Page 2 - Nigeria

Thwarted escape attempt by detained Prez Bazoum ousted in coup: Niger Junta

Niger's ruling junta said late Thursday it had thwarted an overnight attempt by deposed president Mohamed Bazoum to escape detention with his family nearly three months after he was detained in the wake of a military coup. In a communique, Col Maj Amadou Abdramane said that Bazoum tried to reach a waiting vehicle at around 3 am that was to take him to the outskirts of the capital, Niamey, along with his family, two cooks and his security personnel. From there, they were to be flown to Nigeria aboard two helicopters belonging to a foreign power, Abdramane said. This plan to destabilise our country was thwarted, Abdramane said, adding that the main perpetrators had been arrested and an investigation has already been opened by the public prosecutor. Bazoum has been under house arrest with his wife and son since being ousted in July, and has refused to resign. The junta had cut off his electricity and water. The United States has formally declared that the ousting of Bazoum was a coup

S Africa to topple Nigeria to regain mantle as continent's biggest economy

The IMF's World Economic Outlook envisions South Africa's gross domestic product reaching $401 billion based on current prices in 2024, compared with Nigeria's $395 billion

PM Modi, Nigerian President Tinubu discusses defence, agriculture

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the sidelines of the 18th G20 Summit and discussed wide-ranging issues including defence

Multi-billion dollar India-Nigeria infra deal to boost agriculture, ports

The agreement, signed on Sept. 6 with Invest India, is expected to help the West African country industrialize its agriculture and manufacturing sectors and cut reliance on imports

Nigeria gets $14 billion investment pledges from India, seeks economic pact

Skipperseil Ltd's founding Chairman Jitender Sachdeva and India's Bharti Enterprises each pledged $1.6 billion over four years to build power generation plants and $700 million in Nigeria

Nigerian Ministers call for higher investments, closer ties with India

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu discussed potential incentives for Indian industrialists at business roundtable

Defence Minister Rajnath to meet Nigerian President ahead of G20 summit

Nigerian President Tinubu is the first head of state to arrive in the national capital for the G20 summit scheduled to be held on September 9, 10

Carbon markets 'bogus solutions' as rich keeps polluting: African activist

A Nigerian environmental activist declared Wednesday at the first African Climate Summit that carbon markets are bogus solutions, providing a sharp reminder that not all of Africa's 1.3 billion people support richer countries using the continent's green spaces to offset continued polluting at home. The summit has sought to reframe the African continent, which has enormous amounts of clean energy minerals and renewable energy sources, as less of a victim of climate change driven by the world's biggest economies and more of the solution, with. But investment in the continent in exchange for the ability to keep polluting elsewhere has angered some in Africa who prefer to see China, the United States, India, the European Union and others rein in their emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. We reject forced solutions on our land, Priscilla Achakpa, founder of the Nigeria-based Women Environmental Programme, told summit participants on the event's final day. She urged the so-called

Emerging economies pushing to end dollar's dominance. What's the option?

Business has vanished at Kingsley Odafe's clothing shop in Nigeria's capital, forcing him to lay off three employees. One culprit for his troubles stands out: The US dollar's strength against the Nigerian currency, the naira, has pushed the price of garments and other foreign goods beyond the reach of local consumers. A bag of imported clothes costs three times what it did two years ago. The price these days is running around 350,000 naira, or USD 450. There are no sales anymore because people have to eat first before thinking of buying clothes," Odafe said. Across the developing world, many countries are fed up with America's dominance of the global financial system especially the power of the dollar. They will air their grievances next week as the BRICS bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa meet with other emerging market countries in Johannesburg, South Africa. But griping about King Dollar is easier than actually deposing the de facto world currency. The dol

36 soldiers killed in ambush by armed group, helicopter crash: Nigeria

At least 36 Nigerian soldiers were killed in the country's northcentral region during an ambush by armed gangs and in the crash of a helicopter sent to the scene, the nation's military said Thursday. Residents told the Associated Press that the helicopter was shot down by the armed gangs in Niger state's Wushishi district following clashes earlier in the week, echoing warnings from analysts about the growing might of the gunmen in the country's hard-hit northern region. Soldiers were conducting an offensive operation in Niger state on Monday when they were ambushed by the armed gangs, defence spokesman Maj. Gen. Edward Buba told reporters. The ambush and the firefight resulted in the death of three officers, 22 soldiers," he said, adding that seven soldiers were wounded. A Nigerian Air Force helicopter was then sent to evacuate the casualties but it crashed in another part of the state, resulting in the death of 14 additional military personnel including the pilots and crew members

Niger's neighbours out of options as defence chiefs plan military force

Regional countries are facing a crisis of legitimacy as they run out of options and time to restore democratic rule in Niger after soldiers ousted the president last month, say analysts. Defence chiefs from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, are meeting in Ghana Thursday to discuss Niger's crisis after a deadline passed for mutinous soldiers to release and reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum or face military intervention. Bazoum was overthrown in July and remains under house arrest with his wife and son in the capital, Niamey. This is the first meeting since ECOWAS ordered the deployment of a standby force last week to restore constitutional rule in the country. It's unclear if or when troops would intervene. A force would likely consist of several thousands soldiers from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Benin and could take weeks or months to prepare, say conflict experts. ECOWAS has a poor track record in stemming the region's rampant coups: neighboring Burkina Faso and Mal

