World
Thousands of Cameroonians fled to Chad over deadly clashes between herders and fishing communities
Thousands of Cameroonians fled to Chad over deadly clashes between herders and fishing communities
Tens of thousands of Cameroonians have fled to Chad to escape deadly clashes between herding and fishing communities in the north of the country.
Reports said at least 20 people were killed and more than 50 injured and wounded in the fighting that began on Tuesday last week.
The fighting started in Cameroon when Mousgoum fishermen dug holes in the ground to divert water to help them to catch fish in an area where ethnic Arab Choa herders also took their cattle for watering, according to regional governor Midjiyawa Bakari, adding that a “trivial issue” had degenerated into a deadly battle in the Logone and Chari division of the region that bordered Chad and Nigeria.
Gayang Souare, the governor of Chari Baguirmi province in northwestern Chad, told Reuters that the refugees arrived with almost nothing. “They don’t have bedding, a change of clothes or food.”
“There are wounded among them who require immediate medical care and children who are without their parents,” said Souare.
He said officials in Oundouma were struggling to take care of the refugees because their services were “overwhelmed”.
Iris Blom, the United Nations refugee agency’s deputy director in Chad, confirmed this, saying there were pressing needs for health services, shelter and food.
She said 85 percent of the refugees who fled to Oundouma, south of the Chadian capital N’Djamena, were women, children and the elderly.
Souare said some of the refugees were placed with families, while others were lodged in schools and churches, AFP reported.
RFI said the volatile far north region of Cameroon was where the army had been battling against attacks by members of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram, and fighters linked to the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) armed group.
Local officials told Reuters that the violence had been heightened because residents had bought weapons to defend themselves against the extremist groups, meaning more people in the area owned firearms.
Souare told RNI: “We have brought in all the traditional chiefs, religious leaders, rulers of the Mousgoum and the Arab Choa to advocate conciliation so that they can live together peacefully. They have signed an appeasement agreement and made a commitment before God and the nation to spread awareness among their people so that such terrible violence does not happen again.”
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A resident of the town of Kousseri, who asked to remain anonymous, told RNI: “I do not believe that the authorities realised at first how serious the matter was. I do not think they reacted promptly enough and only did so when the already volatile situation worsened. If their reactions had been more prompt, they might have averted the problem and there would not have been so many victims.”
He believed the two ethnic groups would observe the calm but said the crisis was deep. In the Lake Chad basin the problem of access to natural resources, such as land, rivers, pastures, mining and fishing areas, often led to tension between communities.
“The authorities have to put in place conflict resolution mechanisms to stop this violence,” he said.
Soldier arrested in Rivers over attempted rape, theft, and assault on police officer
By: Zagazola Makama
The Police in Rivers State have arrested a serving soldier over an alleged attempted rape, theft, and assault on a police officer in Kpor Division, under Zone 16, Yenagoa.
Police sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspect, identified as Cpl. Dinebari Legudu, who claimed we was attached Special Forces, in Maiduguri, was arrested on Wednesday following a complaint by a 17-year-old female, Peace Baridor, of Bera community.
According to the police, the teenage girl reported that the suspect, whom she recently befriended on Facebook, visited her residence around 3:30 p.m. on the same day and allegedly attempted to rape her. She managed to escape and locked the suspect inside the house.
“In her absence, the suspect ransacked the home and allegedly stole N150,000 belonging to the girl’s mother before breaking out and fleeing,” the statement said.
Upon receiving the report at about 6:05 p.m., officers from the Kpor Division, acting swiftly alongside the complainant, traced and apprehended the suspect. Upon interrogation, it was revealed that he is a serving soldier currently on pass from his unit in Maiduguri.
The police also reported that the suspect resisted arrest and assaulted one of the arresting officers during the operation.
He is currently in police custody and investigation is ongoing.
Authorities said due process would be followed and the military hierarchy has been notified for necessary administrative procedures.
Soldier arrested in Rivers over attempted rape, theft, and assault on police officer
UN System Meets to Coordinate Response to Transnational Organized Crime in West Africa
By: Michael Mike
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has convened a pivotal Field Dialogue in Abuja, bringing together UN agencies and national counterparts to chart a coordinated response to the growing threat of transnational organized crime (TOC) in Nigeria and the West African region.
The meeting was opened by the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Mohammed Fall, and chaired by UNODC Country Representative, Mr. Cheikh Toure.
Representatives from UNICEF, UNESCO, WHO, UNDSS, IOM, UNFPA and NDLEA participated, underscoring the UN system and Nigeria’s commitment to collaborative action.
In his opening remarks, Mr Fall stated: “I stand before you as the Head of the UN family in Nigeria, underscoring our shared awareness that Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) poses a significant threat to the work of every UN agency. It undermines our collective efforts across various sectors and impedes our achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Stressing the importance of the gathering and why Nigeria must lead the fight against TOC, Country Representative of UNODC, Mr Cheikh Toure added: “TOC in Nigeria manifests in diverse and interconnected forms: drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms smuggling, cybercrime, illicit financial flows and the illegal exploitation of natural resources, to name a few. These crimes are not isolated; they thrive in environments where corruption erodes governance and insecurity restricts access. For instance, banditry and terrorism in the Northwest and Northeast, coupled with kidnapping for ransom, create no-go zones that limit our programmatic reach.”
Also speaking, Director, Assets and Financial Investigation, NDLEA, Dr Ibrahim Abdul equally emphasized that: “Criminals have become technologically adept. Fora like this help us understand their tactics better and stay ahead of them.”
This Field Dialogue forms part of a global UN initiative launched by UNODC Headquarters following discussions in October 2024 within the High-Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP), the UN’s principal platform for system-wide policy coherence and coordination on TOC issues, particularly across the UN system. Recognizing TOC as a major threat to peace, security, and sustainable development, the UN is working to develop a unified conceptual framework and enhance inter-agency coordination.
Field Dialogues are being held in key regions – Southeast Asia, the Andes, and Nigeria – to identify gaps, leverage expertise, and develop integrated strategies. Insights from these dialogues will inform the upcoming HLCP meeting in New York later this year.
Nigeria’s strategic position in West Africa, coupled with vulnerabilities to human trafficking, arms smuggling, illicit financial flows, and counterfeit medicines, places it at the center of this effort. During her recent visit, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed reaffirmed Nigeria’s pivotal role in tackling transnational organized crime at both regional and global levels.
The Dialogue in Abuja marks a critical step in strengthening joint UN efforts to support Nigeria in addressing the complex challenges posed by organized crime.
UN System Meets to Coordinate Response to Transnational Organized Crime in West Africa
Armed Bandits Kill One, Abduct 50 in Tungar Dada Village Attack in Sokoto
By: Zagazola Makama
A bandit attack on Tungar Dada Village in the Moriki District of Zurmi Local Government Area (LGA) in Sokoto on April 13, 2025, has left one person dead and 50 others abducted.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 0400hrs, when a group of armed bandits stormed the village, shooting and killing one individual while abducting 50 villagers to an unknown destination.
Security officials have confirmed the death and are actively pursuing leads to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the suspects.
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