Today in Africa — Feb 5, 2026: Floods Force Mass Evacuations in Morocco, Nigeria Sends Troops After Deadly Kwara Attacks

Every day, OkayAfrica shares a roundup of news we’re following but haven’t published as full articles. These short updates cover what’s happening on the continent — in culture, politics, and beyond. For more on stories like these, be sure to check out our News page, with stories from across the regions.

Morocco Evacuates Over 140,000 as Flood Risks Rise in Northwest

Moroccan authorities have evacuated more than 143,000 people from flood-prone areas in the country’s northwestern plains after weeks of heavy rain caused rivers to swell and dams to overflow. The Interior Ministry says helicopters and the army were deployed to help evacuations under a red alert for more rainfall, with most residents leaving Ksar El Kebir after the Loukous River burst its banks and submerged large parts of the city. Power cuts were reported in some areas, while evacuees were moved to camps and provided with food and shelter.

The flooding has hit the Gharb region, a low-lying, key wheat-producing area that drains poorly. Officials say rainfall is up 215% from last year and well above the historical average, putting pressure on dams such as Oued Makhazine, now operating beyond capacity. While the exceptional rains have ended a seven-year drought and pushed national dam levels to nearly 62%, rights groups are urging the government to declare the affected zones disaster areas so residents can access insurance and recovery support.

Nigeria Deploys Army Battalion to Kwara After Deadly Jihadist Attack Kills Over 160

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama district in Kwara state after suspected jihadist fighters killed more than 160 people in overnight attacks on the villages of Woro and Nuku. Local officials said the gunmen targeted residents who rejected attempts to impose extremist rule, burning homes and looting shops in what Amnesty International called a “stunning security failure.” The assault was the deadliest this year in Kwara, a state bordering Niger that analysts say is becoming a new frontier for armed groups expanding southward from Nigeria’s traditional conflict zones.

Tinubu condemned the killings as “cowardly and barbaric” and said the new unit will lead Operation Savannah Shield to protect remote communities and prevent further attacks. Residents told Reuters the attackers had long preached in the area before opening fire when villagers refused to abandon the Nigerian state. The violence comes amid renewed scrutiny from Washington, after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians, claims Abuja rejects. Nigerian officials say most victims of jihadist violence are Muslims, and confirm security cooperation with the U.S., including recent airstrikes and a small American team operating in the country.

Malnutrition Hits Famine Levels in Two More Areas of Sudan’s North Darfur

Acute malnutrition has reached famine thresholds in two additional areas of North Darfur, Um Baru and Kernoi, according to the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. The monitor said rates of child malnutrition in Um Baru are nearly double the famine threshold, driven by Sudan’s nearly three-year war, mass displacement, and fighting that followed the Rapid Support Forces’ takeover of al-Fashir late last year. Both localities took in tens of thousands of people fleeing earlier famine zones and then became sites of renewed clashes.

The IPC warned that hunger is deepening nationwide, with an estimated 4.2 million cases of acute malnutrition this year, up from 3.7 million in 2025. Access to health and nutrition services remains severely limited, with only a quarter of severely malnourished children in Kernoi receiving treatment. Aid groups say conflict, disrupted food supply lines, and global funding cuts are worsening the crisis, with urgent support needed ahead of the rainy and lean seasons, when food stocks typically run out.

Nigerian Senate Blocks Proposal Mandating Election Results Transmission

Nigerian lawmakers have voted against the real-time transmission of election results during the third reading of an amendment bill to the country’s electoral laws. The rejected provision in the amended bill was meant to make the transmission of results to a dedicated portal mandatory. Instead, the lawmakers adopted the existing provision that gives presiding officers at polling units the wherewithal to “transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.” The provision was already passed by the lower parliament house; however, the senate’s opposing resolution could block the most progressive part of the electoral reform.

Many Nigerians online have shared their ire with the senate’s rejection, with civil society leaders faulting the senate president, Godswill Akpabio’s claim that transmission of results was already in the existing electoral bill, although not mandatory. “What is clear is that there is a deliberate attempt to ensure there is no electronic transmission of results because unpopular, corrupt politicians are scared of accountability, and electronic transmission of results would deepen that accountability,” Yiaga Africa executive director Samson Itodo said in an interview with a local TV station. Itodo also noted that this rejection, if upheld, could fuel voter apathy in a country where many people feel elections are regularly rigged.

Following the 2023 general election, there were a slew of allegations that results were doctored, with many screenshots showing discrepancies between announced results and those shown on the IReV portal. The proposal to make electronic result transmission mandatory was meant to help mitigate such situations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kenya’s Tax Agency Given Power to Tax All Unexplained Deposits

Kenya’s Tax Appeals Tribunal has ruled that all monies that flow into bank accounts and electronic money wallets can be presumed to be income. This ruling means any inflow transactions can be taxed unless the account owners can prove that the money received is not income or profit. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) pushed for the ruling in its fight against tax evasion, as the President William Ruto-led government looks to improve revenue amidst public protests against tax bills in 2024 and 2025. This backing is on the heels of a landmark case between the KRA and hotel businesswoman Virginia Wangari, who has been ordered to pay Ksh 6.5 million (just over $50,000) as tax from cash deposits and inflow into mobile money M-Pesa wallet.

The tribunal rejected Wangari’s argument that the KRA wrongly assumed that all deposits were income, stating that the law places the burden of proof on the taxpayer, and the KRA is allowed to make a best-judgment decision using methods like banking analysis of a person’s account. The tax agency is looking to access sensitive personal information, such as cash transfers, without court warrants, leveraging on the increased use of data between its systems and mobile money platforms to spy on taxpayers’ activities. Many Kenyans online have shared their dissatisfaction with this ruling, complaining that it gives the government increased powers without any evidence of fiscal accountability on the government’s end.

Aid Workers Missing After Airstrikes Hit MSF Hospital in South Sudan

Several aid workers are missing after airstrikes hit a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital in Jonglei state, near South Sudan’s border with Ethiopia, the charity said. MSF said the Lankien hospital was struck overnight by government forces, while its health facility in Pieri was looted the same day, forcing staff to flee and leaving both sites unusable. One staff member was injured, and a warehouse holding critical medical supplies was destroyed. The government has not commented. MSF says its teams had evacuated patients ahead of the strike after receiving warnings, but warned that the attacks would leave around 250,000 people without healthcare in one of the country’s most food-insecure regions. Fighting has surged in Jonglei between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with First Vice-President Riek Machar, raising fears of a wider return to civil war.

Imane Khelif Says She Would Accept Sex Test to Compete at LA 2028

Algerian boxing champion Imane Khelif says she would take a sex test if it allowed her to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, after ongoing scrutiny over her eligibility. Khelif, who won women’s welterweight gold at the 2024 Paris Games, told CNN she has “nothing to hide” and would comply with any testing required by the International Olympic Committee, which cleared her to compete after stripping the IBA of recognition in 2023. She was previously disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the IBA alongside Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, but has always competed in women’s categories. The debate resurfaced after World Boxing introduced mandatory genetic tests, a move Khelif has challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a hearing still pending.

Activists Plan Larger Aid Flotilla to Gaza, With Mandla Mandela Back On Board

Activists behind last year’s Global Sumud Flotilla say they will again try to reach Gaza by sea, this time planning up to 100 boats carrying as many as 1,000 medics. The first flotilla of about 40 boats was intercepted by Israeli forces in October, with more than 450 people detained, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Mandla Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, and South African journalist and author Zukiswa Wanner, who shared her diary entries with OkayAfrica during the attempt to reach Gaza. Speaking at a gathering at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Mandla Mandela said the mission was about mobilizing global support for justice and dignity, even if the boats are stopped again. Israel, which controls access to Gaza, has dismissed such flotillas as publicity stunts and denies blocking aid, while Palestinians and aid groups say supplies remain insufficient for Gaza’s more than two million residents, most of whom are now confined to overcrowded coastal areas despite an October ceasefire.

UK Sanctions RSF and Army Figures Over Atrocities in Sudan War

Britain has sanctioned six people it says are responsible for atrocities in Sudan’s war or for fueling the conflict by supplying fighters and weapons. The measures target senior figures linked to both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces, as well as three individuals accused of recruiting foreign mercenaries or helping procure military equipment. The war, which began in April 2023, has displaced millions and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, speaking during a visit to the Sudan–Chad border, said the sanctions aim to pressure those who profit from the violence and push toward a ceasefire and safe access for humanitarian aid.

Ugo Ugochukwu Wins Formula Regional Oceania Trophy After McLaren Exit

Former McLaren development driver Ugo Ugochukwu has won the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy, sealing the title just three months after leaving the Formula 1 team. The 18-year-old claimed four wins from 15 races, finished every round on the podium, and ended the season 15 points clear of Audi junior Freddie Slater. Ugochukwu, the son of Nigerian model Oluchi Onweagba, overcame a late suspension failure that dropped him to 13th on the grid at the season finale but still scored enough points to clinch the championship. He will move up to his second FIA Formula 3 season with Campos Racing, starting March 6–8 at the Australian Grand Prix.

China Moves to Grant Duty-Free Access to Some South African Exports

China will allow duty-free imports of some South African products under a deal now being finalized, as Pretoria looks to diversify export markets amid trade pressure from the United States. South Africa’s trade ministry said Trade Minister Parks Tau is traveling to China to sign the agreement, which would give South African exports duty-free access to the Chinese market and help attract new investment, though no sectors were named. China is South Africa’s largest trading partner, overtaking the EU in 2023, with exports largely made up of minerals and agricultural goods. The move comes as Pretoria seeks alternatives after Washington imposed 30% tariffs on some South African products last year, raising concerns about job losses and adding strain to already tense relations with the Trump administration.