Regional News
Hunters kill Boko Haram commander, deputy in Borno; retrieve weapons. Source: PremiumTimes
A group of hunters, popular in Borno for fighting armed robbers and kidnappers, earlier in the week shot and killed a Boko Haram commander and his deputy during a gun duet in Shafa Taku village, in the southern part of the state. The two commanders were known for leading a gang of the proscribed group to perpetrate terror on rural communities in the area. From Shaffa Taku, the Islamist militants set out every day to terrorise folks in Mandaragirau in Biu local government, Sabon Gari in Damboa and other fringe villages in Askira-Uba council areas. Residents said they forcefully collect taxes, loot foodstuff and rustle livestock in these communities. They have killed many villagers as well, PREMIUM TIMES was told. To put an end to the unbridled act of terror, the community contacted the hunters’ group under the leadership of a man, Yohanna, to come to their aid. The hunters reportedly stormed the Shafa Taku axis of Sambisa Forest, where they confronted the insurgents.
How Nigerian Troops Killed 18 Bandits, Rescued 152 Abductees – DHQ. Source: PRNIgeria
The operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Police and other security agencies. The security situation across the six geo-political zones of the country remains dynamic. There has been sustained efforts to build on the success so far achieved in the various theatres. The operational brief covers from 19 May – 2 June 2022.
Chadian Children Wounded In Grenade Explosion. Source: HumAngle
Three children in the Chad Talata quarter in the eighth district of the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, escaped death on Wednesday, June 1, when the grenade they were playing with exploded. The children sustained different degrees of injuries. “Nobody knows where they found the grenade, but they brought it to the house and started playing with it,” the father of one of the children told HumAngle. HumAngle understands that one of the kids pulled out the grenade’s security pin. “Immediately after he pulled out the pin, the grenade exploded. The children in front of the big boy who pulled the pin were seriously affected by the explosion,” one of the parents of the victims revealed.
Police Shoot Journalist Covering Protest Against Extrajudicial Killing. Source: HumAngle
A journalist with The Nation newspaper in Osun State, Southwest Nigeria, has been shot by police officers while covering a protest against extrajudicial killings in Osogbo, the state capital. Toba Adedeji was said to have joined some youth who gathered under Olaiya flyover Osogbo to protest the alleged killing of their colleague, Afolabi Abiola, by police officers. Some police officers allegedly killed Abiola while on the trail of internet fraudsters in the state on Monday, April 11, 2022. Yemisi Opalola, the Police spokesperson in Osun State, said in a statement that Olawale Olokode, Commissioner of Police in Osun, has directed the investigation to unravel the circumstances leading to the killing of Abiola.
Cameroon Soldiers Kill 12 Separatist Fighters; Rescue Abducted Senator. Source: HumAngle
At least 12 separatist fighters were killed during a gun battle between the separatists and soldiers of the Cameroon army’s elite Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) on Monday, May 30. The troop raided the separatist hideout in Ashong, Batibo district of Momo division in the Northwest region of Cameroon and rescued Elizabeth Regina Mundi, a Senator of the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement (CPDM), who was kidnapped on Saturday, April 30, 2022. According to Capt. Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo, the Head of the Communication Division in the Ministry of Defence, the soldiers arrested three separatist fighters and freed other hostages.
MNJTF Eliminates 25 ISWAP Terrorists, Loses Civilian JTF Member. Source: PRNigeria
The Multinational Joint Task Force MNJTF ) in its bid to curb the menace of terrorism in the Lake Chad Region, have continued to make impressive gains in the ongoing Operation LAKE SANITY. MNJTF troops from Nigeria and Chad alongside Operation HADIN KAI stormed the general area of Tumbun Rago, Tumbun Dilla and Jamina settlement deep inside the Lake Chad Islands. The troops alongside the follow up air strikes by the MNJTF/Operation HADIN KAI led to the neutralization of over twenty five (25) terrorists as well as the recovery of 1 AK-47 Rifle,1 Anti Aircraft gun, hundreds of assorted ammunition. Also, 1 Gun truck bearing Cameroon Gendarmes Logo loaded with fuel was captured and destroyed, household items including uniforms and eleven (11) BH/ ISWAP motorcycles were captured and burnt while two (2) water-pumping machine were also recovered and the entire camp thoroughly burnt.
