President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the administration’s readiness to decisively deal with hoodlums and hooligans hiding behind peaceful protests to disrupt public peace.

The President warned against disturbing public peace on Monday while virtually declaring the Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2020 open from the State House in Abuja.

The President assured that his administration is still committed to ensuring that rights of Nigerians to peacefully protest are protected, he, however, added that such rights must be responsibly explored and must be in accordance with the laws of the land.

The President recounted that the #ENDSARS protests were sadly hijacked by hooligans to cause wanton damage to lives and property in many cities across the country.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, President Buhari commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their efforts at swiftly restoring law and order in various states during the large-scale criminality that ensued in the wake of the #ENDSARS protests.

The President described the Year 2020 as a very challenging one, citing the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its negative impact on almost every aspect of national life.

”Despite this, I am pleased to note that the Army remained resolute in the discharge of its Constitutional roles and in keeping the wealth and welfare of our soldiers a priority.

”The Army’s support of Civil Authorities in the management of the COVID – 19 Pandemic is a case in point.

”Also, the peaceful elections conducted in Edo and Ondo States would not have been achieved without the high level of professionalism displayed by all security agencies, including the Army,” he said at the conference themed “Human Capacity Development in Sustaining Professionalism and Responsiveness of the Nigerian Army in the Discharge of its Constitutional Roles.”

The President commended the Army for its unwavering commitment towards curtailing the activities of insurgents, armed bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers and other violent criminals through ongoing exercises and operations in different parts of the country.

Notably, he said the Exercise SAHEL SANITY launched a few months ago in the North West states to rid the Katsina-Zamfara corridor of marauding bandits had recorded commendable progress.

President Buhari said he had been briefed that some of the major capabilities procured for the Army will soon be inducted into the various theatres of operations, urging personnel ‘‘to make judicious use of these capabilities, even as we await the arrival of others currently pending shipment to the country.

”I have also been briefed about the tremendous successes that have been achieved by troops during the ongoing Operation FIREBALL in the North East.

”I charge you all to sustain these efforts until the full restoration of peace and security in the nation is achieved,” the President told members of the armed forces at the conference which provides an avenue for the leadership of the Army to re-assess its preparedness and operational readiness in carrying out its Constitutional roles.

President Buhari also used the occasion to pay tribute to men and women in uniform who have paid the supreme sacrifice in the defence and security of the nation, commiserating with their families, comrades and friends.

”As we pray for the repose of their souls, we must strengthen our collective resolve to address those issues that will make every part of our country a safe and secure place to live and carry out our normal business,” he said.

He pledged that his administration will not relent in its efforts to take adequate care of families of fallen heroes who had paid the supreme sacrifice in the fight against insurgency and other forms of crimes across the country.

At the conference, the President launched the Housing scheme for Next of Kin of personnel of the Nigerian Army killed in action.


”It is in line with this that the Army as part of its welfare initiative and in line with the Federal Government’s housing programme is undertaking the Housing Scheme for families and next of kin of troops that were killed in action in the fight against insurgency and other criminalities in the country.

”I believe this initiative will act as a huge morale booster to the troops on the frontlines as well as project the Army in a good light.

”On our part, I assure you that this administration will continue to do all within available resources to provide for your operational and welfare needs,” he said.

On the choice of the theme of the annual conference, President Buhari noted that it is only through human capacity development that any institution can attain the level of professionalism needed to effectively and efficiently carry out its Constitutional roles.

The President, therefore, congratulated the Army on holding this Conference at the magnificent edifice housing the Army’s Cyber Warfare Command with its state-of-the-art Cyberwarfare Operations Centre, adding that this shows that the Army is alive to the changing nature of warfare which is gradually moving into the cyber domain.

”By the same token, I commend the visionary leadership that has worked assiduously to emplace this vital capability that will fill an existing gap in our nation’s security and defence architecture.

”This and other numerous infrastructural projects that have been embarked upon in recent times by the leadership of the Army has shown good utilization of scarce national resources,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi appreciated the President for always approving funds for operations of the military in the country, assuring that all resources will be judiciously utilised.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, noted that the Nigeria Army was well poised to confront all security challenges, which includes cyber threats.

Source: https://insidenaija.com.ng/endsars-well-decisively-deal-with-hoodlums-hijacking-peaceful-protests-buhari/

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The 36-state representatives of N-Power volunteers plus the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday restated its requests to the Nigerian government, Ideasgist reports.
In a statement signed by the National Media Team of the 36 States and FCT N-Power Representatives’ Forum, the council picked Tuesday December 8 as protest date.
This newspaper understands that the nationwide protest is due to the exit of Batch A and B N-Power beneficiaries by the Federal Government without a proper and honest plan in place for the Nigerian youths.
Read the N-Power Representatives’ Forum full message below:
5 DAYS COUNTDOWN TO N-POWER PEACEFUL PROTEST ACROSS THE 36 STATES AND FCT
On the 1st of December, 2020, the 36 States and FCT N-Power Representatives Forum have declared a National Peaceful Protest across all the 36 States and FCT through a Facebook Live Chat.
BELOW IS OUR REQUEST:
1. The 36 States and FCT N-Power Representatives request that they should be brought and shown the template of the purported Transition.
2.The Transition (whether absorption into Government agencies or meaningful grants of 600,000 or above for entrepreneurship) must be ready.
3. Payments of over 14, 000 Unpaid Volunteers from the Month of March to July, 2020 must begin immediately as all documents needed for this has been supplied by the volunteers 2 months ago.
4. Payments of Backlogs to Volunteers being owed different months must be paid immediately.
5. All Batch B devices and some batch A devices must be delivered immediately as this forms part of the agreement of engagement.
Nothing short of the above request will be accepted.
PROTEST DATE: Tuesday,8th December, 2020.
TIME: 10AM Prompt.
VENUE: Governor’s Office of the 36 States and Federal Capital Territory Administration for FCT.
Aluta Continua…Victoria Ascerta