{"id":53973,"date":"2026-02-20T07:20:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T06:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/?p=53973"},"modified":"2026-02-20T07:20:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T06:20:18","slug":"weekly-press-review-january-13-19-february-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/weekly-press-review-january-13-19-february-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Press Review January 13-19 February, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Regional News <\/strong><\/p>\n

117 Repentant Terrorists Complete Rehabilitation Programme<\/a>No fewer than 117 repentant terrorists from Borno State have completed the Disarmament, Rehabilitation and Reintegration programme under Operation Safe Corridor, as the initiative expands to the North West. This is, as the Benue State Government has requested, the establishment of a DRR camp in the North Central region.<\/p>\n

Terrorists kill 34 fasting Muslims in Kebbi latest attack – Vanguard News<\/a> Jihadist fighters have killed dozens of people and destroyed seven villages in raids in Kebbi state, the police told AFP Thursday. Members of the Lakurawa group attacked villages in the Bui district of Arewa northern region at around 1:15 pm (1215 GMT) Wednesday, said Kebbi state police spokesman Bashir\u00a0Usman.<\/p>\n

NANS Protests Alleged Maltreatment Of Nigerian Students In India – Daily Trust<\/a> T<\/strong>he National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at the Indian High Commission in Abuja over what it described as \u201calarming reports\u201d of harassment, discrimination and inhumane treatment of Nigerian students studying in India.<\/p>\n

Defence Headquarters Announces Arrival Of US Troops In Bauchi – Daily Trust<\/a> The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Monday announced the arrival of about 100 United States military personnel at the Bauchi Airfield to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria in training and intelligence-sharing operations. In a statement, Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the deployment followed formal<\/p>\n

Oil Workers: Job Losses Loom Over Tinubu\u2019s Executive Order – Daily Trust<\/a> Massive job losses loom in Nigeria\u2019s oil and industry on account of\u00a0 President Bola Tinubu\u2019s recent Executive Order directing the restructuring of oil and gas revenue remittances to the Federation Account and removing the 30 percent management fee previously retained by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, on<\/p>\n

Military Launches New Operation Against Terrorists In Kwara, Niger – Daily Trust<\/a> The Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, has pledged a \u201csustained military offensive against terrorists and criminal networks\u201d in Kwara and Niger states with the formal launch of Operation Savannah Shield. The ceremony took place at Sobi Barracks, headquarters of the multi-agency operation approved by<\/p>\n

ISWAP raid kills eight Nigerian soldiers as jihadist attacks intensify in northeast | Africanews<\/a> At least eight Nigerian soldiers have been killed and 23 others wounded after a deadly raid by jihadists linked to the Islamic State in the country\u2019s northeast. Security sources say around 70 fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province stormed a military base in Cross Kauwa village in Borno State on Monday, arriving on motorcycles and launching a fierce gun battle.<\/p>\n

Nigeria missing as five African countries hit 2025 malaria reduction target – The Nation Newspaper<\/a> Five African countries have met the 2025\u00a0Malaria<\/a>\u00a0Reduction Target, while Nigeria was conspicuously missing, according to the Africa Malaria Progress Report 2035. Cape Verde, Algeria, Botswana, Eritrea, and Rwanda achieved the 2025 Catalytic Framework goal of reducing malaria incidence or deaths by 75 per cent, the report revealed.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.premiumtimesng.com\/news\/top-news\/857650-updated-tinubu-signs-electoral-act-amendment-bill-2026-into-law-commends-lawmakers-for-preventing-potential-hacking.html<\/a> President Bola<\/a>\u00a0Tinubu on Wednesday signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law, despite agitations from Nigerians over a controversial clause that makes electronic transmission of election results optional. The president assented to the bill during a brief ceremony at the Presidential Villa attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio,<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.premiumtimesng.com\/business\/business-news\/857566-nigeria-iea-seal-pact-on-methane-reduction-clean-cooking-expansion.html<\/a> The federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Energy Agency (IEA) to strengthen cooperation on methane emissions reduction, gas development, clean cooking access and technical support in Nigeria. The development was disclosed in a statement issued<\/p>\n

