Insurgency: Army, Buratai have surpassed expectations – CESJET

The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has given a pass mark to Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and his gallant troops in the war against terrorism.

According to the group, the Army chief has surpassed expectations despite obvious plots from desperate politicians and their collaborators to undermine the gains.

In a statement signed by Executive Secretary, Isaac Ikpa, the Centre said it is pleased by the COAS, his troops and President Muhammadu Buhari for ridding the country of insurgents and other criminal elements.

CESJET recalled how Nigerians lost hope in the Northeast devastated by years of Boko Haram insurgency and how this terror activities extended to the nation’s capital, Abuja.

It added that Nigerians least suspected that Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky’s religious extremists- Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), ethnic warlords in the guise of separatism in the Southeast or militancy in the Niger Delta would give Nigeria a break.

The group, however, urged Nigerians to support the Army chief to continue its ultimate of restoring total peace and tranquillity in the land.

Read full statement below:

We thank Almighty God for the protection of Nigeria, as we welcome members of the press to this media chat and, Nigerians to a new and promising month of February 2020.

Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) is generously captivated to appreciate our Heavenly Creator for the gift and resilience of Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai for holding forth at this checkered time in our history.

In all fairness, Nigerians can testify that there has never been a time in our collective history as a nation is the country troubled by instigated multi-dimensional security breaches like now. It is enthused by assorted armed criminalities, reckless deaths, agonies and sorrows visited on the citizenry.

But we appreciate God for equally enthroning an Army Chief who is competent, trusted, resilient and fortified like Lt. Gen. Buratai. The President has proved himself as the leader Nigeria truly deserves by diminishing the blazing swords of destructive forces against the nation-state. You have earned our eulogies Mr. President for this wonderful job!

Permit us to recount that President Buhari is one Nigerian leader extremely provoked by perennial power monks and hawkers in the country. The assemblage of elites who have lost out of the favor of power from the masses, quite unacceptably have elevated personal feuds and disgruntlements to state craft by veiled violent expression of grievances.

Worse still, such self-serving renegades of the Nigerian project have coated such aberrational acts on aisles and tenors that are very objectionable, repulsive and un-patriotic. If unrestricted by all of us, it has the dire consequences of piecing the intended knife of discord on our unity, peace and progress.

CESJET is aware of the plots in secret places by these infinitely unappeasable elements, who have continued to foment crises, attacks and killings in different parts of the country. These are orchestrations they back-up with a litany of lethal propaganda to undermine or dwarf the track records of the COAS on security to serve their egoistic instincts of devilry.

These reprobate leaders have refused to see the impact Lt. Gen Buratai has recorded on hitherto consuming and nerve-cracking insecurities in the country, ranging from Boko Haram/ISWAP, armed banditry, violent separatists’ agitations, religious extremism, kidnapping, herders/famers clashes and other crimes against the Nigerian people. And we assure you that, such perverse and prejudiced minds can nerve see or spot the difference even with the aid of extra binoculars or halogen bulbs.

The Army Chief resolutely confronted the hydra-headed monster of bile and endemic insecurities in the land from the outset of his administration.

The Service and Security Chiefs (SSCs), the DSS, the Police and other sister security agencies in Nigeria’s security framework have added immense value to the security re-engineering, re-ordering and new face of Nigeria. They have collectively and sedulously worked to pull back Nigeria from the brink of total collapse of security sanity.

CESJET commends Lt. Gen Buratai on his stewardship and the efforts of his anointed top-class security goons superintending on the security of the nation. Over the years, they have seamlessly paired up with all relevant stakeholders’ in the security ether of the country. We are proud, SSCs have ingrained excellent marks on security challenges in every nook and cranny of Nigeria.

The signs are profound in the taming of the monstrous tide of insecurities which previously tormented Nigerians in the country. And added, the visible respite Nigerians now savour from the North to the Southern parts of the country have attested loudly.

CESJET fondly recalls like millions of others, who lost hope that Nigerians in the Northeast devastated by years of Boko Haram insurgency would one day return back to ruined communities, but it is settled reality now; or IDPs from the region would resettle and rebuild from the debris of destructions; neither did Nigerians ever thought that there would come a time soon when 18 or more LGAs in the Northeast would be reclaimed and liberated from Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and over 20, 000 Nigerians held hostage by insurgents would regain their freedom and be reunited with their families.

No Nigerian ever imagined the blissful tidings that Abuja and cities in the Northern parts of the country would be insulate from Boko Haram bomb blasts; its incredulous to know that the high-wired tempo of herdsmen/farmers would vanish especially in Benue, Plateau and Taraba states in North central Nigeria. No one believed that billionaire Kidnapper kingpins like alias “Evans” or Wadume and lots more with unbreakable connections in the corridors of power would either by facing trial or sentenced to jail today.

Nigerians least suspected that Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky’s religious extremists- Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), ethnic warlords in the guise of separatism in the Southeast or militancy in the Niger Delta would give Nigeria a break from mindless violence and killings nor the armed bandits in the Northwest, especially in Zamfara/Katsina states would renounce bloodshed and embrace peace as decent people.

And quite delightfully also, the COAS has doused the tension in the country incited by recent resurgence of these criminalities in parts of Nigeria, through retooling and motivating the Nigerian Military/ other security agencies to match them strength for strength from their hideouts. And news from the trenches speaks of massive naturalization of the forces of evil amassed against Nigeria in humiliating defeats.

CESJET therefore, conscientiously prick the omnibus of all CSOs, CBOs and NGOs domiciled in the country to henceforth key into this agenda by designing and fronting their activities in a manner that unpretentiously curry support to the security agencies and the administration of President Buhari. The war against enemies of Nigeria is collective and all of us must bring out any arsenal in his kitty to kill the infectious fly of insecurity in Nigeria to the anger of the sponsors.

Thank you all and journey mercies.

Who Will Save the Senate?

By John Madu

Since the commencement of democratic experience in Nigeria in 1999, the National Assembly being the legislative arms of government, has somewhat attempted to constitute its self as a parallel government in Nigeria. Right from the time of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, the National Assembly has been enmeshed in various controversies to the chagrin of Nigerians.

I recall that at some point, issues were raised as regards the usefulness and contributions of the legislative arm of government towards National development. This is aside from the fact that a large chunk of the resources is used in funding the activities of the National Assembly with little or nothing to show in return, and with calls for the scrapping of the National Assembly to conserve funds for infrastructural development.

There is no time as now that Nigerians indeed appear to agree that the country’s democracy isn’t working as it ought to. And at the root of it is the caliber of persons seating in the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly, and the high running costs, which they say unless it is drastically reduced, the developmental dreams of the country would remain a mirage. I concur.

The crux of the issue at hand is how the members of the National Assembly have reduced the act of legislation to a child’s play in the sense that thier actions in recent times are nothing but against the interest of the country in general. This is quite unfortunate and calls for sober reflection from discerning Nigerians who are indeed concerned about the development and continued unity of the country.

They have carried on like kindergartens with little or no regard for the sensibilities of those that elected them into office. As it stands, a ticket to be legislator is simply an avenue for wealth accumulation and personal aggrandizement. I would take the call for the sack of Service Chiefs by some legislators in the Senate and the House of Representatives as an example.

It is quite an unfortunate experience in the sense that it was apparent that the call wasn’t in the interest of the generality of Nigerians but that of a few whose pockets have been greased in the usual manner. However, there has been a curious twist in the whole episode as it seems there has been some rethinking by the House of Representatives that revolves around engaging in a more practical and pragmatic approach to the issue of insecurity facing the country.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, seems to be spearheading this rebirth. I say this for the fact that after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the speaker told Nigerians that there was a need to ascertain if the security situation falls within the purview of the armed forces or the police and sacking the service Chiefs will not do the magic.

He was somewhat right in the sense that the classification of the security challenges is already yielding the desired results. Secondly, after another meeting with the Service Chiefs, the speaker told the Service Chiefs that they are doing well but need to do more. I think that is rational and a subtle way to pass the message. If you would agree with me, I do not believe there is any employee that would not appreciate this from its employers

It is called morale boasting, which over time, goes a long in bringing the best out of every perceived bad situation. This fact has been proven in the fabric of human psychology, and history is replete with how things have indeed turned around for good. I stand to be corrected. I must not fail to commend the speaker for this line of thought.

But there is an irony. And it is the fact that the Senate of the National Assembly is still in dreamland and acting like a group of drunken sailors whose ship is sailing without direction. This is the perfect description of the position of the Senate on the insecurity situation in the country. The unfortunate thing is that whereas the House of Representatives seems to have gotten its house together, the Senate is playing an expensive Coronavirus prank on the citizens by inaugurating an Ad hoc Committee on Security Challenges to review and reorganize the Current Security Architecture in the country. Yes, you heard me right.

If this is not a child’s play, I don’t know what else to call it. It portrays a situation where a patient is inside a laboratory with a case of highly infectious disease, and the doctors are inside the laboratory, examining the patient to find a cure for the contagious disease. What will then be the fate of those inside the laboratory with the patient? Your guess is as good as mine.

Without mincing words, the inclusion of Senator Eyinaya Abaribe in the committee is a clear indication that the Senate is pursuing a personal agenda against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari with the curious inclusion of the “sack President Muhammadu Buhari, sack service chiefs” advocates who are all hibernating in the Senate.

There is everything wrong with the inclusion of Senator Eyinaya Abaribe in such a sensitive committee when it is a known fact that his allegiance lies somewhere else. In my opinion, this is an anomaly and quite an assault on our sensibilities as a people. This much the leadership of the Senate should know. But they have so decided to carry on in their usual despicable manner.

In essence, what the Senate is telling Nigerians is the job can never be done, and as such, they must constitute themselves as a clog in the wheels of progress in the country. If this is not the case, how could one then justify the presence of a man of questionable antecedents and character who stood in as surety for Nnamdi Kanu in 2017 in his futile attempt to destabilize the country and only recently called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over security concerns.

This indeed defeats common sense if you ask me, but again common sense they say is not common. According to Faze, a member of defunct Plantashun Boys musical group, in his song, Common Sense, stated that “all we need to do is brings to our consciousness the fact that all we need to use sometimes is ‘common sense’ and drift from blaming the government for everything.”

I entirely agree with him because it is indeed common sense for the Senate to know that the security challenges in the country are indeed politically orchestrated by those who have lost out of the political equation and have vowed to sponsor violence in the country in a bid to discredit the present administration. My prayer thus is that may God deliver us from the mendacity of the Senate and also for God to deliver the Senate from the Senate before it gets too late.

