Your go-to English source for news from Ouagadougou and Burkina Faso, updated daily.
The situation. During a marathon two-and-a-half-hour broadcast on the national network RTN on April 21, General Mohamed Toumba, Niger’s Minister of State and Minister of the Interior, addressed several critical security matters. As Niger grapples with intensifying extremist violence, particularly in the Tillabéry region, the General reiterated the military council’s frequent allegations against France. He […]
Benin steps up fight against transnational criminal networks In an intensified crackdown on cross-border crime, Benin’s Police républicaine has executed coordinated operations to dismantle criminal fugitive networks exploiting the country as a hiding spot. The BCN-INTERPOL Cotonou unit, alongside judicial police divisions, carried out a week-long campaign from April 13 to 19, 2026, resulting in […]
The legal saga surrounding Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, widely recognized as Kemi Seba, has escalated in South African courts. Arrested on April 13, 2026, during a Pretoria shopping center operation, the prominent Pan-African activist and leader of the NGO Urgences Panafricanistes now faces an intricate international legal battle between South Africa and Benin. Unpacking […]
After years of evading accountability, the net has finally closed around Kemi Seba. His recent arrest in South Africa on immigration violations has exposed the true nature of his so-called pan-African activism: a facade concealing serious criminal allegations. The Beninese government has formally requested his extradition to face charges of terrorism and endangering state security. […]
Government inquiry reveals 518 fatalities following 2025 vote Six months after Tanzania’s presidential election on October 29, 2025, a government-appointed commission broke its silence in Dar es Salaam on April 23. The commission announced a death toll of 518, a figure the authorities claim closes the chapter on last year’s unrest. However, the opposition and […]
Gabon’s political landscape has been rocked by a sudden escalation in judicial proceedings. On April 15, 2026, Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, a key figure in the former regime of Ali Bongo Ondimba, was taken into custody and placed under provisional detention. The move represents a pivotal moment in the investigations spearheaded by the transitional authorities following the […]
The foreign ministers of Niger and Mali have recently delivered statements that raise eyebrows. On one hand, they fiercely accuse neighboring West African nations within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of supporting terrorism. On the other, they express readiness to ‘cooperate’ with these same countries on specific issues. This inconsistent stance, swinging […]
The Oumar Mariko mediation: a humanitarian breakthrough or a sovereignty crisis? In a single photograph that went viral across Malian social media, opposition figure Oumar Mariko—currently living in exile—appears alongside 17 recently freed hostages, liberated by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group operating in the Sahel. While […]
Kémi Séba, the controversial figurehead of panafricanist activism, finds himself increasingly isolated following his arrest in South Africa and looming extradition to Benin. Once a vocal critic of alleged French interference on the continent, Séba now faces a stark lack of support from his former allies, including Nathalie Yamb and Franklin Nyamsi, whose silence speaks […]
What is the AES passport? The AES passport represents a newly introduced biométric travel document by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). It is designed to gradually replace the Community of West African States (CEDEAO) passport, which has been in use across Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. This transition is part of a broader strategy […]
The Togo has unveiled a refreshed security strategy for the Sahel, positioning itself as a critical mediator between military-led nations in the region and international stakeholders. This initiative, announced during a high-level diplomatic engagement, reflects Lomé’s commitment to fostering stability amid escalating jihadist violence in neighboring countries like Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. According to […]
Bénin’s child welfare system is gaining essential operational support. On Friday, April 17, 2026, the Abomey-Calavi School of Judicial Professions (EFPJ) hosted the official graduation ceremony for supervised education trainees, concluding a rigorous twelve-month training program. This signifies a vital advancement for juvenile justice in the nation. After a year of dedicated effort, these specialized […]