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“Don’t send Nigerian refugees back to violence”, UN urges Cameroon

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The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged the Cameroonian authority not to send Nigerian refugees back to the Boko Haram violence they fled from. Despite warnings, Nigerian refugees and asylum-seekers who fled Boko Haram violence continue to be returned from Cameroon, underscoring the need to accord international protection to those in need. “We appeal once again to the authorities in Cameroon to refrain from further forced returns and to ensure protection to those fleeing insecurity and persecution in Nigeria […] This is in accordance with Cameroon’s national and international obligations,” UNHCR said.

Since the beginning of 2018, 385 Nigerians refugees and asylum-seekers had been forcibly returned from Cameroon, the majority of them in March. In total, the UN agency has registered some 87,600 Nigerian refugees in the country. UNHCR said: “The forced returns are in violation of the principle of no forced returns or non-refoulement.

 

Nigeria’s President Buhari will meet Trump in Washington

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President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria will meet Donald Trump in Washington on April 30 to discuss issues including “fighting terrorism” and economic growth, the White House announced Sunday. “President Trump looks forward to discussing ways to enhance our strategic partnership and advance our shared priorities: promoting economic growth and reforms, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security, and building on Nigeria’s role as a democratic leader in the region,” the White House said in a statement. Nigeria, West Africa’s largest economy, is among the countries combatting Islamist extremism with help from the United States. The nation is battling an array of security threats across its territory, from Boko Haram jihadists in the northeast to oil militants in the south.

Nigeria’s president Buhari visits London for a meeting with Theresa May

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President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja on Monday for an official visit to Britain due to “hold discussions on Nigeria – British relations with Prime Minister Theresa May, prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings scheduled for April 18 to 20” the presidency said in a statement Sunday evening by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu. The president will also meet the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Plc, Mr. Ben van Beurden in connection with Shell and other partners’ plan to invest $15 billion in Nigeria’s oil industry. These investment ventures will lay the foundation for the next 20 years production and domestic gas supply. Buhari will also meet the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, a good friend of the president, on inter-religious harmony in Nigeria.

Kaduna: new infrastructure master plan 2018-2050

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The Kaduna State Government says it will require up to 65.5 billion dollars to address the state’s infrastructure challenges over the next 30 years. Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i stated this on Wednesday at the unveiling of the infrastructure master plan, 2018-2050, during the 3rd edition of the state investment forum in Kaduna. He stressed that the long term infrastructure master plan summarised the infrastructure target of the state aimed at providing job opportunities and making lives better for the people. 

The transportation sector which would require N8 trillion while N5.1 billion would be required annually in the education sector to build about 9,006 schools including tertiary institutions. “Other sectors include, the health system which would require N158 billion, while N100 billion yearly is targeted for the water sector; agriculture would require N53 billion, and 5,000 housing units would be developed annually all within the time frame of 2018-2050,’’ the governor said. 

According to him, the administration had attracted investments into the state in the last two years, with 79 percent coming from outside the country. “Due to the low percentage of domestic investment, we have decided to focus more on domestic investment, we need to attract businesses in Kaduna by providing skilled workforce […] to encourage domestic investment in the state, government’s first priority is to build human capital by engaging in different activities where the young people are willing to be employed in businesses.’’ 

Zamfara Carnage: NEMA confirms 54 dead, 7000 displaced

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The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday confirmed that 54 persons were killed by suspected cattle rustlers in Bawar Daji District, Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara state last week Wednesday. 71 persons injured with over 7000 displaced persons. NEMA said the attacks affected places like Baudi, Tungan Turkish, Doka, Zanoka, Akuzo and Dogon Ruwa. Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’Aziz Yari Abubakar, alongside security chiefs and members of the State Executive Council on Friday visited Emir of Anka over the killings. Governor Yari during the condolence visit to the Emir directed the security agencies to shoot anybody found with arms “in the bush”. The governor said the laws of the country allow only security personnel to carry arms. “It is criminal for any person who is not a security personnel to carry arms, therefore I have ordered the security agencies in the state to shoot at sight any person who carries AK 47 or any other weapons in the bush, be Fulani, Hausa or any tribe. 

The bandits attacked the area after some members of the community held a meeting to discuss measures to be taken against banditry during the 2018 farming season. The bandits had earlier threatened that there would be no farming activities in the area in this year’s rainy season. 

Experts urge overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture

in AFRICA/DEFENCE by

LAGOS – Experts have called for a review of the nation’s security architecture to address the killings and other criminal activities in the land. 

