Nigeria boasts of no-record sea Robberies, piracy attacks
Nigeria recorded the least cases of armed robberies across its coastal waters and pirate attacks against its ships globally in the first half of 2022, according to a new report by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). The report says none of the 58 incidents reported globally in the first six months of 2022 occurred in Nigeria compared to 68 cases within the same period in 2021. The record is the least Nigeria has had since 2018 when 31 cases were reported in the country in the first six months of the year. Of the 58 incidents, 12 incidents of piracy were reported in the Gulf of Guinea, and 10 cases were classified as armed robbery and the remaining two were referred to as ‘piracy attacks’. Despite no-incident record on Nigerian seas, the group highlighted that events had been reported up to 212 nautical miles from the country’s shores. Nautical miles are used to measure the distance travelled through the water. The IMB, therefore, urged shippers to increase their vigilance in protecting their vessels, stating that many hijacking incidents during the first year may potentially have gone undetected.
Nigerian government may ban motorcycles – Official
The Nigerian government has considered banning the use of motorcycles across the country. Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice, disclosed this on Thursday while addressing journalists at the end of the National Security Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari. He added that the government is also considering banning mining activities across the country. According to him, the ban is being considered as part of efforts to curtail the activities of terrorists, who often use motorcycles. “Placing a ban on the use of motorcycles and mining activities will cut the supply of logistics to the terrorists. This will be done in the national interest. We are Nigerians because Nigeria as a country exists and any issue that will translate into a threat to national security or the corporate existence of the country requires certain sacrifices.” The minister also said that less than a third of Nigeria’s 200 million population would be affected by a ban on motorcycles and so it was worth the sacrifice.
Read also: Global wheat prices fall in boon to Nigerian bakers caught in trap of rising cost
Shopify partners YouTube to enhance e-commerce
Shopify has announced a new partnership with YouTube that will help content creators and merchants promote their products on the video platform. The company is making the moves amid a slowdown in online shopping, which has caused Shopify’s stock value to drop 75 percent this year. According to Reuters, creators will now be able to pin merchandise during a live stream and add a store tab under their channel. “There’s a new way to shop while you’re watching YouTube streams now. I think this community-building feature is crazy, because it seamlessly improves online shopping experiences. This is something many social media platforms have always been trying to do and it’s amazing to see YouTube take it on,” Tim van der Wiel, Founder, Gospooky, said. Shopify recently added more than 100 e-commerce products meant to boost online merchants, including shopping features for Twitter and Google.
Beyonce to feature Nigerian Tems in coming album
Temilade Openiyi, also known as Tems, has been credited as one of the songwriters in the forthcoming album of Beyonce. The American superstar who is set to release her 7th studio album in five days has revealed all 16 tracks and their songwriters for the project. The 10th track named ‘Move’ is to be done by Tems. In 2021, she was featured by Canadian rapper and singer Drake in the song called ‘Fountain’. In 2022, she also got featured in an American Future’s song titled ‘Wait for You’. At the just concluded 2022 BET awards, Tems was nominated for the Best New Act and Best International Act, and won the award, making her the first African female artiste to bag a BET award.
South Africa celebrates Mandela Day
South Africa and the world celebrate Mandela Day on 18 July annually, to commemorate the life and achievements of Nelson Mandela, an anti-apartheid hero. The day was launched in recognition of Mandela’s birthday on 18 July 2009 via unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly. Mandela became the country’s first democratically elected president in 1994, four years after his release from nearly three decades in prison for conspiring to overthrow the apartheid-era regime. The celebration was also inspired by a call Mandela made in 2008 for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said that “it is in your hands now”. For most South Africans, it is more than a celebration of Mandela’s life and legacy, it is a global movement to honour his life’s work and to change the world for the better. “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made in the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead,” Mandela said.
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