West Africa

At least 47 people, including 30 civilians have been killed in a clash between Islamist militants and government troops, in northern Burkina Faso. The ministry of communication said 19 others are wounded after suspected jihadists raided a military convoy escorting civilians on Wednesday. The army said government troops had “neutralised” …

As reported by local media in Nigeria, the Lagos state government has banned street begging and has formed a special team to stop what they referred to as “menace”. The team is expected to begin operations in the next few days. A state official in charge of youth and social …

After an agreement with the Ghanaian government, the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) is expected to cancel its strike. The association has been asking the government the restoration of service conditions agreed upon with the government in 2012. The teacher’s association started an indefinite strike last Monday denouncing poor …

Government in Nigeria said under a new law which came into effect on Tuesday, it will disband state-owned oil company. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation would be replaced by an independent company. President Muhammadu Buhari said the Petroleum Industry Law, which was nearly 20 years in the making, marked the …

The trial of former Burkina Faso president Blaise Compaoré and 13 co-accused over the 1987 assassination of his predecessor Thomas Sankara will start on 11 October. Mr Compaoré who currently lives in Ivory Coast and may be tried in absentia, was forced in 2014 to leave Burkina Faso after he …

Aminou Masari, governor of the north-western Katsina state has urged citizens to acquire weapons to defend themselves from armed criminal gangs carrying out kidnappings for ransom. He blamed them for the continued attacks by armed gangs. According to the governor the attackers were emboldened by people’s ‘’meek submission’’ to their …

Seven people have been shot dead at an oil and gas facility in the south-east of the country, Nigeria police reports. The attack took place at Assa in Imo state. The source of the attack which left six oil workers and a police officer dead is not yet knwon. Assaults …

After the confirmation of the first cases of the Ebola epidemic, Ivory coast launches a vaccination program. The announcement was made by the health ministry. The minister said the family of the infected teenager and health workers involved were the first to be given the jab. On Monday, Serge Ehole …

Authorities in Ivory Coast have confirmed the discovery of avian influenza cases in the south-east of the country. The cases were detected in a traditional poultry farm in Mondoukou, a locality in the Grand-Bassam area. In a statement, local authorities said they had already taken measures to curb the spread …

The tracing of people who came into contact with Ivory Coast’s first Ebola case in 25 years has been completed, says the World Health Organization (WHO). “The woman travelled across the country for five days on arrival from Guinea before she was confirmed to have contracted Ebola”, BBC quoted the …