Madu is a public affairs commentator and wrote this piece from Lagos.

Diaspora group urges President Buhari to sustain feat against Boko Haram

The Nigeria US-Canada Diaspora Forum has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sustain the momentum in the fight against terrorism.

These well-meaning Nigerians, based in the North American nations, made the disclosure on Saturday after its annual general assembly to appraise the recent developmental issues, proffering solutions to challenges.

In a communique signed by Cosmas Collins and Lady Josephine Okoye, President and Organising Secretary respectively, the group revealed that Buhari has indeed displayed an unalloyed commitment towards keeping Nigeria united despite the array of security challenges posed by the Boko Haram/ISWAP and its likes.

Among others, the group analysed the US visa ban meted on Nigerians, the Boko Haram/ISWAP threat, politically motivated violence as well as electoral reforms.

In its recommendation, the Nigerians commended the military’s prosecution of the war against terrorism albeit believes more can still be done.

According to them, some corrupt politicians have launched a viral propaganda campaign against President Buhari, aided by religious leaders.

While passing a vote of confidence on President Buhari, the Nigeria US-Canada Diaspora Forum urged the government to sustain the fight against terrorism.

Read full communique below:

The Nigeria US-Canada Diaspora Forum is an organization of Nigerian Businessmen and intellectuals domiciled in the United States of America, and Canada. It was formed in 2018 to champion campaigns that will benefit the Nigerian citizens and the image of his country in the United States of America and Canada.

Since its inception, the forum has contributed meaningfully to the development of Nigeria through its numerous developmental conferences and events showcasing the economic potentials of Nigeria to investors.

The Nigeria US-Canada Diaspora Forum has also been actively involved in policy formulation in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy with the inputs of some of its members that have rendered their invaluable experiences and knowledge in areas such as agriculture, construction, mining, and economic policies.

The Issues Addressed:

At the General Assembly of the organization, the following issues were raised and addressed:

The visa ban placed on Nigeria by the US government and the proactive response;

The worrisome activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP and the efforts of the Nigerian government and its armed forces to restore human rights.

A deliberate attempt by foreign agents and actors to destabilize the country.

The government’s fight against corruption and how corrupt elements employ the use of propaganda to tarnish the efforts of the government in other areas such as the security situation of the country.

The unguarded statements credited to organizations such as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other religious bodies.

Electoral reforms and voting for Nigerians in the Diaspora

Resolutions:

After careful deliberations of the issues raised, various specific committees were formed to analyze and recommend ways forward. Consequently, the following resolutions were made:

That President Muhammadu Buhari has indeed displayed an unalloyed commitment towards keeping Nigeria united despite the array of security challenges posed by the Boko Haram group, as well as other militant groups.

That the proactive response by the Nigerian government towards the Visa ban placed on Nigeria is indeed commendable and a demonstration of the sterling leadership qualities of President Muhammadu Buhari.

That the Nigerian Military’s prosecution of the war against terrorism has been commendable; however, more needs to be done to ensure that Nigeria is cleared of terrorists’ activities.

That from all available statistics that spate of insecurity in Nigeria has assumed a political dimension.

That indeed politicians are behind the despicable acts of violence in Nigeria with the ultimate aim of causing disaffection in the polity and pitching the people against the government

That corrupt politicians in the country have launched a viral propaganda campaign against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in a bid to cause a distraction from the fight against corruption.

That some religious bodies have given the security situation in Nigeria a religious coloration.

That the resolution by the Senate and the House of Representatives is ill-informed and targeted at destabilizing Nigeria.

That misinformation, falsehood, and propaganda are responsible for the continuous propagation of the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist network.

That it passes a Vote of Confidence on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in the critical sectors of the economy, such as education, health, finance, infrastructural development, and security.

Recommendations:

The Nigeria US-Canada Diaspora Forum arising from its annual general meeting herby make the following recommendations on the developmental issues in Nigeria:

The government must not relent in the fight against terrorism and insecurity by ensuring that the tempo is sustained in the same manner with which it started. This is on the heels that the various security challenges been experienced in the country are indeed politically motivated.

The government must begin the process of identifying those behind the campaign of slander against the Service Chiefs in the country to address the anomaly.

The government should explore diplomatic angles towards resolving terrorism acts posed by Boko Haram and their affiliates by engaging her traditional allies to help with technological tools to track the terrorists and their sponsors.

The Senate and the House of Representatives should open discussion with Nigeria’s allies to block the Boko Haram terrorists from accessing weapons in the international market.

The government should begin a sensitization process through the Federal Ministry of Information on sensitizing the populace on the efforts of government towards addressing the security challenges in the country.

Service Chiefs: Buhari emulating America on tenure to defeat terrorism – Gwaska

A former Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Alhaji Muhammadu Ari Gwaska, believes President Muhammadu Buhari is following United States of America’s (USA) lead on tenure elongation of Service Chiefs to defeat terrorism.

The National Chairman Pro-Nigeria Elders Council (PRONECO) says it isn’t entirely strange for heads of security architecture to remain in office longer than expected, as the U.S. and other top nations have adopted this strategy at different times to quench insurgency.

