Mali drone strikes kills dozens of civilians at wedding ceremony

By: Zagazola Makama

A drone strike reportedly launched by the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) has killed more than twenty civilians, including women and children, during a wedding ceremony in the locality of Beydi, between Gossi and Inabaw, in the Timbuktu region.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that that the incident occurred on Thursday when a drone targeted the site of the ceremony, turning what was supposed to be a moment of joy into a tragedy.

Residents described the aftermath as horrific, with mutilated bodies, burned children, and grieving relatives crying in distress amidst the rubble.

The drone came without warning and dropped explosives directly on the wedding gathering. We lost many people men, women, and children.

Sources confirmed that at least 20 civilians were confirmed dead, while several others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to nearby medical facilities.

The Malian authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident. However, independent civil society organizations have condemned the strike, describing it as one of the deadliest targeting errors since the junta took power in 2021.

The attack reignited growing concerns about the military’s increasing reliance on aerial strikes in civilian-populated areas amid its ongoing campaign against armed jihadist groups in the north.

The incident comes amid widespread criticism of the junta for alleged human rights abuses and clandestine dealings with jihadist factions linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).

Northern Mali has remained a flashpoint of violence since 2012 when insurgent and separatist groups seized large swathes of territory. Despite successive military operations, instability persists, with both jihadist and government forces accused of atrocities against civilians.

In recent months, the junta, supported by Russian Wagner Group mercenaries, has intensified drone operations in the Timbuktu and Gao regions, leading to growing fears among locals of indiscriminate attacks.

The Beydi strike risks deepening mistrust between communities and the armed forces, potentially fuelling recruitment for extremist groups

Mali drone strikes kills dozens of civilians at wedding ceremony

Nigeria Unveils National Waste Marketplace Programme to Drive Circular Economy and Green Innovation

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has officially launched the National Waste Marketplace Programme (NWMP), a groundbreaking digital platform designed to revolutionise waste management, promote recycling, and stimulate green enterprise across the country.

The unveiling ceremony, which was held in Abuja on Thursday, brought together representatives from government, the private sector, academia, civil society organisations, and international development partners, including the European Union (EU), German Development Cooperation (GIZ), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The event was marked by addresses from key figures in Nigeria’s environmental sector, including Prof. Innocent Barikor, representative of the Legal Business School Sustainability Centre, and the Honourable Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, who served as the guest of honour.

Barikor described the National Waste Marketplace Programme as an innovative step by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to bridge environmental sustainability with economic opportunity through digital technology.

He said: “The National Waste Marketplace Programme represents our national resolve to harness innovation and partnership for sustainable waste management and a thriving circular economy.

“It embodies the idea that waste, when properly managed, can drive growth, enterprise, and inclusion across society.”

The programme, he explained, aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which emphasises economic diversification, innovation, and effective governance. By connecting waste generators, recyclers, aggregators, and end-users in a transparent, traceable system, the initiative aims to transform waste from an environmental burden into an economic asset.

Delivering the keynote address, Balarabe Lawal hailed the initiative as a “landmark innovation” that formalises Nigeria’s waste value chain.

“The National Waste Marketplace is an opportunity to close the gap in our waste management system by modernising operations and advancing the principles of the circular economy,” the Minister stated.

He highlighted that millions of tonnes of recyclable materials are lost annually due to poor disposal practices a challenge that the NWMP seeks to address by creating economic linkages across the recycling ecosystem.

The Minister noted that the initiative aligns with several national and international frameworks, including the National Policy on Solid Waste Management, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme, National Circular Economy Roadmap, and global agreements such as the Basel Convention and the Paris Agreement.

“This programme will not only promote responsible production and consumption but also contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly Goals 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, and 15,” he said.

The Minister also acknowledged the Recycle Start Nigeria Limited, NESREA’s technology partner, for its role in developing the digital infrastructure behind the platform.

“The success of this programme demonstrates how regulatory reform, private sector participation, and technological innovation can converge to deliver environmental and economic benefits,” Lawal said.

He urged all stakeholders government agencies, private sector players, recyclers, investors, and civil society to take ownership of the National Waste Marketplace Programme.

He said: “By working together, we can build a more organised waste management system that promotes accountability, creates jobs, and safeguards our environment.”

Through the NWMP, waste will no longer be seen as refuse but as a resource for value creation. The platform enables efficient trading of recyclable materials while ensuring traceability and accountability across the waste management chain.

Barikor emphasised that the system will empower youth and small businesses, stimulate investment, and expand livelihood opportunities in local communities.

“This initiative gives practical expression to our collective aspiration for a cleaner, more prosperous Nigeria where waste management becomes a driver of innovation and employment,” he said.

Both speakers expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s development partners including GIZ, UNDP, UNIDO, and the European Union for their continued collaboration and technical support in promoting circular economy initiatives.

The launch of the National Waste Marketplace Programme marks a defining step in Nigeria’s transition toward a circular economy, one that prioritises innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth turning the nation’s waste challenge into a powerful engine for green development.

Nigeria Unveils National Waste Marketplace Programme to Drive Circular Economy and Green Innovation

VP SHETTIMA TO ACF: Stand In Solidarity With President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda

*Says all groups, communities, faiths, have a say in national conversation under Tinubu’s watch

*Urges resistance against mischief makers to divide Nigeria

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has charged the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to stand in solidarity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to him, “there is no better time than now for the leaders of the North to stand together as one” in support of efforts by the Tinubu administration to wriggle the nation out of the economic and social morass it was hitherto enmeshed in.

