At least 12 people were killed and several women and children abducted after armed bandits attacked a village in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria. The overnight assault also saw homes set ablaze, with six members of one family burned to death, highlighting the worsening insecurity in the region.

Nigeria: Gunmen target North Western states of Zamfara & Sokoto 

West Asia tensions continue to intensify as Iran claims control over the Strait of Hormuz and halts multiple oil tankers while a Saudi-linked tanker catches fire after an attack in the Red Sea. US President Donald Trump says Iran is not yet ready for a deal but believes Tehran will eventually agree to negotiations. Meanwhile, the United States and Saudi Arabia sign a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with safeguards against proliferation.

In Europe, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discusses renewed peace efforts with US officials. In Africa, at least 21 people are killed in fresh attacks in Nigeria's Zamfara State. In business, Alphabet surpasses market expectations as Google Cloud and AI drive strong revenue growth, prompting a significant increase in capital spending for 2026.

Stay tuned for the latest international news, geopolitics, business updates, and breaking developments from around the world.

Iran Blocks Strait of Hormuz | Saudi Tanker hit in Red Sea | Trump says Iran will agree to deal 

At least 23 people were killed in separate attacks in Borno State and Zamfara State, highlighting ongoing security challenges in parts of Nigeria. Authorities said suspected armed groups carried out the assaults in the northeast and northwest regions, areas that have long faced violence linked to insurgents and bandit networks.

Nigeria Attack: 11 People Killed in Borno, 12 in Northwestern Zamfara State

At least 50 people were killed and a significant number of others abducted after a group of armed men launched a brutal attack on a village in Nigeria's northwestern state of Zamfara, a local lawmaker said.

The raid on Tungan Dutse village, located in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area, reportedly began Thursday evening and continued into Friday morning, Hamisu Faru, a lawmaker representing the affected area at the Zamfara State House of Assembly, told local media on Saturday.

Nigeria: Group of Armed Men Attack Village & Kidnap Women From Zamfara; At Least 50 Killed 

In Nigeria, gunmen have killed at least 48 people. Dozens of men entered three villages on their motorcycles, opened fire on people as they tried to flee. The attack looked coordinated and pre-planned while the exact motive is not still known, the bandits did loot livestock and food supplies.

Nigeria: Gunman kills 48 in the Northwest, Zamfara state comes under attack

Gunmen have killed at least 48 people in attacks on three villages in northwest Nigeria’s Zamfara state.

Attacks Grip Nigeria: Gunmen kill 48 in Northwest Nigeria

An estimated 200 people were killed and 10,000 displaced in attacks by armed bandits in the northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara following military air raids on their hideouts last week.

Nigeria: Almost 200 people killed in attacks by armed bandits in Zamfara

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has banned mining and imposed a no-flight zone in the north-western state of Zamfara. This comes after the abduction of almost 300 school girls last week.

Nigeria imposes a no flight zone in Zamfara, action after kidnapping incident

All 279 Nigerian students kidnapped from their boarding school in the northern state of Zamfara have been released and are on government premises, the governor of the state told AFP Tuesday.

"I am happy to announce that the girls are free,"&nbsp;Dr. Bello Matawalle told an AFP journalist. "They have just arrived in the government house and are in good health."

An AFP reporter saw hundreds of girls wearing hijabs, gathered at the government premises.

Authorities initially said 317 girls were abducted in the raid by hundreds of gunmen on the Government Girls Secondary School in remote Jangebe village on Friday.

But Matawalle said the "total number of female students abducted" was 279.

"We thank Allah they are all now with us."

Government officials had been in talks with the kidnappers -- known as bandits -- following&nbsp;Nigeria's third school attack in less than three months.

A source said "repentant bandits" had been contacted to reach out to their former comrades as part of efforts to free&nbsp;the students.

Heavily-armed criminal gangs in northwest and central&nbsp;Nigeria&nbsp;have stepped up attacks in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, raping and pillaging.&nbsp;

The Nigerian military deployed to the area in 2016 and a peace deal with bandits was signed in 2019 but attacks have continued.

