Regional News
Mali accuses France of spying after video emerges of mass grave. Source: rfi
Mali has reprimanded France for “spying” after the French military released a video of what it alleged were Russian mercenaries burying bodies at a mass grave. Paris said the video, filmed using a drone, was of a military base near Gossi, in northern Mali. It accused Russian-linked mercenaries of joining a campaign to smear departing French soldiers. Mali’s military junta said on Tuesday the drone “illegally” flew over the base on 20 April, the day after French forces handed the site back to Mali. It accused France of attempting to sully the reputation of Malian forces.
Malian jihadists claim to have captured fighter with Russia’s Wagner group. Source: rfi
Jihadists in Mali say they have captured a fighter working for Wagner, the Russian private security firm hired by the country’s military junta to train the military – though France and other countries say the fighters are acting as mercenaries. The Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM) told th Frenche AFP news agency that it had captured “a soldier of the Russian Wagner forces” in the first week of April in the Segou region in central Mali, without providing evidence to support the assertion. The GSIM said Russian fighters had taken part in a massacre in Moura, in central Mali, at the end of March – an incident that Human Rights Watch had reported on, accusing Malian soldiers of executing 300 civilians with the help of foreign fighters.
Breaking: Nigerian Senate Amends Terrorism Act, Passes Bill Barring Payment Of Ransom To Kidnappers. Source: Sahara Reporters
The Senate has passed a bill seeking to amend the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013, and prohibit the payment of ransom to kidnappers in Nigeria.
The passage of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 (Amendment) Bill, 2022, followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters. The report was laid by the Committee’s Chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), before consideration, Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to the Senate President said in a statement on Wednesday. Bamidele, in his presentation, said the bill seeks to outlaw the payment of ransom to abductors, kidnappers and terrorists for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped.
MNJTF Sustains Eliminations of ISWAP Terrorists as Commander Tours Frontlines. Source: PRNigeria
The MNJTF troops of Sector 4 (Niger Republic ) continue to dominate their area of operation with aggressive clearance operations towards identified terrorists’ hideouts. In a recent encounter at the general area of Kaji Jiwa, they came in contact with some elements of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) after the fierce firefight, about thirty (30) terrorists were neutralized and recovered after the encounter were , a total of 15 AK 47 rifles, 2 belts of 222 ammunitions and 179 cartridges, 2 cell phones and 1 BHT banner flag. Additionally, the troops successfully apprehended eleven (11) suspects comprising of three (3) minors who are currently undergoing interrogation. In another separate encounter, some elements of the BHT/ISWAP attempted to infiltrate a defended location of sector 4 (Niger Republic ) near Doutchi, but were swiftly repelled by a well-coordinated action between the Air Taskforce and ground troops.
ISWAP Collaborator in Army Kills Self after Arrest. Source: PRNigeria
A soldier who was nabbed for collaborating with ISWAP terrorists has killed himself while being escorted to the barrack. PRNigeria gathered that the soldier with one the Battalions of the Nigerian Army in the North-East was discovered by military intelligence operatives for his involvements in recent attacks on brothels and beer parlours. “He was involved in recent attacks in Geidam and Gashua communities in Yobe State. “He was apprehended while attempting to escape after he learnt that his movements and activities with terrorists have been discovered by the intelligence service. “After being handcuffed, he skillfully snatched a gun from one of the escorts and killed himself.
5 Soldiers, Others Die In Burkina Faso Military Unit Attack. Source: North East Star
About 10 people, including five soldiers, died on Sunday in an attack on a military unit in northern Burkina Faso, security sources and a locals official said. “This morning around 5:00 am the military detachment of Gaskinde, in the province of Soum… was the target of an attack by armed terrorist groups which resulted in the death of around 10 people, including five soldiers,” a security source told AFP. A local official confirmed the attack, including the “death of four civilians”.
