Foreign News
Fight Against Terrorism: UN to Mobilise Additional $321m for Nigeria
. $1.1billion for Nation’s Humanitarian Crisis Response
. Guterres Engages Buhari on Peaceful, Credible 2023 General Election
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Gutteres, has disclosed that the world body will be mobilising an additional $321 million in support of Nigeria’s efforts to combat terrorist activities in the North East.
The UN boss made this known while addressing State House correspondents after closed doors meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja.
He expressed hope that the sum would also assist in addressing humanitarian crisis in the affected region.
The visiting secretary-general, who arrived Nigeria on a two-day visit was in Maiduguri, Borno, the worst hit by the insurgency.
While in Maiduguri on Tuesday, Gutteres interacted with victims of terrorist activities and repentant Islamist militants, stating that from what he saw, “great hope lies ahead”.
According to Gutteres, the amount will be part of the overall $1.1billion earmarked by the UN for the humanitarian response plan for Nigeria.“We are very active in support of the humanitarian efforts of the Nigerian government and that is why we have called for an additional $351 million as part of the overall $1.1 billion for the humanitarian response plan for Nigeria,” he said.
The UN scribe lauded the Nigerian government for establishing the Presidential Committee on the Repatriation, Return and Resettlement of displaced persons in the North-East,“In spite all that they have seen and endured, the people I saw remained hopeful and committed to returning to their communities and resuming their lives.
“To that end, I welcome the establishment of the Presidential Committee on the Repatriation, Return and Resettlement of displaced persons in the North-East,” he said.
Guterres disclosed that his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari touched on how to address the challenges confronting Nigeria and the smooth conduct of the forthcoming 2023 General Elections.
He maintained that the spirit of hope amidst hardship and solidarity in struggle was also in the centre of his discussions with the Nigerian leader.
“We discussed the importance of laying the ground work to ensure peaceful and democratic elections next year and the full participation of Nigerian women and young people in all areas.“We also discussed government’s measures to address security challenges across the country.
“I want to extend my deepest condolences to the victims of the appalling attacks in Plateau State, two and half weeks ago.“It is a tragic reminder of terrorism scourge across West Africa and the Sahel,” he lamented.
He reiterated the commitment of the UN towards combating terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime, poverty and food insecurity, worldwide.
He also commended Nigeria for her role in sustaining peace in Africa and beyond, as well as playing the leading role in sustaining democracy on the African continent.“I thank President Buhari for his unwavering support for the Multinational Joint Task Force and the Lake Chad Basin Commission.
“We also discuss the other challenges that Nigeria is facing today. Nigeria is a pillar of continental and global cooperation and a steadfast part of the United Nations.
“From its vital support for peace keeping to its leadership in fighting for fairness in developing countries, to being home of my Deputy Secretary, Amina Mohammed, above all Nigeria is a country where Africa’s promise and potential can come to vivid life,” he added. (NAN)
The U.S. Treasury Department has announced sanctions against more than 30 individuals and companies accused of helping Iran evade sanctions and launder billions from oil and petrochemical sales to fund its nuclear and missile programmes.The sanctioned network operated as a system of “shadow banking” involving front companies in places like Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, the department said in a statement.
The goal, it said, was to bypass existing sanctions, obscure the origin of oil proceeds, and funnel money into military-linked projects. The new sanctions freeze any U.S.-based assets of the targeted entities and bar U.S. citizens from doing business with them.The measures also complicate the ability of those sanctioned to operate internationally, especially in transactions involving U.S. dollars.Washington and Tehran are engaged in negotiations over the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he “aims to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons”.Tehran insists its nuclear activities are purely for civilian purposes.Trump has warned that military action remains on the table if diplomacy fails. (dpa/NAN) U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation on Wednesday evening banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States.The countries affected are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Nationals from these countries will be “fully” restricted from entering the U. S., according to the proclamation. Similarly, the entry of nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will be partially restricted.The proclamation is effective on June 9, 2025 at 12:01 am EDT (5:01am Nigerian time).Trump said the move was needed to protect the U.S. against “foreign terrorists” and other security threats.“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video posted on X.The U.S. President said the list could be revised and new countries could be added.He said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbour a “large-scale presence of terrorists”.He alleged others failed to cooperate on visa security and had an inability to verify travellers’ identities, inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the U.S..“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” Trump said.Trump’s directive is part of an immigration crackdown that he launched at the start of his second term, pledging to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and “anywhere else that threatens our security”.Trump issued an executive order on January 20 requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the U.S. to detect national security threats.That order directed several cabinet members to submit a list of countries from which travel should be partly or fully suspended because their “vetting and screening information is so deficient.”During his first term in office, Trump had announced a ban on travellers from seven countries, a policy that generated so much controversies before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.However, former President Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump, repealed the ban in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience.” (NAN)
“Do not threaten Israel with sanctions” as it will continue to build a “Jewish state” on the ground,” Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, warned on Friday.He also rebuffed a call by French President Emmanuel Macron for establishing a Palestinian State.In open defiance of international law, Katz claimed that world powers may recognize a Palestinian state “on paper.
”Katz made the remarks during a visit to Sa-Nur, an illegal outpost in the northern West Bank that the Tel Aviv government recently decided to officially designate as a settlement for illegal Israeli settlers. In a direct message, Defense Minister Israel Katz targets French President Macron and European allies.He also dismissed the potential international consequences.He said: “They will recognise a Palestinian state on paper, while we will build the Jewish Israeli state on the ground.“Don’t threaten us with sanctions. You will not make us bow.“The State of Israel will not kneel before threats.”His comments came hours after President Macron stated that recognising the State of Palestine was a “moral duty”.Macron also reiterated that France may move toward official recognition during an upcoming international conference focused on the two-state solution.Earlier this week, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli Security Cabinet had secretly approved the establishment of 22 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.In response, the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now issued a statement Thursday, revealing that 12 of the newly approved settlements were previously unauthorised outposts and farming sites established in recent years.According to Peace Now, there are currently 156 illegal settlements and 224 outposts across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with over 736,000 illegal Israeli settlers living on occupied Palestinian land.The international community, including the UN, considers the Israeli settlements illegal under international law.The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution, a framework seen as key to resolving the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.In July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land illegal and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.(AA/NAN)
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