As global figure hits $7trn
The International Monetary Fund, IMF, has hinted that the lead world economic powers are leading in aggregate global fossil fuel subsidy.
It also stated that globally, total fossil fuel subsidies amounted to $7 trillion in 2022, equivalent to nearly 7.1 percent of global Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
The Fund in its report titled “IMF Fossil Fuel Subsidies Data: 2023 Update”, released yesterday, disclosed this stating that explicit subsidies (undercharging for supply costs) account for 18 percent of the total while implicit subsidies (undercharging for environmental costs and forgone consumption taxes) account for 82 percent.
The report states “Explicit subsidies have more than doubled since the previous IMF assessment, from $0.5 trillion in 2020 to $1.3 trillion in 2022, with sharply higher international fossil fuel prices.
‘‘However, much of the increase is due to temporary price support measures, and hence explicit subsidies are expected to decline if international prices continue receding from their peak levels.
‘‘Implicit subsidies are projected to rise in the baseline as the share of fuel consumption in emerging markets (where local environmental costs are generally larger) continues to climb.”
The report noted that the differences between efficient prices and retail prices for fossil fuels are large and pervasive across fuels, but especially for coal.
“Globally, 80 percent of coal consumption was priced at below half of its efficient level in 2022. ‘‘Underpricing for local air pollution and global warming account for nearly 60 percent of global fossil fuel subsidies and underpricing for supply costs and transportation externalities (such as congestion) explain another 35 percent (the remainder is accounted for by forgone consumption tax revenue).
“By fuel product, undercharging for oil products accounts for nearly half the subsidy, coal another 30 percent, and natural gas nearly 20 percent (underpricing for electricity accounts for the remainder).
‘‘By region, East Asia and the Pacific accounts for nearly half of the global subsidy.
‘‘By country, in absolute terms China remains the biggest subsidizer of fuels, followed by the US, Russia, EU, and India.
‘‘Fully reforming fossil fuel prices by removing explicit fuel subsidies and imposing corrective taxes such as a carbon tax would reduce global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 43 percent below ‘business as usual’ levels in 2030 (34 percent below 2019 levels).
”Indeed, for developing countries as a whole, revenue gains from full price reform exceed the estimated extra spending needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Fuel price reform would avert about 1.6 million premature deaths per year from local air pollution by 2030. Reforming fossil fuel subsidies is in countries’ own interest, even when excluding climate benefits” the report stated.
Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Nyesom Wike has ordered the immediate identification and arrest of the owner of a two-storey building which collapsed in Abuja on Wednesday night.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that two persons have been certified dead from the collapse, and 37 were rescued and taken to various hospitals.
The building, located at Lagos Crescent, Garki Village in the Garki District of the nation’s capital, was one of the first storey buildings in the area.
This publication learnt that the building caved in around 11pm on Wednesday amid heavy downpours. However, rescue operations were initially very slow over the night as there was no immediate access to an excavator, and rescue efforts were purely manual.
Speaking at the scene of the incident, Wike noted that original residents of the area were designated for resettlement; however, he wondered why, for years, the FCT Administration could not carry out such resettlement.
While he applauded the rescue efforts, Wike said, “It is unfortunate that we woke this morning to the very disturbing news of this building collapse. It is not what we contemplated. Let me thank the agencies particularly NEMA and FEMA that have supported us to rescue not less than 37 lives. It is unfortunate that we lost two lives. I will appeal to the Permanent Secretary to make sure that funds are raised to pay the hospital bills of those who were rescued so that we do not lose any more person, and this should be done immediately.”
“Secondly, these are the things we have been saying, nobody knows whose turn it will be, therefore when government says it will take actions in areas we believe there are illegal developments or buildings that do not comply with the standard codes, it is not as if anybody has any personal vendetta but for me it is for us to do the right thing.
“I don’t know why it has taken long that the FCTA has not resettled them and so we will take immediate action to see that the indigenes of these place are resettled and then government has to plan out this place.
“When government says take building plan, it is not to suffer anybody but to make sure that everyone is protected. Cities are planned to forestall this kind of occurrences. Imagine buildings without approval. I will ask that we must identify and arrest the owner of this property. It is very important.
