A British hostage was killed in a military operation in Nigeria on Wednesday which released six other hostages, the Italian foreign ministry said.
Two kidnappers were killed and one Italian hostage was gravely wounded in the operation conducted by the Nigerian army, the ministry said.
The seven oil workers were captured on a ship off the Nigerian coast.
Related story: Seven dead, 100 kidnapped after attack in northern Nigeria
Polish diplomat, and former ambassador to Zimbabwe and Malawi, Jan Wieliński has spoken to TVP World about the Polish students held captive in Nigeria, as well as Russia’s growing influence on the region.
Confirming that the students were safe and in good health, Wieliński said that they were currently under guard in a hotel in Abuja, the country’s capital, but that he fully expected their release in the imminent future.
“I think in the next couple of days, when the process of verification is completed, they will be released,” said Wieliński. Continuing, he said he did not envisage they, or their lecturer, to have met with any harm and fully anticipated their safe return to Poland.
The six students from the University of Warsaw and their lecturer were arrested in the northern city of Kano following mass demonstrations sparked by Nigeria’s economic crisis. Such gatherings have been banned and a curfew put in place as President Bola Tinubu seeks to quell the unrest.
“There was a curfew and they decided to go and photograph an anti-government demonstration with their phones,” said Wieliński, confirming that this was the reason for their detainment. “I don’t know whether it is true or not, but my source told me that the security forces have photographs which were taken by the students.”
However, Wieliński rejected the accusation that the students had been carrying Russian flags. “It’s simply impossible,” he said.
Nigeria has been plunged into chaos as a result of Tinubu’s painful macroeconomic reforms, but Wielińśki says that the country’s premier has had little choice given the direction he has been given by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
“They have had to cut oil and food subsidies, and many members of society are unhappy,” he said, “but in my opinion the Tinubu government have had no choice… It is the only way they can improve their economy.”
Questioned as to Russia’s looming shadow, Wieliński warned that Western aid had simply ceased being attractive to many African countries. This, he emphasized, was not due to the colonial past, but because of the Western tendency to attach political and humanitarian conditions to loans.
“We want to give the money loans, but in accordance with a certain pattern of observing human rights or introducing the democratic reforms,” said Wieliński. “Many African leaders, especially those who have military leaders, like in Mali or Niger, don’t like to be dictated... Russia and China, they don’t place conditions on loans.”
Yet while Russia continues to meddle in African affairs due to the vast natural resources on offer, Wieliński does not foresee Nigeria as being one of the nations to fall under its influence. “I don’t think President Tinubu will allow Russia to do anything more than act diplomatically and economically in Nigeria,” he said. “I don’t think we should be afraid that Nigeria will go Russian.”
Related story: Nigeria arrests seven Polish nationals for raising Russian flags at protests
The 21-year-old joins The Magpies after relegating with Sheffield United last season where he made 21 league appearances, averaging 38 minutes of football per game.
He signs for Eddie Howe’s side as they look to bolster their attack after dealing with multiple injuries to Aleksandar Isak and Callum Wilson last season.
Osula plays largely as a centre-forward, but can also play as a winger due to the blistering pace possesses. Speaking at his unveiling, he revealed how delighted he was to join the club.
“I’m very happy to be here. It’s a big club, a great club, so I’m very happy for the opportunity to join Newcastle United. It’s a great opportunity, and as soon as I heard about Newcastle’s interest, I knew I had to take the chance to join this club if it came. It has come, and I’m really happy to be here,” the Danish attacker said in quotes revealed by Newcastle’s website.
Osula was born in Denmark to a Danish mother and a Nigerian father and moved to England at a young age. He was called up to a training camp for the Denmark U19s in February 2022 and has gone on to make five appearances for their youth team since then. He is eligible to play for England and the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the future.
At least 20 people were killed when a wooden boat caught fire and exploded on a river in Nigeria's coastal state of Bayelsa on Wednesday, a police spokesperson said.
The boat was carrying traders taking goods to coastal communities, Bayelsa police spokesperson Musa Muhammed said on Thursday.
Traders make weekly trips between coastal settlements and the state capital Yenagoa.
At least 200 people were reported killed in boat accidents in Nigeria last year, with authorities regularly blaming overcrowding and poor maintenance.
By Tife Owolabi, Reuters
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Eight dead, several missing after ferry capsizes in Nigeria
Ismail Musa was out having tea with his brother Jamilu when they first heard the gunshots. Musa ran to hide under a table but was hit by a bullet fired to disperse protesters in northern Nigeria’s Kano state. The 23-year-old barely made it halfway to the hospital.
“All he said was ‘mama’,” Musa’s sister said, her voice weak from crying. Musa was among the 22 who were killed during protests against hunger and bad governance in Nigeria, according to Amnesty International’s Nigeria office.
