West Africa

At least seven soldiers were killed and two others missing in Nigeria after they were ambushed by gunmen while on patrol in the eastern state of Taraba, Reuters reported, citing two military sources. The attack occurred on Tuesday night when troops from the 93 Battalion came under heavy fire in …

In an interview with Ghanaian TV3 television, a sex worker said one does not become prostitute by chance, that it would be like a call from God, a vocation. “This task is only possible if God has called you,” she said. She said her dream was to become a marketer, …

Authorities in Ghana have suspended a search operation for the missing crew of a fishing vessel that sank off the country’s western coast. Stormy weather conditions and difficulty in hauling in a net full of fish are believed to have led the vessel to capsize, according to a fisheries official. …

Unidentified gunmen attacked the civil prison of Nouna, in the province of Kossi, Burkina Faso, killing one person and helping around 60 prisoners to escape, local media reported. According to the Burkina Information Agency (AIB), a service vehicle, two staff motorcycles and a sum of money were taken away by …

A search operation is under way for 11 people who are missing following the sinking of a fishing vessel off Ghana’s coast. Rescuers have so far been able to retrieve the body of the captain, one of six Chinese nationals on board. The incident reportedly occurred after the crew had …

Lawyers defending Malian Islamist suspect Al-Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz for his role as police chief in Timbuktu in 2012 told judges at the International Criminal Court that he was the “wrong man”, the BBC reported. “He should not be convicted because he happened to be in the wrong place at …

A 38-year-old farmer in Ghana has been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for attempting to kill his 16-year-old biological son for money ritual, 3news website reported. Kwabena Ebo, a resident of Ayisakro, a community near Axim in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, was charged with trading …

An evangelist is in trouble after telling people he knows of a gate leading to heaven from south-western Nigeria that he can show them – for a fee, the BBC reports. Pastor Ade Abraham was reported to police by one of his followers, who said the pastor had charged him …

Liberian president George Weah has sacked the head of the country’s only international airport after dark runways, caused by power failures, had forced numerous incoming flights to land in neighbouring Sierra Leone instead. A presidential press release says the new man to manage the airport will be Darlington Karnley, who …

Gambian President Adama Barrow has sacked the country’s vice president and top ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle, government spokesman Ebrima Sankareh announced on state television on Wednesday. Eleven ministers were retained in the new 23-member cabinet that includes three women, reports said. Former education minister Alieu Badara Joof, replaced …