Armed Forces Bill: Plot to truncate democracy, peace – NDF

The National Democratic Front (NDF) has lashed out at the National Assembly over its proposed Armed Forces Bill, describing it as another plot to truncate the nation’s democracy.

According to the group, the Bill sponsored by the lawmaker representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, is targeted at destroying the revered Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

NDF made this disclosure at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

In a statement signed by Secretary-General, Dr. Abdulkadir Bolaji, NDF said the move is unconstitutional as it will whittle down the powers of the President who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Dr. Bolaji added that the bill shouldn’t even be given consideration in the first place, especially as it is being championed by a staunch advocate of the Indigenous People of Biafra and an Nnamdi Kanu’s sympathizer.

NDF, therefore, urged Nigerians to rise in unity to condemn this attempt at destroying a critical national institution like the Armed Forces.

It further called on the National Assembly leadership to ignore sentiments in this critical time and uphold the country’s democracy and peace .

Read full address below:

The attention of the National Democratic Front has been drawn to the presence of a bill seeking to establish the Armed Forces Service Commission to amongst a host of other things deliberate and decide on the composition and appointments of Service Chiefs in the country.

The bill seeking to establish the Armed Forces Service Commission is, at best, the handiwork of political merchants, warmongers, and separationist advocates. As such, the National Democratic Front wishes to put in in precise terms that this is nothing but an attempt to destroy our revered Armed Forces.

The National Democratic Front as an organization with expertise in documenting the democratic experiences in advanced and emerging democracies wishes to state that in the most advanced democracies in the world, there is no such arrangement in place that would take the powers out of the hand of the president as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

It is the inalienable constitutional rights of the President to oversee the affairs of the Armed Forces in the country, and this bill can thus be regarded as a coup against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We are appalled that the leadership of the Senate would allow such travesty to be discussed on the floor of the red chambers without taking the time to look at the antecedent of the sponsor of the bill, who is a known separationist advocate.

The sponsorship of this despicable bill is indeed an avenue for the likes of Senator Eyinaya Abaribe to carryout out from where his protégée Nnamdi Kanu stopped in their quest to disintegrate Nigeria.

The National Democratic Front considers the sponsorship of such a bill as an affront to our collective sensibilities as a people and as a country, given the fact that it is on record that Senator Eyinaya Abaribe is a staunch advocate for the Indigenous People of Biafra.

We are also aware that seated in the hallowed chambers are other advocates of those that are hell-bent on destroying our revered Armed Forces so they can actualize their destabilization and disintegration plot against our dear country.

This fact is corroborated in that such a bill that seeks to promote the interest of a certain few have been slated for a second reading on the floor of the Senate. This is indeed despicable and might be an indication that the leadership of the Nigerian Senate might have been compromised in ways too numerous to mention.

We also wish to put it on record that, indeed, Senator Eyinaya Abaribe is nursing a grudge against the Nigerian Military for quelling the IPPOB uprising and as such one of the way to retaliate is to seek for the destruction of the Armed Forces through the Armed Forces Service Commission.

Nigerians must indeed know that this is indeed an attempt to whittling the strength of the Armed Forces in preparation for renewed hostilities by the members of his IPOB constituency in their quest for the disintegration of Nigeria.

Nigerians must rise in unity to condemn this attempt at destroying a critical national institution like the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The implication is that is this anomaly is allowed to materialize; we might wake up one day and realize that we do not have a country of our own anymore.

Nigerians must see this attempt by Senator Eyinaya Abaribe as a disservice to our great country, which by all indication, would plunge it into anarchy if some certain institutions are not protected from the murky water of politics.

The National Democratic Front wishes to use this medium to charge the leadership of the Senate to rise above sentiments in this critical time and indeed prove to Nigerians that the Legislative Arm of Government is a partner in progress and not an adversary.

It must at all times, watch out for the interest of the generality of Nigerians and must do all within its powers see that acts of legislation do not destroy certain segments of the country.

It must also be stated that the stakes are high and the likes of Senator Eyinaya Abaribe are scattered everywhere in the country and holding positions of authorities with which they intend to foster their plot against Nigeria by targeting those institutions that are our symbol of unity and national pride like the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We consequently call on the leadership of the Senate to protect Nigerians from the activities of warmongers, separationist advocates, and political merchants and protect and preserve the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the attempt at destroying it through the obnoxious Armed Forces Service Commission.

I am thanking you all for your time and for rapt attention.

Suspicious shadows of foreign NGOs in festering Boko Haram

By Tunde Kila

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian military have spent the last four years dousing the wild fires of terrorism in the country. A lot has been done by Government and individuals to arrive at this destination. But traces of the problem is still there for nearly inexplicable reasons.

Nigeria is compelled to face another facet of terrorism, which by character and actions of the actors appears more ruthless and heartless by the executors. And until terrorism resurged again in 2019, one could reasonably assert with certainty that solace and respite came the way of victims and communities of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East (NE) Nigeria. It was where it raged in extreme turbulence.

Part of the grounds the Nigerian military regained in counter-insurgency operations in the last few years are facing portentous reversal. The pairing and blend of forces with Boko Haram by the ISIL’s backed Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists sect is the nascent threat.

Also disturbing beyond the complicit roles played by covert actors, Nigeria’s nightmare in the resurrected wave of terrorism includes the suspicious shadows of some foreign Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the nation’s Boko Haram conundrum. These NGOs operating in Nigeria and the NE in particular under the pretext of rendering humanitarian services to victims of terrorism may be bad companions. They are suspected of aiding terrorists and accentuating terrorism in the country.

Over time, the activities of these NGOs in the NE have raised questionable bars on genuine humanitarian trust. It has become too naked, somewhat bold and consistent to ignore. In Nigeria, almost everyone believes the word “international” ascribed to Amnesty International (AI) is only applicable to Nigeria.

All the attention and energy of AI is concentrated on Nigeria. It appears as if other nations are not facing terrorists’ battles or where such warfare exists, there are no human beings and so, their rights are not violated to attract an “eagle eye” by AI.

Meanwhile, the entire Middle East is terrorism signified, with over 20 terrorists’ sects operating in the region. But AI is deliberately blind to the atrocities of human rights violations in this region. It was just yesterday, America brutally assassinated the leader of the Quds sect, another terror group, Gen. Qassim Soleimani alongside three other persons.

At the instance of Gen. Soleimani’s assassination, there was no material evidence suggesting a war scenario that would have compelled American special forces to have acted in that manner. Unfortunately, AI’s ink dried up and not even a word either in a press release or so-called annual report ever mentioned this incident anywhere on abuse of human rights.

