The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone B, has said that it seized no fewer than 3,309 bags of foreign rice from smugglers in November this year.
The Comptroller of the NCS, Alhaji Usman Dakingari, told newsmen today, Friday in Katsina that the Katsina unit also seized 209 cartons of spaghetti, 181 bags of sugar and 461 jerry cans of vegetable oil.
Other items seized included 79 cartons of mosquito coil, 157 bales of second-hand clothes and six vehicles pointing out that all the seized items have Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N652.9 million.
“We will continue to ensure that foreign rice and other prohibited commodities are not smuggled into the country.”
Usman Dakingari expressed concern over the attitude of some people at border communities that engaged in the illegal smuggling activities as means of their livelihood.
“If you tell them that smuggling is bad they will tell you that what business do you want them to do or this is something they have inherited”
He stressed the need for other stakeholders to intensify efforts toward enlightening the border communities on the dangers associated with smuggling on the nation’s economy and health of the people.
A man considered to be mentally imbalance, whose name was given as Gaji Adamu from of lube village of kwaya kusar local government area of Borno state was said to have invaded Jafi primary school premises in Kwaya Kusar town and matcheted two male pupils to death. Report from the area said that one of the teachers and one female pupil were wounded in the attack even as irate youths were said to have overpowered the suspect, beat him to unconsciousness and has since been admitted in hospital under protective custody. report had it that the corpses and injured have been evacuated to Gombe general hospital. This was even as the commissioner of police, Damian A. Chukwu has directed the Divisional police officer of Kwaya kusar Division to transfer the suspect to the State Criminal investigation and intelligence department (CIID) for a discreet investigation as well as to determine his mental state.[myad]
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state, has defeated Senator Umaru Dahiru at the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, over the 2014 primary election that produced him as governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Dismissing the case, the Appellate court in the judgment, delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, held that the appeal filed by Senator Umaru Dahiru, lacked merit and substance. Giving the judgment that lasted over two hours, Justice Agim held that the appellant was inconsistent in his case with contradictory evidence in his affidavits and documents placed before the court to challenge the validity of the December 4, 2014, Sokoto governorship primary election. In the unanimous judgment of the appellate court, the appellant was found to have claimed in his first affidavit that there was no primary election, that delegates were not accredited and that the 1999 Constitution and APC guidelines were violated in the conduct of the primary election. The appeal court found in the second affidavit of the same appellant that some delegates were accredited and allotted with ballot papers for the primary election, adding that it was completely wrong for the appellant to have made such inconsistent depositions in his affidavits evidence. The court also held that the claim of the appellant that he be declared winner of the said primary election was strange to law having copiously claimed in his documentary evidence and affidavits placed before the court that there was no primary election. Justice Agim held that in the face of such inconsistencies, the case of the appellant has become worthless and have no probate value. The appeal court refused to set-aside the judgment of Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal high court which had earlier dismissed the case of Senator Dahiru on the ground that it was unmeritorious. “From the totality of affidavit evidence of all the deponents, it is clear that none corroborated each other but rather, they defeated the case of the appellant because of their gross inconsistencies. “There is no admissible evidence on record to support the case of the appellant and this appellant having failed to support his case with affidavit and documentary evidence is not entitled to the reliefs he sought. “What is more, the appellant embarked on wrong lines of judicial authorities and arguments for his case. In one breath, he claimed that the respondent did not discharge the burden of allegation he made against them, forgetting that from time immemorial, the burden to prove an allegation lies on the head of the party that made such an allegation. “In the instant matter, an appellant who asserted that a primary election was not lawful because delegates were not accredited, cannot come in another breath to say that some delegates were accredited and allotted with ballot papers. Appellant cannot probate and approbate at the same time. “In all, the case of the appellant lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed with a N100,000 to be paid to each of the three respondents as cost.” Darihu had sued the APC, governor Tambuwal and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), praying that the APC primary election of December 4, 2014, that produced Tambuwal as APC candidate be declared null and void on the ground that due process of law relating to the primary election was not followed. He specifically alleged that the delegates list from the national secretariat was swapped and that none of the delegates was accredited as required by law. The case was however, dismissed by justice Kolawole, prompting his approach of the court of the appeal for intervention.[myad]
Four Commissioners under the administration of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Ichalla Wada, have been arrested and are being detained by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on allegations of misapplication of government funds and abuse of office.
