The African Union’s Peace and Security Council said Thursday it had decided to “immediately suspend” Gabon following the military coup this week.
The body said on X, formerly Twitter, that it “strongly condemns the military takeover of power in the Republic of Gabon which ousted President Ali Bongo on 30 August 2023”.
It “decides to immediately suspend the participation of Gabon in all activities of the AU, its organs and institutions until the restoration of constitutional order in the country”.
The announcement came after a meeting of the council on the situation in Gabon following Wednesday’s coup that followed disputed elections in which Bongo was declared the winner.
It said the meeting was chaired by AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Bankole Adeoye, of Nigeria and the current holder of the council’s rotating chair, Burundi’s Willy Nyamitwe.
On Wednesday, the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, had called on the Gabonese army and security forces “to guarantee the physical integrity” of Bongo, who the coup leaders said had been placed under house arrest.
Faki also condemned the coup and said the events in Gabon were a “flagrant violation” of the legal and political instruments of the Addis Ababa-headquartered African Union.
“(Faki) encourages all political, civil and military actors in Gabon to favour peaceful political paths leading to the rapid return to democratic constitutional order in the country,” he said on X.
Earlier this month, the African Union took similar action to suspend Niger after a coup in the West African country in July that toppled elected president Mohamed Bazoum.
The Nigerian Navy has thwarted an oil theft operation at Lekki Waters and arrested four individuals identified as men of TANTITA Security Service, owned by a Niger Delta ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
But Tantita security service swiftly dismissed the report, claiming their men were after the real culprits who owned the wooden boat laden with crude products.
While parading the suspects on Wednesday, the Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga, said Tompolo’s men were arrested by men of the Nigerian Navy stationed at FOB LEKKI at waterways near the Itolu community, Lekki, after the residents of the area raised the alarm following gunshots from the waterside.
He said they were arrested while attacking a local from whom they tried stealing a boat engine.
Oguntuga said, “In a swift response to a distress call, the Nigerian Navy stationed at FOB Lekki foiled an attempted oil theft operation on the waterways near Itolu community, Lekki, in Lagos State.
“The incident occurred in the early hours of August 29, 2023, when local youths reported gunshots in the vicinity of the community.
“Reviewing the information, naval patrol teams immediately launched a response operation. Upon arrival at the scene, the naval team met four individuals dressed in black polo shirts with TANTITA inscribed on the back, trying to recover a dismantled outboard engine from a local. The team recovered the engine and apprehended the four Tantita employees.”
“It was after this arrest that the patrol team realized that the four individuals were part of a movement of a large wooden boat with two fibre boats. The four arrested individuals beckoned on the two fibre boats to approach them, but when they noticed NN patrol teams, the boats altered courses fled away, and abandoned the large wooden boat laden with 11 x 1000L Geepee tanks with product suspected to be stolen crude oil.
“The arrested individuals have been identified as Asonja Goddey (28), Obajimi Oluwaseyifunmi (38), Awoowo Aribo (35), and Oluwadaisi Balogun (40), all hailing from Igbokoda in Ondo State. The owner of the boat they were trying to forcibly employ, Ishola Ojubuyi (42), is also taken into custody.
“The Nigerian Navy has initiated an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly the possession of firearms used in the community, economic sabotage, how the product came from Ondo State to Lagos State, as well as attempting to steal a boat engine from the locals.
“Also, one Mr Owoyele Omotuyi, who was identified as a Tantita staff member, came to secure the release of the four apprehended, claiming they were Tantita employees. All suspects, along with the confiscated exhibits, will be handed over to appropriate agencies for further necessary action and prosecution,” he added.
Denying the allegations, the security outfit’s Ondo State Coordinator, Idowu Asonja, alleged that the Navy was paid to guide the vessel.
He said, “It is a pathetic and worrisome moment in the western corridor of the Niger Delta states as Nigerian Navy officers arrested four of the Tantita security guards in Ondo/Ogun Zone after the Tantita guards successfully apprehended a wooden vessel fully loaded with crude oil.
“This afternoon, it happens that the Navy security initially were parading a wooden vessel loaded with crude oil, after a while, they released the vessel which was fully loaded with crude oil by some oil thieves.
“Meanwhile, the Tantita security guards were monitoring the matter and later bombarded the vessel after discovering that the Navy officers were paid to guide the vessel. This notorious act/display by the Navy officers provoked the Tantita guards in the area to pursue the vessel, which they later succeeded in arresting.
“To our greatest surprise, the owners of the vessel ran away and came back to the scene with some Nigerian Navy officers working at the Dangote Refinery, which resulted in a conflict and finally, the Navy officers attacked my men, later arrested four of the Tantita security guards from Ondo zone, and set free the wooden vessel.”
Federal Government on August 22, 2022, awarded the contract of protecting oil pipelines to TANTITA Security Service, but there has been controversy over the contract with Nigerians disagreeing on whether it should be revoked or not.
The World Bank Country Director, Shubham Chaudhuri has announced that the $800 million palliative will be disbursed soon.
Chanduri revealed this to Betta Edu the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (FMHAPA) at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja.
He said “The proposed disbursement of $800m for the Social Safety Nets Project will commence soonest.
“We will support the verification and scaling up of the National Social Register (NSR), provide technical support in the preparation of the Ministry to attend UNGA, and give specialized backing for the establishment of the Trust Fund”
The decision to support the minister, was a show of commitment after Chaudhuri pledged to provide all the needed support for the new minister to deliver on the new mandate of the ministry during her visit.
Edu’s visit to the bank was to inform that the Federal Government will fund 15 million households through the Conditional Cash Transfer(CCT).
A CCT is a government initiative aimed at reducing poverty by making welfare programs conditional upon the receivers’ actions.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Information FMHAPA Rhoda Ishaku Iliya on Thursday, Edu reminded the World Bank team of President Bola Tinubu’s direct focus on the people and lifting them out of poverty.
She said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to cover no fewer than fifteen million households under its updated social safety net project tagged Conditional Cash Transfer.
“The flexibility of the World Bank to accommodate the re-focused agenda of the Ministry to eliminate poverty is a welcome development.
“The ministry is preparing to host the Humanitarian Dialogue as well as the creation of the Renewed Hope Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund (HPATF).
“The Trust Fund is expected to come from federal government budgetary provision and allocation, development partners, international community, taxes, private sector contribution among others.
“The Ministry needs the support of the World Bank to verify and expand the National Social Register (NSR) and offer your technical support to work with the Ministry to achieve Mr President’s target.”
Ego, a well-known Nigerian singer who served as Lagbaja’s backup singer has lost her husband to the cold hands of death.
Chris Kehinde, a Nigerian journalist, claims that Ogbaro passed away on Wednesday in the US.
On Thursday, he posted a picture of the couple to his Instagram account along with the caption: “Ohh No Victor Niyi Ogbaro this can’t be true. Victor and husband of Ego died today from what I just learnt. May his soul Rest In Peace.”
Ego, born Nwakaego Iheanacho, got married to Ogbaro in 2009. They, however, lived apart for a while.
Before her husband’s death, Ego removed Ogbaro from her social media accounts fuelling rumours of trouble in their marriage.
Wale Adedayo, the suspended Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government area of Ogun State has said he will challenge his suspension in court.
Recall that seven councillors of the local government led by their leader, Fasheyi Adesuji, from Itele Ward 7 had amid tight security on Thursday morning suspended the embattled council boss for three months over what it described as “maladministration and financial mismanagement”.
The lawmakers had listed about 15 financial infractions against the LG boss including using N8.2m to procure 20 tables and chairs for the primary schools as well as misappropriation of N35m among others.
Adedayo has however described his purported suspension as a “hoax and one that was forced down the throat of the lawmakers having been allegedly baited with N1m”.
His suspension came a day after he accused the governor of fraud.
He said, “The suspension or impeachment of a local government chairman ought to follow due process. The first stage is a letter to me about the so-called infractions.
“Of course, they stormed the Council secretariat with more than 100 armed policemen this morning along with thugs and agberos. They think we were going to react violently as they had prepared. We are in a democracy. We’ll challenge them democratically.
“All the allegations are baseless and without foundation. They forcefully marched the Clerk of the House to Abeokuta yesterday along with the local government’s HOLGA. So, we knew what the Governor was up to before the charade of this morning.
“Two of the councillors were led to the council at gunpoint. And immediately they finished all of them were taken in a vehicle to Abeokuta. Of course, I was told that N1m was given to each person who signed. We are not bothered. Once the EFCC comes, the books of the local government can also be opened for them to see,” the statement concluded.
The former spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala, has revealed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, would be expelled from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, very soon.
He dismissed Wike’s importance in the PDP noting that the party no longer considers him relevant hence the lack of reaction to anything the former Rivers State Governor says.
Bwala made the revelation on Thursday while speaking on Channels Television where he ridiculed Wike whenever questioned.
The former strongman of PDP has however challenged the PDP to suspend him boasting that he had not seen anyone who could suspend or expel him from the PDP.
