Somalia Hunger Crisis Deepens as Food Insecurity Doubles
The number of people in Somalia facing acute food insecurity has nearly doubled to 6.5 million since last year as hunger levels rise due to worsening drought, conflict and soaring food prices. The IPC food security monitoring platform reported that more than 1.8 million children under five are at risk of acute malnutrition between now and June. The crisis followed the failure of the Deyr rains, poor crop production, and high local and imported food prices. Those most impacted are poor farmers, pastoralists, and internally displaced people. Experts estimated that over two million people were in emergency-level food insecurity. The IPC analysis revealed that this year, 1.84 million young children are suffering or will suffer from acute malnutrition, with 483,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The IPC called for urgent scale-up of lifesaving humanitarian assistance to “hotspot” areas where high levels of acute food insecurity and acute malnutrition intersect.
MSF Closes Hospital As Fighting Displaces 400 Families On Sudan-Chad Border
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Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) closed its hospital in El Tina, the Chadian border town opposite Sudan’s North Darfur, after renewed fighting erupted across the frontier. The organisation said it shut the facility due to its proximity to the Sudanese town of El Tina, which has seen days of clashes. The Rapid Support Forces briefly seized control before being pushed back by Joint Forces allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces. MSF has moved activities to a new, previously unused facility, where teams treated about 40 patients between Saturday and Sunday and prepared space for eight families. Humanitarian groups reported that over 400 families fled El Tina to the valleys and border areas, joining thousands already displaced. Local responders report acute shortages of food, water, and healthcare, and have urged international and regional organisations to intervene urgently and secure safe corridors for aid delivery.
Nigeria Denies Paying Ransom to Boko Haram for School Abductions
The government of Nigeria rejected a media report alleging it paid a large ransom to Islamist group Boko Haram to secure the release of more than 200 pupils and staff abducted from St Mary’s School in Papiri last November. Information Minister Mohammed Idris dismissed the claims, reported by AFP and citing unnamed intelligence sources, as “false and baseless reporting,” and a “disservice to the professionalism and integrity” of the security forces. He said no ransom was paid. He also denied that two Boko Haram commanders were freed as part of the deal. The AFP report alleged ransom payments ranging from U.S. $30,000 per captive to a total of U.S. $1.5 million. The report also alleged that the money was transported by air to Boko Haram’s Gwoza enclave in Borno state and handed over to a local commander. The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Abuja as the government is under diplomatic scrutiny, particularly from the US. The United States House Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Affairs submitted to the White House a comprehensive report detailing findings and recommendations on the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Nigeria has repeatedly made it clear that no religious group is being targeted in the widespread insecurity affecting the country.
Malawi Orders Fresh Probe into Crash That Killed VP Saulos Chilima
The government of Malawi announced a fresh investigation into the Chikangawa military plane crash that claimed the lives of former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others in June 2024. Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Charles Mhango said previous inquiries had failed to produce clear and conclusive explanations on the cause of the crash. He said that a thorough review of previous reports, including findings from the Commission of Inquiry and Germany’s Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, had revealed gaps and inconsistencies that undermined their credibility. He said the shortcomings had shaken public trust and that the government was committed to a more transparent and credible review. The crash, which raised concerns about air safety within the Malawi Defence Force. Details on the scope and leadership of the new investigation are expected in the coming weeks. Observers say the process could finally offer closure to affected families.
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CPJ Urges Zimbabwe to Free Detained Journalist Gideon Madzikatidze
The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Zimbabwean authorities to release journalist Gideon Madzikatidze, who has been in detention since February 18, on charges of cyberbullying and broadcasting without a license, over an article alleging bribery by a local business. CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal criticised the detention as a disproportionate response and called for all charges to be dropped. Madzikatidze, a reporter for the online outlet Bulawayo24, is scheduled to appear at Harare Magistrate’s Court for a bail hearing. His lawyer said the state opposed bail, and earlier proceedings had been delayed by the magistrate’s absence. The charge sheet alleged that between December 15 and 16, the journalist published a story on the Bulawayo24 site, accusing local company Geo Pomona Waste Management’s leadership of bribing journalists and editors to evade scrutiny. If found guilty, Madzikatidze could serve up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $700 for cyberbullying, under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, and up to three months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $700, under Section 7(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act.
