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  • Boko Haram: Britain offers military advisers to Nigeria

    Boko Haram: Britain offers military advisers to Nigeria

    Britain has offered to send advisers to help Nigeria’s military structure its efforts to fight Boko Haram, Foreign Minister William Hague said on Saturday, ahead of a meeting to hammer out a strategy to tackle the sect.

    West African leaders are meeting in Paris to try to improve cooperation in their fight against the group which last month kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls and threatens to destabilise the wider region.

    Outrage over the girls has prompted President Goodluck Jonathan, criticised at home for his government’s slow response, to accept United States, British and French intelligence help in the hunt for the girls.

    “Nigerian security forces have not been well structured for this kind of thing and that has been shown by the problem getting worse,” Reuters quoted Hague as saying to reporters ahead of the meeting.

    “We can help with that which is why we are offering to embed military advisers within the Nigerian headquarters.”

    U.S. officials have said the effort to retrieve the girls is now a top priority, but has been complicated by Nigeria’s early reluctance to accept assistance, and U.S. rules banning aid to foreign forces that have committed human rights abuses.

    “It is very important (Nigeria) upholds high standards of human rights and are well coordinated in their actions,” Hague said. “Nigeria has the main responsibility and must be the leading nation in tackling this and that includes to mount an effective security response and improve development.”

    France, itself a target of Islamist militants for its military intervention against rebels in Mali, is bringing together Nigeria’s neighbours  – Chad, Cameroon, Niger,  Benin, and Western officials to the summit.

  • US, UK search experts arrive Nigeria

    US, UK search experts arrive Nigeria

    Experts from the United States of America and the United Kingdom have arrived in Nigeria to help in the search for the more than 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

    The experts include military advisers, negotiators and counsellors.

    The UK Foreign Office said the British experts arrived Abuja yesterday and would be working closely with their US counterparts.

    “A team of UK experts who will advise and support Nigerian authorities in its response to the abduction of over 200 school girls touched down in Abuja Friday morning,” a spokesperson stated.

    “The team is drawn from across government and will work with the Nigerian authorities leading on the abductions and terrorism in Nigeria. The team will be considering not just the recent incidents but also longer-term counter-terrorism solutions to prevent such attacks in the future and defeat Boko Haram.”

    Earlier, US Secretary of State John Kerry said: “Our inter-agency team is hitting the ground in Nigeria now and they are going to be working in concert with President Goodluck Jonathan’s government to do everything that we possibly can to return these girls to their families and their communities.

    “We are also going to do everything possible to counter the menace of Boko Haram,” he said.

    On Wednesday, President Barack Obama said the team comprised personnel from military, law enforcement and other agencies.

    He said he hoped the kidnapping would galvanise the international community to take action against Boko Haram.

    The British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, yesterday dismissed claims the global community is patronising the Nigerian government over its handling of the kidnapping.

    The PM was asked about comments from a Nigerian government spokesman who said criticism of the government’s response was “unfair” and “patronising.”

    Cameron said: “We want to work with them to help.”

    He added: “I think it’s quite unfair to talk down to a concerned government like that. It’s really, really unfair. I take very, very serious exception to that kind of language and in such a very patronising way.”

    Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live, Cameron said the UK government wants “to work with” Nigerian officials to help in the search, saying the UK had offered help immediately after the abductions.

    He said it was “an extremely difficult situation,” adding that the decision to send UK experts to offer advice and logistical support came after a request from President Goodluck Jonathan.

  • US to deploy troops to rescue abducted girls

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday accepted the offer of President of the United States of America, Barrack Obama, to assist Nigerian troops towards rescuing the abducted 234 secondary school girls in Chibok, Borno State.

    Disclosing this to State House correspondents, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that Jonathan accepted the offer through phone call conversation with United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry.

    The statement reads: “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Tuesday welcomed and accepted a definite offer of help from the United States of America in the ongoing effort to locate and rescue the girls abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok three weeks ago.”

    “The offer from President Barack Obama which was conveyed to President Jonathan by the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry in a telephone conversation which began at 15.30 Hours today, includes the deployment of U.S. security personnel and assets to work with their Nigerian counterparts in the search and rescue operation.”

