Regional News
In Aggressive Raid, Nigerian Military Kills 133 ISWAP Fighters in N/East. Source: PRNigeria
The troops activities and operational successes being recorded in the various operational theaters within the 6 geo-political zones of the Country. In the past 2 weeks, both kinetic and non-kinetic operations were conducted in the various theatres of operations, with significant results recorded. The brief will therefore cover operational activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies conducted in addressing the various security challenges across the Country between the period of 9 – 23 February 2023.
Elections: 15 Killed In Kano, Enugu, Ebonyi Violence. Source: Daily Trust
At least 15 persons have been killed in different attacks on campaign trains in Kano, Enugu and Ebonyi states. In Kano, hoodlums attacked the convoy of supporters of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The Head of Operations, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSDC), Kano Command, DCC Faruk Nuhu, in a briefing said the reports its men gathered from the field showed that between five and seven corpses have so far been recovered. But the NNPP said none of its members was confirmed dead while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said it had no report of any casualties other than vehicles.
Police Deploys 13,000 Officers For Election Duty In Borno. Source: Humangle
The police in Borno state, Northeast Nigeria, said it would deploy 13,639 officers for election duty across the state. Commissioner of Police, Abdu Umar, made this known Wednesday, Feb. 22, in Maiduguri while speaking to HumAngle. The police chief said the total number of personnel deployed includes mainly the conventional police and other sister security agencies.
Nigeria Elections: Borno Residents Go To The Polls “Unhappy And Unsatisfied”. Source: Humangle
The current scarcity of cash and fuel means residents of the Borno state capital in Northeast Nigeria are going to the polls “unhappy and unsatisfied”. “People are in pain,” one voter told HumAngle. Nigerians vote to elect a new president and members of the National Assembly, the first phase of the general election, on Saturday, Feb. 25. In Borno state, INEC said it has 2,513,281 voters expected to participate.
Nigeria’s presidential election hinges on young people’s votes. Source: rfi
Almost 40 percent of registered voters in Nigeria are under the age of 35. If they turn out for Saturday’s presidential election, they may well determine the outcome. Millions of young Nigerians are looking for change as President Muhammadu Buhari steps down after serving the two terms allowed by the constitution. oung people are coming of age in a country rife with insecurity, economic instability and high unemployment. Over 42 percent of young people of working age are unemployed, according to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics.
A Threat In Every Region: The HumAngle Guide To Election Insecurity. Source: Humangle
This year, as 94 million Nigerians go to the polls, Nigeria is facing a specific security threat in every region of the country. Violent riots due to the shortage of currency notes have erupted in parts of Nigeria’s southern region, highlighting the tense security situation that is unfolding as Africa’s largest democracy gets set for major elections in a few days time. The recent move by the country’s central bank to redesign the currency and withdraw large volumes of cash from circulation has additionally rattled politicians and civilians alike and spilled over into violence.
Elections: Police, military hold special operations in North-West, South-East. Source: Punch
The police are carrying out special operations in the South-East and North-West regions of the country to decimate the activities of insurgents such as the Indigenous People of Biafra, Eastern Security Network and bandits in the regions. The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who revealed this in an interview with our correspondent, said the operations are being carried out in conjucntion with other military operatives.
Gunmen attack PDP candidate, kill driver in Enugu. Source: Punch
https://punchng.com/just-in-gunmen-attack-pdp-candidate-kill-driver-in-enugu/
Gunmen on Wednesday attacked the campaign convoy of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Enugu North/South Federal Constituency, Oforchukwu Egbo. The PUNCH gathered that the incident happened at Eke-Otu in Amechi Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area of the state. The hoodlums killed the driver of one of the buses in the convoy.
Nigerian Terrorists Hold 1% Of All Firearms In West Africa, Says Gun Control Body. Source: Humangle
The Nigerian government has set up an organisation to stop the spread of small arms through the country. The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons says it is on a mission to take weapons off the streets and out of the hands of terrorists. There are at least seven million illegally held assault rifles and other small arms across the West African region, according to a governmental arms control body. In the Lake Chad area, Boko Haram and ISWAP are in possession of about one percent of that total, the government body set up to monitor the spread of weapons in Nigeria says. This amounts to at least 77,000 small arms and light weapons in the hands of organised terrorist groups in the northeast. The establishment of the NCCSLAW was in line with the requirements of article 24 of the Ecowas Convention For The Establishment of Small Arms and Light Weapons Commissions by all 15 member states in their efforts to end the proliferation of firearms in the region.
