Africa

UNOCT, ECOWAS sign agreement to strengthen cooperation on preventing, countering terrorism

Published

1 year ago

September 25, 2023

UNOCT, ECOWAS sign agreement to strengthen cooperation on preventing, countering terrorism

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, UNOCT, and ECOWAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU to strengthen their partnership in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism.

The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation between both entities over the next five years on a range of security and counter-terrorism initiatives, including preventative efforts to counter terrorist travel, financing, access to weapons and misuse of information and communications technologies; border security and management; prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration, PRR, and the delivery of counter-terrorism training programmes in Africa.

The agreement also makes provisions for UNOCT support to ECOWAS and its Member States in the implementation of the ECOWAS 2020-2024 Action Plan on Eradicating Terrorism.

The MoU was signed by Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and Vladimir Voronkov, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, during a bilateral meeting on the margins of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week.

Under-Secretary-General Voronkov welcomed the signing noting that it marks a pivotal moment, as it establishes a comprehensive cooperation framework for the next 5 years.

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Touray expressed ECOWAS commitment to the collaboration with the UN through UNOCT to address the multifaceted dimensions of terrorism, including the root causes such as youth empowerment, the fight against human rights violations and other governance deficits.

Following the signing, ECOWAS and UNOCT will develop a joint plan of action to put the agreement into practice, building on existing coordination platforms, such as the AU-UN Technical Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and PCVE. They will also explore opportunities to develop and undertake joint or collaborative activities with the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact.

Moreover, jointly organize workshops, conferences, or other meetings and activities on topics and issues related to CT/PCVE, bringing together the relevant stakeholders at the global, regional, or national levels.

Yesterday (21 Sept.), ECOWAS participated in the Ministerial-Level meeting of African Member States on “Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism in Africa” co-organized by Nigeria and UNOCT.

The meeting provided African Member States and regional organizations an opportunity to share their views on the prevailing terrorism threat scenarios in Africa and propose actionable and outcome-oriented recommendations for the African Counter-Terrorism Summit (“Abuja Summit”) co-organized by UNOCT and Nigeria, which will be held in Abuja on 23-24 April.

The Summit will seek to enhance multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation and reshape the international community’s collective response to terrorism in Africa.

UNOCT, ECOWAS sign agreement to strengthen cooperation on preventing, countering terrorism

Africa

Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested

Published

4 days ago

November 10, 2024

Trends Admin

George Mwenda Mutegi and Lilian Achieng Aluko

Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested

A man has been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of Kenyan journalist, Lilian Achieng Aluko, whose body was discovered in a house in Kahawa West, Nairobi, Kenya.

Lilian, who was a presenter at Radio 44, a local radio station, was found dead at her boyfriend’s house with injuries on her face and a stab wound at the back on November 1, 2024.

A day before her death, the 33-year-old had informed her family that she would be spending the night at her boyfriend’s place.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in a statement on Friday said the suspect, believed to be Achieng’s boyfriend, was apprehended in the Kaanwa area of Tharaka Nithi County.

The DCI worked closely with local authorities in Meru County to track down the suspect, whose movements had been monitored since he disappeared on November 1.

Police investigations revealed that Achieng and the suspect spent the evening at a local spot before heading to the suspect’s house in Kahawa West.

“George Mwenda Mutegi, the prime suspect in the monstrous murder of Ms Lilian Achieng Aluko has been arrested after days of scrupulous manhunt. Mutegi was smoked out of his hideaway at Kaanwa area of Tharaka Nithi county,” the statement read.

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“The suspect’s arrest by a combined team of hawkshaws from DCI Hqs augmented by their Meru counterparts is a culmination of days of meticulous investigations launched on 1st November, 2024, the night Mutegi is believed to have murdered his girlfriend. After the heinous killing, Mutegi disappeared and erased his footprints.

“Police and the neighbours would only wake up to a slain Achieng, whose lifeless body lay soaked in blood with a stab wound at the back of her right ear and visible injuries on her face and hips.

“Probing the case, police found out that the two lovebirds had on the fateful night had a good time at a local establishment, before retreating to the boyfriend’s place of abode in Kahawa West.

“In an ugly turn of events, the attention of the neighbours was drawn to loud screams from Mutegi’s locked house, which were quickly deafened by loud noise from his sound system.

“Unaware that the distress call was the last Achieng would ever make, the neighbours went back to their houses hoping that the duo would resolve their issues.

“That night, the life of a 33-year-old lady with a blossoming career as a presenter at a local radio station was ended.

“The suspect is currently being processed for arraignment as the DCI continues to investigate all other cases of a similar nature to ensure justice for all victims.”

Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested

Africa

Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal

Published

5 days ago

November 10, 2024

Trends Admin

Cristel Nchama and Baltasar Engonga

Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal

Cristel Nchama, one of the women appearing in viral explicit videos allegedly involving Baltasar Engonga, the former director-general of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), has filed a formal complaint with the National Gendarmerie in Malabo.

Engonga has been the focus of intense public scrutiny after investigators, probing allegations of fraud, searched his home and office and reportedly uncovered approximately 400 explicit videos featuring him with multiple women.

The tapes allegedly show Baltasar Engonga with his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the country’s president, the wife of the director-general of police, and around 20 wives of ministers, among others.

The recordings, which have since gone viral, are said to have taken place in Engonga’s office, hotels, and bathrooms, purportedly with the consent of those involved.

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In her complaint, Nchama disclosed that she had been in a four-year relationship with Engonga and expressed profound distress over the public leak of the videos, which she says has harmed her reputation.

Nchama claimed that Engonga “misled” her into trusting him and that she had initially resisted being filmed, under the impression that any recordings would be deleted.

She also claimed to have been “betrayed” by Bello for publishing the videos.

“I am humiliated,” she stated. “It is my reputation, my honour. I want to know where these images came from and why he kept the images.”

In addition to filing her complaint, Nchama has demanded reparations from Engonga for the damage caused to her reputation and personal dignity.

Following the scandal, the government dismissed Engonga from his position at ANIF on Thursday.

Officials also announced the suspension of various public officials allegedly involved in sexual activities within government offices.

Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal

Africa

Baltasar Engonga: Equatorial Guinea appoints new anti-graft agency boss

Published

6 days ago

November 8, 2024

Trends Admin

Baltasar Engonga

Baltasar Engonga: Equatorial Guinea appoints new anti-graft agency boss

Equatorial Guinea’s President, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, has appointed Zenón Obiang Obiang Avomo as the new Director General of the National Agency for Financial Investigation (ANIF), succeeding Baltasar Ebang Engonga, who was removed amid sex scandal.

Recall that Engonga was dismissed following accusations of “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions,” along with inappropriate family and social behavior unfit for public office, as stated in Decree No. 118/2024, dated November 4.

The investigation uncovered over 400 video recordings in Engonga’s office, reportedly involving the wives and relatives of high-ranking officials, including ministers and police officers.

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The shocking discovery triggered widespread public outrage and prompted swift action by the government.

In response, the Equatorial Guinean government has mandated the installation of surveillance cameras across all state offices, aiming to monitor officials’ conduct and deter future misconduct.

Zenón Obiang Obiang Avomo, who steps into the role at ANIF is a graduate of the National University of Equatorial Guinea, Avomo and has held key positions, including Magistrate Judge in Malabo, Director General of Contract Studies and State Markets at the Ministry of Finance, and Secretary General for both the Ministry of Finance, Economy and Planning, and the Ministry of Mines, Industry, and Energy.