Wike who also spoke on Channels Television on Wednesday said although he picked up the job as a minister in the All Progressives Congress-government administration, he was working for the president, Bola Tinubu and not the APC.
He stopped short of saying if he would join the APC during the governorship campaign for the November election following the party’s initial inclusion of his name in the campaign council.
The party however denounced the list officially released by its National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, and has released the Kogi Campaign Council leaving Imo and Bayelsa which were also initially released on Tuesday.
The PDP had also listed Wike as a member of its governorship campaign council for Bayelsa.
Even as calls for his expulsion rage, Wike has maintained that he will continue to serve the country as a minister while remaining a member of the PDP.
Bwala, who frowned at Wike’s antics said, “Why we hardly react to what he (Wike) says is because he loves drama, everybody knows that,” Bwala said.
“The quietness of the party is not a weakness…the party knows what it is doing.
“At the appropriate time, he (Wike) would not only be suspended but also expelled. Take that to the bank,” he said.
Over 1,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi state.
This is according to a statement from the state’s Information Commissioner, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
Defected members are said to be from Ukwo and Odaki wards in Koton Karfe town of the state.
It was also said that the detection didn’t leave out top leaders of the party as the PDP LG Assistant Secretary, Former Gegu North ward chairman, the immediate past Councilor from Gegu North and the PDP leader in zone C, Alhaji Idris Ibrahim Tanahu joined the APC.
Tanahu joined the ruling party because of what was described as the “sterling leadership qualities of the APC governorship candidate, Alh. Ahmed Ododo” as well as the excellent achievements of Governor Yahaya Bello, in the Local Government Area (LGA) and the state as a whole.
Alh Idris Ibrahim Tanahu noted that those still in the PDP are people whose traits are similar to that of the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.
His said: “I pity those still associating themselves with the characters fielded by the opposition. They’ve no followers because many of them don’t possess the qualities of leadership that we have seen in Alh. Yahaya Bello and Alh. Usman Ododod. We have decided to join the team of people with integrity and good character.”
Those who defected have continued to commend Hon. Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Engr Bashir Gegu for touching the lives of the people positively and for attracting well-meaning developments to the area.
Ibrahim Mohammed, one of the defectors, said it’ll amount to ingratitude for the people of Kogi LGA not to vote for the APC massively, stressing that the APC administration sited landmark and life-touching projects in the LGA such as electricity and a state of the art hospital.
as Nigerian troops kill 39 terrorists and arrest 157 others
Vice President Kashim Shettima has admitted that bad governance is the cause of the prevalence of banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of violent crimes in Nigeria, especially in the northwest region.
Shettima made this submission on Wednesday, August 30, when he hosted the Coalition of Northern States’ Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
In the vice president’s view, re-engineering and re-strategising” affairs in the north is necessary to catapult the region into “accelerated” development.
He expressed belief in the proposal for stakeholders in the north to go back to the drawing board, re-assess the state of affairs in the region, and develop robust platforms for re-engineering our society.
He said; “It is imperative for the north to embark on the re-strategising and re-engineering of the region to reposition it for accelerated development.
“Most of the issues highlighted by the president of CONSCCIMA are very poignant as these are issues that touch the lives and wellbeing of our people.
“There can never be development without peace, and there can never be peace without development.
“Especially in the north-west through the Pulaku initiative. The Pulaku initiative is a robust solution towards addressing the challenges in the northwest.
“It is a solution aimed at addressing the challenges of banditry, kidnapping and the situation in the northwest, which cannot be divorced from the issue of governance. Poor governance has a direct bearing on what we are harvesting in the north-west.”
Meanwhile, troops of the armed forces eliminated 39 terrorists, apprehended 159 others and rescued 109 hostages in different operations in the last two weeks
Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, said this on Thursday in Abuja at a bi-weekly news briefing on military operations across the country.
He said troops of Operation Hadin Kai ambushed and arrested Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in Gwoza and Tarmuwa Local Government Areas of Borno and Yobe, respectively in the Northeast.
He said that the offensive led to the surrender by some terrorists at Gwoza area of Borno and resulted in the elimination of some others; the rescue of hostages and the recovery of arms and ammunition.
He added that in another operation, troops neutralised 11 terrorists, arrested 45 others and rescued 34 hostages within the period and recovered large cache of arms and ammunition.
According to him, troops recovered six AK47 rifles, one HK21 gun, one GPMG, one fabricated gun, 11 AK47 magazines and 34 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
They also recovered 17 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, one bandolier, and seven empty cases of 7.62mm special, five motorcycles, eight mobile phones and N368, 950.
