₦airaland Forum

PDP Stalwart, Kera Knocks APC Over Violent Congress In Gombe

A political stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Dahiru Hassan Kera has frowned at the violence recorded in some local government areas in Gombe state, during the last Saturday All Progressive Congress ( APC) local government Congress where one person was reported killed and several others injured in Deba.

Kera, who made this known in a statement issued to newsmen in Gombe on Sunday, said it is unfortunate that the era of violence being champion by the APC, may gradually be creeping back into Gombe politics, going by the spate of aggression that marred the APC Congress in the state.

Kera who was the chairman of the media and publicity committee of the Dankwambo’s campaign organization during the 2015 general elections, expressed regrets that the APC is trying to take the state back to the dark era of political violence, thuggery and crimes after efforts by the Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo’s led administration in rescuing the state from those dark ages.

“The proponents of the APC in Gombe State were the same people that bred the ‘Kalare’ political thugs in the state who maimed, raped, killed, and robbed unsuspected indigenes of the state freely, during the administration of Danjuma Goje, the devilish act was successfully curtailed and pared down by the Dankwambo’s administration.” Kera, who said they cannot fold their hands and allow some desperate and selfish politicians to breathe new life into the heinous and monstrous act of thuggery in the state, call on security agencies in the state to take proactive measures before the act get out of control. “We call on the security agencies in the state to buckle up and stem the tide of the evil and flagitious activities that will consume human lives.”

Stressing that in civilized democracy, the sanctity of human life must be valued and respected.’’ It would be recalled that violence erupted during the last Saturday APC congress in some parts of Gombe which led to the death of one Salisu Dage, in Deba the headquarters of Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of the State.

#BringBackOurGirls “Sect” And Another Show Of Shame

By Anthony Kolawole

There is no doubt that Nigerians are interesting and enterprising people who can make use of any situation for either humour or mischief. What you get doesn’t depend on the situation alone but the characters that chose to play the typical Nigerian role.
I feel some Nigerians sleep and only dream of agitations or activism, even where the brakes need to be applied. For many, activism is not only a passion, but a career to keep our shadows etched permanently in national psyche.

And it appears to my judgment the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) campaigners are gradually sliding into this revulsion. The group, led by a former Vice President of the World Bank (African Region) and Nigeria’s former Education Minister, Chief Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, emerged after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls by terrorists in Chibok, an obscure locality in Borno state.

The concept of this pressure group was informed by the reluctance of the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan to secure the release of the Chibok girls from their captors. The spirited campaigns mounted by BBOG campaigners drew national and international attention to the plight of these innocent girls. I think that was alright by all assessments.

But until the Jonathan Presidency was ousted in 2015 and President Muhammedu Buhari came on board, the BBOG campaigns yielded absolutely nothing. But at the last count, the Buhari Presidency has secured the release of nearly 110 of the Chibok girls, by whatever means.

We are very conversant with the sociological character and condition of the Chibok girls still “held” in Boko Haram captivity. It is just reasonable to understand that some of them have been married off to distant lands; others may have died under traumatic conditions. Some may not even be within the confines of Nigeria.

Much as this experience is painful, it is nearly five years now, since Chibok girls were abducted. But the BBOG campaigners resurrect the matter today as if it happened yesterday. Of more serious concern is the whipping of sentiments on the issue to the extent of questioning the authenticity of The Nigerian Army’s release of other Nigerians held captive by terrorists.

Therefore, the BBOG group has blinded itself to any other release of Nigerian hostages or other aspects and successes of the counter-insurgency war in Nigeria under the Buhari Presidency. BBOG does not want to believe that thousands of other Nigerians were languishing in the dehumanizing cells of Boko Haram terrorists before the Buhari Presidency. And in the last three years, The Nigerian Army had intermittently secured the hard freedom for them and reunited these former terror hostages to their beloved families.

Sadly, I was taken aback when the BBOG questioned the Army’s report released by its Spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Texas Chukwu that it has secured the release of 1,000 Boko Haram captives. The BBOG leader, Oby Ezekwesili in a press statement raised very sentimental questions about the claim of the Army to have secured the release of another 1,000 Boko Haram captives in villages around Bama LGA of Borno state.

Oby and her group, the BBOG may be pardoned for their myopic reasoning that only the Chibok schoolgirls were under Boko Haram captivity. The latest announcement by the Army of the release of 1,000 Boko Haram captives is like a scratch on the back. For the BBOG to deliberately refuse to recognize earlier releases of hostages by our courageous soldiers only smacks of an insidious agenda rather than the campaign marketed in public domain.

So, the insertion of the word “sect” after the #BringBackOurGirls hastag in the headline is deliberate and intended to render some peculiar explanations or even justifications for the group’s seeming conspiratorial and selfish outings. And sounding very demeaning, BBOG thundered; “Citizens must never accept opaque claims by our government without appropriate public scrutiny.”

Is BBOG not part of the public? How much has the group scrutinized the Army report before doubting? It is complete display of ignorance about the counter-insurgency war under the Buhari Presidency. It is an assault on the psyche of families of other Nigerians, whose loved ones have regained freedom through the efforts of the Nigerian Army. To the minds of these BBOG campaigners, only the Chibok girls are indeed important, as if the lives of other Nigerians who are also victims of terrorism are less sacred.

I am pained to remind the BBOG campaigners of a short timeline of Boko Haram hostages whose freedom has been secured by the Nigerian Army under the Buhari Presidency. A grim Amnesty International (AI) report released in 2014 conjectured a minimal of 41 mass abductions between 2014 and early 2015 alone. AI estimated that at least, 2, 000 Nigerians were abducted.

I will not include the figures three years earlier. But i am not sure BBOG is not concerned with the number of other Nigerians who fell victims to Boko Haram.

But if I should break the number of releases of Boko Haram captives by the Army now, the figures would mock BBOG’s insistent hold to the Chibok girls. They would praise the Army, even if reluctantly.

But Oby Ezekwesili and her BBOG must be tutored to know that by end of July 2015, Nigerian troops rescued 71 persons, comprising 29 women, 25 children, and five elderly men held hostage for over one year by terrorists at villages surrounding Maiduguri, merely 40 kilometers’ away. Where were BBOG campaigners?

I ask BBOG that at the beginning of August 2015, Associated Press reported soldiers secured freedom of another 178 captives near Bama town. Of this number 101 were children, 67 women and 10 agile men. Were the children and women unworthy of BBOG’s attention, while in captivity?

In October 2015, 338 captives, mostly children and women were freed from terrorists’ camps in Sambisa forest, which we all know was the terrorists’ most fortified haven. Was this feat worth more than BBOG’s indifference?

Troops operations in November 2015, secured the release of 61 captives at Bitta and Damboa axis of Borno State. And by March 2016, soldiers amazingly secured the release of 829 captives from Kusumma village, and 11 other adjoining villages.

I am quite sure, the BBOG’s group was unsure at the possibility of the Amy releasing 1,000 hostages in May 2018. But as far back as April 2017, a total of 1,623 Nigerians in Boko Haram gulags were rescued by troops in enclaves at Jarawa in Kala Balge LGA in Borno State.

Even in January, 2018, the Army’s clearance operations in the North East gave liberty to over 700 farmers and fishermen at Chikun Gudu and neighbouring villages, who were under slave labour. They comprised adult males, females and children. And in February, 2018, the also Army rescued 46 terrorists captives inside Sambisa forest, which has been converted into a soldiers barracks.

I am saddened that it is something of a near national shame and disgrace for the BBOG not to know the extent to which other Nigerians have regained freedom through the efforts of the Nigerian Army. It has exposed their ignorance of the realities on insurgency and betrayed their sinister motives as a “sect” which is not genuinely interested in the rescue of Nigerians ever held in the captivity of Boko Haram terrorists. It is presumably, a strong attachment to Chibok girls.

I have no reservations to state that during the last administration, over 10,000 persons were abducted by terrorists. And among the abductees, were women and children. But it is nice that BBOG never concerned itself with it and so, their release now is also not supposed to be their headache.

What BBOG “sect” knows is Chibok girls, which lends credence to some of the many circulated conspiracy theories, including alleged pursuit of national political relevance and financial “games” by the promoters and campaigners of BBOG. I am tempted to believe it now as true with their latest shameful daytrip to nowhere.

It is sickeningly ridiculous that BBOG are not interested in any other angle of the counter-terrorism war in Nigeria, except Chibok girls. And suspiciously, many have admitted, it is profiting their personal pockets.

To my eternal conviction, I was dumbfounded when the BBOG asked the Army to publish names of the recently freed 1,000 abductees. It is the dampest of questions a focused group could ever ask in public. BBOG could as well go ahead and ask the Army to publish the names of all the over 5,000 Boko Haram hostages freed by the Army in the past three years.

Talk is cheap, and to castigate government is easier. But the same BBOG could not even keep a compendium of abductions, rescues, and deaths in what they qualified as “Missing Persons Register and Bureau.” They want government to assist them, in spite of the lofty profiles of the leaders.

BBOG leaders are aware of the social stigma suffered by victims of Boko Haram captivity, especially women and children. But they still want a further hype on their identities in print and electronic media. What has happened to BBOG’s skills of discreet investigation to ascertain the veracity of the Army’s submissions, to dispute it on points of doubts?

Oby as she is fondly called should know that the role of the Army is not only to rescue the remaining Chibok girls still alive or dead; but every other Nigerian in Boko Haram captivity, as promised, by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai.

As confirmed by the Army Chief, the mission of the Nigerian Army is to rescue the whole of humanity from the devilish claws and manacles of Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria and their foreign affiliates or internal agents who see the destabilization of Nigeria as a task that must be accomplished. But this is impossible under the Buhari Presidency.


Kolawole is a University lecturer and contributed this article from Keffi.

2019: Watch Your Utterances - Gombe Youths Tells Barde

Gombe youths under the auspices of Gombe Vanguard for Good Governance have slammed the gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Gombe State, Muhammed Jibrin Barde for what it called his 'unfair attacks  on the affairs of the Gombe state government all in a bid to score cheap political points'.

The group which issued the statement through its Chairman, Comrade Sani S. Kabiru said, they wondered why Barde who is being teleguided by Danjuma Goje, a person whose history of bad governance is legendary will have the moral standing to call out anybody on issues of Governance. 

"Birds of a feather they say flock together. What's the guarantee that Barde not trying to gentrify and renew political thuggery in the state politics as  created and nurtured by his benefactor's administration before it was outlawed by the present administration of His Excellency, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo?

"It’s quite disheartening and disparaging that, after the state has successfully ridden itself of the shenanigans of the Kalare Political Thugs and unburdened itself from the hitherto politics of intimidation, browbeaten and boorishness, Goje and Barde are applying an orchestrated plan to plunge the state straight back into that loathsome and ugly trend."

The statement accused Barde of denigrating the institution of government for personal and selfish reasons, saying such ungodly habit will only put him at a disadvantaged if not disqualify him completely from occupying such position, saying any one who doesn’t respect and protect the image of the seat of the governor, does not deserve to sit on it. 

"We all knew how they connived and leased the state government properties at paltry and derisory prices and am sure the anger they are directing at the incumbent governor is not unconnected with his refusal to grant their principal, Goje the right of way to continue mortgaging the future of the state with his underhanded and shady practices. Since the government of the day blocked the suction pipe from which they siphoned our shared patrimony, they built an arsenal of animosity against him but all their evil plans will fail.

"Let me assure them that, the people of state have positioned themselves to resist all their antics, to reject them in no less a unanimous and overwhelming fashion as they did in the 2015 polls. Never again will Gombe bẹ brought under the direct or indirect control of Goje whose domineering rule of intolerance is feared even by his friends.

"The people of Gombe are ready for them in 2019 especially as we can’t afford someone whose parent’s biological days of yore are nothing to write home about," the statement said.

Army Commended Over Commitments To End Killings

A Middle belt pressure group, the Middle Belt Rights Congress (MBRC) has described as highly commendable the ability of the Nigerian Army to rise above various political distractions and unnecessary criticisms to tackle the incessant killings in the country, especially in the middle belt region.

The group also commended the Chief of Army staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai for his on the spot visits to remote communities in Benue state, saying such action has indeed served as morale booster to the troops.

Addressing journalists in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, general secretary of the group, Moses Ogaba Ochapa, said the successes being recorded by the army are crucial to ensuring that the entire country does not get plunged into the chaos that comes with food crisis since many farming communities are unable to plant crops while demented killers rampage through the land.

According to him, this is the reason why the army must be encouraged to sustain the tempo of capturing the troublers of Nigeria’s peace and bring them to justice. He said, “the latest breakthrough is the arrest of a militia herdsman, Idi Gemu by troops of 72 Special Forces Battalion deployed in operation MESA while on patrol to Adagu village in Guma Local Government Area of Benue. “The Army earlier arrested the Coordinator, Benue State Livestock Guards, Aliyu Teshaku, who was revealed to be a Boko Haram operative and was coordinating all the attacks in Benue based on political influence and conspiracy. Three other militia herdsmen have also been arrested and weapons recovered. These efforts have invariably changed the tempo in all ramifications.”

He said it is pleasing that these arrests and disruption of the killing network are being achieved while troops continue to act within acceptable rules of engagement for such operations. He said, “the Middle Belt Rights Congress (MBRC) commends the Nigerian Army for rising above the distractions and unnecessary criticisms to embrace professionalism that has yielded the arrests of these high-profile killers and criminals. We commend the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai for being steadfast and not losing focus even amidst the barrage of attacks on the selfless Nigerian Army by people who do not want the killings in Benue and other states around it to end.

“We however urge the Nigerian Army to sustain the tempo of capturing the troublers of Nigeria’s peace and bring them to justice.

This is because we realize that several interests will contrive means of throwing the Nigerian Army and the COAS off balance so that they can buy time for the hired assassins to recover from the devastating blows that have been dealt on them. But for us, rather than allowing these perverted people to recover to the point of relaunching themselves, the arrest of these very high profile criminal elements should be taken as clear indications that the end of Herdsmen/Farmers Crisis is near.

“We commend Gen. Buratai for making it a duty in line with his tradition, to visit the troops in Benue State as happened recently. His visit is a pointer to the fleeing criminal elements that despite the provocation to destroy the good relationship between the Army and the people, the Army has remained committed to protecting lives and properties without looking back.”

Ochapa also urged security agencies to extend investigation and possibly arrest of sponsors of the so-called militia herdsmen.

Gombe: When Education Matters Most

By Sule Musa

Surely, education is synonymous with societal development, economic advancement and it is unambiguously believed to be the best investment in the society. It’s a fact that the absence of this vital aspect of the society often comes with increased level of poverty, gross unemployment, underdevelopment, high rate of social vices; kidnapping, robbery, stealing, raping and communal clashes as end result.

While it provides miraculous and freakish transformational power where it is given room, it thrives and flourishes. Education is accompanied with an impelling rise in the developmental index of such society where peace and justice reign.

Therefore, purposeful governments at all levels seemingly prioritise and focus attention on the provision of education because when the sector is effectively working, people are educated and enlightened, all the other sectors of the economy would equally breathe and exhalant for their survival, surpass it to say, education formed the nucleolus of development and economic amelioration of every society. It’s against this background that, the aspirations and hankerings of every parent and government is inextricably interwoven to have an environment where education is accessible and subcribable for all irrespective of one’s economic status and his proximity to the educational facilities.

It’s interesting to know that the architects and the master builders of the Nigerian nation we’re rightly enjoying; the Sardaunas, the Balewas, the Awolowos, the Ziks and so many of them have accorded the sons and daughters of an ordinary Nigerians free and compulsory education to better their future and strengthen the country. It’s beyond doubt that those who were fortunate to witness that particular epoch, had in different times become leaders in their fields of endeavours. Therefore, states and communities that have earlier invested massively in the education of their sons and daughters, are no doubt that, the most developed and this has also reflected on the progress their states had made due to the intellectual and innovative dispositions of their people.

In contempt of the historic evidence of transformational power of education and its consolidated importance, the sector has been abysmally neglected by some visionless in some states of the federation. The sector received little or no attention while other projects that are considered as conduit of siphoning the treasuries were given preferential and due considerations and the attitude has potent dangers to the societal development by breeding unproductive youths without promising future.

In this part of the country, education has suffered unduly, as a result has kept the region perpetually in the passenger’s seat in every aspects of the Nigerian enterprise. In Gombe State, the destructive effect of the poor state of education could be noticed when ‘Kalare’ thuggery was the only lucrative venture for the vulnerable youths.

But no matter how bad the situation is, there are silent and exceptional few who tend to be different Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo Gombe State has proven and established the truth and genuine of purposeful leadership by playing a hard ball and strong-will game with education. Dankwambo when he assumed the mantle of leadership in Gombe State met the sector in a shambles and gory structure with students sitting on a bare floor or under the trees, teacher training and retraining were utterly neglected, laboratories and libraries had no equipment and basic required books as the shelves were books starved. There is a turn around, suddenly.

In his determination to rescue the state from the hitherto despite and all torn up situation, Gov. Dankwambo declared a state of emergency in education declared a catch phrase; education, education and education, and then any other thing would follow.

Though, the statement at the onset looked like the normal political rhetoric but within a very short period, the whole thing translated into reality with the renovation of virtually all dilapidated structures, as well as building new ones including the international standard model primary schools in most of the local government headquarters, and with nine tsangaya intervention schools across the state with adequate staffing and state of the art of learning facilities.

As secondary schools were not left behind in the whole scheme new blocks of classrooms were constructed, while the old ones were fully renovated and restructured to meet with the modern demand. Science, technical and vocational education were given boost as the Government Science Technical Colleges in Deba, Kwami, Tula, Amada, Nyuwar and Gombe Bye-Pass were equipped with basic laboratory facilities, furniture, hostels inclusive. With education, it can never be enough especially with tertiary education.

There was the establishment of School of Basic and Remedial Studies at Dukku and Kumo, College of Education Billiri, College of Legal and Islamic Studies Nafada, Gombe State Polytechnic Bajoga, and the upgrading of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, through collaborative initiatives with the University of Maiduguri and Maritime Training College Oron in Akwa Ibom State. The state university has an ambition with the intent of intervening in the health needs of the people in the state, so Dankwambo set up the School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science in the state university.

Governor Dankwambo who seems not tired, inaugurated the committee for the establishment of the State University of Science and Technology, Gombe State Institute of Journalism, College of Agriculture and Husbandry, College of Accountancy, Institute of Sport and  the State University  of Science and Technology Kumo, will soon take off following approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC)  here is a state where education is first, second and third priority.

– Musa writes from Gombe.

Drug Abuse: Northern Gov’s Wives Hail FG Over Ban On Codeine

The Northern Governor’s Wives Forum has applauded the recent ban on the importation and production of codeine by the Federal Ministry of Health, saying that it’s a major breakthrough and success in fight against drug abuse and addiction bedeviling the country.

The Chairperson of the Forum, the Bauchi State Governor’s Wife, Her Excellency Hajiya Hadiza M. A. Abubakar has described drug abuse as a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our society, adding that their forum has made the fight against drug abuse its priority intervention project.

Speaking through her Press Secretary, Rashida Yusuf, the chairperson has said that, the Forum in collaboration with relevant stakeholders has taken a holistic approach to curbing the menace of drug abuse in the country, particularly in the North where it’s more pronounced and prevalent.

Following a UNODC Training for all Northern Governors Wives, all the states are at various stages of implementing the work plan.
According to her, among the steps taken, Benue, Kebbi,Kogi,Niger, and Bauchi states have each carried one or more of the following drugs committees, setting up drug community volunteer scheme, skills acquisitions and drop-in-centres as well as provision of female rehabilitation wing.

The Centres which are expected to among other things to rehabilitate victims of drug abuse by providing them with counselling and moral support to enable them get reintegrated into their various societies and become useful members of their communities.

The Forum implored stakeholders involved in the fight against the menace of drug abuse to put all hands on deck to achieve the target of drug-free society urging parents particularly, to monitor their children and wards with a view to nipping in the bud detected untoward behaviors.

BREAKING: Buratai's Convoy Intercepts Armed Bandits Along Numan - Yola Road

The convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutnant General TY Buratai was intercepted by armed bandits/armed robbers at midnight [Saturday night ] while on routine tour of operational areas by the Nigerian Army to curtail the activities of evil men across the country.

The incident according to our source took place along Numan - Yola Road at about 11.30 p.m. 5 May 2018.

Four of the armed robbers were arrested with 3 Dane guns, machetes and charms. The bandits who mounted road block where the COAS’ convoy ran into were on their daily operation of attacking innocent Nigerians.

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/leadership.ng/2018/05/06/just-in-army-chief-convoy-intercepts-armed-bandits-in-yola/amp/

Gov Ortom, Tashaku And Implication For National Security

By Dooshima Targema

Social media is disliked by some Nigerians because of its unregulated tendency to churn out falsehood. Those who hate it have their reasons, just like those who love it. Like every human phenomenon, social media has its good and bad sides too.

It can teach, enlighten, propagate, inform and defame personalities and nations. Anyone is free to flow with it based on mindset.

A circulated, punchy phrase has trended on social media in the past two months. Nigeria’s former military dictator, Late Gen. Sani Abacha is quoted as saying, any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours, it means government has hands in its emergence.

The wisdom came into relevance last week Friday, when a combined team of security agencies, comprising, troops of 707 Special Forces Brigade of the Nigerian Army; the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested one of Boko Haram’s kingpins, Aminu Yaminu, alias Tashaku in Makurdi. He is widely believed in security circles as the don, masterminding the recent bloodbath in Benue in the garb of herders/farmers clashes.

Upon the arrest of Tashaku, Army public relations department also hinted that he had concluded plans with his soul mates in devilry from Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, and Nasarawa states to consolidate the killings in Benue with more vicious onslaughts.

The worry is that Tashaku is a known and confessed criminal, having links with the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists. He had been with the sect since the days of the founder, Mohammed Yusuf. To overtly attest to his criminality, he is a man with several identities. Though born of Tiv ancestry, he is variously known as Aminu Yaminu,, Aliyu Tashaku or simply Tashaku.

Former Benue Governor Gabriel Suswam appointed Tashaku, head of JTF, whose major briefs were to kill opponents and rig elections for their bosses. And incumbent Gov. Ortom retained Tashaku as leader of Livestock Guards, formed after signing into law and implementation of the anti-open grazing law last November 2017.

A goon and don in the truest sense of it in the den of terrorism, it is surprising why Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom re-appointed him leader of the Livestock Guards, even though he knew of his background.

Now, since January 1st, 2018, the herders and farmers clashes have led to hundreds of deaths, in different communities and villages in the state. The picture in public domain is that both herders and farmers are struggling over scare land resources. But what has remained a mystery is why the crises are defiling all known remedial solutions.

President Muhammedu Buhari intervened by sending the Army to checkmate the crises. But it seems on the ascendency. While herders and farmers bicker on the field; Gov. Ortom and his minions are also embroiled in a verbal tussle with the FGN over the killings, because Ortom is enjoying the drama of what he has orchestrated.

Muscles have been flexed, in high places, but the cause of the crises is just within the state. Apparently targeting some political gains, Gov. Ortom has vowed the crisis won’t end. In day light, he preaches peace to the people of Benue and at night, he allegedly fuels the crises to unimaginable proportions through Tashaku.

First, it was the arrest of members of the JTF in Benue and now leader of Livestock Guards. The JTF suspects confessed to security agents that the Benue State Government armed them to “execute” herdsmen. As usual, government denied complicity. But the JTF suspects were on a monthly stipend, paid by the state, which owed them months of unpaid stipends.

The hullabaloo lasted for a while and everybody seems to have forgotten about what transpired. No one is prepared to examine the import of the arrests on state cum national security. Life has gone on, very normal, while the killings continue under a metamorphosed leader, Tashaku who heads the quasi-security outfit- Livestock Guards.

Tashaku links his foot soldiers in the Northeast to launch attacks on Benue and Gov. Ortom claps for him, because, he is making monetary capital out of the crises. In the heat of the killings, Ortom jetted out to China again, just to create an alibi of absence for what he has allegedly planned. So, his agents stretched into the church and killed two catholic Priests and scores of worshippers’.

The lower rung of leadership in Nigeria is generally on its lowest estimation. But this is a step too far! That a state Chief executive and security officer could condescend so low to hire a known terrorist to kill his own people is unimaginable!

Clearly, the killings in Benue have been perfected from unexpected places, But to realize that it is coming from the temple of Benue People’s House, with a self-acclaimed man of God, whose slogan is “In God we trust,” is reprehensive. To worsen matters, Gov. Ortom finds it convenient to blame the military for imaginary lacunas, while he relapses in the dark to fund the killers of his own people.

It’s extremely unconscionable that in Benue and Taraba states, unabated killings are sponsored with the resources of these states, as recent arrests of major masterminds have indicated. To deploy tax payers monies to sponsor evil against the same tax payers to the level of placing the killer agents on salaries is not just sinful, but offensive.

Gov. Dairus Dickson Ishaku of Taraba state has an axe to grind with his people in 2019. He cannot escape judgment day and the verdict is predictably, very harsh. Gov. Ortom is under the same spell and his case appears worse because it’s like he has even spited Almighty God.

Benue can forgive Ortom for the months of unpaid salaries, with no single state project to commission in three years. The people are already used to hard times and hard life, without salaries or any state government patronage or presence.

In Benue, food vendors are now tired of writing off bad debts and have resolved to stop selling to cashless customers (civil servants). Hospitals have closed up on owned medical bills. Now, the sick cannot even approach the hospitals anymore. Consumption of herbs for all ailments is the vogue in Benue now.

Agreed, the people prayed for death, but least expected that it will come earlier than expected and anchored from Benue Peoples House. The people resolved not to die from hunger, but the Governor is paying agents with their money to massively kill them, not even sparing churches. Is God sleeping! Meanwhile, their Governor, Chief Ortom, himself, a publicly professed man of God, flaunts before the people, blood stained hands?

Benue can forgive Gov. Ortom for failing to develop a state he inherited with a very robust economy and bubbling social life, which has silently ebbed out. But Ortom cannot be forgiven for arming death agents to kill the people of Benue.

Oooh! Mighty father! What is the sin of Benue? Must Gov. Ortom become the harbinger of remnants of Boko Haram lynchpins dislodged from the Northeast? It has grave consequences, not only for people of the state, but for national security. Can a Benue elder talk this Governor?

Targema is a security consultant based in Lagos.

Boko Haram: Explain Alleged Role In Terrorists’ Activities, Group Tells UNICEF

A civil society organisation, Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism, CATE, has demanded explanation from the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) over its actions in the activities of the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria.

The group is demanding the UNICEF to urgently apologise to Nigeria following its various allegations against the Nigerian military, which have been confirmed to be false and targeted at escalating terror activities in the country.

UNICEF had alleged recently that the Nigerian military has raped over 20 girls in IDP Camps in Borno State.

The development forced the Nigerian Army to declare three persons working for the agency persona non grata in the North East, Nigeria.

The three persons were: Priscillia Hoveyda, Maher Farea and Milen Kidane.

CATE, while briefing newsmen on Monday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, called on the agency to come clean on the alleged nature of support they have been offering Boko Haram which it has revealed countless times before now but authorities failed to act .

Onoja Gabriel, national president of CATE, who addressed the press, urged the Nigerian Government to set up monitoring committee to keep an eye on what groups like UNICEF are doing in the country.

His statement reads in full.

“Our decision to hold this event was informed that several days after these troubling reports first surfaced UNICEF has not satisfactorily cleared itself of the grievous revelations that it has joined the organizations that are working for the destruction of Nigeria.

“As a refresher, we invite you to recall how our organization, the Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) had risen up against groups that previously hid under the guise of being International Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) wreak havoc on our collective psyche and to compromise our lives by overt and covert support for terrorism.

“We alerted Nigerians in those dark days to how certain organizations always timed their reports to coincide with when the military was on the verge of dealing decisive blows against Boko Haram Terrorists. Such reports succeeded in several instances until Nigerians became wise to this devilish antic.

“For the avoidance of doubts, the strategy was to periodically release reports that threaten individual troop and commander with the prospect of keeping a date with the “International Criminal Court (ICC) for daring to fight for the security of their country.

“At institutional level, the reports destroy the reputation of the military services while on the national level is damages the ability of Nigeria to partner with allies thereby denying the entire country of the support needed to defeat terrorism conclusively.

In the time it takes to repair the damage so done, Boko Haram terrorists would have exploited the lag to regroup, re-arm and again become deadly even when it had previously suffered defining defeats.

“Nigerians, who realized the threat posed to their existence and that of their dear fatherland, rose up to challenge this international fraud.

“The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) was at the forefront of that struggle to liberate Nigeria from the claws of these modern-day imperialists hiding under NGOs.

“Let us quickly point out that we were called names for standing up to the oppressors at that time but we are encouraged by the renewed focus the military had to fight terrorism once we successfully beat the bullies out our land.

“Unfortunately, gentlemen of the press, the news we have for you today is distressing because a new entity, UNICEF has emerged as the latest replacement of all the evil contraptions that were earlier deployed in the attempt to incapacitate the Nigerian Military and strengthen terrorists.

“The irony of this development is sickening considering the noble role that this organization is ordinarily meant to be playing.

“We have since learnt that people working for UNICEF have in different countries and at different times usually lend themselves and the name of the organization to be deployed in undermining the countries on behalf of certain international clients and client-nations.

“We however do not want to conclude at this stage that UNICEF personnel behind this latest attack on Nigeria do so without the knowledge of the organization, for they would have been openly sanctioned if this were the case.

Our sense of alarm was further heightened when we learnt that this same group trickily rendered thousands of women barren in Kenya using the lifesaving vaccination programme to commit the crime.

“An organization that can exploit the sanctity of vaccines to do evil cannot be trusted under any condition and we do not even know what other damages they have done to vulnerable people in our population that they have worked with.

“The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) therefore demand an explanation over its role in the escalated efforts to wrongly indict the Nigerian Military and government for violating the Child Protection Act by cooking up its Global Horizontal Notes (GHN) in a manner that will deny the country of international support.

“We demand to know why the atrocities committed by terrorists are being attributed to government. They must come clean of the nature of support they have been offering Boko Haram and at whose behest.

“We warn in the strongest terms possible that CATE has the wherewithal and network to mobilize the Nigerian civil society to force UNICEF out of the north east if they fail to offer plausible explanation.

“Our coalition will ensure this happens except Nigerians can be convinced that UNICEF did not commit the acts credited to it. The situation in the north east is too fragile to have questionable people playing international cowboys with our collective safety in Nigeria.

‘In view of the many instances of war entrepreneurs posing as international NGOs, we call on the Federal Government to set up monitoring committee to keep an eye on what groups like UNICEF are doing in the country.

“This must be backed with a periodic vetting of all NGOs in Nigeria and their operations.

“The time when unmerited respect makes us accept poison from international organizations is past and there is no going back to such.”

By Desita Itodo

Corruption: Who Will Rescue The NASS

By Kenneth K. Adamu

Corruption in Nigeria is fast gaining the notoriety of an incurable monster, defiling all remedies, despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts in curbing the trend. Sometimes, those saddled with the official responsibility of checkmating this destructive malaise are also, ensnared and consumed by its claws. OBJ has consistently maintained in his venomous letters that the National Assembly (NASS) stinks with corruption.

So, when former Nigeria’s President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) declared NASS as peopled with corrupt legislators, the anger smothered for a while and dissipated. In acceptance of guilt, members of the eighth session of House of Representatives, under incumbent Speaker Yakubu Dogara rather resigned to fate.

The parliamentarians took solace in referring to OBJ’s overtly defamatory comments, as he is “grandfather of corruption in Nigeria.” House Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, fumed, “We won’t respond to any corruption allegations by Obasanjo against us anymore.” This is very consolatory for an accused.

Generally, politicians in Nigeria have the repulsive reputation, as very corrupt leaders. Most Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) wine and dine in the swimming pool of corruption very competitively. And civil servants are usually known accomplices in some of the cases already decided by courts of the land.

Its like Nigerians were getting accustomed to this misnomer, until President Muhammadu Buhari picked up the challenge to battle the scourge to a standstill. Disappointingly though, some civil servants have emerged from the backyard of the relay race on the corruption turf and are striving very hard competitively to set new records, with House of Reps members particularly.

Undeniably, total pay package for civil servants in Nigeria has never been enough. It explains the constant agitations from Labour unions for wage increase. Shockingly though, like Reps members, there are civil servants who are strikingly rich and live flamboyant lifestyles, beyond normal earnings.

There are several such instances in Nigeria. And in spite of President Buhari’s eagle-eyed focus on the anti-corruption battle, some Nigerians are still inventing new tricks and exploring virgin frontiers on corruption, their delightful “sport” of some sort.

Nigerians are quite familiar with the case of a top civil servant, the sacked former Secretary of the Government of the Federation(SGF), Mr. David Lawal Babachir over the alleged N200 million grass-cutting scandal.

But there is another baffling, relatively under publicized case. Justice Muawiyah Idris of the FCT High Court in December 2017 made interim forfeiture orders on properties belonging to a civil servant Mr. Ibrahim Tumsah, a Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

Tumsah was in possession of multi-million naira assets even though he was on a monthly salary of less than N500,000, but acquired these assets between 2016 and 2017 aone. From the seized assets, it was clear, the court under estimated the value of the assets, which could run above the threshold of a billion naira in landed properties in choice locations in Abuja and nearly a 90 exotic automobiles of different models.

The House of Reps is still battling with this nightmare of corruption. Of course in 2016, Nigerians were dazzled with the budget padding scandal in the House of Reps, where the House chairman, Committee on Appropriations’, Hon. Abdulmumuni Jibrin resigned his position after a mixed galore of allegations of corruptions were leveled against the members. From expositions, it was beyond suspicions that some members of the House influenced him into such corrupt acts that led to budget padding.

Insightfully, Hon. Jibrin, who threatened court action, eventually tendered an apology to the House Leadership and Reps members, in blackmail fashion, leading to the premature lifting of his suspension before the expiry of the 180 legislative days.

But facts played in public domain by Hon. Namadas, gave very chilling insights about a House yet to wash its hands off corruption shadows.

He said, “For reasons that were not noble and not in the Public Interest, Hon Abdulmumin had initially inflated the budget by adding about N250billion more to the total figure as submitted by Mr President.”

Its safer to guess that these elements are still much around, in multitudes within the Green Chambers, but have probably contrived more grandiose approaches to veil corrupt acts, less open to studious minds, by mere perusal of the books of records. But actions incidentally expose these clan of legislators, who feign exercise of oversight functions to service corruption instincts.

An example quickly comes to mind. The EFCC is investigating the alleged N2.5 billion fraud at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The alleged fraud occurred when the former NEMA Director- General, Mr. Sani Sidi Mohammed held sway.

Initially, the EFCC fingered some six directors, who are core civil servants and the number is now rising to about 13. These civil servants alongside the former DG committed various layers of financial crimes, including operating private companies they administered through proxies and family members.

The same senior civil servants, some of whom directly handled disbursements of NEMA, funds invented fictitious IDPs camps and claimed fake estacode allowances running into millions of naira.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is statutorily, chairman of the Governing Board of this sensitive national agency. And acting on the strength of the EFCC’s interim report, the NEMA Board met and agreed to the suspension of the indicted directors to enable the anti-graft agency complete its uninterrupted investigations.

Quite strangely, the indicted directed allegedly went underground to influence the House of Reps committee to commence investigations, a matter the EFCC has gone far with probes. With due respect to the House of Reps, it lacks the prosecutorial powers the law imbues in EFCC.

The House can only refer cases it has concluded oversight functions and found to be immersed in corruption to the EFCC. What could possibly be the intentions of deputy chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Hon. Ali Isa to have commenced fresh investigations into a case already handled by the EFCC?

Is it proper to permit the accused persons to man the same offices and probably conceal implicative evidence against their own investigations? Yet, the House committee ordered the recall of the sacked directors.

A member of the committee, Hon. Johnson Agbonayinma, betrayed the mindset, when he asserted; “We therefore want to know if the council under the vice president authorized the suspension of directors.” So, it has initiated a blackmailing probe of the current leadership of NEMA under DG, Engr. Mustapha Maihaja, alleging financial infractions of billions of naira, to ostensibly blur the focus on the former DG and directors. It is not possible to conduct oversight functions on Maihaja without the suspected directors’?

A revelation like this would hint appropriately; the counter probe of Maihaja, claimed an insider source, out of the N2.7 liabilities, standing against him, over N600 million are for staff claims and about N330milion of this amount was incurred between January and March 2017 alone by some of the indicted, suspended and reinstated directors.

Individual staff are claiming up to N14 million and 54 million as unpaid liabilities from NEMA in just two months of official assignments’ within Nigeria. But Reps committee has found it necessary to intervene with the investigations because the suspended directors have suddenly found willing allies in the Reps committee to veil the crime after milking the country.

But reliably, current NEMA boss, Mustapha did not approve these reckless spending or expenditures. But today he has become a tool in the hands of parliament to vilify, in conspiratorial protection of the indicted persons. So, Reps has ordered their reinstatement, to continue with their skillful art of manipulating official records?

The unanswered question is- what interest do the Reps seek to protect? Is it possible to assume that since some of them are contractors and the refusal of the NEMA DG to award them contracts from the agency is a good reason for the recent probe by the committee?

Could it be that the Reps committee, as proven by words and action, is dancing to the rhythms’ of Speaker Dogara on an obvious witch-hunt mission, that the House has remained silent over the apparent aberration? Nigeria is in dire need for rescue from corruption.


Adamu sent in this piece from the School of Sustainability and Leadership, Cambridge University, London.

Former Director-General (DG) of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Mohammed Sani Sidi, allegedly maintained 20 different accounts in various banks, as a public servant.

This was part of the revelations at the ongoing public hearing by the House of Representatives committee on emergency and disaster preparedness.

The lawmakers have been investigating alleged violations of public trust in NEMA, following a motion by Hon. Benjamin Wayo in February 2018.

Barrister Edward Omaga, while making presentations on behalf of a civil society group, Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, on Tuesday, told the committee how the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered suspicious deposits totalling $164,000 in the domiciliary account of the former DG NEMA.

Omaga also said the anti graft agency found the sum of £58,000 in Sidi's Pounds Sterling account at Standard Chartered Bank, all within a space of 18 months.

The international group submitted that the Directors that were suspended by the current leadership of NEMA under Engr. Mustapha Maihaja, were grossly engraved with corrupt activities and that the EFCC had traced various accounts to their names.

"The suspended Director of Finance and Accounts, Akingbola Hakeem Gbolahan also maintained many bank accounts with questionable transactions. His account with Guarantee Trust Bank contained suspicious deposits amounting to N27,650,000. Deposits of over £37,000 and $120,000 were found in his domiciliary accounts, and much of these deposits flowed directly from NEMA.

"The acting Director of Special Duties, Mr. Umesi Emenike diverted funds meant for programs and maintenance of the South-South zone operations of NEMA under his supervision. The funds were paid directly into his accounts, 14 of them have been discovered by the EFCC in various banks, instead of the zonal office account. Mr Emenike was found to have withdrawn these funds freely in cash, by electronic transfers or through ATM machines", the group alleged.

The group also told the lawmakers that, the Director of Risk Reduction of NEMA, Mr. Alhassan Nuhu, also maintained five bank accounts "which were apparently used as conduit to receive and distribute money from NEMA coffers. So far, Mr. Nuhu has not been able to give a satisfactory account of his transactions, including NEMA funds moving through him to a company called Dambo Farms Limited".

The Pilot incharge of NEMA's air ambulance, Mamman Ali Ibrahim was also indicted by the group, which accused him of commercializing both NEMA air ambulance and helicopter.

According to their submission, "the EFCC traced at least N285m to him, out of which only N63m was paid to the Accountant-General's office and another N11m was paid to NEMA while the balance could not be accounted for".

The revelation also touched the Director of Welfare, Kanar Mohammed, whose six bank accounts were allegedly found to be replete with NEMA funds, "including the sum of N214m meant for displaced traditional rulers in the North East but diverted, N 184m paid by him to one Crystal Chambers based in Abuja and N29.5m paid by him to a former Minister, Abdul Bulama".

The group questioned the integrity of the House committee for instituting such an investigative hearing without inviting the former DG and the suspended Directors, whom they described as the "real culprits".

In their prayers, the group called on the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, to forthwith, suspend the investigation, saying, if it must continue, then the former DG and suspended Directors must be part of the probe.

Responding, the acting Chairman of the committee, Hon. Ali Isa, said the ongoing public hearing was not targeted at anybody and that there was no vested interest by the National Assembly.

He said, the committee was specifically vested with the mandate to investigative the violation of public trust in NEMA for the last one year.

Isa, however, said if the present DG of NEMA mentions in his presentation, or any other person submits petition that the former DG should be invited, the committee would not hesitate to invoke section 89 of the constitution and invite him or any other person.

ZAMFARA STATE: Your Search for True Leadership Rests On Mansur Dan Ali

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” —John Maxwell

Zamfara, the northwestern state of Nigeria was until 1996 part of Sokoto State. The people of Zamfara have over the years struggled for autonomy, it was not until 1996 that the then military administration of the Late General Sani Abacha detached the Zamfara State from Sokoto State. With an area of 38,418 square kilometres, it is bordered in the North by Niger republic, to the South by Kaduna State. In the east it is bordered by Katsina Stateand to the West by Sokoto and Niger States. It has a population of 3,278,873 according to the 2006 census and contains fourteen local government areas.

Zamfara boasts of large deposits of the following Mineral Resources: Iron Ore, Alluvial Gold, Chromate, Chamovite , granite, Clay, Limestone, Quartz, and Kaolin.

In Agricultural resources, she has Rice, Wheat, Tomatoes, Guinea corn, Maize, ground nut, Cotton, Tobacco, Beans, Livestockfarming.

Tourism potentials in the state are also available at Kiyawa city walls, Kalale Hippopotamus pond, Kwartarkwashi rock/water spring, Kuyambana Game Reserve, Zamfara state History BureauMuseum, Sambo Dan Ashafa’s tomb, Emir of Anka’s palace, Ruins of Yargoge’s Court at Kuyambana.

It is sad that in spite of the human and natural resources available in Zamfara State, she still cannot stand tall in Nigeria to be counted. There cannot be a better explanation to this poor showing other than that the State has not been able to find a true leader. There have been administrators, there may have been rulers but leadership has been lacking.

As a deer desires the rivers of water, so do the good people of Zamfara desire to have a true leader. That leader should be the one who knows the way. He should be ready and willing to go the way and must be well equipped to show the way.

The Zamfara State Governance debacle is traceable to settling for the available where the desirable is not available. They had settled for having someone occupy the exalted seat of governance without necessarily evaluating the leadership competences. In a situation where a round peg is forced into a square hole, misfits and ineptitude is the result of such an act. The latin maxim states: nemo dat quod non habet (you cannot give what you do not have).

Anyone that is placed in charge of anything he does not have what it takes to run will of course choose and work with his likes and what you get is disaster.

Zamfarans, search no more. The Eagle has landed. Though he may not ordinarily want to govern but I beseech you to do all you can to convince him. He is your son and he has excelled and is still excelling today. He is Mansur Dan Ali. This gentleman fits into everything a leader should be. He is the present minister of Defense. This distinguished Minister with the daunting task of coordinating the defense of our great country is so selfless that each time I read about him I remember Lao Tzu’s definition of a Leader.

He said:

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”

The greatest security challenge in Nigeria today is the insurgency in the North East. So many persons and group of persons have taken credit for the decimation of the Boko Haram. Yet, there is one man who does not sleep but is constantly strategizing with our armed forces on how to keep Nigeria safe. Ironically, poor governance back home in Zamfara has denied his home state the peace it deserves.

Who Is Mansur Dan Ali?

Mansur Dan-Ali was born on August 25, 1959 in Zamfara State. He attended Birnin Magaji Town Primary School between 1966and 1972 for his elementary education. In 1972, he proceeded to the prestigious Government Secondary School, Shinkafi for his secondary education and passed out in glowing colours in 1977.His insatiable appetite for education saw him pursue a course in Photogrammetric and surveying at the Kaduna Polytechnic between 1977 and 1982 when he graduated and was awarded a Higher National Diploma (HND). Not done yet, the young Mansur between 2004 and 2005 obtained a master's degrees in Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) from BayeroUniversity Kano. To crown his academic prowess, he took another Post Graduate Degree Course at the Bangladesh University of Professionals where he acquired a master's degree in Security Studies in 2009.

Dan Ali pursued a career in the Military. In 1984, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Nigerian Armythrough the Short Service Commission at the Nigerian DefenceAcademy. Dan-Ali has served in different command and staff capacities, including: commanding the Nigerian contingent supporting the United Nations Africa Hybrid Mission in Sudan. Dan Ali was on the Directing Staff of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji from 2003 -2005 and was Chief Instructor (CI) at the Nigerian Defence Academy in 2010. He was also Acting Director Military Training before getting posted to the Ministry of Defence's Logistics Department as Deputy Director. He retired from the Nigerian Army on August 30, 2013.

Considering Dan Ali’s very rich resume and his previous service to Nigeria, it was therefore no wonder he was found most suited to occupy the post of Minister of Defence in the new Government led by President Mohammed Buhari. He is to ensure that security and the territorial integrity of Nigeria is assured.

Dan Ali’s achievement as Minister of Defence may not have been given the required publicity or accolades by the generality of the Nigerian populace but the International Community sure recognizes the feat the Nigerian Defence Ministry has achieved under his watch.

Just last week, in recognition of the achievements of Nigeria in combatting terrorism, the UK Government promised to donate Counter – IED kits worth £1m to the Nigerian Government. The United Kingdom’s Minister of Armed Forces, Mark Lancaster, revealed this when he met with Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali, in London on the sidelines of the concluded Commonwealth meeting.

Zamfara, behold your son. He knows the way, he walks the way and he shows the way. He is the leader you need. As 2019 beckons, do not go back to your vomit. Do not be deceived thinking that you can have it any better with the present rulership you have at the Government house. The time for real change is now. Embrace the gift God has given you in Dan Ali. He will take Zamfara to her rightful pride of place. Do this and thank me later.

Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It's about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and those who called you to lead.

Olabode Lawani is a political analyst

Buratai: Restoring the Global Image of the Nigerian Army

BY ISRAEL ABIODUN

Even in the midst of the many national distractions and high politics in the country, one man has earned himself the right to receive accolades for his contributions towards ensuring that order emerged out of scenarios that were once predicted to only end doom for Nigeria. The man is no other than Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff, who has made the unwavering commitment to give Nigeria an Army that meets world standard.

This month, the Nigerian Army in conjunction with US Army African Command (AFRICOM) held this year’s African Land Forces Summit with the theme “Unity Is Strength: Combating Africa’s Security Challenges”. This was no mere talk shop and photo op event as the state of readiness and troops' capabilities was put to the test during drills held in General A.O Azazi Barracks in Gwagwalada, Abuja, code named 'Operation Silent Kill'.

The COAS used the summit, which is the single largest gathering of African senior military leaders in Africa, to update the world of Nigeria's successes in degrading Boko Haram. High ranking military commanders fromm Republic of Malawi, Arusha United Republic of Tanzania, Dakar, Uganda, Washington DC and fort Benning, Georgia United States of America are among participants at the summit.

An immediate plus from this is that Nigeria has something to teach the world about curtailing terrorists, extremists and fanatics, something that other countries can draw lessons from in a world where the cancer of religion fuelled extremism and terrorism is spreading. The Nigerian Army, of course, has things to learn from the summit about the Islamic State, but it was not a one-way street since it as information to share with participants from other countries.

The participation of AFRICOM and the Nigerian Army co-hosting the summit with US Army Africa (USARAF) is a reality check for those that are obsessed with demonizing the Army and General Buratai as abusers of human rights. These United States agencies would not openly associate with countries that violate the human rights, more so the rights of citizens. Had the human rights record of the Nigerian Army under Buratai been as dismal as certain interests claim then this year's exercise would have ended as a flop but that was not the case. The Army adheres to the global best standards in the observance of the rules of engagement for the kind of threats that the Army is called up to address in Nigeria.

The positive reception from this summit must be tapped into in various regards. The contacts must be leveraged to see how the supply of certain military hardware can be made available to Nigeria. Secondly, authorities should exploit which of the countries can be beneficial in stopping foreign terrorists from arriving on Nigerian soil to wreak havoc. Also, without prejudice for their various domestic laws, there should be a way to partner with these countries to eliminate the potentials for devious groups to manage anti-Nigerian Army propaganda from their soils.

On the part of Nigerians, the decorum exhibited for the duration of the summit and the understanding shown during the drill are unprecedented. We only need to extend the same sense of patriotic support for the military to make further gains against Boko Haram and other insurgent groups. This will fit nicely into General Buratai's vision of improved military-civil relations that stems from stakeholders having mutual understanding and respect for each other. Once trouble makers see this alliance work for the good of the country they will have no option but to fold up and ply their evil wares elsewhere.

One is constrained to task the Army boss not to relent in his quest to deliver a world class Army to Nigeria, the legacy of his leadership. He cannot afford to bask in euphoria of the moment as he must keep striving to outperform himself since he has surpassed his predecessors.

The government would have to provide the financial muscle for the Army to translate vision into realities. The kind of vision Buratai unveiled at the summit, and other fora in the past, is the kind that requires optimum funding of the military with a resolute political will to succeed. It is the least the government can do as its contributions to ensure that the experience the General brought to the job is made to serve the country.

One would not rule out several groups and organizations rushing to give awards of recognition to General Buratai for what he has been able to achieve with the Nigerian Army in such short time. This would not be out of place since acknowledgement of good work is guaranteed to inspire more good work.

Abiodun is security affairs analyst and wrote from University of Ibadan.

Terrorism: Nigerian Army Soars At Continental Fiesta

By Richard Murphy

It took America over a decade to hunt for Al Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind of the terrorists attacks on World Trade Center and the Pentagon House, September 11, 2001, also popularly referred to as 9/11 attacks. And for years, Bin Laden remained a fugitive, hiding in caves and forests in different parts of the world.

However, a drones operation by the US Naval SEALS terminated the reign of Bin Laden as he was fished out and killed in a smart operation on his Abbottabad cave, in Pakistan. It was a smooth, but highly technical operation.

Consequently, Buratai’s introduction of armed drones belonging to its sister agency, the Nigerian Air Force in the combat of Boko Haram terrorism and other allied acts of terrorism has descended a moment of respite for Nigerians, but great trouble for terrorists. It resonates fresh trouble for Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau and his predictable, shameful end like Bin Laden in the nearest future.

Therefore, Nigerians still skeptical about the competence, capacity and preparedness of the NA to finally extinguish terrorism and allied criminal acts in Nigeria have been proved wrong again. The NA’s incorporation of the armed drones military technology in the combat of terrorism and specifically, in battling Boko Haram terrorism is a testimony to doubting Nigerians, that the Nigerian military rather than Boko Haram insurgents are singing the victory song. The success story was confirmed at the African Land Forces Summit in Nigeria, where an assemblage of the world’s best armies again attested to the sophistry and military excellence of the NA. The summit co-hosted with US Army Africa (USARAF), attracted Military Chiefs from 40 African Countries as well as allies from the United States Army, Africa Command, NATO and the African Union.

The summit snowballed into military demonstration exercise code named “Operation Silent Kill” at the 176, Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, to advertise the military dexterity of the NA in the use of armed drones in combating terrorism, much as it displayed the Army’s capabilities to engage fleeing remnants of Boko Haram terrorists and expectedly humble Shekau and his minions with a final defeat.

The Chief of Army Staff and ombudsman of the counter insurgency operations in Nigeria, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai listed the many gains of the introduction of the armed drones in combating terrorism to include, the effective defeat of Boko Haram terrorists and the Army’s strong and overwhelming presence in Sambisa Forest. He reassured Nigerians and the rest of the world, that the NA has remained unbowed in the face of bile terrorism and it is better repositioned to tackle the menace.

The Army Chief said “The armed drones were very effective in detecting movement of arms and logistics of the terrorists, tracking their hideouts as well as the movement of members of the group particularly in Sambisa Forest where the Shekau faction held sway."

But more importantly, the fruitful African Land Forces summit, in Abuja, the largest gathering of world military Chiefs on the continent, raised a platform for these countries to share experiences on global terrorism and other security challenges, with the tenor of transnational threats and crimes.
The Summit with the theme ‘Unity is Strength: Combatting Africa’s Security Challenges', provided African military leaders a forum to strengthen existing relationships, smoothen military cooperation, develop capacity and new ways of tackling insecurity challenges in Africa.

The platform, the first of its kind in Nigeria, has made an unambiguous statement about the thickness of the Nigeria Army and its combat readiness. The demonstration exercise, 'Operation Silent Kill,' afforded the Nigerian Army a unique opportunity, to speak through action, as it demonstrated to Nigerians and the world its military capabilities and might to the largest military gathering on the continent in handling lethal terrorism.

