AFRICA

Sowore: Wole Soyinka condemns government’s charges against activist

Professor Wole Soyinka, first African Nobel laureate in literature, has condemned the charges preferred against Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist and convener of the #RevolutionNow protest, by the federal government  of Nigeria. The government preferred a seven counts charges of treasonable felony and money laundering against Sowore on Thursday. The government also accused the human rights activist of causing insult …

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Sowore: ‘I will never insult Buhari again’ – Nigerians react to govt. charges against activist

Reactions have continued to trail Nigerian government’s decision to formally file charges against Omoyele Sowore, convener of #RevolutionNow protest, especially the one bothering on insulting the president. The  federal government filed seven counts of treasonable felony and money laundering against Sowore on Thursday. The government is also accusing the human rights activist of causing insult to the person of President …

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Spreading Bug of Nuremberg: Lessons to draw from Ekweremadu’s assault

Granted that prior to the experience of Ekweremadu, an Ivorian Minister suffered the same fate, albeit more violently, in Paris and that the then ailing President Muhammadu Buhari was picketed and heckled out of London and, more recently, picketed in Tokyo, the incident at Nuremberg has elicited reactions that have brought such actions to the front burner of national and international discourse on governance and responsible government with special reference to Africa.

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S/Africa: President Ramaphosa’s apology does not guarantee end to xenophobic attacks – Analyst

To mend fences with African countries whose nationals were victims of recent xenophobic attacks targeted at foreign African residents in South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched three special envoys to seven African countries to deliver messages of apology and solidarity on 15 September. Analysts across the continent are interpreting the gesture and its likely impact on the future safety of …

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Ousted Tunisian president dies in exile

Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, a former president of Tunisia has died in exile, his family said. Ben Ali, 83, fled to Saudi Arabia when he left office and was living there before his death on Thursday. His funeral will take place on Friday in Saudi Arabia, his lawyer told Reuters news agency. Ben Ali’s death is coming days after Tunisia …

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Cutting-edge tech to help curb epidemics in West Africa

West Africa is embracing technology to power the response to infectious disease outbreaks. The 15 member states of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) are leveraging technology that will help them prevent cross-border outbreaks of epidemics including Ebola, cholera, yellow fever, Lassa fever, measles, onchocerciasis and meningitis. As part of the USAID funded Regional Action through Data (RAD) program, WAHO …

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Sowore’s supporters protest for his release in Lagos, Rome and London

Members of the Coalition for Revolution movement and supporters of Omoyele Sowore, a prominent Nigerian journalist, human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner currently detained by the government, carried out peaceful protests in three countries on Thursday.    The “#FreeSoworeNow Global Action” was carried out in Lagos, London and Rome.   They called for the release of Sowore and other activists …

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Sowore: Police barricade SaharaReporters office in Nigeria

Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have barricaded the Lagos, Nigeria office of SaharaReporters, an online news platform owned by Omoyele Sowore, a prominent Nigerian journalist, human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner currently detained by the government. The security operatives reportedly prevented staff from gaining access into the building premises, located at GRA in the Ikeja area of Lagos State. …

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South Africa delays evacuation of Nigerians, withholds Air Peace’s landing permit

The evacuation of the second batch of Nigerians from South Africa, on Tuesday suffered setback following the delay by the South African authorities to grant landing permit to Air Peace. Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, had volunteered to evacuate the returnees in the wake of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals living in the country. The airline, in …

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Protests for Sowore’s freedom to hold in Nigeria, Germany, US, others

There will be a global protest for the release of Omoyele Sowore, a prominent Nigerian journalist, human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner. The protest, according to the TakeItBack Movement, will hold on 18 September in Nigeria and across Nigeria embassies in European countries like Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Spain. Using the hashtag #FreeSoworeNow, the organizers said the protest will also …

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South Africa apologises to Nigeria over xenophobic attacks

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has apologised to Nigeria over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in the country. Ramaphosa sent Jeff Radebe, a special envoy, to President Muhammadu Buhari, to tender an apology letter on behalf of the South Africa government at the state house in Abuja on Monday. Radebe condemned the incessant xenophobic attacks, describing them as …

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Nigeria: Detained activist Omoyele Sowore files fresh bail application in court

Omoyele Sowore, the Nigerian  prominent journalist, human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner, has applied for bail in a fresh application he filed at the Federal Hight Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. Sowore, founder of Sahara Reporters, an online news agency based in New York City that focuses on corruption, human rights abuses and other political misconduct in Nigeria,  was arrested 3 …

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Police arrest DR Congo’s ex-health minister for mismanagement of Ebola funds

Dr Oly Ilunga Kalenga, a former minister of health in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been arrested by the police for alleged mismanagement of $150 million funds, earmarked for Ebola epidemic. Ilunga was grilled earlier this month and he denied any wrongdoing. The police however arrested and detained Ilunga following a tip-off that he was going to flee the …

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South Africa’s president booed as world leaders bid farewell to Mugabe

President Cyril Ramaphosa booed at Mugabe’s funeral in Harare over xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals living in South Africa as world leaders pay tribute to the founding father of Zimbabwe. World leaders gathered in Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, on Saturday for the funeral of the country’s former president, Robert Gabriel Mugabe. Among the statesmen and women who attended the event …

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African leaders converge on Harare for Robert Mugabe’s funeral

Nigeria’s vice president, professor Yemi Osinbajo, will represent Nigeria at the funeral of Robert Mugabe, the late former president of Zimbabwe. More than a dozen current and former leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, are expected to attend the event, holding on Saturday, 14 September at the National Stadium in Harare . On …

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Xenophobia: Nigerian mission in South Africa denies arrest of returnees

The Nigerian mission in South Africa, on Friday, denied arrest report of Nigerian returnees by the immigration during the course of evacuation. On Wednesday, 189 Nigerians were evacuated from South Africa, in the wake of xenophobic attacks on them and other foreign nationals living in the country.   The Air Peace flight, which volunteered to evacuate the returnees, arrived the …

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S/Africa: Nigerian returnees narrate tales of woe as government plans reintegration programme

The 189 Nigerian nationals evacuated from South Africa by the Nigerian government have narrated their experiences in the wake of xenophobic attacks on them and other foreign nationals living in South Africa.   They arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, on Wednesday and were received by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), and officials …

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