• A Nigerian forest and its animals are under threat. Poachers have become rangers to protect both
• London museum to return 72 Benin treasures to Nigeria
• UK museum agrees to return looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria

• An ideal way to protect Nigeria from internal and external threats: Nigerians Report
• Preventing future Boko Haram attacks: Nigerian military urged to adopt Invincible Defence Technology to create permanent peace
• Preventing future Boko Haram attacks - African and world press reports

• Nigeria's Osun River: Sacred, revered, and increasingly toxic
• Nigeria hit by deadly cholera surge focused on north
• Northern Nigeria state suspends schools due to insecurity

---

Positive Trends
Short Summaries of Top Stories

A Nigerian forest and its animals are under threat. Poachers have become rangers to protect both
26 August 2023 - Before becoming a ranger, Sunday Abiodun, 40, killed animals for a living, including endangered species like pangolin. He is now part of a team working to protect Nigeria's Omo Forest Reserve, which is facing expanding deforestation from excessive logging, uncontrolled farming, and poaching. ...For decades, the conservation foundation [nonprofit Nigerian Conservation Foundation] has assisted in forest management, but hiring former hunters has proven to be a game changer, particularly in the fight against poaching. (more)

London museum to return 72 Benin treasures to Nigeria
10 August 2022 - A London museum is to return 72 treasured artifacts, including its collection of Benin bronzes, to Nigeria in what experts described as an 'immensely significant' moment. It makes the Horniman, which won museum of the year in July, the first government-funded institution to hand back treasures looted by British forces from Benin City in 1897. (more)

UK museum agrees to return looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
7 August 2022 - A London museum agreed Sunday [August 7] to return a collection of Benin Bronzes looted in the late 19th century from what is now Nigeria as cultural institutions throughout Britain come under pressure to repatriate artifacts acquired during the colonial era. The Horniman Museum and Gardens in southeast London said that it would transfer a collection of 72 items to the Nigerian government. (more)

Germany, Nigeria sign accord for return of Benin Bronzes
1 July 2022 - Germany and Nigeria on Friday [1 July] signed an agreement paving the way for the return of hundreds of artifacts known as the Benin Bronzes that were taken from Africa more than 120 years ago -- an accord that Nigerian officials hope will prompt other countries to follow suit. (more)

Nigerian entrepreneur builds electric mini-buses in clean energy push
16 May 2022 - Nigerian entrepreneur Mustapha Gajibo has been converting petrol mini-buses into electric vehicles at his workshop, but he is now going a step further to build solar battery-powered buses from scratch in a push to promote clean energy and curb pollution. At his workshop, he has already stripped combustion engines from 10 mini-buses, powering them with solar batteries. The buses, which have been operating for just over a month, cover a distance of 100 km on a single charge, he said. (more)

Nigeria's looted Benin bronzes returned, more than a century later
21 February 2022 - Two Benin bronzes were returned on Saturday to a traditional palace in Nigeria, more than a century after they were pillaged by British troops, raising hopes that thousands more artifacts could finally be returned to their ancestral home. (more)

Artist's joke to his friends garners $600,000 for Nigerian orphanages
29 November 2021 - A Nigerian musician and showman asked for money on Twitter for his birthday to get his Rolls Royce released from a port, but donated the full amount of $600,000 to orphanages across the country. 'In my usual playful manner, I requested a few days ago that my friends and colleagues send money in celebration of my birthday,' Davido wrote in a statement. 'The response and outcome exceeded my expectations.' CNN reports that he has appointed a disbursement committee to identify orphanages in need and distribute the money accordingly. (more)

Scottish university hands over looted Benin Bronze to Nigeria
29 October 2021 - A Scottish university will on Thursday [28 October] hand over to a Nigerian delegation a Benin Bronze that was among thousands looted by British troops in 1897, the third European institution in two days to return cultural artifacts to their African homelands. The University of Aberdeen acquired the bronze head at an auction in 1957. Following a recent review of its provenance, which confirmed it was one of the looted items, the university contacted the Nigerian authorities to offer to hand it over. (more)

U.K. firm plans to reach millions of Nigerians with solar power
28 October 2021 - A U.K. company aims to provide off-grid solar power to 20 million people in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, where less than half of the population have access to electricity. (more)

ColdHubs: How solar-powered cold storage is reducing food waste in Nigeria
23 September 2021 - In the bustling Ogere Market in Ogun State, Nigeria, the race is on to sell fresh produce early in the day. By noon, the sun is at its peak, and with temperatures soaring, food spoils fast. As the day wears on, food can sell at less than half of its original value, slashing profits for retailers and farmers. That's why Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu decided to take a fresh approach to food waste. He's the founder of ColdHubs, which provides solar-powered food storage units designed for markets and farms. (more)

