Day: May 22, 2023

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has called for concerted effort in ensuring protection of civilians during armed conflicts through peace support operations.

Yahaya, who was represented by the Chief of Training (Army), Maj. -Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi, said this at the inauguration of the Protection of Civilian Course 2023, on Monday in Abuja.

The 2-Weeks course was organised by the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre (MLAILPKC) in partnership with UNDP and Government of Japan for participants from Nigeria and some ECOWAS countries.

The COAS said that conflicts in the 21st century were becoming more complex in nature, hence the need for holistic approaches, evolving both kinetic and non kinetic means for conflict prevention as well as protection of lives and property.

He said the course was conceived by the UN Security Council to forestall the past experiences of genocides and mass murders in some conflicts.

“So as to ensure the pro-activeness of peacekeepers in the aspects of protection of civilians in all peace support operations.

The course is vital in building the capacity of participants to compliment the efforts in building capacity to protect unarmed civilians, including women and children in multidimensional peace, support operations environment.”

According to him, it will also facilitate the return of peace, security and normalcy in conflicted societies and environments.

“This course will aid you to understand activities of non-governmental organisations and other mission partners in the protection of civilians, thus creating synergy and seamless operations, while working with other peace support operation mission partners,” he said.

The Commandant, MLAILPKC, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Udiandye, said contemporary dynamics of conflict had necessitated good peace support operations with special focus on the protection of civilians.

Udiandye said the UN Security Council had since 1999, added the protection of civilians in armed conflict to its agenda, thereby formally recognising it as a matter of international peace and security.

He said the UNSC resolutions 1265 had enhanced compliance with applicable international laws and relevant decisions in the conduct of hostilities.

The aim, according to him, is to facilitate access to humanitarian assistance, protect possibly displaced persons, particularly women and children during hostilities, respond to violations through targeted measures, as well as promote accountability of the process.

He said the course would focus on social, political, religious, economic, environmental and humanitarian factors in support of African peacekeepers and indeed world Peacekeepers in multidimensional peace operations.

“The course, which is a response to the wakeup call by the UN on the need to forestall the experiences of genocide and most murders in conflict areas, as was the case in Rwanda as well as the international organizations

“To ensure that activeness of peacekeepers in the aspect of protection of civilians in all peace support operations is undertaken.

“It was necessitated and designed to be in line with the UN program of improving protection of civilian amongst peacekeepers.

“The course will therefore expose the participants to improved cordial relations with crosscutting actors and help to enhance existing understanding in carrying out your duties during the two weeks course,” he said.

The former Chief of Defence Staff and Chairman, Governing Council of MLAILPKC, retired Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, said that conflicts had become more dynamic because of several factors.

Agwai said that the military, who were equipped to restore peace and security, had the responsibility of ensuring that unarmed civilians in conflict areas were protected.

He said the first set of casualties in any conflict were women and children, and advocated increased involvement of women in peace support operations.

He urged participants to take advantage of the course to equip themselves with the requisite capacity to protect civilians in during arm conflicts.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants were drawn from the armed forces of Nigeria and other ECOWAS member countries.

The participating countries include the Gambia, Mali, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Benin Republic and Sierra Leone.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Monday said that it didn’t ask prospective pilgrims for the 2023 hajj to pay additional 100 dollars.

The Deputy Director, Information and Publications, NAHCON, Malam Mousa Ubandawaki, made this known in a statement in Abuja.

Ubandawaki said” it has come to the notice of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) of a trending news item or information that the pilgrims to this year’s Hajj have been directed to pay additional 100 dollars.

” It is important to clarify that the Sudan crisis which has resulted in the closure of its airspace for security reasons.

” Consequently, all hajj transportation flights will operate through alternate routes which are from one hour 40 minutes to three hours longer depending on the departure points in Nigeria.”

He said that the alternate route would necessitate the air carriers to fly through the airspace of Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

” This will result to an additional cost of aviation fuel and over flight charges which we thoroughly reviewed all of the options in relations to funding the additional 250 dollars to the airlines which involved several processes.

” We held meetings with the airlines, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the state pilgrims welfare boards in order to find a quick resolution to the problems.

” The commission therefore resolved to manage the situation thus: NAHCON solicited the Federal Government to compassionately agree to waive the remaining 35 per cent of aviation charges in favour of Airlines which would translate to 55 dollars.

” This would further alleviate the additional cost of the airfare on the Nigerian pilgrims,” he said.

Ubandawaki said that government had earlier waived 65 per cent of the aviation charges to bring down the cost of hajj.

” With this development, the 250 dollars addition negotiated with the airlines will be reduced by 55 dollars. The liability of the remaining 195 dollars will be borne by the 75,000 pilgrims which is calculated at 117 dollars per pilgrim.

” To offset the 117 dollars without causing additional financial obligations on the pilgrims, the commission resolved to reduce the Basic Travelling Allowance (BTA) for pilgrims to 700 dollars against 800 dollars provided in the hajj package already paid by the pilgrims,” he said.

He explained that for the remaining 17 dollars, NAHCON further sought understanding of the air carriers to offer that amount as additional discount to Nigerian pilgrims who are also victims of the Sudan airspace closure.

” We however hasten to clarify that should the Sudanese airspace be cleared for normal flight either before the commencement of the transportation of pilgrims or at any point of the operation, appropriate refunds will be made to the pilgrims.

” What is playing out from the trending news is but a misrepresentation of fact. We want to make it clear that the commission will never be part of any act that will exploit the pilgrims.

” The commission has always made itself available to the media and the pilgrims to offer its maximum support and cooperation in provision of information.”

Ubandawaki reiterated the commitment of the commission to ensure smooth transportation of Nigerian pilgrims and give them the best of services in the course of administering this year’s hajj.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Ki Hong Kim, President and Founder of World Taekwondo Masters Union, on Saturday in Abuja said he was in Nigeria to improve the kukkiwon aspect of taekwondo.

Kim arrived in Nigeria days earlier for the ongoing National President’s Cup Open Taekwondo Championship organised by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF).

He will train athletes and coaches on the sidelines of the event.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kukkiwon is a government-sponsored national academy for taekwondo with its certification the only taekwondo certificates accepted internationally.

Athletes who seek to participate in the Olympics, national and international events must possess kukkiwon certification.

Kim, who is a grand master of the sport and a kukkiwon 9th Dan, said the Union was working with the NTF to ensure certifications for its athletes.

“The Union is mainly focused on studies, which is the kukkiwon-certified programme, and we are here in Nigeria to support the NTF in what they are doing.

“Nigeria has lots of potential in the sport and we hope that we can help improve that number as well as skills through kukkiwon certification.

“The previous administration was focused on kirougi which is the fighting aspect of the game but we have seen that this present administration are focusing also on the kukkiwon aspect of the game.

“‘With both kirougi and kukkiwon programmes, we can improve the game effectively at the grassroots,” Kim said.

The taekwondo veteran also called for support from the government and corporate sponsors to improve the game in the country.

Meanwhile, a total of 192 athletes are participating in the three-day President’s Cup competition at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

The event is expected to end on Sunday.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria