Abba Kyari and Morality of Power

By Emmanuel Ogbeche

“Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing.” – Proverbs 11:7

In the end it is the verdict of history that matters. The legacy one leaves is what endures after the silver lining is severed from mortal body. The conclusion can be telling and leave a stain of ridicule, derision and scorn. It is for this reason those who wield power – elective or appointive- should strive to gauge public feelings and respond appropriately.
It was a heavy thud when in the early hours of Saturday it emerged that the reclusive, taciturn and seeming unfazed Mallam Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, has cut off ties with mortality. Immediately the news broke on Twitter by presidential aides, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, reactions swept like a tidal wave. While some ogled and were thankful, others showed empathy and sobriety. It was expected, after all, the late Kyari was a controversial figure, some say, divisive.
When the deceased tested positive to the novel coronavirus, the country was faced with binary choice: either for once to use the opportunity to gain public trust and restore confidence in its vouchsafed transparency and anti-corruption stance or double down on a defense of privacy, with the implications for public health and general anomie.
As expected, the Presidency of Buhari towed its infamous path of opaqueness and public scorn by spiriting the famed head of the ubiquitous cabal to secret private facility instead of following its own health protocol on the deadly Covid-19. Asked by journalists on the whereabouts of Kyari, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha and Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, were dismissive and incredulously say it was not important.
It was imperative then as it is now. The demands of public office include being honest, transparent and accountable however inconvenient. To diss the public and make a spectacle of its demand to be held up to scrutiny belongs to primitive and authoritarian societies which I doubt Nigeria is, perhaps, a quasi-one.
When Kyari was in the bloom of clout and at the apogee of power, he was committed to creating a mystique of being the Silent One but who gets things done. Due to his reticence, myths abound, stories woven and tales told of his omnipresence and endless depth of his command. Despite the far-reaching accusations of corruption, the pervasive and suffocating grip on the president even from the family of Buhari, never for once did the late Chief of Staff reacted or budged. Not even a verbose and intemperate radio host in the nation’s capital could draw him out.
To his credit, his traducers did not go missing or raised the alarm of being harangued by agents of the state unlike we have in states and even with some officials of the Presidency. Kyari remained stoic seeming unmoved by the avalanche of missiles hurled his way. Perhaps, he knew what millions of never knew and may never get to know. He understood the mind of the president and will not yield to the tantrums and crabbiness of those who see him as Medusa incarnate.
It is something of a wonder that for a man who was schooled in the best traditions of the English and their commitment to being answerable to their citizens to hold his own to such contempt is intriguing.
Since late night, I am piqued and have wondered, did he write a memoir? Is there a secret tape to explain his seeming aloofness and detachment from all that was said and aimed at him? Was he so insulated from the reality of his position that he became immune to the vagaries and foibles of power? Did he drink too much of the tocsin of presidential Bacchus, and became drunk on its dregs? These are questions that in finding answers to invariably are subject to speculations.
Would Kyari’s passing provide an opportunity for introspection and place a burden on this administration as well as many a politician to act responsibly in this Covid-19 crisis? Like it is wont to be said, time shall tell!

Matters Arising As Boko Haram Commanders Beg For Mercy

By Atadoga Atojoko

Since 2009 when the Boko Haram group began a violent campaign in Nigeria, hundreds of lives have been lost and millions displaced. The continued bombings, killings, kidnappings, and the destruction of properties by Boko Haram have become of great concern to the Nigerian government and the international community. The activities of Boko Haram have effects on the economy and the people.

However, the year 2015 marked the beginning of a fresh offensive against the group by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. On assumption of office, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed new service chiefs and relocated the military command center dedicated to the fight against Boko Haram to the northeast and probed past weapons procurement.

This move was hailed in many quarters as a proactive approach needed to decimate the Boko Haram terrorist group. And true to the postulations, the Nigerian Military gained ascendency over the Boko Haram terrorist group by reclaiming territories in Nigeria hitherto under the control of the group. The operational headquarters of the group in Sambisa forest was also taken over by the Nigerian troops, and this saw to the Boko Haram group settling at the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin region from where they regroup and lunch offensives in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Army also led search and rescue operations that led to the rescue of a large number of the abducted Chibok girls to the admiration of all and sundry. According to Abel Unwauba, a professor of military History in the Nigerian Defense Academy, he stated that the Nigerian Military was able to gain ascendency over the Boko Haram group due to the commitment of the political leadership in the country at the time.

He further opined that President Muhammadu Buhari got it right with the quality of Service Chiefs who hit the ground running, given the precarious situation of things on the ground.

From 2016 to date, the Nigerian Military has continually engaged the Boko Haram group and, to a large extent, was able to confine their activities to fringes of the Lake Chad Basin region. Their ability to carry out suicidal attacks in most towns and cities were greatly hampered by the various measures put in place and the robust security coordination by the hierarchy of the Nigerian Military. This much was corroborated by the avalanche of commendations that poured in, saluting the efforts of the Nigerian Military thus far.

The recent news coming from the Boko Haram camp is an indication that the Nigerian Military has indeed lived up to expectations as far as the fight against terrorism in Nigeria is concerned. That no Nigerian territory is under the control of the Boko Haram group is an indication that in no distant time the Boko Haram group would be history and normalcy would return to North-East Nigeria.

In some quarters, it has been stated that the Boko Haram group is seeking a pardon from the federal government in the attempt to lay down their arms. The implication of this is that indeed the Boko Haram camp is experiencing a leadership crisis under Abubakar Shekau.

According to Dr. Eugene Iwodi, a lecturer in the department of International Relations of the Obafemi Awolowo University, the fact that some top commanders of the Boko Haram group are seeking for state pardon indicates that the tide has changed and what is left is for the Nigerian Military to go all out in clearance operations.

