DSS Rights Reset: Nigeria’s DSS ordered the release of Kaduna farmer Nura Idris after an internal review found no basis for Boko Haram links, paying him N3 million and promising help to restart his livestock business. Sahel Diplomacy Shock: Burkina Faso severed diplomatic ties with France, accusing Paris of neo-colonial ambitions and backing destabilising armed groups; France called the move hostile and said reciprocal steps are being reviewed. AES Coordination: The AES bloc (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) met in Ouagadougou to align on security, economic integration and a unified diplomatic stance ahead of ECOWAS consultations. Power Disruption: TCN scheduled maintenance at the Kumbotso 330kV substation, triggering outages in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe and even Gazaoua in Niger Republic. Education Under Fire: Bandits burned a primary school in Dekara, Borgu LGA, Niger State, despite residents paying a reported ₦10m “protection levy.” Security Policy: Nigeria’s police leadership said it will not recruit repentant terrorists, urging communities not to sign recommendation letters for criminals.