Sahel Security: Niger’s military government is pushing back on multiple fronts as Nigeria and the wider region grapple with militant violence, including a fresh focus on stopping school and student abductions. Terror Cases in Nigeria: DSS and Army operations disrupted Eastern Security Network plans to kidnap WASSCE students in Enugu, Anambra and Imo, recovering weapons and NYSC items; separate Niger State court cases also saw five men sentenced to 25 years each over the Papiri school attack and arms supply links. Niger School Safety: Niger State officials moved to calm parents after rumours of bandit attacks on schools, saying checks found no such incidents and urging continued attendance. Niger’s New Penal Code: Niger criminalised same-sex relations with jail terms of 5–10 years (and harsher penalties for related acts), framing it as “sovereignty” and cultural alignment. Energy & Trade: Algeria broke ground on its Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline segment, reviving a corridor to move Nigerian gas through Niger to Europe. Accountability & Economy: Nigeria’s Senate ordered the arrest of former NNPCL boss Mele Kyari over alleged ₦210 trillion discrepancies, while the World Bank cut global growth forecasts citing the Iran war’s economic fallout.