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Sahel on edge as sabotage campaigns spread across Niger and Mali, threatening regional stability and economic survival

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Sahel on edge as sabotage campaigns spread across Niger and Mali, threatening regional stability and economic survival

By: Zagazola Makama

A sharp escalation in economic sabotage by armed groups in Niger Republic and Mali is deepening instability across the Central Sahel, with fresh attacks on oil and fuel infrastructure pointing to an increasingly insecure landscape for governments, civilians and foreign partners in the region.

The latest incident occurred on Sunday night in Niger Republic’s eastern Diffa Region, where an oil pipeline explosion at Agadem was attributed to the Mouvement Patriotique pour la Libération du Jihad (MPLJ), a newly emergent armed faction led by Moussa Kounai. The group released a video claiming responsibility for damaging a section of the pipeline and vowed further attacks unless the ruling Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie (CNSP) steps down and reinstates constitutional governance.

The MPLJ also accused the junta of supporting foreign rebel groups, specifically naming the Chadian Front pour l’Alternance et la Concorde (FACT), which it alleges operates with the approval and logistical backing of Niger’s transitional military authorities.

Security sources say the attack marks a worrying expansion of anti-state sabotage in Niger, where armed groups such as the Lakurawa network have previously targeted oil infrastructure. These incidents now coincide with sustained assaults by jihadist formations like JNIM and Islamic State Sahel Province, creating an increasingly complex and volatile security environment.

Zagazola warn that the proliferation of armed groups following the 2023 coup has eroded state control, with economic assets such as pipelines, storage facilities and export routes becoming strategic targets for factions seeking bargaining power or political influence. The Agadem basin a cornerstone of Niger’s crude output and a critical link in its export chain to international markets is especially vulnerable.

Meanwhile in neighbouring Mali, the situation has taken on an even more disruptive dimension as the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM intensifies a sweeping fuel blockade that has crippled the country’s economy and strained daily life for millions.

Since September, JNIM fighters have systematically attacked fuel tankers travelling from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, routes that account for the majority of Mali’s fuel imports. Tankers have been burned, drivers and security escorts killed, and entire convoys halted by improvised explosive devices and ambushes.

The insurgents are believed to be retaliating against a government directive restricting fuel sales in rural areas, a measure aimed at cutting off jihadist access to diesel and petrol used for mobility, logistics and explosives manufacturing.

The impact has been devastating. Fuel scarcity has worsened Mali’s longstanding electricity crisis, plunging Bamako and several regional capitals into long blackouts. With power plants relying heavily on diesel, factories have shut down, cold-chain food systems are collapsing, and telecommunications have become unreliable.

Government offices, banks and airports are also struggling to maintain normal operations. On Sunday, authorities suspended classes in all schools and universities for two weeks due to the acute shortage.

In rural communities, the blockade coincides with harvest season. Farmers say tractors and irrigation pumps have become idle, threatening crop yields and heightening food insecurity in a country already burdened by displacement and declining agricultural output.

Despite several rounds of negotiations involving community leaders and intermediaries, no agreement has been reached with JNIM. The group appears intent on leveraging the economic pressure to force political concessions from the military-led government.

Security experts say the rising wave of economic sabotage across Niger and Mali reflects a broader trend in the Sahel, where armed groups are increasingly shifting from territorial warfare to strategic economic disruption. By targeting energy supply lines pipelines in Niger and tanker routes in Mali these groups are undermining state capacity, weakening public confidence, and heightening the cost of governance for already fragile juntas.

The dual crises also signaled troubles for neighbouring countries, particularly Nigeria, which shares extensive energy, trade and security ties with Niger. These misattributed attacks or cross-border accusations could trigger diplomatic strains at a time when regional cooperation is crucial.

With militants in both countries signalling readiness for escalated operations, the Sahel is bracing for deeper instability unless coordinated regional and international responses are mobilised to protect critical infrastructure, restore supply chains and contain armed group expansion.

Zagazola Makama is a counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region.

Sahel on edge as sabotage campaigns spread across Niger and Mali, threatening regional stability and economic survival

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Zulum Delivers Relief, Cash Support to 434 Ngoshe Residents Rescued from Boko Haram

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Zulum Delivers Relief, Cash Support to 434 Ngoshe Residents Rescued from Boko Haram

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Government has distributed relief materials to 434 indigenes of Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area who were recently rescued by security agencies after spending three months in Boko Haram captivity.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum visited the victims in Pulka on Monday and directed the immediate distribution of food and non-food items to support their recovery and reintegration.

In compliance with the Governor’s directive, the Director General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Ali Abdullahi Isa, promptly supervised the distribution exercise.

Each rescued person received a bag of rice, a bag of maize grits, a mattress, a wrapper, and a shadda, while children received two pairs of clothing.

In addition, 208 heads of households received N50,000 each, fulfilling Governor Zulum’s earlier pledge of financial assistance.

