Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Video - Nigerian government trying to appease communities in the Niger Delta region
Nigeria president Muhamadu Buhari has been holding talks to end the troubles in the country's oil-rich Niger Delta. He's met leaders from the region at his Presidential villa in Abuja. They've set 16 separate demands for peace. Buhari has asked for more time.
Video - Military claims dozens of civilians rescued from Boko Haram
Nigeria's army says it's rescued at least 36 women and children from Boko Haram militants. The rescues took place in the North-eastern Borno State. The rescues are part of the army's efforts to clear the militants along the border between Nigeria and Niger. The army says six members of Boko Haram have been killed in the operation. Several others escaped with gunshot wounds. The insurgents also reportedly left behind items like motorcycles and flags. It's not clear where the rescued women and children have been taken at this stage.
Militants blow up oil pipeline in Nigeria
Suspected militants have bombed a state-run oil pipeline near the southern Nigerian oil hub of Warri in the latest blow to the industry, a security source and community leader said Wednesday.
The Trans Forcados export line was attacked late Tuesday, they said, just hours after President Muhammadu Buhari met with representatives of militant groups in the oil-rich Niger delta to discuss how to end the unrest plaguing the region.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.
“The attack was carried out with the aid of dynamite and it is coming less than 48 hours after the resumption of operations at the flow station,” a security official, who declined to be named, told AFP.
The pipeline was attacked in July and had only resumed operation at the weekend following repairs.
Dickson Ogugu, chairman of Batan community where the pipeline is based, confirmed the incident, saying a surveillance team had identified the site of the attack.
“The entire river is flooded with contents from the damaged trunkline and we are at the receiving end.”
The line is operated by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) and receives crude from Batan near Warri.
Since February, several militant groups have attacked oil facilities, slashing the nation’s output and hammering revenues.
The groups claim to be seeking a fairer share of Nigeria’s multi-billion-dollar oil wealth for residents of the region — as well as greater political autonomy.
Following peace talks in Abuja chaired Tuesday by the president, junior oil minister Emmanuel Kachikwu said the country’s oil production was returning to normal.
“The reality is that as of today and this morning, we are at 2.1 million barrels production. That’s substantial,” he said, adding that efforts to secure peace were succeeding.
Nigeria normally produces around 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), but output dropped to a low of 1.4 bpd this year due to rebel attacks.
The Trans Forcados export line was attacked late Tuesday, they said, just hours after President Muhammadu Buhari met with representatives of militant groups in the oil-rich Niger delta to discuss how to end the unrest plaguing the region.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.
“The attack was carried out with the aid of dynamite and it is coming less than 48 hours after the resumption of operations at the flow station,” a security official, who declined to be named, told AFP.
The pipeline was attacked in July and had only resumed operation at the weekend following repairs.
Dickson Ogugu, chairman of Batan community where the pipeline is based, confirmed the incident, saying a surveillance team had identified the site of the attack.
“The entire river is flooded with contents from the damaged trunkline and we are at the receiving end.”
The line is operated by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) and receives crude from Batan near Warri.
Since February, several militant groups have attacked oil facilities, slashing the nation’s output and hammering revenues.
The groups claim to be seeking a fairer share of Nigeria’s multi-billion-dollar oil wealth for residents of the region — as well as greater political autonomy.
Following peace talks in Abuja chaired Tuesday by the president, junior oil minister Emmanuel Kachikwu said the country’s oil production was returning to normal.
“The reality is that as of today and this morning, we are at 2.1 million barrels production. That’s substantial,” he said, adding that efforts to secure peace were succeeding.
Nigeria normally produces around 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), but output dropped to a low of 1.4 bpd this year due to rebel attacks.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Video - Real estate developers continue to build despite recession
Despite a nasty recession, some property developers in Nigeria are pushing ahead to build even more. One developer in Abuja is doubling down on investments in a sector that has seen an unprecedented slowdown after decades of rapid growth.