“Government will, of course, take over this area and make sure no further development is carried out here. I want all the stakeholders here to please work with government in the interest of everybody. No one has come here to say I like A, I don’t like B. I know sometimes government’s decisions may not be too comfortable with the people, but in the long run, it is in the interest of the people. Now we are all gathered here and none of us is happy we are here. These are the things we are trying to forestall. Again I sympathize with those who lost dear lives, while government will pick up the bills of all those in the hospital. We will also support the rescue efforts and ensure that they get to the last level and rescue everyone still trapped in the rubble”.
“Thirty Seven persons have so far been rescued and evacuated to hospital, others reportedly still trapped. Rescue team and others are on ground. Rescue operations on but slowly due to ongoing rain”. They are making frantic efforts at getting an excavator to remove people from the rubble”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, explained that the building had no planning approval because the area is meant for resettlement.
“The building is located within the Garki indigenous settlement. The building had two suspended floors, one used for commercial activities while the other floors were used as residential accommodation. The building caved in yesterday (Wednesday) and 37 persons were rescued
“The status of the place is that it is not a planned area so the development had no planning approval. In fact, the area is meant for resettlement from here to Apo resettlement town”
[PoliticsNigeria]
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has filed an application at the US District Court for an order directing discovery from Chicago State University of the record of President Bola Tinubu.
Naija News reports that Angela M. Liu, the United States counsel to the PDP candidate, filed the application with Case No. 23-cv-5099 pursuant to 28 United States Constitution 1782.
Liu, in the application, told the court she made efforts, including a subpoena, to get the university to confirm or deny the issuance of two diploma certificates with different dates to no avail.
She told the court that “I have personal knowledge of the matters set forth in her declaration, except as where specifically noted”, adding that “if called upon as a witness, I could and would testify competently thereto“.
The document she filed before the court and obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday is a 24-paragraph declaration in support of the Application, pursuant to 28 U.S.C 1782, for an Order granting leave to serve the Subpoenas attached to the Application as Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively, upon Respondent Chicago State University (“CSU”).
She declared: “It is a matter of public record that Applicant is a prominent businessman and politician in Nigeria. Applicant served as Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. He won a contested primary to become the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Nigeria’s principal opposition party, during the 2019 presidential election.
“He was again the presidential candidate of Nigeria’s principal opposition party (the People’s Democratic Party, or “PDP”) in elections held in February 2023. The conduct and results of the elections in which Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared the winner and Applicant was declared the runner-up are currently the subject of legal proceedings in the Nigerian courts (the “Nigerian proceedings”), which include proceedings brought by Applicant.
“Upon information and belief, Respondent CSU is a public university established and existing under the laws of Illinois, with its principal campus and offices in Chicago. See 110 ILCS 660; see also https://www.csu.edu.
“Both before and after the election, litigants commenced proceedings in the Nigerian courts challenging various aspects of the electoral processes and, later, the election results.
“Three of these proceedings are relevant to this Application: (1) proceedings commenced in November 2022, by Mr. Mike Enahoro-Ebah against Mr. Tinubu (“Enahoro-Ebah v. Tinubu”); (2) Applicant’s lawsuit, Abubakar et al. v. INEC, et al., which was commenced in March 2023; and (3) Peter Obi and Labour Party v. INEC, Tinubu et al., in the Court of Appeal at Abuja, CA/PEPC/03/2023, which commenced in March 2023.
“Attached hereto as Exhibit A is the Complaint in Enahoro-Ebah v. Tinubu, and attached hereto as Exhibit B is the Complaint in Abubakar, et al. v. INEC et al. CSU is not a party to these proceedings.”
She added, “Attached hereto as Exhibit C is a copy of a diploma purporting to have been issued to Mr. Tinubu by CSU on June 22, 1979.
“Attached hereto as Exhibit D is a copy of a document purporting to be a September 22, 2022, letter from the Registrar of CSU to Matthew J. Kowals, Esq.”