French tourist found dead in Chad after falling off cliff | Reuters<\/a> PARIS\/N’DJAMENA, Feb 13 (Reuters) – The Chadian army has found the body of a French national who went missing in recent days in the country’s north-east, local authorities said on Friday, adding that early indications point to an accidental fall. The mayor of Amdjarass said the army leading the search informed him earlier this Friday that the tourist had been found dead, and that local medical staff confirmed the death.<\/p>\n

Nigeria’s food inflation drops to 14-year low<\/a> Nigeria recorded single-digit food inflation of 8.89 per cent in January, after over a decade of high staple food prices, a report by the\u00a0National Bureau of Statistic<\/a>s (NBS) showed. The NBS inflation report showed that the drop in the food inflation rate is the lowest recorded in the last 14 years, when food inflation stood at 8.66 per cent in August 2011.<\/p>\n

Terrorists slash N30m ransom, give one-day ultimatum to families of abducted fishermen in Borno – Yerwa Express News<\/a> Residents of Doron Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State are in panic following a fresh ultimatum issued by suspected Boko Haram terrorists who abducted seven fishermen in the community.<\/p>\n

Nigeria among countries with highest child soldier recruitment – UN<\/a> Nigeria has been listed among countries with some of the highest cases of child recruitment by armed groups, according to the\u00a0United Nations<\/a>. The disclosure was made ahead of the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, observed annually on 12 February, as the UN raised concerns over the continued use of children in armed conflicts worldwide.<\/p>\n

Nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths occur in war-prone countries \u2013 WHO<\/a> Nearly two-thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries marked by conflict or fragility, a report released on Tuesday by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners has shown. The brief was produced by WHO and an inter-agency group that includes the UN agencies for development, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, as well as the World Bank.<\/p>\n

37 Killed In Gas Leak At Plateau Mine – Daily Trust<\/a> No fewer than 37 miners were killed in Kampani Zurak community of Wase local government area of Plateau state following a carbon monoxide leak in the early hours of Wednesday. Safiyanu Haruna, a miner in the community who confirmed the incident, said that over 20 victims who sustained injuries in the incident had been rushed to a hospital in Wase town for treatment.<\/p>\n

Commuters, Drivers Lament Insecurity On Damaturu\u2013Biu Highway – Daily Trust<\/a> Commercial drivers and other road users have urged the federal government and the Borno State Government to reconstruct the 85-kilometre Damaturu\u2013Biu Road, which links five local government areas in Yobe and Borno states. Residents expressed frustration over the poor condition of the road, saying it has led to longer travel<\/p>\n

FG Resumes N28bn Maiduguri-Monguno Road Work After 8 Years<\/a> The federal government has resumed rehabilitation works on the Maiduguri-Monguno road corridor after eight years of delay caused by\u00a0\u00a0 insecurity. The Director of Infomation, Federal Ministry of Works, Muhammad Ahmad, who disclosed this shortly after the tour of the project and the inauguration ceremony heralding the Kaga-Gubio road work\u00a0 in Maiduguri on Wednesday<\/p>\n

Nigerian Army’s 2026 Budget Approved by N’Assembly<\/a> The National Assembly on Monday approved a budget proposal of N1.50tn for the Nigerian Army for the 2026 fiscal year, pledging legislative backing to ensure the timely release of funds for its implementation. The approval followed a joint budget defence session held in Abuja by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Army, where the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen.<\/p>\n

Troops Recover \u20a637m, Kill Boko Haram Commander In Borno \u2022 Channels Television<\/a> Troops of the Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have intercepted a suspicious vehicle and recovered approximately \u20a637 million in cash, alongside multiple mobile phones suspected to be linked to terrorist activities, in Borno State.<\/p>\n