According to Alhaji Gwaska, it is unhealthy to change competent and trustworthy hands at a critical time as when there is an ongoing war against terrorism.

The elderstateman made this disclosure after an all-inclusive stakeholders meeting to brainstorm on the state of security in the country.

In 2018, President Donald Trump extended the high year tenure for senior Air Force officers through technical sergeants beginning Feb. 1, 2019.

Similarly, Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, last year, approved an extension in the tenure of Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa for another three years in “view of regional security environment”.

This was the second time in nearly a decade that the country’s top general had their traditional three-year term extended.

Gwaska noted that Buhari is only taking a leaf from the rest of the world by keeping hold of the Service Chiefs who displayed bravery, gallantry and patriotism.

In his words, “We salute the choice of Mr. President’s appointees manning the security architecture of the country. We resolved that the Security Chiefs have not only refused to shirk in the face of all difficulties, sabotage of their gallant efforts, but have continued to determinedly tackle even renewed atrocities of insurgencies and insurrections with renewed zeal and vigor.

“ Therefore, we resolved that all our serving security chiefs have performed exceeding marvelous individually and collectively in the light of subsisting encumbrances’ and deserves not only to be encouraged, but maintained on their positions to sustain the winning streaks against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist and armed bandits up again to torment the country.

“ We perceive the calls by the National Assembly (NASS) and some other questionable characters for the sack of the Service and Security Chiefs as exposure of their veiled conspiracy or manifestation of their insidious plans to finally sink Nigeria in internecine clashes of bloodletting. The meeting therefore resolved that Nigerians owe themselves the moral obligation to discountenanced such campaigns as cajoling Mr. President to sack Security Chiefs smacks of mischief and greasing the evil nest of these unpatriotic elements.

“ It is condemnable and unacceptable because the efforts of current Security Chiefs are worthy of commendation anywhere in the world. Consequently, the meeting wholeheartedly commends their efforts, as we urge Mr. President never to harken to such satanic calls for their sack, as it will create a lacuna and embolden armed enemies to freely feast on Nigeria.

“ The meeting observed and unequivocally affirms that it has also come to the knowledge of this gathering of these wisemen that there are multi-layered deliberate campaigns of calumny are being sponsored by some highly placed individuals in the country. Such are backed by some renegade members of the ruling APC in order to destabilize the nation because they are personally aggrieved for falling out of favour/patronage with the present government.

“ The meeting called on the politicians and other disgruntled elements who are still nursing the wounds of defeat and rejection by the Nigerian masses, in the 2019 general elections; and have resorted to kick-start very early political activities ahead of 2023 should be mindful of the distractions it has implanted in the polity by the method they have employed. We see it as part of ploys, exacerbating insecurities in parts of the country backed by foreign interference and the glaring agenda to destroy Nigeria.”

NDDC: ACIF warns Nunieh against paying for abandoned, non-executed projects

…Says commission not for politicians, looters

The Chairman of Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum (ACIF) and Publisher, Integrity Watchdog Magazine, Comrade Prince Kpokpogri, has cautioned the Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Dr. Joi Nunieh, against paying contractors for abandoned, non-executed and shoddily completed projects in the region.

The ACIF chairman, however, called for due diligence from the two inaugurated committees for contract documentation and project assessment to ensure thorough verification and inspection of all awarded projects in the Niger Delta region.

Speaking with newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, Kpokpogri expressed shock and dissatisfaction over the findings of the verification exercise instituted as a prelude to the forensic audit ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari, where it was discovered that some award letters were found to be fake; some of the companies were not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), while some firms were registered after they had been given contracts.

Kpokpogri called for the authentication of all the documents submitted by contractors and consultants, adding that the newly inaugurated committees should visit various sites of the acclaimed projects to verify contractors’ claims.

According to him, considering the trillions of Naira pumped into the Niger Delta region, it was disheartening that the developmental pace of the region was still insignificant.

The anti-corruption fighter also called on the Managing Director of NDDC, Nunieh to engage Civil Society Organizations and partner all relevant anti-corruption agencies, organizations and persons in the fight to liberate and reposition the Niger Delta region for the desired development.

“Unions of Community Development Committees in the Niger Delta should rise to focus and monitor their projects. Nobody should be distracted by politicians and looters whose children are schooling and luxuriating overseas at the expense of our commonwealth. Every kobo must be accounted for. No contractor should ask for one kobo payment if they don’t complete their projects. We must protect our region.

“The NDDC has become a conduit pipe for contractors and cabals. The north is fast developing owing to their dedication to the policy thrust of their development commission. Stakeholders in the Niger Delta region must stand to emulate that. We must frown at duplication of projects.

“I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for his stand on anti-corruption. Governors in the South-south must stand against the pillage of their resources by corrupt elements. All Niger Deltans must rise to protect their development. We will not, as an anti-corruption forum, watch, but will employ every available avenue to prosecute contractors and Niger Delta stakeholders found wanting in this anomaly.” Kpokpogri stressed.

He also commended the NDDC acting MD for bringing the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), a wing of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the audit process, a move he described as one in the right direction.

He pplauded the National Assembly and the Presidency for their commitment to the liberation struggle, urging the MD, Nunieh, not to be deterred by some people he described as “traducers” making moves to tarnish her reputation through certificate forgery allegation which Kpokpogri described as “unfounded.”

Demolition: Rights group vows to get justice for peasant farmers in Ebonyi

The Human Rights Defenders of Nigeria (HURIDE), Ebonyi state chapter has blasted governor David Umahi over the forceful and unlawful demolition of people’s ancestral homes in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi state for the Airport project without exhausting all due processes.

Some security personnel on Thursday led bulldozers to demolish some house in Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi state, allegedly on the instruction of the state government for the purpose of building an Airport.

But the state chairman of the rights group Comrade Sampson Oko Nweke, assured the victims of Thursday’s demolition of justice through the court of law.

In a statement made available to newsmen after its executive meeting, Comrade Oko Nweke recalled that the state government had recently tipped for bulldozing, some communities in Ezza North LGA as his preferred area for Airport construction without due consultation and compensation.

The rights activist said his group is not against the Airport project by the state government or the location of the project, “but the unlawful, inconsiderate and delinquent processes of acquiring the lands (people’s villages) for that purpose.

Oko Nweke regretted the hurriedness of the governor to misplace, dislodge and dislocate the poor Ezza people and renders them homeless; querying why the governor tends to be disregarding and ignoring the court of law before where the matter between the embattled people and the state government is still pending.

“How can the government just rise in utter disrespect to court proceedings, invade people’s ancestral homes with heavily armed security men and start destroying and demolishing their houses, farmlands, economic trees, churches, and shrines without due consolations, fair compensations or alternative settlements.

“For crying out loud, this is a ruthless strategy, an inhumane treatment, a vindictive approach and a total show of disrespect for the rights of the common people. A development stride should be a source of succor and comfort and shouldn’t mean to inflict pains, agony and sorrow.

This recent action of the state government is totally condemnable, utterly reprehensible and worrisomely shameful and must be seen and regarde as such,” Oko Nweke lamented.

HURIDE Ebonyi chairman further expressed worries over the precarious condition of the displaced people of Ezza North who he said “now wallow like rodents with no roof over their heads.

He vowed that “the group is ready to explore all available avenues within the known boundaries of the law, to ensure the situation are timely remedied and damages adequately recompensed.”

He also assured all Ebonyians of the group’s avowed relentlessness in defending and protecting their rights and liberties in line with the group’s mission of advancing peace in Ebonyi state and the world at large.

How Foreign Agents Planned To Destabilize Nigeria – Source

Credible facts have emerged on how some foreign interests are plotting to destabilize Nigeria through the use of various covert strategies. A top security source who pleaded anonymity stated that the new play revolves around the activities of some social commentators parading themselves as activists to cause chaos and uprising in the country.

The source added that the upsurge of activists in the country making unguarded statements with regards to the administrative style of President Muhammadu Buhari is part of the overarching strategy to ensure that the citizens lose faith in the ability of the government to ensure peace and sustainable growth in the country.

“We have credible Intel that indicates that lots of monies have been circulating amongst some persons that have in times past proven to be loud in the media. These individuals have been tasked to ensure that they castigate and criticize the government efforts on all fronts, especially with regards to the management of the Coronavirus pandemic.”

“These activists have been very active, and they have spared no chance in ensuring that they feed the populace with half-truths on the efforts of the government towards the containment of the coronavirus pandemic.”

Another credible source stated that days before President Muhammadu Buhari declared a 14-day lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun state, there was a grand plot by some agents of a western country to organize protest rallies in Abuja and Lagos.

“Some foreign interest flew into the country and held nocturnal meetings with some persons who parade themselves as activists in a hotel in Lagos. The objective was to continuously engage the government with criticism and feeding the public with half-truths. The game plan was to ensure that the government is distracted by these allegations. At the same time, they continue their underground scheming to push the citizens out to the streets in their numbers to discredit the government.”

“These individuals went as far as recruiting some persons in Abuja and Lagos to serve as their team leads in various areas where there is a high population of the masses that could be easily compromised with monetary gifts.”

“In Lagos, these individuals went as far as distributing supposed relief materials with the logo of the Lagos state government, and the items distributed were of poor quality capable of inciting the people. If you would recollect, some videos were making the rounds on the despicable items distributed by the Lagos state government.”

In a similar vein, it was gathered that this same strategy was planned for Abuja. However, it was thwarted by the lockdown issued by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The lockdown directive issued by President Muhammadu Buhari took them unawares. Most of the items could not reach location, and this did not go down well with the foreign interest who felt that their plans were leaked to the authorities.”

“The case of Abuja was particularly unpleasant as a row almost ensued with accusations that monies meant for the plot were diverted to private pockets. There was a case of a lawyer who received quite a substantial amount of money from these foreign interests and could not deliver as promised.”

A source in the know of the deal confided in this medium that the lawyer boasted that he has an extensive network in the country that would ensure that the people come out in their numbers to cause chaos for a week.

“In truth, but for the timely intervention of the authorities, the plan would have succeeded. The government acted proactively, and it indeed saved the day for Nigeria, else we might be dealing with an uprising by now.”

This medium also gathered that there is a sinister plot by the same agents to ensure that the government does not extend the lockdown. A source who pleaded anonymity stated that there is ongoing lobbying of top government functionaries to convince the president not to extend the lockdown.

