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Tag: UN

  • UN agency applauds Ogun agric initiative

    UN agency applauds Ogun agric initiative

    A United Nations’ agency, the International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD) has offered to provide incentives that will improve the state’s agricultural value chain.

    Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN agency in Rome and Chairman IFAD Board, Dr. Yaya Olaniran, said the organisation is fascinated by the industrialisation and urban renewal drive of the Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration towards provision of necessary road networks that has opened up the hinterland to commercial activities.

    This, according to him, has in turn improved the standard of living the people of the state, particularly farmers.

    He spoke when he paid a courtesy call on the governor in Abeokuta yesterday. Olaniran a former commissioner of agriculture in the state,  said: “Your giant strides in the area of industrialisation and infrastructural development that has improved the standard of living of the people is attractive and that is why we have come to see ways we can partner with you to aid your agricultural production and better the lives of our farmers too.”

    He said IFAD is ready to support the state in the area of agricultural production, adding that the agency intends to make farmers become buoyant businessmen, particularly in the area of large scale cassava and rice production.

    Responding to the development, Amosun commended IFAD for its interest in the state. He restated his administration’s determination and commitment to use agricultural production to galvanise the growth of other sectors of the state’s economy.

    He said when agriculture is properly harnessed with the corresponding value chain, Ogun  State will not only feed itself and the Southwest but also the entire country.

    Amosun said the initiative of his government would also nose-dive into industrialisation as many of the unemployed youths in the state will be employed along the line and also become employers of labour.

    He said present realities at the State Agricultural Farms set up for youths show that the agric sector has the potential to keep the unemployed youths out of the street.

    Governor Amosun promised that the state would not fail to contribute its quota in form counterpart funding as soon as the organisation makes real its plans.

  • UN seeks urgent action to avert economic collapse

    UN seeks urgent action to avert economic collapse

    The Vice President, International Organisation for Economic Development (IOED), a specialised agency of the United Nations Organisation (UNO),    Dr. Fatimah Aji, has said the economy is standing on the edge of a precipice, warning that only a more in-depth analysis of the macro-economy could save it from collapse.

    In an email conversation with The Nation, the UN chief said though, in the wake of the slide in oil prices and the devaluation of the national currency, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had made some policy revisions, some of which are quite sound, a “more in-depth analysis of the macro-economy ought to have been done”.

    She said one of the viable solutions that would make the economy come out of the woods with immediate effect is to pump gold into the economy or bring in historical bonds. She said: “I am confident that injecting about $500 billion worth of historical bonds or Treasury Reserve Notes (TRN) into our economy will bring us out of the woods and we will even march on to recovery,” she said.

    The IOED chief recalled that when she said warned that the United States dollar was on the brink of collapse, it was not intended to villify the Americans, stressing that the Americans are always proactive and took measures to aid the economy.

    She regretted that unlike America, instead of coming together to tackle the threat militating against the economy, Nigerians “are rather concerned and distracted with primordial politics.”

    She stressed that although, she and others involved in international diplomacy are governed by the Vienna Convention, which forbids, among other reasons from engaging in politics and religion. She, however, said when matters that concern one’s country come into the fore, then the patriotic zeal dictates that one contributes and proffers solutions from one’s vantage and privileged position.

    Aji said it is ironical that Nigeria does not appreciate her own human capital well enough. She said: “Some of us have contributed well to the resounding feats some of the advanced economies are witnessing. It is therefore, appropriate that we be allowed to make our own contributions to help our economy. We therefore, need to strengthen the naira. The time has come for us to decide what level we will not allow the naira to go below.

    “Most times, such decisions are taken to ensure that political and sovereign considerations remain supreme. We cannot afford to make such decisions on the spur of the moment. It is rather better that we err on the path of caution than rush to make comments and policy decisions.”

    According to her, the economy is standing on a precipice, adding: “We have to be very careful so that it does not somersault and crash into pieces and that is why my quiet and introvert person is coming out to give words of advice on how to make injection into the economy so that the tides against us will be immediately reversed. Nigeria is greater than all of us and this is time to bury our differences and make sure that we rise to the occasion and become a force to be reckoned with globally.”

