AFRICA

Six persons kidnapped by heavily-armed gunmen eight days ago in Gurin, a remote border town in Adamawa between Nigeria and Cameroon have regained their freedom after N4.4 million was paid as ransom. A relative of the abducted persons who wanted anonymity told our correspondent that the victims were released in …

Four Malawian protesters have been charged with the murder of a policeman who was stoned to death during clashes between pro- and anti-government demonstrators outside the capital Lilongwe, police said Saturday. A wave of protests has gripped Malawi since disputed elections in May, and Superintendent Usumani Imedi was killed on …

In an unconventional ruling, a court in northern Zambia has ordered a university student to write a 50-page essay on the dangers of drugs after he was convicted of planning to sell cakes laced with marijuana. Chikwanda Chisembele, a first year civil engineering student at the Copperbelt University, was arrested …

At least 15 people have been killed and two seriously injured in an attack on a mosque in northern Burkina Faso. Gunmen entered the Grand Mosque in the village of Salmossi on Friday evening as those inside were praying. The attack prompted many locals to flee the village which is …

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has issued an ordered barring all members of the cabinet and heads of government agencies from traveling abroad. The President said in a statement released on Friday that the ministers and government agencies are required to lead the process of budget defence at the National assembly …

Uganda plans to enact a law that would impose the death penalty on homosexuals, saying the legislation would curb a rise in unnatural sex in the east African nation. The bill, colloquially known as “Kill the Gays” in Uganda, was nullified five years ago on a technicality and the government …

For the first time a woman has been chosen as the chief justice in Sudan. The Sovereign Council, which is made up of civilian and military officials, confirmed that Supreme Court judge Neemat Abdulllah would head the country’s judiciary. Although only two of the 11-member Sovereign Council in charge of …

Riot police have shut a popular radio station critical of Liberia’s president and former football star George Weah. The officers broke a steel gate and stormed the offices of Roots FM in the capital, Monrovia, shortly after its breakfast programme, The Costa Show, discussed alleged wasteful spending by Mr Weah …

A group of elite Mozambican policemen have been implicated in the shooting of a prominent poll observer just days ahead of elections. Anastacio Matavel was shot dead as he left an election training session in the southern Gaza province on Monday. Five men armed with assault rifles shot Mr Matavel …

A bill has been introduced in the Nigerian senate that seeks to prevent sexual harassment of students in universities. This follows the broadcast of a BBC documentary exposing widespread sexual misconduct by multiple lecturers at two top West African Universities. In a statement, the deputy president of the senate said …