Displaying items by tag: Africa

On 21 November, at St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger state, more than three hundred students were abducted in a mass kidnapping - the worst such attack recorded against a Catholic school in the region. Although fifty children managed to escape and have been reunited with their families, 253 students and twelve staff members remain captive. Parents of missing children are traumatised, anxiously searching for any sign of their loved ones. This kidnapping follows several recent attacks, including the abduction of over two dozen schoolgirls in Kebbi and of 38 people attending a church service in Kwara state (though these have now been rescued). These incidents come only a few weeks after Donald Trump spoke of ‘Christian genocide’, which the government denied (see ) President Bola Tinubu has reassigned VIPs' bodyguards to core policing duties and ordered the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers, acknowledging that ‘many parts of Nigeria’ are not adequately policed. Church leaders and global voices, including the Pope, have called for urgent action to rescue the hostages and restore safety for Nigeria’s citizens. Many feel that the West doesn’t seem to care about this ongoing level of terrorism: see

Northern Nigeria is facing a rapidly escalating hunger emergency as militant attacks make it too dangerous for farmers to work their land. According to a new World Food Programme (WFP) report, Nigeria is on track to experience the worst-ever food crisis in Africa next year, with an estimated 35 million people expected to suffer severe hunger. In Borno state, the centre of ongoing insurgencies, at least 15,000 people are projected to face catastrophic hunger including famine-like conditions, as it is now classified at the highest level of food crisis severity. Violence from armed groups has spread, including recent kidnappings and the arrival of an al-Qaeda-linked faction claiming attacks in Nigeria for the first time. The crisis has been intensified by a major reduction in humanitarian aid following Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw US funding from the WFP. Without renewed support, millions may be left without critical food assistance, deepening instability and human suffering across the region.

A recent High Court decision in Malawi has ignited significant national debate by ruling that a 14-year-old girl, pregnant due to rape, must be granted access to a safe abortion. The judgment held that denying such care violates protection under the Gender Equality Act, and that girls impregnated through sexual offences automatically qualify for legal abortion services. Faith leaders, including Catholics, Protestants and Muslims, have warned that the ruling could set a far-reaching precedent in a country where abortion remains almost entirely criminalised except to save the mother’s life. They argue that expanding legal access risks reshaping national policy without public consensus, and intend to challenge the decision through legal and governmental channels. Meanwhile, advocates for reform say restrictive laws force vulnerable women and girls toward unsafe procedures, contributing to maternal deaths, though data on abortion-related mortality remains contested. As both sides mobilise, Malawi faces a pivotal moment in balancing the protection of life with urgent concerns for justice, safety and healthcare for survivors of sexual violence.

Testimonies from refugees in Mauritania reveal severe human rights abuses committed during counter-insurgency operations in Mali involving Russian mercenaries formerly associated with the Wagner Group. Witnesses describe arbitrary detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings as civilians were accused of aiding jihadist insurgents. One former shopkeeper recounted being detained, threatened, and mistreated before later fleeing the country with his family. Others reported loved ones killed without explanation or being beaten while performing everyday tasks like herding livestock. Human rights monitors say these actions have spread fear and driven tens of thousands to flee across the border. Although Wagner has formally withdrawn, many of its operatives are now part of Russia’s Africa Corps, and concerns remain that abuses continue under a new name. Calls are growing for accountability and justice for victims, as communities struggle with trauma, displacement, and the loss of safety in their homeland.

The devastating civil war in Sudan continues, with renewed international pressure for a ceasefire. The RSF, locked in conflict with the army since April 2023, has announced a three-month humanitarian truce. It says the move is in response to global diplomatic efforts, including initiatives from the Quad mediators (the USA, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt). However, deep distrust remains. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan rejected the US-backed proposal, calling it biased due to the UAE’s involvement and accusing the mediators of favouring the RSF. There are persistent allegations that the UAE is secretly arming the RSF, though it denies the claims. The conflict’s political roots remain unresolved: proposals have suggested transitions toward civilian rule without either military faction holding power - an idea the army has strongly opposed. In October the RSF seized the key Darfur city of El-Fasher after a relentless siege which sparked warnings of crimes against humanity and genocide. The warring parties have so far violated every ceasefire agreement.

