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Tag: United States

#LekkiTollShooting: UN, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton Demand End to killing #EndSARS protesters

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, have called on the Nigerian government to end the killing of protesters against police brutality in Nigeria.

The spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement stated to that “I’ve been asked about the ongoing protests in Nigeria and I can tell you that the Secretary-General is following the protests in Nigeria calling for the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and an end to human rights violations allegedly committed by security agencies.

“The Secretary-General stresses the importance of respect for peaceful protests and freedom of assembly and calls on the security forces to exercise maximum restraint in the policing of the demonstrations. “The Secretary-General welcomes the decision by the Government of Nigeria to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Unit and undertake broader police reforms. He expresses the readiness of the United Nations to accompany Nigeria in those efforts,” the UN said.

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Similarly, the Deputy Secretary-General, who is a former Minister of Environment in Nigeria, Amina Mohammed, has also called on the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to cease killing unarmed protesters.

According to Mohammed, “the UN & I are following the protests in #Nigeria calling for an end to human rights violations. I join the #UNSG in stressing the importance of respect for peaceful protests & freedom of assembly & call on the security forces to exercise maximum restraint.”

Likewise, US presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, Joe Biden, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to bring to a halt the violent crackdown on #EndSARS protesters.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday sighted by Echotitbits, Biden asked the federal government to engage in dialogue with the civil society in order to address citizens’ grievances.

Furthermore, Biden stated that United States must show solidarity with Nigerians who are peacefully seeking police reform and asking for an end to corruption.

“I urge President Buhari and the Nigerian military to cease the violent crackdown on protesters in Nigeria, which has already resulted in several deaths,” he said.

“My heart goes out to all those who have lost a loved one in the violence. The United States must stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption in their democracy.

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“I encourage the government to engage in a good-faith dialogue with civil society to address these long-standing grievances and work together for a more just and inclusive Nigeria.”

Joining her voice to call for restraint by Nigerian forces, ex-US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, had appealed to President Buhari to stop the killing of the protesters.

The former first lady of the US made the appeal in a tweet on Tuesday night. She lent her voice in support of those who had condemned the action of the soldiers.

“I’m calling on Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian army to stop killing young #EndSARS protesters,” she tweeted.

October 21, 2020
Document Reveals Why Nigeria is Excluded from 2022 US Visa Lottery Application

A document obtained from the United States Government website has shown that Nigeria has been barred from the popular US Visa Lottery Application for 2022.

In a 19-page document published on the website, Nigeria is the only African country barred from the lottery.

“For DV-2022, persons born in the following countries are not eligible to apply, because more than, 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

“Persons born in Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible,” the document said.

While natives of other African countries are allowed to apply, the document explained that “persons born in the areas administered prior to June 1967 by Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt are chargeable, respectively, to Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt.”

It added: “Persons born in the Gaza Strip are chargeable to Egypt; persons born in the West Bank are chargeable to Jordan; persons born in the Golan Heights are chargeable to Syria.”

Titled: “Instructions for the 2022 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2022),” the document explained that prospective applicants must meet certain guidelines to be eligible for the visa lottery.

According to the document, “The Department of State determines selectees through a randomized computer drawing.

“The Department of State distributes diversity visas among six geographic regions, and no single country may receive more than seven per cent of the available DVs in any one year.”

Idowu Sowunmi

October 17, 2020
US AFRICOM’s New Director of Operations Visits Africa to Engage With Partners

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Joel Tyler, director of operations, U.S. Africa Command, traveled to the African continent to engage with partners, visit key U.S. military operating locations, and deepen his understanding of security in the region, Sept. 27 to Oct. 1.

During his engagement, Tyler visited Djibouti, Somalia, and Kenya.

While in Djibouti, Tyler and other U.S. Africa Command representatives met with the Djiboutian Rapid Intervention Battalion (RIB).

The RIB’s mission is to serve as a reactionary force to accomplish specified tasks directed by their higher command in the Djiboutian army. It is the first Djiboutian Armed Forces Special Force fully supported by the U.S. government. U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to CJTF-HOA provide training to the RIB soldiers in U.S. Army basic warrior tasks, combat, and combat life-saving skills.