The Vice President made the call on Wednesday during an audience with a delegation from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) led by its Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Senator Shettima told members of the region’s apex socio-cultural organisation to resist the antics of a few mischief makers to fragment the unity of Nigeria.

He drew the distinction between greed and grievance as propounded by those he described as “architects of modern conflict,” observing that, “while some agitations arise from genuine grievances seeking justice and fairness, others are fuelled by greed—by the quest to exploit disorder for selfish gain.”

He said the task before the Tinubu administration is to spot the difference between genuine grievance and greed, with a view to embracing “legitimate calls for equity and inclusion, and to isolate the forces that seek to profit from chaos.”

“We have proven, time and again, that our diversity is our strength, that our differences in tribe, faith, and geography are the very bricks that make this house of destiny we live in. This is why we must continue to resist all attempts to divide us or stir mischief among us. Our future depends on unity, and unity must remain our creed,” he stated.

Dispelling claims of ethnic and religious slant by peddlers of marginalisation, VP Shettima stated categorically that every group, faith, and tribe has a voice in national issues under the Tinubu administration, and that no group will marginalized.

His words: “What we do as a government is to ensure that every group, every community, every faith, and every voice finds its place in the national conversation. We will never accommodate the marginalisation of any group. Our policies are designed to create opportunities for all—to lift every community through inclusion, education, and enterprise.”

The Vice President assured the northern leaders that they are an integral part of the Tinubu-led federal government, and that the administration is ready to partner with the ACF in advancing the cause of the region and the nation as a whole.

He said, “The trajectory of the North, however, has been a sobering one. We began as a region defined by stability, vision, and a deep commitment to building bridges across ethnic, religious, and geographic divides. But what we have inherited today is a geography scarred by insecurity, mistrust, and economic decline.

“We cannot afford to allow this chaos to fester. We owe our people not only the burden of ending the cycle of killings and destruction that have crippled our communities, but also the duty of ensuring justice for victims of violence and deprivation.

“This government is yours. Your interests shall always find representation here, for I am one of you. And where there is a shortcoming, I assure you that you have direct access to me. We exist to serve you, to represent you, and to uphold the values that make the North an equal stakeholder in Nigeria’s identity.”

Senator Shettima outlined what he described as deliberate steps being taken by the administration to reposition the fortunes of the North, saying the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu “prioritises education, agriculture, industrialisation, and security as the pillars of northern revival.”

He continued: “We are strengthening the foundations of education through reforms that empower local governments and promote fiscal autonomy at the grassroots. Through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), millions of northern students now have access to tertiary education without the financial barriers that once held them back.

“We are expanding vocational and technical training centres to prepare our youth for roles in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology.”

The VP explained that under the current administration, Nigeria has moved beyond subsistence farming to large-scale commercial ventures that is transforming the vast arable land in the North into the nation’s food and industrial backbone.

“We are building agro-processing industries to create jobs and value chains, investing in microfinance systems to support smallholder farmers and MSMEs, and establishing industrial zones in key states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto to attract textile, leather, and food-processing industries,” he added.

On security, VP Shettima said national security remains the administration’s topmost priority. “Through coordinated security operations, we have neutralised notorious bandit leaders and restored relative stability to once-besieged communities. This is the foundation upon which we intend to rebuild the North—through peace, through justice, and through economic empowerment,” he noted.

Earlier, Chairman of the BoT of ACF, Alhaji Dalhatu, commended the Tinubu administration for its bold reforms, applauding the commitment and support of the Vice President for the achievements recorded so far.

The BoT Chair said, “We are proud of what you are doing as Vice President as well as the work and achievements of this administration. You are doing a good job of assisting the President in running the affairs of the country in difficult times. We are always happy to identify with you”.

He explained that the group was at the Presidential Villa to express solidarity with the government, and formally invite the Vice President to the forthcoming 25th anniversary celebration of the ACF as well as deliberations on the development of the region.

Alhaji Dalhatu said among other things, the ACF intends to launch an endowment fund to drive the socio-economic development of the northern region, especially in building models across different sectors that would be emulated by state governments in the region.

He added that the 25th anniversary celebration would also provide a platform for ACF to interact with other socio-cultural organisations across the country for the future and development of Nigeria.

For his part, Chairman of the National Executive Committee of ACF, Mamman Mike Osuman, said the socio-cultural organisation will use the 25th anniversary to showcase the potentials of the northern region and make a bold statement about its commitment to a one, prosperous, united country.

He pledged the ACF’s support for the actualization of the Renewed Hope Agenda and the realisation of targets of the Tinubu administration.

Also present at the meeting were the ACF Vice Chairman, Sen Ibrahim Ida; Secretary General, Murtala Aliyu, and BoT Vice Chairman, Amb Ibrahim Mai-Sule.

Others include, Alh Nasiru Danu; Ibrahim Sidi Bamalli; former IGP, M.D. Abubakar (rtd); Amb. Baba Ahmed Jidda; Mahmud Yayale Ahmed; Lt. Gen. Abdurahman Bello Danbazau (rtd); Nasiru Sani Isa (Wamban Kebbi); Hon. Beni Lar; Maimuna Yaya Abubakar; Aishatu M.S. Ismail; H.E. Muktar Lamara Yero; DIG Habila Joshak (rtd), and Mrs Christine Gadzama.

VP SHETTIMA TO ACF: Stand In Solidarity With President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda