In their first seven months in office, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and his Vice, Sen. Kashim Shettima, visited 16 countries, collectively spending 91 days in foreign engagements, Sunday PUNCH observed.

Checks revealed that Tinubu had so far visited Paris, France (twice); London, the United Kingdom; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Berlin, German, spending 55 days.

Meanwhile, Shettima represented him in Italy, Russia, South Africa, Cuba, China and the US, logging 36 days abroad in 2023.

On June 20, 2023, three weeks after assuming office, Tinubu opened his foreign schedule in the city he last visited as President-elect, Paris, the French capital.

During his four-day stay, the Nigerian leader participated in the Paris Summit for the New Global Financial Pact, to “review and sign a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on the priority list for support and investment, following the devastating impact of climate change, energy crisis, and after effect of the COVID-19 pandemic,” a statement signed by then-Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, read.

On Saturday, June 24, Tinubu departed Paris for London, the United Kingdom, for private talks with his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, spending three days.

From July eight to 10, he was in Guinea-Bissau to attend the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, where he emerged as chairman of the regional bloc.

In his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS authority, Tinubu was in Nairobi, Kenya, from July 15 – 17 for the fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities, the Regional Mechanisms, and the African Union Member States.

Tinubu began his foreign ceremonial engagements in the neighbouring Republic of Benin on August 1, 2023, when he honoured an invitation from his counterpart, Patrice Talon, to attend the country’s 63rd independence anniversary.

Afterward, he remained in Nigeria for over a month to organise his cabinet of 48 ministers nominated to the Federal Executive Council.

On September 5, he resumed foreign travels in New Delhi, India, where he attended the G-20 Leaders’ Summit held from September 10 to 11, at the request of the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

Upon leaving India, where he spent a week, the President made a “technical stopover” in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, where he met UAE Leader, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The meeting was a “follow-up discussion to address specific, salient issues within the bilateral relationship after conversations held during a recent visit by the UAE Ambassador to the President at the State House in Abuja,” the Presidency explained.

Later that month, the President spent nine days with world leaders in New York, USA, at the 78th United Nations General Assembly, which began on September 19, his first UNGA as President.

Afterward, he proceeded to Paris, France, where he remained for five days, arriving in Abuja on September 29 ahead of Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Day anniversary on October 1.

The President did not leave the country in October until November 9, 2023, when he arrived in Saudi Arabia to attend the Saudi-Africa Summit in Riyadh the next day.

He departed Saudi Arabia on November 16 for his second ceremonial function, the 50th independence anniversary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

On November 18, he embarked on his third trip to Europe, where he attended the G20 Compact with Africa Conference hosted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. The conference was held on November 20 after which Tinubu returned to Abuja six days later.

A week after returning from Germany, he departed for Dubai, the UAE, to attend the COP28 Climate Summit and returned on December 5.

Meanwhile, Shettima was in Rome, Italy, from July 23 to July 26 to represent Tinubu at the first Stocktaking Moment Summit themed ‘Transforming food systems for people, planet and prosperity’.

From Rome, the VP proceeded to St. Petersburg, Russia, for the Russia-Africa Summit held from July 26 – 29. He also participated in bilateral meetings with representatives of relevant Russian senior government officials and business leaders to discuss relations between Russia and Nigeria.

On August 21, Shettima arrived in South Africa to represent President Tinubu at the 15th BRICS Summit of Heads of State and Government in Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, scheduled from August 22 to 24

He was also in Havana, the Cuban capital, from September 11 to18 for the G77+China Leaders’ Summit.

Shettima spent his longest streak of 20 days outside the country from October 15 to November 3, when he represented Tinubu at the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative Forum in Beijing, China, held from October 16 to 18.

On October 22, he arrived in the US to participate in the AfDB World Food Prize-facilitated Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, which commenced two days later in Iowa.

Speaking with our correspondent on the development, the Executive Director of the Abuja-based Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, said, though foreign trips are part of governance, leaders must only pursue engagements that fetch Nigerians the highest returns.

He said, “I think it is essential that the public officials understand that the country does not have the resources to embark on travels without significant economic value to the nation.“While we cannot ask public officers to stop travelling altogether, they should also minimise careless and reckless expenses when embarking on some of these trips.”

The Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, told Sunday PUNCH that such engagements are necessary to cement Nigeria’s place in the comity of nations.

He said, “Politicians who just got hold of the reins of governance would want to establish their credibility among the comity of nations, expose their agenda and get endorsements from those that matter in international politics.

“I think they (Tinubu and Shettima) are trying to lay a solid foundation for international relations in tandem with their foreign policies. So that, maybe, their administration will be able to right the wrongs of the past.

“I believe that they needed to do some of these travellings, especially that of the G-20 in India and the BRICS summit in South Africa.”

Meanwhile, the Presidency said Nigerians should expect the benefits of these trips as 2024 begins.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, told The PUNCH that the foreign engagements were the new administration’s lifeline to sell Nigeria’s vision to the rest of the world.

Onanuga said, “These trips are very necessary. The new administration has to sell Nigeria and the President has done very well serving as the marketer or the salesman in chief of the country. He is selling the country as the best destination for investments.

“Those who say those trips are unnecessary need to check what benefits were brought back. For instance, in Dubai, agreements were signed on Siemens’ involvement in Nigeria’s power industry.

“In this new year, 2024, we will start to see the fruits, the realisation of all those engagements and promises that came during the foreign trips. That is what we’re going to reap in this year 2024.

Kalakulu:


https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/villagers-flee-as-bandits-overwhelm-amotekun-in-parts-of-ondo/%3famp

BJanta:


He didn’t popularise it , he created. It was his personal style before others started to copy it. And it's not 'back kick" it's 'banana kick:

dre11:


https://dailytrust.com/breaking-women-burn-down-bokkos-traditional-rulers-house/

dre11:


https://dailytrust.com/subscribers-kick-as-telcos-seek-fgs-nod-to-increase-tariffs/

The naira yesterday depreciated to N1,240 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,235 per dollar on Wednesday.

However, the naira appreciated to N895.23 per dollar in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), thus widening the gap between the official and parallel market exchange rates to N344.77 per dollar yesterday from N199.88 per dollar on Wednesday.

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for NAFEM fell to N895.23 per dollar from N1,035.12 per dollar on Wednesday, indicating N139.77 appreciation for the naira.

As Police Plans Strategic Revamp, Restructuring

The Nigeria Police Force has ordered the immediate suspension of the activities of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), a community policing initiative and public relations tool within the Force Public Relations Department of the Nigeria Police Force. This decision comes as part of a strategic effort to conduct a comprehensive review of the unit and reposition it for heightened efficiency and enhanced service delivery.

Acknowledging the crucial role of POCACOV in advancing community engagement and tackling social vices, the Force recognizes the necessity of halting all pending programs and outreaches, initiated by the present national coordinator, CSP Ebere Amarizu, to facilitate a thorough assessment and restructuring of the initiative to spread across the six geopolitical zones, each with its respective coordinator. This temporary suspension aims to realign POCACOV's strategies, ensuring they effectively address contemporary security challenges and holistically serve Nigerian communities better than its present localised and ineffective campaigns.

During this period of suspension, the Nigeria Police Force reaffirms its unyielding commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the nation. The revitalization of POCACOV seeks to reinforce its role as an integral community policing instrument, strengthening the bond between the Force and our communities.

Updates regarding the resumption of POCACOV programmes and outreach activities will be communicated to the public in due course as the Force continues to prioritize safety, security, and community partnership.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA

4th January 2024

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, appointed six new executive directors in the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

Both agencies are under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints new executive directors in agencies under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.’

At the NPA, Tinubu appointed Vivian Edet as Executive Director, Finance and Administration; Olalekan Badmus as Executive Director, Marine and Operations and Ibrahim Umar as Executive Director, Engineering and Technical Services.

At NIMASA, he named Jibril Abba Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services; Mr. Chudi Offodile Executive Director, Finance and Administration and Fatai Adeyemi Executive Director, Operations.

According to Ngelale, the President approved the appointments with the firm belief that “the new appointees will expeditiously and efficiently execute on their collective mandate to create the conditions required to significantly raise the contribution of the Marine and Blue Economy sector to the nation’s GDP.”

Tinubu also expects the new appointees to transform “the Nigerian economy into a labour-intensive and inclusive one that creates new opportunity for all Nigerians in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda, under the guidance of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.”

matify83:
Kidnappers having a field day harvesting people who are even poorer than them while the government has its hands full with "wahala" from all nooks and crannies of the country and not knowing which to prioritise.

If I were the president, I will send a strong signal to criminals and would be criminals that I won't tolerate nonsense by first signing the death warrant of all condemned prisoners in our correctional facilities and having them shot publicly in all states of the federation.

Sign an executive order mandating all violent criminals caught in the act to be shot on the spot and not allowed to enter the judicial mill.

Legalise death penalty for corrupt public officers found culpable.


Immediate sack of law enforcement officers under whose watch genocide is committed against any ethnic nationality.


Issuance of firearms licence to Nigerians certified to be of sound minds.


Add yours

seborrhic:
There is a link between the hardship in the land and the increasing crime wave.
The suffering in the land is enormous and knowing that death may come through hunger,some not so thick skinned to suffering individuals,are taking their chances:death by hunger,disease and lack of or jail at worst from crime.
The socioeconomic implications of the suffering this government has unleashed may get worse if nothing is done: majority no longer see yahoo on the male side or runs on the female side as crimes,but legitimate hussles of survival for those not so criminally inclined.
The hardship wrought by naira devaluation and petrol price increase with its attendant, generalised consequences,must be addressed,if not this year may be very bloody Nationwide.

Forumites:
It’ll take just one good colonel to arrange this country. Either north or south. Lock the whole airports and arrest all politicians no matter how old. E go be.

vanbonattel:
Northern Nigeria is gone

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested and detained the suspended National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, NSIPA, Halima Shehu.

DAILY POST reports that the arrest came a few hours after President Bola Tinubu approved her suspension over the suspicious movement of N17 billion from NSIPA account to some other accounts within one week.

The embattled CEO was accused of approving payment of billions of naira by the agency without presidential approval.

It was gathered that operatives of the EFCC, who were drafted to the National Coordinator’s private office and home, got her arrested at about 8 pm on Tuesday.

According to The Nation, after searching her home and office, Halima was taken into custody at about 9 pm for interrogation.

It was also gathered that the EFCC was closing in on a director of the agency, who was allegedly complicit in the huge payments into the suspicious accounts.

Floky215:


If you cannot be everywhere and you know this yourself why not approved the owning and the use of assault rifle for protection instead of deliberately allowing people to be killed enmass??

treesun:
As part of his administration effort to overhaul the system, President Bola Tinubu has suspended Mrs Halima Shehu, the National Coordinator and chief executive of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

According to Channels Television, Tinubu approved Shehu’s suspension with immediate effect and ordered her replacement.

Though, no official reason has been given for the abrupt suspension.


Recall that NSIPA which is responsible for managing critical programs like N-Power and Conditional Cash Transfer, has been under scrutiny in recent times, with concerns raised about efficiency and effectiveness.

https://news.band/breaking-tinubu-sacks-nsipa-ceo-halima-shehu/

Dafresh:
Fold your hands and allow them butcher you and your family because of something called Nigeria

simpleseyi:
There is One Indivisible North, Tinubu will not interfere in Northern family affairs

matify83:
The primary responsibility of government is to safe guard the lives and properties of her citizens.

Shirking this responsibility is a call to anarchy.

Military grade weapons in the hands of the masses will no doubt checkmate the marauders but we might end up with another catastrophe on our hands.

The unintended consequence of liberalizing high velocity weapons may be grave.

If the heads of military formations in areas of conflicts are routinely sacked and court martialed for dereliction of duty when such killings occur under their watch, they will sit up.