Eight years after, Chibok still unsafe. Source: Punch
For the people of Chibok, it has been an unending nightmare. As they continue to relive the agony of the terrorist outrage that shot their rustic town and villages into global limelight eight years ago, their tormentors strike frequently. Terrorists identified with ISWAP, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, attacked a village in the Chibok Local Government Area on April 19 during which they kidnapped three teenage girls. It is tragic that after the notorious mass abduction of 276 schoolgirls in 2014, the Nigerian government has failed to stop frequent attacks on the defenseless people by Islamist marauders. Calamitously, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has not been able to fulfil the solemn promise he made seven years ago to rescue all the girls. He and the military have also failed to protect the area against incessant attacks and kidnapping by the terrorists. The agony of the people can only imagined.
Again, MNJTF Eliminates Scores of ISWAP Terrorists in Guntrucks in Niger Republic. Source: PRNigeria
The troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) have eliminated scores of Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Niger Republic. PRNigeria gathered that terrorists met their Waterloo while attempting to attack a Fuel Depot in Soudeye district of Borgogorou in Niger Republic on Saturday, but were stoutly repelled by the Task Force, after more than one hour of heavy gunfire that inflicted tremendous casualty on the terrorists. After the ground engaged the daredevils, aircraft from the joint taskforce carried out precision airstrikes on the fleeing terrorists in their vehicles.
Army speaks on explosion that killed one, injured seven in Yobe. Source: Premium Times
At least one person was killed and seven others injured in an explosion in Gashua, Bade Local Government of Yobe State. Gashua is the hometown of the Senate President of Nigeria, Ahmed Lawan. Sources said the explosion occurred at a bar in the Abacha area of the town at about 8.00 p.m. The explosion came on the heels of a bomb attack by Islamist group, Boko Haram, on Wednesday at another bar in the Geidam areas of the state. At least 12 people were killed in that attack. A resident of Gashua, Mohammed Adamu, had told PREMIUM TIMES that the sound of the explosion was heard across the town. “The sound was so loud that almost everyone that was awake at that time could hear it,” Mr Mohammed said. He suggested that the explosion was carried out by Boko Haram.
Again, Terrorists Release New Photo of Abducted Kaduna-Abuja Train Passengers. Source: PRNigeria
The terrorists holding at least 160 passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna train have released fresh photograph of their victims. The photograph, mostly of women and children, appear to be a desperate move by the terrorists to force the hand of government in meeting their demands. The terrorists have claimed that they were not interested in money, but prisoner exchange of their top commanders in government custody. The terrorists seized the passengers who were travelling to Kaduna from Abuja on March 28 after derailing the train with a bomb. At least eight passengers were killed in the incident, while 168 others were kidnapped or declared missing.
ISWAP Claims Responsibility For Attack On Police Station In North-central Nigeria. Source: HumAngle
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for an attack on a police station in Kogi State in North-central Nigeria, on Saturday, April 23. Five police officers were reportedly killed when fighters of the Islamic State affiliate attacked a police station in the Ogaminana area of Kogi. The group also burnt the police station and two vehicles. A photograph shared online from the attack in Ogaminana, headquarters of the Adavi Local Government Area showed what appeared to be five AK pattern rifles and several magazines. According to an earlier report, three officers were killed during the attack on the Police Station around 2 a.m. (WAT) on Saturday.
ISWAP Claims Responsibility For Second Bomb Blast In Taraba. Source: HumAngle
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Saturday, April 23, claimed responsibility for Friday’s explosion that injured several people at a bar in Taraba state, Northeast Nigeria. The incident occurred days after a similar explosion killed and injured several people at a bar in Iware Community in Ardo Kola Local Government Area (LGA) of Taraba. At least nine people were reportedly wounded when an explosive device exploded on Friday evening in the Nukkai area of Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State. The incident occurred at the entrance of the district head’s house, where a local bar was located.
