Nigerian Army @ 157, the role of corporate social responsibility in the fight against insurgency

By Tunde Johnson

The Nigerian Army has come a long way. From the West Africa Frontier Force, WAFF, where it evolved to its current designation as Nigeria Army, the NA has seen lots of transformation and changes all aimed at enhancing professionalism and efficient service delivery. For an army that has won many battles and wars, it has however suffered in the aspect of public perception.

Years back, when soldiers are sighted on the streets, people avoid contact with them or even take to their heels, believing that soldiers know nothing other than to ‘obey the last order’ or ‘kill and go.’

Derogatory names such as ‘Ajuwaya,  Go and kill,’ ‘Zombies’ etc were given to army personnel to depict the perception of ruthlessness and lack of human feeling they people hold about them. This belief has not been helped by some unfortunate incidences involving the military and the civil populace. The perception intensified over the years with the handling of the issue of the invasion of Fela’s house by unknown soldiers, the malhandling of then popular business mogul by the military and the invasion of Odi and Zaki Biam etc.

When the current Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai came on board, it was that obvious that he was worried about the perception of the military by the civil populace and set out quite early to give the average Nigerian soldier a positive image that would make them accepted as integral part of the society and as humane and compassionate as every other member of the society can be.

By 2015 when Lt. Gen TY Butatai assumed command as the Chief of Army Staff, our soldiers were already involved in military operations in many parts of the country including the Northeast where insurgency activities had intensified, in Jos, Plateau State, where there were religious crises as well as in Southern Kaduna and other places.

The presence of soldiers in many of these communities, worsened the perception that they were mainly forces of occupation sent to harass and intimidate the people as well as loot the communities to take spoils of war. Protests were being sponsored against the soldiers with naked women chanting insulting slogans asking the soldiers to leave their communities.

The image of the Nigerian Army clearly needed redemption and that was what the army chief sought to achieve when he assumed office.

Lt. Gen Buratai on assumption of office, in no time,  introduced corporate social responsibility into the Nigerian Army as a way of creating a relationship between the people and the Army.  He knew there was the  need to assure the people that the army in keeping to its constitutional  responsibilities is not out to humiliate the ordinary citizen but to help in checking the activities of unwanted elements who threaten the sovereignty of the state and quickly put some measures in place.

Luckily, the measures he put in place to achieve this fusion began to work as people began to see the army as not only performing patriotic duties, but as those who feel the pain of those communities.

Soon, it became a common sight to see children and women coming out to cheerfully welcome troops anywhere they are sighted for any operation. Nigerian Soldiers were pleasantly surprised when the people of Gwoza in Borno State, an area which has suffered devastating attacks by terrorists in the past, came out to clap and hail them as they were passing through the town after a major operation. It was obvious that the people are beginning to realise that the soldiers are not what they had believed them to be.

Apart from helping to deescalate criminal activities in many parts of Nigeria, the soldiers have undertaken to do more to assure citizens of their good intentions. They have organised classes for warring communities, helped in clearing blocked drainage through environmental sanitation exercises, constructed bridges and other public service structures and donate to communities and have equally engaged members of communities in dialogue. 

The Chief of Army staff, for instance, took the level of interaction with the populace at the highest level by personally going to communities and speaking with the people. He has several times gone to Borno and Yobe States to assure communities of the capacity of troops to handle threatening security situations and has been to Katsina, Zamfara and to Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State to have a firsthand impression of the problems there.

In Birnin Gwari, the army constructed a bridge over a stream that made it difficult for vehicles to pass. The army chief also flagged-off the 2 Battalion Forward Operation Base (FOB) in fulfilment of his promise to establish an army formation in the area.

Prior to Birnin Gwari, the army chief laid the foundation stone ‎ for the building  of a military barracks in Kafanchan in Jema’a local government area of Kaduna State in fulfillment of the Federal Government’s promise to establish two military formations in Southern Kaduna to ensure security in the zone. 

Then in May 2017, Buratai commissioned the Nigerian Army School of Artillery Officers Mess which provides accommodation for troops when they report to new units before they are quartered. This one may say is for the Army alone but help to bring development n terms of social amenities such as schools, hospitals etc which are shared with the host communities.

One of the most commendable efforts of the army in this regard, is the commissioning of situation rooms for election monitoring to stop violence. This was Lt. Gen Buratai’s way of contributing to a transparent election unlike in the past where soldiers go into unholy alliance with politicians to rig elections in Nigeria. Our last election cannot be adjudged as the best in history but one credible exercise that international observers have continued to laud the role of the Army.

Buratai explained during the commissioning that post election violence which characterized previous elections clearly highlights the challenges posed by incidents of electoral violence in the country, hence he said, the NA saw the need to devise new strategies of stemming such ugly tides or completely eliminate them.. 

He said,  having observed this cycle of violence reoccur severally in past electioneering processes, the NA has thus deemed it necessary to adopt a proactive and responsive posture that would allow it better respond to early signs of insecurity before they could escalate into a major security challenge. 

In the Northeast, the Chief of Army Staff also added value to the lives of the people of the region by building an army university in Biu, one of the local governments being targeted by the insurgents. A development model for the north east mirrored after countries that have witnessed wars in the past and how the scars were wiped out.

Lt. Gen. Buratai also established Nigerian Army Brigades in Monguno, Gubio, Gwoza, Damaturu and Damboa to enhance security in the area. This is because as a war strategist. Gen. Buratai understood that holding a recovered ground is more important in any war than just winning the battle.

He designayed the Sambisa Forest as Nigerian Army Training Area and established a Command Secondary School to help with the education of their children .

