Author: fatimah

A former Malian lawmaker, Mahamadou Gassama, has been sentenced to three years in prison by a court in Côte d’Ivoire for insulting President Alassane Ouattara. The judgment was delivered on Friday by the Abidjan-Plateau Court of First Instance. The court also imposed a fine of five million CFA francs and ordered a three-year ban on Gassama’s residence in Côte d’Ivoire. Gassama previously served in Mali’s National Transitional Council (CNT). Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison sentence during a hearing held on January 9, 2026, but the court opted for a reduced three-year term. The case dates back to 2024, when…

Voting has commenced across Ghana as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) launches a nationwide internal election to choose its presidential flagbearer ahead of the country’s 2028 general polls. Polling centres opened early on Saturday in constituencies across the capital, Accra, and in several regions nationwide, with party officials confirming that voting began smoothly. At the Jamestown Police Station in the Odododiodioo Constituency, 1,314 accredited delegates are expected to participate. Local electoral officials said logistical arrangements had been finalised ahead of the exercise. In other parts of Accra, voting started at multiple locations including the Light Academy in Adentan, the Social…

Niger’s head of government, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has accused France, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire of sponsoring an attack on a military base at Niamey’s international airport. The allegations were made on state television on Thursday after Tiani visited the airbase at Diori Hamani International Airport. Explosions and gunfire were reported late Wednesday night into Thursday at the airport, which is located about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the presidential palace. Tiani, who thanked “Russian partners” for helping repel the assault, did not present any evidence to support the claims. Defence Minister Salifou Modi said the attack lasted “about 30 minutes”…

Burkina Faso’s transitional government on Thursday dissolved all political parties and scrapped the legal framework governing their operations. The decree, approved by the Council of Ministers and chaired by transitional leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, also mandates that the assets of the dissolved parties be transferred to the state. The decision marks the latest move by the transitional authorities to tighten control following the suspension of political activities after the 2021 military coup. Speaking on the development, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Émile Zerbo, said the measure forms part of a broader effort to “rebuild the state” after what he described…

Guinea-Bissau’s transitional president, General Horta N’Tam, has been promoted to the rank of major general, the highest military rank in the country’s armed forces. The promotion was confirmed in a decree signed by N’Tam and published on Thursday. Under the decree, the transitional leader was elevated from brigadier general to major general, increasing his rank insignia from two stars to four. Guinea-Bissau has been under military rule since November last year, when the armed forces seized power shortly after the country’s presidential elections. The military takeover led to the removal of former president Umaro Sissoco Embaló and the suspension of…

Mozambique has received $20 million in flood relief funding from the World Bank to support the country’s response to devastating floods that have affected several provinces since mid-December. The Ministry of Finance announced the funding on Thursday, noting that it was provided under the World Bank’s Regional Emergency Preparedness and Inclusive Recovery Access Programme (REPAIR). According to the ministry, the funds will support immediate humanitarian and recovery efforts after torrential rains destroyed homes, disrupted essential services, and damaged critical infrastructure, leaving thousands of people in urgent need of assistance. Priority interventions include humanitarian relief, public health protection, the restoration of…

The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has decried the flagrant repression of freedom of expression and the safety of journalists, media houses, and citizens in Nigeria. In its 2025 annual report on free expression, entitled “Reign of Impunity,” the non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting freedom of expression, media freedom, and access to information in Nigeria said a total of 86 incidents of attacks against journalists, media houses, and citizens were documented in 2025. According to the report, the attacks were recorded across 27 states, including the nation’s capital, Abuja, with no single case resulting in a successful investigation or…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has resumed enforcement of its ban on alcoholic beverages sold in small containers under 200 millilitres, citing a surge in underage drinking and alcohol-related social issues. In a statement on Thursday, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasized that the ban targets only the production and sale of spirit drinks in small sachets, and no alcohol companies have been shut down. She noted that the proliferation of cheap, easily concealed sachet alcohol has contributed to addiction, domestic violence, road accidents, and other social vices, particularly among young people. The move…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced the lifting of all sanctions imposed on Guinea following the 2021 military coup that disrupted the country’s constitutional order. According to a statement, the decision was finalised after a summit of the bloc’s Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital. ECOWAS said the installation of a democratically elected president following the December 2025 presidential election, and the legal transfer of power to President Mamadi Doumbouya’s government, has “created an atmosphere conducive to the restoration of democratic governance and respect for the rule of law…

Heavy gunfire and loud explosions were reported overnight near Niger’s main international airport on the outskirts of the capital, Niamey, triggering concern among residents. Witnesses said air defence systems appeared to intercept unidentified objects in the sky during the early hours of Thursday, according to videos and eyewitness accounts circulating locally. Calm was later restored, with officials indicating that the situation had been brought under control, though no further details were provided. The cause of the incident remains unclear, and there has been no confirmation of casualties. As of Thursday morning, the transitional government had not issued an official statement.…