Buhari is North-east messiah-Dr. Gana

Security expert and public affairs analyst, Dr. Abubakar Gana has described President Muhammadu Buhari as the messiah of Northeast, Nigeria.

Dr. Gana said he drew the conclusion based on what the current  administration of President Buhari has done to secure the lives of citizens in the Northeast and to assure them that they’re part of Nigeria.

In the statement issued in Abuja as part of reports of the tour undertaken by Dr. Gana and 20 others to the Northeast recently, the public affairs analyst said no other word captures the depth of the President’s interventions and the success recorded than to refer to him as a messiah of the Northeast. 

He said,”In fact, I’m not the one that described him as such but the people of the Northeast themselves who are so full of praises for Mr. President in tbe light of what he has done to secure their lives.

Dr. Gana who gave a brief background to the tour said it took him and many others to several communities in Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

He said it was to verify claims of successes being recorded in the fight against insurgency and terrorism to ensure that people are not deceived by unnecessary propaganda. 

Dr. Gana said it was only Taraba State that he did not go as part of the tour since the activities of the terrorists was more concentrated in the five aforementioned states.

The security expert said from the first hand interaction he has had with the people of the Northeast in the last two months, he was convinced that the Boko Haram terrorists group has thoroughly been defeated and it would appear that there’s nothing more the people appreciate than the current administration, which they say has liberated them from terrorists and insurgents and enabled them return to normal lives.

He said since 2015, when the current administration came on board, the people have felt the impact of the technical defeat of the insurgents through reopening of schools and markets, reopening of major roads for travelling and the constant repelling of attacks.

Speaking on specifics, Dr. Gana said it is on record that the lives of over 8 million people in the Northeast has been affected positively by the intervention of the current government through sustained efforts to clear the Northeast of terrorists. 

He said the depth of the operation include military action on the insurgents, rebuilding of infrastructural facilities as well as securing retaken territories for peaceful habitation. 

Dr. Gana said the current government deserves commendation in the combat operation in the Northeast because it came with new strategies and tactics that have overwhelmed the insurgents.

The Security Expert said the people confirmed to him that the fight turned against the insurgents the moment the current administration came on board and appointed new service chiefs.

“Most of the people I spoke with testified to the fact that there was a time the morale of Nigerian troops was so low owing to lack of sophisticated weapons and that they witnessed when many troops were running from the battlefield. 

“They told me that they at a time had given up on ever coming back to their communities because of the way soldiers were quitting and running away but that since the current administration, they have seen confident troops raring to go to the battlefield  while the insurgents began to flee.

The security expert said it is heartwarming for the people of the Northeast that the government did not leave them to their plight even after subduing the terrorists but went ahead to assist them in the rebuilding of infrastructure through the military. 

“This has exposed them to the humane side of the military whom they thought are only good in fighting wars alone but they now see soldiers helping to building bridges and reconstruct roads and this has touched them,” he stated.

Dr. Gana said it is the effort of the current administration in retaking 20 local governments  that has made it possible for persons displaced by insurgents to to back to their ancestral homes.

He said President  Buhari  has created a conducive environment for return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees to their homes of origin.

He said from his observation, some of the communities have since resettled and have forgotten about the agonies of the past and are always praying for President Buhari to succeed.

He said, “Some of the families recall that there was a time they had to be sleeping in the bushes to avert  being atacked in the night but  now say they’ve gone back to farming and other commercial activities while their children have gone back to school,” he said.

Dr. Gana said it is to the credit of the current administration that the military was able to engage in non combat operations leading to the surrender of several insurgents and terrorists further reducing the threats of terrorists.

He concluded by saying that terrorists have been pushed to a hell hole in the northern fringes and emptied of any capacity to operate as they wish adding that that is why they’ve been trying to launch themsleves through attacks on soft targets.
“They typically want to give the impression that they’re intact but I’ve confirmed that they’ve been subdued,” he stated.

Special Report: How troops saved Zulum from Boko Haram attacks

By Toby Prince and Lawrence Audu

It is well known that the convoy of the Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has been attacked two times within a spate of two months  by suspected Boko Haram  terrorists while the governor was on a working to the northern part of the state. 

What however is yet to come to the public domain, is the number of times Nigerian troops have prevented attacks on the governor and some politically exposed persons and the number of times troops have taken the bullets for them. 

The first time the govenor’s convoy was atacked was on July 29, in the town of Baga where shots rang from different directions and the Governor was covered until it was safe for him to come out and the second time on was on September 26, when his convoy was attacked while it was travelling to meet join him at Baga.

While the two incidents have  generated sympathy for the govenor, it has been used to question the professional integrity of Nigerian troops as some accuse the troops of being lax.

But investigations conducted by our correspondents have revealed that troops have put their lives on the line several times to save the Borno State governor and other government officials from harm without his knowing.

Our reporters established that usualy before politically exposed persons take to routes considered as risk prone, troops usualy conduct intelligent surveys to ascertain the degree of safety.

The road that leads from Maiduguri to Baga has, due to ongoing military operations been avoided until cleared by the military.

But when high profile persons are to be on they route, troops, relying on surveys and intelligent reports, usually comb the bushes to rid them of terrorists elements who may be hiding to launch surprise attacks.

Our reporters confirm that the Boko Haram terrorists have, since been degraded, have been looking for opportunities to send the message that they’re intact.

Hence in the course of such clearance operations, troops were able to detect mines planted on the routes and many been killed and injured in the process.

At a few occasions, they were able to trace elements of the terrorists hiding in shrubs and valleys and arrested them.

But such incidences have not come out to the public domain due to the swiftness and near hundred percent success of intelligence network.

“A security expert who spoke with our reporters say normally in a military exercise, people don’t get to hear of avoided calamities because they were not allowed to happen. 

“If intelligence coordinates are able to prevent attacks and save situations, it would appear normal and nobody would talk about them as against when there’s a kinetic action and casualty,” he explained.

Our checks reveal that the Boko Haram terrorists have resorted to the planting of mines on rural roads as their strength have been depleted and can no longer confront troops on ground.

The effective combination of air assaults together with the ground operations have also led to the killing of the terrorists.

The September attack on the convoy of the governor, according to our findings, was facilitated through the explosion of mines by terrorists before they were later subdued when  troops started firing an a reinforcement was alerted and closed in on the terrorists killing many while others fled.

A tour of the area by our reporters confirmed that troops on the field have pushed the terrorists out of Southern and Central parts of Borno and that the Boko Haram terrorists are only hiding in the fringes of the northern Borno close to the border. 

The troops, reliable sources have indicated, are on the verge of completing the process of pushing the terrorists from the northern  zone and the state entirely. 

Reports have it that though the Borno State governor has prefered to visit the northern Senatorial zone of the state ahead of the conclusion of the final assault that would push the terrorists out, troops have several times  ensured that he is adequately covered.

An intelligent source said ideally, the governor should have waited until the final operation to visit such areas but that since he has chosen to take advantage of the presence of troops to visit IDP camps, the troops have no option but protect him.

A source in the Borno Government House said on two occasions, the presence of troops made the insurgents who were desperate on launching attacks, to retreat while on two other occasions their attempt to plant devices on routes were detected and the device difused.

“The presence of troops in Baga and other places has saved a lot of people including the governor because the moment movements start on the fringes and blurry images begin to appear, they quickly withdraw on sighting troops,” a security expert who chose not to be named confirmed. 

He said for the two reported incidents, the govenor was saved from harm when troops opened fire and the terrorists  fled when confronted with superior fire power.

He said it was intelligence report that made the govenor to take a chopper instead of travelling by road which saved his life, the last time.

He said it was the efficiency with which the troops countered the July attack that gave the impression that there were no actual Boko Haram fighters involved and for the governor to remark that there was “serious shooting by the Nigerian armed forces.” 

Interaction with troops however confirmed they’re in high spirits despite the incidents.

“They’ve taken the political interpretation given the recent attacks in good faith as many of them understand that it takes time for troops’ sacrifice to be appreciated,” the security expert said.

TY Danjuma and his ancient habits

By Kolawole Anthony

Nigeria is indeed a dynamic country. This is a country where some of its citizens have not been fair to it despite what they have benefitted over the years. That Nigeria remains, a country is indeed by the mercies of God because when one is availed some of the things happening in high places, you would indeed weep for Nigeria.

I am worried because of the insensitivity of some supposed elderstatstmen in the county who instead of devoting their time and resources towards making Nigeria better are instead busy fueling ethnic and religious division across the country. One of such individuals is General T.Y. Danjuma.

General T.Y Danjuma remains one of the few Nigerians that benefitted immensely from Nigeria. Till date, his source of wealth aside questionable is worth a whopping $1.2 billion according to a report published by The Commonwealth Activists, United Kingdom.

The report described T.Y. Danjuma as one of the purveyors of disunity in Nigeria who has used his position and influence as a former Chief of Army Staff, former defence minister as well as his fortune to fester ethnic conflict in the North Central region of Nigeria.

“In Nigeria, there have been various agitations along ethnic and religious lines that has somewhat resulted in conflict in most states in North Central Nigeria. States such as Taraba, though in North East has experienced an ethnic conflict that most stakeholders have attributed to political interference and the quest for ethnic domination.”

“It was also identified that some political leaders and highly exposed people from these states have contributed to the festering of the conflict in the region. One of the identified is a former defence minister and businessman Theophilus Danjuma of the Jukun ethnicity in Taraba state. T.Y Danjuma as he is fondly called has been fingered to be using his influence and resources to be fuelling conflict between the Jukuns of his home state of Taraba and the Tivs of Benue state.”

I indeed agreed with this position because over the years there have been instances where T.Y Danjuma was alleged to have been arming militia groups in his home state of Taraba to wreak havoc in neighbouring states all for ethnic domination and thereby heating the polity and compounding an already fragile atmosphere.

This insatiable quest has also led to some form of religious tension in the country where wild allegations of acts of genocide against Christians was pushed into the public space through proxy groups and associations, which in recent times have been coming from outside the shores of Nigeria. The recent report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group, U.K. was also identified as one of those ways T.Y Danjuma and his cohorts have been using to cause disaffection in the country. This much was highlighted in the report by the Commonwealth Activists.

“It has been widely speculated that since the coming of Muhammadu Buhari as president, some far-reaching measures were taken to make some extraordinary wealthy Nigerians account for the sources of their wealth. One of such individuals is T. Y Danjuma, who is believed to have been uncomfortable with the stance of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.”

“It was also stated that government probe of the frequent clashes between the Jukuns and the Tivs revealed that T.Y Danjuma has on numerous occasions used his resources to arm Jukun militia groups to wreak havoc in communities in Benue state. This much it was revealed was responsible for the frequent clashes between militia groups in Taraba and Benue state. This is against the position canvassed by the APPG that the government of Nigeria is subtly encouraging genocidal actions against Christians in Nigeria.”

This is the phenomenal T.Y Danjuma and why I indeed stated in the opening paragraphs that some Nigerians have not been fair to the country despite what they have benefited from the country over the years. This is also of the heels that the Zaki Biam and Odi massacres were carried out during the period T.Y. Danjuma was the Defence minister and must have given the all-clear for the operations in his capacity as the Minister of Defence.

This is indeed despicable and an indication that the likes of T.Y Danjuma are out against the interest of Nigeria. The fortune he made from Nigeria is indeed phenomenal. The Commonwealth Activists report did reveal some of the shoddy deals he perpetuated while in was in office in various capacities.

“Danjuma was awarded the oil block in 1998 by the regime of a former dictator and fellow army officer, Sani Abacha, making him one of a handful of Nigerians that made wealth from the country’s energy reserves. Danjuma paid $25 million in 1998 for the oil field exploration license that made him a billionaire. A year later, he became Nigeria’s defence minister as the country returned to democracy.”

“In some quarters it has been stated that the source of the $28 million was gotten from illicit deals he perpetuated while he was in government. However, this claim has not been verified since there has been no document that has indicted him for fraudulent practices.”

T.Y Danjuma remains a soldier of fortune who milked Nigeria through his involvement in shady deals that was aptly captured by the Commonwealth Activists report wherein it was stated

“An analysis by Private Eye magazine revealed Danjuma as one of several “politically exposed persons” using mysterious U.K. shell companies for money laundering. Danjuma was among 40 of the “world’s better connected wealthy elite” who “conceal assets” with the help of shell companies.”

With all of these revelations about T.Y Danjuma, I am not sure Nigerians should be deceived by his public posturing pretending to be carrying out acts in the interest of the country. And to think that such an individual that ought to serve as a uniting factor in the affairs of Nigeria is ironically the one festering ethnic and religious conflict in the country.

I dare to say that if T.Y Danjuma has his way, he would have sold Nigeria even in his old age. This is how despicable his actions have been and a reason why the relevant authorities in Nigeria must see to the fact that the likes of T.Y Danjuma should be brought to book to account for his atrocities against Nigeria.

The amount of resources he has expended in causing ethnic and religious tension in Nigeria would have been used to improve the lot of the people because after all his wealth his ill-gotten because there is indeed no justification with his career and income to equate with his current net worth that runs into billions of dollars.

If not for anything, I am glad that the Commonwealth Activists indeed did justice in revealing T. Y. Danjuma as a purveyor of disunity in Nigeria despite the grandstanding depicting himself as a man dedicated to the socio-economic wellbeing of Nigeria. The reverse is the case because here is a man who is ethnically parochial and religiously intolerant, and who for him the only thing that matters is for the domination of his Jukun ethnicity above all other ethnicities amongst its neighbours.

I think at this point we must learn to call a spade a spade to realize that T.Y Danjuma remains with his ancient habits that thrive in exploitation and divisive tendencies in furtherance of an intrinsic and insatiable penchant to continue to feed fat from Nigeria.

It is thus a blessing in disguise that indeed the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari has been able to address the T. Y Danjuma obsession with Nigeria, which he sees as his birthright and would go any length further to protect his interest at the detriment of national development.

I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for standing on the side of the people and no matter the resources channelled towards casting aspersion on the credibility of the efforts of the present administration, the truth shall always prevail. While it is not in my position to render advise to T.Y Danjuma to change his ways and make firm commitments towards peace and stability of Nigeria, I would however still say that this is the time for T.Y Danjuma to repay Nigeria with good deeds. The choice is his as posterity would not be kind to him if Nigeria goes up in flames.

Kolawole PhD wrote from Keffi.

Investigation: Nigerian Army most sought after security agency in Nigeria

By Lawrence Audu

The spate of insecurity in Nigeria has elicited concern from various stakeholders. The activities of Boko Haram insurgents, militant groups, armed bandits, kidnappers and other forms of criminalities have indeed tasked our security agencies. Not only has the continued state of insecurity threatened the very fabric of national integration in the country and created the ecology of fear, disquiet and anxiety, it has also called to question to the role of the various security agencies in the country.

Investigations revealed that the deployment of the Army in Internal Security Operations has dramatically increased since the return to democratic governance in Nigeria. Another factor that is responsible for the excessive deployment of the Army on ISOs is the fact that the Nigeria Police Force that is constitutionally charged with the responsibility of tackling internal security challenges is mostly poorly funded, ill-equipped and ill-trained to handle them.

These factors have often made civilian authorities to heavily rely on the expertise of the Army and its sisters’ forces, the navy and air-force to manage internal security challenges. In effect, the regular engagements of its personnel have made the organization to assume the position of the first line of internal security defence which ordinarily is the role of the police.

In an article published by the International Crisis Group, it was stated that since assuming office in May 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed new and more competent service chiefs, relocated the military command centre dedicated to the fight against Boko Haram to the northeast and probed past weapons procurement.

“These actions have had salutary effects, but the benefits will be short-lived unless they are followed by formulation and implementation of a comprehensive reform program that encompasses the entire defence management spectrum, including leadership, oversight and administration. Failure to implement such reforms would leave the military distressed and Nigerians vulnerable to the current and future security challenges.”

The effectiveness of the Nigerian Army in Internal Security Operations in Nigeria has also been commendable according to findings. The various operations involve the massive deployment of military assets and manpower and are being carried out simultaneously at a period of dwindling national revenue and protracted war against terrorism and insurgency, thereby stretching the Military too thin. Regardless of this fact, the Nigerian Army has indeed proved reliable as evident in the success of its various internal security operations taking place around the country simultaneously.

In all these multiple facts indicates that the Nigerian Army remains instrumental in addressing the various security challenges in the country and its exploits in recent times have indeed endeared it in the heart of Nigerians that jump at any given opportunity to be a part of a well repositioned Nigerian Army.

According to available statistics, the various Nigerian Army recruitment has been overly subscribed by young Nigerians desirous of adorning the Nigerian Army uniform into the officers and soldiers’ cadre. According to a former commandant of the Nigerian Army Depot in Jaji, Kaduna state, he stated that the rush to join the Nigerian Army in the past five years has been phenomenal.

“As commandant of the Nigerian Army Depot, we were inundated daily with the request for enrolment into the Nigerian Army. And the instances where recruitment was conducted, those that were lucky to be enlisted during training do exhibit a burning passion that is quite impressive. Throughout my stay as the commandant, I would say that I have not seen a situation where there is such much excitement on the faces of young boys and girls.”

It was also discovered that the same experience is the case in the Nigerian Defence Academy, where cadet officers are training. Our findings revealed that the Nigerian Army always comes top as the Service for preference for cadets in training.

According to a professor of criminology from the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna, he stated that the Nigerian Army remains the most sought after security agency in Nigeria and retaining it as the pride of the nation.

“We must understand the complexities of crime and criminality in a country as diverse as Nigeria. Despite the avalanche of conspiracies against its operations wherein it has been mischievously propounded in sections of the country that troops of the Nigerian Army are demoralized and deserting the Army. The reverse is indeed the case. Applications have continued to pour in and those placed on reserve list exhibit as much excitement as those recruited.”

“From our findings, the urge to join the Nigerian Army is as a result of the various innovations introduced in the past five years. With improved training and doctrine, welfare and other additional incentives make the Nigerian Army the most sought after security agency in Nigeria.”

Findings also indicate that in the past five years, the welfare of troops has received much-needed attention. Salaries and allowances have been reviewed and promptly paid. It has been established that these and many more innovations introduced has indeed boosted the morale of the troops engaged in the various counterinsurgency and internal security operations of the Nigerian Army across Nigeria.

The operations of the Nigerian Army have also received commendations for its adherence to best practices. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, detention facilities under the purview of the Army meet international standards. Head of ICRC delegation in Nigeria, Mr Karl Mattli, who made the assessment, went further to offer additional support to the Army in sustaining this standard.

There is no gainsaying that the Nigerian Army has thus regained its place of pride as an institution where discipline and professionalism is the watchword. One must also recognize and commend the fact that our officers and soldiers are now motivated to do what they have committed to doing for the country. This supports the ranking of Nigeria as the 4th country with the strongest Army in Africa due to the successes recorded in peacekeeping missions and the fight against terrorism.

Nigeria has also been ranked 43rd strongest Military in the world in 2020 by the Global Fire Power, especially in finance, logistics and defence budget. The implication of the ranking is the fact that there has been the considerable introduction of transparency and accountability, unlike in times past where monies meant for military operations were diverted to private pockets.

Findings from this ranking revealed that the regime of transparency and accountability is also a significant factor responsible for the repositioning of the Nigerian Army as a professional fighting force. Credit must indeed be given to the leadership strides of the army authorities, especially since 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari assumed leadership of the country.

The conclusion derived from this investigation is that the Nigerian Army of today remains committed in the preservation of the territorial integrity of the country as well as addressing the various security challenges in the country. The various indices indeed point to the exploits of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai whose giant strides have indeed positioned the Nigerian Army for exploits.

The narrative that the Nigerian Army is desolate is false; instead, it is bustling with activities. This position was confirmed during the Nigerian Army Day celebration 2020 where the Chief of Army Staff inaugurated several projects across the eight divisions of the Nigerian Army. Consequently, the bulk of the negative attribution to the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army in Nigeria is propaganda and not a reflection of the reality on the ground as the Nigerian Army remains highly sought after amongst the various security agencies in Nigeria.

Audu is a security writer and works for TheNigerian News.

PRESIDENT BUHARI AND THE NORTHERN BORNO CONUNDRUM

By Abba Alli

If there is anything that bothers the president today, it is the case of northern Borno state where our troops are still battling remnants of Boko Haram terrorists. This area remains the sore point of the seemingly dwindling war against terrorists in the North-East region of Nigeria.

According to the words of Governor Babagana Zulum, when President Muhammadu Buhari visited the state earlier in the year, he expressed surprise that Nigerians have “so quickly forgotten the past, some have tried to compare the situation in Borno now with what it was prior to 29th May 2015, when all the major roads leading to Borno were closed except the Maiduguri-Kano road”. 

He further said, “There were sporadic killings and attacks even here in Maiduguri metropolis. About 20 local governments areas of Borno State were displaced, but from May 2015, we have recovered most of the displaced local government areas. By the year 2016 and 2017, we have almost celebrated the demise of the Boko Haram insurgency”. This was reported earlier in the year by Premium Times.

I had to refer to the quote above as proof that adequate effort has been made on this Boko Haram issue and in fact, results have been achieved. We have moved away from daily attacks, daring assaults on barracks, endless roadblocks etc.

By then, most of the local governments that were hitherto under the control of the insurgents were liberated by the Nigerian Army. Before 2015, many states in the region were under constant attacks by the terrorist group. Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Bauchi States were major targets with the first three the epicentre of the violence.

However, some few years down the line Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states have all been liberated from the activities of this terror group. This was as a result of hard work and dedication to the mission by the President and our great military. This did not happen by chance, though.

During his campaign days, President Buhari made clear his three major priorities; tackling insecurity, building the economy and fighting corruption. There is no doubt that top on that list is tackling insecurity and Mr President has shown his desire and commitment to succeed at that by his many actions.

His first foreign engagement upon assumption of office in 2015 was a visit to neighbouring Chad to discuss issues bothering on collaboration between both countries to tackle the menace of Boko Haram. Thereafter, he made one of the best decisions of his administration yet in my own opinion, which is the appointment of quality and tested officers as service chiefs of our Armed Forces.

That appointment will mark a turning point in the battle against insurgency. I was particularly impressed with the choice of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai, a  battle-tested soldier. He was already at the time head of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). Perhaps the experience from heading that operation was what helped his smooth take over and immediate success recorded upon his assumption of office as COAS.

There is no doubt that his appointment was a game-changer. He got to work immediately, acting on the orders of Mr President to relocate the command and control headquarters of the war against insurgents to the Northeast region. He immediately relocated to Borno and within a few months, the results started coming in. The same troops that left their arms and ammunition and fled from Boko Haram returned back under a new dedicated and committed leadership to take on the terrorists.

The Nigerian Army fought back gallantly and decimated the insurgents hard across the entire region. By early 2017, the sect had suffered casualties aplenty. They lost all capacity to carry out coordinated attacks as they usually did.

I had to make all this narration so that those who may not have been following the events in the region keenly can understand where we were before now and where we are now without which we may not appreciate our current situation.

The war against insurgents, terrorists, separatist groups and others are not really your regular or conventional wars guided by any rules. While state actors like the Nigeria Army are bound by rules and international conventions, Boko Haram/ ISWAP do not operate under any rule and are not committed to anything. They are there for the destruction of humanity.

Unconventional wars like this can be quite complex and tough to handle. In most cases even when a solution is found, they have to be applied surgically. The case of Borno remains a serious worry to the President. He knows his government has done a lot to tackle the menace of terrorism in the area yet the rate of sabotage of success is high, especially in the Northern region of Borno.

Whilst other states and in fact many areas in Borno have been able to maintain the successes of the Army in defeating the terrorists, northern Borno remains an exception. What could be the reason for this continuous set back in this area?

What strategy did the military deploy in other areas and failed to put in place in the northern Borno area? Or what have people in other areas done that Northern Borno people didn’t do? These are critical questions we need to ask ourselves as a nation going forward. I do not have all the answers but I am sure if a round table is organized to discuss this, answers will come.

For instance, Biu in southern Borno State used to be one area where series of attacks took place a few years ago. Today, however, the area is quite safe. The civilian JTF ( a community vigilante group) is reputed to work closely with the Nigerian Army and other security forces. You can see the clear desire by the community elders and the youth to work together for the peace of their community. I hear they work and support the security forces very well. With this amount of cooperation perhaps we should not be surprised that the community is now very peaceful and economic activities have almost normalized there.

This cordiality of all stakeholders in that area cannot be undermined in the process of restoration of peace to the community. Part of the benefits of the return of peace is the establishment of the Nigerian Army University in Biu town. The world-class institution is a testament of President Buhari’s commitment to the total restoration of peace in the entire region. This university has bolstered economic activities in the area.

If you told a visitor to Bui town today that just a few years ago this was an epicentre for Boko Haram attacks in the area he may not believe you. That is the kind of success stories you get when communities are united for a common course.

That said, the issue of the northern part of Borno will have to be critically looked at by all stakeholders. The President seems to have done a lot to tackle the Boko Haram crisis across the North-East and there has been good success in my opinion. The little area remaining in the northern region of Borno, however, requires the collaboration of all stakeholders.

Whilst I do not want to be critical of any group now but it is important that stakeholders in Borno especially leaders of the northern part of the state come with open and sincere minds on how to end the terror of the insurgency in their area.

I have watched and read over the years the inconsistency of purpose of some elders of this area. In fact, there was a time some were even calling for the total withdrawal of soldiers from Borno State. I could not comprehend it. Is this to help the sect gain more ground? Similarly, when you hear some of the elders calling for the removal of service chiefs, I marvel at the logic. How do you change performers with results to show? Who does that? Exactly what could be the aim of those calling for that. These are some of the kind of calls by some elders in that area that cast some doubt on their sincerity to end this war soon.

Mr President has done a lot. I recall in one swoop a whopping $600m USD was expended on 12 super Tucanos fighter jets alone. That is aside from another military spending which is way higher than that. It is not easy on a nation that desperately needs cash for upgrading her basic infrastructure such as roads, rails, electricity, water etc. The nation needs funds to improve education, health, commerce etc. Yet President Buhari continues to devote huge resources to support the war against terrorist in the region. Mr President has tried, our military has also sacrificed a lot.

It is time to have all hands on deck to solve this issue. The elders of Borno will have to be a part of the solution. I am calling on the elders and indeed all stakeholders in the northern part of Borno to come together to resolve this issue once and for all. Quit the politics of distraction and give full support to the military and indeed the government to end this crisis once and for all.

No one will benefit from a peaceful Borno like the natives. Let’s all come together and agree on what needs to be done to finish off these terrorists. Military might alone may not solve this especially if the terrorists get any form of support from the local communities. It is now time to expose all saboteurs in this war and no one can do that better than the people in the northern part of Borno.

Alli is a forensic psychologist and wrote from Maiduguri.

How PDP states wasted highest allocations – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it is baffling that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has to be told it does not have any moral authority to caution or query the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Specifically, the governing party said as at 2019, three states in the South-south under the opposition PDP received the highest allocation but “has nothing to show.”

The three states according to APC includes Delta, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states.

In a statement signed Sunday in Abuja by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, the APC said between 2006 and 2013, PDP governments spent over N5.42 trillion on subsidy, which was 15.57% higher than the 2014 national budget of N4.69 trillion.

“In 2019 according to the Bureau of Statistics, the 36 states of the federation received the sum of N2.53 trillion as Federal Allocation. Of the 15 states under the control of the PDP, Delta State was the biggest recipient of federal allocation with a total sum of N214.4 billion. Akwa Ibom was second spot with a total sum of N169.79 billion gross allocations within the period. Rivers came third on the list with a gross allocation of N154.5 billion and Bayelsa came 4th with a whooping N143.8 billion in 2019. None of these states headed by the PDP governors have anything vital to show for it.

“It was also under the PDP government that the number of fuel importers rose from 5 in 2006 to 10 in 2007, 19 in 2008 and spiked up to 140 in 2011. This was one of the biggest causes of corruption because many firms only existed on paper and collected subsidies on fuel that never existed.

“To make matters worse, 60 million barrels of oil valued was stolen under the watch of PDP controlled NNPC between 2009 and 2012. The NNPC during the PDP years also failed to remit US$20 billion in oil revenues owed to the nation, which was confirmed by PwC and Deloitte investigative reports. The PDP has no genuine reason to cry wolf or display moral authority over subsidy under the Buhari administration.

“Apart from the fact that the subsidy regime and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have been so transparent under the Buhari led administration unlike under the previous PDP administrations when the same NNPC was accountable to no one to the extent that it owed the government up to the sum of N704 billion for gross violations of the subsidy scheme.”

While reacting to a statement credited to the PDP’s spokesman attacking the President’s October 1st message, APC said the PDP publist displayed his lack of understanding when he compared the minimum wage of Saudi Arabia and Egypt to buttress his points.

“He however forgot that Saudi Arabia pumps 12million barrels of crude oil a day as against Nigeria’s 1.8million, Saudi Arabia has a population of 35million people while Nigeria has a population of over 200million people, Saudi Arabia has 15% tax to GDP while Nigeria has 7.5% tax to GDP, Saudi Arabia has $750billion in their foreign reserves while Nigeria has only $36billion. Mr Kola Ologbondiyan also failed the simple arithmetic in calculating the cost and standard of living in both countries.

“The fact that we are debating this clearly shows that the past administrations led by the PDP failed this land. Since you cannot build something on nothing, you’ve got to appreciate what the present leader is doing with little income.”

Group warns Nigerians against Salkida, calls him Boko Haram agent

The Citizens Against Fake Activists (CAFA) have advised Nigerians to be wary of Ahmad Salkida and his medium HumAngleTV reportedly working for the Boko Haram terrorists group. 

According to CAFA, Salkida, a supposed journalist, leads individuals and groups on the side of the radical sect bolstering their nefarious activities in the country. 

In a statement signed by its Executive Cordinator, Comrade Richard Adie, the group described Salkida as a propaganda machinery that has proven to be the backbone for the festering of the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria.  

“We are indeed aware that there has been a well-orchestrated campaign against the peace and tranquillity experienced in Nigeria by enemies of Nigeria and this has ultimately led to the bolstering of the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria,” Adie said. 

“The Citizens Against Fake Activists wishes to state in unequivocal terms that indeed the activities of non-state actors have been bolstered by the tactic support it has been receiving from some individuals and organizations that are hell-bent of seeing to the disintegration of Nigeria by all means. 

“The case of Ahmad Salkida indeed presents us with a vivid example of how the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents have blossomed at the detriment of peace and stability in Nigeria.  Ahmad Salkilda has indeed through his actions and inactions proven that he has a close affinity with the Boko Haram insurgents. 

“This is also on the heels that there are indeed multiple pieces of evidence that suggest that Ahmad Salkida is working assiduously towards promoting the interest of Boko Haram by orchestrating propaganda machinery that has proven to be that backbone for the festering of the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria. 

“It is thus our considered opinion that Nigerians must wake up this stark reality that indeed there is more than meet the eyes in the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group. The actions and inactions of some international NGOs in North-East Nigeria indeed buttress this position of ours and other stakeholders. The Boko Haram group has indeed found a worthy partner in Ahmad Salkida and his recently launched platform HumAngle, with which he systematically disseminates information on behalf of the Boko Haram group, mostly through coded messages. 

“It, therefore, stands to be disputed by Ahmad Salkida or any of his associates that he is not the link man between the Boko Haram terrorist and some NGOs working in North-East Nigeria and other parts of the country.  

“The Citizens Against Fake Activists views the actions of Ahmad Salkida as most uncharitable and always against the interest of Nigeria. 

“Ahmad Salkida has continued to render support to the Boko Haram group for many years. It is also on record that he has also been coordinating resources from Boko Haram sympathizers in parts of Nigeria as well as outside the shores of Nigeria”. 

The Citizens Against Fake Activists, however, challenged Salkida to swear by the Quran that he is not on the payroll of the Boko Haram terrorist group and that he hasn’t also been soliciting and receiving funds on behalf of the terror group. 

The CAFA further stated that”It is thus despicable that the likes of Ahmad Salkida by all intents and purposes have been recruiting young Nigerians to act as agents of the Boko Haram group under his new platform HumAngleTv. The recent video released is just an example of the propaganda campaign where he attempted severally to denigrate the efforts of the Nigerian Military in the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram terrorism.  

“The video from all intent and purposes is intended to cause a distraction to the Nigerian Military in their final onslaught against the Boko Haram terrorist group. And this much Ahmad Salkida attempted in portraying the Nigerian Military. 

“We wish to state that indeed these and many more are some of the efforts of Ahmad Salkida and his sponsors to see to the bolstering of the activities of the Boko Haram group in Nigeria. This fact has been highlighted in numerous forums amidst considerable evidence linking Ahmad Salkida to the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram group in North-East Nigeria”. 

It, therefore, becomes necessary that Nigerians must be aware of the grave threat posed by Ahmad Salkida to National Security in Nigeria. As such, there must be concerted efforts toward addressing this threat before it gets out of control.

The CAFA, therefore, called on relevant authorities to begin the process of activating the necessary machinery towards addressing the threats posed by individuals such as Ahmad Salkida in a bid to ensure that the Boko Haram insurgency is adequately addressed in North-East Nigeria.

Nigerian@60: Inter-Faith clerics end special prayers, worship ain Abuja

…. declare years of prosperity ahead

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace (NIFROP), on Friday, prophesied years of prosperity ahead for Nigeria at the end of its special thanksgiving, praise and prayer session to mark the country’s diamomd jubilee. 

At the colourful event held at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, the clerics celebrated the nation’s 60th independence anniversary in grand style, declaring an open heaven upon Nigeria. 

In his address, NIFROP’s chairman, Bishop Sunday Garuba expressed gratitude to God for the journey so far and the future ahead. 

Quoting from Ecclesiastes 9:11, he said the race is not to the swift but unto whom the lord showeth mercy. 

According to the preacher, it is no coincidence that President Muhammadu Buhari is at the helm of affairs at this crucial period in the country’s history. 

Bishop Garuba, however, declared that all those that rise against Nigeria in the form of Boko Haram, armed banditry, kidnappings and all forms of criminalities shall be exposed and put to shame. 

He further called on all Nigerians to continue to preach the message of peace while extending support to President Buhari. 

Read full address below:

Nigeria is in the hands of God, and no force can bring it down.

I bring Calvary greetings to you all my beloved in Christ. Nigeria is now 60 and indeed a cause to return all the thanks and adoration to the Host of Heaven for the journey so far. I must tell you all that I am elated and filled with the joy of the Lord, which has been our source of strength in the journey so far in the life of Nigeria. 

Just as we are gathered in thanksgiving, praise and worship, the angels have indeed opened the flood gates of heaven to let it rain on Nigeria in fulfilment of the promises of God concerning Nigeria.

