An opposition candidate in last year's presidential election in Congo-Brazzaville, Andre Okombi Salissa, has been arrested in the capital, Brazzaville.

Ceoafrica gathered that he is accused of jeopardising national security.

It was further gathered that Mr Salissa, a former prime minister, was placed under house arrest three months after the March 2016 presidential election, but managed to escape and went into hiding.

Another presidential candidate, Gen Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko, who has been in custody since June, has also been charged with breaching national security and the illegal possession of weapons.

Congo-Brazzaville has been on edge since a referendum last year ended a two-term limit on presidential mandates.

Mr Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician who has been the President of the Republic of the Congo since 1997, except for a five-year period after losing elections in 1992.