[NaijaNews]
Rescue crews were searching for survivors Thursday after a building collapse in Nigeria’s capital left two people dead while many others are feared trapped, emergency officials said.
The two-story building in the densely populated Garki district of the capital Abuja collapsed during a downpour late Wednesday, witnesses said. It served both as a shopping center and a residential block and some of those trapped were believed to be shoppers.
Nkechi Isa, spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the city said 37 people have so far been pulled alive from the rubble. She said the rescue efforts would continue until the rubble has been searched.
Crews used an excavator and a bulldozer to clear away debris in search of survivors. A large crowd of people who gathered on the street where the building had stood cheered as crews pulled out survivors. Others awaited news about their missing relatives.
Samuel Japhet narrowly escaped the collapse after entering the building to buy drinks. “We bought the drinks and left, it was not up to 30 minutes and it happened,” said Japhet. “People were there, all these places, people live here.”
Building collapses are becoming rampant in Africa's most populous country with more than a dozen of such failures recorded in the last year, including earlier in August when a mosque collapsed in the northwestern Kaduna state, killing seven people.
Authorities often blame such disasters on a failure by officials to enforce building safety regulations and on poor maintenance.
[TheStars]
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FCT FEMA) has confirmed the collapse of a two-storey building on Wednesday night, at Lagos Street, Garki village, Abuja.
The agency’s spokeswomam, Nkechi Isa, said in a statement on Thursday, that 37 people were rescued alive, while two others were fatally wounded.
A rescue operation was ongoing to search for more victims, said FEMA.
The statement added that a combined team of the FCT FEMA, Federal Road Safety Corps and FCT police command were on the ground to rescue and evacuate victims.
“The two-storey building, which serves both residential and commercial purposes collapsed on Wednesday night. FCT FEMA Search and Rescue Team are awaiting excavators to intensify the search to ensure that no victim is left in the rubble of the collapsed building,” said the statement.
The agency’s director-general, Abbass Iddriss, commended the efforts of all stakeholders, including members of the community working hard manually to rescue people trapped in the debris.
(NAN)
A 37-year-old artist from Nigeria has figured out the most innovative way to create art with a sustainable approach toward it. Chibuike Ifedilichukwu collects and recycles aluminium cans to design bigger-than-life portraits of famous personalities to raise awareness in his nation.
A photographer, curator, graphic designer, printmaker by passion, and an artist at heart, Chibuike has created over 40 upcycled artworks from waste materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. He exhibits his recycled aluminium items on domestic and international platforms, having sold some pieces at $1,000 each.
The artist’s success should not be measured by the amount of money he makes but by the idea with which he appeals to the masses. Chibuike’s intense thoughtfulness for nature has led him to recycle as many aluminium cans for his artwork. He aspires to initialise a community-based art gallery that would inspire artists to engage in environmental drives.
“I wanted to find a unique way to express myself, and I researched. I found that nobody does this pattern of art,” Ifedilichukwu told the press.
He uses materials like wood, plastic, copper wire, rope, injection bottles and aluminium discarded by local pharmaceutical companies to create interesting abstracts and portraits.
Ifedilichukwu talks about his hometown, Akwa and jocularly says that there is no shortage of supplies for his artwork in the region. “When I go scavenging, people see me as a mad person,” he added.
“But I’m making a living out of it … and I’m creating awareness to make our environment safe,” Ifedilichukwu proudly said.
AL Circle is amazed to see such a noble initiative, and we congratulate the silent hero, Chibuike Ifedilichukwu, on his amazing accomplishments. May we have more artists like him who believe in recycled art.
[alcircle]
The inability of cargo to be freighted through air is causing a lot of havoc to the aviation industry’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Products (GDPs) of Nigeria.
Its failure is however, having a negative effect on the Yakubu Gowon International Airport, Jos as its revenue generation has continued to dwindle.
Mr. Rindap Nantim, the General Manager, Jos Airport, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) told the Avia-Cargo Committee set up by the agency that the airport is now a shadow of itself.
According to him, in the 1980s and 1990s, Jos Airport was reputable for exportation of cargo from all North Central Zone of the country to cities in Nigeria and outside the nation.
He emphasised that in the past, flowers, mangoes, meat and other agricultural produce from the farms were exported through the airport, saying that while the products were available in the farms, they are no longer exported through the aerodrome.
He explained that the plan of the management was to make Jos Airport a hub for the North Central Zone, hoping that this would be realised with the renewed vigour of FAAN.
He said: “Our dream is becoming a reality with this Avia-Cargo Committee. One of the things I discussed with the management of FAAN at a retreat organised for staff in 2022 in Kano was cargo development for our airports, especially the Jos airport.
“In the 1980s and 1990s, fresh flowers, meat and other agricultural produce were airlifted from this airport to several other cities and countries, but now, the airport is a ghost of its former self. This is not because the facilities are not there, but no one is encouraging investors to come here.”
In his speech, Mr. Ikechi Uko, the Coordinator, Avia-Cargo Committee, said the essence of the committee was to know why the airport failed to be a leading exporter of aviation cargo and to proffer solutions.
Uko explained that Nigeria would not be number one exporter of cargo produce on the continent without Plateau State, which is known as the ‘Food Basket’ of Nigeria.
According to him, the Federal Government was relying on the committee’s report to set a policy for cargo rebirth in Nigeria and assured that the committee would not fail the nation.
Uko told Nantim that the committee comprised experts from various sectors, including the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigeria Quarantine Service, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), among other agencies.
“We are here to know how Jos became number one and how we ruined it. What are the lessons that we can learn from the past and how can we make Nigeria the number one in Africa? Was it lack of airlines, logistics or capacity that made us failed?” he said.
On his part, Mr. James Shalangwa, a member of the committee, explained that Jos airport was a beehive of activities in the past with at least 24 flights daily.
Shalangwa emphasised that airlines like the former Nigeria Airways, Okada Air and Kabo Air were competing for cargo exports from the airport, but regretted that all these had collapsed in recent times.
Shalangwa blamed the consolidators like cargo clearing agents for the current challenges, but expressed delight that the Federal Government through the management of FAAN had shown the commitment to make Nigeria an exporting nation.
Patricia, a Nigerian cryptocurrency exchange, has revealed the introduction of its own native token named Patricia Token (PTK). However, the launch has generated more doubt than applause within the local cryptocurrency community.
Native tokens are digital assets that are specific to a particular blockchain platform or cryptocurrency exchange. They are created and issued directly by the platform or exchange itself. Examples of native tokens include BNB
BNB
$219
on the Binance exchange, Ether
ETH
$1,665
on the Ethereum network, and Solana
SOL
$22
In the official communication on X (formerly Twitter), the company stated its intention to transition exchange operations to the Patricia Plus app. The newly introduced native token, which the company asserts is a stablecoin with a 1:1 peg to the United States dollar, is expected to take the place of customers’ existing Bitcoin
BTC
$26,379
and naira balances.
This development follows the company’s previous disclosure of a security breach resulting in fund losses in May 2023. Despite asserting that customer funds remained unaffected, platform users have faced ongoing difficulties in accessing their funds since April.
The response to Patricia’s announcement has led to speculation around fears of a potential exit scam, which could leave customers who have funds stuck on the platform in a precarious situation.
Highlighted in posts by members of the local crypto community, there are a few indicators of concern surrounding Patricia’s introduction of PTK. The token is absent from major cryptocurrency aggregators like CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko. These platforms offer comprehensive details about tokens, including their real value, issued quantity, contract address and launch blockchain.
PTK does not exist on widely adopted blockchains used by exchanges for launching their native tokens. To illustrate, PayPal’s newly introduced stablecoin,
is accessible on the Ethereum blockchain, the platform on which it was introduced.
In its statement on X, Patricia disclosed its plan to convert outstanding balances to PTK without obtaining customer consent. This unilateral action has raised concerns, as many worry about their ability to exchange the token for fiat currency or alternate cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
If customers initiate withdrawals in large numbers, a surge of withdrawals could lead to PTK losing its peg, potentially leaving those who couldn’t withdraw stranded.