  • FUTA don leads UN’s Zero Gravity Project

    The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has been selected to participate in the United Nations Zero-Gravity Instrument Project, ZGIP.

    A statement by Takao Doi, the United Nations expert on Space Applications in its Outer Space Affairs Office noted that Dr. Daniel Juwon Arotupin, one of FUTA’s leading Microbiologists and an Associate Professor would be the lead participants in the ZGIP of the UN to be domiciled in Akure.

    Takao routed the letter announcing the selection of FUTA through the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the United Nations in Vienna, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja which notified the Federal Ministry of Education which conveyed the good news to the FUTA Vice Chancellor, Prof Adebiyi Daramola.

    Takao said FUTA would get a grant of a non-commercial donation of a micro-gravity simulation instrument called Clinostat alongside other supplementary items to enable Arotupin perform proposed scientific educational and related activities under the aegis of the UN office of Outer Space Affairs.

    Daramola congratulated the recipient on his solo representation of Nigeria on the project. He said from Dr Arotupin’s antecedents, the UN has found a tested academic to drive the important research project.

    The ZGIP was initiated in 2012 as part of the Human Space Technology Initiative (HSTI) capacity-building activities, in which a fixed number of microgravity-simulating instruments, called Clinostats, were distributed to selected schools and institutions worldwide.

    The major objectives as stated by the coordinators include to: “provide opportunities for students and researchers to observe natural phenomena of samples under simulated microgravity conditions on the ground, and to inspire them to undertake further study in the field of space science and technology. The project is also aimed at creating datasets of plant species with their gravity response, which would contribute to design future space experiments, and to the advancement of microgravity research.”

     

  • Anger, sorrow as Northeast’s displaced persons protest in Jos

    Anger, sorrow as Northeast’s displaced persons protest in Jos

    Internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Borno, Yobe, Adamawa states protested in Jos, Plateau State yesterday, claiming that the Federal Government had ceded the Northeast to the Boko Haram. They urged the United Nations (UN) to declare the affected areas the global body’s territory and deploy peace-keeping troops to secure lives and property, Yusufu Aminu Idegu reports.

    THEY gathered at the Church of the Brethren Jos, Plateau State capital, yesterday in their hundreds, looking dejected, as if they have been condemned to perish in total hopelessness. They were women, men and children of Christian faith, who were routed out of their ancestral homes in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states by the Boko Haram war machines and now taking refuge in camps and schools in the state capital. They all have sad stories to tell, but decided to address the reporters at the church through their spokesman, Rev. Dr. Samuel Dali.

    The victims, before the news conference started, staged a peaceful protest at their camps. They appealed to “good citizens of Nigeria” to come to their aid to resettle them anywhere in the country, outside the Boko Haram-held territories.

    They claimed they were taking refuge in churches and schools, hoping on the United Nations (UN) to come to their aid, as they had lost confidence in the Federal Government.

    The IDPs claimed that they left their homes in the Northeast states to Jos, just like their other 700,000 members, since, according to them, it appeared the government had formally ceded the troubled areas to the Boko Haram.

    Dali, in his address to reporters, stressed that the body language of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration suggested that the states had been surrendered to the insurgents.

    According to him, there were over 2,000 IDPs from the northeast living at camps and schools in Jos alone.

    His words: “It is with heavy heart and traumatised soul and spirit that I am addressing you today on behalf of the displaced Christians and people from Northern Nigeria.

    “It is obvious or apparent that the Federal Government lacks the political will to protect and defend our people in Northern Nigeria from the Boko Haram insurgency and attacks from the Fulani militias.

    “The Federal Government seems to be toying with the lives and limbs of the Christians in Northern Nigeria for political gains. While Boko Haram and the Fulani militia and their sponsors are killing innocent Nigerian citizens, especially the Christians, the government seems not to care and has abdicated from its responsibility to protect lives.

    “There have been protracted attacks by Fulani and other ethnic militias in Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau and many other states in the North, the government seems not to care, talk more of employing lasting solutions.

    “In all these attacks, Christians and their churches are mostly affected. At least 700, 000 members of the church, mostly women and children, have been displaced and now scattered in places like Jos, Abuja, Kaduna and Yola”.

