Nigeria & Russia Sign Treaty on Criminal Matters
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Nigeria and Federation of Russia have signed a treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
The ministry explained through a statement made available by the Ministry’s Spokesperson George Edokpa, that the Treaty was negotiated in 2009 to enhance collaboration and cooperation between the two countries in the administration of criminal justice and signed in Moscow, Russia on Nov. 27, 2018.
According to the statement:
“The Treaty was signed on behalf of Nigeria by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, while Russian Acting Minister of Justice, Mr Oleg Plokhoy, signed on behalf of his country.
The Treaty on Legal Assistance in Criminal Matter is aimed at providing the necessary mechanism for cooperation in the fight against crime and criminal related matters.
These include terrorism, as well as to counter every form of support to terrorism.”
The ministry explained that the agreement would assist in the fight against corruption as it makes provision for the tracing, recovery, forfeiture or confiscation of stolen assets, as well as the proceeds and instruments of crime.
UN Adopts Nigeria’s Resolution On Education
The United Nations General Assembly on Monday adopted, by consensus, Nigeria’s resolution to proclaim January 24 every year as the ‘International Day of Education’. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all the 193-Member States of the UN General Assembly supported the Nigerian resolution, hence, there was no dissenting voice or abstention.
With its historic adoption on Monday, therefore, every January 24 will be celebrated all over the world as the International Day of Education, with the first being on January 24, 2019.
NAN also reports that the resolution, the first-ever on ‘International Day of Education’, was co-sponsored by Ireland, Singapore and Qatar, in partnership with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UN Children’s Fund, UN Women and Collegiate Congress and additional co-sponsors.
The resolution acknowledges “the importance of education for achieving sustainable development, including in the context of the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals, Agenda 21, the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation).
“Others are the Education for All goals, the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development and the Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4”.
The Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
NIS records 81,003 Non-ECOWAS Foreigners In Nigeria
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has declared that it recorded a total of 81,003 foreign nationals resident in the country, of which those from India and China, Britain, the United States and Lebanon top.
The Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, in a statement, Friday, signed by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, deputy comptroller of Immigration (DCI), Mr. Sunday James, said the disclosure is in line with agency’s ‘statutory mandate as enshrined in Section 2 (a) – (f) of the Immigration Act 2015 as amended,’ even as he assured that it will now provide a quarterly report of migrants resident in Nigeria.
The NIS also said data was obtained from the newly-introduced Visas on Arrival (VoAs) regime as well as the Temporary Work Permits (TWPs) issued from various international airports in the country.
According to the statement:
“As at August 31st 2018, the Nigeria Immigration Service has recorded a total of 81,003 non-ECOWAS foreign Nationals legally resident in Nigeria.
From available statistics, there were 2,694 United States citizens, 3,946 Britons, 17,995 Chinese, 31,660 Indians, 6,295 Lebanese and 1,295 Germans living legally in Nigeria.
Also, there were 17,118 foreign nationals from 92 other countries resident in the country.
Within the same period, 82,084 Visas on Arrival (VoAs) were issued at 6 International Airports in Nigeria and a total of 7,570 Temporary Work Permits (TWPs) were also issued by the Service.
The breakdown for the TWP is 1,492 issued to Indians, 1171 issued to Chinese, 987 issued to Britons, 1006 issued to South Africans, 641 issued to Italians, 649 issued to Ukrainians while a total of 1,624 were issued to other nationals.
The Service hereby restate its commitment to safeguarding and protecting Nigerian borders while discharging its administrative and operational duties in line with International best practices and respect for the rights of Migrants without compromising National Security.”