Actualités regionales / Regional News

Des milliers de viols au Nigeria : « J’ai arrêté d’aller à l’école ». Source : info

11.200. C’est le nombre de viols enregistrés par la Commission nationale des droits humains au Nigeria, rien que pour l’année 2020. Face à l’explosion du nombre de signalements à travers le pays, les gouverneurs, au niveau des États, ont décrété un « état d’urgence » sur le viol et les violences liées au genre en juin 2020.

L’Italie soutient le renforcement du rôle de l’UE au Sahel. Source : moroccomail.fr 

L’Italie soutient le renforcement du rôle de l’Union européenne dans la stabilisation du Sahel. C’est ce qu’aurait déclaré le ministre des affaires étrangères Luigi Di Maio, lors du Conseil des affaires étrangères de l’UE à Bruxelles. « Nous soutenons le renforcement du rôle de l’UE dans la stabilisation du Sahel.

Dans le document de travail qui a circulé, il y a beaucoup de propositions intéressantes qui doivent être approfondies et qui devraient être discutées dans le cadre des plans d’action régionaux et nationaux, mettant ainsi en œuvre la nouvelle stratégie de l’UE », a déclaré M. Di Maio à ses collègues.

NIGERIENS TOUT COURT. Source : Tamtam info 

Cette Réflexion est un développement d’un Post publié le Vendredi 5 Novembre 2021, suite à la mort de nos Frères de Banibangou, sur le front du combat contre le Terrorisme. Ils ont décidé de se battre pour se soustraire de la psychose de Terreur dans laquelle, des Bandits de grand chemin, voulaient les placer et maintenir.

ONU : la Chine soutient un financement stable à la force conjointe du G5 Sahel.source french.peopledaily.com.cn

La Chine soutient les efforts visant à garantir un financement durable et prévisible en faveur de la force conjointe du G5 Sahel, qui a pour mission de lutter contre le terrorisme dans la région, a annoncé vendredi le représentant permanent adjoint de la Chine auprès des Nations Unies, Dai Bing

Mettre fin à la détention de tous les enfants (UNICEF). Source news.un.org

Une nouvelle analyse de l’UNICEF, le Fonds des Nations Unies pour l’enfance estime que plus de 261 000 enfants sont détenus dans le monde. Le Fonds appelle à une réforme de la justice des mineurs pour mettre fin à la détention de tous les enfants.

Malam-Fatori: Zulum orders 9 armored carriers for police operations. Source: Blue Print

Towards the restoration of civil authority by the Nigerian Police in Malam-Fatori in the shores of Lake Chad, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, has ordered nine armored personnel carriers for police operations, some of which have arrived. Malam-Fatori, which came under Boko Haram occupation in 2014, is headquarters of Abadam local government area in northern Borno and has a number of communities sharing boarders with Niger Republic. Insurgents controlled the place for about six years, before the military liberated it, but so far, without civilian population. Zulum Thursday in Maiduguri, inspected the first batch of three APCs, with more expected to arrive the state capital at a later date. He carried out the inspection in company of Borno’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdu Umar.

End in sight for insurgency, banditry – CAS Amao. Source: Blue Print

Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao has assured Nigerians that the end of insurgency and banditry is in sight. Also, the Senate, through its committee on Air Force, tasked the nation’s military to intensify its onslaughts against insurgents and bandits for the required peace and development in the affected areas. The positions came three days after a senior army officer, Brigadier-General Dzarma Zirkusu and four soldiers were killed by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Askira Uba, Borno state. Giving the assurance Tuesday during the 2022 budget defence session before the lawmakers, Air Marshal Amao said insurgents of whatever faction, be it Boko Haram or ISWAP, “have been devastatingly decimated and degraded with attendant loss of fighters and weapons, forcing several of them to surrender voluntarily on weekly basis.

EXCLUSIVE ISWAP Fighters Planning To Kill More Military Commanders – Nigerian Army Sends Signal To Personnel. Source: Sahara Reporters

The Nigerian Army says militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are planning to kill more military commanding officers following the death of Brig Gen Dzarma Zirkusu. Zirkusu, until his death, was the commander of the 28 Task Force in Chibok. SaharaReporters had reported that ISWAP fighters on Saturday engaged Nigerian troops at a military base in Askira, Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State in a gun battle. Some civilians had said they sighted the terrorists in a long convoy of gun trucks along Ngude axis towards Askira. The civilians added that they reported the movement of the terrorists to security forces but no action was taken before the deadly group stormed Askira town hours later.