It has also positively projected the image of the Nigerian Army, its excellence and sharpness in combating the widespread acts of terrorism in the country. The demonstration exercise, which featured ground troops of the Nigerian Army, and their naval counterparts, providing air cover for the operations, excited military Chiefs, who converged to witness how the strength of the combined troops would deeply penetrate enemy camps and the destruction of their weaponry in the Northeast.

The flawless exercise was done in the presence of the acting Commander in charge of the United States Army African, Brig.-Gen. Eugene LeBeouf; the COAS Lt-Gen. Buratai and Chief of Naval Staff , Vice Admiral Ibok Ette –Ekwe Ibas, senior military officers and top government functionaries, who witnessed the demonstration excise of 'Operation Silent Kill.'

With these developments , remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, still lurking in hideous places in the Northeast would have a rough and tough time. It has expressed in clear and indisputable terms, the determination of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin and the COAS, Gen. Buratai and all the Service Chiefs partnering together like we have never had in recent times that no one can ever dare the resolve of the Nigerian people.

The Nigerian Army constantly seeks and adopts new tactics and strategies in combating terrorism, which is adjudged as very dynamic in character. It has also loudly confirmed Nigeria’s Military Chiefs as operating a focused and dedicated leadership, ever willing to stop at nothing until terrorism is finally defeated.

It has also sent a red card to other armed and violent militias, promoting various acts of criminality in the country like armed banditry, kidnapping, cultism, civil unrest, violent separatists’ agitations and ethno religious crisis that they no longer stand a chance to destabilize Nigeria.

To these hordes of armed gangs, the Chief of Army Staff has vowed never to shrink or blink an eye, until they are crushed and victory chorused, as exemplified by the constant training exercise for personnel and exchange of experiences on tackling global terrorism as anchored by the African Land Forces Summit.

Murphy, a security strategist writes from Calabar, Nigeria.

Killing of Soldier In Naka, Barbaric Group Fumes

The Benue Proactive Initiative, a civil society group has condemned in strong terms what it tagged as the barbaric, wicked and malicious killing of a personnel of the Nigerian Army in Naka, Gwer West Local Government Area of the State on Wednesday. 

Report had it that some youths in Naka had attacked troops, who were on a peace-keeping mission in the area, thereby triggering reprisals from the army.

Reacting to the incident through a statement issued on Thursday night, Comrade Terkaa Jam, Convener, BPI, said the unfortunate incident was highly regrettable and condemnable.

Jam noted the soldiers deployed to Benue State on Peace keeping have been making frantic efforts to curtail the incessant crisis between herders and farmers in the country. 

He said, “We wish to boldly attest to the fact that until last night when these restive youths decided to kill and bury an officer after disarming him, the people have had a very cordial relationship with the Nigerian Army and do appreciate all their efforts towards restoring peace to the various communities in the state. 

“We understand that these acts were carried out by miscreants whose past time is cheap drugs and have nothing to offer the society and regrettable that this led to the burning down of houses by the soldiers who had once conducted themselves peacefully. As much as we submit that the anger was well understood, it is our desire that the military does not turn its table against us or stop being of immense assistance to us because of these criminal elements. 

“The Benue Proactive Initiative wishes to make it abundantly clear that the action of these few disgruntled elements in the state doesn’t represent our relationship with the military neither does it portray our appreciation of their numerous sacrifices to the peace project in Benue State. It is therefore clear that the actions of the youths were aimed at jeopardizing the peace gradually returning to the local government. 

“We extend our condolence to the President and Commander-in-Chief, the Nigerian Army and  families of the deceased over the unfortunate incident, and also call on them to halt any action that may demonstrate the bitterness of the Nigerian Army and its Personnel towards the people.”

Maihaja: Pontius Pilate, NEMA Fraud and Truth

By Philip Agbese

One reality Nigeria is facing in contemporary time is the blurring of the lines in the nation's quest to tame corruption, the one evil that has been proven to be at the root of every other one of our problems as a nation. It gets bad to a point where the accuser easily becomes the accused and, in a nation where the collective memory barely transcends a four-day cycle, the table can turn on someone intent on doing good to an extent that their public scouring and crucifixion is a given.

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Maihaja, is a man that can relate with this culture of demonizing the upright. He must be forgiven for his naivety in thinking that good intentions and a patriotic zeal would make it easy for him to present NEMA as an organization that keyed into President Muhammadu Buhari's anti-corruption war. His idea is to make a quick win by promptly rooting out those that were sucking the agency dry and by extension making life unbearable for the block that NEMA is meant to cater to – victims of emergency.

The zeal that propels Maihaja is best understood against the backdrop of a country where crises and emergency management have been converted into ATMs by the unscrupulous. These are people without qualms about stealing from the displaced, bereaved, the dead and the dying – including their own parents. It is a cabal that brooks no nonsense from any obstacles to an open season on the nation's treasury. It does not matter the agency involved, the modus operandi is to crush anyone and anything that that threatens the bank credit alerts from beeping endlessly.
These are the people Maihaja patriotically took on in the belief that he was doing the best in the interest of Nigeria. That belief is not misplaced.

But this will be to the extent that those who own the anti-corruption war, the Presidency, do not throw him under the bus. If other lone anti-corruption gladiators have been fed to the beasts in the arena previously, the DG NEMA's own would be one too many and could sound the death knell for the one thing that Nigerians continue to wish would be the milestone of the current government.

The interests Maihaja waged his anti-corruption war against are certainly larger than he envisaged – it is a network that has now proven that it has the legislative clout, which is an additional incentive to abandon the DG given the possibility of his agency becoming the next executive-legislature tiff. One expects that the Presidency, executive arm, would not give Maihaja the Pontius Pilate treatment when in reality he ran the office to align with the template of the present government. That was what earned him enemies that are at his jugular today.

The enemies are many, tenacious and connected to the point of being filial. With the ex-NEMA DG, Mohammed Sani-Sidi, Maihaja's detractors are powerful enough to have been able to sway the House of Representatives to their sides. If the past is anything to go by, we all know what it takes for a party to a matter to draft the House into the fray. This speaks volume to the whereabouts of the public funds involved in the fraud.

This is especially so when the House of Representatives is openly second-guessing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the agency that logically have the jurisdiction to investigate, arrest and prosecute persons indicted for the sleaze at NEMA. If the House is allowed to continue usurping the roles of the EFCC, the end point would naturally be that the matter would be swept under the carpet as have been the case in the past. Maihaja's current travail and persecution would have then been in vain. The people he exposed would carry on with business as usual while victims of emergencies languish.

Whatever the truth is, it must not be allowed to become the casualty in this matter. As opposed to threading the worn path of trial by media, the House of Representatives should back down and allow the EFCC thoroughly investigate the matter since it is the guaranteed way of getting to the truth of the matter. Running a parallel investigation would not only constitute distraction but would also in a way amount to strong-arming and threatening key witnesses as well contaminating evidences.

Nigerians want the truth and they are patient enough for the legitimate processes to run their courses. Those rushing to crucify or exonerate Maihaja must therefore exercise patience. There is no room for jungle justice here.

Agbese writes from the United Kingdom

Zamfara 2019: Mansur Dan-Ali On The Cusps Of History

By Sani Abubakar

With the exceptions of the North-East that was ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency, there is no state in other regions of Nigeria that is currently experiencing unimaginable magnitude of violence like Zamfara State. The state, at present is the epicenter of violent criminal activities perpetuated by brutal bandits of Fulani stock. Day in, day out, they are ravaging villages, killing innocent souls like Savages.

With the 2019 elections lurking around the corner, it is not all the times that history presents a people with the golden opportunity of having a leader, who is not a ruler, and is more committed to the communal good and development of his people. However, the people of Zamfara are much luckier to have this rare opportunity of having such a selfless leader from the state, like Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali, a rare breed who is the current Minister of Defence, whose ministry is the centre of coordination of war against insurgency in the whole country.

Having this kind of rare opportunity presents the traumatized people of Zamfara who were inflicted unimaginable sufferings by the activities of these Fulani bandits with a better alternative of who should govern them. There is no gainsaying the fact that they deserve a better, more competent, battle-tested person as a future chief executive of state.

Of all the characters who are jostling to rule the state, most of whom actually do not know what governance is about, few of them are less concerned with the plight of the people. What would baffle any discerning mind is why such characters want to rule a state with complex security challenges that requires the experience of a tested person.

The people of Zamfara State, should understand that they cannot afford to miss this golden moments in the history of their state, they must as a matter of urgency and priority, put their acts together, sync their priorities and present this rare breed, who has achieved a lot in both human and social endeavors; a person who has acquired the knowledge of the rudiments of modern warfare and was at the various times in war theaters across the globe to tackle the persistent menace and bring sanity, tranquility to the once-bubbling agrarian state.

Even though Dan Ali, due to his introverted nature has not shown any desires or commitments to contest the governorship in 2019, Zamfara people should not mis this rare opportunity to call him to serve them. They should cajole, co-opt and draft her into the race, because, as the popular maxim goes: “a golden fish has no hidden place.” Dan Ali is indeed golden, because he has quietly achieved a lot in terms of his many interventions on youth empowerments, poverty alleviations, humanitarian services many more too numerous to mention.

Born 59 years ago at Birnin Magaji, Zamfara State, Dan Ali, a product of prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy, took several military courses before obtaining Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration and he also has a Master’s Degree in Security Studies from the famous Bangladesh University of Strategic Studies. He has served in various conflict zones across the globe and was at one time a commander, Nigerian battalion at the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

It is only few people that will ever receive the grace to hear God’s steps through history, His tap on their shoulders to rise to the occasion, and the still small voice urging them to come on stage, it is high time Dan Ali realizes that currently, he is in this stage of his human existence, he must jettison his conservative nature, he must rise up to this callings and contest the governorship of his state, if not for anything to liberate the state from the shackles of brutal marauders who are unabatedly shedding blood of innocent Zamfara people.

I believe if eventually Dan-Ali accepts this celestial instincts and contest, one can perfectly comprehend the significance of instincts with all its metaphysical – some say celestial – properties. Alexander the Great called it ‘his hope.’ Napoleon Bonaparte his ‘star,’ and Julius Ceaser his ‘luck.’

Leaders worth their names recognize the high value of instincts, which, according to the former French leader, Charles De Gaulle, “allow them to strike deeply into the order of things. Instinct is the main building block of visions. Without it, a leader could only acquire power for its sake and be unable to ennoble his community and the people he leads.

A very reticent and unassuming gentleman, with rich military and political pedigree who recorded significant achievements as Defence Minister, achievements such asthe immediate change in military leadership that gave new direction and impetus to the military and other security agencies. The relocation of Military Command and control centre from Abuja to the theatre of operations.

By strictly following the presidential directive, Dan-Ali has significantly succeeded in boosting the morale of the troops as the epicenter of the crisis became the operational base of the military high command. This also guarantees smooth control of military operations in the North East. The establishment of operation LAFIYA DOLE theatre command has also unified the command structure system in the theatre of operations. And few operations, such as Awatse, Delta safe, Mesa, Harbin Kunama others include Operations Iron Force, Gama Aiki one and two by multinational joint task force and Sharan Daji which the president personally launched in Dansadau, Zamfara State.

Dan Ali has also spearheaded major reforms in the Ministry and the Armed forces respectively. The reforms have yielded positive results and significant departure from the past since its creation in 1958. The Ministry also facilitated the administration of Group life Assurance scheme for members of the Armed Forces. The reforms also touched the pension scheme for the retirees.

There is a steady increase in the recruitment and enlistment into the Armed Forces with enhanced capacity development so as to withstand the growing need for personnel and complex nature of operations to counter insurgency and other forms of criminalities in the country.
These and many more landmarks have automatically catapulted Dan-Ali above all other governorship aspirants in the state, because, the state is in dire need of capable and experienced hand, a military strategist of Dan-Ali pedigree and proficiency, it remains to be seen whether Dan-Ali will perfectly grab this instinct that makes a man aware of his destiny, to rise up and meet it and to walk with it to Government House, Gusau.

Dan-Ali ought to note that to achieve greatness, a leader must not only outlast his enemies, he must contend with great issues in great times and over a great country.

Abubakar writes from Abuja.

2018 Zik’s Prize Award: Hajiya Hadiza And The Reward of Excellence

By Rashida Yusuf

It is a long-held belief that behind every successful man, there stands tall and towering, a dedicated woman of character and great conviction. A woman who can go to every length to help her husband achieve his dreams, especially if they involve community service and prudent and transparent leadership.

It is only natural for these great women to be also singled out for commendation and recognition for they could easily have chosen like others to derail their husband and lead them to the path of destruction, corruption and eventually, failure. It is base on this conviction that I want to offer this hearty congratulation on behalf of the entire good people of Bauchi state to Her Excellency, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar for bagging the prestigious Zik Prize Award for Humanitarian Leadership.

There’s no question that awards of recognition especially those organised and presented by reputable organisations are not given to just everyone. To be considered and eventually bestowed with an award in the class of the Zik Prize Award, it must be seen that the recipient has worked diligently in their chosen area of impact to contribute to the growth of society and the welfare of its people. This is why Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar who has traversed the entire length and breadth of Bauchi to touch the lives of the indigent, the women folk and the internally displaced persons is without doubt deserving of the award of Humanitarian Services as bestowed on her by the organisers of the Zik Prize Awards.

Anyone who is familiar with the ground-breaking achievements of her excellency, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar through her; Bauchi-Sustainable Women Economic Empowerment and Peace Initiative (B-SWEEP) initiative will nurture no doubt whatsoever about her suitability for this award. The Bauchi state first lady has been a towering figure behind her husband who interestingly is also the recipient of the Vanguard governor of the year award for 2017 at weekend and all happening. She has been complementing the efforts of her husband’s government in the area of maternal and child health, girl-child education, capacity development, women and youth empowerment, educating Internally Displace Persons’ children and helping to reintegrate them into the Bauchi society etc.

The impact of B-SWEEP in raising awareness for the use of non-violent strategies as a proactive tool and response to conflict, through peace education and sport programmes is legendary. And these programmes are designed for young people in and out of school in communities in northern Nigeria, and they promote harmony and the peaceful coexistence of people from different backgrounds.

Another of her novel ideas that has attracted wide commendation, seeks to bring women into conflict resolution discursions and considering the company of children who are the real victims of conflicts, the idea is timely and highly welcomed. Her excellency longs for a society where Women will not be excluded from participating in conflict management, mediation or inter-group negotiations.

It is perhaps in recognition of her giant strides that B-SWEEP was invited as a critical stakeholder to the Economic Commission for West African States (ECOWAS) implementation of the ECOWAS Counter Terrorism Initiative, as well as organized strategy action plan which was adopted by Head of States and Governments of West African Countries, as one of the priorities in tackling violent extremisms for which Bauchi State was selected amongst the pilot states.

The teamwork between the governor, Barrister Mohammed Abubakar and his wife which has culminated into his award as Vanguard 2017 Governor of the Year and Her Excellency’s Zik Prize Award is anchored on mutual trust but above all, love; love for the people and for the job that the people have entrusted to them in 2015.

It will interest everybody to know that H.E Hajiya Hadiza is for the first time taking very seriously the celebratory title of the “Mother of the State” attributed to the wives of sitting governors for her role in the education of children, especially those facing challenges and those at the motherless homes. This gesture without question is one of the qualities that will surely have brought her under the radar of reputable organisations like the organisers of the Zik Awards.

The story of her excellency’s commitment to bettering the lives of the people considering she could easily have settled for the life of affluence that comes with being the first lady, far way from the drudgery that characterise the lot of the masses is exemplary. It is no wonder, that the emir of Ningi, His Royal Highness Mohammed Yunusa Danyaya recently saw it fit to bestow the title of Uwar Matan Ningi on her. This is no mean feat as the Emir is known for his hard stance against sycophancy and institutional ego massaging.

It is important that her excellency realises that this Zik Prize award is more than anything a demonstration of the confidence that not just the people of Bauchi have on her ability not just as the wife of the governor, but as a person whose passion for excellence is yet to be matched, is uncommon and can’t be attributed to any woman from Bauchi state.

Undoubtedly, this brings your husband into a new light for supporting all your programmes and initiatives.
Indeed, this well-deserved award is an achievement that the entire people of Bauchi state should take pride in celebrating. I am particularly elated because the award has brought recognition to the people of Bauchi for begetting such a hardworking African amazon whose commitment to humanity is being celebrated beyond the shores of the state.

Let me also restate the commitment of the people of Bauchi to the continuity gospel of your husband as we approach 2019. With Allah on the side of truth, you and your husband will be returned in May, 2019 where we hope you will continue with your good work. We long to see more of your dedication and services to the poor in Bauchi state; we hope to continue to be associated with only good deeds akin to the much you have given us thus far.
It is also our sincere hope that this award will serve as the necessary boost that will drive you to do more for your teeming children of Bauchi state. Do not despair from our continues request because like Oliver Twist, we will continue to return for more of your goodness and am sure that for all the good you give us, you will receive nothing but Allah’s favour and recognition from bigger organisations of the world.

Rashida is the Press Secretary to Her Excellency.

2018 Zik’s Prize Award: Hajiya Hadiza And The Reward of Excellence

By Rashida Yusuf

It is a long-held belief that behind every successful man, there stands tall and towering, a dedicated woman of character and great conviction. A woman who can go to every length to help her husband achieve his dreams, especially if they involve community service and prudent and transparent leadership.

It is only natural for these great women to be also singled out for commendation and recognition for they could easily have chosen like others to derail their husband and lead them to the path of destruction, corruption and eventually, failure. It is base on this conviction that I want to offer this hearty congratulation on behalf of the entire good people of Bauchi state to Her Excellency, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar for bagging the prestigious Zik Prize Award for Humanitarian Leadership.

