Tinubu reaffirms commitment to Project Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to Project Nigeria, pledging to build a prosperous nation, invest in youths and pursue development guided by Almighty Allah and Nigerians’ aspirations.

The president stated this on Monday while reflecting on his spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj, during which he was granted the rare privilege of praying inside the Holy Ka’abah.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, granted the President and members of his delegation access to the sacred structure in Makkah.

At the Ka’abah, Tinubu offered prayers of gratitude to Almighty Allah for the privilege of serving as Nigeria’s president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Sheikh Dahlulah Muthawal of Masjid al-Haram led the President into the Ka’abah.

Tinubu thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of his delegation the opportunity to enter the Holy Ka’abah and offer prayers.

He described the honour as historic and a deeply cherished spiritual experience, reflecting the longstanding bonds of friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

“I want to say a big thank you for the faith, for the recognition. I can’t believe the fencing of the Ka’abah is in green-white-green, which reminds us of the Nigerian identity.

“I thank the Crown Prince and all the administrators of the Holy Land. I thank them for the hospitality and recognition given to me as the leader of the delegation and the country.

“We are all facing challenges and hostility around us. We will overcome them with faith in God Almighty. I’m grateful forever. I thank the King and the royal Crown Prince.

“It is an honour that I enjoyed, and it is gracious of them to have allowed me to enter inside the Ka’abah. This is history,” he said.

The president said he prayed for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, expressing confidence that Almighty Allah had granted his request.

“Well, I asked for wisdom and resilience to continue to serve the people. I know that prayer has been granted. Before the 2023 election, I did the same thing.

“I asked Allah to bless my Umrah then, and He did. And I promised that I would come back to thank Him,” the President said.

Reflecting on Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, the President said sovereignty belonged ultimately to Almighty Allah, who grants and withdraws power.

He said the message underscored the need for leaders to exercise authority responsibly, with humility and in the service of the people.

“There is no other God but Almighty Allah. He is the giver and the taker. He owns power and authority.

“He says, ‘If I give you, use it well. If you don’t use it in accordance with my dictates, I can take it from you and give it to another person. I am the only one who has that authority.”

Tinubu said his faith had strengthened his conviction that becoming Nigeria’s leader was an extraordinary blessing that must be matched with dedicated service.

“I have faith in that, and I believe extremely well that He has done me and my country a great favour.

”Out of many millions of people, to be the President and Commander-in-Chief is a favour that only Almighty God can do to a human being,” he stated.

The president said his commitment to Project Nigeria had become stronger, assuring Nigerians of his determination to pursue policies that would promote prosperity and shared progress.

“My commitment to Project Nigeria is higher. I am determined to usher in prosperity and fully develop the country, consistent with the wish of Allah and the support of the people.

“It is important to put Allah first, then move on. Follow your conscience. Follow the right path that will lead Nigeria to that greatness,” he said.

On the economy, Tinubu expressed optimism about the progress recorded under his administration.

“The foundation is solid, and the economy has come out of the dark tunnel. This is inspiring,” he said.

He said nation-building required sustained investment in young Nigerians, stressing that present leadership decisions would shape how future generations remembered them.

“We need to build a future for our youth. If we don’t invest in their future, how do we want to be remembered as leaders 50 years from now? That’s the main thing. So this is a rare privilege to lead the country,” the president added.

Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening the economy, expanding opportunities for young people and creating conditions for Nigerians to realise their potential.

He thanked Almighty Allah for the opportunity to lead Nigeria, pledging to justify the confidence reposed in him through purposeful leadership and sustained commitment to national progress.

NAN

Nigerian families and survivors seek justice over miners' deaths

Families of 37 artisinal miners who died in custody in Nigeria want ‌swift justice and the return of property seized during their arrest, saying no financial compensation will make up for their loss.

A presidential panel on Tuesday found that the detainees, who were suspected of being illegal miners, had died ​from overcrowding, extreme heat, dehydration and neglect while being held by the Nigeria Security ​and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger state last month.

Nigeria's government welcomed the panel's ⁠findings, and Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the panel's report had been sent to the attorney-general ​for immediate judicial action. He did not respond to requests for comment on when victims' families ​and survivors would receive compensation.

The deaths, including of teenagers, triggered protests in Nigeria, raising new concerns about conditions in detention facilities and the treatment of suspects awaiting trial.

"What we wanted was for our children to be alive and ​return to us," said Zainab Salihu, whose son was among the dead.

She said the deaths in ​detention had led to the deterioration of the health of her husband, who later died. Reuters was unable to ‌verify ⁠the circumstances of her husband's death.

"No matter how much money they give us, it will never bring our children back," Salihu said.
Dantala Tanko, whose 25-year-old son Suleiman died in detention, is struggling to come to terms with his loss.

"Now he is gone, and this is deeply painful for me. ​I know he will ​never return," he said ⁠after praying at his son's grave.

Some survivors said they appreciated the investigation's findings, but wanted accountability.
"Officers who demonstrate such disregard for human life should ​not remain in positions of authority. They must be held accountable, and ​appropriate disciplinary action ⁠should be taken," said said 25-year-old Dauda Shehu.

Abdulsalam Yakubu, 23, said government action had been slow. He said he wanted the government to return motocycles, phones, mining equipment and gold which he said had ⁠been ​seized during the victims' arrest.

"We have suffered enough. We are ​asking for justice, the promised support, and the return of our property so that we can begin to rebuild our ​lives," he told Reuters.

By Ibrahim and Ndiamitso, Reuters

Related story: Video - Nigerian govt panel finds 37 detained miners died from overcrowding and neglect

Video - Nigerian govt panel finds 37 detained miners died from overcrowding and neglect

A government investigation in Nigeria has found that 37 suspected illegal miners died in custody in Niger State due to overcrowding, extreme heat, poor ventilation and neglect. The panel recommended 1.4 billion naira in compensation for bereaved families and survivors, while authorities pledge disciplinary action against officers implicated in the case.

CGTN Africa

Related story: Overcrowded and Stifling: Inside the Nigerian Cell Where 33 Inmates Lost Their Lives

Video - Nigeria moves closer to decentralised policing

Twenty-five of Nigeria’s 36 state assemblies approved a constitutional amendment allowing states to establish their own police forces. Supporters say the reform could improve local security and response times, while critics warn of potential political interference and concerns over funding, human rights and accountability.

CGTN Africa

Video - Nigeria’s 30-day fuel discount reignites subsidy debate

Nigeria’s temporary fuel price relief measure has reignited debate over petrol subsidies, following their removal in 2023. While the government explores targeted support for vulnerable households, the IMF warns against reinstating broad subsidies, citing the potential risks to the economy.

CGTN Africa

Video - Nigeria’s Tinubu hails economic reforms ahead of 2027 election

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has defended his economic reforms, pointing to stronger growth and falling inflation while acknowledging that challenges remain. As Nigeria heads toward another presidential election, the rising cost of living, poverty and insecurity remain key issues for voters.

CGTN Africa

President Tinubu orders rescue operation after mass kidnapping at mosque

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered the military ​and other security agencies on Tuesday to launch an immediate rescue operation after scores of people were kidnapped by gunmen in north-central Niger State last week.

An armed group posted a ​video on ‌Facebook and WhatsApp showing what residents said were about 600 ⁠women, children and older people abducted during an attack on a mosque in the state.

Reuters could not independently verify ‌the figure, but if confirmed it would rank among Nigeria's largest and most audacious ⁠mass kidnappings in recent years.

An official from Borgu district, where the attack happened, said 30 people had been killed during the attack and were ​buried on Sunday.

The official, who declined to be identified because she ‌was not authorised to speak to the media, said villagers from the communities of Dakera, Gidan-Zana and Sabon Gida were affected.

'We will defend our people'

In its first public comments on ‌the incident, the presidency condemned the attack as cowardly and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

"Terror will not ​cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities and uphold the sanctity of human life," Tinubu said in a statement.

Tinubu directed security chiefs to provide regular ​updates on efforts to rescue the abductees and account for all those taken.

