President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed Nigeria’s solidarity with the Saudi Arabian Kingdom over the ballistic missile that was launched by Houthi militias, targeting the holy city of Makkah.

Special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said in a statement today, Sunday, that Buhari spoke with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia through telephone conversation.

President Buhari condemned what he called the heinous act which targeted innocent people, adding that it is reprehensible and ignoble for terrorists to target a holy land, where millions of Muslims from around the globe gather for pilgrimage.

Buhari expressed delight and appreciation to Almighty Allah that the Saudi defence forces intercepted and downed the missile 65 kilometers from the holy city of Makkah.

He stressed the need to strengthen international support and coalition in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, saying that if the world stands together, there is no way good would not prevail over evil.

The Saudi ground defenses had intercepted late on Thursday, a ballistic missile launched by Houthi militias targeting the holy city of Makkah. The Arab coalition said in a statement that the missile was downed 65 km from Makkah, adding that the coalition jet fighters attacked the rocket launchers in Saada and destroyed them.

Meanwhile, Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr on Thursday said that Iran has trained thousands of Houthi fighters in Iran and Beirut, paving the way for the rebel militias’ aggression.

“The war in Yemen did not start on March 26, 2015. It, in fact, started when Houthis raised the guns against their political rivals and against the state with clear support from Iran, which trained around 6,000 Houthis in Iran or in Beirut under military experts,” Bin Daghr said following a meeting with French Ambassador to Yemen, Christian Tisti.

“The government never sought war, but it was imposed on us and on the Yemeni people when Houthis mobilized their war machines from Sida to Imran to Sanaa and to the rest of the Yemeni governorates and started killing people and bombing houses,” he said.

“The world will eventually realize that the Houthis are a problem not only for Yemen but also for the region and beyond,” the Yemeni official said, stressing that the Yemeni government, while seeking to arrive at a truce, is actively pursuing a long-lasting, permanent peace based on UN resolutions, the GCC initiative and the outcomes of the Yemeni national dialogue.

Meanwhile, US Navy and allied nations’ warships have intercepted four shipments of weapons from Iran to war-ravaged Yemen since April 2015, a US admiral said Thursday.

Saudi Arabia has been repeatedly saying that Iran must be stopped from sending weapons to the Houthi militias, and called on the UN Security Council to take action against Iran for violating UN resolutions pertaining to it, particularly Resolution 2216.

In a previous interview with Arab News, Saudi Ambassador to the UN Abdallah Al-Mouallimi said Iran’s intervention in Yemen is in total violation of the United Nations’ resolutions; he called on the international community to stop Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

US Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan told reporters at an undisclosed military base in Southwest Asia: “Either US ships or coalition ships… intercepted four weapon shipments from Iran to Yemen.  We know they came from Iran and we know the destination.”

Donegal said the shipments contained thousands of AK-47 assault rifles, anti-tank missiles, sniper rifles and “other pieces of equipment (and) higher-end weapons systems.”

Naval officials were able to determine the destination of the boats by analyzing GPS settings and interviewing the crew. One of the shipments had been declared an illegal weapon shipment by the UN, said Donegal.

His comments come after last week’s US military’s Central Command head Gen. Joseph Votel’s declaration that Iran may have played a role in suspected Houthi missile attacks against US warships in the Red Sea.

“We believe that Iran is connected to this in some way,” Donegan said.

Given the heavy traffic around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf, the three-star admiral said “plenty” of other shipments would have gone through to Yemen.

In April 2015, Iran tried to send a convoy of seven ships, guarded by two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels, to Yemen.

Donegan said these were filled with coastal-defense cruise missiles, explosives and other weapons.

The Shiite Houthi militias are believed to be behind this month’s attacks in which surface-to-surface missiles were fired at the USS Mason on at least two occasions.

In response, on Oct. 13, US cruise missiles struck Houthi radar sites believed to have been used to target the ships.

The Mason and two other warships were likely targeted in a third missile attack on Oct. 15, but officials have not conclusively confirmed what the threat was or where it was coming from. [myad]

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, has asked Governor Olusegun Mimiko to stop running up and down seeking the assistance of Presidency Muhammadu Buhari on the removal of Eyitayo Jegede as the PDP candidate for the November 26 poll in the state.

Speaking to news men in Akure, Jimoh Ibrahim said that many indigenes of the state are already celebrating “Mimiko’s defeat,” even as he insisted that the protests in Akure, the state capital, was sponsored by Mimiko to generate fake security concerns.

“President Buhari cannot stop the Court of Appeal from sitting; he cannot stop the Supreme Court from hearing the applications of the parties involved in this matter. So, Mimiko should learn from Buhari and abide by the decision of the court. Mimiko should wait till the Supreme Court finally makes a pronouncement on the matter. I know the matter will end up at the Supreme Court eventually. So, why is he not ready for the legal process to mature? Why is he running up and down.”

Jimoh Ibrahim said that it was shameful that Mimiko, who had been castigating President Buhari, could be seeking the help of the President.

“Ondo people want me to ensure that Mimiko does not succeed himself. I have nothing to lose. I congratulate Ondo people for the victory I gained over Mimiko. I share their joy. I congratulate them that, at least, we were able to defeat Mimiko. They are already celebrating Mimiko’s defeat. I praise God for the victory.”

The PDP governorship candidate further noted that Mimiko was indicting himself as an “incredible chief security officer of the state” for allegedly sponsoring the protests.

“We are in the 21st century. Nobody can be deceived. Mimiko has castigated Buhari several times. So, why is he now going to the President? What does he want President Buhari to do?

