A deadly attack on churchgoers has highlighted the failure of Nigeria's leaders to end the conflicts wracking the country. As campaigning gears up ahead of elections in February 2023, the violence could worsen.
Nigerian kidnappings reach crisis point
Abductions have become more indiscriminate across northern Nigeria as local criminal gangs view victims as a source of income, and the villagers who have been ignored by the government as disposable.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, in response to the recent mass kidnapping of 279 schoolgirls in the country s Zamfara state, ordered security agents to shoot any person or persons seen carrying AK-47s in any forest in the country.
Buhari also directed a ban on all mining activities in Zamfara State, as well as the imposition of a no-fly zone over the state, his office said.
Coronavirus: A new enemy
A crew of former child soldiers and street kids dig a well for an impoverished suburb in CAR s capital, Bangui. These youngsters are helping to improve hygiene in overcrowded communities as part of a UNICEF project. They have already installed wells for around 25,000 people. The project began before coronavirus took hold, but it s now helping CAR fight the pandemic.
Former child soldiers join the fight against coronavirus
Drilling for peace
A young worker stands on top of a drill as his teammates manually turn it to create a well. The project is also a form of social rehabilitation, offering these teenagers new skills and paid work as they escape their violent past. It also encourages the community to accept them. The program was set up in 2015, and is now integrated into CAR’s coronavirus response plan.