Headline

U.S. Pledges To Support Nigeria’s Fight Against Modern-day Slavery

Published

4 years ago

January 28, 2022

The U.S. government on Thursday pledged to support Nigeria in its efforts to combat modern-day slavery and all forms of human trafficking and smuggling.

Ms Kathleen FlitzGibbon, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, said this at an event organised to commemorate the 2022 National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

The event, held in collaboration with the DEVATOP Center for African Development under its “TALKAM” Human Rights Project, had the theme “improving awareness on Human Trafficking and increasing Reportage of Cases”.

According to FlitzGibbon, human trafficking has taken various forms and is also known as modern-day slavery which requires collaborative efforts to effectively tackle.

She said that in Nigeria, modern-day slavery had continued to thrive under the guise of relatives taking young girls and boys out of the villages to the city to give them education.

She said that the training of advocates by DEVATOP center would help bring some of the tricks to the limelight and sensitise those in rural communities so that they do not fall victims.

FlitzGibbom further said that deepening partnerships with a broad array of stakeholders inside and outside government was therefore critical to bolstering Nigeria’s anti-trafficking and anti-smuggling efforts.

“What we see at the countrysides which are the aunties in the villages seeking help from people to get education for their children by sending them off to the cities to work in somebody’s house.

“And we know that traditional part has become a major form of trafficking, and we do have a lot of attention in Nigeria with prostitution into Italy.

“The biggest problem for all African countries is the domestic servitude part of it,” she said.

The deputy chief said that type of training for civil societies was a plus multiplier for NAPTIP, the police, immigration, and other law enforcement agencies.

“Because when you see something, you say something to them they can take action. So this programme is so great.

“Human Trafficking has no place in a society that values freedom and the rule of law, hence for these reasons, the United States stands with Nigeria in its fight against trafficking,” FlitzGibbon said.

Dr Fatima Waziri- Azi, Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) commended DEVATOP Center for African Development for its advocacy which was yielding visible results.

Waziri-Azi, represented by Mrs Roseline Abare, NAPTIP’s Chief Intelligent Officer, Public Enlightenment Department said the agency was pleased to work with the center full of youths with drive.

“TALKAM Human Rights project is a valuable initiative especially as it focuses on combatting human trafficking and related human rights abuses.

“It is also very commendable that TALKAM project, with the support of the U.S. Embassy, Abuja, is marking this year’s National Human Trafficking Month in graduating 40 human rights advocates.

“Driving the nexus between the visions of the DEVATOP Center and the responsibilities of NAPTIP.

“As an NGO that is also led by the youths, we, NAPTIP applaud your aggressive nature towards your impacting over a million people through training, sensitisations, and awareness campaigns.

“NAPTIP is pleased to work with you and wishes you more success in your endeavours,” Waziri-Azi said.

Also, Mrs Victoria Oladiran, DEVATOP Center Communication’s Associate said it would continue to carry out sensitisation and campaigns in the society to tackle the menace.

Oladiran said that the center had trained over 50 advocates who would in turn carry out extensive sensitisation in their communities. (NAN)

Headline

US: Four Killed, 10 Others Wounded In California Shooting

Published

3 hours ago

November 30, 2025

Editor

Four people were confirmed dead and 10 others injured after a shooting at a family gathering in California, United States on Saturday night, according to US police, who described the attack as a “targeted incident.”

The incident occurred inside a banquet hall in Stockton, northeast of San Francisco, shortly before 6:00 pm, spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, Heather Brent, told reporters during a news briefing.

Brent said the victims, ranging from “juveniles to adults,” were rushed to nearby hospitals, noting that details about the shooting remained limited.

“What we have confirmed at this time is that there was a banquet hall where a family was celebrating. We have 14 victims of this shooting. Four of those are deceased,” Brent said.

“Early indications suggest that this may be a targeted incident. Investigators are exploring all possibilities at this time.”

The sheriff’s office posted on social media that detectives were “working to determine the circumstances leading up to this tragedy.”

“We are urging anyone with information, video footage, or who may have witnessed any part of this incident to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office immediately,” the post added.

Authorities said no suspect had been identified at the time of the report.

California Governor Gavin Newsom was briefed on the development, his office said in a social media statement.

Data from the Gun Violence Archive shows there have been 504 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, including the Stockton attack.

(AFP)

Headline

FULL LIST: US To Review Green Cards From 19 ‘Countries Of Concern’ After Washington Shooting

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will review the immigration status of all permanent residents, or “Green Card” holders, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following the attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

U.S. officials identified the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting as a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan.

The individual was granted asylum earlier this year, not permanent residency, according to AfghanEvac, an organisation that assists Afghans resettled in the United States after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” said Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on X.

The review follows a June executive order from President Trump classifying 19 countries as “of Identified Concern.”

The order banned entry for nearly all nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The full list of these countries is:

Afghanistan

Myanmar

Chad

Congo-Brazzaville

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Yemen

A partial travel ban applies to seven additional countries, though some temporary work visas remain allowed: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Headline

Romanian Defence Minister Quits After Admitting Error In Academic Record

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

Romania’s defence minister resigned on Friday after saying he made a “mistake” on his CV about his university education, as controversy swirled over alleged lies on his resume.

Ionut Mosteanu – who has admitted to writing on his CV that he graduated from a university he never attended – said he did not want the row “to distract” the NATO member at a time when it and Europe are “under attack from Russia”.

Romania has repeatedly seen drone fragments fall on its soil since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and reported a number of drone incursions.

On Tuesday, a drone crashed in eastern Romania, which borders Ukraine.

Romania has also accused Moscow of “hybrid attacks”, including meddling in presidential elections last year that were subsequently annulled.

“Today, I resigned from my position as minister of national defence,” Mosteanu said in a Facebook post, adding he wanted the country to be focused on its “difficult mission”.

“Romania and Europe are under attack from Russia. Our national security must be defended at all costs,” he added.

Mosteanu had come under pressure after a media investigation published on Thursday revealed that he wrote in a CV that he graduated from a university which he did not actually attend.

That same day he apologised for what he called “a mistake”.

“In a CV I quickly put together in 2016 using a template I found online, there is a mistake that I admit embarrasses me. I didn’t pay much attention to these details at the time,” he said on Facebook.

Mosteanu was appointed defence minister in June of this year, when a new pro-European government was formed after months of political turmoil.

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said in a press release that he would propose economy and tourism minister Radu Miruta take over the defence portfolio in the interim.

AFP