The measures have worked to such an extent that these days, when troops are sighted, people no longer run to take cover but come out to shake hands with them. At 157,  the people of Nigeria can proudly call the Nigeria Army their own.

Johnson is a freelance journalist based in Lagos.

APC govs mourn ex-party zonal chair Inuwa Abdulkadir

Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said they received with shock the death of the party’s immediate-past zonal vice chairman (North-east) Barr Inuwa Abdulkadir, who died on the early hours on Monday.

In a condolence message signed on behalf of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) by its chairman and the governor of Kebbi state, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, said Abduljadir’s death is a loss to the nation and the Nigerian progressive community.

“We received with heavy heart and gratitude to Allah (SWT) for a life well blessed, the death of Barrister Inuwa Abdulkadir, immediate past APC Vice National Chairman (North West). We, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), join the family, the All Progressives Congress of Sokoto State and the nation to pray for the repose of the soul of our dear and beloved Mallam Inuwa Abdulkadir. His death is a loss to the nation and the Nigerian progressive community.

“We pray to God Almighty to grant the family the fortitude to bear this heavy loss. May Allah reward all the good work of Mallam Abdulkadir, forgive his limitations and bless what he left behind.

“May the soul of Mallam Inuwa Abdulkadir rest in peace!”

Covid-19: NUJ FCT donates 150 protective suits to Resident Doctors

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT has made a donation of 150 protective suits to the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) FCT chapter. This gesture is a bid to encourage health workers working at the frontline of Covid-19 pandemic,

Presenting the item on Tuesday to the President of FCT Chapter of the Association, Dr. Rowland Aigbovo, Chairman of Council, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche, said the donation was to encourage the doctors who were on the frontline working tirelessly to stem the scourge of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Continuing, Ogbeche who noted that the move was also in recognition of the risks frontline workers face in their efforts to curtail the pandemic, urged the doctors to put on their best during this health emergency.

He revealed that nine of his members, who contracted the virus while on duty, got well given the efforts of the health workers at the isolation centers.

He stated that council gave the donation to compliment the effort of government given the fact that the authority cannot do it all.

He urged associations and good spirited Nigerians to emulate NUJ FCT by donating to health workers in this challenging time in order to boost their morale.

Responding, Dr. Rowland Aigbovo, who said he was a journalist having edited their medical magazine, thanked the NUJ for the kind gesture, saying that now is the time to work together to give Covid-19 a bloody nose.

He promised that NARD will always strive to live up to its responsibility by doing its best.

COVID-19: Farouq gets kudos on administration of aids to poor Nigerians

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, has received applause for her supervision and transparent administration of aides to the poorest Nigerians to cushion the effect of the coronavirus. 

This was contained in a report by the  Coalition for Good Governance (CGG), signed by Comrade  Mohammed Abu, after a critical assessment of the various social interventions in the country. 

The report also lauded the minister’s management of emergency issues and the N-Power scheme which recently began enrolling Batch C.

It added that under her supervisory agency, the National Emergency Management Agency and North – East Developmemt Commission is reaching out to Nigerians in need of help with the speed of light.

After considering the millions of less-priviledged and young Nigerians impacted, the coalition concluded that Hajiya Farouq has lived up to expectations, setting a lofty standard in governance and administration in the country.   

While calling on the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to sustain its support for the minister, CGG, in its report, however, urged Nigerians to key into her amiable projects. 

Read full report below:

Introduction: 

The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic across the globe has had some effects on the economies of most countries, Nigeria inclusive. It is against this backdrop that the governments of various countries put in place various measures and interventions to cushion the effect on the lives of their citizens. 

The Coalition for Good Governance as part of its focus on the socio-economic situation in the country undertook a critical analysis of the various interventions by the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development. 

The analysis touched on various sectors of the economy and how well the government responded and the impact of such inventions on the lives of the ordinary citizens who are worse hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. 

COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund:

The federal government established a N500 billion COVID 29 Intervention Fund to upgrade healthcare facilities and fund special public works programmes to generate employment, with the adequate framework for the collection management and reporting of donations into the fund. COVID 19 donor accounts formed part of the existing TSA arrangement in some select commercial banks across the country.

Direct food/ cash distribution by FGN:

The FGN directed the implementation of direct food/ cash distribution to 2.6 million households comprising the most vulnerable. This vulnerable group comprises those who are resident around the satellite and commuter towns and communities in Lagos and Abuja and earn daily wages for their sustenance, such as artisans and petty traders.  
 
The N-Power Scheme: 

The federal government has commenced the expansion of the N-Power scheme to accommodate more youths in the country. The government consequently introduced the commencement of the Batch-C Stream to accommodate over 500,000 youths across the country. 

The Role of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development: 

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is mandated to carry out the social intervention programmes of the federal government under the auspices of the National Social Investment Programmes. 

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic indeed tasked the ministry to live up to expectations in ensuring that the effect of the coronavirus on the lives of the vulnerable and the poorest of poor are mitigated. 

Our Assessment: 

The Coalition for Good Governance after a critical assessment of the various social interventions carried out by the federal ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development wishes to state that the ordinary citizens indeed felt the impact of the various interventions of the federal government in the country.

The Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq indeed displayed an unalloyed level of commitment to alleviating the plight of the less privileged across the country. 

Her steadfastness in ensuring a transparent process in the distribution of conditional cash transfer is indeed outstanding and largely responsible for the success of the initiative. 

The Coalition for Good Governance wishes to state that the Honorable Minister indeed lived up to expectation by providing sound leadership guidance for the implementation of the COVID 19 response plan of the government on the lives of the ordinary citizens in Nigeria. 

