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abuja, nigeria — Trial began Monday in Nigeria for 10 people charged with treason in connection with anti-government protests that erupted last month over the high cost of living. The defendants could face the death penalty if convicted.

The defendants are also charged with conspiring to incite the military to mutiny. They pleaded not guilty, and a bail hearing was set for September 11.

In early August, thousands of protesters took to Nigeria’s streets to denounce President Bola Tinubu’s policies and government.

Tinubu scrapped expensive fuel subsidy payments last year upon assuming office and soon afterward floated the national currency, the naira.

Authorities accused protesters of inciting public unrest and burning government buildings but pledged to address the economic hardship.

The case has drawn the ire of human rights group Amnesty International. Isa Sanusi, the country director for Amnesty in Nigeria, said, “What they’re doing is just a deliberate effort to psychologically and physically break down these people, who are resilient people and came out to express their anger over the way the nation is being run as a result of corruption and mismanagement. So the trial is a sham; it does not meet all the international standards of fair trial.”

Amnesty also called the trial a mockery of Nigeria’s rule of law. The group said the government was attempting to stifle dissent, and it called for the protesters to be released and charges withdrawn immediately. 

The 10 defendants are among hundreds of protesters who were arrested during last month’s demonstrations, which came amid Nigeria’s worst economic crisis in a generation.

In the nationwide protests, tagged “Ten Days of Rage,” demonstrators demanded better governance and a reversal of government reforms, including the scrapping of the fuel subsidy.

During the demonstrations, protesters in northern Nigeria hoisted Russian flags as they marched and chanted for President Vladimir Putin to come to their aid.

The protests were met with a fierce crackdown by security forces. Amnesty International said 13 people were killed, and Amnesty’s Sanusi said Nigerian authorities should focus on investigating these killings.

Sanusi also said Nigerian authorities have been denying the detained protesters access to family and legal representation.

“These people have not been allowed to have access to adequate legal representation or assistance,” he said. “Treason carries the death penalty, according to the Nigerian laws. … So that is the tactic they use – they use this ambiguity, suspense of being taken to court just to break down the spirit of these protesters, and we condemn this misuse of the Nigerian judicial system to suppress people.”

The government has not responded to Amnesty International’s statement. But in the past, the government has often said it works in the interest of national security.

The legal counsel for the protesters, Deji Adeyanju, said a team of lawyers has been working to secure their release.

“The charge against the protesters is completely unacceptable because it’s an attempt to criminalize freedom of assembly,” Adeyanju said. “The criminalization will be resisted.”

On Monday, Nigerian police also declared British national Andrew Wynne wanted for allegedly plotting to topple the Nigerian government. The Associated Press said the British high commissioner had not responded to a request for comment. 

Police also said nine suspects have been arrested in connection with allegedly receiving monies from foreign sources to destabilize the country.
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abuja, nigeria — Nigeria on Monday charged 10 people with treason and conspiring to incite the military to mutiny following last month’s nationwide demonstrations that saw thousands take to the streets to protest the cost-of-living crisis.

The protests were met with a deadly crackdown by security forces and Amnesty International said at least 13 people were killed. Security forces denied using lethal force.

The 10 men were arraigned in the Abuja Federal High Court and entered a not guilty plea. They face the death penalty if convicted, human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong said.

State prosecutors said, in court papers seen by Reuters, that the protesters intended to destabilize Nigeria and “conspired together to commit felony to wit, treason.”

Prosecutors also laid five other charges against the accused under the country’s penal code, including inciting the military to mutiny, burning government buildings and disturbing public peace.

Lawyers for the protesters sought their release on bail, which was opposed by the state. The court will make a ruling on September 11 when their trial is expected to begin.

Amnesty urged the government to unconditionally release all the people arrested during the protests. It said the trial was meant to unlawfully justify detaining protesters.

“These are blatantly trumped-up charges that must be immediately withdrawn,” said Isa Sanusi, director for Amnesty International Nigeria.

Nigerians blame economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu, in office since May 2023, for economic hardship — worsened by double-digit inflation after the nation’s currency was devalued — and the cost of petrol and electricity rose.
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Mbabane, Eswatini — Eswatini’s King Mswati III’s plans to wed Nomcebo Zuma, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, as his 16th wife. Political analysts dismiss the union’s geopolitical impact but see its potential in strengthening ties between the two leaders.

A royal delegation from Eswatini, also known as Swaziland, visited Jacob Zuma’s homestead at Nkandla in July in accordance with tradition, marking the start of Mswati’s marriage proposal to Zuma.

Political analyst Mandla Hlatshwayo sees this union as a strategic move, cementing economic and political interests.

“President Zuma’s role and capacity to be a major ambassador for Swaziland or the Swazi royal family is a noncontestable issue and has become even far more important in my view with the development or the emergence of MK [uMkhonto weSizwe] as a political party with President Zuma as its absolute president.” 

