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Korea Seeks Improved Cultural Exchange with Nigeria

Korea Seeks Improved Cultural Exchange with Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
Republic of Korea has called for enhanced cultural exchange with Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of cross-fertilization to bolster diplomatic relations and share mutual experiences.
Making the call at the weekend in Abuja at the second edition of the Hansik Contest, the Director, Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Kim Changki, said his country is willing to build on the already existing cultural relationship with Nigeria.
On the cooking competition, he said the primary goal is to foster social and cultural interaction between Nigeria and Korea.
He noted that this year’s contest was better organized and well attended than the first one held last year, disclosing that this will mark his final event as the director of the Korean Centre, which tenure conclude in May.
He said: “Nigerians have a deep appreciation for Korean Pop and Korean cuisine, and this concert serves as a celebration of culture through various artistic expressions. The winner of the contest will receive a prize of N1 million along with a trip to Korea.”
The culture and events officer, Yunijin Lee, on her part, emphasized that the contest has received sponsorship from Korean food institutions (KFPI) and is specifically designed to bring the vibrant experiences of Korean culture and cuisine to Nigerians.
She also highlighted that the selection process for the winner was both thorough and impartial, stating, “The judging panel consists of Korean individuals, including the ambassador, director, and the embassy chef, who worked alongside a Nigerian chef to ensure fairness in the selection of the winner.”
The contest attracted a diverse group of 40 participants, all eager to showcase their culinary talents and knowledge of Korean cuisine. After a series of intense competitions and eliminations, the field narrowed down to 12 finalists.
Among them, Patience Vincent secured an impressive third place, while Ruth Igbayiola Olowo took home the second prize. The top prize of N1 million and a trip to Seoul, Korea went to Deborah Olabelurin, who impressed the judges with her exceptional skills and creativity in preparing Korean dishes.
The event was well attended by a vibrant audience, including enthusiasts of Korean cuisine and fans of Korean pop culture, creating a lively atmosphere filled with excitement. Attendees were treated to a rich variety of traditional Korean foods, which were beautifully presented, showcasing the intricate flavors and techniques of Korean culinary art.
Additionally, the event featured captivating dance performances set to popular Korean pop songs, further enriching the cultural experience and demonstrating the deep connections between the two countries.
The jubilant winner of the contest Deborah Olabelurin, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Korean Culture Center for organizing such a transformative event.
She expressed excitement about her upcoming trip to Korea, where she looks forward to immersing herself in the local culture and cuisine and how this incredible opportunity will play a crucial role in advancing her career as a chef.
Korea Seeks Improved Cultural Exchange with Nigeria
News
DSS-led joint operation crushes ESN strongholds, kills top kingpins in Imo

DSS-led joint operation crushes ESN strongholds, kills top kingpins in Imo
By: Zagazola Makama
A wave of coordinated security offensives in Imo State has barbecued the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant wing of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), with the killing of key kingpins and the dislodgement of notorious terrorist camps in forested parts of Njaba and Isu Local Government Areas.
Zagazola Makama understand that The offensive, which began on June 29, was spearheaded by the Department of State Services (DSS) in close collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, special forces, and local tactical units.
It was launched after the arrest and detailed confessions of two ESN commanders Uchenna Opara, popularly known as Ntanta Miri, and Ozioma Ihedoro, a.k.a OZ, both natives of Umuaka community in Njaba LGA.
Acting on actionable intelligence, the joint team raided and obliterated several terrorist enclaves, including Umuele Umuaka, Ezioha, and Ugbele Umuaka, known safe havens of the separatist group.
A fierce gun battle ensued as operatives stormed the camps. Three ESN fighters were neutralised during the confrontation, while others reportedly escaped with bullet wounds. Their bodies were later recovered along the Ugbele Umuaka axis.
What followed was a methodical clearance operation targeting the B44 camp cluster, long considered one of ESN’s strategic base networks. The camps, codenamed B44 Tangle 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9, were all successfully dislodged by the joint force.
A caterpillar operator working with the team was tragically killed in the line of duty when the group came under sudden fire while approaching the B44 main camp. He was rushed to the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH), Owerri, but later confirmed dead by a medical officer on duty.
Items recovered from the operation included:
One AK-47 rifle, 15 rounds of live ammunition, pump-action shotgun, two locally made IEDs, one human skull and a Biafran flag
In addition, two suspected ESN members were arrested during the combing of nearby bush paths. The duo Emeka Ogene Sabinus of Ezi Isu in Isu LGA and Nnabuike Emmanuel of Ohofia Oduma in Aninri LGA, Enugu State were said to bear tribal incisions associated with the proscribed militia.
The collapse of the B44 cluster was significant in the counterinsurgency drive in the South-East, where pockets of armed resistance have posed growing threats to residents, security personnel, and national assets.
“The terrain is difficult, but our operatives are relentless,” a senior official close to the operation said. “We are targeting leadership figures, supply chains, and safe havens.”
Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to apprehend fleeing fighters, with mop-up operations continuing in adjoining forest belts across Orlu, Njaba, and Isu corridors.
The Imo offensive adds to a growing list of successes by joint intelligence-led operations aimed at stabilising regions grappling with armed separatist violence, kidnappings, and the weaponisation of local grievances.
DSS-led joint operation crushes ESN strongholds, kills top kingpins in Imo
News
FCT police arrest three wanted kidnappers linked to killings, mass abductions

FCT police arrest three wanted kidnappers linked to killings, mass abductions
By: Zagazola Makama
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested three most-wanted bandits and kidnappers operating across Abuja and neighbouring parts of Kaduna State.
According to a police sources, the arrests were carried out on June 29 between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., by operatives of the Scorpion Squad led by ACP Victor O. Godfrey, following actionable and digital reconstructive intelligence.
The sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects were identified as: Abdulkadir Abubakar, a native of Mpape, FCT, Mohammed Tasiu Sani, of Rigina, Kaduna State, Suleiman Jibrin, 27, of Sabon-Gayan, Kaduna State.
The three suspects, all Fulani by tribe, have been on the command’s most-wanted list for
their roles in multiple kidnapping and banditry operations, particularly in Jere, Kajuru, the FCT and its environs.
During interrogation, the suspects confessed to abducting victims and moving them to detention camps in Kachia and Rigina forests in Kaduna State. Some victims, they admitted, were held for months, while others were killed at will.
The sources revealed that one of the suspects, Abdulkadir Abubakar, provided disturbing details of internal executions within the gang, in which some members were killed by their own leaders over mistrust and betrayal.
An operational motorcycle, popularly referred to by locals as the “Boko Haram Motorcycle,” was recovered during the raid. The suspects are currently assisting operatives in ongoing efforts to recover arms and ammunition, and to track down other gang members still at large.
FCT police arrest three wanted kidnappers linked to killings, mass abductions
News
Young farm labourer shot dead while fleeing Amotekun in Osun

Young farm labourer shot dead while fleeing Amotekun in Osun
By: Zagazola Makama
A 20-year-old farm labourer identified as Solomon (surname yet unknown) has been found dead with gunshot wounds after he was allegedly shot by a member of the Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as Amotekun, along the Ilesa/Iperindo Road in Osun State.
The incident, which occurred on June 29, followed the reported confrontation between a local security operative and a group of five farm labourers on their way to a farmland.
According to Temidayo Olowookere, the employer of the deceased, the labourers were accosted around 11:00 a.m. by an Amotekun operative, one Ajayi Ibukun, who accused them of extorting money from passersby. Two members of the group were apprehended, while the remaining three fled into the bush.
Olowookere said the detained workers were later released to him in the afternoon. However, later in the evening, when two of the three fleeing labourers returned, Solomon remained missing.
A search party was immediately organised. His body was discovered in the bush with gunshot wounds on his back, raising suspicions that he may have been shot during the initial confrontation.
His remains were evacuated to Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, where he was confirmed dead and deposited at the morgue for autopsy.
Police say efforts are currently underway to trace and apprehend the security operative allegedly involved in the shooting, while the community continues to call for justice.
Young farm labourer shot dead while fleeing Amotekun in Osun
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