Insecurity: Three security personnel, 72 others killed by non-state actors last week. Source: PremiumTimes
The same week (May 22 – 28) political activities were at their peak, non-state actors did not relent as a total of 75 persons were killed. The figure this week indicates an increase when compared to the previous week when 20 people were killed. One of the victims was a military officer, two were police officers while the remaining 72 were civilians. Of the 12 incidents that took place across five geopolitical zones, one was that of the killing of at least 30 persons in Rann, Borno State. PREMIUM TIMES compiled the incidents from media reports. Thus, unreported cases are not included. Members of the Boko Haram terrorist group killed four Fulani herders in Borno state. Zagazola Makama, a Counter-insurgency Expert and Security Analyst disclosed this in a tweet on Monday.
Anti-Banditry: Troops Foil Attacks, Eliminate Fleeing Bandit-Terrorists in Niger, Kebbi States. Source: PRNigeria
Nigerian military troops have eliminated over 35 armed bandits in Dutsen Argida and Magaman Daji communities in Niger State. The terrorists, who PRNigeria learnt emerged from Birnin Gwari forest, in Kaduna State, were reported to have invaded the two communities located in Rijau Local Government Area, via Kontagora town and Kwimo village. However, soldiers from a military base in Warari, a densely-populated town in Rijau, were swiftly mobilized, for a response operation, and succeeded in neutralizing some of the bandits. A military intelligence officer, who was involved in the operation, told PRNigeria that troops, with the support of armed vigilantes engaged the bandit-terrorists, who invaded Dutsen Argida and Magaman Daji, in a convoy of motorcycles.
#AK9TrainPassengers: Two Months After, Government Yet To Take Proactive Steps As Victims Remain In Captivity. Source: HumAngle
It’s been two months since terrorists carried out a deadly attack on a train transporting passengers between Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, and Kaduna in the Northwest. The March 28 attack and abduction triggered public outrage, revealing the nexus between terrorists in Northwest and Northeast Nigeria. While eight persons were confirmed killed in the incident, many others were kidnapped and are still missing, with some of their families saying they were been contacted by the abductors only in the days following the attack. Since then, they have heard nothing. But two months after the incident, authorities are yet to give updates on efforts in place to secure the release of the victims.
Clashes between Chad gold miners leave 100 dead. Source: BBC
Fighting between informal gold miners in a remote part of northern Chad has left around 100 people dead and 40 injured, the government says. What began as a “mundane dispute between two individuals… degenerated”, Defence Minister Daoud Yaya Brahim told the AFP news agency. The mountainous Kouri Bougoudi district near the Libyan border attracts miners from across Chad and its neighbours. The clashes occurred last week but details are only emerging now. Some groups have put the death toll higher than the authorities, and have blamed the security forces for a number of the deaths. The government sent a mission to the affected area – about 1,000km (620 miles) north-east of the capital, N’Djamena – when news of violence first came through. A large military contingent has restored calm to the area, Gen Brahim is quoted by AFP as saying.
He added that the clashes were between people from Mauritania and Libya. But last week, Mahamat Nour Ibedou, the head of Chad’s National Human Rights Commission, said the soldiers who were sent to intervene “fired on people”, AFP quotes him as saying. He, and an opposition leader, put the death toll at 200, but the authorities deny this and say they were not responsible, AFP reports. All gold mining activities in Kouri Bougoudi have now been suspended.
