Ola Olukoyede, chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says he will tender his resignation if he does not prosecute Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state, to a logical conclusion. 

Olukoyede spoke in Abuja on Tuesday during an interactive session with media executives.

“If I do not personally oversee the completion of the investigation regarding Yahaya Bello, I will tender my resignation as the EFCC chair,” he said.

The EFCC boss also vowed that everyone involved in obstructing Bello’s arrest from his Abuja residence will face the full wrath of the law.

He also said he invited Bello to his office for a more respectful and dignified interrogation, but that the ex-governor wanted EFCC operatives to grill him in his village instead.

“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that,” he said.

“But he said because a certain senator has planted over 100 journalists in my office, he would not come.

“I told him that he would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men should come to his village to interrogate him.”

Olukoyede said the EFCC did not violate any law while trying to arrest the former governor from his residence.

“Rather, we have obeyed the law. I inherited the case and I didn’t create it. Why has he not submitted himself to the law?” he asked.

“I have arraigned two past governors who have been granted bail now — Willie Obiano and Abdulfatah Ahmed.

“We would have gone after Bello since January but we waited for the court order.

“As early as 7 am, my gallant men were there. Over 50 of them. They mounted surveillance.

“We met over 30 armed policemen there. We would have exchanged fire and there would have been casualties.

“My men were about to move in when the governor of Kogi drove in and they later changed the narrative.”

He vowed that all those who have dipped their hands into the public till would be investigated and prosecuted.

“If I can do Obiano, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Chief Olu Agunloye, my kinsman, why not Yahaya Bello?” Olukoyede said.

The EFCC is prosecuting Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

[TheCable]

The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, signed off tens of millions of Abia State funds to travel to Washington DC, USA, ostensibly to malign his predecessor, HE Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, who was not present at that forum to defend himself and indeed has not seen the so called “forensic audit” referenced by Otti. During his address, Otti falsely claimed, among others, that Dr Ikpeazu’s administration paid N10bn to contractors for the Abia Airport Project. Note that Otti failed to mention the concerned contractors.

I was a member of the state executive council when approval was given to spend N10bn to start the Abia airport project and in my capacity as then Commissioner for Information, I announced it to the public.

However thereafter, members of Abia State Traditional Rulers Council led by HRM Eze Joseph Nwabekee (Eze Amara), visited Governor Ikpeazu in his Government House Umuahia residence and advised that since the state was surrounded by at least four airports, the project should be suspended and the resources deployed to fix more roads.

Governor Ikpeazu accepted their recommendation and I also announced same to the public.

It is important to note that in the 8 years he was in office, Dr Ikpeazu fixed more than 200 roads including many urban roads that were bad for more than 30 years prior, and rural access roads across the state.

I will make public the list of road projects executed by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu while in office in another publication for verification by all and sundry.

Governor Alex Otti who supposedly worked at management level in a bank claimed that he hired an unnamed forensic auditor that made the false findings he had to take all the way to United States of America to make public. Unfortunately, he forgot a key element of auditing which is the response of the Auditee. To date, neither former Governor Ikpeazu nor anyone in his team has seen the report and he was never allowed to review it or state his own side. Yet, a supposedly responsible man chose to malign him in USA on the basis of same flawed, and possibly non-existent report.

Permit me to ask those expecting detailed response from Dr Ikpeazu what exactly he is supposed to respond to? Is he expected to say what we already know that Governor Otti is a liar in government house, or tackle the issues raised in an audit document he is yet to see and was not part of its making?

Are we not talking about same Governor Otti that lied publicly that he was not aware of any investment in the Aba IPP project by the Ikpeazu administration whereas Prof Barth Nnaji already advised him in writing that Abia under Ikpeazu invested the sum of $3.56m representing 3.5% shares in the project? Where is the fake 24/7 power supply in Aba that Otti gleefully claimed and for which Ikpeazu was unjustly vilified?

Is Governor Alex Otti not the same man that claimed that he has “cleared pension arrears of 9 years” whereas he only paid pensioners what his administration was owing them in 9 months and declared the rest forfeited? The same Governor Otti that told the world that he awarded Port Harcourt road Aba to Julius Berger at N32bn and the company gave him N2bn discount possibly as a groundnut seller that does not understand the public sector procurement process.

