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Nigeria Deepens Bilateral Relations With EU On Security Cooperation

Published

2 years ago

October 5, 2023

The Federal Government said it was ready to deepen bilateral relations with the European Union (EU), on security cooperation.

This was announced in a statement by Mr Hope Attari, Acting Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Defence, on Thursday in Abuja.

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, disclosed this when he received the delegation of the European External Actions Service ( EEAS), on Wednesday, at the Ship House.

Badaru said that Nigeria as a nation was desirous of restoring partnership with EU and strengthening collaboration with the union in fighting violent extremism, maintaining peace and security as well as enhancing regional cooperation.

He noted that the country needed intelligence and security equipment from the EU to combat insecurity in the country.

According to him, the major challenges facing the country were banditry in the North West and North Central, Boko Haram in the North East, Oil vandalism in the South-South, sectional agitation in the South East and general insecurity at the Gulf of Guinea and the Lake Chad region.

Similarly, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, said that Nigeria as the “Giant of Africa” needed the cooperation of the EU in the fight against insecurity bedevilling the country.

He noted that the safety of Nigeria was the safety of Africa, and therefore called for cooperation of the EU in the fight against insecurity in the country.

Earlier, the Head of the delegation, Deputy Secretary General of the EEAS, Helena Konig, said the purpose of the visit was to seek Nigeria’s area of priorities in terms of security issues where the EU could intervene.

Konig added that the priority areas would be discussed extensively at the forth coming high ministerial meeting.

According to her, EU wants to work extensively with Nigeria in counter terrorism, to stabilise the region, considering that the country was a strong supporter in maintaining the Africa territorial region.

Headline

Putin Says Will Speak With Trump On Phone Today

Published

7 hours ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he would speak with US counterpart Donald Trump on the phone Thursday, their first publicly announced call in over two weeks.

The two have been in regular contact since Trump took office in January and have discussed issues like the Ukraine conflict and economic cooperation.

Putin did not say what the two would discuss in Thursday’s call.

“I will talk to the US president today,” the Russian leader told the media during a visit to an exhibition centre in Moscow.

Trump confirmed the call on Truth Social, saying it would start at 10.00am (1400 GMT).

The two leaders have praised each other in recent weeks, despite Moscow’s ongoing assault on Ukraine.

Putin said last week that he had “great respect” for Trump and that US ties were improving. Trump said Putin’s statements were “very nice”.

AFP

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NAFDAC Warns Against Use Of Excess Hydroquinone In Cosmetics

Published

1 day ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned users of bleaching creams to refrain from using products containing excessive hydroquinone to safeguard their health.

NAFDAC Bauchi State Coordinator, Mr Hamis Yahaya, advised in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Tuesday.

Hydroquinone is a skin-lightening agent used to treat hyperpigmentation, such as melasma and age spots.

Yahaya said that the approved quantity of the chemical substance in cosmetics was only two per cent.

According to him, NAFDAC conducts checks on market products to ensure public health and safety.

“The black colour provides natural protection against harmful radiation due to melanin content.

“Applying creams with hydroquinone contents more than two per cent is harmful. Mixing creams by non-experts is wrong.

“Hydroquinone affects the health of the users gradually, including causing cancer,” he said.

Yahaya urged the media to raise awareness about the dangers of cosmetics that could endanger consumer lives.

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AU Helicopter Crashes In Somali Capital – State Media

Published

1 day ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

An African Union helicopter crashed Wednesday at the airport in the Somali capital Mogadishu with eight people onboard, state media said.

The aircraft was part of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), tasked with fighting the Al-Shabaab militant group.

The state media agency Sonna said the AUSSOM helicopter, carrying eight people, “crashed during landing at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde Airport this morning after departing Balidoogle”.

“The fire has been contained, and authorities are assessing the situation,” it said in a post on X.

Sonna quoted the country’s civil aviation authorities as saying that “flight operations remain normal”.

There were no further details given, but unverified clips and images shared online showed a plume of black smoke over the city.

The AUSSOM mission faces funding difficulties, even as fears of an Al-Shabaab resurgence are stoked by attacks in the Horn of Africa nation.