Mattis says does not have complete accurate information on Niger ambush

Here is what we now know about the bridge being constructed to minimise traffic congestion on the old Niger Bridge and estimated to gulp a whopping ₦414 billion.⁣⁣

At least 25 primary school children were killed when their thatched-roof classrooms caught fire in southern Niger on Monday the council of ministers said in a statement. Fourteen more children were injured, including five in a critical condition, the statement said. The school is in the town of Maradi, more than 600 km (370 miles) east of the capital Niamey. Classes have been suspended and three days of mourning declared in Maradi.

At least 18 people were killed on Sunday in an artisanal gold mine collapse in southern Niger, the local mayor said on Monday. The disaster took place in the southern Maradi region, near the border with Nigeria. The death toll is likely to rise, said the mayor of the commune of Dan Issa, Adamou Guero, . The Governor of the Maradi region, Aboubacar Chaibou, visited the site on Monday and promised better working conditions for people at the sire.

In Zinder, Niger, industrial bakeries are taking over, leaving artisanal bakeries fighting for survival. These smaller bakeries now have to be strategic when it comes to supplying customers and boosting profits.

French armed forces have said they killed a senior "Islamic State" member believed to have been involved in a 2020 attack that left six French aid workers dead.

An oil production and storage vessel exploded off the coast of Nigeria early on Wednesday (February 2) with 10 crew members on board though it was unclear if there were any casualties or how much crude might have spilled into the sea.

President Mohamed Bazoum says Niger will welcome foreign special forces to secure the region. He said threats from the militant groups would likely rise as France pulls its troops out of Mali.

Oil from the Niger Delta region has brought Nigeria great wealth as well as devastating pollution. Spills from oil pipelines have damaged the environment, the livelihoods and the health of the residents. DW’s Fred Muvunyi reports from Ogoniland.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.

In Niger’s capital, environmental activist Abdel Aziz Mounkaila wants to see Niamey put on a "green" path which would include getting more trees planted and using more sustainable construction methods.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said urgent action is needed to combat hunger amid rising food prices and the devastating impact of climate change in Niger and other areas of the troubled Sahel region.