Article: Nigeria Venturing Into The Nuclear Age

By Emeka Chiakwelu

Nuclear energy and nuclear technology can be of great aid to Nigeria in her endeavor to supply steady, reliable and clean energy for her domestic electric consumption. Without doubt Nigeria at this stage of her industrial stage must do something about the paucity of electricity to power her industries and residential homes. Nuclear technology with its entire prospect has its challenges that must be appreciated and be given the requisite attention in order to avoid any catastrophe. Nigeria must do thorough feasibility study, and comprehend the convoluted technology, and implement the intricate precautionary measures and mechanisms required to operate a highly sophisticated technology.

News Release: Republic Of Congo Formalizes Afreximbank Membership, Commits To Boosting Intra-African Trade

President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo yesterday in Brazzaville announced his country’s commitment to supporting the development of intra-African trade and industrialisation of the continent.

President Nguesso, who was speaking in his office when he presented the instrument of ratification of Congo’s accession to the Establishment Agreement of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to Dr. Benedict Oramah, President of the Bank, said that Congo would support Afreximbank’s strategy to increase trade among African countries and industrialize Africa.

Article: A Country Of Anything Goes

Alex Badeh

By Chido Onumah

(This piece is an excerpt from an upcoming book: We are all Biafrans – A Participant-Observer’s Interventions in a Country Sleeping Walking to Disaster.)

I had a few sleepless nights last week. It had nothing to do with the searing heat in the country or the epileptic power supply by Nigeria’s eternally dysfunctional electricity company. My discomfiture had to do with the report about the heist at the Nigerian Air Force. The dizzying allegations of sustained robbery by the officers in charge, though not completely surprising, left me breathless. I ruminated on the trial of Alex Badeh. I reflected on the figures, did the math, and was driven to despair.

Article: Matters Arising On Osun State LCDAs

By Abiodun Komolafe

It's no longer news that some 31 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), 3 Area Councils and two Administrative Offices were recently created in Osun State  by the Rauf Aregbesola-led administration. As Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in the Bola Tinubu-led administration when Lagos State had its LCDA experience, one can safely state that Aregbesola has garnered experience sufficient enough to help him drive the newly-created lower-tier administrative units in Osun State.

Article: The Media Imagination in Nigeria’s Foreign Policy

By Chido Onumah

The recent visit of President Jacob Zuma of South Africa to Nigeria presented an opportunity to rehash the view that Nigeria has not been given its due recognition in Africa. Of course, as expected, Mr. Zuma in his speech to the joint session of Nigeria’s National Assembly did touch on Nigeria’s role in the fight against Apartheid and its historical role in Africa. According to Mr. Zuma, “The people of Nigeria provided unwavering support and solidarity to the people of South Africa to unseat the last bastion of colonialism in Africa and enable us to attain our freedom.”

Article: Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) Needs Adaptive Reconciliation

By  Emeka  Chiakwelu

The much debated and contentious Petroleum Industry Bill 2012 (PIB) is a quantum leap in the remaking of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, if and when it becomes the law of the land.  Some Nigerians deemed the bill controversial because many of them have not read the bill but rather depend on the opposition of the bill to propagate their incoherence and distortions.  One thing for sure, the government of Nigeria must be applauded for initiating the task to reform and make some crucial changes in the most important sector of Nigerian economy.  The bill is not perfect; nevertheless it will re-launch the deteriorated sector into a solidify reformed and streamlined entity.

News Release: 1000 Young Nigerians To Receive N500million Naira Grant For Start Ups

Over 1000 Nigerians will this year be beneficiaries of N500Million Naira Grant seed capital set aside for young Nigerian entrepreneurs and students.

Article: Erratic Monetary Policy And Illiquidity In Nigeria

By Emeka Chiakwelu

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the country’s supremely reserve bank has made a decision of hiking the interest rate from 11% to 12%. It was puzzling to many financial and monetary observers because it was less than three months that CBN reduced the interest rate from 13% to 11%. Then it appeared that the monetary policy was gearing towards enhancement of liquidity, but the latest u-turn has thrown cold water to the pursuit of liquidity.

News Release: Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)’s News Release On Nigeria Defence Headquarters

On Monday, the 21st of March 2016, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters represented by General Abayomi Olonisakin inaugurated what it called a 12-man committee on human rights. It is not clear if the Defence Headquarters is acting based on Section-5(1) CAP A20 L.F.N. 2004 or that General Olonisakin is trying to save the life and career of the  never-retiring Lt.-Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai who will end up at the prison yard, courtesy of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, just like his Commander-in-Chief, Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari would soon go to jail as well in The Hague for human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings. During the inauguration of the so-called human rights committee, General Olonisakin noted that “each member of the committee was invited to look into the complaints of human rights abuses leveled against the military” and “urged the committee to expand their focus beyond the North East, to also include other areas of contention including the issues emanating from clashes with the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and Rivers State election rerun amongst others.”

Article: Between Governor Ayodele Fayose And INEC

By Jacob Dosunmu

It is a known fact that no democracy survives without a conscious well organized opposition party, suffice to say there is need to have a virile opposition party that will serve as check against the excesses of any sitting government. It is however imperative that any attempt to ensure the forgoing be founded on profound concerns, to propel better direction to the leadership.

News Release: Afreximbank Urges Twinning Between Chinese Industrial Parks And African Cities

Afreximbank Executive Vice President Dr. George Elombi (left) in handshake with Mayor Qu Futian of Suzhou during Afreximbank delegation visit to Suzhou Industrial Park in China.

The establishment of twinning arrangements between leading industrial parks in China and African cities with industrial aspirations would help to accelerate the industrialization of the continent, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has proposed. 

Article: AFRIPOL Supports Buhari‘S Opposition To Naira Devaluation

By An AFRIPOL Writer

Naira is gradually evolving into a ‘proxy’ and ‘puppetry’ currency to both US dollar and British pound. Therefore it is devoid of logic and not prudent to further devalue naira in this circumstance as stipulated and recommended by the overbearing IMF.  The economic managers and financial policy makers of yesteryear Nigeria failed woefully to safeguard and protect the emerging and fledgling naira currency.

News Release: Regime Atrocities Facing COAS Turkur Buratai & Retiring IGP Solomon Arase

Retiring IGP Solomon Arase

The attention of all Nigerians and members of the international community are drawn to the fact that clock is speedily ticking for the duo of the outgoing Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon E. Arase and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Turkur Buratai to account locally and internationally for “regime- atrocities” they committed while in service as Nigeria’s Police IGP and Army COAS (chief of army staff). The Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force under their commands in the country’s current democratic dispensation of President Muhammadu Buhari have recorded and still record worst human rights abuses (State killings and terror) in the country’s democratic history, to the extent that in the past ten months, over 1000 State murders are credited to their names and killer-securitization responsibilities. These they perpetrated through policy statements and issuances and conducts. Their gross incompetence and incapacities have also led to killing by malicious non State actors of over 3000 citizens in the past 10 months. As the country’s chief and auxiliary internal security providers, they incompetently failed to secure the lives of these murdered Nigerians.

News Release: The 2016 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science Awards

On March 24th2016, the international scientific community will gather for the 18th edition of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards to celebrate 5 exceptional women scientists and their groundbreaking work, as well as 15 promising young researchers. In the face of unprecedented global challenges, from climate change to healthcare to sustainable energy, their discoveries are offering new solutions and answering vital questions. They are proving time and time again that women in science have the power to change the world.

News Release: Inaugural Global Science Forum In Africa Concludes With Pledge To Bring Young Scientists Out Of The Shadows, Invest In Basic Sciences

With science taking center stage, the Next Einstein Forum’s Global Gathering, Africa’s premiere global science and technology forum, wrapped up today with a clear path forward on how best to drive development through science, technology and innovation across the continent. The event was convened by the Next Einstein Forum (NEF), an initiative of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in partnership with the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

News Release: Afreximbank, Ecobank Pledge Cooperation On Intra-African Trade Development

Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah (right) with Ade Ayeyemi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank, at the end of the Afreximbank-Ecobank Strategy meeting in Cairo.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Ecobank rose from a strategy meeting Cairo on Monday with a pledge to ensure deepened cooperation in the promotion of trade among African countries to support the economic development of the continent.

