₦airaland Forum

The National Democratic Forum has in strong terms condemned the invasion of the National Assembly by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, otherwise known as Shiites, on Tuesday.

NDF described the attack on security agencies as an attempt to overthrow an arm of government.

Recall that protesting Shiites members agitating against the continuous incarceration of their leader, Sheik Al-Zacky Zacky on Tuesday clashed with the Nigeria military, resulting in the death of some persons and burning of vehicles.

The protesters, who were in large numbers, were heading towards the National Assembly at about 1.15pm but were intercepted by the military personnel already waiting at the gate.

Reacting to the development, NDF wondered the authorities have continued to threats he issue of the IMN with kids gloves.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, shortly after the bloody clash, Dr Abdulakdir Bolaji, Secretary General of NDF, called on the authorities to immediately expel all known IMN members from Abuja.

The group also demanded that all those arrested in connection with the attack on National Assembly must be arraigned for treason and attempt to overthrow the government.

The statement reads in full.

Tuesday July 9, 2019 was the day members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) terrorised the very symbol of our democracy by launching coordinated attacks on the National Assembly. At the end of the attacks, the IMN members had snatched weapons from the security personnel on duty with which they shot two policemen and an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). At least three cars were destroyed while a security post was also vandalized. We are in the process of verifying if anyone died in the attack as reported by some media organizations.

For the duration of the attacks, Nigerians in the National Assembly Complex were terrorised on a scale comparable to last year’s terror attack on the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan; the attacks carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan on Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai –India in 2018; and the terror attack of two months ago on Pearl Continental Hotel, Gwadar – Pakistan. The attacks on the National Assembly bear a frightening similarity to these other coordinated terror attacks because of the sheer helplessness that the occupants of these buildings experience for the duration of the barbarity.

Even at height of their madness, Boko Haram never sent their terrorists to attack the National Assembly because they know the implication of such. They are aware that attacking the National Assembly is to add the crime of treason to whatever other criminality they may already be guilty of. The rap sheet for IMN is therefore growing longer with illegal arms possession, operating as an outlawed group, acquiring military training in violation of the constitution, murder, attempted murder and now treason with attempt to overthrow Nigeria’s democracy.

Permit us to mention that we know the Nigerian state is not helpless as some people will think. Without prejudice to whatever investigations will unveil, we believe that the snatching of the weapons from the security operatives was possible because of the directive that security agencies should exercise restraint in the face of IMN extremists. This approach to dealing with the threat posed by the outlawed group has proven to be a wrong call, one that must be immediately jettisoned by the state.

The National Assembly is the highest symbol of Nigeria’s democracy. Whilst IMN was once seen as the problem of Zaria, Kaduna State and Abuja, the Federal Capital territory, by attacking the National Assembly, they have made themselves the problem of all Nigerians because each and every one of us has a representative in the national parliament. The attack is therefore an attack on every state of Nigeria, on every citizen and on everything we stand for as a nation. The action of the IMN is therefore a visitation of terror on the Nigerian state. It is an attack targeted at overthrowing the government by destroying the strongest institution in our democracy.

We will like to point out that we had joined other Nigerians in the past to express reservations about the presence of IMN extremists in the nation’s capital. They hide under the pretext that they are demanding for the release of their leader, Mr Ibraheem ElZakyzaky, who is standing trial before a competent court. Unfortunately, possibly because of the fear of international backlash, the government allowed these extremists to continue to infiltrate the nation’s capital without evicting them.

The concerns we had expressed about the group in the past were because of their violent activities and attacks against state institutions and unwarranted clashes with security operatives. We must not lose sight of the fact that in their bid to acquire more weapons, the IMN fighters attempted to hijack a military convoy that was conveying weapons along the Zuba-Kaduna Expressway, a development that they used to bring the City under siege.

The situation is dire to the point where even residents of Abuja had expressed concerns about the activities of this outlawed group owing to the threat they pose to other Nigerians. This threat is in addition to their menacing protests that they use to deny other people unhindered use of the roads and causing traffic congestion.

Our demand to the Federal Government, in the light of Tuesday’s desecration, is unequivocal. A strong and clear message must be sent to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in a way that it reverberates even with their sponsor, the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has recently been issuing propaganda to support these terrorists. The message must make it known that no theocratic entity will be allowed to overthrow Nigeria’s democracy, directly or through proxies like IMN.

We, therefore, demand that the Federal Government immediately expel all known IMN members from Abuja while law enforcement agencies are mandated to dismantle all known cells of the group, in the nation’s capital and across the country.

A further demand is that all those arrested in the attack on National Assembly must be arraigned for treason and attempt to overthrow the government. In this case, the government must not cave in to the blackmail of pro-IMN countries and organizations that will wrongly accuse it of rights abuse.

The government must also rise up to the occasion and formally designate IMN as a terrorist group in line with existing anti-terrorism legislation. Had the Federal Government towed the line of the Kaduna state government that outlawed this terrorist group perhaps the country would have been saved from the harrowing experience of having the parliament come under attack.

It is our earnest hope that the government will not allow things to degenerate to the point where Nigerians are compelled to resort to self-help against IMN extremists as the situation is fast approaching the one of “kill or be killed”. Nigerians will not watch docilely while terrorists overrun their capital and attack their representatives. We expect to see actions on the part of the government in the days ahead as a way of reassuring us that terrorists will not be allowed to truncate our democracy.

....wants same gesture extended to security chiefs

Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for re-appointing Boss Mustapha and Abba Kyari as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chief of Staff respectively.

According to these distinguished Nigerians, the move is a step in the right direction, a testament of the president's resolute commitment to entrench the gains made so far by his administration in the past four years.

In order to sustain these massive accruals in other aspects, especially in tackling terrorism and insurgency, Nigerians in Diaspora, however, urged President Buhari to extend the same gesture to the Security Chiefs.

The group made this plea after an extraordinary emergency general meeting in London, the United Kingdom, on Saturday.

In a statement signed by the President, Clifford Ogbonna, retaining the country's security architecture will be crucial in building on the successes recorded in the fight against terrorism, insurgency and other vices.

According to the group, the current Service Chiefs worked tirelessly in ensuring that Nigeria does not experience a security decline as was the case prior to President Buhari's administration.

Read full text below:

The text of an Electronic Statement by the Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group on the reappointment of Abba Kyari as Chief of Staff to the President and Boss Mustapha as Secretary to the Government of the Federation for immediate release on Saturday, 6th July 2019.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group arising from its emergency extraordinary general meeting which held in London the United Kingdom to review the state of affairs in Nigeria vis-à-vis the reappointment of Abba Kyari as Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari and Boss Mustapha as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, resolved on the followings:

The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group salutes the courage of President Muhammadu Buhari in the reappointment of Mallam Abba Kyari and Boss Mustapha respectively, which is an indication of an unalloyed commitment to the Nigerian cause given the fact that these two individuals have displayed a rare commitment to ensuring that Nigeria is on the path to greatness through their actions during the first tenure of the present administration.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group, notes that the Office of the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Government of the Federation are offices that are instrumental to the smooth running of government business and the choice by President Muhammadu Buhari to reappoint the duo is indeed a testament to his commitment to entrench the gains made so far by his administration in the past four years.

The reappointment of Abba Kyari and Boss Mustapha came as no surprise to the Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group given the fact that their activities were closely monitored in the last dispensation by the Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group through the constant evaluation of the quality of work emanating from these two offices especially as it concerns government business in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari has indeed exhibited an enduring legacy of selfless service by his ability to identify those that are genuinely committed to the Nigerian cause and not pressured by the court of public opinion in appointing and reappointing individuals into sensitive positions of authorities.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group consequently wishes to state that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has ensured that the appointment and reappointment of individuals into positions of authority in Nigeria is based on merit and track record, which was recently displayed in the reappointment of Abba Kyari and Boss Mustapha respectively.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group states that another area that has witnessed a significant level of improvement and sacrifices is the area of the security architecture in Nigeria. It would be recalled that before the coming in of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, Nigeria was on the verge of collapse and that meant that quality appointments needed to be made in the critical security sector.

This ultimately gave rise to the appointment of the present crop of service chiefs that literally hit the ground running and today we are all witness to their exploits, bravery, commitment and dedication to duty that has seen a tremendous improvement in the fight against Boko Haram and other militant groups in the country as well as a more focused and professional Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group therefore charges President Muhammadu Buhari extends the same patriotic gesture by retaining the present crop of service chiefs in Nigeria, led by General Abayomi Olonishakin in an attempt towards ensuring that gains recorded in the fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP and other violent groups in Nigeria are sustained in the overall interest of the country at large.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group has monitored the activities of the Service Chiefs in Nigeria since 2015 wishes to state that in the annals of the country, Nigeria has never experienced the level of commitment as exhibited by the service chiefs in ensuring that the territorial integrity of Nigeria is maintained at all times.

The Service Chiefs have indeed worked hard night and day towards ensuring that Nigeria stays united, safe, and secured in line with the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Nigerian people.

It is also instructive to note that the service chiefs in Nigeria are by all indicators those that have strived to translate the policy direction of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari into tangible realities as evident in the fact that no Nigerian state or local government area is under the control of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

The fact that the federal capital territory Abuja and its environs have not witnessed any terrorist attack since 2015 is also a testament to how hard the service chiefs have worked in ensuring that Nigeria does not experience a security decline as was the case before the coming on board of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group after a careful deliberation on the above stated facts, believes that the service chiefs are deserving to be a part of this new administration in an attempt to avoid a policy summersault or a change of operational strategy that might create a vacuum and buoy the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists to gain grounds.

