Metro

Nigerian troops launch manhunt for new jihadist group Lukarawa as COAS vows annihilation

Published

3 days ago

November 11, 2024

Nigeria’s acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede, has vowed to dislodge the new Islamist jihadist group, Lukarawa, which has been causing havoc in Sokoto and Kebbi States in the northern region of the country.

Oluyede, who made the vow when he visited the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army in Sokoto on Sunday, assured that the military had launched a manhunt for members of the sect and in no time, they would be decimated.

Oluyede, who spoke with journalists at a press conference,
called on residents of the affected states to always give accurate and timely information to the troops to help them in the fight against insecurity.

“I am here to assess my troops. You see, there will always be challenges. The issue is how we react to these challenges. One of the reasons I am here is to charge up my soldiers to rise to the challenge, and that we shall do,” the army chief said.

“My charge to the community people is for them to support us. If we don’t get their support we can’t succeed. And if we don’t succeed that means the country won’t be secured. We need the support of Nigerians so that we can have economic prosperity in the country.

“I am here to see my soldiers to assess their state of readiness and to charge them to continue to do what they have been doing best to secure the country in general.”

While also speaking with the troops, Oluyede ordered them to crush the new terror group to send a warning to other such groups that may spring up in future.

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had last week, confirmed the emergence of the Lukarawa sect as a new terror group operating in Kebbi and Sokoto States.

The DHQ spokesman, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, in a statement, had said the terror group is affiliated with the IS and other jihadist factions in Mali and Niger.

“The emergence of the group is linked to political instability in Mali and Niger, which has fuelled the spread of extremist elements into Nigeria. He explained that this group is a direct fallout of the political instability in these neighbouring countries,” the DHQ spokesman said.

But later information claim the group allegedly comprises renegades from the Sahel region including Mali, Chad, Libya, Niger and Burkina Faso and have been actively recruiting local youths in Sokoto and Kebbi through financial inducement running into millions of naira.

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Metro

Chinese mining giant CNMC set for $1.6 billion investment in Zambia

Published

8 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A Chinese mining giant, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC), has announced the investment of over $1.6 billion in Zambia, following successful discussions with President Hakainde Hichilema at the State House on Tuesday.

CNMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wen Gang, who held the discussions with Hichilema along with the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Han Jing, confirmed the company’s commitment to furthering Zambia’s economic development.

“We are actively investing in critical sectors of Zambia’s economy,” Gang said after the meeting.

He noted that CNMC was currently pumping water from Shaft 28 at Luanshya Copper Mine, where 29.9 million cubic liters have been cleared as part of intensified dewatering efforts, adding that the company plans to inject an additional $200 million to develop a greenfield mine on the Copperbelt.

President Hichilema who welcomed CNMC’s commitment, highlighted the potential economic impact of the firm’s investment which will include job opportunities for Zambians.

“This $1.6billion investment, alongside advanced technology and expansion, will extend operations and create more jobs and opportunities for Zambians, especially in mining contracting and supply,” the President said.

He also expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for their shared commitment to fostering growth and cooperation between the two countries.

Metro

Mpox immunisation scarcity slows Kinshasa’s epidemic fight

Published

14 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A lack of mpox vaccine doses has prevented the Democratic Republic of the Congo from starting a campaign in the capital, Kinshasa, the response commander has confirmed. However, the number of cases nationwide is still rising, particularly among youngsters.

In mid-August, a new strain of pox started to spread from the Congo to neighbouring countries, prompting the WHO to declare a global health emergency. However, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, donors have been hesitant to turn their pledges into cash and vaccines.

The head of operations for Congo’s mpox control program, Cris Kacita, stated on Tuesday that the country needed more than 162,000 doses of vaccine to start a vaccination campaign in the capital, but that 53,921 doses were still available for use in prisons, where inmates are at greater risk because of unsanitary conditions.

The capital, which is home to about 20 million people, has so far been less impacted than other parts of the nation. In six other provinces, vaccination campaigns are now underway.

Along with additional shipments from Germany and the African Union, France has committed to providing 100,000 doses.

He added the arrival of vaccines was also delayed by the administrative process, which includes sending an official request, manufacturing, creating documentation and gaining import authorisations.

“As long as we don’t have the necessary quantity, it’s going to be complicated to launch (vaccination) in the 14 health zones,” Kacita told Reuters, referring to areas of Kinshasa.

According to a health ministry study, from October 28 to November 2, 1,017 new suspected cases were registered nationwide in Congo, including 45 confirmed cases and 16 fatalities.

Since children are almost four times more likely than adults to die from the new strain of mpox, the charity Save the Children warned on Wednesday that targeted vaccines were necessary to halt the virus from spreading quickly among children.

“Children are especially vulnerable to mpox – they explore by touch and taste, don’t always understand health guidance, and have weaker immune systems than adults,” Katia Vieira de Moraes LaCasse from Save the Children said.

According to Africa CDC data, there have been over 42,000 suspected cases of Mpox in the continent, with 1,100 deaths reported so far this year.

The Mpox virus can spread from person to person via intimate contact and also from place to person through objects and surfaces that a person infected with Mpox has touched.