Insistently at the forefront of NGOs suspected of such repulsive indulgence against Nigeria remains the Amnesty International (AI), an international watchdogs for human rights abuses and violations. Nigerians and the coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have kept protesting against the activities of AI in Nigeria.

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has incessantly brawled with the AI over false allegations, mendaciousness and malicious reports against the Nigerian Military and troops in the frontlines; same for the Nigerian Military itself.

And last year, the Nigerian Army, temporary banned the operations of some NGOs. The UNICEF of the United Nations (UN) was also affected. The Military alleged some of its officials furtively committed acts of espionage for terrorists in the North East.

In the same year, a frustrated Nigerian Army also angrily shut down several offices of Action Against Hunger (AAH) and Mercy Corps (MCs) in the North East. Both foreign NGOs are into the task of providing humanitarian assistance to victims of terrorism in the areas of food and medical supplies.

The Nigerian Army’s sustained discreet searchlight on their activities posted signals suspecting the NGOs of also supplying food and medication to terrorists operating in the region. The Army raised several alarms accusing the NGOs of supporting insurgents and indirectly, thriving terrorism, until it was compelled to act by closing down its offices.

Although, the FGN has lifted the ban on AAH and MCs which are now operating under stringent conditions in the region. Nevertheless, the challenge of the Nigerian Military in sustaining the victory over insurgents or staging effective counter-insurgency operations over resurgent insurgency in the North East is far from being over.

It is observable that Amnesty International (AI) poses the biggest problem for the Nigerian military in prosecuting anti-terrorism combats. AI’s persistently suspicious aiding of terrorists and their sponsors through fake propaganda and defamation of the conduct of soldiers involved in the war by fabricated accusations of human violations has been a cog in the wheel of a progressive war against terrorists.

It is now clear that AI’s offices all over the world have ganged up against Nigeria’s battle with terrorists. The first sign of this intentional posturing by AI against Nigeria which aligns and sympathizes with Boko Haram/Haram terrorists is the eagerness of some of its offices worldwide to conspiratorially report the Nigerian counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram criminals and ISWAP terrorists with every bias.

And their confluence point has always been to indict the Nigerian Government for consenting to the perpetration of human rights violations and refusal to investigate; or the Nigerian Army for masterminding human rights violations.

The grand design by AI and its suspected pay masters is to frustrate bi-lateral understanding which Nigeria, under the Buhari Presidency, has struck with countries like America and the United Kingdom for military aid in terms of training support, surveillance/logistics and weapons procurement to battle terrorism in Nigeria.

It may shock Nigerians and the world to know that that Amnesty International UK, which is a separate country headquarters of AI and, different from AI African region or Nigeria’s country office unashamedly canvassed this position in one of its report on Nigeria’s battle with terrorists.

The AI-UK published on its website a news report captioned; “Nigeria: Boko Haram survivors raped and starved by military ‘rescuers'” dated May 24, 2018. The report identified Mr. Oliver Feeley-Sprague, Amnesty UK’s Military, Security and Policing Programme director as the newsmaker and highlighted in its riders that; “New Amnesty investigation details the “horrendous” treatment of women and girls by the Nigerian military since escape from Boko Haram…Many forced to become ‘girlfriends’ of military in exchange for humanitarian assistance…UK must urgently review support to the Nigerian military…UK needs to ensure “any training it’s providing hasn’t contributed to the vile abuses and violations currently taking place in north-east Nigeria.”

Feeley-Sprague finally let the cat out of the bag, by saying; “The UK government must work with relevant women human rights defenders to review UK support to the Nigerian military…”

AI’s country office in Nigeria serves as the architect of the concocted news reports about Nigeria from where it is syndicated elsewhere in their offices around the world. It embellished, amplified and circulated with scant regards for the facts. On February 1, 2019, AI also published on its website a news story captioned; “Nigeria: Deadliest Boko Haram attack on Rann leaves at least 60 people murdered.”

The lead paragraph stated that “At least 60 people were killed following the 28 January devastating Boko Haram attack on Rann, a border town in Borno state, northeast Nigeria, Amnesty International has confirmed.” Sadly, there was nowhere throughout the story AI could justify even its guesses that 60 Nigerians were killed in the attack.

The attack was perpetrated by Boko Haram insurgents. But despite the atrocities and human rights violations insurgents meted out to victims in the onslaught, AI was very careful in stating or mentioning the Boko Haramists. It mildly and vaguely said, “This attack on civilians who have already been displaced by the bloody conflict may amount to possible war crime, and those responsible must be brought to justice.”

And next, AI descended very hard and callously against Nigerian soldiers, accusing them of abscondment from duty when Boko Haram came visiting. AI added; “Disturbingly, witnesses told us that Nigerian soldiers abandoned their posts the day before the attack, demonstrating the authorities’ utter failure to protect civilians”

And always consistent with reports of AI in Nigeria is that it alleges aberrations in several communities, but rely on what they coat as “eye witness” from a few distraught persons to anchor their report on a generalized scale indicting either the FGN or the Nigerian Military.

More defective is that AI has assumed the role of every day media in Nigeria by reporting incidents of Boko Haram attacks, painting very horrible portraits of the attacks at every instance. But it does not deem it necessary to balance/confirm such reports with government or military sources before rushing to the press with any trash fed them.

Therefore, AI is an active promoter of cyberspace terrorism in Nigeria. It was persuaded by public agitations before it started mentioning the human rights violations by Boko Haram insurgents in its reports. Now that a guilty conscience haunts AI, it silently or vaguely blames insurgents; but descends very harshly on the FGN or the Nigerian Military calling for ICC to investigate and prosecute them for alleged war crimes.

AI is wittingly escalating Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism in Nigeria through cyberspace terrorism with such gibberish it consistently pushes into public domain. AI is enjoying these fraudulent practices and it is reason it does not plan to leave Nigeria anytime soon in spite of public protestations against their continued stay. But a good conscience should tell them to stop dancing on the graves of our patriots.

Kila wrote this piece from Ikeja, Lagos.

Group urges civil disobedience over proposed Armed Forces Commission

The Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) has called on Nigerians to reject a Bill before the Senate seeking the establishment of Armed Forces Service Commission, describing it as a “taboo”.

CNM made this known at a press conference on Monday in Abuja, adding that it is unconstitutional for the National Assembly to propose such bill.

Sponsored by the lawmaker representing Abia-South Senatorial District, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the bill will give the Senate authority to appoint Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Director of Military Intelligence and heads of other arm-bearing security agencies.

The bill will also provide for the establishment of Armed Forces Service Commission, which shall have the power and authority pursuant to section 219 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Speaking on behalf of the group, National President, Mr. Sabo Ode argued that Abaribe and his cohorts would have to ammend the constitution for this to happen.

