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 Politics / DSS, Judges And The Conscience Of A Nation by jeremyliness: 6:38am On Oct 12, 2016 |
DSS, Judges And the Conscience of a Nation By Okanga Agila The Department of State Security Service (DSS), a few days ago, created a novel chapter, unknown in Nigeria’s farthest history. In an attempt to take the anti-graft war of the current regime to the Landlords of justice, it embarked on a sting operation to fish out suspected corrupt judges. Simultaneously, it stormed the houses of some serving Justices or His Lordships in Nigeria in locations like Abuja, Kano, Gombe and Port Harcourt over allegations of compromising their integrity and ethical codes, by suspiciously twisting the wings of justice. The legality or illegalities of the DSS actions are not the main issues under contention in this piece. But evidence flaunted by the DSS after the midnight “raids” on the homes of select judges sumptuously attest to suspicions on how some members of the Bench live in opulence far beyond reasonable expectations of their lawful incomes. The State Secret Police recovered various sums of cash in local and foreign currencies during the sting operations in the private homes of these judges. The incident has attracted a flurry of reactions, especially from members of the Bar and the Bench. In a fashion reminiscent of the comradeship some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) rose in defence of Mr. Ricky Tarfa, SAN, who was arrested over allegations of bribing judges to influence the outcomes of cases brought to his chamber, the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) President, Mr Abubakar Mamoud, SAN, did the same. He instantly addressed a press conference demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the Judges, especially the two Supreme court Justices, Sylvester Ngwuta and Iyang Okoro. Lawyers threatened courts boycott and court workers, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) joined the fray by lending their voice for the unconditional release of the judges. The DSS has released them, not necessarily because of these comradeships clamoring, but in compliance with the law, as the judges now report as stipulated to the DSS in preparation for their arraignment in court. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mahmud Mohammed, was cautious on the matter, but remarked that, “It is indeed very saddening and deeply regrettable, the distressing and unfortunate incident....” But curiously, the comradeship spirit of some members of the Bar and the Bench has been expectedly high in condemnations; merely questioning the manner of the DSS sting operation was conducted. They should know the law better! However, no one is thinking about national integrity and the anti- corruption campaign, cum the attitudinal change as presently canvassed by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. They are more preoccupied with treating the proverbial “symptoms, rather than the disease.” The hordes of unions, associations and individual lawyers who have voiced out against the incident are hardly prepared to speak about the “raw” evidence of cash the DSS recovered from their forceful entry into the homes of these suspected judges. One of the judges was even smart enough to have allegedly carted away $2million in the full glare of security agents to destroy evidence. It is shocking that comrades of the judges are only satisfied playing safe, with blind comradeship, tinged with an obvious lip service pledge not to side with corruption. But without a doubt, the unfolding scenario is a straight battle between the elites, presumed to have substantially contributed to the destruction of Nigeria’s judicial system and the mass of ordinary Nigerians who have lived under the crushing pains of an apparently tainted legal system for years. Much as the comrades try to camouflage and confuse others with the impropriety of the DSS action on the judges, some Nigerians who have tested their bitter pills know the truth and the pains about seeking justice in Nigeria. So, they have backed the DSS and the Presidency on this score, only if this can mitigate the impunity in Nigeria’s justice system. Some sound minds in the Bar like retired former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami puts it mildly recently that “You members of the Bar often tell sordid stories or tales of certain high ranking serving or retired judicial officers who act as ‘arrangees’ or couriers of bribe. That is, such are engaged at a fee to reach out to judges to influence or ‘purchase’ justice in certain sensitive cases.” Human rights Lawyer, Femi Falana chided the NBA for shielding corrupt judges and lawyers, which he claimed, the association has abundant information “to the embarrassment of incorruptible members of the bar and the bench… the few lawyers who have plucked up the courage to expose corrupt judges and lawyers have been stigmatized and treated like lepers by their colleagues.” More than a few Nigerians believe that the judicial system is tainted and needs surgical cleansing. The arrest of the judges by the DSS has resurrected these feelings among Nigerians very pungently for multiple reasons. The first burden and pain of Nigerians is the expensive nature of the justice system, the constant wailings of the citizenry. Padded to it, is the puzzling nightmare aggrieved Nigerians seeking legal redress face in courts in the hands of some allegedly corrupt and fraudulent members of the judiciary. The Judiciary in Nigeria, as a house stinks odiously because some of its members have redefined the meaning of the temple of justice based on fraudulent discretions. But like former President of the Appeal Court, Justice Ayo Salami stated in the wake of the DSS invasion of the homes of the Judges, Nigerians hate the truth and avoid it like a plague. But there comes a time, it has to be told and deceit tackled. If Nigerians cast their minds back, it was just yesterday the National Judicial Council (NJC) under the chairmanship of the CJN had cause to recommend the suspension, dismissal or sack of some very senior judicial officers. The NJC’s action was necessitated based on proven misconducts, after a thorough probe by this statutory body. Members of Bench as high as a Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya and another on whose shoulders the entire temple of justice in a whole state rests, the Chief Judge of Enugu State, the (in)Justice I. A. Umezulike and Justice Kabiru M. Auta of the High Court of Justice, Kano State are among those affected. While expressly admitting that not all members of the Bar and the Bench are corrupt, it is also plausible to argue that the Nigerian judiciary has sufficient stock and share of its bad eggs, like any other profession in Nigeria. As a country, Nigeria has failed to check its institutions for years and practitioners of every profession feel freely at ease and delight more in ethical abuse than observance of the ideal codes of practice. Nigerians, especially politicians who contest elections and have to further drag it to the Elections Petitions Tribunal can testify to the horror and cruelty of the Nigerian judiciary. At the end of every general elections and the ensuing season of litigations, the NJC receives petitions bordering on the misconduct of members of the Bench. Some get sacked, quite okay! But to conclude that all judges who soil their fingers in filthy lucre, while presiding over election petitions get caught is untrue. Some still escape with their illicit funds and pervasive judgments. Recently, two courts with coordinate jurisdiction- a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt and another in Abuja gave very conflicting verdicts in the stalled PDP national convention. The first judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt consented to the conduct of the PDP National Convention and while it was in progress, another Federal High Court, (not an appeal Court), issued a contrary order to halt the convention. That’s where the Nigerian judiciary hangs its pride. There were two conflicting verdicts; on the same matter and by courts of equal adjudicatory powers. The same spirit created two governors for Abia state simultaneously months back. President Buhari has lodged war against corruption from his first day into office and the EFCC under Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu has arraigned scores of alleged