Anybody who believes whatever comes from Governor Otti is doing so at his own peril because time has proved that he is incapable of telling the truth at any point in time. He is a man consumed by hate and bitterness against his predecessor and will do anything to malign him even if it means demarketing Abia State in faraway USA.

As a citizen of Abia State and someone who served in Ikpeazu’s administration, I wish to recommend the following to enable the public get to the truth in this matter:

1. Governor Alex Otti should hand over a copy of the the so-called forensic audit report to Dr Okezie Ikpeazu for his factual response or alternatively publish it verbatim for the former Governor to read and respond to the issues with facts.

2. Publish the list of all contractors that allegedly received money from the Ikpeazu administration, with the amount involved, and did nothing. Such contractors and their accomplices deserve to go to jail if proven to be true. Yet, I know for a fact that many contractors that worked with Ikpeazu administration are still working with Otti or are his personal buddies. Unless Governor Otti is now stealing with them he should have no problem publishing their names and relevant contract details.

3. Governor Alex Otti should accept the setting up of a joint audit team with reputable audit firms nominated by Otti and Ikpeazu to review Abia finances from May 2015 to date. What that means is that the team will look into the finances of the Otti era in addition to that of Ikpeazu and publish the report for the world to see.

Let Otti bring his Ernst & Young or whoever that concludes and publish forensic audit report without response or input from the auditee while Ikpeazu brings a reputable local audit firm for the proposed exercise.

In his short story titled “The Small Man”, Michael Mayr noted as follows: “the small man was…small. Not a midget nor a dwarf…just small.”

Continuing, Mayr wrote: “Only once did I hear the Small Man speak, and I thank God it wasn’t to me. I cannot remember what he said and that is good, because all I know is that I will do anything not to hear that voice again. A voice that sounded like an avalanche of maggots eating their way through still living flesh…”

Obviously, Governor Alex Otti wishes to be the small man of Abia State hounding and harassing his predecessor out of personal bitterness arising from losing twice to him in previous elections. But he must know that he has only one term of 4 years with a maximum of possible extension to 8 years. After that, he will become like every other citizen and if his successor has the small man mentality like him, he will also proceed to do forensic audit on how Signature Bank suddenly bounced back to life, opened new branches across the country and with healthy balance sheet ten months after its owner became Governor of Abia State. He might also choose to track up certain investment in crypto currencies made from June 2023 to date and publish the report at Chatham House London without allowing Otti to see and defend himself.

May be Governor Otti needs to read Abiodun Fajabi who wrote “Don’t look down on others, lest you take your eyes off the ball and lose your bearing. For every ‘little man’ is put on your path for you to lift up, not to pull down; for you to include, not to exclude. He deserves not pity but love. And, don’t look up gratuitously to others, lest you sprain your neck and lose your sense of gratitude. Every ‘big man’ is put on your path for you to respect, not idolize; for you to honour, not resent. He deserves not envy but love. Love: that’s one debt you owe all men – the small and the big.”

As per former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, my advice to you, Sir, is to remove your gloves and fight back like a man. Do not allow the small man continue to hound and harass you at every platform available to him. You have enough facts to take the battle to him and nobody will blame you if you do so because he obviously does not understand the true value of golden silence. Give him ten times whatever negative energy he gives you because time will prove that he was never prepared for governance, had no agenda and is only using your name to divert attention from his own many failings and weaknesses.

His administration has only one narrative “what Ikpeazu did and not do!” This narrative is a deliberate ploy adopted by Otti to dorminate his tenure, inundate and keep the public busy with so that at the end questions will not be asked of his administration’s near zero-achievement as the public is preoccupied listening to his manufactured horror fables to the extent that they will forget to ask for his own achievements.

Ler me end this piece with the words of a psychologist, Darius Cikanavicius, “People with strong narcissistic tendencies and other dark personality traits tend to blame others for their own bad behavior. If they are lying, then they will accuse others of lying. If they are cruel, they will say that others are cruel. If they are stealing and scamming, then they will accuse others of stealing and scamming. They never take responsibility, and it’s always someone else’s fault.”

Need I say more about Governor Otti?

