Today in Africa — October 30, 2025: RSF Leader Admits to Violations in El Fasher, Tanzania Post-Election Protests Turn Deadly, 16 Nigerian Military Officers Detained Over Alleged Coup Plot

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. 

Sudan Paramilitary Leader Admits to “Violations” In El Fasher

Leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has admitted that “violations” took place in his armed group’s violent sacking of El Fasher. In a video message posted on Telegram, Dagalo apologized for the alleged heinous crimes RSF fighters committed and announced “the formation of an investigation committee.” During the assault, RSF fighters filmed themselves chasing after civilians attempting to flee El Fasher, while other videos surfaced online showing the paramilitary committing atrocities.

Dagalo has directed the committee to “start immediately to hold any soldier or officer who committed a crime or crossed their limits towards any human accountable.” However, there’s skepticism that any real accountability will happen, due to the tragic El Fasher incident following a pattern of reported mass killings by the RSF over the past two decades. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the paramilitary killed over 460 people in a hospital during its rampage, while Yale University’s Humanitarian Research lab collected satellite images with evidence of massacre sites.

On Sunday, October 26, the RSF took over a key base in El Fasher from the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), and has been on a rampage that Yale’s Humanitarian Research lab has called “a systematic and intentional process of ethnic cleansing of… indigenous non-Arab communities through forced displacement and summary execution.”

Tanzania Protests Turn Deadly as Police Clash With Voters After Disputed Election

Police in Tanzania fired tear gas and live bullets to disperse protesters in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mwanza today, Thursday, October 30, a day after a tense election marred by violence and the exclusion of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s main rivals. Witnesses reported government offices and buildings set ablaze in the commercial capital, where an overnight curfew remains in effect. Activists say at least five to ten people were killed in yesterday’s clashes, though officials have not yet commented.

The unrest comes as provisional results broadcast on state television show Hassan winning by wide margins, amid growing anger over repression and reports of abductions of government critics. Internet access, previously restricted, is slowly returning, while authorities extended a work-from-home order for civil servants until tomorrow, Friday, October 31. The protests, sparked by opposition calls to challenge the vote, mark one of the biggest tests of Hassan’s leadership since she took power in 2021.

Nigeria Detains 16 Military Officers Over Alleged Coup Plot Targeting Top Leaders

Nigeria’s military has detained at least 16 officers accused of plotting a coup to assassinate President Bola Tinubu and other top officials, according to sources cited by Premium Times. Fourteen of the suspects are from the Army, including a brigadier general and several lieutenant colonels, while one officer each comes from the Navy and Air Force. Most are said to belong to the Infantry Corps and hail from the country’s northern regions.

The arrests reportedly began in late September and have since expanded as the investigation continues. The military has described the detentions as an “internal process” to maintain discipline, while the presidency has not directly linked a recent shake-up of service chiefs to the alleged plot. Meanwhile, former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva denied claims connecting him to the investigation after his Abuja home was raided and his aide detained.

Burkina Faso Legislature Dissolves Electoral Commission

Nearly eighteen months after Burkina Faso’s military government extended the country’s transition period to democracy for another five years, the legislature has voted in favor of a bill dissolving the electoral commission. The bill was initially adopted by the junta in July, citing the commission as a waste of resources and claiming it was vulnerable to “foreign influence.” This move effectively clears the runway for the transitional Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, to stay in power till at least 2029. Traoré’s junta sees security as the country’s priority, with Islamist insurgents controlling more than half of Burkina Faso’s territory.

‘My Father’s Shadow’ Wins Top Prize at Nairobi Film Festival

Akinola Davies Jr.’s My Father’s Shadow continues to earn acclaim, and its latest is winning the Grand Jury prize at the just-concluded sixth edition of the NBO Film Festival. Led by Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu, the jury lauded the film for “its emotional depth, poetic imagery and fearless storytelling.” My Father’s Shadow beat out four other films, including Zoey Martinson’s The Fisherman and Erige Sehiri’s Promised Sky. Davies Jr.’s film made history as the first Nigerian film selected for the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or.

Morocco Charges 2,400 Over Youth-Led Protests Against Government

Morocco has charged 2,480 people, including over 1,400 still in custody, following last month’s youth-led protests that turned violent across the country. The Gen Z 212 movement, organized online, mobilized thousands to protest government spending on sports infrastructure over social services. Clashes left three people dead and dozens injured, with rights groups condemning what they call a heavy-handed state response. Among those arrested is rapper Hamza Raid, known for politically charged lyrics. Human Rights Watch has called for the release of peaceful protesters, saying young Moroccans “deserve a fair chance at their future, not repression.”

Djibouti Parliament Scraps Presidential Age Limit, Clearing Path for Guelleh’s Sixth Term

Djibouti’s parliament has voted to remove the constitutional age limit for presidential candidates, paving the way for 77-year-old President Ismail Omar Guelleh to run for a sixth term in 2026. All 65 lawmakers present supported the change, which must still be approved either by Guelleh himself and a second parliamentary vote or through a national referendum. The move, criticized by rights groups as entrenching one-man rule, comes amid concerns over shrinking democratic space. Guelleh, in power since 1999, has faced little opposition and won his last election with over 98 percent of the vote.