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Akpabio Gives Reason Why Inauguration Of NDDC Board Delayed

Published

4 years ago

November 19, 2021

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio has assured that a new board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, would be inaugurated once the summary of the forensic audit report is submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Sen. Akpabio, who gave the assurance when the members of the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council, NDENYLC, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, said a reformed NDDC would emerge with new terms of reference.

The minister, who commended the coming together of the different ethnic nationalities in the region to speak with one voice, noted that this would not only afford the people of the region the opportunity to discuss emerging issues but also enable them to take a stand on the way forward, in order to find solution to the problems of the region.

Akpabio explained further that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected development in Nigeria while prompting, President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate reforms that will affect the region positively.

He, therefore, added that the government has commenced the cleaning up of polluted areas in Ogoni Land and has taken steps to see that projects are completed and commissioned, while the incoming board would be encouraged to complete some of the abandoned 14,000 projects discovered through the forensic audit.

Speaking further, Akpabio said refocusing of the NDDC would help the incoming board to work hard in developing the infrastructural needs of the people that would lead to investment and assist the region in terms of empowering and developing the entrepreneurship skills of the youths so that they can be more focused.

According to him, “At this time when insecurity seems to be the other of the day, the Niger Delta region has remained the safest place.

“This shows that the youths have decided to embrace peace and the reason for this is that, the Present administration has continued with the amnesty programme.

“Youths are also involved in the development of modular refineries under the Local Content Act, skill acquisition centers have also been completed by the Ministry which when put to use will help in empowering the youths of the region.

“President Muhammadu administration has initiated various programmes to assuage and ensure that the youths have reliable source of livelihood. The Ministry is also discussing with various funding agencies to ensure that Section I-IV of the East-West road which has been under construction since 2006 is completed and commissioned by 2022.”

Related Topics:NDDC Senator Godswi Akpabio

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Christian Genocide’: Trump Designates Nigeria As Country Of Particular Concern

Published

18 minutes ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has named Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” citing what he described as a growing threat to Christianity in the nation.

In a statement on Truth Social on Friday, Trump claimed thousands of Christians have been killed by radical Islamist groups and urged U.S. lawmakers to investigate the situation urgently.

Trump maintained that the United States would not stand by while Christians in Nigeria and other parts of the world face persecution, adding that America remains ready to protect Christian populations globally.

He said, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” — But that is the least of it.

“When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done! I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me.

“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”

His declaration follows increasing criticism from U.S. politicians and public figures who claim that Christians in Nigeria are facing systematic violence.

Recently, US comedian and HBO host Bill Maher accused Islamist groups of carrying out a genocide against Christians in the country.

“I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over a hundred thousand since 2009. They’ve burnt 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram. This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza.

“They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country,” Maher said.

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Similarly, US Senator Ted Cruz claimed that Nigerian government officials were “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.”

Cruz also lamented that Christians in the country were being targeted for their faith by terrorist groups and “are being forced to submit to sharia law and blasphemy laws across Nigeria.”

He said it was “long past time to impose real costs on the Nigerian officials who facilitate these activities,” adding that he had introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act to the US Senate to sanction such officials.

In the same vein, Riley Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District in the US Congress, wrote to the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, urging him to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

Moore also called for a suspension of arms sales and technical support to Nigeria until the government demonstrates commitment to ending what he described as “a reign of persecution and slaughter against Christians.”

However, both the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Presidency have dismissed the allegations of a Christian genocide.

While CAN described the reports as false narratives peddled by foreign agents, the Presidency insisted that there is no religious war taking place in the country.

Headline

Trump Breaks Silence On ‘Christian Genocide’ In Nigeria

Published

32 minutes ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

In a stark rebuke to months of escalating violence, President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over what he described as an “existential threat” to Christianity, accusing radical Islamists of orchestrating a mass slaughter of believers in the West African nation.

The announcement, posted on Truth Social on Friday, marks the administration’s most direct intervention yet in a crisis that has claimed thousands of lives this year alone, reigniting debates over US policy toward religious persecution abroad.

Full statement below;

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” — But that is the least of it.

Headline

Tanzania Protesters Loot Singer Juma Jux Fashion Store

Published

5 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Tanzanian protesters have reportedly looted singer Juma Jux’s fashion store.

Unrest erupted on Thursday after a disputed general election marked by disqualification and detention of the key opposition figures in Tanzania.

The protesters are demanding cancellation of the election results, alleging irregularities in the country’s presidential election.

Amid the development, a controversial post by an X user Bolaji Fesomade alleged that the singer store valued at $780 million has been set ablaze by protesters.

Reacting to the report, Juma Jux’s wife, Priscilla Ojo on her Snapchat account, dismissed the claims, noting that the store was looted and not burnt.

She simply wrote; “Looted not Burnt”.