Ademola Lawrence gives updates on Balogun market fire

Officials in Nigeria have said the students were freed with the help of several of their captors who had been pressured by a military crackdown to work with authorities.

Tunde Onakoya, a former Nigerian chess champion, is teaching children from one of the poorest communities in Lagos how to play the game. It's a way of broadening their horizons and allowing the best players to access scholarships. Every weekend they work on improving their performance, thanks to Onakoya, who himself grew up in a slum. His charity Chess in Slums now wants to expand into other countries in Africa. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Camille Nedelec and James Vasina.

Nigerian security forces have arrested three men accused of taking part in a mass abduction on Bethel Baptist High School in July. Gunmen kidnapped 121 students who were asleep in their dorm rooms. The attack took place just outside the city of Kaduna in the north-west of the country. One hundred teens have since managed to escape or were freed, but twenty-one are still unaccounted for.

The fundamentalist group, which now rules Afghanistan, put the bodies on display to deter others. The move comes after a Taliban founder said executions and amputations will return.

Gunmen have killed dozens of people in two separate attacks in Nigeria. Villagers in Kaduna and security forces in Sokoto state have fallen victim to suspected islamists and criminal gangs. Also on the show: In an industry dominated by men, we bring you a report on the women workers changing the landscape of the Central African Republic. Finally, we take a look at one of Libya's cultural jewels: Leptis Magna. An archeological site shunned by tourists due to the country's insecurity.

Nigeria's reality TV show 'Gulder Ultimate Search' makes a return Seven years after it was rested. Organizers unveiled 20 contestants for Season 12 of the show on Sunday, September 26 at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island Lagos. Tagged 'The Age of Craftmanship, the show, the winner of the new seasons will walk away with N50 Million naira cash prize. The new seasons will be anchored by a former winner and actor, Kunle Remi.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Tuesday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Tuesday. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Nigeria’s economy has not been all rosy for a few years and people’s purchasing power has taken a massive hit as unemployment rates are spiking. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, plunging the economy into the second recession in less than five years. GuardianTV spoke with these women whose main income comes from driving commercial minibus 'Korope' and tricycle 'Maruwa' through the chaotic road of Lagos, Nigeria to make ends meet.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday⁣. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.⁣⁣⁣

The head of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohammed Buba Marwa, is proposing a mandatory drug test for persons intending to get married. In the opinion of the retired army general, compulsory drug tests for intending couples will reduce the prevalence of drug abuse in Nigeria. GuardianTV went to the Federal Marriage Registry, in Ikoyi, Lagos, to sample the opinion of Nigerians – including a few recently wed – on how they feel about Marwa’s proposal.

Heavily armed gangs have been stepping up raids on schools and villages in northwestern Nigeria, often taking hostages for ransom.

Street begging is illegal in Lagos and carries a fine of around ₦15,000 and up to three months’ imprisonment. With authorities linking crime to the growing number of beggars, the Lagos state government set up a special team to stop panhandling in Nigeria’s most populous state. But these measures have not deterred beggars from thronging the streets of Lagos.