Global Pulse

标签： Africa

非洲

  • ‘Massive’ numbers killed by gunmen in latest Nigeria attack, senator tells BBC

    ‘Massive’ numbers killed by gunmen in latest Nigeria attack, senator tells BBC

    A devastating militant attack has struck the remote village of Ngoshe in Nigeria’s conflict-ridden Borno state, resulting in significant civilian casualties and mass abductions during Ramadan evening prayers. Nigerian Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume described the assault as “massive” in scale, though precise death tolls remain unconfirmed due to the remote location and ongoing assessments.

    The attack occurred Wednesday evening as residents were breaking their daily fast, with suspected Islamist militants targeting both civilian populations and security installations. Local reports indicate over 100 women and children were abducted during the coordinated assault, which also targeted a military base and camp for displaced persons. Several soldiers and civilians were killed, including the village’s chief cleric and community elders.

    Senator Ndume revealed to BBC Hausa that militants maintained control of Ngoshe for approximately 48 hours before Nigerian military forces deployed aerial strikes and ground troops to reclaim the area. The lawmaker expressed concern that stolen military equipment from the overrun base could enhance the militants’ capabilities for future operations.

    This represents the most severe attack in the region since Boko Haram’s peak dominance over a decade ago, according to local accounts. Umaru Yakubu Kirawa, a Borno-based journalist, confirmed residents reported substantial casualties and hundreds of abductions during the Ramadan violation.

    The incident highlights the persistent security challenges in northeastern Nigeria, where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) maintain active insurgencies. Despite nearly doubled defense budgets from 2024-2025, civilian protection remains inadequate according to critics.

    Official response included Borno state police spokesperson Nahum Daso Kenneth acknowledging the Wednesday night incident while emphasizing successful repulsion of insurgents. Search and rescue operations continue as Governor Babagana Umara Zulum met with survivors, distributing supplies and promising comprehensive efforts to secure hostages’ release.

  • Islamic militants abduct more than 300 people in northeastern Nigeria, officials say

    Islamic militants abduct more than 300 people in northeastern Nigeria, officials say

    ABUJA, Nigeria — Islamic extremist groups launched a series of coordinated attacks across northeastern Nigeria this week, culminating in the mass abduction of more than 300 civilians from the town of Ngoshe in Borno state on Friday. Local officials confirmed the large-scale kidnapping targeting women and children, marking one of the most significant security breaches in recent months.

    According to Bulama Sawa, an official from the Gwoza area, the Ngoshe assault appears to be retaliatory action following a Nigerian military operation that eliminated three high-ranking Boko Haram commanders. The attack demonstrates the militants’ continued operational capability despite sustained counterinsurgency efforts.

    Military spokesperson Uba Sani reported simultaneous assaults on multiple communities—Konduga, Marte, Jakana, and Mainok—between Wednesday and Friday. While Nigerian forces successfully repelled these attacks, Sani acknowledged significant military casualties, including the death of a senior officer and “a number of brave soldiers [who] paid the supreme price in the line of duty.”

    Security analysts point to evolving tactical capabilities among jihadist groups operating in the region. Ulf Laessing of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation noted increased cross-border coordination between militant factions and their adoption of drone technology for reconnaissance missions. “The army is fighting a ghost—fighters descending with motorbikes on villages and disappearing into the bush before the army can respond in time,” Laessing observed.

    The security landscape has grown increasingly complex with the convergence of multiple extremist organizations, including Boko Haram, its Islamic State-affiliated breakaway faction (Islamic State West Africa Province), and IS-linked Lakurawa. Additionally, the crisis has expanded to include Sahel-based militants from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which conducted its first Nigerian attack last year.

    United Nations data indicates several thousand fatalities resulting from Nigeria’s security crisis, with analysts criticizing the government’s inadequate protection of civilians. The United States has deployed military advisors to assist Nigerian forces, but the persistent violence underscores the challenges in containing the multifaceted insurgency.