NAF has Flown 3,700 Missions Against Terrorists, Bandits – Air Chief. Source: PRNigeria

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, on Tuesday said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has flown about 3, 700 missions in the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North East east and operations against the bandits in the North West since the beginning of the year. He disclosed this when he appeared before the House Committee on Air Force to defend the 2022 budget Appropriation. The Air Chief pointed out NAF had recorded significant successes in these operations with cooperation from sister services and other security agencies.

Combat Season In Northeast Leads To Resurgence Of Attacks And Humanitarian Risk. Podcast – The Crisis Room: Episode 14. Source: HumAngle

As we transition from the rainy to dry season, the risk of renewed attacks by ISWAP insurgents increases. Due to the favourable terrain that comes with the dry season, National Forces in high risk regions would need to step up counter insurgency operations to mitigate rising security and Humanitarian risks. Hosted by Mariam Mustapha and Murtala Abdullahi.

Insecurity: Lawmaker faults Nigerian Army’s strategy on counter-terrorism. Source: Premium Times

In the wake of renewed attacks by terrorists in the North-east region, a member of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Jaha, has criticised the approach of the military in the terror war. According to him, the current strategy of the military will not end the war because it has adopted a defensive strategy instead of going offensive. Mr Jaha, who represents Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza federal constituency of Borno State, stated this while contributing to the debate on a motion moved by Haruna Msheila (APC, Borno), on the “need to immediately mobilise more security personnel to communities bordering the Sambisa forest due to incessant attacks.” Dzarma Zirkusu, an army brigadier general, and three soldiers were reportedly killed by ISWAP terrorists in Askira Uba Local Government Area of the state. PREMIUM TIMES reported that 70 persons were killed across the country by non-state actors in the past week, with North-west and North-east topping the mortality chart. Mr Jaha said the military should adopt an offensive strategy instead of the current defensive strategy, noting that insurgents are emboldened to take the battle to the military.

Army needs offensive strategy to win fight against insurgency, says Borno Rep. Source: The Cable

Ahmadu Jaha, a member of the house of representatives, says the Nigerian Army needs to go on the offensive to win the war against insurgency. Jaha, lawmaker representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok federal constituency of Borno state, spoke on the floor of the green chamber on Tuesday. The lawmaker was contributing to a motion sponsored by Haruna Mshelia, who was calling for improved security in Mandiragrau, Askira and Garkida communities in Borno — the communities are said to be on the border areas of Sambisa. TheCable had reported how fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) killed a brigadier-general and three soldiers in Askira town, Uba LGA of Borno state, when the community was invaded. Speaking on Tuesday, Jaha said soldiers must leave their comfort zone and take the war to the doorsteps of the insurgents.

Nigerian Troops Capture Anti-aircraft Guns, Improvised Armoured Vehicle from ISWAP. Source: HumAngle

Nigerian troops on Saturday, Nov. 13, captured anti-aircraft guns and an improvised armoured carrier from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during an encounter in Askira Uba. According to a statement on Nov. 13 from army Spokesperson General Onyema Nwachukwu, the troops were supported by two A-29 and five Alpha jets during the fierce encounter with the army destroying nine gun trucks and one APC. He said a senior officer, Brigadier General Dzarma Zirkusu and three soldiers were killed as they reinforced a counter offensive against the terrorists, and successfully defended the location. The captured improvised carrier used for moving fighters to frontline locations bears resemblance with a carrier that appeared in ISWAP photos released on Nov. 3, showing militants attacking security forces in Damboa. The troops also seized one gun truck and the improvised armoured carrier fabricated using armour from a previously captured Nigerian Army Panhard VBL Recce vehicle. Unofficial photos from the encounter showed weapons seized from ISWAP insurgents including AK type rifles, one machine gun and two heavy machine guns; Type 85 and W85 variants.

Military Reveals Identity Of Army General Killed In Askira Uba Attack. Source: HumAmgle

The Nigerian army has confirmed that a Brigadier General, Dzarma Zirkusu, was killed during an attack earlier today by ISWAP terrorists on Askira, a town in the southern part of Borno state, Northeast Nigeria. Spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu made this public in a statement shared with HumAngle. HumAngle had earlier reported that a top military officer and some soldiers were killed after running into an ambush while deploying from Chibok for reinforcement operation in Askira town. General Nwachukwu, who is the director of army public relations said the attack on Askira was effectively mitigated by troops of the Joint Task Force, Northeast Operation, HADIN KAI, whom he said had “neutralised several Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists.

