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Tag: U.S.

  • Buhari arrives Nigeria after official visit to U.S

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday night returned to Abuja after a successful official visit to the United States where he held bilateral talks with President Donald Trump.

    The presidential aircraft carrying the president and some members of his entourage landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at about 10.35p.m.

    Among those who received the president at the airport were the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Musa Bello, Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari and some heads of security agencies.

    Recall that President Buhari was accompanied on the US trip by the Governors of Ogun and Plateau; Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Industry, Trade and Investment.

    Also on the entourage were the Chairpersons of Senate and House of Representatives committees on international relations; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency and the Chief of Defence Staff.

    The president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina had on Thursday dismissed social and traditional media reports on the whereabouts of the president, who had a technical stopover in London.

    Malam Garba Shehu, who also commented on the matter, said the president’s aircraft had a technical stopover in London.
    “I am sure if you keep your ears to the ground, you will hear of his arrival soon,’’ he added

    He further explained that, “the big jet is under repair. It has been taken for major repairs. So the President is using a small plane and there is a limit to the distance the small plane can cover.

    “So the technical stopover I talked about is that the journey from US to Abuja is broken into two. Technical stopover is that the plane stops at a point, refuel, do some checks and then proceed on the journey.

    “This is very normal. There is nothing unusual about it. In any case, they are already on their way back home.

    “It is a routine thing. The plane can do Abuja-Washington, that’s about 12 hours and the maximum the plane can fly is 12 hours, 40 minutes. But you don’t need to push it to the edge.’’

  • Buhari’s visit: U.S. to commence repatriation of over $500m looted funds to Nigeria

    Buhari’s visit: U.S. to commence repatriation of over $500m looted funds to Nigeria

    The visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to U.S. President Donald Trump has yielded the finalisation of negotiations to repatriate more than 500 million dollars (about 190 billion Naira) of Nigeria’s looted money traced to the U.S.

    Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malamin said he and the Attorney-General of the U.S. would be meeting on Tuesday to finalise the agreement.

    Malami explained that the technicalities involved were being taken care of by both officials of the Nigerian Governments and also from the U.S. side.

    He said: “On the part of assets recovery, we have made considerable progress through this visit.

    “There’s goodwill by the two presidents to have a road map for the repatriation of illicit funds and assets traced to the U.S. as proceeds of illicit transactions.

    “This illicit funds and assets are to the tune of 500 million dollars and above for immediate repatriation.

    “We are looking at the shortest practicable time for it to be repatriated.

    “There is political commitment demonstrated by the two presidents.

    “The over 500 million dollars is not all the recovery, it is only for the immediate repatriation while we continue with our efforts to recover more”.

    Malami defended Nigeria’s human rights record, saying the Buhari’s administration is the first in the history of Nigeria to pay compensation for human rights violations.

    He said in April, the Federal Government paid N135 million for the eight Apo traders who were found to have been victims of extra judicial killings by the Nigeria Police.

    “Of the police officers indicted, two were sentenced to death. The payment of compensation was also as a result of the recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission and government did not appeal against it,” he said.

    He noted that Trump approved of what Buhari’s administration is doing.

    “Trump said Buhari is a great leader; he said he has a great respect for him; and he said Buhari has cut down on corruption,” Malami said.

  • U. S. accuses Buhari led govt of corruption, human rights abuses

    The United States Government has released a report accusing the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government of encouraging corruption and festering human rights abuses in the country.

    Recall that the president had earlier met President Donald Trump in Washington DC.

    The US Department of State in its “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017” blamed the reluctance of the Buhari administration to properly investigate allegations of abuses, especially by members of the armed forces and top officials and prosecute those indicted as the main impediment to fighting rights violations.

    “Impunity remained widespread at all levels of government. The government did not adequately investigate or prosecute most of the major outstanding allegations of human rights violations by the security forces or the majority of cases of police or military extortion or other abuse of power,” the recently released report stated.

    “Authorities generally did not hold police, military, or other security force personnel accountable for the use of excessive or deadly force or for the deaths of persons in custody. State and federal panels of inquiry investigating suspicious deaths generally did not make their findings public. In August the acting president convened a civilian-led presidential investigative panel to review compliance of the armed forces with human rights obligations and rules of engagement. As of November, the panel had not issued a report,” the report noted.

    In the same vein, the report highlighted a number of rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, allegedly carried out by the country’s security forces, which the government vowed to investigate but has failed to either do so or release the report of such investigations.

    “As of November, the government had not adequately investigated or held police or military personnel accountable for extrajudicial killings of supporters of IPOB movement in 2016. Amnesty International (AI) reported that security forces killed at least 150 IPOB members or supporters and arbitrarily arrested hundreds from August 2015 to August 2016. The Nigerian Army (NA) reportedly investigated the incidents as part of a broader Board of Inquiry (BOI), but its full report was not made public. There have been no reports of discipline or prosecution of police or military personnel.

    “As of November, there were no reports of the federal government further investigating or holding individuals accountable for the 2015 killing and subsequent mass burial of members of the Shia group Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and other civilians by NA forces in Zaria, Kaduna State. The federal government had indicated it would wait for the results of a Kaduna State judicial commission of inquiry before taking further action to investigate or hold those responsible to account. In July 2016 the government of Kaduna made public the commission’s nonbinding report, which found the NA used “excessive and disproportionate” force during the 2015 altercations in which 348 IMN members and one soldier died. The commission recommended the federal government conduct an independent investigation and prosecute anyone found to have acted unlawfully. It also called for the proscription of the IMN and the monitoring of its members and their activities.”

    The report also frowned at the disappearance of members of anti-government groups such as the Indigenous People of Biafra and members of the Shiite sect, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN). The secret police, Department for State Security (DSS) was particularly blamed for arbitrary abduction of persons opposed to the government.

    The U.S. government also chastised the country’s security forces for widespread use of torture and the use of evidence and confession obtained via torture during prosecution of suspects even though the law of the country clearly forbids it.

    “The constitution and law prohibit torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), passed in 2015, prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of arrestees; however, it fails to prescribe penalties for violators. Each state must also individually adopt the ACJA for the legislation to apply beyond the FCT and federal agencies. As of November only the states of Anambra, Cross Rivers, Ekiti, Enugu, Lagos, Ondo, and Oyo had adopted ACJA-compliant legislation. In July both houses of the National Assembly passed an antitorture bill, which was waiting for the president’s signature.

    “The Ministry of Justice previously established a National Committee against Torture (NCAT). Lack of legal and operational independence and lack of funding, however, prevented NCAT from carrying out its work effectively.

    “The law prohibits the introduction into trials of evidence and confessions obtained through torture. Authorities did not respect this prohibition, however, and police often used torture to extract confessions later used to try suspects. Police also repeatedly mistreated civilians to extort money.”

    However, President Buhari signed the anti-torture bill into law last December.

    Meanwhile the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has said the latest report further substantiate its claim that the Buhari led administration is massively engaged in corruption rather than fighting it as portrayed by the government.

     

  • U.S slams sanctions on Russian oligarchs, govt officials

    The United States government on Friday hit Russian oligarchs, government officials and companies with sanctions, citing Moscow’s “range of malign activity around the globe.”

    Seven Russian oligarchs, 12 companies they control and 17 senior government officials are on the list announced by the Treasury Department.

    The move targets Russia’s elite and people in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.

    Among them is Kirill Shamalov, who is married to Putin’s daughter Katerina Tikhonova.

    The US noted that Shamalov’s “fortunes drastically improved following the marriage,” and a year later he was able to borrow more than 1 billion dollars from state-owned Gazprombank, eventually joining “the ranks of the billionaire elite around Putin.”

    Also included on the Treasury list are a state-owned Russian weapons trading company and its subsidiary, a Russian bank.

    “The Russian government operates for the disproportionate benefit of oligarchs and government elites,”

    Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

    He accused the government in Moscow of engaging in “a range of malign activity around the globe, including continuing to occupy Crimea and instigate violence in eastern Ukraine.”

    In addition, Russia supplies the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with “material and weaponry as they bomb their own civilians, attempting to subvert Western democracies and malicious cyber activities,” Mnuchin said.

    In March, the U.S. imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and 19 individuals for cyber attacks and attempted interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

    It marked the first use of a law Congress passed in June to punish Russia for its alleged election meddling.

    While President Donald Trump signed the law, he later issued statements saying that he believed the legislation was “seriously flawed.”

    The Treasury Department had in January named and shamed 210 Russian political figures and oligarchs linked to the Kremlin, issued in connection with the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

    But the list did not impose sanctions, fuelling criticism that Trump is unwilling to confront Moscow over its alleged meddling.

    On Friday, Mnuchin said: “Russian oligarchs and elites who profit from this corrupt system will no longer be insulated from the consequences of their government’s destabilising activities.”

     

    dpa/NAN

  • U.S. congratulates Pope Francis on 5th anniversary

    The U.S. has congratulated Pope Francis on the fifth anniversary of his election to the See in Rome.

    U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a statement, commended the cordial relations between the U.S. and Rome.

    “On behalf of the U. S. Government, I offer my congratulations to His Holiness Pope Francis on the fifth anniversary of his election to the See of Rome.

    “Together, the U. S. and the Holy See are an extraordinary force for good as we work to advance religious freedom and human rights.

    “And fight terrorism and violence, combat human trafficking, prevent the spread of diseases, and seek peaceful solutions to crises around the world,” he said.

    Tillerson said President Donald Trump’s historic meeting with Pope Francis on his first foreign trip in May 2017 underscored the importance of this partnership.

    “I join millions of Americans in congratulating the Holy Father on this anniversary and look forward to our continued work together to promote peace, freedom, and human dignity around the world,” Tillerson said.

    Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 28, 2013, a papal conclave elected
    Jorge Mario Bergoglio as his successor on March 13.

    He chose Francis as his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.

    He is the 266th and current Pope of the Catholic Church, a title he holds ex officio as Bishop of Rome, and sovereign of Vatican City.

    Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere.

    He is also the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III, who reigned in the eighth century.

     

  • Rann: U.S. condemns Boko Haram attack, condoles with Nigeria

    The United States Government has condemned the killing of UN aid workers in a Boko Haram attack on Rann, Borno State.

    Recall that the attack occurred late on Thursday.

    In a statement posted on the website of its embassy, the U.S. said it “strongly condemns the killing of three Nigerian aid workers in a Boko Haram attack on a military installation in Rann, Borno State.”

    “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and to every family whose loved ones have been affected by this and other terrorist acts. We voice our heartfelt solidarity with all those humanitarian workers who work every day to help Nigerians affected by the ongoing insurgency, and also with all those security forces and Nigerian citizens working together to end this terrorist violence.

    “The United States remains firmly committed to ensuring humanitarian workers are protected and able to do their lifesaving work and to supporting Nigerians as they bravely work to ensure their nation’s security.”

  • U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson to visit Nigeria, four other countries next week

    The U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, would visit Nigeria and four other African countries from March 6 to 13, the U.S. Department of State has said.

    The spokesperson for the Department, Heather Nauert, said Tillerson would also travel to Addis Ababa, Djibouti, Nairobi and N’Djamena.

    During his visit to Abuja, Tillerson is expected to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government functionaries.

    Ms. Nauert said: “On his first official trip to Africa, Secretary Rex Tillerson will travel to N’Djamena, Chad; Djibouti, Djibouti; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Nairobi, Kenya and Abuja, Nigeria, March 6-13, 2018.

    “Secretary Tillerson will meet with leadership in each country, as well as the leadership of the African Union Commission based in Addis Ababa.

    “This is to further our partnerships with the governments and people of Africa.

    “In particular, he plans to discuss ways we can work with our partners to counter terrorism, advance peace and security, promote good governance, and spur mutually beneficial trade and investment.”

    During his trip, Tillerson will also meet with the U.S. Embassy personnel and participate in events related to U.S. government-supported activities.

  • EFCC arrests fake U.S. army officer

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested two men for “impersonating” its operatives to obtain $10,000 by false presence.

    The Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

    Uwujaren identified the suspects as one Mike Nkwocha and Richardson Obasogie, a “self-confessed Colonel in the United States Army.”

    He said their victim had petitioned the Commission, alleging that one Ladan Mustapha, who claimed to be an EFCC operative, called to inform him that there was a petition against him.

    Mustapha allegedly told the victim that the petition bordered on illegal acquisition of assets in different parts of the country for which he was currently under investigation.

    Uwujaren said: “Together with his partner, Nkwocha, a meeting was arranged, in which $200,000 was demanded as gratification in order to ‘kill’ the case, but $15,000 was later agreed upon as payment.

    “An initial payment of $5,000 cash was made to Nkwocha, while he continued to put pressure on him for the balance of $10,000.

    “However, suspecting foul play, after a retired personnel of the DSS (Department of State Services) told the petitioner that EFCC operatives don’t demand money to carry out official duties, the EFCC was petitioned.”

    According to him, Nkwocha was arrested, and during interrogation, confessed that Obasogie was the “brain” behind the fraud.

    He said a search warrant was executed on the suspects’ houses resulting in the recovery of incriminating items.

  • U.S. announces $4.4m support for Sierra Leone election

    The United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, John Hoover, has announced a financial support of 4.4 million dollars for 2018 elections in the African country, a local media report said on Thursday.

    Hoover, who would soon complete his term in Sierra Leone, made the announcement during a news conference in Freetown on Wednesday.

    He said “we are providing 4.4 million dollars indirect support for Sierra Leone’s 2018 elections.”

    The U.S. embassy said most of the support would be in the form of supporting voter sensitisation, public order management and other activities.

    Hoover’s successor, Maria Hill Briwa, explained that the support was part of U.S. commitment to democracy in the region.

    “This is part of our support for growing democracies in Africa,” Amb. Briwa said.

    The support came as a huge boost to the government of Sierra Leone, considering the shortage of fund for the National Electoral Commission.

     

  • U.S notifies UN of withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord

    The United States has submitted to the United Nations a formal notice of withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement.

    The notification was made Friday, with the UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealing to the U.S. to reconsider its action, in the interest of humanity.

    President Donald Trump had announced on June 1, 2017 that the U.S. would leave the agreement.

    The Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Mr Stéphane Dujarric, confirmed that Guterres received, “in his capacity as Depositary of the Paris Agreement, a communication from the Permanent Representative of the United States of America”.

    The Secretary General, however, welcomed any effort to re-engage in the Paris Agreement by the United States.

    Dujarric said the communication expressed “the intention of the United States to exercise its right to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, as soon as it is eligible to do so under the Agreement, unless it identifies suitable terms for re-engagement”.

    Guterres stressed his statement on June 1, 2017 that the decision by the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is a major disappointment for global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote global security.

    “It is crucial that the United States remains a leader on climate and sustainable development. Climate change is impacting now.

    “He looks forward to engaging with the American government and all other actors in the United States and around the world to build the sustainable future for our children and future generations,” Guterres said.

    Under article 28 of the Paris Agreement, a Party may withdraw at any time after three years from the date on which the Agreement has entered into force for that Party, and such withdrawal takes effect upon expiry of one year from the date of receipt by the Depositary of the notification of withdrawal.

    The United States accepted the Paris Agreement on Sept. 3, 2016 and the Agreement entered into force for the United States on Nov. 4, 2016.

    The Secretary-General would circulate the text of this communication as a depositary notification, in English and French, early next week.

    The U.S. Department of State, in a statement, confirmed “the United States submitted a communication to the United Nations, in its capacity as depositary for the Paris Agreement, regarding the U.S. intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as it is eligible to do so, consistent with the terms of the Agreement”.

    “As the President indicated in his June 1 announcement and subsequently, he is open to re-engaging in the Paris Agreement if the United States can identify terms that are more favorable to it, its businesses, its workers, its people, and its taxpayers.

    “The United States supports a balanced approach to climate policy that lowers emissions while promoting economic growth and ensuring energy security.

    “We will continue to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions through innovation and technology breakthroughs, and work with other countries to help them access and use fossil fuels more cleanly and efficiently and deploy renewable and other clean energy sources, given the importance of energy access and security in many nationally determined contributions.

    “The United States will continue to participate in international climate change negotiations and meetings, including the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP-23) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, to protect U.S. interests and ensure all future policy options remain open to the administration.

    “Such participation will include ongoing negotiations related to guidance for implementing the Paris Agreement,” the department said.