Regional News
Niger Coup: I’m holding back ECOWAS, others from military invasion – Tinubu. Source: Premium Times
“I am managing a very serious situation. If you take ECOWAS aside, other people will react, those who are outside of our control. I am the one holding those sides back. I am the one holding back ECOWAS,” he said, according to an account of the meeting sent to PREMIUM TIMES by his spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale.
Should Niger’s coup heighten fears over terrorism in the Sahel? Source: rfi
Niger has been hit by multiple jihadist attacks since its president was overthrown last month, but observers caution against concluding that a long-running insurgency is shifting into higher gear as post-coup uncertainty mounts.
Niger Coup: Again, Tinubu Directs Muslim Clerics to Dialogue with Military Junta. Source: PRNigeria
President Bola Tinubu has directed the delegation of Muslim Ulamas mediating in the Niger Republic crisis to return to the junta in order to have a tentative commitment. After a closed-door with the president, Ustaz Abdullahi Bala-Lau, leader of the delegation, said that Tinubu was desirous of avoiding the use of force at resolving the crisis and restoring constitutional order to Niger.
Insurgents tell families they will kill 30 abducted women if ransoms are not paid promptly. Source: RNI
Relatives are desperate to get enough money to pay insurgents the ransoms and have called on the Borno State government or a wealthy benefactor to come to their aid.
Terrorists Abduct 42 Women in Borno. Source: Humangle
Boko Haram terrorists have recently abducted 42 women in northeastern Nigeria. The women were collecting firewood in the bush when they were kidnapped.
Attacks On Farmers Hitting Food Supply In Nigeria’s Borno State. Source: Humangle
Farmers have told HumAngle that the energy and resources they invested into their fields and crops last year were wasted because of constant attacks by terrorists. The same is happening this year.
What Niger can learn from Zimbabwe’s 2017 coup Source: DW
As Zimbabweans voted on Wednesday, August 23, many in the country believe the ruling ZANU PF and the military duped them into backing the 2017 coup that ousted longtime leader Robert Mugabe. Critics argue the new government that took power after the coup, however, has done little to improve the living conditions of Zimbabweans.
Food and aid pile up at Niger’s border as sanctions bite. Source: Reuters
The Malanville border crossing in northern Benin is one of the busiest in West Africa. Trucks with food, humanitarian aid and industrial materials usually flow freely into neighbouring Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries.
Niger Crisis: A Tipping Point In The Fight Against Extremist Insurgents?. Source: Humangle
The coup in Niger could significantly hinder Nigeria’s anti-terrorism efforts against Boko Haram and the Islamic State in North East Nigeria, destabilise the wider region, and further jeopardise democratic governance, observers say.
Niger: I Have Delivered Junta’s Message To Tinubu – Abdulsalami. Source; Daily Trust
Leader of the ECOWAS delegation to Niger Republic, retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar, says he has submitted his report on the points raised by the military junta to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Casualty Figures Show Africa Is Centre Of Islamic State Operations. Source: Humangle
The number of people the Islamic State claims it killed in Africa in two weeks of the last month is more than the number it claims to have killed in the rest of the world combined.
West Africa’s ECOWAS rejects Niger junta’s proposed three-year delay for elections. Source: Reuters
West Africa’s main regional bloc, ECOWAS, has rejected a proposal by Niger’s military junta to hold elections within three years, extending a political impasse that could trigger a military intervention if no agreement is reached following a July coup.
Troops Rescue Another Chibokgirl. Source: Daily Trust
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have disclosed it rescued another Chibok schoolgirl in Borno State. The rescued girl was among the 276 abducted school girls on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram in Chibok Community.
Uproar At Holding Pen For Surrendered Boko Haram Terrorists Triggered By ‘Poor Planning’. Source: Humangle
Hundreds of surrendered Boko Haram fighters protested the slow pace of their reintegration into society in Maiduguri, Borno State, by barricading the main highway into the city, sparking fear amongst residents.
Chad Rebel Group Threatens Military-Led Government. Source: Reuters
A Chadian rebel group on Tuesday threatened to stand up to the country’s military-led government, days after another rebel group announced an end to a 2021 ceasefire that prompted the interim president to move to the frontline. Tensions have flared again on Chad’s northern border with Libya, where fighting between rebels and the army subsided after president Idriss Deby was killed on the battlefield in 2021.
Surrendered insurgents block highway and scare residents in protest against poor living conditions. Source: RNI
Traffic came to a standstill on Friday night when at least 100 surrendered penitent insurgents blocked a highway after breaking out of a rehabilitation camp in Maiduguri to protest against their poor living conditions.
Crashed Helicopter: NAF Will Never Abandon Families of Deceased Personnel- Air Marshal Hasan. Source: PRNigeria
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar was in Port Harcourt earlier today to commiserate with the families of the deceased crew members of the ill-fated MI-171E Helicopter that crashed in Niger State on 14 August 2023.
Helicopter Crash: CAS Assures Deceased Families of NAF Support. Source: PRNigeria
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has sympatized with the families of the deceased crew members of the ill-fated MI-171E Helicopter that crashed in Niger state on 14 August 2023.
‘Why Nigeria should not lead ECOWAS to war against Niger’. Source: Guardian
Foremost Historian and expert in African borderland and regional integration, Emeritus Prof. Anthony Asiwaju, spoke with MUYIWA ADEYEMI on the danger of deploying military to resolve crisis in Niger Republic, and how to stem the tide of military coups in African.
Peace and Security
NAF To Take Delivery Of 18 Fighter Jets. Source: DailyTrust Source: Daily Trust
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, says the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) will soon take delivery of 18 attack helicopters to boost its fleet of aircraft.