Landmine Explosion Kills 8 Security Officers In Northwest Cameroon. Source: HumAngle

Eight security officers, including five police officers and three gendarmes died on Saturday, Nov. 13, when the police van in which they were travelling hit an improvised explosive device in Matazen, not far away from Santa in the Northwest region. Local security sources gave the names of the dead policemen as 2nd grade Inspector Numfor, 1st grade Inspector Ahanda, 2nd grade peace officers Godlove and Tsodap, and 1st grade peace officer Fomen. The names of the three gendarmes who died in the explosion could not be immediately ascertained as of the time of filing this report. Although the government is yet to make a statement about the incident, eyewitness accounts say the explosive was planted by Anglophone separatists. A security cordon was immediately erected by the army around the scene and a systematic search for the perpetrators of the attack has been ongoing. The latest attack comes on the heels of the death on Friday, Nov. 12,  of an eight-year-old school girl identified as Tataw Brandy, who was hit by a stray bullet fired by a police officer at a motorist who was alleged to have been fleeing from police control.

Nigerian Troops Eliminate over 50 ISWAP Terrorists on Ferocious Offensive. Source: PRNigeria

Troops of Joint Task Force, North East(NE) Operation HADIN KAI(OPHK) have neutralized over 50 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and destroyed several of their combat equipment in a fierce counter offensive in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. In the counter offensive, troops eliminated top commanders of ISWAP as well as foot soldiers. The gallant troops also unleashed massive destruction on the terrorists’ Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle and several Gun Trucks. Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has led a team of top brass of the Nigerian Army to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late Commander 28 Task Force Brigade, Brig Gen Dzarma Zirkusu on Sunday 14 November 2021, where he commiserated with families of the fallen heroes. He has also urged the good people of the NE to continue to support the ongoing counter insurgency operations, while reaffirming troops’ renewed operational readiness to aggressively confront the criminal elements.

Upscaling Military Operations: Imperative for National Security. Source: PRNigeria

The tide of insecurity in the country is sweeping alarmingly. It has affected every strata of the nation’s economy. It has crippled many businesses and economic activities in States, across the federation. For over a decade, troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces have been waging a counter-insurgency offensive against fighters of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP. Though, the war against the extremist sects is far from been won decisively, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, has reiterated the desire and commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to upscale its operational engagements. This is geared towards restoring lasting peace to all troubled parts of the country.

Banditry and Students’ Abduction: Revisiting the ‘Safe School Initiative’. Source: PRNgeria

The wave at which insurgency, banditry and kidnappings are rising across Nigeria, without any sign of abating, is alarming.
These myriads of insecurity challenges have been inflicting wanton damages on political, socio-economic and educational institutions in the country. Initially, the prime targets of kidnappers are wealthy individuals who can afford ransom of any sum to regain their freedom. But nowadays, the narrative has since dramatically changed, as individuals who live from hand to mouth have now become the targets of these blood-sucking demon. Records have shown that 20 attacks had been carried out on some Nigerian schools in which about 1,436 children were abducted and 16 dead, while 200 children are still unaccounted for. It is with dismay that many schools were closed, thereby pushing the country’s education system on the cross.
Several schools in Northern Nigeria have been raided by bandits in which mass students were abducted.

Paix et sécurité / Peace & Security

CRISE SECURITAIRE AU SAHEL. Source : LE PAYS

Tant qu’il se menait sur d’autres théâtres, il était vu comme un phénomène trop lointain des pays africains pour inquiéter outre mesure. Et pourtant, il a fini par atterrir en plein milieu du Sahel, à la faveur de l’incursion djihadiste de 2013 au Mali, stoppée in extremis par la France de François Hollande qui a déployé les grands moyens pour arrêter la horde d’islamistes enragés qui fondaient, depuis la Libye, tels des rapaces, sur la capitale malienne avec la ferme intention d’installer leurs pénates à Bamako. Lui, c’est le terrorisme qui, en moins d’une décennie, a poussé des ramifications dans toute la bande sahélo-saharienne et sévit aujourd’hui dans des pays comme le Mali, le Burkina Faso et le Niger qui souffrent le martyre avec des attaques plus meurtrières les unes que les autres, au point que des populations désemparées ne savent plus à quelle armée se vouer. Le dernier fait en date est l’attaque, le 14 novembre dernier du détachement de la gendarmerie d’Inata au Burkina Faso, qui a coûté la vie à une cinquantaine de personnes

Tillabéry : plus de 500 têtes de bétail récupérées par les FDS. Source : Studio Kalangu 

Selon un article de l’ONG International Crisis Group entre décembre 2019 et janvier 2020, l’armée nigérienne a subi « les attaques les plus meurtrières de son histoire » à cause notamment de nombreuses attaques de la branche sahélienne de l’État islamique ciblant civiles et militaires entre le Mali et la région frontalière de Tillabéry au Niger. À cette situation, s’ajoute également des vols de bétail.

Force G5 Sahel : le Conseil de sécurité divisé sur la création d’un bureau d’appui de l’ONU. Source : Alwihda 

La question de la création d’un bureau d’appui de l’ONU à la Force conjointe du Groupe des cinq pays du Sahel (G5 Sahel), récemment proposée par le Secrétaire général, a été vivement débattue ce matin par le Conseil de sécurité, qui a entendu le Secrétaire général adjoint aux opérations de paix s’exprimer sur les faits nouveaux survenus dans la région depuis le 8 octobre.

Reinvention Of Nigeria’s Intelligence Community Essential For Security. Source: HumAngle Media

The reform of Nigeria’s intelligence community could improve public confidence, harmonise intelligence operations, and enhance the security apparatus’s ability to detect, isolate, and degrade threats to public safety. Nigerians often associate the Intelligence Community with the protection and preservation of the country’s political establishment. While this is true, the fluid mandate of these organisations puts them at the centre of state-building and pursuing national security interests. According to Dr Kabir Adamu, a security risk management and intelligence specialist, the laws establishing these intelligence agencies were passed by the military and no credible effort has been made by the various democratic governments since 1999 to amend them “and make them amenable to our democratic aspirations.” The predecessor of Nigeria’s current domestic and foreign intelligence services was the National Security Organisation (NSO), constituted after the assassination of the Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, in the failed 1976 coup. Prior to the establishment of the NSO, internal intelligence operations were managed by the Police Special Branch known as the “E” Department, while external intelligence was managed by the Research Department under the Ministry of External Affairs.

Report: 337 soldiers killed in ambush by insurgents since 2019. Source: The Cable

At least 569 people — including 337 soldiers — have been killed in various forms of ambush launched by insurgents since 2019, according to a report by SB Morgan (SBM) Intelligence. SBM intelligence, a research organisation, compiles and analyses data about happenings in the country. In the period reviewed in the report, 62 attacks perpetrated by insurgents were recorded. On Saturday, fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) killed Dzarma Zirkusu, a brigadier-general, and three soldiers of the Nigerian Army. In the report, 337 soldiers were killed in ambush since 2019, while 29 operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Joint Task Force (JTF) also suffered the same fate.

Reshaping the Narratives on Nigerian Military. Source: PRNigeria

Organisations or institutions saddled with the responsibility of safeguarding national security, worldwide, are always in the eyes of the storm. But the case of the Nigerian military, perhaps, is ‘something else’, though not by its own making. More often, the Nigerian military and troops of the Armed Forces, are perceived in negative lights. Their actions, to a large extent, are under-appreciated, if not totally unappreciated. Instead of effusive commendations for displaying uncommon gallantry, troops of the Nigerian military, deployed to quell ethno-religious violence, terrorism, and other crimes, often become targets of scathing criticisms, denigration, scorn and utter ridicule. Among the things which have giving the Nigerian military a ‘bad name’, and further casted aspersion on its professionalism and corporate integrity is the allegation of carrying out pervasive extra-judicial killings of civilians (in some instances), by some persons and even organisations who obviously have an axe to grind with the military.

Humanitaire/ Humanitarian

Borno State Ministry of Health – Cholera outbreak situation report No. 12 as of 16th November 2021. Source: reliefweb 

• 22 suspected cases reported • 3 associated deaths were reported within the week

The total number ofsuspected cholera casesreported as of 16 thNovember 2021 stands at 4,432 with 169 associated deaths, (CFR – 3.9%). 1,003 cases from Gwoza, 117 from Damboa, 270 from Hawul, 20 from Magumeri, 72 from Kaga, 793 from MMC, 113 from Biu, 1,042 from Jere, 482 from Konduga and 232 from Mafa LGAs.

