State Department

Grief and tear gas: Nigeria’s Benue State erupts after deadly village massacre

A peaceful protest in Nigeria’s Benue State turned chaotic on Sunday (15 June) as police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators in the city of Makurdi who demanded justice after a massacre in Yelewata village left more than 100 people dead. Gunmen attacked the farming community late Friday (13 June), burning homes and killing civilians, […]

Benin embraces descendants of the enslaved through citizenship

A woman from a Caribbean Island recently settled in Benin that once served as a major hub in the transatlantic slave trade. She felt an immediate sense of connection and familiarity there, as the people’s customs and demeanor reminded her of relatives back home. Determined to strengthen her bond with her ancestral roots, she now […]

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO Rejects SSPDF’s Orders, Reaffirms Independence

The opposition faction in South Sudan, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in-Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), has firmly rejected a directive from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) requiring its forces to gather in government-controlled territories. This rebuke was issued on Tuesday April 8 by Lam Paul Gabriel, the spokesperson for the opposition group, which is led by […]