In clear terms, the coalition rubbished the bill to be “repugnant to the principles of democracy; a satanic wish to curtail the powers of Mr. President on security matters, and a despicable plot to hamstrung the Presidency”.

The coalition, however, called on Nigerians to rise and defend their democracy and not allow selfish politicians manipulate the constitution in their favour.

Read full statement below:

The Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) is deeply displeased with the apparently very shameful, directionless and fuzzy outings of the 9th National Assembly (NASS) in recent times. CNM is overly piqued with the Senate popularly known as the Red Chamber which is ordinarily supposed to be populated by experienced elder statesmen and patriots filled with wisdom, but playing infantile tricks on Nigeria.

We expect that Nigeria’s parliamentarians should lead the trajectory of redeeming our checkered country from the tottering tenterhooks of development deficiency, deprivation of the citizenry, mass poverty, hunger and disease. But rather and very resentfully, our lawmakers at the National Assembly and the Senate in particular have rather preferred to embark on senseless voyages in the pretext of legislations.

This Coalition is extremely worried that most times these accidental politicians who have found themselves in the national parliament are not only barren of ideas, but devoid of the basic skills, wisdom and procedures of legislation that would meaningfully ginger national development and progress.

But instead of devoting their time to acquaint themselves with the barebones, they are in a haste to impress their constituents and gullible Nigerians by playing to the gallery. There is a vexatious craze of sponsoring absolutely very useless Motions and Bills currently at the National Assembly.

It is not the responsibility of our Coalition or the civil society to educate members of the National Aseembly on their elementary roles as national legislators. But we cannot restrain our emotions in bemoaning the fact that these men and women want Nigerians to believe they don’t know the supremacy of our Constitution and the limits of their interference with it through Bills and Acts emanating therefrom.

Nigerians cannot pretend aloofness on certain issues. The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) spells out clearly areas that the National Assembly is empowered by the same supreme document to make laws. And majority of these parliamentarians are conversant with the cliché recited like national anthem everywhere that any law which contradicts the Constitution of Nigeria is null and void to the extent of the contradiction.

Give and take, the NASS has no powers to make laws on any matter which the Constitution has not granted such powers to it or made express provisions for it until the Constitution itself is amended. We expect the lawmakers to know that regardless of whatever they consider as loopholes in existing laws, as long as it is reflected in the Constitution, its wishful thinking that subsidiary laws by an Act of parliament can vacate the potency, effect or functionality of provisions of the Constitution, unless it is amended.

This Coalition is therefore appalled at the foolishness which informed Abia state’s Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s wisdom to float the so-called Bill branded as the Armed Forces Service Commission (establishment) Act 2020. We are even more consternated that other Senators who should know better that Sen. Abaribe is embarking on a senseless voyage, sat back and endorsed an obviously worthless piece of legislation to proceed to the stage of second reading in the Senate. We want to believe that if the 104 members of the Senate were in their slumber at that point, the rest of our over 200 million citizens cannot be fooled at the same time.

That Senator Abaribe relied on Section 219 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, but aligned its intendment wrongly gives us a serious cause for concern and not to remain silent. And so, it is obvious that the Senators are attempting to wrest the powers of Mr. President in deciding who makes up the list of his Service and Security Chiefs through the backdoor.

We wish to elucidate that the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria which Sen. Abaribe and his co-travellers relied upon to smuggle a Bill very obnoxious to the interest of Nigeria states is Section 219. But Sections 217 and 218 of the same Constitution have already settled the supremacy of Mr. President in deciding who to appoint into Service Chiefs leadership, in compliance with the Federal Character Principle. And Federal Character principle is also not same as ethnic or religious character.

Section 219; Sub-section (b) states that “With respect to the powers exercisable by the President under section 218 of this Constitution, by an Act, established a body which shall comprise such members as the National Assembly may determine, and which shall have power to ensure that the composition of the armed forces of the Federation shall reflect the federal character of Nigeria in the manner prescribed in the section 217 of this Constitution.”

However, Section 217: sub-section 3; earlier stipulated that “The composition of the officer corps and other ranks of the armed forces of the Federation shall reflect the Federal Character of Nigeria.”

Also, the Constitution in Section 218; Sub-Section 2; explicitly states that “The powers conferred on the President by subsection (1) of this section shall include power to appoint the Chief of Defence staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and heads of any other branches of the Armed Forces of the Federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly.

The Coalition wishes to explain that the phrase in the clause (218) stating that “…as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly,” refers directly to the Armed Forces of Nigeria as may be determined or approved by NASS. It does not suggest the enactment of a fresh law which will whittle or usurp the powers of Mr. President in deciding who to appoint into the hierarchy of Service Chiefs.

In other words, the Section 219 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), as cited by the sponsor of the Armed Forces Commission Bill, Senator Abaribe does not confer such powers on the National Assembly. If NASS finds provisions of Sections 217 and 218 defectives, it must first amend the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution or may be riding against the tide by this Bill.

The Coalition for Nigeria Move finds it pertinent to caution that the Senate should avoid its planned instigation of Constitutional crisis through the contents of a Bill which seeks to undermine the powers of Mr. President on appointment of Service Chiefs. Mr. President is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria and takes responsibility over every act of security breach which is of national dimension. It is illogical to severe such powers and reside it in another organ or body as contemplated by this repulsive Bill.

We deem this so- called Bill by the National Assembly repugnant to the principles of democracy; a satanic wish to curtail the powers of Mr. President on security matters, and a despicable plot to hamstrung the Presidency. No country contemplates it. It is indisputably, a planned attempt to stage a coup against the spirit and intendment of the Constitution of Nigeria and an invitation to anarchy in the country.

This Coalition of eminent and patriotic citizens consequently implores all patriots everywhere in Nigeria and abroad to rise against the Bill and its contents. It is narcissist, anti-democratic and a prelude to chaos and breach of public law and order.

The same aberration echoed same week in the House of Representatives. A fresher in the House, Hon. Benjamin Mzondo from Benue State introduced a Bill seeking to raise the educational qualification into the office of the President and Governor of a state alone.

However, there is Constitutional uniformity in the least prescribed educational qualification for all elected office seekers from State Assembly members to President. By provisions of the Constitution, the discrepancy on qualification is only on age limit or differentials. But while the NASS feels a President and a Governor should have a higher educational qualification, our ever greedy national parliamentarians feel it is not necessary for them. So, they excluded themselves from the proposed Act. That’s the hypocrisy!

Section 131 of the constitution states that a person only qualifies for election into the office of the President of Nigeria if among others things, “they have been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent”. This stipulation applies to all elective offices, except local councils which laws are made by state independent electoral commissions.

