba Cercle in Mali’s southwestern Koulikoro region, UCROM Secretary General Taoule Camara said via telephone.
FG to start working on Borno’s Alau Dam this month – Yerwa Express News
President Bola Tinubu has approved N80 billion for the reconstruction and expansion of the Alau dam in Borno State. The dam which collapsed in September last year, caused flooding that killed many, displaced over a million people and destroyed properties worth millions.
Yobe State has been recording cases of kidney diseases over the recent years. Mahmoud Bukar maina, special adviser on science, research, and innovation, is leading the research initiative to address the issue. Maina will collect samples from 2,000 individuals in Bade and Damaturu LGAs as part of the research effort.
Chieftaincy tussle claims lives of mother, child in Nasarawa – Daily Trust
Two people have been killed in the Odu electoral ward of Maraba Udege Development Area, Nasarawa Local Government Area, Nasarawa State following a violent chieftaincy dispute that has displaced many residents and led to the destruction of several homes. Angered by the crisis, the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, visited the affected communities on Wednesday to assess the situation and find a lasting solution to the conflict.
Africa’s top health official presses US to resume health aid | Reuters
LONDON, Feb 6 (Reuters) – Africa’s leading public health official will write to the U.S. Secretary of State on Thursday to highlight how the U.S. aid freeze is threatening the lives of people across the continent and efforts to contain disease outbreaks that could ultimately impact Americans. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
NOA sensitises Yobe residents on meningitis, cholera prevention – Daily Trust
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Yobe State has launched a statewide sensitisation campaign on the prevention of cerebral spinal meningitis, Lassa fever and cholera.
Speaking to journalists, the Yobe State Director of NOA, Alhaji Ali Audu, said the campaign was necessary due to the annual outbreaks of meningitis and cholera in the state, which are often linked to extreme heatwaves.
6.1m refugees taking shelter in northern states – FG – Daily Trust
The Federal Commissioner for the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijjani Aliyu, has said over 6.1 million refugees are currently taking shelter in the northern states of the country. Aliyu stated this in Abuja yesterday while announcing that Nigeria is ready to receive more refugees from the United States of America.
Nigeria must get kidnappers, ‘one chance gangs’ off its money transfer systems
“When they announced that we had been kidnapped, at first, I was just laughing. I was busy looking for a hidden camera because I thought it was a prank. You know, the usual pranks on social media,” Kemi Gbadamosi* recounted her ordeal at the hands of a criminal gang operating the “one chance” scheme and exploiting the weaknesses in Nigeria’s instant payment system.
Nigeria union suspends planned protest over telecom tariff, enters talks with government | Reuters
Nigeria’s largest labour union has suspended a planned nationwide protest against a 50% hike in telecommunications tariffs and will negotiate with the government to resolve the dispute within two weeks, both sides said on Tuesday. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), representing millions of workers, had slated a Feb. 4 demonstration after rejecting the tariff increase approved last month by the telecoms regulator -the first such rise in over a decade.
Mega School with Mega Struggles: Inside Yobe’s Struggle for Quality Education – HumAngle
As one drives along the Gujba-Maiduguri Byepass Road in Damaturu, capital of Yobe State in northeastern Nigeria, the New Bra Bra Estate comes into view. Among the residential houses, one structure stands out: Yobe Mega School Damaturu.
President approves 65 years retirement age for doctors, healthcare workers – Daily Trust
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved an increase in the retirement age for doctors and other healthcare workers from 60 to 65 years. Dr Mannir Bature, National Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), made the disclosure in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
Bandits kill one, abduct eight children in Taraba
Eight persons have been reported abducted and another killed after suspected bandits attacked Jimlari, a community in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State, on Saturday. Residents of the area told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack happened late Saturday night from about 11:30 p.m. and that the kidnapped victims were all children. A resident, Ibrahim Hassan, said the attackers arrived in the community in a large number, shooting sporadically.
Peace and Security
What’s next for ECOWAS after three members leave? | Africanews
West Africa’s regional bloc known as ECOWAS is facing significant challenges after three junta-led countries formally quit the group, forming their own alliance and weakening the bloc’s standing and political authority. The withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the bloc — now left with 12 member countries — was the culmination of a yearlong period of talks and diplomatic efforts aimed at trying to get them to reverse their decision, announced in January 2024.
Tinubu departs for France ahead of AU summit in Addis Ababa – Yerwa Express News
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Wednesday for Paris, France, on a private visit en route to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. “In Addis Ababa, President Tinubu will join African leaders at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State, scheduled for Feb. 12th to 16th.
Insecurity: Tinubu Tasks Security Agencies to Harmonize Operations – PRNigeria News
Insecurity: Tinubu Tasks Security Agencies to Harmonize Operations President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Armed Forces, Security and Intelligent Agencies to harmonize their operations and adopt a whole of society approach in combating evolving Security challenges. Mr. President underscored the critical importance of joint security operational effectiveness in tackling Nigeria’s emerging security challenges.