“The U.S. military has a longstanding relationship with Djibouti and our Djiboutian military partners,” said Tyler. “The training and equipment that U.S. Africa Command provides to the Rapid Intervention Battalion uniquely demonstrates the U.S. commitment to enhancing our shared goal of improving regional security and stability on the continent. Our partnership and training continue to be in demand.”

After departing Djibouti, Tyler went to several cooperative security locations (CSL) in Somalia and Kenya, including Manda Bay, Kenya, to reinforce the importance of security in the shared fight against al-Shabaab.

Tyler’s trip highlighted AFRICOM’s commitment to working with our East African partners and operating in a degraded pandemic environment. The U.S. continues to operate and train with our East African partners.

“Al-Shabaab remains a dangerous enemy,” said Tyler. “I saw first-hand the commitment of our Kenyan and Somali partners as we address a mutual threat in al-Shabaab. We will continue to sharpen our focus and counter this common threat.”

October 5, 2020
Trump Fulfills Promise as Nigeria Receives 200 Ventilators from US

United States President Donald Trump has finally fulfilled his promise to send ventilators to Nigeria.

Receiving 200 ventilators on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at a ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, described the medical items as critical to saving the lives of persons who have been severely affected by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, at an event in Abuja where he received ventilators donated to Nigeria by the US. Tuesday, 2020.

The Minister said: “This donation consists of 200 ventilators, which, as we all know by now, are a critical component of the response strategy to save the lives of persons who have been severely impacted by this viral infection.

“They will certainly be of great benefit to the people of Nigeria and I wish to convey the appreciation of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and of the government of Nigeria, to President Donald Trump and the United States Government for the generous consideration and friendly gesture.

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“The Federal Ministry of Health, and its public health Agency, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), have focused on providing guidance to tackle the challenges.

“Our health workers have been trained and equipped and are doing the needful to attend to COVID-19 patients and give emergency care, while not losing sight of routine and essential health services.

“The speed and ease with which COVID-19 has spread across the globe clearly shows that it is a threat to mankind. Without the full collaboration of all nations, the threat of COVID-19 to any one part of the world is a threat to all.”

US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, at an event in Abuja, where she delivered ventilators donated to Nigeria by the US. Tuesday 11, 2020.

In her remarks at the event, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, who made the donation on behalf of the US Government, said: “The 200 ventilators being transferred today are compact and portable, and can be easily mobilised to reach those patients with the most severe symptoms of COVID-19.”

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She noted that the support includes training on the use and maintenance of this equipment and ensuring that the ventilators could address other respiratory illnesses in the years beyond the virus.

The Ambassador described the ventilators as “life-saving equipment,” noting that it’s a fulfillment of the commitment made by Trump and Buhari earlier this year to assist in tackling the rampaging COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Idowu Sowunmi

August 12, 2020
India records over 30,000 coronavirus deaths as US tops 4m cases

Official data reveals that Coronavirus death toll in India has now surpass number of fatalities in France on Friday with 30,601 deaths and nearly 50,000 new cases overnight.

According to AFP tally, the figure of coronavirus death in India is the sixth-biggest behind the US, Brazil, Britain, Mexico and Italy.

Having the third-highest caseload with almost 1.3 million infections, the country has in the past 24 hours recorded 740 new deaths from the virus and 49,310 fresh infections, health ministry revealed.

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But many experts say that with testing levels low, the extent of the pandemic across the world’s second-most populous country may be far worse than officially reported.

A antibody study commissioned by the government showed this week that almost a quarter of people in the capital New Delhi have had the virus — almost 40 times the official number.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government imposed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns in late March, but it has been steadily eased to lessen the devastating economic impact of the pandemic.

State governments have brought in fresh restrictions as cases soar in Bangalore and away from the big cities in Bihar, West Bengal, Kashmir and parts of Tamil Nadu.

Southern Kerala state, earlier hailed as a success story and which has already imposed partial restrictions, may decide on Monday to impose a full statewide lockdown, reports said.

In the United States the coronavirus pandemic hit grim new milestones on Thursday as cases topped four million and in Europe, three million, as fresh spikes from Belgium to Tokyo to Melbourne forced new restrictions on citizens.

While EU lawmakers combed through a huge aid package for their economies, the UN called for a basic income for the world’s poorest to help slow the spread of the pandemic, and the Red Cross warned of “massive” new migration caused by the economic devastation.

The United States, the hardest-hit country in the pandemic, added one million new cases in just over two weeks, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 143,000 US deaths overall.

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The country has seen a coronavirus surge, particularly in southern and western states, as Texas, California, Alabama, Idaho and Florida all announced record one-day death tolls.

Meanwhile, the European continent now accounts for a fifth of the world’s more than 15 million cases and remains the hardest hit in terms of deaths, with 206,633 out of 627,307 worldwide.

A 750-billion-euro post-coronavirus recovery plan was hammered out at an EU summit this week, where fiscally rigid nations butted heads with hard-hit countries like Spain and Italy that have called for huge aid grants.

AFP

July 24, 2020
Energy: Omoboriowo II, Karim, Campbell, others appointed into African Energy Chamber’s Advisory Committee

The Chairman and Chief Eexecutive Officer, Genesis Energy Group, Akinwole Omoboriowo II; Chief Executive Officer, Shoreline Energy International, Kola Karim; Chief Executive Officer, Energy & Natural Resource Security, Inc., Derek Campbell; and others have been appointed into the African Energy Chamber’s United States-Africa Committee to serve on its Advisory Board and support the development of stronger energy cooperation and investment between the US and Africa.

Other members appointed by the African Energy Chamber include: Chief Executive Officer, Azimuth Energy Investments LLC, Reginal ‘Reg’ Spiller; Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Africa Fortesa Corporation, Rogers Beall; President, Kearney Africa, Jude Kearney; Managing Director for Africa, Millenium Challenge Corporation, Alicia Robinson-Morgan; General Manager (Africa), Pioneer Energy, Ann Norman; and Chief Economist, American Petroleum Institute, Dean Foreman.

In their personal capacities, the members of the US-Africa Committee have gathered several decades of experience in government and the private sector from both sides of the Atlantic, and share a passion for Africa and its development.

The decision of the African Energy Chamber was borne out of the belief that the potential for capital, expertise and technology transfers between the US and Africa was being under-exploited.

The US-Africa Committee is the first committee on the African Energy Chamber’s Advisory Board to be announced.

The chamber has put together leading industry experts, executives and public representatives to support several initiatives over the course of 2020 and 2021, such as local content development, natural gas and energy transitions, the promotion of an enabling environment and the expansion of exploration activities.

“The largest but also most recent discoveries in Africa were made by bold and capable American companies who have proven time and again that betting on Africa bears fruits.

“At times when the continent seeks to develop much stronger gas value chains and attract investment into midstream and downstream infrastructure, we need to look back at the United States and develop stronger partnerships.

“As Africa embraces energy transition, a substantial part of the capital needed to develop cleaner energy solutions also lies with American companies and institutions,” said the Executive Chairman at the African Energy Chamber, Nj Ayuk.

African Energy Chamber added that while Power Africa remains to date the most successful initiative to develop Africa’s energy sector by tapping into American capital and technology, more could be done in light of the continent’s continued energy poverty.

The chamber noted that from exploration to gas infrastructure, and from power technology to energy funding, the United States remains a global leader that has much to bring to Africa under the right partnerships and joint-ventures that could support local content development and jobs creation.

Idowu Sowunmi

July 14, 2020
NAPAC NJ Drums Supports for Black Lives Matter, Condemns Horrible Treatment of African Americans

Idowu Sowunmi

The Nigeria American Public Affairs Committee (NAPAC) in New Jersey, the United States of America has expressed support towards the “Black Lives Matter” movement, saying it could no longer keep quiet in the face of oppression.

While noting that Blacks are Blacks everywhere in the world, NAPAC condemned in strong words the horrible and partial treatment being meted out to the Black people in the USA.

