₦airaland Forum

Service Chiefs: Lawan, Gbajabiamila diverting Nigerians’ attention after collecting N37bn to renovate NASS complex


The National Democratic Front (NDF) has described the call for the sack or resignation of the nation’s Security Chiefs as an attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians from the controversy trailing the approval of N37bn for the renovation of National Assembly complex.

Recall that the Nigerian lawmakers had in December set aside a whooping N37bn to renovate the National Assembly in the N2.5trn budgeted for capital projects by the Federal Capital Development Authority in the 2020 budget, thus triggering uproar in the country.

NDF said the Thursday’s motion moved by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon, Mohammed Tahir Mongunu and 14 others, on the need to sack the Service Chiefs was not borne out of patriotism.

Addressing newsmen on Thursday, in Abuja, Dr. Abdulkadir Bolaji, National Secretary of NDF said the National Assembly under the leadership of Senate President, Sen. Ahmed Lawan and House of Reps Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, have diverted attention from NASS’s scandalous controversies and atrocities at the expense of their image and interest of Nigerians.

He said legislators who expended a whooping sum of N5.5 billion to purchase luxury cars in a poverty-stricken country facing hard times have not portrayed them as lawmakers concerned with national interest do not have the moral standard to call for the sack of hard-working Service Chiefs.

Full text of his speech below.

From time to time, we are pained by the deliberate actions or multiple commissions from our national legislators, especially the House of Representatives in the 9th National Assembly (NASS). We are vexed by their continuous wobbling in the performance of their official assignments. Naturally, we can overlook their motley of scandals, but certainly not undue interference that tends to tamper with the sanctity of the security fabrics of our country.

At plenary on Wednesday January 29, 2020, the Reps members in a resolution after debating a motion sponsored by Hon. Mohammed Monguno, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the leaders of Security agencies in Nigeria, if they fail to resign voluntarily. The Reps members attempted to justify the reason for this unthinkable and impetuous decision to the renewed spate of attacks and killings in Nigeria country.

The tenor of the resolution draped with unpardonable, abominable and suspected secret alliance/connivance with the foreign evil forces against Nigeria. There are some Nigerians who have belabored themselves to discredit Nigeria's Security leaderships presently battling terrorism, insurrections and insurgencies in the country.

Overtime, precisely in the last few months, Nigerians have heard and assessed the campaigns for the sack of Security Chiefs. And it emanates from individuals and organizations inclined to partisanship and intolerant of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

And they echo same rehearsed reasons in attempts to disparage Nigeria's Security leaderships, by projecting biased, irrational and self-serving reasons. Therefore, one hears the same conspiratorial voices of anti- Nigeria choristers from opposition parties like the PDP or its apostates, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Senate, the House of Reps, elder statement like Gen. Ty Danjuma (rtd) or some faceless human rights organizations such as this latest one by the identity of Human Rights organization and Social Justice (HRSJ).

They are not necessarily concerned with the voice of genuine reasoning. So, the obviously contracted HRSJ, was quick to lend its support to the position of NASS which passed a vote of no-confidence on the Military, Police and other security agencies in the country and bargained for their sack too.

It is astonishing that some Rep members have wittingly subscribed to this hogwash using a protectively deceptive official cover to push this demonic agenda. The recent baseless alarm calling for the sack of Security Chiefs is amazing to say the least.

It dawned on Nigerians clearly that the House of Reps is scheming with underground forces to return back to the dark and inglorious era when external forces reportedly bribed members of NASS to arm-twist Mr. President. This was usually done through ceaseless vitriols on his appointees to compel him into making decisions incongruent with the interest of the country. These legislators have sinister motives against Nigeria.

But both Senate President, Sen. Ahmed Lawan and House of Reps Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila have diverted attention from NASS’s scandalous controversies and atrocities at the expense of their image and interest of Nigerians. The allocation of a huge separate N37 billion for mere renovation NASS complex in 2020 budget, outside the N128 billion allocated for NASS in same fiscal year.

Expending a whooping of N5.5 billion to purchase luxury cars for lawmakers in a poverty-stricken country facing hard times have not portrayed them as lawmakers concerned with national interest. Same for racketeering [TNNP1] of federal jobs at the FIRS, budget padding and recklessness amounting to over N260 billion. Ironically though, both chambers who passed the 2020 budget failed to notice that budgets estimate of some Ministries, Agencies and Departments were excluded in the budget.

The wholesome passage of the 2020 Appropriation Act without proper inquest and shutting down of media coverage for budget defence are some of their many ills and frustration of progress of Nigeria. The House of Reps at this point should concentrate on laundering its battered image, than the preoccupation with calls for sack of Security leaderships which is indubitably outside its purview of responsibilities.

While steeped in this official profligacy designed to benefit their personal pockets, House of Reps ignored pleas from the Army leadership to increase the meagre budgetary allocation to the Nigerian Army. During the Military’s defence of its 2020 budget proposal of the military before the House of Representatives Committee on Army , the Reps members were urged them to exempt the army from the existing budget ceiling or envelope allocation system.

But they ignored it despite the cogent reasons. But is the same House of Reps which never gave a thought to it has pleasured to vilify and crucify for failing insecurity in parts of the country by calling for the sack of security chief. This is warped wisdom, official deceit and self-denial.

Therefore, we state without mincing words that the Reps call for sack or resignation of Security leadership in the country is uncharitable and deliberate mischief by a bunch of failures, in the House trying to hide their real motive.

We have no reason to doubt the superlative performance of the current crop of Security leaderships in Nigeria. NDF is proud particularly, with Service Chiefs who are doing their best in the prevailing circumstances and Nigerans are impressed with their efforts so far.

Let it be known to the House of Rep members that it is unambiguous; Mr. President is on track and will tackle the emergent issues at hand soonest. The President will accomplish this feat without sacking any of the very patriots that have been so helpful and invaluable in curbing the excesses of insurgencies and insurrections as wished by these seemingly confused agents of the same evil forces orchestrating the carnages in Nigeria.

NDF finds it repulsive and unfortunate how these disgruntled political elements discuss the Service Chiefs like aliens who have no bearing in the fate of their own country.

Consequently, the ranting of members of the House of Representatives is personalized verdict or biased opinions and infinitesimal, especially on matters they have no such lawful powers to interrogate or determine like Security leaderships as they mouthed freely.

We will only call on politicians and members of parliament inclusive to stop their unholy alliance with terrorists, bandits and kidnappers to destabilize the country. It is the first step, and secondly, approve adequate budget financing for security agencies to tackle violence and killings, as against the meaningless sermons on resignation or sacking of them.

It is foolhardy to call for the resignation of the President and sacking of security chiefs, while silent on states governors, where the renewed incidents of attacks and killings occur. Some of these Governors who are the Chief Security officers of their states and collect monthly security votes, but do not devote it to solving emerging security issues. It shows the bias and malice in the parliamentarians against President Buhari.

As President Buhari is the Chief Security officer of Nigeria, the states governors are same in their domains. The House of Reps must first call for their resignation. We call on President Buhari to take a drastic action on Governors who err on security and allow insecurity situations degenerate to raise conditions conducive to criticize and blame the Presidency.

Henceforth, we advise that the President should be prepared to slam a state of emergency on any state that falters on securing lives and property of the citizenry. We hope the House of Representative would not hesitate to grant approval when the time is ripe?

A Coalition of Civil Society groups have accused some staff union of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi Lagos FIIRO, of pushing an ethnic agenda in their demand for the sack of the acting Direfor General of the Institute, Dr Chima Igwe. Recall the staff Union of the institute have been at logger head with Igwe for several months, over allegations that the acting DG purportedly presented a fake doctorate degree, which qualified for appointment into his present position.

Igwe was said to have been investigated and given a clean bill of health by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offenses Commission ICPC and the Federal Ministry of Science and technology following series of protests and petitions by the staff unions of the institute. Not satisfied, the Unions have since embarked on industrial action and protests thereby paralyzing activities at the institute.

Reacting to these developments, a coalition of Civil Society groups today in Lagos rose in defence of the acting DG, describing him as a victim of an orchestrated campaign of calumny by those it described as ethnic Champions, who are opposed to the emergence of Igwe as the institute's head, because he is not from the southwestern part of the country, where FIIRO is located.

The group also accused the union leaders of being used by some over ambitions politicians to destabilise the institution.

Read full Statement below:



BEING THE TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA, ON THURSDAY 23RD JANUARY 2020 IN LAGOS.


FIIRO and THE ATTENDING CRISIS

We are gathered here today,as a coalition of civil society groups as undersigned to address the issue raging at Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi FIIRO and the desperate attempt to bring into disrepute the institure and the name, personality and integrity of Dr. Chima Cartney Igwe, the Acting Director General of FIIRO.


It will be recalled that Nigeria and particular the media space has been saturated with the happenings and events going on at FIIRO all geared towards forcefully removing the DG of the institute and rubbishing him from office based on grounds unknown to the law and common sense of nationhood amidst picketing and protests.

We can't afford to continually sacrifice our best on the altar of regional sensationalism, tribalism and blackmail and hence our intervention.
We belief in the sanctity of institutions in Nigeria and the need for decorum when issues arises.
Here are our findings from interactions and interventions.
1 The plot to remove the DG is allegedly being hatched by top notch staffs of the institute with covert support from some individuals outside of the institute who hopes to benefit from the imbroglios by becoming the substantive DG of the institute.

They attempt to frame up the acting DG with the intention of bringing him to public opprobrium and remove him from office. The kernel of this revelation is a plot to discredit his qualifications that qualifies him for the position he occupies.

You will recall that this is not the first time attempts has been made to remove him from office especially after his emergence as the Acting DG.

Soon after his appointment as the Acting DG and following petitions as regards the genuiness of the certificates in his possession, the honourable minister ordered investigation into the matter and subsequently asked that the ICPC, an agency of government saddled with such issue to take it up, investigate and make public their findings.

The acting DG was eventually discharged of all the charges and his certificate authenticated and proven original. However, following sustained agitations, investigation has been reopened and ongoing and one will expect that all parties involved will allow decorum to reign pending the outcome. How do supposed researchers carry out intellectual national responsibility in the midst of crisis?

2. It has also been discovered that the ethnic card is been played in this matter as several text messages and personal conversations with some petsons in the heart of the crisis points to the plot and are often quick to say that the slot belongs to a particular tribe and should not be taken away from them as if it is a traditional title. Nigeria remains one undivided nation where ethnicity does not come before qualification. No one should further divide the people by playing ethnic card as the DG of FIIRO should be devoid of tribe or regionalism as a federal institute.

With the intent of framing him up and bringing him to national and international disrepute, We wish to point out that throughout his public service career till date, Dr Igwe has distinguished himself as a beacon of excellence, hope, accountability, probity and transparency in Nigeria and beyond; as well as a role model for millions of Nigerians irrespective of affiliations, religion or tribe. Since his emergence as a scholar and head of an institute, Dr Igwe has never been indicted publicly or privately for financial malfeasance or any form of ill conduct.
we wish to warn, in the strongest terms possible, that as a coalition of civil society organisation, we will not sit idly by and watch any Nigerian being maligned; oppressed or ridiculed by a group of people for personal gains and vindictiveness.
In the event of this plot being put into action and since the civil service rule prevents the man in the eye of the storm to speak for himself, we shall resist such barefaced blackmail. We are not unmindful of the fact that this plot gained currency with the resolve of Dr. Igwe not to allow business as usual but to sanitise the institute in alignment with the vision of the presidency and the Honourable minister of science and technology.
It would also be recalled that the institute attracted the sum of 1 billion naira in the last year due to about over 30 patents been secured out of which Igwe alone owns 9. How do we then give the dog a bad name just to hang it?


OUR DEMANDS

1. That the media trial, blackmail and ridicule of the personality of Dr. Chima Cartney Igwe be stopped immediately. The rule of law should be allowed to take it's cause and all swords should be shealth as we await outcome of investigations been ordered.

2. That all players in the game and particularly the leadership of the staff union be probed for their involvement in bringing the name and integrity of the institute to disrepute and for breaking the civil service rule in engagements without exhausting the internal mechanism of government and her agencies.

3. That the civil service rule be applied to anyone found guilty or culpable in the trouble that has bedeviled the institute.

4. That the ICPC again make known and public their finding as regards the issue surrounding the certificates of the acting DG.

5. That the honourable minster of science and technology allow the acting DG to perform the duties assigned to him by giving him the necessary supports to so make the institute what it is supposed to be.

6. That the office of the head of service open books of records and investigate all heads of departments and directors in the institute to determining their culpability or otherwise in the crisis that befell the institute.



Signed.

COMRADE EMMANUEL AYODEJI

COMRADE USMAN BABALE

COMRADE JOHN ATANI

Following the forensic audit of the activities of the Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has written the Inspector- General of Police and the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services to beef up security around the Managing Director of the commission, Dr. (Mrs.) Joi Nunieh.

The centre, in a letter dated 28th January, 2020, made available to newsmen in Abuja, said the forensic probe has made the MD of the commission a target for disgruntled element who may be found culpable during the probe.

The centre said there is no gainsaying the fact that the issue of certificate forgery is popping up at this material time mainly because Dr. Nunieh has inaugurated a 50 (Fifty) man Verification Committee headed by Dr. Cairo Ojougboh to audit and document projects and contracts awarded in the 9 (Nine) Niger Delta States to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of certain suspicious Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) paid to contractors, which has placed a debt burden of about N3 Trillion Naira on the Commission.

According to Barrister Abiodun Sodiq Babalola, Director of Strategic Communication of CESJET, the centre observed that the unfortunate rage trailing the inauguration of the Interim Management Committee sometime in October, 2019 by the Federal Government of Nigeria to run the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is taking an alarming dimension.

He therefore sought security protection from relevant security agencies for the NDDC boss


''We recall that the Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Joi Nunieh who doubles as Acting Managing Director of the Commission was meant to create an enabling environment for the forensic audit of the NDDC with a view to identifying and or exposing the massive corrupt practices perceived to have disrupted the original purpose of establishing the NDDC as an interventionist agency to alleviate the sufferings of the Niger Delta people.

''The forensic audit in the wisdom of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR who sanctioned it was meant to cover 18 (Eighteen) years of the operation of the Commission.

''We can confirm that Dr. Gbene Joi Nunieh has not disappointed the Niger Delta people and indeed the whole country in carrying out her mandate. The huge success recorded by the Committee within a very short period is there for every observer to evaluate. Only on 19th December, 2019 it was revealed that the Committee following a tip-off, discovered the components of a Power Station worth $34 Million abandoned on the premises of the Nigeria Ports Authority in Port Harcourt since 2017. The said equipment was meant for the NDDC Sub-Station in Ekparagwa and Ikot Ekpene within Akwa Ibom State but left unused by a group of politicians turned contractors who would stop at nothing to loot and cripple the Nigerian economy.

''Little wonder then that Dr. Gbene Joi Nunieh is now a target for blackmail and possible assassination by agents of those persons who are afraid that the tsunami of the forensic audit will soon consume them. There was a recent accusation against Dr. Nunieh that she parades fake NYSC certificate. We make bold to state that this accusation is nothing but a deliberate attempt at smearing her hard reputation and distracting the ongoing drive to recover funds looted from NDDC.

''It gladdens our hearts to note that right thinking citizens of this country who know Dr. Nunieh and follow her antecedents over the years have since risen to the occasion under different Civil Society platforms to clear the air. There is no gainsaying the fact that the issue of certificate forgery is popping up at this material time mainly because Dr. Nunieh has inaugurated a 50 (Fifty) man Verification Committee headed by Dr. Cairo Ojougboh to audit and document projects and contracts awarded in the 9 (Nine) Niger Delta States to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of certain suspicious Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) paid to contractors, which has placed a debt burden of about N3 Trillion Naira on the Commission. The Verification Committee is billed to submit its report within the next two weeks as a prelude to the proper forensic audit'', he said.


He said the worry of the centre at the moment is the security of Dr. Gbene Joi Nunieh who, had become a soft target by the very looters and economic saboteurs she is exposing.

He called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to brace up to the task of beefing up security around Dr. Nunieh in the coming days.

''Incidences of threat to lives of public officials in Nigeria are not new but must be swiftly nipped in the bud before they become realities''_ he also said.

*Insurgency: Borno indigenes laud Buratai, Army for re-opening Damboa- Maiduguri road*

....declare total support for the military

Some indigenes of Borno State, under the aegis of Borno Peace Ambassadors Forum (BPAF) has heaped praises on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and his gallant troops on the frontline for ensuring the reopening of Damboa-Maiduguri road in Borno State.

This singular act, according to the Borno natives, has earned the Nigerian Army its total support and that of the entire northeast in its quest to rid the region of fleeing Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

The Borno Peace Ambassadors made this known at a press conference on Tuesday in Maiduguri to laud the “ efforts of the Nigerian Army in the reopening of the Maiduguri-Damboa Highway to human and vehicular movement.”

In a statement signed by Abdulmalik Aliyu and Mohammed Muritala, its President and Secretary respectively, the group commended the COAS for his high display of commitment towards to restoration of peace in the country.

The Borno indigenes also hailed his loyal and courageous troops stationed in the Theater of Operations who have strived night and day towards the restoration of peace in the region.

The group, therefore, expressed total support for Lt. Gen. Buratai and his troops who have won the total confidence of the people of Borno state and the northeast region through their historic acts in the battle for the soul of Nigeria.

The group, however, encouraged the Chief of Army Staff not to relent on this laudable feat until all the remnants of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists are decimated.

Read full statement below:


The Borno Peace Ambassadors Forum, the umbrella body of progressive Borno State Indigenes, committed to the restoration and sustenance of Peace in Borno State, lauds the leadership, officers, and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for the great feat achieved in the reopening of the Maiduguri-Damboa Highway to the general public.

The Borno Peace Ambassadors Forum sees the reopening of the Maiduguri-Damboa Highway as a massive victory in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, given the strategic importance of the road in the economic life of Borno State.

The strategic importance of the Maiduguri-Damboa Highway cannot be overemphasized, and this much is evident in the effect the closure of the highway has had on the economic life of Borno state. This is also cognizant of the fact that thousands of commuters have been faced with tough and trying times using alternative routes in an attempt at going about their daily lives.

The Borno Peace Ambassadors wishes to commend the leadership of the Nigerian Army led by the indefatigable Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, for the high display of commitment towards to restoration of peace in North-East Nigeria.

The Borno Peace Ambassadors Forum is indeed appreciative of this effort and wishes to state with the way and manner the Nigerian Army is executing the war against terrorism in North-East Nigeria; it would be only a matter of time for absolute peace and tranquility to return to North-East Nigeria.

The Nigerian Army has indeed exhibited a high sense of patriotism and commitment to the return of peace to Borno State, and North-East Nigeria at large. This is because they have continued to push the remnants of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group to the fringes of the Lake Chad region.

The Borno Peace Ambassadors Forum is also appreciative of the loyal and courageous troops stationed in the Theater of Operations in North-East Nigeria who have strived night and day towards the restoration of peace in the North East region.

We consequently wish to state that the Borno Peace Ambassadors Forum is as a result of this stating that the people of North-East Nigeria are solidly behind the operations of the Nigerian Army in North-East Nigeria and it behooves on all well-meaning Nigerians to extend their support to the Nigerian Army in its final push for the decimation of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group.

The reopening of the Maiduguri-Damboa Highway is one of the numerous examples of how the Nigerian Army has been fighting day and night to keep our country safe and secure despite the various conspiracies against it in the war against terrorism in Nigeria.

Our joy on the reopening of the Maiduguri-Damboa Highway knows no bound as both human and vehicular movement have resumed unabated after many years of closure. It indeed a case of light at the end of the tunnel for the people of Borno State.

The Borno Peace Ambassadors Forum wishes to state that the Nigerian Army under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has won the total confidence of the people of Borno state and the North East region through their historic acts in the battle for the soul of Nigeria.

We consequently wish to encourage the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai not to relent on this laudable feat until all the remnants of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists are decimated entirely from the soil of North-East Nigeria.

The Borno Peace Ambassadors Peace Forum would continue to be worthy partners with the Nigerian Army in the fight against terrorism in North-East Nigeria and Nigeria at large. We also wish to state that Nigerians shall indeed celebrate the end of the Boko Haram/ISWAP era in North-East Nigeria in no distant time.

We encourage the people of Borno State and North-East Nigeria to continue to extend their support to the activities of the Nigerian Army in this laudable quest to restore peace in Borno State and North-East Nigeria.

We want to especially thank the members of the media for their continued support of our activities over the years that have assisted in projecting our advocacy interventions to all critical stakeholders.

*Boko Haram/ISWAP: It is uncharitable for anyone to diminish the sacrifices of our military leadership, troops -- Yoruba youths*


The Progressive Yoruba Youth Congress (PYYC) has reasoned that it is uncharitable for any individual or group to diminish the Nigerian Armed Forces’ leadership as well as the enormous sacrifices of officers and soldiers in the war against terrorism.

According to the Southwest socio-political group, the Nigerian Military has turned the tide against the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist since 2016 hence deserve maximum support from Nigerians.

PYYC made this known at a press conference on Monday, condemning the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for heating the polity through unguarded utterances laced with ulterior motives.

In a statement jointly signed by Elder Kola Salawu and Majekodunmi Omolola, President and Secretary respectively, PYYC commended President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the necessary succour to the military's top shots, visible in troops' morale.

However, the Yoruba youths were critical of some groups, CAN in particular, engaged in acts to divide the nation and demoralise the gallant troops.

PYYC accused the Christian umbrella body of partisanship, making unguided claims counter-productive in the fight against terrorism and capable pitching the Christians against the Muslims.

The Yoruba group, therefore, concluded that CAN and its likes who have failed to recognise the remarkable sacrifices of the military's leadership and troops in the frontline does not have the interest of the country at heart.

Read full statement below:

The Progressive Yoruba Youth Congress , a socio-cultural organization, consisting of youth from southwest Nigeria, put together this press conference to shed light on some of the challenges facing the country with regards to the fight against terrorism.

We wish to state that the issue of terrorism in Nigeria has taken centre stage since the advent of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. This much is evident in the level of commitment exhibited by the quality of appointments in the critical security sector.

As we are all aware, the Boko Haram/ISWAP agenda is indeed a politically motivated one in the sense that it has been established that there are willing collaborators that have continued to provide them with logistical support to aid their nefarious activities.

There is also another grouping that have elected to serve the interest of Boko Haram/ISWAP through the propagation of propaganda aimed towards giving the Boko Haram/ISWAP group the needed psychological support through their actions manifest in unguarded utterances in the public space.

The Progressive Yoruba Youth Congress wishes to state that despite the level of commitment displayed by the political leadership in Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, the Boko Haram/ISWAP group has continued to be emboldened to confront the Nigerian Military in the theatre of war in North-East Nigeria because of the activities of some groups.

The war against terrorism in Nigeria has received wide commendation from numerous quarters. However, some groups that ideally ought to be engaged in acts that would promote peace have been engaged in acts that divide us rather than unite us.

One of such organization is the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), whose leadership has elected to be on the other side of the divide, in defiance of its mandate of serving as the uniting organization for adherents of the Christian faith in Nigeria.

Their utterances in recent times have been counter-productive in the fight against terrorism, and concerned stakeholders in Nigeria have highlighted this much. Despite overwhelming evidence of political coloration and the involvement of the leadership of CAN in partisan politics, they have carried out with reckless abandon and bringing the Christian faith into disrepute.

The leadership of CAN have continued with their agenda of pitching the Christians against the Muslims by painting the Boko Haram/ISWAP activities as an agenda against the Christian faith in Nigeria.

The Progressive Yoruba Youth Congress is dismayed at such despicable actions despite the unfortunate fact that the leadership of CAN have sold their birthright in exchange for a plate of porridge. This is sad.

The Christian Association of Nigeria has fallen below expectations because it has instead elected to play politics at the detriment of providing sound counsel to the Christian adherents in Nigeria. If this is not the case, then one wonders how and why such an organization would label the threat posed by the Boko Haram/ISWAP group as a religious war.

The Christian Association of Nigeria has continued to disregard the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari led administration in the war against terrorism in Nigeria. They have continued to push the country to the brinks by misleading members of the unsuspecting general public with claims that cannot be substantiated.

The Progressive Yoruba Youth Congress wishes to state that anyone/group that fails to appreciate the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in the war against terrorism is playing politics and, as such, should not be taken seriously.

Anyone/group that does not recognize the dexterity of the leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces, as well as the enormous sacrifices of officers and soldiers in the war against terrorism, clearly do not have the interest of the country at heart.

This is cognizant of the fact that since 2016, the Nigerian Military had indeed turned the tide against the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group with a sustained military bombardment that has seen them confined to the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin Region.

The position of the Progressive Yoruba Youth Forum is that terrorism is not a function or an attribute of any religion as no religion preaches killing of fellow humans. This much must be stated in unequivocal terms in a bid to put issues in proper perspective.

The Progressive Yoruba Youth Congress wishes to advise groups and individuals to be guarded by public decorum in their conduct on national issues. The task of defeating terrorism is a collective one, and as such, we must all be guided accordingly.

The sacrifices of our Armed Forces must be commended and appreciated by all in the quest for a secure and united Nigeria.

By Andrew Granit


I have had over three decades experiences as a conflict manager and preventive researcher. In the course of my job, I have traversed most parts of the world. But my experiences are more grounded in my former country, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

And until its disintegration, Yugoslavian six republics were enmeshed in virulent economic crises and political unrests since the 1980s. And it eventually transmuted into a break-up of this previously unified amalgam of disparate ethnic, religious and historical entities under a single federation. With the upheavals over, I am a citizen of the Republic of Kosovo. But I have seen and experienced a lot about crises or its management far and near.

The path to Kosovo’s independence was long and strewn with thorns, expressed in hate, animosities and violent conflicts. But let me not bore you with details. However, let me quickly say, in the life of every nation in the world, there comes a time minor disagreement are ballooned to major conflicts with its toll on lives, peace and progress of nations. Equally, there comes a time that nature also enthrones the right leadership to right the wrongs, and uproot the deep-seated incendiaries from national psyche.

Nigeria, the most populous nation amongst the black race on earth has found itself in this quagmire ignited by the vicious and brutal campaigns of Boko Haram insurgents. And I have confirmed the incursion of extremists terrorism from the Middle East into Nigeria and other countries in the West African sub-region.

These religious extremists or terrorists, to be precise, under the identity of Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) accentuated their bloody campaigns on the state of Nigeria at the turn of partisan campaigns for the 2019 general elections.

From observable manifest aggressions, I have sensed the eagerness and hastiness of ISWAP terrorists to quickly subdue and re-conquer Nigeria. But ISWAP elements have encountered a hard nut to crack in Nigerian military forces, particularly Nigerian soldiers in the frontlines.

The increasing sophistication of ISWAP’s weaponry and the lackluster attitude of the local population whose preference seems to tilt in the direction of shielding terrorists are problematic. And hoarding critical information from the military have been great assets to the vicious terrorism campaigners.

But I must admit that the vigilance, hard work, commitment and the undisguised patriotism of the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, General TY Buratai have consistently frustrated the agenda of the ISWAP terrorists. Of course, flashes of terror attacks on communities, ambushes of troops in the battlefields and casualties on both sides would continue to occur because of the drowsy and aberrant character of managing terrorism combats and conflicts to its conclusive end.

However, I am impressed with the courage, bravery and tenacity of the Nigerian Army. Troops in the frontlines have displayed determination, rather than fatigue. And the counter-insurgency leaders have displayed ideal and focused leadership; it has not flinched from support to troops, which are the greatest psychological weapon a soldier needs in war.

At least, it was my experience and pulse during my recent visit to parts of the Northeast Nigeria after the country's current leader, President Muhammadu Buhari was elected a second time in 2019. The first time I came to Nigeria for firsthand information on the rampaging and raging Boko Haram insurgency was in February 2015. Three terrorism incidents fascinated my enthusiasm. I really felt visiting the country, scenes of attacks, interacting with troops in the warfront and government’s counter measures would enrich my knowledge on conflict management and understanding towards helping the world prevent crisis and overcome existing ones.

The night of April 14-15 2014 Boko Haram’s abduction of about 276 teenage Chibok schoolgirls, in Borno state. Earlier on same April 14, 2014, terrorists exploded multiple bombs at a busy bus station in Abuja, Nigeria’s national capital, gruesomely murdering an estimated 200 persons and causing destructions.

And the tereorists' three days serial raids and unmolested siege on Baga, a town in the Northeast Northern Borno province between January 3-7, 2015. Reports monitored on local and foreign media outlets revealed that at least 2,000 people were feared dead and insurgents captured the town, neighboring villages and a multinational military Base.

I was again in Nigeria, early January 2020, after the Sallah, Christmas and New Year festivities. I understood from my contacts that these are the most auspicious times Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists prefer to brandish their self-acclaimed might in braggadocio. They would outlandishly unleash heinous atrocities on civilian and military targets to spur international attention.
I flew into Nigeria, landed in the capital city, Abuja and rested for two days to plan my itinerary, enliven conversations with my contacts and get security cover. In war situations, no one undermines personal safety and security. I monitored local TV channels, I watched again reports of troops confrontations with ISWAP terrorists.

I proceeded to Maiduguri from Abuja on road in company of two security details and Mallam Aliyu , my driver who is also from the Northeast. At Maiduguri, we went straight to the headquarters of the Command Theatre, Operation Lafiya Dole, and met with some top commanders of the Army. I introduced myself and mission. He was receptive and hospitable. I interacted with some Nigerian soldiers in Maiduguri and spent the night in the ancient city.

The next day. my contact got me a list containing locations of Army Battalions, Military Forward Bases and Special Strike Teams as guide. We were able to get a few soldiers who provided additional security to me and everywhere I decided to visit.

I spent four days visiting military formations in the Northeast. I was at Baga, Pulka, Bama, the once dreaded Sambisa forest, Monguno, Gwoza and hordes of other locations. The places were liberated and natives returned to forlorn enclaves. I was quite excited that Gwoza, which was once captured and occupied by Boko Haram as their Islamic Caliphate administrative headquarters was also liberated. I couldn't hide my joy and had to share pictures each day with Francois and Young who all wanted to embark on the trip with me.

In Biu, I also visited the Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB). The edifice was a masterpiece to behold. At each destination, I interacted with the natives and troops at the frontlines and got their heartbeat. I left Borno for a return journey to Abuja, but diverted into Postiskum in Yobe state, where I also encountered some troops. While I engaged them in mutual talks, some of them whispered to me about the presence of General Buratai whom the troops fondly refer to as " the Chief.
" I learnt he was paying one of his usually silent, but routine personal trips to the Nigerian troops.

He was at another end of the camp, also exchanging views with some troops over recent developments in the theatre of war. I walked up to him; exchanged pleasantries and introduced myself. I was meeting Gen. Buratai personally for the first time.

Pleasantly, my first impression of him was that of a warm personality, amiable soldier and determined leader, who is optimistic in succeeding on his assignment. A good Army General constantly disguises to be in touch and brief his troops to bolster their ego of performance. It’s a rare leadership ingenuity in Gen. Buratai.

Meanwhile, soldiers I met in Borno earlier told me the Chief visits constantly. But I never believed, thinking it’s just a smart answer to shield their boss, until I ran into him personally on the field. Soldiers in the battlefield are always busy people. So, I had a few minutes with Gen. Buratai, who was very detailed on the actions and plans of President Buhari to terminate the reign of terror in Nigeria.

It is not in my position to divulge what we discussed. It was not a planned interview and might be giving out too much to the terrorists. But as I conversed with him TV images i watched on a local station, where the Minister of Defence, Gen. Bashi Magashi and Gen. Buratai who led a delegation of the European Commission to Mr. President, where both parties had talks on the counter-insurgency operations flashed my mind. I blended its veracity from what I heard from the Army Chief.

Back to Abuja in my hotel room, I reflected over my experiences on the trip. I could not help but nod in satisfaction that Nigeria has recoded unique milestones in combating Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism. There is a lot of difference in the success of counter-insurgency operations in the country now.

Those far from the theatre of war may not understand. But it’s not easy reclaiming territories under the control of terrorists anywhere, and sustaining the victory like Nigerian soldiers have accomplished in retaking the 18 LGAS in the Northeast. Terrorists pride is usually bruised and they fight back ferociously. One should expect to see desperation by terrorists to retake reclaimed lands to lead to intermittent strikes, which is normal in terrorism combat wars.

Until I came and saw the reality before I believed the press particularly fed the world outside and Nigerians with inaccurate information about the war against terrorism in Nigeria. Each time I read the alarming and sensational news on terrorism war in Nigeria, one is tempted to believe the whole country is on inferno. And it was grave risk to visit the Northeast even with security escorts. But the reality is excitedly different.

But let me caution that most Nigerians are selling out their country to terrorists and their foreign sponsors through sensational and discreditable news on social media platforms or even traditional media. There should be patriotism and moderation for the sake of national interest. Combating terrorism is beyond politics. It is pointless churning lies that may compromise the security of your whole country.

Unfortunately, it seems all categories of Nigerians have indulged in this disservice and resentful conduct, including some highly placed leaders. They must be mindful or else, these actions can easily shatter the coherence and unity of the country. But even one day in an IDPs camp, in a foreign land is like hell on earth.

Granit is the President, Preventive Diplomacy, United Kingdom.

By Philip Agbese

President Muhammadu Buhari has a huge burden as leader of Nigeria. Buhari, a globally acclaimed upright leader with impeccable credentials consciously courted trouble when he defined the operational character of his administration tethered to the tenets of integrity, honesty and incorruptibility.

Right from his first tenure in 2015, President Buhari’s uncompromising stand on these virtues attracted the ire of Nigeria’s powerful and influential thieving elite, who have a sustained history of plundering public commonwealth. Therefore, they employ all manner of antics and blackmail to taint his leadership persona or discredit his government.

They angle to portray President Buhari as a leader who is paying lip-service to sermons of anti-corruption campaigns or he is selective or partisan. Mr. President is aware of such outings, but has remained unperturbed, as he expected it from an elite whose body and soul are irretrievably steeped in the vinegar of evil against their country and Nigerians. It is the reason which, compelled Buhari’s philosophical expression in 2016 that “When you fight corruption, it fights back.”

After failing to nail President Buhari on corruption or pin his government to it several years running, the opponents of the Buhari Presidency have resorted to targeting and raising spurious, unsubstantiated and flawed allegations of corruption on some Buhari’s key appointees. An Africa proverb says; “ When you pull the ear, the head would certainly bow.” It is the underlying force of those eager to persecute his upright, trusted and incorruptible appointees.

Anywhere an inquest is declared or a forensic audit is declared on any government establishment, appointees of the Buhari government who refuse to bend the rules, favour certain personalities or refuse to compromise face very poisonous arrows from the opposition or haters of the Buhari Presidency. They throw meaningless darts at such an appointee for failure to dubiously influence him or her to cover-up their corrupt deals.

Known victims of these vicious attacks or persecutions includes, but not restricted to the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari; the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hajiya, Hadiza Bala Usman among others. The latest fish in the net of these debased and heartless Nigerians is the Acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Mrs. Joi Nunieh.

The annual budget of the NDDC is mouthwatering and every administration continues to fund the commission with huge allocations. It is the conviction of the federal government that a functional and performing NDDC will change the face of the impoverished people of the Niger Delta region. Ironically, NDDC is an embodiment of everything corrupt to elites of the region, except discharging its core mandate to the people.

Today, President Buhari is told, the NDDC is indebted to contractors to the whooping sum of N3 trillion. It reminds of the dubious oil subsidy claims under the Jonathan Presidency. Even the oil dealers had a conscience in thievery or plundering of public resources because NDDC claims by contractors outshines them.

Undeniably, the Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) being claimed by contractors as debts in NDDC are suspicious. The reality on the ground in the oil-rich Niger Delta does not support such bogus claims.

How much has President Buhari’s government spent on capital projects to impact on every part of Nigeria that contractors at NDDC are flaunting N3 trillion contractual debts? It’s amazing! Therefore, President Buhari sought to get to the roots of the matter by ordering a forensic audit of NDDC accounts. And the Dr. Nunieh’s NDDC’s Interim Management Committee provoked the league of looters in the region by inaugurating a 50-Member Verification Committee (VC).

The committee chaired by Dr. Cairo Ojougboh has two weeks to submit a report on the projects/contracts awarded by the NDDC as well as the status of the claims of the Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs). The report of the VC is a preliminary step that would snowball into the concrete forensic audit as ordered by Mr. President. And the looters and plunderers of the resources of the NDDC are understandably scared to the marrow.

Unarguably, Dr. Nunieh is the stubborn fly that has refused to kowtow to their powwow. She has refused to backdown or craftily frustrate the Presidential probe of NDDC finances as a baddie. The plot is to spare nothing to pull her down or discredit her to pave way for the appointment of a pliant fellow who would either mess-up or bury the forensic audit of NDDC enmeshed in fraud and mismanagement.

Those with soiled hands and haunted by the looming danger have contracted emergency activists, who are aplenty in Nigeria’s fake Civil Society Organizations’ (CSOs). Their duty is to trumpet Dr.Nunieh’s alleged forged or fake or non-possession of NYSC discharge or exemption certificates. May be, it has just dawned on the traducers of the NDDC boss that it is daybreak since she was appointed to head the commission.

But what is the core mandate of the NDDC established in 2000? It was to develop the Niger Delta region of Nigeria through the training and education of youths of the region to curb hostilities and militancy; while developing key infrastructures to promote diversification and productivity to arrest restiveness in Niger Delta.

Within few years after its establishment, there were serious allegations of fraud and mismanagement in the magnitude of the defunct OMPADEC. The signposts of NDDC is paid, but unexecuted or abandoned projects dotting every nook and cranny of the region.

It has been reported that in the year 2015 for instance, that the NDDC started three months twin certification programme for fiber optics and oil spill management. It engulfed billions of naira, but the training sessions were abandoned two months into the programme and the 200 trainees who were camped at various hotels in Owerri were left to personally pay for their expenses.

Many past management staff of the commission have been indicted for corruption. Many more are still being tried for various financial crimes in the NDDC running into billions of naira. A certain past chief executive of the commission is for example is being tried for a N3.6 billion fraud while another has been investigated for transferring millions of dollars into his wife's account.

It is obvious from these cases and other similar ones that the intended beneficiaries of programme and initiatives of the NDDC, mostly youths and the less privileged are being shortchanged. NDDC funds are channeled into private pockets, instead of funding its programmes. It motivated President Buhari to shop for a credible person to arrest the rot and Dr. Nunieh was anointed to clean the mess.

She introduced reforms and innovations which have reactivated the Commission. Rural communities neglected for years are also beginning to witness transformation with the provision of basic infrastructures.

And since Mrs. Nunieh assumed duty at the commission, she has her mind fixated on bringing all those who have stolen from the commission to book. So, corruption must fight Dr. Nunieh back to a standstill, by engaging hirelings to conjure all sorts of allegations against her, using the plank of phantom and non- existent CSOs.

But Nunieh has left no one in doubt that she's an apostle of the kind of change that President Buharu promised Nigerians. The NDDC boss made good her promise to deliver by working closely with the minister of Niger Delta affairs to bring accountability and transparency to the commission.

Initially, those who had skeletons in their cupboards tried to use base sentiments by alleging that she's being used by President Buhari to witch-hunt her fellow Niger Deltans. But it is now obvious that she is only determined to expose corruption and she is staidly committed to it in order to realize the mandate of the NDDC.

Failure to prod her conscience on the plank of reginal sentiments, they changed tactics. That was when all manners of allegations against her began to surface and the latest about the frivolous and unsubstantiated claims of her lack of an NYSC discharge or exemption certificates.

But the strongest argument of the CSO hired for the undertaker job is centered on hearsay evidence. Nigerians demand more than such peripheral outbursts from anybody or group contracted to defame a public servant.

The detractors think by so doing, Dr. Nunieh would be detracted. But they got entirely wrong. She is more determined now than ever before to clean the mess, expose corruption in the commission and reposition it to excellently discharge its core mandate to the people. Her courage stems from the fact that she has no skeleton in her cupboard and has nothing to hide.

She considers the task of bringing rapid development to the Niger Delta and helping youths in the area to rediscover themselves sacrosanct. And the NDDC boss is ready to break every barrier on her path to achieve this target. Her enemies should bury their heads in shame that at last, a focused administrator is trying to clean up the mess they created and left behind or do what they could not do.

Those sponsoring the CSOs to disparage the person of Nunieh are the same cult of Niger Deltans who have shown a lack of capacity to think beyond self and family. They have brought shame to the Niger Delta through greed and self-centeredness. The clique of kleptomaniac elites should bury their heads in shame that instead of thinking of the general or public good of the region, all that obsess them is their bellies and personal enrichment.

They are worse than thieves and betrayers. Its unimaginable that they have sold their birthright for a pot of soup and mortgaged the prosperity of their people for ages. Their cowardly acts have been exposed as the current NDDC management is set to achieve the mandate of the commission. Dr. Nunieh is urged never to relent or scared, as like President Buhari has always said; If Nigerians do not kill corruption; corruption will kill Nigeria.”

Agbese is an author, publisher and human rights activist based in London.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) has called on the European Union Commission and all International NGOs in the north east providing food and drugs for the terrorists to stop in order to put an end to the continuous attacks on humanitarian workers and clergymen in the region.

CALSER made this known during a state of the nation press conference on Sunday in Abuja to address what it described as “the senseless Boko Haram/ISWAP attack on clergymen and humanitarian workers”.

According to the convener, Princess Ajibola, certain INGOs have continued to breach international protocol on their operations by aiding and abetting the supply and delivery of sophisticated weaponry, food and drugs to the Boko Haram/ISWAP group under the guise of rendering humanitarian services.


In its periodic assessment for the month of January, CALSER further warned political and religious organisations in the country not to expand the frontiers of Boko Haram by overheating the polity with unfounded allegations that are capable of undermining the ongoing efforts by the government to tame terrorism.

The centre, therefore, called on the European Union and the representatives of the United Nations in Nigeria to audit and caution international NGOs in operation in the northeast to stop the supply of arms and ammunitions and other essential items to the terrorist group.

Read full statement below:

The leadership of the Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CASLER) welcomes you all to the State of the Nation Press Conference to address some of the issues of national importance in the country with regards to the senseless and barbaric attack on Clergies and Humanitarian workers in North East Nigeria by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights is alarmed by the way and manner the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group has intensified attacks on unarmed and innocent clergies and humanitarian workers rendering services in North-East Nigeria.

