₦airaland Forum

The Director General of the Department of State Services, Adeola Ajayi, has said that the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, was denied a Canadian visa because he underrated him.

Ajayi was reacting to comments made by the CDS regarding his visa application to the Canadian High Commission, which was unsuccessful.

The CDS spoke at the maiden annual lecture of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja.

Musa had narrated how he and other top military officers were supposed to be in Canada for an official assignment but were denied visas.

“Every disappointment is a blessing. Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada. There’s an event to honour our veterans, those that were injured during battles, and we were meant to be there,” Musa had said.

“We were invited with our team. Half has gone and half has been denied. It’s very disappointing,” lamented.

The CDS added that the incident was a clear reminder that Nigeria must “stand on its own” and should no longer be taken for granted.

Speaking at the same event, the DSS boss jokingly told Musa that the secret police had secretly blocked his Canadian visa application.

“As much as I like General Musa, he underrated me. I have spent 35 years in this job, but for political appointment, I should be on my way out by April.

“And all I have learnt is covertness, how to do things covertly. General Musa, you made a mistake with me.

“When we invited you for this programme to be the chairman, you now decided to go and apply for a Canadian visa.

“So, we covertly made sure we denied you. So, my dear General, next time when you hear of DSS, and under a leadership like mine, who has swag in doing the job, don’t underrate us; when you leave here, you can see me, you will get your Canadian visa.

“We wanted you to be here, so you couldn’t have been in Vancouver,” Ajayi said.

Ajayi, however, praised Musa for his “exceptional team player qualities,” adding that the CDS amazed him by demonstrating commitment to duty and leadership.

He also shared a story about former United States President, George Bush, highlighting the importance of appreciating security personnel in uniform for their sacrifices.

Nigeria has signed a pipeline deal which would transport billions of cubic metres of gas 4,128 kilometres (2,565 miles) from Nigeria in West Africa through Niger and on to Algeria.

Officials from the three countries on Tuesday signed the deal in Algiers, Algeria’s capital, aimed at accelerating the development of a vast natural gas pipeline toward Europe.

The Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) deal would also see the gas pumped through the undersea Mediterranean pipeline, Transmed to Italy, or loaded onto liquefied natural gas tankers for export.

The contracts centred on “an update of the feasibility study” and other issues, including non-disclosure agreements among their state energy companies.

The feasibility update will lay out the “required means for accelerating the development of this major project in a timely manner and at competitive costs,” Algerian Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab said.

While no update was given for the pipeline’s cost, which was estimated at launch at $10 billion, the project has been given new urgency by a surge in gas demand worldwide and soaring prices sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022

The South East Development Commission (SEDC) is targeting $200 billion regional economic growth by 2035, according to Mark Okoye, its managing director.

Okoye, in his inaugural speech on Wednesday, projected a 400 percent growth from the current $40 billion within the next decade.

The senate had confirmed President Bola Tinubu’s nominees for the North West Development Commission and SEDC on January 14.

Tinubu signed the development commission bills into law on July 24, 2024, enabling the region to receive funds for project execution.

Okoye said the SEDC’s inauguration marks the beginning of the region’s reconstruction, 54 years after the civil war.

He acknowledged the enormous task ahead, citing the World Bank’s requirement of a $10 billion annual investment for 30 years to bridge the infrastructure gap in south east.

The managing director said the region faces challenges such as a harsh investment climate, 2,500 active erosion sites, low ease of doing business, and unemployment.

Okoye assured that the commission will rely on Tinubu’s support, governors of the five states, the private sector, and strategic partnerships to achieve economic goals.

Also, he said the commission has studied past regional development blueprints, including the visionary economic plans of Michael Okpara, which laid the groundwork for the region’s industrial and agricultural potential.

“Despite these obstacles, we remain a resilient and enterprising people, it is now up to us to shape the South-East we envision within the framework of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Okoye said.

“Working with the state governments, private sector ecosystem, and development partners, we will drive the South-East towards a $200 billion regional economy by 2035.

“We will not pay lip service to development, SEDC will prioritise action over rhetoric and results over promises.”


THE SEDC WILL PRIORITIZE SECURITY, INVESTMENT

Okoye said the commission would prioritise security and investment, infrastructure development, agriculture, industrialisation, technology, innovation, and human capital development.

“Our tenure will be built on transparency, accountability, and public participation, every project will align with a clear roadmap and deliver measurable impact,” he said.

“In the coming months, we will embark on several projects, programmes, and initiatives designed to accelerate the development of our region.”

The managing director appreciated Tinubu for his belief in him and his colleagues.
He also thanked the national assembly for its role in passing the SEDC bill into law, as well as its nominations and subsequent confirmation.

Also speaking, Emeka Wogu, the chairman of the commission board, stated that the SEDC’s goal is to contribute to the region’s overall development through high-value projects and creating jobs for thousands of youths.

ElSudani:
Doomed plan, it will never happen.

ElSudani:
He said 2000 very sick kids.

Golan007:
Trying to whitewash Trump's evil plan.

Jordan REJECTED Trump’s plan.

ElSudani:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly9m7kv7lro

Jordanian King Abdullah II told President Trump on Tuesday that his nation will take in 2,000 sick children from the Gaza Strip — as Trump predicted that Jordan and Egypt would each set aside a “parcel of land” for Palestinians to live ahead of a US takeover of the enclave.

Trump, hosting his counterpart in the Oval Office, applauded the king’s plan to rehome about 0.1% of the roughly 2 million Palestinians in war-torn Gaza — as Egyptian and Jordanian leaders prepare for urgent talks in Saudi Arabia at the initiative of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Jordanian King Abdullah II offered Tuesday to take in 2,000 sick children from Gaza.

The president, 78, insisted he remains committed to American dominance of the coastal region, under a plan which he said had the approval of neighboring nations.

“One of the things that we can do right away is take 2,000 children that are either cancer children or in a very ill state to Jordan as quickly as possible,” the king said — one week after Trump shockingly said the US would secure Gaza and convert it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Abdullah’s government previously rejected Trump’s plan to deport Gazans to his country and to Egypt, and the monarch said Tuesday that after taking in the children, he would “then wait for, I think, the Egyptians to present their plan on how we can work with the president.”

Cairo also has rejected Trump’s plan to empty Gaza’s population — with Trump saying many Palestinians wouldn’t want to ever return to their homeland — but the president has continued to demand that Israel’s Arab neighbors relent and go along with the plan.

Trump told Abdullah, 63, that “what you just said about the 2,000 is fantastic. It’s so beautiful. It’s music to my ears.”

The president also said he believes Amman and Cairo will set aside living space for Gaza refugees — saying he was “99%” certain they would do so.
President Trump said he continues to expect Jordan to take many more Gazans to clear the way for his plan for US ownership of the territory.

“We’re going to be able to work something out. And I know we’ll be able to work something also with, I believe, not 100%, but 99% we’re going to work out something with Egypt,” he said.

“It’s going to be where we ultimately choose as a group. And I believe we’ll have a parcel of land in Jordan. I believe we’ll have a parcel of land in Egypt.

We may have someplace else, but I think when we finish our talks, we’ll have a place where they’re going to live very happily and very safely,” he said.
Gaza “could be a diamond,” Trump added.

“It’s fronting on the sea. It’s going to be a great economic development job. It’s going to put people to work, a lot of people to work. And those people are all going to be from the Middle East,” he said.

Abdullah II said he would wait for an Egyptian counterproposal before commenting further on
Trump previously floated Israel handing over control of the region after clearing out the population and any remaining Hamas terrorists after 16 months of fighting, and he confirmed Tuesday that he believes the US would not have to pay for the territory.

“We’re not going to buy anything. We’re going to have it. We’re going to keep it,” Trump said in the Oval Office.

“And we’re going to make sure that there’s going to be peace and there’s not going to be any problem, and nobody’s going to question it.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been supportive of Trump’s vision for taking over Gaza.

Trump initially said last week he’d be willing to dispatch US troops to secure Gaza before later saying he would not, and has emphasized that he expects wealthy regional nations to put up funds for reconstruction.

DeepSightZ:
What is your take on his proposal to relocate all Palestinians away from Gaza?

caye:
Are you aware that Al-shabbab, operated separately since early 2000s before the Houthi Movement in Yemen? And they are Sunnis but mostly Shiites- aligned?

My guy, UN security report?
You're not a small boy. You think those UN guy don't lie against countries they dislike?

Ok, what about the funding of ISIS-linked groups by Israel & US ( CIA) nkọ́?

Golan007:
Always the coloured people that are terrorists.

Golan007:
You sound sponsored.

May not be true but sounds like it is.

Kemetian:
UNTIL YOU NIGERIAN CRETINS UNDERSTAND THAT THE ONLY REASON TRUMP IS ATTACKING 'MUSLIM TERRORISTS' IS BECAUSE OF HIS HATRED FOR BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, YOU WILL KEEP BEING STUPID TILL YOU SEE HIS SAVAGERY ON YOUR DOORSTEP.

HE IS NOW DISMANTLING ALL THE CIVIL RIGHTS GAINS MADE BY BLACKS OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS. REINTRODUCING POLICIES OF EXCLUSION AND RACIAL SEGREGATION.

THIS IS A MAN WHO HAS NOT APPOINTED A SINGLE BLACK PERSON TO HIS CABINET. YET AMERICA IS HOME TO 60 MILLION AFRO AMERICANS.

SPIT.

MadamExcellency:
Old news

Trump says he ordered precision military air strikes on ISIS leaders in Somalia on 1st of February, 2024

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-air-strikes-isis-leaders-in-somalia/

caye:
I saw the character; femisplash write that the Houthis are sponsoring Al-shabbab.

Sigh.

I will only ask : how old were in in sept 11,2001. If you were less than 15 yrs old, I rest my case.

N.B: I realised that many nairalanders , post 2015, were either born 2000 or 2005.

On 1 February, 12 days into his second term, President Donald Trump ordered a decisive military operation against ISIS-Somalia, in what officials said was a demonstration of his resolve to eliminate terrorist threats.

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM), under the direction of newly sworn-in Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, carried out a precision airstrike in Somalia’s Golis Mountains, reportedly killing multiple ISIS operatives. Notably, the strike, which was coordinated with the Federal Government of Somalia, was executed with impressive speed, with initial reports confirming no civilian casualties.

At the heart of this swift action is President Trump’s focus on the growing threat posed by ISIS, especially its African affiliates.

In a statement, Mr Hegseth remarked, “At President Trump’s direction and in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, we authorised U.S. Africa Command to conduct coordinated airstrikes today targeting ISIS-Somalia operatives in the Golis Mountains.

”This messaging indicates Mr Trump’s commitment to fighting terrorism and his readiness to take swift action in the face of global threats. The airstrike was authorised barely a week after Mr Hegseth was sworn in as the 29th Secretary of Defense, marking one of his first significant decisions regarding US military action in Africa.

Mr Hegseth’s rapid involvement signals a no-nonsense approach to counterterrorism operations. For comparison, AFRICOM had previously executed strikes during other administrations, but the speed and directness with which Mr Hegseth and President Trump responded to this ISIS threat set a new tone.

The Pentagon’s immediate update on the strike’s results underscores the current administration’s approach. The Pentagon’s initial release about the operation confirmed the airstrike’s success while AFRICOM reaffirmed its commitment to minimising civilian harm, stating,

“U.S. Africa Command takes great measures to prevent civilian harm. Protecting civilians remains a vital part of the command’s operations to promote a more secure and stable Africa.”

This is important, as it demonstrates that while military action is central to US policy in the region, there is still a pronounced effort to avoid civilian casualties – a challenge that has historically complicated military operations in Africa.

In an interview with the Washington Post on 31 January, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had said that

"The United States is supporting us in intelligence gathering, logistical support, aerial support, surveillance and sometimes even preempting certain attacks of al-Shabab on our forces. However, adding that "there are no American soldiers fighting on the ground."

Mohamud was briefed on the strikes on Saturday night, according to the president's office, which added the attack "reinforces the strong security partnership" between the two nations.

He also expressed his "deepest gratitude" to Washington following the strikes in a post on X Sunday.

"Terrorism will neither find friends, nor any place to call home, in Puntland state and entire Somalia," he added.

For many observers, this airstrike could represent a broader shift in the approach to counterterrorism under Mr Trump’s leadership. It reinforces the notion that President Trump is not one to shy away from taking swift, decisive military action when faced with terrorist threats.

His administration’s commitment to rooting out ISIS at its core is evident, with the recent strike acting as a reminder of the global scope of the US’s counterterrorism efforts.

While AFRICOM has certainly carried out strikes in Africa under previous administrations, Mr Trump’s early and visible engagement in this operation sends a message about the priority placed on combating ISIS.

As the president’s first military action in Africa since taking office for a second term, it sets the stage for future operations across the continent, with a clear focus on destroying ISIS’s infrastructure and weakening its capacity to launch further attacks.

This airstrike is not just a tactical victory but a strategic one as well. It demonstrates that the Trump administration is committed to taking bold steps in the fight against terrorism, particularly ISIS, in Africa.

While it remains to be seen how the broader landscape of US operations in Africa will evolve, one thing is clear: the Trump administration’s approach is marked by decisiveness and a continued focus on eliminating the terrorist threat posed by ISIS.

A suspected jihadist attack on a convoy escorted by Malian soldiers and Russia’s Wagner mercenaries has killed 32 people in northern Mali, officials said on Saturday.

The attack took place on Friday between the northern cities of Gao and Ansongo, they said. The death toll was initially put at 10 but soon rose to 32.

“We have more than 30 bodies from the scene,” said a hospital source in Gao. “The jihadists ambushed a civilian convoy escorted by Malian soldiers and Wagner mercenaries,” a local official told AFP, requesting anonymity.

“There are civilians and soldiers among the dead.” A medical source said many of the dead and wounded had been transferred to Gao, the main city in northern Mali.

A source from a transport trade union said:
“According to a transporter who managed to escape, jihadists ambushed the convoy’s escort and opened fire on everyone at random to cause the largest number of victims.”

Another local official told AFP: “The Malian soldiers and Wagner (mercenaries) were in around 10 vehicles protecting a convoy of 22 minibuses with civilian passengers, six large buses and eight lorries.”

Another local official told AFP: “The Malian soldiers and Wagner (mercenaries) were in around 10 vehicles protecting a convoy of 22 minibuses with civilian passengers, six large buses and eight lorries.”

“At least five lorries were destroyed by Islamic State (IS) jihadists.”

“We control the situation on the ground between Ansongo and Gao,” a military source said. The route between Ansongo and Gao has seen several attacks in recent months blamed on jihadists or bandits.


Gold mine

Another local official said the civilian victims were mainly foreigners travelling to a gold mine in Intahaka, the main gold mining region in northern Mali. The country is one of Africa’s top gold producers, though production has plunged recently.

Mali has faced serious security problems since 2012 linked to violence both by groups linked to Al-Qaeda and IS and by local criminal gangs. In January the Malian army said it had arrested a top IS leader and killed several “jihadist” fighters in an operation in the Gao region.

It named the suspect as Abou Hach, a “wanted terrorist long known to the intelligence services”. The impoverished west African country has been plunged into instability by a series of coups since 2012 and has struggled to deal with the security crisis in the north.

Its military rulers have broken ties with former colonial ruler France and turned politically and militarily towards Russia.

MadamExcellency:
Fake news. NATO is USA and her pikins. Without USA, NATO will cease to exist.

The poster is just confused. NATO is trying to appease Trump by collectively wading off Chinese and Russian threats. It's a win for Donald Trump as US wouldn't bear the cost alone.

MadamExcellency:
Did you read what you wrote? What do you mean by the "rest of NATO"? There's nothing like that, Germany and Turkey have nothing in common. Can you imagine US withdrawing her support for Ukraine and the so-called "rest of NATO" were to fight Russia? What do you think will happen in a month?

Putin will not fight Trump. Never, take that to the bank.

LegendHero:
This is what you need to understand, in the event of a full blown out war against USA and the rest of NATO, Russia and China will give tactical support to the rest of NATO.

USA alone cannot win against the rest of the world.

Just that I don’t see any scenario yet on this earth that will make the rest of NATO collabo with the Eastern bloc against USA.

NothingDoMe:
The kite won't take off.

Why are they so scared of everything Trump says?He talked about Greenland in his first Tenure but did nothing.

Relax ffs!

vowiski:
lol…

Funny creatures..

Same NATO the US uses as bouncing ball?