Nigeria

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Geography

Population

Main article: Nigerian population

Dividing the Country: Terrorism and Separatism

For 2025, a united Nigeria remains an artificial political entity created as a result of colonial policies, and is Britain still filled with numerous contradictions that the government has so far failed to deal with.

War with Islamic State and Boko Haram

Since 2009, there have been armed clashes between government forces and radical Islamist groups in Nigeria. Nigeria is the target for terrorist attacks by the Boko Haram group and IS. For the prerequisites for the emergence of the conflict, see Boko Haram.

In 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to IS, forming the Islamic State in West Africa. Due to the inaction of the authorities in the fight against the terrorist threat of IS, it was possible to create a semblance of a quasi-state with a political structure in northeastern Nigeria. The Islamic State fundamentally refuses equal partnership with African groups and, at best, sweeps them under itself or absorbs them. Some of the leaders of Boko Haram did not agree with this and already in 2016 refused the oath. At the beginning of 2023, the two IS and Boko Haram are fighting each other for territory and influence.

At the beginning of 2023, the Islamic State in West Africa is the main terrorist actor in northern Nigeria. In addition to activities in neighboring states, the group is still actively fighting the central government.

Other criminal gangs, which in reality are not radical Islamists, also enjoy chaos from terrorist attacks.

The decentralized nature of crime and the emergence of new groups complicates the task of stabilizing crisis areas.

Biafra Indigenous Insurgency from Oil-Rich Region

As well as radical Islamists, authorities in Abuja have another headache - the Indigenous People of Biafra insurgency has been active in southeastern Nigeria since 2020.

It advocates the separation of part of the southeastern lands, inhabited mainly by the Igbo people, and the formation of an independent state of Biafra. The rhetoric of the group's leaders boils down to the fact that the oil-rich region, which is home to predominantly Igbo Christians, should not "feed the rest of Muslim Nigeria."

As with Boko Haram, the conflict is a product of the colonial era, when the territories of the Igbo, Ijo and others in the southeast were included in Nigeria.

In 1967, southeastern tribes - about 20% of Nigeria's total population - declared independence and formed the Republic of Biafra, which lasted until 1970. During the civil war, government forces forcibly returned the territory back. After that, repression began against the peoples of Biafra.

After the military coup in Nigeria in 1999 and the subsequent "thaw" as a result of democratic elections, the organizations of the peoples of Biafra resumed the struggle.

The protests peaked in 2015, when the leader of one of the largest organizations advocating for the region's autonomy was arrested. This only spurred further radicalization on both sides.

In 2020, various human rights NGOs accused the Nigerian government of killing 21 protesters and arresting 47 people. Law enforcement officers also suffered losses.

In December 2020, the creation of the Eastern Security Network, the paramilitary wing of the Biafra Indigenous Peoples movement, was announced.

Fighting broke out between government forces and the group's militants.

In April 2021, the organization entered into an alliance with some of Ambazonia's factions from Cameroon. As the Rybar channel noted, despite the noise in the information space about the new alliance, supporters of the independence of Biafra and the rebels of Ambazonia in the arsenal lack any resources for active offensives and turning the struggle in their direction. In addition, Nigeria and Cameroon, in response to the creation of the alliance, also joined forces to capture militants who are still successfully hiding in the forests.

At the beginning of 2023, the Nigerian government is forced to conduct several counterterrorism operations in the north and south at once, forming situational coalitions with neighboring states.

All such events are repeatedly limited to temporarily pushing militants to hard-to-reach regions of the country, or the border, after which gangs regroup and launch new attacks.

Britain's military base

2023

Apart from various PMCs controlled by British companies, military personnel Britain in May 2023 are located in 40 states. Africa The Government of the United Kingdom justifies its presence by training African personnel, peacekeeping missions (in and) Libya , South Sudan as well as the fight against terrorism, which has become especially relevant after the massive spread of IS activities since 2011 and throughout the Al-Qaeda continent.

Parliament: Niger National Assembly

2023: Proportion of women in Parliament - 3.9%

Domestic politics

2023: Presidential and parliamentary elections: Ahmed Tinubu, 70, elected president

Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Nigeria from 25 to 26 February 2023. Despite the relatively calm nature of the vote, clashes between supporters of political parties and law enforcement officers took place every now and then in different parts of the country.

As the election approached, the number of militant attacks on local politicians also increased.

What is the importance of elections?

Nigeria is one of the most economically developed nations in Africa. The political situation in the country directly affects the situation in the region.

At the same time, the Nigerian authorities are still unable to cope with separatist movements in the southeast of the country, with attacks by radical Islamists in the north and an ongoing economic crisis.