“The President is law-abiding. He abided by the law to become the president. Mimiko should stop running to INEC, the presidency for help.” [myad]

Former Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has admitted that he failed to create as many as 50 billionaire Nigerians all through his eight years as President.

“I always say it proudly that my aim when I was in government was to create 50 billionaires from Nigeria. Unfortunately I failed, because I created only 25.”

Obasanjo, who spoke at the second edition of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, said that successive governments after his administration failed to create enabling environments for potential investors.

Obasanjo, who did not name any of the 25 millionaires he produced when he was in power said: “You have to create a conducive environment for people who want to do business here. We have to make them wanting to come to Nigeria and if we cannot do that, we have failed. If you say you are doing that, let us see the results.”

He said that the difficulties faced by prospective investors coming to Nigeria and the challenges they face when setting up their businesses in the country are daunting.

“A situation where somebody wants to come to Nigeria to invest and it takes almost six days to get visa is not proper. In other countries, they would get visa at the airport. We need to be able to register a company at just one point. We have not taken advantage of all the opportunities we have to support our SMEs to be able to produce and sell outside our shores. And if we don’t do a lot of that, those of you (the TEF Entrepreneurs) may be frustrated.

“Let me tell you what I know. Agric and agri-processed products from Nigeria cannot enter into the United States. Even yams from Nigeria have to go through Ghana before going to America. You know why? There is a certification that is required for our agric produce to enter, which we don’t have. Simple thing, we don’t have, but Ghana has it. And it doesn’t take much to put that in place. Unless we have it, we can’t export these items to America.”

The founder of TEF, Mr. Tony Elumelu said 65,000 applications were received and the Foundation in the past two years was able to select only 2,000 due to limited resources. “Friends of Africa need to seek ways of helping those that were not selected, young Africans who can change the fortunes of Africa. In the 21st century, no one but Africans will develop Africa and those that are blessed.

“The rich should do more by re-investing in the young ones because what counts is not how much you have in a bank account but the legacy you leave behind and the impact made. Talks with the African development bank in advanced stage for the ADB to take up additional 1000 out of those that were not selected.” [myad]

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that community policing through State Police is a cardinal program of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Vice President, who was answering questions at a Townhall event where he interacted with US-based Nigerians in Houston, Texas in the US, said that such agenda on state police cannot be implemented until there is an amendment to the nation’s constitution.

He gave a scenario where a policeman from Bayelsa State is working in Borno State where he cannot even speak the language or understand the culture of the people he is policing, adding that such policing system can be counterproductive.

“The current situation where police activities are controlled at the federal level sure has some limitations. The federal government is currently working to introduce community policing that would be in line with the constitution.”

Vice President Osinbajo disclosed, while answering another question that Nigeria security agencies have so far arrested about 800 suspected violent herdsmen across the country, saying: “the President (Muhammadu Buhari) has given firm instructions to the security agencies to arrest not only herdsmen who are attacking communities anywhere in the country but anyone of them or anyone at all in possession of firearms.

“There are about 800 of suspected violent herdsmen in the country that are currently in custody.” The Vice President, who decried the slow pace of the criminal justice system that is affecting the prompt trial of such suspects, said that the issue of killings by such violent herdsmen has been a perennial one, especially as grazing lands continue to disappear over the years and the cattle feed on people’s crops on the farmlands.

He therefore kicked against the tendency by the people interpreting the herdsmen issue as a religious one, asking Nigerians to refuse to be drawn to such divisive narratives and tendencies.

He emphasized that there has always been a conflict between herdsmen and communities across the country and that people should disabuse the notion that the problem has just started because of President Buhari, who happens to be a Fulani.

The Townhall event, according to the senior special adviser to the Vice President on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, was shown live at the event and via the Internet.

He said that Professor Osinbajo fielded about thirty questions at a well-attended town hall event which was moderated by popular columnist, Rudolf Okonkwo and Professor Nimi Wariboko of Boston University. [myad]

Governor of Taraba state, Darius Ishaku and his Benue counterpart, Samuel Ortom, rose to the occasion today, Saturday to foil attempt by gun men to kidnap the district head of Chir-Akera in Lufu, Takum, Veyor Gbatu.

Recounting the drama to news men, the Counsellor of Fete ward, Mr. Andrew Titus said that about twelve heavily armed men invaded the community and forcefully captured the district head.

“I got a call this morning from the district head of Lufu who told me that the chief has been captured by some armed youth. I quickly swung into action and told the chairman of the local government who in turn quickly reached the governor.

“I later learnt that the governor promptly called his Benue state colleague, Governor Samuel Ortom, for coordination. This is how our governor has been doing this by always linking up with other stakeholders, especially the Benue state governor.

“It worked well because our youths were able to intercept the abductors as they were getting out of town. The monarch was tied up in the boot of the van they used.

“When we met them initially, they threatened to shoot me. They wore military uniforms and held sophisticated weapons. My worry is how did they get those uniforms to wear? Who gave them soldier uniforms? They said they are informers for the military. But informers shouldn’t be wearing uniforms I think. Eventually, the CO said we should release them to the police. So we freed the chief and took him back to his domain.”

The Takum youths expressed concern over the spate of invasions from Benue state, noting that the incidence to lead to crisis in the tense area.

Titus said: “l think they should be able to address this issues and take it seriously. How can you have a situation where people don’t respect boundaries? We are separated from Benue state by 16 kilometers distance. But they are always encroaching and even giving names to settlement. No one from here can dare do that in Benue. It appears our hospitality is being abused.” [myad]