Latest news with #BokoHaram
Euronews
7 hours ago
- Business
- Euronews
Over 150 killed as torrential rain unleashes floods in Nigeria
The flooding, caused by torrents of predawn rain, have killed at least 151 people in a market town where northern Nigerian farmers sell their wares to traders from the south, officials said Friday, predicting the death toll would grow. The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency did not immediately say how much rain fell after midnight Thursday. Communities in northern Nigeria have been experiencing prolonged dry spells worsened by climate change and excessive rainfall that leads to severe flooding during the brief wet season. In videos and photos on social media, floodwaters were seen covering entire neighbourhoods and homes were submerged, with their roofs barely visible above the brown coloured waters. Waist-deep in water, residents tried to salvage what they could, or rescue others. 'We lost many lives, and the properties, our farm produce. Those that have their storage have lost it,' Kazeem Muhammed, a Mokwa resident, said. Besides the 111 confirmed dead, 'more bodies have just been brought and are yet to be counted,' Niger state emergency agency spokesman IIbrahim Audu Husseini said. Mokwa community leader Aliki Musa said the villagers are not used to such flooding. 'The water is like spiritual water which used to come but it's seasonal,' said Musa. 'It can come now (and) it will reach another twenty years before coming again." The chairman of the Mokwa local government area, Jibril Muregi, told local news website Premium Times that construction of flood-control works was long overdue. 'This critical infrastructure is essential to mitigating future flood risks and protecting lives and property,' he said. In September, torrential rains and a dam collapse in the northeastern city of Maiduguri caused severe flooding that left at least 30 people dead and displaced millions, worsening the humanitarian crisis caused by the Boko Haram insurgency. Donald Trump announced on Friday at a rally in front of Pennsylvania steel workers that he will double tariffs on steel imports to 50 per cent, a move that could exacerbate the ongoing trade war with the EU, China and the rest of the world. The US president said that doubling taxes on imported steel would "further strengthen the steel industry in the United States". In a post, published later on his Truth Social platform, the US president added that duties on aluminium will also increase from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. Trump said both increases will come into effect on Wednesday, 4 June. The announcement comes after confusing days during which the judiciary gave opposing rulings on Trump's customs policy, first blocking it with a decision by the US Court of International Trade and finally giving it the green light again, pending a new decision by a federal appeals court. Trump spoke on Friday at U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he also discussed details of a deal being finalised for investment by Japan's Nippon Steel in the iconic American steel mill. Trump clarified to reporters after his return to Washington, however, that he has yet to approve the deal. "I have to approve the final agreement with Nippon and we haven't seen the final agreement yet, but they've made a very big commitment and it's a very big investment," he said. Although Trump initially promised to block the Japanese steelmaker's bid to buy U.S. Steel, he changed course and last week announced an agreement for a partial sale to Nippon Steel. The Japanese company never claimed to have changed its previous offer to buy and fully control U.S. Steel, for $14.9 billion, although it did increase the amount it promised to invest in American plants and guaranteed it would not lay anyone off. "We are here today to celebrate anextraordinary deal that will ensure that this historic American company will remain an American company," Trump said during a rally at one of U.S. Steel's warehouses, "you will remain an American company, you know that, right?" The United Steelworkers union said it was very concerned "about the impact this merger of U.S. Steel with a foreign competitor will have on national security, our members, and the communities where we live and work." According to the government's producer price index, steel prices have risen 16 per cent since Trump became president in mid-January. As of March 2025, steel cost $984 per metric tonne in the US, far more than the price in Europe ($690) or China ($392), according to the US Department of Commerce. Among the partners most affected by the possible increase in duties on these materials are the EU, which had just obtained a July postponement of the increase in general duties on exports to the US, and Canada. "Dismantling efficient, competitive, and reliable cross-border supply chains like we have in steel and aluminium comes at a high cost to both countries," Candace Laing, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce commented. Last year, the US produced about three times as much steel as it imported, with Canada, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea as the main sources of imports. Analysts have credited the duties dating back to Trump's first term with helping to strengthen the domestic steel industry. The fate of U.S. Steel, once the world's largest steel company, could weigh in the midterm elections for the Republican Party in the always decisive state of Pennsylvania and others that depend on manufacturing.
India.com
9 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Pakistan's Terror Factory Now Expanding Network Beyond India, Targeting Muslim-Majority Nations Like Nigeria?