    “Mr. Kerry assured President Jonathan that the United States’ is wholly committed to giving Nigeria all required support and assistance to save the abducted girls and bring the reign of terror unleashed on parts of the country by Boko Haram to an end.”

    “Thanking Mr. Kerry for the call and offer of further assistance, President Jonathan told him that Nigeria’s security agencies who were already working at full capacity to find and rescue the abducted girls would appreciate the deployment of American counter-insurgency know-how and expertise in support of their efforts.”

    He also disclosed that President Jonathan after speaking with the United States Secretary of State met with the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and heads of national security agencies in continuation of the national efforts to find and rescue the abducted girls.

    At the meeting, he said that the President received updates on the ongoing search and rescue effort and gave approval for recommended further actions.

  • Tiger uncertain about return

    Tiger uncertain about return

    World number one Tiger Woods said Monday he is making very slow progress recovering from surgery for a pinched nerve and unsure when he will make his return to golf.

    Woods updated his status in a blog posting on his website, saying he remains sore after the operation and regrets not being able to defend his title this week at the US PGA Players Championship.

    “It’s tough to miss any tournament, but especially one that’s so important to the players and where I’m defending,” Woods said.

    Woods has been unable to resume his workout regimen because of the March 31 operation, which kept him from playing in last month’s Masters, the first major championship of the year.

    “My recovery from microdiscectomy surgery for a pinched nerve in my back is coming along, but it’s a very slow process,” Woods said. “I’m still sore, not from the procedure itself but the incision. I just need to get back to my day-to-day activities and that’s it.”

    Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record of 18 won by Jack Nicklaus, cast doubt upon his ability to play in next month’s US Open at Pinehurst, North Carolina, in listing potential timetables for his return.

    “As for my return to golf, I really don’t know,” Woods said. “I’m doing everything I can and listening to my doctors and working on a strength program and then we just have to see how my back is.

    “Some people heal up in three months, some people take four months, some people take longer. I just don’t know.”

    The earliest of those spans would bring him back in time for the British Open at Hoylake, where Woods has won before.

  • Lagos: US warns of possible attack

    Lagos: US warns of possible attack

    The US Consulate General in Lagos has warned of a possible terror attack in Lagos.

    The likely target, according to the Consulate office in an e-mailed advisory is a high profile in the nation’s commercial capital.

    “As of late April, groups associated with terrorism allegedly planned to mount an unspecified attack against the Sheraton Hotel in Nigeria, near the city of Lagos,” it said.

    It said it had no further information regarding which of the two outlets of the hotel might be targeted.

    “There is no further information regarding the timing or method of attack. US citizens are cautioned to avoid these hotels at this time.”

    The warning came 24 hours after   Thursday’s bomb blast at Nyanya, near Abuja which has so far claimed 20 lives.

    The attack, like that of April 14,appears to have been launched by the Islamist sect, Boko Haram.

    There are fears the e violence could spread to other parts of the country given the military’s apparent inability to stem the bloodshed.

    The US travel advisory said the security situation in Nigeria remained “fluid and unpredictable”, warning its citizens to stay

     

  • US threatens more sanctions for Russia

    US threatens more sanctions for Russia

    The United States has warned Russia to tone down its aggressive rhetoric on Ukraine, or face further sanctions, the BBC reports.

    US Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart over the phone that Moscow must call for pro-Russian gunmen to lay down their weapons.

    Kiev and the West say Moscow commands the gunmen – claims denied by Russia.

    The Ukrainian authorities have re-launched an anti-terror operation to take back several towns in the east overrun by pro-Russian militants.

    Acting President Olexander Turchynov said he had ordered the operation to restart after two men – including local politician Vladimir Rybak – were found dead after being “brutally tortured.”

    “The terrorists who effectively took the whole Donetsk region hostage have now gone too far,” Mr. Turchynov said.

    Kiev’s military operation to push gunmen out of public buildings began on April 16 but was suspended over the Easter period.

     

  • Nigeria’ll be Africa’s devt hub, says Oracle chief

    United States (US) multinational computer technology giant, Oracle Corporation, has said Nigeria will be the cornerstone of its developmental focus on Africa, assuring that it will continue to help grow the human capital element of the country.

    Speaking on the sideline of an event organised by The Economist in Lagos, its Sales Consulting Senior Director, Europe Middle East and Africa, Presales Centre, Martin Peck, said the firm is committed to using technology to develop the requisite manpower skill that will help move the economy to the next level through its internship programme.