Army Chief Charges Media on Patriotism, National Security. Source: PRNigeria
Army Chief Charges Media on Patriotism, National Security. The need for media and information experts to be responsive and patriotic on issues relating to national security has been re-echoed as a catalyst for a united, secured and peaceful Nigeria. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya affirmed this on Monday 30 May 2022, while declaring open the Directorate of Army Public Relations (DAPR) Media Workshop 2022, at the Headquarters 3 Division Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos. The COAS, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Division and Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN, Major General Ibrahim Ali, pointed out the need for the media to be responsive and patriotic on issues relating to national security to promote national cohesion and stability. Speaking on the theme: “Conflict Sensitive Communication, Patriotism and Positive Media Reportage in a joint Environment” the COAS stated that the workshop was timely and necessary in view of the security challenges facing the country.
Again, Bandits Abduct Scores of Passenger, Set Vehicles Ablaze. Source: PRNigeria
Again, Bandits Abduct Scores of Passenger, Set Vehicles Ablaze. Today 31st May, 2022, terrorists along Birnin-Gwari- Kaduna highway intercepted a convoy of motorists with security escorts between Kuriga and Manini near Udawa and prey on unspecified number of people that were abducted into the bush. In the last four days terrorists had lay siege on motorists on Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway, abducting as well as killing and wounded many innocent citizens, yet our people are reduced to silence mode with no reportage of the ugly situation nor any move by the authorities to show concerned on the deteriorating security around Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway. In the sad event today, eight vehicles were set ablaze by the terrorists, while unaccounted number of innocent motorists mostly women and Children were waylaid into the bush by the terrorists for ransom. It is evidently, clear, that, unholy marriage of bandits and Ansaru ( Boko Haram) has declared a total war on our people, yet the political will by the authorities to honour their oaths of office to protect Lives and Property of our citizens remains a mirage.
Rival Terrorists Group Clash In Northwest Nigeria. Source: HumAngle
Several terrorists, including leading members of two feuding armed groups in Northwest Nigeria died after they pointed their guns against each other on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. The incident occurred after deadly clashes between fighters linked to Bello Turji and another terror kingpin known simply as Dullu in the Maniya area of Shinkafi in Zamfara State, according to a source, The terrorists also rustled hundreds of animals during the attack. Rival clashes are frequent among the terror groups terrorising communities and commuters in the northwest and parts of the Northcentral.
Rival Terrorists Group Clash In Northwest Nigeria. Source: HumAngle
Dozens of terrorists have died in a feud between two rival terror groups in Zamfara, Northwest Nigeria. Several terrorists, including leading members of two feuding armed groups in Northwest Nigeria died after they pointed their guns against each other on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. The incident occurred after deadly clashes between fighters linked to Bello Turji and another terror kingpin known simply as Dullu in the Maniya area of Shinkafi in Zamfara State, according to a source. The terrorists also rustled hundreds of animals during the attack. Rival clashes are frequent among the terror groups terrorising communities and commuters in the northwest and parts of the Northcentral.
Nigeria’s Separatist Keyboard Armies Using Twitter, Facebook To Amplify Propaganda. Source: HumAngle
Keyboard armies of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) exploit Twitter and Facebook in various ways to shape conversations and spread inciting messages, fake news, and separatist propaganda. The microblogging site has become an integral part of IPOB’s campaign, supporting its agitation for the breakaway of Nigeria’s southeastern region. However, Twitter’s reach and gaps in the filtering system have made the platform suitable for running troll accounts and disseminating misinformation. The group is linked with the rapid deterioration of security in the Southeast. Armed conflict in the area and the frequent attacks on security forces and government facilities surged after forming a militant wing in Dec. 2020. This happened despite the designation of IPOB as a terrorist group and security interventions, including raids and the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the group’s leader.
#AK9Train: Two Mums, A Dad In Captivity Breaks Children’s Hearts Across 3 Families. Source: Humangle
Sherifat Abdulfatai, Rashida Abdullateef, and Kazeem Abdulazeez have been in captivity since the unfortunate abduction of over 60 passengers from an Abuja-Kaduna bound train on March 28, 2022. Between them, they have about 11 children now missing their mummies and daddy.