Nigeria opens probe into Temu over suspected data protection breaches | Reuters<\/a> ABUJA, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s data watchdog has opened a probe into Chinese-owned e-commerce giant Temu for suspected data-law violations, the regulator said on Tuesday, a move that could usher in legal penalties in one of Africa’s biggest markets.<\/p>\n

Seven Ghanaian traders killed in Burkina Faso by suspected Islamists, Ghana says | Reuters<\/a> ACCRA, Feb 16 (Reuters) – Seven Ghanaian tomato traders were killed when Islamist insurgents attacked the town of Titao in northern Burkina Faso on Saturday, Ghana’s interior minister has said. The victims were among a group of 18 traders who had entered Ghana’s northern neighbour to buy tomatoes when the militants stormed the town, separating men<\/p>\n

Nigerian troops repel coordinated Islamist attacks in Borno, military says | Reuters<\/a> ABUJA, Feb 16 (Reuters) – Nigerian troops have repelled simultaneous assaults by Islamist militants on two military bases in Borno state, leaving an unspecified number of soldiers dead, the army said on Monday, in some of the fiercest clashes reported in the northeast this year. Borno, the epicentre of Nigeria’s 17-year Islamist insurgency, has seen Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa<\/p>\n

US deports 9 to Cameroon despite court protections, NYT says | Reuters<\/a> Feb 14 (Reuters) – The Trump administration secretly deported nine people to Cameroon, despite many of them having U.S. court protections against such action and none of them hailing from that African nation, the New York Times reported on Saturday. Several of the men and women sent to Cameroon on a January 14 flight from Alexandria, Louisiana, did<\/p>\n

Nigeria and Kenya lead production of electric vans using Chinese kits | Africanews<\/a> E-mobility companies based in Africa are beginning to assemble electric vans and taxis locally, using Chinese-made kits and innovative financing to increase the use of electric public transport across the continent. One Lagos-based Nigerian company has begun assembling 18-seater passenger electric vans using kits supplied by Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Corp. Saglev says it plans to produce up to 2,500 vehicles a year, eventually assembling 17 electric models for Nigeria and other West African markets.<\/p>\n

African countries should resist Europe\u2019s assertive migration diplomacy | ISS Africa<\/a> European leaders distance themselves from Trump\u2019s hardline immigration tactics, but how different are their approaches? Since the 2015 \u2018migration crisis\u2019, Europe has pressured African countries into tightening their border security<\/h4>\n

Deadly forced evictions add to the security crisis in Lagos | ISS Africa<\/a> New development should not come at the expense of people impoverished by decades of failed urban planning. In Lagos, the demolition of informal settlements \u2013 often without adequate consultation, notice or resettlement \u2013 has turned the promise of<\/h4>\n

Assailants kill at least 30 in northwest Nigeria villages, residents say | Reuters<\/a> MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Feb 14 (Reuters) – Armed assailants on motorbikes killed at least 30 people and burned houses and shops during raids on three villages in northwest Nigeria’s Niger State early on Saturday, residents who escaped the violence told Reuters. The attacks on villages in the Borgu Local Government Area, near the border with Benin Republic,\u00a0are part<\/a><\/p>\n

Peace and Security<\/strong><\/p>\n

US Military Planes Land In Maiduguri As Troop Deployment Begins – Daily Trust<\/a> United States military aircraft have begun landing in Maiduguri, Borno state, signaling the start of a new security cooperation phase between the US and Nigeria. A US military plane touched down Thursday night at the northeastern city\u2019s airport, with additional aircraft expected over the weekend as part of a phased deployment of approximately 200 American personnel.<\/p>\n

US sanctions eight Nigerians linked to terrorism, cybercrime<\/a> The\u00a0US government<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>has frozen the assets of eight Nigerians for alleged links to terrorist organisations and cybercrime. This action was taken through the US Treasury Department\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and appears on a 3,000-page sanctions list that includes individuals from other countries. According to the document, the affected Nigerians have been linked to terrorist organisations that threaten global security, such as Boko Haram, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Some of the Nigerians on this list are: Salih Yusuf<\/p>\n

