The bodies of the two individuals were found on the morning of Saturday, December 28, near the New Site of the state-owned Niger Delta University and the Ogobiri roundabout.

It is believed that, the thieves had already brought down four streetlight poles and were in the process of removing a fifth when the pole toppled onto nearby high-tension wires, resulting in their electrocution.

The theft of streetlights has reportedly been a common occurrence in the area.

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The initiative aims to unlock new economic opportunities and foster prosperity for the people of both countries.

The commitment was made during a meeting between Kenyan President William Ruto and Ghana’s President-elect John Dramani Mahama.

The two leaders engaged in discussions about broadening intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasising its potential to revolutionise economic integration on the continent.

President Ruto used the opportunity to express gratitude to President-elect Mahama for his public endorsement of Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the African Union Commission chairperson role.

The Kenyan President also confirmed plans to attend Mahama’s swearing-in ceremony on January 7, 2025.

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In a Christmas Day interview, Gen Tchiani accused France of allying with militant groups in the Lake Chad region to undermine Niger’s security, allegedly with Nigeria’s knowledge.

“Nigerian authorities are not unaware of this underhanded move,” Gen Tchiani was quoted as saying by AFP.

In response, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, told BBC Hausa that the allegations were “baseless” and “false”.

Mr Ribadu said Nigeria would never “sabotage Niger or allow any disaster to befall it”.

Nigeria’s Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, said the allegations were unfounded and a “diversionary tactic aimed at covering his administration’s failures”.

“These claims exist solely in the realm of imagination. Nigeria has never engaged in any alliance, overt or covert, with France — or any other country — to destabilise Niger Republic,” Idris said.

Idris also denied sabotaging Niger’s pipeline and agriculture, which it was accused of.

Gen Tchiani’s allegations have worsened diplomatic tensions with Nigeria, already strained since the 2023 military coup that ousted ex-president Mohamed Bazoum.

West Africa’s regional bloc, Ecowas, led by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, imposed economic sanctions on Niger and threatened military intervention if constitutional order was not restored.

Ecowas came to Nigeria’s defence in a statement on Thursday refuting the claims.

“For years, Nigeria has supported peace and security of several countries not only in the West African subregion but also on the African continent,” the regional bloc said in a statement shared on Thursday.

“Ecowas therefore refutes any suggestion that such a generous and magnanimous country would become a state sponsor of terrorism,” it read.

Two weeks ago, Ecowas approved the withdrawal of three military-led countries, including Niger, after they refused to restore democratic rule.

Since the coup, Niger has urged France and other Western powers to withdraw their military bases and formed a security alliance with junta-led neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso.

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Women’s rights campaigners have been pushing for a revision of regulations governing the rights of women and children within the family in Morocco, where Islam is the state religion.

The draft code proposes more than 100 amendments, notably allowing women to stipulate opposition to polygamy in a marriage contract, Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi told reporters.

In the absence of such opposition, a husband can take a second wife under certain circumstances such as the first wife’s infertility, he said, putting more restrictions on polygamy.

It also aims to simplify and shorten divorce procedures, considers child custody a shared right between spouses and gives either spouse the right to retain the marital home in the event of the other’s death, he said.

Divorced women will be allowed to retain child custody upon remarriage and the code will restrict exceptions for underage marriage to 17 years, maintaining the legal marriage age of 18.

While the revised code does not abolish the Islamic-based inheritance rule which grants a man twice the share of a woman, it allows individuals to gift any of their assets to their female heirs, Ouahbi said.

But inheritances between spouses from different religions can only occur through wills or gifts.

Moroccan women’s rights defenders, who have pushed particularly for equal inheritance laws, could not be reached for immediate comment.

King Mohammed VI, the country’s supreme religious authority, said on Monday that the amended code, which has to be submitted to parliament for approval, should be underpinned by “the principles of justice, equality, solidarity and harmony” with Islamic precepts and universal values to protect the Moroccan family.

The makeshift boat was carrying around 80 people when it capsized. Only 11 survived, the Ministry of Malians Abroad said in a statement on Thursday, after collecting information to reconstruct the incident.

A crisis unit has been set up to monitor the situation and will report any further updates, it added.

The Atlantic migration route from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands, typically used by African migrants trying to reach Spain, has seen a surge this year.

Years of conflict in the Sahel region that includes Mali, unemployment and the impact of climate change on farming communities are among the reasons why people attempt the crossing.

The route, which traces the Atlantic coasts of Mauritania and Morocco up to Spain, is one of the world’s deadliest.

An unprecedented nearly 5,000 migrants died at sea in the first five months of 2024 trying to reach the Spanish archipelago, migration rights group Walking Borders said in June.

Source: Reuters

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A decision on Monday by Mozambique’s top court confirming long-ruling party Frelimo’s victory in the election has sparked fresh nationwide protests by opposition groups and their supporters who say the vote was rigged.

While Rafael blamed protests outside the prison for encouraging the riot, Justice Minister Helena Kida told local private broadcaster Miramar TV that the unrest started inside the prison and had nothing to do with protests outside.

“The confrontations after that resulted in 33 deaths and 15 injured in the vicinity of the jail,” Rafael told a media briefing.

The identities of those killed and injured were unclear.

About 1,534 people escaped from the prison in the incident but 150 have now been recaptured, Rafael said, adding that there were prison break attempts at two other prisons.

“We are worried as a country, Mozambicans and security forces,” Rafael said. “We expect in the next 48 hours a rise in crime.”

Mozambique’s interior minister said on Tuesday that at least 21 people were killed in unrest after the top court’s decision.

Prior to Tuesday, civil society monitoring group Plataforma Decide said at least 130 people have been killed in clashes with police since the unrest started.

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His announcement came as his supporters staged violent protests across the country to demand an end to the 49-year rule of the Frelimo party.

The capital Maputo was like a ghost town on Christmas Eve, with almost all businesses shut and people staying at home to avoid being caught up in the worst unrest in the city since Frelimo rose to power with independence in 1975.

Frelimo’s offices, police stations, banks and factories have been looted, vandalised and set ablaze around the country.

Since Monday, at least 21 people have been killed in the unrest, the interior minister said late on Tuesday.

The latest unrest began on Monday after Mozambique’s highest court upheld the victory of Frelimo’s presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, in elections held in October.

Mondlane had challenged the result, alleging that the poll was rigged.

In a Facebook live broadcast to his supporters on Tuesday, Mondlane said he rejected the ruling of the constitutional court, adding that he would assume the office of president on 15 January – the day that Chapo is due to be sworn in.

President Filipe Nyusi is due to step down at the end of his two terms.

It is unclear how Mondlane intends to take office, as he is currently in self-imposed exile in an unknown country.

He has frequently rallied his supporters via speeches on Facebook live, but has urged them to remain peaceful.

“We are with the people. We do not advocate any form of violence,” Mondlane said in his latest address.

Chapo has not yet commented on his declaration.

October’s election was the first time both of them had run for the presidency, with the electoral commission declaring Chapo the winner with 71% of the vote to Mondlane’s 20%.

The constitutional court revised the result, giving the Frelimo candidate 65% and Mondlane 24%.

Rights groups say that more than 100 people have been killed in unrest since the elections.

They accuse the security forces of being responsible for many of the killings, but police commander Bernadino Rafael had previously told the BBC that his officers had been defending themselves after coming under attack.

Mondlane fled Mozambique after accusing police of threatening behaviour, and two of his aides were shot dead in October.

The 50-year-old evangelical pastor contested the election as an independent after breaking away from the main opposition Renamo party.

His support is strongest among young people, many of whom are unemployed and demanding change.

Frelimo fielded the 47-year-old Chapo as its youngest-ever presidential candidate.

He has previously rejected suggestions that he and Frelimo rigged the poll, saying: “We are an organised party that prepares its victories.”

Source: BBC

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The disease, mainly transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or excrement, has infected 1,154 people in six Nigerian states.

Jide Idris, head of the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC), said the agency’s risk assessment has categorized it as high, prompting the activation of the emergency Operations Centre to manage the outbreak.

“While the disease occurs throughout the year, peak transmission typically happens between October and May, coinciding with the dry season when human exposure to rodents increases,” he said at a press briefing in Abuja.

The centre will ensure seamless coordination of the control and management of the outbreak.

Symptoms of the virus – which can also be passed between people through bodily fluids of those infected – include fever, headaches and, in the most severe cases, death.

The World Health Organization classifies Lassa fever as a priority disease due to its epidemic potential and lack of approved vaccines.

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Recent Kenyan history is littered with stories of huge contracts that have resulted from corruption – and despite laws that are supposed to prevent this from happening, there are suspicions that it continues to take place.

Thirty-year-old Mr Amenya, who is studying in France for an MBA, leaked details on social media of what he said was a proposed agreement between Kenya and the Adani Group, an Indian multinational, in July.

It concerned the management of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) – the country’s – and region’s – biggest airport, which is long overdue for a complete overhaul.

“The first feeling I had [when I was passed the documents] was that it was just another government deal… I did not understand the magnitude or the seriousness of it,” Mr Amenya, whose profile as an anti-corruption activist had been on the rise, tells the BBC.

The documents detailed a $2bn (£1.6bn) proposal by the Adani Group to lease JKIA for 30 years in order to modernise and run it.

As he started to go through the papers, he felt that if it was to go ahead, it “was going to hurt the Kenyan economy” while all the benefit would go to the Indian multinational.

The deal appeared unfair to him, according to what he read, as Kenya would still be putting in the largest share of the money but not reaping the financial rewards.

Mr Amenya had good reason to think the papers were genuine as “the people who were giving me these documents were from very legitimate departments of government”, he says.

The Adani Group is involved in infrastructure, mining and energy projects globally, in countries such as Israel, the UAE, France, Tanzania, Australia and Greece. Its founder Gautam Adani is a big player in India’s economy and is a close ally of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Through further reading, Mr Amenya says he discovered that the Adani deal with Kenya could have left his country with an obligation to pay the company if it did not recoup its investment.

