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Nigeria-Ghana Join Forces to Push Back Against Rising Afrophobic Attacks in Africa
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By Gloria Ikibah
Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to strengthen cooperation in tackling the growing wave of Afrophobic protests and attacks against African nationals across the continent, with both countries pledging to push the issue onto the agenda of the next African Union Summit.
The commitment followed a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
During the meeting, Ambassador Enikanolaiye commended the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Ghana, describing both countries as partners with shared values and common aspirations for Africa.
He said, “There is a need for increased collaboration and strategic consultation between our two countries, as well as preventive diplomacy that will enable us to address potential challenges before they escalate.”
The minister also conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and praised Ghana’s leadership in advancing Pan-Africanism and the campaign for reparations for Africans and people of African descent affected by the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism.
He congratulated President Mahama on the adoption of the landmark United Nations resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the successful hosting of the Next Steps High-Level Conference on reparative justice.
According to him, “Nigeria aligns with and fully supports the decisions of the Conference in the quest for reparative justice for Africans.”
Responding, Ghana’s Foreign Minister congratulated Ambassador Enikanolaiye on his recent appointment and expressed confidence that both countries would continue to strengthen their diplomatic partnership.
He said, “There is a need for continuous collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana, anchored on action-oriented preventive diplomacy achieved through brotherly communication devoid of unnecessary bureaucracy.”
Ablakwa also thanked Nigeria for supporting the landmark UN resolution on the transatlantic slave trade and its continued advocacy for reparative justice.
He highlighted progress already made, including formal apologies issued by the Pope, the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, alongside ongoing efforts by several European countries to return looted artefacts.
The Ghanaian minister further acknowledged Nigeria’s contribution at the recent high-level conference on reparative justice.
He said, “We appreciate the positive impact of the Nigerian delegation, particularly the statement delivered and the commitment expressed by Nigeria in advancing the cause of reparative justice.”
A major focus of the meeting was the recent rise in Afrophobic protests and attacks targeting African nationals, particularly in South Africa.
Both ministers expressed concern that such incidents threaten the ideals of African unity, regional integration and the free movement of people envisioned under the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
They jointly condemned xenophobia, Afrophobia and all forms of violence directed at fellow Africans.
The ministers stated that “all forms of xenophobia, Afrophobia, intolerance and violence against fellow Africans are contrary to the shared values of Pan-Africanism and the collective progress of the continent.”
They stressed the need for coordinated continental action to address the root causes of such tensions, safeguard the rights and dignity of African migrants and promote peaceful coexistence across the continent.
The ministers also maintained that while individuals involved in criminal activities should face justice, they should be prosecuted in accordance with the law rather than becoming victims of mob violence.
They emphasised that “criminals among migrant populations must be treated in accordance with the rule of law and not be subjected to violence and mob actions that often target even regular migrants and other law-abiding African citizens.”
As part of their resolutions, both countries agreed to work together to ensure that Afrophobia becomes a priority issue at the next African Union Summit.
They also pledged to engage other member states in advocating stronger African Union mechanisms, including enhanced monitoring systems, early warning structures and preventive diplomacy to prevent future incidents.
The meeting reaffirmed the close ties between Nigeria and Ghana, with both ministers calling on African Union member states to recommit themselves to the principles of Pan-Africanism, mutual respect and the free movement of persons.
They further encouraged sustained public education and dialogue to combat prejudice, strengthen solidarity and promote greater understanding among African communities.
The discussions ended with both countries reaffirming their commitment to working together within ECOWAS, the African Union and other multilateral platforms to build a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous Africa.
No fewer than nine passengers were killed when gunmen opened fire on a commercial bus at Dungus Junction in Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Residents told journalists that the incident occurred when the bus driver parked to allow some passengers alight at the junction.
According to Daily Trust the bus which was heading to Jos was stained with blood and riddled with bullets.
Lawan Suleiman, a neighbor and teacher of one of the victims, confirmed the incident, adding that the attack occurred while the bus was stopped at the junction.
He said, “The driver is Ibrahim and he was my student. Three of them are from our community here in Bukuru. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital. But relatives are preparing to collect them for burial.”
Spokesman of the Berom Youth Moulders, BYM, Rwang Tengwong, also confirmed the incident saying the victims were passengers travelling to Jos when the attackers opened fire on their vehicle.
“The incident happened around 9.40p.m. The victims were all passengers travelling to Jos when the terrorists opened fire on the vehicle. Among those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow. It is a very sad development and we lament the loss of lives.”
According to him, some of the passengers sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to hospitals, where some later died.