Tinubu, German Chancellor To Collaborate On Security, Power \u2022 Channels Television<\/a> President Bola Tinubu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have resolved to improve bilateral relations between Nigeria and Germany with a view to strengthening collaboration in the security, power, and railway sectors. In a telephone conversation on Wednesday afternoon, the two leaders also expressed their willingness to cooperate in creative arts and skill development.<\/p>\n

Ghana evacuates its nationals injured in Burkina Faso terrorist attack – TRT Afrika<\/a> Ghana evacuated its nationals injured in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso that killed seven Ghanaian traders, transporting the survivors to Accra for medical treatment, according to a statement issued by the Ghana Armed Forces on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

French Interior Minister visit to Algiers raises hopes for improving relations | Africanews<\/a> French Interior Minister Laurent Nu\u00f1ez kicked off a two-day trip to Algeria on Monday in an effort to revive security cooperation between the two countries. The visit is seen as a first sign of thaw after escalating tensions that peaked in 2024 with French recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. Other recent incidents include the case of imprisoned French journalist Christophe Gleizes and the abduction of an Algerian influencer near Paris.<\/p>\n

Five steps for Africa to thrive under the new US security strategy | ISS Africa<\/a> America will remain a vital partner, so African governments should expand, not reduce, their options to advance their interests. Relations with the United States (US) under President Donald Trump will likely be an underlying theme as<\/h4>\n

UN Security Council condemns Kwara terror attack<\/a> The UN Security Council has condemned in the strongest terms the \u201cheinous and cowardly\u201d terrorist attacks on Kwara, in which more than 160 people reportedly lost their lives. The members of the Security Council underlined the need to \u201chold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice\u201d.<\/p>\n

AU Summit ends with push to end wars, reform UN Security Council – TRT World<\/a> African leaders wrapped up a two-day summit on Sunday with urgent calls to end conflicts across the continent and renewed demands for reform of the UN Security Council, as mounting security crises overshadowed the gathering\u2019s stated agenda of water issues.<\/p>\n

Nigeria issues warning over illegal recruitment of its citizens for Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine | Africanews<\/a> Nigeria warned its nationals against being recruited for armed conflicts abroad after reports that some were duped into fighting for Russia in Ukraine, as were citizens of other African countries. The Nigerian foreign ministry in a statement dated Sunday expressed “grave concern over the rising and alarming cases of Nigerian citizens being illegally recruited to participate in foreign armed conflicts”, without naming Russia. A report published last<\/p>\n

Could Africa’s youth bulge help fill Europe’s military ranks? | ISS Africa<\/a> Military recruitment increasingly reflects the same demand-supply dynamics that shape global civilian migration. In November 2025, Ukraine\u2019s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said over 1 400 African nationals from around 36 countries were\u00a0fighting<\/a> with<\/h4>\n

Humanitarian<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/punchng.com\/un-agency-unveils-1-6bn-appeal-to-support-refugees-in-seven-countries\/<\/a> The UN refugee agency, United\u00a0Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and 123 partners on Tuesday appealed for $1.6 billion to support millions of people in seven countries forced to flee their homes in pursuit of safety. UNHCR made the call in a statement as the war in Sudan approaches a fourth year.<\/p>\n

FAO Deepens Food Security, Employment Drive in Borno – Voice of Nigeria Broadcasting Service<\/a> The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) states that it is intensifying its efforts to strengthen food security, create employment opportunities, and build resilience among vulnerable communities in northeast Nigeria. Speaking during a field visit to the Gongulong community in Maiduguri, Borno State, Dunja<\/p>\n