“This was a great breach of trust of the people by the leadership of the president, the Kenya Airports Authority, the minister – they all betrayed the people,” he alleges.

Despite the evidence in his hands, Mr Amenya wrestled with what to do next. His own safety was at risk, though being in France he was better off than being in Kenya, where anti-corruption activists have been targeted and some killed.

“I was a bit scared. I didn’t know what’s going to happen. I’m risking my career, I’m risking my life, why should I take the risk to do this?” he asked himself at the time.

However, in the end, he felt that staying quiet was not an option.

“You know, it’s only cowards who live long.”

After spending weeks going through what he had been sent, Mr Amenya leaked the documents on his X page in July, immediately sparking outrage in Kenya.

JKIA airport workers went on strike demanding that the deal be scrapped.

“It felt like a duty for me, for my country. Even if I am far away, I still have a duty to my country. I want to see a better Kenya, my home country becoming developed, industrialised and an end to corruption.”

He worried that the airport deal was a harbinger of what might come next.

Mr Amenya says it was not just the unusual terms and lack of transparency that rang alarm bells, it was also, he alleges, that Kenyan laws appeared to have been systematically ignored.

“[The authorities] never did due diligence for this company… they did not follow the due process of procurement.”

He alleges that some government officials hoped to bypass the legal requirements, including public consultation, that are supposed to prevent taxpayers’ money from being misspent.

A report in April by the Kenya Airports Authority on the proposed deal highlighted that there was no plan to consult stakeholders on the plan.

“This was in April, and by July when I was exposing this, they had not done any public participation. It was quite secret this deal, and by that time they were just a month away from signing the deal,” Mr Amenya alleges.

“After I exposed this deal is when they hurriedly tried to come and do like a sham public participation – they called the Kenya Airports Authority staff and started to have stakeholder meetings.”

Various officials and branches of the state denied allegations of corruption in the process and the authorities went ahead to sign another multimillion-dollar deal with the Adani Group – this time to construct power lines.

The Adani Group said Mr Amenya’s claims were baseless and malicious.

A spokesperson told the BBC that “the proposal was submitted following Kenyan Public Private Partnership regulations and was intended to create a world-class airport and significantly enhance the Kenyan economy by creating numerous new jobs”.

The Adani Group further says that no contract was signed as “discussions did not progress to a binding agreement”.

The company also says the proposal for the energy deal was above board and that the company “categorically refutes all allegations and insinuations of any violation of Kenyan laws in our operations or proposals.

“Every project we undertake is governed by a strong commitment to compliance, transparency and the laws of the respective countries in which we operate,” the statement read.

But it was not Mr Amenya’s leak that actually changed the government’s mind.

It was only when the US authorities indicted Gautam Adani for alleged involvement in a $250m (£200m) bribery scheme that Kenya acted.

Representatives from the Adani Group denied the allegations from US prosecutors and called them “baseless”.

At a state-of-the-nation address in parliament last month, Kenya’s President William Ruto announced the cancellation of both Adani deals.

“In the face of undisputed evidence or credible information on corruption, I will not hesitate to take decisive action,” Ruto said in a speech met with loud cheers inside parliament.

Kenyans celebrated the decision which Ruto attributed to new information provided by investigative agencies and partner nations.

“I was in class when this announcement came. I couldn’t believe it,” Mr Amenya says.

“I think in the first one hour, I had tears in my eyes. I was so happy.”

Although he does not see himself as a hero, messages of support poured in from everywhere, including from India.

Forty minutes after the class ended, he posted his now-famous tweet “Adios Adani!!” – goodbye Adani.

“It was momentous… All that I did finally paid off.”

The feeling of triumph, however, came after months of personal struggle and pressure.

Soon after exposing the airport deal, Mr Amenya was sued for defamation by an Adani Group representative and a Kenyan politician, making him question whether he should continue.

“Some people were coming to me from the government, they were even ready to pay me, they were telling me: ‘You need to cash out and just stop this fight with the government,'” he recalls.

“It would have been the biggest mistake of my life to give up, a betrayal to the Kenyan people.”

But even after scrapping the deals, President Ruto still questions why Kenyans opposed this and many other projects he has championed. He says he will find a way to upgrade the airport.

“I saw them saying that those who stopped the upgrading of our airport are heroes. Heroes? What do you gain when you stop the building of an airport in your country?” Ruto asked at a public function in early December.

“You have no clue how it’s going to be built, and those who are opposed have never even stepped foot inside an airport, you just want to oppose.”

Mr Amenya, who is still facing the defamation cases, is now fundraising to help with his legal fees, and says his future in Kenya is uncertain.

“I have received threats from credible intelligence agencies and people in Kenya that have warned me not to go back because obviously there’s some people who are very angry with what I did,” he says.

A hefty price, but one Mr Amenya says he would gladly pay again.

“We don’t really need to wait for someone to save us,” he says.

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It is the third case this week of people being crushed to death at events where free food was being distributed.

The fatalities in Okija occurred at a charity event on Saturday, when residents rushed to collect Christmas donations, including rice and vegetable oil.

On the same day, a similar tragedy at a Catholic Church in the capital city of Abuja killed 10 people, while 35 children died during a carnival event on Wednesday in the city of Ibadan.

Police have now warned organisers to notify authorities before holding charity events to prevent such loss of life.

Toyin Abdul Kadri, who witnessed the crush at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Abuja, told AFP news agency the attendees “forced the gates and forced their selves inside”.

The event involved “vulnerable and elderly individuals” and four children were killed, the police said.

In a social media post about the crushes, Amnesty International Nigeria wrote: “President Bola Tinubu’s government must urgently prioritise addressing widespread hunger, higher unemployment and the rapidly falling standard of living.”

Food and transportation costs have more than tripled in Nigeria in the last 18 months.

The global bout of inflation has been exacerbated by some of the policies of the government – designed to strengthen the economy in the long-term – such as ending a fuel subsidy.

In a statement on the deadly crushes, President Bola Tinubu said: “In a season of joy and celebration, we grieve with fellow citizens mourning the painful losses of their loved ones. Our prayers of divine comfort and healing are with them.”

He urged state governments and the police to enforce strict crowd control measures, and has cancelled all his official engagements in honour of the victims.

He also noted the similarities between the incidents, including one earlier this week in the south-west city of Ibadan.

A crush at a school funfair there killed 35 children and seriously injured six others.

Thousands of people had turned up on the promise of free food.

Residents in Bashorun, a suburb of Ibadan, told the BBC the crowd soon exceeded 5,000 with many attempting to force their way through the school gate. Parents are said to have tried to scale the fence surrounding the compound to gain access.

Police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the three “tragic” incidents highlight the “urgent need for a more structured and effective approach to delivering aid to vulnerable communities and members of the public in general”.

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Cyclone Chido has killed 94 people in Mozambique since it made landfall in the east African country last week, local authorities have said.

The country’s National Institute of Risk and Disaster Management (INGD) said 768 people were injured and more than 622,000 people affected by the natural disaster in some capacity.

Chido hit Mozambique on 15 December with winds of 260 km/h (160mph) and 250mm of rainfall in the first 24 hours.

The same cyclone had first wreaked havoc in the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, before moving on to Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Last Sunday, during a church service, Apostle Ekatso had a revelation in which he described seeing the entire country enveloped in darkness and others wailing.

Liberia’s Parliament building was gutted by fire on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, following an anti-government protest on Tuesday.

According to Apostle Ekatso, the West African country of Liberia could face some very turbulent times in coming days and prayers were needed to avert the situation.

“I saw the flag of Liberia down; the country was covered with Black, and the Vice President of Liberia became the President. Their Parliament House was covered black.

“In fact, I saw the people over there crying. Let’s pray for Liberia. I don’t want what happened to Ghana some time ago to happen there,” he said in last Sunday’s sermon.

@apostleekatso PROPHECY FOR LIBERIA I saw the flag of Liberia down, the country was covered with black and the Vice President of Liberia became the President. The seat of the president was covered with black. Infact I saw the people over there crying. Let’s Pray for Liberia. I don’t want what happened to Ghana sometime ago to happen there. #creatorsearchinsights ♬ original sound – Apostle Ekatso Ministry

Apostle Ekatso, also known as the “Spiritual Calculator,” has over the years made some prophecies that have seen light, with many commending him for his unique spiritual sight.

He previously called the Ghana presidential elections for John Dramani Mahama, which came to pass after he garnered over 56% of the vote cast.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Resident Abroad confirmed the development in a statement.

The release followed the intervention of King Mohammed VI, whose mediation prompted Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré to grant the request favourably.

This act of diplomacy reflects the strong and long-standing ties between Morocco and Burkina Faso and the excellent personal relationship between King Mohammed VI and President Traoré.

On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his heartfelt gratitude to King Mohammed VI during a telephone conversation.

According to a statement from the Élysée Palace, President Macron warmly thanked the Moroccan monarch for his instrumental role in securing the freedom of the four French citizens after nearly a year in detention.

The Élysée emphasized that this mediation showcases the enduring partnership and mutual respect between Morocco and France.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the significance of the successful mediation, describing it as a humanitarian triumph rooted in Morocco’s diplomatic strength and the shared commitment to maintaining positive relations with Burkina Faso.

This event not only underscores King Mohammed VI’s dedication to peaceful resolutions but also reinforces Morocco’s position as a reliable mediator in regional and international matters.

Source: Reuters

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The incident occurred at an Islamic high school where a large crowd had gathered for a family event.

“While investigations are ongoing, the primary organisers of the event that led to this stampede have been taken into custody,” Makinde said in a statement posted on X.

Reuters could not immediately establish how many people had died or what caused the incident.

Emergency services, including medical personnel and ambulances, were immediately dispatched to the scene, Makinde said.

Security forces were also deployed to control the situation and prevent further casualties.

The event has been halted, and the rest of the attendees have been safely evacuated from the venue, he said.

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Boating accidents are common in Congo, where old, wooden vessels are the main form of transport between villages and are often loaded far beyond capacity.

