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African press review 22 August 2016

Niger Delta Avengers offer to down weapons in peace offer by ethnic Ijaw leaders. Calls for a probe of ex-Nigerian dictator Ibrahim Babangida over millions of euros of frittered oil revenue. And  rounds of applause in Kenya and South Africa as their Rio heroes make Olympic history.

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We begin in Nigeria, where the national dailies hail a breakthrough in efforts to end the violence in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. According to the newspaper, the Niger Delta Avengers group vaging a sabotage campaign against oil installations announced on Sunday it was laying down weapons. This after Niger Delta leaders called for an end to militancy and withdrawal of troops from the region at a meeting in Warri on Friday.

ThisDay

The paper reports on the conference of ethnic Ijaw leaders resolved to support the clamour for the restructuring of the federation as recommended by the 2014 National conference held in Abuja and to form a Pan Niger Delta platform to represent the region in the proposed negotiation between the federal government and the militants.

Punch

The publication takes up a petition by a prominent rights advocacy group, urging the country's Attorney General to reopen the unresolved case of up to 31.8 million euros of oil revenue unaccounted for during six-year rule of military dictator General Ibrahim Badamassi Babangida.

According to the paper, the money was frittered away through special accounts, ran by Babangida without accounting to anybody. Punch recalls that a report drafted by the so-called Okigbo panel on the affair, submitted to the administration of late General Sani Abacha was never made public.

The Nigerian Tribune

The newspaper points out that SERAP accuses successive administrations of having blocked every chance to officially release the Report, citing some experts claiming that the report had gone missing. According to the paper SERAP defended its action, claiming that "in matters relating to crimes, including corruption, time does not run against the state.”

In Kenya , the major dailies are all about Eliud Kipchoge, winner of the men's marathon gold at the Rio Olympic, which crowned the country's best ever outing.

Standard Digital

The daily r with pleasure that Kipchoge gave the nation a thrilling final day, which "saw Kenya sit pretty in 15th place in the medal standings with 13 medals; six gold, six silver and a bronze making Rio the best Olympics in history for Kenya".

Daily Nation on its part praises the athletes for their "commendable show of patriotism" and for putting behind them numerous challenges and problems they faced owing to bad leadership by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya.

Mail and Guardian

"She's done it", crows the South African publication on its front-page spread about super star Caster Semenya celebrating her 800 meters gold medal with a flag in hand. According to the newspaper, while there was little doubt that Semenya would run her way to gold, South Africans stayed up late, glued to their television screens until the early hours of Sunday morning, nervously watching as she ran around the race track.

Times Live

The paper observes that Semenya's gold was Team South Africa’s second gold of the Games, and their 10th medal overall, officially South Africa's second-best Olympic performance of all time, ranking only behind the 1920 outfit that won three golds in Antwerp.

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