The U.S. armed forces said that they carried out self-defence strikes against drones, missiles and weapons storage containers in areas of Yemen controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi militia late on Monday.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had successfully engaged and destroyed seven anti-ship missiles, three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and three weapons storage containers in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in self-defense.

“It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

The Islamist militia has vowed to attack ships in the Red Sea linked to Israel.

However, many of the ships that have come under fire have no connection to the country.

The Houthis said they would force an end to the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, which followed the unprecedented massacre by the Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas in Israel on Oct. 7.

Because of the continuing Houthi attacks, major shipping companies were increasingly avoiding the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe and sailing around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope instead.

Several Western countries, including the U.S. and Britain, have launched operations to protect ships in the region in response to the Houthi attacks.

The European Union has also launched a military operation to secure merchant shipping in the Red Sea, one of the most important shipping routes for world trade.

On Thursday, militia chief Abdel-Malik al-Houthis said that the group would expand its operations to block ships linked to Israel from even passing through the Indian Ocean towards the Cape of Good Hope.

The following day, the militants said they had targeted three Israeli and U.S. vessels in the Indian Ocean.

Al-Houthi last week said his group had targeted more than 73 vessels and warships since they started their attacks in November. (dpa/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

===============
Edited by Cecilia Odey/Chioma Ugboma

By Maureen Okon

The Directorate of Technical Aid Corps (DTAC) on Monday honoured 18 volunteers who served in Uganda and represented Nigeria excellently.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the technical aid corps volunteers returned to Nigeria on Sunday after two years service in Uganda.

The Director-General of DTAC, Dr Buba Yakub, applauded the volunteers for their service to Nigeria and their host community and in helping to bridge the educational gap where they served.

Yakub said that the volunteers willingness to serve was a testament that Nigeria was doing a great service to Africa and humanity.

“What you have done cannot be quantified. We thank you for the spirit of oneness that you have continued to invest in your service to Nigeria and ACP countries as a whole.

“We thank you on behalf of the people of Uganda and Africa as a whole, in the spirit of one Africa, in the spirit of the African solidarity.

“Also in the spirit of Nigeria playing the role of the big brother in Africa, for volunteering to make this dream come true,” he said.

According to him, the technical aid scheme was initiated by Nigeria 35 years ago as part of soft power diplomacy.

“As i speak to you, we have reached over 35 countries within these 35 years. We have impacted in the lives of thousands in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

“Wherever the black man is, we have sent out volunteers and we have impacted on their lives – not just the students you teach or the patients you treat in the hospitals – but the multiplier effect.

“At a time you train one student, you should be sure you are training thousands of others.

“When we went to Uganda, the present Minister of State Education said she was a student of TAC.

“She was a student of TAC, she was taught by some TAC volunteers years ago, and today she is a minister in that country, so you know what that means.

“So what we are doing as a country is something that no country in Africa, and I can boldly say no country in the world, is really doing,” he said.

The Director Administration, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed congratulated the volunteers for completing their tour of duty without any bad report.

Responding on behalf of the volunteers, Prof. Terhemen-Aboiyar Tehemen, said that the directorate made their stay comfortable in their host country.

He said though they initially faced the challenges of integration, “in the end our stay was worthwhile, fruitfully and beneficial both to those countries and also to us.

“Also we did well to represent Nigeria effectively in Uganda.

“All our colleagues here contributed immensely. Some of them shared here yesterday during our debriefing of their impact in the educational sector of that country.

“We do not want to blow our trumpet, but for all of us here who are seasoned academics and well-trained, we made diligent contributions in teaching, in research and community development.

“Many successfully supervised undergraduate and masters programmes, and even Phds to a certain extent, while they were there,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

By Mark Longyen

Nigeria has called on palm oil producing countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to work assiduously towards resolving their disagreements, which threaten sub-regional trading in the sector.

Amb. Yakubu Dadu, Head, ECOWAS National Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made this known at a meeting of the group, “free movement of palm oil under the ECOWAS trade liberalization scheme,” on Tuesday, in Abuja.

Dadu, who noted that the meeting was a platform for conversation with palm oil-producing countries and industry stakeholders, urged them to establish measurable metric thresholds based on their production capacity of the produce.

He, however, added that this should take into account the economic conditions of respective ECOWAS member states.

According to him, in spite of the remarkable success of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS), which was established in 1979, the West African subregion found itself facing challenges within the “pivotal palm oil sector.”

Dadu said: “The ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) stands as a cornerstone in the realisation of a West African common market, embracing agricultural, handicraft, and erude products initially, and later extending its reach to include industrial and processed goods.

“In spite of the remarkable success of the ETLS, we find ourselves facing challenges within the pivotal palm oil sector as the cross-border movement of palm oil has encountered origin-related disagreements among member states, posing a threat to the sector’s stability and growth potential.

“Our goal should aim to achieve an environment where innovative solutions can be fashioned for the sustainable growth of the palm oil sector within the ECOWAS region.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Mrs Massandje Toure-Litse, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, ECOWAS Commission, said that one of the challenges in palm oil trading in the region was taxation.

She said that by virtue of the introduction of ETLS, ECOWAS had already eradicated tariffs in business transactions within the region, but some disagreements still existed on the issue in some countries, which should be resolved to facilitate oil palm trading.

“Some products will go to some countries and the countries will ask them to pay tariffs when we know that under ECOWAS law, goods produced in our region should be free of tax.

“We have, therefore, invited all the countries to come and have a discussion to solve the issues in the commercialisation of palm oil in the region.

“The countries invited are Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia,” Toure-Litse said.

Also speaking, ECOWAS Commission’s Director of Customs, Union, and Taxation, Salifou Tiemtore, said that ECOWAS member states were not producing enough palm oil to meet the demands of the subregion.

“Let me tell you the truth, till now, with the statistics we have, we still need to import palm oil. What we are producing is not enough for our own consumption.

“If you take a country like Nigeria, it has the capacity to double its production in terms of palm oil, but we need to put in place some incentives so that through ECOWAS ETLS Nigeria can cover the Nigerian market and also go beyond the Nigerian market.

“We will delve into discussions on palm oil production capacity in the region, analyse import and export data, identify and understand the challenges faced by the sector under the ETLS, and collectively propose lasting solutions to address these challenges,” he said.

Tiemtore added that the region had the potential to meet the needs of member states if support were given to entrepreneurs to expand production and leveraging the ETLS. (NAN)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Fortune Abang

The Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Nigeria, Masudur Rahman, has spoken of his country’s readiness to deepen bilateral relations with Nigeria.

Speaking at an event organised to mark the Bangladeshi National Day and the country’s 53rd Independence anniversary on Saturday in Abuja, Rahman extolled the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

According to him, the celebration also marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.

“The two countries collaborate deeply in the UN under aegis of the UN bodies and international organisations, often sharing identical position while strongly supporting each other.

“We deeply acknowledge with gratitude the much-needed support Bangladesh received from Nigeria in being elected member of the UN HRC, IMO, and in the post of Managing Director to the Common Fund for Commodities.

“Bangladesh and Nigeria have long-standing close cooperation in the D8, the NAM, the Commonwealth, the OIC and other South-South and Triangular cooperation.

“Over the years, Bangladesh and Nigeria had deepened their cooperation in defence training, educational exchanges and people to people exchanges.

“Our shared history, identical demographic dividend and synergic diaspora would do much better, as our proactive diplomacy resonates with the four pillars of foreign policy of Nigeria: Democracy, Diplomacy, Demography and Diaspora,” Rahman said.

The envoy said President Bola Tinubu’s message to the Bangladeshi Prime Minister on her election victory served as a further demonstration of a renewed commitment to forging new areas of advancing cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, represented by Amb. Misitura Abdulrahim, the Director of Asia Pacific, diplomatic relations between both countries said Nigeria was ready to deepen cooperation with Bangladesh.

Tuggar said Nigeria and Bangladesh had established bilateral consultation mechanisms between the countries’ foreign ministries since 2021.

According to him, both countries have been making concerted efforts to grow trade and economic relations since then.

He said Nigeria aspires to cooperate with Bangladesh in the area of textile development, cultural exchanges, and sustain military relations.

“These exchange programmes have been extended to the Foreign Service Capacity Building; currently two Nigerian Foreign Service Officers are in Bangladesh for one-year training programme, we hope to receive Bangladeshi course participants in future.

“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with Bangladesh and is committed to the strengthening of cooperation in the areas of trade, ICT and investment, agriculture, education, blue economy and culture.

“From the point of view of our foreign policy, it has been our strategy to promote partnership with friendly countries to advance economic and social agenda of government.

“By attracting foreign direct investments, skill and technology for wealth and job creation, food security, poverty eradication and economic growth, using the 4Ds-Diplomacy Initiative as a tool to achieving this end.

“There is no doubt Nigeria and Bangladesh will continue to build on the successes recorded, while we forge new areas of cooperation in boosting trade and entrepreneur partnership between the two countries,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

By Sarafina Christopher

Madam Liang Huili, Wife of the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun has underscored the need to create more opportunities for the empowerment of women in order to foster national growth and development.

The wife of the Chinese ambassador highlighted the need on Friday in Abuja, at an event organised by the embassy to commemorate the International Women’s Day 2024.

The event tagged, “The Women In Culture” was organised with the support of the Society of Nigerian Artists.

According to her, women are creators of human civilisation and drivers of social progress as they have recorded extraordinary achievements across all fields of endeavour.

“We need to create more job opportunities for women and crack down on violations of women’s rights and interests.

“In China, the gender gap in compulsory education has been largely closed with women accounting for more than 40 per cent of the country’s workforce with more than half of China’s Internet start-up businesses set up by women.

“We need to enhance global cooperation in advancing women’s development.

“Without a peaceful and stable global environment and sustainable development, and without leveraging the UN’s key coordinating role, the cause of women’s development cannot move forward.

“We should create new opportunities for women to participate in decision-making and be more involved in national, economic, cultural, and social governance.

Liang also added that In pursuing development, there is a need to remove barriers and create an enabling environment in which women are motivated, their creativity is unleashed to the fullest, and they truly feel satisfied, happy and secure.

“We need to eliminate prejudice, discrimination and violence against women and make gender equality a social norm observed by all.

“We need to ensure that women advance at the forefront of our times,”Liang said.

Speaking at the event, Mr James Sule, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, expressed appreciation to China for their support and contribution towards promoting women’s empowerment.

The permanent secretary, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Aisha Bello, declared that the significance of the role of women in national development, both in Nigeria and around the world cannot be overemphasised.

“Women have always played a pivotal role in shaping societies, driving economies and fostering innovation.

“In Nigeria, women have been at the forefront of various industries and sectors contributing significantly to the socio economic development of our nation, from intrapreneurship, politics, education, healthcare, arts, technology amongst others , women have shown the ability to lead, inspire and create change,” he said.

Sule also reiterated the ministry’s commitment to supporting women in reaching their goals and fulfilling their potential.

“The ministry will leverage initiatives such as mentorship and skills development programs, as well as funding opportunities as we intend to provide women with the requisite tools and resources needed to succeed in their chosen field.

“We will also strive to create a more inclusive and supportive environment that enables women to thrive and excel in the creative and cultural industries,” he said.

Mr Muhammad Sulaiman, the President of the Society of Nigerian Artists emphasised that Nigeria must deliberately take advantage of its present day situation to look inwards to proffer solutions through social and empowerment programmes.

“These programmes includes microcredit schemes, skills trainings, and short term workshops for mothers and widows, and then the protection of women’s rights at their workplaces,

“The creation of a fair playgrounds for women in leadership positions and in advocating rights to beneficial business opportunities,” Sulaiman said. (NAN)www.nannews.ng

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

By Mark Longyen

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says member countries are currently facing a clear and present danger in the form of transnational terrorism.

Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, said this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

“Initially confined to certain countries in the Sahel (Mali and Niger) and the Lake Chad Basin (Nigeria), terrorist attacks have multiplied and spread to other countries (Burkina Faso and Mali) and are now a real threat to coastal countries (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo).

