[size=14pt]How Gaddafi recruited Nigerians into Libyan Army •Ex-Libyan president’s spokesman arrested[/size]


Written by Taiwo Adisa, Abuja, with Agency Report
Friday, 30 September 2011


IT emerged, on Wednesday, that ousted Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, recruited several young Nigerians into his armed forces in his heyday.

Security sources told the Nigerian Tribune that the former Libyan leader targeted young university graduates, who were about going for the youth service.

A security expert told the Nigerian Tribune that the deposed Libyan leader had a network through which he identified young Nigerians who could be recruited into the Libyan army and other forces.

Another source said that the former Libyan leader usually offered those recruits scholarships and opportunity to pursue lifetime career in the Libyan Armed Forces.

It was learnt that the Libyan leader deliberately did not restrict the recruitment drive to a section of the country and that while many from the North and South-East took up offers in the military, those from the South-West and South-South usually did not take up the offer.

It was also gathered that the development lasted many years and that many of those recruited were encouraged to leave the youth service for a more promising career in the Libyan Armed Forces.

A source said that one young man from the South-East approached by Gaddafi’s agents once asked for advice after receiving a letter of offer to serve in the Libyan army.

"You have to note that the anger of the militants, who are fighting Gaddafi, against Nigerians initially was largely fuelled by the realisation that many Nigerians were actually recruited by Gaddafi and were part of the last vestiges of resistance for Libya’s long-standing leader," a source told the Nigerian Tribune.

The source further said that the Libyan leader was told that Nigerian youths generally faced difficulties of unemployment after graduation. He was said to usually target graduating students, who fulfilled the requirements for military recruitment.

"He (Gaddafi) saw the advantage of getting Nigerians into his armed forces since he knew that many of them were aware they would be roaming the streets of Nigeria after graduation. Through the process he got many recruits,” the source said, adding that many northern youths, who also travelled to Libya for studies, ended up in the military.

Meanwhile, Moussa Ibrahim, Gadaffi’s spokes-man has been arrested, a local Libyan television reported on Thursday.

According to Freedom TV based in Misrata in northwestern Libya, Ibrahim was arrested by fighters of the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) on Wednesday night near Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/28994-how-gaddafi-recruited-nigerians-into-libyan-army-ex-libyan-presidents-spokesman-arrested

aloy/emeka:

[size=14pt]How Gaddafi recruited Nigerians into Libyan Army •Ex-Libyan president’s spokesman arrested[/size]


Written by Taiwo Adisa, Abuja, with Agency Report

It was learnt that the Libyan leader deliberately did not restrict the recruitment drive to a section of the country and that while many from the North and South-East took up offers in the military, those from the South-West and South-South usually did not take up the offer.

Yoruba author saying students from the South-East went to Libya to fight for Gaddafi, while the people from the South-West or South-South did not take up the offer. 

Is anyone surprised that author would say that?

Adding to the narrative that an Igbo man would do anything for money.

^^^
Oh shut up!!!

Fake story. Yoruba lies as usual.

what a fVcking joke. These people keep deceiving themselves.Shameless lies for a man his age. And I come from the same country with this one

the deposed Libyan leader had a network through which he identified young Nigerians who could be recruited into the Libyan army and other forces.

is this so hard to believe?

libya was the center of the human trafficking network [along with some other north african countries], so how exactly did so many nigerians end up there if not for a very sophisticated underground information system.

who were the visible faces of this human trafficking ring? Most were linked to particular tribes in nigeria.

also, the nationalist separatist movements in nigeria all had zones based in libya. So, while the author might be trying to downplay certain tribes' presence in libya, lets try to fish out the facts in the article.

Propaganda shi.t again. Everyone please ignore this

Utterly rubbish journalism! Very ethnocentric journalist!

This is worse than mas.tur.bat.ion.

tpia@:

is this so hard to believe?

libya was the center of the human trafficking network [along with some other north african countries], so how exactly did so many nigerians end up there if not for a very sophisticated underground information system.

who were the visible faces of this human trafficking ring? Most were linked to particular tribes in nigeria.

also, the nationalist separatist movements in nigeria all had zones based in libya. So, while the author might be trying to downplay certain tribes' presence in libya, lets try to fish out the facts in the article.

