Niger : News

[African Arguments]When Agadez's army barracks was hit by a suicide explosion on May 23rd the Nigerien bad dream seemed like it had finally come true. (AllAfrica)

[World Bank]Niamey -In Niger, a country where 67% of the population is under 25 years of age, the problem of youth unemployment and underemployment is acute, given that the lack of job opportunities threatens to undermine the country's political and economic stability. (AllAfrica)

[Pambazuka]Before they can celebrate 'democracy day', Nigerians deserve to know the truth about Moshood Abiola's stolen election twenty years ago which led directly to the country's worst dictatorship, that of Sani Abacha (AllAfrica)

[IPS]Tripoli -All eyes have turned to Libya since Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou's statement claiming that recent attacks in north Niger were perpetrated by Malian terrorists based in south Libya. (AllAfrica)

[African Union]Pursuant to the Declaration on the terrorist attacks in Niger and the solidarity of Africa with the Republic of Niger, adopted by the Assembly of the Union, at its 21st Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, on 26 and 27 May 2013, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, on 10 June 2013, sent an assessment mission comprising experts of the African Centre on the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) to Niger. (AllAfrica)

DAKAR/NIAMEY 14 June 2013 (IRIN) - West African and Sahel countries are setting up measures to minimize flood damage as the annual rainy season approaches. The African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) in a seasonal weather outlook says near-average or above-average rainfall is likely over the western Sahel, which stretches across Mauritania, Senegal and western and central Niger. (irinnews.org)

[New Republic]The United Nations Secretary General, Ban-Ki Moon through the Special Representative, United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Miss Karin Landgren has commended the Republic of Nigeria for its contribution to UN's global peace efforts. (AllAfrica)

[Premium Times]The Nigerian military said on Wednesday that it has dislodged all the terrorist camps operated by the Boko Haram in some areas of Yobe State and arrested 49 members of the sect in various operations in the state. (AllAfrica)

[Daily Trust]The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said it has deployed relief material to displaced Nigerians that fled to Republic of Niger from the violence in Borno State. (AllAfrica)

[State Department]Excerpt from the United States Department of State daily press briefing: (AllAfrica)

[VOA]Niger's government says a manhunt is underway for 22 prisoners who escaped from a prison Saturday during a jail break attempt by three detainees being held on terrorism charges. The justice minister says the detainees had outside help. (AllAfrica)

[VOA]One of the targets of a two-pronged terrorist attack in northern Niger on May 23 was a French-owned uranium mine. The attack damaged the facility, killed one staff member and wounded 14. One of the two al-Qaida-linked militant groups that carried out the attack in Niger also hit a European-operated natural gas plant in Algeria in mid-January, killing at least 37 hostages. There is concern that militants will continue to target high-value economic targets in the region. (AllAfrica)

[VOA]Officials in Niger say at least two guards were killed Saturday in an armed attack at the main prison in the capital, Niamey. (AllAfrica)

[Deutsche Welle]Local witnesses have reported gun fire and explosions at a prison in Niger's capital. It was not immediately clear whether the assault was linked to unprecedented twin bombings which left over 20 dead last week. (AllAfrica)

[Daily Trust]The once quiet town of Bosso in Diffa province of Niger Republic has now turned into a refugee camp for thousands of Borno State indigenes, who fled their communities due to the recent massacre of dozens of persons at Baga and the state of emergency declared on the state and adjoining Yobe and Adamawa States by the Federal Government (AllAfrica)

[African Arguments]When Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported late last month that Malian authorities had broken up an alleged cell of seven fighters from the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO, in French) in March in Bamako, it seemed to confirm suspicions many Malians and regional observers had held for months. After the fall of northern Mali and its progressive takeover by jihadist groups, many began to fear attacks in regional capitals. (AllAfrica)

[Focac]Niamey -At least 25 people were killed and 30 others injured in twin suicide attacks on Thursday on a military base and a plant run by French nuclear giant Areva in northern Niger, according to the Nigerien defense chief. (AllAfrica)

[Daily Trust]Diffa -Over 1, 000 residents of Baga town in Borno State, who have relocated to Bosso in Diffa Province in Niger Republic, said they will not return to Nigeria even if peace is returned to the area. (AllAfrica)

[Magharebia]Nouakchott -Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its affiliates are now seeking revenge for the February killing of terrorist Abdelhamid Abou Zeid at the hands of the French army. (AllAfrica)

[Ghanaian Chronicle]Ghana has agreed with four other West African neighbours to invest and expand the Lagos-Abidjan highway into a six-lane road, to, among others, boost trade between them. (AllAfrica)

[State Department]On -Excerpt from the United States Department of State daily press briefing: (AllAfrica)

[VOA]Armed forces from France and Niger forces have shot dead two more Islamist militants who took part in an attack on a military barracks in northern Niger. (AllAfrica)

[State Department]Statement by Patrick Ventrell, Acting U.S. Department of State Deputy Spokesperson on terrorist attacks in Niger: (AllAfrica)

[Daily Trust]Diffa, Niger Republic -Over 6,000 Nigerians fleeing the military onslaughts against Boko Haram insurgents in northern Borno State have crossed over into Niger Republic's Diffa province. (AllAfrica)

[Namibian]The Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) will be paying tribute to the recently deceased Nigerian poet and author Chinua Achebe, with a special English edition of its regular French literature discussion forum, ‘Invitation à la lecture'. (AllAfrica)

[Daily Observer]The Gambia will join other West African countries to take part in the three-day 'TOLAC ECOWAS' traditional wrestling championship slated for 7-9 June 2013, in Niamey, Niger. (AllAfrica)

[Premium Times]French special forces participated in a military operation at an army camp in north-eastern Niger to oust Islamist militants after an attack, the French Defence Minister said on Friday. (AllAfrica)

[RFI]Quite surprisingly, there are no major reactions in the African papers this morning to the twin suicide car bombings on an army base and a French-run uranium mine in Niger in which at least 20 people were killed. (AllAfrica)

[Vanguard]What the hell is this noise about killer gas from Niger Republic? It is sheer nonsense". This is the reaction of Femi Akinola, a Lagos based gas dealer, when told about the text messages branding the gas from Niger Republic as either substandard or explosive. (AllAfrica)

DAKAR 30 May 2013 (IRIN) - As violence rages in northern Nigeria, and international peacekeepers gear up to keep the peace in northern Mali, fears abound that Islamist movements will spread across borders, stoking instability elsewhere in the region, including Senegal which is not immune to the spread of extremist rhetoric, argues a just-published report by the Institute of Security Studies (ISS). (irinnews.org)

JOHANNESBURG/NAIROBI 28 May 2013 (IRIN) - Although Africa’s economy has expanded rapidly in recent years, it has not kept pace with the growth of its youth population or their need for jobs. (irinnews.org)