The ex-Commissioners of Culture and Tourism, Kayode Olowomoran; Transport, Abdulrahman Wuya; Works, Onama Godwin and Budget and Planning, Ali Ajuh were arrested after ICPC commenced investigations into allegations that the suspects, acting in connivance with the former Governor, former Accountant-General, Ibrahim Idakwo and a former Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Commerce, Frank Onoja, had obtained a N2billion Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria on behalf of the state which was misapplied.
Preliminary investigations by the Commission also revealed that the suspects allegedly partook in the mismanagement of another N8 billion bond that was raised to fund 57 projects across the state. The large sums of monies released for the projects were allegedly far beyond the levels of work done.
The suspects are alleged to have benefitted from illegal deductions to the tune of N1.3 billion made from the funds of 21 local government councils of the state by the same administration.
As investigations continue, the suspects will remain in custody until they fulfill the administrative bail conditions granted them by the Commission.[myad]
The Archbishop Tutu Fellows to African Heads of State and the International Private Sector, Civil Society and Multilateral Organisations has called on all African countries to recall their ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from Libya over the slave trade that country had embarked on.
The NGO also insisted that appropriate, responsible and action-oriented responses from the countries of origin of the enslaved African brothers and sisters in Libya, with a clear request for support from the international community are needed.
In a statement, the group wanted a firm action against Libya from the African Union, of which the country is a member, such as suspension from the multilateral organization once investigations have been concluded.
“Other African countries to follow Rwanda’s lead and accept African brothers and sisters who are caught in the slave trade in Libya, and pan-African support for these African host countries.”
Text of the statement goes thus:
Your Excellencies, leaders of private sector and civil society organisations, policy makers at the United Nations and the African Union and fellow Africans, Slavery in Libya is a crime against humanity and immediate action is required by all stakeholders, including African governments, to put an end to this outrageous practice and hold responsible parties accountable. There are three Great Stains on humanity; War, Genocide and Slavery. They are the Great Stains not only because they are the fertile soil for many other debasing evils; they are Great Stains because they are assaults and crimes against humanity. The prevalence of war, genocide and slavery historically is by no means the measure by which we as humanity can accept such behavior as normative, then or now. Slavery has spawned intergenerational social and economic disruption to the Continent of Africa and other areas; and has stolen the liberties and lives of people for the commoditization of their bodies against their will. The slave trade is a crime against Humanity. It is abhorrent to humanity. It is monstrous. It is an assault on the dignity of all. Slavery can and must be stopped. We, Archbishop Tutu Fellows, call upon the United Nations Security Council and its related organs to urgently declare the practice of Slavery – particularly in Libya- a threat against humanity and to work closely with civil society and member states to arrest the slave trade and create an effective punitive framework to combat against the slave trade globally. We call upon the Africa Union to demonstrate continental leadership in aggregating national voices on ensuring slavery remains a historical footnote. We call upon all African heads of State to take action to hold each other accountable, and to engage with other states beyond the continent who can make a contribution toward eradicating the Slave trade, and to stanch the capital flows and lack of consequence which makes this vile economy thrive. We call upon businesses invested in countries such as Libya- which have failed to abide by the unwritten laws of humanity- to divest and support the removal of the Great Stain. We call upon the NGO community invested in the fight against human trafficking, forced labor, involuntary migration, social justice and the betterment of the planet to support the removal of the Great Stain. We call upon all Africans, in particular the nations of the African North, to support the removal of the Great Stain in all its forms. We call upon the instruments of justice– national and international- to charge beneficiaries of the slave trade as Enemies of humanity. As Archbishop Tutu Fellows and as Africans, we request the following immediate course of action:
All African countries to recall their ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from Libya, as some have already done.
Appropriate, responsible and action-oriented responses from the countries of origin of our enslaved African brothers and sisters in Libya, with a clear request for support from the international community where needed.
Firm action against Libya from the African Union, of which the country is a member, such as suspension from the multilateral organization once investigations have been concluded.
Other African countries to follow Rwanda’s lead and accept African brothers and sisters who are caught in the slave trade in Libya, and pan-African support for these African host countries.
