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Blinken Unveils Lekki’s ‘american Corner
The United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has commissioned the ‘American Corner’‘. American Corners’ serve as regional resource centres for information and programs highlighting American culture, history, current events, and government.
According to the U.S. Embassy, since 2000, the U.S. has launched 245 American Corners in approximately 60 countries.
The facility commissioned on Wednesday braced the United States of America President, Joe Biden’s policy to propel digital transformation and foster a digital ecosystem in Sub-Saharan Africa.
It further sought to elevate Nigeria’s youth innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity.
The US Secretary of State on Tuesday in a meeting with President Bola Tinubu said the US government is willing to support Nigeria in its social investment programmes to ease the hardship occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy.
While expressing support for Nigeria’s economic reforms, he noted the short-term impact on vulnerable communities, saying the meeting explored ways to cushion the hardships.
He said, “We welcome the President’s bold reforms to unify the currency and end fuel subsidy. We also recognise that in the short term, these reforms created pain for vulnerable communities.
“I spoke about some ways that the United States can support Nigerians while the government carries out these essential reforms and works to protect those who may, again in the short term, be negatively affected.”
Blinken said the Biden administration is eager to continue its investing streak in Nigeria’s health sector, having invested over $8.5bn in the last five years towards HIV and tuberculosis prevention, care and treatment and in strengthening the system.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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