Dr. Iwodi further opined that the number of deaths recorded in North-East Nigeria due to the insurgency from 2016 to date is a fraction of what was recorded from 2009 to 2015. He stated that for the group to enlist the support of organizations such as the United Nations for state pardon indicates that what is left of the sect is a highly demoralized group of people seeking a way out of their predicament.

This is where the political authorities in Nigeria must be given credit. The administration of President Muhammadu has done well in this regard by ensuring that the Military is up to the task with regards to neutralizing the threats posed by the Boko Haram group.

As it stands, it is common knowledge that the Boko Haram group has been neutralized. This much is evident in the series of overtures extended to President Muhammadu Buhari for a state pardon. It is also on the heels that some of the top commanders of the Boko Haram group have expressly stated that they no longer want to be a part of the group. The implication is that Abubakar Shekau is a lone ranger and there is little he can do but to surrender.

The Nigerian Military must be commended for achieving this feat. Worthy of mention is the Chief of Army Staff, who has been leading the troops from the frontline. This is especially so given the fact that this recent posturing of Boko Haram commanders is occasioned by the recent relocation of the Chief of Army Staff to the Theater of Operations and credited to be leading the onslaught against the Boko Haram group.

It is thus apparent that if this present tempo is sustained, the end of Boko Haram might be in sight. All that is required in this current circumstance is for the military authorities to intensify efforts towards the final decimation of the Boko Haram group. The disposition of the Chief of Army Staff is worthy of commendation. It is hoped that the tempo is sustained to bring to an end to the Boko Haram crisis.

The political authorities’ must also take advantage of this present situation of Boko Haram commanders begging for mercy to do the needful in the overall interest of the country and the families and relatives of those that have paid the supreme price in service to fatherland.

Atojoko is a counter-terrorism expert and wrote from Lagos.

Buratai’s presence already yielding positive result against Boko Haram – CATE

Barely one week into his stay in the northeast, the Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) believes the presence of Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General T.Y Buratai, is already rubbing off positively on troops and devastatingly on Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

CATE made this disclosure in a press statement signed by National Coordinator, Gabriel Onoja, on Wednesday, adding that there are overwhelming evidence of imminent victory over the remnant insurgents.

Like customary, the COAS paid a visit to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in Borno on Saturday but this time vowed to remain there until the final clearance operation is completed.

Owing to his doggedness, resilience and patriotism, Lt. Gen Buratai has endeared himself to officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, especially those on the frontlines.

According to CATE, the COAS has provided the much-needed motivation, yielding the desired results as the troops advances further to put an end to the Boko Haram threat.

The centre added that credible information has it that the troops are suffocating the terrorists who are now scampering to safety in neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

While hailing the COAS for this giant stride, CATE, however, urged that this momentum be sustained until the very end.

The group also called on critical stakeholders and the entire nation to rally round the Army in this last and critical phase.

Read full statement below:

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism wishes to commend the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, for the leadership role he has provided in the fight against Boko Haram terrorism in North-East Nigeria.

As critical stakeholders, we are cognizant of the multiple gains recorded by the Nigerian Army since 2015 when he assumed leadership of the Nigerian Army.

The Nigerian Army has evolved into a professional fighting force that has displayed an enviable level of professionalism and commitment to the Nigerian cause in the last four years that has seen accolades pour in from wide and far.

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism acknowledges this leadership strides evident in the recent operational visit of the Chief of Army Staff to North-East Nigeria in the final push in ending the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram group.

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism lauds the efforts of the Chief of Army Staff thus far by leading by example that has seen him engage the troops in strategy sessions in the theatre of operations.

The recent routine visit of the Chief of Army Staff to North-East Nigeria is a worthy example of a war commander that understands the nitty-gritty of warfare, and this is indeed commendable because it is a departure from the norm where directives are issued from Abuja.

The Chief of Army Staff has indeed set a lofty standard that must be emulated by others in positions of authority in Nigeria as the news emanating from the Theatre of Operations in North-East Nigeria is heartwarming.

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism is appreciative of this routine visit by the Chief of Army Staff to the Theatre of Operation in North-East Nigeria as it is an avenue for deep engagement with the troops as they prepare for the final push towards ending the menace posed by the Boko Haram terrorist group.

The commitment of the Chief of Army Staff has never been in doubt as far as the war against Terrorism in Nigeria is concerned, and this much would leave footprints in the sands of time. He has displayed all that is required from a leader in this critical point of our existence.

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism is also aware that the routine visits by the Chief of Army Staff is indeed strategic and is yielding the desired results as the troops’ advances further to put an end to the Boko Haram threat in North-East Nigeria.

The presence of the Chief of Army Staff in North-East Nigeria is indeed suffocating the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorist so much so that credible information indicates that the Boko Haram fighters are scampering to safety in neighboring countries such as Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism lauds the Chief of Army Staff for this brilliant initiative that has indeed proven to be effective in the war against terrorism in Nigeria.

We consequently charge the Chief of Army Staff not to relent till the remnants of the Boko Haram group are cleared out of Nigeria.

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism enjoins all critical stakeholders in Nigeria to continue to lend their support to the Nigerian Army in this final push for the decimation of the Boko Haram terror group.

We also salute the bravery and leadership disposition of the Chief of Army Staff and encourage him not to relent until the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorist groups are cleared from Nigerian soil.

Re: Buhari Must Sack Buratai For Nigeria To Defeat Boko Haram, Says Retired Army Sergeant

By Abiodun Israel

Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore must be truly desperate in his anti-Nigerian Army/anti-Buratai agenda going by his latest outing in which he interviewed one Mike Omorege, a purported retired sergeant of the Nigerian Army. The crux of the rehearsed interview on SaharaTV is that “Buhari Must Sack Buratai For Nigeria To Defeat Boko Haram,” which was later cast as the headline published on Sahara Reporters and aggressively marketed in the social media. Much as Sahara Reporters presented the interview as being a question and answer session between interviewer and interviewee, what came out of the interaction is Sowore getting someone else to parrot points he wants to make. He therefore owns responsibility for everything said in the interview, not just because he is the publisher but also because he created a persona to deliver messages that are his.

