Regional News
Over 20 000 cross from Sudan to Chad since fighting erupted- WFP- Source: Africanews. Over 20 000 cross from Sudan to Chad since fighting erupted- WFP | Africanews
Humanitarian groups and Chadian authorities need urgent funding to support thousands of refugees fleeing across the border from neighboring Sudan, according to the World Food Programme.
The UN has said as many as 20,000 people have crossed from Sudan into Chad since fighting erupted between factions led by rival generals earlier this month.
“It’s extremely urgent because in six to eight weeks we will never be able to reach those places because of the rains,” said Pierre Honnorat, the WFP’s country director for Chad.
Food and aid packages were distributed to refugees arriving at the border at Adre this week.
Nigerians arrive home after fleeing fighting in Sudan- Source: Africanews. Nigerians arrive home after fleeing fighting in Sudan | Africanews
The first group of Nigerian evacuees from Sudan arrived in Abuja on Wednesday after several days stranded at the border with Egypt.
According to Nigerian authorities, the evacuation plan covers more than 3,500 nationals.
“Bullets passed through our heads, we laid down at our own homes, we had to lay down on the ground. You can’t even sit down because the noise is very bad to hear”, recounted female student Aisha Aliyu-Kaga.
Male student Muhammad Abdulrahman added “I have never experienced this kind of situation. And it is in the period of Ramadan.
We are fasting, no food, no water and there is gunshot across”.
On Monday, Egyptian authorities agreed to let the evacuees cross the border following an intervention by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.
Hundreds of Nigerians still stuck at Sudanese border as airlift begins in Egypt-Source: HumAngle. Hundreds Of Nigerians Still Stuck At Sudanese Border As Airlift Begins In Egypt – HumAngle (humanglemedia.com)
Despite social media video clips showing Nigerians preparing to board planes to come home, hundreds are still stuck at Sudan’s border with Egypt.
The Egyptian authorities are controlling the number of Nigerians entering the country, keeping evacuees waiting on the Sudanese side of the border until aeroplanes are ready, HumAngle understands.
For the students, it feels like they have been abandoned. “We are just helpless,” Khadija Hussain told HumAngle from the Sudanese border town of Halfa. “The embassy has left us on our own.”
Nigerians have been stranded for four days while diplomatic negotiations have been underway to secure permission for them to cross the border and travel the 374 km to Aswan.
Gunmen kill 15 people, abduct 5 aid workers in North Nigeria- Source: Trtworld. Gunmen kill 15 people, abduct 5 aid workers in North Nigeria (trtworld.com)
Gunmen have killed 15 villagers and abducted five aid workers in separate attacks in Nigeria’s troubled northern region.
The assailants arrived in Benue state’s Apa area and opened fire on villagers in their homes, according to David Olofu, a senior state government official said on Thursday.
He said military personnel was among those shot in the attack and many houses were razed as villagers fled to safety.
The incident in Benue is the latest in a spiral of violent attacks in which armed groups are targeting remote communities across Nigeria’s northwest and central regions, often defying government and security measures.
Sahel region singled out on World Press Freedom Day- Source: Africanews. Sahel region singled out on World Press Freedom Day | Africanews
On World Press Freedom Day the journalists’ rights group Reporters Without Borders said it was concerned the Sahel region is in danger of becoming “Africa’s biggest news blackout zone.”
In a gloomy report published a month ago, Reporters Without Borders denounced a “constant deterioration” in the working conditions of the local and international press in the Sahel.
Thirty media outlets, journalists’ associations and freedom of expression organisations on Wednesday called on the ruling juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso to protect journalists in the face of growing threats.
Mali and Burkina have been ruled by juntas since 2020 and 2022 respectively.
Troops rescue 2 NGO workers, 3 others in captivity- Source: Daily Trust. Troops rescue 2 NGO workers, 3 others in captivity – Daily Trust
Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued two out of the three humanitarian staff working with the Family Health International (FHI360) abducted by the fighters of the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP).
Security and local sources disclosed this to Daily Trust on Thursday.
Daily Trust had reported that three humanitarian workers and two security guards were abducted at the guest house of the NGO in Fotoko village near Gamborou Ngala town, Borno State.
Huge assault by hundreds of terrorists kills 28 in Kebbi attack- Source: HumAngle. Huge Assault By Hundreds of Terrorists Kills 28 In Kebbi Attack – HumAngle (humanglemedia.com)
A dozen vigilantes have been burned to death in an attack that saw waves of terrorists descend on a town in Kebbi state northwest Nigeria.