It is indeed not a coincidence that Nigeria has lived to see 60 years post-independence. For the bible tells us in the book of Ecclesiastes 9:11 that “I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” 

God abounding grace upon Nigeria has seen us this far and let no man or woman take credit because all praises and adoration are for the Most High God; He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.

My dear beloved, the significance of the number 60 in the bible occurred several times; for example, as the age of Isaac when Jacob and Esau were born, and the number of warriors escorting King Solomon. 

It is therefore not surprising that God in His infinite mercies so destined that President Muhammadu Buhari would be at the helm of affairs in Nigeria as we celebrate our 60th anniversary. 

The promises of God towards Nigeria are Yes and Amen. When God makes a promise to his people, it will come to pass. What is a promise? A promise is a covenant or declaration that one will do exactly what they say or something will happen just as pledged. 

“And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob., God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” (Exodus 2:24-25). 

My dear beloved brothers and sisters, the message God has for us in the 60th independence anniversary is straightforward and can be seen in the book of Isaiah 40:31 “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Standing on the authority of God I hereby declare that all those that rise against Nigeria in the form of Boko Haram, armed banditry, kidnappings and all forms of criminalities shall be exposed and put to shame in Jesus Name. 

On this occasion of our 60th anniversary, I have been instructed by God to tell us that all our challenges are over because He has indeed heard our cries and He has come to our mercy and given us a place of rest. 

In the book of Nahum 1:9, the bible tells us that “Whatever they plot against the LORD He will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time. I say therefore that Boko Haram shall not come a second time. Kidnappers and Armed Banditry shall not rise a second time in Nigeria. Militant groups shall not rise a second time. 

My dear brothers and sisters, as we render our thanksgiving to God for His faithfulness towards Nigeria, it is indeed a season for us to preach the message to togetherness as this is the only way forward. The bible tells us in the book of Genesis 11:6 that “The Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.” 

We must continue to preach the message of togetherness. The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace has indeed exemplified this in our composition and various programmes where our Christian and Muslim brothers and sisters have come under one roof and one voice to pray for God intervention in the affairs of Nigeria. 

My brothers and sisters, God, has indeed proved Himself faithful to us, and we are eternally grateful. For Allah says in Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 10: “The believers are nothing but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy”.

Unity gives power, strength, and courage in any particular community or group, and it becomes so much difficult for the external sources to crush, break or harm any individual from the united community. Unity is the greatest blessing of Almighty Allah and the major element of success in every aspect of life.

Allah says in Surah Ali-Imran, verse 103: “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favour of Allah upon you – when you were enemies, and He brought your hearts together, and you became, by His favour, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah does make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.” 

My dear brothers and sisters, even as we celebrate, we are duty-bound to continue to preach the message of peace across the nook and crannies of Nigeria. We must see in ourselves our similarities rather than the things that divide us as this is the only way forward for us as a people and as a country.

On this occasion of our 60th anniversary, I am calling on all Nigerians to jettison their old ways and give our dear and anointed president the needed support as he pilots the affairs of our great country. We all know that God has indeed blessed us with a president that is leading the nation with sincerity of heart and purpose. It consequently behoves on all to continue to render that invaluable support to him as we march towards greatness.

The commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari towards Nigeria is unprecedented, and this much we must never take for granted.

My dear brothers and sisters, I say, therefore that if God be for us who can be against us. No one. I thank you all for your perseverance and God helping we shall dwell in unity in Nigeria in Jesus Name. 

May God continue to bless and uplift Nigeria in Jesus Name. 

Thank you all, and God bless.

I remain yours in the vineyard.

Nigerian Army as applicants’ preference for recruitment

By Subomi Adejare

Youth unemployment in Nigeria has been a worrisome trend in recent times. The government has initiated quite a several initiatives towards addressing this challenge. However, there seems to be a current trend in addressing the unemployment challenge in the country, and it is coming from the unlikely of places.

The Nigerian Army in recent times has provided that platform where Nigerians from all walks of life have expressed considerable interest in being a part of the national development of the country.

The Nigerian Army of today has been transformed into a force to reckon with in addressing the various security challenges in the country. These feats have endeared it to most Nigerians that quake at the opportunity to be a part of the success story of the Nigerian Army during its various recruitment processes. This is despite the insinuations in certain quarters that officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army are disillusioned and leaving the force in droves.

Investigations indicate that the reverse is the case as the various recruitment process of the Nigerian Army has been oversubscribed to the extent that some scholars have attributed the interest in the Nigerian Army to a couple of factors which includes but not limited to improved welfare, professionalism and accountability and transparency.

According to insider sources, in the history of the Nigerian Army there hasn’t been a time where the Nigerian Army has witnessed massive recruitment rate as seen in the past five years. They attributed this happening to the leadership strides of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai who since assumption of office has led the Nigerian Army into reclaiming its place as the pride of the nation.

In a recent survey conducted, it was realized that interest in the enlistment into the Nigerian rose astronomically in the last three years. The various indices attributed to it indicated that the Nigerian Army had become a chosen occupation for most young people in Nigeria because of its numerous efforts in addressing the security challenges in the country.

Despite the number of casualty or cases of voluntary disengagement experienced in the Nigerian Army, many Nigerians still see the Nigerian Army as the choice destination. It has been estimated that the enrolment rate into the Nigerian Army rose by 45% for recruits, 40% for Direct Short Service Commission, 35% for Short Service Commission and 65% for direct regular. The stated figure implies that there have been considerable improvements in the condition of service in the Nigerian Army.

In one of the recent interviews conducted for intake into the Nigerian Army, one of the prospective candidates stated that joining the Nigerian Army would be a dream come true because as an army officer, he would give his all in service to fatherland. This indeed sums the sentiment of the bulk of those that that have indicated interest to join the Nigerian Army. It must be stated that the draw-in factor is the transformation witnessed in the Nigerian Army in recent years.

