The Nation Newspaper

Category: Foreign

  • Nigeria’s CDS urges Niger, others to rescind decision

    Nigeria’s CDS urges Niger, others to rescind decision

    Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has urged the Republics of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to rescind their decisions to quit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    Musa made the appeal in a remark at the 5th Lake Chad Governors’ yesterday in Maiduguri.

    He  urged them to rescind their decision to quit the regional body in spite of the Jan. 29, exit deadline.  “We urge our brothers in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to remain part of ECOWAS.

    “We must not allow political differences to divide us. The strength of Africa lies in our unity and cooperation.

    Read Also: Reps seek probe into death of two EFCC operatives

    “Our collective efforts to address regional security challenges, such as terrorism, insurgency, and climate change, are critical to our shared prosperity.” he said.

    The CDS said maintaining regional cooperation was vital for the stability of the Lake Chad Basin, a region severely affected by violent extremism and other security challenges.

    According to him, the crucial role of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) is not to be overemphasised, saying there was need for continued support for its operations in addressing cross-border security issues. “We stand united in our mission to rebuild and stabilise the Lake Chad region. It is essential that we continue to work together, with all stakeholders, to ensure lasting peace and development.

    “We must not allow political rifts to derail the progress we have made. The stakes are too high for our people,” he said.

  • GAC members hail Pedro at 70

    GAC members hail Pedro at 70

    The Governance Advisory Council (GAC of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has congratulated former Deputy Governor Olufemi Pedro on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

    Also, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, who represents Lagos East District, hailed Pedro as an exemplary leader, astute economist, and distinguished statesman.

    GAC in a statement by its secretary, Chief Mutiu Are, said the celebrator is a professional banker, financial guru, accomplished politician and public servant who made marks in ths the deputy governor of Lagos State under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    He added:”You played your roles with a professional touch and contributed immensely to the initiation of reforms and implementation of laudable policies and programmes that made the Centre of Excellence a reference point in the country.”

    Abiru, in a statement by his media aide, Enitan Olukotun, said Pedro’s life “epitomizes excellence, dedication, and selfless service.,”

    Abiru added: “From your trailblazing career in the banking sector, where you helped shape Nigeria’s financial landscape, to your impactful tenure as Deputy Governor of Lagos State during Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, your contributions have left an indelible mark on our nation’s socio-economic development.

    Read Also: Nigeria’s electricity market open for investment, says Edun

    “We recognize the pivotal role you played, alongside other eminent technocrats, in increasing Lagos State’s internally generated revenue, pioneering transformative initiatives like the PSP waste management system, and advancing public transportation through the BRT model, under the able leadership of then Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom you served as deputy.

    “Your impactful leadership as Chairman, Lagos State Sports Trust Fund, and your outstanding legacy as chairman of SMEDAN, equally exemplified your visionary approach to governance.

    “Today, as you reach this remarkable milestone of 70, we salute your legacy of excellence, resilience, and devotion to service. May Almighty God bless you with long life, sound health, and unending joy as you continue to inspire future generations.”

  • I’ve raised money for the next race, says Trump

    I’ve raised money for the next race, says Trump

    •President hints at third term bid

    United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump has again hinted at the possibility of running for president for a third time.

    “I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can’t use for myself, but I’m not 100 percent sure,” he said.

    “I think I’m not allowed to run again.”

    “Am I allowed to run again?” he continued, prodding Mike Johnson, house speaker. “Mike, I better not get you involved in that”.

    Johnson, a former constitutional lawyer, chuckled at Trump’s comments. Other lawmakers at the event also had a good laugh about it all.

    Read Also: Nigeria face Tunisia , Uganda, Tanzania in fair AFCON Draw

    Trump previously dismissed insinuations that he would seek a third term.

    However, after winning the 2024 presidential election, he light-heartedly hinted that he would be open to a third term during a chat with Republican lawmakers.

    “I suspect I won’t be running again, unless you do something,” Trump had said.

    “Unless you say, ‘he’s so good, we have to just figure it out.’”