The mass assault by hundreds of motorcycle-riding terrorists on Bena village, Danko-Wasagu LGA, left 28 police and townspeople dead on April 30.
The attack is the latest in a series in recent days, others had been repulsed by the police and members of a vigilante group. Later that day the armed men attacked Wasagu town, 42 km away, where they abducted three residents.
Peace and Security
Germany to send troops to Niger- Source: Africanews. Germany to send troops to Niger | Africanews
The German parliament has given the green light to the deployment of troops to Niger.
Sixty German soldiers will join a small EU mission set up last December with the aim of helping the country improve its logistics and infrastructure.
The decision by parliament in Berlin reinforces the continued commitment to a German presence in the Sahel region despite the recent withdrawal from Mali.
Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries and faces the growing threat of violence spilling over from neighbouring Mali where Islamist militants have been gaining ground following the withdrawal of French and other European forces.
Burkina Faso: NGO says Karam ‘massacre’ death toll is at least 136- Source: Africanews. Burkina Faso: NGO says Karma ‘massacre’ death toll is at least 136 | Africanews
A Burkinabe human rights organization counted 136 civilians, including 50 women and 21 children, killed on April 20 in the village of Karma in northern Burkina Faso by men wearing army fatigues.
“Our teams have documented and recorded 136 lifeless bodies in Karma, including 50 women and 21 children, among them babies under 30 days old killed on their mothers’ backs,” the Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of Communities (CISC) said in a statement sent to AFP on Friday.
The official death toll, announced on Sunday by the public prosecutor in Ouahigouya, capital of the northern region, was around sixty, while survivors and residents of Karma put it at “more than a hundred”
German troops deployed to UN mission begin withdrawal from Mali- Source: Africanews. German troops deployed to UN mission begin withdrawal from Mali | Armed Groups News | Al Jazeera
German troops have started to withdraw from Mali as Berlin aims to wind up by May 2024 a mission that has been hampered by disputes with Bamako and the arrival of Russian forces.
Berlin has deployed some 1,000 troops to Mali, most near the northern town of Gao where their main task is to gather reconnaissance for the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA.
Mali: protesters demand exit of UN peacekeeping force- Source: Africanews. Mali: Protesters demand exit of UN peacekeeping force | Africanews
Hundreds gathered Friday in Mali’s capital Bamako to call for MINUSMA the UN peacekeeping mission in the West African country to leave.
Protestors responded to a call by local political and activist groups close to the country’s military junta to attend the protest meeting.
The protestors, many waving Russian flags, say the UN peacekeepers’ decade-long presence is no longer required.
Mali, ruled by a military junta since a first coup in 2020, is battling armed groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State organization with the help of Russian paramilitary mercenaries.
The demonstration comes at a time when the Malian army has suffered one of the largest attacks by armed jihadist groups in central Mali and when MINUSMA human rights reports frequently accuse the Malian army of human rights violations.
Press organisations call on Mali and Burkinabe junta to protect journalists- Source: Africanews. Press organisations call on Malian and Burkinabe junta to protect journalists | Africanews
Thirty media outlets, journalists’ associations and freedom of expression organisations on Wednesday called on the ruling juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso to protect journalists in the face of growing threats.
In an open letter published on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the signatories of the appeal said that the situation of journalists in Burkina Faso has become “critical”.
They are alarmed by “calls for the murder of journalists and opinion leaders, threats and intimidation of the national press, grotesque set-ups against journalists, suspension of the international media RFI and France 24, expulsion of correspondents from the French newspapers Libération and Le Monde”.
Arba League, African Union and UN intensify efforts for peace in Sudan- Source: Africanews. Arab League, African Union and UN intensify efforts for peace in Sudan | Africanews
The head of the Arab League held talks n Tuesday with a representative of Sudanese military leader General Abdel Fattah Burhan at the organisation’s headquarters in Cairo.
Speaking after the meeting, Dafa’alla Al-Haj Ali said that the crisis in his homeland was an “internal matter” and warned against any external interference.
“I am talking to you now, and there are contacts regarding the completion of this truce, but we want this truce to be with the participation of the political institutions to which we belong, the first of which is the Arab League and also the African Union, but that it takes place with their approval and in all its details, and we do not accept anything imposed on us by whichever direction“, said Dafa’alla Al-Haj Ali, special envoy of General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, president of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council.
How much of a threat is Sudan’s conflict to Chad? – Source: Al Jazeera. How much of a threat is Sudan’s conflict to Chad? | Conflict | Al Jazeera
Chad was already hosting hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees before the latest fighting.
The fighting in Sudan between its army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has largely continued despite a ceasefire.
So far, the crisis has forced more than 20,000 people to flee to neighbouring Chad.
Algiers, Bamako recommit to 2015 Malian peace deal. Source: Africanews. Algiers, Bamako recommit to 2015 Malian peace deal | Africanews
Mali and its neighbor Algeria on Thursday (Apr. 27) said they wished to revive a 2015 peace deal between Bamako and northern Malian rebels that is more fragile than ever and raises fears of renewed violence.
In a joint statement on Thursday, Mali and Algeria said they wanted to relaunch the deal knon as the Algiers Accords.
“We have carried out a very precise, very rigorous examination of what is needed to ensure the effective and productive relaunch, via a political process protected from short-term turbulence,” Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed said after talks Wednesday (Apr. 26) with junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita.
Western countries pile pressure on Mali over Wagner presence- Source: Al Jazeera. Western countries pile pressure on Mali over Wagner presence | Armed Groups News | Al Jazeera
Western countries have raised concerns at a United Nations human rights meeting over the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group’s activities in Mali, including an alleged role in the killings of civilians.
The United States, Canada, Great Britain and Ukraine were among the countries at the meeting in Geneva on Tuesday that questioned what kind of support Wagner contractors are giving Mali’s armed forces.
‘Burkinabe aren’t children’: Burkina Faso denies Wagner presence in country- Source: TRTWorld ‘Burkinabe aren’t children’: Burkina Faso denies Wagner presence in country (trtworld.com)
Burkina Faso’s defence minister has denounced what he said was an “international coalition” lined up against his country and alleged there had been violations of the country’s airspace.
The country’s intelligence agency said an April massacre of civilians — which some rights groups have blamed on the army — was carried out by militant fighters dressed as soldiers.
Colonel Kassoum Coulibaly, appointed by the military junta running the country, also echoed on Wednesday the denials by the new regime’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, that the Russian mercenary force Wagner was operating there.
Humanitarian
Three percent of the world suffer acute food insecurity last year- source: Africanews. Three percent of the world suffered acute food insecurity last year | Africanews
Conflicts, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic made more than a quarter-billion people suffer acute food insecurity last year in 58 countries.
That’s roughly three percent of the global population which now stands at eight billion.
Acute food insecurity is when a person’s inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger.
In seven of them – Somalia, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen – people faced starvation and death.
The findings were laid out in a report by the Global Report on Food Crises, an alliance of humanitarian organisations founded by the U.N. and European Union.
In Chad, pregnant Sudanese refugees give birth without shelter- Source: Al Jazeera. In Chad, pregnant Sudanese refugees give birth without shelter | Conflict News | Al Jazeera
At a refugee camp in remote eastern Chad, Amné Moustapha is close to giving birth. Her contractions are dizzying and her feet swell in the baking heat. Her husband is building a shack from sticks and string to shelter their coming newborn.
Moustapha, 28, fled her village of Tibelti in neighbouring Sudan eight days ago, one of the thousands of people to pour from the North African country since fighting between rival factions began two weeks ago.
Diphtheria killed 73, infected 557 Nigerian in 21 states- WHO- source: Daily Trust. Diphtheria killed 73, infected 557 Nigerians in 21 states – WHO – Daily Trust
Diphtheria is a highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease which spreads between people mainly by direct contact or through the air via respiratory droplets. It can affect all age groups, however unimmunized children are particular at risk.
The WHO said the majority (83%) of cases were reported from Kano (1188), Yobe (97), Katsina (61), Lagos (25), Sokoto (14) and Zamfara (13).
Troops rescue pregnant Chibok schoolgirl- Source: Vanguard News. Troops rescue pregnant Chibok schoolgirl – Vanguard News (vanguardngr.com)
Troops of 114 Task Force Battalion, Bita in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno state have rescued yet another abducted Chibok schoolgirl.
Twenty-six years old Hauwa Maltha, serial number 2 in the abducted Chibok schoolgirls list since 14th April 2014, was rescued on April 21, 2023, along with her three-year-old baby by the troops during operations at Lagara.
She is from the Kibaku tribe in Jila in Chibok LGA of Borno State.
Stabilization and economic development
Nigeria suspends fuel subsidy removal- Source: Africanews. Nigeria suspends fuel subsidy removal | Africanews
The Nigerian government has decided to delay the removal of fuel subsidies, citing the need for further preparations and consultations with key stakeholders, including the incoming administration.
Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this to local media on Thursday after the valedictory Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Ahmed said the Council agreed on the need for continued discussions on the issue adding that the FG, together with states and representatives of the incoming administration, require more preparatory work.