Nigerian security forces said they used “appropriate” measures to quell violence during the protests and only admitted killing one protester — a teenager who the Nigerian army said was killed by a “warning shot”. But The Associated Press spoke to three families who said their relatives were killed by gunshots fired by security agencies, some of their accounts verified by witnesses and videos from the scenes.
“There was nothing whatsoever that happened during that protest to warrant the use of live firearms,” Amnesty International’s Nigeria director Isa Sanusi said.
The cost-of-living crisis that fueled the protests is the worst in a generation in this oil-rich and most populous African country, which by 2050 is forecast to become the third most populous nation in the world, tied with the United States after India and China.
That crisis is blamed on the government’s economic policies to save more money and attract investors, but which have contributed to pushing the inflation rate to a 28-year high of 34.19% while the currency, the naira, languishes at record lows against the dollar. At least 63% of the population is poor. The government has struggled to create jobs. And the world’s longest war on militancy continues to unfold in its northeast.
Despite its oil wealth, Nigeria’s population of more than 210 million people are also among the world’s hungriest, accounting for 10% of the global burden, according to the U.N. food agency. Still, its politicians, often accused of corruption, are among the best-paid in Africa.
Nigerian security forces are known to use excessive force to respond to protests, often leading to loss of lives, and this time was no different, said Anietie Ewang, a Nigerian researcher with Human Rights Watch. The threats that emerged during the latest protests did “not require that level of response” from the police, she said.
While most of the victims were shot in city centers where the rallies were concentrated, some were in more remote areas where the hardship they were marching against is more pronounced.
It was in one of such communities – Rijiyar Lemo in Kano state’s Fagge council area – that Bashir Muhammed Lawan was protesting alongside other youths before he was hit by the bullet that killed him, his family said. It was time for the Muslim afternoon prayers and an attempt to disperse the protesters resulted in a clash that culminated in gunfire, according to Khadija, his sister.
“They were only protesting but were labelled thugs,” Khadija said in between sobs. “So poor people have no right to demand their rights? We want justice for him.”
As Nigerians were planning for the protests, authorities feared they could be a replay of last month’s chaotic tax hike rallies in Kenya that have also inspired the movement. While the police deployed thousands of officers on the roads, the military stationed trucks in the capital Abuja and threatened after the first day on Aug. 1 that they would intervene to quell any violence.
Even though protests in Nigeria usually start as peaceful, “the army (was) itching to get a piece of the action right from the start,” Confidence MacHarry with the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence consultancy said.
As thousands poured onto the streets across the country on the first day of the protests, police fired tear gas to disperse crowds in several places while looting and vandalism were reported in some states. Events from that day showed “what was being instigated was mass uprising and looting, not protest,” national police chief Kayode Egbetokun said. He announced officers are being put on “red alert” which would mean being directed to respond to an extreme level of threat.
In the subsequent protests, more people were reported killed and at least 700 protesters were arrested. Even journalists were shot at in Abuja.
What had been tagged “10 days of rage” suddenly fizzed out by the fifth day amid the deadly security clampdown and after Nigerian President Bola Tinubu called for an end to the protests.
By Wednesday this week, 22 protesters had been killed across six states, mostly by the police, Amnesty’s director Sanusi said in an interview that cited accounts from witnesses and families in addition to the group’s verification.
Some who were hit by bullets were lucky to survive but with serious injuries.
Abubakar Aminu, 14, still has a stray bullet stuck in his back from the protests in Kano state’s capital because the doctors said it is too deep into his body and can’t be removed for at least two weeks, his mother Ummi Muhammad said.
Carrying him to the hospital daily is frustrating, his mother said, but perhaps what is more frustrating for her is that she never wanted him to be out on the day of the protests.
“I cautioned him not to go out but you know children nowadays,” she said, worried about how long he would continue to live with the pain, his injury covered with bandages, yet so deep.
Some of the victims died during clashes with the police. But some like Abbas Kabiru were killed close to home, away from the chaos.
Kabiru, 36, was standing in front of the family compound in Kaduna state’s Rigasa community watching the rallies with his siblings when he was hit by a bullet they said was fired by soldiers chasing protesters. Four days on, the Nigerian military has yet to contact the family, his father Baba said
The Nigerian military did not immediately respond to an inquiry. It has only confirmed its soldiers killed one protester — a 16-year-old boy — shot dead by a “warning shot” after protesters “attempted attacking” some soldiers deployed to quell violence.
“Abbas was an easygoing child who did not drink or smoke,” he said as he recalled in pain what life was like with his son around. “My joy is that there were positive comments about him. The whole community was saying good things about his life. And that made me happy as a father.”
By Chinedu Asadu, AP
Related stories: Nigeria arrests seven Polish nationals for raising Russian flags at protests
Protesters in Nigeria ignore President Tinubu’s plea to stop demonstrating
The death toll in Nigeria from Lassa fever, a deadly hemorrhagic disease, rose to 163 on Thursday.
According to a statement from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Lassa fever outbreak continues to spread across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Nigerian government previously announced that three medications have been identified for treating the disease.