[cointelegraph]
It was another week of anti-dollar vituperations as developing and emerging economies under the BRICS group met in Johannesburg South Africa.
Former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun questioned the need for the dollar as the international reserve currency and medium of global trade.
Bloomberg reports the ex-Nigeria leader saying “I want to buy from India. Why should I use dollars? which received a loud cheer in response. Nigeria earns most of its dollars from crude oil sales but in recent times has been facing FX scarcity as a result of rising imports.
Opinions of other leaders
But it was not only the former Nigerian leader who voiced his discontent with the greenback, leaders from Brazil and Russia promoted calls for a move away from the USD and advocated for a new medium of international trade. Russia’s Vladimir Putin said in a recorded speech “The objective, irreversible process of de-dollarization of our economic ties is gaining momentum”
He went further saying the BRICS group would work to achieve the aspirations of the majority of the world’s population.
- He said “We cooperate on the principles of equality, partnership support, and respect for each other’s interests, and this is the essence of the future-oriented strategic course of our association, a course that meets the aspirations of the main part of the world community, the so-called global majority”
Brazil’s Lula Da Silva called for an alternative currency for international trade that doesn’t jeopardize national currencies. He said,
- “I have defended the idea of adopting a reference unit of account for trade, which will not replace our national currencies”
Why anti-dollar rhetoric is getting louder
Experts opined that the revitalized advocacy for a move away from the US dollar was necessitated by the sanctions by the United States government against Russia. Some of the sanctions include freezing Russia’s central bank assets and banning Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), the international financial communication system, in February 2022. Hence there is a fear among nations that if they fall out with the West, the fate of Russia will befall them.
Long walk away from the dollar
However, creating an equitable alternative currency for international trade is not an easy task as there are many contentious questions with no easy answers.
- Last month, the Chief financial officer of the New Development Bank (NDB)- a financial institution created by the BRICS group said “The development of anything alternative is more a medium to long term ambition. There is no suggestion right now to create a BRICS currency,”
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, has said that her office will probe the activities of the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq.
According to Edu in an interview on Wednesday, the ministry will operate on transparency and so it’ll start by reviewing the social register.
She said, “We’ll look at all the programmes that were done by the previous administration. What their achievements and challenges were, how money was spent and we’ll do our best to see that these challenges are overcome as we go into improving and expanding on the social safety net of our country.
“History is important. It’ll help direct, help inform our decisions for the present and for the future. It’s important for us to look into the books.”
On the social register, she said, “We’ll go back to it and look at it in detail and verify that these people are truly the ones we intend to reach. It’s a new administration and we don’t underestimate the work done by the World Bank and the Office of the National Safety Net.
“However, we need to be very critical of what we’re doing because Nigerians are watching and people will be held accountable”, Edu said.
She added, “President Bola Tinubu truly wants these interventions to get to those who sincerely need it. Some governors have raised concerns and this is just the right way to go about it.
“The register must be verified and updated. The people who don’t deserve to be there based on criteria will be taken off the register.
“Those who are truly poor by the criteria, and deserve to be on the social register will be included. No one will be left behind. The most important is that we must work with the state and local governments to be able to get a true social register for our country.
“I listened to some of the presentations just started at the different departments, units and agencies and some of the things I could pick out was the fact that some of the registrations were done truly and however, the involvement of the state government and in some cases local governments was not robust as it should be.
“We’ll ensure that we have the right register that we can implement properly and hold people accountable so that truly poor people are lifted out of poverty,” she said.
More...
Yet-to-be determined number of people were feared dead and many others trapped in a multi-storey building, which collapsed amidst heavy downpour on Wednesday night in Abuja.
The building is located at the ever-busy Lagos Street in Garki village area of Garki II district of Abuja.
An eyewitness, Tanko Dabo, who was at the scene after the incident, said the building was housing many apartments, while the ground floor was full of shops.
He said the building collapsed during the heavy downpour, which started around 11:50pm late Wednesday night.
“There was wailing all over the place after the building collapsed. Dozens of people are either dead or trapped as the building was fully occupied.