As a network of more than 300 emerging young African leaders, we, the Archbishop Tutu Fellows, are willing and able to assist where such assistance is needed. We are deeply aware that it is pertinent upon the conscience and humanity of every member of the international community to act against the evils to which our fellow human beings are subject to in Libya. The urgency of the situation is such that we need to act now. Our ancestors fought slavery over hundreds of years and we cannot bear witness to its evils today and do nothing. [myad]
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has challenged the graduating students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to take advantage of the present challenges confronting the country to become job creators in the economy instead of job seekers.
Emefiele stressed the need for young Nigerian graduates to change their mindset on the labour market, adding that in spite of the many complaints about the country, Nigeria remained a land of limitless opportunities.
The CBN Chief Strategist spoke today, Thursday, at the 47th Convocation Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, in a lecture entitled: “A mindset for Succeeding in Today’s Nigeria”.
He said that the rising unemployment remained one of the greatest challenges facing the country and that failure by the government to galvanise the youths could boomerang against the Nigerian society.
Emefiele, who is an alumnus of the University, said that the CBN, as part of its effort to address the challenge of unemployment on the one hand and the promotion of entrepreneurship among the youth, had designed and formulated policies and programmes aimed at direct real sector intervention.
He therefore encouraged the graduating students and other Nigerian youth with not more than five years post-service experience to take advantage of the CBN Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP), which the Bank runs in collaboration with banks and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The CBN governor cited examples of successful entrepreneurs and businesses in Nigeria and abroad, asking the graduating students to look around for opportunities in their respective environments, motivate themselves, create innovative ideas and turn their ideas into profitable ventures.
On current economic developments and policies of the Bank, the CBN Governor recalled that several global shocks that affected the Nigerian economy were amplified due to the country’s over-reliance on the oil sector for its foreign exchange revenue and for government finances.
He however said that the Bank embarked on some proactive policy measures such as policy tightening, restriction of forex for imports of 41 non-essential commodities, exchange rate management and development financing in key sectors in order to keep the economy sound.
According to Emefiele, indicators such as the decline in inflation, improvement in forex supply, accretion to the foreign reserves, improvement in the World Bank’s “doing business indicators,” and the significant boost in local production, had turned around the Nigerian economy, adding that the worst days were over.
Earlier, in is his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba said the convocation lecture was one of the prestigious of the public lectures hosted by the University hence the privilege of delivering the convocation lecture was usually reserved for men and women whose achievements will motivate and inspire graduating students and the entire university community to greater achievements.
The UNN Vice Chancellor listed some of the projects being embarked on by the University and solicited funding support to accomplish what the University had earmarked for itself. He said the initiatives would not only increase entrepreneurship and innovation, but would also help curb youth restiveness in the country.
Highpoint of the convocation lecture, which was graced by the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, was the presentation of plaques and the Lion laptops manufactured by the University to the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele as well as a former Governor of the CBN, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who was the Chairman of the event. [myad]
President Buhari participates at the Opening Ceremony of the 5th AU-EU Summit on 29th Nov 2017
During the just concluded 5th AU-EU summit in Abidjan, from November 28 to 29, President Muhammadu Buhari demonstrated the pivotal role Nigeria plays in continental affairs and in the relationship that Africa must forge with other regions of the world. Discussions at the conference were productive and frank. This was due, in no small measure, to the interventions of President Buhari. Others who attended the summit described President Buhari’s contributions as cogent, timely and highly perceptive. The theme of the summit was “Investing in Youth for a Sustainable Future.” At the summit, the President declared that the single most important investment we must make is to grow and develop our economies in ways that will provide jobs for our youths. While we also must invest in education and in other social areas, he emphasized that it is upon our economic maturation that the future of Nigeria and Africa will hang. Without jobs, even educated youth become vulnerable to forms of extremism, ranging from joining the ranks of terrorists to risking their lives migrating to Europe through the “sea of sand that is the Sahara and the unforgiving waters of the Mediterranean.” He said we must declare this the era of African industrialization for this must be the primary goal of all AU members. President Buhari said this and future AU-EU summits must be dedicated to this goal unit it I achieved. Regarding trade and