NAPAC NJ, in a statement by its Chairperson, Amb. Hon. Olamide Davies Talabi, denounced the one per cent Candace in the USA, explaining that this category of people does not represent the Blacks’ collective views.

Talabi added that the Black community has lost so many people to senseless police brutality, including Chinedu Okobi (Nigerian); Momodu Lamin Sisay (Gambian); Matthew Ajibade (Nigerian); George Floyd; Breonna Taylor; and others.

According to her, “NAPAC NJ proudly supports Black Lives Matter and the fight against injustice.

“A mentor once told me: ‘You are either on the left or on the right side, try not to be neutral on important issues.’

“As Africans, we have picked a side which is on the right side of history to call out racism and the ill treatment of blacks in the USA.

“We denounce the one per cent Candace amongst us. They do not represent us or our collective views. We can no longer stay silent in the midst of oppression. As a community we know that our African American brothers and sisters paved the way for the freedom African immigrants are enjoying in this country.

“We know that Blacks are Blacks everywhere in the world; we are one.

“We strongly condemn in strong words the horrible and partial treatment given to Black people in the USA. As a community we have lost so many people to senseless police brutality.

“May the souls of Chinedu Okobi (Nigerian); Momodu Lamin Sisay (Gambian); Matthew Ajibade (Nigerian); George Floyd; Breonna Taylor; and many more that we don’t know due to lack of footage continue to rest in peace.”

June 30, 2020
Fresh anger erupts as Atlanta Police kills another black man

The police chief in the US city of Atlanta resigned after an officer fatally shot a black man during an arrest, the mayor said Saturday, with the new killing injecting fresh anger into protests against racism and police brutality.

Images on local media showed hundreds of protesters in the streets on Saturday and flames engulfing the Wendy’s restaurant where 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks was killed.

The officer who shot Brooks was dismissed Saturday and identified by Atlanta police as Garrett Rolfe. The second officer was placed on administrative duty, according to ABC News.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms — who has been touted as a potential running mate for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden — earlier announced the resignation of Chief Erika Shields.

Wendy’s employees called police on Friday night to complain that Brooks was asleep in his car and blocking other customers on the premises, an official report said.

He failed a sobriety test and resisted when police tried to arrest him, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said.

Surveillance video showed “that during a physical struggle with officers, Brooks obtained one of the officer’s Tasers and began to flee from the scene,” the report continued.

“Officers pursued Brooks on foot and during the chase, Brooks turned and pointed the Taser at the officer. The officer fired his weapon, striking Brooks,” it said.

Brooks was taken to hospital but died after surgery, it said, adding that one officer was injured.

An attorney acting for the dead man’s family said disproportionate force was used in the confrontation.

“In Georgia, a Taser is not a deadly weapon — that’s the law,” L. Chris Stewart told reporters.

“Support came, in I think 2 minutes. He would have been boxed in and trapped. Why did you have to kill him?”

“(The officer) had other options than shooting a man in the back.”

Brooks has four children, Stewart added, and had celebrated the birthday of his eight-year-old girl earlier on Friday.

His death is the 48th shooting involving an officer the GBI has been asked to investigate this year, according to local newspaper the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Fifteen of those incidents were fatal.

The unrest comes as the US faces a historic reckoning on systemic racism, with mass civil unrest ignited by the May 25 killing of another African-American man, George Floyd, while in police custody.

Floyd died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Protests which spread first around the country then the globe, have forced a conversation on the legacies of slavery, colonialism and white violence against people of color, as well as the militarization of police in America.

Police chief Shields had worked for Atlanta’s police department for more than two decades.

“Because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country, Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief,” the mayor said in televised comments.

AFP

June 14, 2020
AfDB board finds middle ground, supports Adesina, grants US a review

The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) board, decided to opt for a middle ground resolution of the impasse generated by the demand of the United States, a non-regional investor in the bank, for an independent probe of misconduct allegations leveled against the bank’s President, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, whom the ethics committee of the organization has already cleared.
In a statement issued by the Chairperson of the Bureau of the Board of Governors, Ms. Niale Kaba on Thursday, the board stood its ground on the accuracy of the outcome of an internal investigation that had cleared Adesina of improper conduct, but confirmed it would authorise an independent review of the ethics committee report, as against the US’ “independent probe” in order to please all stakeholders.