The boat was carrying as many as 100 passengers when it sank on Tuesday in western Mai-Ndombe province, the local official said. The victims included 15 women, five men and two children.

“Until we have safer, metallic boats, we will continue to have shipwrecks. There are thousands of these wooden ones circulating on the waters of Mai-Ndombe,” the provincial governor Lebon Nkoso Kevani told Reuters.

He added that a team of provincial officials had deployed to the area to investigate and that many passengers were believed to have escaped to shore after the disaster.

In October, at least 78 people drowned when a boat carrying 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Anicet Babanga, a senator for Mai-Ndombe province, told Reuters on Wednesday that around 30 people were confirmed to have survived the latest wreck, and that a search was underway to establish the fate of the other passengers.

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The approval marks the end of Shell’s nearly a century of operations in Nigerian onshore oil and gas and is part of a broader retreat by Western energy companies from Nigeria, including Exxon Mobil Italy’s Eni and Norway’s Equinor.

Shell’s sale to Renaissance, comprising five companies, was announced in January but was blocked in October by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The regulator had cited Renaissance’s inability to demonstrate its capacity to manage the assets, which hold an estimated 6.73 billion barrels of oil and condensate, and 56.27 trillion cubic feet of gas.

The NUPRC and Shell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Renaissance said, “This approval marks a significant step forward from the announcement of the sale and purchase agreements in January”.

This week, Shell announced its Nigerian subsidiary had made a final investment decision on Bonga North, a deep-water project off the coast of Nigeria.

The project, which will help maintain oil and gas production at Bonga, will be connected to Shell’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading facility, where the oil company has a 55% stake.

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The mix-up began when the family repatriated what they believed to be Peace’s body from a South African mortuary.

Peace had been tragically killed in a shootout in South Africa and his body aired to Zimbabwe.

Family members had initially expressed doubts about the identity of the body upon its arrival. However, the hearse driver dismissed their concerns, insisting it was Peace’s body.

“People even joked with the driver that if it turned out not to be our relative, he would bear the costs. But the driver was adamant he knew him,” said Patience Waziwanhaka, Peace’s sister-in-law.

The truth came to light on the day of the burial when South African authorities informed the driver of the mix-up.

Two days after the burial, the Malawian man’s body was exhumed, and the remains, along with Peace’s clothes and burial items, were taken back to South Africa.

The family is now consulting traditional leaders to address the cultural and spiritual repercussions of the mix-up.

“We thought we had given our son a befitting send-off, only to learn it was someone else,” said Theresa Tafirei, Peace’s aunt. “We don’t know the impact this will have on both families.”

Village head Tinonesana Sithole criticized the decision not to conduct a body viewing, stating it could have prevented the tragedy.

The family is now working to repatriate Peace’s actual remains from Pretoria, South Africa, so they can lay him to rest properly.

“We just want our son’s remains back,” said Martha Mutowo, Peace’s aunt.

Police say three bodies were recovered earlier this week on the first day of the rescue operation.

Most of those rescued, reportedly foreign nationals, claim they were forced underground against their will to search for gold.

A police spokesperson confirmed the miners have been arrested, and investigations are continuing into illegal mining activities in the region.

Days earlier, the national police head Fannie Masemola also confirmed officers were investigating “allegations of human trafficking and forced labour in these mining operations by those who have resurfaced”.

On Friday night, the final miner to emerge from the disused shaft blew a whistle as he was received by army officers.

He appeared exhausted but could not hide his relief after surfacing.

A police spokesperson confirmed the rescue operation at the Mpumalanga mine is now complete, though investigations will continue before the site is shut down.

Meanwhile, rescue efforts are still underway at another abandoned mine in Stilfontein, south-west of Johannesburg.

Authorities plan to deploy more equipment on Monday to assist with removing those still trapped underground.

Illegal mining is widespread across South Africa, costing the economy millions in lost revenue.

Gen Masemola has described Mpumalanga as a hotspot for such activities.

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The dismissal of the head of government and his cabinet was announced in a decree signed by the junta leader on Friday.

The decree did not specify why the prime minister was sacked but said members of the dissolved government will continue to serve until a new cabinet is appointed.

Tambela, a civilian, was named prime minister in 2022, shortly after Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a coup.

His dismissal comes barely weeks after another civilian prime minister, Choguel Maïga, was sacked by coup leader Gen Assimi Goïta in neighbouring Mali.

It remains unclear if Capt Traoré will emulate his Malian counterpart by appointing a military official as prime minister, to maintain the junta’s grip on power.

Burkina Faso, like its Sahel neighbours, continues to face security threats from jihadist groups.

Despite promises by the military to improve security, the situation remains dire with frequent attacks from insurgents.

There are concerns that junta leaders in the Sahel are trying to prolong their stay in power, by delaying elections meant to return their countries to civilian rule.

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Citizens are gearing up to exercise their democratic rights, while presidential candidates are, as expected, making their final appeals for votes.

Nonetheless, Thursday, December 5, will mark the end of campaign activities, with the NDC and NPP holding their final rallies before polling day.

However, beyond the rallies and promises, voting patterns from past elections provide vital insights into what each party needs to secure to win. NDC and NPP have made claims, setting percentage targets of votes that should get them to win.

This analysis by DUBAWA delves into historical voting trends in the Volta, Oti, and Ashanti Regions to answer a critical question: What percentage of votes does the NDC need in Volta and Ashanti to win over the NPP?

Volta and Oti Region Voting Patterns (1992-2020)

The Volta Region has been the NDC’s strongest fortress since 1992.

Below is a detailed breakdown of the party’s performance against the NPP over the years:

Volta Region Historical Data

Oti Region Performance

Before 2018, the Oti Region was part of Volta. It officially became a separate entity following a referendum, with its capital being Dambai. Here’s how NDC and NPP have performed in Oti since 2016:

Ashanti Region Voting Patterns (1992-2020)

The Ashanti Region has consistently been the NPP’s stronghold.

Below is a summary of the party’s dominance over the years:

Key insights from DUBAWA

NDC in Volta and Oti Regions

The NDC’s dominance in Volta remains critical. Any significant reduction below 80% could jeopardise their chances in 2024, especially as Oti remains a more competitive landscape for the NPP.

In Oti, the NPP’s growing vote share (35% in 2020) indicates the need for the NDC to intensify campaigns to maintain at least 60% of the vote.

Critical questions tackled by DUBAWA based on historical voting patterns in Ashanti and Volta Regions, including Oti, from 1992 to 2020:

What percentage does the NDC require in Volta?

The NDC needs to secure at least 80% of the votes in the Volta Region to maintain its dominance in 2024. This level of support is critical to offset NPP’s strength in Ashanti and swing regions.

What percentage does the NDC require in Oti?

Given the NPP’s steady rise in the Oti Region, the NDC must achieve at least 60% of the votes. Falling below this threshold could weaken the NDC’s overall chances in the 2024 national election.

What percentage does the NDC require in Ashanti?

The Ashanti Region has been challenging for the NDC due to NPP’s rooted dominance. However, to make a significant impact, the NDC must aim for at least 30% to 35% of the votes in Ashanti.

In 1996, when the NDC came close to this range with 33.8%, they won the national election.

However, in 2016 and 2020, the NDC’s vote share in Ashanti dropped below 30%, correlating with losses in the national polls.

A performance above 30% in Ashanti would demonstrate increased support and be crucial in neutralising NPP’s numerical advantage in 2024.

Does winning 75% of Ashanti guarantee NPP victory?

No. While a strong performance in Ashanti is vital for the NPP, their national victory depends on strong results in swing regions, particularly Greater Accra, Central, and Western.

Swing Regions Matter

Both parties must perform well in swing regions like Greater Accra, Central, and Western to secure a national win. For instance, the NPP secured over 74% in Ashanti in 2008 but lost the national election due to weaker outcomes in Greater Accra and Central Regions.

Conclusion

While Volta and Ashanti Regions remain key battlegrounds for NDC and NPP, neither stronghold guarantees victory.

The outcome of the December 7 elections will ultimately be determined by how well each party performs in swing regions.

Both political parties must strategically target Greater Accra, Central, and Western to secure the presidency.

Source: ghana.dubawa.org

This is contained in the report “Femicides in 2023: Global Estimates of Intimate Partner/Family Member Femicides” by UN Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

To help change this narrative and advocate for the rights of women, a continental Media forum on combating violence against women and girls in Africa has opened in Senegal.

The focus is on respecting Human Rights and empowering girls and women.

The forum, organized by The Africa Media Network for Health & Environment Promotion, REMAPSEN with support from UN Women and Fonds Français Muskoka, seeks to address one of the most pressing human rights issues – violence against women and girls.

Inaugurated as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the event has brought together 65 participants, including media practitioners, advocates, and policymakers, to explore the role of media in amplifying women’s rights and developing concrete policies to counter gender-based violence.

In his opening remarks, REMAPSEN President Bamba Youssouf underscored the urgency of the forum’s mission.

He emphasized the media’s critical role in pushing back against violence, ensuring the empowerment of women, and strengthening communication on human rights.

“When borders are open, they must be open to human rights,” he declared, urging participants to use their platforms to advocate for care and dignity for women across Africa.

Deputy Regional Director of UN Women for West and Central Africa (WCARO), Mireille Kamitatu, highlighted the disturbing realities women face “Every ten minutes, a woman is killed by an intimate partner”.

Thus, 60 percent of female homicides are committed by someone they care about; she noted, calling for immediate and bold action.

“Violence against women is a violation of human rights,” Madame Kamitatu asserted. She believes “the media is uniquely placed to expose these realities, champion survivors, and ensure an inclusive and sustainable approach to combating violence.”

She further pointed out that no country in Africa has yet eliminated violence against women, citing persistent practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.

“We need transformative political will and determined actions to close the gaps in women’s rights and end impunity,” Madame Kamitatu said, stressing the need for legislation and media-driven advocacy to dismantle harmful societal norms.

On the Role of the Media, the forum aims to rally media professionals to become champions of women’s rights.

Participants will deliberate on strategies to expose gender-based violence, amplify survivor stories, and challenge mediums that normalize abuse.