Abubakar Umar, the ​traditional head of Dakera community, said at least 2,000 people ​fled into neighbouring Benin Republic following the attack.

Obed Nana, Niger state commissioner for information, told Reuters by phone that authorities were ​still trying to verify the number of missing people.

"I don't want to be too speculative about it because you know how sensitive such information can be," said Nana.

Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal ⁠gangs frequently raid villages, schools and highways.

The groups often hold captives for weeks or months while demanding ⁠large ransoms and ​have increasingly expanded their operations beyond traditional strongholds in the north.

France24

Video - Nigeria to list NNPC on stock market

Nigeria is reviving plans to list state-owned oil company NNPC on the Nigerian Exchange. The move could bring greater transparency to the company and unlock new private investment.

CGTN Africa

Nigeria to Build Armored Vehicles, Counter-Drone Systems Locally

Nigeria is expanding its domestic defense industry with plans to manufacture armored vehicles, counter-drone systems, and other military equipment locally through a new industrial partnership.

The initiative will be led by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria-D7G (DICON-D7G) in collaboration with Eagles International for Defence Systems, DICON-D7G CEO Osman Chennar told The Guardian Nigeria.

The partnership is intended to accelerate technology transfer, strengthen Nigeria’s manufacturing capacity, and reduce reliance on imported defense hardware.

The planned production portfolio includes the MRAP-Buffalo U.10 and M.12 armored vehicles, MRAP-Buffalo F-4, Rhino Guard GXR anti-drone and RPG-protected vehicle, APC Moon PT6, GXR Phantom light vehicle, and the BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

Chennar said the production program will create more than 200 jobs, while opening employment opportunities for about 100 retired military personnel.

The long-term goal is to develop enough industrial capacity to supply defense equipment not only to Nigeria’s armed forces but also to other African countries.

Nigeria Boosts Local Defense Production

Nigeria has steadily expanded its domestic defense manufacturing efforts.

In May, the Defence Industries Association of Nigeria unveiled a strategy to expand domestic production of military equipment, citing the DICON Act 2023 as the foundation for greater private-sector participation, technology transfer, and local ammunition and weapons manufacturing.

In March, Nigus International Investment and UAE-based Elmirate Investment signed an agreement worth up to $200 million to establish defense manufacturing capabilities in Nigeria through a new joint venture.

During the same month, Nigerian defense and science officials also agreed to deepen cooperation between military agencies and research institutions to accelerate the development of locally designed defense technologies.

By Jodesz Gavilan, The Defense Post

Tinubu vows to revive Nigeria’s refineries, says plants must return to profitability

President Bola Tinubu has assured that Nigeria’s refineries will be revived, saying the Federal Government is undertaking a comprehensive reset, restructuring and technical assessment to ensure the facilities become productive and profitable.

Tinubu gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja when he received the national executive of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its National President, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the State House.

The President said the government would not allow the nation’s refineries, which have absorbed huge public investments over the years, to waste away, stressing that their revival must be based on sound research, technical assessment, effective management and a sustainable business model.

Responding to NUPENG’s appeal for the revival of the refineries, Tinubu said the government was adopting a systematic and evidence-based approach to addressing the structural, operational, financial and managerial challenges that had hindered their performance.

“The refineries that you mentioned are going to come back to work; we’re just building a very firm resetting and structural reworking of the economy of it.

“Ordinary flame and smoke of a refinery doesn’t mean that it’s working until it’s profitable and yields the value for which it is built.

“I’m not a man who goes looking back on everything because I’ve accepted the assets and liabilities of my predecessor. No matter what has happened in the years past, it’s now my responsibility as president to fix it and make it work for the greatest common good of our population. I take responsibility for that, and we will do it,” he said.

Tinubu appealed to stakeholders, including organised labour, to support the administration’s reform programme, describing democracy as a process that requires patience, sacrifice and collective commitment.

“I promise you, you will enjoy a better Nigeria,” the President said.