The economic situation, exacerbated by the recent currency crisis, is expected from the new president and parliament to finally normalize.

Neighboring countries expect the new leadership in Nigeria to take more initiative in the fight against radical Islamic groups operating in the border region.

Election day was preceded by numerous protests, killings of Senate candidates, arrests of politicians, threats from militants in the southeast of the country, and attacks by Islamic extremists.

Therefore, the task of the authorities was to ensure maximum security and convince people to come to the polling stations in order to achieve the necessary turnout.

In 2023, the election commission introduced an electronic verification system for voting participants, which scans fingerprints and faces. The purpose of this innovation was to increase turnout, accelerate vote counts and reduce the number of falsifications.

In the very first hours of the elections, the system began to fail, as a result of which in a number of settlements the work of polling stations was extended for several hours.

Despite all the measures taken to ensure security, riots could not be avoided in places. Scores of polling stations have been attacked by gang and terrorist groups, particularly in northern Nigeria.

The authorities additionally withdrew about 400 thousand law enforcement officers and military personnel, but as a result, they also became targets of attacks.

Separatists from the Biafra Indigenous Peoples movement, under threat of death, banned the population from voting. Several homicides have already been recorded, including by decapitation. The head of the southeastern state of Kogi, under the guise of roadworks, dug up roads to disrupt the vote.

In addition, the paramilitary wing of the movement also carried out armed attacks on polling stations.

Due to the failure of the electronic voter verification system and the growth of banditry, voting in 16 states was extended for another day.

Final results: representatives of the ruling parties lead by a wide margin in the presidential and parliamentary races.

At the same time, the Workers' and People's Democratic Parties are already demanding re-election and accusing the ruling party of forgery, falsification and bribery.

However, the next president will be the ruling General Progressive Congress party candidate Ahmed Tinubu - 7.5% ahead of his closest rival Atiku Abubakar.

Abubakar for the second time in a row acts as an agreed sparring partner of the favorite, in order to draw votes from the opposition, represented this time by Peter Obi.

Tinubu received support from more than 8.8 million people (37%).

The candidate from the opposition People's Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, was supported by about 7 million voters (29%).

In third place with 25% of the vote was Peter Obie, the Labour Party candidate.

Despite the media stories about a difficult political race, the candidate officially supported by President Buhari and his fellow party member Ahmed Tinubu will ensure that the status quo remains in the elite alignment and the economic interests of foreign partners, the main of which is the United States, wrote the Rybar channel.

International politics

2020: Nigerian population backs US President Trump's policies

Kenya, Nigeria and India have more faith in U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a new Pew Research Center poll.

The poll, which aimed to find out what the world thinks about Trump, found that 65% of Kenyans and 58% of Nigerians trust the American leader and support his policies.

The Pew Research Center also notes that sub-Saharan Africa generally speaks positively about the United States.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Nigeria

Health care

2021: Paid maternity leave less than 24 weeks

in

2020

Nigeria accounts for 5.7% of all new HIV infections worldwide

Lassa fever outbreak

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in mid-February 2020 reported that the death toll from the latest Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has already risen to 70.

A total of 472 confirmed cases of fever have been reported, which continues to spread in the most populous country in Africa.

At least 23 out of 36 states in Nigeria were affected by the epidemic, most cases were recorded in Ebony, Edo and Ondo states in the south of the country.

The death rate from the outbreak this year was 14.8%, which is below the level of last year - 18.7%.

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease that affects internal organs and destroys blood vessels.

Duration of guaranteed paid sick leave less than a month

Part of the population defecates on the street

2019: Yellow fever outbreak

In August 2019, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed an outbreak of yellow fever in two states.

The disease was confirmed in Ebony state, several deaths were reported.

Later, outbreaks were also recorded in Bauchi State.

Education

2022: 14.4K Nigerian students study in US

52% of all international students in the United States come from only two countries: China (290 thousand students as of 2022) and India (199 thousand)

The third place with a lag of almost 5 times from the second is occupied by South Korea: a little more than 40 thousand residents of this country at that time studied in the United States.

Only 4.8 thousand people left Russia for the United States to study, 14.4 thousand from Nigeria, 5 thousand from Thailand, 5.3 from Venezuela.

2020: Almajiri. Features of religious education in northern Nigeria

Nigeria is in catastrophic need of teachers in 2020. The shortage of teachers in primary and secondary schools, according to the latest data from the country's Ministry of Education, has reached a record 277 thousand people. There are over 13 million children outside the education system, mainly from northern - Muslim - states.