    Last week, Andy Ogles, a Republican house member, introduced a bill seeking to allow Trump to run for a third term.

    Ogles said Trump “has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history” capable of “restoring America to greatness”.

  • Trump halts HIV funding for Nigeria, others

    Trump halts HIV funding for Nigeria, others

    The United States (U.S.) government has halted the support for HIV treatment in Nigeria and other developing countries, following an order by President Donald Trump.

    The U.S. State Department stopped the disbursement of funds from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a programme for HIV treatment in Africa and developing countries, for at least 90 days.

    The action originates from President Trump’s executive order on foreign aid, which he signed on his first day in office.

    The order instructed all government agencies managing foreign development assistance programmes to halt the disbursement of funds.

    As a result, nearly all US global health funding was halted immediately.

    The NPR reported that PEPFAR has stopped disbursing funding and is likely to suspend operations for at least three months if an exemption is not made for the programme in the coming weeks.

    With an annual budget of $6.5 billion, PEPFAR delivers HIV/AIDS treatment to more than 20.6 million people. It has helped save lives and curb the spread of the virus.

    The US State Department fact sheet showed that PEPFAR has saved the lives of an estimated 26 million people since its inception.

    But speaking on the ban, the agency was quoted as saying, “The United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people,”

    Read Also: Nigeria’s electricity market open for investment, says Edun

    However, public health experts fear the new Trump administration might terminate the entire programme.

    Some others hoped that Marco Rubio’s appointment as Secretary of State could signal positive news for PEPFAR, given his past support for the initiative.

    About two million Nigerians currently live with HIV with many of them benefitting from PEPFAR.

    As one of the countries with the highest HIV burden globally, Nigeria relies heavily on programmes such as PEPFAR for access to life-saving medications, and healthcare infrastructure support.

    Over the years, PEPFAR has contributed over $6 billion to support Nigeria’s national HIV/AIDS response.

    The suspension or permanent halt to the programme is thus likely to affect the efforts to control HIV in Nigeria.

  • 3,690 Nigerians face deportation from U.S.

    3,690 Nigerians face deportation from U.S.

    No fewer than 3,690 Nigerians currently in the United States are facing deportation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s and Removal Operations (ERO) officers as President Donald Trump begins a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the country.

    It relies on statutory law enforcement authority to identify and arrest aliens, who may present threats to national security or public safety, or who otherwise undermine the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.

    The Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers enforce immigration laws within the U.S. interior to preserve national security and public safety.

    The figure of the Nigerians facing deportation is included  in the “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship”.

    According to reports, as of November 24, 2024, there are 1,445,549 non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders. The data is broken down by nationality and number of people faced with deportation

    Read Also: Nigeria’s electricity market open for investment, says Edun

    The fear of deportation has gripped many Nigerians who are illegally living in the U.S., following Trump’s signing of executive order against illegal immigrants,  including the stoppage of citizenship by birth for children of illegal immigrants.

    According to a 2024 Migration Policy Institute (MPI) report, nearly 46.2 million immigrants live in the U.S.

    The report’s statistics came from the U.S. Census Bureau (using its 2022 American Community Survey [ACS], 2023 Current Population Survey (CPS), and 2000 decennial census) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

    The latest data from the DHS showed that Mexicans accounted for 4.81 million in 2022, representing the largest unauthorised immigrant group.

    After Mexico, the next largest illegal immigrant populations are from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

    Other countries on the top 10 list included the Philippines, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, India, and China.

    As of 2023, data from the United States Census Bureau showed that the population of Nigerians in the country is 604,077.

    As part of deportation process, a foreign national may be held in a detention centre by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before trial or deportation.

    After a non-citizen is detained, they may appear before a judge in immigration court during the deportation process.

    In the document titled “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship”, Mexico and Nicaragua top the list of nations facing the most deportation, with 252,044 and 45,955, respectively.

    Colombia at the weekend announced plan to reject deportation flights from the United States after Brazil and Mexico decried the treatment of migrants arriving handcuffed and shackled.

