Friday, May 26, 2017
Video - Nigeria's military spokesperson denies coup plot rumours
In Nigeria, the military has dismissed a rumour about a possible coup. A spokesperson insists the armed forces remain loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nigeria working on prisoner transfer agreement with China
The Federal Government is working out a prisoners’ transfer agreement with China, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, announced in Abuja on Thursday.
Onyeama made the announcement at a news conference on the achievements of the current administration since it came into power in the past two years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of Nigerians are being held behind bars in China for various offences, including those attracting death sentence.
Human rights groups in Nigeria have, however, been drawing the attention of the Federal Government to the plights of the Nigerian prisoners.
A group, the Black African Re-orientation and Development Organisation, recently told the government to secure the release of no fewer than 6,000 Nigerians in Chinese prisons.
Onyeama said the release of the prisoners could not be facilitated because there was no existing agreement between Nigeria and China on the transfer of prisoners.
“The issue of Nigerians in prisons in China is something we are dealing with and the prisoner transfer agreement is something we have to have an agreement on with China.
“We are working to have one in place. We have taken that on board and we are trying to get our prisoners to serve the rest of their terms here.”
The minister disclosed that government had stepped in to plead for commutation of prisoners on death row in the Asian nation.
“The Federal Government has on several occasions reiterated that it would be impossible to get Nigerians on death row in different countries repatriated.
“This is because they do not fall within the prisoner transfer or exchange agreements.’’
Onyeama made the announcement at a news conference on the achievements of the current administration since it came into power in the past two years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of Nigerians are being held behind bars in China for various offences, including those attracting death sentence.
Human rights groups in Nigeria have, however, been drawing the attention of the Federal Government to the plights of the Nigerian prisoners.
A group, the Black African Re-orientation and Development Organisation, recently told the government to secure the release of no fewer than 6,000 Nigerians in Chinese prisons.
Onyeama said the release of the prisoners could not be facilitated because there was no existing agreement between Nigeria and China on the transfer of prisoners.
“The issue of Nigerians in prisons in China is something we are dealing with and the prisoner transfer agreement is something we have to have an agreement on with China.
“We are working to have one in place. We have taken that on board and we are trying to get our prisoners to serve the rest of their terms here.”
The minister disclosed that government had stepped in to plead for commutation of prisoners on death row in the Asian nation.
“The Federal Government has on several occasions reiterated that it would be impossible to get Nigerians on death row in different countries repatriated.
“This is because they do not fall within the prisoner transfer or exchange agreements.’’
Six children kidnapped from their school in Lagos, Nigeria
Nigerian police are searching for six children abducted from their school on the outskirts of the main city, Lagos.
The abductors freed four other children after "profiling" their parents, police said, apparently referring to the fact that they were not regarded as wealthy.
The men came through a swampy forest bordering the state-run Model College school, and cut a hole in the fence to enter, police said.
Schools in Lagos have been hit by several kidnappings for ransom.
Four children were abducted from the same school in October 2016, and three from another school in Lagos in March this year. They were later freed.
Lagos police spokesman Olarinde Famous-Cole condemned the abductions as "dastardly" and said an operation was under way to rescue the girls and apprehend the kidnappers.
The abductors freed four other children after "profiling" their parents, police said, apparently referring to the fact that they were not regarded as wealthy.
The men came through a swampy forest bordering the state-run Model College school, and cut a hole in the fence to enter, police said.
Schools in Lagos have been hit by several kidnappings for ransom.
Four children were abducted from the same school in October 2016, and three from another school in Lagos in March this year. They were later freed.
Lagos police spokesman Olarinde Famous-Cole condemned the abductions as "dastardly" and said an operation was under way to rescue the girls and apprehend the kidnappers.
May 29 to become public holiday in Nigeria to celebrate Democracy Day
The Federal Government has declared Monday, May 29, as Public Holiday to celebrate the 2017 Democracy Day.
The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The minister congratulated Nigerians for witnessing yet another Democracy Day, marking the second year anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
Mr. Dambazau assured Nigerians of the government’s continued efforts at achieving its three main targets of guaranteeing security, revitalising the economy and tackling corruption.