But today, the National Assembly is contemplating a Bill which will raise the educational qualification for some aspirants into elected offices, without amending the necessary sections/clauses in the constitution that pegs it to a minimum of school certificate. These are laws which create ambiguity of interpretation by Justices when issues morph into litigations before the courts. Both chambers of the National Assembly should think and act better than its current obvious groping in the dark.

We therefore wish to stay in unmistakn terms that the Bill is a taboo that must be rejected by all Nigerians and the National Assembly must be put on notice that no anti- people law will be allowed to see the light of the day in any chamber of NASS.

A word is enough for the wise.

Thank you and God bless you all..

Group backs FG on investigation of terrorist sponsors, accuses INGOs

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Liberation (CALSER) has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to investigate and prosecute Boko Haram sponsors in the Northeast.

The centre said this has once again confirmed the FG’s “ unalloyed commitment to preserving the sanctity of lives and properties of all Nigerians”.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday in Abuja, convener, Princess Ajibola hailed the Nigerian military for its tremendous feat in the war against terrorism despite conspiracy by desperate politicians and their cohorts in foreign countries.

According to Princess Ajibola, this group has continually engaged in acts that undermine the efforts of the military, from supplying food, drugs, to arming Boko Haram terrorists.

CALSER, therefore, backed the FG to investigate and prosecute these Nigerians who have formed a deadly alliance with international non-governmental organisations as it will mark the final victory over the terrorist group.

The centre equally urged relevant security agencies to begin the process of profiling and identifying these individuals and organizations that have elected to enemies of our great country.

Read full statement below:

The leadership of the Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CASLER) warmly welcomes you all to this press conference at the instance of the patriotic steps taken by the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to investigate and prosecute the sponsors of Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria.

CASLER, in continuation of its core mandate, wishes to commend the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria in sustaining a decisive campaign against the Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria.

It is indeed a testament to the unalloyed commitment to preserving the sanctity of lives and properties of all Nigerians by ensuring that the Nigerian Military is well equipped and motivated to defeat all acts of terrorism in Nigeria.

This fact is evident in the numerous gains recorded in the theatre of operations in North-East Nigeria, and which was corroborated recently by the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum where he stated that the Nigerian Military displayed unprecedented gallantry when they tackled the Boko Haram terrorist from ground to air in Damboa and seized 19 Gun Trucks belonging to the defeated Boko Haram terrorist group.

CASLER wishes to commend the Nigerian Military for this rare feat and also wants to encourage the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Military to continue to push till the remnants of Boko Haram terrorist group are entirely defeated.

The leadership of CASLER is also appreciative of the various rescue operations carried out by the Nigerian Military that has seen to the rescue of thousands of women, children and elderly ones once held in captivity by the terrorist group in their various camps scattered around the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin region.

This is also on the heels of the ongoing rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced persons back to their communities and their loved ones by the Nigerian Military as a part of its strategic objective of ensuring that all displaced persons are reunited with their families and loved ones.

The leadership of CALSER wishes to state that with the current zeal and commitment displayed by the Nigerian Military, the end of the Boko Haram group is indeed around the corner despite the political patronage the group enjoys from some political elements that have been covertly providing logistical support to them in furtherance of their nefarious activities.

This despicable stance by those politicians that have benefited from the crisis to loot the commonwealth of the people is mainly responsible for the pocket of attacks carried out by the Boko Haram group in recent times.

It is also a statement of the fact that these individuals are hell-bent on destabilizing the country so that it can return to business as usual as it were in times past before the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration.

We consequently wish to state that it is indeed despicable that these politicians are in cahoots with some foreign interest that are envious of the gains made by the Muhammdu Buhari administration in the war against terrorism since 2016 when the Nigerian Military gained ascendency over the Boko Haram group that saw to the retaking of the over 16 local government areas in North-East Nigeria hitherto under the control of the group.

The capture of the operational headquarters of the Boko Haram group, Camp Zero in Sambisa forest was indeed the game-changer in the war against terrorism and this heroic feat indeed unsettled these foreign agents of destruction and they have been doing all they could to undermine the efforts of the Nigerian Military in numerous ways, including ensuring the continuous flow of money to the insurgents through the activities of International Non- Governmental Organizations.

CASLER views this action as a crime against humanity as it is unfathomable as to why International Non-Governmental Organizations who are supposed to be involved in Humanitarian efforts have betrayed the essence of their humanitarian intentions in the first instance and have suddenly become agents of the terrorist groups.

They have continually engaged in acts that undermine the efforts of the Nigerian Military, such as supplying food, drugs, and arms and ammunition to the Boko Haram group in conjunction with those foreign interests that are plotting the destabilization of Nigeria.

The leadership of CASLER is indeed in support of the decision of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to investigate and prosecute the sponsors of the Boko Haram group in the light of the prevailing circumstances.

We are indeed convinced that this line of action will mark the final victory over the terrorist group as their sponsors have continued to use falsehood, mischief, and propaganda to manipulate the minds of Nigerians and diverting attention from their evil acts.

The leadership of CASLER welcomes this initiative and wishes to express its total support to the Muhammadu Buhari administration in this regard as it would usher in the needed peace in North-East Nigeria and an end to the inglorious era of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

The leadership of CASLER is with this using this medium to call on the relevant security agencies to begin the process of profiling and identifying these individuals and organizations that have elected to enemies of our great country.

We also call on the judiciary to embrace this worthy initiative by setting up special courts that will dispense justice and in record time. The judiciary must also not allow itself to be manipulated, as in the case in the past.

President Muhammadu Buhari must, as a matter of national interest, ensure that anyone found guilty gets maximum punishment as it would serve as a deterrent to others and an avenue for them to repent from their evil ways.

The leadership of CASLER wishes to assure President Muhammadu Buhari that indeed all well-meaning Nigerian welcomes this initiative and are in total support of it.

We thank you all for your time and wishes to state that the end of the Boko Haram group is indeed in sight. Nigeria shall defeat terrorism, and Nigeria shall over its security challenges to the astonishment of that are plotting to destabilize the country.

Our unalloyed support of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration decision to investigate and prosecute sponsors of the Boko Haram Terrorist Group in Nigeria is unflinching.

God bless Nigeria.
God bless President Muhammadu Buhari
God bless us all.

APC Crisis: Nabena warns against personalising party, seeks President, NASS intervention

With the worsening crisis that has engulfed the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Yekini Nabena, the Party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary has called on warring groups to consider the Party’s general interest as opposed to the personal political interests being pursued by some.

Nabena spoke to newsmen in Abuja.

The APC Chieftain said: “Let no one think he or she has a greater stake or interest in the APC. At our different levels we have toiled and made contributions towards the sustainance and growth of the governing APC that many party men and women have used as a political platform for election and appointment. The APC is nobody’s personal property.

“I call on President Muhammadu Buhari as the leader of the party, the National Assembly leadership and well-meaning members of the caucus to urgently wade into the crisis and restore order to the party. We are progressives and our leaders have a duty to provide counsel and leadership so that we dont go the way of the failed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The APC has serious business to deal with particularly, contestations in some state chapters, rancorous primaries, preparation for governorship elections in Ondo and Edo States and troubleshooting the circumstances surrounding our electoral and legal losses, particularly in Zamfara, Rivers, Adamawa and Bayelsa states.

“2023 is not as far as we assume. As the president noted during our last NEC meeting it would be shameful if APC collapsed after his tenure and history would not forgive anyone who tried to aid the collapse the party. The time to act is now.”

The leadership crisis has resulted in the factionalisation of the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) with a group convening an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Tuesday March 17 and the other group declaring the meeting illegal. In the meantime, the Party’s National Secretariat has been sealed with a security cordone in place following a high court ruling over the purported suspension of the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The Continuous Success of the COAS and Why He Remains the Best For Now

By Ssgt Gift Ogar

It is no longer news that the COAS as the leader of the counter – insurgency operations, belongs to what is called the “strong breed.”

Personally as an operative I do monitor various TV stations and each time the COAS appears on TV screens during interviews including the recent one he granted to educate the public on Nigerian Army operations on the nation – wide counter – insurgency operations, his infectious aura will invoke passions of love on him by anyone. He is soft – spoken, usually calm and calculative, blended with his gift of oratory.

It is no longer news that nature has gifted the COAS so generously. He has excelled as a very combatant Gen who has the unbeatable reputation of a military master strategist and tactician. He is an exceptional Gen who visits and lives with his troops in the trenches much like in military diplomacy. He is a historian and philosopher by academic training. For me, the COAS is a star personality of military history and deploys his intellectual arsenals to find solutions to the manifold contemporary security challenges.

A poet by hobby, the COAS verses are extraordinarily pungent and a gripping commentary on societal problems. Assimilating his poems only reminds one of the lord of romantic poetry, the English-born William Wordsworth. One is often tempted to think, Gen Buratai would have better excelled as an academic don but in all fields, he has come full measure.

In administration and leadership, he exudes uncommon excellence. The COAS has a knack for innovations and reforms. A workaholic and very respected senior officer to the core. He marshals out his plans, set his priorities with time frames and pursues them relentlessly and tirelessly until his targets are met.

With this, he had little difficulty in transforming the disorganized and disoriented NA he inherited into a professional, responsible, responsive and disciplined force. He gave the Nigerian Army a new face and portrait of excellence within months of his assumption of duty as the COAS. Let us not forget that the NA was running into a tattered Army with so many unnecessary dismissal of troops especially with 100% of those dismissal coming from the NE before his appointment.

In addition, as evidence of his innovative ingenuity, the COAS established two new Army Divisions within 3 years of his leadership. He has established 8 Division with Headquarters in Sokoto and 6 Division Port Harcourt in Rivers State. As a leader who is interested in legacies, he has erected modern residential and office accommodation structures in the new Army Divisions so fast. The COAS knows how to pull the right strings to get what he wants for the Army.

Also, remarkably endearing, the COAS has equally established a dozen of Army Brigades, Battalions’ and Forward Bases in different parts of the country especially in places with recurring issues of insecurity just to tackle such insecurity situations. I am happy to mention that he is still expanding in this direction because Delta State has just been given an Army Brigade and Battalion. It is a well known fact that the idea is to facilitate the quick response of troops to all emergency situation in order to smoothen operations against armed criminals for the protection of Nigerians.

With the present COAS handling the affairs of the Nigerian Army, it is so clear that taking a glance at the Nigerian Army today, one sees Nigerian soldiers actively involved overwhelmingly in counter-insurgency operations. Troops are quelling bile and violent insurrectional movements; extinguishing the fires of destructive militancy, quenching the madness of armed bandits and dousing the conflagrations between farmers and herders in different parts of the country.

This in reality shows that the deployment to troops to at least 33 out of 36 States of the Federation for these reasons is quite a bogus operational spread to manage and supervise effectively but our indefatigable COAS has no problems playing his supervisory roles. He is always found everywhere troops under him are deployed for special assignments by paying operational visits to them all the time. From my calculation, he has never spent complete one month on seat without going to visit his troops in FOBs.

Like a nomad, the COAS is a very senior and respected Gen who sits nowhere, but is constantly in motion, hopping from one State to another to oversee the work of his troops at various stations, FOB, Military barracks and operational areas. The COAS dreads failure and avoids it like a plaque. This is evidenced because each time he kick-starts a capital project for the Nigerian Army, he ensures it is completed as scheduled. He hates excuses adduced after failure with a passion.

It is on this spirit that our great COAS gave the Nigerian Army the first specialized conventional Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB). The idea of NAUB started like a mustard seed but it grew as the COAS persistently watered it. Based on his efforts, within two years the university became a reality dotted with gigantic and aesthetical edifices. It will interest you to note that students are already observing their second academic session.

The COAS is a visionary and focused leader who is also aggressively pursuing the idea of an aviation unit for the Nigerian Army to make air combats easier for troops in the trenches in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations. An aviation wing for the Nigerian Army has been on the cards of previous leaders of the Nigerian Army but it has dragged for decades without positive results. The present COAS in his characteristic manner is pushing it with an extreme force and tonic.

Foresighted as ever, the COAS first established the Nigerian Army Aviation Corps with Army pilots and technical crew members being trained both at home and abroad. He has established hangers for the Aviation Corps and is in the process of producing helicopters just like he did with the production of the Ezugwu MRAP.

The COAS as a trailblazer at every turn is again set to make history as the COAS who brought to fruition the Army Aviation wing and with this, the admirers of the COAS often times tease him with epaulettes such as “the itinerant Army boss,” or “the mobile General.” And his actions reflect such affectionate wisecrack on his personage.

It is very hard to pin the COAS down to a spot and he is not transfixed in any location. You recall that if you have been following the COAS events, on Tuesday last week, he was in Asaba Delta State to commission the headquarters of 63 Brigade Complex and to also officially authorize the operationalization of the brigade in the State capital. Equally as a COAS who is ever ready for success within another 24hrs, he was in Maiduguri with the troops monitoring the clearance operations of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole. It is no longer secret that with his presence to boost troops morale, Nigerians including the Governor and people of Borno State bear testimony to Nigerian troops decisive crushing of insurgents at Damboa and the destruction of their 19 vehicles the insurgents took to attack own troops. The Governor could not hold his praise for the troops over the success as witnessed.

