The conventional wisdom is that the Boko Haram faction that calls itself the Islamic State in West African (ISWA) is less brutal than Abubakar Shekau’s rival faction, notorious for the Chibok school girl kidnapping and the targeting of civilians. There is some truth to this: ISWA has avoided using female and child suicide bombers and it does not seem to indiscriminately murder entire villages. Its rhetoric does not glory in murder like Shekau’s.

Under the leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa, the African National Congress (ANC), improved its electoral performance in the 2019 national elections. The ANC won more than 58 percent of the vote, up from 54 percent in the local government elections of 2016, though still a decline from the 62 percent in won in 2014 national elections. 

There are new reports of violence, characterized as farmer-herder conflict, in Chad. According to Agence France Presse and Voice of America, thirty-five have died [French] since May 16 in separate in…

This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger from May 11 to 17, 2019.

Islamist terrorist groups in northeast Burkina Faso are following a strategy of violence reminiscent in some ways of Boko Haram’s early days in Nigeria. The groups are attacking Protestant and Catholic churches, killing pastors, priests, and congregants, and also teachers in secular schools.

In a court case in London involving international oil companies and the oil block designated OPL 245—thought to be one of the largest untapped reserves in Africa—lawyers for the Nigerian government accused Jonathan and Alison-Madueke with plotting to “receive bribes and make a secret profit.”

President Emmanuel Macron of France announced on May 10 that French military forces rescued four hostages in Burkina Faso held by Islamist militants. Two were French, one was American, and one was South Korean. No authorities have released freed hostage names, citing privacy considerations. However, the operation cost the lives of two French soldiers, the names of whom have been made public.

The African National Congress, which has governed since the end of apartheid, won again in May’s national election. But a growing opposition will watch to see whether it can revive the economy and cu…

This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger from May 4 to 10 2019.

The governing African National Congress (ANC) won its smallest percentage ever of votes ever in a national election in the just-concluded 2019 elections. The ANC won 57.5 percent, the Democratic Alliance won 20.77 percent, while the Economic Freedom Fighters won 10.79 percent; the remaining thirty-two parties together won 10.94 percent.