For a lot of bank users, accessing financial services has never been smoother. But persons with disabilities in Nigeria and Ghana continue to be left out, no thanks to barriers in buildings, behaviours, and policies. Ibrahim Omotosho, 39, drove into a bank in Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria, in July 2020 to pick up his debit card. …
Read more “Banking Made Easy … But Not For People With Disabilities In West Africa”
Two hundred and seventy-six girls were kidnapped. Among them, over 100 are still missing. But, also, well over a hundred either escaped or were released by their captors. How are they faring? Over the course of two days, nine girls converge in a tiny hotel room in Yola. As a group, they are some of …
Read more “Keeping Up With The Chibok Girls: Chasing Dreams, Battling Discrimination, Dropping Out”
In the past decade, close to 50 Chinese nationals in Nigeria have either been killed or kidnapped. Considering China is one of Africa’s biggest investors, does Nigeria stand to lose if this trend continues? Chinese manufacturing investment in Africa is said to be the continent’s best hope “to industrialise in this generation”. But, in Nigeria, rising insecurity …
Read more “Chinese Expats In Nigeria Facing Increased Security Risks. What’s The Big Picture?”
One of the reasons given by Russia to justify its invasion of Ukraine is that it is trying to prevent the development of biological weapons by the United States. Somehow, Nigeria has now found its name in this web of controversy. Key takeaways: The laboratories pictured in the graphic shared by the Russian government are …
Read more “Russia Claims U.S. Is Making Bioweapons In Nigeria. True?”
While the police has frameworks in place including approved funding to gather data, the federal statistical agency says it has not been cooperative. The last time Nigeria released a crime statistics report was June 2018 and experts say this is costly for a country wrestling with insecurity across various fronts. The federal agency in charge …
Read more “Nigeria Has Not Released Crime Statistics In Four Years. Why?”
Young people living with HIV in West and Central Africa say they still face abuse, discrimination, and disappointing healthcare services. This reality, in turn, makes ending the epidemic as a public health threat in the next decade a lot more difficult. E.L. found out she was HIV positive eight years ago. When her husband cautioned …
Read more “Poor Treatment Of Young Africans Living With HIV Threatens Global Eradication Plans”
Between May 31 and June 16, 2021, this journalist visited different communities in Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina to document how rising insecurity was affecting people’s lives. Here he gives a glimpse into his journal. The day is Sunday, May 30, 2021. I’ll be going to the field again. And this time to another part of …
Read more “16 Days In Northwest Nigeria: Excerpts From A Conflict Reporter’s Diary”
Reconstructing a typical terrorist attack based on interviews with dozens of victims across three states in the region. It all started 11 years ago, or six, or maybe more recently — depending on what community you are from and how soon they got to you. Before that, you had not grown accustomed to the explosive …
Read more “The Anatomy Of A Terror Attack In Northwest Nigeria”
More farmers are downing tools, fearing they may become victims of terror attacks. As a result, food items are scarcer, driving prices through the roof — beyond the reach of the poor. When Esther Maiwada moved to Gusau, capital of the northwestern state of Zamfara, nine years ago, one measure of maize was sold for …
Read more “Food Prices Are Shooting Up In Northwest Nigeria, And There’s One Prime Suspect”
The government insists it is resettling the displaced people for their good, but so far it hasn’t seemed that way. For many of the returnees, almost everything that could go wrong has. When Gambo Muhammad, 72, left his hometown of Sidiya Kari in Kala Balge, Northeast Nigeria, he felt he had no other choice. Rampaging terrorists …
Read more “Death, Starvation, New Terror Recruits … Aftermath Of Borno’s IDP Resettlement”