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President Buhari Charges Military To Remain Professional

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President Muhammadu Buhari has told the Nigerian Army to remain professional in protecting democracy and defending the territorial integrity of the nation.

He was speaking at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Conference 2021, on Monday in Abuja with the theme, “Building Nigerian Army’s Capacity in Combating Emerging Security Threats in a Joint Operating Environment”.

Buahri said the army is a key element of any nation’s power and vital tool required to protect its territorial integrity and project its foreign policy.

Buhari, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, also urged commanders to ensure effective command and control of personnel and equipment in their formations for optimal performance in the field.

The President noted that the COAS conference was an opportunity to appraise the training and operational activities for the year with a view to building on lessons learned and preparing for 2022 activities.

Buhari urged the COAS to continue to develop the Nigerian army of the future by doing more to entrench professionalism.

“I have no doubt that the renewed emphasis on high standard of training and discipline, adhering to military values, effective command, and control, servant to rule of law and excellent civil-military relations will enable the Nigerian army to function effectively to bring glory to our fatherland.

“Therefore, as the army of our great nation, your role in securing the nation is paramount.

“While performing your constitutional roles, I urge you to remain apolitical and continue to operate within the framework of the principles of fundamental human rights and the law of armed conflicts,” he said.

He said government would continue to equip the armed forces to perform their constitutional roles by providing needed equipment, training and motivation.

Buhari disclosed the government was in talks with friendly nations to equip the military optimally and enhance their effectiveness in various operations.

“The war against terrorism and insurgency is intelligence-driven, requiring the gathering of information and processing it into actionable intelligence for the conduct of operations.

“It also needs cooperation and synergy of effort by all the security agencies.

“I therefore charge you to do more in your information gathering effort and the level of synergy among intelligence operations in order to comprehensively defeat all forms of insurgency and terrorism in our country within the shortest possible time.

“I am aware of the successes so far achieved in the Northeast operations as well as all other operational theatres, following of course, the increased surrendering of some of the insurgents that we have witnessed in the past few months.

“You must therefore maintain the tempo to ensure that more of these insurgents continue to surrender until normalcy is fully restored in the region,” he said.

In his remark, the Minister of Defence Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (Retd) expressed optimism that the conference would generate new strategies toward enhancing stability and charting a better course for the Nigerian army in 2022.

He commended the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs for putting in place measures to achieve greater joint synergy among the services in the ongoing operations across the country.

The minister who was represented by the Director Army, Ministry of Defence, Mr. Sunday Attah, said more synergy is still required to ensure that all operations on the ground reflect that ‘jointness’ in all ramifications for greater successes.

“I am bold to say that due to the doggedness of the officers and soldiers of the armed forces and the army in particular, peace is gradually being restored to all the troubled areas in the country.

“I therefore, want to implore you all to continue decimating the bandits, terrorists and insurgents within our country,” he said.

 

 

 

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Nigerian officials probe plan to marry off scores of female orphans

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5 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs says it is investigating a plan by a lawmaker in central Niger state to marry off some 100 female orphans of unknown ages later this month.

Speaker of the Niger State Assembly Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji announced the mass wedding last week but called off the ceremony following widespread outrage.

Minister of Women Affairs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned the plans.

Kennedy-Ohanenye said she had petitioned the police and filed a lawsuit to stop the marriages pending an investigation to ascertain the age of the orphans and whether they consented to the marriages.

“This is totally unacceptable by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and by the government” of Nigeria, she said.

Last week, Sarkin-Daji announced his support for the mass wedding of the orphans, whose relatives were killed during attacks by armed bandits. He said it was part of his support to his constituents following an appeal for wedding funding by local traditional and religious leaders.

The mass wedding had been scheduled for May 24.

“That support I intend to give for the marriage of those orphans, I’m withdrawing it,” he said. “The parents can have the support [money], if they wish, let them go ahead and marry them off. As it is right now, I’m not threatened by the action of the minister.”

