Three Nigerians have died in clashes in Lagos as soldiers fought running battles with police.
The dead were civilians caught in the crossfire of a battle that began when a soldier and policeman argued over who had the right to a free ride on a bus. The police officer hit out at the soldier, who raised the alarm at a nearby barracks, sparking violence.

Liberians go to the polls next week for their country's first general elections since civil war was brought to a halt in the West African state in 2003. An estimated 1.3 million registered voters (out of a population of 3.5 million) will queue on Oct. 11 to choose a president from 22 candidates, including soccer great George Weah. More than 500 candidates are vying for 64 parliamentary seats, and about 200 for 30 senate seats.

West African leaders are urging quick international assistance for Guinea-Bissau, whose new president Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira was sworn in this weekend facing a massive cholera epidemic and fears of continuing political instability. "Donors must help Bissau now, and without conditions," Senegal's Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio told reporters on Monday.

In Malawi's drought-hit southern district of Bangwe, people begin queuing as early as 3.00 a.m. outside the depot of the state grain marketer Admarc for subsidised maize-meal. The demand is such, after the worst harvest in a decade, ADMARC has been forced to introduce rationing. "We are aware that ADMARC, depending on the maize supply in its depots, has been forced to ration sales to between five to 25 kg per person," said Evance Chavasuka of the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning System Network.