    Dali added: “Over 8,000 members have been murdered or killed by the Boko Haram insurgents and 270 churches have been destroyed completely, while 45 out of the 50 District Church Councils (DCC) have been affected.

    “There is no explanation the government can give, as to why the Federal troops will run away from the towns prior to the attack on such towns by Boko Haram, without putting any resistance. It seems government does not care about its citizens in that zone”.

    The displaced persons then declared that “since the Federal Government has not been decisive in handling the protracted crises, the Christian community in the Northeast and Northern Nigeria have lost confidence in the Federal Government”.

    The United Nation (UN), they added, must intervene and declare the “Northeastern Nigeria a UN territory with immediate effect and send in UN peace-keeping troops to secure the lives of the remaining traumatised people”.

    The cleric noted: “We have to state here that the Christians in Northeastern Nigeria are disappointed with response of the international community to the pogrom by Boko Haram with the active connivance of the Federal Government against Northern Christians.

    “Available reports show that 11,213 Christians have been killed by Boko Haram before Mubi, Maiha, Hong and Gombi local governments were seized by the insurgence.

    “So far, 1,056,000 have been displaced by the insurgency. These are mostly children and elderly people.

    “We express our disappointment with the international community that with over 11,000 persons killed and over million displaced; the international community has refused to notice the pogrom against Northern Nigeria’s Christians. Rather, they have shifted their attention and resources only to Iraq, Syria, Gaza and Afghanistan as if those being killed in Nigeria are not human beings”.

    After the news conference, the displaced Christians promised to mobilise other displaced persons from the Northeast to converge on Aso Rock, if nothing was done to return them to their homes soon.

    “We have resolved that all the internally displaced persons from the Northeastern part – wherever they are – and those, who are refugees in Cameroon, to move en masse to Abuja, which is the safest place in Nigeria so far”.

    But in far away Abuja, there was an uncertainty in the Senate yesterday over the state of emergency rule in the three affected states.

    The upper chamber, as if listening to the cries of the Jos protesters, failed to approve President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for further extension of emergency rule in the three states.

    Senate President, David Mark, announced after over two hours closed door session that debate on Jonathan’s request would continue today, after the senators were not positively disposed to the president’s request.

    Jonathan, had in a letter entitled “Re: Extension of the period for the Proclamation of a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States,” dated November 17, 2014, asked the Senate to endorse further extension of the period of emergency rule in the three states.

    The letter read in part: “May I respectfully draw your attention to the State of Emergency Proclamation 2013, in respect of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, which was approved by the National Assembly and extended for a further period of six months by the National Assembly as conveyed by  the Clerk of the National Assembly’s letter dated 21st May 2014.

    “By virtue of the provisions of Section 305(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the Proclamation aforementioned will elapse after a period of six months from the date of approval of the National Assembly except the period is extended by the National Assembly.

    “It is important to state that despite concerted efforts by this Administration to stem the tide of terrorism and insurgency in the affected states, the security challenges that necessitated the Proclamation are yet to abate.

    “Consequently, it has become imperative to request the approval of the state for extension of the period for the State of Emergency for a further period of six months.

    “In view of the foregoing, I most respectfully request Distinguished Senators to consider and approve by resolution the extension of the Proclamation of the State of Emergency by further period of six months from the date of expiration of the current period.”

    However, before the Senate went into closed session to consider the letter, some Senators attempted to block even the consideration of the letter.

    The Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba had moved that the Senate should resolve into Executive Session to consider the presidential request.

    What followed was a deafening “nay” when Mark put the question.

    After his explanation, which seemed to have calmed frayed nerves, Mark again put the question for the Senate to consider the letter.

    The mood in the Senate slightly changed as the lawmakers gave their approval that the letter should be considered.

    For about 20 minutes, senators were seen in the chamber discussing in groups while the Chief Whip laboured to restore order.

    Insiders said that the debate in the closed session was “very heated” as some northern lawmakers insisted that no further extension of state of emergency should be granted.

    If further extension is granted, it would be the third time the National Assembly would approve President Jonathan’s request to extend the period of State of Emergency in the three states.

    But according to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the total number of Nigerians, who were displaced as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency, had risen to 650,000.

    The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the country has witnessed thousands of deaths and 221,000 square kilometres of its territory captured by sect.

    The APC described as a scorecard of failure, the claims of achievements by the Goodluck Jonathan administration in its almost 60 months in the saddle, saying Nigerians could not wait to sweep away the governments.

    “Today, after the Jonathan administration has spent $32 billion on security and defence, Nigeria is not any safer, with thousands of deaths, 221,000 square kilometres of territory captured by Boko Haram, 650,000 Nigerians internally displaced and also a daily harvest of death from ethno-religious crisis, clashes between pastoralists and farmers, armed robberies and kidnapping.

    “To make matters worse, our once proud and globally-acknowledged military has been brought to its knees by lack of necessary fighting equipment, even with $32 billion spent. One wonders where the huge funds went to,” the party added.

    It also accused the President of insensitivity to the plight of the people who voted him into office, as he would rather fly to Burkina Faso than visit Chibok, Buni Yadi and Potiskum, which are some of the places where dozens of youth have been killed and maimed by the Boko Haram terrorists in recent times.

    “The President should not just be the Commander-in-Chief but also the Consoler-in-Chief. A President who delights in comparing himself with the likes Obama must learn to act like the U.S. President, who did not hesitate to visit his nation’s troops in Iraq and Afghanistan despite the risks involved,” he added.

    The Catholic Bishops Conference also decried the method of sharing relief materials to the displaced people.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with the President last week, the Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Kaigama, urged the Federal Government to collaborate with the church, claiming it had good relief structure on ground.

    He said: “We are here on behalf of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria. We came not to wish him a bad day, but to talk about our nation. We had some concerns about the situation of security in the nation as well as political developments. So, in general terms, we shared with him in a conversation and discussion.”

    Saying the bishops felt that things were not right, the cleric noted that Nigerian territory was being taken away.

    He said: “The people we look after are displaced, their homes, their villages, towns are captured and they are internally displaced in their own land.

    “We thought this is not right. We have families that are just stranded. We thought that the President should know. As Catholics, we have laid a good structure for relief and taking care of such situations. We want the government to collaborate with us”.

     

  • UN, others seek end to violence against female children

    The International Day of Girl-Child 2014 was marked last Saturday across the world, reports ADEBISI ONANUGA

    The future of the girl-child was the subject of discussion at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos to mark this year’s International Day of Girl-Child.

    The event which held at the Assemblies of God Church, Lagos District, Adenubi Close, off Toyin Street, Ikeja was organised by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos in collaboration with International Charitable Initiative for Girl-Child and Woman Development Foundation (ICI-GWODEF) and Missionettes Department of the Assemblies of God, Lagos District.

    It had the theme: “Empowering Adolscents Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence.”

    As the issue of the girl child continues to be at the fore of discussion, the Secretary General of the United Nations(UN), Mr. Bank Ki Moon urged governments to take action to end all forms of violence against girls in all parts of the world.Ki Moon, whose keynote address to the world was delivered in Nigeria by the Senior Public Information Officer, Envera Selimovic, emphasised that there was need to create a world where violence against women and girls is never tolerated and girls are empowered to reach their full potentials.

    “To end this cycle of violence against adolescent girls, we must go beyond raising awareness and take action to equip girls with knowledge, skills, resources and power to determine their own path of life.

    “We must provide them with safe transport, access to sources of energy and water, quality health services and supportive environments that will allow them to thrive”, he stated.

    The UN Secretary General lamented that “all over the world, an alarming number of adolescent girls are assaulted, beaten, raped, mutilated and even murdered.”

    “The threat of violence at the hands of family members, partners, teachers and peers grossly violates their rights, diminishes their power and suppresses their potential”.

    He noted that a culture of impunity allows violence against adolescent girls to continue unabated.

    He counseled leaders across the world that as they define their post-2015 development framework and review progess achieved under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, how to end gender violence and promote the empowerment of girls and women must be at the heart of global agenda.

    Founder, ICI-GWODEF, Mrs. Helen Ibeji in her address, urged the Federal Government to hasten up and ensure that the Chibog girls are returned to their families safely.