Therefore, seven million small Nigerians study in the Almajiri network (from ar. "Al-Muhajir," who set off) - Islamic schools where from the age of six children study only and exclusively the Koran. Similar schools operate in other countries of West Africa, where children up to the third dozen study in daaras - analogues of madrassas.

According to Zangaro Today, almajiri are real houses of horror, where it is not uncommon for Malams to assault and abuse wards, up to and including keeping the naughty on the chain. Children do not receive there not only the foundations of modern religious education, but also a minimum amount of knowledge about the world, because in the hours free from learning the Koran, they are forced to engage in theft and begging.

All because the almajiri system, ancient as the world - a forge of personnel for the brilliant courtyards of pre-colonial caliphs and emirs - now does not receive any external funding. Teachers have to engage in self-sufficiency and encourage wards to collect alms, steal and beg. It is no coincidence that in the Hausa language, "almajiri" has become synonymous with "beggar" and "beggar."

The demand for such schools is explained by different circumstances. The advantages of secular education are far from obvious - with formal free pay for everything - for textbooks, notebooks, crayons. In addition, teaching in such schools is extremely bad, and in crowded and extremely noisy classrooms, educational material is absorbed even worse - most graduates never open books again in their lives.

In northern Nigeria, prejudice against boko (from the English book), that is, "Western education," is still alive. In addition, some parents seriously see almajiri as a kind of "school of life." Finally, contrary to Islamic orders, Hausa women, on average, divorce 3-4 times a life, but try to stir the children far away before joining a new partner and entering a new family, which usually does not welcome adopted children. And if the child after the divorce wants to stay with his father, then his future stepmother will do everything to turn his life into a nightmare. In general, almajiri is the best fit here.

Some Nigerian scholars and publicists see incubators for Boko Haram in almajiri. But for any radical choice, you need a minimum outlook, an understanding of your goals and interests - not marginals are fighting in the ranks of this group. These same children are simply thrown to the margins of peace and life and, in general, neither Boko Haram, nor the country, nor their native villages, nor even their families need much.

2019: Percentage of people who can read

2018: Literacy rate

Culture

Language

2022: Number of English speakers - 114.2 million

Cinema

Main article: Nollywood (Nollywood)

Religion

• Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) - Iran-backed Shiites

2020: Detronisation of Kano State Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II

'He protected women from men! He urged them to resist when their husbands beat them! This is against our African culture! He's rude. He is insensitive to the opinion of his people! "

In these words, theology professor Muhammadu Labdo met the overthrow of Muhammadu Sanusi, the authoritative emir of Kano State, who was deprived of the throne on March 9, 2020 on charges of "disrespect for the law." In terms of influence both in Nigeria and abroad, the fourteenth ruler of the ancient Muslim emirate was ahead of many non-hereditary heads of state and spiritual leaders.

The detronization of Muhammadu Sanusi is undoubtedly a major event in the recent history of West African political Islam. Its long-term effects will not be long in coming. In a dysfunctional and disintegrating country torn apart by oil barons, communal carnage and Islamic terrorism, the plagues of anomaly are particularly painful in the impoverished and petrodollar-deprived Muslim north, where Sultan Sokoto, Shehu Borno and, in fact, Emir Kano are much more authoritative than governors.

A flamboyant Islamic reformer and thinker, Muhammadu Sanusi was seen as a defender of the Muslims of the Nigerian North. A supporter of women's education, family planning, a critic of polygamy and early marriage, he considered chronic poverty and socio-property inequality incompatible with the letter and spirit of Islam. A scholar of Quranic theology and Arabic, Sanusi advocated the modernization of school curricula and the rejection of the shameful almajiri, an education system in which parents actually abandon children, bringing them to study at a Muslim school. Children are left unattended, raising great concerns about the future of Nigerian society. Begging is booming among such children. More importantly, he was a supporter of "African," "black" Islam and sarcastically condemned those who looked back at Tehran or Riyadh, for which he gained hatred among fundamentalists and radicals, especially the radical sect Izal, influential in its parts.

An economist, sociologist and banker, Muhammadu Sanusi was Africa's most educated hereditary monarch. Fascinated in his youth by left-wing radical thinkers, especially Ali Shariati, in 2009-2014. Sanusi managed to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria, earning an impeccable reputation and leaving office after accusing the government of embezzlement at the National Oil Corporation of Nigeria. Having inherited the throne from his father, by the way, displaced under similar circumstances, the new emir did not lose his taste for provocations and scandals and did not hesitate to sharply speak out on the widest range of sore points. In 2014, it nearly cost him his life when he nearly fell victim to the Boko Haram suicide bomb attack.

