Contrary to reports that the Minister of State For Foreign Affairs, Khadija Ibrahim, has resigned, Ms Ibrahim has said that her resignation takes effect from Monday, January 14.
She disclosed her resignation during the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Her resignation follows her intention to contest for House of Representatives in her home state, Yobe.
She was appointed as a minister by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadija Bukar-Abba, says no Nigerian was killed in the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The minister disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on what the Nigerian Government is doing to protect its citizens in South Africa from attacks.
She said the government would send a delegation to the country to ascertain what the issues were with the aim of finding solutions.
After the last xenophobic attack in April 2015 where 10 deaths were recorded and properties looted or destroyed, Nigerians in South Africa are still seeking compensation for destroyed properties.
However, Bukar-Abba told the committee that no compensation has been paid by the government.
The committee expressed displeasure at the manner with which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has so far handled the crisis.
A member of the committee, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, called for hard hitting actions from Nigeria to address what has become a regular occurrence in South Africa.
The Nigerian community, led by Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, said they had reported the incident to the Nigeria Mission and South African Police.
The Senior Special Assistant to Nigeria’s President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement described the attacks as an unnecessary setback.
She advised Nigerians to be extra cautious, saying it appears the South African Government seems to have no control over the attacks.
Nigeria has appealed to the South African Government to take every step necessary to protect its citizens in the face of renewed wave of xenophobic attacks in the country.
The call was made by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadijat Bukar Abba, at a news conference in Abuja.
Mrs Abba urged Nigerians to be calm while assuring them that the government was taking steps to address the matter.
The appeal followed the protest by Nigerian students at the premises of some South African businesses in the Federal Capital Territory.
Earlier in response to a summon, South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lulu Mnguni, briefed the Foreign Affairs Ministry on what was being done by his country to stop the attacks.
The Nigerian community in South Africa had confirmed the attacks and looting of Nigerian-owned businesses in Pretoria West in South Africa.
The group, led by Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, said that they had reported the incident to the Nigeria Mission and South African Police.
She advised Nigerians to be extra cautious, saying it appears the South African Government seems to have no control over the attacks.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has concluded plans for the National Assembly bye election in Yobe State slated for Saturday the 23rd of April 2016.
The election will be held in Damaturu, Gujba, Gulani and Tarmuwa Federal Constituency.
INEC Spokesman in Yobe State, Bagudu Mma, while briefing journalists on the level of preparation ahead of the election said the non-sensitive materials have been distributed to all the affected Local Governments, while the sensitive materials will be distributed on Friday.
He said all logistics and security arrangements have been concluded and assured of a hitch-free exercise.
The INEC spokesman also said corps members among other adhoc staff have been recruited and trained for the exercise.
He further revealed that the people of Gujba Local Government Area will cast their votes in Damaturu, considering the security threat in the area, while the people in the other three council areas will hold the exercise within their jurisdiction.
The National Assembly bye election will be conducted to fill the vacant seat left by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar Ibrahim, before her appointment to serve in President Buhari’s cabinet.
Nigeria is seeking partnership with the British Government to combat crude oil theft through the tracking of movement of ships by the Global Insurance Company, Lloyds of London.
The Federal Government sought the partnership at a meeting with a delegation from the UK, led by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Ibrahim, at the meeting said Nigeria’s major areas of interest for partnership were economic development, corruption and security.
Mrs Ibrahim said that oil and gas had been the main areas in which the United Kingdom and Nigeria have had a lot of trade relationship. But unfortunately, now that the price of the crude oil has gone down, Nigeria is seeking to diversify in areas of agriculture and mining.
“We seek more trade relationships with the United Kingdom in the areas of agriculture and mining.
“There is no sound economy without security in the country, no investors will come to a country where there is consistent war and terrorism, no investor will be safe with insecurity and terrorism.
“Since the Boko Haram insurgency, there’s been less investment in Nigeria, but with the assistance of the United Kingdom, I think it will come a long way in helping to assist Nigeria in fighting Boko Haram menace,” she said.
The British High Commissioner, however, said that the British Government was working on returning stolen assets to Nigeria and was already encouraging investors to come to Nigeria while work is on to stop the insurgency in the north.
“Personally, we are looking forward to cooperating with Nigerian Government by bringing together Lloyds of London and the Nigerian Government to see what we can do in that area.
“On the economy, part of my job is to encourage British investors to come to Nigeria to invest in the country, to create jobs and employment.