“It was a scene of helplessness with people screaming and running helter-skelter, while the heavy rain continued,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Facebook user and former aide to the immediate-past Minister of the FCT, Ikharo Attah, who took to his Facebook page to post the incident in the wee hours of Thursday, said seven persons had so far been rescued and evacuated to hospital, while others were still trapped.
He confirmed that a rescue team and other first responders were on ground at about 2am carrying out rescue operations.
He lamented that the rescue operation was, however, slow due to the ongoing rain at the time.
“They are making frantic efforts at getting an excavator to remove people from the rubble,” Attah wrote.
The current prices of calls, data, and other telecommunication services are no longer sustainable, telecom companies have stated.
This, according to them, is because of the current market realities such as increases in energy costs, inability to access foreign exchange, and more. This concern was voiced by the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, during his industry address speech on Wednesday, at the second edition of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Nigerian Telecommunications Indigenous Content Expo in Lagos.
He explained that even though the conversation to review prices is hard, it must be had for the industry to continue to deliver communication service in the country.
Adebayo said, “We also must have one hard conversation, I know it is difficult, but it is one we must have. The current pricing regime of the industry is not sustainable. We are basically selling below cost. It is not easy to talk about, but we cannot continue like this. We must allow market forces to determine prices. On our end, we must look at a more realistic pricing offering because today’s pricing regime is not sustainable.”
Telcos have been insisting on increasing the prices of their services following the increase in the cost of operation caused by rises in the cost of diesel and the devaluation of the naira.
In his address, the ALTON chairman congratulated the new minister of communications, Bosun Tijani, on his appointment and wished him well. However, he noted that the independence of the NCC is sacrosanct to the success of the ICT sector in Nigeria.
Adebayo opined that the politicisation of the industry has been responsible for most of the current issues besieging it. He explained that the USSD debt with banks would have cleared if political agendas had not prevailed.
He stated, “We must not subject our regulator to political agendas. The biggest problems that we have today, that we are dealing with as an industry, are some simple policy issues that have subjected to politics.
“Let me speak for a bit about the issue of USSD debt. That was a simple commercial agreement that entered into political intervention and has led us to these points. The people dealing with the problems today, both at the level of the NCC, the ministry, CBN did not create the problem.
“USSD is a provided service under a willing-buying pattern. We provide the service, and get paid for the service that was rendered. We provide the service, we don’t get paid, then we follow the rules. But when that time comes, and the policy makers intervenes, then it becomes a problem.”
He urged that the NCC must be allowed to remain independent under the new administration.
Also at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, stated that the sector is home to two of the most valuable listed companies in Nigeria with a collective market capitalisation in excess of N10.45tn.
He also stated that the commission in 2021 and 2022, generated revenue in excess of $820m from the auction and grant of 3.5GHz Spectrum band licences to three operators for the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) services in the country.
The EVC, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner (Technical Services), Ubale Maska, noted, “In order to sustain and further improve Quality of Service and Quality of Experience in telecommunications services in Nigeria, we must embrace indigenous content and value creation within the telecoms value chain, otherwise, increase in telecoms tariff will be inevitable.”
The EVC further added that the local SIM card industry is now worth N55bn following the ban on foreign SIM cards last year.
The reported death of the leader of the Russian mercenary group, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash yesterday has raised tension and speculations around the world especially concerning the alleged plot by the militant group to back the military junta in Niger Republic.
The Niger junta led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani which toppled President Mohamed Bazoum in July was alleged to be in serious talks with Wagner for military assistance to contain a possible attack by the ECOWAS standby force after the regional bloc threatened to restore Bazoum to power through military intervention.
Unconfirmed reports said that Prigozhin was seen in Niger trying to negotiate with the junta towards counter the threat issued by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to use force to restore Bazoum to power if diplomacy fails.
The death of Prigozhin may have changed the equation in the country, further deepening the crisis in Niger, but experts are looking at the issue with a deep sense of caution due to Russia’s alleged deft moves in complicating issues of this nature.
Prigozhin was reported to be on the list of passengers on the aircraft that crashed in the Tver Region, Russian authorities said.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry has said that private aircraft “came down” near the village of Kuzhenkino – and all in it were killed.