It is not surprising that Sanusi quickly turned against himself not only the Islamic conservatives, but the entire political class, and primarily Governor Abdullahi Ganduzhe. First, his government conceived to divide the emirate into five parts (with Muhammad Sanusi at the head of the emirate council), then initiated an anti-corruption investigation against the emir. Finally, the ruler was removed on charges of "disrespect for the law" and sent under heavy guard to Nasarawa State. They do not need such Islam.

Painting

Artist Ben Enwonwu rose to prominence after he was commissioned to create a bronze sculpture of Queen Elizabeth during her 1956 visit to Nigeria.

He also painted the painting "Tutu," which was nicknamed "African Mona Lisa."

In October 2019, his painting "Christina" was bought for $1.4 million at an auction in London.

A portrait of Christina Elizabeth Davis was painted by Enwonwu in 1971. The painting was commissioned by Christina's husband, who met the artist in 1969 - at that time the married couple moved to live in the Nigerian city of Lagos.

Crime

2024

1,850 people kidnapped in 8 months

On February 1, 2024, unknown armed bandits entered the house of a local leader in Kwara State in western Nigeria, kidnapped his wife and two eyewitnesses to the crime, and the leader himself was killed while trying to resist the attackers.

The brother of the deceased said that the kidnappers have already requested 100 million Nigerian naira (approximately 10 million rubles) as a ransom. Raids on farms and periodic abductions of civilians are quite common for all neighboring communities, he said. And statements to the police do not change the situation in any way.

Such killings and abductions of not only local leaders and representatives of the authorities at the grassroots levels, but also the civilian population as a whole, are in some way commonplace.

Two chiefs were killed in neighbouring Ekiti State in the same week alone, and a government official was kidnapped in a suburb of the capital, Abuja.

Overall, at least 230 abductions were officially documented in the first two weeks of January.

It has come to a point where 48 Nigerian civic organisations are calling on the country's president, Bola Tinuba, to declare a state of emergency.

As proof, they give statistics that from May 2023, when President Tinubu took office, to January 26, 2024, more than 2,400 people were killed as a result of mass attacks, and more than 1,850 were abducted.

However, there has been no response from the authorities yet.

Lakurava group attack: 15 villagers killed in the north of the country

On November 9, 2024, terrorists from the so-called "Lakurava" attacked the village of Mere in Nigeria, killing 15 local residents. During the clash, several attackers were killed and wounded by shepherds.

The attack was the first high-profile incident in the history of a terrorist group with links to Islamic State.

It is noteworthy that in many media they call it "new," despite the fact that it was formed back in 2018. Even then, it was known about cattle abductions and the collection of religious taxes in the north of Sokoto state.

The group gained great strength in connection with the coup in Niger, when many Fulani pastoralists, fearing instability, fled south. There they were also recruited by their fellow tribesmen in Nigeria.

Since then, Lakurava has gained strength in the areas of Tangaza, Gada, Illela, Silame and Binji, and more recently penetrates south into Kebbo State, with which the last attack was associated.

The emergence of new groups in Nigeria is already commonplace. Shortly before that, the expansion of the West African branch of al-Qaeda in the country took place. Now supporters of other terrorist groups are raising their heads.

It is worth noting that the Americans played a special role in the preparation of the army, unable to cope with internal threats. Thus, the last army reform was carried out on the advice of the African Command of the Armed Forces. USA

And the benefit of turning Nigeria into a stronghold of militants of all stripes is obvious - an oil-rich country could become a regional leader, the Rybar channel suggested. Actually, by offering their security services, Western actors only prevent the collapse of the country.

2023: Mass attacks on more than 20 villages in Plateau state. 198 people died

On Catholic Christmas Eve 2023, unknown assailants carried out mass attacks on more than 20 villages in Plateau State in central Nigeria.

Eyewitnesses reported that "well-coordinated" armed gangs robbed and burned houses and churches, and all civilians caught in the way were killed with machetes and firearms.

The riots continued throughout Saturday and Sunday, December 23 and 24. And in remote communities, the shooting was heard until Monday morning. It took more than 12 hours before security responded to their call for help, some witnesses said.

It is known about 198 dead and 300 hospitalized with varying degrees of severity wounds. However, local authorities say the death toll could rise as some people remain missing.

None of the groups have yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, although the culprit for them has already been blamed on Fulani pastoralists (see Nigerian population).

2020: Drug trafficking of cocaine from South America through courier "mules "

In January 2020, Nigerian journalists from Premium Times presented a large and picturesque panorama of cocaine shipments from South America to West Africa.

Nigerians living in Brazilian São Paulo, mainly from the Christian south, are engaged in the transfer to Africa of cocaine and other drugs through the "mules" courier, recruited among the local Nigerian community, which appeared here relatively recently. This is a dangerous and thankless occupation, but leading businessmen with minimal risk and maximum comfort circulate between São Paulo and Lagos in Nigeria and periodically deliver solid quantities of the drug themselves.

