South Africa has formally declined Nigeria’s request for compensation regarding assets and businesses abandoned by Nigerian citizens during their recent evacuation from the country. These evacuations were prompted by a surge of xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants residing in South Africa.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Previously, Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, stated that the Nigerian government was in the process of cataloging these abandoned properties to use as a foundation for compensation negotiations with South African officials.

However, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, firmly rejected these claims during a Friday press conference, stating that the government would not provide any form of financial restitution. The Minister’s position included several key points:

• Property Status: Ntshavheni asserted that while formally registered, legal property can be sold on the open market, informal settlements and shacks are considered illegal and are not recognized as legitimate property under South African law.

• Government Policy: The South African government has mandated measures to ensure that informal settlements are not reconstructed following demolition efforts.

• Drug-Related Allegations: In a sharp retort, the Minister requested that Nigeria provide specific information regarding the locations of alleged “drug dens” run by Nigerians so that South African authorities can take urgent action to dismantle them.

David Salifu, a former Secretary to the Benue State Government and lecturer at the Federal University, Wukari, has passed away following a fatal shooting by suspected bandits. The attack occurred on Thursday while Salifu was traveling from Wukari to Makurdi along the Wukari-Zaki Biam road in Taraba State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to David Olofu, an associate of the deceased, the attackers intercepted Salifu’s vehicle on the outskirts of Wukari, ordered him out of the car, and shot him. Although he was initially treated at a hospital in Wukari, plans were made to transport him to Abuja for further care. Ultimately, he was taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, where he succumbed to his injuries early Friday morning.

Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, confirmed that the incident was an attempted kidnapping. Kula noted that Salifu sustained gunshot wounds while trying to evade the abductors and later died while undergoing treatment in Benue.

In a tribute, the current Benue State Secretary to the Government, Deborah Serumun, honored Salifu as an accomplished administrator, scholar, and dedicated public servant. She emphasized that his death is a significant loss to his family, the academic community, and the state at large.

The Nigerian Federal Government has formally demanded compensation from Côte d’Ivoire following the death of Usama Murtala, a 24-year-old Nigerian trader who passed away after being held in an Ivorian prison. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, issued this demand on Friday during a meeting with the Ivorian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, according to a statement from the minister’s aide, Magnus Eze.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The incident involved Usama and five other Nigerians—Aliyu Malami, Nasiru Umar, Shamsu Abubakar, Sa’adu Bello, and Liman Mohammed—who had traveled from Sokoto to Abidjan for business in August 2025. They were subsequently detained at the MACA Prison in Abidjan without any formal charges or trial. They were eventually released following diplomatic efforts led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Mission.

During the meeting, Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu raised several concerns:

• She questioned why Ivorian authorities failed to notify Nigeria of the arrests, which hindered timely diplomatic intervention.

• She highlighted that the detainees were denied legal representation and faced severe challenges due to language barriers.

• The minister noted that the detainees were subjected to poor living conditions, including being fed only once per day, which left two of them critically ill and resulted in the death of one.

• She pointed out that the personal belongings, money, goods, and phones of the traders were not returned to them upon their release.

The Federal Government has called for a formal investigation into the matter and is seeking compensation for the family of the deceased, alongside a commitment from Côte d’Ivoire to treat Nigerian citizens with dignity in the future. In response, Ambassador Traore offered his condolences and pledged to convey Nigeria’s demands and concerns to his government in Abidjan.