Today in Africa — Feb 2, 2026: Giving Trevor Noah His Flowers After Sixth & Final Grammys Host Gig, M23 & Congo Trade Blame Over Deadly DRC Mine Collapse

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.

Trevor Noah Takes His Final Bow as Grammys Host — and Still Makes Headlines

South African comedian and media personality Trevor Noah hosted the Grammy Awards for the sixth and final time, closing out a run that reshaped the show with wit, warmth, and sharp cultural awareness. Grammys executive producer Ben Winston has called Noah the show’s most impactful host in years, praising his deep love for music and artists. Over six ceremonies, Noah became a steady, trusted presence, balancing humor with global perspective and earning wide respect for keeping the night moving without stealing the spotlight.

Noah’s journey to the Grammys stage is part of a much bigger story. Born in Johannesburg during apartheid, he rose from standup comedy to become a global voice, later hosting The Daily Show for seven years before stepping away in 2022. He is a four-time Grammy nominee for Best Comedy Album. He has continued to expand his reach through standup, writing, and philanthropy, including his foundation supporting education for young people in South Africa. His final turn as Grammys host felt less like a goodbye and more like a victory lap.

The night also made news after Noah cracked a joke linking U.S. President Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, the late notorious financier and convicted sex offender who has been linked with a few prominent figures. Noah said, "Song of the Year, that is a Grammy that every artist wants almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense because Epstein's island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton." The joke prompted Trump to threaten legal action. Trump denied the implication, posting online that the joke was false and defamatory and saying he planned to sue Noah. The former president has not been accused of crimes related to Epstein, and U.S. authorities have said claims against him are unfounded. Even so, the moment underscored what has long defined Noah’s career — a willingness to use comedy to poke at power, even when it comes with noise, backlash, or legal threats.

M23 and Congo Trade Blame After Deadly DRC Mine Collapse

Last week’s deadly landslide at the Rubaya coltan mines in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has sparked a war of words between the government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, days after the collapse killed at least 200 people. The cave-in, triggered by heavy rains, occurred at a rebel-controlled artisanal mining site where thousands work in hand-dug tunnels with little oversight. M23 authorities temporarily halted mining and ordered nearby residents to relocate, while acknowledging the scale of the disaster.

The Congolese government accused M23 of illegally and dangerously exploiting Congo’s mineral wealth, saying poor safety conditions directly led to the deaths. The rebels pushed back, calling the tragedy a natural accident and accusing the government of politicizing the incident, while pointing to similar collapses at state-controlled sites. Rubaya sits at the center of eastern Congo’s long-running conflict and produces coltan, a critical mineral used in electronics and aerospace industries. United Nations experts say M23 has been taxing coltan production since seizing the area in 2024, generating significant revenue as fighting continues and the humanitarian crisis in the region deepens.

Nigeria Charges Nine Men Over Benue Attack That Killed About 150

Nigerian prosecutors have filed 57 terrorism-related charges against nine men accused of planning and carrying out a deadly attack on the Yelwata community in central Benue state in June 2025 that left about 150 people dead. Court filings say the suspects held planning meetings, raised funds, procured weapons, and mobilized fighters across several states ahead of the June 13 raid, one of the deadliest rural attacks in recent years. Prosecutors allege the assault torched homes and caused heavy casualties in Yelwata, in Benue’s Guma district.

According to the charge sheet, alleged ringleader Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono and others met in neighboring Nasarawa state to recruit fighters, issue orders, and raise cash, with some defendants accused of supplying AK-47s, aiding the gunmen, or providing safe locations for planning. The case comes as Nigeria faces mounting pressure to improve security amid persistent violence in the Middle Belt and beyond, after U.S. President Donald Trump accused the country last year of failing to protect Christians. Nigerian authorities say they are working with Washington to strengthen security efforts.

Inside Ethiopia’s Oromia Hidden War as OLA Leader Denies Targeting Civilians

Ethiopia’s long-running conflict in Oromia is playing out largely out of public view, as government forces hunt Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) leader Jaal Marroo with drones while accusing the group of massacres and other abuses. In a rare interview from a forest hideout, Marroo rejected claims that his fighters target civilians, saying the OLA’s fight is against what he called an oppressive state system. The government has labeled the group a terrorist organization, while United Nations investigators have accused it of killings, kidnappings, and sexual violence since the rebellion escalated in 2018.

Rights groups say civilians are trapped between abuses by both sides. Amnesty International reports evidence of extrajudicial killings, drone strikes, torture, and disappearances by government forces alongside serious violations by the OLA. Residents describe killings of relatives accused of rebel ties, ransom detentions, widespread extortion, and near-impossible travel. The UN says fighting has kept more than 3 million children out of school, while aid access remains limited and health facilities have been looted or destroyed. Despite recent offensives weakening the OLA and defections from its ranks, analysts say insecurity in Oromia persists, fueled by multiple armed groups and criminal networks, leaving civilians to bear the brunt of the violence under the government of Abiy Ahmed.

Nigerian Singer and Voice Nigeria Alum Ifunanya Nwangene Dies After Snakebite in Abuja

Nigeria is mourning the death of Ifunanya Nwangene, a 26-year-old aspiring singer who died on Saturday after being bitten by a snake in her Abuja apartment. Nwangene, who gained recognition on The Voice Nigeria in 2021 and was known for blending jazz, opera, classical, and soul, sought treatment at a clinic without antivenom before being taken to two separate hospitals, where she later died. Friends said she was planning her first solo concert this year and was also a trained architect. The hospital has denied claims that antivenom was unavailable, saying she received appropriate care but suffered severe complications. Her death has sparked fresh debate about healthcare quality and patient safety in Nigeria, even as experts note that snakebites remain a neglected public health issue, killing tens of thousands annually across sub-Saharan Africa.

Kenyan Family Seeks Help After Son Killed Fighting for Russia in Ukraine

A Kenyan family is appealing for government support after learning that 29-year-old Clinton Nyapara Mogesa was killed in eastern Ukraine while fighting for Russian forces, highlighting growing concerns about Africans being recruited into the war. Mogesa left Kenya for work in Qatar in 2024 before traveling to Russia, where he trained for several weeks, and last contacted his family in late October, relatives say. Ukrainian authorities reported that he died in a high-casualty assault in Donetsk and that his body was not recovered, adding that he was found carrying the passports of two other Kenyans. His family says they have received no official communication from Kenyan or Russian authorities and are struggling to repatriate his body. Rights groups say dozens of Kenyans are dead or missing after being recruited, while Kenya’s government has acknowledged that recruitment networks remain active but has not confirmed any deaths.

Dozens of Kidnapped Churchgoers Return Home in Nigeria’s Kaduna State

Dozens of worshippers abducted by gunmen from churches in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna state have returned home weeks after the attack, police said. The group was part of 177 people kidnapped last month from three churches in the village of Kurmin Wali. Police said about 80 managed to escape on the day of the raid but hid in nearby communities for two weeks out of fear of being recaptured. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to free the remaining 86 people still in captivity. No group has claimed responsibility for the abductions, which come amid a wider surge in kidnappings for ransom across Nigeria. The incident has renewed criticism of the government’s security response, with rights groups urging stronger action to curb mass abductions that have become increasingly common.

Mozambique Hit by Worst Floods in Decades, Nearly 700,000 Affected

Mozambique is facing its worst flooding in decades, with nearly 700,000 people affected and more than 100,000 forced into temporary shelters after heavy rains submerged homes, farmland, and roads. The United Nations warns that overcrowded shelters are creating dangerous conditions, especially for women, girls, older people, and those with disabilities. The World Food Programme says it is scaling up emergency food and nutrition aid to reach 450,000 people, but urgently needs $32 million as funding is down 40 percent from last year. Aid agencies are using boats, aircraft, and helicopters to reach isolated communities cut off by washed-out infrastructure, while the UNHCR is seeking an additional $38.2 million for 2026 to support protection and basic services as more rain and displacement are expected.

Mali Blames Jihadists for Deadly Attack on Fuel Tanker Convoy

Malian authorities say jihadists were behind a deadly attack on a fuel tanker convoy in western Mali that killed at least 15 people, according to local sources cited by news agency AFP. The assault happened on Thursday, January 29, along a major road linking the Senegalese border to the city of Kayes, where dozens of fuel tankers were set on fire. The Al-Qaeda-linked group JNIM says it ambushed Malian forces in the area but did not mention the tankers. The attack comes amid a months-long fuel blockade that JNIM has used to pressure Mali’s economy, targeting fuel convoys since September. While fuel supplies had recently begun to improve, especially in Bamako, this strike is the deadliest of its kind since early December and has raised concerns about renewed shortages and disruption.

Guinea-Bissau Junta Signals Inclusive Transition After November Coup

Guinea-Bissau’s military junta has pledged to bring opposition parties into a transitional government and released former Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, as it seeks to ease pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following November’s coup. Army officers who ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on November 26 say the interim government will include ministers from the opposition PAIGC and the Party for Social Renewal, after ECOWAS suspended the country and demanded a return to civilian rule. Pereira, leader of the PAIGC, was freed from detention but remains under house arrest over alleged economic crimes. The junta also said all political prisoners would be released and that new presidential and legislative elections are scheduled for December 6, after the earlier vote was disrupted by armed men who seized ballots and destroyed election servers.

U.S. Shifts Policy Toward Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, Prioritizing Security Over Governance

The United States has signaled a major policy shift toward Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, saying it will focus on security cooperation and respect for sovereignty despite the countries being run by military governments. The U.S. State Department announced that senior Africa official Nick Checker will visit Mali to chart a “new course” in relations and said Washington is ready to work with Mali and its allies on shared security and economic interests. The move marks a clear departure from earlier U.S. policy that paused military ties after coups between 2020 and 2023 and emphasized democracy and human rights. Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has narrowed its focus to counterterrorism and strategic minerals, even as the three Sahel states have cut defense ties with France, drawn closer to Russia, and face intensifying attacks from Islamist groups linked to the Islamic State.

Epstein Files Reveal Dinner Linked to Jacob Zuma’s 2010 UK State Visit

Newly released U.S. Justice Department documents have surfaced emails suggesting that the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein helped arrange a private dinner for then–South African President Jacob Zuma during his 2010 state visit to the UK. The emails describe a small dinner at London’s Ritz Hotel involving Zuma, Epstein associate Mark Lloyd, and a Russian model, though there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Zuma and no prior public link between the two men. Zuma’s official program at the time did not include the dinner. The Jacob Zuma Foundation has strongly denied any connection to Epstein’s crimes, calling the reports a baseless attempt to tarnish Zuma’s reputation by association as global scrutiny of the Epstein files continues.

Ademola Lookman Joins Atlético Madrid After Leaving Atalanta

Nigerian superstar football forward Ademola Lookman has agreed to join Atlético Madrid, turning down a higher-paying offer from Turkish club Fenerbahce to complete a long-sought move away from Atalanta. The 28-year-old African Footballer of the Year 2024 had spent months pushing for a transfer, with Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal among his preferred destinations, but neither deal materialized. Atlético confirmed Lookman has arrived in Madrid and will undergo a medical before finalizing his contract. He becomes the fourth Nigerian international to play in La Liga, joining Akor Adams, Chidera Ejuke, and Sadiq Umar.