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Maritime Security: Nigeria, 31 Nations In Joint Military Drill

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2022

Editor

The Nigerian Navy, on Friday, said it deployed 10 warships and two helicopters in a joint multinational maritime exercise comprising 31 other foreign navies.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Awwal Gambo, inaugurated the exercise tagged: “Obangame Express 2022” in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

According to Gambo, the exercise was aimed at improving security in the Gulf of Guinea and boost synergy with navies within the regional block and allied countries.

He said the Nigerian Navy will conduct the drill on Nigeria’s territorial waterways and the gulf between March 11 and end on it March 18.

“Exercise Obangame Express is an annual multinational maritime exercise, which was born on the need for GoG navies and coastguards to cooperate for regional maritime security.

“The Nigerian Navy will deploy 10 ships, two helicopters; maritime domain awareness assets as well as elements of the Special Boat Services (Nigeria’s naval special forces) in this year’s exercise.

“The exercise will make a positive impact on our combat operation through training while exposing other maritime related agencies to the benefits of inter-agency cooperation and international collaboration,” he said.

Some of the countries that would participate in the exercise include Angola, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo and Denmark.

Others are: Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Liberia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe and Senegal.

Also participating are: Sierra Leone, Togo, the United States of America as well as the Economic Community of West African States and the Economic Community of Central African State, NAN reports.

“This year’s exercise is particularly instructive considering the efforts of our governments to operate the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, which has potential intra-African trade by 33 per cent.

“So, Obangeme presents an opportunity for the Nigerian Navy to work together with other regional and friendly navies to safeguard and secure the GoG, to boost maritime trade and commerce,” he added.

Gambo noted that a report from the International Maritime Bureau released on March 3 indicated that Nigeria was no longer on the list of piracy prone countries.

Another report released by IMB and Defence Web in 2021 said there was a significant reduction in piracy and armed attacks in the GoG, the Navy chief hinted.

“These achievements are attributed to sustained presence of Nigerian Navy Ships at sea as well as increased regional synergy and maritime domain awareness as facilitated by exercises such as Obangame.

“The Nigerian Navy under my watch remains committed to eradicating acts of criminality in the nation’s maritime domain and GoG for legitimate socio-economic activities to thrive,” he assured.

Also, Rear Adm. Idi Abbas, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command Headquarters, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, said the command would coordinate the exercise on behalf of Nigerian Navy, according to NAN.

Abbas said the exercise would also be used to checkmate activities of sea pirates, sea robbers, oil thieves, illegal bunkers and other forms of criminalities in the nation’s waters.

He added that representatives from the Police, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) would participate in the exercise.

Other participants are: the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) and Ministry of Justice.

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Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Finalise Regional Alliance Project

Published

2 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

Junta-run Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have finalised plans to form a confederation after turning their backs on former colonial ruler France to seek closer ties with Russia.

Their foreign ministers met Friday in Niger’s capital Niamey to agree on a text establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

“The objective was to finalise the draft text relating to the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)”, said Niger Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare as he read the final statement late Friday.

He said the text would be adopted by the heads of state of the three countries at a summit, without specifying the date.

“We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has been born,” Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said after meeting General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Nigerien military regime.

The third foreign minister at the meeting was Burkina Faso’s Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore.

The Sahel region has been subject to deadly jihadist violence for years, which they accused France of not being able to curb.

The three countries said late January they were quitting The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they said was under French influence, to create their own regional grouping.

AFP

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Paul Kagame, Chimamanda Adichie, Aig-Imoukhuede, Other Africans Make Top 100 Influential Global

Published

6 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

Combo of Paul Kagame, Chimamanda Adichie, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede,Remi Dairo.

Rwanda President, Paul Kagame, Nigeria’s Chimamanda Adichie, and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, have been listed among top 100 influential global voices 2023/24.

Others list are president, the president , Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation, Africa and the Chief Operating Officer of Productivate Plus LLC, headquartered in Houston, Texas, Mr Remi Dairo; Adebayo Ogunlesi; Jumoke Adenowo, Ibukun Awosika; Malala Yousafzai, Strive Masiyiwa, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

In recognition of this groundbreaking record, Dairo was honoured by the Leaders Without Borders Development Centre at the event which took place on 19th April at House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, United Kingdom in recognition of being a global voice.

Commenting, Dairo said, “I feel so excited and motivated for the journey of my efforts and contribution to productivity in the community is globally recognized. The journey started in Nigeria as the School of Productivity in 2007 and metamorphosed into the Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation (IPBiM) in 2017.”

Remi Dairo is the president of the Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation Management (IPBIM), a distinguished African institution with global outreach that globally focuses on African institutions of productivity and innovation learning. The institution is in partnership with some of the world’s best institutions around the globe.

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Disregard Claim Of Me Bringing Investors To Nigeria – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Published

17 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

The Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied sending a WhatsApp message claiming she’s bringing investors to Nigeria due to Tinubu’s “commendable policies”.

A message had been circulating on Whatsapp alleging that former Minister of Finance has been contacted by President, respected instutitions and investors who congratulated her because Nigeria has finally found a “focused leader.”

Anything forwarded to you purporting to be a WhatsApp message from me is fake – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala debunks news claiming she?s bringing investors to Nigeria due to Tinubu?s ?commendable policies?

Reacting via her X handle, Okonjo-Iweala described it as fake. She wrote;

‘’It’s been brought to my attention that another FAKE message has been manufactured and is being forwarded on WhatsApp in my name. I want to make clear that this fake message is not from me. I am pleased that those who know me instantly recognized this as fake.

“Thanks to friends who brought this to my attention. Please be aware that I do not use WhatsApp broadcasts, thus anything forwarded to you purporting to be a WhatsApp message from me is FAKE.

“This is a bad example of the use of social media. I want to warn those in the business of manufacturing FAKE messages, that they will not succeed.”