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IMF, World Bank Must End Colonial Rule, Says ActionAid
IMF, World Bank Must End Colonial Rule, Says ActionAid
By: Michael Mike
ActionAid has said the time is up for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to stop perpetuating a colonial rule on the world.
The call was made at the weekend as the two global financial institutions conclude their Spring meetings in Washington DC this week.
ActionAid, in the statement said for the last 80 years the IMF and World Bank have been in existence, not much has changed as global South countries have been pushed further into debt and are reeling from the impacts of IMF-imposed austerity measures.
In its 2023 report Fifty Years of Failure, ActionAid found that despite following the IMF’s advice for decades, many African countries are in debt distress or facing a high risk of debt distress. Austerity measures have blocked the recruitment of teachers, doctors and nurses, even in countries with severe shortages, and has squeezed public sector salaries at a time of a rising cost of living.
Global Lead on Economic Justice and Public Services at ActionAid International, Roos Saalbrink, said:“Countries in the global South have since the structural adjustment progammes been in perpetual austerity, eroding public health and education. At a time of unprecedented climate crisis and debt crisis in the global South, the Bretton Woods Institutions continue to oil the wheels of colonial exploitation and extraction. At the same time global South governments have very little say in the policies coming from these institutions at the centre of the international financial architecture. 80 years is enough.”
The statement said ActionAid is also concerned about a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ which has ensured that the IMF managing director has for 80 years been European and the World Bank president a US national.
Country Director of ActionAid USA, Niranjali Amerasinghe, said: “Kristalina Georgieva’s appointment is a continuation of the colonial era ‘gentleman’s agreement’, where rich western powers have the most say. It is unacceptable that 80 years later we are still having to call this out. The IMF must change its leadership selection process, its decision-making model, and the harmful practices that keep developing countries in a cycle of crisis.
“As the climate crisis wreaks havoc, global South countries are so deep in debt that they cannot adapt to these impacts. We are calling for debt cancellation and tax justice to help these countries free up the finances needed to build resilience to climate impacts.
“We need to see an overhaul of the international financial architecture with a proper debt workout mechanism, a UN tax convention, to ensure global South governments have a say over policies impacting them disproportionately.”
ActionAid is a global federation working with more than 41 million people living in more than 71 of the world’s poorest countries, the organisation wants to see a just, fair, and sustainable world, in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression. We work to achieve social justice and gender equality and to eradicate poverty.
IMF, World Bank Must End Colonial Rule, Says ActionAid
Troops recover suspected stolen motorcycle in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 6, Operation Enduring Peace have recovered a suspected stolen motorcycle following a pursuit of suspected motorcycle snatchers in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau.
Security sources disclosed that the incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on May 21 along the Bachi-Banghai road after troops received reports on the activities of suspected motorcycle snatchers in the area.
The sources said the troops immediately mobilised and pursued the suspects, who abandoned the motorcycle and fled upon sighting the security personnel.
According to the sources, the recovered motorcycle has been secured, while efforts were ongoing to identify the rightful owner and apprehend the fleeing suspects.
The military said the operation formed part of sustained efforts to combat criminal activities and enhance security across Plateau.
Troops recover suspected stolen motorcycle in Plateau
Troops launch rescue operation after abduction in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 1, Operation Enduring Peace have launched a rescue operation following the abduction of a resident in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau.
Security sources disclosed that the incident occurred at about 11:00 p.m. on May 21 when gunmen reportedly abducted Mr Eze Emeka from his residence at Agingi village.
The sources said troops swiftly responded to the distress report and commenced rescue operations in collaboration with other security agencies.
According to the sources, efforts were ongoing to track down the kidnappers and secure the safe release of the victim.
The military assured residents that security forces were intensifying operations to curb criminal activities in the area.
Troops launch rescue operation after abduction in Plateau
JNIM attack in Tillaberi signals deepening jihadist rivalry and expanding Sahel instability
By: Zagazola Makama
The reported deadly attack on a Nigerien Army engineering unit near Garbougna in the Tillaberi Region marks a significant escalation in the evolving security dynamics of western Niger and the wider Sahel.
With an estimated 67 soldiers and civilians reportedly killed and a military camp destroyed, the incident underscores both the intensity and increasing sophistication of militant operations in the region.
Beyond the immediate casualties, the attack is notable for its attribution to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which swiftly claimed responsibility. Tillaberi have long been considered a stronghold of Islamic State in the Sahel (IS Sahel), suggesting a possible shift in operational influence or encroachment into contested territory.
The incident reflects an emerging pattern of geographic diffusion of jihadist violence across the Tera–Niamey corridor, an axis that has repeatedly come under pressure from armed groups. The corridor connects several vulnerable departments, including Tera, Torodi, Say and Ayorou, all of which have experienced repeated attacks in recent years.
The Garbougna attack also fits into a broader sequence of high-casualty operations across Niger since early 2026, including reported strikes near Niamey airport in January and Makalondi in February. These incidents collectively indicate sustained pressure on Nigerien security forces and an expanding operational reach of armed groups closer to strategic population centres.
Of particular concern is the apparent intensification of competition between IS Sahel and JNIM. While both groups have historically operated in overlapping zones, recent claims of responsibility and counter-claims suggest a more overt struggle for influence, recruitment, and territorial control. The reported clash between the two factions near Petel Kole earlier in the year further supports this assessment.
The implications of this rivalry are significant. Rather than reducing violence through competition, the fragmentation of jihadist groups in the Sahel has in some cases resulted in increased attacks, as factions seek to demonstrate operational strength and legitimacy.
At the same time, the weakening of state presence in rural and border communities is compounding the crisis. Reports of closed schools, non-functional health facilities, and inactive markets point to a gradual erosion of governance structures in affected areas. This vacuum continues to facilitate militant mobility and recruitment.
Another critical dimension is the increasing use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which has reportedly hindered post-attack clearance operations in the Garbougna area. Such tactics not only slow military response but also expand the risk zone for civilians and security forces alike.
Strategically, Tillaberi remains the epicentre of Niger’s insecurity challenges, given its proximity to the Mali and Burkina Faso border regions. The corridor’s proximity to Niamey raises additional concerns, particularly regarding potential spillover effects into the capital’s security perimeter.
The Garbougna attack, therefore, illustrates a convergence of three destabilising trends: escalating casualty levels, intensified jihadist competition, and shrinking state control in border regions. Taken together, these dynamics suggest a deteriorating security outlook for western Niger, with implications that extend beyond national boundaries into the wider Sahel security architecture.
JNIM attack in Tillaberi signals deepening jihadist rivalry and expanding Sahel instability
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