Cameroon: Teenage Mother Beheaded, Others Feared Killed In Bloody 48 hours. Source: Humangle https://humanglemedia.com/cameroon-teenage-mother-beheaded-others-feared-killed-in-bloody-48-hours/
There has been a bloody start to the week for residents of the English-speaking regions of Cameroon with the killing of a young woman. Families and activists are pushing for urgent peace talks as attacks on civilians continue. In 2017, Separatists banned the sale of drinks produced by French-owned brewery company, Brasseries du Cameroun. They warned against the distribution of the company’s drinks within the two English-speaking regions. However, some dealers who make a living out of the sale of these products continued distributing the drinks in complicity with some separatist fighters. In a report published June 2022, Human Rights Watch called on the international community to ensure separatist fighters are prosecuted and sanctioned for crimes against civilians. The organisation has also expressed dismay at Cameroon’s slow handling of cases of abuse perpetrated by the country’s military in the ongoing social-political crisis. Civil society actors have been calling for urgent peace actions to stop the war that has seen over 700,000 internally displaced persons and caused at least 2.2 million people in humanitarian need.
UN peacekeepers killed in Mali, as junta denounces ‘agressive’ statement from EU council president. Source: rfi
Three UN peacekeepers were killed and five were seriously injured when their convoy struck a roadside bomb in central Mali. The UN Multidimensional integrated stabilisation mission in Mali (Minusma) on Tuesday did not identify the nationalities of the peacekeepers. The 13,500-strong UN force was created in 2013 to help the state fight jihadists with links to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State armed group, in an insurgency that has left thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands across the Sahel region.
Nigeria election 2023: Has Buhari tackled Boko Haram threat? Source: BBC
When Muhammadu Buhari was first elected Nigeria’s president eight years ago, it was on the promise that he would help put an end to the Boko Haram insurgency which has forced millions of people from their homes in the north-east and cost thousands of lives. Eight years on, the region appears safer, with large swathes of territory reclaimed from the jihadist group. But as Nigerians prepare to elect his successor, the true picture is more complex.
Sold As Slave In Northwest Nigeria. Vestiges of Violence: Episode 99
Aminu is a farmer in Daki Takwas, Northwest Nigeria. But he was unable to access his farm due to the incidence of abductions that have persisted. Life became unbearable as a result. The region, which has become a precipice in Nigeria as terrorism expands, has eaten up the comfort of residents. The criminal violence has led to a surge in cattle rustling, raids on communities, ethnic conflicts, and kidnapping for ransom. We follow through the journey of Aminu, a student who couldn’t pay his tuition fee, and the only way was to work as a farmhand in Northwestern Nigeria.
Nigerian Troops Neutralize more Bandits in Chikun Kaduna. Source: PRNigeria
https://prnigeria.com/2023/02/17/nigerian-troops-neutralize-4/
A combined team of troops of the Nigerian Army and Navy have neutralized seven bandits during clearance operations in the Kasso general area of Chikun LGA. Seven bandits were confirmed neutralized during the operation, with the high possibility of even more eliminated and injured across the river. The troops recovered five motorcycles, 153 rounds of ammunition, seven magazines and three mobile phones during the operations.
Nigerian Police Arrest Female Gunrunner, Seven Bandits, Recover 1000 Registered MTN SIMs In Zamfara. Source: Sahara Reporters
The suspects have carried out a series of kidnappings where an unspecified number of people were abducted and millions of naira collected as ransom. The Nigeria Police Force, Zamfara State Command, has arrested a female gunrunner and seven others for banditry.
Nigerian Police Kill Three Suspected ESN Members, Lose Four Officers In Fresh Attacks In Anambra. Source: Sahara Reporters
A combined unit of security personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State Command and Nigeria Army on Monday killed three suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN). The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who made this known in a statement obtained by SaharaReporters, said that the combined security operatives also arrested two suspects, recovered three Kalashnikov rifles, one pump action gun, suspected stolen automobiles and other things.
African Union to meet on readmission of Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea. Source: news24
African Union Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat said on Friday the bloc will meet to discuss whether to lift the suspension of junta-ruled Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea. All three nations have been suspended from the pan-African bloc as well as the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), after undergoing military coups since 2020, and cannot participate in this weekend’s summit in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
Surviving Captivity Amidst The Violence In Southern Kaduna. Source: Humangle
https://humanglemedia.com/surviving-captivity-amidst-the-violence-in-southern-kaduna/
One woman’s story about surviving captivity, loss, and displacement as a result of the violence in Southern Kaduna. The region is one of the most volatile areas of the state, with recurring violence and displacement. Last year, the president of the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), Jonathan Asake, claimed that about 148 communities had been destroyed and over 200,000 people displaced within the last six years.
The Ghost Town Of Bagana. Source: Humangle
How two warring chiefs turned a commercial hub upside down, displacing thousands of its residents in north-central Nigeria. According to a security source in Omala, since the death of Chief Solomon Obochi in Aug. 2021, over 100 lives have been lost and so many properties destroyed. Also, not less than 10,000 residents have fled Bagana to find refuge in neighbouring towns such as Abejukolo and Idrissu.
Abducted, Sold, And Chained Like A Slave. Source: Humangle https://humanglemedia.com/abducted-sold-and-chained-like-a-slave/
Murtala Umar needed to make enough money to enable him to pay for his final year examination. But his attempt to work as a farmhand pushed him into the hands of terrorists in Zamfara, Northwest Nigeria. How did he escape?
BREAKING: Gunmen Blow Off Kogi State Local Government Offices With Explosives. Source: Sahara Reporters
Sahara Reporters learnt that the administrative offices are close to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in the local government area. The Nigerian police, Kogi State command, has yet to react to the incident, although it was learnt that detectives had been deployed to the scene. Kogi State in January experienced a much fatal explosion.
Gunmen raze commissioner’s home, two others, one dead in Imo. Source: Blue Print
State, Emeka Okonkwo, at Amagu Ihube in Okigwe local government area of the state. Also razed was the home of Prof Nnamdi Obiaraeri, a former Commissioner for Youth and Sports and that of Lands and Survey in the administrations of Governors Ikedi Ohakim and Rochas Okorocha.
Peace and Security
Women Are Both Victims And Combatants In Cameroon. Source: Humangle
Women are both victims and participants in the violence in Cameroon. UN Women and other developmental partners want to see greater participation by women when drawing up policies around arms control. Last year, the National Committee on Disarmament, Demolition and Reintegration head, Fai Yengo Francis, told HumAngle up to 20 per cent of captured insurgents were women. The non-profit organisation, Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP) along with UN Women and Cameroon’s ministry of foreign affairs, have worked to make the perspectives of women the centre of their policies on the control of Small Arms and Light Weapons. The coordinator of CAMYOSFOP during a training last Friday in Douala, said women have become both holders and victims of small arms and light weapons in the areas hit by war in Cameroon.
Ending terrorism/violent extremism through community-based reintegration. Source: Blueprint
The concept of Amnesty, Disarmament, Deradicalisation and Reintegration (DDR) are universal tools used in resolving conflicts and violence with remarkable results globally. However, community-based reintegration is much more critical to sustainable peace in any country coming out of conflict. In the North-east’s violent and complex conflicts, some Boko Haram elements had transformed into international terror groups known as Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP). The complexity of the insurgency and the heterogeneous nature of non-state armed groups in the region demand that the state apply a mix of both military and civil approach to the crisis.
Zulum hands over 9 armoured vehicles to Borno Police. Source: Blue Print
https://www.blueprint.ng/zulum-hands-over-9-armoured-vehicles-to-borno-police/
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno state, Tuesday, handed over nine armoured personnel carriers to the state command of the Nigerian Police Force to increase their capacity in crime prevention and responses. The state Commissioner of Police, Abdu Umar, received the APCs during a brief ceremony held in Maiduguri. Zulum at the presentation commended the Borno Police Command and other security establishments for their extreme commitment in the fight against Boko Haram and preventing other crimes across the 27 local government areas of the state.
Nigerian Army Approves Hotlines To Monitor, Report Violence, Suspicious Activities During 2023 General Elections. Source: Sahara Reporters
The Nigerian Army (NA) has approved a list of hotlines to monitor and report any suspicious activity or acts of violence by unscrupulous persons or group of persons capable of disrupting the peaceful conduct of the 2023 general elections, as well as the conduct of troops deployed to provide security during the polls.
Nigeria Elections: Human Rights, Freedom Of Expression Must Be Respected – ArticIe 19. Source: Humangle
As Nigeria goes to the polls on Saturday for a highly contested election, ARTICLE 19 has raised concerns over human rights, the safety of journalists and disinformation in the country. A statement jointly signed by Maateuw Mbaye and Aissata Diallo Dieng, with the West Africa office of the human rights organisation, emphasised the need for free, fair, and transparent elections. According to the statement, “Elections are a cornerstone of democracy, but if they are held amidst insecurity and human rights violations, their value and legitimacy are called into question. As Nigerians prepare to cast their votes on 25 February, ARTICLE 19 emphasizes the need for a transparent and fair electoral process in Nigeria.”
Nigeria election 2023: Has Buhari tackled Boko Haram threat? Source: BBC
When Muhammadu Buhari was first elected Nigeria’s president eight years ago, it was on the promise that he would help put an end to the Boko Haram insurgency which has forced millions of people from their homes in the north-east and cost thousands of lives. Eight years on, the region appears safer, with large swathes of territory reclaimed from the jihadist group. But as Nigerians prepare to elect his successor, the true picture is more complex. Insurgent groups, including Boko Haram, are still able to threaten the security in Borno state despite not holding much territory. A lot of the state is still considered too dangerous to travel across by road. In order to get safely from Damaturu in Yobe state to Borno’s capital, Maiduguri, we have to fly in a UN helicopter. The Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), which splintered from Boko Haram seven years ago, is also becoming more of a threat. In 2022, it claimed the highest number of attacks since its formation, and it controls strategically important territory around Lake Chad. There is also evidence that the group’s area of activity has spread to the north-west of the country, where they’ve infiltrated kidnapping gangs.
African Union to meet on readmission of Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea. Source: news24
African Union Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat said on Friday the bloc will meet to discuss whether to lift the suspension of junta-ruled Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea. All three nations have been suspended from the pan-African bloc as well as the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), after undergoing military coups since 2020, and cannot participate in this weekend’s summit in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
Almost 4,000 Illegal Firearms Transferred To Nigeria’s Weapons Control Centre. Source: Humangle
Nigeria’s weapons control centre has received thousands of illegal firearms, including machine guns and rocket launchers, according to a police briefing on Feb. 16. A significant portion of the recovered weapons were assault rifles and locally fabricated pistols, projectile launchers, and shotguns. Other firearms received by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons were FN MAG and PKM general-purpose machine guns and several RPD light machine guns alongside rocket launchers like the Type 69 and RPG-7.
Insecurity: Zamfara Govt Recruits 2,500 Anti-thuggery Personnel. Source: PRNigeria
https://prnigeria.com/2023/02/20/insecurity-zamfara-govt-2/
The Zamfara Government’s Anti-thuggery Committee has trained 2,500 newly-recruited personnel and cautioned residents of the state to maintain law and order. PRNigeria reports that the committee was established in February 2022 by Gov. Bello Matawalle through an Executive Order to fight acts of political thuggery, drug abuse and other related criminal offences in the state. Matawalle also appointed retired military officer, Bello Bakyasuwa as Chairman of the committee. The state House of Assembly had recently passed the Anti Thuggery Bill, converting the committee to an agency.
How Biafra Agitation May Mar 2023 Elections In South East. Source: Sahara Reporters
https://saharareporters.com/2023/02/20/how-biafra-agitation-may-mar-2023-elections-south-east
Simon Ekpa, self-styled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in a viral video, imposed sit-at-home and curfew on South East and some parts of old Eastern Region during the 2023 general elections. The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) also warned against boycotting the 2023 general elections in the South East.
New Security Firms Get NSCDC’s Operational Licenses. Source: PRNigeria
https://prnigeria.com/2023/02/22/new-security-firms-get-nscdc/
Companies (PGC) to join the existing ones in the fight against insecurity in the country after thorough screenings and fulfilment of required standards for operation. The Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, charged the newly licensed PGC to take advantage of the timing of their licenses, which coincides with the country’s 2023 general elections to hit the ground running in terms of security provisions.
Arms Control Centre Commends Nigerian Army. Source: PRNigeria
https://prnigeria.com/2023/02/22/arms-control-centre-commends/
Weapons, Major General Abba Dikko (rtd) has commended the Nigerian Army for its support and collaboration in containing the influx of small arms and light weapons into Nigeria.
Humanitarian
Speak up to get justice, group tasks survivors, victims of gender-based violence. Source: The Guardian
A group, Women’s Rights And Health Project (WRAHP), has urged victims and survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) to speak up and dismiss the fear of stigmatisation for justice to be served accordingly. WRAHP’s team lead, Mrs. Bose Ironsi, made the call during a media dialogue on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) tagged, “Sensitisation meeting for media representatives on effective documentation of reported SGBV Cases in Edo State.”
