Friday, April 27, 2018
Video - Nigerian children at risk as vaccination campaigns have limited reach
Millions of Nigerian children under the age of five are at risk of contracting preventable diseases due to limited reach of immunization campaigns. A recent survey conducted by the Nigerian government shows only one out of every four children has received mandatory vaccinations.
Video - Another deadly raid reported in Nigeria's Benue State
There has reportedly been another attack in Nigeria's Benue State. At least seven people have apparently been killed in a raid on a church and a primary school in the Logo area. It comes just a day after at least 16 people -- including two Catholic priests -- were killed in a church in the village of Ayar Mbalom, also in Benue state. The government has yet to confirm this latest raid. It's believed unknown gunmen opened fire at the victims, who had been taking refuge in the church after being displaced from their homes during earlier violence.
Video - Blind Nigerian teen uses recycled plastic to create unique Fuji music
A Nigerian teenager is breaking into the international music scene with the help of social media. Basit Raheem performs Fuji -- an indigenous genre of music, influenced by traditional Islamic sounds. The 14-year-old uses recycled plastic bottles to create a unique beat to accompany his singing. But what's perhaps most impressive, is that Basit does it all by touch, as he is blind.
President Buhari summoned to Senate over church killings
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been summoned by the Senate over a spate of killings in the country's middle belt.
The lawmakers are yet to set a date for the president's appearance but said violence in Nigeria's central states could lead to "serious crisis" in the country.
"We all know that the dimension this is taking can lead to serious crisis in this country. It means we need to take drastic action. We must say 'no'. These daily killings, have to stop," said Bukola Saraki, Nigeria's Senate leader.
Members of the country's lower parliament who had invited the President Wednesday also passed a vote of no confidence in service chiefs and security advisers, calling for their dismissal over their inability to protect Nigerians.
The lawmakers said could no longer watch "our people are murdered in cold blood" and urged government to increase security measures in affected areas.
"We also resolved to summon the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces President Muhammadu Buhari in order to answer pertinent questions concerning what the Executive is doing to put a decisive end to the spate of killings in different states of the Federation," said Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives.
Buhari's media aide did not immediately respond to CNN's request for a comment.
The president is currently on a two-day working visit to Bauchi State, in north central Nigeria, where he is commissioning road projects and an air force medical facility, according to local media reports.
In the latest wave of violence to hit the middle belt region in recent months, two priests and 17 worshippers were killed Tuesday when armed men attacked a Catholic church during early morning mass in a remote village in Benue state.
The attackers razed over 50 houses in an attempt to take over the community, state police said. State police spokesman Terver Akase told CNN the attackers were thought to be Fulani cattle herdsmen,
Bello Bodejo, head of the cattle herders association, Miyetti Allah, denied the group's involvement in the attacks.
He called on the police and security agencies to investigate and reveal the identities of the attackers to put an end to speculation about his group's involvement.
"We are condemning Tuesday's attack because it is not acceptable. But we want a thorough investigation because every time there is an attack in the middle belt, they say it is Fulani people that caused it," he said in a phone interview with CNN.
"Many Fulani herdsman are not educated or organized enough to speak out against these accusations and this is why socio-cultural organizations like ours are appealing to Nigerians to assist us to get to the root of these attacks."
The violence between the Fulani herdsmen, who are mostly Muslims, and farmers, who are predominantly Christians, in the central state dates back to 2013. According to the Global Terrorism Index, Fulani extremists killed over 2,500 Nigerians between 2012 and 2016.
Cattle herders have evicted farmers by initiating deadly attacks in Nigeria's middle belt, the report from the Institute for Economics & Peace, a non-profit think tank, said.
The expanding conflict between herders and farmers in the region led to the enforcement of anti-grazing laws by local governments , a move that has exacerbated tensions in affected states.
At least 72 people were killed in January following weeks of violence between nomadic herdsmen and farmers in the central part of the West African country.
Buhari, who is ethnically Fulani, has been widely criticized by Nigerians for his perceived silence over previous attacks in Benue state.
He visited the state in March to console families and communities involved and has vowed to bring those responsible for Tuesday's attack to justice.
"This latest assault on innocent persons is particularly despicable. Violating a place of worship, killing priests and worshippers is not only vile, evil and satanic, it is clearly calculated to stoke up religious conflict and plunge our communities into endless bloodletting," Buhari said in a tweet.
International Christian rights organizations have also spoken out about what they see as persecution of some Nigerians because of their faith.
David Curry, president of Open Doors Christian Rights group, condemned Tuesday's attacks and stated that Christians are being targeted in north and central states in Nigeria.
He urged US President Donald Trump to discuss these "religious attacks" during his meeting with Buhari later this month.
"President Buhari has done nothing more than issue empty words of condolence as villages have been burned and thousands of religious minorities have been slaughtered.
Buhari will meet Trump in Washington April 30 to discuss ways of combating terrorism, promoting economic growth among other issues.
The lawmakers are yet to set a date for the president's appearance but said violence in Nigeria's central states could lead to "serious crisis" in the country.
"We all know that the dimension this is taking can lead to serious crisis in this country. It means we need to take drastic action. We must say 'no'. These daily killings, have to stop," said Bukola Saraki, Nigeria's Senate leader.
Members of the country's lower parliament who had invited the President Wednesday also passed a vote of no confidence in service chiefs and security advisers, calling for their dismissal over their inability to protect Nigerians.
The lawmakers said could no longer watch "our people are murdered in cold blood" and urged government to increase security measures in affected areas.
"We also resolved to summon the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces President Muhammadu Buhari in order to answer pertinent questions concerning what the Executive is doing to put a decisive end to the spate of killings in different states of the Federation," said Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives.
Buhari's media aide did not immediately respond to CNN's request for a comment.
The president is currently on a two-day working visit to Bauchi State, in north central Nigeria, where he is commissioning road projects and an air force medical facility, according to local media reports.
In the latest wave of violence to hit the middle belt region in recent months, two priests and 17 worshippers were killed Tuesday when armed men attacked a Catholic church during early morning mass in a remote village in Benue state.
The attackers razed over 50 houses in an attempt to take over the community, state police said. State police spokesman Terver Akase told CNN the attackers were thought to be Fulani cattle herdsmen,
Bello Bodejo, head of the cattle herders association, Miyetti Allah, denied the group's involvement in the attacks.
He called on the police and security agencies to investigate and reveal the identities of the attackers to put an end to speculation about his group's involvement.
"We are condemning Tuesday's attack because it is not acceptable. But we want a thorough investigation because every time there is an attack in the middle belt, they say it is Fulani people that caused it," he said in a phone interview with CNN.
"Many Fulani herdsman are not educated or organized enough to speak out against these accusations and this is why socio-cultural organizations like ours are appealing to Nigerians to assist us to get to the root of these attacks."
The violence between the Fulani herdsmen, who are mostly Muslims, and farmers, who are predominantly Christians, in the central state dates back to 2013. According to the Global Terrorism Index, Fulani extremists killed over 2,500 Nigerians between 2012 and 2016.
Cattle herders have evicted farmers by initiating deadly attacks in Nigeria's middle belt, the report from the Institute for Economics & Peace, a non-profit think tank, said.
The expanding conflict between herders and farmers in the region led to the enforcement of anti-grazing laws by local governments , a move that has exacerbated tensions in affected states.
At least 72 people were killed in January following weeks of violence between nomadic herdsmen and farmers in the central part of the West African country.
Buhari, who is ethnically Fulani, has been widely criticized by Nigerians for his perceived silence over previous attacks in Benue state.
He visited the state in March to console families and communities involved and has vowed to bring those responsible for Tuesday's attack to justice.
"This latest assault on innocent persons is particularly despicable. Violating a place of worship, killing priests and worshippers is not only vile, evil and satanic, it is clearly calculated to stoke up religious conflict and plunge our communities into endless bloodletting," Buhari said in a tweet.
International Christian rights organizations have also spoken out about what they see as persecution of some Nigerians because of their faith.
David Curry, president of Open Doors Christian Rights group, condemned Tuesday's attacks and stated that Christians are being targeted in north and central states in Nigeria.
He urged US President Donald Trump to discuss these "religious attacks" during his meeting with Buhari later this month.
"President Buhari has done nothing more than issue empty words of condolence as villages have been burned and thousands of religious minorities have been slaughtered.
His inaction has meant attacks by the Fulani are becoming more deadly and sophisticated," Curry said in a statement Wednesday.
Buhari will meet Trump in Washington April 30 to discuss ways of combating terrorism, promoting economic growth among other issues.
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Video - Nigerian government aims to end malaria deaths by 2020
Nigeria is the country worst affected by malaria. The World Health Organisation estimates around 8,500 people are infected by the mosquito-borne disease every week. The government has stepped up efforts to treat patients -- and aims to ensure that no Nigerian dies of malaria by 2020.
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