Environment Minister Says Swift and Decisive Actions Required to Mitigate Climate Change

By: Michael Mike

Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal has said swift and decisive actions are needed to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

The Minister made the statement on Wednesday while delivering a speech at the 17th meeting of the Council of Environment in Abuja.

He decried that: “Climate change is threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and biodiversity, environmental degradation disproportionately impacts marginalised communities, exacerbating inequalities and perpetuating social injustices.”

Lawal said: “We must redouble our efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, embrace renewable energy solutions, and foster sustainable practices across all sectors.

“Mobilising more financial inflow for environmental sustainability is essential because it allows for the allocation of resources towards projects and initiatives aimed at protecting and preserving the environment.

“As we are all aware, environment financing is capital intensive, to mobilise more financial inflow for environmental sustainability there is the need to implore innovative financing mechanisms, such as Green Bonds, Carbon Pricing, and Public-Private Partnerships,” noting that this will help in generating the resources needed for effective environmental protection and conservation efforts.

The Minister added: “I therefore urge members of this council to intensify exploration and implementation of financing mechanisms at their disposal.

“As we convene amidst pressing global challenges, from climate change to biodiversity loss, our duty as custodians of the environment has never been more paramount.

“Each decision we make within these walls reverberates far beyond, shaping the health and sustainability of our planet for generations to come.”

“Our nation stands at a critical juncture, where the urgency to act boldly on environmental issues is undeniable. As guardians of biodiversity, we must safeguard our precious ecosystems from degradation and exploitation,” he urged.

On his part, Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako, in an address of welcome stated that the need to galvanise more financial windows for environmental sustainability efforts is not just an aspiration but a commitment that would define our era.

He said: “In our drive to build a sustainable future for our generation and the ones yet unborn, mobilising funding for climate and environmental actions is a core imperative.

“In doing this, we need to emphasis our areas of comparative advantages and present such to the global community as our contribution to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

“The global north who are the greatest contributor to the environmental challenges being faced by the world is offering us all kinds of technologies, some of them controversial as the solution to the crisis.”

He tasked stakeholders not to loose touch with nature based solutions that offers natural advantages and possess a higher potential to reduce capital flight and improve the livelihoods of the people.

He noted that: “The Federal Ministry of Environment at COP 28 in Dubai December 2023 championed and launched the Ministerial Alliance for Ambition on Nature Finance.

Salako stressed that the launch was to give Nigeria a voice to prompt an ambition on biodiversity finance in global south countries like Nigeria where most of the biodiversity performing critical ecosystem services for the entire world is located.

He said: “As the developed world comes around with their technologies and carbon credit schemes where they almost exclusively determine the pricing, let us also put forward our rich biodiversity worth trillion of dollars.

“Let us remain dedicated to the cause of environmental sustainability in the firm conviction that our collective efforts can pave the way for a healthier and cleaner planet earth.”

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Mr Koffy Kouacou Dominque, on his part, noted that FAO is committed to supporting government at all levels to enhance sustainable natural resources management.

Dominque who was represented by one of the senior staff in the FAO, Nigeria’s office, Tofiq Braimah, said that the organisation’s area of supports are to implement, monitor and report climate commitments outlined in the National Determined Contribution document.

He assured FAO’s continuous support to access climate finance, partnership and technical support to mainstreaming agrifood systems to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPS), among others.

He however noted that our environment is under increasing pressure from climate change, deforestation, pollution, and other threats that require urgent attention and collaborative action.

Environment Minister Says Swift and Decisive Actions Required to Mitigate Climate Change

Nigeria Insists Africa Needs to Unite Against Insecurity for Growth and Development

By: Michael Mike

African countries need to unify to combat the security challenges facing the continent, the Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Musa Nuhu has said

Nuhu, who is the Chair, ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council made the call during his welcome remarks at the joint consultation meeting between the African Union (AU)’s peace and security council (PSC) and the ECOWAS mediation and security council (MSC) at the ambassadorial level on Wednesday in Abuja.

While stating that there is urgent has need for unified response to the security threats in Africa, Nuhu said: “The security landscape in Africa is a dynamic one, constantly presenting new complex threats. From terrorism and violent extremism to unconstitutional changes of government, these challenges demand a unified response that goes beyond our national boundaries and requires collective’ efforts.

“Therefore, these joint consultative engagements between the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) serve as an important platform for forging such a collective response to mitigate these challenges, in tandem with the tenets of Article 16 of the PSC Protocol, to harmonize the activities of Regional mechanisms towards promoting peace, security and stability in Africa.

“Specifically, the nexus between the missions of the AU PSC and ECOWAS MSC is highly fundamental, as it underscores the interconnectedness of peace and security efforts at both the continental and regional levels.

“By aligning strategies and actions, this joint consultation can foster a deeper understanding of regional security dynamics, harmonize efforts aimed at preventive diplomacy and develop more effective conflict resolution strategies, thereby ensuring a more cohesive and comprehensive approach to regional peace and stability.”