US Funding Cut Affected 250,000 Lives In Yobe \u2013 Gov\u2019t – Daily Trust<\/a> The Yobe State Government has disclosed that over 250,000 people have been affected following the United States\u2019 Executive stop-work order signed by President Donald Trump in 2025. The Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA), Dr Muhammad Goje, made this known during a breakfast show monitored by our correspondent.<\/p>\n

Mobilization and economic development<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tinubu Issues Executive Order To Safeguard Oil And Gas Revenues, Direct Payments To Federation Account \u2022 Channels Television<\/a> President Bola Tinubu has issued an Executive Order (EO) to safeguard and enhance oil and gas revenues for the Federation, curb wasteful spending, eliminate duplicative structures in the sector, and redirect resources for the benefit of the Nigerian people.<\/p>\n

China To Remove Tariffs For Nigeria And Most African Countries From May, Announces Xi Jinping \u2013 Arise News<\/a> China has promised that from May 1, it will scrap tariffs for all African countries, including Nigeria, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday\u2019, according to state media. It, however, said one African country, Eswatini, will not enjoy the gesture. China already has a zero-tariff policy for imports from 33 African countries. Still, Beijing said last year<\/p>\n

AFRICA-FX-Nigeria’s currency expected to stay on the front foot | Reuters<\/a> ABUJA, Feb 19 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s currency is expected to strengthen further against the dollar in the next week to Thursday, while those of Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Zambia should be little changed, traders said. Nigeria’s naira could extend its recent gains, lifted by strong forex inflows and central bank dollar<\/p>\n

Dangote signs $400 mln equipment deal with China’s XCMG to speed up refinery expansion | Reuters<\/a> LAGOS, Feb 17 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s Dangote Group has signed a $400 million equipment deal with China’s Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group to speed up the expansion of its oil refinery toward a planned 1.4 million barrels per day, the company said on Tuesday. The additional equipment is expected to support major projects under construction across refining, petrochemicals,<\/p>\n

Italian PM Meloni offers climate\u2011shock debt suspension for African states | Reuters<\/a> MILAN, Feb 14 (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Italy and its African partners had focused their latest talks on the continent’s debt burden, with Rome offering countries a chance to suspend repayments when hit by extreme climate events. “Today, once again, we focused on an issue that is<\/p>\n

Mali renews Barrick Mining’s Loulo license for 10 more years | Reuters<\/a> BAMAKO, Feb 13 (Reuters) – Mali’s government approved a draft decree renewing Barrick Mining’s\u00a0(ABX.TO), opens new tab<\/a>\u00a0Loulo gold mining permit for an additional 10 years, the West African country’s military leader said in a statement on Friday. Mali, one of Africa’s leading gold producers,\u00a0resolved<\/a>\u00a0a dispute in November with Barrick over profit-sharing and control of the Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining<\/p>\n

Africa forges a trade future beyond AGOA [Business Africa] | Africanews<\/a> African governments are bracing for the end of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a preferential trade pact with the United states which was extended in early February for one year. With the global trade landscape rapidly shifting, AGOA’s fitness for purpose has been questioned. While its imminent end is a blow for African exporters, it is a chance for governments to build<\/p>\n

IMF approves $91 million in funding for Niger following programme review | Africanews<\/a> The International Monetary Fund has approved about $91 million in funding for Niger which includes support for climate resilience and sustainable development. Following the latest review of its programmes in the country, it said Niger\u2019s economic growth is expected to remain strong at 6.7% in 2026. Funding for the country\u2019s military-led government comes despite the recent political changes and its decision to distance itself from traditional Western<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

he Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Monday announced the arrival of about 100 United States military personnel at the Bauchi Airfield to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria in training and intelligence-sharing operations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":53491,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,51],"tags":[233,187,188,232,186,30],"class_list":["post-53973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","category-press-review","tag-burkina-faso","tag-cameroon","tag-chad","tag-mali","tag-niger","tag-nigeria"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53973"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53973"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53974,"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53973\/revisions\/53974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ndarason.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}