The Nigerians in Diaspora having researched extensively on warfare and how countries have been able to overcome such challenges notes that war commanders are not changed in the middle of a war, especially when victory is near sight.

The Nigerians in Diaspora, therefore, urge President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the same patriotic gesture of retaining the service chiefs in Nigeria in an attempt to sustain and win the war against terror in Nigeria ultimately.

By Karen Goulding

It is not news that as President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari also doubles as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. What is, however, the news is that fact that some individuals and organizations either by commission or omission do not know that it is the prerogative of the President to choose those to work with and not the court of public opinion.

In areas as critical as the security sector, the court of public opinion should not be the yardstick for measurement, but rather the yardstick for measurements are the exclusive preserve of the Commander in Chief, who by and large is a part of the team that formulates operations policies and strategies.

In Nigeria today, we are all witness to the fact that the war against terrorism has been one difficult one. One that at some point stretched our armed forces thin. So much so that we were on the verge, until a decision was taken by the Nigerian people to elect someone who would translate our hopes and aspirations into tangible realities.

Enter 2015, the year President Muhammadu Buhari assumed leadership of the country. I recall that one of the cardinal promises he made was tackling the insecurity that has threatened our very existence. It then became a topic of discussion on how intended to carry on this task considering the fragile state in which the country was at the time.

One of the first signals that President Muhammadu Buhari meant business was when he appointed Services Chiefs for the various arms of the Armed Forces. I recall that some segment of the country applauded, while some screamed. But the president allayed their fears when he stated that he didn’t know any of the service chiefs personally, but relied on merit and tracked record in the service. And he was not wrong.

Fast forward to four years after, every discerning mind would readily admit that one of the best decisions that have been taken by the present administration was in the quality of the service chiefs and how they have carried on in the task assigned to them. This much is evident in the fact that no Nigerian territory is under the control of Boko Haram terrorists. This is also evident in the improved physical and psychological state of the troops at the frontlines.

Make no mistakes, Nigeria has made tremendous gains in the past four years, and all of these can be attributed to the unalloyed commitment of the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, as well as the various services chiefs who have strived night and day towards ensuring that operational policies are implemented without fail.

This is also mindful of the fact that an area as sensitive as security requires consistency, and this comes with time. I say this because as one who has studied various forms of warfare in Nigerian and other climes, I think it amounts to a record-breaking feat to be able to curtail the activities of a group as rampaging as Boko Haram/ISWAP. A group that has operated with sophistication and external support.

The rational thing to do in this instances is to give the service chiefs the required time to fully execute their operational strategies in the war against terrorism in Nigeria. This is of the essence because security is not a place for experimentation because the consequences for perceived lapses are always severe. A good example can be seen in the way and manner the economy has enjoyed stability, which culminated in the reappointment of Godwin Emefiele as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. In my opinion, this was done in an attempt to ensure that there are no policy summersaults of economic policies that would be likely in the event of a change of hand at the helm of affairs at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

This much President Muhammadu Buhari identified, and he indeed used his prerogative based on a couple of factors to reappoint Godwin Emefiele. This much must be extended in the critical security sector and with the way and manner the services chiefs have demonstrated that capacity to galvanize our troops towards recording tremendous successes in the fight against terror in Nigeria.

If we must admit, the security challenges in Nigeria are such that requires all hands to be on deck. It is such that has threatened our existence to the very foundation. I stand to be corrected, the past four years in Nigeria indeed witnessed a plethora of security challenges that one felt at some point that the military would have crumbled due to the pressure that was exerted on it.

The case of the Nigerian Army is particularly worthy of mention in the sense that it was able to sustain operations simultaneously across the country amidst fighting terrorism in North East Nigeria. This, in my opinion, was made possible because President Muhammadu Buhari refused to be pressured into effecting a change in the leadership of the Armed Forces then. He believed in their efforts, and today, he wasn’t wrong.

It must be noted that this is the same scenario playing out with a segment of the population who for selfish reasons want the service chiefs replaced, not on the strength of non-performance, but the strength of political patronage. And ironically this has been the pattern in times past and part of the reason why we found ourselves in such precarious situation before 2015.

Just like it was stated earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari is conversant with the workings in the critical security sector, been a general in the Nigerian Army and former head of state. So it would be uncharitable for him not to be involved in the operations and activities of the Armed Forces in Nigeria. And it would also be uncharitable for the president not to know the numerous sacrifices of the service chiefs in ensuring that the war against terrorism and other security challenges are curtailed.

As a fact, there has been a justification for every inch of decisions in the critical security sector in the country because the service chiefs have demonstrated this capacity and ability towards ensuring that Nigeria overcomes its security challenges. Consequently, the question goes thus: do you change a winning team? Do you fox it when it is not broken?

As stated earlier, the prerogative remains that of the President and Commander in Chief as regards the tenure of service chiefs. And if one is to make a suggestion, it would be that the service chiefs continue in office and assist President Muhummadu Buhari in his quest to make Nigeria great again. This is especially so because indeed this generation of Nigerians and the future generation have nowhere to call him other than Nigeria and as such we must remain here and salvage it together.


Goulding is a security expert and contributed this article from the United Kingdom.

The League of Security Experts and Professionals has rebuked Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for displaying “ gross ignorance” over his call for Chief Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai to relocate permanently to Borno State.

The umbrella body for security experts and professionals in the country gave this reprimand in a press conference on Friday in Abuja.

According to the group, the remarks made by the former Vice-president is highly “misleading and lacking in depth and purpose, laced with mischief, ignorance, and a clear case of playing to the gallery.”

The motive of the PDP chieftain the group alleged was to cast aspersion on the commitment of the COAS in the fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist in Nigeria and on the fringes of the Lake Chad region.

The security stakeholder therefore considered Atiku as a “security threat with his actions and inactions since after the general elections and therefore the relevant security agencies should be on the alert.”

The group, however, advised the Adamawa-born politician to henceforth desist from making ignorant remarks about the Nigerian military.

“The pertinent issue today is the call by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai to relocate permanently to Borno state in an attempt to coordinate the fight against insurgency better. He also stated that the Chief of Defence Staff should have an annex office in Zamfara state, instead of sitting in their comfort zones in Abuja,” the statement reads.

“The League of Security Experts and Professionals wishes to state that the curriculum vitae of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar puts him in the lowest rungs of the ladder to contribute on military strategies in Nigeria for undeniable reasons. If indeed he chooses to air his opinion on national issues as expected, he should be guided by the need for decorum and respect for facts and the sensibilities of others at all times.

“The League of Security Experts and Professionals would state in unequivocal terms that the statement credited to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a direct affront to the efforts of the Nigerian military in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria and other parts of the country.

“ This is especially so as there have been no efforts whatsoever by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar towards contributing positively to sustainable peace in Nigeria, either while he held sway in office as Vice President and otherwise.

“ For the records, the League of Security Experts and Professionals is aware that the Chief of Army Staff and other top commanders of the Nigerian Army have been in the trenches in the past weeks supervising military operations.

“ As a critical stakeholder in the security sector in Nigeria, the League of Security Experts and Professionals is also aware of the gains recorded by the Nigerian military in North East Nigeria, particularly around the Lake Chad basin region.

“ The efforts of the Nigerian military in its operations in other parts of the country is also worthy of mention, which Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not see or admit.

“ It is therefore pertinent to state that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should desist from commenting on how the Nigerian military should implement its war strategies and he should be bold enough to visit the Nigerian troops in the trenches for first-hand war experience.

“ It must also be expressly stated that the business of security is not for entertainers and political jobbers that thrive by creating sensational headlines for newspapers. It is a job for the strong in spirit. And those with the interest of the country at heart. However, it is on record that the actions of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar have never been in the interest of Nigeria from time immemorial in his days in the Nigerian Customs Service.

“ The League of Security Experts and Professionals wishes to advise Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to call home his ignorance on the operations of the Nigerian military and stop misleading the members of the unsuspecting general public.”

The Redemption Kperogi Won’t Find

By Okanga Agila

Wikipedia describes Farooq Adamu Kperogi as “a Nigerian academic, media scholar, public speaker and newspaper columnist.” He is a well-respected Nigerian but that was until he was outed as a fraud a few days ago. Kperogi made the unenviable list of “Fact-checking social media influencers who shared fake news during Nigerian general elections” alongside raucous politician, Dino Melaye.
The fact-checking was done by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), which found that Kperogi deployed weapon grade fake news – videos and pictures – during the recent general elections. He shared a video of a female electoral official thumb printing ballot papers and claimed the crime was being committed to favour the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 presidential election but it turned out that the video was from 2015 and it was for a parliamentary election while the party being thumb printed for was Accord.

For someone that claims to be an associate professor of journalism, one that insists on holding those in authority to account, Kperogi fell short of his own standards as he refused to answer questions from the ICIR reporters that did the fact-checking. Tragically, the report done by ICIR exposed only a fraction of the fraud that the so called media scholar has pulled on his unsuspecting readers. He has a serial history of manipulating events to suit whatever interest(s) he is pandering to at the point when he is launching his mischief.

