Nigeria Arrests Convicted Former Minister Mamman After He Flees
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested former Nigerian Power Minister Saleh Mamman after he had gone into hiding following being sentenced to 75 years in jail on corruption charges. Mamman was convicted on 12 counts linked to the diversion of funds meant for two hydroelectric power projects. The court found that at least $14 million intended for electricity infrastructure was siphoned through proxy companies and associates. The judge described the diversion of public funds as a gross abuse of public trust and said proxy companies and associates were used to siphon money from the projects. Mamman served as Nigeria's power minister between 2019 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sierra Leone Receives First Batch of U.S. Migrant Deportees
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Sierra Leone has become the latest African nation to receive migrants deported from the United States as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. A chartered plane carrying nine West African migrants landed near Freetown. The group included citizens from five countries: Ghana, two from Guinea, and one each from Nigeria and Senegal. Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba said that the country had agreed to accept up to 300 people a year expelled by the United States. The U.S. has already sent deportees to several other African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and South Sudan. Critics, including Human Rights Watch, have warned that deportations to third countries violate international human rights standards and put vulnerable migrants at risk.
Uganda Debates Naming of Ebola Bundibugyo Strain
A debate has erupted in Uganda over the naming of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus strain. Diplomats, journalists, and sections of the public are questioning why a deadly disease variant continues to carry the name of a Ugandan district despite modern World Health Organization naming protocols discouraging the use of geographic locations. The controversy intensified after the Ministry of Health confirmed that a Congolese national who died at Kibuli Hospital had tested positive for the Ebola Bundibugyo strain. The strain was first identified in 2007 during an outbreak in Bundibugyo District in the Rwenzori region of western Uganda near the Congolese border. Health experts note, however, that the Bundibugyo name remains because it was officially assigned years before the 2015 WHO reforms and is now embedded within global scientific classification systems for Ebola species. Renaming established virus species is uncommon because it can create confusion in scientific literature, medical databases, vaccine development records, and historical epidemiology tracking.
Mali Conflict Escalates as Banned Cluster Bombs Reportedly Used
The Malian army and its Russian allies have used cluster bombs for the first time in the country's north, where jihadist groups, separatist movements, and the army have been fighting for more than a decade. Weapons were dropped during anti-terror operations in northern Mali, according to local sources, security specialists, and a rights group that documented the attacks. The first strike happened at Oubder, near In-Gouzma, in the Timbuktu region. The second happened at Tadjmart, near Aguelhoc, in the Kidal region. Rights groups and separatist factions, including the Azawad Liberation Front, have condemned the attacks, saying they are collecting unexploded remnants as evidence. They warned of severe risks to civilians, especially children and herders, due to the long-lasting danger posed by unexploded ordnance.
ICC Holds Historic Libya Atrocities Hearing
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is set to hold a landmark hearing in the case of Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri. He is suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes, which is a long-awaited breakthrough for victims of serious crimes in Libya. From May 19 to 21, 2026, ICC judges will hear evidence against El Hishri in a "confirmation of charges" hearing to determine whether the case against him should proceed to trial. He is the first person to face justice before the ICC concerning atrocities in Libya since the United Nations Security Council referred the situation in Libya to the ICC prosecutor in 2011, to investigate serious crimes committed following the country's uprising. Human Rights Watch has published a question-and-answer document about the upcoming proceedings. The ICC has issued public arrest warrants for 14 individuals in connection with the Libya investigation, including El Hishri. Four have since died or were killed, and eight others remain at large. ICC judges declared the case against Abdullah al-Senussi, the intelligence chief under former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, inadmissible before the court.
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