Month: April 2024

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has reiterated the need for Armed Forces of Nigeria to attain self-sufficiency in production of military hardware to internally meet its operational needs.

Lagbaja said this, while delivering a lecture titled: ‘Role of the Military in the Protection of Nigeria’s National Interest and Security’, at the Maiden Edition of The Chief of Army Staff Annual Lecture Series 2024, at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the lack of industrial base had turned Nigeria into a mere consumer nation, saying that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act 2023, would to some extent, address the shortcoming.

According to him, the ability of the country to look inward and produce its needed equipment will help the military to be at par with other developed nations of the world.

He said that experts had argued that international system was anarchical as all the nations pursued their interests at the expense of others.

This, ac
cording to him, explains why some of Nigeria’s strategic partners do not assist nor sell equipment to the country and the armed forces of Nigeria.

‘In the past, during the civil war and in contemporary era when the Boko Haram crisis was at its peak, Nigeria was denied by the US using human rights record, the international humanitarian law and America’s Adversary through Sanctions act of 2017.

‘ Nigeria’s ability to procure some of the weapons needed was at variance with the interests of countries involved at that material time.

‘While the nation and the armed forces of Nigeria adhered to the specific international standards, the antisocial elements are not and some, like the Boko Haram, do not even recognise those enforcing the standards on the armed forces of Nigeria,’ he said.

The COAS called for enhancement of the military’s effectiveness in internal security operations, containing external aggression and territorial integrity for a safer nation starting with implementation of a whole of society approa
ch.

He said the Nigeria’s National Security Strategy 2019, provided for adoption of a Whole of Society Approach to Security, adding that the concept needed to be refined to suit Nigeria’s environmental circumstances.

According to him, awareness about it must be given wider and extensive publicity, using the Ministry of Information and its agencies. .

This, he said, would assist in bringing in all segments of Nigeria society to be part of the efforts, thereby ensuring the citizenry would be ready to assist law enforcement agencies, particularly the armed forces of Nigeria, with information and intelligence.

‘This in turn, will entrench trust and cooperation of citizens and local communities with the military and other security agencies.

‘It will also take care of the need for the citizenry to understand the essence of security and ensure participation of the private sector,’ he added.

Lagbaja called for increased manpower for the armed forces and all other security agencies, particularly the police, to h
ave the requisite capacity to effectively man the nation’s security landscape.

He also called for increased funding for the military to be able to deploy optimally to tackle prevailing security challenges bedeviling the country.

The Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru, promised to ensure that the nation reaped the full benefit of DICON with signing of the bill into law.

Badaru urged all Nigerians and private sector to key into the idea of investing in the military industrial complex as a viable and profitable venture for the benefit of the nation.

He said the security situation had been improving , assuring that President Bola Tinubu would continue to do his best to provide all necessary equipment and funding needed to fight the war.

He added that there had been significant improvement in funding of armed forces even though not adequate, adding that the nation is progressively moving toward the right direction.

In his remarks, Tajudeen Adeola, a Nigerian businessman and Co-Founder of Guaranty Trust Ban
k, who chaired the session, said the purpose of government was to improve the standard of living of citizens.

Adeola said the military, saddled with the responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of the country had continued to keep the country safe and secure.

He said that greater things could only happen if the nation achieved an environment of peace, adding that the military must be equipped and empowered to carryout the responsibility.

The Director-General of NARC, retired Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab, said the lecture was meant to look at national issues and the role of the forces in national security and interests.

He thanked the army chief for the support to the centre and the minister of defence for his support for the lecture series, assuring that subsequent editions would be opened to interaction.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over allegations that he fathered his colleague, Mercy Chinwo’s son.

The singer, in a petition filed by his lawyers, Peter Abraham, Uche Matthew, Gbenga Agunloye, and Anthony Abia, asked the IGP to investigate and prosecute four social media users who accused him of paternal fraud.

It may be recalled that four social media users; Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, Terrence Ekot, and DJ Spoiltkid, had alleged that Bassey fathered the son of the popular gospel singer, an allegation that went viral social media.

They made the allegations on their social media accounts when Mercy and her husband, Blessed Uzochikwa posted pictures of their son and themselves on different social media platforms on March, 29.

Mr Ejike’s post read: ‘This Mercy Chinwo’s child she was hiding after giving birth, but the truth is that this baby looks exactly like singer Nathaniel Bassey.

‘Nothing anybody wants to reason with me oh. Th
is child is Nathaniel Bassey’s Baby. Maybe a secret away match occurred; otherwise, how can we make empirical sense of this.’

Mr Terrence Ekot on the platform ‘X’ reads: ‘Take a look at the stunning resemblance of Mercy Chinwo’s son and Nathaniel Bassey.

‘Though the duo has been working together on several projects, what do you have to say?’

The posts had gone viral on social media, with many calling out Bassey on why he should be involved in such an appalling act .

According to the petition submitted to the IGP on 1 April, the consequences of making such statements on social media had been known to tarnish the reputations of individuals, render marriages unstable.

