Amb. Yusuf Tuggar

By Lizzy Okoji

Newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, has pledged to unveil Nigeria’s new foreign policy that would reposition the country at the pinnacle of visionary and global decision making.

Tuggar said this in Abuja on Monday when he assumed office as foreign affairs minister following his inauguration along with 44 others by President Bola Tinubu.

According to Tuggar, the new “Four Ds” Foreign Policy for the country would be centered on; Development, Democracy, Demography, and Diaspora geared towards bringing modern solutions to address some complex challenges.

Tuggar said that the Foreign Ministry is at the forefront of promoting Nigeria’s interest and protecting citizens abroad, pledging his commitment to serving the country and Nigerians.

“It is the highest honor to be asked to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs by his Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“As a historically important Ministry, Foreign Affairs has long represented the highest standard of excellence. It is therefore our job to ensure those standards will never fail.

“These are turbulence times. From the unfolding political crises in Niger Republic, to the regional insecurity and economic insecurity, we have a lot of work to do.

“In due time, we will also be unveiling a new vision for Nigeria’s foreign policy, four D’s diplomacy.

“Through this doctrine centered on development, democracy, demography and diaspora, we hope to find modern solutions in other to address complex modern problems.

“I will be counting on your cooperation and partnership. And by the special grace of God and with your support, I am sure that we can place Nigeria where she belongs, at the pinnacle of visional and global decision making,” Tuggar said.

Amb. Adamu Lamuwa, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, pledged the support of all staff to the minister to implement Nigeria’s foreign policy.

“We are here to work for you and the government to articulate and implement Nigeria’s Foreign policy.

“We are happy to have a leader who is not new to the field and who understand everything about diplomacy and foreign policy.

“We should thank Allah and President Bola Tinubu for bringing him to us because we have been praying for a minister who would hit the ground running.

“We are here pledging our determination and support to moving Nigeria’s foreign policy forward,” Lamuwa said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tuggar was appointed to serve as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany from 2017, and recently in 2023, concluded his second tour as Ambassador.

As Ambassador, Tuggar initiated the repatriation of lost Benin artefacts from the German government leading to the return of 22 Benin Bronze looted artefacts valued at over 100 million pounds. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

=====

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Taiye Agbaje
A former member of the House of Representatives, Robinson Uwak, on Sunday, called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its chairman, President Bola Tinubu to suspend the planned invasion of Niger Republic.

Uwak, in a statement in Abuja, said there was need to sustain the diplomatic channels already opened with the junta led by Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani and to agree on timelines for the return to democratic government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ECOWAS troops, in a meeting in Accra, Ghana, on Thursday, had pledged their readiness to join the standby force set up to invade the French-speaking country over refusal to reverse the coup that removed President Mohamed Bazoum from office.

Reacting, the ex-lawmaker commended former Head of State and the Chairman of the National Peace Committee, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar for making himself available to engage Niger’s military rulers and to explore the channels of dialogue despite being turned back during his first visit.

Uwak said Nigeria, which is facing its own security challenges in various domestic fronts, cannot afford another international military conflict close by its borders.

“Let Mr President suspend any talk of military action and sustain the dialogue option as this would yield long term benefits for regional peace and stability within the ECOWAS sub-region.

“The president should take a deep look at the impact of any war with our neighbouring country, the post-traumatic disorders, the severance of cross-border filial relations, the destruction and the injuries that may probably not heal.

“Let us avoid this war by all means,” Uwak said.

He prayed for the return of peace not only in Nigeria but the entire West African sub-region.

NAN reports that West African military chiefs held a second day of talks in Ghana on Friday, preparing for a possible armed intervention in Niger after a coup there ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

NAN reports that ECOWAS has agreed to activate a “standby force” as a last resort to restore democracy in Niger after generals toppled and detained Bazoum last month.

ECOWAS defence chiefs were meeting in the Ghanaian capital Accra to fine tune details of the potential military operation to restore Bazoum if ongoing negotiations with coup leaders fail.

“Let no one be in doubt that if everything else fails the valiant forces of West Africa, both the military and the civilian components, are ready to answer to the call of duty,” Abdel-Fatau Musah, an ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs and security, told the meeting on Thursday.

“Meanwhile, we are still giving diplomacy a chance and the ball is in the court of the junta.”(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

=======
Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, on Friday, called for Niger’s democratically elected officials to be released at once, following their detention in the July coup.

Türk, in a statement, urged the generals to restore constitutional order immediately.

The UN rights chief, however, expressed grave concerns for the people of Niger.

“The people have already been through so much hardship over the years. Now, the very people who they elected to build a pathway to end their destitution have been removed by force,” he said.

Türk also raised concerns about the announced decision by Niger’s military leaders to prosecute President Mohamed Bazoum and others working with him for high treason.

“This decision is not only politically motivated against a democratically elected president but has no legal basis as the normal functioning of democratic institutions have been cast aside.

“The very notion of freedoms in Niger is at stake. Generals cannot take it upon themselves to defy – at a whim – the will of the people.

“Rule-by-gun has no place in today’s world,” said the High Commissioner.

The message comes as the UN International Organisation for Migration  (IOM) called for a humanitarian corridor out of Niger to be established urgently, for stranded migrants.

This call was echoed by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative on the ground, Stefano Savi.

He called for a reopening of the border so that humanitarian supplies and more urgently needed humanitarian staff could be admitted to meet rising needs.

He said it was imperative to allow in vaccines stranded at humanitarian hubs.

“We have the vaccines just awaiting the reopening of the airspace. You know, those vaccines are essential to carry out vaccine campaigns,” he said.

In the first half of 2023, more than 60,000 migrants travelled through Niger.

IOM said recent border and airspace closures had led to overcrowding in its centres, where thousands of migrants were hosted as many waited to return home.

According to the organisation, in 10 days, departures for over 1,000 migrants, primarily from Mali and the Republic of Guinea, were cancelled or postponed.

Meanwhile, around 1,800 migrants are awaiting assistance outside IOM transit centres, which host around 5,000 people at seven transit points strategically positioned along migration routes.

From the UN human rights office, (OHCHR), spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani noted that Niger was one of the poorest countries in the world, with nearly half of the population living on less than 2.15 dollars a day and millions reliant on humanitarian assistance.

She deplored that the country’s people had been forced to endure “even more misery” following the coup, which had triggered border closures, trade interruptions and a surge in food prices.

Even before President Bazoum was seized by some of his guards in the 26 July power grab, over three million people were chronically food insecure, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and close to half of all children under five were suffering from chronic malnutrition.

The OHCHR spokesperson reiterated Türk’s call for “full and free access for humanitarian assistance to allow critical food, medical and other relief supplies into the country.”

Shamdasani added that there had been a “very worrying” clampdown on civic space in Niger, which was impacting freedom of expression and public assembly.

This included allegations of intimidation against journalists and bans on international media outlets.

She also noted that recently there had been a “deeply troubling” pattern of unconstitutional changes in government by military forces across West Africa – the Niger putsch being the sixth in the region in the past three years. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Salif Atojoko

By Sarafina Christopher

Prof. Zhang Yanqiu of the Communication University of China,(CUC), Beijing, has charged African journalists to discontinue the excessive negative reportage about their countries.

Yanqiu, who is also the Director of Africa Communication Research Center at CUC, gave the charge in an interview with a Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing 14-day seminar in Beijing.

She said: “Every news reportage goes a long way to influence ideologies, mindset and belief systems of those outside who read it, watch it and even listen to it.

“Under the liberal media system, it seems that the media plays a major role in watching the government.

“When they watch the government, they tend to report a lot of negative stories to try to find the problems and the troubles of the government.

“So, when the media keeps projecting the nation as a place of negativity with no positivity and advantages, it drives away potential investors, tourists and even migrants who want to live there.

“In order to boost the growth and development of Nigeria and African countries at large, excessive negative news reportage must be put to an end.”

For developing countries like Nigeria. Yanqiu said that it is time for the media to start promoting the country’s image via positive reportage and also consider solutions journalism or constructive journalism.

“This means journalists not only find the problems, but also try to have the media be a facilitator or mediator to find out how the country can solve the problem.

“We are not saying Journalists should sweep the problems under the rug or not to criticise but everything should be done within boundaries with the aim of proffering solutions.

