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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
Hunters rescue kidnapped herder, neutralise gang leader in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
A local hunters’ group has successfully rescued a kidnapped herder, Alhaji Babawuro, from captivity in Yobe State without payment of ransom, following a coordinated operation with security authorities.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the Babawuro, a resident of Kurbunga village under Shamka District of the Ngelzarma Emirate in Fune Local Government Area, was abducted at about 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 29, 2025, and taken to an unknown location.
The sources said the incident was reported to the Damagum Police Division on Nov. 30, after which the kidnappers contacted the victim’s family and demanded a ransom of N50 million.
“It was the fifth time the victim had been kidnapped, apparently due to his status as a wealthy herder,” the sources said.
They explained that while negotiations were ongoing and the police were making arrangements to transfer the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the Yobe State Governor and the Emir of Ngelzarma held consultations with the Commissioner of Police.
According to the sources, it was agreed that a hunters’ group with proven expertise in kidnap rescue operations should be engaged to assist the police.
“The hunters subsequently took over negotiations, which were reduced to N7 million, while efforts were intensified to trace the kidnappers,” the sources said.
They added that the hunters traced the victim and the kidnappers to Sandi village in Gulani Local Government Area.
“At about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, the hunters stormed the hideout and successfully rescued the victim without paying any ransom,” the sources said.
During the operation, the leader of the kidnap gang, identified as Ahmadu Shuwa, also known as “Sumo,” was neutralised, while another suspect, Mohammed Bello, sustained gunshot injuries.
The sources further disclosed that two other members of the gang were arrested and have confessed to the crime.
The rescued victim, who has since reunited with his family, was treated at the State Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, and later reported the incident at the Damagum Police Station.
Efforts are ongoing to recover the weapons used by the kidnappers ahead of handing over the suspects and exhibits to the Nigeria Police for further investigation and prosecution.
The hunters’ group were commended for their role in the successful rescue operation.
Hunters rescue kidnapped herder, neutralise gang leader in Yobe
Hunters rescue kidnapped herder, neutralise gang leader in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
A local hunters’ group has successfully rescued a kidnapped herder, Alhaji Babawuro, from captivity in Yobe State without payment of ransom, following a coordinated operation with security authorities.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the Babawuro, a resident of Kurbunga village under Shamka District of the Ngelzarma Emirate in Fune Local Government Area, was abducted at about 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 29, 2025, and taken to an unknown location.
The sources said the incident was reported to the Damagum Police Division on Nov. 30, after which the kidnappers contacted the victim’s family and demanded a ransom of N50 million.
“It was the fifth time the victim had been kidnapped, apparently due to his status as a wealthy herder,” the sources said.
They explained that while negotiations were ongoing and the police were making arrangements to transfer the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the Yobe State Governor and the Emir of Ngelzarma held consultations with the Commissioner of Police.
According to the sources, it was agreed that a hunters’ group with proven expertise in kidnap rescue operations should be engaged to assist the police.
“The hunters subsequently took over negotiations, which were reduced to N7 million, while efforts were intensified to trace the kidnappers,” the sources said.
They added that the hunters traced the victim and the kidnappers to Sandi village in Gulani Local Government Area.
“At about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, the hunters stormed the hideout and successfully rescued the victim without paying any ransom,” the sources said.
During the operation, the leader of the kidnap gang, identified as Ahmadu Shuwa, also known as “Sumo,” was neutralised, while another suspect, Mohammed Bello, sustained gunshot injuries.
The sources further disclosed that two other members of the gang were arrested and have confessed to the crime.
The rescued victim, who has since reunited with his family, was treated at the State Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, and later reported the incident at the Damagum Police Station.
Efforts are ongoing to recover the weapons used by the kidnappers ahead of handing over the suspects and exhibits to the Nigeria Police for further investigation and prosecution.
The hunters’ group were commended for their role in the successful rescue operation.
Hunters rescue kidnapped herder, neutralise gang leader in Yobe
EXCLUSIVE: President approves establishment of new Nigerian Army Depot in Abakaliki, Ebonyi
By: Zagazola Makama
The President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has approved the establishment of a new Depot Nigerian Army in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, as part of efforts to expand the manpower and operational capacity of the Nigerian Army.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the new Depot would complement existing Army training facilities and ensure a steady stream of well-trained personnel for deployment across the country.
Military source said the initiative is in line with the Nigerian Army’s strategic plan to enhance national security and produce combat-ready soldiers capable of addressing diverse security challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, and other internal threats.
The new Depot is expected to provide specialist and mission-oriented training, focusing on marksmanship, fieldcraft skills, and operational readiness. It will also incorporate measures to safeguard the welfare and wellbeing of recruits during and after their service.
The establishment of the Depot in Abakaliki follows recent efforts of the federal government to improve manpower of the Nigerian Military.
EXCLUSIVE: President approves establishment of new Nigerian Army Depot in Abakaliki, Ebonyi
Otuaro Hails Esther Matthew Tonlagha Foundation Boss On Conferment With Honorary Doctorate Degree
Hunters rescue kidnapped herder, neutralise gang leader in Yobe
Hunters rescue kidnapped herder, neutralise gang leader in Yobe
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