National Security Adviser
Nigeria: 1,375 irregular migrants arrested during border closure
The Federal Government said on Monday that no fewer than 1,375 irregular migrants were arrested while the border drill code-named, ”Exercise Swift Response,” lasted. Newsmen report that the border drill held between Aug. 20, 2019 and Dec. 17, 2020. Speaking at a new year media briefing in Lagos on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the border drill was a huge success. The minister said the seizures so far during the period included 157,511 – 50kg bags of parboiled foreign rice, 10,447 bags of NPK fertiliser used for making explosives and 18,630 jerry cans of vegetable oil. The total monetary value of the seized items, according to him, is about ₦12.362 billion. Newsmen recall that ”Exercise Swift Response” was launched as part of efforts to secure th...
Ayo Fayose: President Buhari must account for $1 billion taken from excess crude account
Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has queried President Muhammadu Buhari to account for the $1 billion withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to battle insecurity in the country. However, newsmen found that the call may be superfluous as government rendered an account on 22 July. Oblivious of this, Fayose, in series of tweets appeared to suggest that the money had been wasted, because of the rising killings and kidnappings being witnessed on daily basis. “Nigerians should recall that I took a stand openly against withdrawal of the $1bn,” he said. According to Fayose, 30 months after the $1bn was released, Nigerians, including soldiers and FG officials were complaining of no arms and ammunition to combat insecurity in the country. “When in December 2017, FG took $1bn fro...
Borno killings: Senator Lawan leads federal government delegation on condolence visit
The federal government has sent a delegation led by the President, of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, to Maiduguri, Borno state on a condolence visit over the killing of farmers at the weekend by terrorists. A release issued on Monday by Lawan’s media aide, Ola Awoniyi, stated that the delegation which had since arrived Borno state was received on arrival at the Maiduguri airport by Borno State Deputy Governor, Usman Umar Gadafu. The delegation is in Borno, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government, to commiserate and identify with the family of the victims, the Government and the people of Borno State over the incident. Members of the delegation include the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Ministers of Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bel...
NSA: President Buhari to announce critical solution to #EndSARS protest in hours
The National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, says President Muhammadu Buhari is to announce a critical solution to the #EndSARS protest in a couple of hours. Monguno, who made this known at the end of the fourth National Security Council meeting, presided by the president in Abuja on Thursday said Buhari also directed all security agencies to always operate within the confine of legitimacy and legality. He said the president also urged the security agencies to always avoid anything that would aggravate the nation’s security challenges. He also stated that the president would soon come up with certain solutions to address the security challenges in the country, saying the president directed that government would also do all it could to arrive at ...
Gold rises on renewed US stimulus hope, dollar falls
Spot gold rose 0.3 percent to $1,910.56 an ounce at 3:37pm, New York time, after falling as much as 0.5 percent. Gold rose on renewed optimism for a preelection aid package in the U.S., while the dollar fell to a one-week low. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said a bill for a compromise stimulus package is being written as she awaits a key phone call with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said his chamber would take up a comprehensive coronavirus package if an accord is struck. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index headed for the third straight decline. Pelosi said in a Bloomberg Television interview that while there are areas where more work is required to get a compromise, she was pleased with the Trump administration’s latest position on coronavirus testing ...
President Buhari presides over virtual FEC meeting
Expectedly, President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday presided over his 10th virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) which also had in attendance his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, and eight ministers physically present. The meeting holding at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, is also being attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (retd). The ministers who are present are the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, Informatoon and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, Interior, Rauf Aregbesola...
President Buhari, others honour Isa Funtua as FEC meeting begins
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, led other members of the Federal Executive Council to honour his late ally, Isa Funtua, with a minute silence as the council’s weekly meeting started. Although the meeting is virtual, some members are joining Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja from where he is presiding while others are attending virtually from their offices. At the commencement of the meeting, after the recitation of the National Anthem, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, called for a minute silence in honour of the late Funtua, who died on Monday. Funtua, the founding Managing Director of The Democrat Newspaper and former President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, was a minister in the Second Republic...
Aviation, education ministries, others make presentations at FEC meeting
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently presiding over the seventh virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Newsmen report that the Federal Ministries of Aviation; Niger Delta; Education as well as Works and Housing are expected to make presentations at the meeting. Those at the meeting include Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno. Newsmen observed that 11 cabinet ministers joined the president at the Council Chamber for the virtual meeting while other ministers are participating directly from their respective off...
Nigeria declares telecoms facilities critical national Infrastructure
In response to the yearnings of industry stakeholders to declare telecom facilities Critical National Infrastructure, President Muhammadu Buhari, has finally approved and also directed that necessary physical protective measures be put in place to safeguard telecommunications infrastructure deployed across the country. This followed a proposal by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ibrahim Pantami, to the President to identify telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, with a view to protecting them from vandalization and theft, amongst other things. Recall that telecom operators and industry players had over the years been consistent in their demand for the Federal government to declare all telecoms facilities across the country critical nat...
US may impose sanctions on China over Hong Kong
Washington may impose sanctions on China over a new proposed law on security in Hong Kong, White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien said Sunday. “It looks like, with this national security law, they’re going to basically take over Hong Kong,” O’Brien said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And if they do … Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo will likely be unable to certify that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy and if that happens there will be sanctions that will be imposed on Hong Kong and China,” he said. WATCH: What is the U.S. prepared to do if Beijing goes through with moving Hong Kong away from a democracy? #MTP @robertcobrien: “There will be sanctions. It’s hard to see how Hong Kong will remain the Asian financial center … if China takes over.” pic....
FBI chief orders internal review of Michael Flynn investigation
European Photopress Agency Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said on Friday he has ordered an internal review of the investigation into President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn. In a statement, Wray said he ordered the FBI’s inspection division to conduct an after-action review of the Flynn investigation to “evaluate the relevant facts related to the FBI’s role in the Flynn investigation and determine whether any current employees engaged in misconduct.” The review is also aimed to “evaluate any FBI policies, procedures, or controls implicated by the Flynn investigation and identify any improvements that might be warranted,” said the statement. “The after-action review will complement the already substantial assistance t...
- 1
- 2