    “When they are finally back, government should set up mechanisms for rehabilitation of these girls into the society”, Ibeji said.

    The founder of the ICI-GWODEF counseled parents, guardians, care givers to give more opportunities to their girls so that they will achieve their goals in life.

    She also urged school authorities not to encourage violence in and around schools, adding that school related gender-related violence is a human rights issue and also a barrier to learning.

    As they join the world to celebrate the day, Ibeji urged everybody to bear in mind that the life of the girl-child of today is the nation’s future adding, “she being an asset of inestimable value should be treated well just like other children.”

    She announced that a book, “Girl- Child Education in Nigeria: The Legal Perspective” which was authored and published by the foundation has been approved by the Lagos State government during the 2014 book review for use of secondary school students.

     

     

  • UN hopes for rapid Ebola containment

    UN hopes for rapid Ebola containment

    The United Nations’ special envoy on Ebola said he hopes that the outbreak can be brought under control within three months.

    David Nabarro told the BBC the number of Ebola cases is increasing exponentially, but greater community awareness would help contain the virus.

    People were becoming aware that isolating those infected was the best way to prevent transmission, he added.

    So far, there have been more than 8,300 confirmed and suspected cases of Ebola, and at least 4,033 deaths.

    Most fatalities – 4,024 – have occurred in the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Cases have also been reported in Nigeria, Senegal, Spain and the United States.

    Mr. Nabarro said that the number of new cases was “quite frightening,” as the spread of the disease is currently accelerating.

    At the beginning, many West African communities did not understand that the outbreak was an infectious disease, he said.

    “I think we’ve got much better community involvement [now] which leads me to believe that getting it under control within the next three months is a reasonable target,” he said.

     

  • ‘UN $Ib Ebola appeal severely underfunded’

    ‘UN $Ib Ebola appeal severely underfunded’

    A $1 billion United Nations’ appeal to fight Ebola has only been 25 percent funded and senior UN officials warned on Friday that no country was safe as the world faced a crisis with staggering potential.

    “It is the most extraordinary challenge that the world could possibly face. You sometimes see films about this sort of thing and you imagine how could such a thing happen. This is more extreme than any film I have ever seen,” Dr. David Nabarro, who is heading the UN response to the Ebola epidemic, said on Friday.

    Nabarro has said a “20-fold increase” in the global response is needed compared to efforts at the end of August.

    Reuters says the UN has established a special mission, known as UNMEER, to coordinate efforts to stop the spread of Ebola.

    The current outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever, which is the worst on record, was identified in March in a remote part of Guinea and has spread to West African countries Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and Senegal. Cases have also been reported in Spain and the United States.

    The World Health Organization, the UN public health arm, has said an Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo is unrelated to the one in West Africa.

    On Friday, WHO raised the death toll to at least 4,033 from 8,399 probable, suspected and confirmed Ebola cases.

    Nabarro told a special briefing of the 193-member UN General Assembly that the disease was spreading so rapidly the number of cases was likely doubling every three or four weeks.

    Deputy UN Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, appealed for more money and resources, including numerous healthcare personnel.

  • UN agency trains judicial officers

    The United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) has held workshops for workers in the judiciary.

    It is in line with its objective to ensure a reformed and effective justice delivery system.

    Two of such workshops, under the “Support to justice sector in Nigeria” project, with funding from the European Union (EU), were held in Lagos.

    One was for information officers in justice sector institutions. They included the courts, ministries of justice, Nigerian Prisons Service and the police. The other was a training programme to build the competence and skills of justice sector officials in the use of computer and related information and communication technology (ICT).

    During the workshop for information officers, which held for two days, participants were trained on various components of information dissemination in justice sector institutions and how best to effectively disseminate information.

    Facilitators included the Project Coordinator, Ade Omofade; National Information Officer, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos, Oluseyi Soremekun; UNODC’s Outreach and Communications Officer, James Ayodele; Communications expert, Kaneng Rwang-Pamand Head of Department and Coordinator,  Akinola  Aguda School of Post Graduate Studies, Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies (NIALS), Mrs. Comfort Chinyere Ani.