The criminal business has reached a new level after Sao Paulo was flooded by Nigerian secret societies. They were formed on the basis of Nigerian student fraternities, created in the 1950s. according to the Oxford model. Gradually, circles of nationalist intellectuals degenerated into ominous international criminal networks with a strong occult bias, establishing ties with Goat Nostroy and Ndragenta. According to the data, FBI USA the Nigerian mafia is already operating in 80 countries of the world, from Moscow to Malaysia, and given the fact that by 2050 Nigeria will become the third largest country in the world with a population of 399 million people, it will not have a shortage of personnel.

In the late 2010s, one of the fraternities - New Black Movement, which appeared back in 1978 - opened the first representative offices in Latin America - "temples" in Brazil and Venezuela. Each such "temple" is responsible for its own site, their activities are coordinated by a "council of elders," and recruiting takes place mainly in Christian churches among emigrant youth. So very soon the Mexican and Guatemalan cartels will have strong Nigerian competitors on both sides of the ocean, ready to establish full control over the alternative route of cocaine traffic.

2019

"Children's factories": Abduction of girls - rape - sale of newborns

At the end of September 2019, Nigerian police released 19 women and girls from a "children's factory."

The girls, aged between 15 and 28, were brought to Lagos from all over Nigeria, allegedly for a job, Lagos police said. Slave traders raped them to get pregnant. The criminals then sold newborn children - boys for $1630, and girls for $980.

So-called "baby factories" are common in eastern Nigeria.

More than 50 villagers abducted in Katsina state

In August 2019, unknown assailants attacked the village of Wurma in the northwestern state of Katsina. They took a minimum of 53 people with them, including pregnant women and children, as well as livestock.

The attack took place overnight, with police claiming 15 abducted. However, several residents who were able to escape reported that there were more abductees. They also said that there were more than 100 attackers.

Some relatives have already received information about the ransom from criminals.

However, police in the region said in a statement that of the 15 women abducted, 10 were released unharmed.

Four builders from Turkey kidnapped in the state of Kwara

In July 2019, Turkish construction workers were captured by armed men at a bar in Kwara state in western Nigeria.

So far, no group has declared involvement in the abduction. Police are investigating.

Kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria.

Later in July, four Turkish nationals were rescued a week after being kidnapped by militants in Nigeria's western Kwara state.

The kidnappers demanded a ransom of $1 million, but the police refused to pay the money, and... the hostages were released "unconditionally."

Pirates seize Turkish vessel

In July 2019, pirates seized a Turkish ship and took 10 sailors hostage off the coast of Nigeria.

The ship "Paksoy-1" was heading from Cameroon to Kot-D. Pirates intercepted him in the Gulf of Guinea.

A ship from Ghana's navy is sailing alongside the stolen vessel. The military is trying to contact the pirates to negotiate the terms of the team's release.

Police

2020: Population protests demanding closure of Anti-Robbery Special Unit over extortion and killings

In early October 2020, thousands of young Nigerians took to the streets in major cities to demand the dissolution of the Special Robbery Unit (SARS). Its employees were accused by citizens of extortion, persecution, excessive use of force and killing of civilians. Under pressure from the# EndSARS protests sweeping across the country, Nigerian President Muhammad Buhari has disbanded the police department.

Bank accounts of protesters were blocked in November 2020 for 90 days on suspicion of money laundering.

Nigerian authorities have used a bill freeze to fight protesters. In October 2020, a few days after the start of street actions, the Central Bank instructed private banks to freeze the accounts of several organizations and citizens in order to stop the flow of funds used to provide protesters with water, food, and medical care.

This decision was made in violation of the law. Before blocking the account, the governor of the Central Bank had to provide a court order stating that transactions on the account could involve criminal activity. Instead, the Central Bank arbitrarily froze accounts in the midst of the October protests and belatedly received a court order justifying its actions in November.

In February 2021, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ordered the Central Bank to unblock the accounts of 20 people who participated in the# EndSARS protests in October 2020.

Prisons

2022: Raid on 'Kuje' prison in Abuja helps escape around 800 prisoners

For many years, the Lake Chad area and northeastern Nigeria have been the zone of influence of radical Islamist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa.

The joint military operations of the states of the region are ineffective and, at best, a belated reaction to another attack by militants. At worst, they are decorative in nature for reporting.

The lack of resources in the basin countries to ensure a state presence in unstable areas and insufficient support for the population living there exacerbates the situation and does not at least stop the growth of the activity of terrorist groups.