The lawyers said the social media posts by the four individuals amounted to complete assassination of Bassey’s character.

They therefore urged the police authorities to urgently treat the petition against the four social media users.

The petition reads in part : ‘Our client is a gospel music minister whose songs and ministrations have impact
ed the lives of so many from different walks of life across the globe.

‘On Friday, the 29th day of March 2024, Mercy Chinwo Blessed another popular gospel music minister, and her husband posted pictures of their son and themselves on different social media platforms.

‘However, our client was disheartened, saddened, and grossly disturbed to find that the above-mentioned suspects, as mischief makers with a criminal intent to destroy the image and character of our client..

‘They had made different social media posts of defamatory matter, calling our client ‘the father of minister Mercy Chinwo Blessed’s son,’ a woman who is married to another man.

‘In a post on the platform ‘X’ formerly known as Twitter, ‘Dj SpoiltKid’ a verified X user, quoted the statement by Okoronkwo Ejike along with a screenshot of the post and added, ‘When are we doing DNA test?’

‘These nefarious acts of these suspects, if not immediately dealt with, will continue to destroy our client’s image, injure his reputation, assassinate his ch
aracter and cast aspersion on the good name built by our client over the years.’

The lawyers said the alleged actions of the four individuals contravened sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act as well as Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.).

‘Consequently, we urge you to use your good offices to, in the interest of justice, investigate this matter, arrest, and bring the suspect to justice, which will serve as a deterrent to others.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has appointed Amb. Maureen Tamuno as the new Managing Director of Abuja Investment Company Limited.

Mr Anthony Ogunleye, Director of Press, Office of the Minister, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, said that the appointment was with immediate effect.

Ogunleye said that Tamuno, an experienced public officer, entrepreneur, and diplomat, was the Nigerian High Commissioner to Jamaica, Belize, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

The director also announced the termination of the contract of Messrs Integrated Facility Management Services Ltd, for the management of the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

He said that the termination was with immediate effect, adding that Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, has been contracted for the immediate and comprehensive renovation of the centre.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Ondo State Government has warned civil servants to stay away from political activities ahead of the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.

The state Head of Service (HoS), Bayo Philip, gave the warning on Wednesday during the commencement of the 2024 promotion exercise for civil servants in the state.

Philip charged them to maintain the highest standard of professionalism and adhere to the established rules and regulations of the service.

‘I must also tell you, this is an election year, do your job. You are civil servants and have nothing to do with partisan politics; engage your mind more than you engage your mouth.

‘I want to admonish you, in your respective desks, you must not deliver short of quality and you must not deliver late.

‘Whatever you are to do must not be short of quality and must not be done late. Do your job as patriotic civil servants that you are,’ he said.

He disclosed that Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa had approved the promotion of 4,200 workers with attendant financial benefits.

Philip, who appreciated the governor for the gesture, urged the benefiting workers to reciprocate by putting their best in service delivery, saying ‘to whom much is giving, much is expected’.

‘I must appreciate Mr Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who said ‘head of service, don’t pursue me with any file, everyone who is due for promotion, go ahead and promote them’.

‘The position of our governor is that a labourer is worthy of his wage even before his sweat will dry and an officer is worthy of his promotion as and when due,’ the HoS said.

Earlier in her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Establishment and Training, Mrs Olufunke Dare-Atuse, enjoined participants not to take the promotion for granted, but rather justify it through improved efficiency in their new positions.

Dare-Atuse lauded the government for prompt approval of the process and without stringent conditions and unnecessary encumbrances.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to consider electing its members directly through universal suffrage, instead of doing so through national parliaments.

The President made this known at the inauguration of the 6th Legislature of the ECOWAS parliament on Thursday in Abuja.

He explained that doing so would give citizens of member states a say in who represented them.

He said: ‘The practice of directly electing public officers aligns with democratic principles that Nigeria upholds. This principle is also in line with the spirit of the ECOWAS Protocol on democracy and good governance.

‘We believe this will ensure that citizens will have a direct say in their representation and the legitimacy and credibility it will provide.

‘As a one-time legislator myself, I look forward to reviewing the proposal regarding this matter. We stand to support the direct elections into ECOWAS Parliament.’

The President assured members of the Sixth ECOWAS Parliament that
Nigeria, as host of the community, would continue to support the Parliament to achieve its objectives.

Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a goodwill message, called for collaboration among ECOWAS executive, judicial and legislative arms, stressing that it was critical for effective, responsive, and transparent governance.

He urged the new members of Parliament to ensure that their positions on key issues were harmonised with the decisions of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.

Tuggar said Parliament was crucial in the face of various challenges confronting ECOWAS; hence, the balance between executive, judicial and legislative arms was critical to address sub-regional peace, stability, security, and unity.

He said: ‘It is, therefore, imperative that the Parliament continues to work in synergy with the ECOWAS Commission and other Institutions that serve as the executive and judicial arms of our organisation.

‘Collaboration between the Commission, Court and Parli
ament is essential to ensure the smooth implementation of policies and programmes that benefit our citizens.

