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Economic hardship linked to tragic fuel tanker explosion in Nigeria

Business /

Residents of Lagos on Wednesday linked economic hardship and hunger to the tragic deaths of individuals who were collecting fuel from an overturned tanker before it exploded. The explosion in Nigeria claimed over 140 lives, including children, and left many injured. The incident occurred in Majiya, Jigawa State, around midnight when the driver lost control of the gasoline tanker on a highway, leading to a massive fire as people rushed to scoop up the spilling fuel, according to emergency services. “I blame both the people and the government,” said civil servant Emenike Okpaga. “If the government prioritized citizens’ welfare, incidents like this wouldn’t happen.” Software engineer Emmanuel Isaac added, “No one in their right mind would scoop fuel unless driven by hunger. When people see a chance to make money from it, they take it.” In Majiya, residents mourned as they held a mass burial for the victims, most of whom were unrecognizable, according to emergency responders. Fatal tanker accidents are frequent in Nigeria, where traffic regulations are often ignored and efficient cargo transport systems are lacking. The rising fuel prices, which have tripled since the end of government subsidies last year, have led many to salvage fuel from such accidents.

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Nigeria to launch new malaria vaccine

Africa /

Nigeria is set to become one of the first countries to deploy a new malaria vaccine after receiving an initial batch of 846,200 doses. Developed by scientists at the University of Oxford and produced by the Serum Institute of India and Novavax, the R21 vaccine marks a significant step in the country’s fight against malaria. Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate noted that these doses are crucial for eliminating malaria, a disease that affects around 97% of the Nigerian population. Nigeria is the hardest-hit country globally, accounting for 31% of malaria-related deaths. The vaccines, acquired in partnership with the international Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, will be provided free of charge. A trial rollout will start in Kebbi and Bayelsa, the states with the highest malaria burden, before expanding nationwide. An additional 153,800 doses are expected to arrive on October 26, bringing the total to nearly one million.

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Senegal performs 1st eye transplant

Africa /

Senegal on Thursday performed the West African nation’s first eye transplant. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye called the milestone a “big step for eye health in our country.” Cheikh Khadim Ndoyem, an ophthalmologist, and Dr. Awa Diama Thiam performed the cornea transplant. Ophthalmic surgeon Andre Mermoud and Dr. Felix Hammer supervised the procedure, which was carried out at the Swiss Visio clinic in Saly Portudal in the seaside resort of Thies. The landmark operation combined “local expertise and international training,” said the president. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the African region is seeing a decrease in vision loss due to vitamin A deficiency, onchocerciasis, and trachoma, but emerging eye health challenges are growing. One in every six blind people globally live in Africa, along with 26 million others grappling with some degree of visual impairment, it said in a report last week. Statistics show only 14% of people who need cataract surgery receive it, while more than 80% of people with shortsightedness receive no treatment. In addition, only 12% of people in Africa who need glasses or surgical interventions to address blurred vision will receive the necessary care, at significant economic cost to countries. “The global estimated costs of uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts is $14.3 billion annually,” said the WHO.

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Climate change and conflict drive rising malnutrition rates

Discover /

Climate change and ongoing conflict in northeastern Nigeria have led to a sharp rise in severe malnutrition cases. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reports a 24% increase in young children suffering from malnutrition compared to last year, highlighting the struggles families face in the Lake Chad region. Rabiatu Jubrilla shared her experience of bringing her son to the ICRC’s Mubi stabilization clinic, stating he was unable to sit up on his own. After stopping breastfeeding at 1 year and 9 months, he began to lose weight, raising concerns about his health. The protracted conflict has displaced millions and destroyed livelihoods, severely impacting access to agricultural land. Paul Ezra, a farmer from Adamawa State, lamented that violence from groups like Boko Haram has made farming nearly impossible. The ICRC’s Nigeria Head of Delegation, Yann Bonzon, noted a 58% increase in fighting in the Lake Chad region in the first half of 2024, coinciding with rising food insecurity. The area’s reliance on subsistence farming makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change, which has caused irregular rainfall and devastating floods that destroyed crops. The ICRC estimates that over six million people in the Lake Chad region will face food shortages in the coming months due to the combined effects of conflict and climate change.

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Mpox deaths exceed 1,000 as outbreaks widen across Africa

Africa /

Mpox-related deaths have surpassed 1,000 amid outbreaks affecting 18 of Africa’s 55 nations, according to the head of the Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya. This week alone saw 50 new fatalities, bringing the total to 1,100. Kaseya urged international partners to fulfill their pledges to support Africa’s response, highlighting a nearly $600 million budget for a six-month plan developed by Africa CDC and the WHO. Of this amount, 55% is earmarked for addressing mpox in 14 affected nations and enhancing preparedness in 15 others. Mpox, related to smallpox, typically causes milder symptoms like fever and body aches, but severe cases can result in lesions. Zambia and Zimbabwe recently confirmed new cases, with eastern DRC remaining the epicenter of the outbreak. The mpox virus was first identified in Denmark in 1958, and while it had sporadically spread in central and West Africa for years, a global outbreak began in 2022, prompting rapid vaccine distribution from wealthy countries.