On the 31st January, 2025, at about 1700hrs, acting on intelligence, the existence of over Two Hundred persons was discovered in a Three Bedroom Flat at Kuwait area, Birnin Kebbi. Consequently, the resident was raided by a team of Detectives attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), and successfully arrested One Hundred and Sixty Five (165) occupants.
Banditry:Can Dialogue Bring Peace to Northwest Nigeria – PRNigeria News
The crises of banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and Northcentral regions, continue to pose unprecedented security challenges. While some advocate for dialogue (*sulhu*) as a viable solution to mitigate the conflict, others question its feasibility, given the criminal nature of the perpetrators and the failures of previous attempts at negotiation.
School safety: NSA Ribadu Hosts UBEC Boss Aisha Garba – PRNigeria News
The executive secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, has met with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to discuss initiatives aimed at enhancing the country’s educational access and security. A statement on Sunday in Abuja by David Apeh, UBEC’s head of public relations and protocol,said the meeting focused on strategies to address challenges in the education sector.
Humanitarian
WFP earmarks $2.5 billion to fight hunger, malnutrition in Nigeria
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says it has budgeted $2.5 billion in the 2023 to 2027 Nigeria Country Strategy Plans (CSP), geared towards achieving zero hunger and improved nutrition across the country. The Head of Programme of the WFP, Seriene Loum, said this at the Co-creation workshop organised by the organisation in collaboration with the National Social Investment Programme Agency (N-SIPA) on Wednesday in Abuja,
Borno IDPs Resort to Crowdfunding to Free Abducted Firewood Fetchers – HumAngle
The abduction of farmers and locals venturing into the firewood trade has recently been recurring across communities in Borno State, North East Nigeria. Amid the rising kidnap-for-ransom escapade, however, locals in the Muna Kumburi displacement camp crowdfunded the sum of ₦300,000 to free community members who were abducted a month ago.
94,747 vulnerable individuals enrolled for free healthcare in Borno – Yerwa Express News
A total of 94,747 vulnerable individuals have been enrolled for free primary and secondary healthcare services in Borno State, under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF). The beneficiaries include 14,944 aged persons, 14,786 poor people, 4,866 physically challenged persons, 22,857 pregnant women, 36,635 under 5 children, and 659 sickle cell patients.
Nigerians with albinism dying of skin cancer due to healthcare gaps
The Gabriels are more than just a family – they are siblings bound by both love and a shared struggle. From Ankpa Local Government in Kogi State, the seven siblings lived with albinism. Their extended family rejected them because their mother gave birth to children with albinism. Tragically, they are orphans, facing an overwhelming battle that has only grown harder with time.
Bandits Neutralized in Joint Security Operation in Bauchi, Weapons Recovered – PRNigeria News
In a significant breakthrough in the fight against banditry, two suspected bandits were killed during a joint security operation in the early hours of February 4, 2025. The operation, led by the Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters in collaboration with Special Hunters, targeted criminal elements in the Gwana District and surrounding border regions near Taraba, Plateau, and Gombe States.
Nigeria Takes Action to Secure HIV/AIDS Treatment Amid Uncertainty Over US Funding – HumAngle
In a move to protect Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS, the Nigerian government has approved nearly ₦5 billion for the procurement of HIV treatment packs. This funding allocation comes in the wake of the executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office, halting foreign development assistance programmes, including disbursements from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a key programme for HIV treatment in Nigeria and other developing countries.
Agony As Parents Mourn Children Killed in Zamfara Fire Outbreak – HumAngle
Seventeen children were killed with 16 others badly injured after a midnight fire outbreak caused deaths and destruction in the Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, North West Nigeria. The fire accident happened on Feb. 5 around 12:45 a.m. at the Malam Na’ibi Gali Quranic School in Kaura-Namoda. Aliyu Abubakar, the school’s headteacher, told HumAngle that the leftover of some burnt sticks at a gathering spot for Qur’anic recitation caused the unpleasant accident.
Breaking Barriers: How Community-Driven School Brings Hope to Northeastern Nigeria – HumAngle
After finishing secondary school, 19-year-old Fatima Umar faced opposition from her father, who was against her plans to continue her education. “But when he saw that I could study close to my matrimonial home, he agreed,” she said. Now, Fatima is pursuing a National Certificate in Education (NCE) at the College of Arabic and Islamic Studies (CAIS) in Dambam, Bauchi State, northeastern Nigeria.
Niger Tanker Explosion: First Lady donates N100m to victims’ families, visits Babangida, Abdulsalam
The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has donated N100 million to the families of victims of various disasters in Niger State. Mrs Tinubu made the donation through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI). She explained that the funds would be disbursed to 70 families at N1 million per family while the remaining would be used to get food and other supplies.
