Fighting insurgency and much ado about mercenaries

By Richard Murphy

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, is definitely riding the wave as the year 2020 poster boy of populism. From surviving terrorist Boko Haram’s targeted attacks to being able to show off completed model projects amidst an insurgency, he has certainly won the heart of many Nigerians and the people of his troubled state to the point where some think he should run for presidency in 2023.

But the idea of hiring mercenaries to defeat Boko Haram, as currently postulated by the governor, qualifies as pushing one’s luck beyond the logical or reasonable. As would be expected of the postulations of someone with demagogic populist following, Zulum’s suggestion is gaining traction with some of his fellow governors hopping on the bandwagon in demanding that mercenaries should be added to the mix of efforts to defeat Boko Haram terrorists, who have made the Lake Chad Basin a killing field.

Such desperate suggestion appears justified in the light of the massacre of scores of rice farmers in Zabarmari area of Borno state. At a time of outrage, as the murder of the farmers threw the nation into, there should be no limit or restrictions to the ideas that should be placed on the table in the search of how to deal with the evil entity that is causing the nation sorrow.

So, Zulum’s suggestion should not be dismissed on face value. It should be properly evaluated before being thrashed and consigned to the dustbin of counterinsurgency efforts to ensure that whenever someone comes up with the idea again much efforts would not be dissipated before rejecting it.

First, former President Goodluck Jonathan had infamously hired South African mercenaries for this same assignment. Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection International (STTEP), a South African mercenary company, got that contract, which was later trailed by controversies. The fact that Boko Haram remained in existence after that company’s contract terminated attests to the fact that the ventured failed woefully. So, what stops a recourse to mercenaries from failing again?

Secondly, mercenaries, like STTEP, are not in a war for idealism or national interest, they are soldiers of fortune, who fight for the gains. If they successfully neutralize the problem on ground where will their next paycheck from? What stops the mercenaries from contriving situations that allow Boko Haram survive beyond its end point just to ensure that they continue to have a contract?

The issue of how and why the country would pass on the intelligence it gathers on terrorist activities it gathers to foreign mercenaries is another variable that proponents of this arrangement have not considered or at least provided answers about. Another leg of this is how Nigeria will deal with the mandatory non-disclosure clauses in the bilateral and multilateral agreements with international partners. We cannot receive intelligence from other countries and pass same to civilian contractors from third party nations. That alone would cause further degeneration to whatever conditions we are presently dealing with.

Furthermore, the mercenaries would be paid, and paid in foreign currency. The issue here is that if the same money is made available to the Nigerian troops, which would go into procuring much needed equipment and logistics, the kind the soldiers of fortune are able to afford on their contract, the logical outcome is that the troops would perform even better than the paid contractors.

Of course, there are the diplomatic knots and mishaps that could come from when these mercenaries intrude into the territories of Nigeria’s neighbours, something that is inevitable since the terrorists usually operate across international borders. While Nigeria can answer for the actions of its troops sent in pursuit of the terrorists, how much responsibility can we assume for the nationals of other nations that will form part of the mercenaries? Who takes responsibility if the soldiers of fortunes fall short of the acceptable rules of engagement?

At the street level, the clamour for the engagement of mercenaries is a sad reminder of the penchant of Nigerians not to appreciate what they locally. It is syndrome that has made Nigeria synonymous with everything foreign. In this regard, recent development has confirmed that excessive dependency on foreign components is not sustainable. Ironically and sadly, the murdered farmers were part of the success story of Nigeria’s capacity for self-reliance in rice production, something that was once considered impossible. The memory of them should not be desecrated with the engagement of foreigners when they had shown the way that Nigerians are capable.

Thus, the debate about whether to hire mercenaries or not should not be allowed to distract from the reality on ground and the actions needed to tackle them. This includes the fact that there are aspects of Boko Haram’s insurgency that are politically driven. What is needed in this aspect is for concerned parties to pressure those providing political sustenance for Boko Haram to cut off the support. There is the financial component as well and until those with the capacity begin to jail terrorists’ financiers as the United Arab Emirates jailed six persons recently, Boko Haram will continue to ample resources to wage war against humanity.

We must also not lose sight of the people who have made it their life mission to help terrorists advance their propaganda machine. They are the ones that make it possible for Boko Haram to brainwash new recruits and replace the ones being killed by the military. They are the ones that help the terrorists strike terror in the heart of people each time the terrorists carry out their heinous crimes. If these members of Boko Haram propaganda arm decide to sustain a claim that terrorism is alive and kicking irrespective of what the mercenaries have achieved, then their efforts would have been in vain.

