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Cabo Verde Establishes Embassy in Nigeria

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Cabo Verde Establishes Embassy in Nigeria

Cabo Verde Establishes Embassy in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike, Abuja

Cabo Verde has established her Embassy in the country to strengthen diplomatic ties with Nigeria and be closer to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission which is headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The Prime Minister of Cabo Verde, Dr. Ulisses Correia e Silva expressed the importance of having an embassy in Abuja during a visit to the ECOWAS Commission as part of activities marking his working visit to Nigeria. 

He explained that the purpose of the mission is to inaugurate the new embassy of Cabo Verde in the country, present the first resident ambassador who will be representing Cabo Verde before the ECOWAS Commission as well as strengthen the relationship and cooperation of Cabo Verde with Nigeria, the ECOWAS Commission, and all member states in the organisation.

Welcoming the Prime Minister on behalf of the President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou and other commissioners, the Vice President Finda Koroma said the visit to the Commission showed the importance Cabo Verde placed on its membership of the regional body. 

Koroma, while using the opportunity to congratulate Jose Maria Neves on his recent election as the President of the Republic of Cabo Verde, said “we are impressed by Cabo Verde’s exemplary democratic governance through the organisation of free and fair elections and the smooth transfer of power.”

She also appreciated the clear leadership the country has shown in human capital development despite being a small country of many islands.

She expressed the unflinching support of ECOWAS community institutions to the new government and good people of Cabo Verde.

At the meeting with the commissioners at the ECOWAS Commission, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation for being allowed to address them and explained the purpose of his mission to Nigeria.

He said he was in Nigeria to inaugurate  the Embassy of Cabo Verde, made known as the First Resident Ambassador who will also represent the country before the ECOWAS Commission.

He noted that this will go a long way in  strengthening relations of friendship and cooperation with Nigeria, the ECOWAS Commission and all member states of ECOWAS.

He said: “In other words, Cabo Verde intends to be more dynamic in its participation in the sub-region and consequently boost its Regional Integration.”

The Prime Minister said he is fully aware of what at this moment the Region is going through, noting that there remains a hard fight that still remains to be fought for the damages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the actions of economic recovery. 

He said: “The pandemic is still present and demands from all of us more cooperation, more solidarity and more concerted action.

Also Read: Zulum doles out N500 million to IDPs returning to home

“For Cabo Verde, since its national independence, this is the greatest challenge to its economy.”

He lamented that: “In the process of Regional Integration, Cabo Verde is faced with several constraints, such as: insularity, its dispersion in islands that entails exorbitant costs of infrastructure and development, the demographic and territorial smallness, in addition to the various other vulnerabilities that create asymmetries and imbalances that make the integration of Cabo Verde extremely difficult. In fact, “Unequal does not integrate”.

He lamented that the drama and cost of Cabo Verde development, a country with 500,000 inhabitants is obliged to have 9 ports, airports, among others because the populations are dispersed throughout the nine islands, and the government is obliged to multiply everything, including services, by the number of inhabited islands. 

He said instead of one port but because of the geography of the country, nine ports are needed and all this adds up to: (exiguity of natural resources as a basis for sustainability; the limitation in arable land, combined with the drought/water factor for food security and economy;  the smallness of the market (physical and demographic) to attract private investment, the specialization and external dependence in tourism services, transport (whose impact was demonstrated with COVID-19); the atrocities of nature (volcanism, drought, floods etc).

He however said in the face of this integration difficulty, Cabo Verde wishes to make use of Article 3.2 paragraph k) of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty which recommends a balanced development of the sub-region and that attention be paid to the specific problems of each member state, especially the island and landlocked states, and Article 68, which pledges to grant, whenever necessary, to states facing economic and social difficulties, in particular the island and landlocked states, special treatment for the application of certain provisions of the Treaty and to grant them any other assistance they may require.

Cabo Verde Establishes Embassy in Nigeria

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We were sexually abused by our Chinese employers in CAR, rescued Nigerian workers alleged

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We were sexually abused by our Chinese employers in CAR, rescued Nigerian workers alleged

By: Michael Mike

Rescued 12 Nigerian trapped workers in Central African Republic (CAR) on Friday narrated their ordeal on breathing air of freedom in Nigeria, alleging that they were sexually harassed by their Chinese employers while workers at mining site.

The 12 stranded Nigerian men whose video went viral some three weeks ago finally arrived Nigeria and paid an appreciation visit to the NIDCOM office, where they were received by Chairman/ CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and other management staff.