“While a lot has been achieved in the areas of security, particularly in the North-East, and in tackling corruption, recent statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics have shown tremendous improvement of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“No doubt, the nation is closer to getting out of recession, particularly with the recently inaugurated Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which seeks to revitalise the nation’s economy soonest.
“Following the recently signed Executive Orders on Ease of Doing Business, we have opened our doors wider for both domestic and foreign investors,’’ said Mr. Dambazau.
He wished all Nigerians a happy Democracy Day celebration and enjoined them to join hands with the government in building a peaceful and enduring democratic legacy.
The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The minister congratulated Nigerians for witnessing yet another Democracy Day, marking the second year anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
Mr. Dambazau assured Nigerians of the government’s continued efforts at achieving its three main targets of guaranteeing security, revitalising the economy and tackling corruption.
“While a lot has been achieved in the areas of security, particularly in the North-East, and in tackling corruption, recent statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics have shown tremendous improvement of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“No doubt, the nation is closer to getting out of recession, particularly with the recently inaugurated Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which seeks to revitalise the nation’s economy soonest.
“Following the recently signed Executive Orders on Ease of Doing Business, we have opened our doors wider for both domestic and foreign investors,’’ said Mr. Dambazau.
He wished all Nigerians a happy Democracy Day celebration and enjoined them to join hands with the government in building a peaceful and enduring democratic legacy.
Nigeria to shut down five emabassies
The Federal Government has approved the closure of five foreign missions and embassies, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said.
Mr. Onyeama told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that the process for closure was underway and was also subject to the approval of the president.
He did not name the affected embassies or missions.
“We do not want to indicate the embassies that will be closed yet because we are in the process of submitting the proposals, the cost analysis and also the political analysis we did to the president.
“When he sees that, he may or may not want to close some, so we have not yet reached the stage of closing some,” he said.
The minister said closing missions abroad was “extremely expensive”.
“The expense, costs of closing embassies is so high and prohibitive but in the long run it will more economical.”
The minister, on April 10, told NAN the closure of Nigerian missions abroad is inevitable.
Mr. Onyeama said the reduction of Nigeria’s foreign missions remains on the agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Mr. Buhari had said at the inception of his administration that the Federal Government would reduce the number of missions to save cost.
Nigeria currently has 119 foreign missions.
Mr. Onyeama said: “The government is following up on that and we have sort of prepared the roadmap; we have started the implementation of that and made also recommendations in that context.
“Paradoxically, closing missions is extremely expensive. At first sight it seems obvious that you close it you are saving cost but you will actually find that the cost of closing is almost prohibitive.
“But in the long run it will be cheaper, but in the immediate and short term it is expensive but we have started the process,” he said.
Mr. Onyeama told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that the process for closure was underway and was also subject to the approval of the president.
He did not name the affected embassies or missions.
“We do not want to indicate the embassies that will be closed yet because we are in the process of submitting the proposals, the cost analysis and also the political analysis we did to the president.
“When he sees that, he may or may not want to close some, so we have not yet reached the stage of closing some,” he said.
The minister said closing missions abroad was “extremely expensive”.
“The expense, costs of closing embassies is so high and prohibitive but in the long run it will more economical.”
The minister, on April 10, told NAN the closure of Nigerian missions abroad is inevitable.
Mr. Onyeama said the reduction of Nigeria’s foreign missions remains on the agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Mr. Buhari had said at the inception of his administration that the Federal Government would reduce the number of missions to save cost.
Nigeria currently has 119 foreign missions.
Mr. Onyeama said: “The government is following up on that and we have sort of prepared the roadmap; we have started the implementation of that and made also recommendations in that context.
“Paradoxically, closing missions is extremely expensive. At first sight it seems obvious that you close it you are saving cost but you will actually find that the cost of closing is almost prohibitive.
“But in the long run it will be cheaper, but in the immediate and short term it is expensive but we have started the process,” he said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)