Spoken like a true tribalist fishing for facts. Tunisia is the center of human trafficking in Africa and not Libya besides, which is the particular Nigerian tribe linked to this trafficking again?. Clearly, the author was trying to tie Boko Haram with the South East as soon as he finish selling this story that they are mercenaries. He can further prove that they have been hired by the Boko haram too for a fee.

This story is completely incredulous

I CAN SMELL SOMETHING, I THINK THEY WANT TO BRING ALIENS FROM LIBYA AND CLAIM THEY ARE NIGERIANS
THAT WERE LIVING THERE AND WORKING IN THE LIBYAN ARMY

lets assume for a minute that this story is true - what is the big deal about it?

doesnt the US and britain recruit mercenaries to fight wars for it when it doesnt have enough troops, some of the worlds biggest private mercenary contractors are british and american - these are multimillion dollar company's that recruit private contractors to fight for their respective govts - blackwater is a private american mercenary company that is currently fighting in libya - the mercenaries in this compa\ny have been responsible for comitting terrible atrocities everywhere they are sent to fight, so please tell me why gadaffi should not also recruit mercenaries from his own continent to fight if he hasnt got enough soldiers to help him repel a foreign invasion?

by the way the nigerian army is recruited regularly by the US and britain for so called peacekeeping in countries around africa where europeans do not want to send their own white troops - does that not also equate to the use of mercenaries after all the nigerian soldiers are being paid to fight foreigners in another country over issues that have nothign to do with them or their own country under the guise of "peacekeeping" .

dat story definitely has more to it. wu is d security wateva talking wv the tribune.

Funny though that many here can see d tribal tone in it. But, if d northerners alone were to be at d receivn end, its all well and good. they bcome d Islamists nd d boko haramists.

This story is sh.it, had it been the story said that the ones recruited were almajiris, it would have been better but university graduates to fight in a libyan army, No oooo

Its a fairly true story the exercise was around late 80's to mid90's but not neccesary graduates they were mainly technicians ie electrials mechanicals,builders etc. Kaduna was the hub.There were agents in some towns to do the co-ordinatimgs authoritatively I say the applicants were mainly SE and SS and were based mainly in southern part of Libya, they began to have problems when sponsored girls to europe began to be deported and many began to go to Libya. By the way when Late  Sadam Hussain of Iraq needed people the agents were in Nigeria too after the first war. In both cases the process was free and easy infact in the case of Iraq some money was paid even here B4 flight to settle family. In both instances those of us who have our ears on the ground got `something good also. Am surprised this is news as a matter of fact they are both open secrets no big deal but good job and pay. This is are hard facts!

until the southern people(south east/south south) begin to realise that though we in the north (north central)fouth in the opposite side during the civil war, that we left the war behind us a long time ago but the yorubas are still fighting in disguise in many ways against the old southeastners,eighter by delibrately stiring up hatred/mistrust between ibos and their good neighbours like ibiobios/efiks, ijaws/ ogonis and others or they turn around and stir up fights between ibos and north (middle belt) so that they (yorubas)will feel safe and accepted.it is such a shameful thing that some people think the only way to stay safe in life is through a constant blackmailing and back biting others, what a shame.just check most of their post and comments on here it is always or 98% are always against the ibos and president goodluck jonathan,and why is that? cos mr. president refused to treat the ibos with less respect than others,what is or has been their aims? just to stir up trust issues and fight between neighbours or reduce support for goodluck jonathan amongs the people of southeast and the middle belt but i'm confident these people southeast/middle belt understand and can figure out a green snake in a green grass(yorubas )i only wish that people will realise that the only people who feel better off when any group in this country are in pain are the yurobas as they cant stand anyone else to breath a fresh air,was is by accident that obasanjo opened his mouth and made the backstabing comment he made in sierra leon,was his aim not to turn all the african leaders against goodluck jonathan?and why was he in a hurry to go and have feast with boko haram recently?have a look at what the Yoruba controling medias are feeding us and the whole world about nigeria and some ethnic group in nigeria  just piece of crap to cover their evil intention and present others to be blamed for everything.nice try,green snake in a green grass.

Ibos and hausa/fulanis are the problems of this countries.Bloody terrorists !

