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IOM provides urgently needed assistance to people displaced by conflict in Malakal, South Sudan
GENEVA – Heavy fighting in Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile State, caused widespread destruction and displaced thousands of people from their homes over the past month. An estimated 27,000 people have taken shelter on a UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) base in Malakal.
IOM is at the forefront of assisting people displaced by conflict, both in Malakal and across South Sudan. The Organization is delivering shelter materials and non-food items, providing lifesaving health care and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, coordinating the management of displacement sites and registering people so that they can receive assistance.
As lead provider of WASH assistance for the displaced population in Malakal, IOM staff has been working since the beginning of the crisis to deliver treated water, build latrines and showers, collect refuse and promote good hygiene practices.
Ongoing insecurity in the Malakal area has created challenges for delivering enough treated water by truck to the site. In order to ensure that water needs are met, IOM is currently constructing a new pipeline from the nearby river to the site, and is also providing chlorine treatment at the main entrance of the site for people bringing water back from the river.
Over-congestion is a significant challenge at the site, which was originally intended only to host UN staff and equipment. The estimated site density is currently 2.2 square meters per person, which is significantly below the Sphere humanitarian standard of 45 square meters per person.
“I’ve been living at UNMISS for two weeks now,” a displaced civilian told IOM. “I was studying education at the university in Malakal. Life is so difficult now because of the insecurity. The site here is very congested. In the place where I am living, there are 15 people in one spot.”
As co-lead of the Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster, IOM is working with UNMISS and humanitarian partners to identify ways to expand the site’s Protection of Civilians area and ensure that space is available for the further construction of vital infrastructure such as latrines and water points.
During the heavy fighting earlier this month, the UNMISS Level 2 Hospital was destroyed by shelling and emergency health partners that were initially providing support were evacuated, creating a major gap in health care availability. On 26 January IOM reopened a clinic previously operated by a health partner on the base. The clinic consists of three prefabricated buildings serving as consultation rooms and a pharmacy. Tents have also been erected for triage and waiting areas.
“We are seeing between 250 and 300 patients per day at our clinic,” said IOM Migration Health Officer Dr. Mamadou Diao Bah. “These numbers emphasize the urgent need for health care support here. We are mainly seeing cases of diarrhea and malaria, which are treatable but of course can be very serious if not addressed.”
The crowded conditions at the UNMISS base raise a serious risk for the outbreak of disease. To help mitigate this risk, IOM and partners are organizing a mass measles and oral polio vaccination campaign, set to begin as soon as a reliable cold chain can be re-established in Malakal.
On 28 January, UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos visited Malakal, meeting with patients and medical staff at the IOM clinic and also touring the looted IOM warehouses in the town. Ms. Amos expressed her appreciation toward IOM and humanitarian agencies in Malakal, saying, “I am proud of the work of aid agencies in South Sudan who remained during this tense and difficult period, delivering aid.”
As security conditions allow, IOM will expand its assistance outside of the UNMISS Malakal base. An assessment mission to determine the number and needs of displaced people living in Malakal town is planned for later this week.
At least 646,500 people have been internally displaced across the whole of South Sudan since the onset of the crisis, with 76,000 seeking physical protection within UN bases. IOM is committed to continuing its support for those affected by the conflict.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has alerted motorists to traffic delays along Ogunnusi Road towards Ojodu-Berger due to ongoing rehabilitation work.
LASTMA disclosed this in a post on its official X account on Sunday, stating that the road rehabilitation was being carried out by the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC).
According to the agency, “The ongoing work is affecting traffic flow, with vehicles moving at a slower pace in both directions.”
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To ease the situation, LASTMA said a contraflow arrangement had been introduced for motorists travelling from Omole Junction towards Vis Junction.
“A contraflow arrangement is in place for vehicles coming from Omole Junction towards Vis Junction to facilitate the movement of traffic,” the agency stated.
LASTMA added that its personnel had been deployed to manage traffic and ensure the continuous movement of vehicles around the affected area.
“Our personnel are on ground managing the traffic situation and ensuring the continuous flow of vehicular movement,” the agency said.
The traffic management authority advised motorists to remain patient and exercise caution while the rehabilitation work continues.
“Motorists are advised to exercise patience and drive with caution while the rehabilitation work continues,” LASTMA stated.
Leading economists, financial experts and industry stakeholders have described the Dangote Group’s investments as major drivers of industrialisation and economic transformation across Nigeria and Africa.
The experts cited the Group’s impact on job creation, import substitution, foreign exchange conservation and economic competitiveness.
They voiced their thoughts at the Lagos Economic Summit themed “The Real Deal: Africa’s Greatest Investment Opportunity,” where they urged governments to implement policies that strengthen local industries and accelerate economic diversification.
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Samaila Zubairu, commended the Dangote Group’s sustained investments across Africa, describing them as critical to unlocking the continent’s economic potential.
He noted that while recent economic reforms have improved foreign exchange stability, strengthened reserves and eased inflationary pressures, the focus must now shift to growth in industry, productivity and employment.
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Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Muda Yusuf, said industrialisation remains the most effective path to sustainable economic development.
He called for better alignment of trade and industrial policies, stressing that local manufacturers require strategic support to compete effectively and drive broader economic benefits.
Founder and CEO of Nairametrics, Ugodre Obi-Chukwu, said Africa’s growing population presents a significant industrial opportunity, noting that investments such as the Dangote Refinery are helping to retain capital within the continent while strengthening local production capacity.
In his keynote address, Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, said Nigeria is gradually transitioning from a consumption-led economy to one driven by investment and production.
He added that sustained investments in productive sectors will continue to stimulate growth, create jobs and improve living standards.
Participants at the summit also advocated stronger credit infrastructure, improved national identification systems and increased investment in skills development to enhance the productivity and global competitiveness of Africa’s growing youth population.
Photo Caption: From Left – Chief Economist, Dangote Industries Limited, Dr. Hassan Mahmud; Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru; Chairman of Occasion/Special Guest of Honour, Samaila Zubairu; Key Note Speaker Session 1, Bismarck Rewane; during the Real Deal: Africa’s Greatest Investment Opportunity, Sponsored by Dangote Industry Limited in Lagos on Thursday 3, September 2026.
Social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has released what he described as his first piece of evidence after the Nigeria Police Force challenged him to substantiate his allegations that some police officers allegedly collaborate with kidnappers.
VDM released a video on his Instagram handle on Thursday, August 27, 2026, shortly after the police invited him to provide evidence supporting the claims he made at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt.
SEE MORE: ‘Provide Evidence’ — Police React to VDM’s Explosive Kidnap Allegation
The activist captioned the video: “My evidence number 1.”
Recalled that VDM, who was a panellist at the NBA conference on Tuesday, had alleged that some police officers manning checkpoints along major highways provide kidnappers and bandits with information about travellers.
According to him, the officers allegedly relay details about the identities and movements of travellers to criminal groups, thereby facilitating abductions for ransom.
The allegation triggered a response from the Nigeria Police Force, which denied the claim and challenged VDM to substantiate his allegations.
The police invitation came as the force sought evidence to support the serious claims made by the social media critic.
In response, VDM released the video, describing it as his “evidence number 1”, signalling that he may provide further material to support his allegations.
The development has continued to attract attention, with the controversy placing renewed focus on allegations of possible collaboration between security personnel and criminal groups involved in kidnapping and banditry.
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