“So let the media as mediators invite different sectors or people concerned to talk about the issue and to find solutions to the identified problems.

“So, this is something I think the media should consider as the new concept,”she said.

A participant, Mr Yahaya Samuel, media supervisor at Jeffwood investment from Nigeria, lauded the Chinese government’s kind gesture and the opportunity to see China beyond the news.

He added that Nigeria is working towards discouraging negative news reportage and will strive to put in more deliberate efforts to project Nigeria and Africa at large in a positive light.

“From this training, we now have more understanding that the way our local media portray the country often contributes to shaping how the country and its citizens are perceived by the international community, including foreign investors,”Samuel said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Bashir Rabe Mani

By Sarafina Christopher

Prof. Zhang Yanqiu from the Communication University of China said on Thursday, that regulating online media contents would help in curbing fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.

Yanqiu stated this in an interview with a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), participating in a 14-day training in Beijing, China, tagged, “Seminar on News Media of Developing Countries.”

According to her, the need for content regulation for online media cannot be overemphasised especially in the world today where online media is fast growing.

“With different people putting out contents that can make or mar any country’s development.”

Yanqiu said: “Curbing fake news is very important and a necessity for checks and balances. Most of the challenges people, community, nations face can be attributed to fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.

“We all know that each country now also faces the challenges of fake news; it’s a universal challenge.

“However, in China I think fake news is not a big deal, because we have a call regulation system and at the national level, we have a regulation/rule.

“This means that social media should follow our national regulation policy.

“This regulation is almost the same as the regulation for the traditional media, which means the media themselves should watch out for their own content.”

According to her, the users of these online platforms will also have the responsibility to watch and monitor the news contents or the information online.

“Whenever the users find some news improper, then they can complain and report to the regulatory bodies like we have National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA).

“There is a team of either the media or the government that will look after the issue. This is our regulation system.

“And I hope that the other countries will also consider that because without regulation, the fake news misinformation and disinformation is hard to combat,” she said.

Yanqiu also stated that just like how the military was dispatched to protect a nation’s land and borders, the internet space should also be protected and brought under control by regulating what goes in and out of it. (NAN)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Sarafina Christopher

The People’s Republic of China on Wednesday in Beijing, began the training of select journalists from developing countries to enhance their reportage and strengthen bilateral relations between China and their countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent participating in the 14-day training in Beijing, reports that the event, which started on Aug. 16 will end on Aug. 29.

The program is sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce through its International Cooperation Dept. and organized by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) Research and Training Institute (RTI).

Speaking at the event, Mr Chang Jin, Second-Grade Counsel, NRTA, explained that the training was to equip journalists with the knowledge of advanced reporting to foster bilateral relations and people-to-people communication.

He added that the training, which is tagged: ”Seminar on News Media of Developing Countries,” seeks to equip, especially the conventional media practitioners, in the face of the new media, also known as social media.

Jin said: ”In the current day world, the media has a very important role to play in creating common understanding, maintaining peace and promoting joint development.

”The training will also equip media practitioners with the right approach to take in tackling fake news, misinformation and disinformation.

”NRTA sticks to the principle of equality, cooperation and mutual benefit in its relations with all partners in the world.

”We would like to learn from and cooperate with our partners in other countries, and offer assistance on our part in the possible ways we can.”

He also urged participants to pay keen interest during the training and pick up knowledge that would help their countries advance its conventional media like China’s.

“I hope with two weeks’ knowledge sharing, all participants can learn something about China’s experience in its radio, television and online audio-video industry.

“Participants can look towards adopting and promoting the online audio-visual industry to meet with the trend and high demand of the new media.

“I also hope this is a chance for us to facilitate mutual cooperation as well,”Jin said.

Mr Mawugnon Afanou, a participant and Communication Advisor to the Togolese Minister of Communication and Media, who spoke on behalf of all the participants, expressed their gratitude to the Chinese government for the gesture.

He noted that all the participants had great expectations for the training, adding that it would help develop the media sector and further strengthen bilateral relation between countries.

“As representatives of emerging nations, we seize this exceptional opportunity to express our gratitude to the Chinese government for its continued commitment to strengthening media capacities in developing countries.