The leader of the rescued workers, Igorigo Freeborn said it is important for the world to know that despite owing them 11 months salaries, “we were homosexually abused by our Chinese employers in CAR.

“I am not ashamed to say it. I want other people to learn from it. We were treated badly there but thank God for sparing our lives to tell the stories today.

“I am one of those people who usually abuse Nigeria and I don’t think anything good can come out of the country but we were all so happy to receive help and succour from Nigeria.

“Let me use this opportunity to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the CAR Ambassador in Bangui, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) ,NEMA, Immigration Service and other government agencies for coming to our rescue almost immediately”, he said.

Freeborn said they had suffered a lot in the past 20 months that they left Nigeria and pleaded with the government to help them redress the injustices meted out to them by their employers.

He recalled how they were left stranded in the forest after work without payment leaving them starving in a harsh and unsafe living conditions. With support from the Presidency Ministry of Foreign Affairs ,NIDCOM, and the Nigerian mission, they were relocated to Bangui, provided with medical care, and eventually brought safely back home.

Welcoming back the returnees to Nigeria, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, assured them that justice will be served as the Commission in conjunction with relevant government agencies would take up the matter on their behalf.

The NIDCOM boss condemned the acts as inhumane and assured that the matter would be pursued to ensure justice is served in line with the citizen diplomacy of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

She counselled them to be of good behaviour and partner with the Commission in its advocacy on irregular migration and its consequences.

NIDCOM through Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa gave some cash support to all the returnees to enable them settle down while expecting their unpaid salaries.

She also called on well meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to assist the Nigerians to settle down back in the country.

A cash donation from Perchstone and Greys, presented by Mr. Toyin Adenugba on behalf of Dr. Tolu Aderemi, Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the JAALS Foundation, were given to all the 12 returnees.

Adenugba explained that the support was a demonstration of belief in the evacuees’ potential, meant to serve as a seed for rebuilding their lives, supporting their families, and creating new opportunities at home.

Other rescued workers are Rotimi Kupoluyi, Ajosi Julius, Odeh Collins, Anifowoshe Yekini, Akubo Oluwaseun and Olayemi Peter Adewale.

Others were Stephen Abel Otkli, Samuel Ojochenemi, Alih Joel Muhammed, Unekwu Bala and Yusuf Bameyi.
End

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Police arrest MOPOL, security guards over warehouse burglary in Ogun

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Police arrest MOPOL, security guards over warehouse burglary in Ogun

By: Zagazola Makama

The Police in Ogun have arrested a mobile policeman and several security guards for alleged conspiracy, burglary and theft from a warehouse belonging to H.K Printing & Packaging Limited, Agbara.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on Aug. 9 at about 11:00 p.m., when a truck drove into the company premises and proceeded to the warehouse, allegedly aided by security operatives on duty.

According to the sources, Insp. Ibrahim James, attached to PMF 16 Abeokuta, was captured on CCTV moving around and allegedly leading the operation.

Another officer, Insp. Olabamipe Olaiya, posted to the same beat, was said to be absent from duty at the time.

The company’s security guards and the implicated police personnel allegedly conspired with others still at large to break into the warehouse and cart away goods whose total value is yet to be ascertained.

Police detectives led by CSP Phillips Abayomi, Acting ACP, Agbara Division, visited the scene and arrested the mobile policeman along with the private security guards on duty during the incident.

The suspects are being interrogated, while efforts are ongoing to track down fleeing accomplices and recover the stolen items.

Police arrest MOPOL, security guards over warehouse burglary in Ogun

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Police launch manhunt for herbalist over alleged ritual killing in Nasarawa

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Police launch manhunt for herbalist over alleged ritual killing in Nasarawa

By: Zagazola Makama

The Nasarawa State Police Command says it is searching for a herbalist, simply identified as Alfa, over alleged involvement in a ritual killing and attempted murder in Mararaba.

It was gathered that the case was reported by one Jamilu Abubakar, a vigilante member.

Abubakar allegedly accompanied two young men to Alfa’s residence on Aug. 12 to seek spiritual assistance purportedly to make more money through internet fraud.

“It was gathered that Alfa prepared a concoction and meat for the victims to eat. Shortly after consuming the meal, both developed severe stomach pain and were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Mararaba.

“Sadly, one of the victims, Ani Sunday, aged 21, was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty, while the second, Tosin Akurunor, is responding to treatment,” said the sources.

He said Abubakar had been arrested for his role in taking the victims to the herbalist, while the main suspect, Alfa, was at large.

Efforts are ongoing to apprehend Alfa and conclude investigations, he added.

Police launch manhunt for herbalist over alleged ritual killing in Nasarawa

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