By Raphael Atuu Abuja

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Thailand have deepened bilateral cooperation with the signing of new agreements focused on agriculture, cooperatives and innovation, in a move to drive implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, RH-CRRP 2030.

The agreements were signed in Lagos, during a high-level engagement on the theme: Building Sustainable Partnerships: Connecting Youth, Innovation and Business between Thailand and Nigeria.

Speaking during the event, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Sen.

The agreements include a Record of Discussions involving the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, TICA, Kasetsart University and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River, Enugu, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between Kasetsart University and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River.

 “Today, we have not merely witnessed the signing of documents; we have witnessed the strengthening of a partnership founded on knowledge, capacity development, innovation, institutional cooperation and shared prosperity,” the Minister said.

Abdullahi added that the partnership directly supports *Pillar 2 of RH-CRRP 2030 institutional Strengthening, Professionalization and Capacity Building.

 “At the heart of this pillar is a simple but fundamental principle: we cannot build strong and sustainable cooperatives without strong institutions and well-trained people,” he said.

The Minister noted that the reform places deliberate emphasis on developing the knowledge, professional competence and leadership capacity of cooperative leaders, managers, regulators and members.

He referenced an earlier milestone on 12 August 2026 in Abuja, where the Ministry, the Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, CFN, and Seamfix Limited signed an MoU on the Cooperative Digitalization pillar of the reform.

 “This demonstrates that RH-CRRP 2030 is moving beyond policy formulation towards implementation, institutional action and measurable impact,” Sen. Abdullahi said.

Linking the partnership to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the Minister affirmed that the administration is determined to reposition cooperatives as stronger instruments for agricultural transformation, enterprise development, job and wealth creation, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.

 “As we work towards Mr. President’s aspiration of building a one-trillion-dollar Nigerian economy within this decade, strengthening the capacity, professionalism and productivity of our cooperative institutions and the millions of Nigerians they serve will be critical,” he stated.

Abdullahi added that Thailand’s experience in agriculture, cooperative development, research and innovation presents important opportunities for mutual learning, while Nigeria brings enormous agricultural potential, a vibrant youthful population and significant opportunities for investment.

He charged all institutions involved to move “deliberately from agreement to implementation” with practical programmes, clear timelines and measurable deliverables.

 “May today’s signing marks not the conclusion of a process, but the beginning of a stronger and more productive chapter in Nigeria–Thailand cooperation,” the Minister added.

In attendance were the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand; Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca   OdumegwuOjukwu, the Ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria; the Ambassador of Nigeria to the Kingdom of Thailand; the Director-General of TICA; the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, ARCN; the President of Kasetsart University; and the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River.

RH-CRRP 2030 is a seven-pillar reform framework designed to reposition the Nigerian cooperative sector as an instrument for inclusive economic growth and distributed prosperity.

The Nigerian Navy has sustained efforts to disrupt illegal refining activities in Rivers with personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER identifying and deactivating two illegal refining sites.

This was contained in an operational report by the Director of Naval Information, Capt.

According to Folorunsho, the operation was conducted around the Ohaji axis of Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area on Friday.

“The operation resulted in the recovery of approximately 34,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) contained in dugout pits, sacks and reservoirs, alongside other items associated with the illegal refining activities.

“The latest operation forms part of sustained efforts by NNS PATHFINDER to prevent the re-establishment of illegal refining infrastructure in the area”, he said.

He also revealed that the continued interventions had contributed to a decline in the reactivation of such sites within the general area.

He said the identified sites, recovered products and associated items were handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.

“No arrest was made as the suspected operators fled before the arrival of the naval team,” he added.

Folorunsho reaffirmed the navy’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to disrupt crude oil theft and illegal refining activities.

“The service remains committed to protecting critical national assets and safeguarding legitimate economic activities within Nigeria’s maritime and riverine environment,” he said.

From Ifeanyichukwu Nwannah, Gusau

Troops of Joint Task Force North West Operation Fansan Yamma recorded another operational success in Zamfara State with the recovery and safe disposal of a terrorist-planted Improvised Explosive Device (IED), along a major access route in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Media Information Officer Joint Task Force North-west OPFY, Lt Colonel Aliyu Danja and made available to newsmen in Gusau, the State capital.

According to the statement, acting on credible intelligence, troops of Sector 2 swiftly responded to reports of an IED planted along the Gurusu–Gwashi road.

“Troops identified the explosive device, secured the area to prevent harm to road users and successfully facilitated the safe disposal of the IED by an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team. Following the operation, troops sustained aggressive patrols in the general area to deny terrorists freedom of action”, he added.

“The successful operation underscored the commitment of Operation FANSAN YAMMA to protecting lives, safeguarding critical routes and countering the evolving tactics of terrorist elements across the Joint Operations Area”

“The  Joint Task Force urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious objects or activities to security agencies, as timely information continues to play a vital role in preventing attacks and enhancing public safety”.