Meanwhile my findings reveal the COAS is due for Kaduna to inaugurate other new projects and the circle continues on and on. With this, I am bold to say my present COAS is undeniably the restless Gen who wants his troops to win the war on the insurgency. He is a Gen who is always ready to lead and to bury all threats of insecurity in Nigeria. He is also that Gen who hates to sit in one place and merely bark directives.

Gen TY Buratai to me is an amiable Gen by birth from the obscure little town of Biu and an achiever by dint of hard work. He is a Gen by training, a very professional Gen by calling and by action. That is the hidden portrait of Gen. TY Buratai the nightmare and tormentor-in-chief of terrorists. I regard him always as the action-filled and result-oriented Nigeria’s COAS and ombudsman of counter-terrorism operations. Having mentioned all the above, this is the more reasons why some saboteurs and their agents want him removed but I am personally happy that Mr President who brought him to come and fixed the NA and to fight the insurgency knows better.

98NA/46/2456 Ssgt Gift Ogar wrote from NARC Military Intelligence Regiment, Abuja

Much ado about nothing on Service Chiefs tenure

By Idoko Ainoko

To say that Nigeria remains the best place on earth is no longer news. Despite all the conspiracies against her as a nation, Nigeria has continued to defeat her adversaries without going to war. So, many things naturally work out positively for the country even without the citizens ever knowing. Quote me right or wrong; Nigeria is God’s own country on earth. I will therefore attempt to reveal the secret in this piece.

It is very easy to know the enemies of Nigeria. Though most times, they conceal their identities, but tacitly expose it through actions and words. Persistently, these enemies of Nigeria unleash vitriols on public servants who have demonstrated hard work and a favourable disposition to the new order as enunciated by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Therefore, these foes of Nigeria fabricate assorted tales, lies and falsehood to kick them out of office. They seek attention through the fake garments of patriotism and hide under fake public interest, but scheme behind the curtains to pull down Nigeria.

There is inconsequential, but distractive noise from infinitesimal quarters about tenure elongation of the incumbent Service Chiefs by President Buhari. For some Nigerians, it has become a favorite past time. Those pushing the senseless campaigns have irrationally refused to recognize that it is the sacred prerogative of Mr. President to either extend the tenure or sack his Service Chiefs.

This league of remonstrators easily forgets that nowhere in the whole world, a President is publicly stampeded into changing his Service Chiefs. Most times, Nigerians abuse the liberties offered by democracy. Because of a mindset fixated on evil, those objecting the Presidential decision fail to acknowledge their limitations and decode the lawful powers of Mr. President on matters of such magnitude.

With such freeness of the mind and careless meddlesomeness, even those who can hardly run effective families come out to dictate to the President on such exclusive matters. But this is what happens in a country where some people do not know their limitations. Let them be informed that the service duration of his Service Chiefs is outside their purview of interrogation in whatever guise.

The campaigners for the sack of our patriotic Service Chiefs are Nigeria’s greatest enemies and allies of external forces which have been plotting to destabilize and destroy the country. It defeats sound logic why some people should decide to mount such propaganda at such an auspicious time, when the country is facing very serious emergency security problems. It is diversionary and in bad taste.

Every patriotic Nigerian knows it is wrong and unacceptable to distract the unrelenting Service Chiefs with such partisan and meaningless noise. Nigerians of good conscience are aware that this is the time to allow the Service Chiefs the grace and peace of mind to concentrate on delivering Nigeria from the clutches of insurgents, terrorists, armed bandits, militancy and other assemblage of armed criminals.

However, the spoilers and destroyers of Nigeria are thinking differently. They are sounding as if President Buhari has done an unpardonable thing by extending the tenure of his Service Chiefs. Or Mr. President has committed an abomination by sticking to his hardworking and tested Service Chiefs. They posture as if this is the first time, that President Buhari has renewed the tenure of national appointees and therefore, it is “illegal” and should not stand.

It is unfortunate that some Nigerians have cultivated the habit of depriving themselves of truth. The seed of truth and honesty has deserted most hearts in Nigeria. And it is the compelling force for the very unreasonable and malicious excuses in protesting the continuous stewardship of the Service Chiefs.

These same people never protested when President Buhari extended the tenure of his other appointees before now. May be, those who benefitted from the presidential gesture appealed to their ethnic, religious, partisan, regional or sectional proclivities. Or, such renewed appointments pandered to the personal interests of the community of opposers against the Service Chiefs. This is precisely where the lacuna deepens and runs contrary to logic.

What did the campaigners against Service Chiefs say when President Buhari extended the service of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Dr. Godwin Emefiele? The President inherited the boss of the apex bank from his predecessor, but renewed his tenure when it expired last year. But the professional opposers and emergency activists lost their voice. They rather hailed Mr. President.

In 2018, the President also approved the extension of the tenure of seven retiring Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service for one calendar year. But nobody raised eyebrows. And according to Mr. President, it was to ensure stability in the Federal Civil Service and sustained effective delivery on the nine priority areas of the administration.

The President has reappointed many of his ministers, but no discordant voices were heard. The likes of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Chief Rotimi Amaechi; Barr. Babatunde Fashola ; Dr. Chris Ngige; Alhaji Adamu Adamu; Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Alhaji Sirika Hadi; Hajiya Zainab Ahmed and Barr. Abubakar Malami among hordes of others are beneficiaries. Why did the Senate fail to reject them at the point of screening?

No one kicked against it. And in all instances of service extension or reappointment, the President is motivated by the service records of excellence by the beneficiaries. It is Mr. President’s style of appreciating the dictum, “service begets service.” It implies that their performance has impressed Mr. President and aligns with the effective service delivery on the priority areas of the administration.

And the leading propagandists against the tenure extension of Service Chiefs have forgotten so soon that in 2018, President Buhari also extended the tenures of numerous other federal appointees. These included; Dr. Jafaru Alunua Momoh, the Chief Medical Director, National Hospital Abuja; Prof. Eli Jidere Bala, the Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria; Dr. Boboye Olayemi, Chief Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Commission; Dr. Nwadinigwe Cajetan Uwatoronye, Chief Medical Director, National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu state and Dr. Mohammed Jibrin, Director-General, National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).

There are many others who have benefited from this presidential favour under the Buhari Presidency. Many Presidential aides have also enjoyed service extension. And the common denominator or defining yardstick is that they have performed exceedingly impressive. But when a people embrace mendacity, everything is personalized, even when it runs against the spirit of public interest.

So, what’s the heck about the issue of Service Chiefs? What is good for the goose should certainly be good for the gender and justifiably too, particularly that the Service Chiefs have performed creditably. And many Nigerians are convinced and can attest to it; except those whose hearts are steeped in biases. Let’s not cry foul when there is none or raise any alarm where there is no cause for it. The Service Chiefs have done well and need to be supported and encouraged to go the proverbial extra-mile.

