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Council of European Union’s Africa Working Group Begins 4-day Visit to Nigeria
Council of European Union’s Africa Working Group Begins 4-day Visit to Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
Members of the Council of European Union’s Africa Working Party (COAFR) have arrived in Abuja to begin a four-day working visit to the country.
During the visit taking place from 26-29 February 2024, the COAFR members will engage with Nigerian authorities, government agencies, civil society groups, regional and international organisations and private sector actors in Abuja and in Lagos.
According to a statement on Sunday by the European Union in Nigeria, the Africa Working Party (COAFR) is mandated with the supervision and management of EU external policy towards the 46 countries of the sub-Saharan Africa, the African Union and other sub-regional organisations, including ECOWAS.
The Africa Working Party (COAFR) is composed of representatives of all 27 EU Member States, chaired by a permanent member of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and assisted by representatives of the Commission and the General Secretariat of the Council. It works under the auspices of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), itself composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense and/or development of the 27 Member States of the European Union.
The statement said in Abuja, the visiting COAFR members will meet with key Federal Government ministries and agencies starting from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, among others.
They will also have an interactive session with the ECOWAS Commission on regional developments and integration processes.
In Lagos, the COAFR is expected to meet with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Consuls General of EU Member States, and the leadership of the European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria.
They will also visit several EU-funded projects in the state featuring digital and innovation, critical infrastructure and connectivity and migration. Deliberations during the meetings will centre on further boosting EU-Nigeria partnership.
The Africa Working Party’s (COAFR) visits to African countries aim at promoting direct contact, mutual information exchange and feedback between the political and foreign policy organs of the European Union and their African counterparts. They play an important role on taking stock of state and non-state actors views, perspectives, aspirations and expectations regarding their partnership with the European Union, its closest neighbour and its sister continent.
The team will commence a similar visit to the neighbouring Republic of Benin at the end of its current mission in Nigeria.
According to the statement, this is the group’s first-ever working visit to Nigeria, noting that in addition to the representatives of 17 EU Member States also officials from EU institutions, are expected to be in the team.
The statement further revealed that this year’s working visit will be the eleventh visit of the COAFR to the African continent, and the third visit to West Africa – following earlier visits to Senegal and Burkina Faso (2015) and Ivory Coast and Ghana (2019).
It said more than ever before, several top EU officials have visited Nigeria in recent years and months, underlining the importance the EU accords its partnership with the country.
Last October, the EU’s Commissioner for International Partnership, Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, her counterpart for Energy, Ms. Kadri Simson, led other top officials to participate in the EU-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue Meeting held Abuja. The Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Ms Helena Konig, and the Managing Director, Africa at the EEAS, Ms. Rita Laranjinha, were also in the country shortly before then, following the visits in 2022 of European Commission’s Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager in February 2022, EU and Member States Maritime Security Coordinators in April 2022 and senior officials of the European Commission in charge of Energy and Home Affairs.
is mandated with the supervision and management of EU external policy towards the 46 countries of the sub-Saharan Africa, the African Union and other sub-regional organisations, including ECOWAS.
The Africa Working Party (COAFR) is composed of representatives of all 27 EU Member States, chaired by a permanent member of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and assisted by representatives of the Commission and the General Secretariat of the Council. It works under the auspices of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), itself composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense and/or development of the 27 Member States of the European Union.
In Abuja, the visiting COAFR members will meet with key Federal Government ministries and agencies starting from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, among others. They will also have an interactive session with the ECOWAS Commission on regional developments and integration processes.
In Lagos, the COAFR is expected to meet with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Consuls General of EU Member States, and the leadership of the European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria.
They will also visit several EU-funded projects in the state featuring digital and innovation, critical infrastructure and connectivity and migration. Deliberations during the meetings will centre on further boosting EU-Nigeria partnership.
The Africa Working Party’s (COAFR) visits to African countries aim at promoting direct contact, mutual information exchange and feedback between the political and foreign policy organs of the European Union and their African counterparts. They play an important role on taking stock of state and non-state actors views, perspectives, aspirations and expectations regarding their partnership with the European Union, its closest neighbour and its sister continent. The team will commence a similar visit to the neighbouring Republic of Benin at the end of its current mission in Nigeria.
This is the group’s first-ever working visit to Nigeria. In addition to the representatives of 17 EU Member States also officials from EU institutions, are expected to be in the team. This year’s working visit will be the eleventh visit of the COAFR to the African continent, and the third visit to West Africa – following earlier visits to Senegal and Burkina Faso (2015) and Ivory Coast and Ghana (2019).