Chief John Okiyi Kalu
(Nwandugbom JOK)
Former Commissioner for Information, Trade & Investment, Abia State

“If we are going to get equality, if we are going to get adequate wages, we are going to have to struggle for them.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

One of the great tragedies of Nigeria’s political history is that, when they become the nation’s President, former military dictators pretend to be born again democrats while former democrats pretend to be courageous military dictators. PBAT threw an unprovoked vicious jab at the labour unions. He said,  “ You are not the only voice of Nigerians.” This is like poking lions in the chests and declaring that their roars are not the only voice in the jungle. It is politically unwise to throw jabs at labour unions in an inflationary economy. The last time a Nigerian government threw such an unprovoked jab at labour was in 1945 when the colonial government insisted that Nigerian labour was not  the only voice in Nigeria in the midst of a raging WWII inflationary economy. Labour responded with a national general strike of 1945. We will examine the 1945 national general strike in order to learn what labour must do now.

On May 19, 1945, Nigerian waged workers held a mass meeting at the Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos. The workers established a Joint Executive consisting of trade union leaders. They demanded a 50% COLAs and a minimum daily wage of 2s. 6d. for unskilled public sector workers. In a letter forwarded to the colonial government, the workers promised to go on strike, if their demands were not met by June 21, 1945. In the midst of this potential industrial conflict, Mr. Michael Imoudu returned to Lagos. The Defence Regulation, under which Imoudu had been banished to Auchi, had expired with the end of WWII. Hence, the colonial government had to release him. The workers used the occasion to mobilize for the proposed strike. A massive workers' march and rally was arranged for June 2nd to give Imoudu a hero’s welcome. In the June 2nd welcome rally, Herbert Macaulay, the president of the NCNC and Nnamdi Azikiwe, the NCNC secretary, both spoke in favour of the proposed general strike and Imoudu's leadership. So also did Madam Alimotu Pelewura, the Alaga of Ereko market and president of the Lagos Market Women Association. The colonial government was concerned about the turbulent marriage of nationalist politics and industrial struggle. Hence, it immediately made an official response to the workers' demands. 

In a June 11th letter, the colonial government argued that it could not grant the workers' demand for a COLAs revision and minimum daily wage because such wage awards would lead to wage-push inflation. The colonial government proposed instead that unemployed workers should return back to the rural farms to increase food production. Workers were advised to cooperate with the government's price reduction measures and concentrate on making the Pullen market scheme a success. Finally, the colonial government argued that its revenue was small and therefore, it could not afford to pay increased wages and COLAs to public sector workers unless it also increased taxes. The workers did not accept the colonial government's arguments. Therefore, they began to agitate for higher wages. 

The colonial government reminded the Joint Executive that the proposed general strike was illegal under the Defence Regulation banning strikes before all arbitration procedures had been exhausted. The Labour department threatened that the law would be followed to the letter if an illegal general strike occurred on June 21st.  In the face of this threat, the Joint Executive proposed the postponement of the general strike to the workers. A militant group led by Imoudu refused to postpone the planned strike action. The rank-and-file workers supported this militant position. In a mass workers' meeting on June 21st, the workers decided to execute the general strike action as planned. On June 22nd, they organized a mass rally in the railway locomotive workshop. The general strike began as Imoudu and the militant trade unionists consolidated the rank-and-file workers. The workers independently moved to ensure the success of the general strike action. The colonial government declared a No work No Pay policy and promised to sack workers who went on strike. The workers ignored the government. The general strike spread throughout the nation, starting from Lagos. The news was carried along the railway line by locomotive drivers. In the provincial centers, railway workers also led the general strike. All the members of the Joint Executive resigned to avoid arrest as the general strike began. The strike lasted for 44 days from June 21st to August 15th of 1945.

The 1945 general strike brought about the temporary unity of all labouring classes. The Daily Comet and the West African Pilot supported the strike and were later banned by the colonial government. The NCNC also supported the striking workers as did the market women and other unwaged workers. In Eastern Nigeria, the landlords refused to collect any rent and the market women sold food at reduced prices. A strike fund was organized and market women donated to it generously. In northern Nigeria, the market women also donated to a strike fund. Lagos market women reduced their food prices and attended the mass workers meetings to give moral and political support to the workers during the duration of the strike.