    He said: “We are determined to partner with the relevant organisations, government agencies to help develop the human capacity requirements. Now we are focusing so much on Africa and Nigeria will become a hub for all the activities that we are doing. We are going to do more on our internship programme through which we try to bring graduates on board, take them through some technical trainings and make them ready for jobs in Oracle. So, this is a very good opportunity for us to hire young people but of course in some cases, they complete the training and get fixed up in other companies. We are doing this not just for us as an organisation but to also give back to the society.”

    According to the firm, more businesses and governments today see information technology (IT) as a key component of growth, stressing that IT skills development is vital if they are to take advantage of the new IT new trends, such as big data, cloud computing, mobile and social media. Organisations that can do these successfully will be more competitive and more productive, it added.

    Oracle works with established educational institutions to help young people develop the vital skills needed in their local marketplace and provide them with a competitive edge.

    Through the Oracle Academy, which supports 268,000 students in 1,800 education institutions across Africa. The software, curriculum and other resources provided about two years ago to education institutions in Africa were valued at $557million.

     

    “We are partnering with some universities through the Oracle Academy programme. We work together with the universities and schools, provide them with the tools and provide the software. We also provide the infrastructure,” Peck said.

  • U.S. mudslide death toll hits 24

    The Snohomish County medical examiner on Tuesday said that the death toll from a mudslide in the western United States of America had reached 24 as at Monday.

    It said the officials had succeeded in reducing the numbers of missing persons from 30 to 22.

    It said no survivors had been located in the huge debris field since the ridge gave way above the small logging town of Oso following month of rains in Washington State.

  • U.S. hire former Germany coach Vogts as adviser

    The U.S. have hired former Germany coach and World Cup winner Berti Vogts as a special adviser until the World Cup in Brazil.

    The move was described as one that would boost their chances of getting through the group stage, the team said on Monday.

    The U.S. has been drawn with Germany, Ghana and Portugal for the preliminaries at the June 12 to July 13 finals.

    Vogts, who won the trophy as a player in 1974 and coached Germany and current U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann to their last international title at Euro 1996, has also coached Nigeria.

    He is currently the Azerbaijan national team coach.

    “We are absolutely thrilled to have Berti join us as an adviser,” Klinsmann said in a statement.

    “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, both as a player and a coach, and he knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level.”

    Vogts will help development of training plans, prepare scouting reports and will travel to watch opponents in the run-up to the tournament.

    Nicknamed ‘the terrier’ for his tough defending, Vogts was a stalwart at Borussia Moenchengladbach FC for 15 years, and earned 96 caps for Germany before going into coaching.

    He coached Germany from 1990-1998 before taking on other national teams with mixed success.

  • US aid for Ukraine soon, sanctions underway for Russia

    Prospects are improving for United States’ congressional approval of an aid package for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, as House and Senate lawmakers resolve differences between the chambers. A bill could be ready for President Barack Obama’s signature by week’s end.

    Capitol Hill is rife with bipartisan desire to respond to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and congressional action has never been in serious doubt.

    “The world is watching,” said Democrat Robert Menendez, the Chairma, Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And the world’s superpower cannot be seen as incapable of rising to Russia’s challenge.”

    But the exact formulation of a bill to assist Ukraine and punish Russia hit a partisan snag earlier this week.

    Some Republicans objected to a provision in a bill before the Democratic-led Senate that would have shifted U.S. contributions to the International Monetary Fund so as to facilitate IMF loans to Ukraine and other nations in times of duress. Democrats and the Obama administration defended the measure as beneficial to Ukraine and the global financial system. Skeptical Republicans said it would impose costs on U.S. taxpayers.

    While Senate debate dragged on, leaders in the Republican-led House of Representatives signaled the provision would not pass their chamber. Late Tuesday, Senate Democrats conceded defeat and dropped the IMF measure.

    “You are going to get your way today,” Menendez told his Republican colleagues. “And I would hope that the rest of this package – which provides a $1 billion loan guarantee to Ukraine, that provides sanctions against the Russian regime and others who corrupted the previous Ukrainian government and who have violated its territorial integrity – all other elements of this legislation should have universal support.”