Peace and Security
ANALYSIS: Can Africa’s Standby Force match up to current security threats? Source: PremiumTimes
In April, seven East African Community countries agreed to establish a regional military force to restore stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where violence by militia groups is ongoing. This is not the first ad hoc coalition of troops deployed in crisis-affected African countries. In 2021, Rwanda and Southern African Development Community (SADC) states sent two separate missions to northern Mozambique to fight the insurgency there. The African Union (AU) endorsed the SADC Mission in Mozambique, but only after it was deployed. Other similar arrangements include the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel, the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin, and the AU Regional Task Force Against the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda. None of these deployments was in line with the AU’s African Standby Force (ASF) as it was initially conceived. They don’t follow the mandating processes, deployment timelines and the six conflict and mission scenarios. This raises questions about the relevance and viability of the ASF.
ANALYSIS: Ansaru’s comeback in Nigeria deepens terror threat. Source: PremiumTimes
The resurgence of Ansaru, Boko Haram’s breakaway faction, with its al-Qaeda backing, threatens national and regional security. For much of the past decade, Ansaru has largely been an outlier on the terrorism threat landscape. But the group is making a comeback in Nigeria – and is more dangerous than ever. Ansaru claims to defend the interests of Islam in communities where its presence has largely been contained. It was formed in 2012 as a breakaway Boko Haram faction after a disagreement between ‘moderates’ and ‘hardliners’. There are three worrying signs of Ansaru’s resurgence: its increased links to abductions and banditry, its connections to other violent extremist groups, and the ability to win over local communities with its ‘hearts and minds’ campaign. These activities are driving up instability in the region. To counteract the group, governments need to provide better security and services for local populations. Ansaru is especially active in Nigeria’s North-West and North-Central zones, where banditry and abductions have soared in recent years. The group is believed to have provided weapons and other support to bandits behind attacks in the North-West. This claim is supported by accounts of police raids on a bandit camp in Kuduru forest in Kaduna State, with which Ansaru is linked. Kidnappings are another vital tool the group uses to sustain and expand its activities.
Insecurity could worsen ahead of general elections, says report. Source: Guardian
Struggle for power ahead of the 2023 elections has the potential to heighten conflict, especially given security agencies’ poor response to emergencies and distress calls. This position was reached in a study conducted by development experts at Nextier, a leading policy think-tank. The report was authored by Dr. Iro Aghedo, an Associate Consultant at Nextier SPD and a Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, as well as Dr. Ndu Nwokolo, a Managing Partner and Chief Executive at Nextier SPD and an Honorary Fellow, School of Government and Society, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. The group asserts that with the elite’s desperation to capture power in the elections, there is widespread apprehension that violent cases, including assassinations, might escalate.
Mali refutes UN report on alleged army killings. Source: BBC
Mali has denied allegations in a UN report that its national army (Fama) carried out human rights violations. A report by the country’s UN mission, Minusma, released last week highlighted alleged gross rights abuses by the Malian army between January and March this year. It attributed to Fama an “exponential rise” in abuses, including summary executions and forced disappearances, in its quarterly report on 26 May. On Wednesday Mali’s foreign affairs ministry issued a memo offering detailed rebuttals to various parts of the UN report.
ANALYSIS: Ansaru’s comeback in Nigeria deepens terror threat. Source:
For much of the past decade, Ansaru has largely been an outlier on the terrorism threat landscape. But the group is making a comeback in Nigeria – and is more dangerous than ever. Ansaru claims to defend the interests of Islam in communities where its presence has largely been contained. It was formed in 2012 as a breakaway Boko Haram faction after a disagreement between ‘moderates’ and ‘hardliners’. There are three worrying signs of Ansaru’s resurgence: its increased links to abductions and banditry, its connections to other violent extremist groups, and the ability to win over local communities with its ‘hearts and minds’ campaign. These activities are driving up instability in the region. To counteract the group, governments need to provide better security and services for local populations. Ansaru is especially active in Nigeria’s North-West and North-Central zones, where banditry and abductions have soared in recent years. The group is believed to have provided weapons and other support to bandits behind attacks in the North-West. This claim is supported by accounts of police raids on a bandit camp in Kuduru forest in Kaduna State, with which Ansaru is linked. Kidnappings are another vital tool the group uses to sustain and expand its activities.
