Insecurity: Understanding CNG as a virus

By Adio Waziri

The biggest joke of the century is the so-called Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) which issued an ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to stem the tide of insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria or face mass protest. Ironically, the group is one of the reasons insecurity persists in northern Nigeria. 

A bunch of gerontocrats, who in their old age are claiming to belong to an age they have long crossed and are usurping the chances of the real youths in the society, have done more harm to the north than even some of the violent groups that have taken up arms against the Nigerian state. These mercenaries who hide under the guise of ‘youths’ to offer their services to political recidivists have again offered their discredited platform to the highest bidder to discredit the current administration. Their aim is to make the President Buhari-led administration look bad so they latched on to the recent security breaches witnessed in some northern parts of the country to make their kill. Unfortunately for them, however, this is one area people know they lack moral ground to issue any warning on as the leaders of this so-called Coalition have been the major cause of insecurity. 

Apart from encouraging laziness through thuggery, they have by their over-reliance on renegade and self-serving politicians built an army of followers from among an otherwise innocent, hardworking and unsuspecting lot and have come to make them believe the only way they can make ends meet is through violence and sabotage.

This group has done the worst service to northern interests by taking away the minds of the youths from usefully engaging in productive activities like farming and another semi-skilled labour and putting them on the streets in the name of hired protesters and some times nudging them into acts of violence. They are like Boko Haram that made young and promising northern youths to abandon school and tear their certificates with a promise of an Eldorado in brigandage and opportunism.

The CNG cannot be absolved from the corollary effect of the drug abuse that is killing northern youths as they have made these young and hapless recruits believe that the only way they can do the bidding of these misguided elements is to take mind-bending substances.

The height of the chicanery of this group, however, was the ultimatum they gave citizens of Nigeria some time back to vacate the North not minding the social, economic and security implication of that statement. To them, satisfying their paymasters to have more zeros added to their cheques was more important to them than the peace and unity of this country knowing fully well that their statement would have led to a major crisis of great proportions if not for divine intervention. 

It is this same set of people who want people to take them serious about the security situation in the north when it is clear to everyone that they are the problem. They cause a problem to happen and then hide behind one finger to pretend that they are doing something about it.

If that had been the only damage it would have been tolerable, but everybody knows that in this particular outing as in others, it is the voice of Jacob but the hands of Esau playing out and there’s no denying the fact that they are being sponsored by the failed presidential candidate of an opposition party, who is doing his best to discredit the current administration. 

But that is not even the height of inanities. The stupidity of their position is exposed in the fact that they are issuing a threat to an administration that has done more than any other to secure Nigeria and every of its citizen wherever they find themselves. 

The CNG does not know and will not appreciate the much the government has committed to ensuring peace and security in Nigeria because they have been busy going around collecting money from political opponents and making all manners of careless statements to check. 

Neither would the group appreciate the much the government has done in terms of security when its leaders are busy misleading youths to abandon their lawful jobs to line up as thugs for politicians in the bid to line their pockets with filthy lucre.

However, CNG, even with its nonsensical posture and infantile pretence cannot say it did not know the efforts the current administration has put in place to ensure peace the last time it was asking certain citizens to vacate northern Nigeria. 

If only they know the shuttles top government officials had to engage in to suppress the angst of people and the number of efforts by security agencies to proactively nip the threats in the bud, they would not have been opening their mouths to comment on anything concerning security in the next five decades!

To be sure, the current administration does not need any reminder, least of all from an irresponsible bunch of useless adult delinquents to show commitment to security in Nigeria. President Buhari made it clear even in his inaugural speech that security, alongside the economy and fight against corruption would form the focus of his administration. He has not disappointed. 

The current administration has taken steps that dealt heavy blows on insurgency, banditry and related crimes. Troops recaptured all the local governments under the control of Boko Haram and checkmated the activities of criminal all over the country. 

CNG cannot pretend not to recognize the efforts of the Inspector General of Police Special Team led by ACP Abba Kyari which busted several hideouts of criminals including that of the most notorious kidnapper in the country, Evans, and arrested him or Nigerian troops sacked the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists from Sambisa forest and established a base at camp Zairo and rescued school girls that were captured in Dapchi, Yobe State.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai to show the seriousness of the government towards curbing insecurity, relocated to the Northeast and has been fighting the insurgents with great success. Last week, when there was a security breach in Katsina, all the Service Chiefs went to reinforce their commitment which led to counter operations that destroyed the base of the criminals and many of them were captured.

The government did all these without waiting for any hired group to remind it of its responsibilities to its citizens. The Federal Government is alive to its responsibilities towards citizens and does not need a bunch of lazy adults who prefer to see themselves as ‘youths’ to remind it, hence they can keep their advice to themselves. 

At the juncture, however, it is right to advice these elders who want to see themselves as youths that the best way they can help in addressing the problem of insecurity is to stop running to politicians for sponsorship on mischief and begin to seek gainful employment. They can lead the youths by example through farming and agriculture or by engaging in other skilled or semi-skilled labour.

Waziri is a development expert based in Kaduna.

Boko Haram: Group blames UK, US, EU for not helping Nigeria

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies (CISS) has blamed the United States of America, United Kingdom and the European Union for the entrenchment of the nefarious activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria. 

CISS said the failure of the western powers to come to the aid of the country in arresting sponsors and promoters of the group is responsible for the elongation of the crisis in the northeast. 

In a statement signed by Secretary, Dr Ifure Ataifure, on Thursday, the centre said that the radical Islamist sect have continued to receive external support from foreign countries at the detriment of Nigeria.

According to CISS, instead of joining forces with Nigeria, the US, UK and EU have failed to embargo the sale of arms to the terrorists

The Centre added that these powerhouses’ decision to turn a blind eye on the sensitive area is a deliberate plot to begin the process of recolonizing Africa.  

CISS further revealed that French authorities are the most culpable in this regards through the flagrant violations of all known international protocols.

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies, however, warned countries covertly fueling Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in Nigeria and other African countries to desist.

It added that the war against terrorism should be a collective one and foreign nations must block the sale of arms to the terrorists. 

Read full statement below:

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies wishes to state that the entrenchment of the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria is as a result of the lackadaisical attitude of some of the western powers in coming to the aid of Nigeria.  

The United States of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union have all failed to come to the aid of Nigeria despite repeated overtures from the Nigerian government and other critical stakeholders. 

We wish to state that this attitude is responsible for the prolongation of the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria because the terrorist group has been receiving external support from some European countries that are hell-bent on the disintegration of Nigeria.

These countries have been nothing but uncooperative with the Nigerian authorities by its refusal to sell arms to Nigeria for the prosecution of the Boko Haram war. The United States of America for inexplicable reasons have also refused to activate the necessary machinery for the sale of arms and ammunition to Nigeria in the prosecution of the Boko Haram war. 

The United States of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union for inexplicable reasons have also refused to block the sale of arms to terrorist organizations in Nigeria and the African continent. This fact has indeed bolstered the activities of terrorism in Nigeria and other African countries.

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies views this action as against the provisions of the global war on terror, which had as its goal to prevent another 9/11 terrorist attack by increasing international security worldwide. 

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies wishes to state that global commitment has not been extended to Nigeria since the Boko Haram group began its violent campaign in Nigeria in 2009. 

The activities of the Boko Haram group has continued with tactic support from some EU countries that have been engaged in unwholesome trade in arms and ammunition with the Boko Haram/ISWAP group and other terrorist groups operating in the African continent. 

We are tempted to state that this stance of turning a blind eye to the atrocities committed by terrorist organizations in the African continent might be a deliberate plot by these western countries to begin the process of recolonizing Africa so that it can have unhindered access to its natural and economic resources.  

The French authorities are the most culpable in this regards through the flagrant violations of all known international protocols by paying ransoms in huge amounts to terrorist organizations in Africa, which subsequently helps these organizations to sustain their terror activities. 

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies is alarmed to state that despite the efforts of the Nigerian Military, the Boko Haram group continues to have an unhindered supply of arms and ammunitions whose origin has been traced to some European countries.

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies wishes to use this medium to warn those countries that have been covertly fueling the activities of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group in Nigeria and other African countries to desist from their nefarious acts in the interest of peace and tranquillity.

This is the time for the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the European Union to come to the rescue of Nigeria by blocking the sale of illegal weapons to the Boko Haram terrorist group. 

They must see the war against terrorism in Nigeria as a collective one due to the strategic importance of Nigeria in the African continent. The time to act is now to bring to an end the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group and other terrorist groups in Africa.

Insecurity: Coalition of Northern Groups accused of receiving N500m to shed crocodile tears

The League of Northern Groups (LNG) has accused the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) of receiving N500m to weep in public over the security situation in the country. 

According to LNG, the Coalition is nothing but a band of merchant sponsored by top politicians behind the continuous killing of innocent Nigerians in the north to run its propaganda. 

Speaking on behalf of the group at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, LNG’s Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Aminu Abubakar, said it aims to address the growing misinformation about the security situation in the north, especially at a time it has been hijacked by some disgruntled politicians. 

From carrying out protests, LNG revealed that the northern coalition’s job has grown into a propaganda wing, inflating casualty figures from incidents of security breaches. 

The aim, it said, is to ultimately pressure President Muhammadu Buhari to sack his military chiefs and failure to do so has seen renewed killings and campaigns. 

Among others, the League of Northern Groups challenged CNG to publish details of its financing with particular emphasis to the identity of donors. 

It further called on the coalition to explain its ties with a former presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. 

