Nigeria army 'killed Biafra protesters'

Nigeria's military has killed at least 17 supporters of Biafran independence, according to Amnesty International.

The rights group called on Nigeria's government to investigate the deaths in the south-eastern city of Onitsha last month.

The Nigerian military described the claims as unfounded and misleading.

At least one million people died in the 1967-70 civil war started by Biafran secessionists. Protests have resumed over the past year.

According to Amnesty, some of those who died were members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), a group campaigning for Biafran independence.

Some had been shot in the back, an indication that they were fleeing the scene, Amnesty said.

Ipob says Nigeria's government is dominated by northerners and has not done enough to develop the mostly Igbo-speaking south-eastern parts of Nigeria.

BBC

MTN agrees to pay Nigeria $1.7 billion fine over three years

MTN Group Ltd. agreed to pay a 330 billion naira ($1.7 billion) fine to the Nigerian government over three years, ending an eight-month negotiation process.

MTN Nigeria also agreed to take immediate steps to ensure the listing of its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the Johannesburg-based company said in a statement on Friday.

MTN shares rose 10 percent, on track for their biggest gain since 2008, to 136.09 rand as of 12.36 p.m. in Johannesburg.

Bloomberg

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President Buhari sends list of new ambassadors to Senate

President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a list of 47 new ambassadors to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation.

This was announced by the president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, during the sitting of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday.

Mr. Saraki read a letter from Mr. Buhari containing the list.

Names of the nominees are yet to be made public.

Nigeria has had no ambassadors to UK, Germany, USA, China, U.N., Spain, Russia and France after previous envoys were removed by Mr. Buhari after taking office in May 2015.

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