On the implementation of local government autonomy, Tinubu said the constitutional issues surrounding its implementation were being reviewed, with a view to possible fine-tuning, and appealed for understanding among stakeholders.

The President also paid tribute to the late former NUPENG leader, Frank Kokori, recalling their shared struggle for the restoration of democratic rule in Nigeria.

“You brought good memories of my relationship with Frank Kokori; may his soul rest in peace. We struggled for this democratic dispensation together, and it was very tough for us to have this democracy, and you have been a very good partner of the government in progress,” he said.

Tinubu further promised greater inclusion for NUPENG in the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), while challenging the union to ensure that the benefits of the programme translate into tangible relief for commuters.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, commended NUPENG for acknowledging what he described as the positive impact of the Tinubu administration’s reforms.

Idris said the recognition by the labour union was significant, particularly against the background of past tensions between organised labour and government over economic policies.

“Your Excellency, it is not common that you find trade unions come back to the President and say, ‘Thank you for what you have done.’ I think this is an uncommon situation,” the minister said.

He recalled that the organised labour movement had previously commended the President after he approved an increase in workers’ wages and indicated that there was no need to wait five years before reviewing the minimum wage.

Idris said it was particularly significant that NUPENG, an influential union at the heart of the petroleum sector, had acknowledged the administration’s major economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy.

“For their leader to come and recognise the reforms that you are doing, especially the major reforms you undertook in this country, the removal of fuel subsidy and also acknowledging that everywhere you go is a construction site in this country, is a good development,” he said.

Speaking earlier, NUPENG President Oladiti commended Tinubu for what he described as the courageous decision to end the fuel subsidy regime, saying the policy had helped halt decades of financial drain on the nation’s resources.

He said the resources freed by the reform were increasingly being channelled into infrastructure and other critical sectors of the economy.

Oladiti particularly praised the administration’s renewed investment in the rehabilitation and construction of federal highways, citing the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.

“For our members, a good road is the difference between arriving home safely and never arriving at all. Every stretch of highway rehabilitated or constructed means fewer accidents, fewer spillages, fewer lives lost, and less stress for the men behind the wheels,” he said.

Oladiti said the impact of the road projects was already being felt by tanker drivers and other road users, describing improved road infrastructure as one of the reforms directly affecting the working lives of NUPENG members.

He, however, urged the President to sustain efforts to revive the country’s refineries, arguing that functional refineries would strengthen national energy security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and create more jobs for Nigerian workers.

At the end of the meeting, the NUPENG leadership decorated President Tinubu as the Grand Patron of the union.

By Terhemba Daka, The Guardian

Nigeria's Senate passes bill to allow creation of state police to tackle insecurity

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday approved a bill to allow states to have their own police forces, paving the way for a major reform that would reshape the policing structure of the conflict-racked nation.

The proposed constitutional change will decentralize the country's police force, which is currently controlled by the federal government, but has been overstretched by an escalating insecurity crisis. The state police forces will operate alongside the federal police.

A lack of police presence in vast rural areas has worsened the country's security woes, analysts say, allowing militant groups to operate without challenge. Criminal groups and jihadis have killed tens of thousands of people, according to the United Nations.

The change would allow each of the country’s 36 states to create a police force that meets a minimum national requirement while the federal police retains control of counterterrorism, border patrol, organized crime and other national security issues.

The legislation, which enjoys bipartisan support and is being championed by the president, has long been considered a solution to the mushrooming conflicts across the country and has been debated multiple times in the past.

Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insecurity has worsened as the militants have started operating in the southern region. At least 80 school children are still in captivity after being abducted by militants in the southern and northern regions of the country.

“In the light of recent mass kidnappings, the calls for a decentralized police have increased due to the sluggish nature of the government’s response to the events, which has been, in part, caused by the structural deficiencies of a centralized policing framework in Nigeria,” Ikemesit Effiong, a partner at SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based risk advisory firm, said.

State governors are considered the top security chiefs of their states but do not have operational command.

Critics of the state police say it leaves room for abuse by state governors, who can use the force to advance personal agendas and silence critics.

Two-thirds of the state assemblies still have to approve the bill since it includes a change to the constitution.

By Ope Adetayo, AP

Ex-Nigeria oil minister cleared in UK bribery trial

 

A former Nigerian oil minister has been cleared of taking bribes from wealthy oil executives in the form of luxury home stays and lavish spending sprees in the UK.

Diezani Alison-Madueke, 65, was found not guilty after a trial at London's Southwark Crown Court of five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Alison-Madueke was Nigeria's oil minister between 2010 and 2015 and the first female president of the oil exporters group Opec.

The verdict is a blow for the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), which had been investigating one of Africa's most prominent political figures for 13 years.

From the start of the trial in January, defence lawyers questioned the fairness of the prosecution's case, suggesting vital documents showing Alison-Madueke's innocence had gone missing in Nigeria.

They also said the long delay in bringing the case to court was unjust and a sign of Britain's "broken criminal justice system".

Also cleared by the jury were Alison-Madueke's older brother Doye Agama, 69, an archbishop at a Pentecostal church in Manchester, who was acquitted of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, was found not guilty of bribery and bribery of a foreign public official.

She had faced prosecution despite being an informant in an anti-corruption probe by the Nigerian authorities.

'Madam due process'

Alison-Madueke portrayed herself in court as a role model for women, a tireless fighter against corruption, and someone who was such a stickler for the rules she was nicknamed "Madam due process".

She became the first female member on the Nigerian board of oil and gas giant Shell in 2006, and four years later was appointed oil minister, the country's second most senior politician. She became president of Opec in 2014.

"In a very patriarchal society, to have a woman sitting at the helm was a major no-no," she told the court, suggesting this had made her a target for unnamed male opponents.

Prosecutor Alexandra Healy KC said the former minister improperly allowed powerful men with lucrative government contracts in the oil business to bankroll her extravagant lifestyle.

Six of them were named on the indictment, although none were charged.

But the prosecution failed to provide evidence she awarded contracts to any of the oil tycoons named because of bribes.

"At no time did I ask, take, ‌or ⁠seek a bribe or bribes of any sort," Alison-Madueke told the court, saying many of the luxury items purchased were not for her, and that she had been with the oil men to offer advice on interior design in their own properties.

Alison-Madueke told the court that Nigerian ministers were not allowed to hold foreign bank accounts when on service overseas, and her department's office in London was in such disarray that she relied on wealthy businessmen funding her living expenses.

She said they were always reimbursed in Nigeria and evidence proving this had been seized from her home in Abuja but never produced by the authorities there.

Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, who had appointed Alison-Madueke, did not appear as a witness. But he provided a statement in which he said third parties would often pay for transport, accommodation and other items for ministers on official overseas business.


Questions raised by the case

There were a number of unanswered questions that seem to have fatally undermined the prosecution.

Defence barrister Jonathan Laidlaw KC questioned why the Nigerian government had not sought to prosecute Alison-Madueke.

He said Alison-Madueke had "effectively been kept prisoner in this country for almost 11 years… unable to work, unable to travel" while the NCA had "done nothing to bring about the extradition" of the six oil men said to have paid bribes to her.

The jury was not told why they had not been charged.

The defence claimed the investigation had been compromised from the start because the NCA was denied access to the search of Alison-Madueke's Abuja home in 2015.

They relied on work done on their behalf by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

But while the prosecution told the jury to trust how the EFCC had gathered evidence against Alison-Madueke, at the same time it advised them to disregard the commission's evidence in relation to a co-defendant in the trial.

The defence case of Olatimbo Ayinde, the oil industry executive who was also found not guilty by the jury, was she had been working as an informant for the Nigerian authorities to expose corruption.

Ayinde, a Nigerian businesswoman with British citizenship, said she been encouraged by the west African country's security services to "play along" with those in government who were asking her for bribes.

An EFCC investigator, who had travelled to London from Nigeria, told the court Ayinde had given "vital information that assisted the investigation".

"Miss Ayinde's plan was to help law enforcement and now she's there in the dock," said her barrister Jonathan Lennon KC who had sought unsuccessfully to have his client's case thrown out of court.