LNG, however, confessed that it is praying for the Coalition of Northern Groups to repent and stop supporting evil. 

Read the full statement below:

Gentlemen of the press. We will like to start by appealing that everyone here present does their utmost best to conform to the protocols prescribed for the control of COVID-19 throughout their stay here. The  League of Northern Youth Groups (NYFG) is a law-abiding organization and is fully supportive of efforts to curb the spread of the virus. We thank you as you cooperate with us to support the ongoing efforts to keep Nigerians and each other safe.

We invited you here today because we find it imperative to alert Nigerians to an upsurge in disinformation and misinformation campaign around the issue of insecurity in the northern parts of the country. Let us digress a little to assert that the expression, “insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria” is in itself a misnomer because there are security concerns across the country. The difference is perhaps the intensity of what obtains in the north. It must also be said that there are security concerns in many countries of the world, including those that are regarded as advanced with the difference being in how the situation of each specific country is reported.

What stands the situation in the north out is the baffling trend where incidents of attacks resulting in the loss of human life have been packaged into a business. This business has instigators, dissatisfied politicians, who have been discovered to be the ones sponsoring the spate of violence in pursuit of whatever twisted objective it is they want to achieve. The manifestation of this dangerous class of people in recent days is the manner in which they are referring to the deaths they have caused as the basis for President Muhammadu Buhari to sack his military chiefs as if that very act being proposed is a pre-condition to stop further torment of the citizens they are killing.

There are also the foot soldiers that assist these killers recruited by these politicians in perpetuating and amplifying the terrorism unleashed on citizens through propaganda that distorts reality on a mind-boggling scale. These are groups that often inflate casualty figures from incidents of security breaches in a way that glorify the killers, demonize the government, demoralize the security and military personnel while further traumatizing survivors. Such groups have increased their activities in recent weeks, which not surprisingly corresponds with the time their political overlords were baying for the sack of military chiefs.

We have identified the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) as one of these groups that have been terrorizing Nigerians with propaganda. The group recently alleged that 240 persons have been killed in the last week. Gentlemen of the press, note that this approach by CNG marks an escalation to the protests they had hoped to use in grounding the country – their resort to compiling seemingly depressing tallies instead of protests means that they have moved their attacks against the state from the physical to the psychological. It is a strategy to instil fear in the population so that the killers sent out by their masters will meet communities that are already emotionally defeated and are therefore easy to attack.

It is crucial that no one is misled into believing that the gentlemen behind the Coalition of Northern Groups are engaged in legitimate activism, which would imply that any damage done in the course of their agitations was unintended. Far from it. These are no activists but economically activated activists, who are in it for what they have been paid as opposed to a passion for the improvement of their communities. What we have learnt is that the Coalition of Northern Groups is on the take and was paid 500 million naira by the top politicians behind the continuous killing of innocent Nigerians in the north in order for it to run its propaganda. A coalition of Northern Groups is nothing but a band of merchants of death running the propaganda wing of the sponsors of terrorism in the north. 

So that this matter can be given the right context, we are challenging the Coalition of Northern Youth as follow:

CNG should dare publish details of its financing with particular emphasis to the identity of donors, including flagging the ones that politically exposed persons among them provides.

The Coalition should explain its link or connection with the former presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, including coming clear on the nature of instructions they have received from him or his agents as well as the financial relationship of the group to Atiku and his businesses.

CNG should explain its link with the bandits in the north as well as Boko Haram since it is able to keep such a tally of body count from the attacks carried out by these bandits. It is no mere coincidence that there is usually a lull in attacks when the coalition is carrying out its protests.

It should disclose its relationship with foreign or international NGOs, with details on the nature of interactions they have had in the last three months since there are uncanny similarities between the formats they have adopted in demonizing the government and the attack plan being executed by an organization like Amnesty International. 

They should also disclose the groups and persons it has made payments to in recent weeks since such illicit payments are now known to have been used to mobilize the protests against the government.

Should it be unable to come up with satisfactory responses to the posers above, we urge the Coalition of Northern Groups to keep quiet and stop dancing on the grave of the dead. They shame their own families by the very despicable act of pretending to be activists during the day while by night they hobnob with the sponsors and promoters of the killings in northern Nigeria. 

Rather than vilifying soldiers and military chiefs that are making sacrifices for the country or attacking the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, they should rather give an ultimatum to their sponsors for the regime of killings that they have instigated to end.

The League of  Northern Youth Groups  is mindful of the voluntary commitment made by CNG when it said: “In place of the halted protests, the CNG hereby resolves to direct its state coordinators to raise their levels of vigilance and to assist the security forces with credible relevant intelligence needed to tackle the situation.” We will be watching to see the extent to which they will keep to their words and if in reality, they will join the rest of us in supporting the military as we have always done.

The genuineness of their promise will contribute to thwarting the killers that their sponsors had unleashed on the land. We pray that the Coalition of Northern Groups is truly prepared to be repentant and stop supporting evil. 

May God heal our land.

N-Power Batch C and Matters Arising

By Dan Ochonu

There seems to be an uprising concerning the decision of the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to introduce new beneficiaries into the N-Power scheme under a revised and robust template that would be of utmost benefit to the teeming youthful population in the country.
I am sure it should be surprising to discerning minds that some people would elect to view things only from the prism of their selfish interest. If this is not the case, I wonder on what basis the beneficiaries under the Batch A and B programme are protesting even with the fact that they have stayed in the programme for over 40 months.
As a first, I think it is essential to understand that the N-Power is a job creation and empowerment programme instituted by the Federal Government of Nigeria through its National Social Investment Programmes. In other words, it’s a skill acquisition programme where youths from various parts of the country are trained in various skills under four broad categories such as N-Power Agro, where volunteers will provide advisory services to farmers across the country disseminate the knowledge that has been aggregated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the area of extension services. They will also gather data on Nigeria’s agriculture assets
Another category is the N-Power Teach volunteers that are deployed as teachers assistants in primary schools to help improve essential education delivery in Nigeria, and where possible, they will also assist in taking basic education to children in marginalized communities.
The N-Power Health Volunteers help improve and promote preventive healthcare in their communities to vulnerable members of the society, including pregnant women and children and families and individuals.
N-Power Build, Tech and Creative volunteers have received extensive training to help develop and expand their respective skillset, which would help foster innovation and creativity among the youths, while ensuring that they can turn their skills into marketable products. The above explains the N-Power initiative of the Federal Government.
It is therefore pertinent to state that since inception in 2018, the N-Power scheme has catered for over 500,000 youths in the country with 200,000 from Batch A which started in September 2016 and 300,000 from Batch B which kicked off in August 2018. These participants have been trained in various skills as mentioned above that they can deploy to their advantage in future. But ironically, this is not the case as the advocates that have been acting on behalf of these participants wants the programmes to be a permanent and salaried job.
This, in my opinion, is anti-progressive in the sense that they want others to be denied the same opportunity that they had when they enrolled. This is a sad episode if you ask me given the fact that the Batch A and B beneficiaries have elected to let hell loose because the federal government revised the programme to allow room for new beneficiaries under the proposed Batch C programme.
Welcome to Nigeria where patriotism is never the watchword if you decide to stand on the side of truth and to do the right thing, you are regarded as a villain. In my view, the actions of those that have launched an attack on the honorable minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development are nothing but greedy, selfish and against the interest of the country.
If this is not the case, how could one explain a situation where doing the right and putting the interest of the country has become a crime as propagated by the earlier beneficiaries on the N-Power programme. This is a sad tale, and I am glad that someone has decided to change the narrative, not minding the series of coordinated attacks on her.
It must be stated and expressly so that the N-Power initiative is for the generality of Nigerians and not for a few, so seeing it as a birthright is phenomenally wrong in all ramification. This much these set of greedy fellows must come to terms with. It is also unimaginable considering the fact that Nigeria boasts of one of the highest youthful populations in the world.
I think rejigging the N-Power scheme to bring in new people on board is not only a welcome development; it is also an act of purposefulness in a bid to address some of the challenges facing the country.
If only Nigerians would understand that the revised N-Power scheme would run for six months – one year depending on the category. According to available information on the N-Power Scheme website, N-Agro, N-Build, N-Creative and N-Tech will run for six months (with two batches a year), the N-Teach and N-Health part of the programme will run for one year. For the six month programmes, three months will be used for training beneficiaries, while the other three months will be used for mentorship and attachment to partners and stakeholders.
This is indeed brilliant in the sense that more youths would have the opportunity to be enrolled in the scheme in the bid to better their lives, unlike in times past where the programme ran for a duration of 2 years, thereby depriving other qualified candidates the opportunity to benefit from this laudable initiative.
If not for anything, the honorable minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster management and Social Development has indeed justified the confidence reposed in her by Mr. President to ensure rapid and meaningful implementation of the various social intervention programmes of the federal government.
The proposed introduction of the Batch C under the scheme must go as planned because it is not only laudable; it is in the overall interest of the country that would be of immense benefit to the teeming youths in the country because over 400,000 new beneficiaries would be admitted into the programme in the following order: 200,000 beneficiaries into the N-Power Agro programme, 80,000 into the N-Power Teach Programme, 40,000 into the N-Health Programme, and 80,000 into the N-Power Build, Creative and Tech categories.
I commend the minister in this regard and encourage her not to relent in her valuable service to the country. And those that think that they have a birthright to stay put for life in the N-Power scheme should have a rethink and retrace their steps. It is expected that the knowledge and experience garnered over 40 months should be put to use for the benefit of the country.
The N-Power C project must go ahead as planned. The minister must not back down despite the avalanche of attack on her person so long the overarching objective is ensuring that more youths are accommodated in the scheme. This is what Nigeria needs, and our support for the likes of Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq should be unflinching.