The interview is rich in conjectures, sparse on facts and completely lacking in logic. It is also ridiculous that the interview settled for a “retired sergeant” when it could have reached higher up for someone who at least has the basic knowledge of military strategy and maneuvering. Conscious of the lacking stature of his interview subject, he was quick to include in the script for Omorege to say “If you want to get the truth, as long as you are interviewing the senior officers, you won’t get the truth, it’s the soldiers on the ground that will tell you what is happening there.” Sowore could have resorted to his old trick of having such a “relevant soldier” mask up to give the interview or the other trick of using actors to impersonate actual soldiers but instead he reached for an inconsequential sacked sergeant as prop. So why did Sowore pull such stunt?

Anyone new to the nuisance called Sowore must learn that he is obsessed with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai and by extension the Nigerian Army as an institution. Known for his penchant to blackmail high ranking public officers, Buratai is Sowore’s unconquered territory – the one person who called his bluff without consequences. Buratai’s refusal to succumb to blackmail gave Sowore a blackeye as it opened the eyes of other public office holders to the possibility of calling Sahara Reporters’ bluff, which is bad for business and has led to the erosion of the cult following that the publication once enjoyed.

Since placing series of failed hits on the COAS, the shock and awe that come from being misrepresented on Sahara Reporters has become stuff that will only be reference in media studies book, like “How Not to Be a Journalist”. The failed attempt to tarnish the reputation of the Army and its leadership include the dubious comparative satellite images of mass graves for members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) somewhere in Kaduna state; a Commission of Inquiry which expert members couldn’t find the supposed mass grave afterwards. There was the staged video of soldiers protesting the quality of their food, but none of them stepped forward when authorities wanted to verify the claim. Sowore has published several videos targeted at projecting Boko Haram as a superior force without thoughts for how this constitute to promotion of terrorists’ propaganda. Added to the mix are salacious reports bordering on corruption in the army, but none has been proven beyond the playing to public opinion.

Sowore’s anger and frustration at Buratai’s growing relevance in the nation’s security architecture has seen him acted as the coordinator of several character assassination campaigns against him. Notable among such engagements are the attacks commissioned by Amnesty International, IMN, the opposition and in a few instances people that see themselves as heirs apparent in the Nigerian Army if Buratai is nudged out of the way. His misadventure as a presidential candidate with 38,000 votes was to earn him a badge that bestows the questionable immunity that the international interests procure for subversive agents that are executing their interests in Nigeria.

With the little insight into some of the things that are frustrating Sowore, it is then pertinent to touch on the failed issues raised in the interview in which he persistently asked his retired Sergeant Omorege guided questions to produce responses that they had apparently adequately rehearsed before the actual show. The greatest distortion in the interview is the universal use of the word “corrupt” to describe “most of the Nigerian Army senior officers,” which presupposes that it would not be possible to find suitable replacements for the current leadership when their tenure is done. It means Sowore would have appointed a sergeant as his Chief of Army Staff if he had the chance since all those of higher ranks are irredeemably corrupt. The flip side would be for the country to replace the entire army with the Civil Defence Corps or Sowore’s IMN clients.

Another fraudulent claim in the staged play is Omorege’s assertion that “The Nigerian Army officers don’t want the war to end because they know what they are doing and the business they are doing.” But in the next breadth he claimed that removing General Buratai as COAS will end the war. First, does this imply that whoever will succeed Buratai is not currently of the officer cadre and higher? Two, if removing Buratai will by default end the war, does it mean the ex-Sergeant and Sowore have a pact with Boko Haram that the exit of the COAS is the condition for ending their terrorism? Three, if Omorege was really ever in the army, would he have really described the act of laying one’s life down to secure the country as a business regardless of what shortcomings may exist? This nauseating assertion and the one that provided the platform for it to be made are irresponsible in the worst way conceivable.

Even more irresponsible is the claim that there is no big deal to Boko Haram. There is a big deal and it is a really big deal. The first big deal is that the likes of Sowore and his associates like Ahmad Salkida, the BringBackOurGirls crowd, Amnesty International and others are offering all manners of support to the terrorist group in addition to the third-party nations, whose geo-strategic interests and engagements directly or indirectly empowers the terrorists. Because Sowore is more vested in the bread and butter he gets from this blood-tainted engagement he either ignores this connection or is incapable of understanding the dynamics at play in this regard. The other big deal is that the Boko Haram criminality evolved into a franchise of ISIS (Islamic State), which internationalized their activities with the resulting drawbacks in efforts to flush them out.

Thirdly, the Nigerian military’s fight against Boko Haram’s terrorism is a big deal where weapons and other hardware are concerned. The activities of people like Sowore with his Sahara Reporters, Amnesty International and others that make it impossible for Nigeria to get the End User Certificates needed for such military procurements because they lie about human rights record. Boko Haram terrorists have no need for such certificates as Sowore’s clients readily supply them weapons under the cover of the night and even in broad daylight in recent times.

If the foregoing revealed a man desperate to the point of becoming unreasonable then what took the cake was the laughable assertion by the interviewee to “Let the troops on ground decide who they want, they’ll be motivated and happy to fight instead of bringing the lazy ones to lead the soldiers.” Like seriously? Even the United States where Sowore likely picked up his so-called democratic outlook from does not practice such insanity of allowing troops vote to choose who the military leader should be. The leadership of an Army is not a popularity contest; it is about experience, succession chain, competence and the discretion of the commander-in-chief.