It is time to face the reality and accept that we must ultimately look inwards in our bid to defeat terrorism. We owe ourselves the responsibility of channeling the money that would have been paid for hiring mercenaries to our military so that they can have the kind of hardware and logistics that the soldiers of fortune are able to afford. We should, at least for a moment, repose in our troops the kind of confidence we are expressing in foreign mercenaries. We must collective express support for the troops so that they will be inspired by the knowledge that their country is behind them as they risk life and limb in the course of each encounter with the terrorists.

Above all, we must be realistic enough to accept that the problem with Boko Haram’s insurgency remains politics and until the bad politics being played by a few opportunistic persons around President Muhammadu Buhari, and active collaborators in Borno state, is resolved, no foreign mercenaries will help the country. The Nigerian solution remains the only workable solution to the insurgency and that is what we should go for.

Murphy wrote this piece from Calabar.

NALDA: FG engages 17,000 rabbit farmers to boost economy

The federal government through the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has commenced a programme for rabbit farming which is expected to engage 17,000 youths, especially in the south, as part of efforts to boost economy and reduce unemployment in the country.

NALDA is expected to make available the rabbits, cage, vaccine and training for the youths free of charge while the beneficiaries are expected to return the kitten when the rabbit delivers so that it would be used to empower others.

Speaking with newsmen Wednesday in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, said it would said also buy the urine, dungs and skin of the rabbits from the youths, which is also a source of income for the beneficiaries.

“If you recall, Mr President had launched national young farmers scheme, which we intend to take in 774,000 (seven hundred and seventy-four thousand) young Nigerians into the entire agribusiness, and this program has started implementing the first leg of it which is our animal husbandry.

“In this segment, we are doing goat rearing and rabbits rearing. A lot of people doesn’t know the potentials, the benefits and the money they can make from rearing rabbit. Rabbit has an entire value chain, nothing is a waste farming rabbit.

“So we’re engaging our youths into rabbit farming, NALDA has designed a program to take in 17,000 rabbit farmers especially in the south, and we have commenced the engagement in some states.

“All our programs are in phases, in this first phase, Imo, Abia, Cross River and Oyo States have received rabbits and young farmers have been engaged into rabbit farming,” he said.

“From the meat, the hide, which is the skin, the dungs and the urine, they are all money-making machine.

“The program is very simple, from the first day the farmer start rearing rabbits, they start making money from that day, from the collection of the urine to the collection of the dungs which will be used as fertilizer, their money will keep accumulating, at the end of the month, we’ll pay them based on the litres and kilogram of what they have submitted to NALDA office at their various states before the off-takers take it,” he explained.

Furthermore, he explained “you can see that the benefits of rearing rabbits, before we go into the processing the sale of the animal itself is another means of income, the meat is one of the best meat because it’s white meat and it’s good for those that are having cholesterol issues, that also will be a source of income, then the hide which is the skin is also in high demand for designers.

“So you can see the benefits of engaging our people in rabbit rearing, it is not common in Nigeria, but diversification is the way to go, and agriculture is the direction the world is heading to.

“The beauty about this is that it doesn’t have much hazard, it doesn’t require so much, rabbit virtually eats everything and it doesn’t require too much space, so you can farm it at the smallest space you have in your house whether you are a landlord or a tenant and it doesn’t litter the environment.

On the income from the farming, Prince Ikonne said each beneficiary is expected to earn an average of N100,000 monthly from the sales of the urine, dungs, skin and the rabbit itself.

“At least the average of N100,000 a month somebody will be making from rearing rabbits from all these products, and you can see the level it will get to cater for families and homes, so it is something we have engaged in, and we will keep expanding.”

He said President Muhammadu Buhari has given all the approvals and the funds required to implement the program has been made available to NALDA.

For interested persons, the NALDA boss said “for the process of being a beneficiary, our program is community-based, if you are if you live in an urban area, you have to go identify yourself at NALDA office in your states.

“We have offices across the country, at various state capitals. If you also check our website, you will see NALDA offices, we also have our WhatsApp group for those that intend to rear rabbits to also register through the NALDA WhatsApp Group.”

Insurgency: Northern elders group seeks int’l support for Nigeria

The Northern Elders’ Council (NEC) has expressed solidarity with President Muhammadu Buhari and expressed confidence in his ability to effectively halt the remnants of terrorists in the country following the killing of farmworkers in Borno State. 

The group, in a statement signed by its Assistant General Secretary, Dr Adama Kabiru, on Wednesday, described the killing as “barbaric, repulsive, inexcusable, depraved and deserving of the harshest consequences possible”. 

The NEC said persons or groups gloating over the sad incident as a way of deriding President Buhari is tacitly encouraging Boko Haram to kill more.

According to the council, the sad incident should instead serve as a wake-up call to all relevant stakeholders irrespective of pecuniary differences to support the military. 

