African press review 26 March 2016

The Brussels attacks fuels debate on the prevalence of humanity over religion while  a suicide bomber arrested in Cameroon claims to be a Chibok girl. Kenyan clerics warn politicians to stop dividing the country as elections loom and festive South Africans told that the Easter weekend is not the "end of the world".

DR

Nigeria Punch

A suspected female suicide bomber who was intercepted in northern Cameroon on Friday before she could blow herself up claims to be one of the 219 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014.

The paper reports that the girl aged 15 and another teenager were carrying explosives when they were stopped by local self-defence forces in the northern Cameroonian village of Limani.

They were then handed over to Cameroonian soldiers belonging to a multi-national force set up to take on Boko Haram. Boko Haram militants raided Chibok, Borno State in April 2014, abducting about 300 schoolgirls, who have since been in their captivity.

Despite several promises by former President Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari, the girls have yet to be found. Cameroonian officials said they were working with Nigerian counterparts to verify the girl's identity.

Nigerian Vanguard

 The Lagos State Government has deployed security personnel around public and private recreational centers and other strategic areas across the state during the Easter celebration period.

According to the paper, Governor Akinwumi Ambode, is certain to swell his electorate after offering free bus ride for Easter Commuters as part of government’s effort to ease the current fuel scarcity.

Kenyan Daily Nation 

Meanwhile, Clerics issue a Good Friday appeal to political leaders to stop dividing the country into coalition ‘fiefdoms’. Speaking before conducting the Way of the Cross at Tudor Catholic Church, Archbishop Kivuva warned that the 2007-2008 post-election violence was still fresh in Kenyans’ minds adding that their canvassing of tribal support was setting a dangerous precedent ahead of next year’s General Election..

South Africa Sowetan

Mpumalanga's top official incharge of community security urges citizens not to treat the Easter weekend "like the end of the world is coming".

They should not drink and drive and should not drive cars that are not roadworthy. "Don't go spinning cars because of Easter excitement and showing off that you are the fastest driver", the official is quoted as saying.

"Pupils have to return to school, workers have to go back to work and our lives must go back where they were before the Easter holidays," the offical told the paper.

Uganda Daily Monitor

Police records revealed that mobile phones worth Shs170m were stolen from pedestrians and motorists in Kampala between December 2015 and February this year.

That represents 45,000 euros worth of smart phones stolen in three months in the capital city alone.