There’s no question that awards of recognition especially those organised and presented by reputable organisations are not given to just everyone. To be considered and eventually bestowed with an award in the class of the Zik Prize Award, it must be seen that the recipient has worked diligently in their chosen area of impact to contribute to the growth of society and the welfare of its people. This is why Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar who has traversed the entire length and breadth of Bauchi to touch the lives of the indigent, the women folk and the internally displaced persons is without doubt deserving of the award of Humanitarian Services as bestowed on her by the organisers of the Zik Prize Awards.

Anyone who is familiar with the ground-breaking achievements of her excellency, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar through her; Bauchi-Sustainable Women Economic Empowerment and Peace Initiative (B-SWEEP) initiative will nurture no doubt whatsoever about her suitability for this award. The Bauchi state first lady has been a towering figure behind her husband who interestingly is also the recipient of the Vanguard governor of the year award for 2017 at weekend and all happening. She has been complementing the efforts of her husband’s government in the area of maternal and child health, girl-child education, capacity development, women and youth empowerment, educating Internally Displace Persons’ children and helping to reintegrate them into the Bauchi society etc.

The impact of B-SWEEP in raising awareness for the use of non-violent strategies as a proactive tool and response to conflict, through peace education and sport programmes is legendary. And these programmes are designed for young people in and out of school in communities in northern Nigeria, and they promote harmony and the peaceful coexistence of people from different backgrounds.

Another of her novel ideas that has attracted wide commendation, seeks to bring women into conflict resolution discursions and considering the company of children who are the real victims of conflicts, the idea is timely and highly welcomed. Her excellency longs for a society where Women will not be excluded from participating in conflict management, mediation or inter-group negotiations.

It is perhaps in recognition of her giant strides that B-SWEEP was invited as a critical stakeholder to the Economic Commission for West African States (ECOWAS) implementation of the ECOWAS Counter Terrorism Initiative, as well as organized strategy action plan which was adopted by Head of States and Governments of West African Countries, as one of the priorities in tackling violent extremisms for which Bauchi State was selected amongst the pilot states.

The teamwork between the governor, Barrister Mohammed Abubakar and his wife which has culminated into his award as Vanguard 2017 Governor of the Year and Her Excellency’s Zik Prize Award is anchored on mutual trust but above all, love; love for the people and for the job that the people have entrusted to them in 2015.

It will interest everybody to know that H.E Hajiya Hadiza is for the first time taking very seriously the celebratory title of the “Mother of the State” attributed to the wives of sitting governors for her role in the education of children, especially those facing challenges and those at the motherless homes. This gesture without question is one of the qualities that will surely have brought her under the radar of reputable organisations like the organisers of the Zik Awards.

The story of her excellency’s commitment to bettering the lives of the people considering she could easily have settled for the life of affluence that comes with being the first lady, far way from the drudgery that characterise the lot of the masses is exemplary. It is no wonder, that the emir of Ningi, His Royal Highness Mohammed Yunusa Danyaya recently saw it fit to bestow the title of Uwar Matan Ningi on her. This is no mean feat as the Emir is known for his hard stance against sycophancy and institutional ego massaging.

It is important that her excellency realises that this Zik Prize award is more than anything a demonstration of the confidence that not just the people of Bauchi have on her ability not just as the wife of the governor, but as a person whose passion for excellence is yet to be matched, is uncommon and can’t be attributed to any woman from Bauchi state.

Undoubtedly, this brings your husband into a new light for supporting all your programmes and initiatives.
Indeed, this well-deserved award is an achievement that the entire people of Bauchi state should take pride in celebrating. I am particularly elated because the award has brought recognition to the people of Bauchi for begetting such a hardworking African amazon whose commitment to humanity is being celebrated beyond the shores of the state.

Let me also restate the commitment of the people of Bauchi to the continuity gospel of your husband as we approach 2019. With Allah on the side of truth, you and your husband will be returned in May, 2019 where we hope you will continue with your good work. We long to see more of your dedication and services to the poor in Bauchi state; we hope to continue to be associated with only good deeds akin to the much you have given us thus far.
It is also our sincere hope that this award will serve as the necessary boost that will drive you to do more for your teeming children of Bauchi state. Do not despair from our continues request because like Oliver Twist, we will continue to return for more of your goodness and am sure that for all the good you give us, you will receive nothing but Allah’s favour and recognition from bigger organisations of the world.

Rashida is the Press Secretary to Her Excellency.

Higher Education: College Begins Academic Exercise, Court Candidates

In a bid to enhance access to quality education for Nigerians, an educational institution under the aegis of Praxis College in collaboration with the University of Abuja consultancy services unit has began direct entry admission into Nigerian universities through the Joint Universities Preliminary Examination Board (JUPEB) for the 2018/2019 academic session.

According to a release by the college to media men, admission vacancies into the one year JUPEB foundation courses leads to 200 level direct entry admission for all courses offered in at least 60 universities in Nigeria, at the Federal, State and Private sectors.

The release further stated that interested candidates must possess 5 relevant o'level credits in not more than 2 sittings, adding that those awaiting results can also apply.

The college also added that lectures are expected to begin May 8, even as it charged interested candy to obtain forms from the consultancy unit office of the University of Abuja at N20,000

N2.5bn NEMA Scandal: Group Wants Indicted Officers To Face Justice

...exonerates DG of any abuse

The New Initiative for Credible Leadership (NiCReL) has raised the alarm over alleged attempts by some top-ranking officers at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to scuttle the efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from beaming its searchlight on the agency.

It also warned some masked agents going about the town with non-existing documents to smear the reputation of the current NEMA DG, Mustapha Maihaja, stressing that their efforts would hit the rocks because it will not stop their prosecution.

Recall that the anti-graft agency had few weeks back invited 20 top officers of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for questioning over alleged N2.5billion scandal in the agency.

Consequently, the board of NEMA suspended six directors of the agency indefinitely in connection with the missing fund.

NICrel said those officers indicted by the financial crimes watchdog have been running from pillar to post with the aim of frustrating the EFCC from doing its job.

Making the revelation on behalf of the group on Monday, Patriot Gabriel Apeh, Executive Director, NICReL, called on the EFCC to stop at nothing by sniffing out those milking the treasury dry.

NICRel warned the anti-corruption agency not to be distracted by the officers found wanting in the missing funds.

According to Apeh, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja, the anti-graft agency must ensure that its ongoing investigation does not end up as another media circus in which hype dominate the media and public opinion space without an outcome that is beneficial to the anti-corruption war.

He said, “The ongoing probe must therefore end in indicted persons being charged to court and convictions secured to act as deterrence for others who think it is okay to steal from the needy.

“We have, in the course of monitoring development around this saga, discovered that the investigation is already on the way to being jeopardized unless urgent steps are taken to get the perspective right.

“There is already a distortion of the facts and context such that the entire exercise could be truncated simply on that account. Those under investigation are making spirited efforts to link the current leadership to the crimes they have committed in the hope that the administration will refrain from indicting itself.

“Our charge is that, the Chairman of the NEMA Board, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo must not cave in to the blackmail by the ex-NEMA DG and the directors that have been indicted for fraudulently skimming off money belonging to Nigeria. Attempting to rope in the incumbent Director General, Mustapha Maihaja, is aimed at roping in Professor Osinbajo, as Chairman of the Board, in the belief that he would call off the probe.

“This plot, being executed by staff loyal to the indicted directors, was written as a petition to the various statutory bodies which investigated the activities of the Maihaja led executive of NEMA as Director General. These were all thoroughly investigated by the Board of NEMA and those indicted have been recommended to the EFCC which is the ongoing trial that many of these agents want to scuttle overnight.

“The over 700 vouchers, contract documents attached their various petitions in an attempt to hit back at the Director General Mustapha Maihaja for failing to cover their track is a clear indication that those behind it have unfettered access. Our finding is that the documents were questionably sourced over weekends and public holidays when the perpetrators used master keys to gain access to documents that were under the custody of other staff. The desperation to cast aspersion on the anti-corruption war is really high on their part.

“At a later date, Vice President Osinbajo, as the Chairman of the NEMA Board, should order a separate information into launching a separate probe into how these indicted persons unlawfully breached the internal security of the agency to steal documents.

“We are also aware that the Ex-DG, Mohammed Sani-Sidi, who is at the middle of the entire saga has activated his contacts in the National Assembly to pervert a probe by the House of Representatives that should shed light on what truly happened at NEMA. This is in spite of the fact that the House probe became derailed when the indicted directors and ex-NEMA DG started contacting the House of Representatives Members on the panel. We are further at a loss as to why the House of Representatives did not allow the EFCC, as a statutory agency, to complete its investigations before usurping its powers. No Nigerian is in doubt as to the extent to which our members of parliament can behave and blackmail anyone that fails to play ball as usual. It is worrisome and remains a disgrace to our Democracy.

“In our view, the investigation of this crime against Nigerians risks being reduced to the usual television and media reality show that any legislative investigation ends up as in Nigeria. The distraction that would result could seriously jeopardize the smooth management of emergencies in Nigeria, in addition to worsening the plight of IDPs.”

The group also called on the House of Representatives to allow the EFCC investigate the matter without undue interference since that is the agency that can prosecute those indicted.

Apeh added, “It will be against national interest to reduce this grievous theft of national funds into an issue for political investigation that will not go anywhere.

“In the meantime, we urge Nigerians to weigh in on this matter and demand that the truth must emerge. This is especially so, when Mustapha Maihaja has continued to conduct his activities with transparency and due process but only to be sabotaged into a medical trial simply for failing to cover up these shameless crooks on a crime that he has not benefited from.”

Kebbi And The Miracle Of Good Governance

By Umar Sagiru Gwandu

In Nigeria, there have been a power exchange from military to civilian and vice versa, and in some instances, there was interregnum and joint military and civilian administration. Thus, when Kebbi state was created in 1991, it was ushered into existence by the Ibrahim Babangida military administration  necessitating a series of military governors and administrators before the transition to civilian government in 1999 and the sustenance of democracy till date.

Down history lane, the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) was the first party to rule the state under the administration of Gov. Adamu Aliero before the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took control under the stewardship of Gov. Usman Dakingari who ruled the state with an iron fist from May 29th 2007 to 2015. PDP regime was a clear example ofmisgovernance and misdirection characterized by visionless and directionless leadership desiderata, policy summersaults and witch hunting of opposition figures to no end.

Indeed, the PDP’s stewardship in Kebbi state was as more in the mold of the legendary Louis XVI, the Sun King of France who ruled with unparalleled pomp and pageantry while the masses of his country wallowed in penury and abject poverty unprecedented in those times. In fact, rather than concentrate on meaningful and purposeful governance that would transform the fortunes of the Kebbi people for the better, a grandiose loving regime was more interested in power accumulation and power aggrandizement at the expense of the denizens of Kebbi society.

The then government was more interested in dispensing favours to an influential segment of the state consisting of retired generals, super civil servants, corporate barons and conservative traditional rulers rather than initiating any meaningful developmental architecture that would pull Kebbi state out of the woods and rank it in the comity of progressive states of Nigeria.

In agglomeration with PDP party hacks and scribes, their vested interest was the massive and systematic looting of Kebbi state finances under the guise of awarding questionable, fake or non-existent contracts or tenders as a Trojan Horse for siphoning huge amounts of funds from the state treasury. Disgustingly, at no time during the woebegone administration could the government point to any meaningful physical or infrastructural project that they had executed or in the process of executing in Kebbi State, therefore the only recourse was to engage in media hype, propaganda and the dissemination of state-sponsored campaigns of calumny and blackmail against the opposition parties.

It was clear that, during that epoch, appointments, postings, deployments and promotions in the state civil service or its numerous MDA’s was based on ‘man know man’ factor as PDP’s hacks and favourites were appointed to man strategic positions in the state’s bureaucracy while other more competent and experienced hands stagnated in the same position for years on end.

It was pathetic that, during the previous regime, government was mainly concerned PDP was Kebbi state and Kebbi state was PDP, no more no less. And being possessed of their fanatically partisan mindset, they ran the state aground while allegedly moving billions of naira into the coffers of his cronies and acolytes in the PDP not caring for the welfare and wellbeing of the citizens of Kebbi state, majority of whom had become disenchanted and estranged from his rampant kleptoratic maladministration of the land of equity.

Therefore, during the 2015 general elections, hundreds of thousands of determined Kebbians trooped out to hand a humiliating and woefully devastating defeat toPDP throwing out the cronies and acolytes that the former helmsman had used to milk the state for years. It was a sweet and resounding victory for the APC and the newly elected Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu who moved swiftly to deliver on key infrastructural and developmental projects, programs and policies designed to raise the socio-economic index of the state for the better.

Bagudu rather than engages in partisan axe-grinding typical of the ousted regime, he’s running an all-inclusive administration and treating all Kebbians as his constituents regardless of partisan, ethnic, religious or sectional loyalty or inclination and because of this singular gesture, most of the PDP members including the former governor has joined the APC in the state leaving the PDP with few degraded members. His idea on location of projects has been across the board, as and where needed and not tied to any parochial or primordial disposition as was the case with the PDP’s rein of political favoritism.

Indeed, such has been the stunning array of projects bequeathed by the revolutionary government which make thousands of erstwhile PDP supporters to have switched their party loyalty to the APC as the party of hope, achievement sustenance and delivery of democratic dividends. On that basis, the politically conscious Kebbians have compared and contrasted the dynamic APC led government of Bagudu with the erratic PDP led administration of yore and have come to the irreversible conclusion that the ancient regime and its remnants and lackeys must never be allowed to come close to the corridors of power again.

Interestingly, in lieu of engaging in empty, vile or deceitful propaganda reminiscent of the PDP years of the locust, an objective Gov. Bagudu has remained focused on his goal of uplifting Kebbi State to a greater height, materially, socially and physically not caring whose ox is gored in the process.

Equally, while those that regard themselves as unrepentant power brokers in the state continue in their fruitless shenanigans against his government, an unfazed Gov. Bagudu has rather allowed his visible democratic tidings to speak for him and his administration, vowing that he would not spend a kobo of state funds for cheap publicity stunts aimed at garnering cheap and vacuous popularity. The fact is that, if money could buy votes or popularity then PDP’s favoured gubernatorial choice, Major General Sarkin Yarki (rtd) would have emerged victorious in the 2015 polls but sadly the famed war hero was decimated by the APC moving train and crashed into early political retirement before he could even kick start his political career from military retirement.

It’s prevailing that, as the 2019 election looms the PDP has once again kicked off their ubiquitous propaganda machinery comprising of half-truths, misstatements, outright lies and manufactured falsehood all in an attempt to hood wink the stoic and hardworking people of Kebbi who have borne the brunt of their years of misrule, misgovernance and neglect to no end.

However, times have changed, the Kebbi people have become wiser, have come of age and are determined to take their destiny in their own hands once and for all rather than fall victim to the hyenas, jackals’ vultures, predators and scavengers that hark in the PeoplesDemocratic Party.

Sagiru writes from Gwandu, Kebbi State

Gov Abubakar And The Vanguard’s Award

By Ismail Musa

Leadership is by far a game of performance than that of appearances as philosophers will have us believe. It is almost impossible for the dogged efforts of selfless leaders who have made it a duty to assuage the pains of the masses through viable policies and important projects to go unnoticed. Although, leaders need not wait for praises from their people for doing the job they have been elected to do, however, in a democracy such as ours where leadership has been reduced into an avenue for self-enrichment and aggrandizement, appreciating the good works of leaders who have chosen servitude over rulership becomes very important.

If not for anything, to help them see beyond the sycophant ramblings of opportunists and the bitter criticism of opponents. It is on the strength of this that I join other well-meaning Nigerians to congratulate Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, my governor for bagging the prestigious Vanguard 2017 Governor of the Year Award in recognition of his many people-oriented programmes that are transforming the fortunes of the people of Bauchi. Anyone who is familiar with the Vanguard Awards knows that it celebrates only the best who have made it a point of duty to better the lot of their people. The awards have developed into the barometer for measuring the performance of Nigerian governors that have gone the extra length to put the people first.

One only needs to look at the performance in office, of all the past winners to understand that Vanguard maintains a strict vetting code and this makes the award prestigious. It represents duty and is undoubtedly presented only those who have been unquestionably outstanding in delivering dividends of democracy to the people of their state. Without question, Governor Abubakar represents everything that the people of Bauchi have been lacking in a governor since the return of democracy in 1999. His clear approach to governance is legendary. Except from enemies of Bauchi state, probably the camp of those still licking their wounds for the sound beating they received from him at the 2015 polls which brought an end to the inglorious looting era, it will be hard for any right-thinking human being not to commend the efforts of Governor Abubakar in transforming the fortunes of the state despite the paucity of funds. Bauchi is today wearing a beautiful look all thanks to the massive investment in road development that has seen the construction of numerous roads within the Bauchi metropolis, and those linking the capital and the rest of the state.

The story is the same with all other critical sectors of the state. In education for instance, since embarking on a state-wide tour where he was brought face to face with rot in the sector, governor Abubakar declared a state of emergency in the sector. A stroll around Bauchi state and the environs today, will reveal public schools that have been wholly transformed from their hitherto sorry state and have been galvanized to provide only the kind of education that the governor believes will help the children of Bauchi compete favourably with their counterparts all over Nigeria and even beyond. This strong momentum has been retained in other sectors such as health where huge counterpart funds have been contributed into International Organisations’ assisted initiatives that have provided the needed health covers to the teeming people of Bauchi for whom access to health has previously been completely absent.

Other areas like power, human capital development, security, etc. have also been touched by the Midas limbs of the indefatigable governor and so, it didn’t come as a surprise to all of us in Bauchi who are actually after good governance that the governor has also caught the eye of a reputable newspaper organisation such as Vanguard. The truth is, records don’t lie. Anyone in doubt about the impact of the governor since assuming office in 2015 need just board a vehicle to Bauchi and see for themselves the wonders of a man whose calling we believe was truly echoed by God; a man who has crashed all the planks of follies that past administrations have positioned as parameters for the measurement of their non-existent impacts.