In December, more than 300 boys were kidnapped from a school in Kankara, in President Muhammadu Buhari's home state of Katsina, while he was visiting the region.

The boys were later released but the incident triggered outrage and memories of the kidnappings of 276 schoolgirls by jihadists in Chibok that shocked the world.

Many of those girls are still missing.

The gangs are largely driven by financial motives and have no known ideological leanings.

But there are concerns they are being infiltrated by armed Islamists. The jihadists' decade-old conflict has killed more than 30,000 people and spread into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Authorities have denied paying any ransom to secure the recent releases, although analysts say this is unlikely and security experts fear that this will lead to an increase in kidnappings in these regions plagued by extreme poverty.

Kidnapping for ransom in Africa's most populous country is already a widespread national problem, with businessmen, officials and ordinary citizens snatched from the streets by criminals hunting for ransom money.&nbsp;

At least&nbsp;$11 million&nbsp;was paid to kidnappers between January 2016 and March 2020, according to&nbsp;SB Morgen, a Lagos-based geopolitical research consultancy.&nbsp;

All 279 Nigerian students kidnapped from their boarding school in the northern state of Zamfara have been released and are on government premises, the governor of the state told AFP Tuesday.

All 279 Nigerian students kidnapped from their boarding school in the northern state of Zamfara have been released and are on government premises, the governor of the state told AFP Tuesday. "I am happy to announce that the girls are free," Dr. Bello Matawalle told an AFP journalist. "They have just arrived in the government house and are in good health." An AFP reporter saw hundreds of girls wearing hijabs, gathered at the government premises. Authorities initially said 317 girls were abducted in the raid by hundreds of gunmen on the Government Girls Secondary School in remote Jangebe village on Friday. But Matawalle said the "total number of female students abducted" was 279. "We thank Allah they are all now with us." Government officials had been in talks with the kidnappers -- known as bandits -- following Nigeria's third school attack in less than three months. A source said "repentant bandits" had been contacted to reach out to their former comrades as part of efforts to free the students. Heavily-armed criminal gangs in northwest and central Nigeria have stepped up attacks in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, raping and pillaging. The Nigerian military deployed to the area in 2016 and a peace deal with bandits was signed in 2019 but attacks have continued. In December, more than 300 boys were kidnapped from a school in Kankara, in President Muhammadu Buhari's home state of Katsina, while he was visiting the region. The boys were later released but the incident triggered outrage and memories of the kidnappings of 276 schoolgirls by jihadists in Chibok that shocked the world. Many of those girls are still missing. The gangs are largely driven by financial motives and have no known ideological leanings. But there are concerns they are being infiltrated by armed Islamists. The jihadists' decade-old conflict has killed more than 30,000 people and spread into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Authorities have denied paying any ransom to secure the recent releases, although analysts say this is unlikely and security experts fear that this will lead to an increase in kidnappings in these regions plagued by extreme poverty. Kidnapping for ransom in Africa's most populous country is already a widespread national problem, with businessmen, officials and ordinary citizens snatched from the streets by criminals hunting for ransom money. At least $11 million was paid to kidnappers between January 2016 and March 2020, according to SB Morgen, a Lagos-based geopolitical research consultancy.

Kidnappers release all 279 Nigerian students after talks with government

Hundreds of students who were kidnapped in Nigeria just a few days back have been released. Zamfara state government has confirmed that all of them are in good health.

News Alert: Hundreds of kidnapped Nigerian students released

317 girls students from Zamfara state were kidnapped a few days back. However, one of the students managed to escape from the abductors. she describes her horrific experience. More than 100 girls are still missing, Parents call out the government, urging them to improve security in the state.

A girl manages to escape from abductors describes her ordeals

100s of girls are missing after a new mass kidnapping at Nigeria's school. Kidnappers have abducted students in Nigeria's Zamfara.

Nigeria: Hundreds of girls missing after mass kidnapping

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