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ITV News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
King Charles says its 'more imperative than ever' to understand the Muslim world
King Charles has said the world needs to better respect and understand the Muslim faith at a time of fractured global relations. He was speaking at a centre in Oxford which has spent the last four decades working to promote tolerance and understanding of the Islamic world. The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, of which the King is patron, was set up in 1985. It was at this organisation where the King, as Prince Charles, made a now-famous speech in 1993 on the West's misunderstanding of Islam. Today he praised the centre's 'unfailing' work. The King said: 'The centre's ongoing commitment to objective scholarship and international cooperation, underpinned by principles of dialogue, deep understanding and mutual respect, is more imperative than ever in today's world.' His speech, and the reception to mark the organisation's 40th anniversary was attended by leaders of all faiths including the Bishop of Oxford, Stephen Croft and Sultan Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, the spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslim community who speaks out against terrorist groups like Boko Haram. With ongoing tensions in the world, including in Israel, Gaza, Yemen and Iran, the King praised those who work to foster greater understanding between religions. 'I need hardly say I am extremely heartened that the centre continues to play such a significant role in that globally critical endeavour,' he said. The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies acts as a 'meeting point' for the Western and Islamic worlds, and through its teachings and lectures, as part of the University of Oxford, it contributes to the study of the Islamic world. The King takes very seriously his unofficial role as a representative of all faiths, in addition to his constitutional role as Sovereign, who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Today, the King cut the ribbon on a new area of the centre - the 'King Charles III' wing – renamed in his honour. Its Director Dr Farhan Nizami, has worked with the King since the very beginning, 40 years ago. He said the King's formal role in the Church of England, actually helps him to promote an understanding of others. Dr Nizami said: 'Interfaith understanding is secure only when we approach it from within our own religious traditions. His Majesty is Head of the Church of England, his engagement with faith is rooted within his religious traditions. "That provides the basis for a more stable interaction with others – and that is the basis on which Muslims should engage with people of different faiths.' As Prince of Wales, the King's 1993 lecture, "Islam and the West," is widely considered to have been ahead of its time and is one of the reasons King Charles is respected by the Muslim community the world over. Despite being more than 30 years ago, the then Prince Charles urged the west to stop focusing on the extremes of Islam: "Our judgement of Islam has been grossly distorted by taking the extremes to be the norm." After talking to the King today, the Bishop of Oxford, The Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, said: 'As Prince of Wales, he affirmed all faiths and he has continued to do that, in very particularly ways, as King.'
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Nigerian garrison town offers haven for people fleeing jihadists
From the air, Monguno looks like a fortress, with deep trenches slashing into the sand around this garrison town in northeast Nigeria's volatile Borno State. These defences have kept the Monguno largely secure despite the region witnessing a recent surge in attacks on military bases by jihadists fighting a grinding 16-year war. Fighting in Borno may have eased since the conflict's peak in 2015, as jihadists have been forced back. But militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province group or its rival, Boko Haram, have attacked or temporarily overrun a dozen army bases this year in Borno and neighbouring Yobe state. Monguno itself fell briefly to the jihadists in 2015. Since 2019, the Nigerian army has withdrawn from villages and smaller bases to hunker down in so-called "supercamps", or garrison towns, to protect its troops. But critics argue this gives the jihadists free rein in rural areas. IED blasts have skyrocketed The roads leading to Monguno are dotted with barriers to slow down vehicles approaching it. As soon as they pass the last trenches to the north and towards the shores of Lake Chad, where attacks are most frequent, two soldiers equipped with metal detectors sweep the road. "We clear this 10-kilometre (six-mile) route every day to neutralise any explosive devices that may have been hidden there during the night," said Major Oluwafemi Seyingbo, 37, who heads this demining unit. According to the United Nations Mine Action Service, the number of improvised explosive device blasts skyrocketed in 2024 in Nigeria's three northeastern states, resulting in 418 civilian casualties in 2024, twice as many as in 2023. Twelve checkpoints manned by the Nigerian army control the various entrances to Monguno. Major Friday Feekwe, 37, commands one of them. "In March, we repelled two attacks in a few weeks. The attackers arrived in large numbers, equipped with heavy weapons," he said. Since then, the checkpoint has been equipped with an imposing watchtower covered with camouflage netting and a 12.7 mm machine gun. Monguno has been barricaded for the past four years to ward off attacks by Boko Haram. At its peak in 2013 and 2014 the group made global headlines for kidnapping nearly 300 schoolgirls from Chibok, also located in Borno. Then, the jihadists controlled a 30,000-square-kilometre (12,600-square-mile) area straddling the countries surrounding Lake Chad. 'Peace and security here' Monguno has become a refuge for the people of Borno thanks to the presence of the Multinational Joint Task Force, which groups troops from three Lake Chad countries: Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin. The vast base houses the force's Nigerian sector command. Outside the Monguno base, Umar Bullam, spade in hand, was at work in complete safety. "I had land more than five kilometres from here that I had to abandon after Boko Haram looted my crops and fertiliser," the 30-year-old said. "There is peace and security here," said Hauwa Garba. The 35-year-old arrived at the Monguno registration centre for displaced people two months ago from neighbouring southern Niger, where she had lived for 11 years. The jihadists arrived in her village "in the middle of the night and killed the adults and kidnapped the children", the mother of seven said in a low voice. She has no news of one of her daughters, 15-year-old Aisha, who was captured that night. Borno State alone accounts for nearly half of Nigeria's 3.6 million displaced people, according to the UN. "Nigeria has managed to prevent jihadist groups from capturing major cities as they did in 2013-2014 or 2016," said Vincent Foucher, a researcher at the CNRS, or the French Institute for Scientific Research. But despite a reinforced trench system and aerial surveillance, the country "still has great difficulty attacking jihadists in the heart of their territories in more remote areas", he said. The resurgence of attacks is all the more worrying given that the groups now have new means at their disposal, as demonstrated by the first use of drones on December 24 against the Wajiroko military base in northeast Nigeria. "Thanks to the precision of drones, the Islamic State in West Africa, if not quickly stopped... could transform relatively secure military outposts and civilian locations into precarious targets," the Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa) warned in a June report.
Kuwait Times
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Nigerian garrison town offers haven for people fleeing jihadists
MONGUNO, Nigeria: From the air, Monguno looks like a fortress, with deep trenches slashing into the sand around this garrison town in northeast Nigeria's volatile Borno State. These defenses have kept the Monguno largely secure despite the region witnessing a recent surge in attacks on military bases by jihadists fighting a grinding 16-year war. Fighting in Borno may have eased since the conflict's peak in 2015, as jihadists have been forced back. But militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province group or its rival, Boko Haram, have attacked or temporarily overrun a dozen army bases this year in Borno and neighboring Yobe state. Monguno itself fell briefly to the jihadists in 2015. Since 2019, the Nigerian army has withdrawn from villages and smaller bases to hunker down in so-called 'supercamps', or garrison towns, to protect its troops. But critics argue this gives the jihadists free rein in rural areas. The roads leading to Monguno are dotted with barriers to slow down vehicles approaching it. As soon as they pass the last trenches to the north and towards the shores of Lake Chad, where attacks are most frequent, two soldiers equipped with metal detectors sweep the road. 'We clear this 10-kilometre (six-mile) route every day to neutralize any explosive devices that may have been hidden there during the night,' said Major Oluwafemi Seyingbo, 37, who heads this demining unit. According to the United Nations Mine Action Service, the number of improvised explosive device blasts skyrocketed in 2024 in Nigeria's three northeastern states, resulting in 418 civilian casualties in 2024, twice as many as in 2023. Twelve checkpoints manned by the Nigerian army control the various entrances to Monguno. Major Friday Feekwe, 37, commands one of them. 'In March, we repelled two attacks in a few weeks. The attackers arrived in large numbers, equipped with heavy weapons,' he said. Since then, the checkpoint has been equipped with an imposing watchtower covered with camouflage netting and a 12.7 mm machine gun. Monguno has been barricaded for the past four years to ward off attacks by Boko Haram. At its peak in 2013 and 2014 the group made global headlines for kidnapping nearly 300 schoolgirls from Chibok, also located in Borno. Then, the jihadists controlled a 30,000-square-kilometre (12,600-square-mile) area straddling the countries surrounding Lake Chad. Monguno has become a refuge for the people of Borno thanks to the presence of the Multinational Joint Task Force, which groups troops from three Lake Chad countries: Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin. The vast base houses the force's Nigerian sector command. Outside the Monguno base, Umar Bullam, spade in hand, was at work in complete safety. 'I had land more than five kilometers from here that I had to abandon after Boko Haram looted my crops and fertilizer,' the 30-year-old said. 'There is peace and security here,' said Hauwa Garba. The 35-year-old arrived at the Monguno registration centre for displaced people two months ago from neighboring southern Niger, where she had lived for 11 years. The jihadists arrived in her village 'in the middle of the night and killed the adults and kidnapped the children', the mother of seven said in a low voice. She has no news of one of her daughters, 15-year-old Aisha, who was captured that night. — AFP Borno State alone accounts for nearly half of Nigeria's 3.6 million displaced people, according to the UN. 'Nigeria has managed to prevent jihadist groups from capturing major cities as they did in 2013-2014 or 2016,' said Vincent Foucher, a researcher at the CNRS, or the French Institute for Scientific Research. But despite a reinforced trench system and aerial surveillance, the country 'still has great difficulty attacking jihadists in the heart of their territories in more remote areas', he said. The resurgence of attacks is all the more worrying given that the groups now have new means at their disposal, as demonstrated by the first use of drones on December 24 against the Wajiroko military base in northeast Nigeria. – AFP
Associated Press
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Cameroon's president seeks an eighth term at the age of 92
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Cameroon's 92-year-old president announced Sunday he will seek his eighth term in the October elections. The announcement comes after speculation the aging leader would not run, setting the stage for an electoral showdown. Paul Biya, Africa's second-longest-serving president after Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea, is frequently sick and abroad. Last year, talk spread that he had died, prompting the government to publicly deny the rumors. Cameroon's second president since independence from France in 1960, Biya has been in power since 1982. Promising that the best is yet to come in his post on social media, Biya reiterated his determination to rule, saying, 'Rest assured that my determination to serve you is commensurate with the serious challenges facing us.' The more than 40 years of Biya's rule have left a lasting impact. His government has faced various challenges, including allegations of corruption and a secessionist movement in Cameroon's English-speaking provinces that has forced thousands out of school and triggered deadly clashes with security forces. 