Today in Africa — Feb 18, 2026: Egypt Refugee Death Exposes Deepening Crackdown, Gabon Shuts Down Social Media

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.

Death in Custody Highlights Egypt’s Intensifying Crackdown on Refugees

The death of 67-year-old Sudanese refugee Mubarak Qamar Eddin inside a Cairo police station a week ago has thrown fresh light on Egypt’s widening campaign of arrests and deportations targeting refugees, including those with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees documents. Qamar Eddin, who suffered from diabetes and kidney failure, was detained near his home and died after nine days in custody, despite his family delivering medication and the Sudanese embassy moving to secure his release. He held a valid UNHCR refugee card and proof of a future residency renewal appointment, but lacked a current residency permit, a gap that rights groups say is increasingly being used to justify detention.

His case mirrors thousands of others reported in recent months, as Sudanese, Ethiopian, Syrian, and other African refugees describe being stopped, detained, and in some cases deported regardless of legal status. Rights advocates say police campaigns, officially framed as residency checks, have escalated sharply since late 2024, particularly in neighborhoods with large refugee populations. According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, around 5,000 refugees or migrants were detained in just the final two weeks of January, with UN data showing steep rises in arrests and deportations of people registered with UNHCR.

Advocates and officials point to chronic delays in Egypt’s residency renewal system as a key driver of the crisis, leaving refugees stuck for months or years without valid permits while awaiting appointments. UNHCR says it is engaging authorities and pushing for due process, but legal groups report growing obstacles to accessing detainees. As Egypt rolls out a new asylum law that has yet to be implemented, refugees describe a climate of fear that has confined many to their homes, unsure whether carrying UN papers will protect them or put them at risk.

Gabon Suspends Social Media as Unrest Grows

Gabon’s media regulator has ordered the suspension of social media platforms until further notice, saying online content is fueling division, misinformation, and social tension. In a televised statement yesterday, Tuesday, February 17, the High Authority for Communication cited false information, cyberbullying, and the sharing of personal data as reasons for the move, without naming specific platforms. By this morning, users reported disruptions to services including Facebook and TikTok, which are widely used across the country for business and communication.

The suspension comes as President Brice Oligui Nguema faces mounting pressure from strikes by teachers and other public sector workers over pay and conditions. Gabon, home to about 2.5 million people, has seen social media play a major role in daily life, especially for young people and small businesses. Some residents say the move will hurt livelihoods, while others believe authorities were responding to genuine threats. Nguema, who came to power after a 2023 coup and won last year’s election with over 90 percent of the vote, had promised reforms and greater openness, even as Gabon has a history of digital blackouts during periods of unrest.

Côte d’Ivoire Weighs Cocoa Price Cut as Market Slump Deepens

Côte d’Ivoire is considering cutting the guaranteed farm gate price paid to cocoa farmers to align with Ghana, as the world’s top producers grapple with a sharp downturn in global prices, two government sources tell Reuters. The farm gate price is the fixed price farmers are paid at the farm, before crops are transported, processed, or sold on the open market. Ghana has already reduced its price by 28.6% for the rest of the 2025/2026 main crop season, and officials in Abidjan say all options are now on the table as cocoa prices have fallen nearly 50% in recent months. An inter-ministerial committee has met on the issue, and a decision could come soon, sources said.

The two countries, which together produce about 60% of the world’s cocoa, have been coordinating closely through the Ivory Coast–Ghana Cocoa Initiative (ICCIG) as the crisis unfolds. ICCIG officials say trading authorities in both countries remain in constant contact and are working to prevent long-term damage to the sector. Exporters expect Côte d’Ivoire to announce a cut, with one industry executive saying the debate is no longer whether prices will be lowered, but when, as governments try to balance farmer incomes with the reality of a rapidly falling market.

Lungu Family Rejects Poisoning Claims as Legal Battle Over Burial Drags On

The family of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu has dismissed allegations that he was poisoned, even as South African police seek custody of his body as part of an ongoing investigation. In a letter to police dated February 11, the family’s lawyers said they are cooperating with subpoenas linked to the probe but described the poisoning claims as unfounded and based on a public statement by one of Lungu’s daughters that they say is not true. Lungu, who died in Pretoria last June at age 68 after an undisclosed illness, remains in a South African morgue amid a legal standoff between his family and the Zambian government, which wants his remains repatriated for a state funeral. His family is pushing for a private burial in South Africa, saying Lungu did not want the current President Hakainde Hichilema at his funeral, and has filed an appeal to block a court order requiring his return to Zambia.

Senegal Prosecutor Says Student Died After Jumping From Dorm During Campus Clashes

A Senegalese prosecutor says medical student Abdoulaye Ba died after jumping from the fourth floor of a university dormitory during a police operation at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, rejecting claims that he was killed by the police. Ba died on February 9 amid days of student protests, and his death sparked nationwide anger after student groups accused officers of torturing him. Prosecutor Ibrahima Ndoye says Ba was trying to escape smoke and flames from a fire in his residence hall and was not beaten, arguing the injuries listed in the autopsy were consistent with a fall. The government has called the death a tragedy and acknowledged police misconduct, while also defending the intervention, saying students had tried to damage campus property. Videos shared online show violent clashes, including police firing tear gas inside university buildings and officers beating a man, fueling continued tension and distrust.

Somalia Says U.S.-Backed Strikes Shift Momentum Against al-Shabab

Somalia’s government says U.S.-backed airstrikes and expanded ground operations are turning the tide against al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, as the country takes on more responsibility for its own security while African Union forces draw down. Officials say Somali troops have retaken territory in regions including Lower Shabelle, Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle, and parts of Jubbaland, long considered militant strongholds, with U.S. air power targeting leadership, training sites, and bomb-making networks. The U.S. military says strikes are carried out with Somali intelligence support and assessments of civilian risk, though past operations have drawn scrutiny. Analysts say expanded drone surveillance has given government forces an edge, but warn gains must be held through governance and services to prevent al-Shabab from returning as the group remains resilient across much of central and southern Somalia.

Investigation Finds Illegal Luxury Homes Spreading Inside Sierra Leone National Park

The results of a government investigation obtained by the Associated Press and The Gecko Project show that dozens of illegal luxury mansions have been built within Sierra Leone’s Western Area Peninsula National Park, a vital environmental buffer for Freetown, with little action taken by authorities. A government probe commissioned by President Julius Maada Bio in 2022 found that senior officials issued land documents that enabled construction in protected rainforest, warning that the deforestation was an “environmental time bomb.” At least 50 homes in the Bio Barray neighborhood have been built or are still under construction inside park boundaries, threatening landslides and the reservoir that supplies about 90 percent of Freetown’s water. The report said officials knew state land was being unlawfully occupied and, in some cases, facilitated it for personal gain, recommending punitive action against former lands minister Denis Sandy and other officials. Construction continues, and city officials say powerful interests have been allowed to ignore the law.