I read this and didn't see any tribal undertones to it. One of my belives is home is where you made it. If I'm fro Lagos with no future and there is hope for me in Anegbete , thats my home though I'm still from LAgos. There is no big deal in anybody working in another coutry military.  I heard cases of Nigerian Officeers who resigned are in british army as  soldiers . All because of better conditions of service. I posted  my cv into yahoo mail after my university education some years back got invitation to Join a super power airforce and three middle powers to join their military , the only condition that prevented me from joining that of the super power was proof of staying in that country for a period of time and this invitation is no secret . We should look into the deeper and more serious implications of these revelation if it's true and not the myopic ethnic thing. Lets not get unnecessarily hysterical  ethnically when none is even intended .WHat are the  security issues if they are to be reintegrated and how easy it was for such to happen right under our very nose.

yet another bastard yoorooba ga-y author

hbrednic:

yet another bastard yoorooba man-lover author

Shut the fu-ck up. .Was it not just last week here that Ekene dil chuku went to libya to bring back your brothers from libya ?

One thing about the yorubas is that they see themselves as wise men. Unfortunately, I cannot think of a group with large number of clowns!
Another biased article from one of them.

the author is insane and I think he was on crack while writing this senseless article.

Bunch of lies!! I can't believe a serious newpaper will publish such rubbish, more when there are Nigerians in Libya suffering. Mumu journalist and newspaper!!

NO BODY SHOULD BE SO NAIVE NOT QUESTION THIS ACTICLE BY SUCH A LAUSY JOURNALIST WHOSE INTENTIONS AND MISSION ARE OBVIOURSELY CLEAR HERE.FIRST HE STATED THAT NORTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN GRADUATES WERE THE ONES WHO WENT FOR THE JOB AND HIS YORUBA PEOPLE REFUSED THE JOB,AND HERE YOU KABBA SHIFTED AND SAID THEY ARE FROM SOUTH SOUTH/ SOUTHEAST,SOON OR LATER SOMEONE WILL CLAIM JEGS GOVT KNEW AND SUPPORTED THE RECRUITMENT SECERETLY,I WONT EVEN BE SURPRISED IF SOME IDIOTS COME UP TO CLAIM THEY ARE FIRST HAND WITNESSES TO THAT AND MAKE SOME UNFOUDED EVIDENCE WHICH IS WHAT THESE TYPE OF STUPIDE AND LAUSY JOURNALIST ARE GOOD AT FAKING.TO SAY SOME NIGERIANS WERE RUCRUITED AS MERCINARIES IS ONETHING BUT TO SAY GRADUATES FROM SOUTHEAST AND NORTH WERE RECRUITED SHOWS HOW LAUSY A JOURNALIST/EDITOR THEY ARE RUUBBIISH.AND NOW FOR YOU KABBA TO TURN AROUND HIS DIFFENCE AND REMOVE THE NORTH OUT OF IT AND PUT THE SOUTH SOUTH AFTER THE DAMEGE IS DONE IS CLAVER BUT AGAIN SHOWS WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE.  

kabba7:

Its a fairly true story the exercise was around late 80's to mid90's but not neccesary graduates they were mainly technicians ie electrials mechanicals,builders etc. Kaduna was the hub.There were agents in some towns to do the co-ordinatimgs authoritatively I say the applicants were mainly SE and SS and were based mainly in southern part of Libya, they began to have problems when sponsored girls to europe began to be deported and many began to go to Libya. By the way when Late  Sadam Hussain of Iraq needed people the agents were in Nigeria too after the first war. In both cases the process was free and easy infact in the case of Iraq some money was paid even here B4 flight to settle family. In both instances those of us who have our ears on the ground got `something good also. Am surprised this is news as a matter of fact they are both open secrets no big deal but good job and pay. This is are hard facts!

It was learnt that the Libyan leader deliberately did not restrict the recruitment drive to a section of the country and that while many from the North and South-East took up offers in the military, those from the South-West and South-South usually did not take up the offer.

Please can any one tell me what u call this kind of journalism?
BTw,who runs the paper?