“In reality, this seminar holds great importance for our region, as it provides a conducive framework for the exchange of experiences and mutual learning in the field of media, particularly leading to the discovery of the Chinese media landscape and its best practices.

“Over the next two weeks, we have no doubt that we will have the privilege of benefiting from the knowledge and expertise of distinguished media trainers and practitioners,’ he said.

Afanou said that participants would utilize the skills which they would acquire in Beijing in promoting journalism professionalism, and the central role of media in the development of their respective countries.

“This initiative reflects the sincere friendship between China and the represented countries here, and we are firmly committed to making good use of these teachings to further contribute to the creation of informed and enlightened societies, in a win-win partnership.

“Furthermore, our gains will not be confined within the borders of China, even though they are, admittedly, immense.

“These gains will serve in our media activities and beyond, benefiting our colleagues with whom we will share them upon our return to our countries,” he added.

NAN reports that participants were drawn from Bolivia, South Sudan, Burundi, Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo, Kiribati, Laos, Pakistan Sri Lanka, and Tajikistan, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Mark Longyen/Emmanuel Yashim

By Abigael Joshua

Prof. Razaq Abubakre, former Vice Chancellor, Al – Hikmah University, Ilorin says President Tinubu’s handling of the coup in Niger Republic is a display of boldness and diplomacy.

Abubakre who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja says contrary to opinion of some observers, Tinubu is not a stooge of any superpower in the circumstances presently playing out.

“Misreading the President’s strategy, the wailers misrepresented the democratic and constitutional requirement of the President.

“The requirement is to seek the consent of the National Assembly before embarking on the declaration of either a state of emergency on a state in the federation or war with another sovereign nation.

“It is a lazy, nonchalant and clueless head of state that will depend on taking this step as soon as the ECOWAS resolution on the war option is taken,” he said.

Abubakre said this does not mean that the President wants war willy-nilly.

Rationalising the assemblage of military contingents from the ECOWAS countries on the Nigerian border with Niger Republic, he said a popular cliché is that attack is the best defence.

According to Abubakre, the presence of military contributions from ECOWAS countries does not mean that war will necessarily break out the following day.

“Still, it is a proactive mind that will take such a decision for a double advantage.

“One is to shield member countries of ECOWAS from being vulnerable to the possible onslaught from the coupists and their allies from outside Africa.

“The second advantage is, sending jitters to the coupists that ECOWAS is not a bulldog that can bark but cannot bite,” he explained.

The Professor of Arabic highlighted the political economy that is of central importance to President Tinubu’s military and peaceful strategies.

Abubakre said that, in this case, this would be his duly weighing what is advantageous to his country in the unfolding events at his immediate neighbourhood, which may have a dire consequence on his economic recovery plan for Nigeria.

“Does Tinubu look like a stooge to anybody? Reading him correctly will reveal boldness, humility, tact, and wisdom in dealing with people and events.

“Unknown to many is the fact that any Nigerian who had studied in the West can hardly ever agree or consent to be a stooge to any government in Europe or America.

“These are places where he has been encouraged through his experience during his sojourn in these continents to reject such an overture with scorn,” he said.

Abubakre urged analysts and observers including members of the opposition parties not to confuse the strategy of Tinubu on Niger coup imbroglio but to see it as taking the right step at the right time. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Razak Owolabi

By Abdul Hassan

Former member of the National Assembly Sen. Shehu Sani has identified five reasons for the increasing reemergence of military takeover of governments in Africa, especially in the West African sub-region.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Sani frowned at what he considers the increasing reemergence of juntas in the politics of especially West African countries but maintained that they keep recurring because the conditions were being created for them to return.

“We have seen in the past few years how democracies in the West African sub-region have collapsed. It has happened in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, and now Niger Republic.

“Coup d’etats are internal issues and they do not happen within a day. Conditions are created for the military to take over power. And in West Africa today there are about five conditions that I have noted to be responsible.

“First is the destruction of democratic values. Elections are rigged. Many people who call themselves democrats have no respect for the Rule of Law. And the constitutions are consistently violated.

“When that is done the spirit of democracy is killed and the seed for the destruction of democracy is planted.