Drug abuse, PTSD among Nigerian troops ‘worrisome’ – Army Chief. Source: Premium Times
The Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, says the army would organise more training to rejuvenate the fighting spirit of troops engaged in various operations across the country.
African Conflicts Displace Over 40 Million People. Source: Africa Center for Strategic Studies
An additional 3.2 million Africans have been displaced due to conflict over the past year. This represents a 13-percent increase and continues an unchecked upward trend observed since 2011. There are now an estimated 40.4 million forcibly displaced Africans (internally displaced persons, refugees, and asylum seekers), more than double the figure in 2016.
301 Artillery Regiment Commander Vows to Tackle Regional Security Challenges in Gombe. Source: JusticeWatchnews
The newly appointed Commander of the 301 Artillery Regiment Nigeria Army (General Support) in Gombe state, Col. Sule Musa Ahmed has expressed his determination to address security challenges in the region.
Why The Support of All Nigerians Matter To The Military. JusticeWatchNews
A nation’s national power comes in both tangible and intangible components. A strong and virile military force is a credible and tangible addition to a nation’s power and when combined with intangible components like strong economy and national will, a nation’s national power becomes effective.
Humanitarian
Niger Crisis: Cow, Sheep Shortage Looms As Border Closure Bites Harder. Source: Daily Trust
Importation of cattle, camel, sheep, dates (Dabino) and other food items from Niger Republic has been grounded following the closure of borders by Nigerian authorities as part of efforts to restore civil authority to the neighbouring country, Daily Trust reports.
Nigerians spend over half of their earnings on food, worst globally – Report. Source: Premium Times
Data compiled by Picodi, an international e-commerce organisation, shows that the average Nigerian household spends about 59 per cent of its income on food.
Cost Of Living Crisis: Nigerian Farm Labourers Suffer As Food Prices Rocket. Source: Humangle
People who have spent a decade displaced from their own farms in Nigeria’s North East have been finding work labouring on other people’s land. But now, the crisis in the cost of living has suddenly pushed basic staples out of reach of their wages
Residents of Maiduguri call on Borno State government to lift ban on motorbikes. RN
The high cost of living, and particularly the major spike in the petrol price – brought about when President Bola Tinubu announced that the fuel subsidy would be suspended from July 1 – has prompted Maiduguri residents to call on the Borno State government to lift the ban on the use of motorbikes in the city.
West Africa and the cost of living crises. Source: PremiumTimes
There is also an urgent need for measures to improve access to credit, especially for economic actors lower down the ladder.
How rising unemployment, others worsen school dropout rate. Source: The Guardian
With the majority of Nigerian graduates unable to secure jobs after their schooling, many are having second thoughts about acquiring tertiary education. These groups of students believe the time spent in school is a waste if, after graduating, they still have to resort to learning handwork or vocational skills to survive. Adelowo Adebumiti examines the situation.
In The Absence Of Aid. Humanitarian Voices: Episode 2. Source: Humangle
#HumanitarianVoices, we highlight the experiences of displaced women in Borno, Nigeria, in the absence of aid. Just how important is aid to them, especially now that they have been resettled in towns outside the state capital?
Defining The Vulnerable. Humanitarian Voices: Episode 1. Source: Humangle
The first episode of our new podcast #HumanitarianVoices is live today! In it, our CEO (@A_Salkida) sits with a member of the @ICRC team to discuss humanitarian aid in Africa.
Flooding In Maiduguri Displaces Residents As Poor Drainage Systems Fail To Cope. Source: Humangle
Maiduguri residents turn to canoes for commuting as heavy rains cause devastating floods, forcing residents to leave poorly designed homes. Inadequate drainage systems contribute to the crisis despite prior warnings.
Government urged to declare a state of emergency on malaria to fight the world’s ‘deadliest killer’. Source: Ndarason
The country’s death toll from the disease makes up nearly a third of the world’s 619,000 malaria deaths a year. To mark World Mosquito Day on Sunday, August 20, Amobi Ogah, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on malaria, emphasising the grave threat the disease posed to the country’s citizenry.
Town in Chad Helps 200,000 Sudanese Refugees; ‘We Care About Them’: Source: VOA
More than 200,000 refugees fleeing Sudan’s civil war have arrived in the town of Adre, Chad, since the middle of June. Before the crisis, the town had a recorded population of just 40,000. In this report, Henry Wilkins asks Adre residents and newly arrived refugees what they are doing to help the influx of new residents.
‘Foreign NGOs provided humanitarian aid to 40m Nigerians in 2022’. Source: Guardian
Nigeria International Non-Governmental Organisations Forum (NIF) has said amid prevailing insecurity and other challenges in the country, INGOs provided life-saving assistance to over 40million vulnerable citizens last year.
Stabilization and economic development
Fuel Price Crisis: Is Inflation Killing The Roadside Restaurant, And Millions Of Women’s Jobs?. Source: Humangle
Life before the fuel subsidy removal was not a walk in the park for Rifkatu Dodo, but with this new development, she is at risk of losing the small business she had kept afloat for over a decade. She is not alone.
Subsidy: Zulum raises palliatives’ target to 400,000 Borno households. Source: Blue Print
With President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s grant, Borno state governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, Tuesday, raised the state’s palliatives target from 300,000 to 400,000 households. Governor Zulum had on August 1, 2023, while launching a new phase of palliatives’ distribution, announced a target of 300,000 households. With the recent announcement of N5 billion intervention to states, Governor Zulum said he was raising his initial target by additional 100,000 households, which would multiply to 600,000 individuals.