Knowing Sowore and his past modus operandi, the interview with retired Sergeant Omorege is a false flag operation to test the waters and see the response of the state, especially at a time like this when attention is focused on containing the spread of the corona virus and managing the impact of the necessitated lockdown on the populace. When he used actors to stage troops’ dissatisfaction with food rations in the past and when he used masked persons as interview subjects previously the impact was incitement within the military.

It would seem whatever Sowore is planning right now is big, with the consequence that the federal government and the military services must not be caught napping. It will be a grave miscalculation to assume that Buratai is the target of this interview, the COAS has repeatedly proven to be a target greater than Sowore can handle. Sahara Reporters’ target seems to be a concerted effort to sow disaffection within the military in a manner that will lead to the overthrow of the government, something Sowore has always been in on since the opposition was trounced at the 2019 General Elections. Those who call the shots should watch him closely and take measures to derail his latest plot.

Abiodun is a public affairs analyst and wrote from Lagos.

Take responsibility for Chibok Girls’ continued ordeal, CAFA tells Ezekwesili

The Coalition Against Fake Activists(CAFA) has told Nigerians to hold one of the conveners of the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group, Oby Ezekwesili, responsible for the continued abduction of the Chibok Girls.

On April 14 2014, scores of female students were kidnapped from a Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists.

Six years down the line, many remain in captivity and Ezekwesili and her group have used the opportunity to hug the limelight.

In a statement by Director of Communication and Publicity, Comrade Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah, on Thursday, the activists said the young girls would have been released long ago if not for Ezekwesili’s propaganda and theatrics.

According to Dallah, the erstwhile Minister of Education, accused of squandering funds meant for her presidential campaign, is trying to resume exploiting the situation.

It added that the chartered accountant aims to “mislead Nigerians to ignore the fact that the rescue and release of every person in the hands of fleeing elements of Boko Haram terrorists is a must for the military and the Federal Government.”

CAFA, therefore, warned Ezekwesili that Nigerians will not tolerate the inglorious activities of crisis merchants and fake activists at this period that efforts are on to protect the country from COVID-19.

The group further advised the co-convener and her associates to forthwith suspend their paid activism to allow the world defeat COVID-19 and the military clean out Boko Haram.

Read full statement below:

The Coalition Against Fake Activists(CAFA) has urged one of the conveners of the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group, Oby Ezekwesili, and other leaders of the group to accept responsibility for the continued languishing in captivity of the Chibok School Girls six years after they were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists.

Ezekwesili and her people must stop teaching Boko Haram to see the Girls as high-profile targets.

CAFA has noted that Ezekwesili is now attempting to re-write history by projecting herself as a heroine in the story of the girls’ ordeal when in reality her greed and that of her colleagues elevated the abducted girls into celebrity status, which gave the terrorists the incentives to keep holding onto them because they suddenly realized that they have willing partners in BBOG to organize propaganda and publicity for them.

It should be noted that while the circumvention of anyone’s freedom is unacceptable at any point in time, the Chibok Girls were taken at a time when the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was in power. She and her co-travelers would have done well not to have delayed their activism until another government stepped in by using the concept of fight to the finish. What they rather did was to run a tepid campaign that was used to extort the government in power at the time.

We find it most unfortunate that Ezekwesili took her insensitivity to a new nauseating level by attempting her latest stunt of fake activism by trying to resume exploiting the Chibok Girls for making money from donor agencies. It is scandalous that Ezekwesili is insensitive enough to be reviving her fledging business at a time that Nigeria, like other countries of the world, are battling the killer COVID-19 pandemic.

It is on record that Ezekwesili had made several desperate attempts, including trolling the Federal Government of Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari, in order to gain attention and relevance at a time the world’s attention is focused on COVID-19. Her intention, as usual, is to position herself to be noticed with possibility of being given an assignment that will again place public funds within her reach.

The Federal Government did well by ignoring her because caving into her blackmail will open the floodgates for her other associates staging other blackmail attempts. The persistent with which she and others have attacked the government, with the reviving of the Chibok Girls matter being the latest, is meant to wear the government down and force the incumbent administration into a situation where it will have to start paying grants to Ezekwesili and her likes.

Going by her antecedents, what Ezekwesili is trying to do is to again mislead Nigerians to ignore the fact that the rescue and release of every person in the hands of fleeing elements of Boko Haram terrorists is a must for the military and the Federal Government. By raising this matter, she has reactivated her endangerment of the Girls by reminding the terrorists that they are high profile for the country.

CAFA hereby categorically warns Ezekwesili that Nigerians will not tolerate the inglorious activities of crisis merchants and fake activists at this period that efforts are on to protect the country from being overrun by COVID-19. The current focus on preventing the spread of the virus must not be derailed irrespective of whether fake activists are hungry or not. If they are sorely in need of feed money, they should register with the vulnerable population so that they can receive COVID-19 palliatives.

It is on this note that we call on Oby Ezekwesili and her pose of unprincipled associates to forthwith suspend their paid activism and gangsterism to allow the world defeat COVID-19 and the military clean out Boko Haram while freeing their captives.

Nigerian Army as Africa’s pride on anti-terrorism

By Best Agbese

In the last one decade, Nigeria has been a country troubled by insecurities. It is assailed by several internal conflicts and crises which have exalted the strength of nationhood. What has battled more than a few is the vested interests by some external and evil nations in promoting terrorism in Nigeria.

The agenda of destabilization and instigation of a possible break-up of Nigeria is pursued with vigour. Nigeria would have been crumbled as a nation through the bondage of insecurities imposed on the country by Boko Haram terrorists; violent separatists’ campaigners, bile militancy, ethno-religious extremists, armed bandits and cattle rustlers, communal clashes, kidnappers and other assorted forms of criminalities.

And the sociological character of these criminally violent acts indicate politically motivated and instigated crises by sponsored armed criminals to clatter Nigerians, in alliance with foreign agents of destabilization. They are programmed to pierce a sharp knife of division and disunity among the people. It has been tough, disgusting and frustrating.

But Almighty God has always been faithful in the protection of Nigeria by preparing the country to face all eventualities. And that’s the only reason the country has remained one unified and unbreakable sovereign nation.

Therefore, anytime insecurities accentuate to dangerous levels, the country is blessed with a leader and a Nigerian Army to come to the rescue at its most critical moments. When the Chief of Army staff, and tsar of the counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai launched innovations and imposed reforms on the Nigerian Army, not many Nigerians sighted his wisdom.

The end result has been the repositioning of Nigerian Army into a professional, responsive, disciplined, patriotic, loyal, humane, courageous and gallant soldiers, alive to their constitutional responsibilities of defending Nigeria at all times. The soldiers of Nigerian Army are active conquerors of terrorists; consuming fires of armed bandits, the nemesis of armed separatists’ agitators, the soothing balm of ethno-religious warlords, a thorn in the flesh of violent militants and the symbol of phobia for the plethora of armed criminals terrorizing the country.

Nigeria is one African country indubitably, the most tormented by terrorism, before the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Boko Haram insurgents pranced the landscapes of Nigeria, as unchallengeable demigods. Insurgents threw Nigerians into a perpetual wailing chamber as they designed and launched horrendous atrocities as well as gruesome killings of Nigerians.

Compatriots were abducted freely and their communities annihilated unmolested. Boko Haram had erected a country in a country within the territorial boundaries of Nigeria. They boasted virtually every week in released videos about their invincible prowess and derisively mocked the people, the Army or government, as untouchables of the warfront.

From the North to the Southern fringes of the country, incensed Boko Haram insurgents roared and proudly resonated the sounds of war on Nigeria. But the incensed terrorists have lost this voice of braggadocio and strength. Only those who are blindfolded by partisanship have refused to see the impacts and of course, they will never sight it, even if the positive images of valour of Nigerian Army is rubbed on their eyelids.

Pleasurably, the nonsense of terrorists ended when Gen. Buratai came on the stage to led the war against insurgency. He is famed as a dogged professional soldier and prodigious war monger with a million strategies and tactics. He is noiseless, but very proficient and an asset to Nigeria in the battlefield. Gen. Buratai dreads no terrorists’ foes of Nigeria, but uncompromisingly and voraciously munches the beasts in the warfront.

Initially, insurgents undermined the competence of Gen. Buratai because of the disheveled and disoriented Army, the insurgents knew he inherited. Before Gen. Buratai’s arrival as COAS and the special mandate to lead the battle, Boko Haram undermined the entire Nigerian Military.

Regrettably, terrorist’s initial misconception of the Army under a new leadership would soon prove to insurgents that they boobed to their peril. It did not take long before reversal of fortunes on the battlefield against terrorists became a singsong in Nigeria and the international community. Boko Haram insurgents started fudging in the terror war they started against Nigeria.

Gen. Buratai’s invasion of the Northeast with repositioned and professionalized soldiers, Boko Haram had literally dug their graves. Nigerian troops reclaimed all territories they captured and occupied in the Northeast. Soldiers combed every corner of the Northeast, and insurgents lost grounds to Nigerian troops in the battlefield, with each passing day. Terrorists squealed in the warfront like trapped animals, a fate they least envisaged would befall them.

Soon Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, his top commanders and foot soldiers realized no part of Nigerian territory offered them a base or protection to assemble and come out to unleash terror on Nigerians.

With Gen. Buratai leading the battle which unraveled the dreary myth of Sambisa forest and leveled it to the ground, Shekau and his comrades discovered their last shelter had been seized by the Army. Terrorists scattered in search of safety in distant and neighbouring lands like Chad, Cameroun and Niger republics.

For Abubakar Shekau, escaping the Northeast assailed everywhere by Nigerian soldiers was an uphill task. He could no longer hold his pride, but disguised like a woman before escaping the vigilance of security agents to seek refuge in the caves and forests of the Cameroun. He became less visible on the battle turf; his hoarse voice of threats also became less audible; and his foot soldiers dreaded the warfront.

And came the Abu Musab Al-Barnewi’s faction of Boko Haram, which specializes in attacking military formations. They equally found the Nigerian Army a nut too difficult to crack. Nigerian troops again faced them ferociously, and humbled the terrorists each day they launched an attack. Many were neutralized and sent to their early graves in the course of battle.

Both the Abubakar Shekau-led faction of Boko Haram and Musab Al-Barnewi faction as well as other emerging terror sects like Ansaru, led by Mamman Nur and hordes of others wanted to retake the Nigerian territories at all cost. But unfortunately for the congregation of terror sects, none could effectively triumph over Nigerian Army. It has been a doomed mission, as rather, the superior might of Nigerian Army enervated and expired them in droves.

While Boko Haram foot soldiers who bowed to the swords of Nigerian Army are countless, scores of insurgents’ top commanders were either captured or surrendered to Nigerian Army. And in the near five years of the counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast, the battle strength of Boko Haram terrorists waned and diminished.

Sensing that the original Boko Haram sect and the splinter terrorism sects which are sponsored to converge on Nigeria could not repress the Nigerian Army to consume Nigeria in their atrocious acts. So, the Musab Al-Barnewi Boko Haram faction had to be energized by their sponsors in Iran. Thus, the Boko Haram faction morphed into the Islamic West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and with higher sponsorship from the external agents of the devil.

ISWAP has powered the operations of the weakened Musab Al Barnewi’s Boko Haram sect in both foot soldiers and weapons supply. But for nearly a year of operations in Nigeria, the mission to recapture Nigeria has remained futile to terrorists. The desperation of terrorists in Borno state, at the fringes of Lake Chad area is borne out of the burning anger of terrorists’ frustrations in the battle.

Nigerian troops have come this far in the counter-terrorism operations even without the assistance of external armies physically on the battlefield. Nigerian Army has maintained its positive records of super performances even in international Peace Keeping Missions, across the globe and variously acknowledged by foreign countries and world organizations like the United Nations (UN).

Nigerian soldiers have etched its name in gold as the pride of Africa on warfare, as evident in their confrontation of the combination of Boko Haram insurgents and the external terrorists’ godfathers. Nigerian Army has gallantly held them headlong and triumphantly on the frontlines. Some security experts have even rated Nigerian Army as one of the best in the world.

Agbese is a PhD student at University of Dundee,Scotland, United Kingdom.

Lockdown Enforcement: Group counters NHRC report, accuses Ojukwu of conspiracy

The National Coalition on Peace and Human Rights in Nigeria (NCPHRN) has criticised the Human Rights Commission’s report on the enforcement of lockdown across the country to curb coronavirus. 

In a statement signed by the President, Barrister Paul Smith Agbo, on Thursday, the human rights coalition alleged that the Executive Secretary NHRC, Anthony Ojukwu, allowed himself to be manipulated by controversial activist, Deji Adeyanju. 

According to Barrister Agbo, there isn’t any distinction between the misleading claim by Adeyanju and the final report released by the NHRC.

He added that the NHRC fell flat for outrightly fake videos and fabricated reports, bombarded by Adeyanju and his cohorts at Concerned Nigerians. 

While failing to address issues hovering on security, the body added that NHRC’s report encouraged Nigerians to disobey law enforcement agencies.

Under Mr Ojukwu’s watch, the group disclosed that the NHRC has become compromised and tainted by entities like Amnesty International.

The National Coalition on Peace and Human Rights in Nigeria, therefore, called on the NHRC boss to resign his position for once again displaying gross incompetence and bias by following the rhythm of a third party. 

Read full statement below:

The National Coalition on Peace and Human Rights in Nigeria (NCPHRN) is disappointed that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is engaged in passing off by presenting a fictitious report, packaged by Deji Adeyanju of Concerned Nigerians (CN), as its own. 

Consistent with a movie script earlier released by CN in a statement, the National Human Rights Commission practically repeated word for word the erroneous claim that law enforcement organizations, in the course of enforcing a lockdown necessary to slow down the spread of COVID-19, have killed more people than the pandemic has killed. 

The only form of authentication that the NHRC did was to preview videos that were equally passed on to it by questionable activists like Deji Adeyanju, who is the convener of Concerned Nigerians. A dangerous facet that decision makers at the Commission overlooked is that they were bombarded with contextualized, manipulated and in a few instances outrightly fake videos including some from other jurisdictions to arrive at their report, which plainly insulted the sensibilities of Nigerians.

At a time that countries are ramping up stiff measures to make people observe stay-at-home orders and social distancing, NHRC has by its report told those so inclined that they do not have to adhere to directives as law enforcement agencies have no right to enforce the lockdown necessary for preventing COVID-19 from spreading to the kind of apocalyptic proportion that saw as many as 2,000 people dying daily in a country like the United States.

In the inadequate report, NHRC failed to speak to how it will protect other Nigerians that are observing the lockdown from those that are bent on violating the stay-at-home order and risk spreading the virus to kill everyone. It would be the height of travesty for those who put their livelihood on hold to stay at home to be infected by those that refused to comply. This is why NHRC should not encourage bad behavior by demonizing law enforcement agencies without questioning the motives of lawbreakers.

This anti-people stance of the Commission is not surprising considering that its Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, has track record of being ethnically motivated in his dealings with a bias for collaborating international NGOs that do not mean well for Nigeria. This bias is also manifested as a desperation to malign law enforcement organizations and their leadership. It is this illogical hatred for his country and irrational dislike of security agencies that has motivated NHRC under Ojukwu to issue such unacceptable and baseless report.

With the level of bias seen on the part of the National Human Rights Commission, which is now compromised and tainted by entities like Amnesty International, it has become imperative to salvage the commission and return it to fulfilling its core mandate as opposed to being the lapdog of activists with vested interests and stated agenda. A Commission that prioritizes the pecuniary, ethnic and personal interests of its leadership over its primary assignment is a danger to Nigerians as they will not get the best out of it.

The National Coalition on Peace and Human Rights in Nigeria therefore calls on the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, to immediately resign if he has resolved that he can no longer carry out a fair assessment of issues without recourse to taking instructions from third parties or where his ethnic passion makes it impossible for him to do a decent work.

Now is time to eliminate Boko Haram remnants, Buratai charges troops

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General T.Y Buratai, has called on troops of Operation Lafiya Dole that now is the best time to wipe out fleeing Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

The Army Chief, who is at the thick of things, gave this charge on Wednesday in an address to the troops on the frontlines in Ngamdu, Kaga, Borno State.

In a bid to provide the much-needed motivation and goad, overseeing the overall operations in the theatre, Lt. Gen Buratai, last week, relocated to the northeast.

And the COAS has vowed not leave the theatre of Operation Lafiya Dole until he gave a final blow on the insurgents.

While acknowledging the support of President Muhammadu Buhari and sacrifices of his troops, the Army Chief, however, urged them to go for broke.

“We must go all out to stop and eliminate these criminals. We must do it now. There is no better time than now,” the COAS said.

Read full address below:

Gentlemen officers and men of the Nigerian Army! Gallant officers and men of Operation LAFIYA DOLE! We are right here right now to carry out our solemn and righteous constitutional duties. We are here to flush out these criminals who have been terrorizing and killing innocent and law abiding Nigerians!

Officers and men of the Nigerian Army owe it a duty to save our country from the menace of terrorists, bandits and all forms of criminalities. We owe it a duty to the Nigerian people and to our President and Commander in Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, for the confidence he has reposed in us to achieve the mandate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has given us. We owe it a duty to serve our fatherland and protect our fellow country men and women!

Ours is a professional calling, a call to serve our dear country; a call to defend the territorial integrity of our fatherland, which we must all be proud of. We must also be proud of our calling as professional soldiers and patriots. Therefore, we must go all out to stop and eliminate these criminals. We must do it now. There is no better time than now!

In this our honourable mission and endeavour, there is no room for the chicken-hearted. The Nigerian Army of today is for the committed, disciplined, patriotic and selfless officers and soldiers which I believe you all are. There is no room for cowardice and no room for the lily-livered ones. From now on it is
FORWARD EVER BACKWARD NEVER!
The sacrifices of our fallen heroes must never be in vain! Nigerian Army officers and soldiers have no cause to despair as ours is a noble and patriotic cause. It is a cause we must all be proud of.

Gentlemen gallant commanders all levels, you must hold firmly to your officers and men. You must instill confidence through your words and actions. In order to win the trust and confidence of their subordinates, commanders must never show fear or fatigue. If they do that, they will lose all moral authority to lead and command their men. You cannot and must not take men and equipment in to battle without situating it, without putting yourself through the whole course and playing out all the likely scenarios you may encounter and diligently working out all possible options. We must be committed and fastidious. We must consider and workout the minutest details, factors and all possible outcomes in all our operations.

Let me reiterate and restate here that I have confidence in all my officers. I have confidence in all my commanders and I have confidence in you gallant soldiers of the Nigerian Army!

Finally, I must remind you all that as leaders our focus must always be for the Nigerian Army. We must think out of the box and beyond the box. I charge you all to move out and bring this war to a positive end! Victory is from God Alone! God bless our gallant troops participating in our various operations, God bless the Nigerian Army and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Boko Haram: Babajide Otitoju’s Ignorance is Incurable

By Richard Murphy

For somebody who claims more than a passive knowledge of the North east and the Boko Haram terrorist acts, Babatunde Otitoju displayed crass ignorance at his latest outing on the popular TV programme, Journalists’ Round Table.

In the Monday edition of the programme where the Chadian counter-offensive on Boko Haram  and ISWAP terrorists was discussed, Otitoju and his co-discussants could be seen falling over themselves in the bid to give credit to the Chadians for that single outing. 

If their gloating had been confined to praising the Chadians alone, nobody would have raised an eyebrow as any military expedition that destroys terrorists in their numbers is worth commending, but when the narrative extends to making mockery of the Nigerian Army and all its efforts towards ridding Nigeria of terrorism in the Lake Chad region, a call for caution would suffice if only to put the records straight.

Hearing Otitoju on the programme, one would be led to think that the Chadians have done something that the Nigerian troops have never done and that the Nigerian troops have all these years been folding their arms and doing nothing. 

Otitoju and his group went on to say that the problem with the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad region is because the Nigerian side has not done its own part and that Chad has set an agenda that Nigeria should take a cue from.

Worse still is the conclusion drawn by Otitoju and his team that Chad has done  90 percent  of the work required to finish insurgency in the Lake Chad region and that all Nigeria is expected to do is “10 percent. “

This is not just a crass misrepresentation of the facts in the Boko Boko Haram and ISWAP fight but a wanton display of the highest form of ignorance. 

What is pitiable is that even when the Chadian minister of defence in an interview  played on the programme tried to enlighten the discusants that Chad cannot solely take the credit for the success of the fight against Boko Boko Haram, Otitoju still continued with their mischief by twisting facts. 

Their argument based on President Idriss Deby Itno account of the recent counter attack where he said Chad lost 52 of its fighting men.

He also said Chadian soldiers in that single operation that took over a week, were able to liquidate over 1,000 of the Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters and seized a large cache of their arms in that operation. 

But even if the  figures are taken without argument, they do not support the Otitoju claim.

The number of people in the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists organisations by conservative estimates were put at about 3000 as at 2016.

That means that even if the claim is true that 1000 of their fighting men have been killed, it does not in any way come close to the 90 percent claim by Otitoju; neither does it support it in in terms of geographical spread.

The bulk of the ISWAP and Boko Haram were in Nigeria before they were dislodged by gallant Nigerian troops and sent sent fleeing to other countries like Chad.

The Nigerian army had penetrated the fortresses of the insurgents at Sambisa and destroyed them, recaptured their operations headquarters at Gwoza and killed many of them and generally weakened the Abubakar Shekau faction of the terrorist group that they no longer are able to launch attacks on communities but have been reduced to attacking soft targets. 

The Nigerian army also recaptured no less than 20 local governments spread across Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states which were under the control of the insurgents.

This is not to mention the many number of attacks that have been foiled or repelled over the years by Nigerian and in which lots of the terrorists were brought down.

Otitoju and his group have forgotten the much done by Nigerian troops  in the past.

In 2010, the Nigerian army acting on the orders of President Umaru Yar’Adua liquidated quite a number of the insurgents, captured their leader and rendered them unable to operate for more than two years.

In 2015, the same Nigerian troops marched on the camps and bunkers of the insurgents and sent then fleeing making it possible for elections to be held in all the governments in the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

When the current administration came, the feat was not only sustained but improved upon.

All those efforts when put together do not resemble the 10 percent, Otitoju wants us to believe is the only contribution of the Nigerian Army.

It is hard to believe that Otitoju who has been convering the war on insurgency would pretend not to know that the terrorists on the Chadian side of the border found themselves there because they were fleeing from both the Nigerian troops and from Multinational Joint Task Force at one time or the other.

