WorldThe programme speaks with a Lagos analyst behind a new report detailing abduction figures. It also covers Tanzania’s ruling party expelling the vice-president after he announced plans to step down next week, and Senegal’s first African-manufactured generic sickle-cell drug, which is raising hopes of better treatment and less reliance on costly imports.
WorldMass abductions have become a major security concern in Nigeria. In one of the latest attacks, more than 500 people were taken in north-central Niger State. Armed groups have kidnapped thousands of Nigerians in recent years and demanded ransoms, while the government is accused of failing to respond effectively.
WorldAn armed group has released a video that appears to show hundreds of people kidnapped from a mosque in Nigeria’s Niger State. The attack is increasing pressure on the country’s government.
Reuters
WorldPresident Bola Tinubu has ordered a search for armed kidnappers after attacks on four villages in Nigeria’s Niger State. Residents said several mosques were targeted during Friday prayers. The group behind the attacks claims at least 500 people are being held, while Al Jazeera-verified video appears to show some captives.
WorldNigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered an immediate rescue operation after gunmen attacked a mosque and abducted scores of people. Analyst Kabir Adamu said the assault may have been prompted by the community’s request for military protection.
Reuters
WorldNigerian authorities say suspected jihadists attacked villages in the north-western state of Niger, killing or abducting dozens. Witnesses report that one assault struck a mosque during Friday prayers in the Borgu area. Several other villages were targeted as armed groups intensified activity in the region, where mass abductions have become a key insurgent tactic.
WorldAt least 25 people, mostly women and children, were killed in an overnight machete attack on a village in Nigeria’s Plateau state. Tensions between farming communities and herders there frequently escalate into deadly retaliatory violence.
Reuters
WorldMore than 160 people rescued by Nigerian security forces in Kwara state have been transferred to civilian authorities. Officials say most of those freed are women and children. They are receiving rehabilitation support before being returned to their families. The group was part of more than 300 civilians the government says were rescued earlier in the week.
WorldNigeria’s president said at least 308 people abducted in separate attacks in the country’s north were rescued on August 5. The group included 163 people taken from Woro community in February 2026. Another 145 people were kidnapped mainly from Niger State. Security forces described the effort as the largest rescue operation ever carried out in Nigeria in a single day.
WorldThe Nigerian military has rescued more than 300 people who were kidnapped from their communities in February after weeks of operations. Many were in terrible condition after spending over six months in captivity. Their release marks their first return to freedom and open air. The communities they are going back to have been devastated: gunmen killed more than 150 people, burned the entire village and destroyed residents’ livelihoods. Many survivors will return with almost nothing.
WorldNigerian security forces say they have brought 308 abductees home after freeing them from kidnappers in a northern forest. The report also highlights a workforce crisis in South Africa’s textile industry, where thousands of migrant workers have left in recent months following violent xenophobic protests. In Lagos, a Nigerian artist is transforming ordinary clay into vivid portraits. His method combines science, tradition and creativity, and he hopes it will redefine the craft.
WorldNigeria’s government says more than 300 people abducted from several locations in the north-central region have been rescued. The victims were reportedly located inside Kainji National Park, which extends across Kwara and Niger states. More than half are believed to have been seized during the February attack on Woro village, while the others came from separate abductions in Niger state. The operation comes as kidnapping and security concerns continue to grow in parts of Nigeria.