Nigerian soldier accused of conniving with Boko Haram commits suicide. Source: Premium Times
A soldier, who was arrested for absconding from his duty post to join fighters of the Islamist group, Boko Haram, to raid a town, has committed suicide while he was being transported. The soldier, Jibrin Biu, a Lance Corporal, attached to the Nigerian Army 159 Battalion in Geidam, under the Nigerian Army 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari, Yobe State, reportedly disappeared for two days before he was tracked and arrested. A source in the army revealed that the soldier was identified among fighters of the Islamist group last Sunday, as they attacked Geidam, a town in Yobe State. His commanding officer subsequently tracked his phone and he was pinpointed at a point in Gashua, in the state. According to sources, including the soldier’s colleagues, a signal was sent to the army base in Gashua and dragnets were spread out for him. He was arrested at a checkpoint in a commercial bus travelling to Yobe on Tuesday morning. Following his arrest, he reportedly snatched a gun from a soldier who was transporting him to custody and shot himself dead.
2 Former Detainees Die Shortly After Release From Gombe Rehabilitation Camp. Source: HumAngle
Two of the recently released participants of Nigeria’s Operation Safe Corridor (OSC) programme have died after a period of critical illness, pointing to worsening conditions at the site. Earlier in April, over a hundred participants, known officially as ‘clients’, were released from the camp located in Mallam Sidi, Gombe State, to a holding centre in Maiduguri, capital of the northeastern state of Borno. However, 11 others were taken instead to the Umaru Shehu Hospital, also in Maiduguri, because of severe health conditions. Out of these, HumAngle gathered that two of the former clients passed away and two others, who had become completely blinded, were released to their families. One of those hospitalised had contacted his wife, a member of the Knifar Movement, to inform her of his condition. Knifar, an advocacy group, was formed in 2017 by women whose partners were victims of prolonged detention without trial because of suspicion of being members or supporters of the terror group, Boko Haram.
Doubts Over Suicide Committed By Soldier Working With B/Haram Fighters. Source: Daily Trust
There are doubts over the reported suicide committed by an instructor with the Nigerian Army (NA) battalion in Geidam, Yobe State, Lance Corporal Jibrin, who was arrested for conniving with Boko Haram insurgents, who attacked Yobe communities recently. Jibrin, who disappeared from his duty post a few days ago, was said to have been sighted among the Boko Haram terrorists that attacked Geidam town last week. Military sources said the soldier was tracked by the army intelligence unit and was found in Gashua, about 100 kilometres away from his duty post, on Tuesday. A reliable source confided in Daily Trust that the suspect had mentioned some names of his colleagues as collaborators, and they were already facing interrogation.
Peace and Security
Burkina Faso to support local talks with jihadists: A Q&A with the minister of reconciliation. Source: The New Humanitarian
As Sahelian governments struggle to contain the spread of al-Qaeda and jihadist groups linked to so-called Islamic State, some local communities have taken a radical step: talking to the militants themselves. Based on months of reporting in Burkina Faso and Mali, this is the second in a series of stories examining those efforts. Burkina Faso will provide support to local communities engaged in reconciliation talks with jihadists and offer livelihood opportunities for militants willing to disarm, a government official told The New Humanitarian, amid growing calls for non-military approaches to a conflict that has displaced nearly two million people.
In Many Parts Of Nigeria, Vigilante Groups Are Filling Security Gaps – Report. Source: HumAngle
Nigeria is wrestling with the proliferation of vigilante groups, because the government and police are increasingly unable to curb insecurity across the country, according to a new report by the International Crisis Group. The Crisis Group report “Managing Vigilantism in Nigeria: A Near-term Necessity” highlights how vigilante groups with poor training, supervision, and prone to human rights abuses are filling security gaps and the risks associated with their activities including: aggravating intercommunal tensions, and increasing risks of conflict. HumAngle had previously reported the impacts of vigilantism in the northwest where volunteer self-defence groups known as Yan Sa Kai, with ties to farming communities, have engaged in extrajudicial actions against pastoralists. These atrocities have led to attacks by the terror groups affiliated with the pastoralist communities. The Crisis Group report reveals that vigilante groups in the country consisting of volunteers and state-sponsored groups have been influenced particularly since the mid-2010s by several factors including the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast; the protracted ethno religious conflict in the north-central; the escalation of herder-farmer violence and the rise of violent crime, especially in the northwest, as well as in cities and on highways.
