Eight k!lled as terrorists bomb bridge in Niger State

Eight persons were k!lled after a vehicle they were travelling in was hit by an improvised explosive device IED in Niger State.

The incident occurred in Borgu Local Government Area of the state on Monday, March 23, 2026.

It was gathered that the vehicle moving between Nuku and Woro stepped on the IED, which exploded and k!lled the seven occupants and the driver. 

According to punch, the IED was planted by terrorists who used a similar IED to destroy a bridge along Luma road, connecting Luma-Babana-Agwara communities.

The bombed bridge connected people moving from  one town to another, particularly the Babanna major border market that holds every Monday.

The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the bombing of the bridge, said a clearance operation was ongoing.

“On 23rd March 2026 at about 6.30 am, a report received revealed that on the same date at about 2 am, suspected terrorists within the park forest used an explosive device and bombed a bridge located along Luma road, Borgu LGA, connecting Luma-Babana-Agwara communities," the PPRO said. 

“It was discovered that the bridge was damaged by the hoodlums during security operations in the area.

“However, monitoring continues while clearance operation is intensified.”

 

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President Trump announces halt to any plans for strikes on Iranian power plants

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a five-day halt to planned military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, saying Washington and Tehran have held "very good and productive" conversations aimed at ending the war.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the two sides had engaged in "in-depth, detailed and constructive" discussions over the past two days on achieving a "complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East".

He said further meetings would continue this week and that the pause in military action was conditional on the "success of the ongoing meetings and discussions".

He wrote: I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WHICH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

Trump's announcement marks a sharp shift from his weekend ultimatum demanding Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face immediate strikes on its power infrastructure. Iran responded by threatening to destroy oil facilities and other critical infrastructure across the Middle East "in an irreversible manner" if the US attacks its power plants.

Traffic through the Hormuz Strait has been heavily restricted since major US-Israeli strikes on 28 February triggered Iranian retaliatory attacks on ships and energy infrastructure across the Mideast Gulf, severely disrupting exports of crude, oil products, LNG, fertilizers, and other commodities from the region.

Earlier today, Iran's Defence Council warned that any attack on its coasts or islands would prompt it to lay naval mines across the Gulf, putting the wider region in a position similar to the strait of Hormuz "for a long time", according to state media. Tehran has also said the strait would only be open to vessels from "non-belligerent" countries co-ordinating passage with Iran.