‘I encourage you to maintain constructive dialogue with other bodies and to align your efforts with the broader objectives of ECOWAS.’

He explained that consistency in ECOWAS collective stance would strengthen its voice on the international stage and prevent any perception of disunity within the organisation.

Tuggar said the Council of Ministers looked forward to more robust engagement and collaboration with the Parliament to amplify ECOWAS values and increase its visibility through people-oriented programmes and projects.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Toure, in his speech, warned that ECOWAS was currently facing the threat of disintegration, stressing that the subregion’s challenges were numerous and diverse.

He emphasised that disintegration would aggravate the subregion’s security challenges, culminate in political isolation, job cuts, as well as affect the movement of ECOWAS citi
zens under its protocols.

‘ECOWAS is faced with the risk of integration following the threats by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger on January 29, 2024, of their intentions to quit the bloc.

‘Considering the perceived consequences of their decisions, ECOWAS opened a dialogue and initiated other immediate measures, which included representatives from these three countries to join the dialogue to resolve the issues.

‘The Commission, therefore, stands to work with the Parliament and all other stakeholders towards achieving success in line with the objectives of ECOWAS,’ Toure said.

President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, in his remark, described the inauguration of the 6th ECOWAS Legislature as the dawn of a new era in West Africa.

He said that the event was an opportunity for ECOWAS ‘to build bridges of unity instead of building Berlin Walls of isolation.’

‘We should ensure free movement of goods and services within the Community and remove obstacles facing us,’ the Senate President said.

Also spe
aking, former Speaker of the 5th Parliament, Sidie Tunis, called for the election of Members into the ECOWAS Parliament by direct universal suffrage, saying that the Parliament under him had already initiated the move.

While noting that it was customary for each legislature to set its own agenda, he passionately appealed that, henceforth, election of Members into the ECOWAS Parliament by direct universal suffrage be made top priority by the 6th Legislature.

‘The 5th Legislature raised a lot of awareness about the matter, and I can only hope that the 6th Legislature will strengthen the fight for direct election, as it is a requirement for representative governance.

‘I am confident that with the quality of membership you have, faithfully serving the interest of the peoples of the Community, success will be achieved in these regards,’ Tunis said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, officially inaugurated
97 members into the 6th ECOWAS parliament.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The United States Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria has conferred its 2024 Woman of Courage award on Ms. Priscilla Usiobaifo, Executive Director, Braveheart Initiative for Youth and Women (BHI), an NGO.

This is contained in a statement issued by Ms. Aishah Gambari, the spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to Gambari, Usiobaifo’s recognition stems from her two decades of unwavering dedication and contribution to reforming laws and dismantling socio-cultural norms which perpetuate gender-based violence in Nigeria.

Speaking at the ceremony, Gambari said that the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Art Brown, explained that preventing all forms of gender-based violence was a cornerstone of the U.S. government’s commitment to promoting democracy and human rights.

‘This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Invest in women: accelerate progress.’ I’m proud of the United States government’s longstanding investment in women.

‘Together with the government of Nigeria and our local part
ners, we’ve made significant investments in the lives of Nigerian women and girls, particularly in health, enterprise, and ending all forms of gender-based violence.’

‘The U.S. Embassy conferred the award as part of activities celebrating the 2024 Women History Month, in keeping with the U.S. government’s commitment to recognise and celebrate individuals who are advancing gender equality and equity,’ Gambari quoted Brown as saying.

She further said Brown noted that the U.S. government was working with Nigerian partners to dismantle all the barriers and impediments to gender equality.

‘Ending all forms of gender-based violence requires a whole-of-society approach to address the deep-seated socio-cultural norms underlying gender-based violence in Nigeria.

‘Today, we’re delighted to celebrate and amplify the work of a woman who is a fierce advocate for women’s rights,’ Gambari also quoted Brown as saying.

The Embassy spokesperson said that Usiobaifo, in her acceptance speech, thanked the U.S. Mission for sp
otlighting her work and pledged to do more for women and girls.

‘Young women, especially those who work in rural communities, can be unrecognized because of the locality of the work that we do. But here I am today as a testament that no matter where you are and where you do your work, your work speaks, and it speaks very loudly.

‘I want to see this as a spur to do more for women for girls, for children in marginalized communities in Nigeria. I hope that an award like this will inspire government to become more accountable to their citizens and to promote justice for survivors of gender-based violence in Nigeria,’ Usiobaifo said.

Gambari said that Sen. Ireti Kingibe, Senate Committee Chairperson on Women Affairs, in a remark at the event, commended the U.S. Embassy for Usiobaifo’s recognition.

Kingibe added that the award would motivate other young women to continue to do their best.

Gambari also said that Mrs. Dayo Benjamin-Laniyi, FCT Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs, congratulated Ms. Usiobaifo for
her courage and reiterated FCT’s commitment to end gender-based violence.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ‘Woman of Courage’ award recognises women who have taken unusual risks, surmounted significant obstacles, challenged harmful practices, and fought gender-based discrimination.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria