President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Boko Haram terrorists have taken advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to push back into Nigeria, while still launching raids in Chad, Cameroon, and Niger Republic.

President Buhari said this in an opinion article titled “Post-Covid-19 Pandemic, Nigeria and France Must Seize the Chance to Strengthen Military and Economic Ties”, published on Tuesday by the leading Paris-based magazine, Le Point.

Buhari underscored the need for Nigeria and France to deepen anti-terror cooperation to overcome the scourge, especially after the murder of the late President of Chad.

The President who focused on the post-COVID 19 opportunities in Nigeria-France relations especially in areas of security and economy, underscored the need for the leaders of Sahel countries to present a unified front to lobby other Western nations, particularly Great Britain and the United States and the European Union, for further military and humanitarian assistance.

According to him; “Today, leaders from across Africa meet in Paris to discuss plans to recover from the impact of a common enemy – COVID-19. But for African nations from across the Sahel region and beyond, the issues are inseparable from the fight against another common enemy which is terrorism. And like the war against the Coronavirus, it is one we are fully united with France in our strong determination to overcome.

“Across the world, conflict and Coronavirus have not been far apart. As governments have struggled to contain COVID, jihadists have taken advantage in the Sahel – the vast arid stretch of territory that lies between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan Africa. Terrorist incidents have become tragically common across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Around the Lake Chad Basin, Boko Haram terrorism have taken advantage of the pandemic and pushed back into my country Nigeria, whilst still launching raids and attacks in Chad, Cameroon, and Niger.

“We have seen more than once how Boko Haram – which in French means “l’éducation occidentale est un péché” – can regroup, morphing in form and tactics. A matter of only a few years ago, they were reduced to a territory-less group, where once they had controlled an area in Nigeria three times the size of Lebanon. It has demonstrated why pushing against one front can prove futile if groups can simply migrate to ponds of insecurity across porous borders. Yet as instability has spread, so the networks that sustain it have strengthened – whether that be weapons supply chains from Libya, ideological imports of Al-Qaeda and ISIS from the Middle East, or trafficking networks that take money from those escaping instability and feeds it back into the system that generates it.

He continued; “Meanwhile the infection is spreading further afield and reaching into the heart of Europe and France is not being spared the malignant, with innocents murdered on its streets. In that context, our fate is linked. Hence Paris has been active in this common fight. The French Operation Barkhane has provided critical boots on the ground in shoring up security across our region. Though challenges remain, it has ensured a wide expanse of territory has not descended into lawless playground where terrorists masquerading as fighting for Islam groups can freely flourish and multiply. That assistance has been profoundly appreciated in the region.

“Now Nigeria and France should deepen our anti-terror cooperation if we are to overcome this scourge – particularly in the aftermath of the murder of the late President of Chad. Where for historical ties, support came to Nigeria from the UK, and to the G5 from France, the terrorists do not recognise these border-aligned distinctions. We must be agile and flexible, cooperating cross our borders to cut the head off their groups.

“Indeed, we have already done much to strengthen our bond. Intelligence sharing is well developed, along with training against improvised explosives. But there is more we can do in cross-border military exercises and coordinating strategy. At the same time, we know France has borne much of the strain for combating terrorism of the region, and we – the leaders of Sahel countries – must also do more to present a unified front to lobby other Western nations, particularly Great Britain and the United States and the European Union for further military and humanitarian assistance.”

Gunmen have abducted a judge at a Sharia Court in Bauren Zakat village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, Newsfocusng learnt.

An eye witnesses told our correspondent that the attackers broke into the court around 3pm on Tuesday and abducted the judge identified as Alhaji Husaini Sama’ila.

It is not clear why the judge was in court during the industrial action embarked upon by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

Recall that JUSUN had on April 6 embarked on a strike, demanding compliance with the provisions of sections 81(3), 121(3) and 162(9) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) on financial autonomy of the judicial arm at the state level.

Katsina is one of the NorthWest states where bandits are wreaking havoc.

Security operatives are yet to react to this incident.

Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has slammed Kaduna State governor, Mal. Nasir El-Rufai, for declaring President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba and other union leaders wanted.

Recall that, the NLC had on Monday embarked on a massive protest and strike to press home their demand bordering on mass sack of workers in the state. The strike has paralysed critical sectors of the economy in the State.

Our correspondent gathered that the governor declared Wabba and other labour leaders wanted for leading the protest and crippling economic activities in the state.

‘Hired’ thugs were also reported to have attacked the peaceful protesters during the demonstration.

But reacting to El-Rufai’s declaration in a statement, Falana described as ‘laughable’ the claim that the labour leaders contravened the provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

“The statement is laughable as it is common knowledge that Comrade Wabba and his colleagues are on the streets of Kaduna leading the peaceful protests embarked upon by the entire workers in the State since yesterday. The order of the Governor cannot be enforced for the following reasons:

“By the combined effect of the Trade Union Act and the Nigerian Constitution, Comrade Wabba and other labour leaders have the unquestionable rights to participate in the peaceful warning strike and mass protests against further retrenchment of workers in the Kaduna State public service.