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AfDB’s board of governors said it believed the bank’s ethics committee, which produced the report, had carried out its role correctly. But the board has nevertheless agreed to authorise a review.

“The independent review shall be conducted by a neutral high caliber individual with unquestionable experience, high international reputation and integrity,” it said.

The AfDB chief who never hid his desire to run the bank for a second term, gained the support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) due to his sterling performance at the bank. In April, Dr. Adesina was confronted with the first resistance to his second term bid in the form of allegations of misconduct by a whistleblower and later a second resistance when the United States rejected an internal process that cleared him of wrongdoing.

The United States, AfDB’s second-largest shareholder, has demanded a new independent probe into the allegations, rejecting the bank’s investigation over reservations about the integrity of the bank’s process.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the leader of the nation with the largest single share, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has voiced his support and gave his backing to Adesina in his bid for a second term as AfDB president.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari meets African Development Bank’s (AfDB) President, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina

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The board however stressed that the review of the investigation would take no more than four weeks considering the organization’s electoral calendar.

Owing to the disquiet in Africa’s number one bank, the board of Governors resolved to review the bank’s whistle-blowing and complaints handling policy at a later date presumably to improve the confidence of all stakeholders in its Internal mechanism.

June 5, 2020
Akinwummi Adesina: Sierra Leone President, ex-US AfDB representative strengthens support base

The support base of embattled President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), DR. Akinwunmi Adesina has been strengthened by two top level individuals, Sierra Leone President, Julius Maada Bio and Harold Doley, the first United States representative to the AfDB. They are the latest joining in with their voice.

In a message posted on twitter last Sunday, President Bio expressed solidarity to the man that is widely referred to, across the continent as Africa’s Chief Developer.

Adesina, the 2013 Forbes Africa Person of the Year awardee did not only appreciate President Bio throwing his weight behind him, he also expressed gratitude to other African leaders who had spoken in his favour over controversies generated by some whistleblowers and fanned by the United States, a non-regional member of Africa’s multi billion dollar development bank.

“Thank you very much Your Excellency President Bio of Sierra Leone for your heartwarming confidence and support and that of the good people of Sierra Leone. I am humbled and grateful. @CyrilRamaphosa (President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa), @MBuhari (President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria) @AUC_MoussaFaki (Chairperson, African Union Commission)”, Adesina wrote.

On his part, Doley did not fail to emphasise Dr. Adesina’s impressive feat as head of the AfDB in an open letter to US President Donald Trump.

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Doley stressed that Adesina, since he assumed office in 2015, has rapidly restructured the bank refining its focus through a High-5 strategy, driven by strategic investment in energy, and electricity, agriculture, technology that significantly improved food security, access to private sector finance, improved transport infrastructure, water and sanitation, which has directly impacted the lives of many Africans.

While he noted that it is profitable for America to support the AfDB, Doley said: “In 2019, with US support, the AfDB stakeholders approved a general capital increase of 115 billion dollars, the largest in the bank’s 56 years history. The increase more than doubled capital from 93 billion dollars to 208 billion dollars.

“Also in 2019, the bank’s concessional window, the African Development Fund, received a 35 percent replenishment with donor contributions.

“US shares of $499,695,200 represents 7.81 percent of total subscriptions are a critically needed resource for low-income countries and transition states.

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“Ultimately, supporting Africa’s private sector is critical for social and economic development. In 2018, Adesina led an unprecedented effort to attract global investment into Africa through the inaugural Africa Investment Forum”, Doley’s letter read in part.

In separate statements written to the Ethics Committee and Board of Governors of the AfDB to register their support for Dr. Adesina, the Nigerian Government through the office of the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, and 14 former African presidents and prime ministers led by Nigeria’s ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo including ex-President Goodluck Jonathan affirmed that an independent probe is stretching the matter too far since the Ethics Committee had cleared the Bank’s president of wrongdoing according to the governing procedures, to which an external independent probe is alien.

June 1, 2020