nigeriaforeignpolicyblog

Mar 07 2022.nigerianforeignpolicyblog

The Federal Government says it will not authorized it’s citizens to join the Ukrainian army.

Earlier today in a statement made by Francisca Omayuli, who is the Foreign Affairs spokesperson says the Nigeria Government will not authorized such act, noting that it was already in talks with it’s Ukrainian counterparts to forestall such occurrence.

The statement came after Bohdan Solty from the Ukrainian Embassy told Nigerian volunteers who conveyed at the Embassy in Abuja to pay $1,000 last week.

Francisca Omayuli reacted to this statement:” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted the Embassy to verify the speculation. The Ukrainian Embassy refuted the allegation, but confirmed that a number of Nigerians had approached the Embassy indicating their interest to join the Ukrainian army in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Furthermore, the Embassy clarified that the Ukrainian government is not admitting foreign volunteer fighters and as such disassociated itself from the claim that it is requesting $1,000 from each Nigerian volunteers for air ticket and visa.

“As a responsible member of the International Community and consistent with our obligations under International Law, Nigeria discourages the use of Mercenaries anywhere in the world and will not tolerate the recruitment of Nigerians as Mercenaries to fight for Ukraine or anywhere in the world, and the Federal Government will continue to engage with the Embassy of Ukraine in Nigeria and other relevant authorities to prevent this possibility”

March, 06 2022.nigeriaforeignpolicyblog

Some beneficiaries of the Niger Delta Development Commission Scholarship Scheme have lamented going through difficult situations due to the non-payment of their tuition and allowances as promised by the Nigerian government.

According to one of the student, a number of their colleagues are currently stranded in Ukraine and Russia amid the ongoing battle between the two countries.

The student also revealed the blame game between the NDDC and the Central Bank of Nigeria over who is delaying their payments.

One of the affected students said during their last virtual meeting, the NDDC claimed that the CBN was the one delaying their payment, adding that it had instructed the apex bank to pay the money since last December.

A source said: several of those scholars in Ukraine and Russia calls out in pain on the scholars’ telegram group, reporting how NDDC has been ignoring their several calls and emails for help.

“Now we don’t know who to cry out to again whether it should be the Federal Government or the CBN, Which is the government unit that is meant to pay us as at when due, or NDDC, which is supposed to ensure that the CBN pays us as at when due, because they are officially responsible for our payment. The most painful thing is that some of the scholars are in Ukraine and Russia not knowing their fate, with no money.

The student went further to state that during their last Zoom meeting, their representative gave them feedback in the meeting, that NDDC said it was the CBN that was delaying their payment since last December, saying they had submitted their voucher and instructed CBN to pay them.

“Our condition is now worse, many of us now beg for food to survive because there is no money to feed on and no part-time job to make ends meet.

They call on Nigerians to ask the various bodies that are responsible for their payment, why the delay, and ignorant attitude towards the payment of their fees.

Feb 6 2022.nigerianforeignpolicyblog

The newly appointed Chairperson of the African Union(AU) President Macky Salle of Senegal arrives to attend the closed session of the 35th annual African summit held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, on February 6, 2022.

During the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly, many key issues were highlighted. The African leaders received major problems that affected the continent last year.

Senegalese President Macky Salle took over the new AU Chairperson, during the inaugural speech he presented “Peace” as the main goal of his one-year term.

“Challenges are still far too numerous and urgent, whether it’s Peace or Security, Unconstitutional Changes of Government, the Protection of the Environment, Healthy as well as the Economic and Social Development. We can turn a blind eye to the many grieving families, the lost lives, millions of displaced people, or refugees. We can look away from schools and health institutions that are closed or the torn fabrics of social cohesion. Common sense commands us to Silence Guns and Build, build a culture of dialogue and meditation through the African mechanism of the conflict resolution”.

As the 35th annual African Union Summit came to an end, the current occurrence of coups in the West African region was one of the major issues discussed. The observer status granted to the state of Israel was also discussed and a committee was set up to re-examine the status later.

Feb 4, 2022.nigerianforeignpolicyblog

On Thursday evening, President Mohammadu Buhari arrived at the Addis Ababa International Airport in Ethiopia, ahead of the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Head of State and Government.

It was reported by the Nigeria News Agency that the President’s arrival was caught on camera by Mr. Sunday Aghaeze in the later hours of Thursday evening, Sunday Aghaeze is one of the President’s Personal Photographers.

The President was welcomed at the airport by the Ethiopian Minister of Education, Prof. Bethany Nega, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian and Disaster Management.

Others at the International Airport includes the Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Victor Adeleke, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, as well as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Muhammed Abubakar.

The President Spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, stated that Buhari while in Addis Ababa would join the other African leaders in Finding solutions, to political, economic and social challenges facing the continent.

The theme of the deliberation is; Building Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent: Strengthen Agriculture, Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development.

President Buhari would use this medium in this session to hold meetings bilateral with some leaders, with a shared interest in improving trade relations, partnering to tackle security challenges, and for continuous improvement.

Feb 2, 2022. nigerianforeignpolicyblog

Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission( NIDCOM) have lamented over the death of a Nigerian student in Ukraine. Fadlullah Agboluaje, describing its as unfortunate, Shocking and avoidable.

Abike Dabiri- Erewa the Chairman of the NIDCOM, visited the Agboluaje family in Ebute Metta, Lagos state to console them over the loss of their son, Fadlullah.

The Public Relations and Protocol Unit of the Commission, Gabriel Odu noted that yesterday Abike Dabiri informed the family( represented by Mrs Musleemah Agboluaje and her two daughters) of the immediate intervention of the Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine, Fatai Alege who with the consent of the father, immediately demanded an autopsy.

Abike Dabiri added that the Nigerian envoy had given all necessary preliminary assistance pledging that the Nigerian Government will work with the family on the next steps to take on the issue of alleged negligence by the institution where the deceased attended school.

The mother of the deceased Agboluaje narrated how she had been in constant communication with her son till 11pm where he had complained of the non- functional and poor state of his room, to the receptionist on duty, only to be neglected.

Before his death he had also sent his mother pictures of the room which was in a most deplorable and dilapidated conditions.

Late Fadlullah Agboluaje had arrived in Lvive Ukraine on January 8, 2022, only to be reported dead a day after. Although following a preliminary autopsy report, Fadlullah had died of pneumonia due to the effects of extreme cold temperature.

Jan 30 2022.nigerianforeignpolicyblog

The former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani has made an emphasis on the underscore economic review of the poor state of the Nigerian Embassies abroad, to avoid the colossal loss of the foreign missions.

His statement was made in reactions to the complaint about the dilapidated conditions of the Nigeria Foreign Embassies abroad and also it’s economic effect to the country on funding repairs of such missions.

He said about 60% of the Nations Embassies abroad are rented buildings, and such expenses is not what the country needs at this time. Also some diplomatic staff have been defrauding the country in the name of paying rents, rather than owning a building as an embassy.

According to him, in the past everything about the embassy was in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, unlike the era of Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that Ambassadors has go to the Minister of Finance for funds. Which he said has left the Foreign Affairs Ministry with no choice on the embassy other than posting of diplomatic staff.

To him, the constant embarrassment often caused by the landlords concerning rent issues, was really sad. He said the answer to this problems is that Nigeria should provide funds for new diplomatic buildings and make a repair of every dilapidated embassy buildings.

He further noted that buying good diplomatic building could costs as much as US$ 2million, adding that such should be done to chart the way forward to safeguard Nigerian embassy operations abroad.

The former law maker said, everything about the embassy should go back to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, he further stressed the need to buy more diplomatic houses and to take stock of repairs of dilapidated Nigerian embassy buildings abroad, as measures to proffer a solution to the problems.

Jan 27 2022 nigerianforeignpolicyblog

CEO of NIDCOM on Thursday 27, Hon Abike Dabiri received the Deputy British High Commissioner, Gill Atkinson at the NIDCOM Headquarters. The Deputy High Commissioner acknowledged the rich list of Nigerians in the UK, performing excellently in various fields of endeavours .

She spoke that one key mission is to harness potentials and resources between the two countries to cause even development and promote people-to-people contacts.

Receiving the UK delegation. Hon. Abike Dabire expressed her interest in working hand- in-hand with the British High Commissioner in Abuja to create a win-win situation for the UK and Nigeria.

27 Jan 2022. nigerianforeignpolicyblog.

The recent crisis in Burkina Faso has left the country and the West African bloc in disarray. The 64-year-old, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, was disposed by the army officers.

President Kabore was elected in 2015 following a popular revolt that forced out strongman Blaise Campaore. He was re-elected in 2020, but since last year, he has faced a wave of discontent about armed groups attacks that have killed about 2,00 people  forced millions to flee their homes.

Mutinies erupted in several army barracks on Sunday 23, a day after police dispersed some protests, and on Monday, the army rebels brought the country under the control of the Patriotic Movement for Preservation and Restoration(MPSR) a Military government led by Lieutenant – Colonel Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba.

West Africa has been rattled by three military coups in less than 19 months, from Mali in 2020 and Guinea in September 2021. These two countries were resolved with a sanction and suspension from the ECOWAS community.

Will the West African bloc impose an array of sanctions or will the ECOWAS suspend Burkina Faso from its community. What will be the outcome?