For Nigeria, the difficult environment in the Lake Chad area is just one manifestation of numerous security concerns. For several years now, Boko Haram and an IS affiliate, along with local criminals, have regularly attacked government agencies, government troops and communities in the northern states.

Terror spreads south and even reaches the capital region: in July 2022, militants raided the Kuje prison in Abuja and helped about 800 prisoners escape.

At the same time, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari does not particularly seek to publicly recognize the obvious problem. During the first presidential campaign in 2014, the politician promised to defeat Boko Haram, and a year later even declared its "technical defeat."

In fact, the group, 7 years after its "defeat," continues to be active in the Lake Chad basin and carry out new attacks.

Therefore, in November 2022, the leader of Nigeria seeks to smooth the corners and carefully shift the blame for his own failures to external factors. Including - smuggling weapons from the zone of the Ukrainian conflict.

2019

Jail washed out by flooding, 150 inmates escape

In October 2019, more than 150 prisoners escaped from the prison, whose building collapsed during heavy rain.

The prison is located next to the city of Lokoja in Kogi State, where two rivers meet. The area is frequently hit by flooding.

The minimum age of imprisonment for children is 7 years

Military killed three police officers and released crime boss

In August 2019, the Nigerian military killed three police officers transporting the famous crime boss Alhaji Hamisa to the regional police department.

Soldiers justify themselves by mistaking police officers for kidnappers (this is not uncommon in these parts).

They released the criminal.

2018: Very low number of prisoners per 100,000 citizens

History

2019

ISIS beheads Christians in Nigeria in retaliation for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death

At the end of December 2019, the group released a video showing the execution of several people. Terrorists report that this is revenge for the death of the ISIS leader in October.

One captive is shot dead, the other 10 are beheaded.

There are no details about the victims, other than that they were "captured in recent weeks" in the northeastern part of Borno state in Nigeria.

The video was released on December 26, during the Christmas holidays.

Release of 200 prisoners from the mosque

Police in Nigeria's Oyo State found an illegal rehabilitation centre at a mosque in Ibadana city and rescued more than 200 prisoners who had been tortured.

Less than 72 hours have passed since the discovery of a similar centre in Lagos.

At the initiative of President Buhari, the country is undergoing a campaign to close Islamic schools and Muslim centers where abuse of people is practiced.

Islamists kill 18 Nigerian soldiers

On September 30, 2019, it was reported that Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the killing of 18 Nigerian Army soldiers in the northeastern state of Borno.

Militants attacked a military barracks in the city of Gubio, killed soldiers, took their weapons and fled in captured vehicles.

Reuters sources said the shootout began at around 4.30pm local time and lasted until 9pm.

IS claimed responsibility for killing 14 soldiers

Igil news agency Amaq reported that in September 2019, militants killed 14 Nigerian soldiers in the northeastern state of Borno.

The military convoy was ambushed.

Islamists attack military base: 9 soldiers killed, 27 missing

Nigerian authorities reported that on September 10, militants attacked a military base in Gudumbali, a city in Borno state.

Nine soldiers were killed in the attack and 27 were missing.

Retaliatory pogroms of shops of immigrants from South Africa

In early September 2019, at night, Nigerians began trashing South African retail stores in at least three Nigerian states in response to violence against Nigerians in South Africa.

Police fought attacks on PEP and Shoprite clothing stores in Lagos and Ibadan in the south-western region. Oil-rich Akwa Ibom state has also seen an attack on facilities of South African telecommunications giant MTN.

65 people died in fighting with jihadists

In early August 2019, there were further clashes between the army and jihadists in northeastern Nigeria. 25 soldiers and more than 40 Islamist militants were killed.

Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) militants arrived in pickup trucks in the city of Baga, which is located on the shores of Lake Chad. They opened fire on the military, a shootout began.

Since July 2018, ISWAP has become more likely to attack military bases in the northeast. The victims of these attacks number in the hundreds.

Snake prevents Ondo state MPs from holding session

In July 2019, the reptile literally fell from the ceiling and quickly crawled to the exit. None of the deputies were injured. The guards of the local parliament killed the snake and burned it.

50 people died while collecting fuel from an overturned fuel truck

About 50 people were killed and 100 injured in a fuel truck explosion in southeastern Nigeria. The incident occurred on July 1, 2019 in Benue State. According to eyewitnesses, the fuel truck drove off the road and overturned. After that, local residents ran up to him to collect fuel from the fuel truck. The victims were taken to hospitals.

Exactly the same thing happened in early May in Niger.

Nigerian authorities shut down opposition media

African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM radio lost their licenses.