New Delhi: New Delhi: In a shocking revelation that exposes Pakistan's complicity in the worldwide spread of terrorism, Nigerian security forces have detained four Pakistani men on charges of training and arming members of Boko Haram, according to reports. Nigeria, a Muslim-dominated country where about 46 per cent of people are Muslim, has been fighting the extremist Boko Haram, for well over a decade. The latest arrests highlight concerns that cross-border terrorism now appear to have spread from South Asia to the Gulf, and possibly beyond. According to Nigerian officials, quoted in media reports, the Pakistani citizens were but also training the militants in critical combat skills in addition to supplying arms. The trainings include carrying out ambush-like attacks, making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and using surveillance drones. Reports suggest that support from foreign mercenaries, including Pakistanis, has boosted the capabilities of groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Major General Abdulsalami Abubakar, commander of the Nigerian Army's Operation 'Hadin Kai Theatre', has been quoted as saying that these foreign operatives are aiding insurgent groups with strategic warfare knowledge. According to him, this has turned Boko Haram into a more formidable terror organisation from a weakened group. Boko Haram's Deadly Trail of Violence A faction of Boko Haram carried out brutal attacks at Kwatandaya and Mallam Karamti villages in Nigeria's Borno state earlier this month. At least 57 civilians lost their lives in the assault. Many of the victims were either had their throats slit or militants also reportedly abducted over 70 people. Boko Haram's insurgency has led to the deaths of over 35,000 people and displaced nearly 2.6 million since 2009. The group recruits children as fighters and carries out massacres and mass abductions. Increased use of IEDs and drones – pointing to foreign assistance – has been noticed in recent attack. Analysts have long warned about Pakistan's alleged role in exporting extremism. Similar pattern of attacks have been observed in like Russia, Iran, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and even in the 9/11 attacks in the United States where unconfirmed linked to Pakistan's involvements have been noted. A recent counter-terrorism operation in India, codenamed 'Operation Sindoor', has further intensified scrutiny on Pakistan's military and intelligence services. The Nigerian arrests further emphasises these concerns and suggest an international scale to the country's alleged support of terrorist activity. What was once perceived as a regional security issue is now emerging as a broader global emergency. The alleged presence of Pakistani nationals aiding violent groups thousands of kilometers from South Asia has raised alarms about the international implications for peace, stability and human security.
Euronews
10 hours ago
- Business
- Euronews
Over 100 killed as torrential rain unleashes floods in Nigeria
The flooding, caused by torrents of predawn rain, have killed at least 111 people in a market town where northern Nigerian farmers sell their wares to traders from the south, officials said Friday, predicting the death toll would grow. The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency did not immediately say how much rain fell after midnight Thursday. Communities in northern Nigeria have been experiencing prolonged dry spells worsened by climate change and excessive rainfall that leads to severe flooding during the brief wet season. In videos and photos on social media, floodwaters were seen covering entire neighbourhoods and homes were submerged, with their roofs barely visible above the brown coloured waters. Waist-deep in water, residents tried to salvage what they could, or rescue others. 'We lost many lives, and the properties, our farm produce. Those that have their storage have lost it,' Kazeem Muhammed, a Mokwa resident, said. Besides the 111 confirmed dead, 'more bodies have just been brought and are yet to be counted,' Niger state emergency agency spokesman IIbrahim Audu Husseini said. Mokwa community leader Aliki Musa said the villagers are not used to such flooding. 'The water is like spiritual water which used to come but it's seasonal,' said Musa. 'It can come now (and) it will reach another twenty years before coming again." The chairman of the Mokwa local government area, Jibril Muregi, told local news website Premium Times that construction of flood-control works was long overdue. 'This critical infrastructure is essential to mitigating future flood risks and protecting lives and property,' he said. In September, torrential rains and a dam collapse in the northeastern city of Maiduguri caused severe flooding that left at least 30 people dead and displaced millions, worsening the humanitarian crisis caused by the Boko Haram insurgency. Donald Trump announced on Friday at a rally in front of Pennsylvania steel workers that he will double tariffs on steel imports to 50 per cent, a move that could exacerbate the ongoing trade war with the EU, China and the rest of the world. The US president said that doubling taxes on imported steel would "further strengthen the steel industry in the United States". In a post, published later on his Truth Social platform, the US president added that duties on aluminium will also increase from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. Trump said both increases will come into effect on Wednesday, 4 June. The announcement comes after confusing days during which the judiciary gave opposing rulings on Trump's customs policy, first blocking it with a decision by the US Court of International Trade and finally giving it the green light again, pending a new decision by a federal appeals court. Trump spoke on Friday at U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he also discussed details of a deal being finalised for investment by Japan's Nippon Steel in the iconic American steel mill. Trump clarified to reporters after his return to Washington, however, that he has yet to approve the deal. "I have to approve the final