The colonial government did not take the general strike lying down. It employed tactics of misinformation with the aid of the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM). Dr. Akintola Maja, the NYM President, set up a “Maja Peace Committee” to convince workers to end the strike. Trade union leaders were arrested. When this failed to stop the strike, the colonial government reaffirmed its decision to sack all striking workers after August 1, 1945. A mass workers meeting was called to discuss the government’s latest threat. The ex-Joint Executive members and their supporters who wanted to terminate the strike action were a minority. Hence, it was determined that the strike would continue despite the government's threat of dismissal. However, the actions of the moderate trade union leaders was leading to disunity among the workers.  Hence, on August 4th, the general strike was terminated in Lagos. Workers in the provincial cities refused to believe that the strike action had been terminated by Lagos workers because of the prior misinformation by the colonial government. In Zaria, the workers refused to go back to work until Michael Imoudu traveled down there himself to inform the workers that news of the termination of the strike action was not just another government propaganda  designed to make them capitulate. The general strike finally ended in all parts of the country on August 15, 1945 and resulted in more than 2 million mandays lost.

In the negotiation following the general strike, the colonial government rejected the workers' demand for 50% COLAs. Instead, the government offered a 20% increase in COLAs to Lagos public sector workers, smaller COLAs increases to public sector workers in the provincial cities and a minimum daily wage of 2s. 3d. for unskilled public sector workers. It told the workers' representatives that if they rejected this offer, then it would withdraw the offer and refer the matter to a commission of enquiry. The workers' representatives rejected the offer after consultations with trade union leaders and rank and file workers. The colonial government therefore established a commission of enquiry in October of 1945. This commission became known as the Tudor-Davies Commission. The government did not withdraw its initial offer after the workers' representatives rejected it. Rather, it granted the workers a 20% increase in COLAs and a minimum wage of 2s. 3d. backdated to August 1, 1945. The mandays lost during the strike were discarded as leave days without pay by the colonial government. Thus, the workers won a COLAs and wage increase after the general strike. These gains increased after the Tudor-Davies Commission finished its enquiry into the effects of the war inflation.

The terms of reference of the Tudor-Davies Commission were: “To consider the representation made by the Nigerian Government and Native Authority employees concerning an increase in the Cost of Living and, having regard to the present cost of living and all other factors, to make recommendations as to whether any action should be taken by the Nigerian Government, whether by variation of the Cost of Living Allowance or  by controlling the cost of living or any other way, and to make recommendations as to the future compilation and computation of cost of living indices in Nigeria.”

In its report, the Tudor Davies commission stated that the colonial government should have kept its 1942 promise to review the cost of living. It rejected the government's arguments of wage-push inflation and limited government revenue. It decided that the limited nature of the government revenue did not negate the validity of the workers' claim for increased COLAs. It advised the government to change its priorities with regards to the allocation of government revenue so that it could pay the increased COLAs without raising taxes. It pointed out that the government has paid COLA to European workers. The commission recommended a 50% increase in COLAs for all public sector workers (African Staff) with annual wages of less than £220 and a review of COLAs every two years. Finally, the commission concluded that “It is apparent that the influence and power of the Nigerian Trade Unions for good or ill should not be underestimated, for if their organizational strength - financial and numerical - is small, what may be termed their operational strength is great.” 

The colonial government accepted the recommendations and implemented them. It also established Wage Councils to determine future wage awards and a National Negotiating Committee to settle industrial disputes in the public sector by arbitration. Rent Assessment Boards were given more powers to enforce stricter rent control measures. The government appointed a Registrar of Trade Unions to supervise the growth of the trade unions and hired a former British TUC member as a labor officer. The 1945 general strike thus brought economic gains to the Nigerian working class. The initial 20% increase in existing COLAs and a minimum daily wage of 2s. 3d. were followed by a 50% increase in COLAs. The income of workers increased and this gave them the means to actualize their economic self-development at a higher level. 

A national general strike as a weapon in the arsenal of Nigerian workers in struggle. It is the historical response of labour to unprovoked jabs from the Nigerian government in the midst of an inflationary economy. Given the prevailing harsh economic conditions facing workers in the country, Nigerian workers should be organized to do the needful.

President Bola Tinubu is set to embark on an official visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands starting today, Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

President Tinubu’s official visit to the Netherlands, as announced through a statement on the official X account of the Presidency Nigeria on Monday, comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

During his time in the Netherlands, President Tinubu will engage with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and hold separate meetings with His Royal Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Queen Máxima serves as the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).

Furthermore, the President will participate in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organizations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaborations and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farming practices.

• “There will also be extensive discussions with Dutch officials on port management operations for which they have world-renowned experience,” the statement added.

