Tuesday, September 30, 2025, saw a range of notable developments across the region, spanning security, civic engagement, and political and social initiatives.
In Senegal, the Financial Judicial Pool’s first office charged and remanded in custody the wife, two children, and marabout of journalist Madiambal Diagne. Arrested in Thiès by the Criminal Investigation Division (DIC), they face allegations of criminal conspiracy, fraud involving public funds, and money laundering within an organized criminal group, according to Seneweb.
Meanwhile, former President Macky Sall addressed the ongoing debate over so-called “hidden debt,” describing it as meaningless. He emphasized the transparency of Senegal’s financial commitments and the robust oversight mechanisms in place, reports Dakaractu.
In Mali, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) successfully thwarted a terrorist attack targeting Timbuktu airport. The Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the Armed Forces (Dirpa) reported that two hostile drones were neutralized before reaching their objective, according to Maliweb.
Civic engagement also featured prominently across the region. In Burkina Faso, high school graduates from Djelgodji conducted a sanitation operation at the provincial high school in Djibo, a gesture welcomed by local communities as a symbol of social cohesion and responsibility, reports the Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB).
In Guinea, the adoption of a new constitution raises concerns for exiled political figures Sidya Touré and Cellou Dalein Diallo. Article 45 on compulsory residency could prevent their participation in the presidential election on December 28, 2025, while additional criteria regarding age and legal proceedings further complicate their return, Africaguinée reports.
Côte d’Ivoire saw presidential candidate Ahoua Don-Mello meet a COJEP delegation led by Charles Blé Goudé to present his platform, focusing on national reconciliation and the creation of a Council of Elders, according to Abidjan.net.
Philanthropy was highlighted in The Gambia, where former National Assembly candidate Bai Saine donated clothes, wheelchairs, and office equipment valued at over 650,000 dalasi to disadvantaged communities and local police stations, with support from philanthropist Ma Ebou Cham, Fatunetwork reports.
In Nigeria, the federal government announced the cancellation of the Independence Day parade for October 1, 2025, citing unspecified reasons, while confirming other commemorative programs and reiterating support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms, according to Punch.
Finally, in Benin, the first International Conference on Nutrition in Cotonou raised 252.8 billion CFA francs ($442.5 million) to combat child malnutrition. Speakers stressed the importance of the first thousand days of a child’s life and the integration of health, education, and agriculture to strengthen regional human capital, reports Banouto.
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