Falmata’s Killer Flees as Authorities Search Following HumAngle Investigation – HumAngle
HumAngle has confirmed that Awana Lawan Umar, the individual implicated in the tragic death of his 17-year-old niece, Falmata, has evaded capture following the Nigerian police’s attempts to locate him after our report on the incident. The incident occurred in Bama, Borno State, in northeastern Nigeria on April 6, 2024, within the residence of the victim’s family, which they shared with her uncle, the suspect.
In Konduga, a rural community in Borno, northeastern Nigeria, a healthcare facility run by Family Health International (FHI360) previously treated over 200 patients daily, offering medical assistance and nutritional supplements for malnourished children. Now, its doors are shut.
Lost Homes, Lingering Trauma: The Mental Health Crisis Among Nigeria’s Displaced – HumAngle
The first attack on the Mai Ido, a small settlement in Kachia, Kaduna State, northwestern Nigeria, started around 11 a.m. in April 2022. That morning, Rahmatu Aliyu and some relatives had travelled to a neighbouring village to pay a condolence visit to some friends who had lost loved ones to the wave of terror that engulfed many parts of Kachia.
Fatima Musa, a mother of three, has battled a painful ailment for months in Yarimari, a small community in the Potiskum Local Government Area in Yobe, North East Nigeria. Her recovery depends on receiving sound medical treatment at the government-owned Musa Lawan Primary Healthcare Centre, which is just a stone’s throw from her home.
From Captivity to Uncertainty: A Young Nigerian’s Quest to Rebuild After Abduction – HumAngle When Mukhtar Umaru trudged barefoot through dirt and thorns to escape from his abductors in Zamfara, North West Nigeria, about two years ago, one thought burned fiercely in his mind: a second shot at life. Someplace safe, he could live, away from the raging violence that has engulfed his village. While he indeed got his freedom, it was not without a price — a cost he’s still trying hard to pay.
The Struggles of Borno’s Loggers Amid Deforestation and Official Extortion – HumAngle
He stood in the doorway, dressed in a grey, faded kaftan worn from days of labour. His left shoulder bore the weight of an axe, and on his right, a four-litre container wrapped in old clothes and filled with water. From the chest pocket of his kaftan, he pulled out some naira notes. Handing them to his wife, he asked her to buy what little they could afford—staples for their immediate needs.
Mobilization and economic development
Nigeria’s president increases 2025 budget to $36.4 billion | Reuters
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has increased the size of the 2025 budget to 54.2 trillion naira ($36.4 billion) from 49 trillion naira, he said in a letter to the Senate published on Wednesday. The president said the increase was due to additional revenue from the government’s revenue collecting agencies, such as the tax authority, customs and other agencies.
OPEC oil output falls for second month in January on Nigeria, Iran, survey finds | Reuters
OPEC oil output fell in January for a second month, a Reuters survey found, as a drop in exports from Nigeria and Iran offset a rebound from the United Arab Emirates where field maintenance had curbed output in December. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped 26.53 million barrels per day last month, down 50,000 bpd from December’s revised total, the survey showed on Wednesday, with Nigeria and Iran posting the largest drops.
Shell reports oil spill in Nigeria after saver pit overflows | Reuters
Shell (SHEL.L), opens new tab reported an oil spill on Tuesday at Ogale, near Port Harcourt, after a saver pit overflowed during flushing operations in the Niger delta region. The oil major’s Nigeria business said its spill response team contained the overflow and informed authorities. It added that arrangements were being made for a regulator-led joint visit to determine the cause and impact of the spill, a Shell spokesperson said in a statement.
Nigeria to block oil export permits for producers who do not fill refinery quotas | ReutersNigeria’s upstream oil regulator said on Monday it would deny export permits for oil cargoes from producers who fail to meet their stipulated supply quota to local refineries, including the Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest. Nigeria’s oil industry law, the Petroleum Industry Act, mandates oil producers, including international oil companies, to dedicate specific volumes of crude for domestic refineries before exporting, a requirement called the domestic crude supply obligation.
Nigeria’s proposed tax reform will curb inflation, official says | Reuters
Nigeria’s proposed tax overhaul will help curb inflation by lowering costs for most households, presidential adviser Taiwo Oyedele said on Friday, dismissing criticism that the plan risks worsening economic hardship in Africa’s most populous nation.
Report: 65% of businesses in Nigeria increased prices in 2024 to stay afloat – Daily Trust
65 percent of businesses increased the prices of their goods and services in the year 2024, according to a report by Nigerian data company, Mustard Insights. The findings, based on a survey of over 100 business owners, executives, and industry leaders, offer a comprehensive look at how this year’s challenging economic conditions affected organizations of varying sizes.
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