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Nigerian president Tinubu under pressure to avoid war with northern neighbor Niger

By Camille Malpat with Aminu Abubakar in Kano, Nigeria: Political leaders in Nigeria are urging President Bola Tinubu to reconsider a threatened military intervention against junta leaders in neighbouring Niger, ahead of a Sunday deadline to reinstate the country's...

Nigeria grapples with end of fuel subsidy

By Alexandre Martins Lopes: Nigerians are struggling with surging fuel prices after newly elected President Bola Tinubu declared an end to popular subsidies, a move analysts and experts said was long overdue. On his first day in office, Tinubu kept to his campaign...

Nigeria: Bandits raid six villages in north, kill 30 civilians

Armed men killed 30 people in weekend raids on six villages in Nigeria's north, a region regularly hit by criminal violence and clashes between communities, local police have said. The bloodshed is the latest outbreak of inter-communal violence which the country's...

Nigeria: ISWAP ambushes army unit, kills several soldiers

Several Nigerian soldiers died in an attack on a military convoy in the Lake Chad region by jihadist fighters aligned with the Islamic State group, security forces said Tuesday. The convoy was hit by militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)...

Nigeria: Cash-strapped Boko Haram kidnaps herders for ransom

Boko Haram jihadists have kidnapped 30 ethnic Fulani herders near northeast Nigeria's Lake Chad, demanding ransom for their release, fishermen and the head of an anti-jihadist militia told AFP Tuesday. The militants in eight boats stormed the fishing and herding...

Nigeria: Hundreds of Nigerians stuck in Saudi Arabia return home

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Posted On 2 February 2021

Nigeria on Thursday repatriated nearly 400 of its citizens stranded by the coronavirus pandemic for months in Saudi Arabia, flying them back to the capital Abuja, an aviation ministry official said. The Nigerians were economic migrants stuck in Saudi Arabia after being caught up in the coronavirus restrictions and needed assistance returning home. The repatriation came after one group made a video which circulated on social media showing them in squalid conditions and calling for help.

“Many of you travelled expecting to return at a particular time but COVID-19 came in, and during this period, movements were restricted and that is how many of you were stranded,” aviation ministry official Bolaji Akinremi said. “Many of you went in search of greener pasture — jobs and different experiences, you are back home with an opportunity to start another life.”

The group of a total of 800 Nigerians will be flown back between Thursday and Friday. The first group of 384 included 83 women and one infant. The returnees were transported to a camp for Covid-19 screening and testing after which they will be quarantined for 14 days before reuniting with their families, officials said.

The United Nations said late last year that more than 2.7 million migrants who wished to return home have been stranded abroad because of restrictions put in place to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

AFP

Nigerian army drone hits village in Kaduna State, kills civilians

By Aminu Abubakar with Laurie Churchman in Abuja: An army drone strike accidentally hit a village in northwestern Nigeria killing dozens of civilians celebrating a Muslim festival, local authorities, the military and residents said on Monday. Nigeria's armed forces...

Nigeria’s election runner-up, Atiku Abubakar, files appeal over election challenge

The runner-up in Nigeria's presidential election in February on Tuesday filed an appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling rejecting a challenge to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's election victory. Opposition parties had claimed various irregularities, from...