    Omofade explained that the project, with a € 26,000,000 funding from the EU, began in last year and is meant to last 42 months.

    He said the objective of the project, meant to cover the federal justice sector institutions and similar institutions in 10 states – Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Federal Capital Territory, Imo, Osun, Katsina, Lagos and Yobe, was to strengthened the rule of law through enhanced accountability, accessibility, transparency and fairness of the justice system.

    Omofade said the project has so far achieved increased justice sector coordination / policy development; development of operational capability; training and  research capacity of justice sector and enhanced access to justice and respect for human rights.

    Mrs. Pam advocated a coordinated relation among information managers in justice sector institutions and stressed the need for vibrant and symbiotic relationship between justice sector’s information managers and the media.

    She noted that the media play an integral and vital role in all aspects of justice, including funding, adding that the media is the first to define events (agenda setting) and inform the public, thus heightening awareness.

    Ayodele stressed the need for the justice sector spokespersons to always be involved in raising awareness about the activities of their sector with the intention of influencing public attitude, behavior and belief towards the achievement of a defined purpose or goal.

    Soremekun, who noted the waning public confidence in the nation’s justice sector, argued that the task of raising community confidence in the justice system was not the exclusive responsibility of the Information Officers in the Ministry of Justice.

    According to him, it is the responsibility of all information managers in the agencies that form components of the justice system. He urged information officers to” liaise effectively with the media colleagues covering their organisations.”

    Mrs Ani, who noted that access to justice was an essential appendage of the rule of law and the fulfillment of the vindication of the right of the citizen, said easy access to the court requires a wide range of steps, which include amending some existing legislations; review and modernisation of court process; the police force and prisons service.

    “The aim is to build up respect for the rule of law and due process among stakeholders in the administration of justice and buttress their roles as protectors of those rights, which will ultimately engender unhindered access to justice,” she said.

    Mrs Ani suggested the general adoption of the various alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures in view of the many benefits of the ADR over the conventional court process with its attendant technicalities and delays.

    ”The alien nature of the legal system; the attendant inherent delays; the public’s unfamiliarity with the nature of litigation process; the technical nature of law and its procedure are factors making ADR a better option for litigants. Lawyers and litigants have to be well sensitised to embrace this new process, which is actually a return to our traditional African dispute resolution method

    “A strong, courageous, independent and incorruptible judiciary is indispensable for the people to have confidence in the justice system, thereby shun self-help or jungle justice,” Mrs Ani said.

    For training on ICT usage, three of the project’s ten focal states – were trained. They were 100 participants with 30 from Bayelsa,  32 from Benue and 38 from Cross River States.

    The participants included investigators, prosecutors, administrative staff of the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice, as well as police and prison officers. Each training session lasted five days and participants learnt, among others, how to use the computer to create, organise and store documents, prepare and make presentations, surf the internet, manage basic data, and access the social media.

    The Training Consultant, Olatunji Komolafe said 10 of the trainees, who had never used a computer before, were able to use the device to perform basic administrative tasks at the end of the training.

    “Despite the short period of the training, feedback from the trainees shows that all of them are now computer literate and can use the device to perform various tasks at work and at home,” he said.

    Most participants at the workshops expressed delight and praised UNODC for the initiative. They sought more of such opportunities.

  • UN gets petition on $9.3 million ‘arms deal’

    UN gets petition on $9.3 million ‘arms deal’

    A diaspora group, Nigeria Unite Group, has petitioned the Office of the Secretary- General of the United Nations (UN) on the alleged $9.3million arms deal.

    The group in a petition by the Coordinator and Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Hussaini and Francis John, said the arms deal was a violation of the principles enshrined in the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

    The statement said: “Although the government has admitted knowledge of the deal, it has denied any complicity in the attempt to commit a crime.

    “This is a violation of the principles enshrined in the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Moreover, the explanations given by the two Nigerians and one Israeli arrested by the South African investigators are flawed and riddled with discrepancies.”

    The body said the manner of the transaction and the channel the money passed through, called for questioning, adding that government was covering up the arms contract with an unauthorised agency.

    It said that the UN should act on its petition to enable Nigerians know the truth.

