Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, northwest Nigeria, has tasked the Nigerian Army on continuous synergy between security agencies and critical stakeholders, to consolidate on gains made in improving security situation in his State.

Ganduje made the call when he visited the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj Gen Faruk Yahaya, in Abuja.

The Governor said the peace and security currently enjoyed in Kano State was made possible through efforts of the Nigerian Army (NA) and other stakeholders, assuring the new COAS of his continuous support to the army and other security agencies working in Kano State.

Mr. Ganduje used the medium to congratulate Maj. Gen Yahaya on his appointment, and to also commiserate with the Nigerian Army over the death of former COAS, Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 others, who lost their lives in an air crash in Kaduna.

Responding, the new COAS appreciated the Governor for the visit and thanked Kano State Government for maintaining good synergy with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.

He assured the State Governor of the continuous support of the Army.

Outgoing Chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Thursday congratulated the incoming Chairman, President Roch Kaboré of Burkina Faso on his appointment as the news Chair.

‘‘Let me, on behalf of all Heads of State and Government of NBA, wish His Excellency President of the Republic of Burkina Faso, a very successful tenure’’, Buhari said, while addressing a virtual 12th summit of the Heads of State and Government of NBA.

Buhari said, the Institution had ‘‘the utmost confidence’’ in President Kabore’s ability to steer the affairs of the Niger Basin Authority for the next two years.

The Nigerian leader also congratulated member states of NBA for a job well done, calling on them to continue to muster the needed political will and courage to implement the far-reaching decisions agreed at the Summit.

Mr. Buhari also expressed appreciation and gratitude to leaders and member-countries who attended the Summit for what he described as ‘‘unwavering support and cooperation during my five-year tenure as Chairman of Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Authority.”

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday congratulated President Roch Kaboré of Burkina Faso on his appointment as the new Chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Niger Basin Authrity (NBA).

In his closing address at the virtual 12th summit of the Heads of State and Government of NBA, President Buhari, who is the outgoing Chair, said the Institution had ‘‘the utmost confidence’’ in President Kabore’s ability to steer the affairs of the Niger Basin Authority for the next two years.

‘‘Let me, on behalf of all Heads of State and Government of NBA, wish His Excellency President of the Republic of Burkina Faso, a very successful tenure’’, the President said.

The Nigerian leader also congratulated member states of NBA for a job well done, calling on them to continue to muster the needed political will and courage to implement the far-reaching decisions agreed at the Summit.

The President also expressed deep appreciation and gratitude to leaders and member-countries who attended the Summit as well as their ‘‘unwavering support and cooperation during my five year tenure as Chairman of Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Authority.”

Femi Adesina

A former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, and a former Director with Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Prof. Robert Rotberg, have said it is time for the US to acknowledge that Nigeria is a failed state in the light of the many challenges plaguing the country.

Campbell and Rotberg said this in an article titled, ‘The Giant of Africa is Failing’ which was published in the May/June edition of ‘Foreign Affairs’ magazine.

They argued that every part of Nigeria now faces insecurity which threatens the nation’s corporate existence.

The article read in part, “Nigeria’s worldwide companions, particularly the USA, should acknowledge that Nigeria is now a failed state. In recognition of that truth, they need to deepen their engagement with the nation and search to carry the present administration accountable for its failures, while additionally working with it to supply safety and proper financial system.”

They said even the police have found it difficult to curb crime due to the sophisticated weapons that criminals wield.

“Underneath the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, a number of overlapping safety crises has remodelled Nigeria from a weak state right into a failed one. Buhari’s authorities has struggled to quell numerous Jihadi insurgencies, together with the one waged by the militant group Boko Haram,” the article read.

Campbell and Rotberg said the Federal Government seemed to have given up in some areas because non-state actors had taken over while quasi-police organisations and militias controlled by state governments had become more common.

The authors stated that due to kidnappings and other crimes, several schools had been forced to shut down.

“Regional quasi-police forces and militias—generally related to state governments however not often formally sanctioned—train de facto authority in some areas. However in lots of others, the federal authorities have successfully ceded management to militants and criminals,” the article read.

The authors of the article maintained that most failed states in Africa such the Central African Republic, Somalia, and South Sudan are small or marginal but Nigeria, in contrast, boasts a rising inhabitants of over 200 million people and could be the third-largest country on earth by 2050.

Campbell and Rotberg said happenings in Nigeria also affect other areas of Africa which shows Nigeria’s importance.
They said even though Nigeria still has some signs of being viable, its structure which relies largely on oil receipts, undermines growth as well as deep-rooted corruption.

“However the Nigerian state has long failed to supply its residents with social companies and Nigerian politics is basically an elite sport disassociated from governance.

“The Federal Government doesn’t or cannot tax the true wealth of the nation, stays too depending on income from oil and gasoline, and lurches from one fiscal disaster to a different. Corruption is structural, too, casting almost everybody as each perpetrator and sufferer,” the article read.

They argued that the US ought to assist the push for a formidable Nigerian-led state reconstruction effort.

The authors recommended that through conferences, technical recommendations, and different instruments of “comfortable diplomacy,” the US ought to help civil society and Nigerian non-governmental organisations in their efforts to strengthen the nation’s democracy.

Curled from The Punch

Prof. Hassan Abdulhamid Bukhari, a Saudi academic and one of the Imams leading congregational prayers at the Holy Ka’ba  (masjid Al-Haram) in Makkah, has paid a visit to Borno Governor in Northeast Nigeria, Professor  Babagana Umara Zulum.

The visit held on Wednesday evening at the Government House, Maiduguri.

Imam Bukhari, who is the Dean, faculty of Arabic Studies for non natives at Ummul Qura University in Makkah, was in Maiduguri on the invitation of Dr. Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, President of Al-ansar Foundation that is currently building Borno’s first private university, at a site in Maiduguri.

The holy Ka’aba imam, while meeting Zulum, said he was highly impressed with Borno’s hospitality and age long history of Quranic knowledge. He noted that the state is known for it’s numerous Quran reciters all over the world.

Professor Bukhari, whose message was translated into English by his host, Dr Dikwa, noted that he was happy to associate with Zulum’s administration having monitored all his achievements in far away Saudi Arabia.

“Professor Bukhari has particularly shown interest in you, having monitored your activities over the last few years and indeed happy to associate with you and your government over the development that has carried out under your stewardship” Dr. Dikwa noted.

In his response, Governor Zulum noted that Borno has a long standing relationship with the government and people of Saudi Arabia, particularly the custodian of the two holy mosques. He expressed appreciation for their visit.

“Indeed, one of the Imams of the holy Mosque, Masjid Alharam visiting Maiduguri is pleasing to the entire Muslim community in the state” Zulum said.

He also sought for the support from Saudi Arabia’s Government in areas of Teaching Arabic and Islamic Education.

Zulum also sought support in combating violent extremist ideologies in attempt to restore peace in Borno state.

The Governor explained that Kanuris were originally from the Arab nations before migrating to Borno.