Plateau state police command is yet to issue a statement regarding the incident as of press. (Daily Trust)
More than 600 senior lecturers from public universities across Northern Nigeria have declared their support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid to secure another term in the 2027 presidential election.
As reported by DAILY TRUST, the lecturers made their position known at a stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna convened by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, to discuss the administration’s performance and the country’s political direction ahead of the next general election.
The meeting, held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Centre, attracted several northern political leaders, including Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal, Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni, Borno Governor Babagana Zulum and Gombe Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
The Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle, Minister of Housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, and former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, were also among those who attended the engagement.
Presenting the communiqué, the Vice Chancellor of Kaduna State University, Prof Abdullahi Ibrahim Musa, said the academics assessed Tinubu’s administration since May 2023, including its handling of the economy, security, education, infrastructure and social development.
According to the lecturers, although some government reforms had increased the economic burden on Nigerians through higher living and transportation costs, the measures had also improved government revenue and public finances. They further cited developments in education funding, agriculture, infrastructure, business support and the digital economy.
The academics subsequently resolved to support Tinubu’s re-election but cautioned that their backing was not an unconditional endorsement.
They called on the Federal Government to urgently address food and transport costs, unemployment and insecurity, while strengthening investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, electricity, roads and other infrastructure in the North.
However, the Academic Staff Union of Universities distanced itself from the declaration, with its President, Prof Chris Piwuna, insisting that ASUU remains politically neutral.
Piwuna said individual lecturers were free to support any political party or candidate of their choice, but stressed that such decisions must not be attributed to the union.
“We have never, and we will never endorse any political party candidate. Nobody should drag us into such things,” the ASUU president said.
The endorsement came as political consultations intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the Tinubu camp seeking the backing of influential groups across Northern Nigeria.
The Presidency has rejected calls by former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to restore petrol subsidy, insisting that the government will not reverse the policy.
The Presidency warned that bringing back the subsidy would undermine reforms already carried out in the petroleum sector, create fresh legal and fiscal complications and potentially discourage investment in domestic refining.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated this while reacting to Atiku’s proposal to reintroduce a form of petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027.
Onanuga described the proposal as “retrogressive” and fiscally unsustainable, accusing Atiku of seeking to reverse reforms in an attempt to gain political advantage ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, Nigeria’s petroleum sector has undergone fundamental changes since Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023.
He argued that restoring the subsidy could undermine investments in local refining, including the Dangote refinery and a growing number of modular refineries.
N15.8trn generated since subsidy removal
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the removal of petrol subsidy generated about N15.8 trillion in resources for the federation between June 2023 and December 2025.
Oyedele said the Federal Government received N5.4 trillion from the additional resources, while N10.4 trillion was shared among state and local governments.
President Tinubu has also criticised Atiku’s proposal, describing it as evidence of what he called the former vice president’s lack of understanding of governance and economic management.
Tinubu made the remarks while receiving Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke at the State House.
Why Tinubu removed subsidy
Tinubu announced the end of petrol subsidy during his inauguration speech on May 29, 2023, declaring that “subsidy is gone.”
The policy immediately triggered a sharp increase in petrol prices, with pump prices rising from below N200 per litre to significantly higher levels.
The removal was part of the administration’s broader economic reform programme aimed at reducing government spending on petrol subsidies, freeing public resources and encouraging investment in domestic refining.
However, the policy also contributed to a steep rise in transportation costs and living expenses, with food prices and household costs increasing significantly amid broader economic pressures.
Atiku changes position
Atiku, who supported subsidy removal during the 2023 presidential campaign, has since shifted his position, making the restoration of petrol subsidy a major component of his 2027 economic agenda.
The former vice president argues that Nigerians have yet to see sufficient benefits from the trillions of naira freed by the policy.
He has particularly criticised the impact of subsidy removal on household welfare, arguing that the savings have not translated into cheaper food, improved living standards or meaningful relief for ordinary Nigerians.
Atiku, however, says his proposal would not amount to a return to the opaque subsidy regime of the past.
Instead, he has proposed what he describes as a targeted and transparent intervention focused on domestic refining, with government support capped, budgeted and tied to verifiable production and measurable benefits to consumers.
Under his proposal, every barrel of crude allocated to support the intervention would be tracked to ensure that Nigerians benefit through lower fuel prices.
Atiku said the approach would provide cheaper crude feedstock to Nigerian refineries while ensuring that the resulting benefits are passed on to consumers.
The clash over petrol subsidy is therefore emerging as a major economic and political issue ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the Tinubu administration defending subsidy remova
Sad: Nine passengers killed as gunmen open fire on bus in Plateau
Over 600 senior lecturers back Tinubu, ASUU disowns approval
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