Gen. Zirkushu: Zulum Donates N20m to Bereaved Family in Kaduna. Source: PRNigeria

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Wednesday, led a delegation on condolence visit to the bereaved family of late Brigadier General Dzarma Zirkushu. The Governor met the family at Ribadu Cantonment in Kaduna, during which he directed the immediate release of N20m as support to the General’s family and the directive has been effected, Zulum’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau confirmed in a statement. Gusau added that support will be made to families of soldiers who died alongside General Zirkushu. Zulum was received at the airport by Kaduna State’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, and Garrison Commander of the Nigerian Army’s One Division, Brigadier General T. Opuene.

Stabilisation & Développement économique / Stabilization & Economic Recovery

10 millions de dollars canadiens pour soutenir le Fonds pour le changement climatique en Afrique  Source: Alwihda.info

Le Canada a annoncé, lundi à Glasgow où se déroule depuis le 31 octobre la 26ème Conférence des Nations unies sur le changement climatique (COP26), un financement de 10 millions de dollars canadiens en faveur du Fonds pour le changement climatique en Afrique.

Sahel: la Grande muraille verte, une source de revenus (FAO). Source : Journal du Mali 

L’analyse coûts-avantages de la FAO publiée dans Nature Sustainability montre un rendement moyen de 1,2 dollars pour chaque dollar investi dans le projet de restauration des terres, malgré les conditions climatiques rigoureuses. C’est un retour sur investissement inattendu. L’objectif de la Grande muraille verte d’Afrique n’est pas en effet de générer des profits. Elle vise plutôt à lutter contre la désertification dans la région du Sahel. Mais, d’après une nouvelle étude menée par l’Organisation des Nations unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture (FAO) et publiée dans Nature Sustainability, elle peut aussi être un débouché commercial intéressant pour les investisseurs.

Afrique : l’USAID entend appuyer la résilience climatique du continent. Source : Alwihda 

Lors de la Conférence des Parties des Nations unies (COP26), l’administratrice Samantha Power a annoncé un nouveau partenariat avec la Commission de l’Union africaine (CUA) pour atteindre les objectifs en matière de réduction des émissions de carbone et d’élaboration de plans d’adaptation à long terme, prévus par l’Accord de Paris.

La FAO participe à l’initiative de la Grande muraille verte pour stopper la désertification dans dix pays du Sahel. Source french.china.org 

L’Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture (FAO) a soutenu la mise en oeuvre de l’initiative de la Grande muraille verte comme l’un des piliers de son action contre la désertification dans dix pays du Sahel, a indiqué le bureau de communication de la FAO à Dakar un communiqué de presse transmis mardi aux médias locaux.

Cameroun – Développement participatif : L’Agence française de développement (AFD) accorde 19,6 milliards de FCFA pour l’extension de son projet agropastoral. Source cameroon-info.net

L’AFD vient d’accorder 19,6 milliards de FCFA au Programme national de développement participatif (PNDP) pour l’extension de son projet agropastoral jusqu’en août 2022. Ce financement rentre dans le cadre du 11e Fonds européen de développement (FED) et vise la mise en place d’infrastructures socio-économiques et d’investissements en appui aux filières agropastorales et au désenclavement des bassins de production.

Le Cameroun veut signer la convention sur l’eau d’Helsinki pour sécuriser ses ouvrages et barrages transfrontières. Source investisraucameroun.com

Le Cameroun a entrepris les procédures législatives pour signer la convention sur l’eau d’Helsinki de 1992. Elle préconise, en gros, la protection et l’utilisation pacifique des cours d’eau transfrontières et des lacs internationaux.

UniMaid’s resilience amidst Boko Haram attracted N2 billion project – VC. Source: Premium Times

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Aliyu Shugaba, says the institution’s refusal to close down at the peak of Boko Haram insurgency has attracted a N2 billion Distance Learning project. The vice-chancellor made this known when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. He said the project, which, was courtesy of Muhammad Idimi, a philanthropist and founder of Oriental Energy Resources, had a state-of-the-art facility among other things. While appreciating Mr. Indimi for deeming the institution fit for a project that would impact positively on the lives of people within and outside Borno, he assured that the university would continue to work towards maintaining its name as a Centre of Excellence.