It indeed suffices to state that it wasn’t business as usual as the distribution of monies and food items meant for the vulnerable groups were strictly monitored through an enhanced feedback system the detects any shortcoming on the part of the field officers.

The winding down of the Batch A and B streams of the N-Power scheme and the introduction of the Batch C Stream is indeed commendable due to the impact it would have in the lives of over 500,000 youths across the country. 

This is another testament of the efforts of the Honorable Minister in implementing the social intervention policy of the Muhammadu Buhari administration as a means of cushioning the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. 

This noble initiative reinforces the commitment of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in touching the lives of the youths and ordinary citizens in numerous ways in line with his electoral promises. 

The Coalition for Good Governance acknowledges this fact. It reiterates that the various social intervention programmes of the federal government have been a huge success under the supervision of the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development. 

Conclusion: 

 The Coalition for Good Governance having studied the socio-economic situation in the country with regards to the implementation and the management of issues that affect the less privileged and youths in the country wishes to state that the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has lived up to expectations by setting a lofty standard in governance and administration in the country.
   
Her passion for her job is evident in the giant strides recorded in the federal ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development since assumption of office. This is aside the proactive steps taken in disaster management in the country.
 
Recommendations:  
 
The Coalition for Good Governance having stated the above wishes to make the following recommendations: 

That the federal government of Nigeria should as a matter of necessity continue to give the required support to the ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development in the implementation of the various social intervention programmes in the country.

That all relevant stakeholders should continue to extend their support and understanding to the honourable minster in her quest to promote Human dignity and integration of basic humane benevolence and compassion in the treatment of all Nigerians. 

That all Nigerians must support the federal government’s efforts towards alleviating the sufferings of the ordinary citizens in the country by showing support to the activities of the ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development. 

International NGOs complicit in Boko Haram activities in North-East Nigeria, report says

A report by the Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) says some international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) are culpable of unlawfully aiding Boko Haram/ISWAP activities in North-East, Nigeria.

Instead of providing humanitarian assistance to victims of the Boko Haram crisis, CALSER said these INGOs bolster and encourage the carnage being perpetrated by the insurgent group.

This and other findings were made public on Tuesday in a report compiled by CALSER and signed by Executive Director Dr. David Idoko in Abuja.

The centre raised alarm over the number of INGOs in operation in the North-East under various nomenclatures.

According to CALSER, there is multiple evidence that funds from the coffers of these INGOs – most of which come from Francophone countries – end up in the hands of terrorists,.

While some of these groups divert food and other relief items meant for the IDPs to the camp of the Boko Haram terrorists, the centre added that others provide them with medical services.

More baffling, though, the centre disclosed that certain INGOs engage in propaganda on behalf of the Boko Haram group, especially when they come under heavy bombardment from the Nigerian troops.

Among others, however, CALSER urged relevant authorities to compel international NGOs operating in the North-East to disclose their sources of funding as well as their mission.

It added that INGOs that have operated for more than five years and made no significant impact in tandem with their mission should be expelled from the country.

Meanwhile, those found to be aiding and abetting the activities of Boko Haram terrorists should be proscribed and expelled from the country with immediate effect.

Read full report below:

Introduction:

The war against insurgency in Nigeria has come with its attendant socio-economic consequences in the economy of North-East Nigeria since 2009 when the Boko Haram group began its violent campaign.

There have been concerted efforts by the federal government in Nigeria to address the challenges, and this has seen to the deployment of troops to the theatre of operations in North-East Nigeria. Aside from these interventions by the government, some international NGOs have also been involved in mitigating the effect of the war in the region by providing humanitarian assistance to compliment the efforts of the government.

This is on the heels that the role of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in wars situations and the consequences of their presence for the dynamics of these conflicts cannot be overemphasized. More important for their influence is the financial resources that they can command, which, in no small extent, derive from their close association with donor governments, as their implementing partners.

This complex relationship between donor governments and NGOs has contributed to an increasingly political role of NGOs and has undermined some of the benefits resulting from their non-state character.

This is aside the fact that the presence of NGOs in conflict zones is hardly a new phenomenon. The International Committee of the Red Cross has cared for the victims of modern conflict situations for some time. More recently, a number of international humanitarian organizations like Care International, Oxfam, ActionAid among others have been highly visible players in coping with disasters.

What is different about the human rights NGO activism in zones of conflict is that many groups are now playing a leading role in trying to defuse nascent or full blown conflicts, as opposed to just cleaning up the human suffering that results.

NGOs have developed a wide range of conflict prevention and resolution activities including monitoring conflict and providing early warning of new violence; opening dialogue between adversarial parties; playing a direct mediating role; strengthening local institutions for conflict resolution; and helping to strengthen the rule of law and democratic processes in countries affected by violent conflict.

Like international relief agencies, NGOs focusing on conflict resolution respond to major failures on the part of the international community to deal effectively with global problems. Too often, intergovernmental bodies and agencies have proved too slow and cumbersome in dealing with emerging urgent crisis situation as demonstrated in Bosnia, Rwanda, Somalia, DRC and Darfur. Also, both international agencies and governments often have institutional and political limitations that hamper their effectiveness in situations of enormous complexity and delicacy.

NGOs facilitate up to date extensive fact-finding missions, engage in dialogue with a wide range of groups involved in conflicts, map out strategies for defusing conflict and galvanize action by national governments and international organizations to help stabilize tense situations. Situations in Burundi, Northern Uganda, Southern Sudan, Darfur, DRC and Rwanda provide examples of where NGOs have played a decisive role in heading off major conflicts.

However, despite the critical role that NGOs have continuously played in helping to stabilize the conflict situations, the future engagement of NGOs within the international agencies and governments, remains vague. Partnerships between NGOs and governments or international agencies are inherently difficult and awkward. NGOs are on one hand strong critics of these agencies and government policies.

In the case of Nigeria, there seem to be widespread condemnation of some of the activities of INGOs wherein accusations have been made by the government and the citizens alike on the culpability of these organizations in the ongoing Boko Haram crisis in North East Nigeria. This situation has brought about mutual suspicion on the role of international NGOs in the fight against Boko Haram Insurgency. Consequently, this report seeks to examine the role of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Boko Haram conflict in North-East Nigeria and the consequences of their presence for the dynamics of these conflicts.

Issues:

Provision of Humanitarian Assistance:

The role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in humanitarian relief has thrived in recent years, but that rise has been characterized by a changing and increasingly difficult strategic and operating context for these entities.

Paradoxically, while perhaps never more significant, relief organizations now confront more opaque and more problematic strategic environments as well as a variety of enduring and bedeviling operating level challenges. At the strategic scale, NGOs are dependent upon the often unpredictable decisions of critical states for funding, are enmeshed in a service delivery structure characterized by competition, complexity, and diffuse authority and accountability and are divided as well by growing differences in how participating organizations define their identities, especially in light of more than a decade of experience with human rights-related humanitarian interventions.

The case of Nigeria presents a very delicate situation for a number of reasons. The number of INGOs in North East Nigeria is alarming and under various nomenclatures. The activities of some of these INGOs runs short of providing humanitarian assistance to victims of the Boko Haram crisis, but rather they seem to bolster and encourage the carnage been perpetuated by the insurgent group.

Findings from the theatre of operations in North East Nigeria corroborates this position, which has led to a running battle with the military authorities striving to begin the profiling of some of these organizations in a bid to identifying those with clearly defined mission and objectives and those acting as spies or carrying out espionage activities on behalf of the Boko Haram group.

The Nigeria INGO Forum:

Findings revealed that the INGOs in Nigeria have come together under a platform called the Nigeria INGO Forum, with a mission to provide a joint platform for INGO members to promote a collective approach to efficiently and effectively coordinate interventions and address key issues of common interests.

To also provide a coordinated approach through which INGOs, the Government of Nigeria (GoN), the UN, donors and other external stakeholders can exchange information and shared expertise, and establish guidelines for a more coordinated, efficient and effective use of aid resources in Nigeria.

NIF was established in 2014 to facilitate the coordination and cooperation of humanitarian and development INGOs and between INGOs and external stakeholders including Government of Nigeria, Nigerian civil society, UN agencies, diplomatic actors, and donors. In 2014, membership of NIF was fourteen (14) agencies and by the end of 2019, NIF has increased to forty-seven (47) members including six (6) observers.

Findings also indicate that there are over 50 more of such INGOs that were not captured as members of the NIF, yet they are actively present in North East Nigeria. And this indeed calls to question on the activities of these INGOs.

Funding for Terrorist activities:

The peculiarity of the Boko Haram crisis in North-East Nigeria is such that the illicit flow of funds has mainly contributed to the festering of the Boko Haram crisis. It has been argued in some quarters that the Boko Haram group enjoys funding for their activities from the unlikely of sources that include politicians that are benefiting from the crisis, bank robberies, kidnappings for ransom, as well as funds from the terrorist network around the world.

This fact has been stated and evidence provided, especially with the array of INGOs in operation in North-East Nigeria. While it can be stated some of the INGOs have ulterior motives with regards to their operations in North-East Nigeria, it can thus be argued that indeed the activities of some of the INGOs in operation in North-East Nigeria portends grave danger if urgent and proactive steps are not taken to curtail their excesses by the relevant authorities.

The military authorities have not been successful in tracking the inflow and disbursement of millions of dollars that have passed through the coffers of the INGOs in North East Nigeria. The discreet nature of their transactions has made matters worse.

While there are multiple evidence that suggests that funds from the coffers of these INGOs end up in the hands of the Boko Haram terrorist group, it was also established that most of these funds do come in the country from the francophone countries in cash.

The military authorities have on numerous occasions intercepted huge foreign currencies meant for delivery to the Boko Haram group by some of the INGOs under the guise of purchasing relief materials for IDPs.

Boko Haram has depended on financial donations from sympathizers and external funding for it operations. In 2002, Osama Bin Laden sent an aide to Nigeria with $3 million. Bin Laden’s aide was instructed to disperse the money among groups that believed in Al-Qaeda’s cause. The International Crisis Group reported that Boko Haram received some of that money, but the exact amount is undetermined.

In March of 2015, the current leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Later that month ISIS’s English-language magazine approved of the alliance with Boko Haram.

When ISIS accepted Boko Haram’s pledge of allegiance, an ISIS spokesman informed fellow Muslims looking to join its ranks that “a new door for you to migrate to the land of Islam and fight” had opened within Africa.

In April of 2016, the commanding general of the U.S. Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAF), Brigadier General Donald Bolduc, said that ISIS and Boko Haram are increasingly sharing “tactics, techniques and procedures.” General Bolduc highlighted that an ISIS weapons convoy was detected departing Libya and believed to be headed to the Lake Chad region to provide support to Boko Haram.

Boko Haram has not only depended on external funding, throughout its movement it has received financial support from local sympathizers and politicians. Many Northern Nigerian politicians have also been accused of giving Boko Haram financial support over the years.

Nigeria and the international community over the years have struggled to suppress Boko Haram’s ability to raise money. The Nigerian government has had some success in highlighting Boko Haram’s financial support network within Nigeria and internationally. Since the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in May of 2015, Nigeria has seen positive gains in its fight against Boko Haram. The MNJTF has been successful in regaining control of territory once occupied by Boko Haram, the majority of which is territory from which Boko Haram launched many of its kidnapping and bank robbery operations. Depriving Boko Haram of territorial safe havens will cut into its ability to generate funds. With recent military success and positive results in implementing follow the-money tactics, Nigeria, with the help from the international community, can further disrupt Boko Haram’s ability to fund its existence.

With Boko Haram’s illicit trafficking operations taking place across borders, the Nigerian government should enhance border security operations. Increasing border security will impact Boko Haram’s ability to move freely across borders and its ability to take part in illicit trafficking. Impacting illicit trafficking will need to be done through multilateral cross-border cooperation. The Nigerian government and its neighbors should be willing to work together to secure their borders to impact Boko Haram’s finances.

The International NGOs in North-East Nigeria:

The number of international NGOs in operation in North-East Nigeria is indeed alarming according to findings from this report. More worrisome is the fact that most of these organizations have no clear cut description of their mission.

Some come under various nomenclatures and enjoys massive funding from donor countries. Worthy of mention is the number of French NGOs in North-East Nigeria. This report was able to identify that these NGOs have been in operation for close to nine years, and most of them have paid for hotel accommodations for upward ten years at a go.

This statement of fact indeed buttresses the position of the Nigerian Military that indeed some international NGOs are aiding and abetting the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group. A good example can be found in places visited like Maiduguri, where supposedly large shipments of humanitarian items are imported into the country by some International NGOs. These items end up in the camp of the Boko Haram group.

INGOs in the northeast provide humanitarian support to terrorists in violation of international protocol and laws:

It was also observed that INGOs in the northeast provide humanitarian support to Boko Haram terrorists in violation of international protocol and laws. They divert food and other relief items meant for the IDPs to the camp of the Boko Haram group. In most instances, some medical NGO have been reported to be providing medical services to injured Boko Haram members, which goes against the provisions in the International Humanitarian Law in armed conflict situations.

This fact was buttressed from revelations from locals in some communities that stated that there are numerous instances where some INGOs move truck load of food items and medical supplies and abandon them in the middle of nowhere and before dawn these trucks and the items would disappear.

It was stated that some INGOs move about with unmarked trucks which makes it difficult to track their identities. The reason for this it was gathered was to leave no trace behind for the military to trace. This is also on the heels that there have instances where the military intercepted such consignment and it lead to the suspension of one of the INGOs operating in North East Nigeria for distributing food and other essential items to the Boko Haram group.

INGOs in the northeast engage in the blackmail of the military:

This report was able to uncover that the bulk of the information about the operations of the Nigerian military in North-East Nigeria are untrue. As a statement of fact, some INGOs engage in propaganda on behalf of the Boko Haram group, especially when they come under heavy bombardment from the Nigerian troops.

This much was gathered from multiple sources in North-East Nigeria, and it further lends credence to the position of the Nigerian Army and other critical stakeholders.

The report also revealed that some foreign interest contracted some well-known INGOs in Nigeria to act as the intellectual arm of the Boko Haram group through the issuance of press statement and reports accusing the Nigerian Military of human rights abuses. These tactics are meant to cause a distraction when there seems to be intense pressure on the Boko Haram group.

Multiple sources in North East Nigeria corroborated this fact wherein it was stated some INGO often visit IDP camps with recording devices and throw food items in the air for IDPs to scamper for while recording them to paint a picture despair.

It was also gathered that the bulk of the rape allegations made against the military in IDP camps were fabricated by some INGOs who offer young girls and women monies to appear before the camera to make such allegations.

It was also discovered that the reports by some INGOs is intended to present Nigeria as a country with a military that has no good reputation, which would in turn make the country ineligible for international support. The strategic aim of the INGOs is to scandalize the military to a point where the only option left is to withdraw troops from areas where they are operating, which would create an environment that would be conducive for a Boko Haram comeback to terrorize people in these places.

INGOs engage in human rights abuses:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was unanimously adopted and proclaimed by the United Nations through the General Assembly Resolution 217A(111) on the 10th of December, 1948. Since its declaration, it has become fashionable for most countries of the world (Nigeria inclusive) to entrench the catalogue of rights in their national constitutions. Regrettably, in Nigeria, some INGOs have been carrying acts against the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through their activities in North-East Nigeria.

The activities of INGOs in North-East Nigeria also transcend the various allegations of complicity in the festering of the Boko Haram crisis. It was also gathered that most of the INGOs are perpetrators of gross human rights abuses.

Some INGOs in North-East Nigeria are actively involved in human trafficking and exploitation. There is a particular case of a French NGO that carries out documentaries in IDP camps depicting a picture of gloom as against the wishes of women and children and they consequently send these documentaries to donor organizations soliciting for funds. They are also notorious for other inimical acts that are dehumanizing to IDPs in their various camps.

Some INGOs in North East Nigeria have also been identified to be notorious for making locals go against their wishes to coercing them into making submissions and divulging information about their communities which ultimately ends up in the hands of the Boko Haram group to aid their operations.

It was discovered that extracting such sensitive information about the movement of the military in the area on security surveillances ultimately leads to the series of ambush carried out by the Boko Haram group against the military.

Conclusion:

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights after an extensive review of the activities of some INGOs in North-East Nigeria concludes that they have not helped much in line with their mandate. What can be seen in any case is a betrayal of these roles and responsibilities and a total waste of donors’ resources in pursuing narrow interests in the country.

These INGOs have acted against all known international protocol in rendering humanitarian assistance to victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in North-East Nigeria, as they have turned the crisis to a viable business venture and this has seen to the perpetuation acts that undermine the efforts of the Nigerian military towards decimating the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Recommendations:

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights in the light of the forging recommends the following to be implemented by the relevant agencies in Nigeria in a bid to address the various challenges posed by the activities of INGOs in North-East Nigeria.

INGOs operating in North-East Nigeria must be made to disclose their sources of funding to the Nigerian government in a bid to entrench a regime of transparency and accountability.

INGOs operating in the country must make full disclosure of their mission and comply with strict laws and regulations to be put in place.

INGOs that have operated for more than five years and made no significant impact in tandem with their mission should be expelled from the country.

INGOs found to be aiding and abetting the activities of Boko Haram terrorists should be proscribed and expelled from the country with immediate effect.

INGOs should publish periodical financial transactions in line with the National Financial Intelligence Unit and other extant laws.

The Nigerian government and international community must adapt and find ways to prevent Boko Haram from funding its operations.

Group seeks Kashamu’s extradition to face criminal trials in US

The Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum (AIF) has petitioned the Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington on why Senator Buruji Kashamu should be extradited to face alleged criminal trials preferred against him in the United States of America.

In a press statement released in Tuesday in Abuja, the group accused Kashamu of hiding under judicial cover to evade justice.

The letter dated 2nd of July 2020 and signed by the Chairman of the Anti Corruption body, Comrade Prince Kpokpogri, said Senator Kashamu was abusing court processes in a desperate bid to continue to run away from his alleged career crime in illicit drug peddling and fraud.

Kpokpogri said: “If the U.S. Department of Justice is willing to extradite Mr. Buruji Kashamu, such request would be granted easily now since the Nigerian court has not thrown its weight to the UK Magistrate Court’s decision over extradition of Mr. Kashamu. Mr. Kashamu was able to restrain the Nigerian Attorney General from executing an extradition request by the United States in a judgment cited in suit No: 49/2010 at the Federal High Court in Abuja but the matter is currently being appealed because it appears the judgment in suit No: 49/2010 was based on a UK Court ruling on the same matter and was probably misconstrued for an acquittal.

“However, it does not amount to acquittal as stated in section 4(a) (b) of the Extradition Act that ‘A fugitive criminal shall not be surrendered if the Attorney General or a court dealing with the case is satisfied that, whether in Nigeria or elsewhere, he (a) has been convicted on offence for which his surrender is sought; or (b) has been acquitted thereof, and that, in a case falling within paragraph (a) of this subsection, he is not unlawfully at large. But in the case of Mr. Kashamu, a habeas corpus suit against the United States while seeking to extradite him from Nigeria would not apply since he has not been convicted or acquitted of an offence’.

“As you can see, the judgment was given based on assumption that Mr. Buruji Kashamu was acquitted by the London Court, however, facts say otherwise. It will interest you to know that Justice Joseph Ikyeghi in the judgments marked CA/L/1030/15 and CA/L/1030A/15 in the appeal filed by the Nigerian Attorney General held that the orders granted in favour of Mr. Kashamu by Justice Okon Abang were invalid because they were based on hearsays and speculations by Mr. Buruji Kashamu. Permit us to assert that this is a ripe opportunity for the US to institute an extradition request for Mr. Buruji Kashamu”, Kpokpogri affirmed.

Comrade Kpokpogri therefore, called on the Nigerian Government to avail the US Government all necessary assistance to enable her extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu to face criminal charges in the US.

He promised to address a press conference in Abuja to release what he described as “water-tight documents detailing about 32 points evidences based” on reasons why the US Government should immediately extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu for prosecution in the US.

He said: “Despite the fact that the case had remained opened in a court in Chicago since 1998, the matter is still of interest to Nigeria and Nigerians at large. While Kashamu was able to lobby his way into politics and influence his way into prominence amidst the admiration of the corrupt political class for being able to evade prosecution in the US; there are people on the other side of the divide who are interested in his prosecution and conviction”, Kpokpogri stated.

Hushpuppi: Call for probe of Atiku, Saraki, Dogara, Dino, myself laughable – Frank

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Tuesday, described the call for the investigation of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, ex-Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Senator Dino Melaye and himself as a huge joke.

A suspected Nigerian internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi was recently arrested in Dubai and extradited to the United States of America (USA) where he is currently facing trial.

Following his arrest, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had called for the probe of some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, including Atiku, Saraki, Dogara, Melaye and Frank for appearing in certain photographs with the suspect.

However, the PDP in a statement described the call for the arrest and probe
of some of its prominent members over alleged links to Hushpuppi as “reckless and irresponsible,” saying it further exposed a victimisation agenda of the APC.

Atiku, Saraki and Dogara have also in separate statements denied any business connection with the suspect.

Frank in a statement in Abuja, said the photographs under reference were taken at a public function and therefore cannot be proof that any of them had business dealings with the suspect.

The Bayelsa-born Political Activist said: “That Hushpuppi was privileged to be in a function where he took pictures with His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, former Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Senator Dino Melaye and my humble self, does not prove that any of us had business dealings of any kind with him.

“Hushpuppi is a Nigerian that was in a function with Nigerians and like any other Nigerian, asked for photo sections with these leaders of Nigeria which they obliged.

“I understand that this is beyond the comprehension of the APC’s regime, especially the Head of State, Rtd. Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, because Nigerians loathe them and run away from them whenever they come across them in foreign countries, hence they are trying to rope us into imaginary business dealings with Hushpuppi.

“Does the APC think that the USA and its security agencies, like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) make arrests before investigation?

“Does the APC government not realise that investigation was carried out before Hushpuppi was arrested?

“America is not Nigeria where the APC’s militant wing, alias the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies, go about harassing innocent citizens even before any investigation is carried out.

“We know that the APC’s government and its sycophantic town criers are very good at weaving lies, propaganda, stealing and embezzling of public funds, supporting Boko Haram insurgents, bandits and protecting APC political Hushpuppis like the cabals in the Villa who before 2015 were in debt and extreme poverty, but have within the last five years of Buhari’s regime become multibillionaires.

“They even acquired Etisalat, now known as 9Mobile, Keystone Bank, etc. Some of these APC political hushpuppies even had bullion vans in their houses during the 2019 presidential election campaigns.

“We have seen an APC governor open a bank in his ‘Babariga’ where he openly pocketed huge amounts of dollars without personal shame or repercussions from this government.

“We have seen billions of dollars fritted away at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other government agencies under the APC regime.

“Even the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, last week, called for the sack of the head of the EFCC over corruption allegations. The EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu, is presently being quizzed by a Presidential Panel constituted by the is regime.

“What can be more embarrassing to a country than for the head of its anti-graft crusade to be indicted for corruption?

“APC and this regime should bury their head in shame as this is the most corrupt democratic administration in the history of our beloved country.

“If Hushpuppi had been extradited to Nigeria, this corrupt and clueless Buhari-led APC regime would have set him free.

“The FBI does not need anybody to urge them to act or investigate any individual, if they have evidence against anybody they will do the needful as they are professionals in their job.

“Finally, Buhari and the APC should stop wasting time sponsoring unnecessary protests, rather they should focus on delivering the fake promises they made to Nigerians during their electioneering campaigns and to think of how to repay all the debts they have accumulated through incessant foreign and local loans.

Gen Buratai’s homemade innovations and the Nigerian Army of our dreams

By Michele Aluor

The history of the Nigerian Army is replete with stories that should make every Nigerian proud. In its 157 years of existence, there has been a steady transformation of the Nigerian Army into a professional and formidable force to reckon with in the world.

These are indeed no mean feat; however, this is not to say the Nigerian Army hasn’t experienced its fair share of challenges, especially with the prosecution of the Boko Haram war in North-East Nigeria. In recent times, a lot has been said about the efforts of the Nigerian Army in the security architecture in Nigeria. While in some quarters accolades have poured in, there has also been an unimaginable level of criticisms which in my opinion was brought about as a result of ignorance on the constitutional mandate of the Nigerian Army.

To say that the Nigerian Army has not been overstretched would be an understatement given the fact that is aside carrying out its core mandate; it has been called to support the civil police in internal security operations. The deployment of the Army in Internal Security Operations dramatically increased since the return to democratic governance on May 29 1999.

This is mainly because the Nigeria Police Force that is constitutionally charged with the responsibility of tackling internal security challenges is constrained due to a couple of factors. As such, 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.

The Nigerian Army involvement in the internal security operations is inevitable as the need for a higher level of aggression continues to reveal itself. Although, this has been the case ever since Nigeria was formed and it also continued throughout the colonial period, the recent occurrence of terrorism witnessed in the country has further justified the need for the army participation in internal security operations.

The year 2020 marked the 157 years of the existence of the Nigerian Army and as such the drums have rolled out in celebration of the Nigerian Army Day with the theme “Nigeria’s Territorial Defence and Sovereignty: Imperatives for Nigerian Army’s Sustained Training and Operations.”

This year’s celebration is unique in the sense that the Nigerian Army of today has witnessed quite substantial technological innovations that have positioned it as a professional fighting force courtesy of the leadership strides of its present Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

It is indeed a statement of the fact that the innovations in the Nigerian Army began to take shape from the year 2015 when the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari came on board. This was followed with the appointments of Service Chiefs, a move that was hailed in many quarters as one of the best decisions by the President upon assumption of office. This fact was further buttressed with the way and manner the Service Chiefs hit the ground running, especially the Chief of Army Staff due to the strategic role of the Nigerian Army in the fight against terrorism in the country.

It suffices to say that the confidence reposed in Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has been indeed justified with the level of technological innovations in the present day Nigerian Army. This much has been revealed with the display of homemade technological innovations in line with the requirements of modern warfare.

Technology changes warfare. Technology has been the primary source of military innovation throughout history. It drives changes in warfare more than any other factor. It is the clash of arms or the manoeuvre of armed forces in the field. It entails what military professionals call operations.

The Nigerian Army, today under Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has witnessed tremendous rejigging to conform to the requirements of modern-day warfare. There has been the establishment of new units such as the Nigerian Army Aviation Corps and the Nigerian Army Women Corps to complement the operations of the Nigerian Army. This much was stated by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai during the maiden Nigerian Army Women Training Week. He said that “there is no gainsaying the fact that there are some military operations such as psychological operations, in which the female officers and soldiers by their gender excel over men.”

I agree in totality with his line of thought in line with historical evidence that suggests integrating women into combat roles would not impact effectiveness, and perhaps even increase it under certain circumstances. In recent years, multiple countries have altered their policies to allow women to serve in combat roles. In 2015, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter opened all military roles to women. In the same year, India allowed women to become fighter pilots. Famous for being the world’s only country with a mandatory draft for both men and women, Israel inaugurated its first mixed-gender combat unit, the Caracal Battalion, in 2000. And I am glad Nigeria is not left out of this modern-day thinking.

Under Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Nigerian Army has continued to look inwards in the production of small and light arms and other combat artilleries by the Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company established in 2019. This is on the heels that since the 1960s, there had not been a serious effort at producing military equipment locally by the Nigerian Army.

This is indeed a milestone in the Nigerian Army’s march towards self-reliance in the production and maintenance of Armored Fighting Vehicles and other classes of vehicles as over the years the Nigerian Army has relied on the importation of such vehicles thereby spending substantial foreign exchange which in turn depletes capital allocations.

Another brilliant initiative is the establishment of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre which was established in 2015 as a service think tank which provides intellectual researches, promotes workshops, seminars and offers solutions to the Nigerian Army of proffering solutions to defence and security issues confronting the Nigerian Army (NA) in particular and the nation in general.

The list is indeed endless in the innovations that Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has introduced in the Nigerian Army. We must admit that armies of the world have gone beyond the conventional to the advanced both in operations and policy formulations. This is the lot of the Nigerian Army today, and we must be indeed grateful to Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai whose foresight has led to all of the above mentioned.

Little wonder the war against Boko Haram terrorism has been successful regardless of what some false alarmist and people with ulterior motives wants the generality of Nigerians to believe. That the Boko Haram insurgents have been restricted to the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin region and not in occupation of any territory in Nigeria is worthy of mention.

We must also admit that indeed the Nigerian Army of today is not what it used to be five years ago. This is indeed the Nigerian Army of our dreams. An army that is proactive and alive to its responsibilities. An army that is compliant with the rules of engagement in warfare as evidenced in the establishment of the Directorate of Civil-Military Affairs and Human rights desks at all its formations.

Lest we forget that the Nigerian Army under Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has successfully established two new divisions as part of a strategic plan to improve on the Nigerian Army’s operational capabilities in the face of emerging threats to national security, however, it is not yet Uhuru as there is a place for the cooperation of all Nigerians in making the Nigerian Army the Army of our dreams.

Those that have elected to be on the other side of the fence fanning the embers of war must have a rethink. Those that are consistent in their antagonism of the Chief of Army Staff must also have a rethink and be true to themselves and appreciate Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai for repositioning the Nigerian Army.

Aluor is a public affairs analyst and independent writer based in Abuja.

MFM Orders Members to Begin 4th Session of Monthly Prayer Retreat

The General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries  (MFM) worldwide, Dr. Daniel Olukoya, has directed that members move from the ongoing third session of the 30 Days Prayer Retreat when it ends on Tuesday, 7 July to another session.

According to a news release signed by the Chairman, MFM Media Committee, Pastor Oladele Bank-Olemoh, the members will, from Wednesday, 8 July, pray the prayers for July Power Must Change Hands (PMCH) until August PMCH. 

“The prayer points for the Special Power Must Change Hands programme will be distributed through our social media platforms. 

“We start with aggressive praise/ worship songs, then confess Psalms 91 and 46. This is followed by the singing of three choice songs on the Blood of Jesus and

then the prayers. This should be done daily,” Pastor Bank-Olemoh stated. 

It is recalled that the MFM directed her members to embark on a 30-day prayers retreat, which ran from Sunday, 22 March, through Monday, 20th April. 

The Ministry distributed a 62 pages prayer pamphlet to her  members and prayer lovers alike, within and without the ministry, as the Covid-19 pandemic forced a lockdown on the nation in March.

At the expiration of the first and second rounds of the monthly prayer retreat, Dr. Olukoya directed a repeat, making it three, which is still being prayed daily by everyone till today.

APC NEC members establish Integrity Group, write Buni

Some All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) members have formed a new group known as Integrity Group and has formally written the party’s Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CEONCPC) to present members of its executive and Board of Trustees.

The APC NEC Integrity Group in a letter dated July 1, 2020, a copy made available to newsmen Monday in Abuja and jointly signed by Hon. Abubakar Sadiq Saadu as Chairman and David Okumba as Secretary addressed to governor Mai Mala Buni, the National Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, declared their total support for him. 

The group described the emergence of Mai Mala Buni, the Yobe State governor, to chair the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee as a well thought out move.

The group assured the Gov. Mai Mala led Caretaker Comitee of its support and readiness to work with the Committee in order to restore the party to its prime status.

“As NEC members we are always ready and available for the Caretaker committee and shall support the committee in which ever way required in the course of steering the party’s affairs.”


The letter also commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the dissolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party adding that the current caretaker committee will engender genuine reconciliation and peace in the party.

The letter listed as executive members of the group: Hon. Abubakar Sadiq Saadu – North-noest (Chairman), Dr. Mrs. Racheal Akpabio – South South (Deputy Chairman), David Okumgba – South South (Secretary), Abubakar A. Musa – North East (Asst. Secretary), Lawal Kolade – South West (Treasurer), Terver Aginde – North Central (Organization/Mobilization), Hon. Muhammed S. Ibrahim – North West (Publicity/Strategic Communication), Barr. Tanko Zakari – North Central (Legal Adviser), Muhammad Azare – North East (Welfare), Nduka Anyanwu – South East (Auditor), Bolaji Repete Hafeez – South West (Dep. Publicity/Strategic Communications), Hon. Ihuoma Onyebuchukwu – South East (Deputy Treasurer), Abubakar Ajiya – North East (Coordinator), Abdulmunaf Muh’d – North West (Coordinator), John Uwaedu – South East (Coordinator), Adie Ferdinand Atsu – South South (Coordinator) and Jock Alamba – North Central (Coordinator).


The letter also introduced to governor Buni as Board of Trustees (BoT) member: Alhaji Nasiru Danu – North-west (Chairman), Sunday Jacob C – South-east (Secretary), Chief Koteteh Ibadan – South South (Member), Alh. Zakari Muhammad – North-central (Member) and Alh. Shuaibu Abdulrahaman – North-east (Member).