“We are hopeful that the new economy team will provide the right economic environment and send a right signal and message that will encourage investors to come to Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Arkwright, further said that the oil theft issue would be looked into.
The House of Representatives has called on the South African government to begin plans for adequate compensation for Nigerian victims of the xenophobic attacks.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the call while meeting with the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Louis Mnguni, in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday.
The lawmakers believe it is not enough to recall Nigeria’s envoy or go to the International Criminal Court (ICC) but it would be proper to compensate those who suffered losses as a result of the violence.
Meanwhile, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi has also condemned the Xenophobic attacks on Africans and other foreign nationals, calling on the Nigerian government to remind the South African government of a possible consequence on their investments in Nigeria if such attacks continued.
Nigeria’s Consul General in South Africa, Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke, also noted that Eight Nigerians had so far indicated interest in returning home due to the nationalistic attacks.
She told Channels Television that “the Nigerian Mission is already working with them to facilitate their journey back home”.
In a joint raid by the Police and Army on a Johannesburg hostel on Wednesday, the South African authorities arrested 11 men suspected of involvement in violence against immigrants.
Nigeria’s Consul General in South Africa, Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke, says eight Nigerians have so far indicated interest in returning home due to xenophobic attacks.
Ambassador Okeke told Channels Television that “the Nigerian mission is already working with them to facilitate their journey back home”.
The Nigerians are presently at the deportation holding facility at Limbola, South Africa.
According to the envoy, leaders of the Nigerian Union in the nine provinces of South Africa in conjunction with the Nigerian mission in South Africa have worked out a Vigilance Defence Mechanism to protect Nigerians.
Ambassador Okeke said that while the attacks had reduced, Nigerians have been, however, advised to be vigilant in spite of the current development.
Meanwhile, a Nigerian envoy in South Africa had earlier ruled out the possibility of immediate evacuation of citizens from the nation.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, had earlier assured Nigerians in South Africa that all will be done to restore peace and safety of their lives and property in the country.
The Minister, however, addressed the social challenges that he said were underlying causes to the xenophobic attacks such as poverty and ignorance.
“It is sad that Africans can exert such inhumanity against themselves at this time when growth is needed most in the continent,” he said.
Obanikoro also commended the group of South Africans that protested against the attacks. He said that more of such interventions are needed to reduce and eventually eliminate such xenophobic tendencies.
Eleven persons suspected to have been part of the anti-immigrants’ attacks were arrested on Wednesday by South African authorities.
The South African government has vowed to crack down strongly on the unrest, deploying soldiers to the streets.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, has assured Nigerians in South Africa that all will be done to restore peace and safety of their lives and property in the country.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Obanikoro said there is ongoing cooperation with South African authorities to keep the situation under control.
The Minister, however, addressed the social challenges that are underlying causes to the xenophobic attacks such as poverty and ignorance.
It is sad that Africans can exert such inhumanity against themselves at this time when growth is needed most in the continent, he said.
Obanikoro also commended the group of South Africans that protested against the attacks. He said that more of such interventions are needed to reduce and eventually eliminate such xenophobic tendencies.
South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba and the Premier of Kwazulu Natal, Senzo Mchunu, have held a town-hall meeting with members of various communities as part of efforts to resolve the crisis.
A high crime rate and a lack of jobs, among other things, have been blamed on foreigners by some indigenes. A recent statement by the Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelinthini, on too many foreigners in the country has not helped. The king has since said he was quoted out of context.
The Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, will be among some African leaders that will participate in a meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council scheduled to hold in Kenya on Tuesday.
A statement by a spokesman for President Jonathan, Ruben Abati, said that the President would travel to Nairobi on Monday.
The Nairobi meeting is a follow-up to talks by President Jonathan and other African leaders at Pretoria, South Africa, in May on joint action against terrorism.
The meeting will receive and consider the report of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Africa.
Deliberations at the Nairobi Summit and the adoption of the African Chairperson’s Report by President Jonathan, President Uhuru Kenyatta and other participating Heads of State are expected to lead to more collaborative actions by Nigeria and other African countries in the fight against terrorism.
It is aimed solely at riding the continent of acts of terrorism and violent extremism.
According to the statement, the Nigerian President will be accompanied to the Nairobi Summit by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed, the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and other advisers and aides.
The team will return to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, at the conclusion of the meeting on Tuesday.