investment, President Buhari said Nigeria was not opposed to trade reform but said reform could not be indiscriminate. Trade reform should only occur within the context of the push to industrialize. He also said that direct foreign investment that produces jobs and creates tangible wealth must be encouraged. With regard to peace and security, President Buhari stressed the need for greater cooperation to halt human trafficking and the need to act to curb the deaths of desperate migrants. He focused attention on Libya. He said the once stable nation had become a house of chaos where northbound migrants were often sold into slavery and the means of violent terrorism were transported southward to upend political stability and peace in the Sahel. He called on the EU to work more diligently with the AU to bring normalcy to Libya and for the EU to be more forthcoming with humanitarian aid to those directly affected by terrorism. He said that the exit of former President Mugabe closed chapter in Zimbabwean and African history. Mugabe symbolized a good dream gone badly awry. Now, the rebuilding of that nation can become a symbol of how Africa and Europe can work together to develop a society based on justice, democracy and shared prosperity. If this is to be the case, we must be careful not to disregard the aspirations of the common person in Zimbabwe. On the developing situation in Togo, President six other West African leaders with one form of stake or the other to sit down with President Fabre Gnassingbe Eyadema to press for an urgent agreement between the country’s President and the coalition that has been opposing him. You must talk to each other and avoid political explosions, insisted the President. President Buhari made clear that a crisis in Togo will have a destabilizing effect on her neighbors given social and ethnographic ties that bind their peoples. Here in Nigeria, we are already reeling under the weight of displaced millions from the Boko Haram in the Lake Chad basin. We have more than we need. Others, including Ghana, are almost nervous about the prospects of a refugee crisis. Inside meetings with nations such Germany, President Buhari has set a process in motion for the negotiation of new agreements that may open doors of migration and also lead to the curtailment of illegal migration. Under this, thousands of scholarships may come the way of Nigerian and there will be skills and vocational training for illegals before they are brought back. Credit must be given to leaders, including our president, who fought back attempts by some of the Europeans to push the issue of forced repatriation. This was a successful summit as Nigeria joined with other Africa nations in plainly and clearly stating Africa’s interests and in seeking ways to cooperate with the EU in mutual benefit. The relevance of President Buhari’s foreign policy speaks for itself because it speaks to the best aspirations of the Nigerian people and of all of Africa.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity. [myad]
“I cannot end this short memo without expressing my most profound appreciation (to him) for rescuing me from humiliation after I was unjustly retired by the government you served when the then Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had reported me to the Presidency for punishment over my harmless opinion article in 2013. “Not only did you attempt to bring me back into the public service which I politely rejected, you nevertheless accepted my condition to serve as a Consultant on Crisis Management to the same government.” The full text of this letter is reproduced here: Dear Sambo Dasuki, It’s exactly two years ago, in the morning of December 1, 2015, when we chatted on the phone over the security operatives that had invaded your Asokoro residence and later whisked you away as the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA). I was then in Maiduguri on an assignment.
Since that day, you have remained in detention even after being granted bails by at least four separate High Court Judges. They are, Justice Adetokunbo Ademola and Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court, as well as Justice Hussein Baba- Yusuf and Justice Peter Affen of the FCT High Courts. They had considered the merit of your applications and granted you the bails. The ECOWAS Court of Justice too had ordered for your immediate release with compensation of N15 million for the unlawful and illegal detentions without legal warrant or court orders.
From all the court proceedings so far, none of the allegations against you is treasonable, while the allegations of misappropriation of funds can only be proven in the court on whether the expenditures went through the due process of official authorisations. The charge of illegal possession of firearms, by the discovery of weapons in your residence, less than 24 hours after you left office and at a time you had military and security bodyguards, is, to say the least, laughable, and can only be interpreted as witch-hunting.
While you have never stated your side of the stories in court or anywhere else since your arrest and detention two years ago, there have been so many accusations and complete falsehood through media trials. Some baseless documents were leaked without attaching originating memos and approving authorities among others. It is pathetically appalling that your image has been tarnished through sponsored and misguided media trials. It is unfortunate that many Nigerian are not aware of your antecedents when you had proven yourself as a man of integrity during your tenure as ADC to President Ibrahim Babangida as well as Managing Director Nigeria Security, Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC). In both offices, you left honourably and on principles to protect your reputation.
