ECOWAS Leaders Meet In Abuja As Region Struggles With Coups

ECOWAS Leaders Meet In Abuja As Region Struggles With Coups

ECOWAS Leaders Meet In Abuja As Region Struggles With Coups

ECOWAS members have imposed tough economic sanctions on the military regime in Niger, whose troops ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July.

ECOWAS meeting

 

West African leaders meet on Sunday for talks with the region in deepening crisis, after four countries fell under military rule and with risks growing from Sahel jihadist conflicts.

After coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger since 2020, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc also saw member states Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau claim attempted coups in recent weeks.

A French military withdrawal from the Sahel — the region along the Sahara desert across Africa — is increasing concerns over conflicts spreading south to Gulf of Guinea states Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast.

“These military coups are not only based on fake narrative and false justifications; they are also a driver of insecurity in the region,” ECOWAS commission president Omar Touray said in a meeting before the summit.

ECOWAS leaders will meet in Nigeria’s capital Abuja for an ordinary summit where they will discuss delayed transitions back to civilian rule for Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger.

Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is current chair of ECOWAS and US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee will also be at the meeting to discuss how to support Niger’s return to democratic rule and Sahel security.

Niger — a key Western partner in the fight against Sahel militants — has demanded French troops based there leave, while the US still has military personnel in the country.

ECOWAS members have imposed tough economic sanctions on the military regime in Niger, whose troops ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July.

 Mediator

ECOWAS has demanded Bazoum’s immediate return to the presidency, but the military junta has kept him in detention and says it may need up to three years for a return to civilian rule.

Earlier this month, Nigeria said it was asking the Niger regime to free Bazoum and allow him to fly to a third country, as a step to opening talks on lifting sanctions.

But Niger’s military leaders rejected that option and have asked Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe to act as a mediator.

Before Sunday’s ECOWAS meeting, Niger’s military leader General Abdourahamane Tiani visited Togo on Friday with some of his ministers.

ECOWAS has also left on the table the last option of a military intervention in Niger though analysts say that appears increasingly unlikely.

Transitions back to democracy and elections have also been stalled or left uncertain in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

After French troops began leaving the region, military regimes in Niger, Mali and Burkina, struggling with jihadist violence, hardened their positions and joined forces in an Alliance of Sahel States.

Last month, armed attackers stormed military posts, prisons and police stations in another ECOWAS member Sierra Leone, in what the government called a coup attempt that killed 21 people.

A week later Guinea-Bissau also denounced an attempted coup, with fighting between the national guard and special forces of the presidential guard.

Northern Group To Sue FG Over Kaduna Bombing

Northern Group To Sue FG Over Kaduna Bombing

The group of lawyers demanded payment of adequate compensation for the victims of the incident.

A group, the Concerned Northern Lawyers Forum, has condemned the recent military accidental bombing at Tudun Biri village in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, with a threat to institute legal action against the Federal Government over the incident.

The group said the decision to sue the Federal Government is to demand payment of adequate compensation for the victims of the military drone attack.

Speaking at a news conference in Kaduna on Saturday, a spokesman for the group, Nafi’u Abubakar, countered the Nigerian Army’s claim that the attack was a mistake, insisting that the operation was deliberately planned against the innocent civilians of Tudun Biri community.

He urged the Federal Government to immediately commence a thorough independent investigation into the bombing incident with a view to getting to the root of the matter.

Abubakar also asked the Nigerian Army to reevaluate its rules of engagement and training procedures to prevent the loss of innocent lives during its operations.

Army Apologises, Rights Groups Fault Incident

Over 85 persons were confirmed dead in the strike that occurred on December 3, 2023 while scores were injured in the most recent military mishap.

“The Nigerian military’s recklessness is a result of the authorities’ consistent failure to hold them to account for a long list of such atrocities. These unlawful killings of civilians cannot be swept under the carpet,” said Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi.

President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sani have also ordered a probe into the matter which threw the nation into mourning.

Man Utd Suffer Embarrassing 3-0 Defeat Against Bournemouth

Man Utd Suffer Embarrassing 3-0 Defeat Against Bournemouth

Goals from Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi gave Bournemouth their first ever win at Old Trafford.

Manchester United’s shambolic season took another turn for the worse in a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth as Liverpool went top of the Premier League on Saturday.

Manchester United’s shambolic season took another turn for the worse in a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth as Liverpool went top of the Premier League on Saturday.

Bournemouth in front after just five minutes when he turned home Lewis Cook’s cross.

Solanke hit the post and Antoine Semenyo came close as Bournemouth continued to have the better of the chances.

But they had to wait until 68 minutes to double their lead when Philip Billing rose to head home Marcus Tavernier’s cross.

Marcos Senesi then set the seal on a famous victory as Andoni Iraola’s men moved 10 points clear of the relegation zone thanks to a fourth win in five games.

– Liverpool ‘lucky’ –

Klopp said he had never seen a side play so badly for 76 minutes and still emerge victorious as Liverpool fought back to maintain their title challenge.

Palace were denied a first-half penalty by a VAR intervention but were awarded a spot-kick early in the second period as VAR spotted a foul on Jean-Philippe Mateta by Jarell Quansah.

Mateta converted the penalty, but the Eagles were undone by two controversial yellow cards shown to Ayew.

Liverpool took advantage of the red card within seconds as Mohamed Salah’s deflected shot brought up his 200th goal for the club.

Substitute Harvey Elliott then fired home a 91st-minute winner from outside the box to take Liverpool a point clear of Arsenal at the top of the table.

“I’m a very happy manager in this moment, but I know we were lucky as well,” said Klopp.

“If you only win your really good games, you have no chance to be really successful, that’s how it is, and obviously today was not a really good game from us. For 76 minutes it was a really bad performance.”

The Gunners can go back top later on Saturday if they can end third-placed Aston Villa’s run of 14 consecutive home Premier League wins.

At the bottom of the table, Chris Wilder kickstarted his second spell in charge of Sheffield United with a 1-0 win over Brentford.

James McAtee scored the only goal as the Blades’ second victory of the season edged them to within two points of safety.

Burnley remain off the bottom on goal difference after holding on for a 1-1 draw at Brighton.

Wilson Odobert put the Clarets ahead, but Simon Adingra rescued a point for Brighton, who remain eighth.

Nottingham Forest eased the pressure on manager Steve Cooper by ending a four-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw at Wolves.

IPOB Agitation, Terrorism Require Kinetic, Non-Kinetic Approaches – Shettima

IPOB Agitation, Terrorism Require Kinetic, Non-Kinetic Approaches – Shettima

Nigeria has been experiencing series of attacks by gunmen linked to the proscribed Eastern Security Network (ESN), bandits and terrorists.

Vice President Kashim Shettima. 

He stated this at the graduation ceremony of the National Institute for Security Studies’ Executive Intelligence Management Course 16 which was held in Abuja.

The agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-East, the banditry in the North-Central, and terrorism in the North-East and North-West need to be tackled using not just a kinetic approach but also non-kinetic means, Shettima noted.

Attributing the current insecurity in parts of the country to poverty and unemployment, the Vice President harped on the need to improve governance in the country.

“For every Asokoro, there is a Karu. For every Maitama, there is a Dutse Alhaji. We need to create jobs. We need to improve governance in the country,” Shettima said.

Calling for the unity of the country, Shettima assured that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is determined to bring development to the country, canvassing for support from Nigerians.

Also speaking at the event is the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), who hinted that the agency will soon unveil weapons produced by its personnel.

According to him, the DSS will soon begin to “produce what it eats, and eat what it produces.”

Among the weapons the Secret Service will soon unveil are Unmanned Aeriel Vehicles (UAVs), he stated.

Bichi also assured that the agency will continue to support the National Institute for Security Studies to succeed in its quest to impart knowledge that will enhance security in the country.

He charged the participants to utilise the skills they have acquired to develop the country, urging Nigerians to remain patriotic and shun those whom he described as warmongers who want to set the country on fire.

The Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 16 commenced in February 2023 with 89 participants drawn from 35 agencies across Nigeria and four other African countries, namely, Niger, The Gambia, Rwanda and Chad.

Salah’s 200th Liverpool Goal Inspires Fightback To Beat Palace

Salah’s 200th Liverpool Goal Inspires Fightback To Beat Palace

Liverpool's third successive league win moved them one point above second-placed Arsenal ahead of the Gunners' trip to third-placed Aston Villa later on Saturday.

Mohamed Salah scored his 200th goal for Liverpool before Harvey Elliott’s last-gasp winner sealed a dramatic 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace that sent the Reds to the top of the Premier League on Saturday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were in danger of a damaging defeat in the title race after Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty put Palace ahead in the second half at Selhurst Park.

But Palace’s Jordan Ayew was sent off with 15 minutes left and Liverpool took full advantage to erase a previously spluttering performance with a blistering finale.

Salah’s 14th goal this term made him the fifth player to score 200 for Liverpool in all competitions after Ian Rush (346), Roger Hunt (285), Gordon Hodgson (241) and Billy Liddell (228).

Despite Salah’s landmark, a point would have been a disappointing result for Liverpool, but young midfielder Elliott came off the bench to seal the points in stoppage time.

Liverpool’s third successive league win moved them one point above second-placed Arsenal ahead of the Gunners’ trip to third-placed Aston Villa later on Saturday.

With home games against Manchester United and Arsenal looming before Christmas, the Reds have a golden opportunity to cement their title credentials heading into the new year.

Klopp had called a television presenter “ignorant” for joking that the 1230 GMT Saturday kick-off was the German’s “favourite” time to play.

The Reds boss has made a habit of complaining about the schedule whenever Liverpool have a match in the early Saturday slot after playing the previous Wednesday.