Sicelo Mngomezulu, a Swazi-born, South Africa-based lawyer, downplays the political impact of the marriage, arguing that Zuma’s diminished role in South African politics renders him unable to influence Swazi politics.

However, he foresees the marriage “strengthening bilateral relations between the king of Swaziland and the former president, as we know by now that the former president of South Africa and king are actually business partners in some shape or form … and so, we expect that part of their relationship will actually blossom.”

Zuma is expected to go on trial on multiple corruption and racketeering charges next April. He has pleaded not guilty.

Meanwhile, Mswati has been criticized for his controversial polygamy and lavish lifestyle. Former Eswatini lawmaker Mduduzi Simelane points out the king’s wedding will be expensive.

“Firstly, this high-profile wedding, with its steep dowry of 100 cattle and R2 million [2 million rands, or USD $113,300] and all the other hidden costs associated with a wedding of this nature, puts a significant strain on Swaziland’s economy. Secondly, within royal circles, this union has also been met with internal opposition among the royal wives. … This marriage will cause an uproar.”

Eswatini High Court lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi agrees that whether seen as a strategic union of two powerful families or a personal decision to extend influence and financial gain, the king’s marriage to Nomcebo Zuma will have a lasting impact on the two nations’ ties, for better or worse.
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Bernard Avle hosts one of the biggest morning shows in Ghana. But scammers used artificial intelligence, or AI, to clone his voice to endorse a product. Analysts warn the same technology could be used to spread disinformation ahead of Ghana’s elections in December. For VOA News, Senanu Tord reports from Accra.
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Algiers — Algeria has been approved for membership in the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB), the country’s finance ministry has  announced.

The decision was taken on Saturday and announced by NDB chief Dilma Roussef at a meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.

By joining “this important development institution, the financial arm of the BRICS group, Algeria is taking a major step in its process of integration into the global financial system,” the Algerian finance ministry said in a statement.

The bank of the BRICS group of nations — whose name derives from the initials of founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — is  aimed at offering an alternative to international financial institutions like the World Bank and IMF.

Algeria’s membership was secured thanks to “the strength of the country’s macroeconomic indicators” which have recorded “remarkable performances in recent years” and allowed the North African country to be classified as an “upper-tier emerging economy,” the finance ministry said.

Membership in the BRICS bank will offer Algeria — Africa’s leading exporter of natural gas — “new prospects to support and strengthen its economic growth in the medium and long term,” it added.

Created in 2015, the NDB’s main mission is to mobilize resources for projects in emerging markets and developing countries.

It has welcomed several country as new members, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Saudi Arabia. 
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Blantyre, Malawi — A 72-year-old woman has shot to music stardom in Malawi, challenging societal norms in a country where elderly people are often abused, tortured or even killed over false accusations of witchcraft.

Christina Malaya, now popularly known by her stage name, Jetu, is breaking the internet with her amapiano-style tracks.

Jetu started her music career last year, at the age of 71 — soon after the death of her husband, in central Malawi, where she was staying.

Relatives suggested she go to Blantyre to stay with grandchildren. Those grandchildren were “doing music,” she said, and asked her to join them as a way to overcome her loneliness and boredom.

Under the management of her grandson, musician Blessings Kazembe, popularly known as Emmu Dee, Jetu has released three powerful singles: “Wakalamba Wafuna,” “Chakwaza” and “Simunatchene.”

Her fans and admirers have crowned her the Malawian queen of amapiano — a subgenre of South African house music — which dominates the music scene in Malawi.

Jetu is excited that music has allowed her to go places she never dreamed of visiting, including Johannesburg and Cape Town when she performed in South Africa in June.

Her talent has earned her recognition as an ambassador for elderly people in Malawi, helping to reduce attacks and killings. Older people in Malawi are faced with attacks and killings on suspicion of practicing witchcraft even though Malawi law does not recognize witchcraft.

Andrew Kavala, executive director of the Malawi Network of Older Persons’ Organizations, told VOA that in 2023, his organization recorded 25 killings and 87 cases of violence, including setting fire to homes and assault. That was up from 2022’s 17 deaths.

So far in 2024, he said, 17 elderly people have been killed and 89 have been abused.

Kavala said his organization chose Jetu as an ambassador for elderly Malawians because of her strong appeal to youth, who studies show make 86% of the witchcraft accusations.

“We are trying to explore means through which Jetu can use her platform to convey the message to the youth, ‘Stop bullying, stop abusing elderly persons,’” he said.

Malawi’s youthful and renowned fashion designer Xandria Kawanga, owner of the House of Xandria fashion brand, has started to dress Jetu for events.

“Most people at her age have already given up or they feel they cannot do anything, entertainment or arts, because they are old now,” Kawanga said “So, I thought one of the best ways [to help] is to complement her art and to give her that push.”

Jetu and her grandson/manager, Emmu Dee, are working to promote their new song, which has a video that was was produced this month.
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ABUJA, Nigeria — Weeks of flooding have killed 185 people in Nigeria and washed away homes and farmlands, the country’s disaster management agency said, further threatening food supplies, especially in the hard-hit northern region.