Ainoko is a public affairs analyst based in Kaduna.

Meeting TY Buratai, the workaholic Army General

By Elvis Attah

He is unassuming, unlike soldier. Nothing in his countenance betrays the brashness and ferocity of Army Generals. Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and leader of the counter-insurgency operations, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai belongs to what is called the “strong breed.”

Each time he appears on TV screens during interviews which he grants frequently to elucidate on Army operations on the nation-wide counter-insurgency operations, his infectious aura will invoke passions of love on him by anyone. He is soft-speaking, usually calm and calculative, blended with his gift oratory.

Nature has gifted Gen. Buratai so generously. He has excelled as a soldier and has the unbeatable reputation of a military master strategist and tactician. He is an exceptional soldier in the trenches much like in military diplomacy. A historian and philosopher by academic training, Gen. Buratai is a star boy of military history and deploys his intellectual arsenals to find solutions to the manifold contemporary security challenges.

A poet by hobby, Gen. Buratai’s verses are extraordinarily pungent and a gripping commentary on societal problems. Assimilating his poems, only reminds of the lord of romantic poetry, the English-born William Wordsworth. One is often tempted to think, Gen. Buratai would have better excelled as an academic don. But in all fields, he has come full measure.

In administration and leadership, he exudes uncommon excellence. Gen. Buratai has a knack for innovations and reforms. A workaholic to the core, Gen. Buratai marshals out his plans, set his priorities with time frames and pursues them relentlessly and tirelessly until his targets are met.

Therefore, he had little difficulty in transforming the disorganized and disoriented Army he inherited into a professional, responsible, responsive and disciplined force. Gen. Buratai gave the Nigerian Army a new face and portrait of excellence within months of his assumption of duty as the COAS.

As evidence of his innovative ingenuity, Gen. Buratai established two new Army Divisions within three years of his leadership. There is the 8th Army Division in Monguno, Borno state and the 6thArmy Division, Port Harcourt, Rivers state. As a leader interested in legacies, he has erected modern residential and office structures for in the new Army Divisions very fast. He knows how to pull the right strings to get what he wants for the Army.

Also, remarkably endearing, Gen. Buratai has established a dozen Army Brigades, Battalions’ and Forward Bases in different parts of the country, especially in places with recurring issues of insecurity. And he is still expanding in this direction as Delta state has just been given an Army brigade and Battalion. The idea is to facilitate quick response of soldiers to emergencies in order to smoothen operations against armed criminals for the protection of Nigerians.

At a glance today, one sees Nigerian soldiers actively involved overwhelmingly in counter-insurgency operations. Soldiers are quelling bile and violent insurrectional movements; extinguishing the fires of destructive militancy, quenching the madness of armed bandits and dousing the conflagrations between farmers and herders in different parts of the country.

The reality that soldiers are deployed to at least 33 out of 36 states of the federation for these reasons is quite a bogus operational spread to manage and supervise effectively. But the indefatigable Gen. Buratai has no problems playing his supervisory roles. He is found everywhere soldiers under him have been deployed for special assignments.

Like a nomad, Gen. Buratai is a soldier who sits nowhere, but constantly in motion, grasshopping from one state to another to oversee the work of soldiers at various stations and barracks. Gen. Buratai dreads failure and avoids it like a plaque. When he kick-starts a capital project for the Nigerian Army, he ensures it is completed as scheduled. He hates excuses adduced after failure with a passion.

It is this spirit that has given Nigeria, the first specialized conventional Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB). The idea of NAUB started like a mustard seed, but it grew, as Gen. Buratai persistently watered it. And within two years, the university became a reality, dotted with gigantic and aesthetical edifices. Students are already observing their second academic session.

A visionary and focused leader, Gen. Buratai is also aggressively pursuing the idea of an aviation unit for the Nigerian Army to make air combats easier for soldiers in the trenches in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations. An aviation wing for the Nigerian Army has been on the cards of previous leaders of the Nigerian Army; but it has dragged for decades without positive results. But Gen. Buratai in his characteristic manner is pushing it with an extreme force and tonic.

Foresighted as ever, the COAS first established the Nigerian Army Aviation School, where Army pilots and technical crew members are trained. The school has produced multiple sets of graduates. And he has sent some soldiers abroad for specialized training in aviation.

The Army Chief, a trailblazer at every turn is again set to make history as the COAS who brought to fruition the Army Aviation wing. So, the admirers of Gen. Buratai often times tease him with epaulets such as “the itinerant Army boss,” or “the mobile General.” And his actions reflect such affectionate wisecrack on his personage.

It is hard to pin Gen. Buratai down to a spot. He is not transfixed in any location. On Tuesday this week, Gen. Buratai was in Asaba commissioning the headquarters of the 63 Brigade Complex and the official operationalization of the brigade in the state capital. And within another 24hrs, he was in Maiduguri with the troops monitoring the clearance operations of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole. Nigerians can bear testimony to Nigerian troops decisive crushing of insurgents at Damboa and the destruction of their 19 vehicles.

And Gen. Buratai is due for Kaduna to inaugurate new projects and the circle continues. So, who is really Gen.TY Buratai? He is undeniably the restless soldier who wants his troops to win the war on insurgency. He is the Army boss who is out to bury all threats of insecurity in Nigeria. He is that General who hates to sit in one place and merely bark directives.

Gen. TY Buratai is an amiable soldier by birth from the obscure little of Biu and an achiever by dint of hard work. He is a soldier by training; a soldier by profession; a soldier by calling and a soldier by action. That is the hidden portrait of Gen. TY Buratai, the nightmare and tormentor-in-chief of terrorists; the action-filled and result-oriented Nigeria’s COAS and ombudsman of counter-terrorism operations.

Attah is a public affairs analyst and wrote this piece from Garki, Abuja.

Foreign NGOs and the War Against Insurgency

By Ibrahim Abubakar

For so long, the Nigerian military has consistently raised alarm over the untoward role foreign media and some non-governmental Organisations, NGOs play, in collaboration with their local partners in the war against insurgency in the Northeast. The military has repeatedly spoken against the uncomplimentary activities of these foreign organisations which tend to undermine the efforts of the Nigerian military in its attempt to permanently put paid to the menace of terror and sundry terrorist uprisings in the country which have almost held hostage three states: Adamawa, Borno and Yobe since 2009. Some of the methods they use include frivolous, unsubstantiated allegations of humanitarian violations by the military and supply of food and other relief materials to the Boko Haram Islamist sects. This is outright blackmail and blatant intimidation just to undermine the huge gains so far recorded by our indomitable troops.

