Lake Chad is an African freshwater lake whose water volume has fluctuated with climate and human use; it anchors regional ecosystems and livelihoods.
Nigeria's security forces have freed 308 hostages abducted in recent months, including 163 from Woro in Kwara state and 145 from Niger state. The operation involved the military, police, and counter-terrorism units and is described by officials as the largest rescue carried out in a single day.
The Nigerian government has reportedly engaged in a ceasefire with a Boko Haram faction led by Bakura Doro, with initial calm observed for about three months. The truce covers Ngoshe area and involves negotiations that could include a ransom; authorities deny paying. The arrangement excludes ISWAP and may be temporary, with attacks largely halted but the broader insurgency continuing.