looters of the states and Nigeria. But the first courts of adjudications have been unable to convict, discharge or acquit any suspect nearly two years after. At a workshop for senior judicial officials in Abuja weeks back, President Buhari almost broke down into tears, explaining how the judiciary is frustrating his anti-graft war. But some Nigerians prefer to blame him, instead of the judiciary for failing to secure the conviction of alleged looters. These are signs of an infested system and when the DSS’s sting operation also affects two Justices of the apex court in the land, the magnitude of the problem is better imagined. Those crying foul and calling President Buhari a fascist and a dictator like the opposition PDP, which has a blurred idea about the concept of separation of powers should note that the sting operation by the DSS on the suspected judges in not peculiar to Nigeria. Far more advanced democracies like the USA also subject corrupt judicial officers or those suspected to have abused ethical codes to such secret surveillance and arrest of fraudulent judges as it happened in 2010 to a Senior U.S. District Judge, Jack T. Camp whom the FBI arrested and charged to court for drugs and firearms offences. The Justice system of the neighbouring Ghana was such cesspit filth. But Ghanaians supported the sanitization of the system under Ghana’s Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, as over 20 judges were flushed out. It is time Nigerians demonstrate that the conscience of a nation is in her people. The bandwagon effect which significantly blurs the sense of dispassionate judgment is injurious to national progress. Even in churches, before the hallowed presence of God, people steal and some Nigerians would still remember how the expensive sandals of the then Military President, Ibrahim Babangida was stolen at the Central mosque in Abuja, during a Friday Ja’amat prayers. So, in the temple of justice too, there are bound to be deviants and let the law takes its course. Let the judges prove their innocence in court. Okanga writes from Agila Benue State. |
| Business / Group Wants Nationwide Ban On IMN by jeremyliness: 6:49am On Oct 10, 2016 |
Group Wants Nationwide Ban On IMN By Abdul Suleiman Following the recent order by the Kaduna State government outlawing the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) from operating in the state, the Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE)has urged the federal government to move a step better by placing a nation wide ban on the activities of the sect. Addressing a press conference on Sunday in Abuja, CATE Secretary General Daniel Obaje said gave reasons why the federal government must ensure strict enforcement of IMN ban. He described the ban on IMN by Kaduna state government as a welcome development, adding that it came at the right time given the series of activities that members of the sect had planned to undermine security in not just Kaduna state but across the country. He said CATE reaffirms its strong stance for religious freedom of all Nigerians; but that is to the extent that individuals practice their faith without compromising the wellbeing of others; without imposing their beliefs on adherents of other faiths; and without coagulating into entities intended to undermine the secularity handed down by our founding fathers. According to him, IMN has consistently questioned the legitimacy of Nigeria to exist as a country. He said, "It is in this light that we urge the Federal Government to follow the example set in Kaduna state by immediately outlawing the IMN nationwide and to pursue criminal charges against anyone that continues to maintain the group, remains its member or attempt to reorganize it under a new name or identity. "Because there have been previous concerns that remnants of the Boko Haram terror group are ditching their sectarian affiliation and joining IMN, the Federal Government should immediately mandate security agencies to dismantle the IMN's network, cells and infrastructure as a way of ensuring they are unable to resurface as a more deadly terror group. "Those associated with the proscribed group should be kept under close security watch with a requirement that they are not allowed to travel abroad to countries where they could get advanced military training and further radicalisation." He urged the Federal Government in conjunction with the Kaduna state government to immediately order a freeze on bank accounts illegally operated by the banned group since an organization that has no legal existence should not be able to meet the KYC requirements of banking institutions. According to Obaje, "In this regard, the ban on IMN should extend to its subsidiaries and affiliate organizations founded on the same model and ideology. Further directives must be issued to security agencies with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) being in the lead of unravelling how much foreign funds come to the IMN and if they have link to international terror financing. We appeal to the judiciary not to overlook national interest in entertaining suits that IMN sympathizers would institute in their bid to overturn this ban. "We urge government at all levels to identify and outlaw other extremists groups existing in the country. For this purpose, a database of such groups should be created and made public to discourage citizens from becoming members of, supporting or financing such groups." He urged the government to begin massive enlightenment campaigns to promote religious and sectarian tolerance among the population.
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| Politics / How Not To Be NSA by jeremyliness: 10:06pm On Oct 09, 2016 |
How Not To Be NSA By Abu Duniya Unfortunately there is no body of document that one can resort to in defining what the tasks of a National Security Adviser (NSA) are. The job description is agreed to be what the incumbent Commander-in-Chief says it is. The responsibility is however important enough to confer automatic membership of the National Security Council as stipulated by the Constitution. The current holder of this all important position is Mohammed Babagana Monguno, a retired Major General. It appears he has resolved to exploit the fluid definition of his role to the best personal advantage without a thought for how this affects the public perception of his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, whose sole promise to the nation is to midwife change. Until the confounding revelations about the immediate past National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, about how the office became clearing house for corrupt disbursement of funds meant for crucial national procurement, the position of NSA was an exalted one. Munguno would have then done well if only he had reverted to the pre-Dasuki era, when the Office of NSA was about the country and not the incumbent and his cronies. Sadly, not only has Monguno sustained and built on the legacies of Dasuki he has gone ahead to introduce aberrations that have undermined the position to the point where Nigerians may one day question the propriety of keeping it. The office of NSA has become political than strategic. In the past, Monguno had engaged in a power play that was as unnecessary as it was distracting, a perfect equivalent of fiddling while Rome burns. The NSA had his tiff with the Director General Department of State Service (DSS), Lawal Musa Daura. The DSS is one institution that is crucial to meeting the security objectives of the country yet the needless crisis was allowed to fester. Details of the dirty fight are disheartening enough that they would not be reproduced in this piece. Monguno's penchant for picking up needless quarrels was similarly demonstrated when he picked up one with the Chief of Staff to Mr President, Mr Abba Kyari. The dirty depths to which that fight sunk is equally not to be recounted. But it went on at the detriment of the nation since the NSA took his eyes off the ball making it possible for some threats of potential security breaches to grow. The driving force for the NSA was however proven to be a desperation to protect monetary interests. He was reportedly keen on protecting his proxies who had teamed up with senior officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to extort those being investigated for possible fraudulent dealings with the previous NSA. But for the focus of President Muhammadu Buhari, who