More insight

The statement further revealed that following President Tinubu’s visit to the Netherlands, he will travel to Saudi Arabia for a two-day World Economic Forum.

The World Economic Forum will be held in Riyadh from April 28 to April 29, 2024.

• “After his engagements in the Netherlands, the President will proceed to attend a special World Economic Forum (WEF) scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” the statement read in part.

The forum, emphasizing global collaboration, growth, and energy for development, will gather over 1,000 leaders from business and academia.

The statement also revealed that President Tinubu, accompanied by ministers and senior officials, will leverage this platform to advance discussions aligning with his administration’s objectives for Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

President Bola Tinubu’s entourage on these diplomatic visits will comprise some ministers and government officials.Bola Tinubu, World Economic Forum, Prime Minister Rutte, Kingdom of Netherlands.

[Nairametrics]

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite has said more Nigerians will benefit from the ongoing disbursement of N50,000 by the federal government.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Dr Uzoka-Anite made this known on Monday while announcing that the loan disbursement for MSMEs and the manufacturing sector had commenced.

According to the Minister, the initial disbursements to nano businesses have shown great success, supporting 1 million nano businesses across Nigeria.

Confirming that application for the presidential conditional grant scheme is closed, Uzoka-Anite disclosed that disbursements are ongoing.

“More beneficiaries will receive their grants this week. The process is ongoing. Only 10% of the beneficiaries have been paid thus far. More disbursements will be made this week and in the weeks to come. A list of all beneficiaries will be published at the end of the process.

“Once the disbursement process is complete all beneficiaries will be listed on the fedgrantandloan.gov.ng website. The process is ongoing and so far only about 10% of the 1 million beneficiaries have been paid. More will be paid this week and in the weeks to come.

“1 million beneficiaries will be paid across all the 774 local governments of the federation. This is roughly 1,290 people per local government. The process of disbursement is ongoing and a full list of beneficiaries will be published once complete.

On the federal government’s presidential N200 billion fund for MSMEs and the manufacturing sector, Uzoka-Anite revealed that N75 billion had been set aside for MSMEs while another N75 billion for manufacturing.

[TNG]

The Senate Committee on Power has summoned the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) leadership over the recent electricity tariff hike.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, made this known on Monday during the committee’s oversight function and a familiarisation tour to the Minister.

Abaribe stated that the minister and NERC officials would appear before the committee for investigative hearing on the recent electricity tariff hike in the country.

The Senator also expressed worry over the poor power situation in the country despite the huge sums of money injected into the power sector.

He said, “The Senate has already authorised an investigative hearing scheduled for the 29th of April, 2024. The major agencies of government will answer.

“We have summoned the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). We will give them opportunity to speak to the electricity tariff hike. The minister of power is of course,  expected.”

Senator Abaribe expressed worry that the key players still lamented an avalanche of challenges and questioned why the TCN and other agencies in the power sector had consistently allowed the power grid to collapse over the years.

He, however, said the committee would report to the Senate, as requested by the TCN top echelon, to see if there could be a review of its annual budget for improved service delivery.

During the visit, the Senate committee inspected a power project on the premises of the ministry and held an oversight with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on the issue of power generation and transmission.

In his remarks, the minister enumerated the challenges affecting the power sector, including poor funding, vandalism, issues of right-of-way, and a lack of gas, among many others, and asked the committee to support the power ministry in achieving its mandate.

Abaribe was in company with many senators in the committee, including Senator Dajuma Goje (Gombe Central), Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South), and Osita Izunaso (Imo West), among others.

[NaijaNews]

An Abuja based food content creator, Brian Nwana is set to embark on an attempt to break Guinness World Record for most fast food restaurants visited in 24 hours.

The challenge tagged, “Brian Abuja Food Quest” is schedule to begin April 24th to 25th, 2024.

At a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, Brian Nwana revealed that the current record for the most fast food restaurant visited in 24 hours stands at 100 and was achieved by Airrack in New York, in December 2023.

“Our target is to surpass this record by visiting a minimum of 120 fast food restaurants within a 24 hour timeframe.”

Speaking on the reason for embarking on the attempt, he said, “I want to put Nigerian food on the map by show casing the different kinds and varieties of food that we have in the country.