“The Miscellaneous Offences Act is not a state statute but a federal enactment. To that extent, if Governor El Rufai has evidence that Comrade Wabba and other labour leaders have contravened any provisions of the Act he is required to lodge a complaint in any of the police stations in Kaduna State.

“The Governor lacks the power to declare any alleged offender wanted under the Act or any other law whatsoever,” Falana said.

The senior lawyer, however, called on the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ignore El-Rufai’s statement.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened a nationwide shutdown over the faceoff between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Kaduna State government.

Labour had declared a five-day warning strike over some policies of Governor Nasir El-Rufai, especially the sacking of 4,000 workers.

El-Rufai later likened the protesters in his state to bandits and vowed that their action would not make his government reverse its decision.

Some protesters were also attacked by hired thugs.

In a statement, the National President of the NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, said the union which is one of the 46 bodies affiliated with the NLC, is observing the Kaduna situation closely.

He said if the attacks on protesters continue, NUPENG would withdraw its services nationwide.

“The Leadership of the Union is therefore calling on the Federal Government to immediately call on Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to order before his arrogance and power drunk ego further push the situation into horrendous calamity as he has been doing in all issues relating to human lives and wellbeing.

“Consequently, the Union reiterates that no Labour Leaders or workers as the case may be, be harmed, harassed, maimed, humiliated or victimized during this 5-day peaceful protests in the State.

“Our Union is raising this alarm following the very reliable report of the clandestine move of Governor Nasir El-RUfai to hurt and put the lives of NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and other Labour Leaders to danger in his usual blind egotistical style of running government in the State

“NUPENG therefore warns that if any harm is inflicted on any of the members of organized Labour, the Leadership of the Union will not hesitate to call on all our members throughout the nation for a total shut down of all our services in the upstream, mid-stream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.

“In the light of the above, we are therefore putting all NUPENG members nationwide on red alert and may at very short notice of five hours call for a nationwide industrial action if situation arises.

“Our solidarity remains constant for the Union makes us strong,” the statement read

France has expressed its readiness to help Nigeria solve the myriad of security challenges facing the country, the French President Emmanuel Macron has said.

He gave assurance on Tuesday at a bilateral meeting, during which he hosted Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on the sidelines of the Financing Africa Summit in Paris.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a release made available to newsmen on Tuesday night, quoted President Macron as saying the French government will absolutely be there on the side of Nigeria and willing to support with everything to assist the country to overcome the security threats.

French President Macron further pledged his steadfast support for Nigeria and its people as they confront the security challenges facing the country.

President Buhari and his French counterpart, Macron also expressed the commitment of Nigeria and France to working together to fight insecurity bedeviling the Lake Chad basin area and entire stretch of the Sahel region.

The President, at the meeting, outlined the challenges all round facing the country as well as its neighbours and spoke about the steps he has taken to reignite response to the situation, which he said included the appointment of new Service Chiefs.

He expressed the willingness of Nigeria to work with France and all international partners to reign in the security challenges and thanked President Macron for agreeing to intensify the existing partnership with Nigeria.

The government of the federation has said that it will wade into the labour impasse currently rocking Kaduna State following commencement of 5-day warning strike by organised labour in the state, which on Tuesday took a violent turn.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said the government will invite labour leaders for a dialogue while calling on the Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai to also extend the olive branch.

Recall that thugs on Tuesday disrupted the peaceful procession of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and affiliated unions in Kaduna, after pelting the protesters who had converged at the NEPA roundabout in the city centre.

The labour activists were in the streets as part of the second day of 5-day warning strike to protest the mass sack of workers in the state when they came under attack.

Security agents were forced to use teargas and shot severally in the air to disperse the thugs. The workers were also forced to retreat.

The Kaduna State Government came under attack over attack on the unionists with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) threatening to shut down all of its facilities nationwide if any of the labour leaders are hurt.

We reports that the day had started amidst palpable tension following a tweet by Governor El-Rufai, declaring the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba and other union leaders wanted for economic sabotage and attack on public infrastructure.

El-Rufai said that , a “handsome reward” awaits anyone who knows where the labour leader was hiding and sends a message to the Kaduna State Ministry of Justice.

Less than two hours after the tweet, the governor came within 100 meters of the union leaders when Wabba led a large procession to the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House had lingered at the NEPA roundabout where the governor’s siren blaring convoy passed beside them.

The governor’s convoy passed beside the protesters to the nearby gates of the headquarters of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, about 100 from the NLC members.

The gates of the distribution company were quickly opened and the governor’s convoy moved in. Ten minutes later, El-Rufai’s convoy emerged from the premises of Kaduna electric and left through an opposite route avoiding the protesters who were still at the NEPA roundabout.