Eye hospital chain Dr. Agarwal's raises $80 million from TPG, Temasek

The top shareholder of publicly listed Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospitals plans to operate 300 hospitals by the end of 2025. It currently has over 150 hospitals, including in African countries like Nigeria

Nigeriens call for mass recruitment of volunteers as junta faces invasion

Nigeriens are preparing for a possible invasion by countries in the region, three weeks after mutinous soldiers ousted the nation's democratically elected president. Residents in the capital, Niamey, are calling for the mass recruitment of volunteers to assist the army in the face of a growing threat by the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, which says it will use military force if the junta doesn't reinstate deposed President Mohamed Bazoum. ECOWAS has activated a standby force" to restore order in Niger after the junta ignored a deadline to release and reinstate Bazoum. The initiative, spearhead by a group of locals in Niamey, aims to recruit tens of thousands of volunteers from across the country to register for the Volunteers for the Defence of Niger. The group would fight, assist with medical care, and provide technical and engineering logistics among other functions, in case the junta needs help, Amsarou Bako, one of the founders, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "It's

Niger's prez vows democracy will prevail after soldiers declare a coup

President Mohamed Bazoum was elected in 2021 in the West African nation's first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since its independence from France in 1960

Indian drugmaker denies toxicity in paracetamol syrup exported to Liberia

Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control said that samples of the Indian-made paracetamol suspension, Para Clear, exported to Liberia contained toxin ethylene glycol

More survivors rescued 2 days after Nigeria boat mishap, death toll at 106

Police and villagers on Wednesday rescued more survivors of a boat that capsized in the Niger River in northern Nigeria killing more than 100 people as they returned from a wedding. Police spokesman Okasani Ajayi said at least 144 people have been rescued since the overcrowded boat capsized early on Monday during a late-night trip in north-central Kwara state's Pategi district. The district is 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Ilorin, the state capital. The death toll stood at 106, including some children, he said. It wasn't immediately clear how some of the rescued passengers survived for two days after the accident. Ajayi could not confirm the number of people still missing but locals estimated the boat carried close to 300 passengers. People are still there, he said of others believed to still be in the water. Boat accidents are common in many remote communities across Nigeria, where locally made vessels are commonly used for transport, with authorities often blaming overloading

At least 103 wedding guests killed when boat capsizes in northern Nigeria

A boat returning from a wedding capsized in northern Nigeria, killing at least 103 people, including children, officials said Tuesday. Residents and police were still searching for dozens of people who were on the overcrowded boat that capsized early Monday on the Niger River in the Pategi district of Kwara state, which is 160 kilometres from Ilorin, the state capital, according to police spokesman Okasanmi Ajayi. He said 100 people had been rescued so far. Most of those who drowned were relatives from several villages who attended the wedding together and partied late into the night, according to Abdul Gana Lukpada, a local chief. They arrived at the ceremony on motorcycles but had to leave on the locally made boat after a downpour flooded the road, he said. "The boat was overloaded and close to 300 persons were in it. While they were coming, the boat hit a big log inside the water and split into two," said Lukpada. The wedding was held in the village of Egboti in the neighbouring

Indian crew members of cargo ship return home after detention in Africa

Sixteen Indian crew members of a cargo vessel who were in detention for over nine months in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria have returned to India following the government's lengthy negotiations with the authorities concerned, official sources said on Sunday. Oil tanker MT Heroic Idun and its 26 crew members, including 16 Indians, were in detention since August last year. They were initially detained in Equatorial Guinea and subsequently in Nigeria. The ship and crew were accused of various crimes, including oil theft. "Following lengthy negotiations, all charges against the crew were dropped and the ship was released on May 27 after paying the fines. The Indian crew members have now returned to India," said a source. The sources said the Indian Mission officials remained in regular touch with the crew and undertook consular access on numerous occasions. "From the outset, the government of India, through its missions in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria, and in bilateral meetings, took

Indian sailors who were detained in Nigeria return home after 9 months

Indian sailors who had been detained in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria for nine months finally returned home on Saturday.The 16 sailors, who had faced accusations of oil theft by Nigerian authorities, arrived at Kochi Airport in Kerala after undergoing trials and reaching a settlement.They were warmly welcomed and greeted with garlands at the Kochi airport by their family and Indian Authorities.Notably, the 'MT Heroic Idun' crew who were in detention since August 22, were released with a warning to carefully conduct their maritime-related activities.Sanu Jose, one of the sailors who returned to India thanked the governments as he reached Kerala after 'lots of uncertainty'."I am very happy that I am now at home with my children. There was a lot of uncertainty about what would happen to our lives and we were told that our lives would end in Nigeria but I thank everyone including the government of India and Kerala government for helping us," Sanu Jose said while speaking to ANI.Another ...

Sandesara brothers fighting fraud charges in India flourishing in Nigeria

The selection of a firm owned by the family of the duo branded as fugitives by India to drill wells for the project is just the latest sign of how Nigeria has provided the brothers a haven