The group, however, urged the international community to support Nigeria in way of cutting off the terrorists’ access to funding and arms. 

The NEC further appealed to countries that have placed an embargo on the sales of arms to Nigeria to have a rethink.

Read the full statement below:

The Northern Elders’ Council (NEC) is urging that the Boko Haram terrorists responsible for killing scores of farmers in Zabarmari, Borno State must not go unpunished for their abhorrent crime against humanity. The specific individuals that carried out the attack should be identified and dealt with while the campaign to exterminate the terrorist group should be escalated. This is even as we sympathize with the families of the bereaved, President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire nation.

We condemn the killing of these innocent farmers, who were only out to earn their livelihood, in the strongest terms as barbaric, repulsive, inexcusable, depraved and deserving of the harshest consequences possible. The punishment for this crime should be made particularly stiff given the fact that the terrorists possibly targeted the farmers to precipitate a food crisis.

The council regrets that the terrorists and their enablers committed the atrocious murder despite all of Mr President’s sacrifices and that of the Nigerian military by exploiting the political atmosphere in Borno State to inflict pains on humanity. 

The killing of the farmers should now prompt an alignment among all stakeholders irrespective of pecuniary differences. Those sitting on the fence in the anti-terror war must now take a stand in the interest of humanity while those who that usually make justification for the crimes committed by Boko Haram terrorists should now know that it is them against the civilized world that holds the sanctity of human life dear.

We appeal to those currently trying to squeeze political capital out of this tragedy to have a rethink because it is appalling for anyone to be callous to the point of using the death of innocent persons at the hands of terrorists as means of gaining political traction. Anyone gloating over the murder as a way of deriding President Buhari is tacitly encouraging Boko Haram to kill more people, which unfortunately is what a worrying number of persons have been doing. 

NEC is certain that the death of these farmers will trigger actions that guarantee that days of the terrorists are numbered, and this singular wicked and dastardly act is one they will pay the highest price possible for. Nigerians should help ensure this by furnishing the military and security agencies with timely information that will lead to successful military operations against Boko Haram fighters.

We, therefore, urge Mr President to give the command for the Nigerian military to unleash on Boko Haram and any of its known affiliates while the intelligence community is also mandated to fish out terrorists’ enablers to cut off the financial, propaganda and intelligence they receive from their supporters. Resources should be prioritized to scale up the operations to rid northeast Nigeria and the entire  Lake Chad Basin of terrorism.

The international community must at this point shake off their indifference, particularly countries whose foreign policy drive had contributed to the rise of extremism and terrorism. They should support Nigeria by assisting in cutting off the terrorists’ access to funding and arms. Those countries that have refused to sell arms to Nigeria must at this stage have a rethink especially when it has become crystal clear that their subtle embargoes on arms sales to Nigeria were premised on false reporting by NGOs that covertly work to advance the cause of the terrorists. 

Zabarmari Killings: Senate, Reps urged to face realities in insurgency war

Following the killing of farmworkers in Zabarmari, Borno State, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have been advised to face the reality on the ground and see the fight against insurgency as a collective one. 

The Coalition for Truth and Justice (CTJ) gave this call on Wednesday at a press conference in Abuja. 

Speaking on behalf of the group, National Coordinator, Timothy Charles noted that for far too long, the crisis in the North-East has been left for the military alone without any help from relevant stakeholders, including the National Assembly.  

According to the coalition, the NASS has always danced to the gallery without proferring any solution. 

To put an end to the menace, Mr Charles said all hands must be on deck, urging the National Assembly to explore ways it can use the instrument of the legislation to assist the country and the troops on the frontlines. 

The coalition further challenged the lawmakers to come up with innovations that would promote the security of lives and properties in the country. 

With a more pragmatic and proactive commitment from all critical stakeholders including the Senate and House of Representatives, the group, however, assured that the insurgency war would soon come to an end.

Read the full statement below:

The Coalition for Truth and Justice receives the recent statement credited to the hallowed chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives in the National Assembly with regards to the security situation in the country. 

The position of the National Assembly which from all intents and purposes is not malicious, but instead, it is out of tune with reality because the insurgency crisis in North-East Nigeria has been left for the military alone, while institutions such as the National Assembly has continued to pay lip service.

The Coalition for Truth and Justice is particularly alarmed that the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly have not been credited to have proffered any solution to the insurgency crisis in North-East Nigeria, but instead, it has been playing to the gallery through public statements that are more of rhetoric and grandstanding. 

The National Assembly has again by their recent actions demonstrated gross insensitivity to the sanctity of human lives with regards to the Zabarmari killings in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State. 

