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53 Percent Young Africans Want Military Intervention, German Leaders Told
About 53 percent young Africans won’t mind military intervention if elected leaders abused their offices, Afrobarometer Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joseph Asunka has told German leaders.
The Republican Interest reports that the report is a wake-up call to leaders around Africa to ensure that they did not abuse the privileges bestowed on them.
The German Bundestag (Parliament) provided an important platform for participants to engage with different perspectives as they explore opportunities and challenges for Africa’s democratic future but it turned out that young Africans won’t mind military intervention if the elected leaders abused the privileges given to them.
Asunka was joined by an expert from the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and two activists from Ghana and Uganda for an insightful discussion on the theme “African Spring? Growing youth protests and their influence on democratic change.”
Afrobarometer findings from 28 African countries surveyed in 2021-2022 show that only 43% of adults say that militaries should never intervene in politics, while a slim majority (53%) are willing to countenance this option if elected leaders abuse power. Tolerance for military intervention if elected officials abuse their power is higher among younger adults – 58% of Africans aged 18-35 years, compared to just 48% of respondents over age 55.
On a more positive note, Asunka said strong majorities of Africans endorse core democratic institutions and norms, such as term limits for presidents (73%) and elections as the best way to choose leaders (75%). Moreover, almost two-thirds (63%) of Africans believe that government accountability is even more important than effectiveness.
The data show a persistent gap between demand for democratic governance and its supply, which continues to fall short, Asunka said.
“Most notably, citizens express widespread concern about the integrity of their elected officials, and many indicators of corruption continue to worsen. Of the institutions covered in our surveys, the police top the list as the most corrupt, followed closely by the office of the President. Young people are more critical of institutional corruption,” he said.
Asunka noted that the democratic governance deficit is likely a key driver of apparent tolerance for military intervention and rule, especially among young adults – indicators that should serve as a wake-up call to leaders across the continent and globally.
The German Bundestag (Parliament) provided an important platform for participants to engage with different perspectives as they explore opportunities and challenges for Africa’s democratic future.
Asunka’s participation in the Bundestag event is a testament to Afrobarometer’s commitment to elevating the voices of African citizens and promoting democracy and good governance across the continent. By conducting public opinion surveys and disseminating valuable insights, Afrobarometer empowers citizens and policy makers to strive for more democratic and accountable societies.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afrobarometer.
By Abubakar Yunusa
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has further reduced the ex-gantry price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to N835 per litre.
According to sources at the refinery, the plant dropped the price of the petrol sold to oil marketers to N835 per litre, six days after the refinery reduced it to N865 per litre.
“The refinery reduced the price of the petrol to N835 per litre,” a source told TheCable.
The reduction in Dangote petrol price followed an announcement by the federal government on April 9, that the naira-for-crude oil deal will continue after the first phase ended on March 31.
“The stakeholders reaffirmed the government’s continued commitment to the full implementation of this strategic initiative, as directed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC),” the finance ministry said.
“Thus, the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention, but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining, bolster energy security, and reduce reliance on foreign exchange in the domestic petroleum market.”
On April 15, Farouk Ahmed, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), said the estimated pump price of petrol in Nigeria is less than that of neighbouring countries in West Africa.
Ahmed also said Nigeria’s petrol importation reduced by 29.9 million litres in eight months due to increased contributions from local refineries.
Three suspected herdsmen have been arrested following the attacks that led to the killing of 11 persons at Otobi community in Otupko local government by suspected herdsmen.
Governor Hyacinth Alia disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the Government House in Makurdi, the state capital.
He expressed worry over the situation and called on security agencies to track down the perpetrators.
According to Alia, National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, has promised to deploy more security assets to the State to arrest the renewed wave of attacks in the state, especially the Otukpo axis.
The governor also announced the deployment of security personnel to the affected area, with three suspected herdsmen arrested in connection with the Otobi killings.
According to the member representing Otukpo-Akpa Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Kennedy Angbo, nine corpses were recovered Tuesday night, followed by one in a hard-to-reach area later that evening.
By dawn Wednesday, other corpses were found, bringing the total number of fatalities to 11.
The attack has sent shockwaves through the state, particularly because the Otobi community—home to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources Multipurpose Dam—has now come under assault twice this April.
A security guard was previously killed at the dam site just days before this latest massacre.
Earlier, the governor sent his deputy, Samuel Ode, on an assessment tour to the devastated community.
He offered condolences to the grieving families and reassured residents of the state government’s commitment to tackling the spate of violent attacks across rural areas.
Ode also made some cash donations to carter for some immediate relief while the state emergency management agency has been tasked to move in for needs assessment and provide emergency response to those in need.
The attack on Otobi is the latest in a disturbing string of assaults along the Otukpo-Ado Road, from Okpamaju to Asa One and Asa Two down to the Ebonyi State border.
At least 15 million Nigerians are at risk of flood disasters in 2025, Vice President Kashim Shettima has disclosed.
He made the disclosure at the commencement of a one-day Validation Workshop on the Anticipatory Action Framework for Nigeria held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in the Office of the National Security Adviser Abuja on Wednesday.
The Vice President, however, said the Federal Government is taking a proactive approach as against a reactive approach to forestall the disaster.
He emphasized the need for collaboration among all the agencies of government at the states and Federal Government level to tackle floods and other disasters in the country.
Some of Maiduguri communities submerged in flood following a leak in the Alau Dam in 2024.
VP Shettima decried that Nigeria loses 5 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to floods.
However, he disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has approved the sum of N15 billion to be released for emergency responses.
The Vice President, who also condemned the recent heinous attacks in Plateau state, expressed the sympathy of President Bola Tinubu to the affected families.
He, however, advocated a non-kinetic approach to tackling the security challenges on the Plateau and North-East.
According to him, “There can never be a military solution to the crisis in Plateau, North-East.”
Last week, the Federal Government predicted heavy rains and floods in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The high-flood risk states are: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, said coastal and riverine flooding would be experienced in some parts of the South-South geopolitical zone of the country due to a rise in sea level.
Among these states are Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers while Akwa-Ibom and Edo fall under the high-flood risk states.