  • Ugandan students who fled Iran air strikes recall ‘ground trembling’

    Ugandan students who fled Iran air strikes recall ‘ground trembling’

    Emotional reunions unfolded at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport as 43 students evacuated from conflict-ridden Iran returned home safely. The evacuation followed coordinated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets on Saturday, which triggered retaliatory attacks by Iran against Israeli and U.S. allies throughout the Gulf region, creating widespread disruption across the Middle East.

    Uganda’s diplomatic mission in Tehran orchestrated the complex evacuation operation, arranging for students to travel by bus to the Turkish border before continuing to Istanbul for their flight home. The returning students provided harrowing accounts of their experiences during the bombardment. Oscar Nyegyema described to AFP the terrifying moments of the attacks: “We could hear the ground trembling, we could hear the ground shake. We really did not know whether we could make it out.”

    Nyegyema revealed that his university had been directly hit by an airstrike, leaving students “scared and devastated.” Despite the trauma, he expressed determination to return and complete his academic program as soon as conditions permit. Not all Ugandan students chose evacuation, however. According to Ugandan State Minister Balaam Barugahara, eight students voluntarily remained behind despite government offers of repatriation.

    Aloisius Ssegawa, one of the evacuated students, explained the financial concerns motivating those who stayed: “The truth is for these students, they believe that if they return home, the two years spent in their four-year degree study may go to waste because they may not be able to afford the ticket back to the university.”

    The personal costs of the conflict varied significantly among students. Jonan Gumushabe told Reuters he was merely days away from completing his degree when forced to evacuate. Sharon Twiine, who had been studying international relations at Ahlul Bayt International University in Tehran, described the experience as “scary, traumatizing” and indicated she would require psychological therapy before considering a return to her studies.

  • A Lagos rave rewrites the rules of nightlife, drawing young Nigerians priced out of club culture

    A Lagos rave rewrites the rules of nightlife, drawing young Nigerians priced out of club culture

    LAGOS, Nigeria — In a striking departure from Nigeria’s conventional club scene, thousands of young Lagosians are flocking to underground raves that prioritize communal experience over financial status. The movement represents a cultural shift in Africa’s most populous nation, where traditional ‘table culture’ nightlife has increasingly excluded youth grappling with record inflation.

    At Group Therapy—a pioneering rave event in the upscale Lekki district—revelers experience a radically different social environment. The venue operates without the hierarchical seating arrangements that dominate mainstream clubs, featuring instead a unified dance floor where attendees dance shoulder-to-shoulder under pulsating green strobe lights. A single, modestly-priced bar replaces the multi-tiered bottle service endemic to Lagos nightlife.

    Founder DJ Aniko explained the philosophy behind the movement: ‘Raves restore the essential element missing from conventional parties—actual space for dancing and genuine human connection. Typical Lagos venues require reservations and complicated bookings, transforming leisure into a competitive financial performance.’

    Economic realities drive this cultural transformation. Traditional clubs often charge between 100,000 naira ($72.34) to one million naira for bottled drinks, effectively pricing out most young Nigerians. By contrast, Group Therapy charges a flat 21,000 naira ($15.19) entrance fee without pressure for additional purchases.

    Cultural analyst Oluwamayowa Idowu of Culture Custodian notes: ‘This demonstrates declining purchasing power among youth. Raves offer democratic alternatives where enjoyment isn’t predicated on financial display. People now seek authentic experiences rather than performing affluence.’

    The events feature continuous, high-tempo house music infused with African sonic elements—a trend that gained momentum post-pandemic through cross-pollination with South African genres. This musical choice deliberately avoids mainstream Nigerian artists who typically control club playlists, ensuring the focus remains on collective experience rather than celebrity culture.

    Attendee Yetunde Onikoyi, 28, describes the appeal: ‘Since discovering raves last year, I’ve been completely captivated. The environment creates genuine connection through shared musical experience.’

    Consultant Dayo Williams echoes this sentiment: ‘Finding spaces that prioritize human aspects over materialism feels like a blessing in today’s climate.’

    The phenomenon represents both a cultural rebellion against Nigeria’s conservative social norms and an adaptive response to economic pressures, signaling a broader redefinition of leisure and community among urban youth.

  • These women fought in Ethiopia’s last civil war and warn against another one

    These women fought in Ethiopia’s last civil war and warn against another one

    In the aftermath of Ethiopia’s devastating two-year civil war, female veterans from the Tigray region continue grappling with profound psychological wounds while facing the terrifying prospect of renewed hostilities. Their stories reveal the hidden human cost of conflict that extends far beyond battlefield casualties.

    Abeba Amdu, once a promising 22-year-old football star studying IT in Mekelle, saw her athletic career and academic ambitions shattered by the conflict. The talented striker who challenged traditional gender norms in sports now bears both physical and emotional scars from her military service. “I lost everything,” she confesses, describing how the trauma has left her isolated and unable to reclaim her former athletic prowess.

    Her decision to join the Tigray Defence Forces stemmed from both familial legacy—her parents were veterans of the 1991 revolution—and the terrifying reports of systematic sexual violence against Tigrayan women. “It was the whole situation that forced me to fight,” she explains, noting that basic necessities like sanitary pads became luxury items during combat.

    The war officially concluded with an African Union-brokered peace agreement in 2022, but peace remains elusive for these veterans. Selam Hailu, a 30-year-old lawyer and mother of two, joined the conflict after her retired parents returned from frontline service physically broken and bearing accounts of “sexual violence and mass killings.”

    As an educated professional, Selam confronted institutional sexism within military leadership, challenging the “unprincipled relationships” between officers and young female combatants. Her advocacy resulted in overnight detention—a punishment that highlighted the systemic challenges women faced even within their own forces.

    Dr. Rahwa Gebremedhin, a university lecturer, approached the conflict from an academic perspective, her military knowledge derived solely from war films. The transition back to civilian life has proven nearly impossible, with she and many others displaying “all the symptoms of PTSD.” She states bluntly: “I’m just trying to survive.”

    These women’s struggles are compounded by recent military developments. January witnessed brief clashes between federal troops and Tigrayan fighters, accompanied by drone strikes and suspended flights. Both sides exchange accusations: the federal government alleges Eritrean interference while the TPLF claims troop buildups along regional borders.

    Abeba articulates the collective anxiety: “Right now, I see fear everywhere—the fear of another conflict.” Their hard-won perspective suggests diplomatic solutions rather than renewed combat: “We have seen that in the end, it is negotiation—not combat—that provides the solution.”

    Despite attempts at rebuilding—Abeba briefly established a women’s football mentoring program called “Wegahta”—financial constraints and psychological burdens have hampered recovery efforts. These initiatives represent not just career moves but desperate searches for sanctuary from memories that continue to haunt Ethiopia’s female veterans.

  • Regragui departs as Morocco appoint Ouahbi as new coach

    Regragui departs as Morocco appoint Ouahbi as new coach

    In a dramatic shift just months before the 2026 World Cup, Morocco’s national football team has severed ties with head coach Walid Regragui. The decision comes despite Regragui’s historic achievement of guiding the Atlas Lions to become the first African semifinalists in World Cup history during the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

    The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has appointed 49-year-old Mohamed Ouahbi as Regragui’s successor, promoting him from the under-23 squad. This strategic move mirrors Regragui’s own appointment in August 2022, just three months before the previous World Cup.

    Official statements characterized the change as part of a “structured roadmap” for Moroccan football’s continuous development rather than a simple coaching swap. The federation’s decision follows Morocco’s recent Africa Cup of Nations final appearance on home soil, where they suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 extra-time defeat to Senegal in a match marred by controversy when Senegal briefly refused to play after a late penalty award.

