West Africa

Boko Haram's alleged new leader has confirmed that its "impossible" commander, Abubakar Shekau, died in May while battling an outbreak, he said in a video. In the short video in Arabic, Boko Haram commander Bakura Modu, also known as Sahaba, urged his faction commander to remain loyal despite the loss of their historic commander. Shekau's death is seen as a major shift in Nigeria's conflict, although Daesh in the West African province (ISWAP) has recently emerged as the dominant force in the more than…

Laurent Gbagbo returned to Côte d'Ivoire on Thursday 17 June after a ten-year absence. A historic day, but also chaotic marked by clashes between young supporters and the police. And if the unrest lasted until late in the evening, the situation recovered on Friday. From our special correspondent in Abidjan,No more traces of…

The Nigerian government has decided to close the Intikane refugee camp in Tillia prefecture, 60 km from the Malian border, home to Malian refugees and internally displaced Nigerians. It is infiltrated by jihadists and is also in the way of drug traffickers. as reported from Niamey, Moussa KakaThe decision to close the Intikane…

In Porto Novo yesterday, Benine's opponent Reckia Madougou was heard for the first time by Criet, who has been suing her since March 5, 2021 for "criminal association and terrorism". Candidate for the Democratic Party whose action was annulled by the Electoral Commission, officially due to lack of sponsorship, she was heard on the merits and on her possible interference in the case where the Special…

RFI witnessed the reunion between Laurent Gbagbo and his supporters at a former campaign headquarters in Cocody-Attoban on Thursday, June 17. In front of a crowd that won over his cause, the former president was short in his speech, asking "to mourn" first his "dead" and to speak "later on politics". With our special…

Africa regrets 135,000 deaths from Covid, less than in other regions of the world. But the third wave is strengthening and accelerating on the continent, warns the World Health Organization (WHO). The number of deaths in Africa increased by 15% last week in Africa. Five countries are concentrating three quarters of the new…

In Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari visited the large city of Maiduguri on Thursday, June 17, in northeastern Nigeria, one and a half years after his last visit, in February 2020. An expressive but very symbolic excursion, as the security situation is deteriorating day by day across Nigeria. as reported from Lagos, Liza…

In Burkina Faso, about forty political parties of the majority and the opposition began a political dialogue this Thursday in Ouagadougou, which will last until Saturday. as reported from Ouagadougou, Yaya BoudaniThis political dialogue was launched by President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré while the country has suffered the…

Laurent Gbagbo's return to Côte d'Ivoire on Thursday, June 17, was negotiated step by step by the envoy of the former president and current head of state, Alassane Ouattara. Fahiraman Rodrigue Koné, a sociologist and researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), was in the special edition of RFI. He analyzes how these negotiations can enable a peaceful return for the whole country.…

After months of negotiations and years of absence for his supporters, the former president of Abidjan is expected on Thursday afternoon. Even longer waiting for his support in Mama, the former president's native village, but also in Gagnoa, the large city to the west, his region of origin. With our special correspondent for…