West Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia opened its Third National Cybersecurity Forum on Monday, bringing together government, industry and academia in Mogadishu to strengthen digital defenses and coordinate responses to rising cyber risks targeting the country’s essential services and Digital Public Infrastructure. The two-day meeting, themed “Promoting Digital Security in Somalia,” is jointly organized by the National Communications Authority (NCA) and Mogadishu University. Senior government officials, policymakers, cybersecurity…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s civil aviation regulator will shut Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport for a full day on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, as the capital holds local council elections, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority said Monday. The SCAA said no flights will arrive or depart during the one-day closure, describing the suspension as a security and technical measure designed to safeguard the public and ensure the vote proceeds smoothly. Airlines, passengers and travel agencies were advised to adjust plans and…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport will shut for one day on Thursday, Dec. 25, as the capital holds local council elections, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority said Monday, suspending all arrivals and departures as part of heightened security and technical preparations. In a statement, the SCAA advised the public, airlines and travel agents that no flights will land at or depart from the airport during the 24-hour closure. The authority described the move as a precaution to “ensure public…

U.S. Congressional Delegation Visits Nigeria, Rules Out Military Deployment A U.S. Congressional delegation that recently visited Nigeria to assess the country's security situation has ruled out the possibility of deploying American troops to the West African nation. The lawmakers stated that Nigeria's designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) is aimed at encouraging diplomatic reforms rather than invoking military intervention. "It is unacceptable that anyone—Muslim or Christian—is experiencing this level of…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security agencies say nearly 10,000 police officers have been mobilized to secure Mogadishu’s local council elections on Dec. 25, a vote billed as the capital’s first direct, one-person, one-vote poll in more than 50 years. Speaking to reporters Sunday, Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail (Farataag) said the Somali Police Force has finalized a citywide security plan to safeguard voters, polling stations, election workers and critical infrastructure throughout the Banadir region.…

Nigerian Authorities Secure Release of Remaining Schoolchildren Abducted in Niger State Nigerian authorities have announced the successful release of the final 130 schoolchildren and staff abducted from St. Mary's Catholic boarding school in Papiri, Niger state, effectively bringing an end to one of the country’s most harrowing mass kidnappings. The ordeal began on November 21, when more than 250 individuals were taken during a brazen attack. Earlier this month, about 100 children had been freed, and 50 were reported to…

Thousands march along Lake Street to protest DHS ‘Operation Metro Surge’ in Minneapolis Arrests top 400 as enforcement enters third week; organizers say fear is emptying stores and streets MINNEAPOLIS — In bitter cold Saturday morning, thousands of people marched more than a mile down the Lake Street corridor to protest stepped-up immigration enforcement by the Department of Homeland Security as its Operation Metro Surge moves into a third week. The event — organized by COPAL, Unidos and local union groups — drew families,…

The Release of Kidnapped Nigerian Schoolchildren Nigerian authorities have announced the release of 130 schoolchildren abducted from a Catholic boarding school in Niger state. This follows the earlier release of 100 students from the same incident. The children were kidnapped from St Mary's co-educational boarding school in Papiri. Niger state has faced recent abductions reminiscent of the infamous 2014 Chibok kidnapping. The government is dealing with multiple security concerns, including armed gangs and…

Somalia’s latest political confrontation is more than a quarrel over election dates. It is a stress test of the country’s post-debt-relief political order—and, by extension, of the international state-building model that has underwritten Mogadishu’s progress for more than a decade. At the center is the National Consultation Conference, an opposition-aligned gathering that closed this week in Kismayo with a stark indictment of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government. Its communiqué accuses the presidency of…

JIGJIGA, Ethiopia — The Somali Region has inaugurated the Mesob One-Stop Service center in Jigjiga, consolidating key government services under one roof in a bid to modernize public administration and cut red tape across Ethiopia’s eastern region. Chief Administrator Mustafe M. Omer led Sunday’s opening alongside Aklilu Tadese, state minister for Cabinet and Sector Oversight in the Prime Minister’s Office. The launch positions the Somali Region among the country’s early adopters of unified service delivery, a cornerstone of…