Consequently, the military has recently shut down regional offices of two prominent NGOs: Action Against Hunger and Mercy Corps. In December last year, following alleged espionage activities against Nigeria, the Nigerian military temporarily banned UNICEF operations in the Northeast. Also, Amnesty International has consistently been at daggers drawn with the military over alleged human rights abuses. This has compelled some concerned Nigerians to stage peaceful protests calling for the exit of AI from our shores. Obviously, owing to some hidden agenda, these foreign media and NGOs are deliberately overlooking the fact that the war against insurgency and Islamic State of West Africa Province is not a conventional war with defined territories and boundaries in which most of the insurgents are identifiable but rather a guerilla warfare where the terrorist do not wear uniform. Some of the insurgents go as far as donning even fake Nigerian military uniform in order to create confusion.

It is on record that some of these foreign organisations pamper the insurgents and terrorists with food, drinks and even drugs whereas the military sees hunger or starvation as a weapon of war. That is the kernel of the disagreement. An argument in certain quarters that the activities of the NGOs in the region help to highlight not only the scale of impact of the insurgency but also the humanitarian shortcomings of the Nigerian government is not only warped and mischievous. It is also an addendum of falsehood and propaganda which serves to massage the nebulous ego of the insurgents and terrorists. It is therefore preposterous for the foreign NGOs to inadvertently proclaim the state of imminent famine at the internally displaced people’s camps in the Northeast despite the avalanche of food and relief materials that government has been pushing to the IDPs.

What with the jarring report by the foreign NGOs that the military are high-handed in the prosecution of the war and had killed over 7,000 innocent civilians in the region! No government worth its onions can tolerate such magnitude of lies against it by foreigners whose interests in the crisis are less than noble. That a United States of America-based NGO had predicted the breakup of Nigeria in 2015 underscores the partisan waywardness of these foreign media and their NGOs in cascading Boko Haram insurgency and pockets of terrorists activities going on in the country. There is therefore no lack of conspiracy theories in the rampaging violent profile in our dear country. It is patently sad that the international community is keeping mute over this matter. If it is because the Northeast is not the Niger Delta where the multinational oil companies have strategic interests that has induced this disturbing conspiracy of silence, then the international community should not be exonerated from blame in the mass hysteria afflicting Nigeria.

There is, indeed, a thriving underground economy symbolized by a huge scale of illegal arms business in the country today as though Nigeria is prosecuting a shooting with another country. And everybody knows that the illegal arms are daily smuggled into Nigeria from foreign countries by undesirable elements. This sorry state of affairs has been reinforced by the duplicity of these foreign media and their NGOs in our country. We are of the opinion that there are some powerful forces mounting strident extenuating propaganda to prolong the war in order for them to sell their weapons to the insurgents. This relentless, sophisticated and surprisingly effective propaganda campaign through foreign media and the NGOs is to persuade the world into believing that the Nigerian government does not have the capacity to effectively prosecute the war against insurgency and terrorism in the Northeast. They have perfected the manipulation of these proxy bodies essential to the propagation of that all too widely plotted fantasy.

More tragic is the partisan meddlesomeness of the Western media that will stop at nothing to circulate fake and unguarded stories on Africa while leaving out more horrible and ungodly materials in their respective countries unreported. Even though we may intellectually dismiss as an essentialized concept, we still must take it into account when looking at social settings and interactions, as race still very much is a crucial and material social construct in everyday existence. The assumption is that when people speak of race, they are talking about some way in which the world of humans has been divided. The most apparent of the markers by which these divisions have been made is physical appearance. But it is unthinkable that at the dusk of the second decade of the 21st century, racism has continued to colour Western media coverage.

All said, the Nigerian press should probe into this trajectory and counter all residues of racism and unwarranted Western media manipulation of the situation in the Northeast. All the foreign NGOs operating there and their local agents should understand the predicament of the military in fighting a non-conventional war. If this is the country we have all willingly come to accept as ours on the face of the earth, then we must develop a new faith in it so that we can all come together to make it work. The concept of faith in patriotism comes with belief in oneself, one country and one people. The expression of a deep national loyalty by all Nigerians to the entity called Nigeria irrespective of tribe and creed is what we need to overcome all our challenges as a country. The war in the Northeast must be brought to its logical conclusion and every stakeholder must respect the legal maxim that , ” he who must come to equity must do so with a clean hand.”

Abubakar is the Executive Secretary, Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC).

NIMASA: APC endorses Jamoh’s appointment to replace Dakuku

Following President Muhammadu Buhari approval of the appointment of Bashir Jamoh as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the appointment was based on competence and not nepotism as alluded in some quarters.

Reacting to the appointment on Friday during a chat with newsmen in Abuja, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, faulted the notion that the head of NIMASA must come from a particular section of the country.

The APC deputy spokesman, who expressed backing to the decision made by the President cautioned that people should not always have ethnic mind set whenever decision is taken by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“NIMASA is not the birthright of any state or geopolitical zone. In fact, a rundown of the heads of the maritime regulator shows that from inception when NIMASA was formerly the National Maritime Authority (NMA), heads of the organisation were appointed from different parts of the country. Dr. Bassey U. Ekong was the Director General in 1988. Alhaji Munir Jafar’ was replaced by Buba Galadima, who was NMA DG from 1996 to 1998. He was succeeded by John Egesi. Dr. George Mbanefo Eneh was appointed Director-General and was followed after a year by Architect Ferdinand Agu.

“Thereafter, Engineer Festus Ugwu was appointed and was followed by Mrs. Mfon Usoro. She was succeeded by Dr. Shamsideen Adegboyega Dosunmu. He was followed by Temisan Omatseye. In December 2010, Zaikede Patrick Akpobolokemi was appointed DG/CEO NIMASA. He was succeeded by Dr. Dakuku Adolphus Peterside. Recently, President Buhari approved the appointment of Bashir Jamoh as the Agency’s Director General.” Nabena disclosed.

The Bayelsa-born APC chieftain thanked President Buhari for appointing an experienced bureaucrat with a grounded knowledge of the maritime sector.

“We can all see the achievements of the president in the transport sector, Jamoh’s appointment further demonstrates government’s commitment to revamp the sector. Besides, Jamoh’s competence is not in doubt. With 32 years of professional experience in the transportation and maritime sector, he is currently the Executive Director for Administration and Finance at NIMASA. He is also the current president of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA).

“He is an experienced bureaucrat who holds a PhD specialising in logistics and transport management, master’s degree in management from Korea Maritime and Ocean University and author of the book, Harnessing Nigeria’s Maritime Assets: Past, Present and Future. We should support any Nigerian with such wealth of experience to further reposition NIMASA after the efforts of the outgoing DG, Dakuku Peterside” Nabena stated.