As the Economic Communities of West African States (ECOWAS) continues to navigate the complexities of regional integration, three of its member states – Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – have already announced their withdrawal from the regional bloc. By Angela Atabo ECOWAS was founded on May 28, 1975, by the heads of state of 15 West African countries, initially to enhance regional economic cooperation and later expanded to include political and security objectives. The bloc has received particular recognition for its trailblazing role in regional conflict intervention, the free movement of goods and people, and a degree of financial self-reliance…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), also known as the State Security Service (SSS), detained Nigerian journalist Adejuwon Soyinka at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Sunday, August 25. The incident occurred around 5:40 a.m. shortly after Soyinka arrived in Lagos from the United Kingdom on a Virgin Atlantic flight. Soyinka, who is widely recognized as the West African Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa and a former Pioneer Editor of the BBC Pidgin Service, was taken into custody by DSS operatives under unclear circumstances. Despite the passage of several hours since his detention, the security…
The Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, on Saturday, tendered his resignation at the Presidential Villa. Speaking to State House correspondents after tendering the resignation letter, Rufai expressed gratitude to the President for the rare opportunity to serve Nigeria for an extended period of 15 months. Sources said the resignation was part of the president’s plan to overhaul the security architecture of the country towards checkmating the rising insecurity. Mr Abubakar was first appointed to head the nation’s premier external security outfit by the Buhari administration in April 2017, following the removal of the acting…
The Tukur-Tukur community in Zaria of Kaduna state has raised a public health alert regarding the potential outbreak of diphtheria disease in the community. A prominent elder of the community, who is also the Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the Northern Elders Forum, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, following the tragic deaths of five children within 24 hours, all of whom exhibited symptoms consistent with diphtheria disease. The distressing situation has caused widespread concern among residents and health officials. Suleiman reported that some of the affected children died at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Teaching…
The Nigerian government says it has traced ₦83 billion to Pidom, the detained anonymous Nigerian whistleblower, whose name is now revealed as Isaac Bristol, has been accused of terrorism funding, espionage, treasonable felony, computer wire fraud and unauthorised removal of classified documents, sources privy to the matter say. According to new information obtained by the Foundation of Investigative Journalism (FIJ), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said the N83 billion in cryptocurrency it uncovered in early August was traced to Pidom’s account. The security unit claimed it was part of the funds used to fund the nationwide #EndBadGovernance…
How did vaccines, once hailed as essential tools for global peace, security and international cooperation, become something that some now fear could kill them? This is the focus of the latest Global Health Matters podcast, hosted by Garry Aslnyan. In an interview with author Peter Hotez, the discussion delves into how vaccines misinformation and politics, particularly in the United States, have led to a deadly distrust of vaccines. By Maayan Hoffman Hotez and his colleague, Maria Elena Bottazzi, were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for “their work to develop and distribute a low-cost COVID-19 vaccine to people of the world without patent…
A fresh Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists attack on the border community of Kerawa in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State has claimed the lives of four farmers. The incident occurred on Thursday between 12 and 1 pm while the farmers were working on their farms. This attack comes nearly two months after multiple explosions in Gwoza town claimed the lives of over thirty people. The incident was confirmed via telephone by Bukar Aji, the Councillor of Jimini Ward, and Yakubu Ali, the Chairman of the Kerawa Community Association. ALSO READ Terrorists kill 7 Imo community leaders Kerawa is a border…
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has laid the foundation for the construction of the Dambatta–Diggol road in Dambatta Local Government Area and the Wasai–Baita road in Minjibir Local Government Area. These projects, with a combined cost of ₦2,161,406,383.50, span a total length of 15.077 kilometers. Additionally, the governor commissioned the Dambatta Cattle Market, one of five cattle markets that have been reconstructed and upgraded at a total cost of ₦340 million. These road and market projects are part of a broader set of infrastructural interventions in Kano, funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Lives and Livelihood…
As part of its drive to eradicate malaria in Nigeria, the Federal Government has enlisted the support of prominent business leaders. The government announced that Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group; Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings; and Femi Otedola, Chairman of Geregu Power Plc, will spearhead the national campaign against the disease. Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, inaugurated the Nigeria End Malaria Council on Friday in Abuja. Alausa stated that these industry heavyweights would collaborate with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), National Assembly joint Health Committees, and women’s organizations to reduce, and potentially…
The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the victory of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 11, 2023, Kogi State governorship election. A five-member panel of the apex court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Sadiq Umar, dismissed the appeal filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Muritala Ajaka, marking it as SC/CV/654/2024, on the grounds of lacking merit. Similarly, the court dismissed the appeal filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and its candidate, Olayinka Braimoh, seeking to nullify Ododo’s election victory. The panel, in a unanimous decision, ruled that Braimoh’s appeal was…