The most interesting thing about our Mohammed Abubakar is that he goes about delivering on his mandate in the humblest of manners. Never does he point fingers at the past nor does he bare down on the present. This perhaps is the reason why all his lieutenants have also been wired tick to his approach and can be seen working diligently to support their principal to give to the people that which is due them.

The award this year which I contend is the most keenly contested also gives the governor a certain kind of elevation among his peers. To beat the likes of H.E Okezie Victor Ikpeazu of Abia, H.E Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano, H.E Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and H.E Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba state considering their stellar performance in 2017, governor Mohammed must have performed excellently. Let me assure the governor that the people of Bauchi on whose behalf he has performed the deeds that have brought him this recognition are proud of him.

They are very happy that the world has seen what he has brought to them and are only too happy to repay his trust come 2019. We in Bauchi are only waiting patiently to return His Excellency come 2019. No electorate will be careless enough to allow a rare gem such as you to pass through their fingers. We have seen the lies of those contending for your office and I assure you that the people are poised to reject them.

All we ask and pray is for you to take this award and use it as the needed motivation to continue doing that which has endeared you not only to the people of Bauchi, but reputable organisations like Vanguard. It is my sincere belief that with you at helm of affairs in Bauchi, only good things that border on the all-round development of the people and infrastructure will be attributed to the state.

– Musa write from Bauchi State

Nigerian Army and Buratai’s Insatiable Appetite For Fiscal Discipline

By Don Mefor

A most cardinal policy and principle of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government right from inception is hinged on ensuring transparency and accountability in public governance. The idea was anchored on the concept of e-governance and domesticated by the Federal Ministry of Finance. All government MDAs were directed to take immediate steps in the implementation of all the nuances of this new policy.

Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai, a nationally acclaimed pacesetter, instantaneously keyed into this policy. He directed the Nigerian Army Finance Corps to initiate actions in this direction. As a new policy, it took time and resources for training of officers, whose official brief was to implement this new policy, through specialized courses, workshops and seminars.

But while preparations by the Nigerian Army to adopt these financial reforms lasted, Gen. Buratai embarked on cleansing reforms and innovations. They were crafted to place the institution on a better stead to serve the Army and Nigerians better generally. His main focus was on transparency, accountability and probity.

The Army Chief kick-started this gradual process a long time ago and monitored its progress closely. The actualization of electronic Nigerian Army Personnel Payroll System [e-NAPPS ] today is just part of the many fiscal policy measures and reforms Gen. Buratai’s leadership of Africa’s largest Army has groomed from the scratch under the supervision of Major Gen. J E Jakko, who has done a faultless job.

Much earlier, the Army Chief laid the foundation, by getting the institution to initiate and adopt other reforms like domesticating the Single Treasury Account (TSA) policy and Government Integrated Financial Management Information Systems, as obtained at the federal level.

The months of planning, training and commitment to these novel financial reforms have finally berthed with the launch of the Nigerian Army electronic payment system (e-payment) for its officers and personnel, dubbed as e-NAPS, the gateway to the Integrated Personnel payment System (IPPS).

The public launch of e-NAPPS at the first quarterly COAS Conference 2018 in Abuja is yet another milestone in the celebration of one of the most professionalized institution in the country. Gen. Buratai has again made a bold statement as a consummate soldier, leader and administrator per excellence, who sets targets, which hardly evades him.

The Nigerian Army’s Chief of Accounts and Budget, Major Gen. Jakko endearingly buttressed the imperative of the new system as springboard for the re-evaluation of the Nigerian Army personnel records, most of which are understandably outdated. With e-NAPPS, the officers and personnel of the Army are proud operators of a database; linked to the IPPIS of the central government.

Gen. Jakko summed up the benefits of the new system thus: “The e-NAPPS is designed as a star topology in a centrally managed server-client model that links the data center at the headquarters of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps at Apapa, with the NA, 8 divisions, Guards Brigade, Army Headquarters Garrison, APPO and TRADOC finance offices for administration of troops' pay and allowances”.

e-NAPPS is undoubtedly a new dawn in the transparent and accountable management of financial operations of the NA for payroll administration, accurate periodic reviews and updates of the database to guarantee financial security. It can also secure integrity, reliability, enhanced planning for personnel and the management of contractual obligations as well as budgetary votes in consonance with the transparency in public governance of the Buhari Presidency.

As tedious as the adoption of e-NAPPS appears, the COAS devoted his time, energy and resources to ensure it comes to fruition. This again buttressed his love for audit and fiscal policies which he sings like a song to the officers and men and even his family too not left out. His overwhelming attention to e-NAPPS sprouts from the mindset of a leader who is innately and inextricably tied to concerns of the welfare of officers and personnel.

And it has several other pluses. Aside improving the financial literacy of personnel of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps, Gen. Buratai is one leader who believes a workman deserves his wages and promptly. It is both a Biblical and Koranic injunctions, he hates to violate under normal or avoidable circumstances. And his simple reason is that it is a silent, but potent tool in boasting the morale of troops. The e-NAPPS is a sure proof in this regard.

Today, he has placed the Nigerian Army on the fast lane of e-transactions, and officers and personnel would now begin to enjoy or reap from his hard work and that of his team, with the removal and purging of the Army from analogue financial operations. It is a sure bet that complaints can be easily addressed and remedies provided within the shortest possible time.

A very generous and amiable gentleman, General Buratai is a man with deep love for accountability and transparency in governance.
It is what makes Gen. Buratai a special breed and a different leader within the contemporary context of Nigeria. Quite disappointingly, welfare of subordinates is not one of the priorities or quick-wins of many leaders in the country. But the Army boss has proven to be exceptional.

Within Army circles, many have admitted that the e-NAPPS was a project close to Gen. Buratai’s heart and he regularly requested for briefs on progress. And when he finally succeeded by unveiling it, while addressing this year’s COAS quarterly conference in Abuja, a rapturous ovation greeted the hall.

Soldiers were quite excited at the reality of more ease of financial transactions being witnessed, as all monetary operations would henceforth be conducted through the same procedure to consolidate Gen. Buratai’s focus on accountability and transparency. And soldiers, especially those in the battlefront, whose families depend on salaries for survival, would now have such grace extended to them much more quickly than it has ever been possible.

Some arm-chair and bald-headed critics of the NA, under Gen. Buratai can ply their trade, after all, in democracy, freedom of expression is unimpeded. But this new Sheriff in town is leaving nothing to chance in the complete reformation of the Nigerian Army as manifest in the results of the extraordinary and far- reaching reforms and innovations.

Those still in doubt can flash back to 2015 when President Buhari appointed Gen. Buratai as the Army boss. He instantly embarked on massive reforms across all the directorates of the Nigerian Army to ensure effectiveness and deliver to Nigerians a result-oriented safeguard . He neither spared any effort nor dreaded anyone in his avowal to reposition the entire landscape into a professionally responsive and responsible Army capable of delivering on its constitutional mandates.

Today, the entire country is reaping the fruits of his labour and hard work either through troops performance in the battle field or corporate social responsibilities at the disposal of countless communities around Nigeria.

It is therefore not shocking that under Gen. Buratai the institution has metamorphosed from its despicable and ignoble global status to a truly respected Army among its counterparts in the world. And the reason is not far-fetched; it is Gen. Buratai’s ingenuity and dedication to his duties in the service of the nation.

Nigerians and the world now see, perceive and feel a pragmatic leadership of the Army, exuding honour and dignity, in conduct and actions under the current leadership. It is the secret behind the delivering of resounding, rare and irrevocable victories against Nigeria’s war on terrorism. Again, kudos to the Nigerian Army.

Mefor, a financial expert based in the United Kingdom contributed this piece from Barking, London.

Hadiza Abubakar: Celebrating The New Uwar Matan Bauchi

By Aminu Kabiru

Indeed, honours, accolades and encomiums are in most cases showered on those who richly deserve them. Even though, there are instances where persons that are so honoured fall short of the qualities and responsibilities that such accolades usually celebrate, it is not every day that a highly respected and widely revered traditional ruler, like the Emir of Ningi, His Royal Highness Mohammed Yunusa Danyaya bestows a title on an eminent personality, and this points without any iota of doubt that the recipient is richly deserving of such a noble recognition, especially when she is no other than the First Lady of Bauchi State, Her Excellency, Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.

No wonder, that the drumbeat of celebration, felicitation, solidarity and approbation is threatening to reach the high heavens as the vast majority of Bauchi state citizens joyously marked her conferment with the prestigious title in recognition of her grassroots empowerment of women, youths, the widows, the indigent, the infirm and all other disadvantaged segments of society.

This royal recognition is the first of its kind in the history of Bauchi State as Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar has excelled in numerous grassroots initiatives where her predecessors could not. In most cases, the offices of the first ladies suffered serious abuse and to some, it’s an avenue for globetrotting to the chagrin of the hapless masses. But Hajiya Hadiza is breaking a jinx with a paradigm shift in helping the less privileged and the downtrodden majority in Bauchi State.

Given the fact that, the amiable First Lady who is also the energetic Chairperson of the Northern Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) is renowned for her generosity, benevolence, compassion, dedication and commitment towards uplifting the lives of the Bauchi women folks, it is no surprise that rather than pay lip service to her noble intention, she has gone the whole hog in initiating series of programs to ensure that the average Bauchi woman and youth is self-reliant, independent and capable of standing their ground in the socio-economic sectors of the state and the country at large.

The Emir of Ningi who is not known for sycophancy, conferred this ground breaking traditional title on Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar in appreciation of the tremendous impact of her non-governmental organization, the Bauchi-Sustainable Women Economic Empowerment and Peace Initiative (B-SWEEP) on the women, the children and other vulnerable segments of society. Among these programmes include; scholarship awards for Internally Displaced Persons Children. This is to help the IDP children who have dropped out of schools to return to their education and be reintegrated into the Bauchi society.

The programme which is spread around all the local government councils of the state and is meant to among other things complement the effort of government to deliver critical health services for safe delivery, immediate newborn care and to prevent increased maternal and newborn mortality due to preventable causes has also seen a dramatic drop in MIM cases thus boosting the healthy living index of the state for the better.

The closing ceremony of skills scquisition training and presentation of starter packs to 1600 women across the (20) twenty local government areas of Bauchi State by the CEO of Bauchi Sustainable Women Economic Empowerment and Peace Initiative (BSWEEP), Hajiya Hadiza MA Abubakar in collaboration with the Bauchi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development was greeted with lots of encomiums.
The first lady’s achievements are even more worthy of celebration if we are consider the fact that like her predecessors, she could easily have dwelt in the opulence, comfort and glamour of the government house, Bauchi, far removed from the drudgery and toil of the common people but instead, chose the path of servitude; to commune and interact with the masses who voted for her action-oriented spouse, His Excellency, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, the Executive Governor of Bauchi state in 2015.

Her Excellency’s passion for the rapid and sustained education of the girl child is legendary and it has formed a crucial plank of her developmental desiderata and this has been further boosted by ceaseless campaigns, outreaches and community sensitization programs urging parents and guardians to send their female children or wards to primary, secondary and even tertiary institutions.

It is perhaps in recognition of her giant strides that B-SWEEP was invited as a critical stakeholder to the Economic Commission for West African States (ECOWAS) implementation of the ECOWAS Counter Terrorism Initiative as well as organized strategy action plan which was adopted by Head of States and Governments of West African Countries, as one of the priorities in tackling violent extremisms for which Bauchi State was selected among the pilot states. The occasion which was graced by the executive governor of Bauchi state in company of highly placed members of his cabinet drew participation of Youths organizations, Women organizations, Security Agencies, Traditional Authorities, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Non-Governmental Organizations(NGOs), Religious Leaders, Media, and what have you.

The impact of B-SWEEP in raising awareness for the use of non-violent strategies as a proactive tool and response to conflict, through peace education and sport programmes is legendary. And these programmes are designed for young people in and out of school in communities in northern Nigeria, and they promote harmony and the peaceful coexistence of people from different backgrounds. Therefore, her novel approach which seeks to bring women into conflict resolution discursions considering they in company of children are the real victims of conflicts is highly commendable. Her excellency longs for a society where Women will not be excluded from participating in conflict management, mediation or inter-group negotiations.

Equally, with all of these ground-breaking achievements, am very sure the conferment of the title on his wife did not come as a surprise to the Executive Governor Barrister M.A. Abubakar because he is aware of his wife’s passion to help society’s underprivileged and the indolent. This should charge him up for his wife has been a solid rock beside him in his administration’s drive for the wholesale development of Bauchi state.

It becomes very hard not to support an administration such as this where both the governor and his wife are working tirelessly to better the lot of the people. Let me assure the first family of Bauchi that the people appreciates their commitment to the Bauchi project and will continue to support their many people-oriented policies and projects.

Kabiru write from Bauchi

Nigerian Army’s Re-assuring Victory Over Terrorism

By Nkechi Odoma

Overtime, I have observed the character of terrorism as a complex, unpredictable and dynamic phenomenon. Terrorists are very determined rebels, who hardly flinch like Lucifer in perpetrating evil and atrocities.

They have a resolve that is almost unbreakable and exhibit empty boldness even in the face of defeat. Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) embody all of these traits. But they have met their combat superiors in the Nigerian Army.

I understand, since the Chief of Army staff (COAS) and leader of the counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai took the frontline seat in the anti-terrorism war in the country, insurgents have suffered incalculable damages. Our Army has refused to quail and at every point, soldiers give insurgents a good run for their time and money, with resounding victories.

It is a cliché to say, BHTs have been decimated and technically defeated. I cannot see their commanding heights as obtained in the past before Gen. Buratai sauntered on the theatre of terrorism warfare. The reckless and boastful terrorists’ strikes at civilian populations and public institutions have become nearly impossible in the last two years.

I can feel the pain of these religious extremists, humbled by the gallant Nigerian Army and disgracefully forced down from their high horse to unexpected levels of surrenders and lamentations by some of their leaders over a glaringly crumbling mission.

Therefore, I was not surprised, when the frustrated Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau wailed loudly like a castrated bull, lamenting the reality of a failed war they would have cherished it blossomed interminably. And pained about the stalled progress, Shekau hinted of giving up on the terror war. In Shekau’s confessions, I sensed an apt positive testimony of the strong grip of the Nigerian Army on the terrorists.

I am told Shekau is hardened, cruel and bloodthirsty. But since Gen. Buratai took the stage of anti-terrorism operations in mid-2015, Boko Haram insurgency has depreciated in size and strikes. And this is not a pleasant experience for a rebel leader like Shekau.

The factional Boko Haram leader rapidly lost to the Nigerian Army, scores of top commanders and foot soldiers who energized the war. This is quite nightmarish both for Shekau and his sponsors. And I feel what has further weakened Shekau’s strength is the vow and unflinching determination of Nigerian troops to crush them at all cost.

And most disturbing to the bizarre jihadists, Gen. Buratai and his comrades have also blocked all avenues of recruitment of new adherents and fighters to replenish depleted ranks of insurgents. I know Shekau has become increasingly isolated, desolate and confused in the jungles.

This feeling is exacerbated by Shekau’s fears about the security of his personal life, hence there are no more sufficient foot soldiers to shield him in the event of an attack. I have seen in Shekau a dampened spirit and a strong desire for abandonment of the terrorism war.

A deep scrutiny of terrorism character would reveal that just when one is compelled to feel insurgents have been shattered and weakened, the remnants sneak from their sleeper cells to launch wretched attacks on obscure locations. The motive is to create a fake presence and publicity stunt of resurgence.

Unfortunately through, such actions are usually feeble and inconsequential. And each time remnants of insurgents make such attempts, it is aggressively and ruthlessly countered by our Nigerian troops, with more vehemence than they did at the peak of terrorism in 2015. So, soldiers have checkmated terrorists to the point of suffocation, which explains Shekau’s wailing in the wild jungles and forests.

Additionally, the mastery of Boko Haram strategies by the Nigerian Army has also thrilled me infinitely. Soldiers know that in certain localities, terrorists sometimes disappear, feigning extinction.

But our troops hardly go to bed because they know of these gimmicks designed to hoodwink soldiers to relax, in order to create favourable conditions for these insurgents to strike. These are feeble attempts to regain control of lost grounds.

However, the ever vigilant and combat-ready gallant soldiers are neither deceived nor taken by surprise. Therefore, every attempt by terrorists in recent times to re-enact their atrocious acts has collapsed like a pack of cards to their anger or frustration, as Nigerian troops mount unbreakable resistance. In many such instances, insurgents have met their waterloo and weapons seized from them.

Last Christmas, terrorists plots to stage an vicious comeback to Maiduguri through Molai, on the outskirts of Maiduguri were foiled by soldiers. Many of them met their deaths in the hands of our gallant troops in the course of gun battle.

The armed insurgents disguised themselves and mingled their trucks in the midst of civilians’ vehicles at the Molai military checkpoint, targeting to overrun the checkpoint and gain access into Maiduguri to execute their barbaric acts. But they walked themselves into the trap of solders and the tale ended instantly.

Also, early in the year, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole conducting Operation Deep Punch II clearance tasks confounded me. Troops slammed a lethal blow on remnants of terrorists still hibernating inside Sambisa forest’s Camp Zero and other parts of the Northern fringes of Borno. The operation, I can describe as very successful, destroyed terrorists camps and recovered sophisticated weapons from the terrorists.

At another such instance, terrorists attempted to approximate Maiduguri through Bille Shuwa and Alikaranti villages, but troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed to the Cashew Plantation engaged them in gun duel, leading to deaths of insurgents and suicide bombers in the combat.

