In the news

The leader of a notorious armed gang in Zamfara state, in northern Nigeria, is reported to have released more than 50 people who had recently been kidnapped. Eyewitnesses saw buses full of hostages heading to the state capital, Gusau. Officials have not said why the group’s leader, Bello Turji, decided …

South African authorities on Tuesday said they had finally contained a suspected arson fire at the parliament building after a second-day flare-up that completely destroyed the lower house National Assembly chamber. A 49-year-old man accused of setting the fire appeared in court to face five charges including arson and possession …

The President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, by decree, sacked the governor of the Central Bank Dier Tong Ngor and appointed a new head of the institution. The dismissal of Mr Ngor was announced on the national broadcaster on Monday night but no reasons were given. Moses Makur Deng who …

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has annouced his resignation on Sunday, six weeks after returning to his post in a deal with military coup leaders he argued could save a transition toward democracy. Hamdok, who had failed to name a government as protests continued against the military takeover in October, …

The Mozambican president Filipe Nyusi and his wife have tested positive for covid-19 and are isolating, the president’s office has announced on Monday. A statement from the presidency said Mr Nyusi and his wife had decided to isolate in accordance with health guidelines after testing positive, even though they were …

The death toll from the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five on Friday, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group of medics, which is aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person who had been killed was hit in the chest by …

Eight soldiers were killed and seven others injured when their patrol was ambushed by suspected militants in western Mali, the army said in a statement on Thursday. The attack occurred late in the afternoon on Wednesday near the town of Nara, around 30 km (19 miles) south of border with …

A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma’s time in power, a Cabinet minister said on Friday. The judicial commission was due to deliver the first part …

Six troops from Nigeria and Niger were killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants during an operation this month, a joint military force said on Thursday. A Multinational Joint Task Force (MTJF) comprising soldiers from Nigeria and Niger had targeted Islamist insurgents near Lake Chad basin but met …

At least four people have been shot dead in Sudan while demonstrating against the military regime, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said on Friday. Security forces had fired tear gas and stun grenades as protesters marched through Khartoum and the neighbouring cities of Omdurman and Bahri towards the presidential …