In a press release from the Office of the Spokesperson, it has been announced that Under Secretary of States for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, is set to embark on a diplomatic mission to Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire from January 27 to February 3, 2024. During her visit to Abuja, Under Secretary Zeya will focus on enhancing collaboration with senior government officials concerning democracy, civilian security, and humanitarian efforts. Her agenda also includes meetings with religious leaders, civil society representatives, and labor leaders to discuss matters related to freedom of expression, religion, and the protection of worker…
Author: Editor Francis
In response to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) impending deadline to halt accounts not linked to the Bank Verification Number (BVN), 291,232 bank customers have registered for BVN in the last two weeks, bringing the total to 60.49 million, as reported by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). The surge in registrations follows the CBN’s directive to financial institutions, including commercial, merchant, non-interest, payment service banks, and mobile money operators, to ensure that BVN or National Identification Number (NIN) is electronically revalidated by January 31. The CBN has imposed a ‘post no debit’ restriction, preventing withdrawals, transfers, or other…
During the Italy-Africa Summit, the European Commission (EC) and the African Development Bank Group officially established a new Financial Framework Partnership Agreement aimed at enhancing investments in infrastructure projects across Africa. The agreement, signed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, marks a significant renewal of the partnership between the two organizations. The European Union’s commitment to co-finance operations with the African Development Bank has seen a substantial increase over the past two years, reaching Euro 972 million in blending operations and guarantees. This amount is expected to rise further…
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has called on the Federal Government to promptly pay its members the N35,000 wage award sanctioned for public sector workers to prevent a potential industrial action. ASUP President Shammah Kpanja expressed the discontent of polytechnic lecturers, citing economic hardships as a source of frustration. Kpanja alleged that the government had only made a single payment of the N35,000, despite initially committing to a six-month duration for the disbursement. The N35,000 wage award was approved by the government in response to the removal of fuel subsidy in May of the previous year, with payments…
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has expressed alarm over the diminished demand for domestically manufactured medical syringes, citing a negative impact on local production. The agency disclosed the discovery of over 1.5 billion unsold units of syringes in a single local factory, emphasizing the adverse consequences of the nation’s preference for importing these medical essentials. Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director General of NAFDAC, conveyed disappointment at the situation, asserting that the quality of facilities in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical companies is on par with those in the United States and European countries. She urged the Association…
On Sunday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) expressed readiness for “a negotiated solution” following the announcements of withdrawal from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. In an official statement, ECOWAS acknowledged the significance of these countries as “important members of the community” and affirmed its commitment to finding a negotiated resolution to the political impasse. The regional bloc clarified that it had not yet received any direct formal notification from the three nations regarding their withdrawal. The leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger issued a joint statement on Sunday, declaring their departure from ECOWAS as a “sovereign…
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, has urged for heightened security measures following the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The military regimes of these Sahel countries, in disagreement with ECOWAS over imposed sanctions, jointly declared their immediate withdrawal from the regional bloc in a statement on Sunday. As these nations share borders with Nigeria, concerns have arisen about the potential impact on Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, especially given the current security challenges along its northern border with Niger Republic. Former Vice President Atiku, expressing his apprehension…
In a joint statement aired on state television in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the military juntas in these West African nations declared their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday. The juntas accused the regional economic bloc of imposing what they deemed as inhumane sanctions aimed at reversing recent coups in their respective countries. The statement asserted that the decision to withdraw was made in complete sovereignty, alleging that ECOWAS had deviated from the ideals of its founding fathers and pan-Africanism after nearly 50 years of existence. The juntas contended that ECOWAS, influenced…
Ukraine’s security service has uncovered a conspiracy involving employees from a Ukrainian arms firm and defense ministry officials. The scheme aimed at embezzling nearly $40 million allocated for the purchase of 100,000 mortar shells for the ongoing conflict with Russia, as reported by the SBU. Five individuals have been charged in connection with the case, with one person detained while attempting to cross the Ukrainian border. If convicted, they could face up to 12 years in prison. This investigation comes at a crucial time for Kyiv, which is actively working to combat corruption in order to expedite its accession to…
During the gathering at the 10th Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation lecture and award ceremony in Maiduguri, Vice President Kashim Shettima and northern governors highlighted the detrimental impact of corrupt governance on the prevailing insecurity in the North and the entire nation. Represented by his special adviser on Political Affairs, Hakeem-Baba Ahmed, Vice President Shettima pointed out that the present leaders have deviated from the legacy of accountability, fairness, and probity left by Sardauna, underscoring corruption by leaders as a primary root cause of the security challenges. He stressed that leaders must refrain from corruption to rise above common criminal…
In January a 26-year-old French gentleman stabbed a German vacationer to dying near the Eiffel Tower. Darmanin said at the time now there had been a “failure” in the suspect’s psychiatric remedy. Detectives stated the person possessed tried to arranged fire to his bookbag on an escalator before the attack. The paper offered a law enforcement source expressing he seemed to have “psychological difficulties”. The two many revolutionary options of Global cutlery are all their edge and the means in which they’re balanced. The deal with feels amazing in your hand and makes this kind of knife actually controllable throughout…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to informants, kidnappers, bandits, and criminals within the territory, urging them to repent or face the consequences of their actions, including possible encounters with security operatives. Wike delivered this warning during the conclusion of his town hall meetings with stakeholders in various area councils across Abuja. The minister had previously held similar engagements in Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kwali, AMAC, and Abaji, concluding the series in Kuje. Wike emphasised his commitment to addressing insecurity, stating, “We are going to tackle insecurity head-on. These bandits and criminals, their…