While your traducers would rather taint your image by making references to the alleged misappropriation of funds during your tenure as NSA, they tirelessly worked to suppress the apparent success stories of the war-against-terrorism campaign during your tenure. They don’t want Nigerians to know that during your tenure as NSA to President Goodluck Jonathan, the brave Nigerian troops, successfully liberated and recovered over two dozens big towns from Boko Haram. Those towns included; Abadam, Askira, Baga, Bama, Bara, Buni Yadi, Damboa, Dikwa, Gamboru-Ngala, Goniri, Gujba, Gulag, Gulani, Gwoza, Hong, Kala Balge, Konduga, Kukawa, Marte, Madagali, Michika, Monguno, Mubi, Vimtim among others.
Though some may be forgetful to realise that during your tenure as NSA, Nigeria spearheaded the formation of Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) where you sought the cooperation of reluctant neighbouring countries to join in the fight against terrorism. The taskforce has been sustained just as other initiatives and legacies you introduced and left behind in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
While I won’t like to talk about your past relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari, especially on 1983 Coup and others which I published in previous articles and my recent book “An Encounter with the Spymaster,” the toxic speculation and misleading information that you arrested Buhari in 1985 remain unabated. Even while you have denied the allegation, with principal actors including, retired Colonel Abdulmumini Aminu publicly admitting their involvement, the rumour is sustained for ulterior motives.
I cannot end this short memo without expressing my most profound appreciation for rescuing me from humiliation after I was unjustly retired by the government you served when the then Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had reported me to the Presidency for punishment over my harmless opinion article in 2013.
Not only did you attempt to bring me back into the public service which I politely rejected, you nevertheless accepted my condition to serve as a Consultant on Crisis Management to the same government.
Though we recruited a large number of young Nigerian graduates in ensuring the success of the campaigns, presently the workforce has reduced drastically due to lack of patronages from the system. We have nevertheless continued to sustain the services on pro bono basis, especially for the military, security, intelligence and response agencies.
Meanwhile, the good news today is that Justice David Isele of National Industrial Court has ordered my reinstatement into the public service and payment of all my salaries, allowances with interest in prevailing bank rate within 30 days. I am awaiting the Federal Government’s obedient to that court order.
While I still nurse the fear that you may spend another year in the unlawful detention as New Year 2018 is around the corner, I must commend your courage and doggedness during our recent chat in the court. You have said for the umpteenth time that you have no ill-feelings against your ‘good friends’ who are currently on the other side and other ‘people’ who cannot do anything in your case. You said: “In every Challenge, every temptation and every situation one finds himself, there are lessons to be learnt and to be thankful to Almighty Allah.”
May your days in court offer you with the opportunity you have craved for, to clear your name from malicious allegations and to enable you to provide concrete evidence of your stewardship as the National Security Adviser who ensured efficient inter-agency collaboration for national stability and national security.
As you remain in detention in the last two years against all legal procedures, even when you lost your father, Sultan Dasuki, I pray you stay fortified believing that God’s time is the best. Yours Sincerely, Yushau Shuaib Author “An Encounter with the Spymaster” yashuaib@yahoo.com[myad]
Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has suspended the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir H. Gwarzo, from Office, to allow for an investigation of several allegations of financial impropriety leveled against him. A statement by the Deputy Director in the ministry, Patricia Deworitshe, said that the suspension is in line with the Public Service Rules 03405 and 03406. The statement said that the minister has set up an Administrative Panel of Inquiry (API) to investigate and determine the culpability of the Director-General. “She has directed the suspended SEC Director-General to immediately handover to the most senior officer at the Commission, pending the conclusion of investigation by the API. “Also suspended are two management staff of the Commission – Mr. Abdulsalam Naif Habu, Head of Media Division and Mrs. Anastasia Omozele Braimoh, Head of Legal Department – who have been alleged to engage in financial impropriety in the Commission.”[myad]
Former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has said that he is never bothered about negative comments from some quarters that trailed his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Atiku told media owners and managers from the old Middle Belt of Nigeria that he is used to such comments since he joined politics about 28 years ago. The former Vice President insisted that he knew how to fix the nation’s economy, which was why he pulled out of the APC to find ways of putting things right. Atiku said that he had discovered that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has no economic programme for the country. According to him, all other things, including security revolve around the economy which is why citizens of the country are going through hardships.[myad]
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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone B, has said that it seized no fewer than 3,309 bags of foreign rice from smugglers in November this year.