agreement with Nippon and we haven't seen the final agreement yet, but they've made a very big commitment and it's a very big investment," he said. Although Trump initially promised to block the Japanese steelmaker's bid to buy U.S. Steel, he changed course and last week announced an agreement for a partial sale to Nippon Steel. The Japanese company never claimed to have changed its previous offer to buy and fully control U.S. Steel, for $14.9 billion, although it did increase the amount it promised to invest in American plants and guaranteed it would not lay anyone off. "We are here today to celebrate anextraordinary deal that will ensure that this historic American company will remain an American company," Trump said during a rally at one of U.S. Steel's warehouses, "you will remain an American company, you know that, right?" The United Steelworkers union said it was very concerned "about the impact this merger of U.S. Steel with a foreign competitor will have on national security, our members, and the communities where we live and work." According to the government's producer price index, steel prices have risen 16 per cent since Trump became president in mid-January. As of March 2025, steel cost $984 per metric tonne in the US, far more than the price in Europe ($690) or China ($392), according to the US Department of Commerce. Among the partners most affected by the possible increase in duties on these materials are the EU, which had just obtained a July postponement of the increase in general duties on exports to the US, and Canada. "Dismantling efficient, competitive, and reliable cross-border supply chains like we have in steel and aluminium comes at a high cost to both countries," Candace Laing, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce commented. Last year, the US produced about three times as much steel as it imported, with Canada, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea as the main sources of imports. Analysts have credited the duties dating back to Trump's first term with helping to strengthen the domestic steel industry. The fate of U.S. Steel, once the world's largest steel company, could weigh in the midterm elections for the Republican Party in the always decisive state of Pennsylvania and others that depend on manufacturing.
News24
a day ago
- General
- News24
Nigeria detains troops, police for alleged sale of weapons to armed groups
The Nigerian military has detained more than 30 soldiers and police officers for allegedly stealing weapons from its stockpiles and selling them to armed groups, including jihadists in the country. The country is battling a more than 15-year jihadist insurgency in the northeast, as well as a farmer-herder conflict in the north-central region, violent secessionist agitation in the southeast and rampant kidnap-for-ransom in the northwest. A spokesperson, Ademola Owolana, said the army launched an operation in August 2024 as a 'response to incessant cases of arms and ammunition theft'. 'So far, a total of 18 soldiers, 15 mobile policemen and eight civilians, including a traditional ruler, have been arrested,' Owolana said at a Wednesday briefing whose recording was accessed by AFP on Friday. He added: A few soldiers motivated by greed had been involved in ammunition racketeering, deliberately diverting arms from military stockpiles and supplies chains to terrorists. The country has seen a resurgence in deadly jihadist attacks in the northeast in recent weeks, with Boko Haram and the IS-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) staging raids targeting military bases in particular. Raids on military bases have provided jihadists in the Sahel countries with at least 20% of their weapons, according to the UK-based Conflict Armament Research, which has studied jihadist weapons sources for a decade.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Climate
- Asharq Al-Awsat
At Least 111 People Dead after Floods Submerge Market Town in Nigeria
At least 111 people were confirmed dead in central Nigeria on Friday after floods submerged the market town of Mokwa in the country's Niger State following torrential rains, officials said. The heavy rains lasted for several hours Thursday, and media reports quoting local government officials said a dam collapse in a nearby town had worsened the situation. The flooding displaced large amounts of people, the reports said. Rescuers continued to find more bodies into the afternoon Friday. Earlier reports said 88 people had died, but then at least 23 more bodies were found, Niger State emergency agency spokesman IIbrahim Audu Husseinit told The Associated Press in the afternoon. That brought the toll to 111, but that could go higher as the search continued. 'More bodies have just been brought and are yet to be counted, but we have at least 111 confirmed already,' Husseini told AP by telephone. Mokwa, about 220 kilometers (140 miles) west of Abuja, is a major meeting point where traders from the south buy food from growers in the north. In a similar occurrence last September, torrential rains and a dam collapse in Nigeria's northeastern Maiduguri caused severe flooding, leaving at least 30 people dead and displacing millions, worsening the humanitarian crisis caused by the Boko Haram insurgency. Nigeria often faces seasonal floods, particularly impacting communities such as Mokwa along the banks of the Niger and Benue Rivers. Communities in the far north of the country, which experience prolonged dry spells worsened by climate change, also see excessive rainfall that leads to severe flooding during their brief wet season. In videos and photos shared on social media platforms, floodwaters cover neighborhoods where homes are fully or partially submerged, with rooftops barely visible above the brown currents. Residents are also seen waist-deep in water, appearing to salvage what they can carry or rescue others. The chairman of Mokwa local government area, Jibril Muregi, suggested that poor infrastructure worsened the impact of the flood. He appealed to the government to start 'long overdue' construction of waterways in Mokwa under a climate resilience project.
