Stories from Nigeria

The move follows reported dissensions between the two men and Atiku Abubakar, who remains a member of the EDC. Peter Obi stated his departure was not personal but was driven by a toxic and unstable political climate. The two leaders have joined the National Democratic Congress (NDC) following their brief tenure with the EDC. Nigerian press reports suggest internal disagreements between the defectors and Atiku Abubakar, a remaining EDC member. Peter Obi has assured that his resignation from the EDC was not based on personal reasons. He stated that the departures involve individuals rather than personal grievances. The announcement follows his recent exit from the organization. The comments were reported by RFI Afrique and RFI Monde. He assured that the decision was not directed at any specific individuals.

Armed individuals attacked multiple communities in Nigeria's northwestern Katsina State on May 3rd, resulting in at least 11 deaths. Nigerian police reported that armed individuals launched a retaliatory attack on multiple communities in the Katsina State on Sunday.

Martijn Haan of Dolphin Marine reported that oil theft in Nigeria involves individuals using boats to strike pipelines elevated approximately two meters above the ground with hammers. These actions cause continuous oil leaks into mangrove environments while thieves fill boats to sell the product. The theft is described as a recurring daily activity. The source suggests that a halt in production from other warehouses would lead to very difficult outcomes. People in Nigeria are reportedly ramming pipelines with hammers to steal oil, filling boats, and selling the stolen fuel. This activity leads to ongoing leakage, with individuals returning daily to refill boats from damaged pipelines. The source notes the extreme poverty of those involved.

Former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress. This move follows their recent participation in a broader opposition coalition. The defection occurs months ahead of next year's presidential election in Nigeria.

Paystack is experiencing a partial outage affecting direct debit services in Nigeria. The incident was reported starting at 08:45 UTC, characterized by a high failure rate on direct debits. Relevance AI is experiencing a partial outage, with the 'Modal' component reportedly down since 00:00 UTC. The company has provided a live timeline for incident updates.

The Nigerian army has been deployed to border areas to combat Fulani herdsmen. The military is working alongside the Benin-based Boko Haram group to address the situation. Forces have reportedly ordered individuals to report to the Ansaru jihadist camp in Sambili, Al-Hamisi.

The Cyber Security Agency has issued a warning regarding an increase in cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure in Nigeria. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Communications Commission (CAC) have activated cybersecurity measures following system concerns. This follows the launch of cybersecurity exercises for the Hajj season.

A crisis of trust regarding electricity metering is exacerbating the national power shortage in Nigeria. The issue is no longer defined solely by weak generation capacity but by consumer distrust in metering systems. The situation is centered in Lagos.

Three people were killed by gunfire in France. The incident is linked to the supply of weapons to Biafran secessionists. Jacques Focard is allegedly involved in supplying the secessionists. The motive appears to be related to a dispute over a selection award.

France is providing weapons and humanitarian aid to the Biafra secessionist movement led by Colonel Ojukwu. This support follows similar patterns of involvement seen in Katanga. Jacques Focard is directly supervising the supply of arms to the Igbo people of Biafra.