    Drawing a parallel between the revelations by an Australian Hostage Negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis and the botched arms deal, the group said the UN must take urgent and holistic measures to investigate the issues, to ensure peace and security.

    The statement further reads: “We demand a full, urgent and independent investigation by the UN into the $9.3million arms deal, which is suspicious and flawed by the international standards of arms sales.

  • Jonathan seeks urgent UN reforms against insecurity

    Jonathan seeks urgent UN reforms against insecurity

    *Says Nigeria working hard to free Chibok girls

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday maintained that pressing challenges to global peace and security have made it imperative that urgent action be taken on the reformation of United Nations Security Council.

    He made the call while delivering Nigeria’s annual statement to the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, United States of America.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, President Jonathan also called for an urgent review of United Nations peacekeeping operations across the world.

     He sad: “Mr. President, the failure of unanimity of action by the Security Council over pressing challenges to global peace and security, in Syria, Iraq, the conflict in Ukraine, and the renewed aggression between Israel and Palestine, have strengthened the case for the reform of the Security Council.”

     “Today’s challenges can only be resolved by a Security Council whose working methods engender transparency, inclusivity, and common ownership through equitable representation of all regions in the decision making process of the Council.”

    “It is imperative that we take advantage of 2015, which also marks the 50thAnniversary of the 1965 reform, to make concrete progress on the reform of the Council.”

    “We call for a fast-tracked process, in line with the initiative of His Excellency John Ashe, President of the 68th General Assembly, for establishing a working Group on reform. Indeed, the Security Council requires the collective resolve of all member states to ensure that 2015 brings decisive progress,” he added

    Noting that the United Nations was established about 70 years ago to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, he said that the world sadly continues to experience conflict and human suffering.

    Jonathan said: “Today’s terrorism is vicious and aimless. Its consequences are extremely agonizing, marked by a tendency to annihilate victims, and completely destroy infrastructure and properties. The involvement of foreign fighters has remained a common feature of terrorist groups – whether Al Qaeda in the Maghreb, Al Shaabab in Somalia, Boko Haram in Nigeria, or the newly emerging Islamic State (I.S).”

    “The new dimension introduced by I.S. to conquer territory and establish its destructive ideology, is a major challenge that must be collectively halted before it becomes the norm. This refocuses attention on the need to review present tools for United Nations peacekeeping operations,” he said.

    The President assured the gathering that the Federal Government will continue to do everything possible to rescue the abducted Chibok girls and  curb  the violent and criminal activities of Boko Haram.

    “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the countries and organizations that expressed solidarity with us, and have continued to support our determined efforts to free our daughters.”

    “Although it has been over three months since they were abducted, we have never relented in our efforts to set them safely free. Together with our partners, we are working assiduously to free our daughters and reunite them with their families.”

    “Let me underline today, that we shall not waiver until we end this mindless war on the innocent, and bring all the perpetrators to justice. We will triumph over terrorism,” Jonathan stated.

    Moving on to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus disease in West Africa, the President confidently assured the United Nations that Nigeria is now free of Ebola, but said that the world must act in unison to stop the disease from becoming a global disaster.

    He said: “While Nigeria was able to respond effectively to control the spread of the disease, the situation in Liberia and Sierra Leone requires sustainable, collective global action to contain. Through the concerted efforts of our healthcare professionals, the World Health Organisation and our international partners, we have been able to contain the EVD and we can confidently say that Nigeria is today, Ebola-free.”

    “We have however continued to support efforts at containing the spread of the disease in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. It is pertinent to stress the need for the international community to properly appreciate the enormity of the EVD challenge.”

    “Indulging in isolationist and discriminatory tendencies will only worsen an already critical situation. To prevent the disease from becoming a global catastrophe, the UN must accord it the concerted effort it deserves,” the President said.

    He concluded the statement by reaffirming Nigeria’s belief in  the indispensable role of the UN in the global bid to overcome the challenges of conflict, terrorism, climate change and economic development.

    “We have been, and will remain a reliable and active partner, especially as we collectively work to resolve the new and emerging threats to global peace and security,” President Jonathan told the assembly of Heads of State and Government.