News

Council of European Union’s Africa Working Group Begins 4-day Visit to Nigeria

Published

2 years ago

February 25, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

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.

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.

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

Crime

Vigilante in Yobe gunned down Fulani herder over alleged destruction of farmland

Published

2 hours ago

November 19, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Vigilante in Yobe gunned down Fulani herder over alleged destruction of farmland

By: Zagazola Makama

A Fulani herder has been shot dead and a vigilante injured following a confrontation between herders and security operatives in Jakusko Local Government Area of Yobe State.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that at about 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, a group of Fulani herdsmen were allegedly destroying farmlands in Lafiya, Saban, Garin, Sara, Jaba and Muguram villages.

According to him, a joint patrol team comprising the police, Joint Task Force (JTF) and vigilantes was immediately deployed to the affected areas.

“Upon arrival at the scene, one of the herders attacked a vigilante, Saidu Yau of Lafiya village, with a machete, inflicting a deep cut on his left thigh.

“The same herder also attempted to attack a soldier, Private Adamu Ismail, attached to the JTF. The soldier, in self-defence, fired at the attacker, leading to his death,” said the sources.

The sources said that both the injured vigilante and the herder were rushed to the General Hospital, Jakusko, for medical attention.

“The herder was confirmed dead by a medical doctor, while the injured vigilante is responding to treatment,” the sources added.

Police sources said the remains of the deceased herder had been released to the Sarkin Fulani, Hon. Hassan Lamido Manu, pending the arrival of the family.

He said investigation into the incident was ongoing to ascertain the circumstances and prevent further clashes.

Vigilante in Yobe gunned down Fulani herder over alleged destruction of farmland

News

PEBEC Commends FRSC on Nationwide Clearance of Driver’s Licence Backlog

Published

3 hours ago

November 19, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

PEBEC Commends FRSC on Nationwide Clearance of Driver’s Licence Backlog

By: Michael Mike

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has commended the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for the improvement in the issuance of driver’s licences nationwide and clearance of the backlog.

A statement on Wednesday by Director General, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu acknowledges the prompt and comprehensive actions taken by the FRSC in response to service delivery concerns regarding delays in the production of driver’s licences nationwide.

The statement read: “Following PEBEC’s formal communication on November 7, 2025, the FRSC initiated a full internal review and identified the delays within the national driver’s licence production system. PEBEC commends the Corps for swiftly restoring system functionality and implementing enhanced monitoring mechanisms to prevent future disruptions.

“The Council welcomes FRSC’s successful clearance of accumulated backlogs and its increase in daily production capacity to 15,000 licences, an important milestone in improving service efficiency. Of particular significance is the FRSC’s introduction of the Contactless Biometric Capture System, a forward-looking innovation that aims to deliver permanent driver’s licences within 48 hours, effectively eliminating the need for temporary licences. This aligns strongly with PEBEC’s mandate to drive regulatory efficiency, enhance transparency, and improve citizen experience in public service delivery.”

“PEBEC encourages all applicants whose licences have been produced to visit FRSC centres nationwide and pick up their permanent driver’s licences, in line with the nationwide sensitization campaign by FRSC for the collection of over 294,000 unclaimed licences. This will help decongest service centres, improve turnaround times, and support the Corps’ ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency,” the statement added.

“The Council reiterates its commitment to collaborating with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure seamless, responsive, and business-friendly service delivery across Nigeria,” the statement further stated.

PEBEC Commends FRSC on Nationwide Clearance of Driver’s Licence Backlog

News

IPOB staged video in attempts to frame herders, incite genocide narrative

Published

3 hours ago

November 19, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

IPOB staged video in attempts to frame herders, incite genocide narrative

By: Zagazola Makama

A controversial video circulating on social media has triggered outrage over a “staged attempt to weaponise disinformation, incite ethnic tension and portraying peaceful herder communities as Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria’s South East

The video, which purportedly shows “Boko Haram with arms” issuing threats in Hausa, has been dismissed by multiple security sources, community leaders and conflict monitors as inauthentic and deliberately crafted to mislead the public and international community.

The individuals in the clip neither speak with the accent typical of Boko Haram or ISWAP fighters, nor display the mode of presentation associated with jihadist groups in the North East.

Instead, the attackers’ heavily disguised faces, awkward staging, and inconsistent speech patterns strongly suggest that the recording may have been produced by elements of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), allegedly attempting to portray themselves as Fulani or northern extremists.

The objective of such fabrications is twofold: to demonise peaceful pastoralist communities in the South East, and to build false evidence for international audiences by claiming that “genocide” is being committed against Igbo people by Muslim groups despite a lack of credible evidence supporting such claims.

A senior security analyst who has monitored separatist activities in the region described the video as “another poorly staged propaganda material designed to mislead Nigerians and deepen ethnic suspicion.”

According to him, Boko Haram and ISWAP cells have never produced videos with their faces tightly covered in the manner seen in the clip, nor do they speak with the accent heard.

“The mannerisms, language delivery and the entire setup clearly do not align with Boko Haram or ISWAP’s media signatures,” he said. “These are not Fulani herders, nor northern extremists Boko Haram. This was engineered for propaganda purposes.”

Sources in the South East also note that violent attacks in the region over recent years burning of police stations, targeted killings, extortion, enforcement of illegal sit-at-home orders have largely been carried out by IPOB’s armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). Yet some of these incidents have been blamed on Fulani communities to sustain a dangerous narrative of ethnic persecution.

Such deceptive tactics risk escalating tensions between ethnic groups and misleading international observers into misunderstanding Nigeria’s complex security landscape.

“This is how dangerous precedents are set,” a northern pastoralist leader said. “We have suffered enough from false accusations. Videos like this are used to justify hatred, violence and calls for international intervention based on propaganda.”

Misinformation especially videos staged to impersonate other groups has become a growing tactic among violent non-state actors seeking sympathy, legitimacy or international attention.

As investigations continue, authorities urge the public to verify information before sharing, noting that propaganda remains one of the most potent weapons used by extremist groups to inflame divisions.

IPOB staged video in attempts to frame herders, incite genocide narrative