Officials raping Boko Haram refugees according to Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Nigerian officials of sexually exploiting women and girls living in camps for victims of Boko Haram in the war-torn northeast.
HRW said in a report published on Monday that it documented 43 cases of women and girls in seven internally displaced persons' camps in Maiduguri, the epicentre of a seven-year battle with Boko Haram, who had been abused by camp leaders, policemen and soldiers.
"It is bad enough that these women and girls are not getting much-needed support for the horrific trauma they suffered at the hands of Boko Haram," said Mausi Segun, senior Nigeria researcher at HRW.
"It is disgraceful and outrageous that people who should protect these women and girls are attacking and abusing them," she added.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said in a statement that he was "worried and shocked" by the report and directed police to "immediately commence investigations into the issue".
"The welfare of these most vulnerable of Nigerian citizens has been a priority of his government," presidency spokesman Garba Shehu said, adding that the allegations raised by the HRW "are not being taken lightly".
Four of the victims told HRW they were drugged and raped, while 37 were coerced into sex through false marriage promises and material and financial assistance.
"Many of those coerced into sex said they were abandoned if they became pregnant. They and their children have suffered discrimination, abuse, and stigmatisation from other camp residents," the global rights body said.
HRW spoke to one 17-year-old girl who was raped and made pregnant by a policeman.
"One day he demanded to have sex with me," she said. "I refused but he forced me. It happened just that one time, but soon I realised I was pregnant.
"When I informed him about my condition, he threatened to shoot and kill me if I told anyone else. So I was too afraid to report him."
HRW said irregular supplies of food, clothing, medicine and other essentials in camps were making the women vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
"In some cases, men used their positions of authority and gifts of desperately needed food or other items to have sex with women," it said.
Boko Haram has devastated northeast Nigeria, killing more than 20,000 people and displacing 2.6 million from their homes. Since taking up arms against the Nigerian government in 2009, the group has also disrupted trade routes and farms.
Now, nearly 50,000 children face death by starvation if they don't get food and almost 250,000 more are severely malnourished in Borno state, according to UNICEF.
HRW said in a report published on Monday that it documented 43 cases of women and girls in seven internally displaced persons' camps in Maiduguri, the epicentre of a seven-year battle with Boko Haram, who had been abused by camp leaders, policemen and soldiers.
"It is bad enough that these women and girls are not getting much-needed support for the horrific trauma they suffered at the hands of Boko Haram," said Mausi Segun, senior Nigeria researcher at HRW.
"It is disgraceful and outrageous that people who should protect these women and girls are attacking and abusing them," she added.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said in a statement that he was "worried and shocked" by the report and directed police to "immediately commence investigations into the issue".
"The welfare of these most vulnerable of Nigerian citizens has been a priority of his government," presidency spokesman Garba Shehu said, adding that the allegations raised by the HRW "are not being taken lightly".
Four of the victims told HRW they were drugged and raped, while 37 were coerced into sex through false marriage promises and material and financial assistance.
"Many of those coerced into sex said they were abandoned if they became pregnant. They and their children have suffered discrimination, abuse, and stigmatisation from other camp residents," the global rights body said.
HRW spoke to one 17-year-old girl who was raped and made pregnant by a policeman.
"One day he demanded to have sex with me," she said. "I refused but he forced me. It happened just that one time, but soon I realised I was pregnant.
"When I informed him about my condition, he threatened to shoot and kill me if I told anyone else. So I was too afraid to report him."
HRW said irregular supplies of food, clothing, medicine and other essentials in camps were making the women vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
"In some cases, men used their positions of authority and gifts of desperately needed food or other items to have sex with women," it said.
Boko Haram has devastated northeast Nigeria, killing more than 20,000 people and displacing 2.6 million from their homes. Since taking up arms against the Nigerian government in 2009, the group has also disrupted trade routes and farms.
Now, nearly 50,000 children face death by starvation if they don't get food and almost 250,000 more are severely malnourished in Borno state, according to UNICEF.
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