Category Nigeria News

The Nigerian Navy claims to have reached an agreement to set up a naval base in Yauri, Kebbi State’s Yauri Local Government Area.

Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the chief of the naval staff, made the announcement during a courtesy visit to Governor Nasir Idris on Thursday at Government House in Birnin Kebbi.

Rear Admiral Patrick Nwatu, the delegation’s leader, stated during the visit that the visit was a part of the Nigerian Navy’s effort to expand its maritime strategy.

He claimed that this will promote maritime security in the hinterland in addition to its statutory area of responsibility for the maritime domain in the offshore and maritime maritime areas.

The River Niger, in Nwatu’s opinion, has fostered a strong sense of goodwill among Nigerians by supporting agriculture and power generation, which are both still a source of income for the populace.

Read more about Bianca Ojukwu’s encounter with Ghana’s foreign minister over anti-Nigerian protests.

Despite its good potentials, the River Niger is being used by some criminal elements to raise the level of insecurity in our nation, he said.

“Because we have observed that the River Niger has become a hub for arms traffic and other threats to our interests,” he said.

The Nigerian Navy felt it was necessary to expand to Kebbi in addition to the base we currently have along the river in Niger so that we can be completely present there.

Nwatu expressed hope that the decision will lead to improved security architecture in the nation, particularly in the Northwest, with the support of the governor and the Kebbi people.

Governor Idris, on his part, referred to the idea as being very good and holistic in light of the security concerns facing the southern region of Kebbi.

He praised God Almighty for his guidance and support, which led to the recording of the bandits’ victories against them as they terrorized the area.

Kebbi is the first naval base we have ever had. We are appreciative of the Chief of the Naval Staff’s decision to establish a naval base in Yauri. The governor said, “You know, the River Niger in Yauri needs to be manned by a lot of security architecture.

We believe we need additional security to maintain the River Niger because we share borders with Niger and the Benin Republic and we also have borders with Lakurawa.

“There aren’t many marine police in the area, and we only have a few.”

The governor made note of the fact that Kebbi shares a border with the two nations and that Benin Republic was once one of the peaceful nations in Africa.

He promised the delegation that the state government would make every effort to make it possible for them to operate.

Ghanaians are growing increasingly frustrated with the conduct of some Nigerians living in the country, a sentiment that fueled recent protests over alleged criminal activities, according to Ghana-based media strategist SoG Precious.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, SoG Precious said the protest held was triggered by incidents of abduction, killings, and rising prostitution in parts of Ghana, with some Nigerians at the centre of the accusations.

“I believe that the protest sent a message, and the message was very clear that Ghanaians are kind of fed up with some characters of some Nigerians that are living in Ghana”, Precious said.

READ ALSO:]Ghana Protests] FG Calls For Calm, Faults ‘ Blanket ‘ Generalisation Of Nigerians

He said the most recent protests were not isolated but stemmed from accumulated grievances.

“The people of Ghana feel that they have been too good to the people, that they feel Nigerians are trying to take advantage of their kindness, so I think, basically, that is what has ignited this whole protest”, he said.

Precious also acknowledged that the Ghanaian government is working to manage the situation and prevent it from escalating.

He added that beyond official interventions, local institutions are also stepping up.

READ ALSO:]Ghana Protests] Lawyer Urges Nigerian Diaspora To Show Humility In Host Countries

FG Calls For Calm, Meets Ghanaian Authorities

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has called for calm over the protests.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said this when she met with Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Ablakwa, to address the recent wave of protests targeting Nigerians living in Ghana.

“Meeting with the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, Hon. Samuel Ablakwa, to address the situation of Nigeria-Ghana citizens ‘ relations in the aftermath of protests against Nigerians living in Ghana”, she wrote on her X handle on Thursday.

A Nigerian delicacy, egusi, is making history as it is set to become the first West African food to be launched into space as part of a global scientific mission exploring how regional cuisines behave in microgravity.

Founder of Space in Africa, Temidayo Oniosun, shared details of the mission on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, speaking live from Cape Canaveral, Florida—just outside NASA’s Kennedy Space Center—where the launch is set to take place.

Initially scheduled for Thursday, the launch was postponed due to weather and is now expected to happen today at around 4: 45 pm, Nigerian time.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, VIDEO: After Egusi, More Nigerian Foods Will Be Sent To Space — Oniosun

The mission involves sending egusi into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon rocket, in an experiment that combines science, culture, and diplomacy.

Oniosun said, “It’s also more than a symbolic gesture, you know it represents the bold step to preparing humanity for life as an interplanetary species”.

He explained that the goal of the mission was to study how African food products behave in space conditions, particularly in microgravity, as the global conversation expands around space exploration, lunar bases, and eventually colonising other planets.

“The whole essence of this is so that, you know, in the future, we can actually eat African food in outer space”, he said.

The experiment also includes monitoring agricultural seeds from Nigeria to observe how space conditions affect their genetic composition, respiration, and overall health.

“There have been a lot of experiments on a lot of Western food in space, but it is the first time that we have something specifically from West Africa going into space”, Oniosun added.

Why Egusi

Describing egusi as a culturally significant dish across Nigeria, he noted that several regions can lay claim to its origins, making it the perfect representation of Nigerian identity in space.

“I don’t think there’s a better dish that says, ‘ See, I’m Nigerian ‘ than egusi”.

It speaks more of Nigeria than anything else, “he said.

Beyond the lab, the initiative is also a powerful tool for what Oniosun called” agricultural diplomacy”—using local food to engage communities and demystify space science.

” People heard that they are sending food, especially egusi, something they eat every day, and when people heard that, they could connect to this, they can see space is not out of reach for them. If egusi can go to space, you know, so can they, “he said.

Oniosun described the launch as the first phase of a broader plan to include more Nigerian and African elements in future space missions.

Festus Akingbaso, a member of the Idanre/Ifedore Constituency’s House of Representatives, who also served as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) deputy governor in the 2024 election, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

At the Thursday event in Idanre, Akingbaso’s teeming supporters and loyalists also defected with him.

Akingbaso was applauded for the decision by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, at the reception.

Due to the Court of Appeal decision confirming Governor Aiyedatiwa’s victory in 2024, Adelami described the defection as “divinely ordained.”

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Ade Adetimehin, the APC chairman in Ondo State, stated that Idanre and Ifedore are now running for the APC as a result of the federal lawmaker’s and his supporters leaving.

Adetimehin urged people to support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to bring comfort to the average person.

Aiyedatiwa thanked Governor Aiyedatiwa for taking the lead in the state and placing a high priority on the welfare of the state’s citizens during his address.

He stated that he had chosen to support the governor in bringing governance to the people.

A vote of confidence was cast in President Tinubu’s administration by Chief of Staff to former governor Olusegun Mimiko, who spoke on behalf of the defectors.

Ademujimi applauded Governor Ayedatiwa’s enormous accomplishments in every sector of the state.

Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president and the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for president in 2023, Paul Ibe, the media adviser, addressed a popular video of Atiku making the rounds on social media.

The former vice president was heard expressing confidence in his presidential ambitions in the video.

However, Ibe stated in a statement that the footage in question should not be taken out of context and that it was not recent and should not be taken out of context in a statement released via his official X account (previously Twitter).

Ibe wrote that “Atiku’s older video is being used for mischief.”

Read more about Atiku’s security clearance, Threat to Obi Against All of Us.

He clarified that the video was shot in the course of Atiku’s press conference and not as a response to any upcoming political decisions or announcements.

Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president of Nigeria (1999-2007), addressed journalists ahead of the PDP presidential primary in 2023.

He explained that he sounded confident because that is what one person expects from a man who has worked hard and is optimistic about winning the election in 2023.

Ibe urged viewers to avoid intentionally spreading false information, and emphasized the importance of putting the video in context.

He continued, “It is crucial to provide the context of this video to prevent mischief makers from misrepresenting what this video is all about.”

PRESS ELEASE

The old video of Atiku is being used for a Mischief is occurring in Atiku’s video.

Yes, Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, addressed journalists before the 2023 PDP presidential primary. Because of what was expected of a man with a picture, he sounded confident. twitter.com/AuAV2bFHN2

On the PDP’s platform, Atiku Abubakar placed second behind All Progressives Congress (APC) President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who won the election for president in 2023.

The Federal Government’s plans for a state-by-state homeownership and housing development campaign, a collaborative initiative with state governments, private developers, and development partners, were unveiled in a major announcement by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, in an effort to close policy execution gaps at sub-national levels.

He laid out the strategy as he opened the 19th edition of the Abuja-based Africa International Housing Show (AIHS), confirming the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “renewed hope agenda” to address the country’s housing crisis with bold, inclusive, and novel reforms.

The Minister stated that “we will embed housing reform champions in state governments, convene State Housing Roundtables, and provide hands-on support to build viable housing projects and unlock financing opportunities.”

In his opening address to a gathering of ministers, lawmakers, members of parliament, ambassadors, development partners, housing professionals, financial institutions, and leaders from the private sector from across Africa and beyond, Dangiwa emphasized that, despite expanding housing supply efforts, affordability continues to be the biggest obstacle to homeownership on the continent.

“Millions of families across Africa are still unable to purchase decent homes despite having access to them. The Minister stated that this administration is “building houses” and that it is also working to lay the foundations for a truly affordable and sustainable housing system for Nigerians both now and in the future.

He cited the three-tier Renewed Hope Housing Programme of the Federal Government as the blueprint for delivering affordable housing across the country. It consists of Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates, and Renewed Hope Social Housing Estates.

According to him, to date, public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been used to fund significant urban housing developments, bringing in more than 70 billion dollars.

The Minister also praised the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria’s (FMBN)’s (FMBN) key initiatives, including the MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF), which will expand access to long-term mortgage loans at affordable rates, as well as the Rent-to-Own Scheme and Rental Assistance Product, which are designed to relieve housing pressure on urban workers and young families.

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According to the UN-Habitat Global Action Plan and the Addis Declaration on Inclusive Urban Development, “no one and no place is left behind,” he further reiterated the ministry’s commitment to urban renewal and slum upgrades.

Dangiwa urged development finance organizations, donor organizations, and the private sector to work with the Federal Government to turn shared knowledge gained at conferences like AIHS into tangible outcomes for Nigerians.