Nigeria’s Frosty Interest In Private Military Contractors. Source: HumAngle
Nigeria appears to have an appetite for foreign military contractors, but agreements with them are often limited to training and equipment support roles. It may be because this approach is associated with less political risk and international scrutiny unlike contracts involving field training and combat exposure. The country has a complicated history with the use of foreign contractors (mercenaries) to build the capacity of the military, particularly as the government rolls out efforts to reverse counter-terrorism setbacks in the Northeast. This is despite concerns and the tense outlook towards their involvement. In early April, Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Nigeria’s troubled northwestern Kaduna State, threatened to bring in foreign mercenaries to fight the terrorists hibernating in the forest areas, if the federal government failed to tackle the problem. The governor’s comment was triggered by recent attacks in Kaduna, including a deadly raid and abduction of passengers aboard a train moving from Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, to the state.
Niger State Government Insists No Children Killed In Air Force Raid. Source: HumAngle
The Niger State Government, North-central Nigeria on Friday April 22, 2022, dismissed the claim by Coalition of Shiroro Associations (COSA) that bombs by the Nigerian Air Force killed six children in Kurebe community during a military operation on terrorists. In the statement which is coming more than a week after the incident, Emmanuel Umar, the state’s Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Internal Security, said there was no residence where the Air Force carried out the raid. Spokesperson of Coalition of (COSA), Salis Sabo, had said in a statement obtained by HumAgle that the incident occurred on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. According to Sabo, the children were coming back from a motorised borehole within the Kurebe community, where they went to fetch water, when they were killed by a bomb dropped from a NAF aircraft.
Religious leaders must rescue Nigeria from security challenges – Islamic scholar. Source: Blue Print
Islamic scholar and Chief Executive CEO of Interfaith Mediation Centre in Kaduna, Imam Nurain Ashafa, has called on religious leaders to rescue Nigeria from its myriad of security challenges. Ashafa made the call in Kaduna on Monday during a one day Interfaith Dialogue on Preventing Violent Extremism in Kaduna state, jointly organised by ActionAid Nigeria and Global Peace Development as part of System and Structure Strengthening Approach against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism (SARVE III) Project. Ashafa emphasised that religious leaders remain the saving grace for Nigeria following failure of the security apparatus to successfully tackle insecurity. He urged religious leaders to swing into action by working tirelessly to instill consciousness of God in people, with a view to rebuilding a Nigerian society where everybody becomes their brothers keepers and where leaders rule with the fear of God. He noted that only religious leaders can play such role, as both the rich and the poor, as well as the leaders and the led, depend on the religious leaders for spiritual guidance.
Humanitarian
Hunger, Starvation Excluding Borno IDPs From Ramadan Fast. Source: HumAngle
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri, Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, narrate their plight fasting in the Islamic month of Ramadan after the state government imposed a ban on food distribution by aid organisations.
MSF Warns Rainy Season May Worsen Humanitarian Situation In North-central Nigeria IDP Camp. Source: HumAngle
The coming rainy season will likely worsen the living conditions at Ortese Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Benue State, North-central Nigeria, Médecins Sans Frontières(MSF)/Doctors Without Borders, has raised the alarm. “The IDPs have had their livelihoods destroyed by the conflict and are in need of protection, food, shelter and medical assistance,” MSF said in a statement on Wednesday, April 27. According to the organisation, the camp is currently home to at least 11,000 people who barely have enough to survive.
“Insecurity in Benue State has led to the displacement of thousands of people. Most shelters in Ortese camp are made of mosquito nets and low quality plastics,” the medical charity said.
Maigu: The Niger State Community Where Terrorists Camp, Rape, Launch Deadly Attacks. Source: HumAngle
The terrorists, who would later align with Boko Haram, use Maigu in the Shiroro area of North-central Nigeria as a route for launching attacks on other settlements, and as a rest point where they collect taxes and rape the community’s women.
IFAD, WFP Call For Sustainable Commitments To Address Food Crisis In West Africa. Source: HumAngle
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), say longer-term political and financial commitments to address the worst food security and nutrition crisis to hit West Africa in 10 years are crucial. This was part of the outcome of a high-level conference on food security and nutrition in West Africa held in Paris, France recently. Populations affected by food insecurity and malnutrition in West and Central Africa regions are expected to multiply in four folds by June 2022, according to a statement released on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. The statement said the numbers of women, men, and children affected has already gone from 10.7 million to 41 million in just three years (2019 – 2022) reaching a new record high.
Residents Lauds Borno Govt For Sustaining Palliative Support. Source: NorthEast Star
Some residents of Maiduguri have lauded the Borno Government for sustaining the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable persons in society. Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno had flagged off the distribution of the palliative to 100,000 vulnerable families in Maiduguri Metropolitan and Jere areas as part of his administration’s efforts to cushion the hardship occasioned by insurgency and COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-section of people who spoke to newsmen in Maiduguri said the development was a welcome one that should be maintained. The Borno Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), Ahmadu Umar, said some of his members were beneficiaries of the gesture.
Drought, Conflict Heighten Malnutrition Risks In Niger Republic, Northwest Nigeria. Source: HumAngle
Extreme drought, poor harvests, and displacement are causing starvation and malnutrition that threaten children’s survival in the Maradi, South-central Niger Republic and Katsina State, Northwest Nigeria. Hunger is at its extreme level in Niger where an estimated 14.7 million people in a 25.1 million population mainly live on arable land as climate vulnerability worsens food insecurity in the country. According to government reports, harvests across the country are 39 per cent down on the previous five-year average. The deficit is principally due to the drought in 2021, which, according to the United Nations climate agency, is comparable to the ones in 2004 and 2011. The drought conditions have aggravated a nutritional crisis exponentially. The situation is even direr in Maradi region where conflict has eroded people’s means of livelihood – mostly, farming.
‘Nigerian Farmers, Others in W/Africa May Face Flood’. Source: Daily Trust
Meteorological experts in the Sudan and Sahel countries (West African sub region, including Mauritania and Chad) at a conference in Abuja have forecasted that farmers may risk losing their crops to floods this year. The forecast after the week-long event on Monday reads: “The overall rainy character expected for the 2022 rainy season…presages the high risk of flooding that can lead to losses of crops, material goods and animal and human lives in exposed localities.” They recommended strengthening the communication of seasonal forecasts and updates to sensitise communities on the risks and plan for it; strengthening the monitoring and response capacities of flood and humanitarian agencies. They recommended strengthening the communication of seasonal forecasts and updates to sensitise communities on the risks and plan for it; strengthening the monitoring and response capacities of flood and humanitarian agencies.
Stabilization and economic development
MTN Nigeria, Pan-Atlantic University inaugurate media innovation programme. Source: Punch Nigeria
MTN Nigeria and Pan-Atlantic University, on Wednesday, announced the launch of the MTN Media Innovation Programme which would be run by the PAU’s School of Media and Communication. This was revealed in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Wednesday. According to the statement, the initiative is open to media practitioners across the country, including print, electronic, and online platforms, as well as social media content creators. It said the six-month, well-funded fellowship for Nigerian media practitioners was designed to serve as a bastion for sustainable growth and development of the nation’s ever-changing media scene.
