Obasanjo calls out Buhari, tells him not to contest in 2019

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

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

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.

At least six migrants have been killed after guards opened fire at an overcrowded detention facility. It is the latest violence against migrants following recent mass arrests.

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.⁣ ⁣

Libya’s national team slid in the ranks in the group stage for the World Cup qualifiers after suffering a 3-0 defeat against Egypt on Monday. Fans packed squares in the country’s east and west, heartbroken as a defeat on the home front was sealed by a third goal from Ramadan Sobhi in the second half. Egypt scored twice near halftime in Benghazi through Ahmed Fotouh and Mostafa Mohamed, the team’s second straight win over Libya at the start of new coach Carlos Queiroz’s tenure.

Nigerian artist Sly Megida has been using cryptocurrency platforms to sell his pieces after COVID-19 lockdowns and fluctations in the naira's value forced him to reconfigure his business. Nigeria's Central Bank barred local banks from working with cryptocurrencies in February, warning of "severe regulatory sanctions" and freezing accounts of firms it says are using them.

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 U.N. human rights office called on Tuesday (October 12) for a "prompt, thorough, impartial and independent investigations" into the use of disproportionate force by Libyan authorities against migrants and asylum seekers. Armed forces in Tripoli began a series of mass arrests a week earlier, detaining more than 4,000 people in overcrowded detention centres, U.N. rights spokeswoman, Marta Hurtado told a news briefing in Geneva. "Women, children and men were arrested and handcuffed. Security forces used unnecessary and disproportionate force to detain them, including shooting and beating those who resisted or tried to escape. As a result, at least one person died, five were injured, and more than 4,000 were detained," she said.

Nigeria's dependence on crude oil makes its economy vulnerable. But the transition to an economy not based on oil won't be easy.

A resolution is imminent in the dispute over more than 1,000 bronzes stolen from the former Kingdom of Benin. Germany wants to return all the objects to Nigeria.

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