offered all the needed support to the Military Service Chiefs, the fight against terrorism would have been a failure on account of the NSA. Suprisingly, Monguno's link to the frustration of the anti-terror fight has to do with him exhibiting ethnic loyalty as he was reportedly wary of being seeing as acting against or killing off his ethnic stock, which contributes the larger number of Boko Haram members. These previous clownings however paled into insignificance when viewed against the NSA's latest undertaken. Not only is he risking making the government he serves looking bad he potentially will push Nigeria into the pariah zone, a designation that was last relevant in describing Nigeria in the dark years of Sani Abacha dictatorship. At a time when Nigerians want further deepening of democracy, Monguno has a different idea. He probably thinks his best contribution to our nationhood is to catalyze the emergence of an hobbesian state, where might equals right and the citizens are just food for the rich and powerful. Monguno is now writing to his foreign counterparts to provide him with information on the assets of individuals perceived to be his enemies. It would have been conceivable if his targets were the same fellow appointees he had fallen out with in the recent past. The NSA is however making a wide sweep to encompass newspaper editors, journalists, businessmen and women, ministers, federal legislators, state governors and a long list of others that makes the regime in North Korea look tame. The impending clam down on perceived opponents is progressing even where no allegations exist to spend resources and exploit diplomatic goodwill that could have been deployed for the anti-terror efforts. Yet, these have been frittered away in pursuit of personal vendetta that has no bearing on the pressing security concerns besetting the nation. A gentle reminder to Monguno is that national security is in need of attention. The Military might have recorded the exceptional feat of degrading Boko Haram in spite of his sabotage but Nigeria is still reeling from kidnappings, armed robbery, militancy, economic sabotage and the growing threat of terrorism from the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and other crimes. It is sad that he feels no remorse about these ugly realities going on under his watch while he remained preoccupied with making money and fighting those perceived as obstructing his greed. Previous experiences have shown that Monguno supremely lacks the capacity to be discerning. Even though the functions of a NSA are not expressly stated anywhere, he would do well to articulate what his roles are and stick to them. Definitely, his job description does not include creating a subsidiary dictatorship under a government that has demonstrated constant capacity to listen and be accommodating of citizens, even the dissenting ones. The onus thus falls on President Buhari to call Monguno to order. He should hand the NSA specific lists of what his role entails because in the final analysis it is his government that would be made to look bad. Duniya, a security expert contributed this piece from Katsina State. |
| Politics / Nigerians Protest In UK Commonwealth House, Wants El Zakzakky Prosecuted by jeremyliness: 5:13am On Oct 07, 2016 |
Nigerians Protest In UK Commonwealth House, Wants Shiite Leader El Zakzakky Prosecuted By Abu Duniya A Nigerian group in the United Kingdom has taken to the street of London, to demand the prosecution of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzakky for terror related activities since he has been indicted by investigations into a faceoff between his group and the army in December 2015. El-Zakzakky remained in detention since being arrested following the incident that made the military launch an operation to clear out members of his group who obstructed the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff and reportedly made an attempt on his life. The Movement of the People of Nigeria, whose members protested at the Commonwealth Secretariat on Thursday, described the delay in arraigning the IMN leader as a mistake that has made his followers bolder and more dangerous. The movement also slammed Iran for interfering in the affairs of Nigeria through its support for the IMN, which it described as a terror organisation with a demand that IMN members also be tried and their finances investigated for subversion for inviting Iranian intervention in Nigeria's internal affairs. UK Coordinator of the group, Joe Mayowa warned that the protests would spread to other world cities and major Nigerian cities if the federal government fails to immediately begin prosecution of El-Zakyzaky and other IMN leaders that were indicted by several reports on his group’s faceoff with the army last year. In a speech read on behalf of the movement, Mayowa noted that the federal government had made similar mistake in the past when founding members of the Boko Haram terror group were not diligently prosecuted. He said “It was that mistake that bred the blood-thirsty horde that carried out attacks in Abuja and some other cities in Nigeria. Nationals of Commonwealth nations were killed in those attacks. The decision not to prosecute pioneer Boko Haram members was driven by local politics but the fallout was felt by nationals of all nations on earth. “A greater mistake is being made by not prosecuting members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) for their acts of violence against the state and against citizens of Nigeria and Commonwealth nations. The group's members have mirrored every single crime committed by Boko Haram in its formative years yet nothing significant have been done to put its members on trial for breaching the peace in manners that resulted in the loss of life. “It may also not be a mistake, in which case the delay in prosecuting detained IMN leaders could be a silent plea for international backing by the Nigerian government. It is important the world is able to reassure the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that they have the world's support for nipping the growing terror of IMN in the bud. “A clear message must be sent to the government that the firmness with which it deals with the IMN threat is a matter global interest as any fallout from delay in dealing with the threat posed by the group will affect the whole world. “For the avoidance of doubt, events of December 2015, when IMN members made an attempt on the life of a senior administration official sparked off chains of events that proved the group is not to be treated with kid's gloves. Those events exposed the fact that the IMN has the capacity to take on the Nigerian state in battle and would not shy away from attempting it if drastic measures that enjoy international support are not taken. “The result of several investigations of those events is profound. They all want the prosecution of the IMN leader, Mr. Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and all those that supported him in that insurrection. The Kaduna State Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Nasir El-Rufai clearly indicted him and recommended him for prosecution. “The report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHCR) specifically demanded an immediate trial of El-Zakzaky and his supporters for causing that injurious breach of the peace,” he stressed. Mayo lamented that the IMN leader seems to be getting preferential treatment compared to other persons that have led insurgencies against the country, noting that “This situation has made his followers to rub salt in our collective injury. They have been made bold by the delay in prosecuting El-Zakzaky and those of his members found culpable by the reports. “They have done everything from threatening more mayhem to almost implementing the threats under the cover of street protests. In the course of mobilising for these so called protests and trek, there are reports that fleeing Boko Haram fighters entered several Nigerian cities under the cover of IMN members. “They have also used the period to escalate their avowed commitment to undermining Nigeria's sovereignty with their renewed invitation to the Islamic Republic of Iran to meddle in our internal affairs,” the group complained. It appealed to the Commonwealth to convince the government to pursue El-Zakzakky’s trial with a warning that there should be no distinction in the type of crimes committed in the course of terrorism.
