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Angola Shows Interest in Improve Trading with Nigeria
Angola Shows Interest in Improve Trading with Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
Angola has expressed interest in improving trading with Nigeria, assuring that it would continue to push for improvement of bilateral relations.
Amb. José Bamóquina Zau, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Angola to Nigeria, Benin, and Niger, said this at the 48th independence anniversary ceremony of the country on Friday night in Abuja.
He said the 48 years of independence of Angola represented the sacrifices made by Angolan people and the government’s determination to implement the main objective of the country.
Zau added that Angola and Nigeria are brother countries and giant crude oil producers in Africa and have been in a relationship that started since Angola’s liberation struggle began until its independence.
He said: “Angola and Nigeria faced challenges and their respective leaders remain committed to resolving most essential problems and strengthening bilateral cooperation are core plans of Presidents Joao Lourenco and Bola Tinubu.
“Since 2008, Angola-Nigeria Bilateral Joint Commission has awaited a roundtable with the officials of the two countries to work on socioeconomic, political, defense and internal security issues.
“The commission also awaits to consolidate the bilateral legal instruments needed, in view of the dynamic that is to be created between the two brotherly countries.
“The Angola-Nigeria economic balance still does not reflect the strategic dimension of the two giants.
“The African Free Trade Zone is coming, so it is in everyone’s interest to prioritise trade cooperation and reverse the current situation in the short and medium term.”
The envoy while acknowledging the partnership between Angola and Nigeria within the framework of Technical and Methodological Coordination of African Petroleum Producing Organization (APPO), which extended to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), noted that the Gulf of Guinea Commission as one of the outcomes of the sub-regional organisation’s coordinated actions aimed at gaining momentum, amidst the current challenges in the area.
He said: “In this regard, the leaderships of the two countries have always taken the lead in fulfilling principles defended by the founding fathers of the OAU.
“It is where we highlight the intangibility of the borders of our colonial heritage, freedom for oppressed people, and freedom of religion, and above all raising the great challenge of lifting millions of Africans out of poverty.
“The UN organisation is another forum where leaders of the two countries expressed desire for an increasingly fair world with re-founding of multilateral institutions on a global scale.@
The Ambassador said that the Angola/Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry was established in Luanda to ensure the needs of the business community in both countries are properly understood and supported.
The envoy stated that the embassy on Oct. 19 hosted its maiden Diplomatic Business Forum that brought together political and business stalwarts from Angola and Nigeria.
He noted that at the forum, were captains of industry such as the oil and gas sector, banking, agribusiness, aeronautics, and mining, among other areas of interest to both countries.
He revealed that it was the mutually coordinated actions of both countries that resulted in the establishment of the Angola-Nigeria Business Council (ANBC).
He described the event as a preparation for the proposed “Road Show Angola,” an exhibition fair designed to boost business opportunities in Angola.
He revealed that: “As part of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, structural reforms have been made in various sectors: Legislative, Migration, Banking and agriculture.
“We can highlight here the ease of the mobility of Nigerian business people and not only to Angola with the granting of entry visas at a very short time, contrary to the previous period.
“This is always in the context of human mobility on a global scale, a total of 98 countries in the world were exempted from entry visas to Angola with immediate effect.”
He however observed that: “This process of removing some barriers to movement of people is carried out gradually with the inclusion of more countries whenever technical and material conditions are created for such purpose.”
Angola Shows Interest in Improve Trading with Nigeria
Troops receive rescued kidnap victims, arrest suspected gunrunner in Cross River
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 82 Division/Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDO KA (OPUK), have received eight rescued kidnap victims from the Cameroonian Armed Forces and arrested a suspected gunrunner in Cross River State, the Nigerian Army has said.
Sources told Zagazola Makama development is contained in a security update on activities in the Area of Responsibility (AOR) of the formation as at Jan. 20.