In a statement after the verdict, Alison-Madueke said her "nightmare is over".

She said: "For 11 long, gruelling years this case has hung over my head and has tormented me and my family. But today, the past decade of relentless and unjust vilification, condemnation and scrutiny has finally come to an end."

By Steven Swann, BBC

Nigerian government to launch free digital television for residents

The federal government has announced that it will launch FreeTV, a national digital television platform, on Wednesday.

This was disclosed in a statement posted on the Presidency Nigeria X page on Tuesday night.

The FG said the platform will give households across the country access to free digital television, more channels, clearer pictures, and Nigerian content without monthly subscription fees.

Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Charles Ebuebu, said the launch marked another important step in delivering President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the agenda prioritised inclusion, access to opportunity, job creation, local enterprise, and the use of technology to improve everyday life for Nigerians.

He said: “FreeTV is part of Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over programme and is designed to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind as the country moves fully from analogue to digital broadcasting.

“Through the platform, Nigerians will have access to over 100 national, regional and state channels, including news, sports, movies, music, children’s programmes, educational content, and dedicated Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo language channels.”

Service

Additionally, Mr Ebuebu said FreeTVservice will reach viewers via satellite, terrestrial transmission and the FreeTV mobile app.

He said citizens in major cities, towns, rural communities and areas left out of earlier DSO pilot phases would all have access to it.

“Nigerians do not need to buy a new television to watch FreeTV. Existing televisions can work with compatible OVB-T2 or DVB-S2 decoders, and those who already have compatible free-to-air decoders may not need to buy a new one.

“Free TV speaks directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of Renewed Hope towards expanding access, creating opportunity and ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, can benefit from the digital economy. With Free TV, families across Nigeria can enjoy quality digital television without a monthly subscription, while our local content producers, technicians and young creatives gain new platforms and new jobs,” he said.


Creative economy

Furthermore, Mr Ebuebu said the platform will also support Nigeria’s creative and broadcast economy.

He said this will happen through regional production studios in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin.

According to him, it will create new opportunities for content producers, technicians, editors, camera operators, sound engineers and young creatives.

“The final analogue switch-off remains scheduled for 31 December 2028, and Nigerians are encouraged to begin preparing by checking their decoder compatibility and downloading the FreeTV app.”

By Friday Omosola, Premium Times

Nigeria ex-power minister Saleh Mamman jailed 75 years for graft

A Nigerian court on Wednesday sentenced former power minister Saleh Mamman to 75 years in jail for siphoning off millions of dollars from hydro-electricity projects.

Nigeria's anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said Mamman was found guilty of laundering 33.8 billion naira ($24.6 million).

Nigeria is Africa's fourth-largest economy and the continent's top oil producer, but it suffers from acute electricity shortages due to a crumbling grid and inadequate output.

More than 40 percent of Nigerians have no access to grid electricity, according to the World Bank.

Federal High Court judge Justice James Omotosho Abuja "sentenced Mamman to 75 years imprisonment" for money laundering, the EFCC said in a post on X.

Mamman, who was the energy minister between 2019 and 2021, was sentenced in absentia.

He is the first minister who served under former president Muhammadu Buhari, who was revered for his anti-corruption stance, to be jailed for graft.

Several other top officials from Buhari's government are facing trial for fraud, including a former justice minister, an ex-central bank governor and a former labor minister.

Africa News

UN urges independent probes into deadly Nigeria, Chad air attacks

The United Nations human rights chief has demanded independent investigations into reports that separate air attacks by the Nigerian and Chadian forces in northern Nigeria killed more than 100 civilians.

“I am shocked by reports that Nigerian army airstrikes on a market in Zamfara state killed at least 100 civilians on 10 May and injured many more,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement on Wednesday.

He said he was also “alarmed and saddened” by the reports of high civilian casualties in attacks since Friday by Chadian jets against Boko Haram camps on remote islands in the vast marshland shared by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

Nigeria’s military ‌has been battling “bandits” in the northwest, often describing them as “terrorists”. It has also been battling ‌an ‌armed rebellion in the northeast for 17 years.