Mr Buba said the air component of the operations acquired and engaged terrorists’ enclaves at Wulde in Borno, adding that the outcome was being monitored.
He said that in the North Central, troops of Operation Safe Haven neutralised two gunmen, rescued three hostages and arrested 15 crime suspects during the period.
He added that the troops arrested two suspects in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, one of whom was a notorious armed robber on the wanted list of a security agency.
According to him, troops recovered three AK47 rifles, one fabricated AK47 rifles, one fabricated pistol, one Dane gun and 41 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition in the state.
Operation Whirl Stroke the North Central also arrested a member of notorious violent extremist group in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue, neutralised terrorists and rescued hostages.
Mr Buba said troops recovered one FN rifle, five rounds of 7.62mm NATO, and neutralised two terrorists, arrested 11 suspects and rescued six hostages.
The defence spokesman said troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in the Northwest neutralised 12 terrorists, arrested 33 others, rescued 40 hostages and recovered three AK47 rifles, 18 motorcycles and three mobile phones.
Mr Buba also told newsmen that the air component of the military operations conducted an interdiction of terrorists at Sububu Forest in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State and degraded terrorists at the location.
[STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE] My Economic Reforms Are Anchored On Ease Of Business, Collaboration And Constant Performance Assessment, President Tinubu Tells NESG
AdminPresident Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his support for a robust public-private sector partnership to grow the economy, saying that his administration’s sustained, bold and coordinated reforms are anchored on a "strong adherence to accountability and transparency."
Speaking at an audience on Thursday in Abuja with members of the Board and Management of the Nigeria Economic Support Group (NESG), the President reiterated his unequivocal resolve to fully implement the eight priority reform areas under the Renewed Hope Agenda within the next three years.
The President emphasized that Nigeria is blessed with rich human and natural resources, in addition to deficit opportunities, which can quickly be leveraged into new prosperity, calling for the urgent exploitation of Nigeria's diversity for collective gain, with an eye on new think tanks in the agricultural sector and the establishment of a commodity exchange.
"We have gone through the past. I will not look back. The focus of my horse and my race remains forward-looking. We have an abundance of knowledge and untapped mineral resources, and an agricultural sector that is God-given, but we tend to shy away from taking those gigantic steps that will result in prosperity for our people. We are not exploiting our diversity for prosperity, we are at each other’s throats, arguing about unnecessary things, instead of thinking and doing for our people," the President said.
The President noted that he was elected on a "no excuses" platform for renewed hope and that he will not accept excuses from anyone in his government as they set out to deliver on his agenda.
"Looking backwards is retrogressive for any reformer. Looking forward can give you the leaps that will propel you in the right direction. We need think tanks in the agricultural sector. I don’t see why Nigeria will be so blessed with good soil and not have a commodity exchange. I don’t see why we have not been able to interrogate our real estate sector and propel it.
"I don’t see why we have not used consumer credit to build the purchasing power of our people and the capacity of our very own manufacturing sector," the President assessed.
While commending the NESG for believing in the reforms of his administration, the President said the "bitter pill" must be administered to an ailing nation and economy to build a better future for the country.
"I am here and I believe we can do it together. No single person succeeds alone. The world is dynamic. We are confronted with climate change and other challenges, but somewhere in the eye of the storm, there is a quiet and peaceful corner for those who can toil well. With patience and determination, we will succeed," the President assured.
The Chairman of NESG, Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf, welcomed the economic reforms announced by the Tinubu administration, specifically with respect to fuel subsidy removal, foreign exchange rate harmonization, food security and palliatives to sub-national governments.
The NESG Chairman pledged that the NESG would work with the newly inaugurated cabinet to achieve the eight-point agenda of the administration.
"Your track record in the effective implementation of bold economic reforms as the Governor of Lagos leaves those of us in the private sector without doubt that you will achieve much greater feats as our nation's president," the NESG Chairman confided.
He used the occasion of the courtesy visit to formally request the President to declare open the NESG Summit in October, as well as to direct Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to partner with them and participate fully at the Summit as part of efforts to ramp up local and foreign direct investment in Nigeria.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
Gabon’s new strongman General Brice Oligui Nguema will be sworn in as “transitional president” on Monday at the constitutional court, coup leaders said.
Oligui will “phase in transitional institutions”, Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, spokesman for the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) said on state TV on Thursday, a day after rebel officers overthrew President Ali Bongo Ondimba.
No details were given on the duration of the transitional institutions.
All general secretaries, ministerial offices, director generals and officials of state services have been instructed “to ensure in the immediate future the effective resumption of work and continuity of the functioning of all public services”, the spokesman said.
