Author: Aïcha Abdou

Burkina Faso’s government has once again demonstrated its rigid and authoritarian tendencies by publicly chastising young graduates from the diaspora. During a flag-raising ceremony at the Ministry of Higher Education, the Minister of Higher Education, Professor Adjima Thiombiano, launched a scathing verbal attack against these students. Their only offense? Expressing online reservations or criticism about the country’s educational system or daily realities. Rather than engaging in constructive dialogue or adopting a diplomatic approach, the minister resorted to threats, bluntly telling the youth, “If Burkina Faso doesn’t suit them, they should…

As Burkina Faso’s gold reserves become central to its evolving security partnerships with Russia, questions intensify over whether these ties are solidifying Ibrahim Traoré’s rule. The recent reshuffling of private military contractors at the Bissa gold mine exposes deeper negotiations where national security, foreign influence, and economic control intersect — sparking debate on what comes next for a nation caught between geopolitical pressures and internal stability. From corporate rivalry to political stakes: the Bissa gold mine dispute The Bissa gold mine, operated by the Russian-owned Nordgold, has become a microcosm…

After Algeria’s bold military move, Niamey seeks new partners The Nigerian Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine’s surprise visit to Benghazi on November 1st and the subsequent signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with Libya’s eastern authorities are sparking heated debates across the Sahel. What began as a routine diplomatic exchange has quickly evolved into a geopolitical chessboard where military ambitions and regional rivalries collide. The timing could not be more critical. Just days before the Benghazi meetings, Algeria’s parliament approved the deployment of its National People’s Army (ANP) to…

What happened in Minna? A cell turned deadly overnight Thirty-three people, including 14 children, lost their lives in a 12-square-meter cell in Minna, Niger State. The tragedy unfolded overnight between September 16 and 17, 2026, in a facility run by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), an agency responsible for civil security operations. At the time of the incident, nearly 50 detainees were crammed into a space not fit for such numbers—conditions that became fatal. The conditions that led to tragedy: suffocation, silence, and suffering The independent investigative…