The Nigerian military and the “bandit” gangs killed at least 100 civilians on Sunday in one of the bloodiest days in the state’s conflict against armed groups, according to Amnesty International.

Citing witnesses, Amnesty said many of those killed were women and children, and urged authorities to immediately investigate the attack on a crowded market in Tumfa village.

The bombardment has reportedly killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen working on islands under Boko Haram control, where civilians are forced to pay taxes to the armed group. Footage verified by the AFP news agency showed several fishermen with severe burns being treated at a hospital in Bosso, Niger.

“It is crucial that both Nigerian and Chadian authorities conduct prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into these disturbing incidents,” Turk said, adding that both militaries must “take all feasible precautions to avoid harm to civilians”.

“Their military operations, including against Boko Haram and the so-called ‘Islamic State West Africa Province’ must be conducted in full compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” he said, referring to the ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP). “Civilians and civilian objects must never be the target of attack.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian military said on Wednesday ⁠that there ⁠has been no evidence of civilian casualties in attacks in the ⁠northwest Zamfara state this month, calling reports of large death tolls unverified and misleading.

“No credible, substantiated evidence of civilian casualties has been established through any official assessment or independent ⁠verification,” defence headquarters spokesman Major-General ⁠Michael Onoja said in a statement.

Onoja claimed that the strike was conducted under international humanitarian law and targeted a “confirmed high-level gathering” based on intelligence sources in a village where “several terrorists were neutralised”.

By AFP and Reuters

Related stories: Amnesty: More than 100 civilians killed in Nigerian military airstrike

Amnesty: More than 100 civilians killed in Nigerian military airstrike

Nigerian civilians caught in the crossfire once again. Amnesty International says more than 100 civilians were killed in a military airstrike in the country's northwest. The group is calling on authorities to launch an immediate investigation.

DW

Related stories: Nigeria military denies civilian deaths in Niger state airstrikes

Up to 200 civilians killed in Nigeria after air force 'misfire' on market

President Tinubu seeks parliament's approval for $516 million highway loan

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has asked parliament to approve a $516 ​million foreign loan to help finance the ‌first sections of a new national highway, a major transport corridor linking the country's northwest to ​its southwest.

In a letter read by ​the Senate's president during a plenary session ⁠on Thursday, Tinubu said the government was ​seeking approval for the syndicated financing facility from ​Deutsche Bank, adding the loan was part of the government's medium-term borrowing plan approved by lawmakers.

The loan ​would have a nine-year tenor, including up ​to three years' grace, Tinubu said in the letter.

The ‌roughly ⁠1,000-km (600-mile) highway will link Sokoto state, in Nigeria's northwest, through the central Niger and Kwara states to the coastal town of Badagry ​in Lagos, ​the commercial ⁠capital.

Tinubu said the highway would deepen north–south links, cut travel times ​and haulage costs, lift trade and ​food ⁠security, and bolster national integration.

Last year, Nigeria raised a $747 million syndicated loan, led by Deutsche ⁠Bank, ​to fund the first ​phase of a planned 700-km (435-mile) coastal highway.

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

President Tinubu grants 30% debt relief to airlines, orders fuel price talks

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has approved a 30% relief on debts owed by local airlines to aviation agencies and ordered talks involving fuel marketers, airlines, and regulators to reach a fair jet fuel price within 72 hours, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said on Thursday.

Domestic airlines warned they could no longer continue operations without raising ticket prices after jet fuel prices rose nearly 300%.

Representatives from government, airlines, fuel marketers, and regulators will meet within 48–72 hours to agree on what the minister described as “fair and reasonable” pricing for jet fuel, with any outcome to be made public.

Soaring jet fuel prices have upended the global aviation industry as a consequence of the Iran war, forcing airlines to raise fares, curb growth plans and rethink forecasts.

Reuters

Related story: Nigerian airlines threaten to halt flights over soaring jet fuel prices

Nigeria's suspected coup plotters deny treason charges

Six people, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, have pleaded not guilty to plotting a coup to overthrow Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu.