The National Broadcasting Commission said in a statement that these media outlets "published inflammatory, divisive material and also engaged in anti-government propaganda." They will remain without air "until further notice."

Both media are owned by tycoon Raymond Dokpesi, who is also a member of the opposition People's Democratic Party. In 1994, he founded one of the first private radio stations in the country - Ray Power FM, and in 1998 - AIT.

1999: First democratic election. The expansion of the rights of Muslims does not deprive them of a sense of belittlement in comparison with Christians

The first democratic elections were held in Nigeria in 1999. From that moment, the transition to civilian rule began, which included the reconstitution of elected authorities. The military regimes were over.

Although Muslim rights have expanded significantly since 1999 - 12 Muslim states have officially allowed sharia law to be used - residents of northern Nigeria feel economically and politically marginalized compared to Christians from central and southern Nigeria.

The most severe unrest took place in the northeastern states, where the same Sharia laws extended exclusively to everyday issues.

1967: Attempted Eastern secession called Biafra and 2.5 years of civil war

In 1967, Chukwemeka Odumwegu-Ojukwa, the military governor of Nigeria's mainly Igbo region, accused the government of killing thousands of ethnic Igbo living in the north. In May of that year, he declared the east a sovereign and independent republic called Biafra, which was clearly not approved by the authorities.

So, a bloody conflict began. The commander of the government army, Colonel Hassan Katsina, planned to suppress the rebellion "within 48 hours." However, he underestimated the rebel forces. The advancing troops faced the tough defense of Biafra, the battles dragged on. Government forces blocked all road arteries to the region, the food crisis began, the people of the east did not receive any help.

The blockade of Biafra and killings by government soldiers provoked a massive famine. As a result, more than a million Igbo died from hunger. Nigerian troops carved out entire villages. This situation was widely publicized only in the summer of 1968. Around the world, they began to talk about the genocide of Igbo Christians. News from European TV channels began with reports on the horrors of the war.

The unity of Nigeria was advocated by the USSR, Britain and the Arab countries. For Igbo - France, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, China, Israel. The UN refused to recognize Biafra. In September 1968, the Organization of African Unity called on Biafra to abandon the idea of ​ ​ independence.

The civil war in Nigeria became one of the bloodiest events of the second half of the 20th century: according to various estimates, from up to three million people died in it. The British government, in whose interests it was not the preservation of peace in Nigeria, but the continuation of uninterrupted oil supplies, in the first year of the civil war chose a policy of non-interference. In fact, the outcome of the war was unimportant to London - it will be easier for a weakened Nigeria to impose the necessary terms of cooperation. Britain only intervened in the conflict when the Soviet Union sided with Nigeria. In order not to lose their zone of influence, the British lifted the embargo on the supply of weapons and began to call for an early end to the war.

The final Nigerian offensive began on January 7, 1970, two days later the city of Owerri fell. General Odumwegu-Ojukwa fled to Kot-d with his family and several members of the Biafran government on the night of January 10-11. His successor Philip Efiong signed an act of unconditional surrender on January 15. The civil war ended.

This war is said to have "no winner and no defeated." Even fifty years later, the scars have yet to heal for many. Igbo leaders from the southeast are calling on the Nigerian government to increase support for the people affected in the war.

In 2017, a regional court ordered the Nigerian government to pay $138 million in compensation to victims of the civil war. The Court of the Economic Community of West African States also ruled that $105 million should be directed to the disposal of abandoned deadly weapons, which in 2020 prevent the region's agriculture from developing normally^[1].

In the works of writers of the post-war period, the war for the independence of Biafra often becomes a central event. For example, in the novel "Half the Yellow Sun" translated into Russian by the modern Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the paths of heroes and heroines are intertwined at the height of the civil war. Adichie's particular emphasis is on the fates of women in these difficult times.

1966: Igbo in the Eastern Part kill all major political leaders in the region. Oil fields discovered in southeast of country

In 1966, representatives of the Eastern region, Igbo by origin, staged a putsch, killing all major political leaders of the regions. In response, Igbo massacres began in the Northern and Western parts of the country. The conflict was aggravated by the fact that oil deposits were discovered in the southeast of the country, this increased the separatist sentiments of the Eastern region.

1961: Muslim northern Cameroon votes to join Nigeria

In 1961, Muslim northern Cameroon voted to join Nigeria.

1960: Gaining the status of an independent state and dividing the country into Northern, Eastern and Western parts with 50% in Parliament from Northern

Nigeria received the status of an independent state on October 1, 1960. This was made possible by the greatly expanded liberation movement, the numerous clashes of the local population with the colonial authorities and the activities of talented and charismatic Nigerian politicians, in particular regional leaders Obafemi Avolana, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Ahmad Bello.

