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Mali, Russia, and the Collapse of a Dangerous Illusion
Mali, Russia, and the Collapse of a Dangerous Illusion
By: Michael Mike
The coordinated jihadist assault of 25 to 26 April did not merely expose the limits of the AES and Mali’s military junta. It shattered the strategic illusion that has guided the country since its rupture with ECOWAS and the wider international community.
By Oumarou Sanou
The events that unfolded across Mali last weekend are not merely another chapter in the Sahel’s long-running crisis. They represent something deeper: the unravelling of a strategic gamble that replaced cooperation with isolation, institutions with propaganda, and diversified partnerships with dependence on a single, unreliable and overstretched ally.
On 25 April, coordinated attacks struck Bamako, Kati, Gao, Kidal, and Sévaré simultaneously. These were not isolated incidents but a synchronised offensive that exposed both the operational reach of jihadist groups and the fragility of the Malian state’s security architecture. Within hours, official claims of control began to crumble. By Sunday morning, Kidal had fallen. The Russian flag that had flown there as a provocation to France, ECOWAS, and the UN was gone. In its place stood silence, and a column of Africa Corps mercenaries negotiating a quiet, ignominious exit with the very armed groups they were contracted to defeat. This was not a tactical setback. It was the collapse of a narrative.
For pan-African observers who foresaw and warned of precisely this outcome, the moment calls not for satisfaction but for grief, reckoning, and an honest accounting of how Mali arrived here.
In November 2023, the Malian junta celebrated the recapture of Kidal as vindication: expel the West, distance from ECOWAS, embrace Moscow, and sovereignty would be restored. The claim was always hollow. Kidal was never pacified. It was occupied. No roads were built, no schools reopened, no trust rebuilt with local communities. Russian mercenaries committed documented atrocities in surrounding villages: summary executions, sexual violence, and burning of homes. They did not win hearts. They produced hatred. And hatred, given time and weapons, produces exactly what we witnessed last weekend.
Reports indicate that African Corps forces engaged briefly before negotiating their withdrawal, leaving Malian troops exposed nearly 1,500 kilometres from the capital. A senior Malian official told RFI that Russian forces had been warned of the impending attack three days in advance but took no action. Their eventual withdrawal, he suggested, appeared pre-arranged. That is not a security partnership. That is abandonment.
The human cost was grave. Defence Minister General Sadio Camara was confirmed dead. Intelligence chief General Modibo Koné and Chief of Defence Staff General Oumar Diarra were wounded. These are not routine battlefield losses. They are indicators of systemic failure at the highest levels of the state.
The Africa Corps responded with a press statement claiming sweeping success: 10,000 to 12,000 Western-backed attackers repelled, over 1,000 enemy casualties inflicted, and the presidential palace secured. One would almost admire the audacity, were the stakes not so human.
The documented facts tell a different story. Kidal fell. The Azawad Liberation Front escorted at least 400 Russian soldiers out of the city as evacuees, northward to Tessalit, 300 kilometres away. Fighters subsequently appeared at the Intahaka gold mine, suggesting further positions had been abandoned. Armoured vehicles were destroyed in Gao. Barracks in Sévaré fell to rebel control. Helicopters burned on the ground. The United States Embassy told its citizens to stay indoors. Even reliably pro-junta social media accounts quietly changed their tone by Sunday morning. This is not propaganda written with ink. It is propaganda written with Malian blood.
None of this should surprise serious observers. Moscow’s track record as a security guarantor is, at best, inconsistent. It disengaged from Assad in Syria when the strategic calculus shifted. It left Maduro to manage Venezuela largely alone. It proved of limited use to Armenia when it mattered most. In every theatre, the pattern is the same: arrive with noise, project influence cheaply, and withdraw when the cost rises. Moscow is too economically constrained to underwrite African development and too strategically transactional to sustain durable commitments. It seeks presence, resources, and optics. The safety of ordinary Africans is, at best, incidental.
The Alliance of Sahel States has fared no better. Faced with Mali’s gravest crisis in years, neither Burkina Faso nor Niger mobilised meaningful support. The alliance exists more in declarations than in collective action. Its members now watch events in Bamako with undisguised anxiety: if Russia cannot hold Kidal, what assurance remains for their own positions?
Before the junta expelled MINUSMA, African peacekeepers, including Nigerian troops, helped stabilise Kidal under difficult conditions. They shed blood in pursuit of regional security and were removed without transition or acknowledgement. The vacuum that followed is now plainly visible.
The events of last weekend are not a victory to be welcomed. The expansion of jihadist territory is a catastrophe for every Malian, and a direct threat to Nigeria and the broader region. A movement emboldened by military success does not respect borders. A fragmented regional posture only widens the openings that extremist networks exploit.
The lesson is not about choosing between external patrons. It is about recognising that no external actor, from the East or the West, can substitute for a coherent national strategy, accountable governance, and genuine regional cooperation. Sovereignty is not measured in flags or slogans. It is measured by a state’s capacity to protect its citizens, hold its territory, and create conditions for stability and growth.
On these counts, the current model in Mali has failed. The verdict is written not in policy papers but in burning helicopters and abandoned positions. Africa deserves partners, not patrons: relationships grounded in mutual respect and genuine commitment, not in the fantasy of an ally who negotiates its own withdrawal before the dust has settled.
The twilight of the Russian illusion in Africa is here. What happens next in the Sahel depends, in large part, on whether its leaders and their neighbours dare to learn the lesson.
Oumarou Sanou is a social critic, pan-African observer and researcher focusing on governance, security, and political transitions in the Sahel. He writes on geopolitics, regional stability, and African leadership dynamics.
Contact: sanououmarou386@gmail.com
Mali, Russia, and the Collapse of a Dangerous Illusion
Gombe gets smart police divisional headquarters to strengthen internal security
Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, on Wednesday, inaugurated a smart Divisional Police Headquarters in Gombe to enhance crime fighting and strengthen internal security.
Also inaugurated were housing units for rank-and-file constructed by the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) with digital infrastructure support from Galaxy Backbone Ltd.
Speaking during the inauguration in Gombe, Yahaya described the infrastructure as critical in modern crime fighting.
Represented by his deputy, Mr Mannasah Jatau, the governor said the police need the right tools and regular training of its personnel to effectively tackle crime.
He commended President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam and the NPTF leadership for the gesture.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, who was represented by Mohammed Mustapha, DCP Administration, Gombe State Police Command, said the facility would boost officers’ morale.
Disu described the facilities as investments in the welfare, dignity and operational readiness of personnel.
According to Disu, decent accommodation and modern workspace will enhance response time and help officers serve the public with greater efficiency and humanity.
Also, Mohammed Sheidu, Executive Secretary, NPTF, said the divisional headquarters equipped with modern technologies was part of its special intervention project to boost personnel morale.
Sheidu described the projects as strategic investment in modern, responsive and people-centred policing.
“What we inaugurated today is not just a physical structure but a direct investment in the men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting our communities and safeguarding the nation,” he said.
Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, Chief Executive Officer, Galaxy Backbone, said the facility was a commitment to harnessing the power of technology in transforming policing in Nigeria.
Adeyanju said that his company in partnership with NPTF was laying the foundation for a smart digital police force, “one that is proactive, data-driven and responsive to the needs of our citizens.
“This facility will enhance intelligence gathering and crime prevention integrated with NIN, facials, fingerprints and other biometrics.
“We are looking at cloud-based solutions that ensure secure storage and real time access to critical and confidential information.
“This initiative will help strengthen police force, improve response time and ensure accountability and transparency.
“By embracing digital tools, the Nigerian Police Force will be better positioned to combat crimes, protect communities and uphold justice in a rapidly evolving world,” he said.
Adeyanju said Galaxy backbone and the NPTF were building a future where Nigerian police would stand as a model of smart digital security in Africa.
Gombe gets smart police divisional headquarters to strengthen internal security
Swift Troops’ Intervention Foils Attack on School, Saves Students in Kogi
By: Zagazola Makama
The timely intervention of security troops has prevented what could have been a major attack on students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Iluke Community, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Eyewitnesses who spoke after the incident commended the swift response of the troops, saying their prompt arrival at the scene prevented the attackers from carrying out a mass abduction of students.
The attack occurred when armed men stormed the community and started shooting where students were writing their examinations.