According to the sources troops of 13 Brigade, deployed on patrol along the Ikang waterways, received the eight victims at about 6:16 p.m. on Jan. 18 at the Pastors Fishing Port general area.
The sources said the victims, who were travelling from Nigeria to Cameroon, were kidnapped by suspected sea pirates along the Cameroon waterways but were later rescued by the Cameroonian Armed Forces after a gun battle with the criminals.
“The rescued victims were conveyed to the troops’ Forward Operating Base (FOB), where they were debriefed and subsequently released,” the sourcss said.
In a related development, troops of 13 Brigade, based on credible intelligence, arrested a suspected gunrunner at Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State at about 8:00 a.m. on Jan. 20.
The suspect, identified as Mr Ojo Friday, was apprehended with a total of 245 ammunition cartridges.
The army said the suspect is from Ochon in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State but resides at Abomege in Ebonyi State.
“The suspect and recovered items are currently in custody for preliminary investigation,” the sources added.
The military high command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations to curb criminal activities and ensure the safety of lives and property across the region.
Troops receive rescued kidnap victims, arrest suspected gunrunner in Cross River
Bandits kill two, abduct one in Niger community
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have killed two persons and abducted another in Kachiwe community, Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, the police have said.
Sources said the attack occurred at about 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 20.
According to eye witnesses, the bandits invaded Kachiwe community in large numbers, shot and killed Ango Abdulkarim, 25, and Abdulkarim Isah, 54, and abducted one Meyaku Ibrahim, 28.
All the victims are Fulani by tribe and residents of Kachiwe community.
“On receipt of the information at about 9:30 a.m., Army troops supported by Police and vigilantes, were swiftly deployed to the scene,” the sources said.
The sources added that by the time the teams arrived, the bandits had fled.
“However, the two corpses were recovered and, on the request of their relatives, handed over for burial,” the sources said.
The security sources said efforts were ongoing through intelligence gathering and monitoring to arrest the perpetrators and rescue the abducted victim.
Bandits kill two, abduct one in Niger community
NDLEA Arrests 77,792 Suspects, Secures 14,225 Convictions in Five Years
By: Michael Mike
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday said it has arrested 77,792 suspected drug offenders and secured 14,225 convictions over the past five years, as part of its intensified campaign against illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), disclosed this in Abuja during the 11th Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CCEO) Awards and Commendation Ceremony held at the NDLEA national headquarters.
Marwa also revealed that the agency seized more than 14.8 million kilogrammes of illicit substances within the said period, describing the achievement as a major blow to both local and international drug cartels operating in the country.
According to him, 128 major drug barons were among those arrested, noting that their capture had significantly weakened criminal trafficking networks.
He stated that beyond enforcement, the NDLEA had also prioritised rehabilitation and prevention, with over 32,000 drug users receiving professional treatment and counselling. Additionally, the agency conducted more than 13,700 sensitisation programmes under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign across schools, markets, workplaces, religious centres, and communities nationwide.
Marwa praised President Bola Tinubu for renewing his mandate, describing it as a strong endorsement of the agency’s work.
He pledged to escalate the fight against drug trafficking during his second tenure, with more intelligence-driven and tactical operations
He said: “We will not rest until every drug baron is behind bars and every illicit substance is removed from our streets.”
At the ceremony, 166 NDLEA officers and 17 state commands were honoured for exceptional performance, bravery, and commitment to duty.
Marwa commended the judiciary, security agencies, international partners, civil society groups, and the media for their support in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.
The NDLEA boss urged officers to remain diligent, disciplined, and proactive, stressing that the agency would continue to strengthen its operations to protect Nigerian youths from the dangers of illicit drugs.
NDLEA Arrests 77,792 Suspects, Secures 14,225 Convictions in Five Years
Troops receive rescued kidnap victims, arrest suspected gunrunner in Cross River
Bandits kill two, abduct one in Niger community
Police arrest four Liberians over alleged visa fraud in Lagos
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