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Actions of Recalled Ambassadors Yet to Return to Nigeria, A Show of Shame, Insist Groups
Actions of Recalled Ambassadors Yet to Return to Nigeria, A Show of Shame, Insist Groups
By: Michael Mike
The actions of some Nigerian Ambassadors to stay back abroad after they were recalled by President Bola Tinubu has been described as a show of shame and tantamount to waging war on their employers.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday at the FCT NUJ Press Centre, Abuja, a coalition of support groups for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said the recall of the ambassadors was within the president’s prerogative and no ambassadors should have resorted to media war against the nation’s Number 1 citizen.
The group, Progressive Arewa Support Asiwaju/Shettima (led by its Director General, Amb. Rabi Garba Dangizo), NAPC Progressives Women Network for Tinubu/Shettima (led by Hon Charity Jabengo Egbe) and Asiwaju Progressive Forum And National Coordinator Tinubu National Think Tank (TNT), Amb. Adewale Adeogun, in a jointly addressed conference said: “According to media reports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu using the powers conferred on him, in early September recalled serving ambassadors, representing Nigeria. They were also given till the 31st of October 2023 to return to Nigeria. What was supposed to be a routine Diplomatic Process has turned into a campaign of calumny against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, government officials and symbols of the country.
“We have called this Press Conference to register our dismay and outright displeasure on the uncharitable behaviour of a few that were chosen out of hundreds of millions to represent Nigeria. We, the Coalition of APC Political Support Groups for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wish to register the dismay of our members on this show of shame being exhibited by some recalled envoys.”
They said: “Distinguished Members of the Press, based on our investigations into the matter It is important to note that that these Diplomatic officials who represent the topmost point of the pyramid of the exalted positions have not only engaged the country in a media war but have gone ahead to release documents that flout the Official Secrets Act. These documents have found their ways into the media and digital media space. This action not only undermines the oath sworn to by the envoys, but it is also against the extant rules and regulations guiding public officials in Nigeria. Thereby making them knowingly committing an offense.
They started that: “Nigerians from all walks of life should remember, especially appointed public officials by the APC government should remember that, we have no any other country to call ours other than Nigeria, as such we must remain steadfast and support the government instead of derailing it with malicious publications, half-truths and outright misinformation. This caution also applies to those who will be appointed as ambassadors in the coming weeks, that they are first representatives of the Nigeria’s interests and Mr President in their country of residence.
“Consequently, according to our investigations, we have discovered that severance payments known as passages have been sent to the recalled envoys, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, this is verifiable information. Also they are well aware that severance payments in Nigeria and all over the world follow due diligence and other forms of bureaucracy before payments are received. At this juncture we must thank those envoys who have not only written to their host governments but have registered their return in Abuja. Most importantly we thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving these payments as a testimony to the appreciation of the work of the envoys to Nigeria.”
They however asked that: “This orchestrated media war must end to protect the integrity of Mr President and sovereignty of Nigeria. The country is bigger than all of us.
“The recalled Nigerian High Commissioner To Zambia, Ambassador Ominiyi Eze and his cohorts should therefore desist from the international embarrassment they are causing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the government of Nigeria. The general public is hereby advised to pay no heed to what is purely an administrative and procedural matter that has become the basis of misrepresentations in the media intended to undermine the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, we the members of Coalition of APC Support Groups stand firmly with the APC led Government and hereby call for an end to actions tantamount to insubordination and disrespect of our country and symbols.”
Actions of Recalled Ambassadors Yet to Return to Nigeria, A Show of Shame, Insist Groups
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
By: Michael Mike
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Yemisi Asagbra debunked some allegations level against the agency by some non governmental organisations (NGOs) concerning negligence and compromise.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Asagbra said: “The negative statements circulating are misleading and lack credible scientific backing. The agency asks these organisations to present verifiable scientific evidence for their claims and we relies on sound scientific research and internationally recognized protocols to make informed decisions. It is part of the Cartagena Protocol with over 180 parties, our mandate is to protect the health of Nigerians and the environment. It will not compromise on this as it is an agency of integrity.