So those nigerians caught by the rebels shown to the world by cnn are not Nigerians abi ?

adamaw2tuf:

until the southern people(south east/south south) begin to realise that though we in the north (north central)fouth in the opposite side during the civil war, that we left the war behind us a long time ago but the yorubas are still fighting in disguise in many ways against the old southeastners,eighter by delibrately stiring up hatred/mistrust between ibos and their good neighbours like ibiobios/efiks, ijaws/ ogonis and others or they turn around and stir up fights between ibos and north (middle belt) so that they (yorubas)will feel safe and accepted.it is such a shameful thing that some people think the only way to stay safe in life is through a constant blackmailing and back biting others, what a shame.just check most of their post and comments on here it is always or 98% are always against the ibos and president goodluck jonathan,and why is that? cos mr. president refused to treat the ibos with less respect than others,what is or has been their aims? just to stir up trust issues and fight between neighbours or reduce support for goodluck jonathan amongs the people of southeast and the middle belt but i'm confident these people southeast/middle belt understand and can figure out a green snake in a green grass(yorubas )i only wish that people will realise that the only people who feel better off when any group in this country are in pain are the yurobas as they cant stand anyone else to breath a fresh air,was is by accident that obasanjo opened his mouth and made the backstabing comment he made in sierra leon,was his aim not to turn all the african leaders against goodluck jonathan?and why was he in a hurry to go and have feast with boko haram recently?have a look at what the Yoruba controling medias are feeding us and the whole world about nigeria and some ethnic group in nigeria  just piece of crap to cover their evil intention and present others to be blamed for everything.nice try,green snake in a green grass.      

Garbage, garbage and gabbage its a waste of money and resources to send people like you to school! that's if you ever attend one. The problem of Nigeria is not Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa etc its the political elite who are so corrupt, lack patrotism and self centred.  

adamaw2tuf:

until the southern people(south east/south south) begin to realise that though we in the north (north central)fouth in the opposite side during the civil war, that we left the war behind us a long time ago but the yorubas are still fighting in disguise in many ways against the old southeastners,eighter by delibrately stiring up hatred/mistrust between ibos and their good neighbours like ibiobios/efiks, ijaws/ ogonis and others or they turn around and stir up fights between ibos and north (middle belt) so that they (yorubas)will feel safe and accepted.it is such a shameful thing that some people think the only way to stay safe in life is through a constant blackmailing and back biting others, what a shame.just check most of their post and comments on here it is always or 98% are always against the ibos and president goodluck jonathan,and why is that? cos mr. president refused to treat the ibos with less respect than others,what is or has been their aims? just to stir up trust issues and fight between neighbours or reduce support for goodluck jonathan amongs the people of southeast and the middle belt but i'm confident these people southeast/middle belt understand and can figure out a green snake in a green grass(yorubas )i only wish that people will realise that the only people who feel better off when any group in this country are in pain are the yurobas as they cant stand anyone else to breath a fresh air,was is by accident that obasanjo opened his mouth and made the backstabing comment he made in sierra leon,was his aim not to turn all the african leaders against goodluck jonathan?and why was he in a hurry to go and have feast with boko haram recently?have a look at what the Yoruba controling medias are feeding us and the whole world about nigeria and some ethnic group in nigeria  just piece of crap to cover their evil intention and present others to be blamed for everything.nice try,green snake in a green grass.      

+1000

Word!

Old Esatern region know themselves despite whatever new geo-political region emerged after the war. They know our streght together that's why they are striving so hard to keep us in disagreement. They suceeded at the beginning with this kind of junk news, which lead to even some igbos denying their race. But my brothers that era is gone cos we've learnt our lesson. You the yorubas see us all from the SE & SE as thesame people, the only difference is the oil wealth. And if u think we are not together then u'll be suprised once the contraption called nigeria collapse. Check in all the nigerian cities & u'll see that we are more at home among the igbo's than we can ever be with the yorubas. We might disagree at some point, even brothers quarrel but at the end of the day they settle at home. So please you guys should stop all these rubbish media propaganda for it's not going to work this time around.

I mean to say the Yorubas see all of us from the SS & SE as thesame, the only difference is crude oil. An average Yoruba man can't even differentiate btw an ijaw man & an Igbo man, not to talk of an Akwa Ibom man. We know our stronghold and why a SS name it to the presidency Today!

~Bluetooth:

So those nigerians caught by the rebels shown to the world by cnn are not Nigerians abi ?

They are ur village ppl.