Naturally, the fact-checking is a major blow to whatever credibility Kperogi has. If he can lie with his posts on the scale he did during the elections, when emotions were highly volatile and the fake video could have triggered a nationwide inferno, one wonders if he has ever said the truth in any of his write-ups and posts when it did not seem much was at stake. A logical reaction is for Kperogi to attempt redeeming what he can of his image after literally being caught pants down by the fact-check.

It is thus not surprising that because he knew that he was about to be exposed he sought out what he knew would touch on raw nerves of right thinking Nigerians and of interest to those that are too mentally incapable to bother about knowing the difference. Less than 48 hours to the ICIR report being published, he picked on the war against Boko Haram in Borno (and neighbouring states) as his path of distraction to shoo attention away from the discovery of his lies. His approach, typical of the prescription in his writing is to add more falsehood to the falsehood he had been indicted for peddling.


In a piece he authored on June 22, Kperogi shamelessly picked on Borno state governor, Babagana Umaru Zulum, who he called several names for daring to suggest an alternative approach to dealing with Boko Haram. He went on to suggest that Boko Haram’s language of violence must be replied with violence and even threw some deranged inferences of ‘eye “plucker”’ with a feeble attempt at revisionism by claiming that ‘Gandhi’s oft-quoted aphorism that “an eye for an eye will only leave the whole world blind” is not entirely accurate.’ He must really think he is something special to attempt nullifying Ghandi’s wisdom.

To justify his perversion, he quoted Malcom X but forgot to quote his contemporary, Martin Luther King Jr., who met a fate no different from that of his contemporary anyway. Kperogi will do well to read Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote that “The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy, instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate.
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Even as Kperogi attacked Zulum, he could not hide the object of his rage for long as he tried to diminish what President Muhammadu Buhari has achieved in the time he has been in office. Acknowledge that the Boko Haram crisis has crossed the timeline of one decade, which gave them time to have killed more people, but an equally murderous Niger Delta militants got the offer of rehabilitation and reintegration, which cannot be described as a total failure today. So at what point did it become a crime to attempt repeating a modified version of that approach with the insurgents? Plus, while it serves the liar’s interest to claim that President Buhari sided with Boko Haram in the Goodluck Jonathan years, it is disingenuous of him to not recall that the same Jonathan usually use the first person (plural) possessive pronoun “we” whenever he was referring the then murderous militants at a time he was Vice President to the late Umaru Yar’Adua.

The Nigerian Army and its leadership are natural victims of Kperogi’s misdirected venom, bystanders caught in the hail of his stray bullets of hatred for President Buhari. It does not matter that the military operates under known constraints and the ones not known to the public. It does not matter that the fire of terrorism that the Nigerian Army is putting out is being fed with fuel from beyond the borders of Nigeria. The successes that have been recorded in containing the insurgency and terrorist activities count for nothing. All so long as Kperogi finds something to throw angry Nigerians off the scent of the deception that this charlatan fed them during the elections and the preceding days.

Lying may be a way of life for Kperogi but to make war face paint with the blood of those that have been unfortunately killed by terrorists is a new low, even for him. The concept of “soft targets” does not in any way designate those that are being attacked as expendable on account of their class but is rather suggestive of the terrorists launching attacks against places where they know they will meet the least resistant. A man that deludes himself about teaching others the correct usage of English language should have at least made the effort to understand something as simple as this instead of using his ignorance of the concept as a basis to incite people to begin a class war.

It is okay for Kperogi to sit in Atlanta, United States and be asking why there is no outrage. It shows that he is disconnected from reality to a point where he now believes his own lies. The people he is inciting to be outraged are aware that President Buhari and the military are making the right efforts, which the Zulum, as a new governor, has also come to appreciate and keyed into. It is Kperogi who must be reminded that he can only try in vain to attempt setting Nigeria on fire after being paid for such assignment by neocons, the same people that make arms and other logistics available to Boko Haram. He is the one that should be encouraged to be ashamed that he is now trying to incite people to violence by writing about Boko Haram when his promotion of fake news during the elections could not achieve the same result when the country was most vulnerable.
In all these, the people targeted by Kperogi – President Buhari, Zulum and the leadership of the Nigerian military – are not the ones to be pitied. Even the nuisance himself is past the stage where one feels pity for him. Neither should any thoughts be spared for his hapless social media followers, who consume the bile he vomits all over the place without question. The true victims of Kperogi are the students that are being made to study journalism under a confirmed purveyor of fake news, a man in need of redemption. But it is the redemption that Kperogi will never find unless he first learn to purge himself free of hatred. Only then will he realize that he has strayed from the true path and have continued to walk farther away from reality.

Okanga wrote this piece from Agila, Benue State.

Third Republic Senate President, Sen Ameh Ebute, has urged the UK parliament to support Nigeria's besieging insecurity challenges with modern arms and technology weapons of warfare.

The highly vocal lawyer-cum-politician made this plea in a letter addressed to Rt.Hon. Mrs. Kemi Badenoch, Member of Parliament (MP), representing Saffron Walden constituency on Thursday.

While appreciating previous interventions of the British Government to battle the terrorism scourge, Mr Ebute believes more can still be done.

According to the ex-lawmaker, with the support of the UK, the remnant Boko Haram sect will be completely defeated.

Read full letter below.

June 25, 2019

Rt.Hon. Mrs. Kemi Badenoch, MP

Member of Parliament (MP),

Saffron Walden constituency

& Other Colleague-PMs,

House of Commons,

London, United Kingdom (UK)

Dear MPs.

“ A Plea For Parliamentary Support Of Nigeria To Counter Resurgent Islamic State of Iraq-Backed Boko Haram Terrorists Renamed ISWAP In Northern Nigeria And The Lake Chad Basin Enclaves.”

I am delighted to have the privilege to write to UK Members of Parliament (MP) through you. Accept the fondest greetings from me and Nigerians.

My motivation of writing the House of Commons through you is my conviction that our lamentations would receive a wider attention in the UK Parliament in recognition of your unique position as Vice Chairman, Conservative Party For Candidates. It is also, spurred by your crystal interest and likewise, the entire British Parliament to assist Nigeria overcome the besieging insecurity challenges in the country.

I believe the facts on the disgusting security challenges assailing Nigeria are already known to all. But let me briefly recount that insurgencies and insurrections appear to have become intractable security problems in Nigeria.

Over the last three years, the Nigerian Military, especially the Nigerian Army have been doing an impressive job is taming and routing out the perpetrators of insurgencies and insurrections out of our shores. The efforts have yielded substantial liberative fruits or else, Boko Haram terrorists would have forcefully taken control of more than half of the territories comprising Nigeria by today.

I cannot say, the counter-terrorism strides of the Nigerian Military have met the targeted results. It means total victory against Boko Haram terrorists as Nigerians anticipate is being frustrated by the interest and sponsorship of insurgents in the country by deadly terror sects domiciled in the Middle East.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) led by Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi ‎ or Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri al-Samariai, are militant organizations fueling terrorism in Nigeria and environs. And we are aware the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) among others have designated ISIL and affiliates topmost on their list of terrorists organizations.

May you recall that the United States of America has specifically designated ISIL’s leader, Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi as a Global Terrorist. It confirms his outreach in this devilry act against humanity.

Therefore, ISIL’s agenda of territorial expansion has made inquest into Nigeria and other surrounding countries of the West Africa region. And by March 2015, it officially confirmed its sponsorship of Boko Haram terrorists, which previously operated on local strength; which ISIL has now renamed, "Islamic State's West Africa Province" (ISWAP).

However, in the last four years, Nigerian government and her Armed Forces have tirelessly fought the scourge of Boko Haram to a standstill. The Nigerian Military has been able to reclaim back her territories under the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents and freed thousands of abducted Nigerians held captive in various secret camps by the terrorists.

Nevertheless, like I stressed earlier, the recorded victories of the Nigerian Government against Boko Haram so far have not reached the point of final extermination of these Islamic militant group.

Rather, what we have seen in recent months is the resurgence of Boko Harm, with a resilience and sophistry of weaponry, which I believe has slowed down the pace of the final annihilation of the Boko Haram in Nigeria, despite the struggles of our competent Armies.

I am strengthened by the recent parley in January 2019 anchored on the issue of Boko Haram in Nigeria, which you and your colleagues in the House of Commons interacted mutually. I learnt the discussion ended with a promise of the Parliament to lobby and or, prevail on appropriate authorities in the United Kingdom beginning with the UK House of Commons to support the Nigerian Government with military technology gadgets/weapons to fight this global threat to humanity.

And this is now the time to take steps in this direction before ISWAP (Boko Haram) entrench its tentacles; completely annihilate and dislocate the civilian populations within the Lake Chad region including citizens of Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Nigerian Republics.

I make this profound plea, believing that the strength, competence and dexterity displayed by the Nigerian Military in standing out to terrorists these years show determination to overwhelm terrorists if adequately supported. So, with the empowerment of Nigerian troops with modern technology weapons of warfare, I am sure, the regrouping of terrorists under the auspices of ISWAP will be crushed instantly.

There is no doubt about the new threats posed to the sovereignty of Nigeria, with the resurgence of Boko Haram terrorists with a strange vigour roundly because of the backing by Iraqi’s ISIL and the UK has a role to play.

And the UK’s role is largely to consent and act in consonance with its pledges by deploying the needed modern technology warfare equipment to Nigeria for the combat of terrorism. If this is done, it will no doubt help to reduce human casualties in the theatre of war and finally extinguish the ghost of terrorism in this region in a very short time.

I appreciate previous interventions of the British Government to aide Nigeria battle the terrorism scourge in terms of training of troops and provision of logistics. But much more can still be done. So, we are appealing for a step-up of such interventions and gestures in the area of modern technology weapons aid to Nigeria.

And it is the most germane time to embark on this action. You can recall that in August 2018 the British Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May paid a state visit to Nigeria and met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. The bulk of their discussion centered on combating terrorism. And Mrs. May promised to increase UK’s military support to Nigeria to assist the country protect its citizens and British workers resident in Nigeria from terrorists’ atrocities.

The British PM’s pledge was later reiterated by UK’s Foreign Secretary, Mr. Jeremy Hunt who also visited Nigeria in early 2019. He was emphatic that discussions by the British Government are ongoing in the aspect of increasing aid and military support to combat the Boko Haram terrorists.

This was after Mr. Hunt visited some crisis ridden places in the Northeast and concluded by a verdict that the crisis had the potential to trigger humanitarian problems if left unattended , in a manner that would dwarf the Yemen experience.

It will good enough for the House of Commons to add their voice of reminder to the issue and persuasion of relevant authorities to initiate appropriate actions for weaponry aid to Nigeria with modern technology devices.

We are a sovereign nation and our Military is very strong and capable. So, once they are supported, it will completely delete Boko Haram in Nigeria. We are not burdening anyone to move troops to Nigeria or asking anyone to come with boots on the ground because there are enough Nigerian troops on ground.

I specially thank you for your audience. And I trust that the contents of this letter will be conveyed to other MPs in the House of Commons for their necessary action.

By Idoko Ainoko

In Nigeria today, the Nigerian Armed Forces under the leadership of General Abayomi Olonishakin can best be described as top notch. I recall when I attended a strategic session on institutionalizing the reforms in the Nigerian Armed Forces at Chatham House in the United Kingdom, the bulk of the speakers did commend the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism and other security threats that the country is faced.

These are no mean feat by all indications. And this is where the dexterity and leadership acumen of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin comes to focus. Those in the know of the rot in the Armed Forces before 2015 would marvel at the various policies that have been introduced towards ensuring that our military stays true to its constitutional mandate and values.

I have long admired General Abayomi Olonishakin for the way and manner he has conducted himself since 2015. Some say he is the unseen hand behind the successes recorded by the Nigerian military in the fight against Boko Haram. Some call him the strategist and one who loathes limelight.

For those in the know of the operations of the Nigerian Military, would readily tell that the Chief of Defence Staff is such an ingenious individual that pays attention to details and leaves no stone unturned when formulating operational policies of the Nigerian Armed Forces. This much can be seen in the way and manner the Nigerian military has carried on the fight against insurgency and other security threats that pose serious security concerns in the country.

The mere fact that our security agencies curtailed the activities of militant organizations such as the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria is indeed a testament of how hard the Chief of Defence Staff has worked in ensuring that there is operational synergy amongst the services that constitute the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This didn’t happen overnight or by magic. I firmly believe that the relevant military authorities channelled conscious efforts in the form of formulating and executing strategies that would stand the test of time. I am also of the opinion that rebuilding the Armed Forces Institutions in Nigeria was a necessity when President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as President in 2015.

This was so because we were all witness to the rot in the system that was on the verge of imminent collapse. Corruption reigned supreme, and the number of casualties suffered by the Nigerian troops was in high numbers. And indeed that was when there was a lack of patriotism and reluctance by soldiers at the battlefront to confront the Boko Haram insurgents.

Even the top hierarchy of the armed forces was equally complicit in the rot that engulfed the system where monies earmarked for arms and ammunition ended up in private pockets. But all of these have indeed changed for the better with improved welfare for troops in the battlefront, accountability and transparency have been entrenched, and morale of the soldiers boosted to confront the various security challenges in the country.

And Nigeria is indeed better for it. This is why I have always told all that cared to listen to that, but for the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria would have either gone up in flames, or we would have seen a return to military rule. Yes, it was that bad.

But thank God for the quality of appointments in the Armed Forces led by General Abayomi Olonishakin, whose tenure as Chief of Defence Staff has seen to the rejuvenation of our Armed Forces and also seen to the multiple inroads the Nigerian Armed Forces as recorded in the quest to keep Nigeria safe and secured.

Two things can be used to explain how things turned around for good. The first is loyalty. Loyalty in the sense that commitment to the country must be constant. More like our national anthem and pledge that states thus “Arise, O compatriots Nigeria's call obey to serve our fatherland with love and strength and faith. The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain, to serve with heart and might one nation bound in freedom Peace and Unity.

I do not know what could be more profound like our national anthem; little wonder it has a way of spurring one to greatness. And this is what the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin has been able to bring about in the discharge of his duties as Chief of Defence Staff. He has demonstrated loyalty and patriotism, such that has endeared him to the heart of many Nigerians. His capacity to carry the various services of the Armed Forces had never been in doubt from the word go and this much he has done excellently well to the admiration of all and sundry. Lest I add that only recently, he was appointed to head the Committee ECOWAS Chief of Defence Staff.

Just like the famous saying, a goldfish has no hiding place, so is the case of General Abayomi Olonishakin, who has exhibited every form of loyalty and patriotism in the discharge of his duties. Special commendation also goes to President Muhammadu Buhari, whose commitment to the rebuilding of the critical institutions in the Nigeria military is unflinching. And this can be called the true spirit of Nigeria.

I do not doubt that the various reforms introduced by General Abayomi Olonishakin in the Armed Forces would indeed stand the test to time. And it would serve as reference point not just for Nigeria, and also other countries in the world.


Ainoko is a public affairs analyst based in Kaduna.

... says Governors are deliberately stalling peace efforts


The Concerned Middle Belt Citizens Forum (CMBCF) has faulted Benue State Govenror, Samuel Ortom and his Taraba State counterpart, Darius Ishaku, for kicking against the planed Ruga settlement for pastoral herders.


Ortom and Ishaku had came out to voice their rejection of the imitative by the Buhari-led government with the aim of resoling the lingering herders/farmers crises.

National President of the CMBCF, Comrade Augustine Awulu at a press conference of Wednesday, said the governor deliberately stalling peace efforts to end the nagging menace.

Earlier, the National Democratic Front (NDF) had called on Governors Ortom, Ishaku and others to emulate the former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun and turn in every weapon in their possession to the relevant authority their own good.

Awulu of the CMBCF said Ruga settlement for the herders remains a lasting panacea to the nagging crises between farmer and cattle rearers.

Text of his statement below.

The Concerned Middle Belt Citizens Forum” (CMBCF) is again constrained to speak to Nigerians for obvious reasons. In the course of the week, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) led by President Muhammadu Buhari announced its intention to experiment with establishing “Ruga Settlements,” for pastoral herders in 12 pilot states of the country.


Surprisingly, this policy has been greeted with a strong cynicism, antagonism and antipathy by some States Governors in Nigeria from the Southeast and North Central States. We consider this absurd in the truest sense of it.


We are not principally concerned with whatever the Governors of the Southeast think about this policy which is a carefully thought-out plan and strategy to end the regime of clashes, killings and destructions between herders and farmers in Nigeria.


We have grieved over these skirmishes enough and President Buhari had sufficiently notified us that “Whatever it will take, I am determined to bring peace between farmers and herders.” The President aims at adopting a middle course as an enduring solution between the herders and farmers. And “Ruga Settlements,” are ideal by our sense of fair judgement.


Therefore, we were not disappointed when Governors of the Southeast opposed it; but drenched in sadness when the twosome of Taraba state Governor, Arch. Dairus Ishaku and his Benue State counterpart, Hon. Samuel Ortom voiced opposition to Ruga settlements.


Northerners do not share same cultural ties or even economic proclivities with the Southeast. Easterners are basically businessmen and women or commercialists or traders. But in the Middle Belt, we are farmers notable in crops and animal husbandry. There is little essence in emphasizing that we need one another to survive in this hostile world.


And we must necessarily see ourselves as members of the same family, bond by the same economic destiny. Its difficult to change this narrative now, as wished by some partisan State Governors, who are exploiting the herders/farmers crises to protect their unpopular decisions and blur shortcomings as state leaders.


Nigerians are aware of the history of the herders and farmers clashes in the country and its aggravation in the last few years. The States Government of Benue and Taraba have already passed anti-open grazing laws, which are in their very contents and mode of implication very defective and deficient, while they prescribed ranching as solution.


The magnitude of the clashes and carnage between cattle rearers and farmers has exacerbated because of these faulty or grey areas in the anti-open grazing laws. And there is no way, any right-thinking leader would feel, we shall continue to exist on such fault lines. Let us state clearly that we are not necessarily faulting the laws, but the grey areas in it, which are known to the Governors who hurriedly endorsed such laws under whatever convictions.


The unalterable truth remains that at this stage of our lives, we cannot convincingly say, only crop farmers are needed and so, herders should go to hell! It’s impossible! Whether we like it not, we must find a way of accommodating both farmers and herders in the same geographical enclave. That’s why we find “Ruga Settlements,” idealistic, rational and acceptable.


The “Ruga Settlements” is an initiative of the National Economic Council (NEC) presented under the National Livestock Transformation Plan (2018-2027). It is conceptualized to permanently halt the age-long herders-farmers crises and to massively develop the livestock industry.


The FGN is experimenting it for herdsmen in 12 pilot states nationwide, which it disclosed through, Alh. Mohammadu Umar, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, during an interview with journalists in Abuja, at the workshop on Regional Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and associated legislations in West Africa.


Again, we reiterate that we cannot understand the opposition of some States Governors to it, especially, those who are apostles’ of cattle ranching because Ruga settlement is the same with it in colour and operation. They are all about restriction of cattle movements; but open to stationary operations of herders in selected camps, licensed and protected with appropriate legislations by the FGN. For Christ’s sake, nomads are also Nigerians


The Ruga settlements would have modern facilities and amenities, and ventinary clinics for treatment of cattle to enhance greater productivity. It is what states which have passed anti-open grazing laws have advocated in such laws.


So, where is the confusion and why the resistance to Ruga settlements? Or could it be that we hate our brother-herders so much that we think, shutting the doors against their only means of economic survival would give them the grace to sing songs of praises of this fraternity? Everything about life, is live, lets live!


Please, we must be reasonable for once! The Ruga pilot programme has already commenced on a 31,000-hectare in Kotongora, Niger state. It is within the same Middle Belt and North Central region particularly.


We believe the FGN is working in tandem with a World Bank recommendation which stated as far back as 1954, after a review of pastoralism in Nigeria that “stabilization” was the most important and critical ingredient in the expansion and modernization of cattle production in the country.


Therefore, among the three proposals the World Bank recommended were establishment of “grazing reserves to be protected by law; provision of land rights to the pastoralists and the development of communal villages in grazing reserves as a means of bringing livestock into peasant agriculture.”


Let us remind that even in a post independent Nigeria and precisely in 1965, these World Bank recommendations were passed in to law. And it consented to a minimum 10% of the country’s land area to be legally acquired and constituted into grazing reserves for lease allocation to grazers.


Unfortunately, as we speak, only about 23 proposed grazing areas out of 299 proposed in the then Northern states, including Abuja, amounting to 2.3 million hectares have been operationalized. And it covers only slightly above 500,000 hectares of land for Nigeria’s cattle population which is estimated at over 19 million cattle?


There is no fairness in this posturing and grandstanding by these Governors and other opposers to Ruga Settlements’. We must do the needful now, by embracing the Ruga Settlements’ as a modern -day recodification and re-modelling of grazing reserves.


By our thinking, this is what Ruga settlements means and it is only the FGN which has the financial muscle to implement it. And it is the most preferable to the popularized concept of ranching because, while Ruga settlements are insulated and protected from abuse by local forces; ranching exposes herders to the near dictatorial tendencies of local communities, which would again open fresh vistas of conflicts.


We must give peace a chance. No Nigerian alive today can think forceful Islamisation of the country is possible. So, whatever conflicts between herders and farmers have no religious undertones and its time, we call a spade a spade.


What we are now attempting to understand is not new. It has always existed in the Northern region and even recognized by the colonial government. Yes, we made mistakes. But we cannot perish the idea of grazing reserves, now renamed Ruga settlements, which share every affinity with ranching.


Nigeria has over 40 million hectares of grazing lands, but just about 3 million hectares are specifically tagged as grazing reserves established under the Northern Region Grazing Reserves Law of 1965.


And furthermore, from Nigeria’s total of 417 grazing reserves, only about 113 have been gazetted. So, the permanent rehabilitation of herders can neither be overlooked nor ignored by anyone.



And before the Whitemen removed the veil from our eyes in the guise of colonization, we had traditional grazing grounds called “Hurmi,” and such lands were strategically located at the vicinity of the towns and villages throughout Northern Nigeria. We need peace and harmonious existence.


So, we have lived with this idea and these modern-day crusaders of anti- Ruga settlements should know. And rewinding history backwards further, we will understand that as far back as 1901, Nigeria recognized nomadism in the use of land, when a devastating drought occurred in some parts of Northern Nigeria.



The understanding to persuade nomads to settle in areas of greener pastures within the North, the move was first made in 1942. Riyom near Jos, in present-day Plateau State is famed for this settlement, where pastoralists were encouraged to settle. Each herding household unit was allocated a piece of land and persuaded to engage in mixed farming and alongside development of pasture areas.


We have appreciated the issue of population explosion and the attendant consequences of scramble for lands. But to think that we can make these calculations, and ignore pastoralists is unwise. We are obligated to factor them into it. And Ruga Settlements provides this succor nomads need desperately.



To continue to sustain the argument of resistance in accommodating them is not only foolish, but chaotic and a sure path of nourishing the anarchy our people have had to bear these years.



Let’s learn from the wisdom of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who said; “herdsmen, let us appreciate, are perhaps humanity’s earliest known tourists. They must be taught however that there is a culture of the settlement, and learn to seek accommodation with settled hosts wherever encountered.” Ruga Settlements provides the finest and nicest platform for such co-habitation to pastoralists.


Therefore, the Concerned Middle- Belt Citizens Forum” (CMBCF) believes that the initiative of the FGN on Ruga Settlements for pastoralists is the ultimate antidote for peaceful co-existence and harmonious working relationship between herders and farmers and by implication, all the citizens of Nigeria.



Those opposed or antagonizing it, especially the State Governors, are doing so out of mischief. Or perhaps, to extract their pound of flesh from Mr. President for depriving them access to council funds, which they mindlessly siphoned; and strengthening the judiciary at the state level and working towards total autonomy for the 744 Local Government councils in Nigeria.


These are two different issues, which should not be mixed under whatever guise. We want the opposers to Ruga settlements to be guided accordingly.

The Northern Think Tank group has rejected the planned security conference by the Arewa Research & Development Project (ARDP).

Recall that ARDP had through its leader, Usman Bugaje, called for more proactive measures in addressing the security situation in some parts of northern Nigeria.

To provide solutions to these challenges, Bugaje announced that the group would be organizing a conference on northern security which is scheduled to hold July 1 and 2, at the Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation conference in Kaduna.

The northern group in a press statement described the move by Bugaje and his followers as misleading, warning its leader, to stop “hiding his atrocities under security conference.”

It, therefore, called Nigerians and the world to disregard Bugaje’s latest attempt at seeking relevance instead of forgiveness we recommend that the right things should be done to eradicate the security threats confronting Nigerians

His text below.

A group of disgruntled politicians under the aegis of Arewa Research & Development Project (ARDP) have announced plans for a “Northern Security Conference” billed to hold in Kaduna from July 1-2, 2019.

ARDP is supposedly convened by one Dr. Usman Bugaje, a politician that has in the past played both sides of the game since he has been in government and in opposition, depending on what faction proves to be more lucrative.

The last time this politician had any news mention of note was when he declined the offer to serve Nigeria as an ambassadorial nominee. We have since discovered that his reason for declining the appointment was he was aware that he would not have scaled security clearance because of the many activities he was engaged in with some of his other associates.

Interestingly, it is this same set of people that are today announcing that they are giving northern Nigeria a security conference to discuss the same problem they helped created. While it is very possible that the same people that started a problem (or series of problems) may hold the key to the resolution, logic dictates that we question the motive behind this offer of proffering solution that is coming from the architects of the nation’s problems.

In the prevent press briefing addressed by Dr. Bugaje, ARDP listed the security challenges confronting the country to include Boko Haram, banditry, kidnap for ransom, ethno-religious crisis, and farmers-herders crisis. It does not take a doctorate in security to figure that all these are security challenges that have their roots in the proliferation of arms that was actively promoted the political class, especially those that deployed youths as foot soldiers in their bid to win elections. Perhaps the problem would not have been as bad if the politicians, like Dr Bugaje, only armed the youths; they also plied them with hard drugs, expose them to slush funds and identified political opponents as targets to be dealt with or eliminated.

Youths, in addition to being left despondent and desperate, are left angry against the society once the politicians dump them after elections. Not willing to wait for another four years, these identified crimes become alluring to the youths.

This is not to discount the roles that these politicians similarly play in pitching Nigerians against each other along the lines of ethno-religious differences. When it suited them they set the south against the north, Christian against Muslim and one ethnic group against the other so long as it will fetch them votes or get them into whatever office they seek.

We are not unaware of the contribution of corruption to the toxic mix we are today dealing with. Bugaje and his co-travellers can lie to themselves all they want but it will pay them to acknowledge that the time is nigh for them to give account of how their cohort enriched themselves as opposed to truly serving the people. Had the people being properly empowered as opposed to politicians building mansions the extreme poverty that is fuelling some of these problems would not have been in existence.

The conference announced by ARDP is therefore a smokescreen for achieving other objectives as the situation on ground does not call for holding talk shops for grandstanding by people that already know what the causes of the problems are. We understanding that this grandstanding is aimed at unveiling a divisive agenda as the participants of this meeting plan to claim that President Muhammadu Buhari is not serving the term of the north hence the north will be again be presenting a candidate in 2023. But even this agenda is a ruse because the actual target of the conference is to provide justification for a planned forceful hijack of the government or at the very least some of its core functions.

This is why Dr Bugaje, in his briefing, alluded to societies resorting to self-help and the plan by the conference “to provide solutions particularly the coordination and the regulation of the community responses” while also “a committee will be constituted to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementations of the decisions of the conference,” which are coded ways of saying that the conference plans to not only hijack the government but also take over the role of law enforcement.

Regardless of whatever problems the country is facing, the path chosen by ARDP is not one that will lead to solutions. If anything, the Northern Security Conference as conceived and announced by Bugaje’s ARDP will rather create new problems. The first of such problems is that it will instantly validate the secessionist agitations and separatist movements in the south. Talks of community responses will also promote the birth of ethnic militias, which is a recipe for disaster.

On the strategic front, the conference is nothing but an attempt by those responsible for the problems to continue to divert attention from the core issues militating against the north and the root causes of insecurity. The reality is that Dr. Bugaje and his group represent nothing but another appendage of a political class that is out to benefit from every situation including the blood of the innocent person in the society. It is on this note that we ask that any northern worth his name should stay away from the conference as it would end up as a venue for the roll call of the north and Nigeria’s problems.

As we ask the north, Nigerians and the world to disregard Dr Bugaje’s latest attempt at seeking relevance instead of forgiveness we recommend that the right things should be done to eradicate the security threats confronting Nigerians. A first step is for all desperate politicians to retrace their steps – a conference is not needed to make this happen. The next step is for them to, under a plea deal, brief security agencies about the roles they played in precipitating the current security situation. They must also produce a catalogue of the arms they have supplied to their thugs, the financial backing they have given such thugs, details of the cells created by such goons and identities of the individuals behind such groups.


These are practical steps that we are demanding Dr Bugaje, his group and associates take instead of playing to the gallery. The north is not unenlightened as he may be led to believe and there is no more room for him to continue toying with the collective future of the north while thinking that he is playing a game.

By Professor Emmanuel Ome

A lot has been said about the security situation in Nigeria. Some have said the situation has worsened, some have also said the situation has improved. While it's normal for divergent views on the security situation in Nigeria, one thing stands sacrosanct. The security chiefs in Nigeria have performed creditably well.

There is a significant challenge that I have come to realize in this country. A situation where, for inexplicable reasons, hard work is not always appreciated. A situation where people throw all manners of spanners in the wheels of progress. Also, a situation where people cry wolf where non exist.

I want to use the tenure of the present security chiefs in Nigeria as an example. I recall in 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari appointed the security chiefs, he did state that he never knew any one of them personally, but relied on the track record in their careers.

Most Nigerians didn’t believe it because it sounded strange and not the usual way of doing things in a country where one must have a godfather to be so appointed into a strategic or sensitive position of authority. But President Muhammadu Buhari changed the norm, and the nation was shocked.

But today he has proved that his judgment was not in error. Not in error in the sense that the security chiefs have lived up to expectations and defied all the odds to prove doubting Thomases wrong that there are people whose passion and commitment to the Nigerian cause is unflinching.

A critical analysis of the security situation of the country before 2015 and now gives us a vivid example of how hard the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Olonisakin and the various services chiefs have worked towards ensuring that the territorial sovereignty of Nigeria is preserved at all cost. Make no mistakes. The present chiefs came on-board when Nigeria was on the brinks. There was the Boko Haram threat; there was also the Indigenous People of Biafra threat, the Niger Delta Avengers as well as that of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and other clandestine forces within and many being fueled from outside just too numerous to mention.

That the Federal Capital Territory is now safe for all is a testament. That no local government in Nigeria is under the control of Boko Haram terrorist is also a testimony. If these are not noteworthy, I don’t know what else to call it.

We must be true to ourselves to know that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Yes, there might be pockets of security challenges here and there, but if we must admit, we have made substantial progress in ensuring that Nigeria is safe for all.

And this brings me to the call in recent times about the suitability of President Muhammadu Buhari continuing with the present security chiefs in his next tenure. This is quite an interesting topic that I would like to highlight on in this piece.

As a start, it is the prerogative of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint those he feels he can work with. It is also the prerogative of the president to know those who have delivered in their national assignments.

I, therefore, ask, what will be the problem if the Security Chiefs also make the President's second term list for another four years? What is the difference between civilian appointments and military appointments? What does the constitution say about appointments?

I stand to be corrected; it is only those with mischief that would want to impress on the president to change a winning team. But they forget that the president himself was once a member of the constituency and he knows what to expect from those handling the various services in the Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

If we must admit, the past four years have witnessed the rebuilding of state institutions like the military that saw an unimaginable level of rot with the morale of its personnel at its lowest ebb. But can we say of that now? Your guess is as good as mine.

If only we could realize the efforts made towards ensuring that the military institution recovers from the rot it was entangled in by past administrations. This much can be seen in the substantial gains recorded since 2015. Those that have refused to be on the side of the truth probably are basking in the prism of their selfish interest. Just maybe, it has not been business as usual for them, and as such there must be a change in leadership so that they can take advantage of the heist that reigned supreme in previous administrations.

As a researcher, I can say that I know what has gone into making the military institution what it is today. I also know for a fact that the Nigerian military of today has experienced a transformation that has defied the odds. The odds that stated that Nigerian would disintegrate. The odds that posited that Boko Haram was going to overrun the country and establish caliphates. The odds that stated that the people of Zaria would not know peace under the threat of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. The odds that also predicted that the Niger Delta Avengers would cripple critical oil infrastructures and cripple the economy. But they were proved wrong.

All of these didn’t happen by magic. But for the efforts of a group of people who have strived day and night for Nigeria to stay united. These are no mean feat, and we must give kudos to those that have made significant contributions in service to the country — starting with Chief of Defence Staff and the service chiefs.

Aside sentiments, I have always identified with the paradigm that posits that “you don’t fix it when it is not broken” and not in a sector as sensitive as the security architecture in the country. I stand to be corrected, the bulk of Nigerians want the present crop of security chiefs to continue in office for as long as the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces so decide. Personally, changing the security chiefs now would do the country no good. This is not to say there are not others out there, but we must understand the peculiarities of our security challenges and why there is a need for consistency. But it remains the president’s prerogative, and no one should make no mistakes about that. If the president so decides, we must give him that support and understanding.

In a similar light, the Customs has also not done badly in terms of revenue generation. This is another area where the president’s choice of appointment has also proven to be effective. Under the present arrangement, the Nigerian Customs Service has witnessed tremendous growth in terms of revenue generation, and Nigeria is better for it.

We cannot deny these facts, and as such we should stop playing to the gallery on the efforts of the present administration towards ensuring that Nigeria is on the path to greatness through the quality of appointments in these critical sectors.

The Central Bank of Nigeria is undergoing the same kind of healing permissible by Mr. President’s wisdom. It is a historical fact that has settled in our polity today that Godwin Emefiele will be the first CBN Governor to be appointed back to back for a second term. This tells much about President Buhari building strong institutions for our country and never interested in playing politics with critical aspects of our national life. Those who mouth ethnic and religious sentiments in appointments went to bed at this point.

I can go on non-stop on this topic. But I would not because I firmly believe that Nigeria is on the path of greatness. And those with a contrary opinion should provide us with facts and figures and not sentiments. Like I stated earlier. This is a discourse.


Ome is a professor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

A group of well-meaning Nigerians, under the auspices of One Voice Nigeria, has called on the 9th National Assembly to improve its annual allocation for defence.

According to the group, committed to rallying Nigerians of diverse persuasion to adopt a common ground, the budgetary allocation doesn't match the current realities on the ground.

It was on this premise these concerned Nigerians launched a campaign titled ‘Nothing is Too Much for Our Security’ at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, on Tuesday.

At the event, Convener Comrade Kabiru Ibrahim Dallah stated that security is the most serious business and should be given utmost attention.

While applauding the efforts of the 8th National Assembly to marginally increase funding for defence, the group charged Senator Ahmed Lawan’s led arm of government to go more steps further.

One Voice Nigeria, however, called on all Nigerians, home and abroad to join this one-off project aimed at supporting the nation's troops and enhancing our sovereignty.

“ It is on this note that One Voice Nigeria today launches the ‘NOTHING IS TOO MUCH FOR OUR SECURITY’ campaign. The campaign will focus on several areas to ensure that there is an improvement in the quantum of resources available for providing security to Nigerians, ensure that the appropriation of the resources is not delayed and ensure prompt release of funds that have been approved,” the statement reads in part.

“ We hereby present our 3-point agenda for security spending. The first point of the agenda we are setting for the National Assembly is to double and possibly quadruple defence and security spending. This point is premised on the reality that the current budgeting for the Armed Forces, particularly the Nigerian Army, and the Nigerian Police Force is very low.

“ The need for the Federal Lawmakers to find ways of increasing the funds available to these bodies in view of ongoing operations against Boko Haram/ISWAP, cattle-rustlers, bandits, kidnappers, militants and other threats that have necessitated the massive deployment of the military and mobile police units. The budgeting for these organizations simply has to change to reflect the current reality. We see the necessity to pass a special supplementary budget to ensure that they are speedily empowered to deal with the security threats in the land.

“ The second point is that the National Assembly must, for the sake of the urgency around security issues in Nigeria, ensure speedy passage of defence budget and releases to the military. The country has the benefit of experience to know what happens when intervention budgets are allowed to succumb to politics as was the case with the issue of the $1billion sought by President Buhari, which the last parliament frustrated in the name of getting at the president.

“ By the time the lawmakers in that parliament were done with their politicking Boko Haram has upgraded to become ISWAP. This situation could have been avoided if the urgency of the situation were considered and given primacy.

“ The third point of the agenda is to the Ministry of Finance, which must give priority to issues of national security and to ensure that no arm of the military or the Police suffer any financial weakness on the account of non-release of funds.

“ It does not matter if the expenditure in question is recurrent or capital whether for procurement of critical war infrastructure or for other logistics. Going forward, any contrived failure to release funds to these institutions would be viewed by Nigerians as collusion with terrorists and criminals on the part of the officials responsible for such delay.

“ We, therefore, urge you all to follow us on all social media handles that will be passed by my colleagues to critically engage stakeholders at all levels. This is our new approach to fighting insecurity and urge all Nigerians and our international partners to join us on this project.

“ Nothing is too much for us to spend on the security of Nigeria. Nothing is too much because security is key.”

The Arewa Citizens Action for Transformation (ACAT) has questioned Dr Usman Bugaje's sudden interest in national security, particularly at a time the Nigerian military is making giant strides.

Mr Bugaje, an ex-political adviser to former Vice-president Atiku Abubakar, under the aegis of Arewa Research and Development Project (ARDP) will hold a two-day conference on the security situation in the north.

ACAT, a leading voice in the north on security issues, has frowned at this proposed summit, inferring that Bugaje's motive is purely to “ to cast aspersions” on the integrity of the current military leadership and to bring the entire institution to ridicule.

In a press conference on Tuesday, while welcoming brainstorming discuss on pressing security issues, Coordinator Comrade Audu Aboki downplayed Bugaje's conference as “nothing new will come out", especially as it focuses on physical security issues.

Instead of playing the critic card, ACAT, however, advised the group to join other Nigerians in encouraging the gallant troops on the frontline.

“ It is good to note that groups like the ARDP call intending to call a meeting of northern elders to discuss the security situation in the country as late as in the third quarter of 2019 when the federal and state governments have been at it for more decades. Well, as they say, it is better late than never.

“ But while the situation calls for concern as security is a recurrent issue, it is mischievous to use alternative facts to support dubious claims.

“ While it may be true that security is perhaps today the biggest single issue that faces the nation, it is incorrect to say that the security situation in Nigeria has continued to worsen and is about to ground the whole country.

“ Besides, it is also most uncharitable for any individual or organisation within the country to claim that insurgency has sapped the human and material resources of the Federal and State governments to the extent that both levels of government are exasperated.

“ To the best of our knowledge, the federal government has in the last four years walked the talk about its resolve to tackle the security issues in the country and has achieved quite a lot in that respect while showing no sign of despondency.

“ Within the period the current administration has been in place, more weapons have been secured and deployed for use by the security agencies while the ones previously seized from the weaponry by the terrorists have been destroyed rendering them incapacitated for a long period of time.

“ We are pained to recollect the gory past, but let us remind the ARDP that there was a time in this country when the Eagle Square, police headquarters and the UN building were bombed in broad daylight in brazen disregard to the security network and political authority in the country then.

“ All these have become history due to the efforts of the current military. Inaccurate comparisons like the ones done by the ARDP come not only as counterintuitive to the collective interest of the nation but questions the credibility of whoever is making it.

“ The focus for any citizen with a sense of patriotism should be on encouraging

“As we commend the sudden interest of the ARDP on security matters, we wish to inform the organisation that long before now, the Nigerian armed forces especially under the current administration has not spared any effort to turn the situation around and has succeeded very much in doing so.

“ That is why the President has made the issue of security one of the cardinal points of his administration.

“ The ARDP can call for a meeting on any issue that suits its fancy but it is wrong to use the military as its whipping boy.

“ Suffice it to say that the idea of a meeting on security is a good one but nothing new will come out of it as discussion on security that focuses on physical security agencies is just wasting time.”

By Philip Agbese

I recently read the piece by the dependable Festus Adedayo, who in truth is one of the best hands in the media landscape in Nigeria. I mean with a Ph.D. in Political Communication from the University of Ibadan, one should expect that his political services should be in hot demand.

He was at a time Special Adviser on Media to the Governor of Enugu and Oyo States and recently the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan appointed him to the same position. But it ended in a controversy that the appointment had to be reversed not on the strength of capacity or qualification. I stand to be corrected.

I admire Festus Adedayo for his intellectual prowess. He speaks power to the truth on critical issues as it concerns governance and he has been applauded severally for this seemingly patriotic stance.

But I have some reservations on his recent piece titled “Buratai’s Bruises on Nigerian Troops.” He, as usual, played with words and tried to mesmerize his readers. He went back and forth, trying to justify the title of his piece. He also went as far as quoting from the Nigerian Armed Forces Act, especially Section 45, 46, 47 and 48 which deal with the misconduct of military personnel.

But the plot failed. This time he was unable to deliver on his much anticipated best seller. I won’t say I was disappointed. I would rather say he wrote with so much venom that he forgot the place of logic in writing and that emotions should be kept at bay. Those were the areas he got it woefully wrong. Aside the fact that he wrote on a topic he was completely ignorant on.

Back to the crux of the matter. He stated that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai accused his troops of treason with his statement at a workshop tagged “Transformational leadership” which was organized by the Army Headquarters Department of Transformation and Innovation, which held at the Army Resource Centre in Abuja recently.

Buratai had said: “It is unfortunate, but the truth is that almost every setback the Nigerian Army has had in our operations in recent times can be traced to the insufficient willingness to perform assigned tasks or simply insufficient commitment to a common national/military course by those at the frontlines. Many of those on whom the responsibility for physical actions against the adversary squarely falls are yet to take ownership of our common national or service cause fully.”

I will start on this note. The media quoted the comment by the Chief of Army Staff out of context, which is common in this clime. Two statements in the commentary were right and a reflection of the harshness of the reality on the ground in Nigeria. And they are an insufficient willingness and insufficient commitment to take ownership of our common national service or cause fully.

The above two have been the bane of the myriads of challenges facing Nigeria. Lack of willingness and lack of commitment to a common goal. Everyone seems to be preoccupied with their interest rather than national interest. And this was simply what the Chief of Army Staff was trying to emphasize in his comment.

But for how the press interpreted it. The statement wasn’t meant to dampen the morale of the troops. Far from that, rather it was meant to provide explanations to why things go wrong and why things also go right narrowing it to the war against terrorism in Nigeria.

Festus Adedayo in his piece in an attempt to let the world know he is an intellectual went ahead to suggest what the Chief of Army Staff meant by insufficient willingness. He wrote “Insufficient willingness” could be a symptom of several malaises, ranging from weariness to fight, disobedience to command, sagging morale, cowardly behavior, communicating with the enemy, among the panoply of other tendencies.”

After reading this, I wondered if Festus Adedayo was a soothsayer that could with the whip of a handkerchief interpret a statement with such authority. I think he took his brilliance too far for want of a better expression.

He also systematically analyzed how Boko Haram fighters earn $3000 daily and how Nigerian soldiers earn a meager N1000 daily. Even though he alluded that it was not his original idea, but that of Dr. Sidi Mohammed, a member of the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI). The mere fact that he could cite such nonsense is an indication of how not be an intellectual.

And assuming such was even real, I can bet that even soldiers would readily switch camp since it’s all about how the Nigerian Army has neglected the soldiers at the battlefront as Festus Adedayo wants us to believe.

He also attempted to be emotional in his piece like he has ever traveled to the theatre of operations for once in his lifetime. If he hasn’t, then there is no moral justification for him to lend his voice to the activities of the Nigerian military in North East Nigeria. The bulk of the stories of neglect and what have you are figments of the imaginations of the authors, or probably they still relied on the fate of Nigerian soldiers before the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2015. Just like Festus Adedayo and members of the unsuspecting public.

Festus Adedayo tried as much as possible in his piece to conceal its true intention, which is to throw a jab at the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for the humiliating way his appointment was terminated. Even though he has screamed to high heaven that he never wanted the job, but a week after he didn't come out to reject it, not until the public outcry that followed.

One of such way he wanted to get at the government was his satirical statement that read thus “The truth is, if we count the number of the dead since Buhari assumed office in 2015, it should be near the casualty figure of the Nigerian civil war.” I wondered how Festus Adedayo lost it this easily. A Special Adviser to the Senate President is not an Olympic medal that should rattle the Festus Adedayo we all know.

Having stated the above, it becomes apparent the Festus Adedayo needs some form of enlightenment on what it takes to be in a war situation and what most war commanders face in galvanizing their troops to victory. Festus Adedayo should know that there would lethargic feelings which would translate to insufficient commitment or reluctance. This is a natural occurrence even in the most civilized climes in the world.

Warfare is not political science or communication, and as such, it would be difficult for Festus Adedayo to comprehend the statement of the Chief of Army Staff, just like those that misconstrue it to mean blaming the soldiers for the setbacks recorded in recent times.

His entire piece was laced with outright insinuations and illogical conclusions. There was not a single sentence or paragraph that contained first-hand information; rather it dwelled on hearsays and cheap gossips not befitting for intellectual discourse.

Festus Adedayo must rephrase his piece to read “How I misled my readers with half-truths” and consequently apologize immensely for missing it this time around. In all, I need to mention that I am a great fan of Festus Adedayo. But the truth must be told at all times. This very one is a big disappointment. The comment of the Chief of Army Staff was not a bruise. But rather a wakeup call. It is called strategy.

Agbese is a human rights activist based in the United Kingdom.

The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against terrorism in Nigeria has said it is not surprised by the revelations made by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai that the insufficient commitment of some men and officers of the Nigerian Army is encouraging the renewed wave of isolated attacks by the decimated but extremely desperate Boko Haram /ISWAP insurgents being witnessed in Borno State. This is as the group also warned Nigeria's main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against making political gains out of the situation in the Northeast, and desist from any personal attack against the Army Chief.



Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, the group led by its Convener, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji said there is nothing new in the disclosure by General Buratai, as this is a known phenomenon with any Armed Forces all over the world, especially when there are political interference and desperation to effect a change of leadership in any Nation . He said the group have raised similar alarms in the past, when it realised that there have been subtle supports for Boko Haram and other violent groups by politicians and some Tribal warlords who are desperate to unseat the incumbent administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. The coalition said it is also unfortunate that some elements within the Military might have allowed themselves to be demoralized by the antics of these desperate politicians, ethnic champions, religious fundamentalist and their foreign collaborators, who masquerades as Non Governmental Organisations (NGO), operating in the Country.

The group also said the position of the Army Chief, cannot be completely separated from the available intelligence that, some politicians who were defeated during the 2019 General Elections have resorted to wanting to infiltrate the military, in order to deepen the level insecurity in the land, while also encouraging insurgency as their own form of revenge for their rejection by Nigerians at the poll.



"Rather than the PDP, SERAP and their collaborators both local and foreign attacking General Buratai, Nigerians should rather appreciate his courage, for exposing what ordinarily some service Chiefs would have been covering from public knowledge, about the conduct of some of their officers and men."

"The Chief of Army Staff, by virtue of his position has access to the best intelligence about the conduct of his men and therefore owes it a patriotic duty, to Nigerians whose taxes are being used to fund the operations of the Armed Forces."

As key followers of events in our country, we also wish to state that we're much aware there have been several attempts to politicise our Military operations and promote politically motivated acts of terror being committed against Nigerians by those that want to take over the government at all cost. Therefore, the position of General Buratai only confirms this, as only external influences could have made any Army battling insurgency, to relax and become non committal.

While admonishing the officers and men of the army not to see General Buratai's revelations as an attack but rather as a call for an improved commitment, the group said Nigerian Army have sacrificed too much to keep the country safe and united and therefore should rededicate itself, to the war against criminal elements, who are desperate to undermine the sovereign integrity of the country.

By David Onmeje

Sometimes, I prefer to allow certain media publications pass without the necessary reactions. But I have burdened myself by ardently believing in the axiom that silence, means consent or approval of an act which falls prostrate before reason, facts, truths and wisdom.

The penchant of some Nigerian media to celebrate negativity in sensationalism most times unsettles me. The Sun Newspaper is famed for this proclivity and often, twists facts, sensationalize and infuse extraneous embellishments into news stories to water the appetite of its vulnerable fans.

Let us guide ourselves properly! I know Nigeria is still battling with the scourge of Boko Haram resurgence in the Northeast and security challenges. And with the activated backing and increased funding in cash and weapons to insurgents by Iraqi’s Islamic State (ISIL), defeated Boko Haram, rechristened as Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) has bounced back around the Lake Chad enclave with an astounding strength against the Nigerian people .

But our troops in the frontline have not relented, but working round the clock to contain the menace. And if you ask me, I know that had troops relaxed, Boko Haram insurgents would have recaptured reclaimed territories in the Northeast and smoothly be expanding tentacles to other parts of the country.

However, it has been impossible and thumps up for Nigerian troops! Indubitably, the war is stiff and sustained on both sides. But I cannot concede to arguments that insurgents have repressed or overpowered the Nigerian troops to such weakening levels as bandied in the media or elsewhere, conscious of the high possibility of deaths in war.



I find it patriotic, the zeal to succeed at all cost by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and ombudsman of the counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai. So, the avertable lapses on battlefield in the Northeast has understandably poked his anger. No boss of his ilk will take the frustrations with a smile.



His indignation came on the heels of what I may be permitted to describe as an “in-house,” interaction with his team over the renewed atrocities of Boko Haram in the Northeast.

Therefore, at a “Transformational leadership workshop”, organized by the Army through the Department of Transformation and Innovation at the Army Resource Centre, Asokoro, Abuja two days back, the Army Chief frowned at his officers and troops in the battlefield.

Let me replay a portion of what Gen. Buratai said at the workshop, which has become sensationally celebrated by some Nigerian media for reasons I can hardly discern. Some media houses even imputed their own interpretation of what the Army Chief voiced to his team, by claiming Nigerian troops are Ill-equipped and suffer neglected welfare.

Gen. Buratai stated; “It is unfortunate, but the truth is that almost every setback the Nigerian Army has had in our operations in recent times can be traced to insufficient willingness to perform assigned tasks or simply insufficient commitment to a common national/military course by those at the frontlines.”

He fumed further, “Many of those on whom the responsibility for physical actions against the adversary squarely falls are yet to fully take ownership of our common national or service cause.”

I have always known Gen. Buratai as an officer who is always blunt; stands by the truth at all times, but hates with a passion any act of professional indolence or negligence. So, did we expect him to remain silent in the face of the obvious sabotage of the ongoing counter-insurgency operations by his troops? Should this caution have translated into his “blame” or “accusation,” of his troops as reported by some media?

What has pained me more is that everyone of us is aware of Boko Haram agents everywhere, including the Military, who are playing the roles of sabs in the efforts to contain insurgency. Buratai has only reduced their number, but the remnants are still within the fold of troops.

I am not consternated at the reportage of what the COAS mouthed at the workshop. But I am certainly sad, at its promotion and elevation by some media outfits like The Sun Newspaper. It is not enough that the news qualified for The Sun’s cover story, but the embellishments and imputations were of extreme dimensions.

It told me clearly, that the gatekeepers failed patriotism by ignoring the protection and safeguard of national interest on security matters. It is barefaced lack of professional and ethical wisdom on the part of The Sun editorial team in appreciating national ethos on security.

And by the ownership and regional flavor traditionally aligned with the medium, it tells anyone in unambiguous terms that the newspaper is discreetly working for Nigeria to be declared a failed state.

The Sun celebrated what I think, they presumed a plus for themselves. But I rather mirrored Gen. Buratai, as a soldier and leader pained by the deliberate frustration of the counter-terrorism war now by a gang of conspirators, whose penetration in the Nigerian entities in unpredictable.

I asked myself why troops would suddenly develop cold feet or apathy in performing the same tasks; under same conditions which they previously excelled? Something is amiss!

And we all shall be damn wrong to think it is the psyche of Gen. Buratai alone that is being tormented by our reckless conduct; we shall be wrong to think only Buratai, officers and soldiers have a divine duty to battle terrorism. It is a task for all of us in our own minute ways.

And it is naïve to think abusing the chances of contributing to the complete routing out of Boko Haram from our shores is praiseworthy and might of journalism that would earn us a trophy in media excellence. It is an unpardonable mistake that may boomerang on all of us.

Today, our troops have compelled Gen. Buratai to remind them and indeed, Nigerians about what President Muhammadu Buhari, who is still the Commander-in-Chief echoed 35 years ago that “this generation and indeed, future generations of Nigerians have no other country but Nigeria, we must remain here and salvage it together”.



I believe absolutely that the Nigerian Military is not a lame duck anywhere in the world. It has always been trailed by successes’ and accolades anywhere it has served humanity in international, multinational operations and other military assignments.

Why is the case of their country different? I sense that they are being prodded by covert forces to disloyalty and unpatriotic acts, as manifest in the backslide in their professional performances on the battlefield now. It was Sun Tzu who said, If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.”

And Sun Tzu again says, “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.” Precisely, no one needs a soothsayer to confirm that Gen. Buratai has not only imbibed this principle, but applies it meticulously on his officers and soldiers, especially his troops since he assumed the leadership of the Nigerian Army.

I see in Gen. Buratai an Army Chief who is extremely proud of his troops. He holds them in very high esteem and fetes them both home and abroad in glowing tributes.

In Gen. Buratai’s actions, I see a boss in a warm relationship with his officers/troops. He introduced the culture of constant visits to troops at the frontline and interactions with them to have firsthand knowledge of their personal problems. He stimulates their psyche by participating in victory camp carnivals in the Northeast, trainings, battles in the trenches and celebration of special festivities like Sallah, Christmas and New Year with troops in the battlefield even at the expense of spending such seasons with his family.



And Buratai also rewards troops who have recorded exceptional performances on the field; while promotions of deserving personnel are timely implemented. His concentration on the welfare of the Army is very uncommon.

Gen. Buratai ensures Army personnel’s prompt payment of salaries and allowances; renovation of Army barracks, investing in retirement housing schemes for personnel and personally interacting with spouses of troops at the warfront very frequently and solve their problems. How else could a leader dispense himself to get the targeted outcomes if sabotage is not involved?

So, although, several newspapers and online platforms published the news, but I consider, The Sun’s version very offensive and disheartening by its elevation and mischief contents. I have no doubt that the editorial team did a very unpatriotic job by undermining national security and infusing interpretations’ outside the intendment of the Army Chief when he thundered in admonishment of his team at the workshop.

Finally, a word of caution for the other herds of unprofessional practitioners in the media industry, too enthusiastic to promote the enemy against Nigeria to have a rethink. We shall only be doing a disservice to ourselves and our country by failing in our gatekeeping prescriptions with the neglect of due diligence on stories before going out to mislead the public or elevating terrorists exploits against our nation.



The conduct of The Sun newspaper to say the least, is nothing but a glaring attempt by the organization, which has obviously lost its credibility years back for its undisguised promotion of narrow-minded ethnic and sectional agenda in Nigeria to bounce back to reckoning. But the Nigerian Army is the wrong choice for this experiment.

Onmeje wrote this piece from London, United Kingdom.

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