He however advised that the AU-REC’s dialogue should go beyond discussions on only Political Affairs, Peace and Security, insisting that it “should involve discussions on economic development, humanitarian intervention, social cohesion as well as infrastructural development which are the building blocks for good governance that would guarantee a peaceful and stable Africa.”

Meanwhile, the African Union (AU), has raised the alarm that terrorist groups, violent extremists and coup plotters are gaining prominence in West Africa.

Permanent Representative of The Gambia to the AU and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council, Ambassador Jainaba Jagne raised the alarm while speaking at the event.

Jagne, who is a co-chair of the event, said: “Our continent is currently faced with the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism and the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government which has serious negative consequences for peace, security and stability in our communities.

“Unfortunately, data shows that the western part of the continent is the most affected by both issues. Four out of the six AU member states suspended due to coup d’etat are from West Africa. This has never happened in the history of African Union.

“According to the African Centre for the Study of research on terrorism, the West African region is the most affected by the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism on the continent in terms of attacks, deaths and casualties,” she said.

Jagne, while lamenting that these events were happening despite significant efforts made over the years by governments and the continental and regional institutions to promote and consolidate democracy, called for a collaborative affort to reverse the unfortunate trend.

She said: “This meeting will be an opportunity for two councils to brainstorm on the effective means and ways of preventing and responding to the recurrences of Unconstitutional Change of Government (UCG).

“We must find alternate options and tools to effectively address the crises and challenges that beset our continent. It is also very important and a very good occasion to further reflect on the proliferation of terrorist groups that threaten peace, security and development, as well as the territorial integrity of the member states directly affected by these unfortunate events.”

Nigeria Insists Africa Needs to Unite Against Insecurity for Growth and Development

Escalated ISWAP/Boko Haram Clashes Claim Over 100 Fighters

By: Zagazola Makama

Fierce rivalry clashes between Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terror groups escalated in the Lake Chad Basin over the last one week, claiming over 100 of the fighters of both groups.

From April 18 to April 24, the clashes between Boko Haram factions and ISWAP flared up across the riverine islands of the Tumbums, with the ISWAP gaining more footholds and dislodging the Boko Haram rival factions.

Shortly after ISWAP received a fresh consignment of weapons from Mali, through Niger to Dogon Chukwu Kangarwa, it declared a renewed war, issuing a stern directive to its fighters to completely exterminate the members of the JAS Buduma Boko Haram factions on April 18.

Prior to the clashes, Boko Haram JAS has moved several fighters from upper parts of the riverine Niger to take defensive positions in Kukawa in Borno, while another sets of armed fighters were moved to the Nigeria- Cameroon borders, occupying Dawashi, Dabar Wanzam, Kiri Bulla in Kukawa as well as Lokobili and Kandahar in Cameroon.

On its parts, ISWAP mounted on 20 water vessels, conveying 130 fighters to Doron Kirta Wulgo near Nigeria- Cameroon. More ISWAP fighters arrived from Kwalaram, while others trooped in from Ngala and Marte, in preparation for the major encounter.

The clash, which erupted on April 19, at Garin Mallam Ya’u, and Mallam Karamti when ISWAP led by Commander Akilu, led to the killing of several Boko Haram fighters.

The ISWAP elements later seized six of JAS Boko Haram’s motorcycles and destroyed them in the process.

In another encounter, JAS elements swiftly cordoned and captured about 15 ISWAP members at Tumbum Abuja. The clash however did not last long and subsided immediately after the capture of the rival counterpart.

On the same day, ISWAP fighters stormed Tumbum Allura, in Kukawa LGA and killed several Boko Haram fighters. ISWAP, however, lost a few of its fighters in the process while forcing the surviving JAS fighters to flee.

The ISWAP fighters chased the fleeing Boko Haram fighters to the axis of Kariya and Koleram in Kukawa, which led to another gun battle.

Again, the ISWAP fighters overpowered the rival group and killed scores of the Boko Haram fighters, including a top Commander, Khaid Allayi Gana.

Seventy armed JAS Boko Haram men later returned to Garin Mallam Ya’u to bury its neutralized Mujahedeens, while counting its losses and licking its wounds.

The intensified rival clashes forced about 10 Boko Haram fighters to surrender with arms to the troops of Sector 4, Multinational Joint Task Force at Nguiguimi, Diffa region, Niger Republic.

Two other fighters surrendered to troops of Sector 3, Multi National Joint Task Force(MNJTF) in Monguno.

The JAS group, led by Ibrahim Bakura Doro aka Bakaura Buduma, has remained a formidable enemy of ISWAP ever since Shekau’s death. It has repeatedly attacked ISWAP positions around the lake.

The ISWAP, on the other hand, have upscaled efforts to reclaim its position taken control by the JAS group.

Both ISWAP and JAS have lost more fighters from rival clashes with each other since 2021 than in confrontations with government security forces.

The incessant, and ever worsening, clashes between ISWAP and Boko Haram has continued to provide ampler opportunities for government security forces to seize, to craft strategies to exterminate the two rival groups and stamp out the terror scorching the Lake Chad Basin.

Escalated ISWAP/Boko Haram Clashes Claim Over 100 Fighters