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Tinubu Receives Blinken At State House

Published

1 year ago

January 23, 2024

President Bola Tinubu is currently in closed-door talks with United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

Blinken who arrived at the State House at about 06:53 pm local time was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, ushered into the President’s diplomatic room for a bilateral meeting.

Although the senior US official is visiting Tinubu for the first time since the latter assumed the Presidency eight months ago, it would be his second visit to the seat of power since November 2021 when he met President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nigeria is Blinken’s third destination in his week-long whistle-stop tour which began in Cabo Verde through Ivory Coast and is scheduled to end in the Central African state of Angola.

Visiting a port in Praia, Cape Verde’s capital, that was expanded through US government assistance, Blinken remarked that the US was “all in” for Africa.

“We see Africa as an essential, critical, central part of our future,” he said.

According to the US State Department, his visit is part of a bid to forge a united front with key African democracies as crises engulf the world.

In Abidjan, Blinken met Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, before heading to Abuja to see Nigerian President Tinubu.

The two West African powers, one Anglophone and one Francophone, have largely shared the US stance on arming Ukraine and, more recently, US support for Israel in its war with Hamas.

In 2022, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, and Ivory Coast, as well as Kenya in East Africa, joined the United States in a United Nations vote to condemn Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

This is in sharp contrast with another continental power, South Africa, which the US has accused of allowing arms shipments to Russia and which most recently pushed a genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice.

Consequently, Blinken will not visit South Africa but he will visit Angola, which played a crucial role in mediating to end unrest in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

News

Community Violations: TikTok Removes Over 3.6m Videos in Nigeria

Published

1 hour ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

TikTok on Tuesday said that it has removed over 3.6 million videos in Nigeria between January and March 2025 for violating its Community Guidelines.

It represented a 50 per cent increase from the previous quarter, according to TikTok’s Q1 2025 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report.

The report said that TikTok prioritised creating a safe, respectful, and trustworthy digital environment.

The report highlighted TikTok’s proactive approach, with a detection rate of 98.4 per cent for content removed before user reports and 92.1 per cent of videos removed within 24 hours.

“Globally, TikTok removed over 211 million videos in Q1 2025, with more than 184 million removed through automation.

“The platform’s global proactive detection rate reached 99 per cent.

“TikTok has intensified its LIVE Monetisation Guidelines and prioritised LIVE content enforcement.”

According to the report in Nigeria, 42,196 LIVE rooms were banned, and 48,156 streams were interrupted for violating community guidelines.

It said that the platform also removed 129 accounts in West Africa tied to covert operations in partnership with Cece Yara, a child-centred non-profit organisation.

The report said that TikTok is expanding in-app helpline resources to Nigeria.

This initiative provides young users with access to local helplines for expert support on issues like suicide, self-harm, hate, and harassment.

The report also noted that TikTok Digital Well-being ambassador, Dr. Olawale Ogunlana, collaborated with experts to promote digital well-being.

It said that TikTok encouraged community participation through user reporting and education, advocating for a collaborative approach to creating a respectful online environment.

“The Q1 2025 report reflects TikTok’s efforts to safeguard its Nigerian user base, strengthen enforcement systems, and remain transparent about measures taken to uphold platform integrity.”
(NAN)

News

Buhari Buried In Daura Amid Prayers, Tributes

Published

1 hour ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

Former President Muhammadu Buhari was laid to rest on Tuesday evening in his Daura residence in Katsina State, following Islamic funeral rites attended by President Bola Tinubu, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, Niger Republic Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine, family members, top government officials, and dignitaries.

His body was committed to Mother Earth at about 5:50 p.m.

Buhari had passed away on Sunday, July 13, in London at the age of 82, following a brief illness. His remains were received in Nigeria by President Bola Tinubu.

The body arrived in Daura at approximately 4:33 p.m. in a military ambulance. It was accompanied by President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, businessman Aliko Dangote, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and other dignitaries.

Here are things to know about late Buhari.

Muhammadu Buhari was born on December 17, 1942, to Adamu and Zulaiha Buhari in Daura, Katsina State. He belonged to the Fulani ethnic group and was a devout Muslim.

He joined the Nigerian Army and rose to the rank of Major General. Buhari became Nigeria’s military Head of State following a coup on December 31, 1983, and led the country until August 27, 1985.

In 1994, Buhari was appointed Executive Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) by the Sani Abacha administration, overseeing infrastructure projects funded by oil revenues.

After three failed attempts at the presidency, Buhari won the 2015 presidential election under the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeating incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. He was re-elected in 2019.

He was married to Aisha Buhari and had several children. Known for his austere lifestyle, Buhari maintained a reserved and disciplined public persona throughout his life.

News

Guinea-Bissau President, Niger Republic PM, Others Attend Buhari’s Burial In Daura

Published

2 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, and Niger Republic Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine were among thousands of people who attended the funeral rites of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Daura, Katsina State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the remains of Buhari were conveyed to Nigeria by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

NAN also reports that the remains were brought aboard a Nigerian Air Force flight -FGT 001, which touched ground at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport, around 2 p.m., on Tuesday.

The body was received by Tinubu, Gov. Dikko Radda of Katsina State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, the Governors, and other dignitaries.

After a farewell parade in honour of the late former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his remains were conveyed to Daura by road.

Imam Hassan Yusuf led the funeral prayer at 4 p.m. at the Daura Helipad.

Many dignitaries performed the prayer, notable among them were the former Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

Others were members of the National Assembly, including the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk-Umar, and the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir-Usman, as well as the Emirs of Zazzau, Dutse, and Kazaure, among others.

Captains of industries, such as Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, also attended the burial.

After the funeral prayer, the corpse was taken to his residence, where he was buried.

The funeral rites were attended by thousands of people who were earlier denied access to the venue but later allowed to enter.

Some of the people interviewed praised the virtues of the late former President, who was distinguished for his integrity, honesty, and discipline.

Salisu Lawal stated that Buhari was a great man who loved being among his people and offering a helping hand to them.

Aliyu Nasiru, another resident, described the death of Buhari as a great loss not only to his immediate family but to the state and the country.

“The death has created a vacuum that is difficult to fill, he will continue to be remembered for his good virtues,” he said.

He prayed to the Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings, grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.