Video - Nigerians cut Christmas spending as high inflation persists

Rising inflation has forced many people across Nigeria to slash their spending. Experts have warned that the reduced spending could affect the country's economy.

CGTN

Video - Nigeria event encourages African women to embrace natural hair

The 2023 African Hair Summit seeks to encourage more African women to embrace their natural hair. Experts say doing that is not only the healthier alternative but will also spur the growth of Africa's natural hair care sector, strengthen economies on the continent, and create jobs.

CGTN

Villagers missing in Nigeria two days after suspected nomadic herders kill 140

Nigerian mother-of-three Grace Godwin was preparing food on Christmas Eve when her husband burst into the kitchen and ordered her and the children to run and take cover in the bush after gunmen were spotted in a nearby village.

Soon they heard gunfire, starting an hours-long attack by suspected nomadic herders who rampaged through 15 villages in central Plateau state on Sunday, killing at least 140 people with guns and machetes, officials, police and residents said.

It was the bloodiest violence since 2018 when more than 200 people were killed in Nigeria's central region where clashes between herders and farmers are common.

"We returned at 6 the next morning and found that houses had been burnt and people killed. There are still people missing," Godwin said by phone.

"There is no one in Mayanga (village), women and children have all fled."

It was not immediately clear what triggered Sunday's attacks but violence in the region, known as the "Middle Belt", is often characterised as ethno-religious - chiefly Muslim Fulani herdsmen clashing with mainly Christian farmers.

But experts and politicians say climate change and expanding agriculture are creating competition for land, pushing farmers and herders into conflict.

Nomadic cattle herders are from northern Nigeria, which is getting drier and becoming more prone to drought and floods. That is forcing them to trek further south, where farmers are increasing production as the population rapidly expands.

That means less land for nomads and their cattle, supporting the view among local people that the conflict is based on the availability of resources rather than ethnic or religious differences.

"These attacks have been recurring. They want to drive us out of our ancestral land but we will continue to resist these assaults," said Magit Macham, who had returned from the state capital Jos to celebrate Christmas with his family.

Macham was chatting to his brother outside his house when the sputtering sound of a petrol generator was interrupted by gunshots. His brother was hit by a bullet in the leg but Macham dragged him to into the bush where they hid for the night.

"We were taken unawares and those that could run ran into the bush. A good number of those that couldn't were caught and killed with machetes," he said.

Plateau governor called the violence "unprovoked" and police said several houses, cars and motorcycles were burnt.

President Bola Tinubu, who has yet to spell out how he intends to tackle widespread security, described the attacks as "primitive and cruel" and directed police to track down those responsible.

By Hamza Ibrahim and Camillus Eboh, Reuters

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Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

As the world's demand for chocolate grows, cocoa farmers in Nigeria are moving into protected areas of a forest reserve that is home to endangered species like African forest elephants. Over the course of two visits and several days, The Associated Press documented farmers harvesting cocoa beans where that work is banned in conservation areas of Omo Forest Reserve, a protected tropical rainforest 135 kilometers (84 miles) northeast of the coastal city of Lagos in southwestern Nigeria. AP Video/Dan Ikopyi.

AP

Government eases holiday travel costs with free train rides and bus fare reductions in Nigeria

In a bid to alleviate the financial strain associated with holiday travels, the Nigerian government has introduced measures to provide relief to its citizens during the festive season. The announcement, made on Wednesday, includes free train rides and a 50% reduction in public bus fares across the country.

Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development and head of the inter-ministerial committee on presidential intervention, emphasized that the initiative aims to enable domestic travelers to visit their loved ones and hometowns "without stress and the extra burden imposed by the high cost of transport around this period." The move is seen as a gesture to enhance the well-being of citizens during the festive season.

The discounted inter-state fares and complimentary train rides, slated to be in effect from December 21 to January 4, are part of a collaborative effort with companies operating luxury buses across 22 routes nationwide. President Bola Tinubu has given his approval to this initiative, which notably focuses on the masses, as highlighted by Mr. Alake.

Transport Minister Sa'idu Alkali expressed the government's commitment to ensuring that the substantial reduction in bus fares and the provision of free train rides will allow "every Nigerian to partake in the joy of the season without the burden of exorbitant transportation costs." This move is poised to make holiday travel more accessible and affordable for the general population.

Segun Falade, the spokesperson for the National Union of Road Transport Workers, confirmed that bus operators would adhere to the agreed-upon fare subsidy, as reported by local media. This collaborative effort between the government and transportation stakeholders aims to ease the financial strain on citizens during what is traditionally the busiest month for travel in Nigeria, with the highest number of air, road transport, and railway passengers recorded in December.

By Afolake Oyinloye, Africa News