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| Politics / JCI,NHRC Reports: What Is FG Waiting For? by jeremyliness: 5:47am On Oct 06, 2016 |
JCI,NHRC Reports: What Is FG Waiting For? By Anthony Kolawole ‘Save Zakzaky’s Life Group of Nigeria’, the new creation of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has threatened to overwhelm Abuja, the nation’s capital with protests if their leader, Mr Ibraheem El-Zakyzaky is not released from the custody. National Coordinator of the IMN subsidiary, Bashir Marafa hinted that millions would be attending the protests. As a background, El-Zakyzaky was taken into custody in the aftermath of a military operation in Zaria, Kaduna state after extremists in the IMN made an attempt on the life of the Chief of Army Staff. He reportedly sustained injuries from that operation for which he has been treated. Going by the account of the military, that operation led to the recovery of caches of weapons that could have potentially been enough to destabilize the country. The operation also led to widespread condemnation because of the human toll reportedly recorded. The consequence of this was the several probes and investigations that were launched in its aftermath. Three reports on the incidence stand out by reason of what they prescribed. First was the report of Amnesty International, which came out in record time thereby casting doubt on its thoroughness especially when it mostly spoke with the extremists and recourse to the military as a last resort. Its report wants the military punished as it made light of the aggression put up by IMN members. Secondly is the report of the Kaduna State Judicial Commission of Inquiry that was set up by the Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. That commission found the IMN and its leadership culpable in precipitating the situation that led to the operation. Its recommendation included trying and punishing those that were responsible for instigating the IMN youths to go to war with the army. Thirdly, the report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directly indicted EL-Zakyzaky. The Commission consequently called for the speedy trial of El-Zakzaky after it found that the leadership and members of the sect “were responsible for the abuse of right to freedom of movement of the convoy of the COAS and other members of the public by blocking the public highway on December 12, 2015.” It is therefore cofounding that the Federal Government is yet to act on any of these reports to take decisive steps that will ensure that Nigerians do not have to live in fear and read of IMN members oppressing them and denying them of their rights on daily basis. The delay in acting on the recommendations to put El-Zakyzaky and other IMN leaders on trial is that they are now playing reversed psychology game on the state. Instead of retreating as the indicted party, the one in the wrong, they have whipped up propaganda that accuses the Nigerian government and its institutions of being the aggressors. In total insensitivity and regards for the historical fact that their penchant for terrorizing other citizens with processions that seal off public roads was a factor in the clashes they have had with security agencies, IMN members have take to the streets of major cities in attempt to stage crippling protests. Fortunately, those protests fell flat as the group’s notoriety preceded it. They then resorted to declaring a provocative trek from Zaria to Abuja, which also failed as several critics were quick to point out that the trek could be a cover for wanted IMN fanatics to flee their known location to establish new cells in other cities. They were also reportedly looking to use the trek and its associated protests to trigger a faceoff with security agencies. This latest threat of grounding Abuja with protests is the latest in the series of baiting that IMN has been involved in to make the federal government and organizations like the police and army look bad. Somewhere in the wing there is Amnesty International waiting, possibly to launch a report that will criminalize any response to the provocative protests. We should at this point begin to ask ourselves how as a country we got to this point where an extremist group backed by an Islamic country became a law unto itself. We must interrogate why IMN and its leadership have arrogated to themselves the status of not being bound by the laws by which other groups and persons are bound. If we follow the precedence being sought by IMN authorities would have to release any captured Boko Haram commander without trial even though these terrorists and IMN leadership have a lot in common in that they promote extremism, radicalize youths and commit acts of violence against state and citizens alike. By what token are they then demanding that El-Zakyzaky be released? The fanatical zeal with which they are demanding the release of a man who several reports have recommended for trial lends credence to speculations that some of his followers and backer, Iran are not interested in his wellbeing but only want him released to them so that they can finish him off and then blame his demise on the Nigerian state. The thinking is that as a “martyr” he would be able to provoke an “earth shaking crisis” that his entire vitriolic cannot achieve while in the land of the living. As farfetched as this speculation is, the government must be wary not to make the mistake of caving in to blackmail. Should El-Zakyzaky be released on the basis of the blackmail protests then it would amount to setting bad precedence that will come back to haunt the nation. Extremists groups will simply proliferate and no one would be able to hold their leaders responsible for anything. The ugly suggestion of the plan by some IMN members with Iran is further proof that everything must continued to be done according to the book – the courts should be allowed to decide the man’s fate in accordance of whatever the government would charge him for and how well the charges are marshaled. This leaves the federal government with a clear option: they should begin El-Zakzakky's prosecution on the strength of the Kaduna State Judicial Commission of Inquiry and the NHRC reports, which have strongly indicted him. Kolawole PHD is a University lecturer and contributed this piece from Keffi, Nasarawa State. |
| Politics / El-zakzakky: Why The Law Must Take Its Course by jeremyliness: 6:31am On Oct 04, 2016 |
El-Zakzakky: Why The Law Must Take Its Course By Alphonsus Okeme “Nigeria is pouring fuel on fire.” This is the recent instigative catch-phrase or the inflammatory remarks of immediate past Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Saeed Koozechi over the detention of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) Leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzakky by Nigerian security agents. The withdrawal of Ambassador Saeed Koozechi from Nigeria and his replacement with another comrade, Ambassador Morteza Rahimi Zarchi signifies the desperation of President Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran to keep an eye on Nigeria. Probably, Iran or the Nigerian government is misreading the minds of the people. Nigerians want no further official links with Iran and its Embassy in Abuja. The Embassy should be closed and further diplomatic ties with Iran should be severed. If former Iranian Ambassador Koozechi could “pour fuel on fire” in Nigeria, his successor has the same briefs. Fuel by its nature is extremely inflammable. Added to fire, anybody can guess the consequences. It’s like wild fire experienced by some western countries in the recent past, which consumed a whole Naval Base in Russia. The Republic of Iran, with its notorious status as founders of Islamic State (ISIS) and global terrorism is making no pretensions about its sponsorship of such acts of terror in Nigeria. The quoted statement unfortunately attributed to the withdrawn Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Saeed Koozechi, abundantly justifies his country’s veiled sponsorship of terrorism in Nigeria in all its ramifications. Koozechi’s diplomatic gut in Nigeria demoralizes. But more to it, his remarks portrayed Nigeria as a nation which has buried its pride and competencies to interrogate demonic interference with the sovereign rights of her citizens. It’s extremely annoying dimension was Koozechi’s explicit undiplomatic undermining of efforts of the Nigerian government over the Shiites/IMN clash with Nigerian soldiers in Zaria, December 2015. Nigerian government (Kaduna state) reacted to the incident