That they were able to congregate and form the number the Chadian president said his troops took out in the recent operation should have struck a chord on the mind of the discerning. 

Of all the countries affected by the insurgency like Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad, none would have a high concentration of the insurgents at one place unless there is a collaboration from the government.

Even in Nigeria where the Boko Haram ams ISWAP started, the insurgents prefer to maintain but several cells to avoid mass action against them.  Why did they find it comfortable to congregate in large numbers in Chad?

There is nothing new that the Chadians have done that the Cheif of Army Staff, Lt. General TY Buratai has not done.

There is no new strategy they have introduced to the fight rather than copy from Nigeria. 

President Buhari was the first to announce the relocation of the operational headquarters of the Nigerian armed forces to the theatres of war.

All arms of the Nigeria armed forces complied and have been leading the war from the front. 

The Chief of Army Staff has even gone beyond that, visiting and taking with troops directly at the battle and leading the assaults.

The Nigerian army has also effectively provided cover for the political leaders and citizens of this country who reside in these places. 

It is time that Otitoju and his crew check their facts before coming on air to deceive the people. 

Murphy is a security expert based in Calabar.

Exclusive: Shekau, Boko Haram Commanders reaching out to mediators for a ceasefire

By Kolawole Johnson

There seems to be a crisis in the Boko Haram camp as credible sources have confirmed that the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, has been making frantic efforts to seek a soft landing as he prepares to surrender. 

This much was gathered from top intelligence sources in the Theatre of Operations in North-East Nigeria. According to a source who pleaded anonymity, he stated that Abubakar Shekau is desperately looking for an avenue to surrender. 

“ I think the end of Boko Haram is coming close as Abubakar Shekau has been making overtures through proxies for a soft landing for him to surrender to the Nigerian authorities. He has been desperate about it, and the intensity is occasioned with the avalanche of coordinated operations launched in recent times against the group, especially in the Timbuktu triangle”. 

The source further added that in recent times the Boko Haram group had suffered casualties that put the group in a tight corner. 

“The gap is closing in on Abubakar Shekau as it stands. The series of coordinated attacks on their hideouts has made it impossible for any escape as the military has been attacking from several flanks, and any attempt to escape now is virtually impossible.” 

“The Chief of Army Staff has given an order that Abubakar Shekau is captured alive. The Chief has been in Borno State and there is a likelihood that he is going to be around for a long period given his body language of not leaving anything to chance in this critical operation. As a fact, he has joined several reconnaissance operations around the Timbuktu triangle, after which he issued specific directives with the Intel gathered from the reconnaissance operations.”  

“He has also been in the trenches with some commanders holding meetings and analyzing Intel. I can tell you that everyone is on top of their game as the strategy is clear for all to understand.” 

It was also gathered that the past weeks had witnessed a renewed onslaught against Abubakar Shekau and his group, which was led by the Chief of Army Staff. A top source was quoted as saying that the Chief of Army Staff is virtually visible in all locations within the theatre of operations. 

“I can confirm that the Chief of Army Staff is personally coordinating the renewed onslaught against the Boko Haram group. He has been visiting troops in areas where the terrorists’ kingpin is said to be hiding. This act by the Chief of Army Staff has seen a massive boost to the morale of the fighting troops. The results coming in have been tremendous, and it is a source of joy at the Army headquarters.” 

The source also stated that there had been orders from the Chief of Army Staff that utmost care must be observed to ensure that women and children are not caught in the crossfire during operations. 

“As we speak, the troops are strictly carrying out the orders of the Chief of Army Staff towards ensuring that civilians within these territories are not hurt during any of the operations. This might slow things down a bit as the Boko Haram group is now using women and children as shields to buy time.”   

“So far, I can say that the troops have been careful in this regard as efforts are being made to ensure that the operation as much as possible does not lead to the death of unarmed civilians. The various commanders have been mandated to ensure that as many unarmed civilians, mostly women and children are rescued unhurt. He is been briefed on a minute by minute basis as the troops closes in on the triangle.”  

It was also gathered that there had been active cooperation from countries like Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, and this has made any form of escape for Abubakar Shekau and his group to neighboring countries impossible. 

“I can tell you now that troops have blocked the usual escape routes for the Boko Haram terrorist group into Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. The level of cooperation experienced now has been quite phenomenal.” 

“The routes through which they bring their arms and ammunitions have been taken over by troops from the Multinational Joint Task Force. This action has placed the Boko Haram group in disarray hence their inability to launch attacks anymore.” 

In a similar vein, it was gathered that the Boko Haram group has also reached out to some International Non-Governmental Organizations to seek a deal with the Nigerian government towards granting amnesty to it. 

A top staffer of one of the NGOs ( name withheld) confirmed that on several occasions, Abubakar Shekau had sent emissaries to their organization to help secure an amnesty deal with the government of Nigeria. 

“ We were shocked in the initial stages, thinking it was a hoax. But this continued, and we were left with no choice than to inform the security agencies in a bid to protect ourselves.” 

When asked why Abubakar Shekau singled out their NGO for this task, he stated that it was probably due to the international recognition the organization has in the area of providing humanitarian services across the globe. 

“ We are an international organization, and over time we have been actively involved in providing humanitarian services in North-East, Nigeria. I believe they are trying to take advantage of our platform to seek a way out of their predicament. 

“ We are also conscious of the fact that this is a security issue, and it is outside our mandate. So we have elected not to be a part of whatever negotiations the Boko Haram group wants with the government of Nigeria. 

“It is indeed obvious that the tide has turned against the Boko Haram group so much that they want to end the insurgency, which we think would be good for all concerned. However, as I said, it is not in our place to decide if that would happen or not. We are concerned about fulfilling our core mandate.”  

It would be recalled that the Chief of Army Staff recently relocated to North-East Nigeria in a bid to coordinate the operations of Operation Lafiya Dole.