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IOM Begins Central African Republic Airlift of Stranded Malian Migrants
GENEVA – IOM today hopes to begin an airlift to evacuate some 550 Malian migrants stranded by fighting in the Central Africa Republic (CAR), following a request from the Malian government.
The IOM airlift, which will involve two rotations between Bangui in the CAR and Bamako in Mali, will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday (14 and 15/1.) The flight time between the two capitals is five hours.
The operation follows three earlier IOM charter flights completed this weekend (11 and 12/1) to evacuate some 800 Chadian nationals from Bangui to N’Djamena, the Chadian capital, at the request of the Chad government.
The conflict in the CAR has already displaced close to a million people nationwide and over half a million in Bangui. At least 100,000 people are living in squalid conditions in a transit site at the airport and hundreds of migrants are sheltering from the violence at their embassies.
Over 60,000 migrants have already asked their embassies to help them to leave the country since the beginning of the crisis and at least 33,000 still need to be evacuated, according to IOM staff in Bangui.
IOM Bangui Emergency Coordinator François Goemans says that the numbers could increase as more migrants seek help. The Chadian government, for example, has already increased its initial estimate of 48,000 of its nationals in need of assistance to over 100,000.
“The conditions endured by the migrants and displaced local people are equally bad. Thousands of people have been living in makeshift camps for weeks with very little food and water and virtually no sanitation,” he notes.
Mali has already evacuated 541 of an estimated 3,000 Malian citizens living in the CAR. But the Malian embassy in Bangui says that there are at least 750 more in a dire situation who need to be evacuated urgently.
Most of the Malian evacuees to date have been women and children and have lived in the CAR for many years. Some were even born there, according to IOM Mali Chief of Mission Bakary Doumbia, whose team met the first evacuation flights on arrival in Bamako.
“Many do not speak Bambara (the Malian language) and several of them had never visited Mali prior to their evacuation,” he says.
“Many are destitute on arrival and traumatized by the violence that they have seen. They will need a lot of assistance to be fully reintegrated into Malian society and we are working with the Malian authorities to assess their needs and see how we can best help to meet them,” he adds.
Mali is one of several African countries asking IOM for help to evacuate their nationals from the CAR and reintegrate them when they arrive home. Chad, Niger, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have asked for similar assistance. Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Cameroon and Somalia have all asked for post arrival and reintegration assistance.
IOM has launched a CAR appeal for USD 17.5 million, of which USD 10 million will finance the evacuation by air of a total of 10,000 migrants. The remaining USD 7.5 million will fund the reintegration of 50,000 others in their countries of origin.
Nigerian literary giant, sports champion, and broadcaster, Mabel Segun, has passed away at the age of 95.
Her family confirmed her demise in a statement released late Thursday, stating that she breathed her last in the early hours of the day.
“It is with gratitude to God for a life well spent in the pursuit of excellence in Literature, Broadcasting and Sports that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Mabel Dorothy Okanima Segun (née Aig-Imoukhuede),” the statement read.
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A distinguished writer, Segun’s impact on Nigerian literature and society was profound. Born on February 18, 1930, she was a trailblazer in multiple fields, earning accolades as a novelist, broadcaster, diplomat, and sportswoman.
She pursued higher education at the University College Ibadan (now the University of Ibadan), graduating in 1953 with a degree in English Literature, Latin, and History.
This academic foundation propelled her into an illustrious career that spanned decades, influencing generations of writers and intellectuals.
Beyond her literary achievements, Segun was also a tennis champion, further showcasing her versatility and determination.
Her contributions to broadcasting and diplomacy cemented her status as a multi-talented icon in Nigeria’s cultural and intellectual landscape.
Her family noted that funeral arrangements would be announced at a later date.
Mabel Segun leaves behind a remarkable legacy of excellence and service, remembered not only for her literary prowess but also for her pioneering spirit in Nigerian academia, sports, and public service.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has revealed that he spent the night inside the Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State, on the day of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s wedding due to poor lighting at the Kogi airport.
“I slept in Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State, on the night of Senator Natasha’s wedding because the Kogi airport lights were in a poor state,” Akpabio stated during plenary at the National Assembly on Thursday.
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Akpabio, a former Minister of the Niger Delta, described Natasha’s husband as his “good friend” and emphasized that his presence at the wedding was a testament to his close relationship with the family.
Meanwhile, the Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
The committee found her guilty of “disrespecting the Senate” and directed that she must issue an apology.
As part of the suspension, the committee stated that her salary and security details would be withdrawn.
Additionally, the Kogi Central lawmaker has been barred from the National Assembly premises for the duration of the suspension.
Following the committee’s recommendations, the Senate adopted the resolution, and Senate President Akpabio officially announced her suspension.
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu, who was abducted from his residence on Tuesday night, has been killed by his captors in Kaduna State.
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan confirmed his death in a statement signed by its Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Jacob Shanet.
According to the statement, Fr. Okechukwu, who served as the pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Tachira, Kaura Local Government Area, was murdered in the early hours of Wednesday.
“After being taken by his abductors, we regret to inform you that Fr. Sylvester was cruelly killed in the early hours of Wednesday, March 5. It is yet to be determined why he was killed,” Shanet said.
READ ALSO: Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest Along Enugu Road Despite Security Checkpoints
The Diocese described the late priest as a selfless and dedicated servant of God, whose sudden death has left the church and community in deep sorrow.
“This untimely and brutal loss has left us broken and devastated. He was always available and accessible to his parishioners. His untimely death has left an indelible void within our diocesan family, and we share in the pain of his passing with his family, friends, and all those who loved him,” the statement read.
Shanet urged the Takad community to remain calm and prayerful, warning against any form of retaliation.
He assured that funeral arrangements for the late priest would be communicated in due course.
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