The ministry said the jet was flying from Moscow to St Petersburg, and that 10 people, including three crew members, were on board. Eight bodies have been found at the crash site, according to Russian news agency. It’s not been confirmed if Prigozhin was amongst those.
Prigozhin has been keeping a low public profile since heading his short-lived mutiny in June, which lasted only 24 hours.
He last appeared in a video earlier this week which was said to have been filmed in an unspecified location in Africa.
The Wagner mercenary group was founded in 2014 and was highly active in the Ukraine war until the June mutiny.
Speaking to our correspondent yesterday on this development, Professor Femi Badejo of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Chrisland University Abeokuta , said the reported death of Prigozhin will not alter the situation if indeed the mercenary group had an interest to protect the regime in Niger.
He said, “Wagner is a structured group; it is not a one-man show. If he is dead a new leader will arise. So, let us not personalise the group.”
The academic also castigated the idea of the threat of the use of force by ECOWAS to restore democratic order in the beleaguered West African country, stressing that there is nothing like a standby force within the context of the regional bloc.
He added that the initial threat of the use of force was just a bluff as the ECOWAS will find it very difficult to mobilise troops of such magnitude to intervene militarily in Niger if diplomacy fails. Also speaking to our correspondent on the matter, an international affairs expert, Charles Onunaiju concurred that Prigozhin’s death will not affect the situation in Niger as Wagner, he said, “is not playing any role. Even Tchiani admitted that Prigozhin is not playing any role in Niger, therefore his death will not be the end of Wagner.”
Onunaiju, who is also the director of the Centre for China Studies, an Abuja-based intellectual think tank, added that Russia’s strategic interest in Africa and especially in Niger will remain the same as Russia has found new grounds to express more antagonism towards other Western powers, especially seeing an opportunity to thwart the ambitions of NATO members in the region.
Also speaking to our correspondent, international affairs expert, Majeed Dahiru said, “I don’t think his death will change anything especially Russia ‘s interest. If Wagner is useful to Russia’s strategic interest, then Prigozhin’s death will not dissuade Russia from its territorial ambitions in Africa, which is to counter the moves of the Western powers. ”
UK Defence Minister Backs ECOWAS
The United Kingdom Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey MP, has given his country’s full support to the Economic Community West African States (ECOWAS) efforts to restore democratic order in Niger Republic following the July 26 military coup that toppled the democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum.
Heappey arrived in Nigeria this week to meet top Nigerian defence leaders and military chiefs, to deepen defence cooperation between both countries and discuss the situation in Niger, a statement issued on Wednesday by the UK mission in Nigeria said.
During his visit, Minister Heappey met senior leaders on Wednesday within the Nigerian Ministry of Defence, as well as the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff.
He also met with the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, where he reiterated the UK’s support for ECOWAS’ ongoing diplomatic efforts to ensure a peaceful return to democracy in Niger.
Heappey said: “I’m delighted to return to Nigeria for the third time in three years. “The UK and Nigerian armed forces have a longstanding partnership through which we continue to tackle violent extremism and other security threats in West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
“The UK supports ECOWAS in calling for the peaceful restoration of constitutional order and democracy in Niger and we’ll work with both ECOWAS and our partners across West Africa to support them in that aim.”
He added that the UK and Nigeria enjoy a deep and long-standing security and defence relationship, underpinned by a shared desire to support regional and international peace and security.
He noted that the UK’s support to the Nigerian Armed Forces is a focus of the relationship, helping to build Nigerian capabilities to tackle security threats and instability.
“Nigeria is a key partner in promoting regional security and countering violent extremism in West Africa, including the Lake Chad Basin.
“The Nigerian Armed Forces are a leading contributor to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), showing the resolve of its constituent nations to deliver security in the region.
“The UK recognises Nigeria’s diplomatic mediation efforts to peacefully restore democracy in Niger, through its membership of ECOWAS, and condemns in the strongest possible terms the ongoing coup against Niger’s elected-leadership.
“We stand with ECOWAS in condemnation of the illegal detention of President Mohamed Bazoum, his family, and members of the government, as well as the unacceptable conditions under which they are being held, and call for their immediate release,” he said.