    Regragui, who also led Wydad Casablanca to the African Champions League title before taking the national team job, acknowledged the need for fresh leadership. “The team needs a new lease of life before the World Cup, a new vision to continue progressing,” stated the departing coach, who had faced mounting pressure to deliver Morocco’s first continental title since 1976.

    Team captain Achraf Hakimi paid tribute to Regragui’s “unforgettable mark on Moroccan football history” as the team prepares for a challenging World Cup campaign. Morocco will open against five-time champions Brazil on June 13th before facing Scotland and Haiti in Group C. The North African side will test their new leadership in upcoming friendlies against Ecuador and Paraguay during the next international window.

  • Conservative Anglicans pull back from electing rival to Archbishop of Canterbury

    Conservative Anglicans pull back from electing rival to Archbishop of Canterbury

    In a significant development within global Anglicanism, conservative factions convened in Abuja have established a parallel leadership structure while notably refraining from directly challenging the ceremonial title of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon) announced Rwanda’s Archbishop Laurent Mbanda as chair of its new leadership council, effectively creating an alternative governance model without explicitly designating a rival ‘primus inter pares’—the traditional Latin designation for the Archbishop of Canterbury’s position.

    The move comes precisely as Archbishop Sarah Mullally prepares for her formal installation later this month as the first female holder of the Canterbury position. While Gafcon representatives insisted their actions constitute structural innovation rather than direct confrontation, journalists expressed puzzlement at the nuanced positioning during Thursday’s announcements.

    Gafcon spokesman Venerable Canon Justin Murff articulated the theological foundation of the separation, stating: ‘The issue is not same-sex marriage, nor is it about the female Archbishop. It is whether scripture or contemporary culture governs the life of this church.’ However, he simultaneously criticized Archbishop Mullally for having ‘repeatedly promoted unbiblical and revisionist teachings regarding marriage and sexual morality’ through her support for same-sex unions.

    Archbishop Mbanda brings a remarkable personal history to his new role, documented in his autobiography ‘From Barefoot to Bishop: A Rwandan Refugee’s Journey.’ His background includes childhood refugee experiences in Burundi, theological education in the United States, and entrepreneurial ventures exporting recycled clothing to African nations.

    The Anglican Communion Office in London expressed disappointment that Gafcon had bypassed ‘the formal and encouraging years-long process of global consultation.’ Meanwhile, the broader communion prepares for critical discussions on managing theological differences at an upcoming Belfast conference in June—a gathering Gafcon will boycott due to its non-recognition of the official Anglican body.

    This development represents the culmination of decades of division over LGBTQ clergy and same-sex blessings, controversies that previously strained relations with former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. With two-thirds of the world’s 95 million Anglicans residing in Africa, the establishment of this parallel leadership structure signals a potentially permanent reconfiguration of global Anglican governance.

  • Conservative Anglican leaders restructure the global religious body after 400 years

    Conservative Anglican leaders restructure the global religious body after 400 years

    ABUJA, Nigeria — In a significant restructuring move that signals a substantial departure from established Anglican traditions, conservative global Anglican leaders have fundamentally reorganized their institutional framework. During a major gathering in Nigeria’s capital, the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) announced the dissolution of its previous Gafcon Primates Council and established the new Global Anglican Council as its replacement.

    The newly formed council will incorporate primates, advisers, and guarantors—comprising bishops, clergy, and lay members—all granted equal voting rights. This revolutionary governance model represents a dramatic shift from traditional Anglican hierarchy. The Right Reverend Paul Donison, Gafcon’s general secretary, emphasized that the council chairman, while being a primate, would not function as ‘primus inter pares’ (first among equals), marking a departure from centuries of Anglican tradition.

    The Abuja conference attracted 436 delegates from 48 nations, representing more than 180 dioceses worldwide. This substantial participation underscores the global reach of the conservative movement within Anglicanism. The restructuring emerges from longstanding tensions between conservative and liberal factions within the communion, particularly regarding theological interpretation and social issues.

