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 US allies in the Persian Gulf are gradually approaching the possibility of participating in the fight against Iran, strengthening their position after continuous attacks that have undermined their economy and risk giving Tehran long-term influence over the Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street Journal reports, writes UNN. Details Recent moves support America's ability to conduct airstrikes and open a new path to attack Tehran's finances. They have not yet gone so far as to openly deploy their armed forces in this fight—a line that Gulf rulers hoped not to cross, though pressure is mounting as Iran threatens to increase its influence in the energy-rich region. According to sources familiar with the decision, Saudi Arabia recently agreed to allow American troops to use its King Fahd Air Base on the western side of the Arabian Peninsula. The Kingdom stated before the start of hostilities that it would not allow its facilities or airspace to be used for attacks on Iran. This attempt t...

  The #OgbaruMassacre and the reasons for the persistent insecurity and massacres in Southeast (By Barrister Aloy Ejimakor). Before post-colonial Nigeria lapsed into its current unitary state, while still passing off as a federation, regional security was largely within the purview of the respective regions, not the federal government. And it worked pretty well.  This basic arrangement was not by chance but by well-considered design. Despite their many failings, Nigeria’s indigenous founding fathers and the departing British colonists knew too well that you cannot secure a people within their region without their participation.  Even the mighty British empire knew too well that it couldn’t secure colonial Nigeria without the participation of Nigerians in vast numbers.  In a diverse federation of equals (or even near-equals), Northern Nigerians shouldn’t be the ones exclusively or dominantly securing Western or Eastern Nigeria, and vice versa.  When you do that, ...

  The All Progressives Congress (APC), Ghana Chapter, has urged the party’s Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu to pick a female as his running mate. The Chairman of APC Ghana, Mr Oghenosa Micheletti, who made the appeal in a statement on Friday, recalled that Tinubu, who fielded a female running mate, Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele ((1999-2003), helped him run a successful government. Micheletti noted that Tinubu’s choice of a female as deputy led to the emergence of many women as deputy governors in Lagos State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that apart from Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, who was deputy to former Lagos State Governor, Michael Otedola, from 1992 to 1993, the state has enjoyed having female deputy governors through Tinubu’s support. They include Sarah Sosan (2007-2011) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (2011-2015) and Dr Oluranti Adebule (2015-2019). NAN also reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had given the presidential and governors...

BY DONALD KIRK, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR - 05/02/22 1:00 PM ET  THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS ARE THEIR OWN AND NOT THE VIEW OF THE HILL Russia’s war in Ukraine has come at a great time for North Korea. While the U.S. would like the United Nations to punish the North with more severe sanctions for any and all intercontinental ballistic missile tests, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un can play up his great relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and be sure that Russia will block any such move.  On April 25, 2019, Kim and Putin  met in Vladivostok , Russia’s far eastern port city. Since then, they appear to have been on better terms than ever, thanks to North Korea’s  total support  for the invasion of Ukraine. Now it’s time for Putin to repay Kim for his rhetorical loyalty with the aid he badly needs. Putin could begin by providing North Korea with heavy weapons and spare parts. A top priority for North Korea is to repair and/or replace all those MiGs ...

  By    Sunday Onyemaechi Eze   Dear  Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, Sir, I join Nigerians in their numbers to sincerely congratulate you on your recent appointment as the 22nd Nigeria Chief of Army Staff (CoAS). This came on the hills of the unfortunate passing on of the former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and other officers in an ill-fated plane crash in Kaduna. Your appointment to the exalted office was indeed meritorious and well deserving. It also calls for sober reflection. Meritorious on account of your experience and as one who has held high ranking positions and served in various capacities as field commander. Suffice it to say that, it is no longer a question of reading the map but hitting the ground running. You must fire from all cylinders now and commence immediate decimation of the criminals and sundry enemies of the nation. There is an urgent need for reflection on the enormous task ahead and define urgent immediate and long term remedia...

Zulum and Kyari Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, says he does not know the residence of embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who was indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for an alleged role in a $1.1m fraud allegedly committed by money laundering suspect, Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, and four others. The governor also said he had never visited the suspended former Head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, who is an indigene of Borno State. Zulum issued the disclaimer via a Facebook post on Wednesday. The statement was titled, ‘Zulum and Shettima did not visit Abba Kyari, aide clarifies’. The statement signed by Zulum’s spokesman, Isa Gusau, noted that Zulum and Kyari had separately visited Shettima to wish him a quick recovery on June 30, 2021. “Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum and his predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima, do not know the residence of embattled DCP Abba Kyari, let alone visit him, Zulum’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau ha...