The Coalition for Truth and Justice is calling on members of both chambers of the National Assembly to put the interest of the country at heart in the conduct of their legislative business by exploring ways it can use the instrument of the legislation to assist the country in the fight against insurgency and other criminal activities in Nigeria. 

The members of the Senate, as well as the House of Representatives, must realize that they are representatives of the people. As such, it behoves on them to see the task of addressing the security challenges in the country as a collective one.

It is also instructive to add that the people they represent in the National Assembly are also victims of acts of criminalities. As such, it is expected that our lawmakers should come up with innovations that would promote the security of lives and properties in the country. 

Our lawmakers must also be seen to be a part of the solution to the spate of insecurity in the country. Their deliberations in the hallowed chambers must reflect the realities on the ground and must also be seen as having respect for the sanctity of human lives. 

It is indeed instructive to state that had the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives been supportive of the efforts of the government towards tackling the threats posed by the Boko Haram insurgency, Nigeria would have made considerable progress in the war against insurgency. 

The Coalition for Truth and Justice wishes to advise the members of the National Assembly to do all within its powers to render valuable support to the government on the war against insurgency in Nigeria. 

It must also as matter urgency begin the process of enacting laws that would boost the operations of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because the realities on the ground require a more pragmatic and proactive commitment from all critical stakeholders including the National Assembly.  

The members of the National Assembly must see this task as a national concern and do all within its purview to ensure that Nigeria records success in the war against insurgency. It must also be stated that this is not the era for paying lip service and criticizing the government’s efforts. This is indeed the era of joining hands and working as a team towards the overarching aim of ensuring the security of lives and properties in Nigeria. 

The Coalition for Truth and Justice believes that our lawmakers can enact laws that would also further strengthen Nigerians sovereignty and protect the country from external aggression and in the overall interest of the country. 

This is indeed not the time to apportion blames because human lives are being lost daily, but rather this is the time for collective action and with a strategic purpose of nipping in the mid the nefarious activities of insurgents and terrorists, as well as other criminal gangs across the country. 

The members of the National Assembly must also see themselves as partners in progress and not rivals in governance as recent events suggest with the unfortunate incident in Zabarmari community in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Coalition for Truth and Justice is charging the members of the National Assembly to rise to the occasion in this critical point of our existence as a country by doing the needful in support of the war against insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria. 

The Coalition for Truth and Justice believes that if the National Assembly extends its support to the war against insurgency and terrorism, Nigeria shall experience tremendous success. 

This is our position. 

AESID blames Umahi over killing of PDP member, fiance who refused to join APC

The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) has called on the federal government to quickly intervene to avert political crisis in Ebonyi state, saying its deeply interested in the peace, prosperity and progress of the state.

The concerns is raised over the recent open threat, intimidation and killing of two citizens for allegedly refused to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) since the defection of governor Dave Umahi.

In a statement signed and made available to newsmen Wednesday in Abuja by the AESID President, Amb. Paschal Oluchukwu, said governor Umahi should be cautioned from making further unverified, unauthenticated and un-factual allegations that could spark the fire of political restiveness and unrest in Ebonyi state.

“For wherever wars have taken place in history, words certainly went first. He must also in addition Iimmidiately call his appointees to order to avoid further attacks on innocent members of the opposition who are simply maintaining their inalienable constitutional right to freedom of association.

“We are therefore deeply worried that rather than face and confront these common issues of hunger, poverty and deprivation which our state that is rated the poorest in the entire Southern Nigeria is currently facing, governor Umahi in reality has chosen to remain an out-of-touch, unfeeling, feudal and anti-neoliberalism with consistent policies that have rather worsened the Economic status of our dear Ebonyi state.”

While condemning the reported shot dead of one Shedrack Nwode and his girlfriend for refusing to shout ‘APC!’ during the thanksgiving service of one of the government appointees at Oriuzor, Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi state on Monday, the association called on the Presidency, Inspector-General of Police, the Director, Department of State Security (DSS), the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Attorney-General of the Federation and indeed, all relevant stakeholders in the Nigerian to ensure that nothing happen the elders and leaders of opposition party in Ebonyi state, their members, supporters and well-wishers.

These leaders, according to the AESID include; “the former President of the Senate and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, the first Civilian Governor of Ebonyi State and serving Senator representing Ebonyi North zone, Sen. Sam Ominyi Egwu, the Senator representing Ebonyi Central and his Southern counterpart, Senators Obinna Ogba and Ama Nnachi respectively.

“Others are; the member, representing Afikpo North/South Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives and the Vice-Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Iduma Igariwey, the member representing Ohanivo Federal Constituency, Hon. Livinus Makwe, his Ezza North/Ishielu counterpart, Hon. Edwin Anayo Nwonu, member representing Abakaliki/Izzi Federal constituency, Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga and his Ebonyi/Ohaukwu counterpart, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku.