The Archbishop Tutu Fellows to African Heads of State and the International Private Sector, Civil Society and Multilateral Organisations has called on all African countries to recall their ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from Libya over the slave trade that country had embarked on.
Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has suspended the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir H. Gwarzo, from Office, to allow for an investigation of several allegations of financial impropriety leveled against him.
How Buhari Made His Presence Felt At 5Th AU-EU Summit, By Garba Shehu
During the just concluded 5th AU-EU summit in Abidjan, from November 28 to 29, President Muhammadu Buhari demonstrated the pivotal role Nigeria plays in continental affairs and in the relationship that Africa must forge with other regions of the world.
Discussions at the conference were productive and frank. This was due, in no small measure, to the interventions of President Buhari. Others who attended the summit described President Buhari’s contributions as cogent, timely and highly perceptive.
The theme of the summit was “Investing in Youth for a Sustainable Future.” At the summit, the President declared that the single most important investment we must make is to grow and develop our economies in ways that will provide jobs for our youths. While we also must invest in education and in other social areas, he emphasized that it is upon our economic maturation that the future of Nigeria and Africa will hang.
Without jobs, even educated youth become vulnerable to forms of extremism, ranging from joining the ranks of terrorists to risking their lives migrating to Europe through the “sea of sand that is the Sahara and the unforgiving waters of the Mediterranean.”
He said we must declare this the era of African industrialization for this must be the primary goal of all AU members. President Buhari said this and future AU-EU summits must be dedicated to this goal unit it I achieved.
Regarding trade and investment, President Buhari said Nigeria was not opposed to trade reform but said reform could not be indiscriminate. Trade reform should only occur within the context of the push to industrialize. He also said that direct foreign investment that produces jobs and creates tangible wealth must be encouraged.
With regard to peace and security, President Buhari stressed the need for greater cooperation to halt human trafficking and the need to act to curb the deaths of desperate migrants. He focused attention on Libya. He said the once stable nation had become a house of chaos where northbound migrants were often sold into slavery and the means of violent terrorism were transported southward to upend political stability and peace in the Sahel. He called on the EU to work more diligently with the AU to bring normalcy to Libya and for the EU to be more forthcoming with humanitarian aid to those directly affected by terrorism.
He said that the exit of former President Mugabe closed chapter in Zimbabwean and African history. Mugabe symbolized a good dream gone badly awry. Now, the rebuilding of that nation can become a symbol of how Africa and Europe can work together to develop a society based on justice, democracy and shared prosperity. If this is to be the case, we must be careful not to disregard the aspirations of the common person in Zimbabwe.
On the developing situation in Togo, President six other West African leaders with one form of stake or the other to sit down with President Fabre Gnassingbe Eyadema to press for an urgent agreement between the country’s President and the coalition that has been opposing him. You must talk to each other and avoid political explosions, insisted the President.
President Buhari made clear that a crisis in Togo will have a destabilizing effect on her neighbors given social and ethnographic ties that bind their peoples. Here in Nigeria, we are already reeling under the weight of displaced millions from the Boko Haram in the Lake Chad basin. We have more than we need.
Others, including Ghana, are almost nervous about the prospects of a refugee crisis.
Inside meetings with nations such Germany, President Buhari has set a process in motion for the negotiation of new agreements that may open doors of migration and also lead to the curtailment of illegal migration.
Under this, thousands of scholarships may come the way of Nigerian and there will be skills and vocational training for illegals before they are brought back.
Credit must be given to leaders, including our president, who fought back attempts by some of the Europeans to push the issue of forced repatriation.
This was a successful summit as Nigeria joined with other Africa nations in plainly and clearly stating Africa’s interests and in seeking ways to cooperate with the EU in mutual benefit. The relevance of President Buhari’s foreign policy speaks for itself because it speaks to the best aspirations of the Nigerian people and of all of Africa.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity. [myad]