Women and girls in Ethiopia’s Amhara region are facing a hidden crisis of conflict-related sexual violence as fighting between the national army and Fano militias continues. Survivors describe soldiers entering homes, threatening family members, and committing rape as a weapon of intimidation and punishment. Many victims, some as young as eight, are left in physical pain, psychological trauma, and deep shame, fearing stigma from their communities and even from their churches. Limited medical access means many do not receive the urgent treatment which could prevent HIV or pregnancy. Health workers report rising cases, but say that the numbers available represent only a fraction of the suffering, especially as law and order has broken down and accountability is rare. Rights groups warn that the violence reflects a pattern of impunity within Ethiopia’s security forces. For women like Enat, who is now raising a child conceived by rape, survival is overshadowed by fear, loss, and an uncertain future - yet also remarkable courage.

In Alexandra, South Africa’s oldest township, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, local volunteers known as the Alexandra Water Warriors are working tirelessly to protect their community from worsening flood risks and pollution. Using garbage-trapping nets across the Jukskei River, they are trying to prevent debris from clogging the waterway - a growing danger linked to illegal dumping and climate-intensified flash floods. The stakes are high: when the river overflows, bridges disappear underwater and children are unable to reach school. Despite limited resources, the Water Warriors plant native trees, clean riverbanks, and recycle collected waste into items that can bring in income. Their efforts have significantly reduced visible pollution, demonstrating the power of grassroots action in a place overshadowed by extreme inequality: Alexandra lies within sight of affluent Sandton, yet lacks basic infrastructure support. As world leaders gather in Johannesburg to discuss climate resilience, communities like Alexandra urgently need the global partnership and investment they cannot secure alone.

Donald Trump has declared that no US officials will attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, citing ‘human rights’ concerns related to alleged persecution of white Afrikaners. The decision has drawn sharp criticism both internationally and within South Africa. Trump’s administration has taken a hard line against Pretoria, imposing tariffs, cutting aid, and granting fast-track refugee status to Afrikaners while blocking most other refugees. Over forty Afrikaner leaders, including journalists, clergy, and academics, have denounced the president’s claims as false, stressing that no white-owned land has been seized and that violent crime affects all races. They called his narrative divisive and damaging to post-apartheid reconciliation. Following Trump’s decision, a planned visit to Kenya by JD Vance, which was expected to strengthen relationships, has also been cancelled: see

A political showdown has erupted in Senegal between president Bassirou Diomaye Faye and prime minister Ousmane Sonko, threatening to fracture the alliance that brought them to power. The dispute began when Faye dismissed Aïssatou Mbodj, a close Sonko ally, from her leadership role in the ‘Diomaye Président’ coalition, replacing her with his own confidante, Aminata Touré. Sonko’s Pastef party swiftly condemned the move as illegal, asserting that the president lacked authority to make such a decision and accusing him of betraying the coalition’s founding principles. The standoff exposes deep divisions over control and ideology at the heart of Senegal’s leadership, raising doubts about whether Faye can govern effectively without his powerful and popular prime minister. With rival factions now entrenched and public confidence wavering, the confrontation risks paralysing government operations and destabilising one of West Africa’s historically steady democracies.

Donald Trump’s threats to cut aid and launch military strikes against Nigeria over alleged ‘Christian genocide’, while resonating with US evangelicals, might misrepresent and oversimplify the country’s complex crisis. Nigeria’s conflicts, spanning insurgency, banditry, and communal clashes, are not purely religious but deeply rooted in ethnicity, identity, and government failures. Analysts warn that US intervention, whether through sanctions or drone strikes, could devastate civilians already trapped between terrorists and insecurity. History shows that ‘precision’ attacks often result in innocent casualties, worsening humanitarian crises. Arguably, Trump’s decision to freeze most foreign assistance programmes have exacerbated the problem, resulting in job losses for about 28,000 health workers and pushing vulnerable Nigerians deeper into hardship. His threats pose a dilemma for President Tinubu. If he cooperates, he might appear weak, but defying Washington might risk economic and military pain.