Thursday, January 4, 2018
Video - More than 670,000 Nigerians living in camps due to insurgency
The eight-year Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria's northeast has displaced around 2 million people, some in Nigeria and some overseas. The United Nations calls it one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. More than 670,000 of those people live in camps in Nigeria's northeast. Their story is one of despair and one that tell of a longing of returning to their home towns. Leslie Mirungu reports.
Nigeria to buy 2 satellites from China for $550 million
Nigeria has agreed a $550-million deal to buy two Chinese communications satellites and hopes to sign the contract before the end of the month, the communication minister said on Wednesday.
Adebayo Shittu said China Exim Bank and the manufacturer, China Great Wall, have agreed to pay for the new satellites after Nigeria renegotiated an earlier deal that had required it to cover 15 percent of the cost.
“This is a very big business opportunity ... which is ... why they have agreed that even without our ability to contribute 15 percent they are prepared to pay the entire sum of $550 million for the procurement of the two new satellites for Nigeria,” Shittu told reporters in the capital Abuja.
He said the satellite will be launched after a two-year production period starting from when the paperwork is signed.
The minister said the funds were not a loan but the Chinese company will take an equity stake in Nigcomsat, a limited liability company owned the Nigerian government and responsible for managing satellite communications.
Both parties will agree on a percentage share, Shittu said, adding that Nigeria “has nothing to lose because we are not putting anything into it in terms of financial resources.”
Shittu said the Chinese would help market satellite communication services to other African countries which would compete with current providers from Israel, Britain and the United States.
“The first thing is that we want to make a profit, we want to capture the local market and we also want to capture the African market,” he said.
Adebayo Shittu said China Exim Bank and the manufacturer, China Great Wall, have agreed to pay for the new satellites after Nigeria renegotiated an earlier deal that had required it to cover 15 percent of the cost.
“This is a very big business opportunity ... which is ... why they have agreed that even without our ability to contribute 15 percent they are prepared to pay the entire sum of $550 million for the procurement of the two new satellites for Nigeria,” Shittu told reporters in the capital Abuja.
He said the satellite will be launched after a two-year production period starting from when the paperwork is signed.
The minister said the funds were not a loan but the Chinese company will take an equity stake in Nigcomsat, a limited liability company owned the Nigerian government and responsible for managing satellite communications.
Both parties will agree on a percentage share, Shittu said, adding that Nigeria “has nothing to lose because we are not putting anything into it in terms of financial resources.”
Shittu said the Chinese would help market satellite communication services to other African countries which would compete with current providers from Israel, Britain and the United States.
“The first thing is that we want to make a profit, we want to capture the local market and we also want to capture the African market,” he said.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Video - Surviving captivity under Boko Haram
Nigeria's military says more than 700 people held hostage by the armed group Boko Haram have managed to escape. Al Jazeera visited the region in northeast Nigeria where people have been living in the shadow of Boko Haram. While there, we met with former captives, and the families of people still held hostage by the armed group. Al Jazeera's Catherine Soi reports from Madagali, northeast Nigeria.
Suicide bomber attacks mosque in Borno, Nigeria
A suicide attacker blew himself up Wednesday during dawn prayers at a mosque in the Nigerian town of Gamboru in Borno state.
Officials confirmed at least 11 people were killed and the mosque was reduced to rubble.
"Only the muezzin has survived and we believe more bodies are buried under the debris," Umar Kachalla, a civilian militiaman, told the news agency AFP. "The death toll may likely rise."
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the bombing, but Boko Haram is active in the area and often uses suicide bombers to attack public places like mosques and markets.
The extremist group has also stepped up its attacks in Borno state in recent months, particularly around the regional capital Maiduguri — the birthplace of its Islamist insurgency.
'We carried out these attacks'
On Tuesday, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video message claiming responsibility for a series of attacks across Nigeria's northeast over the Christmas period.
On Saturday, 25 people were killed outside Maiduguri, while four civilians were killed in an attack in the city last week.
"We carried out the attacks in Maiduguri, in Gamboru, in Damboa," Shekau said. "We carried out all these attacks."
In November, at least 50 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in Adamawa state.
Ongoing struggle
The extremist group has killed around 20,000 people and displaced more than 2.6 million since launching an Islamist insurgency in Nigeria's northeast in 2009.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said in his New Year address that Boko Haram had largely been "beaten."
But despite losing territory to Nigerian troops, the jihadi group's fighters have continued to stage attacks on military convoys and towns, as well as carry out cross border raids into Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
Officials confirmed at least 11 people were killed and the mosque was reduced to rubble.
"Only the muezzin has survived and we believe more bodies are buried under the debris," Umar Kachalla, a civilian militiaman, told the news agency AFP. "The death toll may likely rise."
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the bombing, but Boko Haram is active in the area and often uses suicide bombers to attack public places like mosques and markets.
The extremist group has also stepped up its attacks in Borno state in recent months, particularly around the regional capital Maiduguri — the birthplace of its Islamist insurgency.
'We carried out these attacks'
On Tuesday, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video message claiming responsibility for a series of attacks across Nigeria's northeast over the Christmas period.
On Saturday, 25 people were killed outside Maiduguri, while four civilians were killed in an attack in the city last week.
"We carried out the attacks in Maiduguri, in Gamboru, in Damboa," Shekau said. "We carried out all these attacks."
In November, at least 50 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in Adamawa state.
Ongoing struggle
The extremist group has killed around 20,000 people and displaced more than 2.6 million since launching an Islamist insurgency in Nigeria's northeast in 2009.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said in his New Year address that Boko Haram had largely been "beaten."
But despite losing territory to Nigerian troops, the jihadi group's fighters have continued to stage attacks on military convoys and towns, as well as carry out cross border raids into Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Video - Recession, inflation make for a difficult year 2017 for Nigeria
2017 been a topsy-turvy year for the Nigerian economy. Reeling from the effects of recession and record inflation rate coupled with severe foreign exchange shortages, Nigerians had it tough in 2017. The economy is now out of recession and on the path of growth, albeit very slowly. But people are more optimistic. Here is Deji Badmus with a highlight of what Africa's largest economy has been through this year.
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