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Re: Towards Utmost Freedom and Less of Sloganeering on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in 2024

Re: Towards Utmost Freedom and Less of Sloganeering on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in 2024
By: Bashir Aliyu
I read a lopsided article by Babafemi A. Badejo who called into question the new foreign policy concepts under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, singling out the 4D principles that now underpin the tenets of Nigeria’s foreign policy as the butt of his blurred outlook over how Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements should look like.
Without bandying words, Dr Babafemi raised key issues that if left unanswered may end up confusing many a reader given his position as a reputable lecturer on international relations.
While Mr Babafemi tried to juxtapose the Tinubu Doctrine or specifically the 4D foreign policy concepts with the Monroe Doctrine that the US adopted in 1823 (not 1843 as stated by the author) as a measure to deter European powers from further recolonizing countries in the Western Hemisphere, Nigeria’s new foreign policy direction is never meant to mimic any foreign power nor is it meant to exert its diplomatic cloud on any sovereign state. The geopolitical reality in our region coupled with the urgency for Nigeria to play more active roles in safeguarding not only our national interest and security but also the stability of our region by citizens who are unarguably the largest diaspora population in Africa. Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar repeatedly made it clear that the 4D Foreign Policy is not just mere sloganeering but a strategy to scrunch down “action plans of programmes into more manageable and comprehensible headlines.”
Another point that needs clarification is the solipsistic suggestion that Nigeria should prioritize economic development at the expense of democracy, alluding to the spate of military coups in West Africa and the diplomatic stand-off that strained relationship between Nigeria/ECOWAS and Niger junta. But for the avoidance of doubt, Nigeria never unilaterally planned to take military action against Niger as most of its policies are coordinated with the ECOWAS member states. Nigeria is in favour of a diplomatic solution, and the economic sanctions imposed on the junta are meant to pressure them to release Bazoum Muhammad and provide a clear pathway for the restoration of democracy in the country.
As noted by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria as the largest democracy in Africa cannot continue to fold its hands as West Africa descends into constitutional crises with six successful coups in just two years. The coups were a huge setback for the fight against terrorism in West Africa as many international partners withdrew or froze their cooperations with the military juntas which are critical to both the fight against terrorism and humanitarian support. Peace and good governance are an integral part of the development of any nation. The development in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso is a watershed moment for the ECOWAS member states like Nigeria who have invested so much in multinational cooperation, regional integration, and international commitment only to be disrupted by military coups.
According to Mr. Omar Alieu Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, a series of military coups in West Africa is a huge setback for the fight against terror, noting that there were 1503 incidences of terrorist attacks recorded in Burkina Faso from 1st to October 22, 2023, 1044 in Mali, and 376 in Niger since the coup. Furthermore, Ambassador Tuggar revealed during his speech that Burkina Faso, being one of the poorest countries in the world, now only control about 40% of its country.
Democracy in West Africa is under assault and Nigeria has what it takes to help reverse the trend which poses an existential threat not only to our national security but to the stability of the entire region. The problem with military juntas is they are not known for respecting human rights, law and order, and lack of transparency when it comes to their obligation to international law and regional treaties is often responsible for worsening instability that often hampers our fight against organized crimes and terrorism. As a democratic nation, Nigeria has a vital role to play in entrenching democracy in Africa, and military coup in the region especially West Africa is an anathema to economic growth and international cooperation.
Moreover, as a matter of national interest, prioritizing democracy provides Nigeria with a clear direction to assert its interests on the global stage as evidenced by the recent success of Nigeria’s diplomatic overture at the G2O Summit in Delhi which saw the inclusion of the African Union as a full member.
As for Development, which is another key tenet of Nigeria’s foreign policy priority under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s foreign policy seeks to use diplomacy in line with the Nigerian constitution to enhance economic growth, agricultural value chain and technology to provide Nigerians with job opportunities. Nigeria with its teeming population of over 220 million people has a lot to benefit from the ongoing efforts to attract investment from international investors. As stated by Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, infrastructure alone can add 10-12% to our GDP which is enough to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty. When it comes to international diplomacy, our population is a huge advantage as we have sufficient manpower and human resources to collaborate with countries such as India in the areas of ICT, movie industry, agriculture and bilateral trade which are sure to have an immediate impact on the wellbeing of Nigerians as a whole.
It is noteworthy that Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar is a veteran diplomat whose years of experience can enable our country to engage in more achievable goals. Nigeria is in throes of transition, and the urgency caused by rapidly changing world with competing interests, and Tuggar will continue to fight for what is best for Nigeria in terms of its national interests and the development of its people in line with the international law.
The Tinubu Doctrine is here to stay, and I am sure, and the rest of the world would sooner or later come to see the impact of the 4D foreign policy.
To this end, I call on Dr Babafemi A. Badejo not to be pessimistic about Nigeria’s foreign policy direction. The Tinubu Doctrine is borne out of the urgency to help Nigeria overcome many of its challenges such as development and the welfare of Nigerians abroad.
** Bashir Aliyu works as newspaper editor and geopolitical and international affairs commentator. He can be reached at bashiralmusawi@gmail.com
Re: Towards Utmost Freedom and Less of Sloganeering on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in 2024
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Troops repel terrorist attacks in Sokoto, Katsina

Troops repel terrorist attacks in Sokoto, Katsina
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have repelled terrorists’ attacks in Sokoto and Katsina States, the Defence Headquarters has said.
Zagazola understands that the troops responded to reports of terrorist activities in Dundaye village, Augie Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Aug. 29.
Sources said that the terrorists killed two locals and rustled an unspecified number of cattle before fleeing the scene ahead of troops’ arrival.
“Troops immediately pursued the terrorists but no contact was made,”said the sources.
The sources added that at about 10:50 p.m. on the same day, troops of 17 Brigade deployed at Forward Operating Base Malumfashi, Katsina State, encountered terrorists at Maraban Kankara, Malumfashi Local Government Area.
“The troops engaged the terrorists in a firefight, forcing them to flee. Locals later reported that two women were abducted from the village during the attack,” said the sources.
The sources further noted that operations across other sectors of the Joint Operations Area remained calm with no significant incidents reported.
Troops repel terrorist attacks in Sokoto, Katsina
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12 dead, 20 rescued in Zamfara canoe mishap while fleeing bandits

12 dead, 20 rescued in Zamfara canoe mishap while fleeing bandits
By: Zagazola Makama
The Zamfara Police Command has confirmed the death of 12 persons in a canoe mishap in Gummi Local Government Area of the state.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on Friday evening at Danmaga village in Gummi.
According to the sources, residents sighted a group of armed bandits moving with rustled animals toward Birnin Magaji district of the area, forcing some women and children to hurriedly board a canoe to cross a river in a bid to escape.
“In the process, the canoe capsized, leading to the death of 12 victims, while more than 20 persons were rescued alive,” the sources said.
The sources said security operatives, in collaboration with local divers, recovered the bodies which were deposited for burial according to Islamic rites.
The sources added that search efforts were still ongoing to recover possible remaining victims of the incident.
12 dead, 20 rescued in Zamfara canoe mishap while fleeing bandits
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Cuban Government: US Military Deployment in the Caribbean Sea Threatens the Region Under Absurd Pretexts

Cuban Government: US Military Deployment in the Caribbean Sea Threatens the Region Under Absurd Pretexts
By: Michael Mike
The Cuban Government has rejected the current deployment of United States military forces in the Caribbean Sea, stating that this action represents a serious threat and an aggressive show of force against the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Cuba further said this action ignores the commitment of the 33 Member States of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States when they proclaimed the region as a Zone of Peace.
A statement by the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs made available at the weekend to our correspondent, said the US claims associating the legitimate government of Venezuela and its President Nicolas Maduro with criminal organisations involved in illegal drug trafficking is an absurd pretext that is unfounded.
It alleged that leaders in Washington are irresponsibly disregarding the assessment of their own Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) that, in its report this year, does not mention the Venezuelan Government among the authors or enablers of drug trafficking operations threatening the United States territory.
The statement further read: “The Government of the United States resorts to lies once again to justify violence and plunder. They use them in the renewed implementation of the dominance scheme based on the Monroe Doctrine, key to their interventionism in the American continent.
“On the basis of similar fallacies, they have carried out ruthless aggressions resulting in considerable and protracted human costs. An example from recent decades was the charade about the alleged presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This pretext served to attack and invade a sovereign country, causing the death of hundreds of thousands of its citizens and the forced displacement of a similar figure.”
It alleged that: “The United States is the largest market of narcotic drugs in the region and possibly the world, according to the World Drug Report 2025, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. This fact is well-known and the international community must denounce it. It is in the US where the largest networks are located, encouraging consumption, guaranteeing distribution, facilitating traffic, collection and accumulation of the large proceeds. Such networks launder the resulting drug money within the country’s own economy with relative impunity, without serious and effective efforts being made by the government to stop it.
“The immense proceeds from the illegal US market encourage the emergence and operation of drug trafficking networks in Latin America and the Caribbean. That country’s powerful arms industry and its uncontrolled privileges for commercialization feed the deadly power of the region’s criminal organisations. Neglect and failure to act on the root causes of the phenomenon within the United States will only intensify the regional impact of this scourge.
Cuba reiterated its firm commitment with the honest and effective fight against illegal trafficking in drugs, the defense of the national sovereignty and the promotion of peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It also denounced in equally strong terms the use of irregular migration flows as an excuse to turn the waters of the Caribbean Sea into a war zone. No one with minimum common sense and honesty believe that the quantity of the troops, the combat materiel, naval forces, including nuclear submarines, and the firepower that the United States has sought to deploy in this peaceful area of the world, is the appropriate manner to fight organized crime, illicit drug trafficking or irregular migration flows, nor that such deployment is truly pursuing its stated goals.
The statement added that: “Cuba reiterates the call made by President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermúdez, at the 13th Extraordinary Summit of ALBA-TCP, last 20 August, to firmly denounce the new imperialist shows of force.”
End
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