ECOWAS Launches Women’s Economic Empowerment and Digital Peacebuilding Pilot in Benue

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a pilot initiative aimed at strengthening economic empowerment and digital peacebuilding among women in Benue State, as part of efforts to address the prolonged humanitarian and displacement crisis in North-Central Nigeria.

The project, implemented through ECOWAS’ Directorate of Trade and the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs in partnership with the Benue State Government, targets women-led community-based organisations working on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in conflict-affected communities.

The launch coincided with the start of a five-day capacity-building programme running from February 9 to 13, featuring a Training of Trainers (ToT) for 12 participants drawn from community-based organisations, civil society groups and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

The trained participants are expected to cascade the knowledge through step-down sessions that will reach at least 60 women and girls in selected IDP camps and host communities across the state.

The initiative responds to the persistent displacement and humanitarian challenges in Benue State and aligns with the state’s Durable Solutions Action Plan, which prioritizes sustainable reintegration of displaced persons through livelihood recovery, peacebuilding and community resilience.

ECOWAS said the pilot recognises the critical role played by women-led grassroots organizations in mobilising communities, promoting social cohesion and advancing peace in areas affected by conflict. The project is designed to strengthen their institutional capacity while equipping conflict-affected women and girls with practical economic and digital skills.

Anchored in ECOWAS Vision 2050, the Trade and Gender Action Plan and the ECOWAS E-Commerce Strategy (2023), the pilot integrates economic empowerment, digital literacy and digital peacebuilding through a cascade training model. Trained WPS organizations will deliver step-down sessions directly within IDP camps and host communities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, ECOWAS Director Dr. Sintiki Tarfa-Ugbe described the initiative as a strategic intervention that empowers women-led organizations to drive durable solutions at the grassroots while harnessing digital tools to promote inclusion, resilience and peace.

She noted that strengthening women’s economic agency and digital capacity is essential to building sustainable peace in fragile and displacement-affected communities.

In her remarks, the Secretary to the Benue State Government, Barrister Aber Serumum Deborah, commended ECOWAS for the initiative, saying it would reinforce grassroots peacebuilding efforts and enhance women’s participation in implementing the state’s Durable Solutions Action Plan.

According to her, the project will also contribute to livelihood recovery for women and girls affected by conflict, while strengthening community ownership of peace and reintegration processes.

The pilot will be implemented over a two-month period, beginning with preparation and adaptation of training modules, followed by training delivery, monitoring and documentation. ECOWAS said the initiative is expected to produce a scalable model that can be replicated across other Member States in the region.

The launch ceremony was attended by representatives of the Benue State Government, humanitarian and displacement-response agencies, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, internally displaced persons, as well as officials from ECOWAS and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

ECOWAS said the initiative underscores its commitment to placing women and girls at the centre of durable solutions and sustainable peacebuilding in West Africa, leveraging digital innovation to address immediate recovery needs while laying the foundation for long-term regional impact.

ECOWAS Launches Women’s Economic Empowerment and Digital Peacebuilding Pilot in Benue

Russia Advocates Multipolar World Order, Highlights Africa and Nigeria as Key Global Actors

By: Michael Mike

Russia has reaffirmed its commitment to a multipolar world order anchored on international law, sovereign equality and civilizational diversity, arguing that global power is steadily shifting away from a unipolar system dominated by a few states.

This position was outlined in a comprehensive diplomatic briefing titled “Russia in a Multipolar World Order: African Perspective,” delivered to mark Russia’s Diplomatic Service Day, a professional holiday celebrating the country’s long-standing diplomatic traditions.

The briefing stressed that the era of a unipolar world has ended, citing the rise of new economic and political centres across Asia, Africa and Latin America. According to the Russian position, these regions — described as the “world majority” — now account for the bulk of global population growth and an increasing share of economic output, challenging the dominance of the traditional Western-led system.

Russia argued that attempts to impose a so-called “rules-based order” outside the framework of international law have weakened global stability, replacing diplomacy with unilateral actions and sanctions. It maintained that genuine global security can only be achieved through respect for sovereignty, non-interference and equal, indivisible security for all states.

At the core of Russia’s argument is the United Nations Charter, which it described as the constitutional foundation of international relations. Moscow called for strengthening the UN’s central role while reforming global institutions to better reflect contemporary realities, including expanded representation for Africa, Asia and Latin America in the UN Security Council.

The briefing also emphasized civilizational diversity as a defining feature of the emerging world order, rejecting the idea that any single political, economic or cultural model can be universally applied. Russia maintained that multipolarity is not merely about the distribution of power, but about the coexistence of multiple development paths based on history, identity and national choice.

Africa featured prominently in the briefing as a rising independent force in global affairs. Russia highlighted the continent’s growing political coordination through the African Union, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and Agenda 2063, describing Africa as a future pole of global growth alongside Asia and the West.

Moscow praised African states for increasingly asserting independent positions on global issues, including neutrality during major international crises and resistance to external pressure to align with sanctions or military blocs. It also welcomed Africa’s growing role in mediation efforts and peace initiatives beyond the continent.

Russia reiterated its support for Africa’s long-standing demand for permanent representation on the UN Security Council, referencing the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration as legitimate expressions of Africa’s collective will.

On Russia–Africa relations, the briefing underscored a partnership based on equality, mutual benefit and non-interference. It pointed to expanding cooperation in education, energy, food security, healthcare and security, noting that more than 32,000 African students are currently studying in Russia, supported by increased scholarship quotas.

Special attention was given to Nigeria, which Russia described as a strategic partner and a leading power in Africa. The briefing highlighted Nigeria’s political influence, economic scale, demographic weight and leadership role within ECOWAS and the African Union, describing the country as a potential global centre of influence in the evolving multipolar system.

Russia expressed support for Nigeria’s aspirations to play a larger role in global governance, including possible representation in a reformed UN Security Council, in line with Africa’s common positions.

Bilateral cooperation between Russia and Nigeria, according to the briefing, is entering a new phase, with growing engagement in education, energy, industrial development, military-technical cooperation and healthcare. Moscow also noted Nigeria’s support for several Russian-backed initiatives at the United Nations, including resolutions against the glorification of Nazism and neo-Nazism.

In conclusion, Russia argued that the multipolar world is no longer theoretical but an objective reality shaped by economic, demographic and political shifts. It called for an international order free from domination, racism and neo-colonial practices, insisting that global stability depends on dialogue among civilizations and respect for the sovereign choices of all nations.

The briefing ended with a call for Africa and emerging powers to play a central role in shaping a more balanced, just and inclusive international system.

Russia Advocates Multipolar World Order, Highlights Africa and Nigeria as Key Global Actors

NDLEA Officer Killed in Bonny Island Drug Raid as Six Suspects Are Arrested

By: Michael Mike

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested six suspected drug traffickers and recovered a large haul of illicit substances in a raid on a notorious drug enclave in Bonny Island, Rivers State, an operation that claimed the life of one of its officers.

The raid, carried out at Ama Hausa area of Bonny Island last Friday, February, according to a statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, led to the seizure of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, skunk (cannabis), and tramadol.

He noted that the operation turned deadly when armed hoodlums allegedly mobilised by the suspects attacked NDLEA operatives during the exercise.

He revealed that one of the officers, Chief Narcotic Agent Sadiq Bako Mujahid, sustained fatal head injuries in the clash. He was rushed to the Bonny Island General Hospital but later died from his injuries.

Despite the attack, NDLEA operatives successfully arrested all six targeted suspects, including the alleged gang leader, Genesis George Benson, whom the agency said was directly responsible for mobilising the violent resistance that led to Mujahid’s death.

Other suspects arrested during the operation are ThankGod Okon, Shamsudden Isah, Muhammed Musa, Adamu Muhammed, and Muhammed Yusuf.

Reacting to the incident, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the courage and professionalism of the officers involved, noting that the operation was completed despite the loss of one of their own.

Marwa described Mujahid as a disciplined and dedicated officer who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, offering condolences to his family, colleagues, and the NDLEA Rivers State Command.

“The gallantry displayed by our men under attack is a testament to their commitment to protecting the nation from the dangers of illicit drugs,” Marwa said. “Even in the face of violence, they ensured the suspects were arrested and the drugs recovered.”

He warned that attacks on NDLEA personnel would not be tolerated, stressing that such acts amount to an assault on the Nigerian state itself.

“The agency remains resolute and undeterred. We will continue to dismantle drug networks and confront those who profit from destroying lives and communities,” Marwa added.

The NDLEA said investigations are ongoing, while the suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of preliminary inquiries.

NDLEA Officer Killed in Bonny Island Drug Raid as Six Suspects Are Arrested