“Also on the list are stakeholders like; South-East Vice Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Ali Odefa, the zonal Auditor-General and immediate-past member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Hon. Lazarus Ogbee, zonal Youth leader, Comrade Chidiebere Egwu a.k.a (Hulala), all members of the State Care-Taker Committee of the PDP led by Chief Fred Udeogu, PDP elders and former NASS/ State Assembly members like; Sen. Emmanuel Agboti, Sen. Igwe Nwagu, Hon. Linus Okorie, Hon. Oliver Nwachukwu, Hon. Luke Nkwegu,
Chief Frank Ogbuewu, Senators Emmanuel Onwe and Nguji Ngele, Chief Fidelis Nwankwo, Chief Boniface Ofoke, Amb. Lawrence Nwuruku, Chief John Nwenyi, Chief Julius Amah Orji and a host of other elders and stakeholders who signed the Abuja communiquè and vowed to remain in the PDP.”

Oluchukwu said security agencies “must also provide adequate security and protections to the following lawmakers in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly who chose to remain in the PDP; Hon. Chris Usulor, Hon. Victor Aleke, Hon. Humphrey Nwuruku, Hon. Mrs. Franca Okpo, Hon. Chidi Ejem, Hon. Ngozi Eziulo, Hon. Ali Okechukwu, Hon. Oliver Osi and others who are in the PDP.

“AESID’s plea is highly predicated on the directive of Governor Umahi after last week’s security meeting that security agencies should ensure the implementation of policies on tinted glasses of vehicles in the State, the use of siren and the police escort.”

Women, youths hold pro-Buhari, democracy rally in Abuja

Women and youths in the country yesterday gathered in Abuja, to hold a mega rally in support of the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari.

The women under the umbrella body of Women For Buhari, at the rally called on Nigerians to accused unpatriotic Nigerians of act of sabotage against the government of President Buhari.

The women and youths in their thousands marched through the city of Abuja, calling on Nigerians not to allow themselves to be used to destabilized the country.

Led by Halima  Abdullahi  Atta, the women called on the agents of destabilization and chaos to desist from the act.

”We know that there have been various acts of sabotage against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the sponsorship of violence across the country by those that have vowed to make the country ungovernable for the fact that he has elected to stand on the path of truth by ensuring an equitable distribution of our commonwealth. 

”We also know that those that have benefited from the rot in the system do not like him because since he assumed leadership of the country, it has not been business as usual and for this, they have ganged up to cause a crisis of unimaginable proportion all in a bid to discredit his efforts towards making Nigeria great again. 

”The Women for Buhari would not relent in its efforts towards rallying the much needed and well deserved support for President Muhammadu Buhari as he continues to pilot the affairs of our great country. Consequently, we have come out in our numbers to lend our voices to this movement of progressive-minded people to ensure that the enemies of Nigeria do not have their way in their nefarious plot to destabilize the country.  

”We want to use this medium to give this charge to all present here that we must not relent despite the avalanche of conspiracies against our dear country. This country indeed belongs to all of us and never again shall we allow a select few to dictate the destinies of over 200 million Nigerians. Never again shall we let those individuals and groups that caused the social and economic mess in our country have their way again.

”This much President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated since he assumed leadership of this country. As such, he is their enemy number one. But he is our hero and the hero for the liberated Nigeria that is now free from the clutches of those that have held the country by the jugular for a very long time”, the women said.

They described those fanning the embers of discord in the country to desist from the act and join hands with all well-meaning Nigerians to make the country a better place.

”We know how ferocious they have been in their despicable plots. We also know that they have willing collaborators in some external sources that are not happy with the progressive recorded in Nigeria since 2015”. 

“They are not happy, but the generality of Nigerians are happy. They are plotting for the disintegration of Nigeria, and they have been covertly fueling acts of insecurity across the country. But despite all of these, we remain resolute in our support for President Muhammadu Buhari because he is an upright leader whose actions and inactions are in the overall interest of the country. 

“We are telling the whole world that indeed President Muhammadu Buhari is God-sent to Nigeria, and this much he has demonstrated over the past six years of his leadership of our country. He has shown that when there is a will, there is indeed a way. And for this we are eternally grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari and why we will continue to support him in his quest to leave Nigeria better than he met it. 

“We are using this medium to call on all Nigerian women to stand in total support of President Muhammadu Buhari as he pilots the affairs of our great country. The women of Nigeria shall continue to pray for God to protect him and members of his household. We are also praying that God grants him good health and sound mind to enable him to continue to render selfless service to Nigeria. 