The floods, blamed on poor infrastructure and badly maintained dams, have displaced 208,000 people in 28 of Nigeria’s 36 states, the National Emergency Management Agency said in an update Friday, triggering frantic efforts to evacuate hundreds of thousands to makeshift shelters.

Nigeria records flooding every year mostly as a result of failure to follow environmental guidelines and inadequate infrastructure. The worst floods the country has seen in a decade were in 2022, when more than 600 people were killed and more than 1 million people were displaced.

However, unlike in 2022 when the floods were blamed on heavier rainfall, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency predicted delayed or normal rains in most parts of the country this year and said the current floods were more a result of human activities.

“What we are doing is causing this climate change, so there is a shift from the normal,” said Ibrahim Wasiu Adeniyi, head of the central forecasting unit. “We have some who dump refuse indiscriminately, some build houses without approvals along the waterways.”

The Nigerian disaster response agency warned the flooding could get worse in the coming weeks as the flood waters flow downwards to the central and southern states.

“People [in flood-prone areas] need to evacuate now … because we don’t have time any longer,” said its spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel.

In Jigawa, the worst-hit state, has recorded 37 deaths. The impact of the floods there has been “devastating,” and authorities are converting public buildings and schools as shelters for those displaced, according to Nura Abdullahi, head of emergency services in the state.

The floods have so far destroyed 107,000 hectares of farmland, especially in northern states, among the most affected and where most of Nigeria’s harvests come from.

Many farmers in the region are already unable to farm as much as they would like either because of decreasing inputs as families struggle amid Nigeria’s economic hardship or as a result of violent attacks that have forced them to flee.

Nigeria has the highest number of hungry people in the world, with 32 million — 10% of the global burden — facing acute hunger in the country, according to the U.N. food agency.

Resident Abdullahi Gummi in Zamfara state’s Gummi council area said the floods destroyed his family’s farmlands, which are their source of income. “We spent around 300,000 naira [$188] on planting, but everything is gone,” Gummi said.
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ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigeria’s decades-old oil pipelines are vital for transporting crude, but most are now corroded and vulnerable to leaks and vandalism. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation says it lacks the funds to fix these pipelines, sparking concerns about Nigeria’s oil production.

Oil fuels Nigeria’s economy, making up more than 90% of its export value. Pipelines are the veins transporting crude from production sites to ports and refineries.

But those pipelines have lost more than 3 million barrels of oil in the first five months of this year, according to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. That amounts to about $265 million or N400 billion, based on an average of $88 a barrel.

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s recent disclosure of a funding shortfall for pipeline maintenance could have serious consequences.

Faith Nwadishi, a leading Nigerian energy expert, raised the alarm about potential risks of this development.

“Why would they say that they have a shortage in funding, knowing that the pipelines are the vehicles for transmitting or transporting the crude that could actually bring in funds and revenue to the country? … When these things are not done, we are also encouraging oil theft. We are encouraging destruction of the environment, oil spillages that could come from these pipelines that are over aged,” Nwadishi said.

Although it remains a major oil producer, Nigeria is often behind on production targets because of theft and infrastructure challenges.

NNPC’s 2023 financial statements show it spent nearly $29 million or N45.88 billion, on pipeline security and maintenance nationwide.

Public policy analyst Jide Ojo blamed the maintenance shortfall on multiple factors, including corruption.

“Corruption is what is responsible for the funding challenge of NNPCL. … When things are shrouded in secrecy, it spaces room for abuse of office, corruption and all manners of malpractice. … For many decades, we didn’t even know how many liters of crude oil we were producing per day and there was a lot of impunity in that sector,” Ojo said.

Nigeria’s 2022 Petroleum Industry Act aimed to boost sector performance and attract investments, but progress has been minimal.

Ojo stressed the need for better reforms to strengthen public-private partnerships.

“Government needs to have better policy environment. … The enabling environment needs to be better enhanced,” Ojo said. “Don’t forget, there is what is called the ease of doing business. I think the federal government needs to do more on that ease of doing business, so that our investors can come and make money, and be able to invest without much concern about repatriation of their money.”

Nigeria removed its petroleum subsidy in May 2023 to conserve oil revenue, causing fuel prices to surge.

Pipeline inefficiencies add to pricing pressure, straining Nigeria’s fragile economy.

Nwadishi called for a lasting solution to the crisis.

“If these pipelines have outlived their relevance or their lifespan, they should be replaced. … There’s technology to monitor the pressures that come from the different pipelines, and the different points of intersection,” she said. “It could also help to know when there’s interference in the pipeline. It also further helps to determine where volumes are being lost, so that early repairs can be made, and it reduces cost.”
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China’s naval hospital ship, called the Peace Ark, is on a 13-nation tour of mostly African countries to provide free health care for locals. Over the past week, it was docked off the South African coast where the Western Cape province has a backlog of about 80,000 surgeries. Vicky Stark reports.
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