    Archbishop Laurent Mbanda from Rwanda, unanimously elected to chair the new Global Anglican Council, articulated the necessity of rejecting previous instruments that ‘have not worked for us.’ The conservative bloc has consistently opposed progressive developments within European and North American Anglican churches, including same-sex marriage and the ordination of openly LGBTQ+ clergy.

    This institutional transformation represents the latest development in decades of escalating division within the worldwide Anglican Communion. The restructuring specifically challenges the traditional leadership role of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently held by Sarah Mullally, the first woman to occupy this spiritual leadership position. Last year, Mbanda had explicitly called for a comprehensive ‘reordering’ of the Anglican Communion, indicating that the current changes represent the implementation of that vision.

  • Families of Kenyan recruits duped into fighting in Russia’s war on Ukraine demand their sons return

    Families of Kenyan recruits duped into fighting in Russia’s war on Ukraine demand their sons return

    NAIROBI, Kenya — Distraught Kenyan families delivered an emotional appeal to their nation’s parliament on Thursday, demanding an immediate ban on the recruitment of citizens for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. The demonstration came after revelations that hundreds of Kenyans were deceived with employment promises only to find themselves deployed to active combat zones.

    Protesters marched through Nairobi’s streets carrying photographs of missing, wounded, or killed relatives, chanting slogans urging authorities to secure their loved ones’ return. Their visible anguish was underscored by a massive white banner bearing the stark declaration in bold red letters: ‘KENYANS AND FAMILIES DEMAND JUSTICE FOR THEIR SONS RECRUITED INTO RUSSIA MILITARY.’

    Official government data confirms alarming statistics: over 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine, with at least 89 currently stationed on front lines. The human cost includes one confirmed death, 39 hospitalized casualties, 28 missing in action, and an unknown number returnees bearing physical and psychological wounds.

    Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi previously announced plans for diplomatic engagement with Moscow, vowing to ‘rein in’ those exploiting Kenyan citizens through what he termed a ‘misadventure.’ Concurrent efforts focus on securing the release of Kenyans held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.

    Ukraine’s Ambassador to Kenya, Yurii Tokar, acknowledged one Kenyan currently held as POW, noting that standard protocol under the Geneva Conventions typically mandates prisoner releases upon conflict resolution. However, both Kyiv and Moscow have conducted multiple prisoner exchanges throughout the four-year war.

    An intelligence report presented to parliament last month alleged collusion between Kenyan and Russian government officials with recruitment agencies, systematically luring citizens to combat roles under false pretenses. Families are now demanding prosecution of those responsible for human trafficking, forced recruitment, and violations of international humanitarian and labor laws. Two Kenyan nationals have already been charged with human trafficking in connection with the scheme.

  • Inside Ethiopia’s ‘smart’ police station

    Inside Ethiopia’s ‘smart’ police station

    Ethiopia has entered a new era of digital law enforcement with the inauguration of its first fully automated, unmanned police facility. This groundbreaking ‘smart’ station enables citizens to report criminal incidents directly through advanced touch-screen interfaces without requiring human officer interaction.

    The innovative facility represents a significant technological leap for East African policing infrastructure. The automated system guides users through intuitive digital forms to document offenses, submit evidence, and receive official reference numbers for their cases. This digital transformation aims to streamline reporting processes while reducing administrative burdens on traditional police forces.

    This development occurs as Ethiopia continues to invest in smart city initiatives and digital governance solutions. The unmanned station prototype demonstrates how automation could revolutionize public service delivery across the continent, particularly in rapidly developing nations seeking technological alternatives to conventional infrastructure.

    While the system promises increased efficiency and accessibility, questions remain regarding its accessibility for non-technical users and its effectiveness in handling complex emergencies. The Ethiopian government has indicated this pilot project could expand nationwide pending successful implementation and public adoption in the initial deployment phase.