  • Phone talks between Putin, Trump not scheduled yet

    Phone talks between Putin, Trump not scheduled yet

    There is no understanding yet when a telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump may be held, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.

    ”It the conversation is not scheduled; there is no agreement, there is no understanding on this matter yet,’’ Ryabkov said on Monday.

    Ryabkov added that Moscow has not yet established direct contacts with the new U.S. administration.

    There have been no steps to establish contacts yet, Ryabkov said.

    Read Also: Trump faces backlash for Gaza ‘clean out’ plan

    He commented on a possible meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the G20 summit.

    He added that he would not prejudge the development of events.

    (RIA/NAN) 

  • EU urges ECOWAS to seek new way to engage Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger

    EU urges ECOWAS to seek new way to engage Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger

    The Head of European Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot has urged the regional body to seek a new way of managing its relationship with the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (Alliance des Etats du Sahel) AES-Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

    Mignot stressed that the EU was not in support of ECOWAS splitting, saying that regionalism is the path to prosperity and stability.

    The envoy spoke on Monday during a media chat in Abuja.

    He described the decision by the three countries as a regrettable one.

    He said: “It is a decision that we regret, because we support very much, West African integration. We are probably the most autonomous model of regional integration in the world, and we think that this is a path to prosperity, unity, to stability in all regions of the world, especially in West Africa. So splitting doesn’t seem to us a good idea.”

    While noting that it was not up to the EU to tell ECOWAS how to handle the situation, he however said the EU would readily avail itself by sharing its experience of how it went about it with the exit of the United Kingdom.

    He said: “And of course, as in other issues, if we can get any help, we would be happy to share our experience, our expertise with ECOWAS. Indeed, we had the experience of a former member state that decided to exit the European Union. And how did we manage to have a possible smooth exit? It was through negotiation and dialogue.

    Read Also: ECOWAS condemns terrorist attack in northern Benin Republic

    “It was not easy. It took some time, but finally, we reached an agreement with the United Kingdom, an agreement on the modalities of the exit, and an agreement on our new relationship with them. And now we have a constant dialogue on also adjusting this new agreement and trying to see how to make our new relationship more efficient.

    “So, you know, even if you leave regional integration mobilization, geographically you remain neighbours and you have to find new ways of coexisting and cooperating.

    “So we hope very much that ECOWAS and the European Union will be able to do that also.”

    On the EU engagement with the three allied countries belonging to the AES, the envoy said: “First, we have to remind that the EU has maintained its humanitarian aid in these countries. And we have adapted our development cooperation, focusing on support to the population.

    “Because we are concerned about the security and humanitarian situation in the Sahel, the number of displaced people, refugees, and people in need of assistance, which is reaching unprecedented levels. And there is ongoing work in Brussels towards a renewed approach in the Sahel, for which, of course, dialogue and exchanges with partners in the region.”

  • Gaza can never be defeated and her people can never be moved to Egypt and Jordan!

    Gaza can never be defeated and her people can never be moved to Egypt and Jordan!

    A friend sent the following to me last night. He wrote,

    “No to the evacuation of Palestinians. They will never be allowed to return once they vacate Gaza. That’s what happened to their grandparents, expelled forcibly from Jaffa, Tel Aviv and over 700 other Palestinian towns, villages and settlements. Any Palestinian leader who even thinks in this manner of collaboration with the United States, the greatest facilitator of Israeli atrocities, would need to have his head examined. Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniye and other martyrs didn’t give their lives for the Palestinians to be evacuated to Egypt or Jordan”.​

    My friend got it right. 

    The suggestion that the people of Gaza should be relocated to Jordan and Egypt in order to “clean the place up” is asinine, absurd and unacceptable and thankfully both the Egyptians and the Jordanians have formally rejected it.

    The Lord did not save Trump’s life and make him President of the most powerful nation on earth for him to indulge in ethnic cleansing and take the lives of others.

    As Believers in God we are called to help and support the persecuted, the poor, the weak, the vulnerable and the brokenhearted.

    Read Also; How to unlock untapped potential in oil industry, by Tinubu

    We are not called to kill and displace them or to join hands with their violent and savage oppressors.

    Biden and Harris have suffered humiliation and the judgement of God due to the shedding of the blood of the women and children of Gaza.

    President Donald Trump, a man who I have tremendous respect and affection for and who I believe was called by God, should not make the same mistake lest he suffers an even worse fate.

    He was lifted by God to bring peace, liberty, light and justice to the world and not to bring war, destruction, bloodshed, misery, injustice and darkness.

    He was lifted to save lives and not to destroy them.

    He was lifted to crush the genocidal maniacs and barbarians that call themselves Zionists and not to assist them.

    He was lifted to deliver and liberate nations and not to conquer and divide them.

    He was lifted to save the women and children of Gaza and not to eat their flesh and drink their blood.

    (FFK)

  • Nigeria reaffirms commitment to stronger ties with China

    Nigeria reaffirms commitment to stronger ties with China

    The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening trade and tourism relationship with China.

    Permanent Secretary in the ministry Mr. Oraeluno Raphael stated this on Saturday in Abuja, at the Chinese New Year Temple Fair, also known as the spring festival.

    Raphael said that the relationship between Nigeria and China was immersed in history, marked by mutual respect and shared aspirations.

    Comparing the evolving bilateral relationship to the ‘shedding of a snake’s skin’, the permanent secretary highlighted the significance of continued growth and transformation.

    He underscored the cultural connections between the two nations, describing it as a “vital link” that fosters understanding and unity among their respective people.

    Read Also: We must prevent African culture from going into extinction, says Obasanjo

    “We recognise the diversity and richness of both Nigerian and Chinese cultures through the common values of family, community and reverence for elders, which serve as foundations for enduring friendship,” he said. He congratulated the government of the People’s Republic of China and the entire Chinese community in Nigeria on the celebration of the 2025 Chinese Temple Fair.

    He also expressed appreciation to the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria for their consistent support across various sectors, particularly in culture and tourism.

    This, he said, had facilitated economic prosperity through cultural exchanges, exhibitions, and tourism initiatives.

    Raphael expressed the ministry’s dedication to implementing policies and programmes that promote cultural exchange, foster artistic collaborations, and enhance tourism opportunities.

    He expressed optimism for a future of flourishing cultural interactions between the two nations for mutual benefit.

    The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said that the Year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac, commencing on Jan. 29, 2025, heralds a significant chapter in the thriving relationship between China and Nigeria.

  • Fed Govt extols India on 76th Republic Day celebration

    Fed Govt extols India on 76th Republic Day celebration

    The Federal Government has extolled the government and people of the Republic of India on the country’s 76th Republic Day anniversary celebration.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, described January 26 as a “very important day” in the history of India. Tuggar added in the statement, signed by the acting spokesman of the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, that India commemorates the adoption of its constitution on Jan. 26, 1950.

    This, he said, marked the country’s transition to a sovereign republic.

    Tuggar congratulated Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, on the journey so far.

    Tuggar pointed out that India and Nigeria have witnessed a long history of cooperation and collaboration in various areas.

    He added that the countries have equally worked closely on a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing political and economic prosperity.

    “Both countries share certain similarities such as multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-ethnicity societies.

    Read Also: Ganduje receives decampees in Katsina

     “It is, therefore, a great honour to extend our very sincere wishes to the government and people of India, the largest democracy in the world, on the auspicious occasion of your Republic Day.

     “The Government of Nigeria appreciates the excellent relations between our two countries and the efforts we are making to build on these firm foundations for the benefit of our people.

     “We, therefore, wish the government and the people of the Republic of India peace, prosperity, progress and Nigeria’s continuing friendship and support,” he said.

    Nigeria and India have maintained strong ties and strategic partnerships in global affairs since the establishment of diplomatic relations decades ago.

    The areas of cooperation include trade, education, healthcare and technology among others.