West Africa

Six illegal miners died after sneaking into the old pits of a gold mine in Burkina Faso. Seven others were injured after police fired tear gas, BBC reports. Police said the miners died from lack of oxygen in the deep pits, but did not say anything about the use of …

In Nigeria, the authorities are very criticized in the aftermath of the kidnapping of 73 students from Kaya high school by armed men. The abduction was the umpteenth targeting schools in a few months. Security has since been stepped up in the village of Kaya and its surroundings to prevent …

Defence ministers of the G5 Sahel countries are meeting in Niger’s capital, Niamey, to find out a new approach to the jihadist insurgency in the region. Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad are facing major challenges with a wave of jihadist attacks and the planned withdrawal of the French-led …

Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari has sacked two of his ministers in a rare reshuffle. Those affected are the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Mohammed Sabo Nanono and his counterpart from the Ministry of Power, Sale Mamman. The cause of their removal has not been evoked but a statement from …

After new analyzes by the Institut Pasteur in Lyon (France) on the samples taken from a young Guinean presented by the Ivorian authorities as infected, the World Health Organization (WHO), announced on Tuesday that there is “no proof” of the presence of the Ebola virus in the country. The World …

The Nigerian military has urged residents of Plateau state not to arm themselves, as local politicians advised a few weeks ago. Last week, Plateau’s parliament said as the security forces could no longer guarantee people’s safety, they should take up arms. But the self-arming decision has not been welcomed by …

Cholera disease continues to wreak havoc in West Africa. The epidemic has killed 83 people in Niger, where authorities have recorded more than 2,300 cases since March 13. Out of Niger’s eight regions, six are said to have been affected by the outbreak, which has been worsened by floods. Read …

After 17 years together and 7 years of marriage, Anita Okoye, wife of famous Nigerian artist Paul Okoye aka Rude Boy, filed for divorce a few days ago. And as one might expect, Paul Okoye was quick to take the floor to comment on this unprecedented situation. Former member of …

Boubeye Maiga, Malian former prime minister was arrested on Thursday for his role in the purchase of a presidential plane during the rule of ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. “The exact reason for the arrest was not clear, but it was related to Mali’s purchase of a jet in 2014 …

Hundreds of Islamist fighters have attacked a military post in the southern region of Diffa, the defence ministry in Niger says in a statement. The attack left sixteen soldiers dead and nine other wounded, it said. During the fight, Nigerien army succeeded in killing 50 members of the Boko Haram …