The United States and Nigeria have strengthened their partnership through a series of recent engagements. From high-level diplomatic meetings to collaborative initiatives in digital transformation and cultural exchange, both nations are committed to advancing shared goals. The U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission held in Abuja from April 29-30 marked a significant step forward in addressing mutual economic, governance, and security priorities. Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell and Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf M. Tuggar spearheaded discussions aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two populous presidential democracies. One of the focal points of this partnership is digital transformation, exemplifying the potential derived from government, business,…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
The Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, has granted pardon to 18 inmates at the Makurdi Medium Correctional Centre. This decision follows a review of 120 remand cases by the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee in Benue state. During a two-day visit to the Makurdi Medium Correctional Centre, Justice Ikpambese, alongside other committee members including the Commissioner of Police Benue State and the Controller of Corrections Benue State Command, meticulously examined the cases of inmates held in remand for various offenses, ranging from robbery to culpable homicide. According to a statement issued by Stephen Tsegba, the Public…
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has forged partnerships with foreign agencies and local stakeholders to enhance export standards. At a national workshop held in Lagos, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, outlined the agency’s strategy to tackle this challenge. Adeyeye stated the importance of regulatory supervision in ensuring the safety and quality of exported products, highlighting key partnerships with organizations such as the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, the Nigeria Customs Service, and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services. Adeyeye stressed the need for automation in the export licensing process to streamline procedures and ensure…
The United States and Zambia have joined forces by signing the U.S.–Zambia Partnership to Prevent Trafficking in Persons (P2P). This pioneering multi-year initiative, signed by U.S. Embassy Zambia’s Chargé d’Affaires Linnisa Wahid and Zambian Minister of Home Affairs, the Honorable Jack Mwiimbu, aims to strengthen Zambia’s efforts to combat trafficking through improved coordination and comprehensive support. The P2P initiative, hailed as the first of its kind globally, emerged after extensive discussions between representatives of the Zambian government, the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office), and the U.S. Embassy in Zambia. This…
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf M. Tuggar in Washington on May 17, 2024 to address critical economic, governance, and security issues affecting both nations. Secretary Blinken expressed gratitude to Foreign Minister Tuggar for Nigeria’s role in hosting the sixth U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission in Abuja last month. This event highlighted the importance of the bilateral partnership and set the stage for advancing shared priorities. “The U.S. is committed to a strong relationship with Nigeria,” Blinken affirmed. “Our focus is on collaborative efforts to overcome the economic, governance, and security challenges that are crucial for…
U.S. manufacturing output unexpectedly fell in April, driven by a decline in motor vehicle production, according to data released by the Federal Reserve on Thursday. Manufacturing output dropped by 0.3% last month, following a downwardly revised 0.2% increase in March. This downturn defied economists’ expectations of a 0.1% rise after a previously reported 0.5% increase in March. Year-over-year, factory production declined by 0.5% in April. The manufacturing sector, which constitutes 10.4% of the U.S. economy, continues to struggle under the weight of higher borrowing costs. The recent data aligns with a survey from the Institute for Supply Management, which indicated…
Former Senator Emmanuel Onwe, who represented Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, has called for the establishment of a Food Intelligence Agency (FIA) to support the Federal Government’s recent declaration of emergency in food production and security. Onwe made this call during a press briefing in Enugu, discussing his Open Letter to President Bola Tinubu titled, “Declaration of a State of Emergency on Food Security and ‘Commodification of the Naira Using Cassava’: What Can I Do for my Country”. Onwe stated the urgency of a coordinated approach to combat food inflation, hunger, and potential population starvation, highlighting the critical role an…
Iran’s first vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, is expected to assume the presidency after Ebrahim Raisi’s death in a helicopter crash as the country gears up for early elections. The Iranian constitution stipulates that the first vice president take over “in the event of the president’s death, dismissal, resignation, absence or illness for more than two months”. Raisi, who died on Sunday along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials, was nearing the end of his first four-year term as president. Mokhber’s interim appointment requires the approval of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final word in…
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of undue interference and partiality in its ongoing internal leadership crisis. The accusation follows the attendance of INEC officials at a convention organized by a faction of the party, despite a court notice challenging the event. The NNPP leadership crisis erupted post-2023 general elections, leading to the expulsion of its presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, by the party’s Board of Trustees headed by Boniface Aniebonam. The expulsion was allegedly due to anti-party activities, specifically Kwankwaso’s visit to President Bola Tinubu, which fueled speculations about him seeking a…
The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs Annett Gunther, says her country is working to improve the visa issuance process for Nigerians seeking to study in Germany. Gunther, who said her country is not against Nigerians coming, said already there are no less than 4,000 Nigerians schooling and working in Germany. Gunther made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja. According to her, the German Academic Exchange Service gives out not less than 1,000 scholarships yearly. She said that the German government was working on improving visa approvals for intending Nigerian students to…
A trailer lost control and crushed three minibusses, leaving seven persons dead at the Imo State University junction in Owerri, the capital of Imo State on Saturday. The accident occurred around 7 pm when the heavy-duty truck, reportedly driving against traffic, rammed into three minibusses carrying nine passengers each, including the drivers. Eyewitnesses reported that the buses were hit in quick succession, causing severe damage and numerous casualties. Sources indicate that the truck hit about 20 individuals, with some of the injured rushed to the Federal University of Technology Hospital Owerri (FUTHO) for urgent medical attention. Unfortunately, seven victims were…
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army announced that it thwarted an attempted coup early Sunday morning, arresting several perpetrators, including foreigners, following a deadly shootout in Kinshasa. “An attempted coup d’etat has been put down by the defence and security forces. The attempt involved foreigners and Congolese. These foreigners and Congolese have been put out of action, including their leader,” stated army spokesman Sylvain Ekenge. He did not clarify if the individuals had been detained or killed during the incident. The violence erupted near the residence of Vital Kamerhe, a prominent member of parliament anticipated to be named the new…