The colonial heritage was manifested, among other things, in the division of the country into three unequal parts, between which economic resources were unevenly distributed and which had different political rights (the Northern Region had half the seats in the federal legislature). This intensified the inter-ethnic confrontation in the country.

Nigeria's new government has proved unable to cope with numerous challenges. Throughout the first decade of the existence of an independent state, political crises arose one after another. Dissatisfaction of the West and East with the attempts of the Northern region to strengthen its power in the country led to riots.

1923: Colonial period

1914: Britain unites southern and northern territories into Nigeria protectorate

At the beginning of the 20th century, the entire territory of Nigeria was under the control of the metropolis. In 1914, the southern and northern (Muslim) parts were merged into the colony and protectorate of Nigeria.

The British government was not too careful in planting new orders in the conquered territories, forcibly breaking the usual way of life of the local population, which could not but lead to new rebellions in the future.

The metropolis began active exploitation of the conquered territories, putting English officials at the head of the colony. Local power belonged to a loyal local administration, whose powers were severely limited.

By creating a new system of management and taxation, the British turned Nigeria into an agricultural and raw material appendage of the metropolis. Local residents were forced to leave their land plots on which mining was carried out. The export of nuts and palm oil, which was widely used in English industry, has increased significantly. The cultivation of cotton for export began. Of course, in all these processes, small peasant farms suffered the most: peasants were forced to sell goods at the prices imposed on them.

For a more efficient export of raw materials, the English administration began to build railways in Nigeria. Local residents were forced to engage in slave, unpaid labor at construction sites, which often led to clashes between local residents who did not want to put up with exploitation and English recruiters.

1906: Revolt against British occupiers in Sokoto caliphate

Outbreaks of popular discontent against the British invaders in the first stage were spontaneous and disorganized and manifested themselves in armed clashes between peasants and police officers, killings of tax-collecting officials or arson of warehouses of European companies. But in some areas, the protest escalated into full-fledged and long-lasting uprisings. For example, it happened in one of the areas of the Sokoto caliphate, when rebels from the Munshi people, dissatisfied with trade policy, fought against English merchants for more than a year, from January 1906 to March 1907. As a result, the uprising was crushed, and its organizers were executed or arrested.

1880: Political Map of Africa

1861: Britain seizes Lagos - one of the biggest centres of the slave trade

When one of the main centers of the slave trade in Africa, the city of Lagos, was captured by the British Empire in 1861, several large and small states and many tribes existed in the territory that Nigeria occupies today. On the shores of the Gulf of Guinea and further, towards Sudan, more than 200 ethnic groups lived.

Britain decided to act in spheres of influence through commercial companies, and Nigeria, one of such zones, became a source of raw materials and a sales market. Other conductors of progress and enlightenment in the new concept of colonization were Anglican missionaries. But they first landed on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea long before the capture of Lagos, in 1841.

1809: The rebellion of the Hausa people "Jihad Fulani," the creation of the Sokoto caliphate and the crushing of the power of Oyo

The most significant event in the life of the Hausa of the pre-colonial period was the uprising of Osman dan Fodio at the beginning of the 19th century, called "Jihad Fulani." Under the auspices of the holy war for the spread of Islam, the leaders of the uprising united the Hausa peasants and nomads from the northern Fulbe people around them, and by 1809 created the Sokoto caliphate on the territory of the former Hausa states and neighboring territories.

Two decades later, the caliphate reached Oyo, who had weakened by this time, its capital was destroyed and plundered. The power that arose in northern Nigeria influenced the balance of power in the south: the Yoruba state of Ibadan became the main political force here instead of Oyo.

16th century

Yoruba founded the powers of Oyo, Ijebu and Benin and sell slaves to Europeans

Yoruba was founded by the powers of Oyo, Ijebu and Benin, the active development and heyday of which fell on the XVI-XVIII centuries. Large African kingdoms sought to strengthen their dominance by subjugating weaker tribes and trading with Europeans.

By the end of the 15th century, Benin had become a supplier of slaves to Portugal, the Oyo state joined the slave trade system later, by the beginning of the 17th century, selling slaves to both European merchants and neighboring states. The Yoruba powers received slaves as tribute or war booty, allowing them to be active participants in the transatlantic slave trade.

Hausa in the North accept Islam and conduct trans-Saharan trade

The center of statehood in Northern Nigeria was the city-states of the Hausa people (Gobir, Zamfara, Katsina). By the beginning of the XVI century, Islam was established here, and the most important economic activity was participation in the trans-Saharan trade. The Hausa states waged a continuous struggle for political dominance in Central Sudan, both with each other and with neighbors.

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