Through collaborative efforts, the forum hopes to craft actionable policies that promote a fair and equitable approach to women’s rights.

Oumar Sanab, a technical director at the ministry, represented Senegal’s Minister of Family and Solidarity, Madame Maimouna Dieye.

Sanab reaffirmed the country’s commitment to addressing inequality and violence against women.

He highlighted the impacts of physical, psychological, and economic violence, stressing that these issues hinder Africa’s broader development goals.

“Transforming mentalities is key,” he said. “We must denounce inequality and amplify the voices of policies that promote women’s rights. This is not just a fight for women; it is a fight for the future of our continent,” he added.

The forum’s deliberations promise to chart a new course for addressing gender-based violence in Africa.

By fostering collaboration between the media, policymakers, and advocacy groups, it also aims to ensure that women and girls are no longer silenced but empowered to thrive in societies that respect their dignity and rights.

As the sessions unfold, the hope is that this gathering in Dakar will ignite bold, transformative action for women and human rights.

The electoral commission said she had won more than 57% of the votes cast, with her closest rival Panduleni Itula getting 26%.

But following logistical problems and a three-day extension to polling in some parts of the country, Itula said on Saturday that his party would not recognise the results alleging electoral malpractice.

As a consequence, most of the opposition parties boycotted the results announcement on Tuesday evening in the capital, Windhoek, The Namibian newspaper reports.

“The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability,” the Reuters news agency quotes Nandi-Ndaitwah as saying once the outcome had been announced.

Swapo has been in power in the large but sparsely populated southern African country since independence in 1990.

A party stalwart, Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is currently the vice-president, is a trusted leader having served in high government office for a quarter of a century.

Once sworn in she will be joining an exclusive club as at the moment Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan is Africa’s only female president.

A trained dentist, Itula, of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), is seen as more charismatic than Nandi-Ndaitwah and managed to dent Swapo’s popularity in the last presidential election in 2019, reducing its vote share to 56% from 87% five years earlier.

The IPC has said it will “pursue justice through the courts” and has encouraged people who felt that they had been unable to vote because of mismanagement by the electoral commission to go to the police to make a statement.

Swapo led the struggle for nationhood against apartheid South Africa. Ahead of last Wednesday’s general election there had been some speculation that it would suffer the fate of other liberation parties in the region.

South Africa’s African National Congress lost its outright parliamentary majority in May and the Botswana Democratic Party was kicked out of power after nearly six decades following October’s election.

Violet Moyo, a 57-year-old, displayed remarkable bravery when she grabbed the lion by the throat and choked it during the terrifying attack.

Moyo was heading to her fields early Thursday morning to prepare for the summer cropping season when the lion ambushed her.

She recalled hearing a roar, turning around just in time to be struck by the animal from behind.

The impact knocked her to the ground, but in a desperate bid for survival, she fought back fiercely.

“The lion tried grabbing my throat with its claws, but I kept dodging it until it sank its claws into my left cheek,” she said in an interview with Sunday News. “I instinctively grabbed its throat and choked it. I held on tightly, not letting go until it lost the will to fight.”

Violet’s tenacity eventually paid off. After a struggle that felt like an eternity, the lion retreated and walked away. As it did, Moyo’s screams drew the attention of local children walking with her grandchild, who had been a few steps ahead.

Moyo’s heroics saved her life, though she sustained lacerations to her arms, face, and body. She is currently recovering at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, where she is receiving medical treatment after the brutal encounter.

Tonderai Gabriel Mugabe asserts that the late president was in a relationship with his late mother, Hilda Maeka and that Mugabe is his father.

According to The Standard, Tonderai Gabriel Mugabe has filed a case at the High Court, suing Bona Mugabe, who was appointed to manage her father’s estate.

In his application, which was seen by the publication, he is demanding a share of Robert Mugabe’s estate and requesting an order to reopen the estate.

He also stated that he needs Robert Mugabe’s death certificate to facilitate the issuance of a birth certificate identifying the late president as his father.

Zimbabweans found humour in Tonderai Gabriel Mugabe’s claim of being the late Robert Mugabe’s son, with many pointing out that he bears no resemblance to the former president or his children.

They suggested that he undergo a DNA paternity test before pursuing any inheritance claims.

On social media, users questioned why he had remained silent for so long, arguing that such a revelation should have been made while Mugabe was still alive.

On the other hand, netizens speculated that financial struggles might be driving his sudden claim of paternity.

Reacting to the exciting news, Yemi Alade shared her heartfelt emotions in an interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo at the 15th-anniversary event of CNN’s African Voices in Lagos.

“It feels surreal. It feels like a miracle to me. Like a miracle has happened in my life. I almost thought this moment might never come. It’s a good time to be alive.”

She further expressed how the nomination has reassured her faith in perseverance and determination:

“I felt seen because it gave me reassurance that anybody out there can become anything. You just have to believe and not stop. Even if the world wants you to stop, don’t stop.”

The nomination marks a significant milestone in Yemi Alade’s illustrious career, solidifying her status as one of Africa’s most formidable voices in global music.

The research firm released its latest prediction, barely 8 days to the December 7 general elections.

The poll projects the former president to secure 52.2% of the vote, ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) candidate and Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is expected to garner 41.4%.

The prediction also estimates 2.5% of votes for Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, 3.0% for Nana Kwame Bediako, and 0.9% for other candidates. This analysis has a margin of error of ±1.8%, with voter turnout projected at 77.6%.

In terms of regional dynamics, Mr Mahama is predicted to win in 10 regions, including Greater Accra, Central, Volta, and Northern regions.

Dr Bawumia is expected to claim victories in Ashanti, Eastern, Ahafo, and North East regions, among others.

The NDC is also forecasted to take the lead in the parliamentary elections, with an estimated 150 seats. The NPP is expected to win 99 seats, while one seat is likely to go to an independent candidate. However, 29 constituencies remain too close to call.

This projection underscores a shift in parliamentary representation, with the NDC potentially consolidating gains in stronghold areas while contesting NPP-dominated regions.

The report highlights critical trends shaping voter preferences, including economic concerns, job creation, and public service delivery.

It also stressed on the role of regional strongholds in determining the overall election outcome.

The predictions reflect a base-case scenario but include worse- and best-case models, where Mahama’s support could range from 50.4% to 54.1%, depending on final voter turnout and undecided voters.

This survey comes not long after a similar research released on Thursday, 21 November 2024, by Professor Smart Sarpong, an Associate Professor of Statistics at the Kumasi Technical University, put Dr Bawumia ahead with 49.1% of popular support in the election.

Dr Bawumia’s closest rival, John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had 45.8% of the vote in that survey, while Nana Kwame Bediako of the New Force is to secure a little over 2%, with Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen of the Movement for Change predicted to place 4th, securing just 1.2%.

Ndugulile, a 55-year-old lawmaker and a medical doctor, died on Wednesday morning in India while undergoing treatment, Tanzania’s speaker of parliament said.

He is known for having stood up to President John Magufuli at the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020, when he served as deputy health minister.

In August this year, he was elected as the WHO regional head, to take over from Botswana’s Dr Matshidiso Moeti, who has served two five-year terms.

He was due to assume the role in February next year.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday said he was “shocked and deeply saddened” by Ndugulile’s death.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu also sent her condolences to the family of the deceased lawmaker.

The reasons he was being treated have not been disclosed.

Before his election to the WHO position, Ndugulile had a distinguished career in both politics and public health.

He represented the Kigamboni constituency in Dar es Salaam as a legislator and held several key governmental positions, including deputy minister for health and communications minister.

He was appointed to the health ministry position in 2017 and stayed there until Magufuli sacked him in May 2020, at the height of the coronavirus epidemic.

No reason was given for his sacking, although media reports suggested that it was related to his stance on the fight against coronavirus in the country, which went against the president’s views.

Magufuli was a vehement coronavirus sceptic and refused to put in place measures that the rest of the world had taken to control the spread of the virus, such as wearing face masks.

In parliament and elsewhere, Ndugulile was often photographed wearing a mask when hardly any Tanzanians were doing this.

A month before his sacking, he had warned against using traditional means of treating patients for Covid, such as inhaling boiled herbs, saying this would block the respiratory system.

Magufuli had openly supported traditional remedies as a way of dealing with Covid.

He asked Tanzanians to be mindful so that they could not be “used for trials of some doubtful vaccinations” and advocated steam inhalation saying that “because the coronavirus is made up of fats, when exposed to such high temperatures above 100°C, it will just disintegrate”.

He also urged Tanzanians to pray. “I don’t expect to announce any lockdown because our God is living and he will continue to protect Tanzanians,” he said.

But at the beginning of his second term in office in December of the same year, President Magufuli appointed Ndugulile as Minister of Communication and Information Communication Technology.

Ndugulile held the position until Magufuli’s death in 2021.

Before joining politics in 2010, Ndugulile had served as a director in the health ministry overseeing diagnostic services.

He played a key role in establishing the National Blood Transfusion Services in 2006, where he served as the founding programme manager.

He had also worked at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in South Africa.

Tanzania proposed him for the WHO post earlier this year, citing his experience and commitment to global health.

After his election in August, he had expressed commitment to advancing health in the continent.

“I promise to work with you and I believe that together we can build a healthier Africa,” he said then.

The outgoing Africa director, Dr Moeti, has described his death as an “immense loss”.

It is the first time a WHO regional director-elect has died before assuming office.

The political process of electing another director is a long and complex one.

Prempeh was the Asante king, or “Asantehene”, of the late 19th Century who resisted British demands that his territory be swallowed up into the expanding Gold Coast protectorate.

A British army from the coast marched about 200km (124 miles) to Kumasi in 1896, took Prempeh as well as about 50 relatives, chiefs and servants as prisoners, and then looted his palace.

The prisoners were taken to the coastal fort at Elmina, before being shipped to Sierra Leone, and, in 1900, on to the distant Indian Ocean islands of Seychelles.

It was not until 1924 that the British allowed Prempeh to return home, by which time he was an elderly man who arrived in Kumasi wearing a European suit and hat.