African Leaders Call For Withdrawal Of Foreign Mercenaries From Africa. Source: HumAngle
African leaders over the weekend called for the retreat of all foreign mercenaries from the African continent. They made the resolution at the 16th extraordinary session of the Conference of African Heads of State and Government on terrorism and anti-constitutional changes in the continent that just ended in Malabo, the Equato-Guinean capital. The African leaders indicated that “the resurgence of anti-constitutional changes of government, the expansion of the threat of terrorism and violent extremism in the continent, including the influx of foreign terrorist combatants, private military outfits and mercenaries, the proliferation of armed groups as well as organised transnational criminality, have a negative impact on peace, security, stability, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of certain member states”. They “called for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of foreign terrorist combatants and mercenaries from the continent” and called on the African Union Commission to “accelerate the conclusion of the revision of the Organisation of African Unity Convention on mercenaries”.
That Summit of Global Coalition Against ISIS. Source: PRNigeria
Occasioned by the continuous attacks being carried out by the terrorists across various lengths and breadths of the world (especially in Middle East and Africa), which poses significant threat to the international peace and security and continuous harmony, the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) lately converged in Marrakesh, Morocco and brainstormed on the roadmap for stemming the rising tides of terrorism. The parley, held on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 was co-chaired by the Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita and the United State Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken.
Nigeria Has Highest Number Of Death-Row Inmates In Sub-Saharan Africa – Report. Source: HumAngle
Nigeria has the highest number of death-row inmates in sub-Saharan Africa, Amnesty International says in its annual review of the global death penalty. HumAngle reviews the human rights institution report made available on its website on Tuesday, May 24. The global rights body said as of Dec. 2021 when its research was conducted, facilities across sub-Saharan Africa hosted no fewer than 5,841 death-row inmates. Of the total figure, Nigeria has 3,036 death-row inmates which is over 52 per cent.
Military Alarm and Moles Within Security Circles. Source: PRNigeria
Security threats in the country have been aggravated, lately. But it is not the handiwork of armed bandits. Kidnappers. Ritualists. Boko Haram terrorists. The Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, fighters. And other criminal elements, alone. It is also by some treacherous men and officers wearing the green military camouflage. Atrociously, soldiers (and in some cases even senior military officers) now work in concert with criminals and their daredevil gangs. In cahoot with bandits, and terrorists, most especially, compromised soldiers as collaborators of criminal elements, are undermining the Nigerian Armed Forces’ efforts to tackle the North East insurgency; banditry in the North West and Central, together with violent secessionist agitations and other life-snuffing crimes in other parts of the country. Just few weeks ago, no fewer than three soldiers were arrested for collaborating with terrorists in Zamfara State. While one was arrested for selling ammunition at 100,000 each, two others were nabbed for collaborating with terrorists.
Factcheck: Russia Claims U.S. Is Making Bioweapons In Nigeria. True? Source: HumAngle
One of the reasons given by Russia to justify its invasion of Ukraine is that it is trying to prevent the development of biological weapons by the United States. Somehow, Nigeria has now found its name in this web of controversy. Key takeaways:
- The laboratories pictured in the graphic shared by the Russian government are not secret facilities and were set up to contain outbreaks of diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDs, Ebola, and COVID-19.
- Though they receive funding support from the U.S. government, there is no evidence any of the laboratories are militarised or used for anything other than promoting public health and safety.
- The United States invests in biological laboratories as a way of addressing emerging infectious threats in partner countries before they spread to other parts of the world, including its territories.
