Defence Minister Re-opens Old Wounds, Chides
Mimimah over Buhari's Certificate
Minister of Defence, Brigadier General (rtd)
Monsur Dan-Ali
*Says December deadline to end Boko Haram
on course
By Senator Iroegbu and Adebiyi Adedapo in
Abuja; Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
The new Minister of Defence, Brigadier General
(rtd) Monsur Dan-Ali on Friday stirred up a
hornet's nest by remarking that the immediate
past Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt-Gen.
Kenneth Minimah (rtd) and the Nigerian Army
under him did not show respect for President
Muhammadu Buhari during his WAEC certificate
controversy before the 2015 general election.
Dan-Ali, who assumed duties at the Ministry of
Defence (MoD), Abuja, began his tenure on a
note many regarded as controversial by opening
old wounds concerning the Buhari certificate
crisis without backing it up with facts.
The new Minister of Defence told the officers at
the MoD: “Where is your integrity when your own
Chief of Army Staff (Minimah) stood up and
said his Commander-in-Chief of the Armed
Forces (sic) has no WAEC. How? Please let us be
sincere with ourselves. Because you should have
stood up and said ‘no’; because you were there,
you could not. If you leave the job, is it the
end of your life? If you leave the job there are
other ways; better ways God can bless your
life."
During the heat of the certificate crisis
preceding the 2015 elections, Buhari claimed
that his original WAEC certificate was with the
military authorities. But the military denied it.
Dan-Ali also said President Buhari was a man
of integrity who had clearly and openly shown
that he was ready to fight insurgency in
Nigeria.
To this end, Dan-Ali urged the officers and
men of the armed forces to imbibe the spirit of
integrity, honesty and transparency in their
work, which he noted, is the hallmark of
excellent leadership.
"Gentlemen, the military is all about
leadership. The President is a military man and
he had shown leadership. Whether you like it or
not, the President is a military man and he has
shown leadership. We, the followers must show
leadership. And what is leadership if I may
ask? Leadership is all about integrity, honesty
and transparency.
"There cannot be a good leader without these
three things. You cannot be a good leader if
you do not have integrity. You cannot be a good
leader if you don’t have honesty, so also,
transparency. Forget about corruption.
Corruption can never come near you if you have
these qualities. So gentlemen, we should imbibe
these three qualities," he said.
Speaking further, Dan-Ali promised to improve
military welfare, and as well as resolve the
nagging troops rotation problem, especially
those involved in counter-terrorism and
counter-insurgency operations against the Boko
Haram in the North-east.
He frowned at the situation where some officers
and men had been deployed to the conflict
zones for years without being replaced and
directed that no personnel should be allowed to
stay in a conflict zone for more than one year.
"On troops rotation; gentlemen, let's not take it
as a joke. If the Chief of Army Staff is
deployed in the front without seeing his family,
how would he feel? So also the soldiers you are
sending there? Please for God sake, let's make
it maximum, one year. I will ensure that it is
my cardinal principle that no soldier… unless,
it is not possible, exceeds the maximum of one
year," he said.
In a related development, the minister called
for accountability in procurement of arms and
as well as cooperation amongst different
military services and other security agencies.
Dan-Ali also stated that the changes in
strategy introduced by the Buhari
administration had ensured that the terrorists
are defeated well ahead of the December
deadline.
"The APC has promised even before the coming
of the Buhari administration that they would
fight insurgency. The terrorists are on their way
out. Even before the December deadline, they
would be routed. I am not in doubt that
Nigerian soldiers are the best and among the
best in the one," he said.
Earlier, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen.
Abayomi Olonisakin, who spoke on behalf of
other Service Chiefs, described the appointment
of the new Minister of Defence an inspiring
"home-coming"
Military repels Boko Haram in Gwoza…
It also emerged yesterday that Boko Haram
terrorists attacked Gwoza town, in southern
Borno State but were repelled by the troops of
Nigerian Army.
Addressing a press conference in Maiduguri,
the Media Coordinator of Operation Lafiya
Dole, Colonel Tukur Gusau said the terrorist
group despite their obvious losses made "a
desperate but costly attempt to attack Nigerian
Army in Gwoza.”
Gusau said: "The encounter which started at
about 5.00am lasted for almost two hours.
Although details are still being collated, suffice
to state that seven terrorists were gunned down
and the following weapons recovered; 1 Toyota
Hilux vehicle, 11 AK-47 rifles, 1 Shilka Gun, 1
Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, 6 Hand
Grenades. Others include several rounds of
Shilka Gun and Machine Gun ammunitions.
"Troops are at present on hot pursuit of the
attackers who fled into Sambisa forest with a
view to eliminating all of them while the
Nigerian Air Force is bombarding their
locations."
He said the Boko Haram terrorists’ ability as a
coherent fighting force had been degraded
over time by troops through relentless attacks,
patrols and aerial bombardments.
Gusau said: "The desperate attack today
(Friday) was a failed attempt to project an
image of strength. It is part of the last
struggles of a dying evil."
The spokesman also revealed that troops of 7
Division Garrison and 112 Task Force Battalion
on Thursday while on fighting patrol recovered
weapons in Busheshe village in Mafa axis of
Borno State.
He revealed that the weapons recovered include
two Hillux vans, two anti- aircraft guns, three
81-millimeter bombs, 101 60-millimeter bombs
and twenty ammunition boxes.
Also recovered were 20 rocket professed guns,
large quantity of 7.62 millimeter special
ammunition and cache of different calibre of
ammunitions.
He lamented that during the operations, one
soldier was wounded but in a stable condition
and currently in the hospital receiving medical
care.
Dambazau promises to act with speed…
Also yesterday, the newly appointed Minister of
Interior, Lieutenant General Abdulraman
Dambazau (rtd) promised to swing into
immediate action to ensure relative internal
security in the shortest possible time.
The minister also said that Nigeria must do
away with the state-centric security approach
and adopt a people oriented human security
approach.
Dambazau stated these Thursday evening in
Abuja, at his inaugural meeting with directors
in the ministry and Service Chiefs of para-
military organisations under the ministry.
Buhari to launch 2016 AFRDC Day Emblem
Monday…
In a related development, President Buhari will
on Monday, launch the Emblem and Appeal
Fund for the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance
Day Celebration (AFRDC), to afford Nigerians
the opportunity to identify and celebrate our
veterans and their families.
Dan-Ali stated this during the 2016 AFRDC press
briefing in Abuja.
He said that the AFRDC 2016 with the theme:
"Motivating the Nigerian Armed Forces for
Effective Service Delivery", was carefully chosen
to appreciate the landmark achievements made
by the troops in the North-east.
www.thisdaylive.com/articles/defence-minister-re-opens-old-wounds-chides-mimimah-over-buharis-certificate/225597/

Ike agwula Ike meaning "yansh don tire" our politicians don tire

Tooooo long

Its obvious that its a different yard stick used to measure a leader once he is a minority

Dat mimiah will pay for his crimes...

There is no single saintly institution in Nigeria. All of them are corrupt. We know it was pdp's folly though some wailers still chose to stick with the lies than the truth. I support minimah be questioned over his role. The integrity of the army must be protected

This guy wants to lose his Job

Hope they'll find PMB certificate soon?