Connect with us
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two freight agents at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos alleged attempt to smuggle 26.20kg cannabis.
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that the consignment which was concealed in cereal packs was smuggled through the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) shed for export to Dubai, UAE.
He said that the consignment was abandoned at the shed before the airport security transferred it to NDLEA.
According to him, further investigation by the agency led to the arrest of one Olatunbosun Abimbola, 34,
“The suspect who works at Ashadox Logistics Services, a cargo company, was arrested on Friday.
“He confessed to the crime but stated that he acted on the instructions of his Managing Director, Oloyede Abiola, who was promptly arrested.
“The 40-year-old indigene of Ibadan West Local Government Area of Oyo State claimed that due to the strict security measures put in place by the NDLEA, he was forced to abandon the cargo to avoid being detected, ” he said.
Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the anti-narcotic officers of MMIA Command for their resilience.
Marwa charged them and others across the country to remain vigilant and committed to the collective goal of saving Nigeria from drug scourge.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, met separately with several Foreign Ministers of the countries participating in the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed met with Dr. Faisal Mekdad, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Syria; Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates; Stanley Kakubo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Zambia; Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of the Republic of Kosova; and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and his counterparts discussed various issues on the agenda of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly and exchanged views on regional and international developments.
During the meetings, the parties reviewed the bilateral cooperation and partnership between the UAE and these countries in various sectors, including sustainability, energy, renewable energy, food security, economy, education, tourism, investment and culture.
HH also briefed the ministers on the UAE's efforts to combat climate change and its preparations to host the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in 2023.
The meetings were attended by Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State; Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations, and Omar Saif Ghobash, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Cultural Affairs and Public Diplomacy
Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State, met with William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Sheikh Shakhboot conveyed greetings to Ruto from the President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
The two sides affirmed their efforts to strengthen the ties between the UAE and Kenya and open new horizons for cooperation in vital areas serving both peoples.
Sheikh Shakhboot and President Ruto also reviewed the opportunities available for sustainable partnerships in energy, development, agriculture, transportation and economy.
They also discussed regional and global issues of importance and coordination between the UAE and Kenya at the UN Security Council, in which both countries serve terms as elected members.
Sheikh Shakhboot affirmed the UAE's enthusiasm to continue consultations with Kenya and all African member states.
He also affirmed the UAE's desire to formulate positions that support common interests, achieve stability and establish peace, especially regarding African files on the Council's agenda.
The UAE delegation attended the fifth day of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, today participated in a ministerial-level meeting hosted by the United States with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Yemen.
Al Marar also met with Geir Pedersen, Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Syria.
For his part, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State, met with His Majesty King Mswati III of Eswatini and Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Presidential Affairs of South Sudan .
He also had productive discussions with Cristina Duarte, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Africa, and Michael Moussa Adamo, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Gabonese Republic.
In addition, Sheikh Shakhboot met with former Nigerian President Mahamadou Issoufou, Chairman of the UN High-Level Panel on Security and Development in the Sahel.
He also participated in an event organized by the Hedayah Center on efforts to counter extremism and best practices for rehabilitation and reintegration.
For his part, Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State, met with Ali Sabry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka.
Also today, Omar Saif Ghobash, Deputy Minister of Culture and Public Diplomacy, met with Frederick Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Service of the Bahamas, and Rodolfo Sabonge, Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).
Sultan Al Shamsi, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development Affairs, participated in the UN High-Level Virtual Side Event on "Diasporas as Key Partners in the Humanitarian Development-Peace Nexus".
Al Shamsi also attended UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' high-level event on ending the COVID-19 pandemic through equitable access to testing, treatment and vaccines.
He also attended the high-level launch event for the new "Women in Conflict Zones" initiative to empower women in societies affected by conflict, war and poverty.
In addition, Yacoub Yousef Al Hosani, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Organization Affairs, participated in a ministerial meeting of the Group of 77 (G77)
The UAE, through its humanitarian agencies and in cooperation with the Somali Disaster Management Authority (SoDMA) and other authorities, continues to distribute aid to the local population and displaced persons in the areas worst affected by the drought, including the Mahas and Mataban regions in Hiran Governorate.
, Hirshabelle State.
This aid is part of efforts to distribute more than 1,000 tons of relief supplies to the Somali people.
He arrived on an Emirati aid ship at the port of Mogadishu to help meet the needs of an estimated 2.5 million people affected by drought.
Food and relief supplies have been distributed to more than 1,330 displaced and affected families in Bal'ad district in Hirshabelle state, more than 400 families in Hudur city and 470 families in Baidoa, the capital of the southwestern region.
from Somalia.
This aid is part of a plan to distribute relief supplies in cooperation with relevant Somali ministries and agencies, notably the Somalia Disaster Management Agency.
Somalia is one of the countries in the Horn of Africa most affected by the drought currently plaguing the region.
The drought facing Somalia is the worst in decades, and there are warnings that the drought will turn into famine.
The United Nations World Meteorological Organization has forecast that the country will brace for a fifth consecutive unsuccessful rainy season.
According to estimates by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than seven million Somalis face humanitarian challenges and are in need of food aid.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met separately with various foreign ministers of the countries participating in the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. His Highness met with Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia; Dr. Fuad Hussein, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq; Ilia Darchiashvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia; Naglaa Al-Manqoush, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Libya; Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada; Pekka Haavisto, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland; Vladimir Norov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan; Livia Agosti, State Secretary of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs; and Mohamed Salem Ould Marzouk, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania.