- There is no evidence supporting the claim that the latest monkeypox outbreak was caused by pathogens released from a laboratory.
- Nigeria likely does not have the expertise and equipment required to safely research and manage highly contagious agents.
Humanitarian
265,604 Borno Residents To Benefit From Mercy Corps’ $18 million Intervention Project. Source: HumAngle
Mercy Corps has kickstarted a one year program to address challenges faced by IDPs in six selected LGAs of Borno state. An international Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Mercy Corps, has rolled out a multi-million dollar humanitarian intervention project to save lives and prevent more suffering among people displaced by the insurgency in Northeast Nigeria. The project, which cuts across seven thematic aspects of human endeavour, is expected to reach an estimated 265,604 persons in one year. USAID funds it under Mercy Corps’ Addressing Diverse and Acute Primary Threat (ADAPT) II to Human Security in Northeast Nigeria II. James Akai, Mercy Corps’ Humanitarian and Sustainable Solution Director, said ADAPT II is a continuation of a first phase that recently wound up.
Congo Brazzaville Donates $2 Million To Address Humanitarian Challenges In Africa. Source: HumAngle
African leaders have started making commitments to address humanitarian crises on the continent after the 16th extraordinary summit of the African Union in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on terrorism and unconstitutional changes of governments in Africa. President Denis Sassou N’Guesso of the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) has announced that his country is donating two million US dollars towards tackling the humanitarian crises in Africa. The announcement was on the heels of the 16th extraordinary summit of the African Union in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on terrorism and unconstitutional changes of governments in Africa.
AU leaders seek home-grown solutions for continent’s ‘alarming’ humanitarian situation. Source: rfi
Around 20 heads of state as well as donors are expected in the Equatorial Guinean capital, Malabo, to raise funds at the AU’s first “extraordinary humanitarian summit” taking place this Friday. According to AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, 113 million Africans need urgent humanitarian assistance this year, including 48 million refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people (IDPs). The AU said 15 particularly hard-hit countries required urgent aid, with climate shocks and conflicts rauiring humanitarian assistance to increase “exponentially”. African Union leaders are meeting in Equatorial Guinea for two summits as the continent contends with humanitarian crises, terrorism and military coups.
Nigeria’s Deradicalisation Programme For Terrorists Has No Place For Women. Source: HumAngle
Nigeria’s deradicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration programme, codenamed Operation Safe Corridor (OSC), is ideal to cater for people like Hafsah; victims of the insurgency who were abducted and forcefully indoctrinated and subsequently became radicalised. However, the programme has come under heavy criticism. HumAngle spoke to graduates who said they were kept in unbearable conditions and often left without food. They also said that the process of their admission was not structured as there had been no screening to ascertain if they were truly deserters. They said they had never had anything to do with Boko Haram and yet were admitted into the programme against their will. In 2017, during the first cohort in the current model being used, six people were admitted: three women and three men. Though hundreds of people are now being admitted yearly, no women have been admitted since. HumAngle spoke to the three women in the first cohort about their experiences and found that they had all been abductees of the terror group who had escaped, and not necessarily Boko Haram surrenders or deserters.
