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At least 40 Civilians killed, 42 injured in Burkina Jihadist attack – UN
Burkina has been caught since 2015 in a spiral of jihadist violence perpetrated by rebels affiliated with the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, which are also hitting neighbouring Mali and Niger.
“A large number of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) fighters attacked a military base, homes and Internally Displaced People’s camps in the city Djibo, in the Sahel region, killing at least 40 civilians and injuring more than 42,” the UN agency said.
The agency said attacks on civilians were “inexcusable and must stop” with those behind them apprehended and judged at a fair and independent trial.
It added that deliberate targeting of civilians constituted a “war crime”.
Djibo, near the border area straddling Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, has been besieged by jihadist groups active in the region for months.
Several convoys seeking to resupply the town have been attacked.
Burkinabe security force sources told AFP that jihadists had carried out a massive attack Sunday on an army post at Djibo and that the army had killed dozens of attackers.
The sources added soldiers had been killed but did not mention civilian casualties.
A security source told AFP the Djibo army post had been the “target of a sizeable jihadist attack perpetrated by armed terrorist groups”, adding an unspecified number of soldiers “paid the supreme sacrifice to hold Djibo”.
The source added the army had inflicted “heavy losses on the enemy”.
Another security source put the number of attackers in the hundreds, saying they were beaten back when the army called in air support.
The source said the waves of assailants had arrived on motorbikes and pickup trucks and carried out an attack lasting more than three hours.
That source added that several dozen jihadist fighters had been “neutralised”.
Jihadists Besiege Djibo
The official Burkina Faso news agency AIB said “more than 400 terrorists (were) cut down during the counter-offensive of the Burkinabe Armed Forces against nearly 3,000 criminals who tried to seize the town of Djibo.”
AIB added that the “horde of terrorists” had sought “to sow death and desolation in Djibo, before taking control of the city”.
The Sahel region around the city is one of the worst-hit zones in Burkina Faso and has witnessed some of the bloodiest exchanges.
The country has been run since September last year by a military junta led by Ibrahim Traore, who led the country’s second putsch in eight months.
The military rulers have made the fight against the jihadist groups who control around 40 percent of the country their top priority.
The past eight years have seen the nation riven by a widening spiral of violence also experienced by neighbouring Mali and Niger, both of whom have seen their own military coups in the past three years.
The violence in Burkina Faso has displaced more than two million people and left more than 17,000 dead, civilians and army included, with some 6,000 killed so far this year according to NGO ACLED, which collects real-time data on reported political violence.
The Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has strongly criticized the National Assembly for endorsing President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, accusing both chambers of aiding in the desecration of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In a communiqué issued at the end of its National Caucus meeting, held at the residence of former leader Chief Ayo Adebanjo in Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State, Afenifere stated that members of the National Assembly have demonstrated a lack of courage in defending the democratic rights of Nigerians.
The communiqué, signed by Afenifere Leader Oba Oladipo Olaitan and National Publicity Secretary Prince Justice Faloye, described the President’s action and the National Assembly’s endorsement as “an ill-wind that blows the nation no good and a spit in the face of Nigerians.”
Afenifere called on the leadership of the National Assembly to step down in the interest of integrity, decency, and respect for the principle of separation of powers, which it described as the foundation of democracy.
“Contrary to the expectations of Nigerians but in a manner consistent with its proven character, the 10th Assembly in both chambers not only joined hands with the President in further desecrating the already tenuous 1999 Constitution but also demonstrated a lack of courage to defend the democratic rights of the people,” the communiqué read.
It further criticized the use of a voice vote to approve the emergency rule, arguing that such a procedure obscured constitutional requirements for a two-thirds majority vote in matters of national significance.
“The resort to a voice vote, thereby avoiding compliance with constitutional provisions, is a clear attempt to obscure the required legislative plebiscite on such a matter of monumental national importance. The President’s unilateral reversal of the electoral decision of the people of Rivers State is an affront to democracy and spits on the faces of Nigerians,” Afenifere stated.
Afenifere warned that the increasing concentration of power in the executive arm of government posed a serious threat to democracy, likening the situation to the way Adolf Hitler hijacked German democracy.
“By these very acts, a new gambit has emerged—a crisis of Nigerian constitutionalism—where both the horizontal principle of separation of powers and the vertical principles of federalism are being undemocratically usurped by an all-powerful executive that believes it can do whatever it wants,” the communiqué added.
The group also dismissed the recent vote of confidence passed on Senate President Godswill Akpabio by his colleagues, stating that it was an admission of a crisis of confidence within the Senate itself.
Afenifere urged all Nigerians to rise in defense of democracy and the rule of law, warning that failure to act could lead to the destruction of the country’s hard-won democratic system.
“We call on all people of goodwill to take legitimate action to restore the rule of law, ensure best democratic practices, and save Nigerian democracy. We must nip this in the bud before our democracy is completely eroded,” the communiqué concluded.
The Organised Labour has strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, warning that it may be forced to take decisive action that could disrupt national economic activities if the proclamation is not reversed within a reasonable timeframe.
The threat was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Rivers State Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alex Agwanwor; State Chairperson of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ikechukwu Onyefuru; and Chairperson of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Chuku Emecheta.
The labour unions raised concerns about the legality, economic impact, and consequences of the federal government’s actions.
The Organised Labour described the declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of the elected governor, Siminalayi Fubara; deputy governor, Ngozi Odu; and House of Assembly members as premature and baseless.
According to the union leaders, the people of Rivers State freely elected these officials, and any attempt to remove them outside constitutional processes undermines democracy.
They insisted that such actions must be reversed to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic system.
They highlighted the immediate hardship the state of emergency has caused for local government workers, many of whom have yet to receive their salaries.
The statement noted that withholding workers’ wages has exposed them to avoidable economic suffering, particularly at a time when the cost of living is already high.
The Organised Labour warned that the state of emergency could have devastating economic consequences, emphasising Rivers State’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s economy and the Niger Delta region.
It said with the nation already grappling with inflation, naira devaluation, high exchange rates, rising unemployment, and skyrocketing living costs, further instability in Rivers State could worsen the situation nationwide.
The statement also pointed out that the political uncertainty caused by the state of emergency has driven away potential investors who had expressed interest in the state’s economic initiative.
This loss of investment, according to labour leaders, is damaging the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) and will have long-term consequences for economic development and employment opportunities in the region.
While acknowledging the need for maintaining law and order, the Organized Labour stressed that such actions must be carried out within the framework of the Nigerian Constitution.
The unions argued that suspending elected officials and allegedly disrupting salary payments for workers violate fundamental rights and could worsen security and economic challenges.
They urged the Federal Government to prioritise the safety and welfare of citizens over political interests, warning that any governance approach that sacrifices workers’ well-being for political maneuvers would only heighten tensions and resistance.
The statement called on President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the judiciary to take immediate steps to reverse the state of emergency and reinstate the suspended elected officials.
In a bid to resolve the situation peacefully, the unions advised the federal government to engage in meaningful dialogue with relevant stakeholders.
They warned that a failure to do so could lead to further escalation of the crisis, worsening the already tense political atmosphere in the state.
While calling on workers to remain calm and continue their duties, the Organised Labour leaders warned that they would not hesitate to take strategic union actions if their demands were not met within a reasonable timeframe.
Such actions, they emphasised, could have significant consequences for national economic activities. (Channels TV)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the petition submitted for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan fell short of some requirements.
Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said this in a statement issued on Thursday, 25th March, 2025.
Olumekun said the commission would take the necessary steps in line with laid down provisions if the petitioners completes the process in the appropriate manner.
“The Commission held its regular weekly meeting today, Tuesday 25th March 2025. Among other issues, the meeting discussed the petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.”
“The process of recall is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 as well as the Commission’s detailed Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, available on our website. All petitions will be treated in strict compliance with the legal framework.
“The petition from Kogi Central Senatorial District was accompanied by six bags of documents said to be signatures collected from over half of the 474,554 registered voters spread across 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas (Wards) in the five Local Government Areas of Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi and Okene.
“The Commission’s immediate observation is that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they can be contacted as provided in Clause 1(f) of our Regulations and Guidelines. The address given is “Okene, Kogi State”, which is not a definite location for contacting the petitioners. Only the telephone number of “the lead petitioner” is provided as against the numbers of all the other representatives of the petitioners.
“The Commission wishes to reiterate that the recall of a legislator is the prerogative of registered voters in a constituency who sign a petition indicating loss of confidence in the legislator representing them. Once the petition meets the requirements of submission, as contained in our regulations, the Commission shall commence the verification of the signatures in each Polling Unit in an open process restricted to registered voters that signed the petition only. The petitioners and the member whose recall is sought shall be at liberty to nominate agents to observe the verification, while interested observers and the media will also be accredited. At each Polling Unit, signatories to the petition shall be verified using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
“Consequently, if the petitioners fully comply with the requirements of Clause 1(f) of the Regulations and Guidelines regarding the submission of their petition, the Commission will announce the next steps in line with the extant laws, regulations and guidelines. In the absence of a definite contact address, the Commission is making efforts to use other means to notify the representatives of the petitioners of the situation.”
The Commission reassured the public that it would be guided by the legal framework for recall.
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