At least 800 people were killed in post election violence that swept across northern Nigeria as it became clear that a northern candidate would not succeed in unseating the southern president, an international human rights group said.

The two candidates in Ivory Coast’s disputed presidential election both took oaths of office today after each claimed victory as the political crisis spiralled out of control.

THE US government and human rights activists called yesterday for Nigeria to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the deaths of more than 200 unarmed people in renewed violence between Christians and Muslims.

Drunken soldiers were loose on the streets of Guinea’s capital today, 24 hours after the presidential guard shot dead at least 157 pro-democracy demonstrators.