Women Break Silence Over Abuse With An App In Cameroon. Source: Humangle
The public silencing of a high-profile case where a child died after being raped has focused activists in Cameroon on how to confidentially get help to victims who need it. With the 11336 cases of gender-based violence recorded last year expected to be exceeded next year, people need ways of getting aid. Despite the odds, AlertGBV ensures confidentiality and professional follow-up on any case reported. Along with several civil society organisations, religious bodies and other institutions, AlertGBV platform says it intends to address more cases and help fight depression.
FG, Canada strengthen ties to fight human trafficking. Source: PRNigeria
https://prnigeria.com/2023/02/21/canada-strengthen-ties-fight/
The federal government and the Canadian government on Tuesday vowed to scale up efforts in stemming the tide of Trafficking in Persons and Migrants smuggling. The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, said the two countries, through the technical partner; Ark Group, will promote projects to consolidate on the agency’s past achievements. Intended projects include re-designing and re-developing the NAPTIP iReporter mobile App; community-based sensitization campaigns; Capacity building for NAPTIP officials and deployment of a NAPTIP Learning Hub.
AHI Empowers 300 Adolescent Girls In Borno IDPs Camp. Source: News Net Global
https://newsng.ng/ahi-empowers-300-adolescent-girls-in-borno-idps-camp/
An NGO dedicated to improving adolescent health, Action Health Incorporated (AHI) in collaboration with International Research Development Centre (IDRC) of Canada has empowered 300 girls in Borno. The girls were trained in local cap making (zanna) and Computer Literacy. Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Maiduguri, the Executive Director of AHI, Adenike Esiet, said the adolescent girls were children of Internally Displaced Persons at the El-Badawi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri. Esiet said the graduates comprised of 200 trained in local cap (zanna) making while 100 were trained in computer literacy and coding.
UK Launches £33 Million Fund To Aid Sahel Region. Source: Humangle
https://humanglemedia.com/uk-launches-33-million-fund-to-aid-sahel-region
The UK has pledged £33 million for a three year Sahel Regional Fund, which seeks to help the area overcome the harsh effects humanitarian crisis caused by years of armed conflicts.
NGO empowers 300 adolescent girls in Borno IDPs camp. Source: Guardian
A health based NGO, Action Health Incorporated (AHI), in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has graduated 300 girls trained in local cap (Zanna) making and Computer Literacy.
During the graduation ceremony on Friday in Maiduguri, the Executive Director of AHI, Adenike Esiet, said the adolescent girls were children of Internally Displaced Persons at the El-Badawi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri.
Buhari: Nigeria Ready To Host Sahel Climate Fund Secretariat. Source: Daily Trust
https://dailytrust.com/buhari-nigeria-ready-to-host-sahel-climate-fund-secretariat/
President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that Nigeria is ready to host the Secretariat of the Sahel Climate Fund, including equipping and provision of accommodation to the top management staff of the fund. The president made the promise Friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, while speaking at the 2nd Heads of State and Government of the Sahel Region Climate Commission (SRCC) during the 36th AU Summit.
Fires Cost Displaced People “Illicit” Election Cash. Source: HumAngle
Several fires have taken a toll on the lives of displaced people living in fragile houses around Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria. Many have to live with the attendant losses, but losing their voter’s cards just days to an election represents a double loss.
Fatal Face-Eating Noma Disease Worsened By Malnutrition In Nigeria’s Northwest. Source: Humangle
Noma is a little known fatal disease that is preventable and treatable. It affects the mouth and gums spreading rapidly, destroying facial tissues and bones. The first sign of Noma disease is the inflammation of the gums which is known medically as gingivitis. It gradually progresses to “necrotising gingivitis” where the tissues in the mouth swiftly start to die. Then it becomes severe to the extent the infected persons’ face starts to swell.
“Every Time I Close My Eyes, They Are Shooting Me Again…” Source: Humangle
Lydia David moved to Dogon Noma, Northwest Nigeria, for a simpler life. But almost four years ago, she was shot and cut with a machete by unidentified attackers. Now whenever she closes her eyes, she is back in the place she was wounded.In 2021, the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said that the state currently has no designated camps for IDPs. The only previous camp was being used as a base for the military women assigned to the Abuja-Kaduna highway. Most people who were not fortunate enough to have relatives in other places or houses to move to end up staying in government primary schools, which served as temporary camps before they were dispersed. FG Moves To Build Capacity Of Teachers In Technical Schools
https://northeaststarlive.com/fg-moves-to-build-capacity-of-teachers-in-technical-schools/
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Education has engaged critical stakeholders in the Northeast towards increasing the number of competent teachers technical schools in the region. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting is a component of the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project supported by the World Bank.