According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants attempted to seize the students and move them into a nearby bush before security personnel responded to distress calls from residents.
“The situation would have been much worse if the soldiers had not arrived when they did. Their intervention saved the students and prevented what could have been a major tragedy,” one resident said.
Another eyewitness described the response of the troops as timely and professional, noting that the security operatives engaged the attackers and forced them to abandon their mission.
The residents said the arrival of the troops compelled the attackers to retreat from the area.
All the students were reportedly safe and unharmed and safely reunited with their families following the operation.
Community members also praised local security volunteers and other security agencies that supported the operation.
The incident, however, left the community in mourning following the death of three residents during the attack.
Security sources said one of the attackers was neutralised during the exchange of fire, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds.
A security operation is ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent further attacks in the area.
Residents of Iluke Community expressed gratitude to the troops for their courage and sacrifice, describing the intervention as a decisive action that prevented a larger humanitarian crisis.
They urged security agencies to sustain the ongoing operations and strengthen security presence in vulnerable communities across the area.
The Kogi State Government has also commended the troops and other security personnel involved in the operation, assuring residents of its commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
Swift Troops’ Intervention Foils Attack on School, Saves Students in Kogi
Digital Education: VP Shettima Lauds ProFuturo Foundation, Kukah Centre Partnership
Says training of 1,150 teachers, 72,000 students aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has applauded the partnership between the Kukah Centre and the ProFuturo Foundation in support of quality digital education, especially in vulnerable communities across the country.
He said the foundation’s initiative for digital education aligns with the nation’s quest for skills education through the National Council on Skills and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Senator Shettima stated this, Wednesday, when he received on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, a delegation from the Kukah Centre and the ProFuturo Foundation led by Bishop Matthew Kukah.
The Vice President who had earlier been briefed on the successes recorded in the digital education initiative of the ProFuturo foundation in Nigeria, expressed fulfilment with the feat attained in school enrolment as well as the quality of training and teaching since the commencement of the partnership in 2017.
He noted that though a lot have been achieved over the past years, there is still more grounds, given Nigeria’s growing population amidst competition in the allocation of scarce resources across the country.
Senator Shettima proposed an interface between the implementing partners of the digital education initiative and critical stakeholders such as the National Board for Technical Education (NABTE), the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the Federal Ministry of Education, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
He said the interaction is to facilitate the cross-pollination of ideas that can help produce robust solutions to the issue of school enrolment in parts of Nigeria.
The Vice President also assured the delegation of his desire to introduce the ProFuturo initiative to the National Economic Council (NEC) for the purpose of digitizing the Universal Basic Education Boards across the country.
Earlier, the Founder of the Kukah Centre and leader of the delegation, Bishop Matthew Kukah, said the delegation was at the Presidential Villa to show solidarity with the administration of President Tinubu in the area of digital education.
He noted that Vice President Shettima’s commitment to the digital education initiative across the country was a demonstration of critical leadership necessary to proper Nigeria for the next phase of global development anchored on digital skills.
In his remarks, the Deputy Director to the President of the ProFuturo Foundation, Mr Albert Martinez, said the implementation of the initiative in Nigeria was supported by the combination of a strong local capability and commitment as well as a dedicated political leadership.
He also stated that since inception the project in Nigeria has continued to make significant strides as a result of the dedication of stakeholders to adjust where necessary to enable the partners to deepen and expand the ProFuturo digital education initiative.
Giving an overview of the programme implementation, the project coordinator, Dr Emmanuel Nkanta, said since its launch, 13 states, 123 schools, 72,000 students as well as 1,150 teachers have been impacted by the digital education initiative of the ProFuturo Foundation.
He noted there was need to bring on board more partners and improve funding to scale the interventions across the country.
Also present at the meeting with the Vice President were the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu; Head of Global Operations of the ProFuturo Foundation, Mr Tomas Mensi, and The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Aisha Garba, among other officials.
Digital Education: VP Shettima Lauds ProFuturo Foundation, Kukah Centre Partnership
Gombe gets smart police divisional headquarters to strengthen internal security
Troops Foil Terrorists’ Advance, Recover Motorcycle in Yobe
Swift Troops’ Intervention Foils Attack on School, Saves Students in Kogi
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