The Nigerian Army is also aware that terrorists use charms to hypnotize and initiate vulnerable adolescents, mostly young females into the devilish sect. Insurgents strap these adolescents’ with bombs and other lethal explosives to detonate at targeted locations, causing mass deaths and destruction.

But the Army has effectively devised ways in countering such deadly outings. Now, bomb carriers no longer enjoy the luxury of detonating lethal explosives at targeted destinations.

Rather, the Army detects and neutralizes them from a safe distance, without any circumstantial damage. Even recently, Nigerian troops deflated two suicide bombers who were on an evil mission on targets in Maiduguri.

It gladdened my heart to realize that the unrelenting pressure mounted on insurgents by Nigerian troops compelled the short-lived drama of the abduction of the Dapchi schoolgirls. The gory experiences of the Chibok schoolgirls abduction comes handy. But in contrast, the instant return of the kidnapped Dapchi girls is indicative of a failed attempt by insurgents to re-launch the era of impudent abductions of schoolgirls.

I feel it is natural that Abubakar Shekau and his financiers would prefer not to hear the songs of their defeat in the hands of our troops. But the truth remains that the wings of Boko Haram terrorism have been clipped, and the game is indeed over, as consciously lamented and proclaimed by Shekau himself.

Shekau has found himself in the position of self-pity upon the realization that President Muhammedu Buhari has refused to change the leadership the Nigerian Army which is impressively winning the war on terror. Perhaps, when terrorists attempt occasional resurgence, is Shekau pulling the last strings in the vain hope that the Nigerian troops would suffer some fatigue? Certainly no! If this is his thoughts, then it is a serious gaffe. Nigerian troops are more determined now than ever before.

The terrorists leader should not forget in a hurry that he is dealing with the most ruthless and jagged Army in the world. Shekau knows the Nigerian Army has been the nightmare of The Gambia and the giant of ECOMOG operations in Africa. So, it cannot be bowed by a Shekau.

I believe time has come for Shekau and sponsors to face the stark reality of the end of the reign of terrorists atrocities. The victory of our troops is too golden and can’t be shared with anyone else. Nigerians are waiting with baited breath to consummate this victory with wild celebrations.

Odoma is the President, African Arise for Change Network and contributed this piece from Asokoro, Abuja.

Dankwambo: A Worthy Brand For Nigeria

By Umar Yusuf

In all sense of human idiosyncrasies, there’s a banded and collective conceptions that, leadership traits that are ensconced in a chivalrous, liberal, courageous, competent and dedicated leaders and eminent statesmen are not acquired by chance but out of a conscious and sustained ability to consolidate and advance those cherished virtues that make a difference between authentic leaders and lie-dormant to the throne with a sole purpose of envisaging a better and developed society.

Whenever the push comes to the shove, the qualities that project sound leadership are clearly visible while the negative antecedents that trail political jobbers tend to be indistinct and mediocre. The enviable leadership qualities of the Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Talban Gombe) has exemplified the traits that better define what the leadership is all about while essentially and for all intents and purposes making history in the act of human and capital development. Dankwambo, a distinguished chartered accountant, consummate technocrat and admirable public servant par excellence, has in all his dealings distinguished himself by his ennobling academic, professional, public service and political career that has exceeded all expectations while shattering all know precedents and records set by his predecessors or peers be it at the state, federal, regional or international levels.

Dankwambo’s career began from Coopers & Lybrand and hightails to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Gombe State Accountant General, and he was later as a result of his unrelenting hard-work, perseverance, dedication, and commitment to duty as well as displaying the highest level of professional and technocratic achievements where he has received numerous awards, laurels and commendations as a consequence, appointed the Accountant General of the Federation before he answered the call of his people and contested the gubernatorial seat and won in 2011 general elections.

In fact, Dankwambo’s commitment to excellence and exemplary performance is only matched by his honesty and sense of integrity which meant that while other public officers delight in looting the public, Talban Gombe is not in that category, a trait which endeared him to his peers, colleagues, underlings and political superiors alike and his watchword was strict neutrality and a rigid apolitical stance that did not favour any partisan interest, an adroit posture that earned him tremendous admiration and even grudging respect from all factions of the political class in Gombe state and beyond.

Having cut his teeth in turning around the Gombe State Accounting System for the better, Dankwambo wasted precious little time in applying the same principles at the office of the Accountant General of the Federation as he had successfully formulated viable policies and financial strategies that the financial system of the country is today relying on.

While, his next point of call to humanity services was the sight nearer home, Gombe State, where after he had succumbed to people’s pressure and agreed that it was time to change the prevailing status quo for the better as the Jewel of the savannah was then in the grip of political godfathers, potentates and crown princes who regarded the state as their personal fiefdom and its resources to be squandered and apportioned as they and their acolytes and cronies thought fit.

Therefore, armed with his awesome credentials as a highly reputed and tremendously regarded public servant, Talba had within days of being sworn in as the Executive Governor, kick-started a series of working visits across the state to see for himself the hitherto shambled and dilapidated government structures and abused public service system encapsulated by shady dealings, financial mismanagement and marginalization of the majority by those felt they owned the government and considered same as their personal estate by doing and undoing thing to favored them to the detriment of the masses.

After properly diagnosing the state, Dankwambo had later come up with an 11-sector base committee of relevant professionals with a term of references centered on formulating a working template and blueprint for the development of the state and rescuing the formerly abused public service. Consequently, the submission of the various committee’s reports, Dankwambo swore into action by executing all the viable recommendations with preferential considerations to the; education, health, agriculture, and infrastructural sectors of the state economy.

Today, under the stewardship of the Talban Gombe, the state has turned out to be the most glaringly developed and transformed in the whole of the northeastern region buffeted with state of the art infrastructure and a workable administrative policies and strategies as thousands of kilometers of roads have constructed all over the nooks and crannies of the state, model primary and secondary schools were constructed in all the 11 local government arrears of the state while old ones are fully renovated and equipped with state of the art facilities, hospitals and other health related interventions have been put in place, and farmers have also been yearly benefited from the government interventions by providing subsidized fertilizer, tractors, and other farm implements, tens of thousands of women and youths have been trained in numerous skills acquisition programs and start-up capital being provide.

Indeed, the giant International Conference Centre, Petroleum Tankers Parking Bay, Gombe Mega Motor park are projects that can only be found in Gombe State despite the lean resources at the disposal of the prudent and transparent Dankwambo’s administration.

In fact,Dankwambo has transformed Gombe state into the industrial and agrarian hub of the north-east region, a position that it enviably occupied in the past.

Having changed the infrastructural, developmental, industrial and manufacturing landscape of the state for the better while drastically reducing its poverty, maternal and child mortality rates it is no surprise that many political activists, leaders of the thought and influential pundits have called on the man of the hour, Dankwambo to throw his hat in the ring and as does during the 2011 election and declare his interest in the presidential contest so that Nigerians will stand a chance to reap the countless democratic dividends that he has been rendering to the Gombe State people, because savvy Nigerians are beginning to echo the aphorism: ‘What is good for Gombe people is also sauce and worthy for Nigerians!

Yusuf writes from Gombe.

The Transformation of FMC, MAKURDI

By Pius Udenyi

I believe everyone knows the medical facilities in Benue state are overstretched at the moment. The recurring bloodbath in the state has exalted a strain on medical services. And that some of them are sub-standard makes the situation more daisy and messier.

But medical professionals and administrators like a Consultant Surgeon and Medical Director (MD), Federal Medical Center Makurdi (FMCM) Dr. Peteru Msuega Inunduh have delightfully and patriotically risen to the task. The FMCM is the only federal government owned tertiary health facility in the state, which also renders medical services to neighbouring states .

Managing the FMCM effectively has proven to be an uphill task as virtually at preceding Medical Directors can attest. The hospital is perennially plagued by shortage of personnel, especially medical doctors, poor facilities and restive medical unions. With lean resources, it takes the grace of God to create impact in the management of the medical facility to satisfy public yearnings for qualitative and affordable tertiary health care delivery to the citizenry.

However, an astute administrator and prudent manager of resources, Dr. Inunduh, who was appointed the CMD in 2015 is gradually daring the odds, breaking the barriers and creating unexpected impacts. His judicious application of meagre resources has set the hospital on an unprecedented path of development, attracting public applause to his credit.

I have patronized the FMCM for over 15 years and last visited it three years ago. I have experienced administrations of many helmsman and their near fruitless attempts to transform and reposition the FMCM to a modern health facility. They did their best and to the extent their strength could support, but little was achieved in the pursuit of the mandate of the hospital.

But Dr. Inunduh stands tall from his predecessors, with glaring and uncommon development strides and impacts on the medical facility. What arrested my instant attention two weeks ago, when I walked into the hospital for a routine medical check-up was the improved sanitary condition of the health facility.

Clean wards, beddings, flowery and scintillating environment, with inviting fragrance were alluring. Staff discipline has also improved, as services were speedily rendered to patients and with an unusual politeness. This is a marked departure from the culture of the past when staff were more at home bullying patients. Or put differently, their uncouth official behavior was capable of worsening the health condition of an already traumatized patients battling with life.

I was also pleasantly surprised that aside improving the working atmosphere and interaction between staff and patients, the incumbent administrator has delved into providing special services not offered by the hospital before now. The transformation anchored by Dr. Inunduh has seen the over 20 years hospital offering Upper GI Endoscope (Gastroscope) and Lower GI Flexible colonoscope services to members of the public with a newly commissioned and sparkling Endoscopy/ Laparoscopic Suite.

And quite unexpectedly, the FMCM is operating a functional Dialysis unit, which conducts renal dialysis for the first time in the history of the hospital. These are specialized medical services that have never been provided by had to spend huge sums of money to access the services in Abuja or elsewhere. But Dr. Inunduh has ended the nightmare.

I also noticed that to ensure smooth and uninterrupted services to health seekers, Dr. Inundah has boosted power supply to FMCM by the purchase and installation of a 550 KVA sound-proof generator at the main hospital. Therefore, the epileptic public power supply cannot do any harm to hospital facilities.

Patients at the hospital enjoying these rare services were quite excited. They song eulogies for President Muhammedu Buhari and the minister of health, Dr. Isaac Adewole and his counterpart for state, Mr. Osagie Ehanire for these silent transformations at FMCM, a once neglected medical facility.

They recounted excitedly how they have been relieved from the burden of seeking such specialized services at exorbitant costs in far places and praised the foresight and dexterity of the new leadership at FMCM led by Dr. Inunduh.

Therefore, I have grown up to understand that those who are disciplined enough to impact with little resources, can perform incredibly even when they are trusted with more funds. I am impressed that Dr. Inunduh has demonstrated commitment to the development of the hospital and he is uncompromisingly determined to reposition it as one of the best of such health facilities in the country.

That he has been able to minimize the industrial restiveness in the hospital from medical unions alone is an indication of his unbeatable suave in leadership.

I implore Mr. President and his team at the ministry of health never to slack in their support to the Dr. Inunduh’s leadership of the hospital. At last, something good has come to Benue from the federal ministry of health, by appointing a sentinel who is ever alert. I hope to see more of such positive results sprout from this health facility.

Udenyi is a project manager and contributed this article from Rayfield, Jos.

COAS, Buratai Charges Army Commands To Sustain Operational Successes

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai has Charged the various commands of the Nigerian Army especially “Operation Lafiya Dole “ to sustain the numerous successes being recorded by the Army across board on daily basis.

The Army Chief stated this in a speech at the ongoing Chief of Army Staff Conference in Abuja.

Buratai while calling on troops to desist from hobnobbing with politicians ahead of the 2019 general elections, said the Army is putting in place a robust procurement and operational plan to preserve and promote the successes of the Nigerian troops in all its engagements.

Read the full text below:

OPENING ADDRESS BY LT GEN TY BURATAI NAM OMM (BR) GSS psc(+) ndc (BD) FCMH FNHAM BA (Hons) MA MPhil CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF ON THE OCCASION OF THE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF FIRST QUARTER CONFERENCE IN ABUJA ON 10 APRIL 2018

PROTOCOL

1. It is my honour and privilege to welcome you all to Abuja for the COAS First Quarter Conference 2018. Let me start by using this opportunity to thank you all for commiserating with me and the entire Buratai family on the demise of our beloved father, Alhaji Yusuf Buratai, who died on the 9 February 2018. I pray that Almighty Allah grant him eternal rest.

2. The COAS Quarterly Conferences serve as a pedestal for the hierarchy of the NA to appraise and discuss its doctrinal, operational and administrative matters as well as other security issues that are crucial to the stability of our country. This is with a view to fashioning out better ways through which the NA can implement the Federal Government’s defence and security policies towards ensuring peace and development of our nation.

3. In this era of political and social transformation, the NA remains steadfast in carrying out its constitutional roles as well as providing aid to civil authority. My vision for the NA which is “To Have a Professionally Responsive Nigerian Army in the Discharge of its Constitutional Roles” is geared towards ensuring a safer environment for development and socio-economic activities to thrive in the country. We must ensure that we conduct ourselves professionally and respond adequately to threats against our nation in accordance with our constitutional roles.

4. The NA would continue to chart progressive paths towards tackling the security challenges confronting the nation. To this end, I have instructed that attention must be given to ongoing NA operations in various parts of the country to ensure that security threats are dealt with decisively. Training must also be given due attention so that we can outperform the achievements of the previous years. Furthermore, research and development must be sufficiently pursued and funded to promote and attain the desired transformation and innovation drive in the NA.

5. The successes achieved by troops in the ongoing operations, particularly Op LAFIYA DOLE, has placed the NA on a good stead and the momentum must be sustained and consolidated. However, in conjunction with other services and security agencies, the NA must also deal decisively with other security challenges such as farmers-herdsmen clashes, armed banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, militant activities among other violent crimes.

6. Operations DEEP PUNCH II in the North East and Exercise AYEM AKPATUMA in the North Central have achieved tremendous successes leading to the arrest of key suspects as well as recovery of arms and ammunition in Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Niger and Taraba States. The conduct of Exercise AYEM AKPATUMA has been extended in Taraba State till 30 May 18 based on the prevailing security situation in the state. While paying tribute to the officers and men in the field, I urge you all not to relent on your efforts at ensuring a safer Nigeria.

7. The need to review the conduct of NA operations across the country has become imperative in view of lapses recently observed among commanders. Some of the lapses observed can be partly attributed to indecisiveness when faced with obvious challenges. Hence, the attitude of commanders in the field must change especially towards decision making and taking appropriate action in line with the Rules of Engagements. In this regard, issues of murder, arson and other serious crimes perpetrated by ethnic and local militias, criminals and miscreants must be dealt with decisively. Commanders would be held responsible for any lapses arising from their actions or inactions. I have directed the CTOP (A) to set up a high powered team to review all our operations especially where lapses have been observed in order to bring to book all those involved in such cases.

8. Very recently, concerns have been raised by individuals and groups alike about the actions carried out by some units and formations in the course of operations. This has led to very strong comments and criticisms against the Nigerian Army. Some of the strongest comments have come from key citizens in Taraba State. In this regard, I have set up a panel to investigate some of the allegations that have been made, particularly with regards to operations in Taraba State. The panel was tasked to ascertain the veracity of the statements made and the true situation of things in the State. Nonetheless, we must put in more effort to improve our relations with civilians and the citizenry at large through better narratives and media operations.

9. Let me state emphatically here that the unity and integrity of Nigeria lies on the military and the NA in particular. Therefore, any act inimical to the unity and integrity of this country by personnel of the NA will be decisively dealt with. The NA must remain apolitical and professionally responsive in the discharge of its constitutional roles. GOCs and Field Commanders at all levels are, therefore, warned that anyone that runs foul of his professional ethics will be appropriately dealt with. You are all enjoined to continue to remind officers and soldiers under command to remain non-partisan and be guided by the stipulated code of conduct and rules of engagement in the discharge of their duties particularly in the coming 2019 General Elections. Furthermore, NA personnel in any capacity who receives any form of inducement from politicians, public or private entities, knowingly or unknowingly will be severely punished. Both the giver and taker of such inducement will be investigated and appropriately sanctioned.

10. I have directed for a Special Standing Court Martial to be set up in preparation for the coming 2019 elections. I must warn that any NA personnel found hobnobbing with politicians or being partisan will be investigated and sent to the Special Standing Court Martial. I must state clearly that any officer or soldier who wishes to be sympathetic to a political, religious or ethnic group should voluntarily retire from the NA. Furthermore, all are reminded on the ban on any form of worship outside the barracks except those permitted for wedding and other social functions. Therefore, officers and soldiers must restrain themselves from any act of political, religious or ethnic patronisation as these would attract severe consequences. The fate of the 38 officers who were retired is still fresh in our memories.

11. I am quite aware of the logistics constraints affecting the sustainability of our operations across the country particularly Op LAFIYA DOLE. I want to assure you that a robust and comprehensive procurement plan is in place in the Year 2018 Budget. However, the effective implementation of the procurement plan is subject to budget releases. I, therefore, want to emphasize that personal clothing, protective gears, additional equipment/platforms, accommodation, welfare and other logistics provisions would be my top priority in the procurement plan this year.

12. In line with the Federal Government’s drive to boost local content and patronage, the NA is collaborating with indigenous companies in the local production of vehicles, weapon and equipment spares as well as combat materiel. The companies include Innoson Vehicle Motors, Proforce Nigeria Limited and Nigerian Machine Tools amongst others. This is aimed at boosting local production and enhancing our growing military industrial complex.

13. In the First Quarter of 2018, I directed the procurement and supply of weapons, UAVs, vehicles, tyres, protective gears and spares to the Theatre for enhanced operations. Commanders at all levels are, therefore, enjoined to ensure judicious use and periodic maintenance of the items under their command. I believe this can be achieved if commanders at all levels imbibe and practice purposeful leadership in the efficient and effective management of men and materiel.