by setting up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry (JCI). While the JCI, an initiative of Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai was probing the incidence, the Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also waded into the incidence by setting up a probe panel. But a foreign ambassador to Nigeria could not wait for the verdicts of the probes by these lawful institutions, but preferred to incite his comrades in noxious religious fanaticism to unleash “fire” on Nigeria. Iran has undisputed links with Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the country, which it has confirmed through numerous publications, as its West African wing of the Islamic State (ISIS). Legitimately too and overlooking the permissible, but shameful flaws on the part of Nigerian state, assignments of foreign missions in any country is strictly diplomatic to mainly promote healthy relationships among countries under the umbrella of United Nations (UN) of the world. What is certain is that it does not extend to their Excellencies on foreign missions to appropriate to themselves the laxity and disreputable, offensive role of issuing inciting and inflammatory comments on their host countries’ very sensitive security issues. A foreign mission anywhere in the world is not a blank script. It lucidly defines limits and extents such foreign countries can interfere into the internal affairs of their host. But Ambassador Koozechi mindlessly overstretched it in Nigeria. He instigated the violent Shiites members of the IMN, famed for their untamed flair for violence to rise up against the Nigerian government and her people for the detention of its Leader in Nigeria, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzzaky. This is undiplomatic. It was a wonderful and murderous impunity from a diplomat and reveals Iran’s real intentions on Nigeria. It calls to question whether Nigeria’s intelligence security apparatus is in coma or in an emergency ward in an unnamed hospital in Abuja, the seat of Nigeria’s federal government. But if they deny this assertion, it means, one of these two propositions. It is either they are in deep slumber or stone dead, ultimately dazed with some liquor on their duty posts. Iranian presence is still sighted in Abuja, where it possibly and inconspicuously incites more protests to crudely press for the release of IMN leader in Nigeria. Nigerian security agencies fear a diplomatic row, but allow an Iranian Ambassador to freely trudge on the rights of Nigerians to the extent of undermining the country’s sovereignty with such acerbic and vitriolic comments. It’s amazing that security agents could not do as little as inviting him for explanation before his redeployment. Nigeria is really a wonderful country! No Nigerian ambassador or anyone on such foreign mission in another country can assume such liberty to dabble into his host country’s internal and delicate security affairs. Not with such instigative intent as typified by Koozechi without being appropriately reproached. However, Ambassador Koozechi and his Iranian bosses cannot rise above the Nigerian government or its institutions. The Kaduna State JCI on the IMN/ soldiers clash chaired by Hon. Justice Mohammed Garba submitted its report on the crisis since July 15, 2016. A nine-member White paper drafting committee has also been set up by Governor el Rufai. While awaiting the white paper, the JCI’s report has clearly indicted the Leader of the Shiites/IMN, Sheik El-Zakzakky and his incensed members for the sustained acts of lawlessness and particularly, the unlawful attack on the convoy of the COAS, Gen. Tukur Buratai in Zaria. Parts of the panel’s report states inter-alia; “Members of the IMN owe absolute loyalty to Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky. He therefore bears responsibility for all acts of lawlessness committed by the organization and should therefore be held responsible, fully investigated and prosecuted.” Demonstrating their unrepentant passion for violence in the guise of religiosity, the report admitted that even calls by Governor el-Rufai to Sheik El-Zakzakky to restrain or prevail on his followers to open the aisle for the COAS were rebuffed. El=Zakzakky’s intervention at that critical hour would have saved the souls and lives of Nigerians on both sides, wasted in IMN’s violent confrontation with the Nigerian army. But he irreligiously declined. The JCI repeated in several paragraphs of the report that the IMN leader and his adherents have become an epitome of outlaws in that part of the country, at different times. The COAS incident only exposed their violent insanity and their prosecution would serve as deterrence. In spite of the Constitutional provision for freedom of worship, religious sects have no reason to consider it a license to trample on the fundamental rights of other Nigerians to enjoy their prescribed, lawful liberties. The JCI frowned that; “From the testimonies of the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigeria Police, groups such as the Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), communities such as Gyallesu Community, Sabon-Gari community and a host of others, including individuals, it is clear that the menace of the IMN activities had been going on (seemingly unchallenged) for quite a long time.” Notwithstanding the assailing guilt, the Shiites or IMN in Nigeria and their sponsors organized fresh protests. They disparaged the report as biased and lopsided, even though the JCI submitted a report widely hailed as impartial. But while they delighted in their fantasy of unchallenged lawlessness, it blindfolded them against the new order in Nigeria. The same damning verdict handed over to the IMN by the JCI was separately re-echoed by another independent body- the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). It urged security agents to expedite action on the trial of members of the IMN, who assailed the convoy of COAS in a dismissive affront on Nigerian laws. The verdicts of these two separate bodies could not have necessarily skipped the truth. What remains certain is that the IMN members transgressed the laws of the land. The COAS incident is not the first of such transgressions. The Shiites in Nigeria have a reputation for this religious indecency and easy resort to unprovoked violence. Security agents, especially the DSS would do Nigerians a favour by arraigning Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzakky and suspected Shiites members to court for alleged willful breach of national security. This should be done immediately because during the Shiites clash with the army and its aftermath, large cache of arms and ammunitions have been found in the possession of IMN members. Its an indication of their sponsorship by Iran, which warranted their confrontation of a constituted authority. Iran aims to destabilize the whole West African region and governments of countries in this region should be watchful. In the meantime, Nigeria is no longer a pariah state in the comity of nations, as stated by President Buhari in his 2016 Independence Day speech and diplomats who brazenly traduce UN ethical code, like Koozechi, in host countries should be severely reproved by the world body. Security agents should not only ensure that the Iranian Embassy in Nigeria is closed, but its redeployed Ambassador, Saeed Koozechi, who presented himself as a spy and certified agent of ISIS in Nigeria, be prosecuted. Iran is secretly plotting to ignite a religious crisis in Nigeria worse than the experience of Somalia, Syria and the rest. In addition, DSS and NIA should thoroughly investigate their activities in Nigeria in the last few years to halt such further abrasions on the sovereign rights of a nation. But if Nigeria’s security agencies have taken Koozechi’s remarks for granted, a coalition of human rights groups and the National Interfaith and Religious Organizations for Peace, numbering over 500 civil society groups are getting increasingly uneasy that Nigeria still maintains an Iranian Embassy in the country to erode the gains the Nigerian military has made over terrorism. Their massive protest to the Iranian Embassy in Abuja a few days ago sufficiently conveys this message. Okeme , Executive Director, National Peace Network contributed this article from Lagos. 1 Like
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| Politics / CCB Commendation: Buratai’s Innocence Re-echoes by jeremyliness: 6:03pm On Oct 03, 2016 |
CCB Commendation: Buratai’s Innocence Re-echoes By Philip Agbese Truth cannot be suppressed forever. It frees itself from the chains of dark forces to assert itself unstoppably. It chases away the shadows of falsehood and triumph over lies and blackmail in an unrestricted outpouring of its effervescent light. Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai’s happiness must have been flavoured by this power of truth and innocence. The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) days back, passed a verdict that exonerated the Army Chief of any illegality in his ownership of properties in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE). This was after the CCB conducted field and other verifications of declared assets of public officers. Prior to this time, some retrogressive elements in Nigeria almost crucified Buratai for allegedly owing properties in Dubai. They obstinately and noisily claimed, he acquired the property corruptly with public funds. His accusers vainly struggled to explain that as Director of Procurement at the Army HQ, Buratai diverted the funds meant for the procurement of vehicles and motorcycles for troops in the anti-terrorism war in Nigeria’s Northeast states. The Army Chief’s wives, Mrs. Aishatu Tukur Buratai and Mrs. Ummul Kalsum Tukur Buratai were also dragged into the matter, as jointly owning the N120 million worth of properties in Dubai, which a reputable Dubai-based property developer, The First Group, (TFG) transacted on behalf of the family. The anger of his detractors stemmed from the unproven conviction that the properties acquired since 2013 were paid in one full transaction. This was the only strew his antagonists erroneously held to believe it must have been proceeds of sleaze funds while in office. But in truth, Buratai has held innumerable top command positions in his career in the Army. His accusers claim the Dubai properties were corruptly acquired in 2013, when Buratai was director of procurement at the Defence Headquarters. But records indicate that Buratai was appointed to that position on February 17, 2014. Their claim made no sense to a discerning mind, but they persisted because of their masked paymasters. It was the first lie they blatantly refused to acknowledge. It simply didn’t rhyme. But displaying a frankness alien to Nigeria’s public office holder of his caliber, Buratai shocked and disarmed his accusers by admitting ownership of the Dubai property. He also disclosed that the family paid instalmentally for the property spanning a number of years. The COAS was clear that money for the purchase of the properties were his personal savings for years. Another marked departure from the norm of high profile public office holders in Nigeria, Buratai has also been including the Dubai properties in his assets declaration form with the CCB upon its acquisition, which predates his appointment as Director of Procurement, Defence Headquarters and later, COAS. In addition, TFG firm confirmed a clean and legal transaction with Buratai, indicating compliance with the extant laws of Nigeria and UAE. In a succinct statement in Abuja, the estate agent averred that, “The First Group’s Nigerian agent, TFG Real Estate, Limited, fully abides by Nigeria’s anti-money laundering regulations. In line with this commitment, TFG Real Estate, Limited regularly files the required reports with the section of the Special Control Unit on Money Laundering (SCUML) division of the EFCC in Abuja.” These explanations still failed to assuage the feeling of detractors bent on crucifying him. But even an Abuja based legal practitioner and human rights activist, Ugochukwu Osuagwu dismissed the allegations as diversionary. He was hurt that some Nigerians adjudged Buratai guilty even before investigation based on the bandwagon mentality of celebrating collective sensation. There were series of proven denials of any impropriety on the Buratai Dubai property saga. But the detractors never gave it a thought. The Nigerian Army HQ did not only accept Buratai’s ownership of the two properties in Dubai, but also explained in floating details how they were lawfully acquired with legitimate earnings. The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Sani Usman stated; “It is a fact that the Buratai family have two properties in Dubai that were paid for instalmentally through personal savings three years ago. This, along with other personal assets, have consistently been declared by General Buratai in his Assets Declaration Form as Commander Multinational Joint Task Force and as Chief of Army Staff.” These efforts at clarity never sufficiently interrogated the campaigners and agents of distraction or blackmail. They doubted Buratai’s claim of declaring the Dubai assets with the CCB. Rather, they upped the campaign against his person and integrity voicing his removal and accusing President Muhammedu Buhari of shielding corrupt appointees. Fresh activism groups emerged, sponsored petitioners sprouted, even within the army and idle Nigerians suddenly became busy, with loud calls for his sack, resignation and prosecution by the anti-graft agency, the EFCC. But they could not bury the truth for long or use it to perpetually haunt an innocent soul. Truth has now resurrected to affirm Buratai’s incorruptibility, honesty and unblemished records; a rarity with Nigeria’s high profile personalities. Just days’ back, the CCB, chairman, Mr. Sam Saba, listed Buratai, as one of the few public officers in Nigeria who have responsibly declared their assets, with no “issues” with their assets declaration requirements. The Army Chief received this dignified commendation alongside other Nigerians, who from the outset believed in President Buhari’s preachments on corruption and adherence to the new character code of “change” in moral and ethical dispositions. Interestingly, many other high profile public office holders including Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Service Chiefs and other top Public Officers have issues with the CCB over the assets declaration. But Buratai was not in this clan. He passed the test and his persecutors would now have to reluctantly look elsewhere to exercise their instincts of destruction. No doubt, Gen. Buratai remains a hero for Nigerians who are genuinely inspired by the noble service of other compatriots for their fatherland. The unwarranted assaults on his person and family, is the usual mudslinging some deviants practice as a trade in accordance with the dictates of their paymasters. Nevertheless, Buratai should be consoled that a true messiah suffers his fate, in the hands of the same people he has devoted his life and energy to salvage. Jesus Christ bore this burden when he came to liberate a sinful man from the clutches of the devil. And in spite of his innocence divine mission, He suffered persecution in the court of Pontius Pilate. But today the whole world adores and worships His enduring anointment as a Messiah for his resolute spirit that has saved mankind. While not necessarily likening him with Jesus Christ, its undeniable that Buratai’s travails share some semblance with the narrative of Christ. Buratai confronted and defeated some beasts garbed as Boko Haram terrorists who held the country to ransom for years. But instead of appreciation, the same people who are now savoring the fruits of his selfless service sharpened arsenals to wickedly pierce his integrity and reputation built over the years, with diversionary accusations about his ownership of properties in Dubai. That his own constituency, the army was fooled into the game by writing petitions against him is painful enough. Like Jesus Christ was betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, the few soldier-petitioners also betrayed Buratai, but the bulk of the Nigerian Army stand solidly behind him to see to a final annihilation of terrorism in the country. He should therefore not falter at his betrayal, but see his natural exoneration as his special protection by God Almighty to serve his people better. With the emerging incontrovertible truth about his Dubai properties, Nigerians, particularly, those who orchestrated this campaign of calumny against the Army Chief and his family, should not only retract from their odd ways, but also tender unreserved apologies to the family. To err is human. But to realize your guilt or mistakes and confess is Godly. It has the power to re-invent and cleanse your soul. But surely, after darkness comes light. As Buratai’s innocence re-echoes at dawn, it should be a soothing balm to all those similarly persecuted. Agbese is a public affairs analyst and contributed this piece from the United Kingdom.