She added that: “The agency is transparent and accountable in its operations. It invites review of its processes and rigorous evaluations of GMO products. We are confident in our procedures that it’s meet global standards and it is a leader in effective regulation in Africa”.
On the source of the allegations, she said “over the years they have been advocating to have their presence in the board where all these products coming will be thoroughly Investigated, but it hasn’t been given. Most times we rely on the information given by Nigeria Custom Service to furnish them with needed information, which most time is not always easy if they have other things doing.
The Head planning, research and statistics National Biosafety Management Agency Mrs. Bello Scholastica said the agency is concerned with safety to our health and safety to our environment.
She further reiterated that what NBMA stands for is to establish first regulation from identification of the gene of interest, “of what you are interested in, from then till commercialization, and even after commercialization, they still follow suit to make sure that the approvals they gave hasn’t caused any harm, or those that were given approval to that they stay put to what they were asked to do”.
She further explained that the agency has put in effort to promote environmental conservation and biosafety in Nigeria.
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
By: Michael Mike
The House of Representatives has revealed that it is interested in the passage of the Human Rights Defenders Bill into law, saying that the bill has already passed the first reading and will soon be subjected to second reading.
The House also promised to take the necessary steps to ensure an improvement in the 2025 budget of the NHRC, pointing out that the N5 billion approved for it in the 2024 budget is inadequate considering the myriad of human rights violations in the country.
The Chairman House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Abiola Makinde made this disclosure during the oversight visit of Committee to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The Chairman, who was represented at the occasion by his Deputy, Hon. Mudashiru Lukeman assured the NHRC that the Committee would continue to advance the course of human rights in Nigeria by ensuring that the House of Representatives passes critical bills on human rights issues as well as makes adequate budgetary provisions to ease the work of the Commission.
Makinde also stated that in a bid to improve some aspects of Civil and Political Rights, the House of Representatives had ensured the establishment of human rights desks in all police formations and Headquarters across the 36 States of the Federation.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu who received the lawmakers with his management staff told the Human Rights Committee that the Commission relies heavily on them for the enactment of human rights friendly laws and enhanced budgetary provisions to discharge it broad mandate of promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights in the country.
He used the opportunity to commend the legislators for their role in the amendment of the NHRC Act 2010 as well as the support of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila in the payment of compensation to victims of human rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
He equally informed the legislators who were on oversight visit about the recent report released by the Commission following the findings of the Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter-Insurgency Operations in the North East Nigeria , which he noted has saved the country from possible invitation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He noted that the aforementioned wide spread allegations of human rights infractions against some government institutions could result in the ICC extending invitations to some of the leaders to respond to the allegations, but the Commission has done the needful in compliance with the international principles of omplementarity.
He thanked the Committee for promising to improve the budgetary allocation of the Commission in the 2025 fiscal year.
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
FG Confirms Arrest of Simon Ekpa
By: Michael Mike
The arrest of Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa in Finland has been confirmed by the federal government.
A statement on Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the proscribed Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB), was arrested by Finnish authorities on Thursday.
According to the statement, Ekpa was
charged with inciting terrorism and promoting violence.
The Finnish District Court of
Päijät-Häme ruled to detain him on probable cause for publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.
The Finnish authorities alleged that Mr. Ekpa used social media platforms to spread
separatist propaganda, incite violence and encourage illegal actions, which had caused
significant disruptions in the South-East of Nigeria. Finnish investigators had also linked
him to incidents of violence in Nigeria, which were believed to had been fueled by his
online activities.
The statement said “the arrest of Mr. Simon Njoku Ekpa follows sustained diplomatic
pressure by the Nigerian government on Finland, to take action against his activities,
which were linked to violence and instability in the South-East of Nigeria. The request
for action featured during high level engagements between countries.”
The Ministry stated that the arrest of Ekpa, is a significant development in addressing the activities of IPOB, and also neutralizing the influence of transnational actors and “their impact on our national security.”
The Ministry promised to continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide further updates as the case progresses.
FG Confirms Arrest of Simon Ekpa
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
Nigerian lawyers Ask to Collaborate with Chinese Colleagues in Law Relating to Investment and Dispute Resolution
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
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