General News
UN Sees Jonathan, Buhari Contest as ‘Grave Test’
Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, secretary general of United Nations (UN), has expressed profound concern about the forthcoming Nigerian election, calling the presidential polls between President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), former head of State, a “grave test.”
And as the two contenders intensify their political campaigns across the country, international attention on the fate of the nation is rising even as the United Nations Security Council received a briefing on next month’s polls.
Ki-Moon, in chat with reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York, said: “We face another grave test as Nigeria readies for its election next month”
This is coming as Mohamed Ibn Chambas, his special representative in West Africa, also explained to the Security Council that the Nigerian general election is taking place in “an increasingly tense pre-electoral environment.”
Both Ki-Moon and Chambas link their worries mainly on the unrelenting Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeastern part of Nigeria.
“Boko Haram has continued its violence, killing Christians and Muslims, kidnapping even more women and children, and destroying churches and mosques. Mayhem has spread across the region, and is now having a direct impact on Cameroun and other countries,” Ki-Moon lamented.
He then urged the terrorists to cease their assault against the nation and the region, calling for the unconditional and immediate release of the Chibok girls abducted in April last year, insisting that the international community will not tolerate impunity, although he did not layout any new means of enforcing that.
“I urge Boko Haram’s leaders to end the destruction of so many lives and communities, and immediately and unconditionally release the kidnapped school girls and boys and all others. The international community cannot let human rights abuses continue with impunity. This is my personal appeal, as a father and grandfather. And as Secretary-General of the United Nations, I will continue to actively explore with member states what more can be done,” he added.
On the same day at another function at the UN the Security Council, which is the body’s highest organ, was also being briefed ahead of next month’s polls by a top official representing the Secretary-General at the Council meeting.
According to the official Ibn Chambas: “About a month from now, Nigerians will go to the polls for the presidential and legislative elections. The general election is taking place against a backdrop of violent insurgency by Boko Haram in the North-east and sectarian conflicts in the North Central and the North West as well as an increasingly tense pre-electoral environment.”
He specifically told the Council, which has Nigeria as a current non-permanent member, that the conduct of polls throughout the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa where the insurgency is very active “will present a formidable challenge.”
“The risk of pre-and post-electoral violence requires the international community to engage further with Nigeria, to address its ongoing challenges and to support the holding of credible and peaceful elections throughout the country”, Chambas said.
It is considered rather unusual in the UN diplomatic community here in New York, that a country which is a member of the Council is also now a security concern and subject to the Council.
Chambas continued that the West African region remains vulnerable to insecurity and terrorist threats. He restated the now well-known fact that civilian populations in the three northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe have over the past six months “been subjected to intense attacks and systematic human rights violations, including razing civilian settlements, kidnappings, suicide bombings, assassinations,” among others.
He disclosed that the death toll of this vicious violence, most of which has been attributed to Boko Haram, “is staggering, and counter-insurgency measures have failed to provide adequate protection of civilians.”
Regarding the Chibok girls, Chambas told the Security Council that since the abduction of over 200 of those schoolgirls from Chibok (Borno State) the international community has been supporting the Nigerian government’s efforts to address the problem.
He disclosed that the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force will hold the first in a series of workshops for law enforcement officials on human rights, the rule of law and prevention of terrorism during the third week ofthis month.
Chambas also reported that in his capacity as the Secretary-General’s High Level Representative to Nigeria, he visited the country in November and December to consult with high level government officials and other stakeholders “with a view to building consensus to face the threat of Boko Haram and to assess the potential of electoral-related violence.”
While the Boko Haram insurgency is deeply rooted in Nigeria, it is increasingly spilling across the borders into Cameroun, Niger and Chad, he observed.
He said more than 300,000 Nigerians have sought refuge in northwestern
Cameroun and southwestern Niger, adding pressure on the local economies in those countries and destabilizing the internal security.
Chambas, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria-Cameroun Mixed Commission on the issue of Bakassi, said the “insecurity in the Northeast of Nigeria has also seriously impeded the activities of the Cameroun-Nigeria Mixed Commission, in particular, its critical field assessments.”
Sextortion scams have become so widespread that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is sending agents to Nigeria to help track down the perpetrators.
