At least 16 civilians in Nigeria’s north-western Zamfara State have been killed in a military air strike, apparently after being mistaken for criminal gangs. Residents told local media the victims were members of local vigilante groups and civilians defending themselves from armed gangs notorious for kidnapping people for ransom. The strikes targeted militant gangs in…
Nigeria has denied accusations from Niger’s military leader, Brig Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, of colluding with France to destabilise the junta-led nation. In a Christmas Day interview, Gen Tchiani accused France of allying with militant groups in the Lake Chad region to undermine Niger’s security, allegedly with Nigeria’s knowledge. “Nigerian authorities are not unaware of this…
The number of dead from a crowd crush in the south-east town of Okija in Nigeria has risen to 22, police say. It is the third case this week of people being crushed to death at events where free food was being distributed. The fatalities in Okija occurred at a charity event on Saturday, when…
Nigeria has announced that free emergency Caesarean sections will be made available to “poor and vulnerable” women in an ambitious plan to bring down the high number of mothers dying in childbirth. At 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, Africa’s most populous nation has the fourth highest maternal mortality rate in the world and the…