During the dry season, which typically runs from November to May, Lassa fever cases tend to increase. In 2023, a total of 1,227 cases of Lassa fever were detected and 219 people lost their lives.
Lassa fever, which is also found in several other African countries like Mali, Togo, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, was first detected in Nigeria in northeastern Borno state in 1969.
On Jan. 23, 2019, the Nigerian government declared a state of emergency due to a Lassa fever outbreak.
The disease is transmitted through contact with rat feces, can spread from person to person, and can cause fatal hemorrhagic fever.
Authorities are warning the public to avoid contact with rats and other rodents.
By Adam Abu-bashal , AA
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Nigeria has arrested seven Polish nationals for raising Russian flags during anti-government protests this week in the northern state of Kano, Peter Afunanya, a spokesperson for the state security service, said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have been protesting since Aug. 1 against President Bola Tinubu's painful economic reforms that have seen a partial end to petrol and electricity subsidies, currency devaluation and inflation touching three-decade highs.
The protests which turned deadly in at least six northern states have seen 22 people killed so far during demonstrations, Amnesty International said, with more protesters killed in Kano, the rights group said.
This week, some protesters waved Russian flags during protests in northern states, underscoring concerns about increased Russian activity in western Africa. Security services detained some of the tailors they said had made the banners.
Afunanya said the Poles were detained during efforts by the Department of State Services to enforce security. He gave no details as to who they were, but said the operations were not targeting Polish citizens.
Stanislaw Gulinski, a Polish consul to Nigeria, confirmed the arrests at a meeting between Nigeria's foreign minister and diplomats in the capital, Abuja.
"They were arrested two days ago in Kano and last I heard, they were on the plane to Abuja from Kano," he said.
Gulinski declined to comment further when approached by Reuters.
"The Abuja (diplomatic post) was informed about the arrest of a group of Polish students and a lecturer in Kano, northern Nigeria," the Polish foreign ministry wrote on social media platform X.
"The consular service is establishing the exact circumstances of the incident with the local authorities in order to support our citizens. The ministry of foreign affairs remains in contact with the families of those detained."
Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called the brandishing of a foreign flag during anti-government protests as a "treasonable offence" after he held security talks with President Bola Tinubu on Monday.
In the northern states of Borno, Kaduna, Kano and Katsina, protesters were seen waving hundreds of Russian flags, with some calling for a military takeover.
The Russian embassy in Nigeria denied any involvement.
By Ope Adetayo, Reuters
Related story: Nigeria detains tailors who made Russian flags for anti-government protests
While it was business as usual for USA as they continue to bear down on yet another successful title defense, Nigeria bowed out of the competition as basketball heroes.
They made history in so many ways and stepped off the court having been the first African team (men or women) to have even competed at this stage.
Turning point
There wasn't one in truth, USA just gradually used their talent and superior depth to slowly and steadily pull further and further clear. Only a late Nigeria flurry of points cut the margin to a more respectable level.
Game heroes
A'ja Wilson had another game to remember, with the forward posting a performance efficiency valuation of 32 after producing 20 points from a 9 of 11 shooting effort - as well as grabbing 11 rebounds.
Stats don't lie
USA finishing with 70% shooting from two-point range is an epic number even for the defending Olympic champions.
Bottom Line
USA are looking like they are ready for their 'medal' games and completely locked in and on course for their usual success The forwards in particular are in good form and it will take something special to stop A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner - either in the Semi-Finals or the Final if they make it as expected.
Nigeria have been sensational. The underdogs attained historical and unprecedented success, winning the hearts of basketball fans not only in Africa, but beyond. Beating Australia and Canada showed their potential, while they didn't let USA have it all their own way in this last outing. Rene Wakama and her players have done an amazing job.
They said
"We're feeling really good as we got a lot of great contributions from everyone. We had to make sure that we came out with the right mindset and mentality. We knew how Nigeria played and we had to be ready for the physicality. It's amazing to play in front of different fans whether it is here in Paris or in Lille at these Olympics. [The USA program] It's the gold standard as we expect to go and win gold. We know that everything leading up to this was hugely important. We know that we carry a lot because of those who have played before us." USA forward, Breanna Stewart "This team is one of a kind. I am blessed to be a part of this team and this group. These girls never give up and they always keep fighting through any adversity. We are going out, but I think we are not going out on any kind of negative note. I think we accomplished something big this year and we need to build on this for the future." Nigeria forward, Pallas Kunaiyi Akpana
Quick notes
- The USA remains undefeated in the quarter-finals at the Olympics, winning their eight game in this phase: however, this was their closest win at the quarter-finals of the Olympics, with their seven previous games being all won by 15 or more points.
- Nigeria scored more than 73 points in consecutive games for the first time at the Olympics: their 26 points in the fourth quarter of today’s game are the most the USA has ever allowed in the last quarter of a game in the competition. - The USA have made 30+ assists for the 10th time at the Olympics, while no other team have had more than three such games in the history of the competition. They are the only team to have had multiple games with more than 30 assists in a single tournament: this year and in 2016. - With her four assists in tonight’s game, Diana Taurasi is the fifth player to have dished out 100+ assists at the Olympics; she is the only player to have made 300+ points and 100+ assists in the competition. - A’Ja Wilson completed her fifth double-double at the Olympics (20pts & 11reb), more than any other player in the competition since Wilson debuted in Tokyo 2020; this was her second double-double against Nigeria after having 19 points and 13 rebounds in the last Olympics.
Related story: Nigeria becomes first African basketball team to qualify for Olympic quarterfinals
Protestors turned out on Monday despite the president's request. However, Monday's demonstrations were considerably smaller than the initial ones.
Related story: Nigeria detains tailors who made Russian flags for anti-government protests
Nigeria's oil output has risen to between 1.6 million and 1.7 million barrels per day after the government beefed up security to curb crude theft, Chief of Naval Staff Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla said on Tuesday.
Crude production in Nigeria, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), stood at 1.2 million barrels per day in February, Ogalla said. Oil major Shell has exited the country.
"We have stepped up surveillance and enforcement in the oil producing areas," the naval chief said.
"Right now, as we speak, the Nigerian Navy has 12 vessels on the sea to protect oil production and stem oil theft. We have arrested over 16 vessels, so far."
Ogalla said the force has blocked channels for the sale of illegally refined petroleum products.
The country's oil minister Heineken Lokpobiri said in May that Nigeria could produce 6 million barrels of oil per day with adequate investment in its energy sector.
He added that Nigeria and other African oil-producing countries lack the capital to explore and produce their oil and gas.
By Camillus Eboh, Reuters
Related story: National oil company in Nigeria declares state of emergency
The Department of State Services (DSS) also said in a post on X that it had detained some of the tailors' "sponsors", without elaborating. It said an investigation was ongoing. It did not say how many tailors or "sponsors" had been detained.
Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, described the brandishing of a foreign flag during anti-government protests as a "treasonable offence" after he held security talks with President Bola Tinubu on Monday.
"We have identified those (sponsoring them) and we are going to take serious action against that," Musa told reporters, also without elaborating.
Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have been protesting since Aug. 1 against Tinubu's painful economic reforms that have seen a partial end to petrol and electricity subsidies, currency devaluation and inflation touching three-decade highs.
The protests have now ebbed after a deadly police crackdown.
In the northern states of Borno, Kaduna, Kano and Katsina, protesters were seen waving hundreds of Russian flags with some calling for a military takeover.
"We are waving the Russian flag because Tinubu's government is not listening to us. Russian presidents always support African nations' development, unlike other nations," Lawal Kodo, a 28-year old protester in Kano, told Reuters on Monday.
RUSSIA 'NOT INVOLVED'
The Russian embassy in Nigeria denied any involvement.
"The Government of the Russian Federation as well as any Russian officials are not involved in these activities and do not coordinate them in any way," the embassy said in a statement issued late on Monday.
The protests in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, come amid increased Western concerns over Russian security ties with the region, including countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger where military leaders have seized power in coups.
Security experts said many Nigerian protesters believe that the cost of living crisis is the result of reforms dictated to Tinubu by Western institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
"The Russian flags that appeared during the protests in northern states, and the calls for a military coup, reflect discontent over the government's policies rather than showcasing support for a Russia-backed military government," said Mucahid Durmaz, Senior Analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, a global risk intelligence firm.
By Ope Adetayo and Hamza Ibrahim, Reuters
Related story: Protesters in Nigeria arrested for waving Russian flag
Amid this crackdown, army chief Christopher Musa warned that it is a "treasonable offence" to fly the flags of foreign countries.
Nigeria has seen six days of nationwide protests, in which at least seven people have died and more than 700 have been arrested.
Demonstrators have been chanting slogans such as "we are hungry", while a minority have been pictured waving Russia's flag and voicing support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to local media, some of these protesters have called on Moscow to "rescue" them.
The subsequent arrests are seen as an attempt to stifle any fledgling support for Russia in Nigeria, a leading oil producer and a key ally of Western powers.
Several countries in the wider region of West Africa - including Nigeria's neighbour, Niger - have pivoted away from the West and towards Russia after recent military coups.
Civilian governments backed by the likes of France and the US had rapidly lost popularity - critics accused them of failing to tackle insecurity, corruption and economic problems.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu came to power in May 2023 after winning fiercely contested elections.
Satisfaction with his leadership has plummeted, with many blaming his policies for the sharp increase in the cost of living.
He scrapped a long-standing state subsidy on fuel in his inauguration speech, causing pump prices to rise. The move also had a knock-on effect on the cost of food and other basic commodities.
Mr Tinubu has urged frustrated Nigerians to be patient, insisting his policies would bear fruit.
He has appealed for an end to the protests and held a meeting with security chiefs on Monday to assess their scale.
Afterwards, army chief Christopher Musa said: "We are warning in clear terms that we will not accept anybody, any individual flying any foreign flag in Nigeria. That is a treasonable offence, and it will be viewed and treated as such."
The Russian embassy in Nigeria has distanced itself from the demonstrations, saying that the flags were the "personal choices" of protesters.
"As always, we emphasise that Russia does not interfere in the domestic affairs of foreign states, including Nigeria," it added.
On Monday, the north-western states of Kaduna and Zamfara saw a massive turnout of demonstrators.
Kaduna police spokesman Mansir Hassan said 39 people were arrested there, including a tailor who was "sewing the foreign flags for the group".
Close to 40 Russian flags were confiscated, as well as a Chinese one, he added.
A curfew has now been imposed in Kaduna - the sixth state to take such action since last week, forcing millions of people to stay at home.
In a statement, Nigeria's secret service said tailors have also been arrested in Kano state for "making Russian flags".
"Some of their sponsors have also been picked. Investigation is ongoing," it said.
Rights group Amnesty International says 13 people have been killed since protests began last week and accused security forces of using excessive force against demonstrators.
Mr Tinubu addressed the nation on Sunday and said his government was committed to addressing the concerns of protesters.
He added that the protests had been hijacked by looters in some areas, and ending the unrest would create room for dialogue.
By Chris Ewokor & Wycliffe Muia, BBC
Related story: Authorities in Nigeria warn against calling for coup after protests
While nationwide protests appeared to have ebbed Tuesday, the Nigerian government said it will not tolerate calls for coups after some protesters in northwest Kano and Kaduna states waved Russian flags while marching in the streets Monday.
Nigeria’s defense chiefs told journalists that hoisting the Russian flags amounts to treason.
"We will not relent in pursuing those that have continued to encourage unconstitutional takeover of government or subversion or those ones that are into vandalism or destruction of lives and property," Nigerian Defense Chief General Christopher Musa said.
Thousands in Nigeria took to the streets in Lagos, Abuja and elsewhere last week to denounce President Bola Tinubu's economic policies and government. Security officers cracked down hard on protesters, using tear gas and live ammunition. Amnesty International says at least 13 protesters were killed nationwide.
On Monday, hundreds of protesters marched in northern Kaduna and Kano states, waving Russian flags and calling for Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to their aid. Nigeria's national police said nearly 900 protesters were arrested, including 30 who were carrying Russian flags.
Security analyst Kabiru Adamu criticized the military's interpretation of the protesters' intentions.
"There [are] instances where Nigerians do wave the flags of other countries,” he said. “So, one is a bit surprised with this interpretation. We're in a democratic setting, and the role of security and defense organizations does not go beyond law enforcement or the implementation of security policies. They do not have in any way the role of interpreting or making judicial pronouncements."
The Russian Embassy in Abuja on Monday distanced itself from protesters using the Russian flag and pledged Moscow's support for Nigeria's democracy. But Russia has been expanding its influence in Africa and forming security alliances, especially in the coup-ridden Sahel states.
Adamu, managing director of Beacon Security and Intelligence, said the acts of the protesters might be inspired by a growing resentment for Western influence in the region.
"The policies that are being implemented by the Bola Tinubu government have the backing of Western countries, especially the institutions of [the International Monetary Fund] and World Bank,” he said.
“So, when people in an organic manner endear themselves to Russia, it is perhaps an indication that they're not happy with the policies that were supported by those countries and Russia perhaps may be a better partner or ally."
Western nations, including the United States, have said Russia's influence in Africa could set back democratic norms.
But political affairs analyst Ahmed Buhari said good governance from local authorities is all that is needed.
"These people are not oblivious of the fact that there's a current wave across the Sahel,” he said. “They listen to the news. They can clearly see that Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso [have] presented very young leaders who are coming up with very strong policies that seemingly look like they're going to benefit the people.
“And what I expect from the government of the day is to prove to the people that they're better friends to the people than any foreign ally at a time like this," he said.
By Timothy Obiezu, VOA
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Protests in Nigeria fizzle out after deadly police crackdown
E-waste is a growing problem, and finding uses for redundant electronics has been on the minds of sustainability experts for years. However, in Nigeria, an artist is transforming e-waste into unique art pieces.
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The programs are designed to rehabilitate and reintroduce former extremists into society. Some terror victims doubt the effectiveness of the program and the sincerity of the insurgents said to be looking to reform their ways. However, security analysts say the de-radicalization programs should continue, as some of the insurgents were forced to join militant sects.
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Local police deny playing any role in his death, and a spokesman for the governor of Kaduna state says they are not aware of any deaths resulting from protests there.
This is contested by rights group Amnesty International - which says three people have been killed in Kaduna alone.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Abubakar's brother Ismail told the BBC the tailor was shot in the chest by police on Thursday before dying in Yusuf Dantsoho hospital.
"All we want is justice for our brother," says Ismail.
Across Nigeria - in the five days since the demonstrations began - police say at least seven people have been killed, 700 have been arrested, and elite officers have arrested one of the protest leaders.
Despite warnings by President Bola Tinubu, thousands of Nigerians joined the protests - worried about the escalating cost of living, and inspired by the success of young Kenyans whose rallies have won key concessions from government.
The protesters included Abubakar. The youngest of 14 children, he was living at his parents' home in Kaduna with big ambitions for his career, and hoping to start a family of his own.
But rising costs kept pushing that future further from his reach, and he decided to join the protests.
"As a tailor, money for the materials he was using had all gone up - food too - and he also has to pay increased rent. Everyone is affected by this economic crisis," says Ismail.
Video footage filmed at the time of Abubakar's death seems to shows him in a group of young men shouting animatedly at police before trying to run away as if being chased.
According to Abubakar's brother, who has spoken to witnesses, they were close to the office of the governor of Kaduna, Uba Sani, at the time. Abubakar then told his friends he was tired and wanted to go home.
Moments later police opened fire on the protesters, witnesses say.
Video footage then shows Abubakar falling to the ground. His friends can be heard shouting "officer stop" and "they shot him" in the Hausa language.
"It was shocking when we got a call to come to the hospital after he was shot because we know he wasn't violent," Ismail tells the BBC.
He cannot comprehend how this could happen to the kind, caring and hard-working brother he knew.
"We later saw videos of him sitting or talking to friends during the protest which also proved he wasn't misbehaving," he adds.
Kaduna state governor spokesman Mohammed Lawal Shehu says the reason why they have not acknowledged any death from the protest is because they are relying on the police - who say they were no deaths.
"According to the police there wasn’t any death from the protests and we rely on them for information."
Amnesty International is calling for an investigation into the deaths of 23 protesters it says have been killed across the country, including three in Kaduna.
Ismail says his family will not rest until they get answers about his brother's death.
"He was in high spirits when he went out with his friends to the protest. He was concerned by the state of things in the country."
Mansur Abubakar, BBC
Related story: Protests in Nigeria fizzle out after deadly police crackdown
Protests in Nigeria over the soaring cost of living ebbed on Monday, with only a few hundred people turning out in major cities following a deadly crackdown by security forces since the demonstrations began last week.
Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in the capital Abuja, Lagos and other big cities during the protests against economic hardship and crime, which started on Thursday and were meant to continue until Aug. 10.
Amnesty International said at least 13 people have been killed in clashes with police since the start of the protests, which were dubbed "#10DaysOfRage". Police put the death toll at seven, saying some of the fatalities were caused by accidents and an explosive device.
A tough police response and a call for a protest pause by President Bola Tinubu appeared to have dampened the demonstrations, which came weeks after data showed annual inflation hit a 28-year high of 34.19% in June.
In the commercial hub of Lagos, where demonstrations have been largely peaceful, about 100 people gathered at the protest venue singing and chanting "we are hungry". In Abuja, there were no signs of protests at the main stadium where protesters have been gathering since Thursday.
In the north of the country, about 200 protesters were dispersed by armed security forces in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, while in Katsina, security forces fired teargas at protesters who were chanting "hunger and insecurity are killing us".
Curfews have been imposed in parts of the north, which has seen some of the largest and fiercest protests, and in the central state of Plateau.
On Sunday, Tinubu called for an end to violence and said he was always open to dialogue.
Tinubu, in office since May 2023, defended his economic reforms, which have included a partial end to costly petrol and electricity subsidies and devaluation of the naira, as necessary to reverse years of economic mismanagement.
By Seun Sanni, Reuters
Related story: Citizens protest cost of living in Nigeria
Nigeria's infrastructure budget falls below the World Bank's recommended 70% of GDP, and experts estimate that 3 trillion U.S. dollars is needed over 30 years to bridge this gap.
The demonstrations continued in Nigeria for a second day. Protesters say they're also demanding better wages and improved governance.
Related stories: Nigeria spirals into deadly anti-inflation protests - 13 Killed
President Tinubu calls for end to protests against economic hardship in Nigeria
In this northern city, the second most populous in Nigeria, protesters have been converging at the city center and making their way to Government House, seat of the state governor.
Thousands of protesters, decrying rampant inflation, chanting anti-hardship songs, and carrying placards with strident messages for the government of President Bola Tinubu, are calling for the return of a popular fuel subsidy whose removal is seen as a key trigger for rising prices.
While protests are not unusual in Nigeria, it’s less common in the predominantly Muslim north outside of university campuses. Now this level of the protests and sheer numbers of protesters in the big cities of northern Nigeria have caught onlookers, participants, and authorities off guard.
The protests have been passionate and persistent, and the response by security forces has been deadly. Even though the “End bad governance” protests have been nationwide, the 13 people killed as of Saturday Aug. 3 were in three northern states, according to Amnesty International. Police said seven of those people were killed in an explosion rather than in clashes with security forces. The government claims that the peaceful protests have been infiltrated by thugs who broke into stores to loot food items and other valuables.
Curfews have been imposed in Kano and other northern states including Jigawa, Katsina and Borno. One of the protest coordinators in Kano, Abba Bello Abba of the Nigerian Patriotic Front, said “we will continue with the protest once the curfew is lifted, we will continue to do this until our demands are met”.
While most protesters were raising placards and Nigerian flags, there was a smattering of other protesters spotted waving Russian flags and chanting “Putin!” in support of the Russian leader.
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Northern Nigeria, especially the northwest and the northeast, has suffered from insecurity with attacks on civilians and kidnappings, which have led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people. That’s exacerbated long-standing challenges with poverty and unemployment in a vast area that makes up more than half the country.
It means efforts by the government to push through difficult policies such as the fuel subsidy removal and allowing the naira to float freely, while causing economic pain for almost all ordinary Nigerians, have been particularly harsh for those in the north of Nigeria.
People of all ages have taken part in the mostly peaceful protests. Binta Adamu Sheshe, 70, said: “I am forced to join the protest as I have nothing to eat as I speak to you now, my earning a month is 20,000 naira ($12) as a casual staff in a hospital, what will do that for me in this hardship, we need to have fuel subsidy returned.”
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On Sunday morning, President Tinubu made his first public statements since the protests began, calling on Nigerians to suspend the widespread protests. He suggested that the protests had been politically motivated but acknowledged that ordinary citizens were going through a tough time. “I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organizers that the protest would be peaceful across the country.”
Tinubu, who touted some of his administration’s achievements to help turn things around such as creating jobs, said he had heard the protesters “loud and clear”, and that he understood the pain and frustration behind their actions. “But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart.”
By Hamza Ibrahim, Semafor
Related stories: President Tinubu calls for end to protests against economic hardship in Nigeria
Nigeria had reached a place no African country in men’s or women’s basketball had ever gone before — the quarterfinals of the Olympics.
Kalu scored 21 points and Nigeria secured a spot in the elimination round in Paris by downing Canada 79-70 on Sunday for its second win of the Olympics.
“It means a lot, you know, not just to us as a team, but to the entire world of Africa,” Kalu said. “It only gets harder from here.”
When the final buzzer sounded, the team went to midcourt to start celebrating, with an assistant coach using her phone to record the moment. The Nigerians stopped to high-five the Canadians, and then returned to celebrating with a midcourt huddle.
An assistant coach grabbed a flag from a fan for photos on the court, and the Nigerians took their time hugging and posing for more photos as they savored the moment.
“Surreal. This isn’t going to hit me for another couple of hours,” coach Rena Wakama said. “I’m extremely proud of my girls.”
Nigeria opened the Paris Games with a surprising victory against Australia. That was the first win in the Olympics in 20 years for the African nation.
It has been a difficult few years for Nigeria since the team reached the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup. The country was winless at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and then internal strife between the basketball federation and the government caused the team to miss playing in the World Cup in 2022.
The Olympics got off to a difficult start for the Nigerian team. The team was denied access to Nigeria’s boat for the opening ceremony on July 26.
Now Nigeria will play the defending Olympic champs in the U.S. in the final quarterfinal Wednesday night in Bercy Arena on the banks of the Seine River.
“I’m starting to see the light. I mean, the tunnel has been pretty dark, but I’m happy we get to see the light,” Kalu said. “I mean, there’s so much more, there’s so much more to come.”
Nigeria almost had company in Paris on the men’s side as South Sudan, which was playing in its first Olympic basketball tournament, narrowly missed reaching the quarterfinals. South Sudan would have been the first men’s team from Africa to advance that far, but the team lost to Serbia in its final group stage match Saturday.
South Sudan beat Puerto Rico in its tournament opener to set up the opportunity.
“We have these women. So we are very proud,” FIBA Africa Regional Director Alphonse Bilé told the AP. “We are all Africa. I can say that they don’t just play for Nigeria but play for Africa.”
By Doug Feinberg, AP
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Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu called on Sunday for a suspension of protests against a cost of living crisis, saying this would create an opportunity for dialogue, his first public comments since frustrated citizens took to the streets last week.
Amnesty International has said at least 13 people were killed in clashes with security forces on the first day of protests on Thursday. Police denied using excessive force and said seven people had died as of Saturday - four from an explosive device during a march in northeast Borno state, two who were hit by a car and another who was shot by a guard when protesters looted a shop.
In a televised broadcast, Tinubu called for an end to violence in several states since the protests started, saying he was always open for dialogue.
"My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens," he said.
Nigerians have been mobilising online to organise protests against economic hardship and bad governance and have called for a cut in petrol prices and electricity tariffs, among several demands.