– Liverpool leave it late –

Initially, it seemed Klopp’s dislike for the kick-off time would be renewed as Liverpool struggled to find any rhythm in wet and windy conditions in south London.

Liverpool were fortunate not to fall behind when Jefferson Lerma’s close-range effort forced a superb save from Alisson Becker, with the rebound hitting the post before it was hacked off the line by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Palace were awarded a penalty when Odsonne Edouard was bundled over Virgil van Dijk, but Will Hughes had clearly fouled Wataru Endo before passing to the forward.

Referee Andy Madley was told to consult the pitchside monitor and overturned his penalty decision.

For the first time in the league this season, Klopp’s side failed to muster a single shot on target in a dismal first-half display that ended fittingly with Alexander-Arnold misplacing a simple pass.

Palace deservedly took the lead in the 57th minute as Jarell Quansah’s challenge on Mateta was deemed worthy of a penalty after Madley checked the monitor.

To Klopp’s bewilderment, VAR only intervened to prompt the decision several moments after the foul.

Liverpool were furious but Mateta was unfazed, barely taking a run-up as he dispatched the spot-kick past Alisson with ease.

But luck was on Liverpool’s side as Palace forward Ayew was dismissed for a soft second booking in the 75th minute and within 60 seconds the visitors were level.

If the sending off had an element of good fortune for Liverpool, there was more to come as Cody Gakpo’s cross was only cleared to Salah, whose shot from 10 yards took a wicked deflection as it flashed past wrong-footed keeper Sam Johnstone.

Liverpool finally had some momentum and their late siege produced a winner in the first minute of stoppage time.

Elliott took possession 30 yards from goal and swerved away from his marker before unleashing a superb strike that beat Palace substitute keeper Remi Matthews at his near post.

In the final seconds, Alisson had to save from Joachim Andersen to preserve Liverpool’s hard-fought success.

Three Dead, 11 Injured As Mining Pit Collapses In Zamfara

Three Dead, 11 Injured As Mining Pit Collapses In Zamfara

Three Dead, 11 Injured As Mining Pit Collapses In Zamfara

Most of the artisanal miners operating in the state are operating without licences and permissions to explore minerals.

No fewer than three artisanal miners have died while 11 others were injured 

when a mining pit collapsed in Dan Kamfani, Anka Local Government of Zamfara State.

According to an eyewitness who also works around the area, the incident happened on Thursday around 4 pm.

The eyewitness who pleaded anonymity because of security reasons told Channels Television on Saturday that three artisanal miners were confirmed dead while 11 others were critically injured.

He said the injured are currently receiving treatment at the Anka General Hospital

“The mining collapsed a few minutes to 4 pm on Thursday, we don’t know the exact number of people inside the mining pit, but three dead bodies were recovered, and 11 others are seriously wounded.

“The three people that died are from Yar Tsabaya district of Anka local government. Up till now, we don’t have the actual figure of the people inside, and we cannot confirm the number of people because the mining pit is about 275 meters deep,” he stated.

Zamfara is rich in solid minerals which include gold, iron ore, limestone, and granite, among others.

The Federal Government and the state government had banned any forms of mining activities and ordered security agencies to enforce the ban.

Most of the artisanal miners operating in the state are operating without licences and permissions to explore minerals.

U.S. Envoy To Meet Tinubu, ECOWAS Leaders Over Niger Republic

U.S. Envoy To Meet Tinubu, ECOWAS Leaders Over Niger Republic

U.S. Envoy To Meet Tinubu, ECOWAS Leaders Over Niger Republic

ECOWAS highest authority led by the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, slapped a range of sanctions on Niger in a desperate bid to restore constitutional order.

The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee, has visited Nigeria to mediate on the political situation in Niger Republic, which has been under military rule since July 26.

This was disclosed in a statement on the website of the US Secretary of State.

According to the statement, the US envoy arrived in Nigeria on Friday and will hold talks with the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, as well as leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The meeting with regional leaders gathering for the ECOWAS Heads of State Summit is slated for Monday, December 10, the statement read.

“During her visit, she will consult with West African leaders on how the United States can best support regional efforts to return Niger to a democratic path and to promote security, stability, prosperity, and democracy in the Sahel,” a statement from the U.S. Department of State said.

Phee’s visit to Nigeria comes four months after some Nigerien military officers led by Abdourahmane Tchiani toppled President Mohamed Bazoum.

The July 26 coup has since been condemned, with Western countries supporting the efforts by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc led by President Tinubu.

In a pushback to the military takeover, the ECOWAS highest authority, led by the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, slapped a range of sanctions on Niger in a desperate bid to restore constitutional order.

Niger holds strategic economic and geopolitical significance internationally considering its two natural resources, uranium and oil, which are sought after in the international market.

Junta leaders have justified toppling the democratic government of Bazoum, who was accused of not containing the incessant insecurity situation in some parts of the country.