Blast Naija Media

  By Ogazi Igbonekwu Ogazimorah Esq.   Reactions to the demolition of over 200 ongoing structures in the Centenary City by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, on January 19, 2024 were deafening. It generated intense social media frenzy and caused the rise of debates across.     This writer reacted in writing to some of the entries in social media platforms. Calls came for deeper insight into what has become the unending demolitions and waste of resources. More pathetic are the cases of simple, humble home seekers who invest the little they have only for the structures to be knocked down. In many cases, they were not in violation of any building or districting rule, but are caught in the vicious fight between land grabbers and their friends in government. In some cases they are victims of usual tussles for leadership of town unions in some heady communities.   More embarrassing are cases of people coming to Enugu in response...

THE Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is yet to receive any direct formal notification from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic about their intention to withdraw from the Community. In a statement on Sunday, the Commission said it has been “working assiduously with these countries for the restoration of constitutional order. Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali remain important members of the Community and the Authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse”. “The ECOWAS Commission remains seized with the development and shall make further pronouncements as the situation evolves,” the statement added. Earlier on Sunday, the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their immediate withdrawal from the West African bloc ECOWAS, saying it has become a threat to member states. The leaders of the three Sahel nations issued a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the...

In a show of strengthening ties, China reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria's infrastructure development and economic growth during a high-level visit by a Chinese delegation.  The Director-General of the Department of African Affairs, MFA, China, Mr. Wu Peng, led the delegation and met with Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, laying the groundwork for a potential miniterial and presidential visit later this year. Building Bridges, Boosting Trade: Infrastructure development took center stage in the discussions. China lauded its existing involvement in major Nigerian projects, emphasising its recent loan to the railway project. Tuggar, echoing this sentiment, highlighted infrastructure as a cornerstone of President Bola Tinubu's development agenda. Both sides expressed a desire to further expand trade and economic cooperation, with Nigeria keen to see increased participation in the Belt and Road Initiative. The talks went beyond just concrete and ste...

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, says lingering insecurity issues in different parts of the country will persist without the establishment of State police. “The level of insecurity in the country has necessitated the need to have open discussions about innovative solutions to fight insecurity,” the Governor said on Wednesday in Abuja, adding that, “we must take into account all stakeholders and absolutely and immediately provide support and protection to the victims of insecurity and establishing state police remains the only viable option to end insecurity.”  A statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, said that Radda spoke at a two-day roundtable discussion programme at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja with the theme, “Multi-dimensional Approach to Tackling Insecurity in Northern Nigeria.” According to Radda, it is essential to understand that the outfits created by some state government to fight insecurity...

  Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has received the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, today. Tuggar received the high ranking diplomat at the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after his plane touched down Tuesday afternoon in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The brief airport reception and the exchange of pleasantries was led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,  Sen George Akume.  According to Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Blinken’s visit, Tuggar  shall hold bilateral talks with a focus on deepening democracy in the West African subregion, strengthening of trade relations and security cooperation.  Tuggar shall also use the opportunity to urge the US and the wider international community to give serious consideration to multilateral reforms, particularly that of democratizing the United Nations Security Co...

  Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has hosted the sixth Nigeria – India Joint Commission Meeting on the 22nd January 2024. The meeting was held during the official visit of the Minister of External Affairs of India, H.E S. Jaishankar to Nigeria from 21st – 23rd January 2024.   The Commission reviewed the decisions of the 5th Joint Commission and also the entire scope of bilateral relations between India and Nigeria.  They emphasized the significance of the Sixth Session as the continuation of the era of meaningful and expanding economic interaction between the two countries.   The bilateral meeting held at the   Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja covered a wide range of sectors from Political, Culture, Aviation, Trade and Investment, Developmental Partnership, Defence and Security Cooperation to Consular Matters and Regional issues and Multilateral Cooperation.   The meeting according to the Special ...