Ghana Accepts First West African Deportees from the US
Ghanaian President John Mahama announced that the first group of West African deportees from the United States has arrived in Ghana. The deportation agreement comes amid the U.S. levying increased tariffs on Ghanaian products. Mahama said that Ghana had accepted 14 people, including several Nigerians and one Gambian, under a regional visa-free travel arrangement, after the U.S. requested Ghana to take in third-party nationals. The move formed part of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on immigration, which had also seen deportees sent to Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan. The agreement came at a time when the U.S. had imposed higher tariffs on Ghanaian goods and visa restrictions on its nationals. Mahama said the relations between Accra and Washington are “tightening”, though he added relations had remained positive.
Prominent Kenyan Lawyer Killed in Nairobi Drive-By Shooting
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Kenya has been left in shock after the killing of a senior lawyer and former Political Parties’ Dispute Tribunal chairperson, Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, in a drive-by shooting on a busy street in Nairobi. Mbobu, who was also a University of Nairobi law lecturer, was attacked near the Lang’ata-Magadi road junction when a gunman on a motorcycle opened fire on his car. The Law Society of Kenya has described the killing as “abhorrent” and said the crime must be “dealt with swiftly and conclusively”. They expressed concern over threats faced by lawyers, adding that the killing had “all markings of a predetermined assassination”. Investigations are underway.
Nigerian Grid Collapses, Leaving 30 States in Darkness
Nigeria’s fragile electricity grid suffered yet another partial collapse, plunging about 30 states into blackout as power supply to 10 distribution companies dropped to zero. The failure, which occurred between 11 am and 12 pm, saw national generation fall sharply from 2,917.83MW to just 1.5MW, according to the Independent System Operator. The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company confirmed the outage, citing a loss of supply from the national grid at 11:23 am, and assured customers that efforts were underway to restore power once the grid stabilised. As of press time, the Transmission Company of Nigeria had not provided details on the cause of the collapse.
Chinese Group Sentenced to 20 Years for Human Trafficking in South Africa
Seven Chinese people were each sentenced to 20 years in prison in South Africa for human trafficking and kidnapping. Their sentence comes nearly six years after they were arrested when local authorities raided a factory in Johannesburg and found 91 Malawian nationals, 37 of them children, working in appalling conditions. The group, four men and three women, was found guilty on 158 of the 160 counts for which they were charged. The factory raid came after authorities received a tip-off from a worker who had managed to escape. According to authorities, the victims had been smuggled into the country in shipping containers. South Africa’s prosecuting authority and labour department welcomed the ruling, calling it a significant step in the fight against human trafficking, which remains a growing problem in the country.
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Islamist Insurgents Execute Dozens in Niger Mosque Massacre – Report
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that Islamist insurgents have summarily executed nearly 130 people in Niger since March. The rights group said that gunmen carried out a series of brutal attacks, including a mass murder at a mosque in the western Tillabéri region in June, where more than 70 worshippers were shot dead during prayers. Witnesses described scenes of mass slaughter, with victims riddled with bullets, including children. The attacks, blamed on Islamic State (IS) fighters identifiable by their red-banded turbans, also involved the destruction of schools and religious sites and the imposition of harsh restrictions on civilians. The attacks violated international humanitarian law and are apparent war crimes. HRW criticised Niger’s military junta, which seized power in 2023, promising to curb the insurgency, for failing to protect communities despite villagers’ repeated warnings. Since the coup, about 1,600 civilians have been killed by IS fighters, highlighting the junta’s struggle to contain violence despite forging new security alliances with Russia and Turkey after cutting ties with the West.
