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African press review 24 August 2016

Nigerian Air Force inroads against Boko Haram militants, a self-proclaimed prophet whose clients died during spiritual cleansing and a Nigerian dog named Buhari are among the lead stories in the African press.

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The Nigerian Vanguard says the Nigerian Air Force (NAF)  yesterday threw more light on how its aircraft recorded another major success in "the ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations" against Boko Haram.

In a statement, the NAF said "the current phase of intensified air operations over Northern Borno paid off", with an air attack last Thursday which killed about 300 armed Islamists as they gathered for a meeting in the country's north-east.

The state's military, it said, had launched a series of "intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions", an ongoing operation aimed at "degrading the capability of the insurgents, particularly those who have fled to the northern part of Borno”.

Lagos 'prophet' chained and buried people

The Vanguard also reports that shallow graves have been found in the home of a man who chained 28 people.

The Lagos state police uncovered the graves yesterday in the house of self-acclaimed prophet Emmanuel Adeyemi.

Police believe Adeyemi used the graves to bury clients, who died during "spiritual cleansing".

Last week they rescued 28 people including children, who were chained, from the house in the Ojodu district north of the city of Lagos.

The suspect, who is in police custody, is said to have buried many of his victims in a swamp behind the house.

Despite claims by Adeyemi that those in chains were mad, police say that is not the case.

Sudan hospitalises Machar on humanitarian grounds

Riek Machar, South Sudan's sacked vice-president is in Sudan to receive "urgent medical attention", according to the state Sudan News Agency, SUNA, which says Sudan is hosting Machar on "purely humanitarian grounds".

Machar has not been seen in public since July's clashes between his supporters and those of President Salva Kiir which killed some 300 people.

His condition is now "stable" and he will "stay in Khartoum under full medical supervision until he leaves, for a destination of his choice", reports the agency.

South Sudan has suffered more than two years of civil war, since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.

Former Kenyan resident in hospital

South Africa's Business Day says former Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki is recovering well at Sunninghill Hospital in Gauteng province after reportedly suffering a stroke.

The former statesman‚ who is in his 80s‚ was admitted to the hospital on Sunday.

Family members, including his son and his daughter, said he is doing "fine".

Ethiopian Olympian 'need not fear despite speaking out'

Business Day also reports that Ethiopian athlete Feyisa Lilesa has nothing to fear and "will receive a hero's welcome home" despite his public protest in Rio against his government's politics.

The silver medallist marathon runner gestured an X sign with his arms above his head as he crossed the finishing line, in a show of support for the struggle of his tribe, the Oromos, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group.

After his second-place finish, Lilesa told reporters he feared for his life if he returned home, hinting he might seek asylum as the Olympics drew to a close.

"The Ethiopian government is killing my people," he said, "so I raised my hands to support the Oromo protest."

No hope for quick end to Nigeria's oil strife

Business Day also reports that oil companies and Nigerian officials are losing hope of negotiating a deal with armed groups who have "slashed oil output" in Africa’s usually largest oil exporter.

In the past six months since the first major attack on Nigeria’s oil pipelines, it says,  dozens more attacks have crippled production - pushing losses to more than 700,000 barrels a day - the highest in seven years.

Meantime the situation is currently swinging from frayed optimism of a ceasefire to limited comment from the government and silence from major oil companies.

A dog called Buhari

Nigeria's Premium Times says a Nigerian man arrested for calling his dog Buhari has been granted bail.

The man was taken into custody yesterday and charged with breach of the peace, for naming his dog after the country's President Muhammadu Buhari and painting the name on both sides of the dog.

Joe Fortemose Chinakwe walked Buhari in an area where support for the president was high, according to police.

He insisted it was meant as a compliment and was inspired to give his dog the name after reading about President Buhari's fight against corruption.

Chinakwe remains in jail as he seeks to raise the bail.

ANC mulls over early leadership bid

South Africa's Mail & Guardian claims the African National Congress is considering holding an early conference to replace its top leaders after its worst election performance since the end of apartheid 22 years ago.

The elective conference is due to take place in December 2017 to pick a successor for the party’s leader, President Jacob Zuma. But ANC officials say talks are under way to hold it earlier so they can have more time to repair the damage after big losses in the local government elections and prepare for national elections in 2019.

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