Ochonu is an unemployed youth and wrote this piece from MAKURDI, Benue State.

Insecurity: Community-based organizations reiterate support for Buhari, Service Chiefs

A group of community-based organizations, under the auspices of People’s Parliament, have vowed to maintain total support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the Service Chiefs in the fight against insurgency.

The group made this known in a communique signed by George Gondo and Adamu Bagudu, its Chairman and Secretary respectively and addressed by Gabriel Agibi on Wednesday in Abuja.  

People’s Parliament, which also comprises of faith-based organizations, NGOs such as Grasshoot Peace Initiative and United Nigeria Forum, rising from an extraordinary emergency assembly held in Abuja and monitored on Skype and zoom, maintained that the President and his Service Chiefs have demonstrated capacity, willpower and the expertise to rid the country of terrorism, banditry and other crimes and would require the total support of all Nigerians to deliver absolute peace across the country. 

While the military has done its part to end insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other crimes, the group acknowledged that some government officials and stakeholders have not been forthcoming. 

People’s Parliament, however, called on state governors and stakeholders to play their own part, as all hands must be on deck to defeat the remnants of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists who are attempting to regroup to unleash further heinous atrocities on citizens. 

The group said it overwhelmingly passed a vote of confidence on President Buhari and his security architecture, advising the already decimated Islamic fighters to surrender now they have the chance. 

Read full communique below:

The meeting was convened by the People’s Parliament with support from the Global Amnesty Watch and deliberated extensively on the state o,f affairs in Nigeria especially the security situation in the country. 

Participants took their time to contribute to the discussions and after extensive deliberations on the issues which centred on the performance of the Military and other stakeholders in the current war against insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other crimes in Nigeria, made the following observations:

That Nigeria has not arrived at its desired destination as far as the security of the country is concerned. 

That there has however been a great improvement in the security of the country in the last five years. 

That the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has shown commitment towards ending terrorism and insurgency as well as other forms of crime in the country.

That the President’s determination to secure all citizens and others living in Nigeria and the territorial integrity of the country, has been demonstrated through making the right appointments in the armed forces, providing adequate funding and the procurement of weapons for troops engaged in the battle against terrorism and insurgency. 

That while the armed forces have been relentless in the fight against insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other crime, some top security personnel and other stakeholders have not been forthcoming in that regard. 

That much ground has been covered in the bid to put the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists out of business since the Chief of Army Staff relocated to the theatre of operation in the Northeast in March.

That the recent attacks in Gubio, Borno State and in Faskari, Katsina State are quite unfortunate. 

That the attacks in Gubio, Borno State and in communities in Faskari Local Government of Katsina State could have been avoided if other top security officials and stakeholders have been alive to their responsibilities. 

That it is the failure of intelligence gathering, inability to infiltrate the camps of the insurgents and lack of consultation with stakeholders, that are responsible for such security breaches.

That rather than gain relevance through the supply of actionable intelligence for troops, top security officials are more concerned about blackmailing the service chiefs to feather their own nests.

That state governours of the affected states, as chief security officers of their respective states, appears not to have been properly briefed about their expected roles in the fight against insurgency and terrorism. 

That the recent meeting of the President with top security personnel and service chiefs is a step in the right direction. 

In the light of the above observations by the participants at the meeting, the following courses of action were recommended to bring to an end the scourge of terrorism and insurgency as well as curb the level of violence and crime in Nigeria.

Recommendations:

All stakeholders in the security structure of the country just as a matter of urgency,  put hands on deck to enable Nigeria to defeat the remnants of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists groups who are attempting to regroup to unleash further heinous atrocities on citizens of this country. 

All CBOs, CSOs and FBOs, as well as the general public, should expose any individual or group of persons suspected to be behind or aiding the crimes of terrorism, insurgency and other related crimes in Nigeria.

Security agencies charged with investigations and intelligence gathering must step up their game to provide actionable intelligence to troops so as to complement what the military is doing at the battlefield. 

The military should not relent or be discouraged by the current setback in Gubio and Faskari Local Governments of Borno and Katsina States respectively but sustain the push against the remnants of the terrorist groups until they are defeated.

The Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists as well as other bandits operating in the Northwestern part of the country should take advantage of the current window and surrender as they indicated doing some months back and not be deceived that they can withstand the military. 

Governors in the North must go beyond calling for meetings only after attacks on communities have taken place to take proactive measures to prevent such.

The meeting passed a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari and his security architecture believing that with the total support and collaboration from the Nigerian people, the final defeat of Boko Haram and all the criminal elements operating in Nigeria would soon be accomplished. 

The Military and other security agencies should collaborate to bring not just the fighters but collaborators, sponsors and promoters of the group to book.

The meeting has made these recommendations believing sincerely that it will go a long way in stamping out the security challenges in the country. 

Herdsmen/Farmers Crisis: CESJET says FG, Army have restored peace to most warring communities

A report by the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has hailed the Federal Government and Nigerian Army for halting the age-long farmers-herders crisis ravaging parts of the country. 

The well-documented report detailed how President Muhammadu Buhari and the Army miraculously restored peace to warring communities to end the perennial clashes. 

Barely a month after being sworn-in,  President Buhari, in June 2015, constituted a Strategic Action Committee to look into herders-farmers crisis and make recommendations that would address it.

Without this intervention, the centre reckoned that perhaps the nation would have ultimately slid into chaos along religious and ethnic lines which would have in turn had a toll on the economy. 

According to the report, from all available indices, no Nigerian community is under occupation by herdsmen even though the herders-farmers conflict has become more significant in recent times. 

“Although the government had in the past taken some measures to address this phenomenon, the increasing desertification and the effects of climate change have further increased the drive for the herdsmen to move further south in search of grazing land and pasture for their livestock,” the report said. 

“These southward movements always pitch them against farmers and the host community whose crops are regularly invaded and destroyed by the cattle during this seasonal movement. The result of this is increased conflict, death, displacement and the destruction of properties. However, because the phenomenon is a human security issue, there is a need for a concerted effort at state, national, regional and international levels to address the challenges, especially since there is no specific legislation that is dedicated to addressing the peculiar needs of herders and farmers in the country.”

Among others, the report, however, urged the FG to deploy more security personnel in “affected areas; ensure they are better equipped; improve local ties to gather better intelligence, and respond speedily to early warnings and distress calls”. 

It further called for the freezing of enforcement and reform of state anti-grazing legislation as well as heightened herder-farmer dialogues.

“The Benue state government should freeze enforcement of its law banning open grazing, as Taraba state has already done, and amend objectionable provisions therein,” the report recommended. 

“It should also help herders become ranchers, including by developing pilot or demonstration ranches, and conducting education programs for herders uneasy about making the transition.”

APC Crisis: Buhari not aware of Giadom’s NEC meeting, Ajimobi group asks members to stay away

Buhari not aware of invitation for Thursday’s NEC meeting, APC NWC insists

The Prince Hilliard-led National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said President Muhammad Bulgari is not aware of the invitation for the National Executive Council (NEC) slated for Thursday, asking members of the party to disregard the meeting.

In a statement signed Thursday in Abuja by the acting national secretariat of the APC, Arch Waziri Bulama, said convener of the meeting has been suspended by the Rivers state chapter of party and the NWC received communication of same on June 21, 2020.

Bulama said Giadom cannot summon a meeting on that date because under the party’s constitution only the National Secretary can do so pursuant to Article 14.3 of the APC constitution.

“We are constrained to once again react to a purported invitation to a National Executive Committee meeting of our great party; the All Progressives Congress (“APC”) issued by one Victor Giadom who until the last general elections in 2019 held the position the Deputy National Secretary of the Party.

“Our esteem members are advised to disregard this invitation because the author and sole signatory of the said invitation is not member of the National Working Committee (“NWC”) of our party, talk more of being an Acting National Chairman as claimed.
He had voluntarily resigned in compliance with Article 31(1)(i) of our Constitution to contest the position of Deputy Governor in Rivers State during the last general elections and has not been re-nominated by his Zone to return to that office. Further, his nonmembership of the NWC has been affirmed by the Courts and an Order restraining him from parading himself as a member of the NWC was granted against him on June 22, 2020 in the case of DELE MOSES & ANOR V APC (SUIT NO: PHC/360/2020) where the Court said inter alia:

‘That an Order of interim injunction be and is hereby made restraining the 1st, 2nd 4th and 5th Defendants, acting by themselves or through auy of their officers, agents, or privies from recognizing or regarding the 3rd Defendant/Respondent as the National Chairman or Acting National Chairman or Deputy National Secretary of the 1st Defendant/Respondent or member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the 1st Defendant/Responde1it pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.’

“More instructive is the fact that the said invitation copiously references the NEC meeting he illegally sought to convene on March 17, 2020 with a view to resurrecting same to hold on June 25, 2020. Regrettably, this proposed NEC meeting is also infected by the same bug that render the former void which is Article 25 (B) of our Constitution which provides:

‘i. The National Executive Committee shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two-third ofthe members ofthe National Executive Committee provided that less than 14 days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned.

“ii. Without prejudice to Article 25(B)(i) of this Constitution the National Working Committee may summ meeting at any time, provided that on an at emergency least seven National (7) days Executive notice of the Committeemeeting shall be given to all those entitled to attend”.

“It is clear that even a legitimate Chairman is only invested with powers to fix/announce a date for NEC meetings to hold every quarter and nothing more. He cannot summon a meeting on that date because under our Constitution only the National Secretary can do so pursuant to Article 14.3 of our Constitution which provides:

‘14.3. National Secretary The National Secretary shall:
ii. Cause to be issued as directed, notices ofmeetings ofthe National Convention, the National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the Party.’

Indeed two-thirds of the members of NEC may also summon a meeting, but it shall be required that the National Secretary gives 14 days notice to all persons entitled to attend.

In this case, the purported invitation was illegally issued on June 23, 2020 and the meeting fixed for June 25, 2020 which gives notice for only 2 days. We concede that a shorter Notice period of 7 days is allowed under our Constitution as stated in 25(b)(ii) above, however, a majority of the members of NWC must have voted to summon such a NEC meeting and that was not the case in this instance.

“Our leader, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is renowned for insisting on compliance with our constitution and rule of law. It can therefore not be true that Mr. President supports the convening of such an illegal NEC by a non-member of APC’s NWC. We urge all to disregard the said Notice as neither the NWC nor the NEC has called for such meeting.”

Release LCPL Martins now, Frank tells Buratai

Timi Frank, former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on the Nigerian Army to immediately released Lance Corporal Martins.

LCPL Martins was arrested after making a video blasting the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, and other security chiefs in the country.

According to Frank, the soldier was picked by senior military officers, who said they were acting based on an “order from above.”

In the 12-minute video, the soldier expressed his anger at the security chiefs especially Buratai, and Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, alleging that they are not committed to end the incessant killings of Nigerians by terrorists and armed bandits.

He alleged that the military ordered the illegal detention of some soldiers, who demanded better weapons and ammunition to combat Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the country.

He stated that though he might be arrested and probably killed for the video, he is ready to sacrifice himself for the country.

Reacting to the arrest of the Lance Corporal, Timi Frank via his verified twitter handle released a press statement where he expressed his disappointment with the Nigerian Service Chiefs. Frank called the Service Chiefs, “Service Thieves”. 

Frank further said this issues of security challenges has made Nigeria to remain the way she is up till date.

Frank acknowledged how strong Nigeria military are but that they lack the needed all round supports because of corruption.

Frank said:

“After watching this video of a Nigerian Military Officer crying out, Nigeria is indeed in big trouble. I’m very disappointed with our service Chiefs. With this video, it is obvious we dont have Service Chiefs but Service Thieves. And that is why the country will continue to remain in a helpless state like this. May God save Nigeria!

With this video, it has clearly shown the reason why these Service Chiefs have refused to retire, even when they’re due for retirement.

Nigeria is suppose to be Giant of Africa, rather we are the Giant of Thieves. With all our military war chest we have, Nigeria still cannot defeat Boko Haram, rather a country like Chad were able to extinct Boko Haram around their region.

Nigeria has a very strong military force, but there has been no support for them to Carry out their duties, because of corruption.

I hereby call on the release of Lance Corporal. He should be celebrated, not arrested. He has Nigeria’s interests at heart.”

Ondo: Campaign team raises alarm over plot to discredit Adelami

Ahead of Ondo governorship primary election, the Adelami campaign organisation has raised an alarm over plot to forcefully use the local government chairmen of the party to discredit the membership of its principal Chief Olaide Owolabi Adelami.

The campaign team in a statement signed Wednesday in Abuja, by Barrister Segun Ogodo, urged the national leadership of the APC and the presidency to disregard what is described as ‘campaign of calumny’ against their principal.

“For record purposes, Chief Olayide Adelami is a registered member of the APC in Igboroko 2 ward 3 where he worked assiduously for the success of all APC candidates in the 2019 general election.

“We hereby call on the leadership of APC, the presidency and all members of our great party to disregard this malicious and fallacious harassment coming from a governor who openly campaigned and worked against APC and the reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

The campaign team expressed pity for party LG chairmen “for the predicament they have found themselves,” alleging that some persons were planning to “induce threats to life in forcing the chairmen to falsely claim that Chief Adelami is not a member of the party.

“Whereas, Chief Adelami had been at the forefront of promoting party cohesion in Ondo state, a job he started in 2018 when he was appointed state coordinator of the Presidential Support Committee.”

The statement said if there is anyone to be dissociated by the party chairmen, it should be Chief Adelami, who has contributed much to the growth of APC in Ondo state in particular and in Nigeria in general.

“We reiterate for the umpteenth time that Chief Olayide Adelami is a registered member of the APC, having worked closely with him the governor during his election in 2016 and during presidential election in 2019 and having seen his membership card on several occasions.

“We implore the Inspector General of police to act on all petitions we have written to his office in preventing Akeredolu from setting Ondo state on fire with his violent acts.The good people of Ondo State are watching the reluctance of security agents towards Akeredolu’s killers squad with their utmost attention.”

The statement urged the national body of APC to ask governor Akeredolu for explanation on why APC lost Ondo state in 2019 presidential election.

APC NEC: Lukman rallies support for meeting, urges members to back Buhari

The Director General of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) Salihu Lukman, has called on party committed party members and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rally behind President Muhammadu Buhari in support of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for Thursday in order to reset APC back to its 2013 orientation of inclusive and participatory politics.

A factional acting national chairman of the party, Chief Victor Giadom, had announced that with the support of the President the NEC meeting of the party would hold Thursday.

However, Lukman in a statement issued Wednesday described the crisis rocking the ruling party for the last few months as show of ‘indignity’, adding that some drastic steps are required to restore some order and sanity in APC.

According to him, “With all the confusion as to who is our presiding officer, coupled with the fact that the most important structure that is saddled with the responsibility of convening meetings of all organs of the party is fractured and entangled in webs of legal cases, it is either the confusion is allowed to continue and eventual end with the demise of the party, or our leaders find a way to save the party.”

Lukman said given such a situation, one would expect party leaders to be united in saving the situation.

He stressed that to demonstrate the irony of the kind of leaderless situation party members found themselves, they are being told that the constitution disqualifies a Deputy National Chairman from acting as National Chairman with reference to the section of the country he comes from.

The DG noted that while the party’s constitution continues to gather dust somewhere in the archive of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), courts and judges continue to entertain themselves with cases requiring all manner of judicial pronouncements.

He said with the approval of President Buhari, a meeting NEC has been called, while asking if the so-called leaders acting as blacklegs would undermine the moral authority of the President as the leader of the party.

The DG also said a national newspaper owned by one of the leaders of the party has dismissed a meeting held by the President with the governors of the party as ‘Anti-Oshiomhole governors submit position to Buhari’.

Lukman queried, “Is this headline a reflection of the position of the leader? Is the message underlining this headline going to serve as the basis of opposition against the initiative by the President the ensure that a NEC meeting hold? With the way the President’s name is presented using just his first name, isn’t that already indicative of some measure of rebellion?

“All committed party members and leaders should rally behind President Buhari in support of the scheduled NEC to hold so that we are able to reset the APC back to its 2013 orientation of inclusive and participatory politics. To achieve that, the public debate should be about proposals to ensure that the NEC succeed rather than attempting to throw up legal blockades!”

While lamenting the current situation in the party, Lukman said: “Today, even something as basic as who is the presiding officer of the APC is in courts to the extent that we lost count of the number of cases involving more litigants, far more than the number of party members that aspired for the position at our last National Convention. To demonstrate the irony of the kind of leaderless situation we found ourselves or we impose on ourselves, we are being told that our constitution disqualifies a Deputy National Chairman from acting as National Chairman with reference to the section of the country he comes from. Yet, we call ourselves progressives. No need to look for anybody who is a reactionary with some of progressive leaders we have in APC. Our leaders have degenerated to pseudo-ethnic champions. Are we heading for a merger with Arewa, Afeniferi, Biafra and all the known ethnic groups?

“It is such a mess that almost every passing day, we just keep descending lower and lower. Not only that members get more and more frustrated, but also that Nigerians become more and more disappointed and some of our leaders with mandate to govern the country are daily being distracted. Instead of facing the business of government and strengthening the capacity of APC governments at federal and states levels to deliver on their campaign promises, it is a case of leadership conflicts all over the place.

“Rather than have party leadership making efforts to resolve these conflicts, they become the major disputants and litigants. If the dispute turns out to be between these party leaders and elected functionaries of government, once the circle of election come, these functionaries should be ready to be thrown out no matter their records in government. Professors and all manner of clownish supporters will be recruited to defend and present actions of these party leaders as decisions of party structures and therefore reflective of the supremacy of the party.

“With the NEC meeting scheduled to hold in less than 48 hours, if it is reflective of rebellion, both the Newspaper, the television station owned by the leader and all his support base may be activated to attempt to block the NEC meeting, including boycotting the NEC. How could such a strategy help the leader? Without any debate, this is one leader that certainly enjoy high measure of respect across the party and is perhaps a leading contender to succeed President Buhari. If such a leader, work for or tolerated his media companies and supporters to inadvertently work for the demise of the party, how does that serve him? Could it be that he has decided to work against any possibility of succeeding President Buhari?

“Be that as it may, how will leaders or blacklegs relate with the NEC and the decisions it will take? Will they seek to take advantage of the NEC to reset the process of party building back to the point whereby it become possible for meetings of party organs to hold and through those meetings seek to resolve all our internal problems, including reconciling all our leaders and repositioning it for undisputed electoral victories? The days ahead will confirm whether we have party leaders or blacklegs.”