“The number of fatalities, those maimed, displaced, and those who have lost livelihoods and educational opportunities has been the subject of conflicting figures.

“Yet all the figures are indicative of the pain and suffering that insecurity continues to inflict on the people, particularly in the Sahelian member states,’ he said.

Reeling out statistics to that effect, Musah said in 2023, for instance, more than 3,500 incidents of terror attacks were recorded in the ECOWAS region, including close to 2,000 in Burkina Faso; more than 1,044 in Mali; and 500 in Niger Republic.

According to the commissioner, these incidents have resulted in close to 9,000 fatalities, including 7,000 in the three Sahelian countries – Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic.

Musah observed that terrorist attacks in the coastal region included 177 in Benin Republic and Togo which recorded 203 deaths.

He said the attacks left in their trails debilitating effects on human lives with dire humanitarian crises.

“In just the three ECOWAS Sahelian Countries a total of 4.8 million people faced food insecurity, 2.4 million people were internally displaced and close to 9000 schools remained closed.

“A disaggregation of the data shows that Burkina Faso had the highest number of food-insecure people – close to 2.2 million; followed by Niger with 1.9 million and Mali about 800, 000.

“Burkina Faso also accounts for the largest number of internally displaced people – about 2 million, while Mali and Niger each have close to half a million displaced persons.

“The number of schools closed stood at 6,000 in Burkina Faso, 1,700 in Mali and 1000 in Niger,” he said.

The commissioner, however, said that the sub-regional bloc had taken measures to curb acts of terror and stem the tide of humanitarian hardship which they had wreaked on the people.

He added that due to the transnational nature of terrorism threats, the bloc has initiated multilateral efforts within the framework of existing regional and continental mechanisms or through the creation of ad-hoc arrangements.

In addition, he said, partner states and institutions have also launched some initiatives aimed at contributing to the fight against terrorism.

“In addition to ECOWAS own Counter-terrorism initiatives, there have been multiple other initiatives in the region, including the Multinational Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad basin Commission (MNJTF), Nouakchott Process (AU) and the Accra Initiative.

“These are anchored on intelligence and information sharing, European Union Capacity Building Mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger), MINUSMA and the G5 Sahel until recently.

“This is why as ECOWAS our proposal is to integrate the various initiatives into the regional Plan of Action and use them as specialised operational tools of the regional mechanism.

“This will facilitate coordination, promote ownership, and enhance inclusion,” he explained.

The commissioner noted that proposals have been made by the Committee of ECOWAS Chiefs of Defense Staff with regard to the deployment of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) to combat terrorism in a kinetic mode to be funded by the bloc.

“In the coming weeks, the Ministers of Finance and Defence will meet in Abuja to determine the modalities to mobilise resources including for the activation and operations of the Force.

“This Force will operate across the region, in close collaboration with local forces and existing anti-terrorist mechanisms,” he said.

Musah said ECOWAS had already involved third parties to resolve its differences with Mali, Burkina-Faso, and Niger, who had earlier announced their threat to withdraw from the bloc.

According to him, all financial and economic sanctions had been lifted on the three countries, while other measures were being deployed to make them see reasons to remain in ECOWAS.

“There are various engagements also going on, not only by ECOWAS but by third parties and all that in order for all of us to find common ground with these countries.

“We are just waiting for the three member states, who I must repeat, are all important members of ECOWAS.

“And without them, it is going to be more difficult to deal with many of the challenges facing the region.

“You know, terrorism, the whole issue of the Sahel what is happening there, and our collective goal in terms of free movement of people and all that.

“With the sanctions that were imposed, we saw the indirect impact of them on ordinary people who trade across borders,” he said.

Musah maintained that ECOWAS is a listening institution, whose heads of state have given attention to the population and have taken the appropriate measures.

“The ball is now in the court of our member states, that is, the three countries,” he added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

Former British Prime Minsiter Theresa May has said she will not contest in the next general election, bringing a 27-year career in the UK parliament to an end.

May revealed her decision to stand down as MP for Maidenhead on Friday, saying she would focus on championing causes including the fight against modern slavery.