“I can tell you that there is tremendous pressure on the president not to extend the lockdown. I can also tell that lots of monies have exchanged hands and it is looking likely that they may be able to convince the president. But what most people do not know is that the initial plot to cause mayhem was only suspended and not ditched.”

“These individuals have concluded recruitments of activists under various nomenclatures. They have been heavily mobilized with funds and one of the strategies is that they must be heard on a daily basis in the media. These activists have been slated to appear on television talk shows, and radio programmes and the focus would be on the lackadaisical attitude of the government with regards to the plight of the common man and woman on the streets.”

According to a professor of international relations and diplomacy who does not want his name in print stated that in times like this, Nigeria faces more threats from external sources than internal sources because Nigeria has shown great prospects in recent times.

“There is an international dimension to the myriad of challenges confronting the county. What most people do not know is that there are always willing collaborators internally that help these external sources carry out their nefarious agenda against Nigeria.”

“The recent happenings in the polity suggest so, and it behooves on the government to ensure that its Intel network is well activated to deal with issues that might arise, else there might be an escalation of violence of immeasurable proportion that would set the country up in flames.”

This medium was also able to gather that the Nigerian authorities are aware of the activities of some social commentators who have been compromised to discredit the government. A source in one of the security agencies stated that all the security agencies had been put on alert in this regard.

“I can tell you that the government is aware of the plot to destabilize Nigeria by some foreign agents through some persons parading themselves as activists in the country. The government is leaving nothing to chance, and I believe the government is ahead of these agents of darkness that are hell-bent on seeing to the destruction of Nigeria.”

It would be recalled that there has been an upsurge of activists across the country that have been making statements indicating that the government is not doing enough to protect the citizens in this trying period.

Group accuses Iran, AI, others of plotting Nigeria’s destabilization

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) has alleged an alliance between the Iranian government and Amnesty International to cause unrest in the country.

According to the group, Iran-backed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) is the tool being used, evident in the various protests and marches, by some disgruntled politicians and groups on the sponsorship of IMN.

The SHAC made this known at a press conference on Friday in Abuja, raising an alarm on Iran’s renewed bid to overthrow Nigeria’s democratically elected government.

In his address, Executive Secretary, Ibrahim Abubakar said fuelling crimes and cooking reports portraying the government to have failed is Iran and IMN’s latest gimmick.

To achieve this, Mr Abubakar added that Iran lured some self-proclaimed international non-governmental organisations to do its dirty job, with Amnesty International leading the bunch.

The SHAC further revealed that Amnesty International’s role is to justify crimes committed by IMN, making their false flag operations appear like random crimes.

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre, therefore, urged the world to pay attention to the ongoing plans by the IMN to overthrow the government and plunge Nigeria into war aided by its romance with Amnesty International and Iran.

Rear full address below:

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) has become aware of the escalation of activities aimed at destabilizing the government by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). You must have observed that in recent days the group has continued to embark on provocative street protests and marches even when they have no right to this as a known terrorist group.

These protests are deliberately orchestrated to put the nation’s military and security organizations in bad light by creating the erroneous impression of disproportionate crack down on their members by the state. A manifestation of this is the constant claims of casualty from their protests.

The latest approach by the IMN now is to fuel crimes and then manufacture reports that claim the government is failing on account of rising crimes. A clear instance of this strategy in play is the report by SBM Intelligence titled “Rising Insecurity in Abuja” which sought to create the impression that the nation’s capital has succumbed to insecurity and that the government must be illegitimately sacked in this regard.

We are worried that the spate of crimes that had rocked some parts of the country were not unconnected with IMN’s quest to create an atmosphere of fear across the land while also raising funds from such criminal enterprises to pursue their terrorist agenda. The fact that they can now start touting Abuja, the nation’s capital as insecure speaks volume to what they had done in the past in other parts of the country and the evil they plan to unleash on the entire country.

Not to be overlooked are the partners that have worked with IMN to undermine Nigeria’s integrity. We have identified their international NGO partner, Amnesty International (AI), which has done everything possible to paint a Nigeria as a repressive state just so its client, IMN can continue to oppress and terrorize Nigerians unchallenged. We had in the past had cause to raise alarm over the unholy alliance between Amnesty International and IMN. What we have discovered is that AI has resorted to circumventing the credibility crisis our expose has brought upon it; this is being done by packaging its report and handing over to entities like SBM Intelligence to issue.

Unfortunately for this failed alliance, the patter of AI’s reporting, which dwells largely on hyperventilating on falsehood and half-truths is glaring to trace. The justification of crimes committed by IMN while making their false flag operations appear like random crimes are telltale markings of IMN-AI modus operandi, standard operating procedures that the discerning have become accustomed to seeing whenever resources have been deployed to undermine Nigeria’s interest.

The world must also be alerted that the hand of the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to move these puppets. The incentive for Iran is nothing other than its threat to deal with Nigeria for not dropping the legal process against the leader of IMN, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who is standing trial in Kaduna state. This escalation by the world’s major state sponsor of terror is after it had unleashed the series of protests and uprising against the Buhari administration.

Iran has earmarked a huge sum of money for this round of onslaught against Nigeria. We understand that the financing is drawn from a $5million that it first committed to this evil agenda as far back as 2018, which some CSOs and political parties have been assessing in the last few weeks. Let the world note that this fund is not for any capital investment but to destabilize the peace of Nigeria.

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) is therefore drawing the attention of the world to ongoing plans by the IMN to overthrow the government and plunge Nigeria into war with the active collusion and participation of Amnesty International and Iran.

It is therefore imperative to remind Nigerians that they hold the power to tell IMN, AI and Iran off with strict warning that they should not truncate the peace of Nigeria with their extremist ideology. The government has done much to restore peace and prosperity to Nigerians so this axis of evil should not destabilize the country for whatever reason.

Insecurity: Elders group expresses confidence in Buhari, IGP, Service Chiefs

Some elders, under the auspices of Pro-Nigeria Elders Council (PRONECO) have passed a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari, urging the nation to support the Inspector General of Police and Service Chiefs to abate insurrection.

The council of elders made this known in a communique issued at the end of a one-day consultative meeting in Abuja on Thursday on the state of security in the country.

Co-signed by National Convener, Chief Simon Shango, National Chairman, Alhaji Ari Gwasko, National Secretary Honourable Sam Ode and Chief Mrs Helen Bendega, Women leader, PRONECO said its findings were made after an intensive review and deliberation on “politically-induced insecurities in parts of Nigeria and heat in the polity”.

Having reviewed the resurgence of Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists, banditry and other security threats confronting the nation, the group resolved that President Buhari has soared higher above the evil forces amassed on the peace and stability of the nation.

It reckoned that the president has taken the country forward in all ramifications despite artificial incitements of public resentments.

PRONECO is particularly pleased with the president’s insistence on the Service Chiefs, holding firm and refusing to succumb to pressure.

The council of elders, however, called on Nigerians to show solidity with the nation’s security heads, as only with this can the recent security challenges be subdued.

Read full communique below:

The Pro-Nigeria Elders Council) with members drawn from the 36 states of the federation, converged in Abuja today for an all-inclusive stakeholders meeting to brainstorm. We engaged in intensive deliberations as compelled by the prevailing resurgence of politically-induced insecurities in parts of Nigeria and heat in the polity intent on destabilizing the country.

Members endorsed a number of resolutions’ pursuant to matters of national security concerns and the efforts of President Muhammadu in curbing these nascent trends in Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists and armed bandits renewed carnages on Nigeria: PRONECO resolved as follows:

Firstly, the Pro-Nigeria Elders Council (PRONECO) salutes the patience, understanding and courage of every Nigerian despite the deliberate and barefaced politically-instigated resurgence of insecurities in some areas in the country.

We have perceived it as an agenda hatched, crafted, manipulated and mindlessly executed by disgruntled elements in the system or anti-state actors to provoke Nigerians, engender unfounded lack of public confidence in the Nigerian military and spark distrust in the political leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and the proven hard working Service and Security Chiefs.

PRONECO reviewed the resurgence of Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists and their internal collaborators’. But we came to the inevitable conclusion that despite the orchestrated actions and its seeming effects on the general security situation in the country, President Buhari has still soared higher and still triumphing against the evil forces amassed on the peace and stability of Nigeria by these evil internal and foreign forces. The artificial restlessness induced by actions of armed mercenaries would soon be tamed maximally based on Mr. President’s revaluation of the problem and actions being taken to massively arrest perpetrators and their agents to face the wrath of the law.

By whatever yardstick of assessment, we have no modicum of doubt that Mr. President has defiantly taken the country forward in all ramifications. The artificial incitements of public resentments against this progressive administration should never constitute a distraction in achieving set targets.

We also salute d the resilient leadership of President Buhari which has earned him an unbreakable trust from Nigerians and the globe. This is attested by viral international and local news reports. The meeting wholeheartedly and passionately lends its full support to the various authorities which have acknowledged Mr. President’s relentless efforts and the dogged stand of his administration against plots to return the country to the dark days of unmitigated bloodbath.

The meeting also salutes the choice of Mr. President’s appointees manning the security architecture of the country. We resolved that the Security Chiefs have not only refused to shirk in the face of all difficulties, sabotage of their gallant efforts, but have continued to determinedly tackle even renewed atrocities of insurgencies and insurrections with renewed zeal and vigor.

Therefore, we resolved that all our serving security chiefs have performed exceeding marvelous individually and collectively in the light of subsisting encumbrances’ and deserves not only to be encouraged, but maintained on their positions to sustain the winning streaks against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist and armed bandits up again to torment the country.

We perceive the calls by the National Assembly (NASS) and some other questionable characters for the sack of the Service and Security Chiefs as exposure of their veiled conspiracy or manifestation of their insidious plans to finally sink Nigeria in internecine clashes of bloodletting. The meeting therefore resolved that Nigerians owe themselves the moral obligation to discountenanced such campaigns as cajoling Mr. President to sack Security Chiefs smacks of mischief and greasing the evil nest of these unpatriotic elements.

It is condemnable and unacceptable because the efforts of current Security Chiefs are worthy of commendation anywhere in the world. Consequently, the meeting wholeheartedly commends their efforts, as we urge Mr. President never to harken to such satanic calls for their sack, as it will create a lacuna and embolden armed enemies to freely feast on Nigeria.

The meeting noted that what Nigeria is currently experiencing is not the normal Boko Haram or farmers/herder’s crisis, but a politically -instigated crises across the country with foreign backed conspirators to make the country fail and discolour the famed integrity and strong leadership character of President Buhari.

It is no longer news that hired agents of destabilization are hovering all over Nigeria to cause possible unabated violence, nourish the break-up agenda of Nigeria masked under various opposition platforms have been on the prowl. They are working day and night to see that the change agenda of Mr. President does see the light of day or this democratic Government crumbles like previous administrations’ in the country merely to puncture President Buhari’s acclaimed sanctity to leadership excellence.

The meeting observed and unequivocally affirms that it has also come to the knowledge of this gathering of these wisemen that there are multi-layered deliberate campaigns of calumny are being sponsored by some highly placed individuals in the country. Such are backed by some renegade members of the ruling APC in order to destabilize the nation because they are personally aggrieved for falling out of favour/patronage with the present government.

The meeting called on the politicians and other disgruntled elements who are still nursing the wounds of defeat and rejection by the Nigerian masses, in the 2019 general elections; and have resorted to kick-start very early political activities ahead of 2023 should be mindful of the distractions it has implanted in the polity by the method they have employed. We see it as part of ploys, exacerbating insecurities in parts of the country backed by foreign interference and the glaring agenda to destroy Nigeria.

The PRONECO strongly frowns at the partisan attempts to demean and rubbish the campaigns’ against corruption in Nigeria by the opposition in Nigeria, who have contracted internal and foreign organizations to discredit the anti-corruption campaigns’ by all means, as reflected in the fake and dishonest recent Transparency International’s (TI) on rating and ranking of Nigeria, which untruthfully proclaimed an imagined Nigeria’s slide backwards on corruption index.

It is evident everywhere that Mr. President’s anti-corruption campaigns have drastically reduced acts of sleaze, embezzlements and mindless looting of public resources throughout the country, especially in Ministries’, Departments Agencies (MDAs). And the stiff resistance to the anti-corruption wars by the same retrogressive elements or proxies who benefits from such corrupt acts to frustrate public transparency and accountability is noted.

However, there is incontestable and empirical evidence that the Presidency is resolute and determined to outsmart the sabs constituting the cogs in the wheel of progress. And so, we rejected the recent report by TI; declared it condemnable and hollow in its totality as it bears no semblance of truth with the realities on the ground.

The meeting immensely appreciated Mr. President for standing by Nigerians since the year 2015 to get the country rid of both corruption and terrorism. These are the twine most destructive, endemic and pervasive national malaises that have tethered the progress of the country to retrogressive pillars.

The meetings therefore vehemently warned those behind the new plots of destabilizing the country using religious, political or ethnic killings as a bait to put a halt to it. Their failure to desist from such unpatriotic and evil acts against the country will incur the wrath of Nigerians generally against them.

PRONECO was extremely shocked at the disclosures from credible information on the frightening volume of amassed arms and doling out of monies acquired through illicit means to fund violence, by engaging vulnerable youths to indulge in objectionable acts of attacks, killings and arson in different parts of the country.

Nigerians must know that it is our responsibility individually and collectively to team up with security agents in our respective domains to frustrate and put a halt to these acts of evil men determined to blight their future. Like Peter McWilliams once said, Nigerian youths must; “Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it’s a small price to pay for living a dream.”

May the Almighty God continue to bless Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President, members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria; Service and Security Chiefs and Nigerian troops.

Ebonyi Airport: Group chides Ezza-Ezekuna stakeholders over plight of farmers

The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in Diaspora (AESID) has condemned in strong terms the content of the communique issued by those it described as apologists of the state government from Ezza extraction under the auspices of Ezza-Ezekuna Stakeholders, threatening the peasant farmers whose ancestral lands had been forcefully acquired by the Ebonyi state government for an airport project without compensating and resettling them.

The Ezza-Ezekuna Stakeholders had in the said communiqué carried as advertorial in some dailies in late January passed a vote of confidence on the state government for forcefully taking over the ancestral land of the peasant famers for the controversial Airport project.

But reacting to the communique through a statement signed Thursday in Abuja by AESID’s spokesman, Ambassador Pascal Oluchukwu, described the intervention by the Ezza-Ezekuna Stakeholders as ‘sycophantic’.

The statement expressed “dismay that some people could join the Ebonyi state government to intimidate the peasant farmers whose ancestral lands were forcefully acquired instead of following the due process of acquiring individual lands for public use.

“It is trite law that while the Land Use Act gives the governor powers to acquire any land for overiding public interest, same law provides for adequate compensation for the farmers whose farmlands and ancestral homes have been forcefully taken.

“While we do not desire to go into the desirability or otherwise of an airport now in the state because we know that this government in the state hardly does anything that benefits the people but themselves. We believe that this project is about the supply of cement and other materials by a particular family in the state.”

While expressing its unflinching support towards the displaced farmers in their trying moments, the group also commended the land owners for choosing the path of constitutionalism in seeking justice instead of resorting to self-help despite lots of intimidations and “by the government apologists to frustrate them.”

The association further admonished the state government to note that the welfare of the people is central to the mantra of governance and that “the Ebonyi state government should refrain from their wicked acts of intimidations through their proxies, apologists and agents and rather be grateful to the displaced farmers who are enriching our legal jurisprudence by being civil. In the end, governments come and go and life continues,” the group said.