From available findings in the training and doctrine command of the Nigerian Army, it was identified that the Nigerian Army recently introduced training programmes that address some of the psychological challenges experienced by officers and soldiers engaged in its various operations.

A professor of human psychology from the University of Nigeria Nssuka, Dubem Okonkwo stated that what the Nigerian Army has introduced in some of its training programmes is capable of transforming it into one of the best forces in the world.

“There is a need to ensure that the various cadres of the Nigerian Army are geared up for the challenges ahead, especially with the issues associated with asymmetric warfare. We have had issues where some individuals get overwhelmed with their involvement in warfare, and they go berserk. These are normal occurrences, and so far, there hasn’t been any pronounced case in the Nigerian Army.”

The leadership of the Nigerian Army has indeed lived up to expectations through the leadership by example approach example introduced by the Chief of Army Staff, especially in the prosecution of the Boko Haram insurgency. According to Tunde Lawal, a top recruitment expert, he stated that the rush for enlistment into the Nigerian Army is a function of the fact the leadership of the Nigerian Army has made the operations of the Army fashionable and with a human face.

“In situations where you find officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army engaged in CSR initiatives such as conducting medical outreaches, assisting in the relocation of Internally Displaced Persons back to their communities and a host of other charitable ventures sends a very strong message. It says loud that aside tanks and guns, there is also a human face to the Nigerian Army and this on its own is a driver hence the rush for enlistment into the Nigerian Army.”

The Nigerian Army might also have been experiencing a facelift because the Chief of Army Staff has prioritized the welfare and capacity of officers and soldiers to do exploit. And this must also have endeared him to the hearts of young Nigerians that have in recent times indicated serious interest to join the Nigerian Army.

This fact was corroborated by Yemi Sanya, a military historian, who alluded to the fact that the numerous innovations he has introduced in the Nigerian Army since he assumed leadership has caused a turnaround in the fortunes of the Nigerian Army and made it indeed the pride of the nation in line with its slogan.

It is therefore not surprising that the Nigerian Army has become the preferred choice for young Nigerians wishing to contribute their quota to national development. The onus, therefore, rests on the Chief of Army Staff to create that enabling environment for those that have been deemed qualified to be enlisted into the prestigious force to maximize their full potentials. In this case, the issue of low morale and deserting the Nigerian Army does not arise; instead, the reverse is the case.

Ahmed Salkida and his broken video on Nigerian military

By Charles Obi

There is an illustrative video making the round. Produced by HumAngleTV/ATJLF, the 6 minutes 5 seconds clip titled “Knifar: Women Facing Forced Family Separation by Soldiers Cry Out, But They are not planning to give up hope” is an attempt to revive attention in the plight of its subject matters. Or is that really the case?
It is supposedly written by one Kunle Adebajo and reported by Ahmad Salkida, discredited former journalist that has defected to the dark side through open collaboration and facilitation of Boko Haram.
The video is in reality a subtle attempt at blackmail, a little bit of manipulation of the facts and a lot of shock and awe on the sensitivities of its audience. So bereft of facts, evidence and reality is the video that its producers resorted to cartoonish drawings for illustration with the occasional still photographs when they could have accessed real life footages to depict what they want to convey to the world.
It is possible to argue that these producers deliberately shunned actual videos as a sort of strategy to grab attention but this is something that the compelling graphics and transition elements could have easily achieved not to talk of the expensive musical score, soundtracks and clatter of gunshots and bomb explosions effects that ran the entire length of the subtitled clip.
The larger problem lied with the subtitle text, which testified to a deliberate shunning of a voice over, which a production of that stature should get if it was genuinely intended for good. Those text lied bold faced. They painted a scenario that depicted the military as forcing the disappearance of the husbands and sons of the women referenced in the title.
Note must be made at this point that the other collaborators and sources mentioned in the clip cast a dark pall of incredulity on the entire work. It is bad enough that the format of the video, the avoidance of actual footage, a refusal to have a compelling voice over and other shortcomings raise a big question mark on the video. But to cite Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontiers, which are international non-governmental organizations that have been supportive of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Above all, the scenarios painted in the video are consistent with standard military/security procedures in countries battling insurgency. It usual for troops to take in suspects, investigate them and proceed to the next logical step depending on whether the suspect is indicted or not. The only thing different in depiction made by the video is the way and manner this process was twisted for mischief by alluding to rights abuses without evidence.
The story is also old hence the attempt to revamp it and present the tired narration as something fresh. Even before this video was produced, those found to be unconnected with terrorism have since been released, reunited with their families and even empowered to rebuild their lives. Even among those found to be terrorist affiliates, there are ongoing programmes to deradicalize, rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society.
The international NGOs cited as sources and authorities in the clip are known to be enablers of terrorism in various guises and are not to be trusted. They likely sponsored the flick to revive attention to their campaign against the Nigerian military, which had failed woefully because they never relied on facts. Perhaps they would not have been so indicting if they can again be allowed access to privileged military information that they can again pass to their charges in Boko Haram’s fold.
But the largest red flag in that video is mention of Ahmad Salkida as the author of the stories narrated in it. Salkida and the peaceful existence of a nation state should not occur in the same piece because the only cause that matters to him is that which advances the interest of terrorists. How is it possible that the world will believe stories narrated by a man whose most recent occupation is being the diffusion pipe for Boko Haram propaganda?
One thing is clear with the video making it into the wild. All the people in the chain of the video production and distribution have become impossibly desperate. Salkida no longer have exclusives since Boko Haram is no longer able to capture any hostage or do the kind of damage that was raw material for Salkida’s propaganda piece.
The only thing left for Salkida to report as things stand is the punishment his Boko Haram/ISWAP clients have been receiving at the hands of the Nigerian military that has been bombarding them aerially and snipping them off the face of the earth on ground. Even with the support of his international NGO handlers, if the HumAngle video is the only response Salkida could marshal in the face of the threat to his livelihood then he is a truly broken man, one who that video clip cannot save.

Obi is a security expert and wrote from Idumota, Lagos.