In a statement to her local newspaper, the Maidenhead Advertiser, she said: “Since stepping down as prime minister I have enjoyed being a backbencher again and having more time to work for my constituents and champion causes close to my heart including most recently launching a Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.

“These causes have been taking an increasing amount of my time.

“Because of this, after much careful thought and consideration, I have realised that looking ahead, I would no longer be able to do my job as an MP in the way I believe is right and my constituents deserve.”

May, 67, has been a consistent campaigner on modern slavery and human trafficking, and launched her Global Commission in October, backed by the UK and Bahrain governments.

She was first elected as MP for Maidenhead in 1997 and served as home secretary under David Cameron between 2010 and 2016 before succeeding him as prime minister.

Her term in Downing Street lasted a turbulent three years and was dominated by wrangling over Brexit.

A snap election in 2017 saw her lose her majority, but she remained at Number 10 thanks to a deal with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in the resulting hung parliament.

Eventually, opposition to her proposed Brexit deal saw Conservative MPs hold a confidence vote in her leadership, and although she survived her authority was diminished, and she announced her resignation five months later.

In her statement, May said it had been “an honour and a privilege” to serve as Maidenhead’s MP and vowed to continue working for her constituents until the general election, which is expected in the second half of this year.

She added: “As I pass on the baton, I will be ready to work with my successor to secure a Conservative victory in Maidenhead.

“I remain committed to supporting (current Prime Minister) Rishi Sunak and the government and believe that the Conservatives can win the election.

“I would like to thank all those who chose me to represent them as their member of parliament.”

Almost 100 MPs have announced they will not fight their seats at the next election, including 64 Conservatives and former Conservatives – the most Tories to retire from parliament since May entered the Commons in 1997.

Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said the number of Tories standing down ed “no confidence” in Sunak and the Conservative Party’s prospects.

But Treasury minister Gareth Davies denied that was the case, telling Sky News he was “personally sad” to see May stand down.

He added that it is “completely reasonable” for people to decide to leave parliament before an election.

“Each one has made their own decision for personal reasons and I respect every single person’s decision to do so,” he said. (dpa/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

========
Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

By Maureen Okon

Mr Yemi Edun, the author of “The Number One Mission’’, a book on the contributions of Nigerians in the UK, says Nigerians should learn to document their history.

Edun said at the launch of the book on Thursday in Abuja that this was important so as “to tell the younger generation on how we got to where we are today”.

According to him, anything that is not written will cease to exist, as such Nigerians should document the story of the country and the contributions of individuals to its development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Edun also explained why he wrote the book that centered on the history of Nigerians in the United Kingdom (UK).

He said that it was to capture their contributions to the development of not only the UK, but also their country of origin, Nigeria.

It was to celebrate Nigerians who made great history in that country, he added.

According to him, before the book project, his understanding of embassies was limited to applying for passport and visa.

He said that his perception changed when he began to interact with former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to UK, Amb. Sarafa Isola.

“Then I looked at the history between Nigeria and the UK and I realised that our first High Commissioner in the UK was Chief Matthew Mbu, who holds the record of the youngest minister appointed before the age of 25, and first ambassador to the United States.

“The book is centered on Nigerian High Commission in the UK, and as a real estate person, my work deals on locations and knowing areas.

“As I was gathering content for my personal use, I realised that Nigeria has rich history in the UK to be celebrated.

“Nigeria has 22 buildings aside from companies and individuals that have personal properties in the UK,’’ he added.

Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, said that Edun has done Nigeria proud both at home and in the diaspora.

She appreciated his efforts in writing the book that documents Nigerians’ contributions both to Nigeria and the British economy.

“You’re playing a major role in the diaspora, and we appreciate you, we respect you, and we celebrate you.

“My message is this, no matter the challenges that we have, we’re going to overcome them.

“ We have to overcome them united, stronger together, and we will survive as a country, no matter what we go through,” she added.

NAN reports that the vice presidential candidate for the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Datti Baba-Ahmed bought a copy of the book for N250,000, while former Governor of Bayelsa, Sen. Henry Dickson bought 20 copies for N2 million for his school’s library.

Dickson applauded the author for documenting the good things Nigerians have been doing in the UK. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed