West Africa

Several media in Nigeria are reporting that Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi, the country’s former first lady, has died at the age of 97. Her family has not officially confirmed her death. She is the widow of Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, who seized power after a military coup in Nigeria in 1966. He ruled …

Fifteen students in north-western Nigeria, have been released seven weeks after they were kidnapped from their school by armed men, officials say. A total of 121 one students were seized from Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State. “65 remain in captivity and we are trying to secure their release”, …

After the video went viral, Reverend Father Baltharzzar Obeng Larbi, the priest who was seen kissing three female students duriing church service, admitted his behavior was bad and prayed for forgiveness. Rev. Baltharzzar who has kissed three students of the St Monica ‘s College in Manpong, in the Ashanti region, …

Eleven soldiers in Mali have been killed during an ambush on a convoy in the central Mopti region, the military says. A statement said nine other soldiers were seriously injured when a car bomb was detonated and the convoy was then targeted with heavy gunfire. A Malian officer described the …

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 …