Despite national laws prohibiting it, forced or arranged marriage is a common phenomenon in Nigeria, especially among rural communities in the predominantly Muslim north, where religious and cultural norms such as polygamy favor the practice.

Poor families often use forced marriage to ease financial pressure, and the European Union Agency for Asylum says girls who refuse could face repercussions such as neglect, ostracism, physical assault and rape.

Raquel Kasham Daniel escaped being married off as a teenager when her father died and now runs a nonprofit helping children, especially less-privileged girls, get a formal education for free.

She said the ability of women to avoid forced marriage in Nigeria depends on their income and education.

“I was 16 when I lost my dad and I was almost married off, but then I ran away from home. And that gave me the opportunity to complete my education, and now I have a better life,” Daniel said.

“So, the reason why I prioritize education is to make sure that other girls have access to quality schooling so that it will help them make informed decisions about their lives. Education not only increases our awareness as girls about our rights but also enhances our prospects for higher income earning,” she said.

Thirty percent of girls in Nigeria are married before they turn 18, according to Girls Not Brides, a global network of more than 1,400 civil society groups working to end child marriage.

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Shell investigates smoke near Gbaran oil facility in Nigeria

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5 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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YENAGOA, Nigeria, May 14 (Reuters) – Oil major Shell is investigating reports of smoke early Tuesday near its Gbaran Ubie oil and gas facility in Nigeria’s coastal Bayelsa state, a spokesperson said after residents reported hearing explosions and seeing smoke near the area.
The incident would not immediately lead to an operational shut-in, the Shell spokesperson said.
A fire was reported around 0600 GMT by residents in the nearby community, who said blasts were heard where pipeline repair works had been ongoing.
The Gbaran facility, which began operations in 2010, is by far the most important Nigeria LNG gas feedstock project, processing almost 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.
“We are actively monitoring reports of smoke detected near our Gbaran Central Processing Facility in Bayelsa State. While the source appears to be external to our facility, we are in close communication with regulatory authorities to look into the incident and ensure the safety of the surrounding communities,” a Shell spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
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Shell did not immediately respond to the accounts of residents in the area.
Resident Ovie Ogbuku told Reuters: “At about 7 a.m. I heard the sound so deafeningly and it shook the foundation of the earth and we ran for our dear lives. The result is the thick smoke you are seeing now.”
Another resident Uche Ede said; “We have no idea of the cause of the explosion but we are grateful no life was lost because it was far away from homes.”
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Land operations in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta are prone to sabotage, theft, and pipeline vandalism, forcing oil majors to exit such fields to focus on deepwater drilling.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Nigeria tour: A Round Up

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5 days ago

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May 15, 2024

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Meghan and Harry spent three days in the African country, Nigeria in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent time in Nigeria as part of a three-day tour, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of The Invictus Games.

The couple were personally invited on the trip by Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa; they are not there in any official capacity on behalf of the royal family or the UK. The tour schedule, which started in the bustling capital of Abuja, has been jam-packed, including a visit to primary and secondary school Lightway Academy, where they met with students, and experiencing the work of Nigeria Unconquered, a charitable foundation dedicated to aiding wounded, injured, or sick servicemembers.

Naturally, the trip also provided the opportunity for Meghan to showcase a multi-day “tourdrobe”, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the couple stepped down as senior working royals in early 2020 – and she hasn’t disappointed, in a series of summery maxi dresses, elegant tailoring and striking separates.

See highlights from their trip so far, below.

On day three, the couple arrived at Lagos airport, where they were given an official state welcome.

The couple posed for a photo with children and Nigerian dignitaries.

 

The couple were greeted by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

 

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They then attended a basketball exhibition training match at Ilupeju Grammar School in Lagos. After the match, they posed for a photo with the Toronto Raptors basketball team president, Masai Ujiri, and the principal of Ilupeju Grammar School, Josephine Egunyomi.

 

The couple attended a reception hosted by the charity organisation Nigeria Unconquered, held at the Officers’ Mess in Abuja.

 

A visit to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

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