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| Politics / CCB Commends COAS Buratai, Seminitari, Others Over Asset Declaration by jeremyliness: 6:57am On Sep 30, 2016 |
CCB Commends COAS Buratai, Seminitari, Others Over Asset Declaration Commendations has again come the way of the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) for his asset declaration, which the Bureau has again certified to be accurate. Several other public service also got commendation from the Bureau for declaring their assets. These other public servants include: Semenitari Mary –Gab Tamunoibim (Ag. MD/CEO NDDC); Ibrahim K. Idris (Inspector General of Police), Boboye Oyeyemi (Corps Marshall FRSC); Amina Mohammed (Minister of Enviroment) and Hope Odhuluma Ikrirko (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission). Others are; Anyim Pius Anyim – (former SGF), Abdulrahman Dambazau (Minister of Interior), Zainab Ahmed Shamsuna (Minister Budget & National Planning), Aisha Abubakar (Minister Trade, Investment & Industry (State) ); Prof. Yakubu Mahmood ( INEC Chairman); Prof. Julius A. Okojie – Former (Executive Secretary NUC ) and Malam Adanu Adamu (Minister of Education). The CCB, in a statement by its Chairman, Sam Saba, said the Bureau has invited some serving Federal Ministers among others has invited some serving ministers over “issues” about the asset declaration requirements. He said, "CCB however, commends those public officers, who honoured its invitations promptly and submitted themselves for the exercise" among whom are Buratai. Saba threatened to drag defaulters and those, who ignore its invitation for clearance to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for prosecution. They include Kemi Adeosun (Finance), Kayode Fayemi (Mine and Solid Minerals), Adebayo Shittu (Min. of Communication); Babatunde Fashola (Minister of Power, Works and Housing); Ibe Ikachukwu (Minister of State Petroleum); Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (Minister of Science and Technology) Others are Mike Okiro (Chairman, Police Service Commission), Godwin Emefiele (CBN Governor), Abubakar Bawa Bwari (Minister of State Solid Minerals) and Rotimi Amaechi (Minister of Transport). Also invited are Sen. Aisha Alhassan (Minister Women Affairs and Social Development); Solomon Dalung (Minister of Youths & Sports Development); Udo Udoma (Minister Budget and National Planning); Gen. Dan Ali Mansur (Minister of Defence); Ibrahim Usman Jibril (Minister of State, Environment); Suleiman Adamu (Minister of Water Resources and Rural Development), Lai Muhammed (Minister of Information) and Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Minister of State Power). The CCB said it has also invited Prof. Claudius O, Daramola (Minister of State Niger Delta Affairs); Mrs. Hadiza Usman (MD. Nigeria Ports Authority); Ahmed Kuru (MD/CEO AMCON); Prof. Isaac F. Adewole (Minister of Health); Okechukwu Enelamah 9Minister of Trade Investment and Industry) and Geoffrey Onyema (Minister of Foreign Affairs). Part of the statement reads: “Pursuant to paragraph 11 of Part 1 of the 5th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), every public officer is required to submit to the CCB a written declaration of all his properties, assets and liabilities and those of his/her spouse (if not a public officer) and his unmarried children under the age of eighteen years. “Any statement in such declaration that is found to be false by any authority or person authorized in that behalf to verify it shall be deemed to be a breach of this Code. “To this end, the Bureau has commenced its 2016 4th Quarter cycle of conference and Field verifications of assets of top public officers. “Accordingly, letters of invitation have been dispatched to Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Service Chiefs and other top Public Officers. “Those invited are: Ntom Chukwu (DIG NPF),Folunsho A. Adebanjo (DIG NPF), Abdul Bube (AIG NPF), Solomon Arase (IGP-Former), Rear Admiral Joseph Osa .O. (Commandant Operation Delta Safe); Major General M.A. Koleoso (GOC Tradoc); Mr. Joshak Habila (DIG NPF) and Emmanuel T. Inyang (DIG NPF).” Also invited are “Abubakar Malami (Min. of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation); Barr. Adebayo Shittu (Min. of Communication); Maigari Abbati Dikko (DIG NPF); Hyacinth M. Dagala (DIG NPF); Dr. Chimaobi Odunze (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission); Dr. Hamnadu Babanka M. (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commision); Amb. Toye Olofintuyi (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission) And Prof. Aminu Diyo Sheidu (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission).” Others are Dr. Jonah Madugu (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission); Alh. Rafiu Babatunde Tanibu (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission); Alh.Alhassan Usman Sokodabo (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission); Engr. Anebi Joselh Garba ( C.G Federal Fire Service); Gen Abayomi G. Olanishakin ( Chief of Defence Staff); Shuaibu Gambo (DIG NPF); AVM Abubakar Baba Sadique ( Chief of Air Staff) and Muhammad Gana Abdullahi ( C.G MSCDS). The CCB’s invitation is also extended to Babatunde Muhammed ( C.G Immigration); Vice Admiral Ibas Ekwe Ibok ( Chief of Naval Staff); Audu Ogbeh ( Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development); Prof. Anthony Anwukah ( Minister of State, Education); Brig. Gen. Sale Kazaure (D.G NYSC); Kashim Tumash ( Ex. Sec, Nig Sao-Tome & Principle Joint Dev. Authority); Maikanti Baru ( G.M.D NNPC) and Chief Joseph Olorunfemi Akande ( Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission). Others include Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Agatta (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission), Alh. Yahaya Yusuf (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission), Alh. Ibrahim Mohammed (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission), Mr. Ben Akabueze ( D.G, Budget and National Planning), Ibrahim Umaru ( M.D NDIC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu ( Ex. Secretary NUC), Mr. Simon James Etim (Fed. Commissioner Civil Service Commission); Adio Onibiyo Waziri (Ex. Sec NEITI); Mrs. Chinelo Anohu Amazu (D.G. PENCOM); Osagie Ehanire (Minister of State, Health) and Pastor Usani Uguru Usani (Minister of Niger Delta Affairs). Also included in the list are Mrs. Oyo Ita Ekanem (Head of Civil Service of The Federation), Anibor Kragha (GED. NNPC Refineries), Saidu Mohammed (GED, NNPC Gas and Power), Muhammadu Bello (Minister FCT), Sen. Hadi Sirika (Minister of State Aviation), Hajiya Khadija Bukar (Minister of State Foreign Affairs), Olusegun Awolowo (ED/CEO Export Promotion Council NEPC), Bello Rabiu (GED NNPC Downstream), Sen. Chris Ngige Minister of Labour and Employment) and Heineiken Lokpobiri (Minister of State Agriculture and Rural Development). Saba said the: “This exercise is ongoing and is being carried out concurrently at the Federal, State and Local Government levels. “At a satisfactory completion of the exercise, Public Officers are issued with certificate of Assets Conference Verification/Field Verification as the case maybe."