During the inauguration of council members and induction of new members of the Institute of Criminal Justice and Criminology Administration (ICJCA) in Lagos, the chief executive/registrar, Dr. Primus Emenuga, said the appeal has become necessary following the series of negative reports which were capable of undermining national security. He said: “As at this moment, our security architecture is nothing to write home about. If you look at our core competencies, like the justice system, law enforcement and prison, they are not performing optimally […] We are asking the government to look at the security issues from the top to the bottom, especially at the correction level to change the narrative.” 

To the president and chairman of council, Oba Gbadebo Bajowa, there was need to improve the nation’s justice system by developing and providing good but strategic security administrators and defence initiatives in both government and private organisations. The emphasis, he said, should be on the provision of a broad programme that equips members of the criminal justice system with necessary knowledge, skills, attitude and aptitude in criminal justice administration and criminology in tandem with current realities. 

Boko Haram attack leaves 18 dead in Nigeria

in AFRICA/DEFENCE by

Boko Haram killed at least 18 people and wounded scores in coordinated attacks overnight on a military camp and villages around the flashpoint Nigerian city of Maiduguri, which they also tried to infiltrate across a defensive trench, officials said Monday. Boko Haram fighters attacked a military base in the Cashew Plantation area at the entrance to the city with suicide bombers, mortars and guns, leading to a prolonged battle, a senior military officer in Maiduguri said. “Eighteen Boko Haram terrorists on foot attacked the military base while seven suicide bombers targeted residents of nearby Bale Shuwar and Alikaranti villages at 8:50 pm (1950 GMT),”

On Friday, four girl suicide bombers aged between 13 and 18 killed two people in multiple attacks in Zawuya settlement on the outskirts of Maiduguri in the first assault since the government announced it was in ceasefire talks with Boko Haram. Level since at least June 2014, the latest sign that China has kept up pressure on its isolated neighbor in line with United Nations trade sanctions.

Nigeria’s Election sequence: Court sets April 25 for judgment

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The Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed April 25, 2018 to deliver judgment in a suit filed by the Accord Party (AP) seeking an order of court restraining the National Assembly from acting on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018. President Muhammadu Buhari had on March 13, 2018 refused to sign the bill into law, which sparked arguments as to whether or not the National Assembly would use its powers to override the President’s decision. Counsel to the National Assembly, the first defendant, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), in his preliminary objection, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter on the grounds that its jurisdiction was not properly invoked. He said the court could only have jurisdiction over the matter if the bill has become an act.

“No matter how it is construed, the Electoral Act Amendment Bill as at the day the originating summons was filed, up till date, is a bill, it becomes an act upon the happenings of two eventualities Where a president acting under provisions of Section 58, assents to the bill, it then becomes an Act of the National Assembly. Where he refuses to assent under Section 58, the bill is returned to the National Assembly for use of their powers to override. At that point, it remains a bill because there is no guarantee that they will muster the required two- thirds majority to veto it,” Mr. Joseph Daudu stated. Daudu said that it was only where the National Assembly successfully used its power to over-ride the President’s veto and transform the bill to an act that the jurisdiction of the court over it would be ignited.

Why Nigeria may miss targets for oil reserves

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A 10-year target set by the Federal Government to boost crude oil reserves to 40 billion barrels and daily production to four million by 2020 is becoming unrealistic due to uncertainties that decrease investments in the sector.

Indeed, instead of making progress, the country may be taking steps backward, going by statistics from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which indicate that the reserves declined by whopping 961.47 million barrels between 2012 and 2016 alone.

The situation, which is already building anxiety among experts, has been blamed on uncertainties in the oil and gas sector associated with the delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), rising security challenges, growing corruption rating, competition fuelled by increasing oil discoveries across Africa, obsolete fiscal terms as well as other global challenges confronting the industry.

Aid workers resume activity in Boko Haram-hit town

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The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) has announced the resumption of humanitarian operations in Rann town, in Borno. The UN had on March 2 suspended aid operations and withdrew its workers from Rann after a March 1 attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, who killed eight persons, including three aid workers, and abducted a nurse.

The UN relief wing said the resumption of aid operations in the community followed several security assessments by the UN and non-governmental organisations. “The UN and partners are providing life-saving emergency assistance in Rann including food, shelter and medicine to over 80,000 women, children and men, among them 55,000 internally displaced people.” UN OCHA affirmed.

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