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Boko Haram leader Bakoura denies report of his death in Niger airstrikes

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Boko Haram leader Bakoura denies report of his death in Niger airstrikes

By: Zagazola Makama

Boko Haram Leader, Ibrahim Bakoura Doro, alias Abu Oumaimah, has denied reports by the Government of Niger Republic that he was killed in recent military operations in the country’s Diffa region.

The Nigerien Armed Forces (FAN) had, on Friday, announced that Bakoura was eliminated alongside several insurgent commanders during precision airstrikes carried out on Aug. 15 in Korongol, Kournawa and Shilawa.

The strikes, according to FAN, destroyed Boko Haram logistical bases, neutralised dozens of fighters and eliminated high-ranking commanders, including Bakoura, described as a central figure in the group’s hierarchy.

The operation was celebrated as a major success, with Niger’s Head of State, Gen. Abdurahamane Tiani, identifying Bakoura as one of the key actors allegedly involved in attempts to destabilise the country.

However, in an intercepted communication obtained by security sources on Saturday , Bakoura dismissed the report of his death as false.

He was heard telling his commanders that he saw the news of his “killing” on social media, as announced by Niger Republic and circulated by conflict analyst Zagazola Makama.

While admitting that the airstrikes indeed took place, he insisted that he was not among those killed.

Boko Haram leader Bakoura denies report of his death in Niger airstrikes

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Niger Republic claims killing of Boko Haram leader Ibrahim Bakoura Doro alias Abu Oumaimah

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Niger Republic claims killing of Boko Haram leader Ibrahim Bakoura Doro alias Abu Oumaimah

By: Zagazola Makama

The Government of Niger Republic says its armed forces have allegedly killed a senior Boko Haram leader, Ibrahim Bakoura, also known as Abu Oumaima, during a military operation in the country’s Diffa region.

Nigerien Armed Forces (FAN), disclosed this in a statement released on Tuesday, saying the operation was carried out on Aug. 15 through a series of precision airstrikes targeting Boko Haram positions in Korongol, Kournawa and Shilawa.

The strikes reportedly neutralised dozens of fighters, destroyed logistical supplies and eliminated high-ranking commanders, including Bakoura, who was described as a central figure in the faction’s hierarchy.

Nigerien authorities said the successful operation reaffirmed their commitment to defending the country’s sovereignty and securing its territory against persistent terrorist threats.

Army General Abdurahamane Tiani, Niger’s Head of State, had earlier identified Bakoura as one of the key actors allegedly involved in attempts to destabilise the country.

However, independent verification of Bakoura’s death has not been established. Conflict analyst Zagazola Makama noted that the claim could not be independently verified, but stressed that if confirmed, it would mark a major victory for counterterrorism operations in the Sahel.

Security experts believe the alleged killing of Bakoura, who has long been associated with Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da’wa wa al-Jihad (Boko Haram), would represent both a symbolic and operational blow to the insurgents across the Lake Chad Basin.

Niger remains a frontline state in the regional fight against terrorism, despite its withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), its often collaborating with Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon under a bilateral engagement.

Niger Republic claims killing of Boko Haram leader Ibrahim Bakoura Doro alias Abu Oumaimah

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Troops repel terrorist attack in Borno, kill two ISWAP commanders, others

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Troops repel terrorist attack in Borno, kill two ISWAP commanders, others

By: Zagazola Makama

Nigerian troops of Operation HADIN KAI have repelled an attack by terrorists in Wulgo, Borno State, killing at least seven fighters including two of their commanders.

Zagazola Makama report that the encounter also left several terrorists severely wounded during the fierce exchange of fire.

The slain commanders were identified as Abu Nazir, the Munzir of Juye, and Abu Fatima, the Munzir of Koloram.

According to the source, the troops recovered four motorcycles from the terrorists after the attack. However, an armoured vehicle (MRAP) belonging to the troops was set ablaze by the fleeing insurgents.

“The terrorists came heavily armed but were decisively engaged. We inflicted heavy casualties on them, including two of their senior commanders,” the source said.

Troops repel terrorist attack in Borno, kill two ISWAP commanders, others

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Stakeholders Raise Alarm over incursion of multinationals into meat production sector in Nigeria

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Stakeholders Raise Alarm over incursion of multinationals into meat production sector in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

Stakeholders from civil society, research institutions, and international organisations have expressed deep concern over the growing incursion of multinational industrial farming corporations into Nigeria’s meat production sector, warning of grave consequences for food sovereignty, public health, and the environment.

The concerns were raised during a media workshop organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in Abuja on Thursday, where participants examined the implications of industrial-scale animal agriculture on local communities and Nigeria’s food system.

Speaking at the workshop, the Director of Programmes at HOMEF, Joyce Okeogene Brown highlighted that multinational corporations such as JBS are acquiring vast expanses of land in Nigeria.

She cited Niger State’s offer of 1.2 million hectares of land as an example, warning that such acquisitions threaten to displace local farmers and pastoralists who currently sustain national food production.

“Industrial farming projects often lead to the loss of grazing and farmland for local communities. Most of the meat produced is destined for export, not to meet local food needs,” Brown noted.

She said: “A study presented by HIDA Resource Centre revealed that communities in Nassarawa, Kaduna, and Benue States are not benefitting from promised employment opportunities. Instead, locals are often restricted to menial jobs, while skilled positions go to outsiders.

The report also documented cases of farmland loss, water contamination, and chemical pollution linked to industrial farming practices.

Brown stressed that Nigeria must prioritise its smallholder farmers, who currently produce over 70 percent of the nation’s food. “Rather than ceding control of our food system to foreign corporations driven by profit, the government should strengthen local farmers who are already feeding the nation,” she said.

Adding a global perspective, Dr. Patrick Mwinde of World Animal Protection warned of rising antimicrobial resistance linked to industrial livestock systems, which heavily rely on antibiotics.

He stressed that: “Already, 1.27 million people die annually from untreatable infections. Without urgent action, this number could reach 10 million by 2050,”.

Mwinde also noted that industrial farms rely heavily on herbicides and fertilisers that pollute water bodies and soil, leaving neighbouring communities vulnerable to toxic runoff.

“These companies externalise their costs maximising profit while communities pay the price with their health and environment,” he cautioned.

Mariann Bassey Olsson, Coordinator of the Food Sovereignty Programme for Nigeria and Africa at Friends of the Earth, underscored the difference between food security and food sovereignty, insisting that the latter is Nigeria’s only path to sustainable farming.

“Food sovereignty means Nigerians should eat what is locally sourced and produced, in the quality and quantity they desire, not just any food,” she explained.

She argued that Nigeria can not only feed itself but also Africa and the world, provided the government invests in infrastructure, protects farmers from insecurity, and supports small-scale agriculture.

The stakeholders recommended that government: Protect smallholder farmers and livestock producers who feed the majority of Nigerians; Halt large-scale land concessions to foreign corporations; Invest in rural infrastructure and security to enable farmers to expand production; Regulate against environmental degradation and ensure polluters bear the cost of cleanup.

They also stressed that Nigeria’s long-term food sovereignty depends on empowering its farmers, not outsourcing food production to corporations whose primary interest is profit.

Stakeholders Raise Alarm over incursion of multinationals into meat production sector in Nigeria

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