“Second, is economic in-equity and inequality.  There is so much poverty in the land. And when you have poverty, you have social dislocation and social crisis. By that, an atmosphere of illegal overthrow of the government is created and gives justification for people to say democracy is not working because people are suffering, so the military needs to take over.

Sani who was the Deputy Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs in the 8th National Assembly identified the third reason as the issue of insecurity.

“The rise of terror groups in the Sahel – Boko Haram, the ANSARU, ISWAP – has made civilian authorities become dependent on the military for their safety and security.

“There is so much reliance on them. And that has given them that thinking and the mental redirection that they should be in charge.

“The fourth has to do with the fact that there is no coordinated attempt to save democracy in Africa. You find that whenever there is a coup there is no coordinated strategy or penalty for coups. And they happen and continue to happen.

“So, the coup in Niger could have been prevented if the democracy was saved.

“Fifth reason: There are issues regarding the election of Niger’s ousted president Mohammed Bazoum which ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) closed their eyes to.

“Look at it this way. In Cote d ‘Ivoire Alassane Ouattara tinkered with the constitution as president and gave himself a third-term mandate. The ECOWAS and AU never raised an issue with that.

“The President of the Central African Republic today has tinkered with the constitution and given himself a tenure extension. The same thing has happened in Burundi. The AU and other sub-regional groups don’t raise questions,” he added.

According to him, a situation where democratic governance in member states deteriorates and regional and sub-regional bodies in the continent decide to speak out only when coups happen can always lead to military takeover of government. (NAN)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

By Emmanuel Yashim

Sen. Shehu Sani, a former Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, says military incursion into Niger Republic by an ECOWAS standby force will be synonymous with a declaration of war by Nigeria.

Sani expressed this thought in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

NAN reports that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said on Thursday that it had ordered the deployment of a “standby force’’ to Niger to restore constitutional order in the country.

The order was given after the junta who took over power from President Mohamed Bazoum on July 2, defied an Aug. 6 ultimatum issued by ECOWAS leaders for the junta to revert to status quo.

Sani said there was nothing wrong in applying pressure on the junta in Niger after the coup but deploying military force against the junta in the Francophone country sharing the northern border with Nigeria had a lot of implications.

“Armed invasion of Niger by ECOWAS will simply be a war between Nigeria and Niger because Nigeria foots the bills of ECOWAS.

“If we are going to get into war with the Nger Republic, what will be the future of states like Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Yobe, and Borno that share borders with Niger? What will be the fate of people living in these areas?

“Right now there are more than 303,000 Nigerian refugees that were sacked by terrorist groups living in villages in Niger Republic,’’ he said.

According to him, in the 1990s, the West pledged support for Nigeria and for the Economic Community Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) to move into Liberia, and Sierra Leone to restore peace and Nigeria took the mandate on the basis that they would get the support they needed.

“Nigeria moved into Liberia and the Francophone countries refused to join the ECOMOG. Senegal joined but after a few of its soldiers were killed it pulled out leaving only Nigeria and a few other smaller West African countries.

“Only one person served as an ECOMOG commander from Ghana. All the other commanders from the beginning to the end of the war were Nigerian.

“Nigeria ended up spending 8 billion dollars according to figures provided recently by the former Chief of Defense Staff Lt.-Gen. Lucky Irabor.

“These were monies that could have been used to connect the states by railway lines but we blew it in Liberia and the support never came,” he said.

According to him, If we get into an armed confrontation with Niger Republic, in the 21st century there is no one-week war. There is no one-month war. It is years of war.

“Saudi Arabia moved its troops into Yemen, thinking that would bring an end to Houthi rebels and restore order. But it is still there now for five to six years.

“Russia moved into Ukraine thinking it would bring an end to the Ukraine government but it is still there for more than a year. America went to war in Afghanistan and it fought the war with the Taliban for 20 years – 2001 to 2021 – only to pull out leaving the Taliban to take back power.

“What resources do we have to prosecute a war? Does our military have the experience to fight a war in the Sahel, or the desert?

“The coup happened when the French and U.S. had military bases in Niger.

“If these could not stop the coup, they could not protect Bazoum, and they could not restore Bazoum to power, is it the Nigerian army that has security challenges in Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Yobe, Borno, Plateau, Nasarawa that will neglect these places and go fight a war in Niger?,” he questioned. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

=======

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola