In Nigeria, a pile-up has killed 40 people along the Ife-Ibadan expressway in the south-west of the country. Many of the victims were burned beyond recognition. The Federal Road Safety Commission has traced the cause of the accident to recklessness on the part of a driver.

China oil giant, Sinopec, has struck oil in its first exploration well drilled in Nigeria's Block 137, previously owned by Canadian oil giant, Addax Petroleum.

According to Reuters report, the Udele-3 well of Block 137, in the Niger Delta, was the first exploration well Sinopec drilled in Nigeria this year after its acquisition of Swiss oil and gas explorer Addax almost a year ago.

The death toll in the simultaneous bomb blasts that rocked Kampala last night has climbed to 64 according to Police reports.

Simultaneous explosions ripped through crowds watching the World Cup final at Kyadondo rugby club and the Ethiopian restaurant in Kabalagala.

Police fear Al Shabab, an Al Qaeda-linked Somali militant group was behind the attacks.

Barring last minute hitches, the new leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation will announce the appointment of a new coach for the senior national team, the Super Eagles and the lucky man is no other person than the former U-23 chief coach, Samson Siasia.

Kenya was on Monday under heightened security after terrorist bombs killed 74 people in Kampala.

Somali militant group al-Shabaab, on Monday claimed responsibility for Sunday's twin- bomb attacks in the Ugandan capital on Sunday night and slaughtered people watching the World Cup final at a restaurant and a sports club, authorities said.

After much anticipation, the 2010 FIFA World Cup Closing Ceremony opened at 18:40 at Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium with all the colour and splendour it promised.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela graced the event, even going onto the pitch with wife, Graca Machel, much to the delight of the many soccer lovers gathered at Soccer City stadium.

Explosions ripped through a restaurant and a sports club in Uganda's capital, Kampala, on Sunday night, killing more than 20 people who had gathered to watch the World Cup final.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) today suspended proceedings in the case of a Congolese warlord accused of recruiting child soldiers, saying that prosecutors have refused orders to disclose information to his defence.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) report that 5 independent monitors of the constitutional outreach programme were arrested Thursday evening in Chirumanzi and detained at Charandura Police Station.

United States ambassador to Nigeria Ms Robin Renèe Sanders has urged the Nigerian government and Nigerians to muster enough political will to make democracy work by ensuring free and fair elections next year.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Nigeria on Wednesday for the Developing Eight (D-8) summit, a gathering of the world's largest Muslim countries.

The D-8, with a total population of 930 million, includes Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.

Police officers and prison warders were on Wednesday awarded a long-awaited 28 per cent salary increment. Senior officers also benefited from the raise, but at the lower rate of 25 per cent.

This is only the first instalment of a pay plan that will see the salary of the lowest- earning officers doubled in three years.

At least 16 people have been killed in fighting between government forces and Islamist insurgents. On Monday east African heads of state pledged 2,000 troops to protect the Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

Most of the victims were insurgents who died in attacks on the shrinking territory controlled by the Somali government in north-eastern Mogadishu.

Gunmen have kidnapped 12 foreign sailors after attacking a cargo ship in the waters off the coast of Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The attack according to Navy spokesman David Nabaida left one of the crew members injured from gunshots while 12 were taken hostage.

he Federation of International Football Association yesterday gave Nigeria until Monday evening to reverse its decision to pull its national team, the Super Eagles out of international competition for two years or face suspension.