Speaking during the distribution, the SEMA Director General said the intervention was part of the government’s immediate response to ease the hardship faced by the rescued victims.

“I am here at the instance of His Excellency, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, who was here some few days ago, and to deliver the items he directed that it should be given to you as emergency relief,” Ali stated.

The rescued individuals are currently receiving medical care and psychosocial support at a government facility. Upon completion of the rehabilitation process, they will be reintegrated into their respective communities.

The exercise was carried out alongside the Chairman of Gwoza local government, representatives of the Ngoshe community, and other officials.

Zulum Delivers Relief, Cash Support to 434 Ngoshe Residents Rescued from Boko Haram

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Democracy Day: Zulum gives 2 MRAPs, other logistics to Army, celebrates with IDPs

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Democracy Day: Zulum gives 2 MRAPs, other logistics to Army, celebrates with IDPs

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, marked Democracy Day with the handover of two Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and critical logistics to the Nigerian Army, after joining internally displaced persons (IDPs) for a symbolic celebration and distribution of food items to 2,500 beneficiaries.

The armoured MRAPs delivered to the Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai on Friday are intended to enhance troop protection against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and ambushes which remain a persistent threat in the fight against insurgents. Additional logistics include operational Hilux vehicles and motorcycles for frontline soldiers in difficult terrains.

Zulum also marked Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Madinatu camp where he distributed food supplies, non-food items, and cash gifts to thousands of beneficiaries.

The distribution, held at the Madinatu IDP camp, served to consolidate Zulum’s resettlement gains. Over the past seven years, Borno State Government has successfully resettled more than 2 million IDPs in their ancestral communities in a dignified and voluntary manner.

“It gladdens my heart today, the 12th of June, 2026, to celebrate June 12th, Democracy Day, here in Madinatu Camp, the only formal camp that is standing inside Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, today, to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind, for the distribution of food and non-food items. Inshallah, this camp will be closed this year. This will be our last distribution exercise in this camp, or the second to the last,” Zulum said.

However, Governor Zulum used the occasion to announce a timeline for the camp’s closure. The governor ordered that Madinatu camp be shut down within one month, vowing to similarly close most IDP camps across various Local Government Areas in the coming phase of his administration’s resettlement strategy.

“Democracy must translate into restoring the dignity of our people,” Zulum told the IDPs. “Living in camps is not a permanent solution. Our goal remains to return every displaced person to their ancestral homes with security and means of livelihood.”

In addition to the food items, Zulum approved N50,000 each for the 2,500 beneficiaries present at the event.

“Each of the 500 beneficiaries mentioned will receive a 25kg bag of rice and a 25kg bag of sorghum. Women will receive wrappers. I also promise to provide 50,000 naira to each beneficiary. This amount can be credited into their own individual accounts, inshallah,” Zulum said.

The exercise was attended by the APC’s State Deputy Chairman, Garba Mulima, APC State Vice Chairman (Central) Abdur Rahman Abdulkarim, Acting Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mallumbe, Member representing Jere at the State Assembly, Abba Kyari Kolo, commissioners and commissioner designates and several other senior government officials.

Democracy Day: Zulum gives 2 MRAPs, other logistics to Army, celebrates with IDPs

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Gov. Yusuf Commends DSS Over Arrest of Suspected Gun Courier in Kano

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Gov. Yusuf Commends DSS Over Arrest of Suspected Gun Courier in Kano

By: Michael Mike

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for the arrest of a suspected gun courier intercepted while allegedly transporting weapons believed to be destined for criminal elements in Katsina State.

The commendation was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Thursday, June 12, 2026.

Governor Yusuf described the operation as a major breakthrough in the ongoing fight against banditry, terrorism and other violent crimes threatening communities across Northern Nigeria.

According to information provided by the DSS, the suspect, identified as Muhammad Abubakar, 30, was apprehended in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State while allegedly transporting four rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) tubes, three AK-47 rifles and two empty magazines to Funtua in Katsina State.

Preliminary investigations reportedly revealed that the suspect collected the weapons from an individual identified as Bello in the Maigatari border area of Jigawa State and was expected to receive N450,000 upon successful delivery of the arms.

Governor Yusuf praised the professionalism, vigilance and intelligence-driven approach of DSS operatives, noting that the timely interception prevented the weapons from falling into the hands of bandits and other criminal groups.

He said the operation underscored the critical role of intelligence gathering and effective collaboration among security agencies in tackling emerging security threats across the country.

The governor reaffirmed the commitment of the Kano State Government to supporting security agencies through sustained cooperation, logistics assistance and policies aimed at strengthening public safety throughout the state.

He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing credible information to security agencies to aid efforts to combat crime and maintain peace.

Governor Yusuf expressed confidence that ongoing investigations would lead to the arrest and prosecution of all individuals connected to the alleged arms trafficking network.

The statement was signed by Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano.

Gov. Yusuf Commends DSS Over Arrest of Suspected Gun Courier in Kano

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