News
Eid: Muslims stranded as jihadists cut off Bamako
Muslims in Bamako have been prevented from travelling home to meet their families for this year’s Eid celebration as terrorists have cut off Milan capital from the rest of the country.
Originally from the central city of Mopti, Alpha Amadou, 40, has had to give up his usual journey home for the major holiday, known locally as Tabaski.
“For the first time in 30 years living in Bamako, I’ll be celebrating Eid here this year,” he told AFP.
Since late April, fighters from Al-Qaeda’s Sahel branch have imposed a road blockade on the main routes into Bamako, torching dozens of buses and freight trucks.
Though the blockade is only partial, images of charred vehicles have deterred many transport services from operating and travellers from heading back to their villages.
In Mali, Tabaski goes far beyond religion. It is a major social tradition, one of the few times when families, often scattered by work for months, come together.
But in Bamako’s bus stations, the usual pre-holiday rush has given way to an eerie calm. Alongside insecurity, fuel shortages have also hit the transport sector.
“Not only do we lack diesel to keep running, but we’ve also lost buses in recent incidents. It’s a huge economic blow,” said the owner of a local travel agency, speaking anonymously.
“Normally, we could transport more than 50,000 people from Bamako to other regions in a week for Tabaski. This year, we’re not planning any trips,” added a manager at another transport company.
For Wara Bagayoko, the ritual has always been the same: pack up the family car and head to Segou in central Mali to celebrate together.
But this time, he will stay behind, as even private cars have become targets.
“It will be the first time in 30 years I won’t celebrate in my village. The road is too dangerous,” he said.
“Before, about 20 of us would travel together on motorbikes to Sikasso (in the south) to celebrate,” added Oumar Diarra. “This year, we’ll stay in Bamako.”
A few minibuses still slip into the city, taking backroads or travelling with a military escort.
• Sheep in short supply –
The disruption to transport is also choking the livestock trade, which is essential for the traditional Tabaski sacrifice.
News
Enugu State govt suspends monarch for hosting Peter Obi
The Enugu State Government has suspended His Royal Majesty, Igwe Eze William Ezugwu, the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Ogbozalla Opi Autonomous Community, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state.
The state government accused Igwe Ezugwu of violating provisions of the state’s Traditional Rulers Law.
In a letter of suspension dated September 24, the Enugu State Government cited his alleged failure to constitute his cabinet, failure to establish a Town Union governing body, and persistent conduct deemed inconsistent with the laws governing traditional rulers in the state.
The suspension comes barely three weeks after Igwe William Ezugwu received NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi at his palace in Opi, Nsukka LGA, where he reportedly blessed Obi’s presidential ambition.
News
Bandits ambush, kill Plateau state deputy commander, operation rainbow CSP Babale
The Deputy Commander of Operation Rainbow, CSP (Chief Superintendent of Police) Dennis David Babale, has been killed after gunmen suspected to be Fulani Bandits ambushed personnel of the security outfit along the Bokkos-Barkin Ladi road in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Operation Rainbow is a State-backed community security and intelligence-gathering outfit in Plateau State, Nigeria, originally established in 2010 under former Governor Jonah Jang and recently revamped by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to combat rural violence and beef up grassroots security.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 4:06 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 when the personnel, travelling in a Toyota Hilux vehicle, came under attack by unidentified gunmen.
Troops of Sector 4, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), responded to a distress report and moved to the location of the attack.
Sources told reporters that Babale sustained gunshot wounds during the ambush and was evacuated to the General Hospital, Barkin Ladi, for medical attention.
Following the attack, troops, working alongside personnel of other security agencies, launched offensive operations and a manhunt for the assailants within the general area.
Security forces have intensified efforts to track the attackers and prevent further attacks along the route.
News
What NiMet DG Anosike, others discussed at WMO dialogue in China
Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the World Meteorological Organization, Prof. Charles Anosike and other Chief Executive Officers of similar agencies across the world, have concluded a one week high level dialogue on Climate Science Information for Climate Finance and the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange (SOFE) in Beijing, China.
The event which was hosted by World Meteorological Organization (WMO), took place from September 14 to 18, 2026 and featured discussions on: strengthening the role and leadership development of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in mobilizing climate finance; aligning scientific and technical capabilities with risk-informed, people-centred early warning systems; shifting from technical assistance to sustainable investments by expanding practical cooperation between meteorological frameworks and multilateral financing entities; and support to NMHSs leadership on strengthening strategic thinking and fostering productive partnerships.
Held back-to-back with the High-level dialogue was the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange to Fujian Province for first-hand exposure to the implementation of Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap and Universal (MAZU) platform – China’s AI-driven meteorological early warning solution in support of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative and disaster risk reduction practices through technical exchanges, field visits and peer learning.
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