During the meetings, the parties reviewed the bilateral cooperation and partnership between the UAE and these countries in various sectors, including energy, renewable energy, food security, economy, education, tourism, investment and culture.
The meetings reviewed bilateral relations and strategic partnerships in all sectors, including economic, investment, financial, renewable energy, food security, cultural, educational and tourism, between the UAE and these countries.
The meetings also reviewed the global efforts made to combat the climate, especially with the UAE hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in 2023.
The Ministers also discussed various issues on the agenda of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and exchanged views on regional and international developments.
In a related context, the UAE Foreign Minister met with David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Program (WFP).
Sheikh Abdullah and Beasley discussed the joint cooperation between the UAE and the World Food Program as part of the country's commitment to multilateral action in the face of emergency humanitarian crises and working to provide necessary support to the most affected communities.
The meetings were attended by Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education; Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State; Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; and Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations, and Ambassador Mohamed Abu Shehab, Deputy Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations.
On the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, President Wavel Ramkalawan also held bilateral talks with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, HE Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan.
The meeting was held at the Seychelles Mission in New York. On behalf of Seychelles, President Ramkalawan conveyed sincere thanks to the UAE government for all the support provided to Seychelles so far and the country's willingness to further consolidate bilateral relations through new avenues of cooperation.
"Seychelles is willing to engage with the UAE in new fields of cooperation of mutual interest and we are incredibly grateful for the ever-growing ties of friendship and partnership that exist between our two governments," said President Ramkalawan.
The Minister of the United Arab Emirates, HE Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, for his part expressed the will of the Government of the United Arab Emirates to further enhance the partnership from country to country and, at the same time, extend its support to a nation exemplary island nation like Seychelles, which leads in key domains not only in Africa but on the global platform.
Sheikh Shakboot gave the good news and confirmed that the UAE will implement Phase Two of the Barbarons Housing project, which includes a new batch of 40 Units.
Other topics discussed included border control, Renewable Energy Projects for Mahe, Praslin and La Digue, the construction of the Early Childhood Care centre, the Drug Rehabilitation project and the ongoing St. Mary's hospital project.
The meeting in New York served as an important opportunity for the two leaders to review and agree on the way forward and expected timeline for previously agreed projects.
HE President Adama Barrow, on Monday, September 19, 2022, received the Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Nahyan Bin Mubarak, while he was in New York to participate in UNGA77.
During the meeting which was aimed at strengthening the already existing relations between his two countries, President Barrow emphasized the importance of partnerships that would improve the livelihoods of Gambians, saying: “We want partners who invest in areas that would impact the lives of the Gambians.
our people".
For his part, Minister Mubarak expressed his country's desire to partner with Gambia in the mutual interest of both countries.
The two leaders discussed the UAE's involvement in the use of port operators in the maritime domain, the ratification of the UAE and The Gambia treaty, agricultural development, financing of OIC projects and the situation of Gambian detainees in the United Arab Emirates.
The President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, received the credentials of several new ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi.
The President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed, welcomed the ambassadors and wished them success in their missions to further cooperative and friendly relations between the UAE and their respective countries.
He then reaffirmed the UAE's enthusiasm to deepen its relations with other countries on the basis of mutual respect, promotion of common interests, and work for the development and prosperity of peoples, as well as support for peace and stability at the regional and global levels.
In turn, the newly appointed ambassadors conveyed greetings from their leaders and heads of state to the President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and their wishes for further prosperity for the UAE and the people from him.
They also expressed their joy at working in the United Arab Emirates and their enthusiasm to strengthen their countries' relations with them at all levels.
The ceremony was attended by His Highness Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Special Affairs Advisor to the Presidential Court; and various ministers and officials.
The new ambassadors included Fernando Figueirinhas, Ambassador of the Republic of Portugal; Jakub Kasper Sławek; Ambassador of the Republic of Poland; Ramunas Davidonis, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania; Abdulaziz Akulov, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Zhang Yiming, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China; Antonis Alexandridis, Ambassador of the Republic of Greece; Abdel Rahman Ahmed Khaled Sharafi, Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan; Bogdan Octavian Badeka, Ambassador of the Republic of Romania; José Agüero Ávila, Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay; Garang Garang Diing, Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan; Dmytro Senik, Ambassador of the Republic of Ukraine; Patricio Díaz Broughton, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile; Natalia Al Mansour, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia; Alexander Schönfelder, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany; Antoine Delcourt, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium; Seveso Mlandovo, Ambassador of the Kingdom of eSwatini; Alison Milthon, Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland; Anders Bjorn Hansen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark; Willy Alberto, Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala; and Marie Ngica Obombo, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, sent a written letter to His Excellency João Manuel Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, congratulating him on his re-election.
The letter was delivered to President Lourenço by His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, who attended the inauguration of His Excellency João Manuel Lourenço in Luanda.
His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan conveyed to His Excellency President Lourenço the congratulations of the President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and their sincere wishes that the President of Angola for success and for the Angolan people to achieve their aspirations for prosperity and development.
In turn, President Lourenço returned these wishes to President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, wishing the government and people of the UAE further growth and development.
In addition, His Excellency President Lourenço praised the growth of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Angola, underlining Angola's enthusiasm to improve these ties in all fields.
In a speech, His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan also underlined the close relations that bind the UAE and the Republic of Angola in all fields, emphasizing the UAE's enthusiasm to strengthen and elevate bilateral cooperation to achieve the aspirations of the two countries and peoples.