It is a tragic story, but also one of pride and resistance.

“The British did all they could but they couldn’t break the spirit of Asante,” shouted the master of ceremonies. The current Asantehene, Osei Tutu II, was paraded on his palanquin through the crowd, weighed down by magnificent gold jewellery, amid a glorious cacophony of musket explosions, drum beats and the blare of horns made from elephant tusks.

Asante culture is alive and well.

But Prempeh’s exile did have a lasting impact on both the Asante kingdom and Seychelles, although perhaps not in ways intended by British officials at the time.

The guest of honour at the centenary celebrations, held in Kumasi at the weekend, was Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan, who said “it was an honour, though sad, for us to receive your great king”.

“He showed respect to our people, and in return received the full love of the Seychelles,” Ramkalawan added.

The proof of that is in family ties cherished to this day.

Princess Mary Prempeh Marimba is Prempeh’s great-granddaughter. Her grandfather, James, the son of Prempeh, married a Seychellois woman, and initially stayed on the islands after his father left.

Mary is a nursing supervisor in Seychelles’ capital, Victoria, and travelled to Kumasi with her daughter Suzy, to reunite with dozens of long-lost relatives and discover more about her Asante heritage.

“There are so many mixed emotions, my great-grandfather had so many difficulties, and this is a sad history, but I also come here and celebrate with my family,” she said.

The Asante exiles in Seychelles lived in “Ashanti Town”, on an old sugar plantation, Le Rocher, on the main island Mahé, overlooking the ocean and surrounded by coconut, mango, breadfruit, orange and jackfruit trees.

Prempeh lived in the estate’s villa and was given “every respect and dignity”, according to Dr Penda Choppy, a Seychellois academic who also travelled to Kumasi for the centenary events.

In 1901, the Asante community grew, as Yaa Asantewaa, a queen who led the final resistance to the British, and some 20 chiefs and attendants, were also sent to Seychelles following their surrender.

The long years of exile changed Prempeh. He learnt to read and write and urged the Asante children to attend school.

He embraced Christianity, and, in the words of Asante historian and politician Albert Adu Boahen, “rigidly and uncompromisingly imposed that religion on his fellow political prisoners and their children”.

In the Anglican Church of St Paul’s, the Asante were not the only exiles in the congregation, for they often sat with King Mwanga of Buganda and King Kabalega of Bunyoro, both from modern-day Uganda.

Indeed, at various times, the British also sent political prisoners from Egypt, Palestine, Zanzibar, the Maldives, Malaysia and Cyprus to Seychelles, which was known as a “prison without bars”, as its isolation made the perfect location, from the British point of view, to put troublesome opponents.

The years went by, and Prempeh dreamt of home.

In 1918, he wrote to King George V and pleaded to be allowed to return.

“Consider how wretched I am for I was being taken prisoner… for now 22 years, and now how miserable to see that father, mother, brother and nearly three-quarters of the chiefs are dead.

“The remaining quarter, some are blind, some worn out with old age and the rest being attacked of diverse diseases,” Prempeh wrote.

A few years later, the British, perhaps aware that Prempeh’s potential death in exile could bring political problems in Asante, finally relented.

In November 1924 Prempeh travelled by ship back to West Africa with some 50 Asante companions, most of whom had been born in Seychelles.

“We who do not know him are more than anxious to see his face,” wrote a prominent local newspaper, The Gold Coast Leader.

In Kumasi, many slept by the train station to greet him and, according to a British official, “the scene presented by the huge assembly…. with their white headbands signifying rejoicing or victory, some laughing and cheering, while others wept with emotion, was a most moving and never-to-be-forgotten sight”.

In theory “Mr Edward Prempeh” was now a private citizen, but his people treated him as a king and presented him with royal regalia, including the Golden Stool, said to contain the soul of the Asante nation.

Prempeh died in 1931, and his successor, Prempeh II, was restored to the position of Asantehene in 1935.

Ivor Agyeman-Duah, an Asante scholar and director of the palace museum, helped organise the centenary celebrations.

They were of added personal significance, as his great grandfather, Kwame Boatin, was one of the chiefs exiled alongside Prempeh.

But as Mr Agyeman-Duah acknowledges, exile, for all its pain, also brought opportunities for those who suffered it.

Kwame Boatin’s children went on to be ambassadors and leading civil servants, able to adapt to the dramatic changes that Asante, the Gold Coast and later an independent Ghana, underwent in the 20th Century.

“The exiles had been exposed to the world, and they had something to contribute,” he said.

“What they brought back still inspires us, their dedication to scholarship and public service.”

In a village one hour’s drive from Kumasi, I met Princess Molly Prempeh, an animated lady in her 80s, and also a great-granddaughter of Prempeh.

“I’m the only remaining person here who was born in Seychelles,” she told me.

“I’m Seychellois and Ghanaian – I was five years old when I came back.”

In her old age, Molly has reconnected with the beautiful islands of her birth, and visited twice.

The Seychellois are delighted by the “Old Creole”, which includes more French words, she remembers from childhood.

“When I walk down the streets they shout ‘Heh Princess, how are you?’ ‘Princess, venez, venez, tu bien?’ (come, come here, you good?) they are lovely people. They love the Prempehs in Sesel (Seychelles).”

But Molly’s visits are also tinged with sadness. She goes to the grave of her mother, Hugette, who brought Molly as a young girl to the Gold Coast in 1948.

Hugette later returned to Seychelles, where she eventually died.

Even in her old age, the story goes, she loved to speak the Twi language she had been taught as a little girl by Prempeh herself.

One family’s story of loss, exile and endurance.

Muvevi, who is facing four counts of murder and one of attempted murder for incidents that occurred between November 2022 and January 2023, confessed to being secretly married to three women, none of whom were aware of each other.

He explained that he customarily married all three women and fulfilled his traditional obligations for each.

Muvevi maintained three separate households: one in Zvishavane with a wife and three children, another in Kadoma with a wife and two children, and a third in Harare with a wife and two children.

Despite the logistical challenges, he claimed that his work as a gold miner provided the perfect cover for his absences, allowing him to keep the women unaware of one another’s existence. With a chuckle, he recounted how he successfully balanced his three lives without arousing suspicion.

One of Muvevi’s wives, who met him in 2016 after he had retired from the police force, described him as a calm and non-violent man. She noted that in 2022, he abruptly left their home, which she dismissed at the time as part of his work routine.

She has continued to attend his court sessions and visit him in prison, although it remains unclear how the wives feel about his revelations.

Muvevi’s criminal charges stem from alleged killings linked to his activities as a gold miner, which have led to his detention and mental health evaluation.

Despite the legal battles, he claims that his wives and brothers still support him with visits to the prison. His confession about his triple life adds a deeply personal twist to a case already filled with controversy and tragedy.

“I’m the owner of my baby,” she says defiantly.

She’s sitting next to her husband, Ike, in the office of a Nigerian state official who spends the best part of an hour interrogating the couple.

As the commissioner for women’s affairs and social welfare in Anambra state, Ify Obinabo has plenty of experience in resolving family disputes – but this is no ordinary disagreement.

Five members of Ike’s family, who are also present in the room, do not believe Hope is the couple’s biological child, as Chioma and Ike claim.

Chioma claims to have “carried” the child for about 15 months. The commissioner and Ike’s family are in disbelief at the absurdity of the claim.

Chioma says she faced pressure from Ike’s family to conceive. They even asked him to marry another woman.

In her desperation, she visited a “clinic” offering an unconventional “treatment” – an outlandish and disturbing scam preying on women desperate to become mothers that involve the trafficking of babies.

The BBC was allowed by authorities to sit in on the commissioner’s discussion with Chioma as part of our investigation into the cryptic pregnancy scam.

We have changed the names of Chioma, Ike and others in this article to protect them from reprisal in their communities.

Nigeria has one of the highest birth rates in the world, with women often facing social pressure to conceive and even ostracisation or abuse if they cannot.

Under this pressure, some women go to extremes to realise their dream of motherhood.

For over a year, BBC Africa Eye has been investigating the “cryptic pregnancy” scam.

Scammers posing as doctors or nurses convince women that they have a “miracle fertility treatment” guaranteed to get them pregnant. The initial “treatment” usually costs hundreds of dollars and consists of an injection, a drink, or a substance inserted into the vagina.

None of the women or officials we spoke to during our investigation know for sure what is in these drugs. But some women have told us they led to changes in their bodies – such as swollen stomachs – which further convinced them they were pregnant.

Women given the “treatment” are warned not to visit any conventional doctors or hospitals, as no scan or pregnancy test would detect “the baby”, which the scammers claim is growing outside the womb.

When it’s time to “deliver” the baby, women are told labour will only begin once they are induced with a “rare and expensive drug”, requiring further payment.

Accounts of how the “delivery” happens vary, but all are disturbing. Some are sedated only to wake up with a Caesarean-like incision mark. Others say they are given an injection that causes a drowsy, hallucinatory state in which they believe they’re giving birth.

Either way, the women end up with babies they are supposed to have given birth to.

Chioma tells commissioner Obinabo that when her time to “deliver” came, the so-called doctor injected her in the waist and told her to push. She does not spell out how she ended up with Hope, but says the delivery was “painful”.

Our team manages to infiltrate one of these secretive “clinics” – connecting with a woman known as “Dr Ruth” to her clients – by posing as a couple who have been trying to conceive for eight years.

This so-called “Dr Ruth” runs her clinic every second Saturday of the month in a dilapidated hotel in the town of Ihiala, in the south-eastern Anambra state. Outside her room, dozens of women wait for her in the hotel corridors, some with visibly protruding stomachs.

The whole atmosphere is buzzing with positivity. At one point, huge celebrations erupt inside the room after a woman is told she is pregnant.

When it’s our undercover reporters’ turn to see her, “Dr Ruth” tells them the treatment is guaranteed to work.

She offers the woman an injection, claiming it will enable the couple to “select” the sex of their future baby – a medical impossibility.

After they turn down the injection, “Dr Ruth” hands them a sachet of crushed pills as well as some more pills for them to take at home, along with instructions on when to have intercourse.

This initial treatment costs 350,000 naira ($205; £165).

Our undercover reporter neither takes the drugs nor follows any of “Dr Ruth’s” instructions and returns to see her four weeks later.

After running a device that looks like an ultrasound scanner across our reporter’s stomach, a sound like a heartbeat is heard and “Dr Ruth” congratulates her on being pregnant.

They both cheer with joy.

After delivering the good news, “Dr Ruth” explains how they’ll need to pay for a “scarce” and expensive drug needed for the baby to be born, costing somewhere between 1.5 and two million naira ($1,180; £945).

Without this drug, the pregnancy could extend beyond nine months, “Dr Ruth” claims with disregard for scientific fact, adding: “The baby will become malnourished – we’d need to build it up again.”

“Dr Ruth” has not responded to allegations the BBC has put to her.

The extent to which the women involved genuinely believe the claims is unclear.

But clues as to why they would be susceptible to such brazen lies can, in part, be found in online groups where disinformation around pregnancy is widespread.

A network of disinformation

Cryptic pregnancy is a recognised medical phenomenon, in which a woman is unaware of her pregnancy until the late stages.

But during our investigation, the BBC found widespread misinformation in Facebook groups and pages about this type of pregnancy.

One woman from the US, who dedicates her entire page to her “cryptic pregnancy”, claims to have been pregnant “for years” and that her journey cannot be explained by science.

In closed groups on Facebook, many posts use religious terminology to hail the bogus “treatment” as a “miracle” for those who’ve been unable to conceive.

All of this misinformation helps solidify women’s belief in the scam.

Members of these groups are not only from Nigeria, but also from South Africa, the Caribbean, and the US.

The scammers also sometimes manage, and post in, these groups, enabling them to reach out to women expressing an interest in the “treatment”.

Once someone expresses readiness to start the scam process, they are invited into more secure WhatsApp groups. There, admins share information about “cryptic clinics” and what the process involves.

‘I’m still confused’

Authorities tell us that to complete the “treatment”, the scammers need newborn babies and to do that they seek out women who are desperate and vulnerable, many of them young and pregnant, in a country where abortion is illegal.

In February 2024, the Anambra State Health Ministry raided the facility where Chioma “delivered” Hope.

The BBC obtained footage of the raid, which showed a huge complex made up of two buildings.

In one were rooms containing medical equipment – apparently for clients – while in the other were several pregnant women being kept against their will. Some were as young as 17.

Some tell us they were tricked into going there, unaware their babies would be sold to the scammer’s clients.

Others, like Uju, which is not her real name, felt too scared to tell their family they were pregnant and sought a way out. She said she was offered 800,000 naira ($470; £380) for the baby.

Asked if she regrets her decision to sell her baby, she says: “I’m still confused.”

Commissioner Obinabo, who has been part of efforts in her state to crack down on the scam, says scammers prey on vulnerable women like Uju to source the babies.

At the end of a tense interrogation, commissioner Obinabo threatens to take away baby Hope from Chioma.

But Chioma pleads her case, and the commissioner eventually accepts her explanation that she is a victim herself and that she hasn’t realised what was going on.

On this basis, she allows Chioma and Ike to keep the baby – unless the biological parents come forward to claim him.

But unless attitudes towards women, infertility, reproductive rights and adoption change, scams like this will continue to thrive, experts warn.

The cows, intended for the church’s annual adult harvest Thanksgiving on November 17, 2024, went missing on November 11.

The church disclosed the incident on Facebook, explaining that the theft occurred while preparations for the event were underway.

Despite extensive efforts to locate the animals, they remain missing, prompting the church to seek financial and spiritual support to replace them.

In its appeal, the church stated:

“Dear Celestians and the General Public, these two huge cows were stolen where they were tied in the church premises at CCC Testimony Parish, Elerumoke Area, Egbeda, Iyana Ajia. They were meant for slaughter for the 9th adult harvest thanksgiving of the church coming up this Sunday, November 17, 2024.”

The church also called for prayers and urged anyone with information to assist in the recovery or contribute towards the replacement of the cows.

“We hereby solicit your prayer for quick recovery of this harvest thanksgiving sacrificial material. Anybody with useful information or assistance to make the Thanksgiving celebration a success should contact the parish shepherd.”

The church hopes to resolve the issue before the celebration and ensure a successful event.

You can see thick plumes of smoke rise from the Agbogbloshie dumpsite from miles away.

The air at the vast dump, in the west of Ghana’s capital Accra, is highly toxic. The closer you get, the harder it is to breathe and your vision starts to blur.

Around these fumes are dozens of men, who wait for tractors to unload piles of cables before setting them on fire. Others climb up a toxic waste hill and bring down TVs, computers and washing machine parts and set them alight.

The men are extracting valuable metals like copper and gold from electrical and electronic waste – or e-waste – much of which has made its way to Ghana from rich countries.

“I don’t feel well,” says young worker Abdulla Yakubu, whose eyes are red and watery as he burns cables and plastic.

“The air, as you can see, is very polluted and I have to work here every day, so it definitely affects our health.”

During the trial at Harare Magistrates’ Court, Grace Mugabe broke down as suits and shirts stolen from her late husband were presented to her.

The incident was so distressing that Magistrate Esthere Chivasa had to adjourn proceedings briefly to allow her to regain composure.

The case involves four former employees—Allen Chinamonya (42), Danmore Chinamonya (35), Samson Karonga, and Tendai Bunganirwa—accused of unlawful entry and theft of household items from the former First Family.

In her testimony, Grace Mugabe revealed that Allen, the family’s former driver, was caught with some of the stolen goods. She also expressed her suspicion that Karonga was the mastermind, noting his involvement in previous theft incidents.

Details of the Alleged Theft

However, the defendants’ lawyer, Renetty Takudzwa Kuchidza, stated that his clients deny all charges.

The suspects argued that the containers, which held the stolen items, were stored in a car park accessible to many people.

They also claimed that some items were given to them as gifts by the late Robert Mugabe for their loyalty to his family.

The court heard that in 2018, Grace Mugabe moved 11 containers filled with household goods to her Blue Roof residence after her husband retired. She secured the containers with padlocks, but between 2018 and May 2024, the accused allegedly broke into the containers, stealing items such as clothing, television sets, cutlery, and towels.

Police Investigation and Recoveries

On May 22, while selecting artefacts to donate to the African Liberation Museum, Mrs. Mugabe discovered broken locks and missing items. She reported the theft to a Superintendent.

Following investigations, detectives searched the suspects’ residences. At Allen Chinamonya’s home, police recovered suits, bed covers, and a television set. Suits and shirts were also found at Danmore Chinamonya’s house, and Mrs Mugabe identified them as part of the stolen property.

The total value of the stolen property is estimated at US$500,000, although only goods worth US$2,000 have been recovered so far.

Kenya’s Catholic Church has rejected a donation of about $40,000 (£32,000) made by President William Ruto.

He offered the money towards the building of a priest’s house and as a gift to the choir during Mass on Sunday at the Soweto Catholic Church in the capital, Nairobi.

The donation followed a recent statement by Catholic bishops, who had hit out at the government for failing to fulfil their electoral promises.

Churches have been under pressure this year from young anti-tax protesters who have accused them of being too close to politicians.

Faye sought a clear parliamentary majority in Sunday’s vote to implement the reform agenda that helped sweep him to power in a landslide election victory in March.

But analysts say creating a budget catering both to his voters’ needs and to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with which his government is currently in talks, will be challenging.

Former president Macky Sall, who headed an opposition coalition, on Monday congratulated Pastef on its win. Former prime minister Amadou Ba, who ran against Faye in the presidential election, also conceded defeat, as did other opposition leaders.

Senegal’s sovereign debt rose in price on Monday, Tradeweb data showed, while most other African nations’ bonds lost ground. The yield on its 2033 dollar bond was down about 10 basis points by 1145 GMT at 9.28%.

“If confirmed by the electoral bodies, Pastef’s victory could give a free hand in passing budgets and implementing its programmatic reforms,” said Wendyam Lankoande, a consultant at Africa Practice.

But, he noted, voters are “looking for quick solutions to unemployment, rising cost of living, and limited reach of public services in remote rural areas in the hinterland”.

In September, a government audit revealed that Senegal’s debt and budget deficit were much wider than the previous administration had reported. A $1.9 billion IMF programme agreed in June 2023 has been on hold since.

Negotiations with the IMF to restart disbursements could last until mid-2025.

“We see Pastef’s majority as a positive development as it clears the path for President Faye and (Prime Minister Ousmane) Sonko to begin work on a budget for 2025 that aligns broadly with IMF requirements,” said Leeuwner Esterhuysen, senior economist at Oxford Economics Africa.

“That said, some of these requirements won’t necessarily go down well with Senegalese citizens.”

He said the Fund was likely to show some leniency, as it appears to have good relations with the new administration.

“We think the government may be able to delay the implementation of harsh measures such as removing VAT exemptions on farming inputs or increasing household electricity prices, while energy subsidies will be phased out gradually to limit the impact on consumers,” Esterhuysen said.

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An Australian mining company, Resolute Mining, says it will pay Mali’s military government $160m (£126m) to settle a tax dispute, after the company’s British boss and two other staff were unexpectedly detained 10 days ago.

Reports say Terry Holohan and his colleagues were arrested while travelling to the capital city, Bamako, for what they were expecting to be routine negotiations.

Resolute, which owns a gold mine in Mali, said on Sunday it would pay $80m immediately from existing cash reserves, and the rest in the coming months.

Mali is one of Africa’s top gold producers.

President-elect Donald Trump made immigration a central element of his 2024 presidential campaign – but unlike his first run, which was spent largely focused on building a border wall, he’s turned his attention to interior enforcement and the removal of undocumented immigrants already in the United States.

People close to the president and his aides are laying the groundwork for expanding detention facilities to fulfill his mass deportation campaign promise, including reviewing metropolitan areas where capabilities exist.