Fagge Suggests Diplomatic Solutions
A don, Prof. Kamilu Fagge has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to prioritise diplomatic solutions to resolve current political impasse in Niger Republic.
It would be recalled that Niger, one of the 15 member states of the ECOWAS had been enmeshed in political imbroglio sequel to Coup d’eta.
In a swift reaction, the ECOWAS imposed series of sanctions against the junta and threatened military action if the coup leaders failed to restore the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Fagge, a lecturer with the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday in Kano.
He stressed the need for the Commission to embrace dialogue and diplomatic response to the situation.
“The best way is for the leaders to sit down to negotiate through diplomatic response to achieve an amicable political solution.
“In some cases you buttress your diplomacy with a show of force but the most stable way of resolving the crisis is through dialogue.
“This is not the first time we are having similar things, there are a lot of instances when either ECOWAS, African Union (AU) or United Nations promote dialogue and negotiations between the coup leaders and the third force want to negotiate.
“And when you reach that conclusion sometimes it is so stable.
“The irony of it is that, in this case, many of the people who are now calling for war or intervention in Niger, actually if you look at them, they too staged coups in their countries. Some were military leaders who have now ‘civilianise’, some are civilians but they staged civilian coup by distorting the constitution, and by getting themselves into office for so many years.
“We have not exhausted all those options yet, we have to exhaust those options first before opting for war.
“And in any case, war should not be an option,” he said.
According to Fagge, people welcome democratic government because it allows for freedom of expression and it comes about as a result of the concept of the people and also it is the people that decide who would rule them.
“Democracy is important in the eyes of the people. It is a government that engenders development. This is because it is accountable to the people, it promotes development and peace.
“Once you have people there are bound to be differences,” he said.
Fagge warned that the conflict portends serious economic implications for both the country and the region at large, adding the closure of Nigeria’s borders with Niger Republic compounded the problem of hunger and poverty among its citizens.
“Nigeriens get most of their things here and Nigeria is also bearing the brunt of this decision.
“It has been estimated that Nigeria loses not less than N13 billion every week by stopping trade with Niger.
“And there are speculations that Nigeria and Niger trade is a formal trade that accounts for over N170 billion annually.
“While the informal trade between the two countries accounts for over N580 billion annually.
“So, when you put these things together, it range from N900 billion to about N1 trillion that we are going to lose in terms of trade.
“Most of the people to be affected are Nigeriens who are business people transacting all sorts of businesses with Nigeriens.
“This has serious economic implications for both countries and for the region as a whole,” he said.
A local security outfit in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Port Harcourt Local Government Authority (PLGA) Security Watch, has explained how it unravelled the burial of a newborn child by suspected cyber crime fraudsters.
The Security Watch said the infant was buried alive at Andoni waterfront in Eagle Island, Rivers State capital on Wednesday.
The outfit had identified the spot following credible information from residents that sighted a group of boys allegedly conducting incantation and digging the ground by the waterfront.
The Security outfit stormed the scene where they observed an abnormality around the waterfront. They subsequently dug the spot where the infant was suspected to have been buried.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, the Chairman of PLGA Security Watch, Victor Ohaji said, “When we dug the place, we saw a newborn baby, a bouncing baby boy. Very fine boy that they buried.
“Immediately I called the Situation Officer of Eagle Island and informed him of our discovery so that he can relate to the Divisional Police Officer he is working with.
“The police and neighbourhood watchmen joined us. So we started going around Eagle Island to see if we could find the suspects.
“We even moved from one hotel to another in the area, and lo and behold, we saw them coming out from a hotel. And as soon as we alighted from the car, they (suspects) started running.
“So, we chased after them and apprehended them. There were twelve of them. So we took them to the police station and the baby.”
“While we were there, the leader of the yahoo boys was shouting, ranting that his father is a Major General and that nothing will happen.
“He said even if they bury full human being, nothing will happen. The boy went on ranting that his father was coming. So we handed them to the police.”
On their part, the State’s Police Command said the matter has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for proper investigation.