Keyamo halts Nigeria Air project, reverses concession of airports
Niger Junta orders eviction of French ambassador
Gabon will also respect all its commitments at home and abroad, the army chiefs pledged.
Oligui “would like to reassure all donors, development partners as well as state creditors that all provisions will be taken to guarantee respect for our country’s commitments both externally and internally,” the spokesman added.
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The military regime in Nige has ordered the police to forcefully evict French ambassador, Ambassador, Sylvain Itte, from the country.
The soldiers who ousted Niger’s president Mohamed Bazoum last month had given Ambassador Sylvain Itte 48 hours to leave the country.
The deadline expired on August 28 without France recalling Itte.
French government had said it did not recognise the coup rulers as the country’s legitimate leaders.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said the ambassador would stay in the country despite the junta’s pressure.
The latest communique sent by Niger’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Itte “no longer enjoys the privileges and immunities attached to his status as a member of the diplomatic staff of the embassy.”
The document also said the diplomatic cards and visas of the ambassador’s families have been canceled.
Since ousting Niger’s democratically elected Bazoum, the junta has leveraged anti-French sentiment among the population to shore up its support.
The regional bloc, ECOWAS deployed a “standby” force and ordered it to transition Niger back to constitutional rule. The force has not yet entered Niger, and the bloc says the door remains open to dialogue but it won’t wait forever.
The junta has appointed a new government and said it would return Niger to the system of government prescribed by the constitution within three years, a timeline that ECOWAS has rejected.
The African Union’s Peace and Security Council said it was holding a meeting Thursday on the situation in Gabon, following the military coup there this week.
“Now, AU Peace & Security Council meets to consider the situation in Gabon,” the AU body said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
It said the meeting was being chaired by AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Bankole Adeoye of Nigeria and the current holder of the council’s rotating chair, Burundi’s Willy Nyamitwe.
It gave no further information.
On Wednesday, the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said he “strongly condemns” what he described as an attempted coup in the oil-rich central African state.
Rebel army officers announced Wednesday that they had seized power following disputed elections, in which President Ali Bongo Ondimba had been declared victor.
Faki had also called on the Gabonese army and security forces “to guarantee the physical integrity” of Bongo, who the coup leaders said had been placed under house arrest.
Reps uncover how National Great Green Wall spends N81.2bn planting 21m trees in 11 Northern States
AdminThe House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the utilization of Ecological Funds and other intervention funds of the Great Green Wall Project on Wednesday queried claims by the National Agency for Great Green Wall (NAGGW) that it spent N81bn to plant 21 million trees in the frontline states in the north.
The states are Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.
NAGWW Director-General, Yusuf Maina Bukar, told the committee that the agency also spent N697.71m on renovation of office accommodation and N11.28bn on capital projects.
He said the main funding of the agency was from 15 per cent of the Ecological Funds and the federal allocation as well as other sources for its operations.
The committee also quizzed the Central Bank of Nigeria over seven accounts domiciled in the apex bank.
A six-page document dated 22nd August, 2023 submitted by the CBN showed that N9,465,960,382.57 was domiciled in the agency’s account from 2015 to date.
The Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, represented by Deputy Director, Irene Nwangwu, said the NAGWW had received a total of N19,377,726,506.95 from the Derivation & Ecology Accounts from February 2019 to date.
In addition, the agency also received the N11.023bn as capital expenditure through the oAGF.
Nwangwu said former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the release of N2.309bn to the agency as 2020 statutory 5% Ecological Fund.
The chairman of the committee, Isma’ila Haruna Dabo and members complained that the NAGGW spent monies without commensurate results.
The committee also said the agency deviated from its core mandate.
He said, “Projects such as the Great Green Wall under investigation here were designed primarily to address some of these issues.
The persistence of these challenges despite funds put into the programme from both the federal government and international partners has necessitated this investigation.
“In recent years, we have witnessed a significant upsurge in natural environmental challenges such as land degradation, deforestation, desertification and drought, which most times are explained away with the context of climate change”.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has urged African leaders to focus on the cause of the recent spike in military coups across the continent.
Atiku stated this while reacting to the Gabon coup on his official X handle on Thursday.
Expressing his worries over the trend of military takeovers in Africa, he noted that the Gabon coup is the eighth in Africa since 2020.
“The coup in Gabon stands condemned. Democracy and democratic governance have come to stay as a preferred form of government.
“The latest coup brings the number of military takeovers in Central and West Africa to 8 since 2020. This is worrisome. We may have to focus on dealing with the disease and not the symptoms that birth coups,” he tweeted.