Tinubu, in office since May 2023, defended his economic reforms, which have included a partial end to petrol and electricity subsidies and devaluation of the naira, as necessary to reverse years of economic mismanagement.
He government revenues had more than doubled to 9.1 trillion naira ($5.65 billion) in the first half of this year while 68% of revenue now went to debt servicing, down from 97% before he took office in May last year.
The government was also ramping up spending on infrastructure projects, started a loan scheme for university students and was building thousands of housing units across Nigeria's 36 states, the president said.
"But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart," said Tinubu.
By Felix Onuah, Reuters
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She had just finished a performance at a private party on Tuesday night in Lagos when the singer became ill. Hours later, she died at a nearby hospital, having suffered a heart attack, according to local reports.
The Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, was among those paying tribute to Onwenu and said she “lives on in her immortal masterpieces”.
The singer is best known for the disco anthem One Love (1986). Another of her hits, You and I, was repurposed for the 1999 movie, Conspiracy – which she also starred in – and is widely regarded as one of the most iconic soundtracks of Nollywood, the world’s second-largest film-production industry.
She was born in Obosi, Anambra, in January 1952 to Dickson Onwenu, a politician in pre-independence Nigeria, and Hope Onwenu, who was also a singer, and raised in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. She completed her education in the US – at Wellesley College, Massachusetts, and the New School, New York.
Upon her return to Nigeria, she launched her pop career while simultaneously working as a broadcaster at the state-run Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). While there, she wrote and narrated Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches, a 1984 collaborative documentary between the BBC and NTA, about corruption in the oil-rich country.
A contemporary of the jùjú maestro King Sunny Adé, they recorded the popular 1989 duet Choices, about consent and birth control, a stunningly bold move in a country that remains largely conservative decades later.
Another of her peers was the radical musician-activist Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì, who married 27 women in a 1978 ceremony. When he was arrested six years later by the military government of the day, Onwenu pushed for his release. In My Father’s Daughter, her 2021 memoir, she revealed that after his release he asked her to marry him, a request she emphatically turned down, although with good humour.
“I told him that I was a jealous lover and would not be able to cope as an appendage to his harem,” she wrote.
Onwenu released four albums before switching to become a gospel singer in the 1990s and was awarded national honours by Nigeria in 2003 and 2011.
Her self-assuredness as a confident woman was routinely misinterpreted as arrogance.
Ed Keazor, a historian and lawyer who knew Onwenu for more than two decades and represented her in the mid-1990s, said: “People often described her as being something of a tough nut. I’ll say this: she was even harder on herself. She pushed herself hard and expected the same from others.
“She was more than a client,” he said. “She was my big sister and heroine.”
Onwenu kept a very private personal life but is survived by two sons from a marriage in 1984, which she said she left because she was constantly depressed. “I raised my children [alone], from kindergarten to master’s degree,” she once told the press.
The best-known example of her tenacity was a three-day hunger strike at the premises of her former employer, the NTA, in July 2000. According to the BBC, she was protesting at being barred after complaining that the national channel was playing her music but not paying thousands of dollars in royalties it owed to her.
In her later years, she became a politician, and had a three-year stint as the head of the National Centre for Women Development, before focusing on the arts again.
The British-Nigerian film-maker Biyi Bandele cast her as grandmother to the twins Olanna and Kainene in the 2013 film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Half of a Yellow Sun. Five years later, she also starred in Lionheart, Nigeria’s first Netflix original, alongside Nkem Owoh, her co-star in Conspiracy.
By Eromo Egbejule, The Guardian
Nigerian security forces deployed in major cities and the government said it was open to dialogue ahead of planned protests on Thursday against a cost of living crisis and poor governance that authorities fear could turn violent.
After taking office more than a year ago, President Bola Tinubu swiftly removed some fuel subsidies, devalued the naira currency and later hiked electricity tariffs, moves that have sent inflation soaring past 34%, eroding incomes.
"We prefer dialogue, we are ready for dialogue," he told reporters, without saying whether the government had been in contact with the protest organisers. "Nigeria is a work in progress and things will soon improve."
Tinubu's government has so far used a mix of threats and cajoling to discourage the protests.
In the capital Abuja, the commercial hub Lagos and the northern city of Kano, armed police deployed on major roads, set up security check points and searched cars.
Police occupied the main square in Abuja that protesters planned to use, while military vehicles parked nearby.
A court order confined Lagos protesters to two venues on the outskirts of the city.
Some Lagos residents said they were worried that protests could turn violent as happened during anti-police demonstrations, known as EndSars, in October 2020, when lives were lost and properties destroyed.
At one of Kano's largest malls, Sufi Mart, workers were busy reinforcing windows with shutters.
"I don't want it (the protest) to extend into the night so that it doesn't turn out to be another thing like EndSars," said Nneka Ochiachebe, who sells second-hand clothes at a Lagos market.
By Macdonald Dzirutwe, Reuters
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