But they are also preparing executive actions that are a call back to his first term in office and could be rolled out as soon as Trump takes office, sources say.

Taken together, it amounts to the return of hardline immigration policies that garnered fierce criticism from Democrats and immigrant advocates during Trump’s first term – and a dramatic change for migrants and immigrants in the United States.

The executive actions and reviews underway include the return of the program informally known as “remain in Mexico,” which requires migrants to stay in Mexico during their immigration proceedings in the US, revising asylum restrictions, revoking protections for migrants covered by Biden’s humanitarian parole programs and undoing ICE’s enforcement priorities, according to two sources briefed on transition policy discussions.

Another executive order that is being considered would make detention mandatory and call for an end to releasing migrants, which often happens across administrations because of limited federal resources. It’s that type of executive order, sources say, that would pave the way for detaining and eventually, deporting people at a large scale.

Trump’s team is also reviewing regional capability for housing migrants – a process likely to lead to consideration of the construction of new detention facilities in larger metropolitan areas, according to two sources. Homeland Security officials have previously identified multiple cities in which to build up detention capability in preparation for border surges.

Plans also include bringing back family detention, which has been widely criticized by immigrant advocates and a practice that President Joe Biden ended.

“The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver,” Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told CNN in a statement.

But key to any plan is money. In the absence of additional congressional funding, people working on the plans have cited the reprogramming of agency funds to shore up resources, as previous administrations have done.

But they are also evaluating a potential national emergency declaration to unlock Pentagon resources – which was done during Trump’s first term and faced lawsuits – and tailoring that declaration to pave the way for expanding detention space, according to one of the sources.

The private sector, which the federal government heavily relies on for detention space, is also preparing to add more beds. In a recent eaomrnings call, CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger noted the increased need for detention capacity. CoreCivic is one of the largest private prison operators in the US.

“We think that the outcome of this election is probably going to be notable for ICE for a couple of different reasons. One is that we do think that there’s going to be increased need for detention capacity,” Hininger told investors.

The federal government also works with county jails – and the Trump team is expected to rely on them to find additional space for undocumented immigrants.

The team who will be charged with seeing that through has come into shape including veteran immigration official Tom Homan as “border czar,” immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy, and loyalist South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to head the Department of Homeland Security.

Miller has previously described plans that include large staging facilities near the border to detain and deport migrants, and worksite raids, which the Biden administration discontinued in 2021.

Behind the scenes, other border security officials are also involved in discussions, including ex-US Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott, and Michael Banks, a special adviser to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on the border, according to two of the sources.

The people shaping operational plans are well versed on the immigration system, particularly Homan, who was also the architect of family separation. He’s repeatedly stressed that operations will be targeted and focused on public safety and national security threats.

Current and former Homeland Security officials have privately argued that the selection of Homan indicates a level of seriousness by the incoming administration because of his familiarity with immigration enforcement. He also held a senior role at Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the record level of deportations under the Obama administration.

“(In the) first few days, you’ll see those executive orders come out to stem the flow (of migrants) and impact that flow that’s coming during that time. The immediate focus is about who’s already here,” according to a source familiar with the plans. “Those are the first two things prioritized in the first few days.”

During his first term, Trump deported more than 1.5 million people, according to Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. But that’s about half the 2.9 million deportations undertaken during Barack Obama’s first term and fewer than the 1.9 million deportations during Obama’s second term.

Those figures do not include the millions of people turned away at the border under a Covid-era policy enacted by Trump and used during most of Biden’s term.

“What he’s trying to accomplish is really complex,” a former administration official told CNN, referring to Homan.

It follows last month’s disputed presidential election, won by Frelimo, the party which has governed Mozambique since 1975.

The weeks-long protests have led to violent clashes with the police and at least 18 people have been killed, according to Human Rights Watch.

Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda has urged Mozambicans to cooperate with the authorities to stop the protests, terming them “acts of terrorism”.

Demonstrations started at the end of last month in the capital, Maputo, after Daniel Chapo, the Frelimo candidate, was officially declared the winner with more than 71% of the vote.

Opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane, who came second with 20% of the vote, went into hiding before the results were announced.

He cited fears for his safety after his aide and lawyer were killed as they were preparing to challenge the results.

Last week, soldiers were deployed to help keep order during Thursday’s post-election protests, the biggest since the unrest started on 9 October.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse thousands of protesters who lit fires and barricaded roads in Maputo.

Ronda has said that the protests have now been “forbidden” because of their “severity”.

“I no longer call these protests, I call them acts of subversion and terrorism because they terrorise people and children. That woman selling bananas can no longer sell them. People can’t go to work; this is terror,” said Ronda.

The interior minister accused protest organisers of using “drugged” youth to “destabilise” the country, saying their plans would not succeed, as “crime will be fought”.

Some rights groups have put the death toll at more than 30 overall.

A South African TV station has said two of its journalists who were covering the unrest in Maputo have been detained in unclear circumstances.

News Central TV in a statement said attempts to establish communication with the journalists have been unsuccessful since their arrest.

“The detention of our colleagues while performing their professional duties is deeply concerning,” it said, adding that “we are working through all available diplomatic and official channels to secure their immediate release.”

The authorities have restricted access to the internet across the country in what Human Rights Watch said was an attempt to “suppress peaceful protests and public criticism of the government”.

Opposition groups and observers argued that last month’s elections were unfair and rigged, a claim that the government denies.

Current President Filipe Nyusi is stepping down after serving the two terms allowed under the constitution.

Emmanuel was arrested along with two others, 28-year-old Olajide Kareem and 33-year-old Mike Emmanuel, who are accused of robbing residents and sexu@lly assaulting a 65-year-old woman on the Ilesa-Osu Expressway in Osun State while taking her husband to the hospital.

Parading the suspects on Friday, the Spokesperson of Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola explained that “the three suspects rob motorists and passengers of their belongings.”

In one of the incidents, a bus driver was shot in his leg but was subsequently rushed to Seventh-day Adventist Hospital in Ile-Ife where he received treatment.

“Consequently, Olajide was arrested in the bush and he confessed that he was a member of a five-man gang of armed robbers who came from the Ikorodu area in Lagos state to perpetrate their acts in Osun State. The other two suspects were arrested.”

Speaking with newsmen, Godwin said:

“I was arrested for armed robbery. When I was been transported to the Police Command in Osogbo, inside the police patrol van that I was conveyed, I stole a phone. I don’t know that it is a police phone. I beg to make una no vex.I told the police not to be angry with me. I don’t know when I did that. I took the phone into the police cell without them knowing. I removed the SIM card, I want to use the phone to call my people because they don’t know I have been arrested for armed robbery.I have been here for about 2 months. They later came to search me in the cell where I was and discovered the phone on me. Please tell them to forgive me. I won’t do it again.”

The actor’s death was announced on Thursday by his colleague, Oluwaseun Adejumobi, who shared the news via his verified Instagram account.

Adejumobi expressed his grief, saying, “Heaven’s Gain Again. A General Has Gone to Rest.”

Tributes have since poured in for the late actor, whose work left a lasting impact on the gospel film industry. Gospel actor Zoe Adeola, reflecting on Are’s legacy, wrote on X, “Rest in peace, Baba Gbenro. Your role in Abattoir will definitely leave a great memory of you in our minds. So painful.”

Moses Korede Are, fondly known as Baba Gbenro, was born on June 11, 1959. He spent his early years in Kano State, Nigeria, later continuing his education in Plateau State and ultimately completing his studies in southwestern Nigeria.

An estimated 4,000 illegal gold miners are hiding underground in South Africa after the government cut off food and water in an effort to “smoke them out” and arrest them.

The miners have been in a mineshaft in Stilfontein, in the North West province, for about a month.

They have refused to cooperate with authorities as some are undocumented – coming from neighbouring countries like Lesotho and Mozambique – and fear being deported.

Illegal miners are called “zama zama” (“take a chance” in Zulu) and operate in abandoned mines in the mineral-rich country. Illegal mining costs the South African government hundreds of millions of dollars in lost sales each year.

Many South African mines have closed down in recent years and workers have been sacked.

To survive, the miners and undocumented migrants go beneath the surface to escape poverty and dig up gold to sell it on the black market.

Some spend months underground – there is even a small economy of people selling food, cigarettes and cooked meals to the miners.

Local residents have pleaded with the authorities to assist the miners, but they have refused.

“We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. We are not sending help to criminals. Criminals are not to be helped – they are to be persecuted [sic],” said Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on Wednesday.

Police are hesitant to go into the mine as some of those underground may be armed.

Some are part of criminal syndicates or “recruited” to be in one, Busi Thabane, from Benchmarks Foundation, a charity which monitors corporations in South Africa, told the BBC’s NewsDay programme.

Without any access to supplies, conditions underground are said to be dire.

“It is no longer about illegal miners – this is a humanitarian crisis,” said Ms Thabane.

On Thursday, community leader Thembile Botman told the BBC that volunteers had used ropes and seat belts to pull a body out of the mine.

“The stench of decomposing bodies has left the volunteers traumatised,” he said.

It’s not clear how the person died.

Although the authorities have been blocking food and water, they have temporarily allowed local residents to send some supplies down by rope.

Mr Botman said they had been communicating with the miners by notes written on pieces of paper.

Police have blocked off entrances and exits in an effort to compel the miners to come out.

This is part of the Vala Umgodi, or “Close the Hole”, operation to curb illegal mining.

Five miners were pulled out on Wednesday by rope, but they were frail and weak. Paramedics attended to them, and then they were taken into police custody.

In the last week, 1,000 miners have emerged and been arrested.

Police and the army are still at the scene waiting to detain those who are not in need of medical care after resurfacing.

“It’s not as easy as the police make it seem – some of them are fearing for their lives,” said Ms Thabane.

Many miners spend months underground in unsafe conditions to provide for their families.

“For many of them it’s the only way they know how to put food on the table,” said Ms Thabane.

Local residents have also attempted to convince the miners to come out of the mineshaft.

“Those people must come out because we have brothers there, we have sons there, the fathers of our kids are there, our children are struggling,” local resident Emily Photsoa told AFP.

The South African Human Rights Commission says it will investigate the police for depriving the miners of food and water.

It said there is concern that the government’s operation could have an impact on the right to life.

Minister Ntshavheni’s remarks have provoked mixed reaction from South Africans, with some praising the government’s unyielding approach.

“I love this. Finally, our government is not tiptoeing on these serious matters. Decisiveness will help this country,” one person wrote on X.

While others felt the stance was inhumane.

“In my view, this kind of talk from the Minister in the Presidency is disgraceful and dangerous hate speech,” one user said.

Another wrote: “They are criminals but they have rights too.”

Illegal mining is a lucrative business across many of South Africa’s mining towns.

Since December last year, nearly 400 high-calibre firearms, thousands of bullets, uncut diamonds and money have been confiscated from illegal miners.

This is part of an intensive police and military operation to stop the practice that has severe environmental implications.

Magistrate Stella Maris Amabilis remanded 21-year-old David Ssengozi, alias Lucky Choice, and Isaiah Ssekagiri, 28, to Kigo prison until Wednesday when they will make an initial court appearance.

They are accused of hate speech and spreading malicious information against the first family and musicians linked to the governing National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Appearing in court on Monday, the two denied the charges.

They are jointly charged with Julius Tayebwa, 19, who had already been brought before court and remanded in prison for the same offences.

Prosecutors allege that they posted information on TikTok meant to “ridicule degrade, demean, and promote hostility” against the first family and others

The magistrate allowed their detention after police said they were still making inquiries on the matter.

“You will come back on the 13 November, when the case will come up for mention. You are remanded at Kigo prison till then,” the magistrate ordered.

In September, police spokesman Rusoke Kituuma warned that abusing the president, who he termed the “fountain of honour”, was an offence. He mentioned a TikToker with the name Lucky Choice who he said they were investigating. He was later arrested.

It is not clear which post led to the arrest, but a video released in April on TikTok on the page LuckyChoice70, with the title My First Enemies, criticised the first family using sexually explicit terms.

In July, a 24-year-old man was sentenced to six years in prison for insulting the president and the first family on a TikTok video. He had pleaded guilty and asked for forgiveness.

It comes as the government has been criticised for restricting people’s ability to criticise actions by the state or its officials.

The US government in a report last year accused Uganda of restricting internet freedom through the use of criminal punishments.

Rights groups also regularly denounce the Ugandan authorities over violations of human rights and the freedom of expression.

In 2022, award-winning Ugandan author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija was charged with two counts of “offensive communication” after making unflattering remarks about the president and his son on Twitter.

He fled the country to Germany after spending a month in jail, where he said he had been tortured.

At 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, Africa’s most populous nation has the fourth-highest maternal mortality rate in the world and the lack of access to Caesareans is thought to be one of the reasons.

Many pregnant women, particularly in rural Nigeria are unable to receive emergency medical care partly due to the cost.

“No woman should lose her life simply because she can’t afford a C-section,” Health Minister Muhammad Pate said while announcing the “powerful move”.

While the price may vary across Nigeria’s different states, on average, a Caesarean costs around 60,000 naira ($36; £28) – which can be beyond the reach of many.

More than 40% of Nigerians live below the international extreme poverty line of $2.15 per day, according to 2023 data from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics.

The Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative launched on Thursday will now allow all eligible women to access Caesarean sections in public hospitals.

To be a beneficiary, one must be registered under the country’s public health insurance scheme.

“By removing financial barriers to this life-saving procedure, we ensure that no woman in need is denied critical care due to cost,” Pate added.

The health scheme covers emergencies only, Tashikalmah Hallah, a communication adviser to the health minister, told the BBC.

Social welfare units in public hospitals would help determine eligibility and identify those who can not afford the procedure, Mr Hallah added.

Pate said maternal mortality remained “unacceptably high”.

Caesareans are seen as essential for preventing obstructed labour in cases where a woman’s pelvis is too small, the baby is in a breech position or is too large to exit the birth canal.

Without intervention, a constricted baby may fatally rupture the uterus, or cause tears that catastrophically haemorrhage.

While offering to support the new initiative, the World Bank’s Trina Haque, described it as a “game-changer”.

“If implemented right, this initiative will deliver. We’re here to support every step of the way,” Kazadi Mulombo, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) country representative, said.

Causes of maternal deaths include severe haemorrhage, high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia), unsafe abortions and obstructed or prolonged labour.

The new policy would “improve maternal and child health outcomes in the country”, said Rhoda Robinson, executive director of HACEY, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) advocating for healthcare access for vulnerable populations in Nigeria.

“Especially for women from low-income communities who might resort to alternative and often unsafe care options,” she told the BBC.

Mabel Onwuemena, national coordinator of the Women of Purpose Foundation, another NGO advocating for better maternal health access in Africa, praised the initiative and urged the Nigerian government to expand it to include free drugs and ultrasound for pregnant women.

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The social media personality had made headlines earlier when he was stopped and removed from a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Thursday night, as he attempted to travel to London.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, Bobrisky addressed his departure, revealing that he had left Nigeria temporarily to focus on his health and well-being.

“Yes, I’m here to confirm I’m out of Nigeria temporarily. I need to attend to my sanity and my health,” he stated in the post.

The cross-dresser also expressed his frustration with the series of travel disruptions, blaming Nigerian security agencies for the inconvenience he faced.

He mentioned that despite purchasing business class tickets for his travels, only one out of three attempts was successful.

“Imagine buying a business class ticket three times; only one was successful,” he said, adding that he had spent N9.8 million on each of the two unused tickets.

Bobrisky also called on KLM, the airline involved in the incident, to refund him for the tickets he was unable to use.

“KLM, I hope you guys refund me the two I didn’t use. I know it’s not your fault, but it’s fine,” he said.

In a direct response to potential critics, Bobrisky emphasized his ability to afford the costly flights, encouraging them to evaluate their own financial standing before criticizing him.

“Before you come to my page to type nonsense, check your account balance if you can afford three business seats, not to talk of buying it three times. Well, I’m not in Nigeria, so your comment means nothing,” he added with a touch of defiance.

Bobrisky’s post has sparked conversations online, with many weighing in on his public statements about his travels and the issues he encountered in the process.

The statement confirms the immediate suspension of Ebang Engonga from his party membership, part of an internal disciplinary process initiated under the direction of Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue.

This suspension marks the first step toward his potential dismissal and expulsion from public office.

Additionally, both the PDGE and the government have urged the Attorney General to pursue legal action against anyone who shares or views explicit videos on social media, aiming to protect the country’s moral standards and image.

The PDGE also calls on citizens to disregard any rumours or misinformation circulating about these developments, reinforcing its commitment to national integrity and respect during this period of heightened public concern.

This follows his imprisonment on corruption charges and involvement in a highly publicized scandal over explicit videos.

The presidential decrees were issued on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

Taking over the position is Zenón Obiang Obiang Avomo, a seasoned legal professional who previously served as a magistrate at the Court of Accounts of Equatorial Guinea.

Obiang Avomo holds a law degree from the National University of Equatorial Guinea (UNGE) and brings extensive experience across several high-level government roles.

His career includes positions as Magistrate Judge in Malabo, Director General of Contract and Market Studies at the Ministry of Finance, General Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Economy, and Planning, and General Secretary of Mines, Industry, and Energy.

The government’s swift action to appoint Obiang Avomo aims to restore confidence in ANIF as it navigates through the aftermath of the recent scandal.

The Olympic steeplechaser was stabbed to death on New Year’s Eve in the town of Eldoret, known as a top training centre for athletes.

“Your actions were cruel to a defenceless person whose life you cut short,” Justice Reuben Nyakundi told Peter Ushuru Khalumi and David Ekai Lokere during the sentencing hearing in the High Court in Eldoret.

Kiplagat’s murder shocked people in Kenya, which has seen the killing of several other elite athletes in recent years.

The judge said that Khalumi and Lokere had followed Kiplagat, who was in his car, and then CCTV footage showed that they had intentionally killed him in a premeditated act.

The exact motive for the murder was not clear but at the time of the arrests, the police had said it was robbery.

On Monday, in an emotional request to the court, the athlete’s mother had asked Justice Nyakundi to hand down life sentences.

She talked about how her son, who started his career running barefoot, had worked hard to become an international runner and the family’s breadwinner, the Nation newspaper reports.

“My son had 8,000 [Kenyan] shillings ($62; £48) and an expensive mobile phone, but the killers did not take any of the property from him.

Their mission was to painfully finish him,” the newspaper quotes her as saying.

Despite not acceding to the family’s request for life sentences, they said they were happy with the outcome and that justice had been served.

Kiplagat, who was 34 when he died, reached the final of the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also competed in the following two Games and is the holder of the Ugandan record at the event.

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The move comes in light of over 400 explicit videos circulating on social media, featuring Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), involved in intimate acts, some reportedly filmed in his workplace.

The decision, announced on November 2, 2024, by government spokesperson Fernando Ferry Mitogo, is part of a broader effort to uphold professional standards and foster a respectful work environment across both public and private sectors.

The authorities are aiming to reinforce values of responsibility, ethics, and professionalism within the workplace.

The scandal involving Ebang Engonga, also known as “Bello,” has drawn widespread attention. Videos showed Ebang Engonga in intimate encounters with multiple women, including some married individuals, in various locations—including his office, reportedly with the national flag visible in the background.

According to reports, these encounters were consensual, but their occurrence in a professional setting has fuelled public outrage and calls for government action.

Officials stated that these new disciplinary measures are intended to serve as a firm precedent for acceptable conduct within Equatorial Guinea’s institutions.

By taking a stand, the government seeks to address the damage to the country’s image and ensure a more respectful and ethical workplace culture moving forward.

The directive has sparked conversation both within Equatorial Guinea and beyond, with citizens debating its implications for workplace standards and privacy.

Nonetheless, authorities remain firm in their stance that any behaviour undermining the integrity of national institutions will not be tolerated.