“The Women for Buhari is indeed proud of President Muhammadu Buhari and wishes to advise all those that have ganged up against him and the unity of Nigeria to have a rethink and retrace their steps for with President Muhammadu the future of Nigeria is set on a solid path to sustainable growth and development. 

“This much we know and this much we appreciate hence our unflinching support that knows no bound. We are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that those that are conspiring against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the unity of Nigeria shall be put to shame in no distant time. 

“On behalf of the Women for Buhari, I thank you all for this outstanding display of patriotism. In the fullness of time, Nigeria shall manifest in its well-deserved glory”

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

God bless President Muhammadu Buhari.

Zabarmari killings: Group fingers opposition party, seeks probe

The North East Patriots Forum (NEPF) says there is a political undertone in the killing of farmers at Zarbamari community in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.  

Contrary to reports, the group said the dastardly act may not have been committed by Boko Haram terrorists, rather aggrieved opposition politicians in Borno. 

The forum, which made this known at a press conference on Monday, said the killings could be linked to the first local government elections in the state after 13 years. 

Speaking on behalf of the group, Secretary-General, Alhaji Isah Bulama, said opposition members on sensing imminent defeat at the polls, resorted to unorthodox means to scuttle the exercise. 

While condemning the barbaric act, the North-East forum called on relevant security authorities to swiftly unravel those behind it. 

It, however, handed a 14-day ultimatum to security operatives to arrest the killers and bring them to justice. 

Read the full statement below: 

The leadership of the North East Patriots Forum welcomes all stakeholders to the important press conference in the light of the dastardly act of violence carried out on farmers in Zarbamari village in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.

We condemn such barbaric act in its entirety and wish to extend our condolences to the people of Jere Local Government Area and Borno State at large. We must admit that these are indeed trying times in the North East region of the country especially with the threats posed by the Boko Haram terrorist group that has seen to the death of thousands as well as the displacement of millions of people in the North East region.

The North East Patriots Forum is desirous that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought the face the full wrath of the law within the shortest possible time.

We are indeed shocked with the way and manner young and agile men were slaughtered by the supposed Boko Haram members while tiling their farmland in Zarbamari community which has been hitherto one of the most peaceful local government areas since the beginning of the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State.

It is also very shocking that Jere Local Government has never been in the news due to the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group and for this dastardly act to be committed leaves `more to the imagination. 

The way and manner these farmers were killed are also suspect in the sense that since the beginning of the Boko Haram insurgency in North-East Nigeria, the group has not been known for slitting throats and beheading farmers as evident in Zarbamari recently. 

We are also constrained to ask some critical questions with regards to the killings in Zarbamari because as critical stakeholders, we are not aware of farming activities in Zarbamari in this time of the year and rice cultivation as such. We are also constrained to ask why such a large number of people would elect to gather at a location without any form of protection either at the community level or from the security agencies.

We also beg to ask what was the prevailing political atmosphere in Jere Local Government before the killings. Were those killed members of a political party or ethnicity? Was there prior violence in the area before the killings? Who are the leading contenders in the conducted local government elections in Jere Local Government Area? 

All of these questions require answers if Nigerians indeed want to know the truth about what transpired at Zarbamari village in Jere Local Government Area. As concerned stakeholders in the region, we can say to a large extent that we understand the dynamics of Borno State and Jere Local Government Area to be precise. It is consequently hard to believe that indeed the killings were perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorist group.  

We have our reservations and which is heightened by the fact that the killings coincided with the recently conducted local government elections in Borno State after 13 years. We are also constrained to want to believe that the killings in Zarbamari have political undertones with the way and manner the victims were executed, which by all indication was to send a strong message to an individual or a group.  

Nigerians must indeed be aware that Zarbamari community in Jere Local Government Area is not one that has experienced much of Boko Haram attacks since the beginning of the insurgency. It, therefore, beats our imaginations as to why such would happen when the Boko Haram group has been decimated. Their activities confined to the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin region, which is hundreds of miles from Jere Local Government Area.

The North East Patriots Forum believes that the killings in Zarbamari community are nothing but a political event that is aimed towards scuttling the conduct of local government elections in the state. And the perpetrators are most likely the members of the opposition that apparently do not stand a chance at the polls in the local government area and hence they must do all within their means including unorthodox means to scuttle the peace and tranquillity in Borno State.  

The North East Patriots Forum is also aware that the real intention behind the killing of the farmers in Zarbamari is for political expediencies and not an attack by the Boko Haram terrorist group as widely alleged. 

We are using this medium to call on the relevant security agencies to as a matter of urgency unravel those behind the dastardly act that was committed in Zarbamari. We are also giving the various security agencies a 14 days ultimatum to arrest the killers of these innocent people and bring them to justice. 

We must also expressly state that human life is dignifying. As such, no individual or group should denigrate human life for political considerations as in the case with the killings in Zarbamari. 

It is our firm stance that nobody should take Nigeria and Nigerians for granted or play politics with the blood of innocent citizens. This is indeed despicable and must be condemned by all and sundry. 

The North East Patriots Forum is indeed watching events as they unfold in Borno State with regards to the local government elections and states that should there be further escalation of violence, the blame should go to members of the opposition in the state which by all intents and purposes are not happy with the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum for having the boldness to conduct LG elections. 

Whatever be the case, it must be expressly noted that the Boko Haram terror group could not have carried out the recent killings in Zarbamari but instead a politically sponsored killings which are as a result of the recently conducted local government elections in the state.

There are indeed puzzles behind the Zarbamari killings. We thank you all for your time. 

Group plans another pro-Buhari, national unity rally

The National Rebirth Movement (NRM) has announced a mega rally to show solidarity with President Muhammadu Buhari and the unity of Nigeria. 

The group, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Usman Abubakar, on Monday, said the rally is scheduled for Tuesday, December 1 at the Unity Fountain, Abuja. 

According to Abubakar, the march is to set the records straight and garner support for the laudable efforts of President Buhari in addressing the myriads of challenges facing the country. 

The group added that it also intends to send a strong message to those against the interest of the nation to have a rethink and retrace their steps in the overall interest of peace and stability of Nigeria. 

The National Rebirth Movement, however, called on all well-meaning Nigerians to come out in their numbers to join the exercise. 

Read the full statement below:

The National Rebirth Movement wishes to inform members of the general public of a mega rally in support of the Muhammadu Buhari Administration slated for 1st December 2020 at the Unity Fountain in FCT-Abuja. 

The exigencies of time indeed require that a precise and unambiguous message be sent to those individuals and groups plotting to discredit the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in its quest for a better Nigeria that we would all be proud of.

The National Rebirth Movement sees this rally as highly imperative to set the records straight and garner support for the laudable efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in addressing the myriads of challenges facing the country. 

We are indeed aware that there is a grand conspiracy against the Muhammadu Buhari administration from both internal and external sources which has come in the form of propagation of fake news, undermining and discrediting efforts of our the security agencies and other acts of economic and socio-political sabotage. 

The rally is also intended to send a strong message to those that have elected to be against the interest of the country to have a rethink and retrace their steps in the overall interest of peace and stability in the country. 

The National Rebirth Movement wishes to inform those external forces as well as their internal collaborators that democracy shall continue to thrive in Nigeria, and the unity of Nigeria remains sacrosanct. It is thus our responsibility as discerning Nigerians to rally support for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in this critical point of our existence as a country, hence this rally. 

The rally shall accommodate Nigerians from all walks of life and various regions in the country in solidarity not just for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, but also for the unity of our great nation.

We shall be rolling out the drums to send a strong message to the international community, especially those that are acting against the interest of the country to jettison such ideas because Nigerians are solidly behind the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in its quest to make Nigeria the country of our dreams. 

We are also using this medium to call on all well-meaning Nigerians to come out in their numbers to join the rally for the unity and continued peace and stability in Nigeria under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. 

The National Rebirth Movement is also using this medium to reiterate that the Muhammadu Buhari administration is in the best interest of Nigeria and as such Nigerians would resist any move by individuals or groups, as well as external forces working for the downfall of the administration. 

This rally is one out of a series of events lined up by the National Rebirth Movement in support of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Unity of Nigeria. 

Breaking: Group accuses opposition of sponsoring violence to discredit Buhari

The Democratic Coalition of Nigeria (DCN) has raised the alarm over what it termed the way, and manner members of the opposition have “continually initiated moves to undermine the sovereignty of Nigeria through the sponsorship violence across the country.”

The group stated that the wave of violence across the country is indeed the handiwork of those that are hell-bent on truncating democracy in Nigeria in fulfilment of their desire to discredit the present administration in spite of its lofty plans and policies towards translating the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians into tangible realities.

Kolade Christopher, the Publicity Secretary of the group, in a statement on Monday, noted that those behind violent activities are indeed staunch supporters of the former presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

DCN therefore called on the government to do all within its means to bring the perpetrators of violence in the country to book for their nefarious activities pointing out that no individual is bigger than the country.

He said, “It is the considered opinion of the Democratic Coalition of Nigeria (DCN) that the former presidential candidate has refused to come to terms with reality since his electoral loss in the 2019 general elections and since then, he has not relented in his blind pursuit to make the country ungovernable.

“It is also a statement of the fact that indeed these unscrupulous elements and enemies of Nigeria appear to be in frequent touch with members of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group, armed bandits and other criminal gangs whose activities have indeed heightened insecurity in the country.