Children’s Day: As Insecurity Rages, Nigerian Children Are In The Line Of Fire. Source: HumAngle
On May 27, Nigeria celebrates Children’s Day as it has done since 1964. In addition to the festivities and celebrations of Children’s Day, this date also serves to recognise that children have the right to health, education, and protection. However, there is a cause for alarm over the safety of children in the country and the state of their education. Nigeria continues to record daily cases of insecurity; kidnappings, and bullying leading to death. This is in addition to millions of out-of-school children. Kidnappings of students for ransom by armed extremist groups and terrorists have become popular in northern Nigeria, with over 1,000 pupils abducted in 2021. Since December 2020, 11,536 schools in Nigeria have been closed over abductions and other security concerns, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Nigerian Rural Community Stuck In Water Crisis. A Nonprofit Takes A Photo, And It Tilts The Narrative. Source: HumAngle
Water scarcity is not uncommon in many parts of the world. In Nigeria, safe and potable drinking water remains a luxury, especially in rural communities like Akinleye. Nigeria is said to be making some progress in improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene to its population, with 70 per cent of the population having access to basic drinking water. However, the quantity and quality of water for individual use is lower than the required standard. The average quantity of water each person receives in Nigeria is nine litres per day. The minimum acceptable range is between 12 litres and 16 litres per day, according to national standards. A report released in 2019 by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said that about 60 million Nigerians or 33 per cent of the population, do not have access to clean water. Kadiri Kadijat noticed the trend in rural communities in Kwara State. In 2017, the senior lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, started The Grassroots Aid Initiative (TGAI), a nonprofit that uses photography to raise awareness on the difficulties people in rural parts of the country face getting safe water.
Nigerian Gov’t Urged To Implement Safe Schools Declaration. Source: HumAngle
Nigeria’s Children’s Parliament has appealed to the government to see to the implementation of the Safe Schools declaration to ensure the safety and security of children and their schools across the country. Ibrahim Sanna Sunoma, Speaker of the Borno State Children Parliament, said the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration would put an end to all the attacks against children as well as other acts violating their fundamental rights. “We are now pushing for the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, which if indeed implemented will cater to all these problems of safe school, and attacks on schools,” Sunoma said in Abuja on Thursday, May 26, during a press conference to mark the end of a 2-day capacity building training for principal officers of state children’s parliament and girl ambassadors, organised by the Save the Children International.
‘We Wouldn’t Suffer As Much If My Husband Were Here’. Source: HumAngle
There are tens of thousands of people who have gone missing in Nigeria, most of them as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it has documented at least 24,000 of such cases. This is more than half the number of people recorded as missing across Africa. Yet, the ICRC recently assured, the figure “is only the tip of the iceberg and the full scale of the humanitarian fallout in Nigeria remains largely unknown”. One of the commonest causes is arbitrary arrests by the military of people faintly suspected of being terrorists or supporting the insurgent groups. The international research and advocacy group, Amnesty International, noted in a 2016 report that after the Nigerian army regained control of places occupied by Boko Haram in 2015, it arrested hundreds of young men, especially people fleeing from communities in Banki and Bama. Based on witness testimonies, the group found that the “arrests were arbitrary, largely based on random profiling of men, especially young men, rather than on reasonable suspicion of having committed a criminal offence”.
A Military Officer Locked Up Her Husband, Then Proposed To Marry Her. Source: HumAngle
Between 2014 and 2015 when the Bama Hospital Camp was set up in Borno for people displaced by the insurgency, serious human rights violations, especially sexual abuse, were recorded. Falmata Abubakar is one woman who was continuously victimised by the man who detained her husband. In 2016, three army personnel were arrested for raping displaced women, following a report by Human Rights Watch which documented cases of 47 women and girls being raped across six IDP camps in Borno. HumAngle found the same situation in a report in 2020. Falmata was aware of all these and determined not to let it happen to her. And so she never took his food. She believed that would be enough.
Stabilization and economic development
HumAngle, CSOs In Adamawa Rub Minds On Transparency In Humanitarian Funding. Source: HumAngle
The management of HumAngle media on Thursday, May 26, engaged Yola-based Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria, on reducing corruption and enhancing accountability in humanitarian funding, in conflict-affected areas. HumAngle, a niche media outfit that focuses on conflict, insecurity, development and the environment, has reported extensively on humanitarian crises in Northeast Nigeria in the last two years. During the roundtable discussion, the CSOs shared experiences, problems faced while carrying out community outreaches, and how lack of accountability worsens insecurity and humanitarian problems, especially in the BAY states: Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe. Participants also explored the potential for collaboration among other CSOs and CBOs and building relationships with the media in the BAY states for maximum impact.
