Islamic State claims raid on Nigerian prison, 440 inmates on run
Abuja, Nigeria Reuters Islamic State claimed responsibility on Wednesday for a raid on a Nigerian prison in the capital Abuja which freed around 440 inmates, raising fears that insurgents are venturing from their enclaves in the north-east. Inmates who escaped during the attack by suspected Boko haram fighters wait after being captured and returned back […]
Catholic diocese appeals for financial help after church attack in Nigeria
Nairobi, Kenya The Catholic Diocese of Ondo in south-west Nigeria is appealing for financial assistance to assist victims of the church attack in which 40 people died and others were injured when gunmen attacked St Francis Catholic Church earlier this month. “We want to thank those who have already reached out to the victims’ families […]
Nigerian forces hunt for gunmen who killed 50 at church
Owo, Nigeria AP The gunmen who killed at least 50 people at a Catholic church in south-western Nigeria opened fire on worshippers both inside and outside the building in a coordinated attack before escaping the scene, authorities and witnesses said Monday. Although Nigerian security forces have not yet identified who carried out Sunday’s attack on […]
Some militant arms in Niger came from West African state stockpiles – report
Lagos, NigeriaReuters Significant proportions of weapons and arms seized from Islamist insurgents in Niger came from West African state stockpiles, suggesting authorities are struggling to secure arms stores in the region, a report said on Monday. There was no suggestion that any governments were sending weapons to militants who have launched attacks in Niger as […]
Nigerian religious leaders appeal for international community to help address deteriorating security situation
Nairobi, Kenya Religious leaders in Nigeria are appealing to the international community to help address the deteriorating security in the country and to people of goodwill to support those persons who have been affected by the insecurity. Their appeal comes days after a priest was kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists on 8th […]
UN chief backs Nigeria’s integration of insurgents, calls it key to peace
Maiduguri, NigeriaReuters UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday he fully supported moves to expand facilities to reintegrate surrendering Islamist insurgents in north-eastern Nigeria because it was a key step to achieving peace in Africa’s most populous nation. Nigeria has been fighting Islamist group Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) […]
Nigeria extremists still “very dangerous”, says UN official
Abuja, NigeriaAP The Islamic extremist insurgency in north-east Nigeria is a “very, very dangerous [and] very threatening” crisis that needs more than $US1 billion in aid in 2022 to assist those hit by the decade-long conflict, United Nations humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said. In an interview with The Associated Press, Griffiths, head of the UN […]
Nigerian state to shut camps for people displaced by insurgency
Maiduguri, Nigeria Reuters Nigeria’s Borno State, the epicentre of an ongoing Islamist insurgency, will shut all camps that are holding thousands of internally displaced persons by the end of the year, its governor said on Friday, citing improved security in the state. The conflict between the insurgents and Nigeria’s armed forces has also spread to […]
Second Nigerian “Chibok girl” freed in a week seven years after abduction
Maidugri, NigeriaReuters A second young woman abducted seven years ago from the town of Chibok by Boko Haram militants was freed this week, Borno state’s governor said on Saturday. The kidnappings of some 270 teenagers in the northeastern town in 2014 sparked an international outcry and a viral campaign on social media with the hashtag […]
Chibok schoolgirl freed in Nigeria seven years after abduction, governor says
Maiduguri, NigeriaReuters One abducted girl from the Nigerian town of Chibok has been freed and reunited with her parents seven years after Boko Haram militants kidnapped her and more than 200 of her classmates, Borno state’s governor said on Saturday. The raid on the school in the north-eastern town one night in April 2014 sparked […]