More than ever before, several top EU officials have visited Nigeria in recent years and months, underlining the importance the EU accords its partnership with the country. Last October, the EU’s Commissioner for International Partnership, Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, her counterpart for Energy, Ms. Kadri Simson, led other top officials to participate in the EU-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue Meeting held Abuja. The Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Ms Helena Konig, and the Managing Director, Africa at the EEAS, Ms. Rita Laranjinha, were also in the country shortly before then, following the visits in 2022 of European Commission’s Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager in February 2022, EU and Member States Maritime Security Coordinators in April 2022 and senior officials of the European Commission in charge of Energy and Home Affairs.
Council of European Union’s Africa Working Group Begins 4-day Visit to Nigeria
FG Pushes Deeper Reforms in Prisons, Border Security, and Financial Systems
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s correctional system, the deployment of technology to strengthen border security, and the entrenchment of financial integrity across public institutions.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the President and Chairman of Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mallam Haruna Yahaya, who led a delegation on a courtesy visit.
Tunji-Ojo emphasized that reforming the nation’s correctional system remains a top priority, stressing that the focus must extend beyond incarceration to rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates into society.
“Government has a duty of care to its citizens. Even where freedom is restricted by law, those in custody must be treated with dignity and given opportunities to return to society better than they came,” he said.
He noted that the shift from the Prisons Act to the Nigerian Correctional Service Act marked a deliberate transition toward a system that prioritizes reformation over mere detention.
On border management and internal security, the Minister disclosed that the Correctional Information Management System (CIMS) now contains over 50 million records compiled from operations at seaports and airports, with ongoing integration of land border data.
According to him, the system enhances the government’s ability to detect irregularities and prevent unauthorized entry, aligning with modern security strategies that prioritize proactive measures over reactive responses.
“We are building systems that can stop problems before they happen, not just respond after the damage is done,” he added.
Addressing financial governance, Tunji-Ojo stressed the importance of strengthening internal controls across government institutions, noting that preventive mechanisms are more effective than post-incident audits.
“It is not enough to detect issues after they occur. The goal is to build systems that make such issues difficult to happen in the first place,” he said.
He called on professional bodies such as ICAN to deepen their collaboration with government, particularly in areas of revenue assurance, transparency, and institutional accountability, while also encouraging stronger public-private partnerships to enhance efficiency and boost investor confidence.
On infrastructure, the Minister highlighted the need to expand fire and rescue services nationwide, pointing out that innovative funding models, including private sector participation, would be crucial to achieving this goal.
Tunji-Ojo also congratulated ICAN on its leadership and its upcoming West Africa Accountants Conference 2026 scheduled for December 2026, assuring the institute of government support. He further commended the increasing representation of women in professional leadership, describing it as a positive sign for the future.
Earlier, ICAN President Haruna Yahaya applauded the Ministry’s ongoing reforms and proposed the creation of a Joint ICAN–Ministry Financial Integrity and Revenue Assurance Task Force.
He explained that the initiative would target key areas including revenue assessment within the Nigeria Immigration Service, payroll analysis across uniformed services, and procurement risk review, with the aim of reducing leakages and strengthening accountability across government operations.
FG Pushes Deeper Reforms in Prisons, Border Security, and Financial Systems
Security forces foil rustling, recover 22 animals in Katsina
By: Zagazola Makama
Security operatives in Katsina State have foiled a livestock rustling attempt and recovered 22 stolen animals in Jibia Local Government Area.
Police sources said the incident occurred in the early hours of April 12 following a distress call received at about 12:45 a.m. that suspected armed bandits had rustled livestock from neighbouring Niger Republic.
According to the sources, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Jibia swiftly mobilised a joint team comprising police, military and community watch personnel to the area.
They added that the operatives strategically blocked the escape routes of the suspects and engaged them in a gun duel.
“The superior firepower of the security team forced the bandits to abandon the rustled animals and flee into the bush,” the sources said.
The sources disclosed that all 22 sheep and goats were recovered intact during the operation.
They noted that the area has been cordoned off, while aggressive clearance operations are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
Further developments will be communicated as investigations continue, the sources added.
Security forces foil rustling, recover 22 animals in Katsina
Troops neutralise several terrorists in ambush operation in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Joint Task Force, North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, have neutralised several Boko Haram terrorists during an ambush operation in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources said the incident occurred at about 2:33 a.m. on April 13 when an ambush team of 202 Battalion deployed at Bravo Kilo sighted a terrorist crossing the parapet at a defensive company location.
According to the sources, the troops engaged and neutralised five of the suspect on sight.
The sources added that the operation is part of ongoing clearance and ambush missions aimed at denying terrorists freedom of movement in the North-East theatre.
Troops neutralise several terrorists in ambush operation in Borno
FG Pushes Deeper Reforms in Prisons, Border Security, and Financial Systems
Troops rescue injured herder, foil attack by Berom Militia in Plateau
Police arrest suspected foreign bandits in Benue
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