News Release: Nnamdi Kanu’s Masked Witnesses Are Suspected Awaiting Trial Persons (AWPs) In Nigerian Prisons

Kanu

The leaderships of Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) are circumstantially compelled to hold that the proposed five masked witnesses or masqueraded witnesses recruited by the DSS and the Directorate of Federal Public Prosecution to testify against Citizen Kanu and ors may most likely have been recruited from among tens of thousands of “awaiting trial persons” presently languishing in the Nigerian Prisons with delayed or without trial. The unfolding drama in the ongoing trial of Citizen Nnamdi Kanu (POC) and ors over phantom accusation of being “treasonable felons” as well as the macabre dance of Hon Justice John Tsehemba Tsoho in his trial proceedings and the Federal Government of Nigeria per DSS and Federal Directorate of Public Prosecution are a clear attestation of the fact under reference. By nature, something can never be produced from nothing. In law, he who alleges must proof and he who alleges falsely can only falsely proof as well. These explain the reasons behind the macabre dance of Hon Justice John Tsoho and other unfolding dramas under reference.

Article: Speed Limiters And The Needless Deaths On Our Highways

 By Phrank Shaibu

I have watched and read with enormous interest the on going debate on the introduction of speed  limiters for commercial drivers in Nigeria and I must confess that the augments both for and against its implementation are clear hints that Nigeria’s road safety is still traveling on a long route of seeming undefined destination.

U-Report: Alleged Kidnap Of Lawyer For Ransom By Pastor, Others Trial Stalled By Preliminary Objection

Pastor Fabian Uzodinma

Reported By A Citizen Reporter

It was legal fireworks recently at High Court 2 Owerri during the trial of Pastor Fabian Uzodinma and two others who are facing trial for the alleged kidnapping of an Owerri-based lawyer Barr Stanley Agulanna.

Article: The Politics Of Currency Devaluation

By Emeka Chiakwelu

The value and worth of a currency is determined by the wealth of a nation.  In this era of global capitalism, a wealth of nation goes beyond the conventional valuation based on the natural and human resources.  A nation’s image, perception, security and stability also played an important role in the determination of a nation’s wealth. Therefore currency and its value become the bellwether and principal indicator of the economic status and financial well being of a given nation.

News Release: How Political Traders In Nigeria Engage In Destructive Politics & Criminal Enrichment Using Pro Biafra Agitation As A Cover

The Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs), coordinated by Intersociety and comprising: International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety), Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy (CHRPA), Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC), Forum for Justice, Equity & Defense of Human Rights (FJEDHR), Society Advocacy Watch Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF), Southeast Good Governance Forum (SGGF), International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative (ITERSOLIDARITY) and Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo rights advocacy group), are alarmed and shocked by immoral activities of “political traders” and other merchandizing groups concerning pro Biafra agitation in Nigeria, which gathered currency in  October 2015.

News Release: Corpses Of Murdered IPOB Members In Aba Burrow Pits Set Ablaze And Burnt To Ashes By Suspected Agents Of The Government Of Nigeria

The leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law; supported by the Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs), is saddened, shocked and alarmed over the report of burning to ashes of 13 murdered members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) whose corpses were dumped in a burrow pit located in Asa area of  the Aba-Port Harcourt Road in Abia State. Three more corpses were also discovered recently in another burrow pit behind a Mosque, which is between the Timber Market and the Arewa Onions’ Market, near Uratta Junction along Aba-Port Harcourt Road in Abia State. The corpses were covered with leaves and soaked with chemical substances strongly suspected to be a mixture of raw acid and embalmment chemicals; for the purposes of disfigurement, erasing traces and making the corpses odorless. They are also strongly suspected to be murdered members of IPOB in Abia State and environs.

Article: Igbo Global Leadership Portraits For The 21st Century

By AFRIPOL
The rising of influential and global leaders of Igbo descent around the world from America to Europe and Russia is giving rise to an emerging Igbo Renaissance .

News Release: Anzisha Prize For Africa’s Youngest Entrepreneurs Increases Award To $100,000 And Adds $7,500 Fellowship; 2016 Applications And Nominations Now Open

The 6th Anzisha Prize application phase is now open, and the search is on to find 12 of Africa’s youngest, most innovative social and business entrepreneurs under the age of 22. Organisers are calling for more nominations from the public this year to ensure they discover the very best talent on the continent.

Article: What Happened To 1kobo, 5k, 25K, N1, N5?

By Emeka Chiakwelu

The most effective indicator for measuring and evaluating the state of a country’s economy apart from GDP is the currency of a nation. Most countries of the world keep their foreign exchange reserve in dollar.  United States dollar is the global currency of transaction and business dealings due to its effectiveness in retention of value and it’s readily convertibility.