The defendants appeared at the Federal High Court in the capital, Abuja, where they were ordered to remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria's domestic spy agency.

A seventh person - a former governor and one-time oil minister, Timipre Sylva - has also been named as a conspirator but court documents said he was still at large.

Rumours of the coup plot surfaced when the government abruptly cancelled a planned military parade to mark Nigeria's 65th Independence Anniversary on 1 October 2025.

At the time, officials cited security threats - but speculation quickly linked the cancellation to a possible coup plot.

The military initially denied the reports, but in January it announced that 16 officers were to be tried before a military court for attempting to oust the president.

Those to go on trial at the Federal High Court on charges of treason, terrorism and money laundering are civilians or retired military personnel alleged to have been part of the plot.

Sylva, who served as petroleum minister from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari and was also governor of the oil-rich southern Bayelsa state from 2007 to 2012, denied links to a coup plot after his house was ransacked by investigators last October.

An arrest warrant was issued for him the following month in a separate case launched by the country's anti-corruption agency. At the time his spokesman said the former minister was in the UK for a medical check-up and that the allegations were politically motivated.

The charges were filed by Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi on Tuesday. The six on trial are:

Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired major general
Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired navy captain
Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector
Zekeri Umoru, an electrician working at the Presidential Villa
Bukar Kashim Goni, a civilian
Abdulkadir Sani, an Islamic cleric based in Zaria in Kaduna state.

The court scheduled 27 April for bail hearings.

During proceedings on Wednesday, defence lawyers complained of restricted access to their clients, claiming they had been unable to meet them since September 2025 - which would mean they had been arrested ahead of the Independence Day parade.

According to the charge sheet, the six defendants "conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe" the president.

The court papers suggest the coup plot was led by Col Mohammed Alhassan Ma'aji, who was arrested along with other alleged accomplices, and is due to go on trial at a military court.

Prosecutors also allege the defendants had prior knowledge of Col Ma'aji's "treasonable act", but failed to inform authorities.

The charges include the suppression of intelligence, with prosecutors alleging the defendants were intent on destabilising the state and had failed to disclose information that could have helped prevent terrorism.

Money-laundering allegations form a significant part of the case - with accusations that money changed hands linked to the financing of terrorism.

Under Nigerian law, treason attracts severe penalties, including life imprisonment.

Nigeria has experienced a period of unbroken civilian rule since 1999.

This case is being closely watched as one of the most significant coup-related prosecutions in recent Nigerian history.

For months, the secrecy and unanswered questions over the alleged coup plot created a fertile ground for rumours, with speculation ranging from wider military involvement to claims of political vendettas.

Journalists and civil society groups repeatedly pressed for clarity, but access to information was limited.

The eventual arraignment of these six men has now brought the matter into open court.

However, questions remain about the scale of the alleged conspiracy and whether more suspects will be charged.

By Mansur Abubakar and Chris Ewokor, BBC

Related story: Nigeria charges six people with treason for plan to overthrow president

Nigeria charges six people with treason for plan to overthrow president

Nigerian authorities have charged six people, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, with terrorism and treason, over an alleged plot to overthrow the president, Bola Tinubu, according to a charge sheet seen by the Associated Press on Tuesday.

The six people accused of treason were all in custody.

A seventh suspect, former Bayelsa state Governor Timpre Sylva, is accused of helping to conceal the plot and is still at large.

The Nigerian government first said it had foiled a coup attempt in January, when it announced that several military officers would stand trial. They were part of a group of 16 military officers arrested in 2025 over what military authorities described as “acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations", which fuelled rumours of a coup plot that the government initially denied.

Africa's most populous nation experienced five coups in the 20th century but has not seen one since it transitioned to democracy in 1999.

The alleged coup plot comes on the heels of a surge in coups and attempted coups in West and Central Africa, the latest in Benin and Guinea-Bissau late last year. The military takeovers, experts say, follow a pattern of disputed elections, constitutional upheaval, security crises and youth discontent.

France24