---

Success of Maharishi's Programmes
Short Summaries of Top Stories

An ideal way to protect Nigeria from internal and external threats: Nigerians Report
8 September 2015 - Recently a string of terrorist attacks have occurred as Nigeria has struggled to build a functional and coherent response. 'Fortunately, there is a science-based approach to create societal coherence that can protect Nigeria from both internal and external threats. It is called Invincible Defense Technology (IDT) because it assures invincibility, peace, and even economic progress, to the nation and the military that employ it,' writes Dr David Leffler, Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Military Science (CAMS), USA, in a recent article published in Nigerians Report. 'Invincible Defense Technology is a proven, state-of-the-art, non-violent military solution.' (more)

Preventing future Boko Haram attacks: Nigerian military urged to adopt Invincible Defence Technology to create permanent peace
1 June 2014 - The military of Nigeria cannot solve the problem of terrorism by standard military means alone, write Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Kulwant Singh and Dr. David Leffler in an article that has been published around the world. The authors urge Nigerian leaders to immediately adopt the evidence-based approach of Invincible Defense Technology (IDT)--an effective, scientifically validated means to reduce violence and terrorism, and create coherence and peace in society. IDT requires establishing a Prevention Wing of the military--a small portion of the armed forces which practises Transcendental Meditation and its advanced technologies of consciousness together every day. Extensive scientific research has documented positive social trends such as reduced conflict and lowered crime rate when the square root of 1% of the population practices the advanced Transcendental Meditation Sidhi Programme in a group. (more)

Preventing future Boko Haram attacks - African and world press reports
28 May 2014 - Can war and terrorism be prevented with the military methods used in the past? Again and again, history shows that the answer is 'no'. War, conflict, violence, and terrorism are human problems that require a human solution. Their underlying cause is accumulated stress in society's collective consciousness. If the collective consciousness is full of tension and fear, then disorder is more likely to erupt into violence than if the prevailing mood is one of contentment. A dissatisfied and frustrated population contributes to its own instability. This buildup of tension is dangerous to any nation's sovereignty, producing an unstable government prone to war. However, if the collective social stress driving these problems is prevented, negative manifestations would cease. Invincible Defense Technology is a scientifically validated solution to reducing social stress, conflict, and violence. Zero collective stress ultimately means no war and no terrorism. (more)

Nigeria: Preventing future Boko Haram attacks
21 May 2014 - Violence and conflict have plagued mankind throughout history, and the terrorist attacks by Boko Haram are just a current manifestation. How can Nigeria protect itself from future attacks? Ideally, the best way to guard against emerging terrorist threats would be to have no enemies. No enemies = no terrorism! An unfamiliar but effective human resource-based approach called Invincible Defence Technology would help the military of Nigeria to begin creating a lasting peace by preventing such enemies from arising, both internally and externally. Invincible Defence Technology (IDT) is a scientifically validated solution to conflict and violence. There are over 50 published studies confirming its effectiveness. This recently revived method of preventive defense promises to end terrorism and conflict. Its adoption in Nigeria can set an example of peace-based defense for the rest of the world--something all military leaders would value. (more)

Nigeria: Global Mother Divine Organization supports tour of Consciousness-Based Education expert
12 January 2011 - The Global Mother Divine Organization in Nigeria was instrumental in the success of the visit of Dr Ashley Deans, Global Ambassador of Consciousness-Based Education, to the country, during his eight-nation tour of Africa. Achievements of the organization in the past year were presented at a recent international conference in MERU, Holland. (more)

Nigeria: International expert presents Consciousness-Based Education in many Delta district schools
1 November 2010 - Dr Ashley Deans, Global Ambassador for Consciousness-Based Education, recently visited Nigeria, where he met with a leading government official in education in the capital city of Abuja. Dr Deans was given official letters of introduction to schools in one district, where he gave many presentations which were all well received. (more)

Nigeria establishes first Maharishi Peace Palace, promotes programmes for ladies through Global Mother Divine Organization
3 August 2008 - The National Director of Nigeria for the Global Country of World Peace reported on her nation as part of the global Guru Purnima celebration of the Global Country of World Peace in MERU, Holland. (more)

Nigeria: Esteemed leader reports inspiring progress of Consciousness-Based Education
22 July 2007 - Princess Amanda Bola Adesida-Peterson, director of Consciousness-Based Education for ladies in Nigeria, reported on successes in her nation on 19 July 2007 during the 'Global Celebration of Consciousness-Based Education for Mothers in Every Generation'. (more)

Ministry of Ministry of Religion, Culture, and Language offers national invincibility to 32 countries
7 June 2007 - National Ministers of Religion, Culture, and Language of the Global Country of World Peace have been appointed in thirty-two countries. They will be invited to bring fulfilment to the cherished religious and cultural goals of their nation, creating a nation that will enjoy invincibility, affluence, peace, and prosperity. (more)

---

Flops
Short Summaries of Top Stories

Nigeria's Osun River: Sacred, revered, and increasingly toxic
23 August 2022 - Yeyerisa Abimbola has dedicated most of her 58 years on Earth to the Osun, a waterway in deeply religious Nigeria named for the river goddess of fertility. As the deity's chief priestess, she leads other women known as servants of Osun in daily worship and sacrificial offerings along the riverbank. But with each passing day, she worries more and more about the river. Once sparkling and clear and home to a variety of fish, today it runs mucky and brown. (more)

Nigeria hit by deadly cholera surge focused on north
2 August 2021 - Nigeria has been hit by a surge in cholera cases in recent weeks, focused on the country's north and adding to a public health crisis accompanied by a rise in COVID-19 cases. The illness, which is caused by contaminated water, can kill within hours if not treated. [Dr. Bashir Lawan Muhammad, the state epidemiologist and deputy director of public health for northern economic hub Kano State, told Reuters] the rainy season was making it worse, while insecurity in the north, where the authorities have been battling Islamist militants and armed criminals, was also hindering the authorities' ability to respond. ... The illness, which is caused by contaminated water, can kill within hours if not treated. (more)

Northern Nigeria state suspends schools due to insecurity
26 July 2021 - The northern Nigerian state of Kaduna has suspended all schooling due to insecurity, state officials said on Monday [26 July], amid a spate of student kidnappings in the region that has rocked Africa's most populous country. ... The state had already imposed a three-week suspension on schooling that expired on Sunday, said another official who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to media. (more)

Nigeria's school abductions: Why children are being targeted
2 March 2021 - Since December, more than 600 students have been abducted from schools in north-west Nigeria, highlighting a worrying development in the country's kidnap-for-ransom crisis. ... Until now, kidnap victims have generally been road travellers in Nigeria's north-west, who pay between $20 and $200,000 for their freedom, but since the well-publicised abduction in 2014 of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok secondary school by Boko Haram Islamist militants in Borno state, more armed groups have resorted to mass abduction of students. (more)

The world is sending tons of illegal, electronic waste to Nigeria
19 April 2018 - Thousands of tons of pollution-filled e-waste are shipped illegally to Nigeria each year, and most of it is coming from Europe, according to a recent study. The study, led by the Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for Africa and United Nations University, is alarming because many of the most common discarded electronics contain toxic metals and other compounds -- such as mercury, lead, cadmium, flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) -- that can harm people and the environment. (more)

Boko Haram leaves 3 million kids out of school in N. Nigeria
29 September 2017 - Boko Haram's ongoing insurgency in northern Nigeria has forced the closure of more than 57 percent of schools in Borno state, leaving about 3 million children without an education as the school year begins, the United Nations Children's Fund said Friday [29 September]. 'Children in northeast Nigeria are living through so much horror,' said Justin Forsyth, UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director at the end of a three-day visit to Maiduguri, the epicenter of the crisis in the northeast. 'In addition to devastating malnutrition, violence, and an outbreak of cholera, the attacks on schools is in danger of creating a lost generation of children, threatening their and the country's future.' (more)

Trafficking of Nigerian women into prostitution in Europe 'at crisis level'
8 August 2016 - The UN says 80 per cent of the Nigerian women who came to Italy by boat in the first half of 2016 will be trafficked into prostitution. The trafficking of Nigerian women from Libya to Italy by boat is reaching 'crisis' levels, with traffickers using migrant reception centres as holding pens for women who are then collected and forced into prostitution across Europe, the UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM) warns. Although a thriving sex trafficking industry has been operating between Nigeria and Italy for over three decades, there has been a marked increase in the numbers of unaccompanied Nigerian women arriving in Italy on migrant boats from Libya. (more)

Boko Haram attacks northeast Nigerian city, town, 80 killed
28 December 2015 - Boko Haram Islamic extremists struck a city and a town in northeastern Nigeria with rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers Monday, killing at least 80 people, witnesses said. The attacks appear to be a challenge to President Muhammadu Buhari's declaration last week that Nigerian security forces have 'technically won the war' against Boko Haram and that it is now capable of no more than suicide bombings on soft targets. (more)

Boko Haram violence forces 1 million children from school
22 December 2015 - Attacks by Islamic extremist group Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria and neighboring countries have forced more than 1 million children out of school, heightening the risk they will be abused, abducted, or recruited by armed groups, the United Nations children's agency said Tuesday. The conflict has forced more than 2,000 schools to close in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, the agency said. Insecurity also prevents teachers from going back to classes, the agency said. About 600 teachers have been killed during Boko Haram's six-year insurgency, it said. (more)

Nigeria's Boko Haram kills 49 in suicide bombings
18 November 2015 - Blasts from suicide bombers Wednesday were the latest by Boko Haram, Nigeria's home-grown extremists whose 6-year insurgency has killed 20,000 and forced 2.3 million to flee their homes. Boko Haram was named Wednesday as the world's most deadly extremist group in the Global Terrorism Index. Deaths attributed to Boko Haram increased by 317 percent in 2014 to 6,644 compared to 6,073 blamed on the Islamic State group. Boko Haram pledged allegiance to IS in March and calls itself that group's West Africa Province. (more)