Edo Election: US Calls on Stakeholders to Support Electoral Processes

By: Michael Mike

The United States Embassy has called on all stakeholders in the just ended Edo State gubernatorial election to support established electoral processes and respect legal procedures to challenge results.

A statement by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Richard Mills Jr. on Tuesday on the just concluded Edo State Governorship election, read: “The U.S. Mission in Nigeria commends the people of Edo State for the widely peaceful conduct of gubernatorial elections on September 21 and reiterates calls for calm following the announcement of results.

“We commend Governor Obaseki’s appeal for peace and urge all stakeholders, including INEC, to support established electoral processes and respect legal procedures to challenge results.”

The Ambassador in the statement insisted that: “Transparency and due process are crucial to maintaining public confidence in any democratic system.

“The United States reaffirms our commitment to supporting free, fair, transparent, and credible elections in Nigeria and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

Edo Election: US Calls on Stakeholders to Support Electoral Processes

ECOWAS Calls for Mainstreaming Gender into Trade Policy to Boost Development of West Africa Subregion

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on member states to mainstream gender into their trade policies to achieve the objectives of the African Continental Trade (AfCTA), noting that until women, who represents half of the subregion population is fully integrated, the much searched development may continue to be a mirage.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs Massandje Toure-Litse, made the plea at the opening of a regional meeting on trade and gender in Abuja on Tuesday.

She said that promoting inclusive subregional trade by empowering women in business was in line with regional approaches and guidelines, as well as international best practices.

Toure-Litse while describing international trade as a powerful driver for wealth creation and development, lamenting that however women representing about 50 per cent of the global workforce is presently facing barriers to participating in it.

She said: “Women-owned businesses often struggle to access export markets, and women workers are overrepresented in low-wage, low-skilled sectors.

“Trade policies frequently overlook gender-specific needs and perspectives, exacerbating existing inequalities.@

She said that addressing these disparities was crucial for promoting inclusive and equitable trade practices, unlocking the potential of women entrepreneurs and workers, and ensuring that international trade benefited all.

She added that: “However, increased trade supported by discriminatory trade policies is acknowledged to be a catalyst for the possible widening of the inequality gap between men and women involved in trade.

“According to UN Women, it is estimated that 70 per cent of informal cross-border trade in Africa is conducted by women traders.

“I am pleased to note that ECOWAS has already developed several community texts and initiatives to promote gender-inclusive trade.

“These efforts align with our commitment to deepening regional integration and accelerating development through inclusive trade.”

She however urged participants drawn from ECOWAS member countries, to share their expertise and constructively discuss the issue of gender mainstreaming in trade to enrich the ECOWAS draft action plan on trade and gender.

Toure-Litse noted that: “A well-crafted action plan will definitely contribute to achieving the Vision 2050, AfCTA, the AU Agenda 2063 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.”

She said the entry into force of AfCFTA had culminated in great opportunities for increased intra-African trade, and solicited necessary steps for it to provide equal opportunities for men and women.

“In this regard, the regional AfCFTA implementation strategy aims to achieve objectives such as gender equality and structural transformation of state parties.

“Specifically, the strategy aims to contribute to positive gender and youth impact of AfCFTA through women and youth led-business activities, employment and social protection as well as informal cross-border traders,” she added.

Declaring the event opened, Nigeria’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said that mainstreaming gender in regional trade policies would lead to creating a prosperous and equitable trade.

Represented by the ministry’s Director, Special Duties, Dr Simon Ozomo, the minister said that gender trade mainstreaming was in line with the Federal Government’s trade facilitation policy.

ECOWAS Calls for Mainstreaming Gender into Trade Policy to Boost Development of West Africa Subregion

NDLEA intercepts ex-convict with over N4.6 billion worth of cocaine at Lagos airport

By: Michael Mike

Barely 16 months after he was arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine, a 48-year-old businessman Christian Ogbuji has been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos for importing 817 wraps of the same Class A drug weighing 19.4 kilogrammes with an estimated street value of over N4.6 billion.

According to a statement by the spokesperson of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, Ogbuji was first arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Wednesday 10th May 2023 upon arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa, onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 951 for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine with a gross weight of 1.986 kilogrammes. He was subsequently arraigned before Federal High Court 12 Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023 and convicted on 13th July 2023. Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of paying a fine of N3 million, which he paid and was set free.

Babafemi said Ogbuji on the court order also forfeited the seized 1.986 kilogrammes cocaine, his international passport, 14 US dollars and 9000 Uganda shillings found on him at the time of his arrest.

The spokesman said: “Not done with crime, Ogbuji was again arrested at the Lagos airport on Wednesday 18th September 2024 during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos. The suspect had approached the joint examination table with a black travelling bag which was searched by an NDLEA operative who cleared the luggage. In a dubious move, Ogbuji sneaked back to the carousel area to put inside the cleared bag a black backpack he left on the conveyor’s belt.
As he made his way out of the arrival hall, vigilant NDLEA officers intercepted him and subjected him to a second search. It was then large wraps of excreted cocaine were found concealed inside the backpack hidden in the black travelling bag that was earlier found with the suspect.

He said a total of 817 pellets of cocaine excreted by many traffickers in Addis Ababa weighing 19.4 kilogrammes belonging to different members of a drug cartel were recovered.

Babafemi said during interrogation of the suspect, he stated that he initially left the backpack containing the drug at the carousel area as a strategy to beat NDLEA operatives, adding that he never knew there could be a “secondary search” since he had presented his bag for search previously and nothing incriminating was found. He claimed he had to procure a new international passport to continue his criminal trade.

The spokesman said investigations revealed Ogbuji is an unrepentant kingpin within the network of drug cartels operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria and others in the West African sub-region like Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire.

In his reaction to the arrest of Ogbuji, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the MMIA Strategic Command for an excellent job done, adding that the seizure of such a large consignment of cocaine at the airport is a milestone that will send a strong message to the international drug cartels trying to find footholds in Nigeria.

He however assured that the agency will continue to work to disrupt the activities of drug cartels operating in the country.
Ends

NDLEA intercepts ex-convict with over N4.6 billion worth of cocaine at Lagos airport