Tuggar Holds Strategic Talks with Turkish Counterpart in Ankara

By: Michael Mike

Ahead of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State visit to Türkiye, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, on Monday paid an official visit to Ankara where he held high-level talks with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting, Tuggar’s first official visit to Türkiye, focused on strengthening political, economic, security, and multilateral cooperation. Minister Fidan commended Nigeria’s constructive role in promoting regional stability, peace, and prosperity in West Africa, noting Nigeria’s leadership within regional and continental frameworks.

Tuggar placed strong emphasis on expanding bilateral trade and increasing mutual investment, particularly in sectors of interest to Turkish companies, including construction, manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure. Both ministers acknowledged the steady growth in economic relations and underlined the need to unlock further potential through structured public–private engagement.

On security cooperation, the two sides highlighted opportunities to deepen collaboration in military affairs and the defence industry.

The visit reflects the growing strategic character of Nigeria–Türkiye relations, anchored in shared positions on sovereignty, institutional cooperation, and pragmatic partnership, with both sides expressing confidence in the prospects for deeper engagement in the period ahead.

Alkasim Abdulkadir

SA Media and Communications to the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Tuggar Meets Turkish Foreign Minister in Ankara Ahead of Tinubu’s State Visit

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has held strategic discussions with Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, in Ankara as part of preparations for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s forthcoming state visit to the country.

The meeting, which marked Tuggar’s first official visit to Türkiye, focused on strengthening bilateral ties between both nations across political, economic, security and multilateral fronts. The talks underscored the growing importance of Nigeria–Türkiye relations and the shared commitment of both governments to expanding cooperation.

During the engagement, Fidan commended Nigeria’s leadership role in West Africa, particularly its efforts in promoting peace, stability and regional prosperity. He acknowledged Nigeria’s influence within regional and continental institutions and its constructive contributions to addressing common security and development challenges.

Tuggar, in his part, emphasized Nigeria’s interest in deepening economic collaboration with Türkiye, calling for increased trade volumes and stronger investment flows. He identified construction, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure as key sectors offering significant opportunities for Turkish investors. Both ministers noted the steady improvement in economic relations and stressed the need for enhanced public–private sector engagement to unlock further growth.

Security cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions, with both sides expressing readiness to strengthen collaboration in military relations and defence industry partnerships.

The high-level talks highlight the increasingly strategic nature of Nigeria–Türkiye relations, built on mutual respect for sovereignty, institutional cooperation and practical partnership. Both countries expressed optimism about expanding engagement and delivering tangible outcomes in the period ahead.

Tuggar Holds Strategic Talks with Turkish Counterpart in Ankara

Ogoni Leaders Petition Tinubu, Accuse Wike of Undermining Peace Dialogue

By: Michael Mike

Leaders and people of Ogoniland have petitioned President Bola Tinubu over alleged attempts by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to undermine the ongoing Federal Government–Ogoni dialogue process aimed at resolving the decades-long Ogoni crisis.

The petition was submitted under the auspices of the Conscience of Ogoni People (COOP), formerly known as the Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, a group of concerned Ogoni stakeholders advocating peace, justice, and sustainable development in Ogoniland.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by COOP’s Leader and Spokesman, Chief Gani Topba, the group expressed strong support for the dialogue and peace process being facilitated by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, describing it as the most credible effort so far to address the long-standing Ogoni question.

COOP alleged that Wike has been engaging in actions intended to frustrate the dialogue, tracing the dispute to unresolved issues from his tenure as Governor of Rivers State.

According to the group, the controversy is linked to a long-standing compensation dispute between the Ejama Ebubu community in Ogoni and the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) over environmental damage claims that were decided in favour of the community.

The group stated that the Rivers State Government became deeply involved in the matter during Wike’s administration, a development that has remained contentious and unresolved in public discourse.

COOP further alleged that during the recent visit of the NSA to Ogoniland, political associates of the FCT Minister were instructed to boycott and undermine the engagement. The group claimed that efforts were deliberately made to sabotage the dialogue at the community level.

Raising security concerns, COOP alleged that armed youths recruited from different parts of Rivers State are currently being mobilised and camped around the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters, allegedly to destabilise the peace process.

The group also claimed that Wike is displeased with Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalaiyi Fubara, for cooperating with the NSA to ensure the success of the Ogoni dialogue. According to COOP, local government chairmen in Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana LGAs were allegedly directed to recruit armed youths to disrupt the dialogue and frustrate the proposed resumption of oil operations in Ogoniland.

COOP warned that if these alleged actions are not checked, they could pose serious threats to public peace and security in Rivers State and derail the fragile but promising dialogue process.

The group noted that the ongoing engagement has been widely welcomed by Ogoni people as a sincere and inclusive initiative aimed at achieving lasting peace, environmental remediation, economic reintegration of Ogoni communities, and the safe resumption of oil production in Oil Mining Lease (OML) II. They added that a successful outcome would significantly boost national revenue, foreign exchange earnings, energy security and employment.

COOP appealed to President Tinubu to intervene by calling on the FCT Minister to desist from actions capable of reigniting tension in Ogoniland. The group urged the President to protect the dialogue process and mandate relevant security and intelligence agencies to investigate the allegations.

They call on the President to ensure that no individual, regardless of position, undermines national interest for personal or sectional gain, expressing confidence that decisive intervention would help secure peace in Ogoniland and reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to justice, national unity and economic recovery.

Ogoni Leaders Petition Tinubu, Accuse Wike of Undermining Peace Dialogue

Gamawa commended Gov. Bala for the creation of additional emirates in Bauchi

By: Yahaya Wakili

His Royal Highness, the Emir of Gamawa in Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Abdulkadir Adamu, has commended His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammad A Kauran Daular Ussumaniyya, for the creation of additional emirates, chiefdoms, and districts statewide.

The emir made the commendation in an interview with Newsng in Sabon Garin Nangere, the headquarters of the Tikau emirate council of Yobe state, when he visited His Royal Highness, the Emir of Tikau, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammadu Ibn Grema II.

He said the strategic move by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammad, brings essential development projects, empowers local aspirations, and ensures inclusive growth reaches every corner of the grassroots.

The emir revealed that he was at the Tikau emirate council today to express his profound appreciation to the emir of Tikau, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammadu Ibn Grema II, for his support given to us since we were appointed as the emir of Gamawa, adding that Tikau and Gamawa have had a strong relationship for a long time.

He said, “Tikau and Gamawa share a common border, and also we are neighbors, and we have the history of the Tikau emirate for fostering unity, justice, and loving his people, as well as involving all stakeholders, and steadfastly upholding law and order in his domain.”

“Therefore, we are soliciting the support, advice, and cooperation of the emir and also strengthening our relationship to govern the people of the Gamawa emirate council fairly without bias or selfish interest, and we thank the emir for the hospitality rendered to him and members of his emirate council.

Gamawa commended Gov. Bala for the creation of additional emirates in Bauchi