“The Democratic Coalition of Nigeria (DCN) therefore wishes to inform members of the general public that the ferociousness of these unscrupulous elements is now pronounced after the failure of the EndSARS protest to disintegrate Nigeria.

“The reality of times is indeed worrisome and should give all well-meaning Nigerians a cause to worry due to the active plot to undermine the sovereignty of Nigeria by all means available including the propagation of fake news and the sponsorship of acts intended to cause disaffection in the polity and set the country on fire.

“Nigerians must indeed be aware that revelations from the sponsorship of the #EndSARS protest have indeed put these elements on the hot seat. As such, they have elected to work on the minds of the generality of the public by making wild allegations with regards to the efforts of the government towards addressing the security challenges in the country.

“The Democratic Coalition of Nigeria (DCN) is using this medium to send a note of warning to members of the opposition to desist from their despicable plot to undermine the sovereignty of Nigeria. It is also a shame that a former vice president can elect to be aggressively against the interest of the country.

“Nigerians must also be aware that those constantly parading themselves as democrats before the general public are those aggressively fuelling violence in the country for their selfish interest, not minding whose ox is gored.

“The Democratic Coalition of Nigeria (DCN) states that Nigerians must realize that the efforts of the government have been most proactive and as such all hands must be on deck in ensuring that the enemies of Nigerian do not have their way in the plot towards undermining Nigeria.

“We are also using this medium to charge the various security agencies to continue to render invaluable services to the country by ensuring that the activities of non-state actors are adequately addressed in the overall interest of the country.”

EndSARS: Don’t Subvert Truth, Group Warns Lagos Govt, Amnesty International

The Lagos state government and Amnesty International, AI, have been warned to allow the Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up to probe the allegation of brutality against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Lagos state to work without any form of interference.

A civil society organisation, Advocates For Social Justice, at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, warned the Lagos government and the rights group against subversion of truth before the commission.

Mr. Agwu Gabriel Esq., Executive Director of the group said it is alarmed that a delegation from Lagos State Government is in London for a meeting with Amnesty International to exonerate Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu, on the deployment of the military to manage the #EndSARS protest at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020.

The group alleged that Amnesty International is at the forefront of the campaign of calumny being waged against the Nigerian military .

The Executive Director said, ”The #EndSARS protests turned violent on the strength of its engineered interventions and campaign of fake news in which it triggered the misplaced outrage about a massacre that never happened.

”To have a sense of how badly Amnesty International lied against Nigeria and its military, Cable News Network (CNN) has walked back its claim of 38 fatalities from the Lekki Toll Gate incident because its report was based on the lies told by the NGO. Nigerians had risen up against the lies prompting the network to recant its flawed reporting.

”Amnesty International lies had been exposed long before CNN was forced to make a volte face. When its Country Director, Osai Ojigho went on Arise TV to continue the offensive against Nigeria but could not provide evidence to support her organization’s claim that the military massacred protesters in Lekki. All she could provide was the lame quip that the military has a tradition of killing people and taking their corpses away, which is another lie that Amnesty International has replicated and elevated to the level of a myth”.

The group said Ojigho, representing her organization, went as far as riding the coattails of a proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to go testify against the Nigerian government and military in support of a terrorist organization.

On the proccedings before the Unitd Kingdom Parliament on the Lekki incident in Lagos, Mr. Gabriel described it as a rehash of the proceedings of the Canadian Parliamentary committee, which can best be described as a charade.

”Again, the UK Parliamentary show of shame was brokered by Amnesty International, which possibly still thinks that the Britain can resume being Nigeria’s colonial master if its staff lie enough about human rights abuses allegedly committed by the Nigerian Army or other security agencies.

”This and much more is public knowledge about Amnesty International and the poisonous branding it is carrying out on Nigeria. It is something that right thinking Nigerians have been clamouring to bring an end about. They see the NGO for the monster it is and they have not stopped drawing attention to the danger that this organization poses to the country.

”Unfortunately, Lagos state is neither reading the national mood correctly nor properly evaluating the facts before it. The people around Governor Sanwoolu are apparently still addicted to being inferior in the face of a foreign-based NGO that has the reputation of sowing discord and crisis around the world, one that has made it a permanent goal to bring Nigeria into ruins.

”Interestingly, one of the ways Amnesty International attempts to undermine Nigeria is by casting aspersions on the institutions of the country. It has persistently targeted the military and security establishments with this approach. It has equally added other institutions like the judiciary. Its latest target is logically the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry”, the group said.

The group called on the Lagos state government to immediately stops further interface, interaction and contact with Amnesty International in Nigeria, United Kingdom and in any other country of the world.