A leading Muslim human right group in Nigeria has called for an independent investigation into the deadly incident in which the army allegedly killed about 100 Shia Muslims in the northern city of Zaria.

"We denounce the well-known belligerent posture of the Nigerian military towards unarmed civilians as manifested in this massacre. It is reckless, lawless and barbaric," the Muslim Rights Concern (Muric) said in a statement.

"It is wanton exhibition of lack of respect for human life... It is impunity of the highest order," it added. 

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) says at least 100 of its followers were killed by the army and its shrine demolished in Zaria. 

The home of its leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, was also destroyed, and he was arrested, it said. 

Image source, Getty Images

The army has not commented on casualties during the clashes.   

It has accused the IMN of blocking roads during a religious procession and of attempting to assassinate army chief Gen Tukur Buratai. 

However, Muric rejected the army's claim and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take action, saying the army must be held accountable.

"Our democracy is a fraud if soldiers will not submit themselves to civil authority," it said. 

Image source, AFP

The UN-backed International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has delivered its final judgements on those behind the 1994 genocide, reports the BBC's Sammy Awami from Tanzania. 

The court confirmed guilty verdicts on six people - including former government minister Pauline Nyiramasuhuko,  for crimes against humanity.

 However, it reduced the life sentences of Nyiramasuhuko, and two others to 47 years each. 

It was the last case heard by the tribunal which has shut its doors after trying Rwandan genocide suspects in Tanzania for the last 21 years.

Read: The historic work of the court

Milton Nkosi
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

President Jacob Zuma’s decision to fire and hire three finance ministers in the space of a week has been a colossal blunder. 

Not only is this the view of opposition parties calling for his resignation, but also the general public, markets and the president himself - hence the U-turn over the weekend. 

The question on most people’s minds is what on earth is happening at Luthuli House, the headquarters of the governing African National Congress (ANC). 

The party's leadership was not consulted over Mr Zuma's decision last week to replace the highly respected Nhlanhla Nene with little-known MP Des van Rooyen, and seemed to have heard about the dramatic decision at the same time as the rest of us. 

There is no doubt that the ANC - the oldest liberation movement in Africa - is in disarray. 

Its president has been described as a wrecking ball.

Image source, AFP

Cabinet ministers in Mr Zuma's office admitted that they too had no clue that the 73-year-old Mr Zuma was about to deliver his biggest faux pas as head of state in Africa’s most industrialised economy.

President Zuma will emerge weaker but the party is unlikely to lose votes in the medium-term. 

The vast majority of South Africans vote for the party, not for an individual, and that is Mr Zuma’s airbag - it will save him from crashing out of the highest office in the land.

Prime Ndikumagenge
BBC Africa, Bujumbura

Former Burundian Defence Minister Cyrille Ndayirukiye has been charged in court with plotting a coup against President Pierre Nkurunziza. 

Mr Ndayirukiye is appearing in the Supreme Court, with 27 army generals and police officers.

They are accused of being behind the failed plot to oust President Pierre Nkurunziza in May, as opposition to his bid for a third term grew. 

Mr Ndayirukiye and the other accused told the judge they have been kept in isolation in "inhumane conditions", and were forced to defecate in a bucket. 

Image source, AFP

They said they would not plead to the charges until their prison conditions improved. 

The 28 have also been accused of inciting killings, and destroying property.

Reports from the northern Nigerian city of Zaria say soldiers have destroyed the main shrine of a powerful Shia Muslim sect as a crackdown on the movement continues for a third day. 

Residents of the city told the BBC Hausa service that the home of the sect's leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, was also demolished. 

The sect, known as the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), said at least 20 of its members were killed on Saturday after soldiers opened fire on them. 

The army has not commented on the allegation. 

Earlier, it accused the sect of attempting to assassinate army chief Gen Tukur Buratai. 

Members of the IMN have a history of clashing with Nigeria's security forces. 

More than 30 people were killed in July last year when soldiers and the IMN clashed during a religious procession in Zaria, a stronghold of the group.

Egyptian investigators say their preliminary report on a Russian jet which crashed in the Sinai in October has found no proof of terrorism.

  Russia and Western governments have said the Airbus A321, operated by Metrojet, was brought down by a bomb.  

The plane crashed en route to Russia from the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Sinai-based militants linked to so-called Islamic State group said they bombed the plane. 

All 224 people on board, nearly all Russians, were killed.

Image source, AP

Karen Allen
BBC Southern Africa correspondent, Johannesburg

Image source, ANC

South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) party has defended President Jacob Zuma's dramatic U-turn on the appointment of a new finance minister.

It denies that he faced internal pressure from within the party just days after the appointment of Des van Rooyen - an outsider with  no experience at national government level - sent the economy into free-fall. 

The markets have rallied at the news that Pravin Gordhan is returning to the job but Mr Zuma's credibility has been severely dented. 

Nigeria's main pro-Iranian Shia Muslim sect says the wife of its leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky has been killed in clashes with the military in northern Zaria town. 

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) alleged that Zeenat Ibraheem had been killed, along with the couple's son Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky.

Sheikh Zakzaky was arrested by soldiers who besieged his home amid allegations that members of the sect attempted to assassinate army chief Gen Tukur Buratai in Zaria on Saturday.

However, the IMN denied the allegation, and accused the military of killing at least 20 of its members. 

Read about the sect here

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma's decision to appoint Pravin Gordhan as the new finance minister has failed to quell the torrent of criticism from opposition parties, as the country reels from the shock of having three finance ministers in less than a week. 

The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party leader Mmusi Maimane said: "This is reckless by President Zuma - he is playing Russian roulette with the South African economy. 

"How much longer can South Africa afford Zuma to hold office? We need change and a new plan for South Africa," Mr Maimane added.

Image source, AFP

The left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party said Mr Zuma should resign.

"If anyone still does not think we are in a Banana Republic, they cannot be helped. No amount of explanation can save the [governing] ANC from the embarrassment and the joke they have put the entire country through," the party said in a statement. 

Image source, AFP

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has yielded to public pressure by sacking his deeply unpopular Finance Minister David van Rooyen - four days after appointing him. 

Mr Zuma said the respected Pravin Gordhan - who served as finance minister from 2009 to 2014 - would return to the post. 

"I have received many representations to reconsider my decision, as a democratic government, we emphasise the importance of listening to the people and to respond to their views," Mr Zuma said. 

His dismissal last week of Nhlanhla Nene - who was said to have fallen out with Mr Zuma over government spending - caused widespread anger across South Africa, with calls on the governing African National Congress (ANC) to sack him. 

It also led to the currency falling to an all-time low, raising fears of a recession in Africa's second-biggest economy. 

Our African proverb of the day:"They say that the broom is not important, but in the morning they look for it."An Igbo‬, external proverb sent by Chika Prisca Nkachukwu, Onitsha, Nigeria.

Click here to send your African proverb.

Image source, Getty Images

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