14. Leadership remains a cardinal point in the command and administration of the NA at tactical, operational and strategic levels. This underscores the need for us to give leadership training the pride of place in our exercises and training. In this regard, I am pleased with the outcome of Lieutenant – Captain

Promotion Examinations held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State which recorded 93 percent pass. Similarly, the final list of officers nominated to attend NDC 27/NIPSS SEC 41 and equivalent foreign courses for 2018/2019 as well as the AWCN Course 2/2018 have been released. It is gratifying to note that the AWCN programmes would be conducted at the newly constructed permanent site of the College here in Abuja. Presently, the modification and harmonization of the course curriculum with other services war colleges is ongoing. This is with a view to having a harmonized course content, coordinated approach to war fighting and cohesive decision making process.

15. The NA Resource Centre has also embarked on some strategic level partnership and collaboration with some renowned think-tank institutions across the world such as Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Boston, USA and the United Services Institution of India. This is with a view to conducting international seminars, conferences and symposia for the benefit of NA personnel, other para-military and security agencies, the executive branch and the academia. Recently, I directed a team of officers led by the DG NARC to embark on a working visit to the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Studies to fashion out modalities for partnership. This is with a view to developing our capacity building and other leadership training programmes. It is hoped that on completion of the negotiations with Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), the NARC would begin to run some of HKS programmes based on needs assessment and memorandum of understanding. So far, 22 officers have been trained at the HKS. Officers at strategic levels are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to develop and further enhance their capacity.

16. The exigency of duty necessitated the regular posting of officers and soldiers in formations and units across the country as well as outside the shores of Nigeria. This brings to fore the need for NA personnel to acquire sufficient knowledge and skills to aid communication and the discharge of their duties. Accordingly, knowledge of the 3 major Nigerian languages will

ensure that NA personnel are able to fit in wherever they may be deployed. To this effect, I have approved the establishment of a language department in all NA training schools to enhance the communication skills of personnel. You are, therefore, enjoined to sensitize officers and soldiers to acquire basic knowledge of more Nigerian languages as well as major international languages, wherever they may be deployed.

17. In the past, our relationship with civil society groups was often marred by petitions and allegations of human rights abuses and other violations. However, since the establishment of the Human Rights Desk within the Army Headquarters and across formations, we have seen a sharp decline in the number of allegations against the NA. In addition, the desk has also helped in investigating human rights violations against serving personnel. I enjoin all to give the Human Rights Desk the required cooperation to enable them carry out their assigned tasks.

18. In recognition of the competence and capacity of the female soldier and also in line with global best practices, the NA is to establish Corps for women, which is aimed at developing professionally responsive female officers and soldiers that can be employed to support the NA in all its operational engagements and other commitments within and outside the country. The Corps will give the Nigerian Army an opportunity to reorganize the women in order to derive the maximum benefit from their contribution to the defence and security of our nation.

19. As part of efforts to complement the defence and security arrangements put in place to checkmate the security challenges in the Country, I directed the promulgation of the Establishment Order as well as the operationalization of 17 Bde Katsina. This became expedient due to the planned relocation of 8 TF Div Monguno (Op LAFIYA DOLE) to its permanent headquarters in Sokoto State as provided in the NA ORBAT 2016. Let me reiterate that the Nigerian Army will continue to remain neutral in ensuring the safety of Nigerians wherever troops are deployed

for operations within the country. It is also important to recognise NA personnel who have paid the supreme sacrifice during various operations. Their sacrifices have contributed immensely to the stability which the country currently enjoys.

20. At this juncture, I want to appreciate the media and the general public for their understanding and positive change of perception regarding the NA. I will also emphasize the need for enhanced and continued collaboration in tackling our security challenges by conscious media reportage. The NA has always enjoyed the support of sister Services and other security agencies in the discharge of its duties. The NA would continue to look forward to more support and collaboration towards making our dear country Nigeria safe for all.

21. Finally, it is with a high sense of responsibility and respect that I humbly express the NA’s profound gratitude to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammad Buhari GCFR, for his invaluable support to the NA. On behalf of officers and soldiers of the NA, I once more pledge our total commitment to the defence of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you and God bless.

Herders/Farmers Crises: Human Rights Coalition Releases Report, Hails Army’s Neutrality

The Coalition on Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria has released a complete review of incidents of farmers/herders crisis in Nigeria, lauding the neutral conduct of the Nigerian Army as patriotic and professional.

It however cautioned that situations where political office holders fail to take appropriate actions to maintain peace in their domain only to start inviting the military and at the same throwing tantrums at such institution is not only callous, wicked and senseless but should be stopped with immediate effect to enable genuine stakeholders work together for the peace and unity of the country.

The Coalition at a joint parley between online newspapers and social media influencers held in Abuja on Monday, said it had tracked violence related to herdsmen/farmers clashes across Nigeria and is of the opinion that the crisis was left to escalate because Governors ot Benue and Taraba States have decided to play politics with human lives using armed militias and warlords to escalate the crisis unabated.

The gathering also noted some politicians found wanting in their obligations to their citizens have seen the situation as a cash cow to further exploit the people rather than take steps to mitigate the crisis in order to derive both political and financial benefits.

According to the human rights group, this much was derived after a careful analysis of the situation using surveys, questionnaires and interviews with critical stakeholders, as well as victims.

Barrister Maxwell Gowon, leader of the coalition in the report said it was observed that the dynamics of this crisis are poorly understood by a wider spectrum of stakeholders, which has impacted support for initiatives aimed at solving the problem.

His words, “The Coalition therefore embarked on a review of the clashes with a view to making interventions that will spur rapid resolution of the crisis so that life can again return to normal for the millions of people that have been negatively affected.

“In the course of this review, the Coalition’s researchers visited some selected affected communities in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, Kogi and Nasarawa states. These states were selected using heat maps developed from interactively plotting reported incidents against locations on the map. The selected states, with the exception of Nasarawa, were chosen because they recorded the highest number and most intense level of violence in the 18 months that were assessed.

“Researchers also polled officers of the military and security agencies that have been deployed in the crisis areas. Questionnaires were distributed; interviews were conducted, as well as surveys.

From its findings, the group said the outcome of the review revealed that since its deployment to address the crisis, the military has made commendable efforts at restoring order as it has arrested and neutralized some of the criminal elements unleashing mayhem on affected communities.

The report says, “This is being carried out without any sentiment by the Nigerian military and in a few instances the government forces were not spared by criminal elements. For example, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai at an address on the deployment of troops to crisis areas said "We have deployed officers across Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states where to ensure peace and stability for the development and betterment of our country."

On the allegation that troops were conniving with criminal elements and the presidency has refused to act was investigated, the coalition said its finding revealed that only criminal elements and their agents in power who nurse the ambition of using the military for personal duties and were rebuffed nurse such conspiracy theories in their reasoning.

“This is not only worrisome but must be discarded to avoid returning to the military to its old nature where some highly placed citizens could press the trigger from the comfort of their homes.

“The deployment of the military to these troubled zones has helped to restore normalcy to most of the affected communities even though the question of armed militias is yet to be addressed with the needed political will and courage from actors within this locality.

Our investigations also noted that most of these militias had been armed by some highly placed individuals and efforts by the Nigerian Army to mop up these arms from them have not received the needed cooperation.

“The crisis between herdsmen and Farmers in some instances is instigated by persons without stakes on either side of the divide between herders and farmers. Unrelated hostilities between warring communities are also passed off as attacks by armed herdsmen. There was an instance in Benue State at Omusu where a clear case of conflict between Omusus and Okana communities in Okpokwu Local Government Area was reported as "armed herdsmen attack" even when it has nothing to do with an existing conflict between Omusu community and herdsmen.

“There are active attempts to mislead Nigerians, the Federal Government and the international community into believing that “killer” herdsmen are out to wipe out other ethnic groups when in some cases ethnic warlords are instigating militias to carry out attacks on their perceived enemies and make same look like the work of armed herdsmen. These actors in their desperate outings have gone further to link the Nigerian military with such heinous actions. However, our investigations have confirmed otherwise and it’s imperative for Nigerians and the world to take note. “

The group further commended the Army for extending the exercise in some states, however added that such extension should be granted in more states until ethnic warlords and criminal elements decide to embrace peaceful approaches towards resolving the crisis.

The Coalition also warned that some actors have taken undue advantage of the situation to further their ethnic interest above the national interest which citizens should pursue, urging such persons to retrace their steps if not be ready to face the appropriate international instruments.

Dankwambo And The 2019 Presidential Contest

By: Abu-Ubaida Ibrahim Kuna

It’s unarguable that, in the western democracies and other politically advanced climes, tutelage and mentorship remain the best guarantor of the sound and seasoned leadership at the state and federal levels meaning that those political office holders that performed outstandingly at the local level can also be trusted to do the same at higher levels. Therefore, talented and ingenious personalities can be easily spotted as their policies and programs stand out for sheer efficacy, efficiency, and capabilities.

In American political history, Governor Bill Clinton of the small state of Arkansas gained nationwide prominence on account of his unbiased, resilient and visionary approach to governance which played no mean role in propelling him to the precincts of presidential power and prestige. While the Kennedy brothers, John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, both erstwhile Senators from Massachusetts and New York respectively were considered presidential materials as a result of their youthful vigor, freshness, competence, and dynamism that was brought to bear in the policy formulation and implementation areas.

Sailing through the Great Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair had successfully run for an election on the platform of the Labour Party for three consecutive terms on account of his eloquence, brilliance and unalloyed commitment to national unity, peace, and progress without regard to sectarian or sectional affiliations.

Thus, it can be gleaned from the above treatise that leaders do not just emerge from the blues altogether but have actually gained widespread popularity and acceptance as a result of their thorough, painstaking and uncompromising commitment to hard work, competence, professionalism and exemplary performance in all its positive ramifications.

Indeed, those auspicious leaders that many consider as the right stuff for presidential office are those that have shown no trace of ethnic or religious bias and are ready to work with all manner of people as well as all shades of opinions and ideas as far as they are geared towards enhancing the nation’s socio-economic development.

Navigating near home, without doubt, one eminent and farsighted political helmsman that aptly fits this description is no other distinguished personality than the Executive Governor of Gombe State, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, a first class chartered accountant, consummate technocrat and prolific professional and exemplary public servant par excellence making name in our present democratic dispensation.

Indeed, due to his outstanding records of excellence in all the places where he eventually had a sojourn, Dankwambo received the deserved accolades and encomiums both nationally and globally on account of his unstinting commitment to professional arête in his chosen cum assigned field of endeavor. Having thoroughly crafted and applied his endowed skills of the noble accounting profession from his storied days at Coopers and Lybrand, a first rate accounting firm to his enviable tenures at the Office of the Accountant General of the Gombe State and soaring to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and presently the Governor of Gombe State, Dankwambo has always seen his vocation as an avenue to write his name in the sand of history.

In the au courant and hot off press system of governance where genuine leaders are coming up short, a glaring trait that has endeared, the principled Talban Gombe to all and sundry is his utter commitment to honesty, integrity and rectitude in all his dealings and endeavors, despite the temptation to do otherwise which many in similar position have succumbed to engaged in. He was seen by his followers as a cut from an entirely different cloth from ordinary men as he commands respect and adulation from the Olympian heights of credibility, fastidiousness and unimpeachable honor.

In terms of professional competence, efficiency, and responsiveness, the Talban Gombe is second to none as he had positively transformed the Accountant General Federation’s office where some of the prudence financial policies enjoyed by the government today were all initiated and implemented by him. The magnificent edifice Treasury House, Treasury Single Account (TSA), the E-payment System, the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMS) has been part of the Dankwambo’s remarkable achievements and all are geared towards transparent financial management. That has signposted the fact that, Dankwambo does not execute his official duties or functions by chance or blind luck, rather he burns the midnight oil in order to raise the bar of professionalism and exemplary performance to the next level in the scheme of things no matter the obstacles or challenges that may be encountered.

Extending the trend of good and accountable governance, when he assumed the mantle of state leadership on May 29th, 2011, there was a sense of optimism, hope and excitement that Gombe State would be led out of the woods of tyranny, autocracy, absolutism, political violence, cronyism, corruption, maladministration and messianic leadership that had existed as a result of the malfeasances of previous state administrations.

Indeed, the Gombe people hoped for a better deal from the man of hope and enviable stints, Dankwambo and expectedly he did not disappoint them but he had rather surpassed the wildest expectations of those that overwhelmingly voted for him in 2011 whom equally gave him a second chance in 2015 despite the Buhari’s Political Hurricane.

Today, in the health, education, roads, rural and urban infrastructure, power, agriculture, human and capital development areas, Dankwambo has taken the lead and Gombe State has become the north eastern symbol of political, economic, social development cum purposive leadership disposition. And in terms of peace and stability, Gombe State that was hitherto regarded as the known theatre of political thuggery has never had it so good as the various ethnic, religious and linguistic groups live together in perfect harmony having embraced the peace-loving governor’s mantra of peaceful and harmonious co-existence.

Nigerian being the Giant of African Nations is in dire need of a responsible leader that sees Nigerian as his constituency and had a vast knowledge of the economic and administrative workings to explore its full potentials and Dankwambo fits into the country’s hole of leadership as he’s the only square peg into square hole come 2019.

Kuna is a Personal Assistant to the Governor on Social Media

Ayem Akpatema: Why The Cats Can’t Stop The Race Now

By Idoko Ainoko

When President Muhammadu Buhari approved the conduct of the Exercise Ayem Akpatema, an operational name derived from Tiv vernacular, meaning ‘Cat Race,’ by the Nigerian Army, it was a huge relief to many families who found themselves in the web of conspiracy between Nigerian politicians and ethnic jingoists out to exploit the sour state of herdsmen/farmers’ relationship in the county.

Prior to this period, several and sublime criminal acts had threatened the peace and security in most states around the Middle Belt, to test the determination of President Buhari to secure every part of Nigeria from the grip and stranglehold of armed militants, criminals and bandits.

And in the last two years, the Nigerian Army has proved its mettle as the last resort in quelling budding or entrenched acts of armed insurrection in different parts of the country. They have earned loud accolades from Nigerians for this selfless service to the Nigerian people, as they restore hope of secured survival and peaceful co-existence, from very hopeless situations.

Therefore, the commissioning of Ex-Ayem Akpatema was a rescue mission to free communities and villages in the affected states from vitriolic clashes between herdsmen and farmers, attacks from armed militias, kidnappings, cattle rustling and other forms of armed banditry which had suffocated the areas. It palpably made life quite hellish for inhabitants.

But it is the Nigerian Army’s constitutional response to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria and assistance to the civil authority in maintaining peace and security, where civil security is overwhelmed. These special assignments have been professionally discharged by the Nigerian Army at all times.

In essence, the Army’s Cat Race exercise commenced on February 15th and designed to end March 31st, 2018. At the launch of Exercise Ayem Akpatema in Guma local government area of Benue State on February 20th 2018, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai was lucid that it was to flush the communities of criminals; disarm armed militias and bandits terrorizing law abiding citizens to enforce permanent relief to afflicted states.

And truly, for the 40 days the exercise lasted in these states, it had been a great relief, recording resounding successes on many fronts. The Army halted the hitherto unabated and unchallenged ingress or incursions of armed criminals into virgin, remote areas in the affected states.

The troops during the exercise arrested scores of suspected herdsmen militia, ethnic militia, cultists, gun runners and cattle rustlers. It has also recovered large cache of arms and ammunitions and rescued rustled cattles in Benue, Taraba, Nassarawa and Plateau states among others.

However, despite the impressive success recorded by Exercise Ayem Akpatema, it is foolhardy to think that these communities and states have been completely cleansed and purged of criminal elements to enthrone durable peace. In fact, there are indications that the armed criminal bandits have resolved and devised strategies to challenge the resolve of the government of Nigeria to secure the lives of innocent citizens.

Although, Exercise Cat Race has been officially terminated in most of the states, with the only extension of two months in Taraba state, it is not unwise to say that it is too early for the army personnel to quit the stage, in the areas they have been withdrawn. Clearly, the time allocated for the Exercise Ayem Akpatema is too short to completely fish out criminal elements in these communities who have devised various methods to escape the searchlight of an Army determined to humble them in their tracks and criminal exploits against the people of Nigeria. Unarguably, there is still some work pending to finally deliver these states from the choking grip of armed criminals. It explains why quitting the stage by soldiers now is unpalatable.

Much as inhabitants appreciate the good and unquantifiable work done by the Nigerian Army within the 40 days, the Exercise Cat Race lasted, it was to the joy and great relief of these armed criminals when the Exercise was officially pronounced ended. There is no gain repeating the obvious that many of them have been arrested by our gallant troops whilst others were neutralized but we must not go to bed with our eyes closed since those who armed these trouble makers are still business and not ready to let go of their merchants.

Therefore, there is need for Mr. President to attune with his promise of completely ridding these states of militants, armed criminals and bandits by uniformly extending the Exercise Ayem Kpatema in all the areas it initially covered to sustain and consolidate on the gains it has so far recorded. It is the unstated desire and unuttered request from the lips of people from the affected states. It is to be noted that the call for this extension is premised on the performance of troops.

Consequently, there have been trenchant calls by the people for Mr. President to review the decision of the abrupt withdrawal of Army personnel from the field. Only an extension can afford the Army enough time to completely chase out and disarm these criminals for IDPs to return back their villages and communities.

While the Nigerian Army is ever willing to sacrifice itself to ensure the comfort of the citizenry, it must be given the official nod to act in circumstances of this nature. It is therefore, worthwhile and imperative for President Buhari to extend the Exercise Ayem Akpatema to other states for the same duration it has extended in Taraba state to berth enduring peace. For the total sanity of our country, not until a time that the civil police can give assurances that they can sustain the feat recorded by the Nigerian Army, let the race go on and the rats continue to run.

Ainoko is a public affairs commentator and contributed this piece from Kaduna.