Category: United States of America - Page 2

Pentagon Responds to Buhari’s Plea to Relocate US African Command to Nigeria

8May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Security, United States of America

Pentagon Responds to Buhari’s Plea to Relocate US African Command to Nigeria

Following the request by President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria for the United States to relocate its Africa Command from its present base in Germany to Nigeria, the US has said that it does not harbour such a plan. The response just two weeks after President Buhari asked the US government to consider relocating AFRICOM to Africa as a measure to help Nigeria and other African nations struggling to combat increased terrorism, banditry, and other security challenges. President Buhari had made the appeal in a virtual meeting with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on April 27. Germany-based Africa Command (AFRICOM) is the US military headquarters that oversees its operations in Africa. Buhari’s plea comes after a series of recent military casualties in Nigeria’s decade-long...

COVID-19 Vaccination Commences in Abuja Friday

3Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria, United States of America

COVID-19 Vaccination Commences in Abuja Friday

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are expected to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses on Saturday. Nigeria on Tuesday took delivery of 3.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, the first batch of the 16 million expected through the World Health Organisation-led COVAX facility. The government is expecting 129 million vaccine doses to vaccinate 70 per cent of its population within two years. The consignment was received through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja aboard Emirates Airlines. The vaccine will be administered in two doses. At the end of Tuesday’s ceremonies to mark its arrival, a few vials of the vaccines were expected to be handed over to the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) team for analysis between today and...

Biden Threatens Financial, Visa Sanctions Against Nigeria, Others Over Anti-gay Laws

9Feb

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Africa, Life, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, United States of America

Biden Threatens Financial, Visa Sanctions Against Nigeria, Others Over Anti-gay Laws

President Joe Biden has issued a presidential memorandum aimed at expanding protection of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people worldwide, including potentially through the use of financial sanctions. Nigeria's anti-gay laws have been increasingly criticised by global rights groups, which have categorised the country as overtly homophobic. Despite international pressure, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act in January 2014, prescribing between 10 to 14 years in prison for cohabitation between same-sex sexual partners, public show of same-sex relationship, registration, operation or participation in gay clubs, societies and organisation, amongst others. As a predominantly conservative country,...

Biden Cancels Travel Ban on Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, others

21Jan

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Nigeria, United States of America

Biden Cancels Travel Ban on Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, others

U.S President Joe Biden on his first day in office issued some executive orders undoing some of former President Donald Trump’s policies. Among the 17 executive orders and presidential actions Biden signed on Wednesday were the order to end travel restrictions and immigration from countries including Nigeria, Eritrea, Yemen, Sudan and others. “There’s no time to waste,” Biden said before signing the executive orders in the White House. “These are just all starting points,” he added. The American Civil Liberties Union, a non-profit civil rights organisation, applauded the move calling the travel policy a “cruel Muslim ban that targeted Africans.” However, the ban was changed, in part due to legal challenges, and included some non majority-Muslim nations. President Biden de...

APC Weighs in on US Controversy, Asks Trump to Emulate Buhari

10Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria, United States of America

APC Weighs in on US Controversy, Asks Trump to Emulate Buhari

The All Progressive Congress has asked US President Donald Trump to emulate his Nigerian counterpart, President Muhammadu Buhari after losing an election. This was contained in a statement issued by the Secretary of the party’s Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, John Akpanudoedehe. Akpanudoedehe in the statement titled “The integrity of a leader is as important as strong institutions,” condemned the invasion of the Capitol Hill by pro-Trump protesters and faulted Trump’s refusal to concede defeat in the presidential poll. The party said President Buhari contested and lost elections a couple of times and followed the process through to the Supreme Court on all accounts, lauding his example as ‘an outstanding credential of a true democrat’. The statement ...

No One’s Ambition is Worth Blood of Any Citizen, Jonathan Cautions Trump

7Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria, United States of America

No One’s Ambition is Worth Blood of Any Citizen, Jonathan Cautions Trump

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has urged US President Donald Trump to concede defeat, saying that his ambition is not worth the blood of any American citizen. The American leader has maintained his stance on not conceding defeat after the elections held last year. Jonathan’s call came a just a day after pro-Trump supporters stormed the venue of the joint congress proceeding to assess Joe Biden’s victory. He said, it is never too late to reject the venom and allow the wish of the people for the sake of peace. Hundreds of Republicans invade the US Capitol on Wednesday when lawmakers were certifying the outcome of the recent presidential election in which Trump lost to Biden. Inspired by Trump’s insistence that the poll was rigged, the protesters disrupted the p...

6Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Breaking News, Communication, Economy, Finance, Nigeria, Trade, United States of America

WTO Postpones Meeting to Pick New DG

The World Trade Organisation on Friday postponed a meeting where members are expected to pick a new Director-General. The postponement is coming days after the United States declined to support the favored candidate, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The organization earlier announced that the meeting would hold next week but a communication sited by AFP showed that the meeting has been postponed indefinitely. “It has come to my attention that for reasons including the health situation and current events, delegations will not be in a position to take a formal decision on 9 November,” the head of the selection committee told member states. “I am therefore postponing this meeting until further notice during which period I will continue to undertake consultations with delegations,” he added....

Trump Thanks Nigerians in Onitsha Who Marched for Him, Describes it as ‘A Great Honour’

3Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Elections, News, Nigeria, United States of America

Trump Thanks Nigerians in Onitsha Who Marched for Him, Describes it as ‘A Great Honour’

United States President, Donald Trump on Tuesday thanked a group of Nigerians in Onitsha, Anambra State who held a campaign in his honour. Trump took a break from his presidential poll to repost a video of the rally on his verified Twitter handle on Tuesday with the tag, “A parade for me in Nigeria, a great honour.” https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1323680963310866435 A group in Onitsha held a pro-Trump rally during which they rallied support for the incumbent president who is seeking a second term in office against opposition candidate, Joe Biden in the ongoing election. The group wore white and blue uniform as they waved the United States flag alongside banners with varied messages such as, “Make America Great Again”, “President Trump: America Needs A Man ...

US Forces Rescue Kidnapped American in Nigeria

31Oct

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Africa, Armed Forces, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Terrorism, United States of America

US Forces Rescue Kidnapped American in Nigeria

US military forces has rescued an American citizen in Nigeria, the Pentagon stated on Saturday, days after he was kidnapped by gunmen in the south of neighbouring Niger and apparently taken across the border. The hostage, Philip Walton, was kidnapped on Monday night at Massalata, a village about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the border with Nigeria. Walton is safe and in the care of the US State Department, the Pentagon said in a statement released on Saturday. US forces did not suffer any casualties in the rescue operation, it added. “The United States is committed to the safe return of all US citizens taken captive,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a separate statement. “We delivered on that commitment late last night in Nigeria, where some of our bravest and most ski...

Opinion: 5 Reasons Why President Trump won’t Support Okonjo-Iweala as Next WTO Director General – Blessing Mene

31Oct

By adminNo Comments

Africa, China, Economy, Features, Finance, Nigeria, Trade, United States of America, Women Empowerment

Opinion: 5 Reasons Why President Trump won’t Support Okonjo-Iweala as Next WTO Director General – Blessing Mene

This is an opinion article by Blessing Mene. People who want Okonjo-Iweala to become the next WTO Director-General mostly are excited about the prospect of the first female & African to lead the WTO. But President Trump doesn't think that way, here are five secret reasons why President Trump won't support Okonjo-Iweala: 1. He thinks from the perspective of Nationalism and his biggest interest is to have a WTO leader who will stand up to China and other countries leveraging loopholes in the WTO to supposedly "take advantage" of America. Look at how Trump is reshaping to the US Supreme Court and Federal Courts. 2. President Trump's a radical conservative who is currently looking to end the influence of liberals and globalism. That's why he got elected in the first place. He doesn'...