The agency’s “Operation Artemis” has led to the arrest of 22 Nigerians, half of whom are “directly linked” to sextortion incidents in which victims died by suicide.
Sextortion scams often begin on social media, where perpetrators pose as attractive young women to lure victims—typically unsuspecting teenage boys—into sending nude photos or explicit videos.
Once the images are obtained, the scammers turn to blackmail, threatening to leak the content unless the victim pays up.
In some cases, the sextortion results in teenage victims taking their own lives over fear of the nudes leaking.
In Thursday’s announcement, the FBI noted it’s been “observing a significant increase over the last three years in financially motivated sextortion schemes targeting young males ages 14-17, resulting in more than 20 minor victims dying by suicide.”
The agency is also facing a 30% year-over-year increase in sextortion-related tips.
“According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center or IC3, there were over 54,000 [extortion-related] victims in 2024, up from 34,000 in 2023,” it said.
“Over the last two years there have been nearly $65 million dollars in financial losses due to this crime.”
In response, the FBI says 55 agency field offices came together to identify “nearly 3,000 victims of financially motivated sextortion,” which led investigators to track down the culprits in Nigeria.
The US has since extradited at least three suspects from Nigeria.
“These subjects will now be held accountable in the American justice system, with more subjects still awaiting extraditions in Nigeria,” the FBI added.
FBNQuest Trustees Limited, a subsidiary of First HoldCo Plc, provider of trust solutions to individuals, corporate and government institutions, recently hosted its inaugural Estate Planning Summit in Port Harcourt.
The maiden event, themed: Wealth Preservation and Transfer without Hassle, was organised to strategically enlighten and empower the participants with the necessary knowledge required to seamlessly manage and successfully transfer their assets and legacies to their beneficiaries.
Speaking at the event, the Acting Managing Director, FBNQuest Trustees, Babajide Fetuga, stressed the critical importance of seeking professional guidance on estate planning, preservation and transfer of wealth to successive generations and other beneficiaries. He stated that a professionally drafted estate plan gives no room for any form of ambiguity; hence, it provides clear directives on what to do at any time.
‘’The potential consequences of not having an estate plan include perennial family disputes and protracted court cases, which may result in a huge financial burden and foster long-lasting resentments among loved ones if proactive steps are not undertaken to protect individuals, families and loved ones from avoidable stress.
‘’Understanding the values of wealth preservation is crucial. It is vital to recognize the importance of having a strategic estate planning blueprint, and we are determined to educate you with knowledge that not only informs but inspires you to take the necessary actions as you move forward,” he added.
FBNQuest Trustees is dedicated to promoting effective estate planning solutions. The company has a track record of successfully hosting estate planning summits in Abuja, Lagos, Minna and Ibadan and continues to emphasize the importance of thoughtful planning through initiatives like the Legacy Series Campaign and the Legacy Room podcast.
The summit featured industry experts who delivered valuable insights on the significance of wealth preservation and transfer, addressing the residents of Port Harcourt and its environs. The discussions focused on practical approaches and proactive measures attendees can adopt to manage their estates effectively and minimize potential future challenges.
Meta has announced new measures to tackle spammy content on Facebook, aiming to enhance the Feed experience and support authentic creators. These updates are part of Meta’s broader commitment to fostering a platform where meaningful interactions thrive.
The initiative includes reducing the visibility of spammy content. Accounts that share duplicate posts, irrelevant captions, or excessive hashtags will lose reach and monetization eligibility. Spam networks that create multiple accounts to share identical content will also face decreased visibility.
Meta is increasing efforts to detect and remove fake accounts and pages involved in coordinated engagement or impersonation.
In 2024, the platform removed millions of such accounts. Features in Moderation Assist have been enhanced to auto-hide comments from suspected fake identities, and creators can now report impersonators directly in comments.
To further support original content, Meta continues to improve its Rights Manager tool, helping creators protect their work. Updated guidance aims to encourage creators to share authentic and engaging content to ensure their success on the platform.
Oluwasola Obagbemi, Head of Communications for Sub-Saharan Africa at Meta, emphasized the importance of creating an environment where creators who invest in meaningful content are recognized and rewarded.
Meta remains committed to fostering a positive and authentic environment for creators and users alike. Let me know if you’d like more adjustments!
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