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Activist Kemi Seba regains freedom after custody in France

Africa /

“Those who seek to dim our light will have to wait,” activist Kemi Seba declared on Thursday (Oct. 17) upon regaining his freedom. The Beninese activist, in his forties, spent nearly four days in custody at the French interior security agency (DGSI) headquarters in Paris. His lawyer, Juan Branco, stated during a press conference on Wednesday (Oct. 16) that Seba was questioned in relation to two charges: “collusion with a foreign power to foster hostility or acts of aggression against France” and “maintaining ties with a foreign power that could harm the fundamental interests of the nation.” Both charges carry a potential prison sentence of at least 10 years. According to French newspaper Le Monde, Seba, born Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, is not currently under prosecution, as confirmed by the Paris public prosecution. Seba, a vocal critic of neo-colonialism in Africa, was arrested on Monday (Oct. 14) while having lunch with a colleague. Branco condemned the arrest as “violent.” Seba’s organization, Urgences Panafricatistes, stated that he was in Paris to visit a sick relative and meet with members of the Beninese opposition. He was arrested alongside his close ally Hery Djehuty, who has also been released. Born in France, Seba was stripped of his nationality last July and has since relocated to West Africa with his wife and children.

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Africa: Flooding has left 10 million children in out of school

Africa /

International humanitarian organization Save the Children reported that approximately 10 million children in Central and West Africa are unable to attend school due to flooding caused by heavy rainfall. In a written statement, the organization noted that nearly 1 million people have been displaced in Niger, Nigeria, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to the floods. The statement highlighted that the rains have caused significant damage to school buildings, with some even collapsing, and many of those displaced are seeking refuge in schools. Mali and Niger have been the hardest hit by the flooding, with schools expected to open late—one month in Mali and three weeks in Niger. The statement also mentioned that, due to ongoing conflicts and poverty, 36 million children in these four countries were already out of school, and the floods have added another 10 million to this number.

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Iranian foreign minister arrives in Egypt amid tensions with Israel

Egypt /

 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Cairo late Wednesday, according to an announcement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on X. His visit comes amid heightened anticipation of an Israeli strike on Iran following a retaliatory missile attack by Tehran against Israel earlier this month. Baghaei shared a picture of Araghchi’s arrival in Cairo, saying, “We just arrived in Cairo. Iran and Egypt are significant countries with rich histories and civilizations, and they are influential players in the region.” He added that “important discussions will take place on Thursday with senior officials in Egypt.” The official Iranian news agency, IRNA, reported Araghchi’s arrival as part of a regional tour to meet senior Egyptian officials, noting a formal reception. IRNA pointed out that the last visit by a senior Iranian official to Egypt occurred 14 years ago when Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the late Iranian foreign minister, traveled to the Egyptian capital for the inauguration of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Cairo is the eighth stop on Araghchi’s tour, which began two weeks ago “to coordinate efforts aimed at halting the crimes of the Zionist entity and activating a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon,” according to IRNA. The top diplomat’s visit is his first since he assumed his foreign minister’s post two months ago. He arrived from Jordan and is expected to visit Türkiye, following stops in Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Oman. Earlier Wednesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty disclosed in statements that Araghchi’s visit is part of “Egyptian efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.” Regional tensions have escalated due to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 42,400 people, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack last year. The conflict has spread to Lebanon, with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country, which have killed more than 1,500 people and injured over 4,500 others since last month.

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Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo leads Mozambique elections

Africa /

Daniel Chapo, the presidential candidate for Mozambique’s ruling party Frelimo, participated in last week’s general election. Preliminary results released on Wednesday indicate that Frelimo is leading in all 11 provinces, positioning Chapo as the likely next president. However, election observers have expressed concerns about the integrity of the poll, stating it fell short of international standards. Reports of disorganized counting, poorly sealed ballot boxes, vote buying, inflated voter rolls, and intimidation have emerged. Opposition parties have alleged fraud, with at least one calling for a nationwide strike on Monday and another planning to contest the results in court. Frelimo has been in power since Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975 and has faced persistent accusations of election rigging, which the party denies. Final results are expected on October 24.

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US strikes underground Houthi weapons storage locations in Yemen

World /

 The US military conducted precision strikes Wednesday against five hardened underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. “U.S. forces targeted several of the Houthis’ underground facilities housing various weapons components of types that the Houthis have used to target civilian and military vessels throughout the region,” defense chief Lloyd Austin said in a statement. It was a “unique demonstration” of the US’ ability to target facilities that “our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened, or fortified,” he added. “The employment of U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers demonstrate U.S. global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere,” he said. At the direction of President Joe Biden, Austin said he authorized the targeted strikes to further degrade the Houthis’ capability to continue their “destabilizing behavior” and to protect and defend US forces and personnel “in one of the world’s most critical waterways.” Underlining that for more than a year, the Houthis have “recklessly and unlawfully” attacked US and international vessels transiting the Red Sea, the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, Austin said the Iranian-back group “illegal attacks” continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce, threaten environmental catastrophe and put innocent civilian lives and US and partner forces’ lives at risk. “Again, the United States will not hesitate to take action to defend American lives and assets; to deter attacks against civilians and our regional partners; and to protect freedom of navigation and increase the safety and security in these waterways for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. “We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks,” he added. The Red Sea is a critical global sea route, frequently used for oil and fuel shipments. In recent months, Houthi forces have targeted Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and the nearby Gulf of Aden, in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli offensive since Oct. 7, 2023. Earlier this year, Austin announced the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational mission designed to counter Houthi attacks in the region.

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