Category: Burkina Faso - Page 2 - African News Today

Eight Miners Trapped For Two Weeks In Burkina Faso Await Rescue

3May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Burkina Faso, News, Safety

Eight Miners Trapped For Two Weeks In Burkina Faso Await Rescue

Rescue efforts has continued in Burkina Faso as workers try to reach eight miners who have been trapped underground for more than two weeks. The zinc mine at Perkoa flooded following heavy rain last month. Six of the miners are from Burkina Faso and the other two are from Zambia and Tanzania. Burkina Faso Prime Minister Albert Ouedraogo said that managers of the mine have been banned from leaving the country while investigations are under way into the cause of the accident. “Precautionary measures have been taken to prevent the persons in charge of the mine from leaving the country and instructions have been given firmly to the Minister of Security for this,” a statement from the PM’s office said on Monday. Read Also: Chinese Businessman Jailed 20 years in Rwa...

12 Soldiers Killed as Jihadists Attack a Military Base in Burkina Faso

11Apr

By Guest ContributorNo Comments

Armed Forces, Burkina Faso, News, Religion, Security, Terrorism, Violence

12 Soldiers Killed as Jihadists Attack a Military Base in Burkina Faso

Suspected jihadists have attacked a military base in Burkina Faso, killing at least 12 soldiers and four volunteers in the process. The military on Friday said 21 troops were also injured in the attack on the Namissiguima military detachment in the north. The assailants are reported to have first attacked the camp with shells. Then shooting followed. The military added that reinforcements have been deployed to secure the area. The attack comes at a time when the armed forces have launched an operation to "de-pollute" localities in the region. Islamist militants started carrying out raids in Burkina Faso from bases in neighbouring Mali in 2015. Since then 1.8 million people have been displaced by the violence. A military government seized power in January and ousted P...

Court Sentences Ex-Burkina Faso President to Life Imprisonment

8Apr

By Guest ContributorNo Comments

Burkina Faso, Judiciary, Justice, News

Court Sentences Ex-Burkina Faso President to Life Imprisonment

A military court in Burkina Faso on Wednesday sentenced former president Blaise Campare to life imprisonment for the murder of his predecessor Thomas Sankara in a coup. The long-awaited verdict brought to close, a six-month trial about the murder of Mr Sankara, who was assassinated during a coup led by his friend and comrade-in-arms, Mr Compaoré, on October 15, 1987. Thomas Sankara Military prosecutors in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, had requested a 30-year sentence for Mr Compaoré, who was being tried alongside 13 others. Two other main suspects were also handed life imprisonment sentences. They are Gilbert Diendéré, one of the leaders of the 1987 putsch and leader of the 2015 coup, as well as Hyacinthe Kafando, leader of Mr Compaoré’s guards at the time. Mr Compao...

Burkina Faso Government Declares Two-day Mourning After 41 Killed In Ambush

26Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Burkina Faso, News, Security

Burkina Faso Government Declares Two-day Mourning After 41 Killed In Ambush

The government of Burkina Faso has declared a two-day mourning period as suspected militants killed at least 41 members of a government-backed civilian militia in the country's desert north. AFP reports that the militants on Thursday ambushed a column of civilian fighters from the Homeland Defence Volunteers (VDP), a group the government funds and trains to contain Islamist insurgents. According to the authorities, the attack was one of the heaviest single-day losses the civilian militia has experienced to date. Read Also: Bandit Kingpin, Bello Turji, Writes Buhari, Others, Seeks Dialogue, Appreciates Sheikh Gumi The attack also comes one month after an attack on a gendarmerie post killed 53 people - the worst strike on Burkinabe security forces in years. "In this painfu...

Buhari Congratulates Burkina Faso President on Electoral Victory

27Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Burkina Faso, Elections, Nigeria

Buhari Congratulates Burkina Faso President on Electoral Victory

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated President Roch Kabore of Burkina Faso on his re-election for a second term in office. This was disclosed in a statement on Friday by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, titled “President Buhari congratulates Roch Marc Kabore of Burkina Faso on his re-election for a second term, sieges him to unite the country.” According to the statement, Buhari said: “I am pleased with the peaceful outcome of the election in which the voters of Burkina Faso renewed your mandate for another five years in office. “Winning a second term is a vote of confidence, but it also brings bigger challenges for leaders to work even harder to make life better for their citizens.” President Buhari also urged Kabore who wa...

Famine Strikes in Burkina Faso as Farmers Seek Help

17Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Agriculture, Burkina Faso, Economy

Famine Strikes in Burkina Faso as Farmers Seek Help

Burkina Faso has been struck by drought and desertification which has resulted in famine. The landlocked West African nation of Burkina Faso has been hard hit by drought and desertification. The AFP and Africanews report that the landlocked nation has been hit hard by draught which has caused large scale hunger among its citizens. Just east of capital Ouagadougou, once fertile land is now dry. The country which is famed for food production and fertile earth has turned a shadow of itself. Previously productive lands are now good for gathering pebbles, due to years of drought and the erosion of the top soil. The slow advance of desertification, comes as populations from the north and across the Sahel are being pushed from their homes by violence linked to jihadists. Food inse...

Burkina Faso: Death Penalty Abolished in Burkina Faso

1Jun

By adminNo Comments

Africa, Burkina Faso, Human Rights, Justice

Burkina Faso: Death Penalty Abolished in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso has joined the league of nations to have abolished the death penalty. According to Rene Bagoro, Burkina Faso's Justice Minister, the newly adopted penal code will promote a "more credible, equitable, accessible and effective justice in the application of criminal law. The local media however believe that the move is not unconnected with the administration's desire to have the brother of former President Blaise Compaore, extradited from France to face the murder charges against him. Francois Compaore is currently being held by French authorities. He was implicated in the murder of investigative journalist, Norbert Zonga and then fled to Ivory Coast where he was apprehended by French authorities. The change in the penal code paves way for the the extradition request to ...