All must condemn this callous act. It should serve as a wakeup call for all concerned stakeholders to put heads together towards ending the unscrupulous activities of the Boko Haram/ISWAP in North-East Nigeria.

It is indeed unfortunate that despite the efforts of the Nigerian Military in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, some groups/individuals are not happy with the gains made and have consequently constituted themselves as clogs in the wheels of progress by providing the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group with logistical support in furtherance of their evil agenda against Nigeria.

Ironically, The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights has it on competent authority that some local political organizations, as well as religious bodies, are covertly providing tactic support to the Boko Haram/ISWAP group all in a bid to undermine the efforts of the government.

The International Non-Governmental Organizations, as well as some local Non-Governmental Organizations, have continued to breach international protocol on their operations in North-East Nigeria by aiding and abetting the supply and delivery of sophisticated weaponry to the Boko Haram/ISWAP group under the guise of rendering humanitarian services.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights in times past have raised the alarm in the complicity of international NGOs in operation in North-East Nigeria in fueling the Boko Haram war by supplying them food, drugs, and other essential items that they need.

This trend is unacceptable, and it is advised that urgent steps are taken to arrest this decline before things get out of control because as it stands, the Boko Haram/ISWAP have been emboldened to carry out attacks on soft targets in women and children, students, clergies, as well as humanitarian workers because of the tactic support it has been receiving from both internal and external sources.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights also wishes to use this medium to call on the European Union and the representatives of the United Nations in Nigeria to audit and caution international NGOs in operation in North-East Nigeria to stop the supply of arms and ammunitions and other essential items to the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group with immediate effect. It must be stated that if this is done, we would witness a drastic reduction in the merciless killings and maiming carried out by the Boko Haram/ISWAP group in North-East Nigeria.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights also states that as a matter of necessity and urgency, the European Union must investigate the supply of sophisticated arms and ammunitions from her member countries to impose the needed sanctions on these countries. This is on the heels that many pieces of evidence indicate that some EU countries have been covertly selling arms and ammunitions to the Boko Haram/ISWAP group using fronts.

The European Union, in the interest of fairness, must act and deal decisively with its member countries that have been providing support to the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group. If this is not done, the Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights might be indeed convinced that the European Union as a body might be aiding and abetting the propagation of terrorism in Nigeria.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights condemns these despicable acts and it is hopeful that the end of the Boko Haram/ISWAP threat to peace and tranquility in Nigeria would manifest soon if all concerned stakeholders indeed join hands with sincerity of mind and purpose to fight the common enemy of humanity.

The Centre for Africa Liberation also calls on all genuine stakeholders to encourage dialogue and strategic engagements in the best possible ways to bring about peace and not to destabilize the peace of the whole nation for their selfish agenda.

Religious and political bodies must exercise restraint in ensuring that selfish politicians do not take advantage of them to paint the activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP as religious or targeted at certain religions or ethnicity.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights wishes to state that Nigeria must be ridden of terrorism,4 and it behooves on all well-meaning countries, groups, and individuals to extend their support to Nigeria by doing what is right at all times.

A retired Naval Officer and former senator representing Adamawa Central, Sen. Abdul-Azeez Nyako, says politicians should largely be blamed for the current security challenge in the country rather than the military.


Speaking to newsmen on Sunday in Yola, Nyako said the Nigerian military which is currently overstretched is doing its best on the situation and deserved commendation.

He said politicians needed to do more in their expected role of providing good governance, particularly in addressing conflicts in their areas and in tackling key issues like extreme poverty that led to insecurity.

“The bulk of us (politicians) are providing bad leadership; we are only concern about distribution of resources instead of good leadership or how to resolve issues and get our people out of mess,” Nyako said.

He said if politicians could address the socio-economic challenges that led to Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and other violent crimes, over 80 per cent of security challenge in the country would be contained.

He observed that the military had actually degraded Boko Haram insurgents in North East forcing them to resort to guerilla tactics unlike before when they operated in formations.

“What I mean by operating in formation is that they used to muster platoon strength, company strength, battalion strength and probably brigade strength to face our armed forces at the peak of the insurgency.

“They are now degraded and cannot fight in formation; they resorted to guerilla tactics which make things difficult as they are mixed with civilian populace. It’s like fish inside water.

“With this development, the military, government and civilian population has to evolve new tactics to deal with the matter.

“This kind of operation has to be intelligence heavy; there must be communication between civilian population and security agencies. It need big transfer of information, quick reaction and protection of informants,” he said.

Nyako who was the Adamawa governorship candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2019 election also noted that the attitude of Nigerians not bothering about conflicts that doesn’t affect their communities directly must be changed to get the united front needed to address security challenges collectively for maximum result.

On Amotekun and the clamour for state police, Nyako said the issue concerned has to do with abuse of such outfits by State Governors who could use them against political opponents during politicking.

He noted that the 8th National Assembly was careful not to grant state police because of such concern.

500 Clerics kick- off 21 days prayer for Nigeria's unity against destabilization


About 500 clerics have again gathered in Abuja to kick start  a 21 days prayer and fasting session against the forces planning the destabilization of Nigeria.


The clerics drawn from various churches across the country said with the present situation of things in the country, prayers and fasting is urgently needed to salvage the Nation.


Led by Bishop Sunday Garuba, the President of the National Interfaith and religious organization for peace, NIFROP, he said the prayer session that will end on the 15th of February will afford the clerics to intercede so that Nigeria can be healed.



Speaking from the second book of Chronicles 7:14 (New International Version) which declares that “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 


Garuba said,  "We have come to that point when we can no longer persist in our division and way of life that rend us asunder contrary to God’s will. 


"We can no longer continue to posture that all is well when it is clear that God wants us to repent of the sins we commit against ourselves and the glorious land that the Lord has provided for us in Nigeria. 


The Cleric said NIFROP have made Agape its creed, doing onto others as the Lord ordained irrespective of sectarian variations. 


He said this is done to the extent that compatriots call upon God in their own understanding in a manner that does not violate the tenets of true worship as revealed by the spirit.


He added that there is no basis to go to war with a fellow human over theological divergence. 


Continuing he said, "it is for this very reason that prayers offered by NIFROP are answered when we continue to hear from God each time we gather to seek understanding through supplications.  We had prayed in the past and God exposed the sponsors of the herdsmen/farmers crisis.  


"We had also prayed in the past and God humbled the Boko Haram terrorists since President Muhammadu Buhari came on board. God brought President Buhari on board after the prayers of this group to redeem Nigeria and the many blessings. These terrorists had thumped their nose at God in their ignorance but they were put to shame because they never knew that President Buhari was coming as God’s right hand against their evil intentions.  


He said not to be forgotten are those that had kept Nigeria backwards by stealing our commonwealth. 


"They pushed God’s people to the wall to the extent that we had to again resort to prayers until God exposed all these looters since President Buhari came on board as a servant of God.  


"Our  perseverance and persistence in prayers has been of help in warding off the sustained evil and demonic attacks which has made the devil to continue to fail in all his machinations against our nation, Nigeria. Brethren I can tell you that all these are the reason why the devil is out to destabilize this nation. They do not want to see anything good in the country"he added 


The Man of God implored brethren not to allow these evil ones regroup after God has given the nation victory over them. It is for this reason that Nigerians, irrespective of faith, must rise up in prayers for the unity of the country. The intention of these demons is to turn our land into their own killing field but our intercessions to God has not allowed them to prevail over us. Rather, we shall eternally triumph over them. 


Garuba said their latest strategy of using terrorists to attack Christians is meant to provoke believers in Christ Jesus to forsake their faith and become vengeful in contravention of the Lord’s charge that we should not embark on vengeance. They want to make us lose the grace of the Lord that abounds in our life. 


"Their expectations are that Christians will launch reprisals against Moslems and shed blood for their demons to drink. But the wisdom of the Lord that profited and the spirit of discerning have laid bare their plot to us such that no one fell into the snare they had set out for us. 


Brethren, knowing the powers of prayers, we exhort you all to again resort to prayers in asking God to ward off these latest rounds of spiritual and terrorists’ attacks directed at tormenting God’s elected. We shall again triumph and have cause to sing songs of thanksgiving onto the Lord"he said


They were various prayer session, song rendition at the flag off ceremony.

By Usman Bio

What is known today as National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has an enviable history. It started as National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) sometime in 1956. The students who pioneered the idea intended the organization to be a rally point for Nigerian students.

For decades of the existence of NANS which assumed its present nomenclature in 1980 saw the organization vigorously discharging the mandate of pursuing issues centered on the country’s education system, welfare or rights of students and challenging bad government policies with alternative perspectives.

Until the late 80s and as one of its leaders in my undergraduate days at the Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) Zaria, NANS defined its existence as a formidable and potent students’ body. But the reality today is different. NANS has morphed into a quasi-political organization, comprising lobbyists and debased chasers of the shadows of illicit wealth from corrupt politicians.

My heart bled when I read contents and arguments raised in the public statement signed by NANS, one Danielson Akpan released mainly in respect of Ropvil Daciya Dalep, an undergraduate student of the University of Maiduguri, who was abducted by Boko Haram on his way back to campus from Jos and later killed. May the soul of Dalep and other victims of terrorism in Nigeria find eternal peace.

But the statement advertised the final degeneration of NANS to an embarrassing level. Our students’ body has lost its voice of conscience. They canvassed positions far beyond their purview and displayed generous ignorance anchored on presumptions. We have never had it this bad in NANS.

The contents of the public statement portraited NANS more as a pressure group for politicians and betrayed the essence of her existence. Worse still, it never made pretensions of mutating into worthless paid activists in the service of masked paymasters.

How it has become the duty of NANS officials to dabble into the campaigns of advocating for the sack of Service and Security Chiefs beats my imagination. This is the subsisting posture and sermons of politicians or sabs hellbent on reversing the gains Nigeria has recorded on the Boko Haram/ISWAP counter-operations.

It is quite tragic and it traumatized me to realize that NANS could afford to commercialize the killing of one of her own by visiting politicians with press statements ostensibly written to extort money from Nigerian politicians and spite the government. That the students’ body has become a willing tool in the hands of desperate politicians who are covertly instigating and funding terrorism, violence and killings in the country to discredit the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is most incredible.

When we functioned under NANS, the union was respected each time it raised its voice on a national issue. There were no lone rangers in the union as the statement exposed, but decisions were debated and decisions collectively endorsed before stepping out in public domain. Our position was concrete and our views held sacrosanct.

But we have consciously fretted away such veneration. We are pained. We are bereaved over the the killing of the UniMaid student and other Nigerians by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists. We mourn with the grieving families and all Nigerians caught in this nightmare and quagmire of terrorism.

But for those who are still alive, the action of the NANS should worry us more. It is senseless and outright wickedness to side with oppressors of your country in her moment of torments as demonstrated by the greedy, selfish and unfocused leadership of NANS. They are worse than the proverbial snake in green grasses.

The world and Nigerians have the divine responsibility to closely monitor the destructive tendencies and satanic inclination of NANS. I suspect some of them are on the payroll of the foreign sponsors of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorism in Nigeria.

I was shocked that NANS' sight was blurred in seeing the determination, commitment and difference the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari has made and continue to make in quenching the consuming fires of insurgencies and insurrections in the country.

Perhaps, by NANS cursed wisdom, President Buhari is wrong for reclaiming the 18 LGAs in the Northeast which Boko Haram forcefully annexed before his Presidency. Buhari could be wrong for freeing over 20,000 Nigerians held in captivity in secret camps by insurgents. And Buhari is wrong for halting the spread of Boko Haram terrorism to the Southern part of the country. Buhari is also wrong for freeing the entire north east including the FCT and Plateau from the daily torments of suicide bombings and daily killings by Boko Haram.

The President is wrong for deflating IDPs camps in the Northeast and the steady progress in the reconstruction and rebuilding of the Northeast devastated by years of insurgency. These are the reasons I suspect have caused the restlessness of these odious NANS officials.

But NANS cannot play this smartness on Nigerians. We are neither deceived by their veiled devilry, garbed in polluted wisdom and sympathy with terrorists’ kingpins. They want the Service and Security Chiefs who have achieved these milestones in counter-terrorism in Nigeria to be sacked and pliant ones appointed to reverse the gains. This is a crazy idea!

I have discerned that this has been the desire of foreign agents and other sponsors of terrorism in the last one year. It has been the fervent prayers of Boko Haram sponsors. And it’s unfortunate that NANS has submitted itself to the dance of such destructive drumbeats, with the lyrics trumpeted by enemies against their own country.

Let me remind.NANS that their induced anger with President Buhari’s determination to regenerate and redeem Nigeria cannot change this narrative. NANS must realize that under the Buhari Presidency NNPC is no longer open for anyone to loot. Therefore, by accepting to play such unpatriotic roles of emergency activists in the hope of approaching any government official to suppress a script or to collect cash and become rich or live large on campus is unrewarding investment now.

It is not lucrative business now. NANS must be goaded into the realization that nothing under the Buhari Presidency pays, except hard work. So, they can continue to spew the nonsensical and destructive campaigns, but no one’s ox is gored.

Under this government, it has also not been easy with paid emergency activists. The NANS leaders can confirm from the experiences of Charlie Boy, Deji Adeyanju and several others who have had to diversify their trade in order to keep afloat. And in truthfulness to these NANS leaders, they are worse than the devil by joining the league of those pulling down Nigeria.

Why would they think of using the killing of the UniMaid student as a source of cake to service their epicurean life styles? It is the lowest level of debasement any human being on earth can condescend. Today, I can confirm that truly, NANS itself has also died! It should first mourn its funeral. What a pity!

Bio is a historian and wrote from University of Ilorin.

The General Overseer of the Ark of Covenant Total Life Ministries, Prophet Isaac Itodo has revealed that the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been enmeshed in playing politics and fraternizing with political opponents of the present administration in heating the polity in Nigeria at the detriment of uniting the body of Christ in Nigeria.
The fiery cleric stated this in an exclusive chat with journalists in the wake of the killing of the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa state, Rev. Lawan Andimi by Boko Haram terrorist group.
Prophet Isaac Itodo stated that the prophecy from God is that the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has compromised its position as a body of Christ to lead the children of God by availing itself as a willing political tool for sale to the highest bidder.
"The Prophecy from God is that from the time of Ayo Oristejafor as the Chairman of CAN, the leadership of the association was compromised when they started dinning and winning with politicians and also using CAN as a political tool for settling political scores."
"As strange as this may sound, the revelation from God is that the leadership of CAN as it was engaged in too many activities that brought the body of Christ into disrepute in return for a plate of porridge."
When asked what he meant by activities that brought the body of Christ into disrepute, the clergy stated that some of the decisions taken by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan were not in the interest of the country and instead of the leadership of CAN to speak out, they supported him by playing the religious card.
"The CAN was a willing tool used by the Goodluck Jonathan administration to hide the killings and mismanagement of public funds meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition to prosecute the Boko Haram war in North-East Nigeria."
The cleric further added that some leaders of CAN instead of sober reflecting on the killing of the Chairman of CAN in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, they have capitalized on it to make monetary demands from highly placed politicians in the country for propaganda purposes.
"God works in mysterious ways. Ways we mortals cannot comprehend. For in Romans 1:18, it stated that "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."
"It is ironic that these leaders have forgotten so soon on about the wrath of God in Ezekiel 25:17 that states how God will "execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon them."
The cleric averred that God is angry with the leadership of CAN and advises them to retrace their steps or be ready for God's visitation upon them.
"It is indeed a shame that the body of Christ could denigrate to a level where truth would be far from them, where they take pride in bearing false witness against brethren. God is angry with them on how they have compromised by preferring to tell lies instead of telling the truth at all times like Jesus Christ."
Prophet Isaac Itodo further asserted that CAN allowed itself to become an accomplice in the unemployment equation by seeking to pray for Governors and top politicians that are ready to pay than holding a nationwide spiritual exercise to disgrace the devil and his plans for Nigeria.
"The leadership of CAN is cash and carry, where prayers are offered in return for money. They prefer to be seen in the company of governors and other political office holders who can pay their price in return for prayers. And to think that the leadership of CAN is now using the killing of Rev. Lawan Andimi to seek personal gains from top politicians in the country is very sad."
"The leadership of CAN cannot mock God because instead of bringing the Church together, they have elected to share money and utter just anything to the highest bidder because they have turned CAN to the biggest political party in Nigeria by using the name of God in vain to promote their empire for selfish interests and gains, forgetting that the scriptures state that Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Prophet Isaac Itodo stated that several other revelations were received from God on how the leadership of CAN had compromised. If they do not desist from their old ways, the wrath of God will come down heavily on them.
"God revealed that the leadership of CAN must imbibe the spirit of uprightness and deviate from their old ways. That they should seek His Face in times of tribulations rather than running to those whose actions and inactions have contributed to the level of insecurity in Nigeria."
When asked about the state of insecurity in the country as one of God's wrath on Nigeria, the clergy stated that the issue of insecurity had been politicized and blown out of proportion by politicians.
"The issue of insecurity has been politicized, and it is sad that CAN have been brought into the fray by these same set of politicians that are fueling the crisis to demand the sacking of Service Chiefs. Monies have indeed exchanged hands with the leadership of CAN for them to be calling for the sack of Service Chiefs".

*Boko Haram: Former CP Tsav writes Nigerian editors over fake news, canvases support for Nigerian troops*

A former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has cautioned Nigerian editors over the implication of fake news as it concerns the war against terrorism.

Mr. Tsav made this known on Thursday in a letter titled "winning the war against insurgency and the role of a patriotic press” and addressed to the Nigerian Guild of Editors.

According to the elder statesman, journalists are rather promoting insurgency, than supporting the military despite remarkable gains.

As partners in progress, he revealed that the media have a great role to play collectively in winning the final war against Boko Haram.

While it will take a battalion of armies about a year to bring an entire nation down, Mr. Tsav reckoned that the pen requires just a second to pull down a whole nation.

Hence he wants journalist to be cautious in reporting insurgency, so not to, in a way, promote terrorist propaganda.

For this to be achieved, however, the ex-Police chief believes the Nigerian Guild of Editors must be actively involved, blocking mischievous reporters influenced by unscrupulous power monks from compromising our national security.

Alhaji Tsav, therefore, urged Nigerian editors to embark on thorough fact-checks and show support for the military.

Read full letter below:

My Dear Nigerian Guild of Editors.

I extend my warmest regards to members of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE). Same to every Nigerian wherever he is resident now, whether in Southeast, Southwest, North Central or Northeast. I appreciate our unbreakable fraternity whether in our offices, our homes in the city or villages.

I am an elder statesman and proud to be a Nigerian with vast knowledge on security issues. I spent my youthful to adult age, serving my country in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) diligently, loyally, patriotically and faithfully for 35 years before I retired.

I finally retired as the Police Commissioner, Lagos State. And sometime, years back, I acted as the MILAD of Sokoto state. It therefore means I have vast experience in security matters. It is what nobody can take away or derobe from me, until I answer the final call of Almighty Allah.

In this capacity, I have presented papers at Media seminars, workshops and conferences locally and internationally in the course of my working schedules in serving Nigeria. I have mainly interrogated security experts, top Government officials and other professionals on security matters.

And in all, I have always projected and promoted the view that much as the media must perform it's constitutional responsibility as watchdogs of society; there must be some restraint when it relates to national security issues. We must be mindful not to incense the public to react violently in a nation under serious insecurity threats by our reportage or might of the pen.

We have insecurity threats that have threatened the very foundations of our robust lives and peaceful co-existence. These issues have gravely impeded us in dimensions we can only recollect in regrets. We need to be careful in the manner scenes at the battlefield are reported by the media.

By our actions or inactions and in most of the reports I have read on the ongoing clearance operations in Nigeria's Northeast against Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists, it means journalists are rather promoting insurgency, than helping Nigeria and the global community overcome it. We are all affected this badly!

When you read through some media reportorials on the military’s counter- insurgency operations in Nigeria's Northeast, one gets angered that our journalists are rather supporting the atrocities of terrorists against Nigeria. Let me point it to our editors that a variant of terrorism is called, cyberspace terrorism. It's more dangerous than even the trench battles with insurgents.

We should not posture very eagerly in promoting terrorists propaganda on triumphs over violent raids of our communities. And most times, it's fake news, crafted to service the ego of their foreign paymasters and sponsors from other foreign nations. Whatever happens, I plead that restraint should be observed by war correspondents on reporting insurgency in Nigeria.

I say this because the reports of some war correspondents, reporting the insurgency conflict in Nigeria's Northeast, drape and yawn with un-patriotism, disloyalty and pandering to the overt pleasantness of the reporters to insurgents and their paymasters.

Honestly, the Nigerian media has no reason to play this card, when their country is under the fumes of Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorism. It's unfair to all of us. And I dare say, such excesses from inexperienced and excited reporters on the field must be checkmated by editors manning the security desk in the media Houses.

Let me remind all of us that we have a duty and a price to pay for the peace of our nation. We cannot shirk from it, under the illusion that it is the responsibility of the Military, Airforce, Navy, the Police or other uniformed men and women.

On security, we are all partners in progress with the Military and other para-military organizations. We have a great role to play collectively in winning the final war against Boko Haram insurgency Your pen, arrow, cudgels are very important, much as conventional weaponry in this battle. Let's not leave anything to chance.

Of course, I don't want to dispute an ancient scholar, Edward Bulwer Lytton, who said, "The pen is mightier than the sword." Today, he is countered empirically in the dynamism of other equally sound scholars that bombs are mightier than the pen! So, must we toe this line of thinking to self-destruct?

So, the pen can either mitigate or inflate the atmosphere of war where Nigeria has found itself in the current counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists. I believe, the pen can do incalculable damage when deployed wrongly.

Whilst it will take a battalion of Armies about a year to bring an entire nation down, it will take the pen just one second to pull down a whole nation.The pen can also build the nation. The pen defeated tyranny in the past, even in Nigeria and brought us democracy.

I want to believe the pen can still humble Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, if only we deploy it patriotically. We should not be more excited in promoting Boko Haram/ISWAP devilish atrocities and horrendous crimes against Nigerians and humanity generally.

The Nigerian Guild of Editors must assist us in this battle. They should deploy their intelligence to block mischievous reporters from compromising our national security, especially in the traditional media, who are influenced by unscrupulous power monks.

When such un-patriotic stuff is churned out through the traditional media, it's unpardonable. If Nigerians read it through the social media, one can forgive; but when it is the traditional media that commits such blunders, then there is need to be afraid for our country.

I am worried because the traditional media's specific recent publication of a glaring falsehood that 17 soldiers were killed by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in Gwoza/ Bama/ Pulka axis and others has been exposed by concrete evidence as fake! This should prick the conscience of editors who allow such flawed scripts from reporters to qualify for publication and public consumption.

Nigerian Guild of Editors! Please, do us a fact-check each time your reporters in the Northeast send news to you from the frontlines. Verify and ascertain the truthfulness of the story on your desk before going to press. And in such circumstances of overtly partial news in support of terrorists, Nigerian troops are not only discouraged, but their morale is demoralised.

Nigerians should know that if we lose the war to the insurgents, it is partly because the media failed us. If we win it, it is because the pen, a very strong weapon in warfare supported us. We should not use the pen in our hands against ourselves.

I thank all security agents for their wonderful job and most warmly, you the media.

As the crisis rocking the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi FIIRO persist over the purported ingenuity of the academic record of the Acting Director General, Chima Igwe and the call for his removal, a coalition of civil society organisations has called for a probe into the actions of the players particularly the leadership of the Senior Staff Union and directors in the institute whom they accused of having unhealthy interest in the call for the removal of the Acting DG despite a clean bill given to him by the ICPC.

Addressing a press conference earlier today in Lagos, the coalition called on the ICPC and the minister of Science and Technology to make public the findings surrounding the imbroglio, just as it urged the Minister to order a probe into the conduct of the arrowhead of the siege on the institute over the past few weeks.

"We can't afford to continually sacrifice our best on the altar of regional sensationalism, tribalism and blackmail and hence our intervention." the group said.

"They attempt to frame up the acting DG with the intention of bringing him to public opprobrium and remove him from office. The kernel of this revelation is a plot to discredit his qualifications that qualifies him for the position he occupies."

They group furthered stated some demands.


"That all players in the game of shame and particularly the leadership of the staff union be probed for their involvement in bringing the name and integrity of the institute to disrepute and for breaking the civil service rule in the engagement of the press without exhausting the internal mechanism of government and her agencies.

That the ICPC again make known and public their finding as regards the issue surrounding the certificates of the acting DG.

The European Union Centre for Human Rights Protection (EUCHRP) has commended the Nigerian government and military for making significant progress in its counter-insurgency operations.

The Centre made this known in an extensive report on the “ threats posed by Boko Haram/ISWAP, the response of the Nigerian State and plight of civilians”.

In the report signed by Executive Director, Stuart McGhie and released on Tuesday, the Luxembourg-based centre appraised President Muhammadu Buhari for ensuring Nigerians and Nigeria is safe from enemies within and beyond its borders.

The team of highly-skilled researchers took into account the origin of the Boko Haram/ISWAP sect, previous government's efforts and how the current administration and military leadership led by Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has turned the tide positively.

Among others, the group highlighted transparency in defence procurement; human right and obedience to rule of engagement; procurement of modern equipment as well as regional cooperation as the catalyst.

Notwithstanding these obvious gains, the European Union Centre for Human Rights Protection, however, urged the Nigerian government and military not to rest on its laurels.

Read full report below:

Introduction

The emergence of the Boko Haram sect could be traced to the activities of Mohammed Yusuf, who called for the reinstitution of sharia governing Muslim Empires, which existed long before the British Empire subdued it. He argued that the colonial administration had turned the area to anti- Islam, breeding amongst the people an un-Islamic lifestyle. He was quoted in a BBC interview saying that "There are prominent Islamic preachers who have seen and understood that the present Western-style education is mixed with issues that run contrary to our beliefs in Islam…" Hence the name "Boko Haram" used by media, Government, and the general public to refer to the group who took up a more radical approach at the death of its founding leader, Mohammed Yusuf, who died in prison in 2009.

The Boko Haram Sect, since then under Abubakar Shekau's leadership, has evolved from fringe religious movement into one of the most lethal terrorist organizations in the world. The group has been linked and has claimed several terrorist attacks against the Nigerian state, and most back-breaking was the kidnap of over 200 girls (Chibok) from a boarding school on 14th April 2014 with President Goodluck Jonathan at the helm of governance.

The inability of the Government of the day to successfully persecute a counter-insurgency war against the sect highlighted the failures of the Jonathan government on the military front. More "high profile" attacks were carried out by the sect; several civilians and military personals were killed, civilians displaced, Chibok girls unreached, lots of monies spent, and many more stolen.

This was the security situation the Nigerian military faced before the election of Muhammadu Buhari as President in 2015. Since the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, it could be argued that the Security situation in Nigeria had significantly improved, and the Nigerian military has successfully launched several military campaigns against the Boko Haram group.

Nigerian Government Response against Boko Haram

Available statistics indicate that Boko Haram was able to exert its authority and control over some areas of northeast Nigeria. They made Camp Zero in Sambisa forest a reliable defense, training, and command center for their operations. The importance of dislodging the terror group from their Sambisa hideout could not have been overemphasized. It was indeed a significant victory for the Nigerian military authorities, which struck a heavy blow on the capability of the sect.

Dislodging Boko Haram from the Sambisa forest was not a question of "should" but a question of "how" for the Nigerian military who faced a daunting task of wrestling the forest from terrorist control.

The policy and administrative arms of the military had been accused of being detached from the reality of soldiers on the frontline. Complaints from troops about inadequate supplies of equipment and poor welfare was nullified by the relocation of the military command center to Maiduguri aimed at centralizing operations close to the action, cut the bureaucracy and speed up decision-making.

These initiatives paid off evidenced in the fact that Boko Haram was not only dislodged from the Sambisa forest but were also continually retreated into neighboring countries. Since the launch of Operation Lafia Dole, Boko Haram's capacity to attack territories outside Borno state has been limited. This is a great gain against a lethal and highly sophisticated group whose activities extended to the capital city of Abuja.

The Highlights of the War against Terrorism in Nigeria (2015-date)

Transparency in Defence Procurement

To enhance transparency, the Nigerian military has since brought corrupt officers and officials to book and also recovered looted security funds. Due to the irregularities that took place in the defence spending, the National Security Adviser instituted a committee to investigate weapon procurement since 2007 to check irregularities that lead to the purchasing of sub-standard and unserviceable equipment.

The superior firepower of troops, especially those provided by the Nigeria military, has paid off significantly on the battlefield. A large number of terrorists have since been captured, some killed, and others have fled their hideouts. In a bid to strengthen trust and transparency in executing the war against terrorism between the military and the general public, the command center of Operation Lafiya Dole conducts media briefing on the progress and setbacks of the operation.

Regional Cooperation

Before the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria's President, the Multi-National Joint Task Force established in 1998 was a weak regional security set up that could not live up to its billings highlighted by the pull out of Chad and Niger in 2013 and 2014 (peak years of Boko Haram terrorism) and the overrunning of the MNJTF headquarters near Baga (Nigeria) by Boko Haram terrorist which was a massive blow on the regional security set up.

However, the regional cooperation was reviewed and revived in mid-2015 with headquarters at N'Djamena commanded by a Nigerian General through the diplomatic prowess of the President Muhammadu Buhari which permitted the execution of joint operations, planning, intelligence sharing and the temporal permission of Nigerien and Chadian troops to intervene in Nigerian territory in the Lake Chad area.

Procurement of Modern Equipment

The Nigerian Government responded to the activities of Boko Haram by procuring modern equipment for the execution of the war against the sect. The procurement of modern equipment and weaponry lifted troop morale and, as such, impacted on the military gains against the sect. The Government also solicited and continues to solicit for international assistance in this regard.

In December 2016, the German Ministry of the defence supplied the Nigerian military with modern mobile medical units, several metal detectors, and counter-improvised Explosive Device and Explosive Ordinance Disposal. In the same year, during the African Union, Summit, Britain had committed 860 million Euros in foreign aid to Nigeria to boast her efforts against Boko Haram. Most of these donations have been judiciously spent on arms procurement, which has lifted troop morale. The Nigerian military, since the commencement of new procurement policy, got rid of sub-standard weapons and bad equipment.

Human Right and Obedience to Rule of Engagement

It is important to note that the Nigerian military instituted measures that check excessive human rights abuse as may be committed by the armed forces in the course of its military engagement with Boko Haram in the North East. By October 2015, the Nigerian military had begun to investigate cases of indiscipline by soldiers, including human rights abuses, and also announced the creation of a human rights desk to handle complaints from members of the public.

In August 2017, a presidential investigation Panel on Review of Compliance of Armed Forces with Human Rights Obligations and Rules of Engagement was instituted to "investigate, prosecute and punish all crimes under international law and other serious violations of human rights law, whether committed by Boko Haram, Nigerian military or the civilian joint task force."

To ensure effective control of arbitrariness and lawlessness by military personnel, deliberate, unambiguous rules or directives that define the circumstances, conditions, degree and manner in which the use of force or actions which might be construed as provocative may be applied, are given out by competent authority to every soldier on internal security operation.

These rules are consistent, account for a variety of potential scenarios and the political and military aspects of a given situation. Such awareness and the penchant for the respect for human rights by the military leadership ensures that at all times, troops are aware of these rules before they are launched into the operational arena, and any violation is met with a severe penalty. By so doing, a lot of human rights abuses are being checkmated.

Conclusion

Security is a vital part of socio-economic development in Nigeria, that is why the Nigerian Government deploys every ounce of capability within her reach to protect her own, whether it is her territory, people, sovereignty or resources from potential and actual threats from fellow states, non-state and stateless actors such Boko Haram. The above report has shown that the Nigerian Government has made significant progress security-wise in the past decade, especially against insurgency activities in the North East region. It is on this note that this report recommends that the Nigerian Government should not rest on her laurels but continue to defend her citizens and territory from enemies within and beyond its borders.

*Boko Haram/ISWAP's murder of preacher won't break our trust in God, Buhari - Christian group*

Despite the gruesome murder of Adamawa-based preacher, Rev Lawan Andimi, by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, the Northern Christian Forum of Nigeria (NCFN) has vowed to hold on to its faith and support for President Muhammadu Buhari's administration.

The Christian group made this known at a press conference on Thursday condemning the wicked act which it described as “unfortunate and barbaric”.

In a statement signed by President, Rev. Elijah Bitrus, NCFN revealed that the plan was to weaken their faith to discourage the evangelism and rapid spread of the gospel across the length and breadth of the country.

Instead, however, this episode has enhanced their belief and uncompromising support for the president, according to Rev. Bitrus.

The group hailed President Buhari's effort in the fight against terrorism and corruption which sponsors and collaborators of the Boko Haram terrorists aren't pleased with.

NCFN, therefore, called on Nigerians to continue to cooperate and give full support to the government in the bid to rid of these elements that are hell bent on trying to instigate Nigerians against one another.

Read full statement below:

The Northern Christian Forum of Nigeria (NCFN) has received with shock the unfortunate and barbaric murder of the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Michika Local Government of Adamawa State by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

This comes as a surprise even more painful given that the Reverend Gentleman was killed after his abductors raised hope that he was going to be released after the payment of ransom.

But as it turned out, they were obviously looking for excuses to commit their heinous act hence demanded for a ransom they thought would be impossible to raise within the given time frame, but when the church rose in unison and almost tripled the amount, the terrorists, seeing that their thirst for blood would not be satiated if they release the CAN Chairman, rejected the N50 million offered and executed the Reverend Gentleman in cold blood.

This is not just an act of wickedness but a calculated campaign to frighten the faithful in their quest to get close to their maker. But we are only made stronger and more United in our resolve to love God the more.

The NCFN has reasons to believe that there is a plan to weaken the faithful by such acts of brutality in order to discourage the evangelism and rapid spread of the gospel across the length and breadth of the country. Furthermore that more brethren have continued to accept the teachings of our lord and saviour in the most interior parts of the north-east to the glory of God.

We will like to send a strong message out there to the terrorists and their sponsors that no matter how hard they might try, that our faith in God cannot be shaken and as long as the lord tarries we will not be deterred from either practicing our faith or winning souls for the kingdom.

As Christians, we draw inspiration from the scripture and especially the book of Job where the man of God triumphed over every form of physical pain and torture due to his abiding faith in the almighty.

Let it be known to the terrorists and their sponsors that our eyes are already focused on the mark hence we cannot be discouraged or distracted by such acts of cowardice that manifest in the killing of the body.

What we see is beyond here hence we cannot be tossed by every swaying of the wind.

We are also aware that the current administration is doing all it can to put an end to these acts of terrorism and that these actions are also targeted at poisoning the minds of Christians into believing that they are not secured under the current administration.

Many are angry at the President because of his fight against corruption which we have had reasons to support in order to restore back the glory of our country. President Buhari is the choice of God and no man born of woman can undo what God has decreed.

We therefore call on all to cooperate and give full support to the government in the bid to rid this country of these elements that are hell bent on trying to instigate Nigerians against one another based on religion. We shall forever remain one in the body of Christ and nothing shall discourage us.

Thank you and may all the departed souls rest in peace. Amen.

Army/IMN Clash: Civil rights group asks court to stop IMN  Spokesman, Musa, KDGH others from publishing book



The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, CESJET, has approached the state high court in Kaduna asking for an order to stop the spokesman of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Musa, from publishing a book on the clash between the IMN and the Nigeria Army saying it is capable of jeopardizing the ongoing trial of the IMN leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. 


Barrister Edward Omaga who spoke with journalists after filing the suit said the centre views the attempt to publish the book as an attempt to prove that Ibrahim El-Zakzakky and his followers are not guilty whereas the State is prosecuting him.


He said one cannot release a book for public consumption at the same time when issues are before the court of law as allowing same will be subjudice.


CESJET in an originating summons filed at the State High Court Kaduna, wants the court to determine whether by virtue of the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the clash between IMN and the Nigeria army and the gazetted white paper emanating from it, whether the IMN was not proscribed and designated as a terrorist group and whether Ibrahim Musa is not by writing a book on the IMN attempting to commit an act of terrorism.

The centre is also asking the court for an order mandating the commissioner of police in Kaduna State to arrest and prosecute the IMN spokesman for trying to publish the book entitled, ‘ December 2015 Massacre of Shiites in Nigeria. Survivors accounts which it says amounts to trying to dislodge the Nigerian government.

In the summons taken out by Edward Omaga, the center pointed out that by virtue of the report of the Judicial commission of Inquiry and the white paper the IMN  has been proscribed stressing that by trying to launch a book on the IMN, Ibrahim Musa is trying to further the activities of the IMN which the centre described as ‘criminal.’

CESJET further pointed out that being the spokesman of the IMN is enough to taint the book with falsehood, defamation or blackmail capable of inciting the public against the Nigerian government and jeopardizing the ongoing trial of Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky by the High Court of Kaduna State for offences bordering on treason, terrorism and murder.

Omaga said the centre's interest is in seeing that the security of the nation is not threatened under any guise.

He said it is significant that members of the public are not allowed to engage in activities capable of inciting the public against the government or rubbishing the temple of justice at any point.

*CALSER mourns pastor killed by Boko Haram/ISWAP, calls for unity of faith against terrorist ideology*


The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) has condemned the murder of Adamawa-based preacher, Lawan Andimi by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

In a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, CALSER President, Princess Ajibola believes the killing of the Christian cleric shows the radical sect's desperation to provoke sectarian strife that could ultimately birth crisis.

According to the Centre, Boko Haram/ISWAP ideology has nothing to do with religion but rather sheer wickedness and evil against humanity.

CALSER, therefore, called on Nigerians to unite irrespective of religious and ethnic divide to put an end to the terrorist’s devilish ideology.

While tasking the Federal Government, through the various security agencies, to identify the perpetrators, CALSER further urged the international community to quit the silence and condemn the activities of the terrorist group.

Read full address below:

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) condemns in the strongest terms the murder of Lawan Andimi, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika local government area of Adamawa state by terrorists. We mourn the death of Pastor Andimi not just because of the tragic connections but because of the danger his murder poses to long term stability of Nigeria.

The murder of the Christian clergy further confirms our fears that Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are desperate to provoke sectarian strife that could see Nigerians attacking and counter-attacking each other if they fall for the terrorists’ strategy of deepening religious divides.

CALSER therefore reminds Nigerians that Boko Haram/ISWAP ideology has nothing to do with religion but rather sheer wickedness and evil against humanity. Rather than being people that want to forcefully impose their religion on the rest of us, these terrorists are nothing but a bunch of criminals, psychopaths and sociopaths who hide their perversion behind religious claims.

The killing of Pastor Andimi calls for sober reflection but even more is the need to have the appropriate responses from the various stakeholders. At the top of the hierarchy is the urgent need for unity of purpose by all men of goodwill, who must to come together irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliation to defeat the evil called Boko Haram/ISWAP.

The clergy across all persuasions must condemn the dastardly murder while urging their followers to resist the temptation of taking steps that could create new problems for the country. Islamic clerics have the particularly arduous task of addressing conditions that make it possible for the terrorists to pervert religious teachings for brainwashing, recruiting, radicalizing and manipulating their members into disregarding the sanctity of human life.

We call on the Federal Government, through the various security agencies, to particularly identify the terrorists involved in the pastor’s murder and promptly take justice to them to serve as a deterrence and a reminder that such reckless act of terrorism is not permissible irrespective of what international support Boko Haram and ISWAP enjoy. Nigerians and their military must not give up on reducing Boko Haram/ISWAP to ashes anywhere in the country and beyond.

Whilst the international community continues to maintain the very shameful silence over the atrocities committed by Boko Haram/ISWAP in Nigeria’s north east, and while a section of the international media circuit continues to promote falsehood against the Nigerian military despite their sacrifices for the security of all citizens, we believe that the murder of Pastor Andimi should be a watershed and an opportunity for them to recalibrate and renounce all forms of support for the terrorists, implied, covert or overt.

The world and its police body should not stop at just condemning the murder but must move further by taking practical steps that help countries affected by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism to bring the criminals and their sponsors to book.

*Boko Haram/ISWAP: Inter-faith group calls for one day nationwide prayers against killers of Adamawa Pastor*

Following the gruesome murder of an Adamawa-based pastor, the National Inter-Faith and Religious Organization for Peace (NIFROP) has called on Nigerians to embark on a one-day intensive prayer and fast against his killers.

Rev. Lawan Andimi was Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State before his abduction and abrupt death.

In an emotional statement signed by Grand Patron on Tuesday, Archbishop Julius Ediwe, NIFROP sobbed over the demise considering all efforts put into securing his release from Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group.

Bishop Ediwe described the slain pastor as a “man of God that preached the gospel of peace and unity in his area of jurisdiction” and “lived a life worthy of emulation in his actions and inactions in the propagation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

However, inter-faith group believes his murder is “ one too many” and something urgent needs to be done by Nigerians irrespective of faith.

Hence, NIFROP called for a one-day prayer and fasting by people of all faith across the country to bring the wrath of God upon the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist and their collaborators that do not want peace and progress in Nigeria.

The group reckoned that Nigerians need to seek the wrath of God to “ fall heavily on all those responsible for the death of Rev Andimi”, from the radical sect to its financiers and collaborators.

Read full statement below:

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organization for Peace (NIFROP) are indeed saddened by the unfortunate killing of the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Rev. Lawan Andimi.

The news came as a rude shock to NIFROP despite all the efforts that were put into securing his release from the hands of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group since his abduction for no justifiable cause other than the fact that he is a servant of the Lord's vineyard.

Rev. Lawan Andimi was a man of God that preached the gospel of peace and unity in his area of jurisdiction and his capacity as the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa state. This death is indeed one too many for all lovers of peace in Nigeria regardless of our ethnic and religious affiliations.

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace (NIFROP) is consoled with the fact that Rev. Lawan Andimi lived a life worthy of emulation in his actions and inactions in the propagation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every Servant of God, whomever he may be and however important his work, must eventually rest from his labors. Even Prophet Elijah came to the end of his earthly span of service. There were very few witnesses on the earth in those days; good men were scarce, yet Prophet Elijah had to go! We are apt only to look at the earthly service of believers and to forget that our earthly ministry is only a preparation for our service in the ages to come.

In the Book of Psalms 105: 15, the Holy Bible expressly stated thus: "Do not touch My anointed ones; do my prophets no harm." The killing of Rev. Lawan Andimi by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group is indeed against this biblical injunction, and there shall be consequences.

According to the Book of Romans 1:18, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."

As an organization under the mantle of God, we pray that the wrath of God shall fall heavily on all those responsible for the death of Rev. Lawan Andimi in unquantifiable measures. All those that have conspired directly or indirectly to the death of the servant of God shall be visited with the wrath of God. This includes the financiers, local, and international promoters of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist groups.

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace have indeed placed a curse that they shall indeed know no peace from this day onwards till the day of their destruction.

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace consequently call for a one-day prayer and fasting by people of all faith across the country to bring the wrath of God upon the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist and their collaborators that do not want peace and progress in Nigeria.

In all of these, we give thanks to God almighty, as stated in the book of 1 Corinthians 15:57. "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

*ICC: Global Amnesty commends Nigerian government's effort in tackling threats to humanity*

....calls for consideration of facts against Boko Haram, IMN others

Contrary to preliminary examination activities by the International Criminal Court that its prosecutor could press three cases against the Nigerian government, the Global Amnesty Watch (GWA) has commended the Nigerian government for its effort in tackling threats to humanity.

The international humanitarian organization made this known on Tuesday in a detailed report opposing ICC's recent report with a view to put issues in proper perspective.

Among others, the international tribunal listed Nigeria as one of the countries being probed for alleged war and international human rights crimes.

On the opposite, however, Global Amnesty Watch believes the Nigerian authorities have done sufficiently well in its prosecution of the war against terrorism in Nigeria.

In the report signed by John Tom Lever, Africa Representative, GAW acknowledged some challenges were faced along the way but prompt and counter measures were put in place.

The Global Amnesty Watch added that the issues identified by the ICC are those already addressed by a presidential panel of inquiry and found the military innocent.

After thoroughly examining the facts, the group concluded that indeed the Nigerian military lived up to expectation and the position of the ICC is “misleading and not a reflection of the reality on the ground”.

In the interest of fairness to all, Global Amnesty Watch, therefore, called on ICC to investigate Boko Haram, IMN and others over war crimes.

Read full report below:

Preamble:

The International Criminal Court, in its 2019 edition of the annual report on preliminary examination activities, identified three cases that could be pressed against Nigerian authorities as issued by the Office of its prosecutor headed by Mrs. Fatou Bensouda.

The report amongst a host of others listed Nigeria as one of the countries being probed for alleged war and international human rights crimes. The possible crimes against the Nigerian Security and Civilian Joint Task Force include killings, torture or ill-treatment of military-aged males suspected to be Boko Haram members or supporters in the North East. The report also identified attacks against civilian populations and recruitment and use of children under 15 to participate in hostilities.

The Position of the Global Amnesty Watch:

The Global Amnesty Watch as an international humanitarian organization with a mandate of serving as that watchdog on Human Rights compliance by governments and organizations around the world decries the methodology employed by the ICC in arriving at most of the findings in its report, especially that aspects that relates to the Nigerian military and its prosecution of the war against terrorism in North-East Nigeria.

The position of the ICC is at best misleading and not a reflection of the reality on the ground because of its failure to recognize appropriate mechanisms put in place by the Nigerian authorities to ensure that cases of excessive use of forces, human rights violations and other sundry issues by Nigerian military personnel are addressed.


Special Board of Inquiry:

The ICC may wish to recall that the Nigerian Army had indeed constituted a Special Board of Inquiry headed by Major General A.T. Jibrin, rtd, which investigated the cases of misdemeanour by officers and men of the Nigerian Army in the fight against terrorism in North-East Nigeria and other security operations in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria.

The Global Amnesty Watch as a stakeholder is privy to the content of the report and in times past called for it to be given wide publication in an attempt to put to rest the controversies that had raged around the efforts of the Nigerian military to secure the country and keep its citizens safe from terrorist and other militant groups in the country.

Presidential Investigative Panel:

In the aftermath of public outcry in human rights violations against the Nigerian Military in respect to the IMN and IPOB, a presidential investigative panel was instituted by the Nigerian government and headed by Justice Georgewill Biobele to review extant rules of engagement applicable in the Armed Forces and the extent of compliance with them. The panel sat in Enugu, Abuja, Maiduguri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt and received several petitions from individuals, groups and CSOs. The IPOB and their lawyers made presentations in Enugu, southeast Nigeria during which several alleged cases of military brutality were heard. It must be stated that cases as far back as 2007 were also presented at the panel.

The Global Amnesty Watch is aware that the Presidential Panel, in its submission, exonerated the Nigerian Military of all allegations of human rights violations against IPOB and the IMN.

Boko Haram:

The Boko Haram crisis that has ravaged most parts of North-East Nigeria is indeed as worrisome as it sounds. Regardless of the nefarious activities of the terror group, the Global Amnesty Watch can state that the operations of the Nigerian Military in the zone have been characterized by compliance with the rules of engagement in war situations. This much the Global Amnesty Watch has stated in its various reports on the activities of the Nigeria military in North-East Nigeria.

The much was also stated when a special rapporteur from Global Amnesty Watch commended the Nigerian Military for displaying effective coordination against Boko Haram terrorists in North-East Nigeria amidst conspiracy. This came about after a systematic tour of select communities, which included Chibok, Gwoza, and Madagali.

The findings of the Special Rapporteur revealed that the government of Nigeria has continued to review the rules of engagement to ensure that actions of troops are in tandem with the Nigerian Armed Forces published rules of engagement.

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria:

The position of the Global Amnesty Watch on the activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has been documented in a series of reports made available to the public. The military action of December 2015, between the Nigerian Army and the IMN referenced by the ICC, has been investigated by the Global Amnesty Watch to ascertain cases of Human Rights violations by the Nigerian Army.

This was corroborated by the setting up of a Special Commission of Inquiry by the Kaduna State Government. The findings of the Special Commission of Inquiry made substantial revelations on the cause of the clash between the Nigerian Army and the IMN. The Global Amnesty Watch scrutinized this much, and a conclusion was reached that there was indeed a threat to the life of the Chief of Army Staff, whose convoy was ambushed in Zaria by IMN members on a procession.

It must be noted that there were several other instances where the IMN as an organization exhibited violent tendencies manifest in street protests in most parts of the country that resulted in deaths and destructions of properties. However, it must be stated that there were some established cases of human rights violations on the part of the Nigerian Military, and the Global Amnesty Watch did raise the alarm, which eventually led to disciplinary actions taken against such erring officers. And not in the magnitude the ICC is presenting.


Indigenous People of Biafra:

The agitations of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are one that should be a source of concern to all stakeholders. This much has been stated in numerous forums where the Global Amnesty Watch engaged stakeholders in Nigeria. Their agitations in most times result in violent confrontations with security operatives with little or minimal provocation.

The Global Amnesty Watch has indeed frowned at situations where groups have refused to be guided by the recognized constituted authorities in the country, which is indeed always a recipe for breakdown of law and order. This much was highlighted in the ICC report, but missing in crucial details as to how and what led to the confrontations with the security operatives.

It must be stated that there were instances where the security agencies deployed the excessive force in arresting threats posed by IPOB; the Global Amnesty Watch has roundly condemned such displays. However, it is our considered opinion that this act or actions should not form a basis for the ICC to press charges against the Nigerian Authorities.

The focus instead should be on these organizations that have taken laws into their own hands by constituting themselves into parallel governments threatening peace and tranquility in most instances.

Terrorism Trial:

We wish to state that due to the magnitude of the conflict caused by the IMN and IPOB, as stated earlier the leaders of the IMN, Sheik Ibraheem EL-Zar-zarky, as well as Nnamdi Kanu are standing trial in various courts in Nigeria on charges of terrorism brought forward by the Nigerian government. This is also cognizant of the fact that the Global Amnesty Watch is in receipt of evidence that the International Criminal Court is investigating the IMN and IPOB for war crimes due to the level of violence that has occasioned their activities in Nigeria.


Conclusion:

The Global Amnesty Watch wishes to put on record that the issues identified by the ICC are the very issues that a presidential panel of inquiry has addressed and found the military innocent. In the few cases where breaches were noticed, personnel have been decisively dealt with and it would only amount to double jeopardy for anyone to be sanctioned for one offense twice anywhere in the world.

It is thus our considered opinion that the Nigerian Military has indeed lived up to expectation in its prosecution of the war against terrorism in Nigeria. It must be stated that no society or endeavour is 100% perfect, but in instances where measures are instituted to check abuses or overzealousness must be commended and not crucified.

This is aside the fact that the Global Amnesty Watch is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the ICC investigation on the IMN and IPOB for war crimes in the interest of fairness to all.

YOUTH COUNCIL COMMENDS JAMB OVER THE REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR 2020 UTME
The leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, the premier youth welfare advocacy organization, has commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board over the success of the ongoing registration exercise for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, following an independent monitoring tour of registration centers, the Vice President (North Central) of NYCN, Amb. Akoshile Mukhtar expressed appreciation to the management of JAMB under the leadership of Prof. Is’haq Oloyede the Registrar. Ambassador Mukhtar said “ the Council is indeed impressed that the management of JAMB was swift in responding to feedback and reversing the requirement for NIN as a prerequisite for registering candidates, which had imposed difficulties on the youth of this country”. Speaking Further Ambassador Mukhtar posited that “without question Prof. Oloyede showed that indeed the government of the day is a humane one that is more interested in the welfare of Nigerians than any other before it and that the government is open to listening to the voices of the people in making and implementing policies”.
He commended JAMB for choosing the very best of information technology platforms that have made the registration process hitchfree, as “all of the centers visited by the NYCN delegation found registration to be seamless and orderly”.
He further said that “the bold and unprecedented reforms being witnessed in JAMB have translated into practical benefits to government and direct impact on the public through initiatives such as, higher remittances to government, reduction in registration cost last year and the merger of the UTME and DE registrations. It will also be recalled that JAMB had intervened in the issue of the young girl in Niger state who was denied admission by ABU despite her high scores in last year’s UTME”.
He urged Prof Oloyede to continue in his current course and counseled Nigerians to give the seasoned education Czar time as investments in education are reaped over the medium to long term, saying that “the work being done by JAMB should be embraced by all Nigerians and emulated by other agencies of government to scale up the harvest for our country in the nearest future”.

By Okanga Agila

Day break has caught some Nigerian leaders on the wrong side of history. Aspiring for public office is as easy as dreaming dreams. But the most difficult aspect of dreams is the consummation of its reality. Most Nigerians have found themselves on the leadership plane. But their actions and utterances depict a frustrating departure from their flaunted competencies in seeking for such exalted offices. They are devoid of tact, vision and diplomacy required of such positions of leadership.

Nigerians woke up to the rude shock of the inauguration of a para-military security organization christened as Western Nigeria Security Network alias Operation Amotekun in Ibadan, Oyo state. It is a collective initiative of State Governors of the six South West states of Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun, and headquartered in Gbongan in Osun State.

Ordinarily, the launch of Amotekun would have passed unnoticed either by the people of the Southwest region of Nigeria or elsewhere. But there were disturbing malcontents in the speeches of leaders offered on the day of inauguration of Amotekun.

Some Southwest governors, most especially the Ekiti state Gov. Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his Oyo state counterpart Gov. Seyi Makinde plainly expressed the cynicism of the masses over the security outfit. The kicks against it came from the same people it was designed to protect. Issues arising from a likely conflict of interest with conventional security agencies with the birth of Operation Amotekun popped up.

So, Fayemi and Makinde, devoted time to dispel what they call rumours of Amotekun’s likelihood to undermine the Police or other security agencies. Apparently, there were discordant voices compelling the desperate attempts to expel the antagonisms against Amotekun.

Makinde said “Amotekun is not a duplication neither is it a replacement for the Nigeria Police Force. Amotekun is a complement that gives our people the confidence that they are being looked after by the people they elected into office. We do not want this to create fear in the mind of anyone. We are not creating a regional police force.”

The South westerners fears about the reality of Amotekun could have not been less accurate or misplaced. To think that hunters, members of the dreaded Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) led by Ganiyu Adams and existing sects of such ilks are components of Amotekun is understandably scary to the people. It unveils an insidious dreary content of Amotekun. And the people of Southwest are not new to such experiences under OPC and such clans of miscreants.

Even Gov. Fayemi’s explanation failed to allay the fears when he said, “The Western Nigeria Security Network Operation Amotekun is nothing but a community policing response to a problem that our people would like to put an end to.”

What most Nigerian leaders and surrogates are refusing to decode in Operation Amotekun is its propensity to aggravate the problem than remedy it. Its composition is not only defective, but it is extremely and potentially dangerous to willingly handover arms to jobless and untrained youths and baptize them with an imprecise job description of this nature, as consented by the South West Governors.

Notwithstanding the expressed discontents, such an action is susceptible to dire repercussions in future which are not envisaged now by those excitedly voicing support for Amotekun. Even George Orwell’s satirical novel, “Animal Farm,” with the imprimatur of a jungle, there are rules and regulations which govern the animals in the farm.

As mindless as some Nigerian political leaders are fixated on evil, this is how simple arms and ammunitions are handed over to youths. These are youths armed by the state, who would sooner or later, be beyond their control and deviate from the original trajectory to turn the arms against the people and the state in criminality.

It is the unconscious roots of violence and killings some Nigerian leaders implant in the system with scant regard of its boomerang effects. It most times leads to the multifarious armed struggles in Nigeria, such as Boko Haram, Niger Delta militancy, IPOB and so forth, only to stage out to beg for armistice and amnesty.

And for those with the satanic passion for violence and blood, who scheme their leadership in shrines, backed by foreign agents of destabilization and eventual break-up of Nigeria, the night is not yet nigh. Nigeria under Buhari is not afraid of genuine aspirations of any group of peoples for self-determination or secession. But those canvassing or supporting such views under veiled shadows by arming native armies must not be allowed to triumph.

There is no wisdom in serving President Buhari, who is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria to mortgage or concede his powers of securing Nigeria to any armed local militia sect in the guise of Amotekun or any other such unlawful groups. Buhari reasoned it clearly through the Attorney-General (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami.

And those who have ears, listened to Mr. Malami (SAN) echoed clearly that; “The setting up of the paramilitary organization called ‘Amotekun’ is illegal and runs contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian law…The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) has established the Army, Navy and Airforce, including the Police and other numerous paramilitary organizations for the purpose of the defence of Nigeria.”

So, those misled into Amotekun should be counselled appropriately! There is no iota of doubt that the Southwest Governors never took into consideration these fallouts before venturing into a fouled, hurried assemblage and arming of youths in the pretext of substitute community policing. It is uncharitable and a disservice to themselves and the nation.

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) under President Muhammadu Buhari has viewed the formation of Amotekun as unpardonable contempt on his government, Nigerians and subtle glaring attempts by a clan of State Governors to impose illegality on the country. The deliberate windows being opened for the rise and flourishing of ethnic militias in Nigeria through Amotekun to spite the Presidency has not escaped sane minds.

But the proponents and supporters of this repulsive idea have no option than to realize and re-direct their senses or energies in conformity with the path of truth and law. They must know that neither state governors nor regional leaders have the powers to impose, create or operate an armed para-military security outfit without the requisite approval of the FGN, no matter the imperative of the motivation for its establishment.

The loud arguments condemning and countering AGF’s position on Amotekun as constituting a lawful court unto himself are nowhere near any ounce of plausibility. The same thoughts should also be extended to the South West Governors, leaders and all apostates of Amotekun to have a free conscience by interrogating themselves as to whether, any government at the lower rung, other than the FGN has the lawful powers to seize the sacred power of security from the hands of the FGN to munch and abuse in whatsoever manner they deem fit.

It just flows along the same familiar path when violence-prone cursed souls like Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed IPOB shamelessly backing the idea of Amotekun. Kanu’s “dead” spirit was enlivened and ventilated with the establishment of Amotekun .

The IPOB leader exclaimed pleasantly, “The final and definitive stance of the Biafran people is that IPOB will support Operation Amotekun with all our might…IPOB will work with them. If they want one million men, I will give them….”

Kanu and his likes are not just spoilers, but effeminate local champions waiting to see how President Buhari rocks the boat on Amotekun. In doing this, like James Hardly Chase, they have put their ears on the ground to diligently twist and explore the loopholes to establish their own versions of Amotekun, to easily justify the absurdity with the Southwest example.

No Nigerian is fooled! President Buhari can never be deceived with such antics of retrogressives and destroyers of Nigeria in the #NextLevel. The promoters of Amotekun have field might to purchase arms and ammunitions to threaten everybody unlawfully; but President Buhari has the executive might, much greater than a thousand-armed Amotekuns!

And discernment of this nonsensical idea can only be gleaned from the public statement of Chief Nnia Nwodo , the President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization who paid glowing tributes to Southwest leaders for the creation of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN). He said, “Our Army and Air Force are commanded by officers who should have retired according to establishment laws.” With this comment, tt’s not misplaced to assert that Nwodo is suffering from senility and needs some rest. So, when elders begin to deviate and mouth this senselessly, it heralds a grand conspiracy to execute the unthinkable.

However, former military President of Nigeria, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) a man who has seen and experienced everything in Nigeria has freely rendered this advice to Southwest Governors, Afenifere, Nwodo, and opinion moulders in any part of Nigeria who are supporting Amotekun.

IBB as he is fondly called by his clan of admirers and who currently belongs to the party in opposition to President Buhari cautioned during last Monday’s interview, “News Night “ on Channels TV that Amotekun is unsustainable and an “Overstretch of security functions.”

IBB was emphatic that; “What we need to do is to have a closer look. We have a lot of security outfits; we have the army, the mobile police, the National Defence security, we have a whole load of them.

President Buhari has a responsibility to ensure no security of Nigerians in any part of the country is abandoned for rent to ethnic or religious leaders to adopt in pursuing violent personal vendetta and political ambitions in future. Amotekun is Southwest leaders’ saddest slide to uncivilized and irresponsible leadership and should not be condoned or allowed to stand.

Okanga wrote from Agila, Benue State.

*US-based Nigerian celebrates soldiers with touching poem*

A Nigerian based in the United States of America, Mark Bolaji, has written a poem in honour of the Nigerian Armed Forces with particular emphasis on the sacrifices of the Army in the fight against Boko Haram.

The poem titled “Gallant Nigerian Army; Our petals of daffodils” echoed the sacrifices of the gallant troops on the frontlines.

Mr Bolaji recalled the havoc-wrecking era where Boko Haram enjoyed a seamless ride in the NorthEast but thanked the gallant troops for finally ensuring “salvation came banging hard and hard”.

“As soldiers clad in vexation and armoury, gallant soldiers reclaimed Nigerian territories,” he added while describing the manner victory arrived.

The Houston Texas-based poet cheekily described the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai as “Shagaban Shoja,”who climbed atop the Limankara Hills in bold and blustery affront” to lead the assault on insurgents.

Read full poem below:

Darkness reigned, anguish and agonies,

Were crowned kings,

In the famed land of the El Kanemis,

The kingdom of ancient warriors,

And of reverence!

Deaths, and blood and destructions; mid-night

Arsons punctured the serenity of the land of promise,

As spirit of forebearers, armor bearers and multitudes alike,

Voyaged into the swamps and mesh of the hinterland,

In depressing searching for water to quench their thirst,

Food to fill empty bellies and starving souls,

Wrecked souls, begged for succor on bended kneels.

The Shekau boys visited the Northeast lands,

Oh yes! The Boko Haram demons,

Brutal campaigns of annihilation,

In satanic service of paymasters in foreign lands,

Bowing to bizarre and opaque doctrines of extremism,

With slavish and unconscionable condour,

Energized by might of swords, guns and bombs,

Caused devastating atrocities and ruinations.

In the fury of unrestrained bloodletting,

Wailing children, broke hearts of dying mothers,

Aged adults squirmed in dark tunnels and gulags,

Of Haram captors, slaving and laboring in resigned fate,

Only reminiscent of the slave trade of yore.

Survivors sought asylum in familiar and strange lands,

Starved to the marrow and slaughtered,

Like animals laid on the slaughterers slap,

As Al Barnewi armed gangs, nourished freely,

By alien paymasters, in distant lands,

From the greens and oils of the Lake Chad,

Feasted and feasted on human blood,

With sacrilegious impunity on souls and blood of kins.

Fractured social and economic lives,

Spared no foe or enemy,

All were united in grief and sorrows,

Despaired over deaths, abductions and bloodbaths;

The fisherman, crop farmer, cattle rearer,

Or student, traders and kings all soaked in misery.

Northeast forlorn enclaves, communities, villages,

Yearned for familiar faces and shadows,

As Gwoza, Bama, Mongonu and others,

Played host to unwanted hegemonic landlords,

In darkened chambers,

As extremists of the swords, regaled in undulating ambience;

Insurgents made burnfires and carnivals,

Celebrating demoniac victory,

Over children, women and the aged.

Confusion reigned, ennui amplified,

Aso Rock shuddered, and Nigerians bemoaned,

Lonely chirruping birds hovered on deserted lands,

Domestic animals’ foraged,

Empty homesteads, in vein search for Amina’s grains chaff.

But at last, salvation came banging hard and hard!

On the manacled doors of Northeast,

As soldiers clad in vexation and armoury,

Thrusted poisonous arrows and guns at terrorists,

Dispossessed many, grabbed their evil arsenals,

In weeks and months of fierce combats,

Compelling dozens of insurgents,

To forcefully transit their cursed souls into graves,

Gallant Soldiers reclaimed Nigerian territories,

Occupied by the ragtag Armies of the evil sect.

Caged Al Barnewi beckoned to his Iranian masters,

ISWAP arrived on menacingly,

On war chariots, with machine guns and bombs,

But suffered humiliating repression and defeat,

In Tens and thousands of numbers.

Fearful remnants of insurgents,

Reclined into the obscure fortified mazes,

Of the swampy Lake Chad Basin, gasping for breath,

Licking wounds of a mission unfulfilled and doomed.

Yesterday, a dove hovered on the skies,

Flapping its exciting wings in inviting radiance,

On Gwoza, Madagali, Pulka and Bama,

As “Shagaban Shoja,” Gen. Buratai,

Climbed atop the Limankara Hills,

In bold and blustery affront and assault on insurgents,

Signaling IDPs to repossess their liberated ancestral lands,

As Royal fathers walked in majestic royalty,

From palaces, to soldiers in the frontlines,

In hearty appreciation of gallant Nigerian troops.

Expectedly, scared residues of terrorists,

Recoiled and recoiled and recoiled,

At the sight of Buratai and troops,

On mountain Limankara,

Into the remotely innermost chambers of rugged Lake Chad,

A mission soldiers would have easily cracked,

With a final “kill,” and lightning speed, with handy Army helicopters.

But sadly, Army airspace approval is still,

Enmeshed and ensnared by boardroom politics;

Though, there is a season for everything;

Its time would certainly come soon!

We keep vigil on the pearly gates,

Awaiting this gracious day,’

Of soldiers’ final onslaught on terrorists,

In the land of the famous El Kanemis!

*Armed Forces Remembrance Day: Troops write PMB emotional letter to assure of victory over Boko Haram*

.....appreciates COAS, Buratai's role in leading counter-insurgency war

In commemoration of the 2020 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, some troops in the frontlines has penned an emotional letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, assuring him of victory over the already decimated Boko Haram terrorists.

In the mail signed by Adamu Abubakar and Moses Adebanjo (Staff Sergeant and Army Warrant Officer respectively), the soldiers said they are motivated by the president's “undisguised passion, zeal and honest commitment to liberate Nigeria from the manacles of Boko Haram insurgency and its latter-day variant of Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP)”.

The troops in the frontlines were full of praises for the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), describing him as the “conqueror of terrorists” for leading the counter-insurgency crusade by himself.

The constant visits of Gen. Buratai to troops especially at special festivities, according to the soldiers, “massages their ego and strengthens our resolve to coast home with victory against terrorists”.

The group added that the COAS has relentlessly ensured that terrorists in whatever guise have been correspondingly dissolved by forces of the Nigerian state.

Unlike in time past, the troops revealed that the Nigerian Army has been transformed into a responsible and responsive military force, with sparkling shadows of global best practices and adequately armed with modern warfare instruments.

The troops, however, prayed for sustained efforts and upward review of their welfare package in order to fight the insurgents more ferociously.

The gallant soldiers, therefore, assured the president and Nigerians that the end is in sight for the Islamic sect as more than ever, they committed to ending the war.

Read full letter below:

We thank God Almighty for His infinite mercies that have transited us into Year 2020 gracefully. We specially felicitate and wish our President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR an exciting and prosperous New Year.

Similarly, we identify with Mr. President on the unique occasion of the celebration of the Year 2020-Armed Forces Remembrance Day, which solemnity is embedded in the commemoration of our fallen heroes and heroines.

May the federation of Nigeria find peace and security for the ultimate price these gallant military personnel paid for our liberation; may their families find endless favours from Almighty God and may their souls be granted pardon and eternal rest.

Your Excellency, we are soldier of the Nigerian Army who have served our country for over 15 years and are currently at the frontlines in Nigeria’s Northeast. We were in the Army, when Boko Haram insurgency sprouted in 2009. And we have been actively involved in quenching the conflagrations of terrorists on Nigeria at different times and locations under various leaderships of the country till this moment.

But we are voicing out our feelings for the first time in this open letter. We dare say, we are motivated by your undisguised passion, zeal and honest commitment to liberate Nigeria from the manacles of Boko Haram insurgency and its latter-day variant of Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP).

We and millions of other Nigerians have observed over the years that you have provided purposeful and rewarding democratic leadership, not only to Nigerians; but has dispensed same to the Nigerian military, especially the Nigerian Army, which you anointed and mandated to terminate the reign of Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria. We accepted the assignment with pride.

Under your leadership as the Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, insurgency has not sustained or developed its famed intractable horns or migrated from bad to worse. Your leadership has proved to Nigerians and the world that with the right political will and commitment, terrorism will be repressed and finally defeated in Nigeria.

Through our interactions with our colleagues on the frontlines, we are impressed by their unanimously confessed, and evidently positive testimonies of veneration, motivation and inspiration of our troops by Mr. President through the COAS and leader of the counter-insurgency operations, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai, whom we fete as the conqueror of terrorists.

We shall be repeating the obvious, which probably must have come to your notice earlier through public testimonies. But permit us to emphasize that Mr. President’s unprecedented commitment to the welfare of Military personnel, especially Nigerian troops in the trenches and the replication of same by the COAS; the fraternal and indiscriminate inclination of Gen. Buratai in constant communion with troops have been the most potent weapons and tonic of troops in the voracious conquest of Boko Haram insurgents and the ISWAP elements.

And bolstered by you, the Army Chief has relentlessly ensured that terrorists in whatever guise who tormented Nigerians and dragged us into the Hobbesian levels of agonies, mindless violence, gruesome deaths, abductions, displacements of whole populations and destructions in connivance with non-state actors have been correspondingly dissolved by forces of the Nigerian state. Full sanity is being restored in our nation.

Furthermore, Your Excellency, Sir, your worthy vision of transforming the Nigerian Army into a responsible and responsive military force, with sparkling shadows of global best practices have seen to reforms and innovations which have elevated the performance status and rating of the Army as its endearing legacies.

The continuous acquisition of modern warfare instruments for the Army and the development of Army’s human resources base in science and technology are certitudes of reactivation of the collapsed foundation for a perfect Army in the nearest future, which only clairvoyants can sight or discern.

Our plea is that these efforts should be sustained and troops can be better equipped, in order to fight the insurgents more ferociously. We plead that whatever the country can do to help the Army with the necessary technologies in the meantime and for future use, should be done to speedily railroad the end of counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria.

Consequently Sir, we seize this unique privilege of interaction with you on the occasion of the Year 2020 Armed Forces Day to implore you to combine your military experiences and the prevailing circumstances to critically examine and consider the proposal/request by the Nigerian Army for an independent Army Aviation Wing. It is festooned on the premise that it would fasten the final termination of Boko Haram/ISWAP in Nigeria.

We passionately plead and may it be your considered opinion that the FGN under your direction should not hesitate to withhold any arsenal necessary to end terrorism in Nigeria. We need Army’s operation of its air power, to eliminate lacunas or delays in counter-insurgency operations when the need arises.

Sir, it may please you to note that this kind of technology is also used by the Armies of Asian tiger countries, in battling similar national security threats like terrorism. Nigerian Army requires its independent drones and weapons in the trenches that can be deployed at night at short notice, effortlessly and effectively.

With your kind support and foresight, the COAS, Gen. Buratai has laid a solid foundation for the Army’s airwing. The establishment of the Nigerian Army Aviation School and the Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB) are the COAS’s foresighted answers to the question of manpower that may arise for an Army air unit.

Therefore, we are always excited anytime your message of encouragement reaches us on the battlefield through the COAS. It is for us, messages of strength and inspiration which have always spurred troops to go the extra-mile in this unique assignment.

We are glad to inform you that your kind disposition and affection for us have been emulated and applied by the COAS.

The constant visits of Gen. Buratai to troops especially at special festivities such as Sallah and yuletide seasons massages our ego and strengthens our resolve to coast home with victory against terrorists.

Each time, we sight the COAS in midst of troops, we feel quite confident and convinced that troops are strongly and effervescently remembered by the Commander-In-Chief of Nigeria. And this simple, but worthy gesture unconsciously drags us into a stimulation to want to do more for Nigeria.

Your Excellency Sir, may we at the behest of troops thank you for the assurance that troops welfare will be further reviewed upwards again in Year 2020 as a source of morale boosting. We are not oblivious of the other special packages you have unveiled for troops and their families which are of immense benefits to them back home and relieved much burdens for us in the frontlines.

Our children now attend best Army schools in virtually all barracks, which are refurbished or renovated and equipped to taste with leaning materials by your administration. Our posterity has accessed this quality education at virtually no cost on our incomes. The multiple economic empowerment initiatives for spouses of Army personnel is another breathtaking burden you have lifted off our shoulders. We thank you tremendously.
----
May we assure you and Nigerians that troops of the Nigerian Army are in a hurry to return home from the warfront, but have vowed that until the terrorism war is totally won. We are confident to present the golden medal of defeat of Boko Haram insurgents and ISWAP elements to you in the nearest future.

My Commander-In-Chief, I have known you to be a listening leader for decades, right from your days as the Military Administrator of the defunct North Eastern State.

And by your open mindedness, there is no doubt that you will listen to everyone in the frontlines who has a message or suggestion to make to improve the Army. It is because you have remained an indisputable key component in the struggle for the liberation of Nigeria from terrorism, insurgencies and insurrections, as we are merely your foot soldiers.

We assure you by the prophetic voice of our colleagues that like others before us, we have chosen the patriotic duty to serve our country even at the cost of our lives. And so, in spite of our collective follies, artificial setbacks and difficulties, we are not undeterred and resolute to present to you the trophy of conquest of enemies of Nigeria.

Finally, Sir, we wish you a happy Armed Forces Day celebration; ditto for the esteemed members of the Nigerian Armed Forces; their families and the good people of Nigeria.

By Kenneth Esele

Perforated wisdom is man’s greatest foe right medieval times. In Nigeria, dearth of personal scruples and the commensurate eclipse of moral etiquettes have cast many into damning hell with selves. Most leaders in Nigeria today, only define virtues and values from their narrowed prisms of what is beneficial no matter how weird or even thrusted to them by the devil.

Nigerians have had to bear this burden for ages. And the trend seems to be worsening each passing day. It is reason for the commonplace and boldface reeling of lies, falsehoods and concocted “truths” even in sacred places. The proclivity to freely churn out unconscionable lies by supposed leaders is persuasively heartbroken. It is worse with some politicians or the clan of leaders bestriding the land today.

Even in church, the unrestrained proclivity to deceit, lies and mindless hoot of empty pride and integrity haunts some leaders like the putrefying smell of rotten meat. Only in Nigeria, do some clergymen and prophets fake miracles and feign spiritual powers they do not possess.

Some Nigerian politicians have “strong rooms, or shrines” which house earthly deities in the fortress of Government Houses they retreat in supplication every day before retirement to bed. But in public glare, they grasshop from one church to another in pious haughtiness and artificialized portrait of saints. But to the clairvoyants, of course, they are saints and apostle of darkness. It reflects in their thoughts, words and actions.

In this clime, it’s extremely difficult to find leaders who accurately fit into the description of upright, selfless, conscionable, honest and truthful men and women with proven emblems of integrity. That they are scarce does not presuppose their total absence. But the subsisting and insurmountable problem is that such personalities of honour and integrity are very few in this clime.

And certainly, Rivers state Gov. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is the least option in this illumination of integrity. His records of political and public life in his home state of Rivers reeks with resentful odour and filth, the type that trails the credentials of ex-convicts. In Kenya, the great people of Masai have a proverb which says; “The night has ears.” But Wike is oblivious of this reality.

But before smuggling himself into national political limelight under the Jonathan Presidency, Gov. Wike had the reputation of a dreary and scary kingpin of armed political thug for various political masters in his home state. It was his license to prominence and ascension to leadership.

Its inexplicable, but some Nigerians believe in adorning persons with crooked backgrounds. It is Gov. Wike’s incontrovertible badge in public. He could be a saint in shrines before his earthly gods, but a valiant and an evil one in public estimation.

It was therefore, baffling where Gov. Wike got the moral strength and a conscience which bespeaks of integrity to the extent of scolding the institution of the Nigerian Military and directly, the venerated Nigerian Army in such profane diction in a church, directly or vicariously guilty, with blood stained hands.

The Ambede people of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo warned in an adage that “If you carry the egg basket do not dance.” Apparently, Gov. Wike has ignored this wisdom. So consistently, the Governor haughtily brandishes his piteously deprived integrity.

Gov. Wike mouthed on Sunday, January 12, 2019 at the Inter-denominational Church Service to mark Year 2020 this Armed Forces Day Celebration at the Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom, Port Harcourt that “It is unfortunate that the military has lost its integrity because of some unprofessional personnel. Nobody is afraid of the military because of their unprofessional conduct. Those who come to rig election or kill Rivers people, Heaven will never remember them.”

Incredible! Assuming Nigeria is not a country of polluted values, characters like Gov. Wike have no business near the corridors of power. Now for the same man to unconscionably poohpooh the professionalism and integrity of uniformed men and the Army or its leadership smacks of the proverbial pot calling the kettle black.

While delving into detailed antecedents of Gov. Wike’s pathetic past is wasteful and needless, a rewind of one or two incidents would really hint of the concealed persona in Gov. Wike. In 2015, during Wike’s permutations to grab power, he allegedly sponsored silent elimination of opponents in the state. Gov. Wike violently hijacked the 2014 PDP governorship primary in River state and crowned himself the party’s flagbearer for the 2015 guber polls.

This undemocratic act generated multi-layered controversies and crisis in the state. The then sitting President Goodluck Jonathan summoned a meeting with all the 15 rival aspirants’ to Wike, party stakeholders and chieftains at Lagacy House, Abuja, the headquarters of his 2015 Campaign Organization. Gov. Wike stunned Abuja residents when he stormed the venue of the meeting with armed thugs before the arrival of Dr. Jonathan. The seated guests were mercilessly tortured and scattered.

Wike’s struggle to grab power at all cost in 2015, orchestrated the violence and killings in 11 out of the 23 LGAs in the state. At least 19 persons were killed in Rivers state as revealed by the Prof. Chidi Odinkalu-led Rivers Commission of Inquiry set up by the then outgoing Governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi.

The report ranked Rivers topmost in electoral violence and killings. The same scenario played out during the National and State Assembly rerun elections in the state, with Gov. Wike now as substantive Governor. And exasperated Odinkalu remarked, “It also shows how and why Rivers State and Nigeria must end impunity for political violence.” It was a tacit reference to Wike’s barbaric actions.

The Commission of Inquiry probed a total of 275 different violations centered on killings, injuries to persons, arsons and destructions. And from the suspected 236 alleged perpetrators identified in the course of testimonies, 120 named perpetrators were Gov. Wike’s staunch political thugs/supporters.

The same scenario repeated during the 2019 general elections in Rivers state, where Gov. Wike was desperately seeking for reelection. A short dossier of that elections indicated that a soldier and five other persons were killed; several others injured in the instigated violence that trailed the Presidential and National Assembly elections at Abonnema, headquarters of Akuku Toru LGA of Rivers state.

A chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Chairman of Andoni LGA , Chief Mowan Etete, was killed alongside his elder brother and cousin in Asarama by suspected thugs of Gov. Wike; just as APC’s state Publicity Secretary, also Chris Finebone disclosed the cold blooded murder of the party’s ex-officio, Ignatius who was shot dead at Ajakaja Andoni by suspected thugs.

These are some of the many odd deals Gov. So, the Army or the APC could have masterminded the murder of their members? Wike and his supporters used every violent arsenal to either compromise or thwart the 2019 electoral process in the state. Security agents arrested top officials of Wike’s government and loyalists in possession of illegal and sensitive INEC electoral materials, as they were ferrying to secret places for massive thumbprinting.

That Gov. Wike’s mandate both in 2015 and 2019 have been confirmed by the courts based on Nigeria’s defective laws and justice system does not vitiate the fact that Gov. Wike is a serial election rigger or fraudster, who is savouring a mandate soaked in blood of the innocent. Where such a leader got the impetus to shout or feign integrity is the greatest tragedy of the democratic cum leadership experience in Nigeria.

Everyone is imagining what persuasions’ compelled Gov. Wike to mouth integrity crafted to mock the Nigerian Army. When did the word lose its genuine meaning to levels where dishonorable leaders like Gov. Wike plays basketful ball in its court? That’s why an African proverb says, “Birds sing not because they have answers but because they have songs.” Wike’s grandstanding is rooted in this African crack wisdom.

Like the Gambians say, “If your only tool is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail.” Gov. Wike’s main problem in life is barren integrity and he feels every other person or institution suffers from his deformed morality and disfigured conscience.

What else does anybody expects from Wike who is perpetually at war with himself; at war with antigraft agencies and physically fights security agents, including the DSS? His deviation into the recent attack on the reputation of the Nigerian Army is a belated effort to salvage his battered image. It has failed and would continue to fail, unless he embarks on genuine self- reformation and internal cleansing.

And it is not something achieved by trick or such childish antics. The Ethiopians say, “You cannot build a house for last year’s summer,” and it will take Gov. Wike’s genuine efforts to erase his polluted past.

Cheryl Hugheswarns that “The truly scary thing about undiscovered lies is that they have a greater capacity to diminish us than exposed ones. They erode our strength, our self-esteem, our very foundation.” Sadly, Gov. Wike has found himself on such limiting humiliations in spite of his rise to leadership because his lies and hypocrisy are exposed. It’s an understandable nightmare for him of some sort!

But the Nigerian Army is consoled by the words of American novelist Frederick Douglass who said, “I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” The Nigerian Army prefers to be true to itself, uphold its stainless integrity because like Stephen Covey; “Moral authority comes from following universal and timeless principles like honesty, integrity, treating people with respect.”

If Gov. Wike’s antagonism to these virtues is what he terms integrity, then the Nigerian Army should stay miles away from Wike's brand of integrity. It only exists in Wike’s thinking faculties and vocabulary.

Esele is a public affairs commentator and wrote this piece from Badagry, Lagos.

*Boko Haram/ISWAP attacks: CALSER mourns Nigerien troops, insists on UN global sanctions for France, other promoters of terrorism*


The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) has grieved with the government and people of Niger Republic over the death of its troops, forthwith calling for a sanction on France and other sponsors of terrorism in Africa.

The group made this known at a candlelight procession held at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, on Tuesday night in honour of the slain Nigerien soldiers.

The Niger government declared a three-day of national mourning after 89 soldiers were killed in an attack on a military base on Thursday.

Heavily armed militants invaded an army outpost in Chinagodrar in the country's west, near the border of Mali, prompting the country's president Mahamadou Issoufou to axe its Army Chief.

In a sober march, CALSER mourned with the Francophone nation and further raised the alarm about foreign entities backing Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists on the continent.

CALSER’s convener Princess Ajibola, in her statement, blamed the United Nations for seemingly not doing enough to stop the subversive activities of countries that are sponsoring terrorists to destabilize Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

Ajobola singled out France, which routinely have been fingered to be behind terrorism in Africa, especially owing to the Lake Chad resources.


The group, therefore, called on the European nation and others “ eager to drown West Africa in blood to heed lest they take the larger ember of the fire they are stoking to their bosom”.

The group of Nigerians further besieged on the United Nations “ to remove their heads from the sand and stop playing the proverbial ostrich”.

In a situation where the UN doesn't take any action, CALSER advised authorities in Niger to bring the harshest repercussions yet upon the terrorists.

Read full statement below:

Lovers of humanity,
Permit us to begin this address by inviting us all to join in the observance of a moment of silence for the troops of Niger Republic who died in an operation against terrorists and over 100 persons from an attack on humanity. As we observe this moment of silence, let us also have in our thoughts the fallen heroes on our side of the border, Nigeria. Not to be left out are the innocent people that these depraved terrorists have targeted each time they are faced with the reality that the military of sovereign states shall always triumph over terrorists.

May God grant eternal rest to the departed gallant ones and give their relations the fortitude to bear the loss. As we stand with the people of Niger Republic as that nation marks a 3-day national mourning, let us be united in one prayers that evil no matter how long it takes can never overcome light.

The Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) may think they have done their worst through the attack on the troops leading to such casualty on the government side, but one is reassured that the soldiers inflicted an equally high casualty on the terrorists by killing 77 of them. All the lovers of humanity, those who abhor human suffering and the diminishing of the value of human live through acts of terrorism, see the attack as the continuation of the culture of cowardice for which the terrorists are well known. It is the strongest confirmation yet that the terrorists and their sponsors are scared stiff of the multinational alliance that has placed their ranks in disarray.


The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) sees the attack as the latest proof yet that there are foreign entities that have continued to support Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists with not just logistics, medications, food and weapons but have increased their support to make the straggling remnants of the terrorists to be needlessly deadly. We fear that the foreign interests have now added training and supply of intelligence to the terrorists, which led these troops having to pay the supreme price.


For this we place the blame squarely on the United Nations for not doing enough to stop the subversive activities of countries that are sponsoring terrorists to destabilize Nigeria and the rest of Africa even now that they have lost control of the demons they created, which has resulted in countries other than Nigeria being attacked on such a massive scale. We call on the decision makers in the United Nations to remove their heads from the sand and stop playing the proverbial ostrich. The problem that geo-strategic interests of certain countries have created in the Lake Chad Basin has grown from being Nigeria’s headache to be a West African regional nightmare. It is a matter of time before it becomes the death knell of the world and humanity in general if the United Nations continues to be a slave to the political correctness that has prevented it from intervening being decisive in coordinating world action against terrorism in the region.


We call on those that are eager to drown West Africa in blood to heed lest they take the larger ember of the fire they are stoking to their bosom. Of particular note is France whose activities in the Lake Chad Basin have been geared towards ensuring ascendancy for the terrorists. That country has persistently been linked to the terrorists’ weapon acquisition and other material support that they enjoy. There have been instances where France has passed funds to the terrorists under the guise of paying ransom for its abducted nationals in clear violation of the position of respectable nations that do not negotiate with terrorists.

France sees nothing wrong with terrorist financing neither does it have qualms about the logistics it provided being used to kill the troops of a sovereign nation that happens to be its former colony.

In the face of the deliberate arms wringing and purposeful inaction on the part of the United Nations, we urge the authorities in Niger to bring the harshest repercussions yet upon the terrorists. They should be taught the lesson they have refused to learn that their being sociopath does not in any way lessen the value of the life of humans particularly those that have volunteered themselves in the service of their nation.

They should be dealt with in a way that they will refuse to lend themselves as merchant of death for immoral foreign interests.

The Republic of Niger should have also learnt it lessons now that allowing the terrorists to find safe haven in its territory after successive attacks on Nigeria is both a threat and danger to not only Nigeriens but the rest of Africa. The Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists are akin to wild animal, at best feral species, that cannot be treated as domestic breeds. The death they dealt to others must now be visited on them with an intensity that will reassure the civilian population that they will be safe from the terrorists. Also, the gallant troops that died should not be allowed to have died in vain.


CALSER appeals to the Nigerian Military to prepare a befitting reception for the terrorists that will soon be attempting to escape the consequences of their indiscretion in killing the Nigerien troops. Any terrorist attempting to escape from Niger should be made to realize the mistake of their way as such murderers should arrive into hails of bullets. We must not allow them to have one hour of rest before being dispatched to the great beyond to answer for the sins they have committed against humanity.

*Stop this dance of shame, Wike warned over attempt to demonize Nigerian Army's integrity on Armed Forces Remembrance Day*

Following scathing remarks in the build up to the 2020 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the Niger- Delta Change Ambassadors Forum (NDCAF) has warned Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to desist from any further attempt to demonise the Nigerian Army.

The South-South based group gave this reprimand at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday to address what it described as “the unholy dance on the grave of Nigerian fallen heroes by Governor Wike”.

During a church service on Sunday to mark this year's Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the governor downplayed the contributions of the gallant troops, especially at the last polls.

However, the Niger-Delta Change Ambassadors advised public office holders such as the Governor Wike, to desist from statements that are capable of causing disaffection in the polity.

In a statement signed by President, Comrade Asamowei Ebiakpo, the group believes Wike's comment is a attempt to cause an unholy distraction in the fight against terrorism and other militant groups in Nigeria.

According to them, the governor is still pained by the Army's resolute stance and timely intervention at the last general elections in Rivers state, without which the state would have erupted in violence.

The Niger- Delta Change Ambassadors Forum, therefore, advised Mr Wike to show respect for apolitical institutions such as the Nigerian Army, whose constitutional mandate requires that the territorial integrity of the country is preserved at all times.

The group added that the timing of his utterances is an indication that Mr Wike is ungrateful for the sacrifices of the gallant troops and he is indeed dancing on the graves of Nigeria’s fallen heroes .

Read full statement below:

I welcome you all to this important gathering that was occasioned by the remark by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, labeling the Nigerian Army as an organization without integrity.

This press conference is necessary to put issues in proper perspective and to advise public office holders such as the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, to desist from statements that are capable of causing disaffection in the polity.

The Niger-Delta Change Ambassadors Forum is alarmed that a governor of a state that is meant to rise above board in national issues, has decided to condescend to an unenviable height in an attempt to score cheap political points.

We wish to state that Governor Nyesom Wike’s statement on the Nigerian Army lacking integrity is not just of poor taste, but also an attempt to cause an unholy distraction in the fight against terrorism and other militant groups in Nigeria.

Governor Nyesom Wike must admit that his major grouse with the Nigerian Army is its resolute stance and timely intervention in the 2019 general elections in Rivers state, without which the state would have erupted in violence due to the planned activities of his political thugs that were mobilized to wreak havoc on innocent and unarmed citizens in the state.

This undeniable fact is mainly responsible for the bulk of the uncomplimentary remarks on the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army during and after the general elections of 2019 by Governor Nyesom Wike.

The Niger Delta Change Ambassadors Forum wishes to state that while it is within the constitutional provisions of the Governor to comment on national issues, it is also sacrosanct that he realizes that he ought to be guided by decorum, first as a citizen of Nigerian that is bounded by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and secondly as the Governor of a State in Nigeria.

A situation where caution is thrown into the wind is unacceptable and calls for concern from all well-meaning Nigerians that are desirous of the continued growth and development of the country.

Governor Nyesom Wike must at all times show respect for apolitical institutions such as the Nigerian Army, whose constitutional mandate requires that the territorial integrity of Nigeria is preserved at all times.

Governor Nyesom Wike must be reminded that he is also bonded by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to be circumspect in his public conduct at all times and all situations in the overall interest of the country.

To choose such an auspicious occasion as the Armed Forces Remembrance Day to vent his frustrations and his ill manners is a display of Governor Nyesom Wike’s ingratitude to the sacrifices of our fallen heroes who gave their lives for the unity of our great country.

We wish to state that this is indeed an exhibition of the deep hatred that Governor Nyesom Wike has had for the Nigerian Army from time immemorial due to his aggressive and despicable brand of politics.

The Niger Delta Change Ambassadors Forum is tempted to state that the numerous atrocities of Governor Nyesom Wike might be the driving force behind its irrationality in his public conduct in recent times. Most probably, the blood of innocent Rivers people that he sacrificed in the actualization of his political ambition is haunting him and would continue to haunt him until he desists from such despicable behaviors.

The Niger Delta Change Ambassadors Forum wishes to state that Governor Nyesom Wike’s statement against the Nigerian Army is indeed dancing on the graves of Nigeria’s fallen heroes.

We wish to, at this point, encourage members of the general public to always view with a pinch of salt statements emanating from Governor Nyesom Wike and his cronies for lacking in merit and still not in the national interest, but selfish interest.

*Armed Forces Remembrance: Wike would have spilled more blood if not Army - Group*

The Good Governance Advocacy Centre (GGAC) has suggested that there would have been massive blood bath in Rivers State during the last elections if not for the presence of the military.

The group believes Governor Nyesom Wike would have had a filled day and spilled more blood had the gallant troops not been on ground in the oil-rich state.

GGAC made this assertion at a press conference on Monday in Abuja in reaction to the governor's utterances ahead of this year's Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Mr Wike, at a church service on Sunday, accused the military of “unprofessional” conduct during the last polls and proceeded to urge Nigerians not to throng out to celebrate the 2020 Armed Forces Day.

However in a statement signed by convener, Comrade John Odusote, the Good Governance Advocacy Centre rubbished the governor who they claim hired political thugs to rig the ballot, leading to bloodshed.

According to Mr Odusote, more blood would have been spilled if not for the brave and uncompromising Nigerian Army personnel on ground during the exercise.

The fact that Mr Wike made such utterances in a church, the group believes, is an indication that he is troubled by the innocent souls he destroyed or wasted to acquire political power.

The GGAC, therefore, described his call on Nigerians to snub the sacrifices of “noble and selfless men and women as well as the fallen heroes and heroines of the Nigerian Military” as “ absolutely hollow and meaningless noise”.

Read full statement below:

Compliments of the season, as the Good Governance Advocacy Centre (GGAC) a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and active crusaders for public progress and good governance in Nigeria. We also wish you a blissful year freed from the sickening entanglements of the preceding years.


GGAC has observed that Nigerians have kicked-started the week-long activities for the 2020-Armed Forces Remembrance Day throughout the federation since last week with Friday Prayers in mosques and inter-denominational church services. The activities would round-up this week, with the customary laying of writ on the tomb of the unknown soldier, a proud and reflectively solemn national event in all ramifications.

However, in a deliberate, premeditated, absurd actions and incoherently reckless utterances, Rivers state Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike in his characteristic manner of farcical grandstanding, erraticism and empty ego attempted to discolour the shine and reverence of this patriotic and solemn national culture of commemorating our fallen heroes and heroines and also, celebrating those still in active service in protecting and defending the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our dear country, Nigeria.

We viewed with angst and dismay, a speech last Sunday, January 12, 2019 during an Inter-denominational Church Service to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration at the Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom, Port Harcourt, which went viral on both traditional media and social media platforms, credited to Gov. Wike, in which the Governor ignored his shameful moral baggage and undemocratic conduct by unconscionably questioning the professionalism of uniformed men and by extension, members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

After profusely acknowledging the Nigerian Military in curbing the threatening armed criminal activities of kidnappers, cultists, insurgents and armed robbers in the country generally, Gov. Wike in his usual senseless arrogance proceeded to urge Nigerians not to throng out to celebrate the 2020 Armed Forces Day, alleging involvement of the military in electoral heist in the 2019 general elections.

We wish to state unequivocally that no Nigerian Governor or leader anywhere has indulged in such bizarre conduct and utterances like Gov. Wike consistently demonstrates in his contorted piousness and deceptions of some gullible Nigerians.

Gov. Wike so shamelessly mouthed on the internationally revered Nigerian Military that; “It is unfortunate that the military has lost its integrity because of some unprofessional personnel. Nobody is afraid of the military because of their unprofessional conduct. Those who come to rig election or kill Rivers people, Heaven will never remember them.”

There is no modicum of doubt that Gov. Wike is sustainably haunted by the innocent blood of his kit and kin he massively murdered in cold blood to ascend the leadership of the state in 2015, beginning with his party- the PDP’s primary elections to the actual governorship ballot. And the records are clear and in public domain for all Nigerians to verify.

We are aghast with Gov. Wike’s recent outbursts concerning the 2019 general elections in River state, wherein he accused the Nigerian Military of complicity in rigging the ballot. But the reverse is the case. It is a known and indisputable fact that Gov. Wike drafted top appointees of his Government including commissioners and hired political thugs to rig the ballot for him and the PDP.

Wike and his goons would have spilled more blood had the Nigerian Army personnel on Election Duty shirked from their responsibility of protecting the electoral process and the sanctity of the ballot box. And indeed, that was the experience, anywhere his hired merchants of death through election rigging escaped the eagle eyes of security agents. They killed massively.

GGAC emphasizes that it was the Nigerian Army which actively frustrated the multi-layered plots of Gov. Wike and his armed brigades with their vigilance in River state. Each time there is an election in Rivers state, Wike persistently turns the state into a theatre of war, blood and sorrows. It has earned the state the unenviable epaulet of “Rivers of Blood,” by the Nigerian media.

With the latest utterances’, it’s clear that Gov. Wike is not only haunted by the blood of the innocent, but tormented by spirits of his slain brothers and sisters in the state, which he viciously gunned down in the demonic quest to grab state power at all cost.

Perhaps, Gov. Wike is demented to a fault; if not outright and calculative executive mischief. Or else, we wonder how Gov. Wike would have forgotten so soon the incidents during the 2019 general elections. The Governor personally or through his close aides made covert and public attempts to bribe and influence soldiers on Election Duty, which the apolitical, neutral, unbiased and professional officers rejected severally?

Could Gov. Wike in truth tell or deny to Nigerians that in the days preceding the February 23, 2019, Presidential and National Assembly elections and even on the day of elections, his henchmen were not arrested in different parts of Rivers state in possession of unapproved electoral materials?

Can Wike hold his head in high esteem as a leader and refute the standing fact that troops deployed to safeguard INEC sensitive materials at CBN branch Port Harcourt, on election eve and that these covert operators did not attempt to bribe and induce the soldiers?

Were his hatchet men, comprising Major A.P. Ubah and some policers namely, DSP Oyoku Ifelle (Camp Commandant, Rivers State Government House), Sergeant Akanu Garba , Inspector Hyacinth Oboi and Sergeant Nketan Chucks, not arrested by a team of the Nigerian Army, 6 Division Headquarters over attempts by Gov. Wike’s proxies and cronies to bribe them to release sensitive electoral materials to electoral undertakers?

After investigations, the suspects who approached the soldiers on duty in a Range Rover belonging to the DSP, ostensibly led by the Camp Commandant Rivers State Government House, the suspects had various incriminating items in their possession such as the sum of N2.25million; INEC 2019 electoral tags and customized Rivers State Government House brown envelopes. And the sum of N500,000 (five hundred thousand) was also found in the Toyota vehicle of Major A.P. Ubah and just like, the multiple other confessions aligned to the actions of a coordinated syndicate assigned to rig the elections?

Furthermore, and in good conscience, Can Gov. Wike disclaim that on Saturday, February, 23rd 2019, a member of Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Opokri Wanaka, in company of Dr. Reason Onya Williams, Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development paid unscheduled visit to troops camp at Akinima and sought to see the Commander of the troops at the location? And and upon meeting him, offered the officer some amount of money, but it was rejected? What was the experience of the troops at Mbiama Bridge, when a white Hilux vehicle with Rivers State Government Reg No. L02-03 RV RIVERS and eight occupants was halted for a search?

The soldiers discovered to their consternation a carton and two bundles of INEC 2019 presidential election ballot papers in the vehicle. Later investigations disclosed that none of the six occupants were neither INEC permanent nor adhoc staff or even security agents. What does Gov. Wike want Nigerians to believe? Is it that State Assembly member, Hon. Okpokri Wanaka, his commissioner, Dr. Onya Williams, Gov.Wike and others were both organizers and participants in the elections?

When has it become lawful for serving state governors to usurp the functions of INEC to deploy staff in an election as demonstrated by Gov. Wike severally? Why was it expedient for Wike to put a call to the officer who arrested Okpokri and his team of election riggers?

But in his usual bullying style and grandstanding on his senseless and defence of dubious actions, Gov. Wike was miffed and barked, claiming, it was wrong for security agents to parade state government officials who were on election duty. By implication, it confirmed the grandeur rigging Wike and his team unleashed on the 2019 general elections in the state. Why was Wike’s commissioner found in possession of electoral materials? The later denials were belated attempts to save his face, which had already been rubbed with mud and his integrity impugned.

Angrily, he claimed, “The army cannot be a judge in their matter. You cannot parade officials on legal electoral duties. You cannot change the narrative. They have violated all known laws.” But the question is that were the Wike’s arrested aides’ part of INEC staff in an election they assigned themselves the unlawful job of secretly ferrying materials to some destinations without INEC staff or approval? This is the reasoning of a power-drunk and someone who rode to power with a known reputation of a political thug, who believes everything must work in his favour by hook or crook.

The unholy invasion of the electoral process in 2019 by Gov. Wike, evident in incidents of bribes and violence to influence the outcome, spared no one. Nigerians can testify how a group by the identity, “UK Matters Most,” led by the convener, Mr. James Moore, stormed #10 Downing Street, Buckingham Palace as well as the Westminster Parliament all in London, in protests demanding that the Prime Minister must initiate action over allegations that Gov. Wike bribed British consular officials.

The group accused Gov. Wike of bribing consulate staff in British High Commission office, Abuja concerned with election duty with the sum of $1 million to prepare, twist and stamp a false and misleading information on conduct of the polls in Rivers state. Gov. Wike may wish, but cannot erase these glaring evidences of complicity in destroying the sanity of the electoral process in Nigeria.

Nigerians must know that Gov. Wike is a dangerous character and his pursuit of power at all cost is strewn with satanic machinations perpetually. So, blood and arsons or whoever it affects does not prick Wike’s conscience, insofar as the end justifies the means, the Machiavellian style.

A Governor with such rotten records of electoral heist, killings and bloodletting in his quest for power cannot under normal circumstances, be bold enough to attempt to ridicule an institution like the Nigerian military; particularly, the Nigerian Army and its leadership of corrupting an electoral process. Rather the military, saved and rescued the system from the devilish machinations and destructions’ of power broods like Gov. Wike and his cahoots.

Therefore, the public proclamation of Gov. Wike during the 2020-Armed Forces Day in a Port Harcourt church and on sacred altars of God Almighty is indication that the Governor is troubled by the innocent souls he destroyed or wasted to acquire political power in the presence of God Himself. It is sacrilegious enough.

And calling on Nigerians not to celebrate these noble and selfless men and women as well as the fallen heroes and heroines of the Nigerian Military is absolutely hollow and meaningless noise. We know, Nigerians have consigned to the trashcan. Nigeria’s democracy must be saved from sinister political hawks and power monks like Gov. Wike.

It unfortunate that Gov. Wike doesn't even know when it is time to play politics and a time for governance. As a man enjoying a repeated stolen mandate gotten with the blood of Rivers people, he should savour the crooked victory quietly rather than playing the ostrich.

The only way Gov. Wike can assuage the pains of Rivers people is to concentrate on delivering good governance to the people. But the resort to hurling meaningless and useless darts, in the hope of defraying the spirits of innocent souls haunting him is no panacea to it. It only demonstrates that the relentless spirits of Wike’s victims are driving him to an irrecoverable madness.

Gov. Wike may wish to retreat into his shell and ponder deeply; genuinely atone for his sins and beg forgiveness from the people for his violent crimes against his own people before the day of reckoning hits him hard. Its pointless seeking sensational escape by blaming the Nigerian Military through such reckless utterances. Clinging to his current disposition now is one sure step to his final perdition.

Thank you all for your audience.

By David Onmeje

Wonders shall indeed never end in Nigeria. We are in a clime where careless statements are issued without minding the consequences of such statements on the psychological and physical state of the people. In this case, a situation where a governor of a state is as careless as the average meat seller in the market speaks volumes of the calibre of persons that occupy public offices in Nigeria.

As a start, I do not think Governor Nyesom Wike is eminently qualified to speak on issues surrounding integrity. I say this because history is replete with acts of his that are unheard of in terms of morality, respect for human dignity, respect for the rule of law, respect for the people, and as well as respect for the constituted authorities in the country. For Nyesom Wike, it has been a life of absolute disregard for societal norms and values.

The recent statement credited to Nyesom Wike stating that the Nigerian Army has lost its integrity is, in my opinion made in poor taste and meant for mischief purposes. Unsurprisingly, I could not come to terms with his posturing given the fact that the occasion where he made those scathing remarks was at a church service marking the 2020 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration.

His utterances were definitely not in line with the aim of the day, and I can bet that the presiding pastors would have felt ashamed that the governor had turned their auditorium into a campaign arena to get back at those whom he perceives as political opponents. And for strange reasons, the Nigerian Army is one of those Governor Nyesom Wike has chosen to disparage for inexplicable reasons.

I must add that if all governors in Nigeria carry on like the governor of Rivers state, then Nigeria can be conveniently labeled a banana republic because he represents all that should not be in governance. My curiosity with Wike's bias against the Nigerian Army took me to the conduct of the 2019 gubernatorial elections in River state where he roundly and unintelligently accused the then General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Rivers of all sorts of crime just because the GOC refused his bidding during the elections.

This much was discovered when the GOC went public to state that indeed Governor Nyesom Wike made overtures to him in an attempt to compromise the integrity of the electoral process. Having failed in this regard, a heavily funded slander campaign was launched against the Nigerian Army in a puerile attempt at painting the organization as lacking in integrity, while in truth, the one lacking in integrity is the governor who is known as a serial election fraudster from his days as the chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

I must add that I am still at a loss as to why Governor Nyesom Wike is so bent on dragging the reputation of the Nigerian Army in the mud. It would have made some sense if the accuser in question is a man of integrity himself. But a situation where the word integrity has no meaning in his dictionary leaves more to be imagined. For governor Wike, life is war. He is at war with virtually everything, including the way he speaks, as evident in his recent diatribe against the Nigerian Army.

I am tempted to state that Governor Nyesom Wike might be experiencing some form of internal disorders that is known to just a few people around him, hence his erratic behaviors. Little wonder why he is at war with himself? Little wonder why he is at war with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), little wonder why his approach to issues is laced with erratic misadventures.

Let me state this in unequivocal terms that this recent attempt by Governor Nyesom Wike at painting the Nigerian Army in bad light is yet, another failed attempt in his book of catastrophe, where the Nigerian Army occupies virtually all the chapters for refusing to do his bidding in compromising the integrity of the general elections in Rivers state.

Just maybe to Governor Nyesom Wike, integrity is about saying what is untrue in order to mislead the members of the unsuspecting general public. Integrity is also when morals are sacrificed at the altar of selfish and personal aggrandizement. Integrity is when a dog is given a bad name to hang it. All of these are tenets of integrity according to the dictionary of Governor Nyesom Wike.

I would also like to use this medium to advise Governor Nyesom Wike on the need for him to urgently retrace his steps in his campaign of slander against the Nigerian Army. This is on the heels that it is common knowledge that his grouse with the Nigerian Army stems from the insistence of its commanders to be on the side of truth and national interest.

Governor Nyesom Wike must retrace his steps and desist from insulting our sensibilities with his diatribe against the Nigerian Army. Unless he wants to pretend he is not aware of the fact that the Nigerian Army is actively engaged in operations around the country simultaneously. Therefore, this distraction is highly unnecessary and should be discontinued in the interest of peace and tranquility. The Nigerian Army does not fit into Governor Nyesom Wike's definition of integrity. And it would be in their best interest to stay away from Wike's integrity mantra.


Onmeje wrote this article from the United Kingdom.

By Peter Otene

“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." ---Theodore Roosevelt
 
It is absolute trite repeating the visible and unassailably signposted positive impacts of the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari on combating Boko Haram insurgency and its Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) terrorist’s booster in Nigeria. It is clear-sighted enough that despite the odds stacked against the conclusive prosecution of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism in Nigeria, the Nigerian Army under Lt. Gen TY Buratai has sustained its determination to defeat, rather than being defeated by the terrorists.

Anywhere one encounters Nigerian soldiers either on the battlefield or by the roadside, in the Northeast, they exude passionate, courageous and irrevocable spirit of certainty in finally subjugating the evil tormenting Nigerians. Sometimes, even in video clips from the Northeast theatre of the war, released intermittently on social media, Nigerians sight soldiers jubilantly displaying acts of gallantry, when they triumph over Boko Haram insurgents. More penetrating is seeing troops fighting and caring for the old and young; children and women who are most times rescued from the terrorists and even administering oral polio vaccine as a first step to living a normal life again.
It is representatively symbolic of general excitements and the humane reflection of troops in the frontlines to show rare kindness and love. It inspires and assures of the troops’ anticipated last victory against Boko Haram at the cost of anything, including sacrificing their lives.


Today, Nigerian soldiers anxiously look forward to that hour with eagerness; the day they would be feted with garlands as heroes and heroines of counter-terrorism globally. The meekness and affection of troops towards those they fight for can only be found in rare cases and only amongst the Nigerian troops confronting the insurgents.
 
Leader of the counter-insurgency operations and Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. TY Buratai has effectively worked on the hedgy psyche of troops in confronting terrorists on the battlefield. Nigerian soldiers are no longer the previously known demoralized lot, which flinched in the frontlines in the face of danger. Nigerian soldiers have no cause to again protest against lawful directives from their commanders or freely indulge in mutiny against superiors because of the injustice in the system, which also gravely affected their welfare. The narrative is discernibly not the same. 

Media reports recount that from September to December 2014 alone, Nigerian soldiers, including senior officers faced Court Martial at different times on charges of mutiny over the counter-terrorism war in the Northeast. Sadly, many were convicted for mutiny and were jailed for various terms or even sentenced to death. Sometimes, expositions on such unfortunate incidents in Nigeria’s years of counter-terrorism combats preceding the Buhari Presidency are hotly disputed or challenged with a partisan flavor by some Nigerians.

But a report in the BBC News anchored by Ross Will, published on September 16,  2014 stated that 12 Nigerian soldiers “… have been sentenced to death for mutiny and attempted murder after shots were fired at their commanding officer in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri in May… Front-line troops often complain that they lack adequate weapons and equipment, while there have also been reports that they have not been paid or properly fed.”
The Guardian (online) published on same date, reported that “Demoralized soldiers have told the Associated Press that they are outgunned by the insurgents, frequently are not paid in full, and feel abandoned on the battlefield, left without enough ammunition or food. Endemic corruption in Nigeria means millions of dollars budgeted for the fight against the extremists goes missing.”


And in another report by the Independent (Online) by James Rush dated December 18, 2014 also chronicled such mutinies and convictions of 54 soldiers for refusing to battle Boko Haram insurgency. The report served the world the same nauseating narrative bordering on welfare of soldiers.
It said; “Troops regularly complain they are outgunned by the militant group, while some have also claimed they were not paid in full or were "abandoned" on the battlefield without enough ammunition or food.”
Apparently, the Nigerian Government and Military authorities of the time, probably never heard the voice of William Lyon Mackenzie King, a Canadian politician who once clamoured that;  “If I am outspoken of the dangers of intemperance to members of our armed forces, it is because we are all especially concerned for the welfare of those who are risking their lives in the cause of freedom.”

Our country was embarrassed with a dozen of such ugly incidents of mutiny or withdrawal from the battlefront in the face of menacing enemies before the Buhari Presidency. It manifested mainly because the welfare of soldiers, and even troops on the battlefield in the Northeast was largely ignored and neglected. It created the atmosphere for the expression of rampant mutinies and its damning negative effects on the counter-insurgency operations.   
But Gen. Buratai has acted differently as a leader and soldier who knows the pains of soldering and the inescapable reality  of placing premium on soldiers welfare, as Sidney Sheldon, famed American novelist contemplated thus; “My heroes are those who risk their lives every day to protect our world and make it a better place - police, firefighters and members of our armed forces.
The principle of welfare of soldiers and troops is a two-pronged approach. It is undeniably welfare, that is prompt payment of salaries /allowances and special interest in their families. And secondly, the provision of adequate and sophisticated fighting equipment for soldiers to protect the people and themselves in the battlefield.
Gen. Buratai has remedied both problems since becoming the helmsman of the Nigerian Army, by elevating soldiers’ welfare with an unbeatable attention and focus. He religiously sticks to Army’s welfare remuneration packages as stipulated by extant laws.  Salaries are paid promptly, and same for allowances, which are paid fully to soldiers and troops in the Northeast or those elsewhere within Nigeria, on special assignments.

It is a rewarding departure from the tradition of the past and reason troops on the frontlines are voluntarily goaded to extra-miles and into the deepest valleys with him in the counter-terrorism wars for the past four years. The psychologocal impact of this welfare is now being reflected in the troops. They have learnt to be humane towards those they fight with their lives to protect.
The successes recorded by the Army under Gen. Buratai are incalculable and proudly commendable because of this simple commitment.  
The Army Chief frequently visits troops at various locations to either supervise or celebrate special festivities like Sallah, Christmas/New Year with troops.
An anonymous thinker hints about the secret of loyal followership by stressing that "To be kind is more important than to be right. Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks, but a special heart that listens."  Another anonymous author espouses this same idea by saying, “Empathy is the most important leadership skill needed today!”
So, all the times, when Gen. Buratai visits troops, he dusts his toga of a boss and descends to the level of freely interacting even with the least junior Army Personnel during bonfire carnivals for the celebrations. The Army Chief has convened several open parleys with troops in the Northeast. Through such fora, he listens to personal problems of troops, even those concerning their families and instantly acts on them. No subordinates would like to disappoint a leader who exhibits such leadership empathy, mien and actions as one finds in the COAS.     
  
Gen. Buratai treats every soldier like his personal child. He follows them to the warfront; fights with them in the trenches and offers assistance to all indiscriminately. He ensures troops are not deprived of anything, even if it means sleeping on the open corridors of the Presidential Villa to get the attention and approval of the Commander-In- Chief, President Buhari.
It is one of the secrets of Gen. Buratai’s winning formulae against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, who are fruitlessly, very desperate to reverse the gains.


Buratai  is a living library of Congress on the art of asymmetric warfare and counter-terrorism. He knows the antics and how to extract his targeted results. His bag of strategies and tactics, cannot be exhausted in a single write-up. But welfare of soldiers has been a major influencer and energizer of troops for his successes as anti-terrorism Chief in Nigeria. Most importantly, an average Nigerian soldier today cares because he has a leadership that cares about him and his family.

Probably, let the rest of Nigerians ruminate about what American politician, Kirsten Gillibrand said about the Armed Forces of his country; “The brave men and women who have served - and those who continue to serve - our armed forces have selflessly sacrificed for our nation, and we owe it to them to provide the best services and protections available when they're overseas and after they return home.”.

Otene is a humanitarian worker based in Maiduguri.

By: David Onmeje

Until state creation propelled by the crave for rapid development, thrusted the balkanization knife into the old Anambra state to birth a fresh Enugu state, the coal city was the heart of South-eastern Nigeria. It bubbled with commerce and industry, which spilled into other cities of the region.
Enugu state would remain a bride to be courted by every South-east man or woman for many generations to come. Every one who presides over the state, attempts to answer to its multiple developmental needs. But the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has dispensed exceptional leadership as the political leader of the state in the last four and a half years.
His leadership is unique as can be attested to by his numerous achievements. Ugwuanyi was entrusted with public service at a time Nigeria was seeping through sickening and frustrating economic woes and multifaceted challenges.

At the occasion of the 2019 Democracy Day held at Okpara Square in Enugu, which Gov. Ugwuanyi dubbed, “Festival of Gratitude and Praise,” the Governor confirmed that ; “The laudable goals we have achieved appeared impossible at that time owing to the realities on ground: huge debt profile of the state pressing down our neck and huge salaries and pension arrears confronting us.” But Ugwuanyi’s dispensation of genuine leadership in austere times has singled him out prominently as a prudent manager of both human and economic resources; a visionary and grassroots leader. His scorecard in the last few years has somewhat become a national anthem, recited in the nooks and crannies of the state by people savoring his leadership ingenuity and reputable organizations alike.
Are Ugwuanyi’s transformational efforts in Enugu state really deserving of such loud eulogies? Of course, the verifiable evidence supports such exciting assertions for a Governor who started the journey in May 2015 and celebrated with the epaulet of “Gburugburu” by his people. He articulated the vision of his administration on a four-point agenda, clarified as employment generation, social services and good governance, rural development, security and social justice.

It is understandable that there is a culture by Nigerians to dispute the achievements of their leaders because of the proclivity to deceit. But Gov. Ugwuanyi gets his accolades beyond the borders of the state and from reputable organizations which silently scrutinize his government’s performance. A mid-2019 report by the National Bureau of Statistics named Enugu state as one of the six states in Nigeria, which recorded the highest net gains in full-time employment between 2017 and 2018 with a figure of 122,333.

Enugu state under Gov. Ugwuanyi is also rated by the Financial Derivatives Company as one of Nigeria’s Most Financially Stable States with Lagos and Kano states. This accolade is in an era where most states loudly bemoan economic crunch.
Further testimony of Ugwuanyi’s commendable performance preceding the encouraging reports came from a World Bank Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria report. It decorated Enugu State as the third best state to start a business in Nigeria after Abuja and Lagos, as the Governor pursued his dream of activating Enugu as a recognizable economic hub in the country through investor-friendly policies.

Therefore, these feats were not attained by mere wish, but through meticulous planning, prudence and beneficial application of resources. To get himself financially armed for the enormous challenges, Gov. Ugwuanyi had to change the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state from its poor earnings to an appreciable level of generation and remittance to support development initiatives.
His reforms overhauled the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which jerked up the IGR from a paltry N14 billion in 2016 to N18.4 billion and to a record N22 billion in 2017. Enugu state’s internal revenue generation performance was ranked among the best 10 in the country by BudgIT, a civil group that advocates transparency in governments’ earnings and expenditure. And the inauguration of the Enugu State Ease of Doing Business Council early 2018 smoothened the path, as the Governor untied the knots that initially slowed down transactions.

His faithful implementation of the reforms compelled the recognition of Enugu state among the five states in the federation to earn Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Awards 2019.
After creating a favorable business environment, Gov. Ugwuanyi pursued his dream for a boisterous economy and rewarding investments for Enugu state. He organized the first Enugu State Economic Summit in history. It was branded ‘Oganiru’ and attracted the in-flow of investors far and near to the state.

The people are already savouring the benefits noticeable in the completion of the HELIU Estate project in Enugu and the Dragon Market in Dubai modelled Lion Business Park, a PPP arrangement between the Enugu State Government and a Chinese Investment Company, erected on an expansive land. And to further animate the socio-economic environment, work on the abandoned Enugu International Conference Centre is nearing completion. This edifice which was abandoned by the past administration when completed is capable of hosting international events including global summits for Heads of government from any part of the world.

Quite impressively, Gov. Ugwuanyi did not embezzle or divert the improved IGR unlike his predecessors who turned same into an ATM machine for family use. There were months same was used to pay salaries and pensions of workers, which is permanently fixed for 23rd of every month even before the federal allocation hits the account of the state.

Interestingly, the Governor commits whatever allocation accrued to the state to massive rural transformation. Ugwuanyi’s passion for rural dwellers, whom he fetes as the “the true heroes of democracy” because of consistent neglect and obscurity from government patronage is legendary. It is very heart-warming to see how the administration sought to change the narrative in order to put smiles on their faces.
Therefore, his administration has completed the construction of urban and rural roads projects spanning over 300 kilometers. It has enhanced intra and inter-state connection of the people, much as maintenance of infrastructures erected by past administrations became a prime policy of his administration.
The Governor has uniquely touched the hearts of the people of Nkanu West LGA, by constructing the Agbani-Amurri road, this was a community that was once condemned to neglect by both the federal and state government for over 100 years. Similarly, the people of Akpugo zone for the first time since the creation of Enugu state are enjoying the first government project in their community with the newly constructed Ogonogoeji-Ndiagu-Akpugo road from the point of Atavu Bailey Bridge to Afor Onovo.

The Governor has also flagged -off the construction of four rural roads in the state at the cost of about N1 billion and covering over 100 kilometres .

Moreover, Gov. Ugwuanyi has taken the notch higher in roads construction by awarding contracts worth N2.4 billion for six major roads. It also covers the historic 35 years deplorable Eha-Amufu-Nkalagu federal road at Isi-Uzo LGA among others. This gesture remains a day dream to the people as the community did not have the usual big wigs to influence any development to their region until the divine coming of Ugwuanyi.

To further assuage the years of pains of neglect of rural dwellers in the state, Gov. Ugwuanyi initiated the “Choose-Your-Project” (CYP) policy and the Visit Every Community (VEC) programme, (VECP) schemes . The programmes allow key stakeholders in each of the 17 local government areas in the state to identify priority projects of choice worth N100 million and N10 million respectively for government to execute in their domains. He has kept faith in this covenant with the people and over 35 development projects have been executed under the CYP; while VECP has over N5 billion already disbursed to communities in answer to this special rural intervention. That his administration has committed about N45 billion into road construction in the state is not news; the real excitement is the practical evidences of expending such monies dotting every part of the state. It is impossible to embark on a 10 minute drive without coming in contact with at least three of these fabulous engagements to demonstrate that Enugu is indeed in God’s hands.

The state capital, Enugu has received a fair share of the “Gburugburulisation” as a visit at night will convince anyone that Dubai is indeed real and possible in Nigeria and just to ensure that it competes with other world cities in terms of world class infrastructure and facilities.
Gov. Ugwuanyi has installed 25-units of 60 KVA and 10 units of 200 KVA generating sets to power street lights in the metropolis. Cleanliness they say is next to godliness, the God-fearing leader has complemented the efforts of the Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) by constituting a special task force to arrest the menace of indiscriminate waste-disposal to restore the scenic aesthetics of the coal city.

It is therefore apt to add that his administration has also launched the programme of continuous road maintenance in Enugu metropolis christened “Operation Zero Potholes” and the Enugu Clean Team Project as part of measures to enforce urban renewal and cleanliness of Enugu city. There is no doubt that these are yielding the much desired dividend as the potholes are fast vanishing away. The urban renewal initiatives are working to specifications, as the committee on Enugu State Urban Renewal is always at work to closely monitor and supervise the total implementation of the initiative.

The people of Enugu state have described Ugwuanyi’s passion for safety of lives and property as exceptional. His inauguration of the Security/Neigbourhood Watch Endowment Fund and the Enugu State Justice Reform Team (ESJRT) to work favorably on his defined terms and results. Many citizens and residents have very good testimonies to Ugwuanyi’s credit as not only a man of peace but a peacemaker and lover of peace to a fault.

A civil servant, Mr. Mike Uzoh emphatically says, Enugu state is comparatively peaceful as incidents of ritual killings, banditry, insurgency and other such armed criminalities have considerably reduced in the various communities of the state. He said, under Ugwuanyi, the “The case of kidnapping has only been heard once or twice,” in the state.
A commercial bus driver, Mr. Ejike Obieyem collaborates it as he asserts, “You can bear me witness on the population of persons and vehicles on our major roads, market areas, banks, churches, mosques, among others. People are really coming into Enugu to settle down with their families as a result of insecurity in their former states and stations.”

There is no doubt that Gov. Ugwuanyi has etched his name on the sands of time, as a Governor whose vision has sighted Enugu as an African version of Dubai and is working assiduously to consummate this reality.

Onmeje is a public affairs analyst based in the United Kingdom. onmejedavid@outlook.com

*Arch- Bishop, inter-faith group lauds PMB on war against insurgency, religious tolerance*

.... impressed with President's appointments in security and economy

Pentecostal Arch-Bishop of South- South, Dr. Julius Ediwe, has showered praises on President Muhammadu Buhari for remarkable successes recorded in the war against insurgency and religious tolerance among various groups across the country.

Dr. Ediwe who is also the Grand Patron of the National Inter- Faith and Religious Organisation for Peace spoke on behalf of the group in a press conference on Wednesday.

In his speech titled “Saluting the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in the fight against terrorism and religious tolerance in Nigeria”, the cleric reckoned that Christian and Muslim co-existing peacefully regardless of religious and ethnic affiliations over the years is the handiwork of Mr President.

He added that since President Buhari assumed leadership in 2015, the country has become more united and focused amidst the myriads of challenges and evil permutations confronting it.

Dr. Ediwe, on behalf of the National Inter-Faith and Religious Groups, lauded the effort of President Buhari and urged him to continue to do more in the overall interest of the country.

The respected preacher pointed out some critical sectors, such as the “leadership of the Nigerian Military headed by General Gabriel Olonishakin, as well as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, led by Godwin Emiefele”.

According to the clergy, Nigeria never witnessed such transformation as experienced under President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr. Ediwe, however, urged those that are bent on causing disaffection in the country to support the current administration and spend more time interceding for President Buhari.

Read full address below:

I bring Calvary greetings to you all under the auspices of the National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace in Nigeria.

This press conference could not have come at a better time than now in appreciation of the giant strides of President Muhammadu Buhari in ensuring that our great country Nigeria is indeed placed on the enviable path of progress as evident in critical sectors in the country such as security and religious tolerance amongst the various religions in the country.

As you may be aware, the National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace are in the vanguard of promoting peaceful co-existence between adherents of the various religious groups in Nigeria. We are more than anything else committed to seeing a united, secure, and vibrant Nigeria that would indeed reflect the dreams of the founding fathers of our great country.

This much has been seen in the way and manner our Christian and Muslim brothers have continued to live as one regardless of our religious and ethnic affiliations over the years.

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace is highly appreciative of efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in keeping the country united and focused despite the myriads of challenges confronting it since he assumed leadership of the country in 2015.

We are cognizant of the fact that agents of doom and darkness have been put out of business, and this hasn't gone down well hence the nocturnal sponsorship of violence in the country through proxies and unorthodox means.

We wish to state that President Muhammadu Buhari's efforts in his fight against Boko Haram terrorist group have been outstanding. It is indeed a testament to an unalloyed commitment to leaving Nigeria better than he met it.

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Groups is appreciative of this laudable effort and wishes to charge President Muhammadu Buhari to continue to do more in the overall interest of the country.

The tolerance of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari towards all religions in Nigeria is indeed worthy of note. This is so in the sense that the focus and emphasis have always been merit and competence above religious and ethnic considerations.

This stance of President Muhammadu Buhari is evident in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, such as the leadership of the Nigerian Military headed by General Gabriel Olonishakin, as well as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, led by Godwin Emiefele, to mention but a few.

The promotion of merit above mediocrity and ethnic bigotry in the selection process for critical sectors such as security and the economy is indeed commendable and has seen to the various successes recorded in Nigeria since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed leadership of the country.

The National interfaith and Religious Organizations for Peace wishes to state that the focused leadership as provided by President Muhammadu Buhari has indeed defied all the evil permutations of those against the continued peaceful existence of Nigeria, we say this due to the avalanche of progress that has been recorded in the critical sector of the economy as well as the multiple gains recorded in the fight against terrorism.

This highly negates the evil narrative bandied around by some mischievous elements in the public space attempting to paint President Muhammadu Buhari as a religious bigot and an ethnic champion.

We dare say that in the annals of Nigeria, there has never been a President who has indeed displayed respect and tolerance for our religious and ethnic diversity as President Muhammadu Buhari. This much he has proved to all well-meaning Nigerians in the quality of appointments in critical sectors of the economy.

President Muhammadu Buhari has carried on without fear or favor; he has indeed displayed true statesmanship that is required of any president in a plural country like Nigeria. It would indeed be common sense for those who have been blinded by their selfish interest to see the enormous good the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari has done to our great country.

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations for Peace is indeed a witness to the transformation experienced in Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari, and that is why the organization has made it mandatory to always intercede on his behalf in prayers and supplication to God for wisdom, strength and the courage to continue to lead Nigeria on this path of national recovery.

This Press Conference would be incomplete without sending a word of advice to those that are bent of causing disaffection in the country. Even though it is incomprehensible that some organizations under the banner of religion have been propagating falsehood against unity.

These organizations must do well to desist from such enterprise as it is against the preaching of peaceful co-existence, as explicitly stated in the holy books of the Bible and the Koran. They must desist from playing politics under the umbrella of a religious organization to pollute the body of Christ in Nigeria.

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organizations believe that there is strength in our unity, and as such, we must embrace one another in love and peace. The focus instead should the offering of prayers for the President in his quest to take Nigeria to greater heights. For what shall it profit them to heat the polity unnecessarily with calls and postulations that are unfounded?

They must, as a matter of urgency and sober reflection, spend more time interceding for President Muhammadu Buhari and not to allow themselves to be used by power grabbers that mean no well for the unity of Nigeria. We wish to state that the unity of Nigeria is indeed sacrosanct.

Thank you all, and God bless and keep Nigeria United in Jesus' Name.