Summary

  • President Buhari sacks Nigeria's wanted ex-pension boss

  • Row over 'whites only' job advert for M-Net

  • Mozambique uncovers traffic police corruption scam

  • Nigeria to freeze 46 million bank accounts

  • Kenyan prosecutors order arrest of Raila Odinga's sister

  • Tanzania arrests over 'promoting homosexuality'

  • Derailed train injures five in Ghana

  • Nigeria university 'hires snake charmers'

  • Outrage over Algeria website 'censorship'

  • Female bombers target Nigeria's Maiduguri, killing 14

Live Reporting

Lucy Fleming and Natasha Booty

  1. UK health firm rejects SA takeover offer

    Private hospital group Spire Healthcare, which is the UK's second-largest healthcare company, has rejected a £1.3bn ($1.7bn) offer from South Africa's Mediclinic, stating that the offer "significantly undervalues" the business and "its prospects".

    According to Reuters, the offer came growing scrutiny by the British government of foreign takeovers of UK companies.

  2. Nigeria university 'hires snake charmers'

    A leading university in northern Nigeria's Katsina city has hired snake charmers to rid the campus of snakes after a student was bitten and died, local media reports.

    The dean of student affairs at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Suleiman Kankara, confirmed their presence on campus following the death of final year economics student Zainab Umar, the reports say.

    The Daily Post news site quoted him as saying:

    Yes, we have employed the services of snake charmers to assist us in ridding the campus of snakes. Although the snake charmers just began work, plans had been in the pipeline to hire them.

    We normally hire the snake charmers whenever we get [a] report of [the] presence of snakes on the campus. It is unfortunate that the lady died. We know we tried our best to prevent her death."

    It is estimated that 10,000 people are bitten by snakes in Nigeria every year, but the exact death toll is unknown.

    Watch our video about Gombe state, one of the worst-affected areas:

    The battle against deadly snakebites in Nigeria

  3. Kenyan prosecutors order arrest of Raila Odinga's sister

    Ruth OdingaAFP

    The sister of Kenya's main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, will be charged with incitement to violence after attacks on staff of the electoral board last week, the country's public prosecutor's office has said.

    Ruth Odinga is a former deputy governor of Kisumu State.

    The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Keriakor Tobiko, ordered her immediate arrest.

    Mr Odinga had been due to compete against President Uhuru Kenyatta in a repeat of Kenya's presidential election on Thursday, but pulled out earlier this month, saying the polls would not be free and fair.

  4. 'WHO is the big loser - not Mugabe'

    President Robert Mugabe delivers a speech during a meeting of his party's youth league where he hinted at a cabinet reshuffle, on October 7, 2017, in HarareAFP

    Robert Mugabe has been in power since 1980

    ‘WHO biggest loser after Pres Mugabe decision’ - that is a headline on the website of the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation following the decision of the World Health Organization (WHO) to revoke the appointment of President Robert Mugabe as goodwill ambassador after widespread condemnation.

    It quoted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Walter Mzembi, as saying that WHO "benefited tremendously" from appointing Mr Mugabe, 93, to lead the fight against non-communicable diseases, but it was "wise to let go" because of the "inordinate noise".

    Mr Mzembi added:

    "On a name recognition scale, this name beats them all, but it is our business to protect its brand equity from unnecessary besmirching.”

    Read the full BBC story here

  5. Female bombers target Nigerian camp

    Naziru Mikailu
    BBC Abuja editor

    Map

    Three female suicide bombers in Nigeria have targeted the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, killing 14 civilians.

    One of them set off her explosives at a big bus station and another at a nearby camp housing people who have fled unrest during Boko Haram’s eight-year insurgency.

    The two explosions were at about 21:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on Sunday in the suburb of Muna.

    A third bomber’s explosives did not go off when the others did and she ran off.

    But they did subsequently explode, killing only the bomber.

    No group has said it carried out the attack but the area has previously been attacked by Boko Haram suicide bombers.

    Maiduguri used to be the base for the Islamist militant group.

    Muna camp in Maiduguri, NigeriaAFP

    Muna camp houses thousands of people who have fled their homes

  7. Good morning

    Welcome to the BBC Africa Live page where we'll be keeping you up-to-date with news and trends from across the continent.