“As a food content creator, I have seen how economic situation in the country has affected food businesses, so I want to use this attempt and opportunity to promote food businesses in Abuja. Also, I want to use the attempt to give back to my community by collaborating with the spots I visit to give free meals to people in the community who really need it.”

Nwana overtime has established a massive audience in the Nigerian food and entertainment industry by conducting restaurant reviews across various States in the country.

Also speaking, CEO of A.S. Management Agency (the management company behind the quest), Rhoda Kusimo, said the quest will help to put Abuja businesses on the global map as many of them are presently not known beyond their localities.

On his part, the Project Manager, Edoh Franklin, said the team has applied to the GWR and will follow all the rules and regulations recommended by the GWR, especially with regards to live tracking and map.

He called on Abuja residents to come out and cheer Brian to victory.

[Leadership]

The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms Amina Mohammed, suggested that one of the ways to remove the engenders of terrorism on the continent is for Africa to work to rebuild its social contract with its citizens, and deliver good governance.

“Rebuilding the social contract is necessary for recovery. We must pay attention to women and girls who are greatly impacted by terrorism, including the youth. Providing support and healing for those impacted by terrorism is important,” she said while speaking at the African High-level Meeting on Counter-Terrorism in Abuja on Monday.

President Bola Tinubu, while speaking at the occasion, called for the establishment of a regional counter-terrorism centre that would tackle the spate of insecurity across the borders of African states.

He said the centre will serve as a hub for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and capacity building throughout Africa.

The president said Africa must take a comprehensive approach to combating terrorism, not only through might, but by addressing the root causes of the scourge like marginalisation, poverty, inequality, and social injustice.

President Tinubu explained that while seeking to address the root causes of terrorism, Africa must also attack the roots that feed its evil branch like ransom and illegal mining, “as terrorism evolves and perfects ways to continuously finance, re-equip, and re-supply itself for its sinister mission.”

The president, who lamented the effect on the people, said, “Not only does it kidnap people; it kidnaps precious resources. Billions upon billions of dollars that legitimate governments should be using to sculpt better societies by providing education, healthcare, and food for its people now go to pay for weapons and response to mayhem.

“Look at the illegal mining that plagues so many of our nations today. Those who think illegal mining has no connection with financing terrorism are sorely mistaken. The international community has both the moral and legal obligation to help in this cause because it is external finance, not African money, that fuels these illegal operations. We shall be knocking on this door of the international community to answer this call for justice, peace, and fair play.

“Key to our collective efforts against terrorism is the urgent need for a fully operational Regional Counter-Terrorism Centre.” 

The president, however, added that the African region must strengthen existing counter-terrorism structures, such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU) in Abuja, the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) in Algiers, and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) in Addis Ababa.

He underscored the importance of a regional standby force that includes tackling terrorism as part of its mandate.

The president affirmed that Nigeria is committed to working with regional partners to strengthen arms control measures, enhance border security, and disrupt the illicit trafficking networks that fuel terrorism and organised crime, while urging firm and expeditious actions against prevailing insecurity on the continent.

In his welcome address, National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, stated that terrorism in Africa is driven by a number of factors, including organised crime, foreign terrorist financing and training, poverty, inequality, prolonged conflicts, among others.

He said Nigeria is dealing decisively with all the drivers of violent extremism, including economic and social enablers, while enhancing intelligence gathering through enhanced inter-agency collaboration and confidence building with citizens.

He also said Nigeria is strengthening its judiciary to effectively deal with cases of terrorism and has earmarked a fund to boost counter-terrorism efforts.

“We have resumed the prosecution of Boko Haram suspects across the country,” Ribadu said.

Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), Mr Vladimir Voronkov, commended Nigeria for its leadership in counter-terrorism in Africa and for hosting the meeting.

[DailyTrust]

UEFA are set to increase squad size for this summer’s European Champions to 26 players.

This follows a vote on Monday, which gave the green light for expanded squads.

The idea was first brought up during a meeting of all the nations’ coaches in Dusseldorf a fortnight ago.

But at a meeting of the UEFA national competitions committee on Monday, delegates voted in favour of increasing the squads from a 23-player limit to 26.

Enlarged squads were used at Euro 2021, to help teams cope with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the decision is not yet set in stone, as the UEFA executive committee (EXCO) needs to sanction the rule change – but it is expected that will simply be a rubber-stamping exercise.

[DailyPost]