West African bloc suspends Mali over military coup

The Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has announced the suspension of Mali's membership in an attempt to persuade the military holding control of the country to reinstate democratic rule, but West Africa Analyst Paul Ejime says that ECOWAS' own 'inconsistency and ineffectiveness' is undermining its relevance in the process. Also, over a hundred students are taken and one person is shot dead at an Islamic school in Niger State, Nigeria. And the self-declared republic of Somaliland is holding much-delayed parliamentary and municipal elections today.

(Photo: Col Goïta told to hold elections next February. Credit: Reuters)