'President Biya's announcement to run again is a clear sign of Cameroon's stalled political transition. After over 40 years in power, what the country needs is renewal — not repetition. Cameroonians deserve democratic change and accountable leadership,' Nkongho Felix Agbor, a human rights advocate and lawyer told The Associated Press. Boko Haram group, based in neighboring Nigeria. He cruised to victory in 2018 with over 70% of the vote in an election marred by irregularities and low turnout due to ongoing separatist and jihadi violence. In a region threatened with shrinking democratic space, several other African countries also have presidents accused of using state mechanisms to prolong their stay in power. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni recently sought nomination for a seventh term, a move that would bring him closer to five decades in power in the East African country.
The South African
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Muhammadu Buhari: Nigeria mourns its ex-president and military man
Muhammadu Buhari, former president of Nigeria, a figure synonymous with anti-corruption efforts and military discipline, died on 13 July 2025 in London. Nigeria is currently experiencing a deep period of national mourning and for seven days, President Bola Tinubu has mandated that flags be flown at half-mast. Buhari's death marks the end of an important chapter for Africa's most populous country. He leaves behind a legacy, characterised by both heroic service and difficult obstacles. Muhammadu Buhari was born in Daura, in Northern Nigeria's Katsina State, in December 1942. Buhari enrolled in the Nigerian Military Training College in Kaduna in 1962 at age 20, approximately two years after Nigeria gained independence from Britain on 1 October 1960. Buhari ascended to prominence in 1983, assuming the role of Nigeria's military head of state following a coup that resulted in the ousting of President Shehu Shagari. During this period, the 'War Against Indiscipline' policy aimed to promote a thorough reorientation of social norms. The government implemented stringent measures to combat corruption and maintain discipline. From January 1984 to August 1985, his military rule was characterised by a firm stance against corruption. In 1985, General Ibrahim Babangida executed a coup d'état, resulting in the ousting of Buhari. Subsequent to this, Buhari encountered a phase of confinement. Despite his prior military command, he subsequently embarked on a career in democratic governance. His ascension to power was a protracted and challenging endeavour. After three unsuccessful attempts to become president, Buhari finally achieved a significant victory in the 2015 election, beating then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan for the first time. During his campaign, Buhari declared his commitment to addressing the pressing issues of corruption, insecurity and the economy in the country. After taking office, Buhari's administration had to deal with several issues, chief among them being the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. His administration made key gains against Boko Haram from 2015 to 2023, but faced new security threats. Recessions and high rates of inflation have plagued the economy, partly due to the decline in oil prices. To consolidate government revenue, the administration implemented several policies, with the Treasury Single Account being the most notable. Buhari's unwavering personal integrity has always distinguished his public persona. Many Nigerians were impressed by Buhari's apparent honesty in a political climate often characterised by corruption. His administration faced criticism for human rights violations, especially concerning the 2020 End of Special Anti-Robbery Squad demonstrations. The administration's approach to various issues, including the tensions between agriculturalists and pastoralists and the need for economic diversification, has sparked significant discourse. Given these obstacles, his supporters claimed that he made a sincere effort to further Nigeria's development. Many individuals perceived him as a steadfast patriot. Buhari's anti-corruption campaign faced opposition from several industries. Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures have accused him of shielding dishonest associates. Legal experts, including senior advocate of Nigeria Olisa Agbakoba, described the campaign as politically motivated and discriminatory. Bishop Matthew Kukah was among the religious leaders who criticised the government for using anti-corruption initiatives as tools for political manipulation. Watchdog groups such as Transparency International and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project criticised the administration for failing to pursue its close associates. Buhari passed away at the age of 82 following a lengthy illness, according to Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson for President Tinubu. Details of his illness were not disclosed, but it is known that he had been receiving medical treatment in London for a few days prior to his death. Vice-President Kashim Shettima will accompany Buhari's body back to Nigeria, and the governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda, announced that Buhari's remains would arrive in Katsina on 15 July 2025, for burial in his hometown of Daura. WHAT WILL BUHARI'S ENDURING LEGACY BE IN NIGERIA'S HISTORY? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
