West Africa

At least 18 people were killed and others wounded on Monday in Nigeria after gunmen on motorbikes attacked a mosque in Maza-Kuka community in Niger state, reports say. According to eyewitnesses, a large group of assailants stormed the mosque and opened fire as the victims offered morning prayers. Local police …

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional community’s envoy in Mali has been expelled as pressure mounts on the country to provide a definitive timeline on its transition to civilian rule. Summoned by the Malian foreign affairs ministry, Hamodou Boly was notified of the government’s decision “declaring him …

The new leader of a jihadist group in Nigeria linked to Islamic State in West africa has been killed by security forces, Babagana Monguno the Nigerian national security adviser said on Friday. Babagana Monguno has announced that Malam Bako, who recently succeeded Abu Musab al-Barnawi as leader of the Islamic …

Lawmakers in Benin have passed a law to legalize abortion in the country, expanding on the restricted circumstances where the practice was already permitted. Abortion, which was legally permitted only in limited situations such as rape or incest, or if the mother’s life was threatened, will now be possible for …

Military leaders in Guinea have eased Covid-19 restrictions, including ending a night curfew and suspending a requirement for prior authorisation to transport bodies outside the capital, Conakry. The military junta, the National Rally and Development Committee (CNRD), on Twitter posted : “The curfew is lifted; advance requests for authorisation to …

Nigerian separatist Nnamdi Kanu has pleaded not guilty to charges of terrorism and treason after appearing in court on Thursday. His appearance in court was the first time he had been seen in public since he was captured abroad and repatriated in June. Mr Kanu’s initial arrest in 2015 triggered …

Senegal seized more than two tonnes of pure cocaine from a ship off its Atlantic coast, the navy said on Tuesday, in the West African country’s largest ever cocaine bust, Reuters agency reports. In a statement, the Senegalese navy said the 2,026 kg of cocaine was found on a ship …

Police in Nigeria said two traditional leaders from Njaba local government area in the Imo state have been killed by armed men. Up to 20 local kings from different communities in the area were in a meeting on Tuesday when gunmen invaded the venue and started shooting sporadically, BBC News …

South African and US law enforcement agencies have arrested at least six members of the Nigerian Black Axe mafia syndicate in Cape Town, TimesLive news website reports. Six members of the mafia group, believed to be behind hundreds of thousands of “romance scams”, were reportedly arrested in a raid in …

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has offered his condolences with the families of victims killed in an attack on a village market in the north-western state of Sokoto and called on citizens not to despair. At leat 43 people died in the Sunday evening attack after gunmen raided the open-air market …