Thursday, January 5, 2017

Video - Nigeria's government launches $15 monthly stipend for vulnerable groups




As part of its efforts to improve the lives of Nigerians, President Buhari's administration has started providing 15 dollar monthly stipends to some of the country's poorest and most vulnerable communities.The first round of payouts covered nine states -- including Borno, Kwara and Bauchi. Many beneficiaries have already reported receiving their stipends. Funds for another five states will follow soon. The government has also set up a Homegrown School Feeding Programme in three states, providing meals to pupils.

3 girl suicide bombers killed in Nigeria

Three girl suicide bombers targeting a bustling market in northeastern Nigeria were gunned down Wednesday, civilian and military officials said. They blamed the Boko Haram Islamic extremist group for the attempted bombing.

The civilian fighters who work alongside the army challenged the girls as they approached a village near Madagali town, local council chairman Yusuf Muhammad Gulak told The Associated Press.

The girls began running at the checkpoint and the fighters shot the girl in the lead, activating her explosives and killing her and a companion, he said. The third girl tried to flee and was gunned down, Gulak said.

Army spokesman Maj. Badare Akintoye confirmed the shootings, adding: "Our soldiers are on alert and commercial activities are going on" at the targeted market.

Soldiers and civilian fighters have stopped many suicide bombers before they can reach heavily populated targets in recent months. But two female suicide bombers killed 57 people and wounded 177, including 120 children, last month at Madagali market, 20 kilometres from the scene of Wednesday's shootings.

Boko Haram has used scores of women and girls as young as seven in suicide bombings that have killed hundreds. Some of the bombers are suspected to have been previously kidnapped.

A multinational force of troops from Nigeria and its neighbours has driven the Islamic extremists from most of the towns and villages where they had declared a caliphate to help create an Islamic state in Nigeria, a country of 170 million people divided almost equally between Muslims and Christians.

Nigeria's president declared that Boko Haram had been crushed last month, but there's unlikely to be a swift end to the suicide bombings and attacks on remote villages and army outposts.

Boko Haram's seven-year-old Islamic uprising has killed more than 20,000 people, driven 2.6 million from their homes and created a massive humanitarian crisis that the UN says has 5.1 million people facing starvation.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Video - Efforts are under way to rebuild north-eastern Nigeria



What are Nigerian authorities doing to rebuild the north-eastern part of the country after the Boko Haram insurgency? CGTN's Kelechi Emekalam sat down with Nigerian presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu for more details.

Video - Former Nigerian leaders sing for peace and goodwill in 2017




A video shared by vice president Yemi Osinbajo on his social media account showing some past leaders of Nigeria singing hymns for the deliverance of the country from its multiple challenges has been trending online.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Video - Nigeria's first digital bank issuing loans to small business




Imagine getting a loan from a bank without the usual collateral, within just 72 hours of applying. It may sound impossible -- especially in a country like Nigeria, where securing credit is a difficult process. But one start-up is making it possible for small businesses.