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| Events / Abuja 'GOLD WATER PARTY' To Hold Oct 2 At Sandralia Hotel by jeremyliness: 3:23am On Sep 30, 2016 |
Abuja 'GOLD WATER PARTY' To Hold Oct 2 At Sandralia Hotel The most anticipated pool party in Abuja is here again. The famous Abuja 'GOLD WATER PARTY' is back with the fifth edition featuring one of Africa’s finest artistes, PHYNO and the incredible Mr. Eazi. The event powered by Sandralia Millie House, is slated for Sunday October 2nd 2016 at Sandralia Hotels, located at No 1 Solomon Lar way, Jabi FCT Abuja. The show kicks off by 2pm and will last till dawn. Don't miss out.
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| Politics / Terrorism, National Security And The Mass Media by jeremyliness: 7:35pm On Sep 27, 2016 |
Terrorism, National Security And The Mass Media By Philip Agbese Security of lives and property is a fundamental obligation the Nigerian state owes to its citizens, as entrenched in the 1999 Constitution. When government fails on other constitutional obligations, it is pardonable. But breach of security in any guise is never compromised and a government alive to its responsibility takes it seriously. It is government business, much as it is the responsibility of all citizens. Nigeria has been burdened by terrorism. In the last eight years, it has proven to be Nigeria’s mortal enemy. While the country battled acts of terrorism, the quantum of havoc it wreaked on the population is better imagined than believed. Assailed by acts of terrorism in different parts of the country, violent manifestations of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs), Niger Delta Militants and armed banditry and cattle rustling have all seared a deepening sense of insecurity among the people. No segment of the nation is spared the wrath of terrorists. The media has also tested this bitter pill. The bombing of ThisDay newspaper office in Abuja in 2011 and the intermittent threats of bombing media houses by terrorists have been the media’s testimony of its shadows, reflective in anxiety, anguish and the pains terrorism can foist on a nation. It is confirmed that Nigeria, like many other nations of the world have risen against acts of terror, based on the overriding motivation of securing national security. The Nigerian military has been instrumental in this regard. Anytime it is under threat or disrupted, in any part of Nigeria, it becomes a burden not only to the immediate communities affected, but the entire country comes under its choking grip. It sprouts humanitarian crisis of a frightening dimension as evident in thousands of Internally Displaced Persons trooping into safer abodes, deaths of women and children as well as creates food crisis. To avoid this scenario is what has informed the imperative for the inevitable partnership between the Nigerian security agencies and the mass media. Both play different, but complimentary roles in containing the acts of terror against the citizenry. It’s repeating the obvious to assert that the Nigerian military in conjunction with the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has degraded BHTs through a determined warfare. Normalcy is returning to the affected areas and it has doused the tension which became the haunting affliction of Nigerians. But the Nigerian Army is not living under the false illusion that terrorists have been completely routed out of Nigeria, as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen. Tukur Buratai himself has consistently echoed in many places. Given the opportunity, remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, who now dread the army have cleverly mixed up with the local population and can occasionally strike individually or regroup to launch attacks. The present situation demands for concerted action and collaboration from all stakeholders to completely eliminate terrorists in the country. Again, suffice it to say, the remnants of BHTs have resorted to waging a psychological warfare on Nigerians more than its earlier penchant for detonation of bombs in public places. Some BHTs elite members have even resorted to cyber warfare, where they issue threats of more attacks or reporting sensational, but phantom strikes on targets. These are baits designed to embolden some of their members who have renounced their membership to re-unite with them to secure the massive followership they need to reinvigorate. The Nigerian mass media would do the nation a lot good, by refraining from disseminating such unfounded propaganda. In essence, the media has a big role to play in this regard. It is incumbent on all journalists to put national interest foremost in reporting terrorism and other acts of violent aggressions against the Nigerian state. This call has become necessary because aside ethical considerations, which are sometimes, breached by reporters, the language and tenor of some reports on terrorism violence could rather enliven the perpetrators or confer on them a false sense of might against the Nigerian state. For instance, when Boko Haram terrorists struck Baga in one of its devastating raids of a community in Borno state, an online medium gave priority to the terrorists’ seeming sack of the military base of the MNJTF more. It proceeded to proclaim how the Nigerian military ignored intelligence reports warning of the impending attack. Such floating details were not necessary when national interest is considered. It had the tendency to dampen the morale of troops and bolster the bravery of terrorists, to feel they can even descend on military formations unchallenged. It also conveyed to other terrorists groups that Nigerian military formations have no sophistry to counter their madness. The reporter may not have intended any mischief, but it would have been as a result of his failure to properly comprehend the implication and destructive effects of a report crafted in this manner to the success of the anti-terrorism war. In another instance, a news medium reporting the repeated terrorists attack on Biu the home town of Nigeria’s COAS, Gen. Buratai, emphasis was placed more on the symbolism of the penetration of the country home of Nigeria’s number one soldier- Buratai. Biu is just anybody’s community and the specifics on linking the COAS to it was disingenuous and an attack on efforts to tame national insecurity. It signified the defeat of all Nigerian soldiers in the battle because a man, who cannot secure his house, cannot be trusted to safeguard the house of a neighbor. Flowing from this understanding, Buratai recently hosted Journalists in Abuja to re-cement the relationship between reporters and the Nigerian army. During the interface organized by Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja council, the army expressed its willingness to partner with journalists in the collective efforts to finally bury terrorism in the country. Buratai further pleaded that reporters should always consider national interest in the performance of their constitutional responsibilities and avail themselves of information the military is now willing to give out on the anti-terrorism war. But more importantly, while the army continues to break new grounds in its engagements with terrorists, Nigerians who now savour the respite generally should consider it a cardinal point of appreciation to keep encouraging soldiers even with mere verbal blessings. NUJ National President Waheed Odusile’s declaration that Nigerian journalists “… are proud of our Nigerian Army, which is second to none in the world,” would not only strengthen their resolve to do more, but it is an inestimable morale booster. Buratai caps it all by imploring Nigerians to verbally applaud soldiers, on the road or streets, at checkpoints, places of worship and indeed, anywhere a soldier is sighted, as this simple gesture would make them happier as Nigerians appreciated by the people they are serving with their whole lives. Agbese is a UK based public affairs analyst.
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| Politics / Re: Kachikwu On The Run by jeremyliness: 1:40pm On Sep 25, 2016 |
Re: Kachikwu On The Run By Florence Agbo An online platform, PerSecondsNews.com, on Friday reactivated a long running campaign of calumny against businessman, Mr Dumebi Kachikwu in an article titled “Kachikwu on the run, wanted for graft charges”. The platform claimed that the businessman was on the run from ‘anti-corruption agency investigators’. Nothing can be farther from the truth as Mr Kachikwu, being an ethical businessman, has nothing to chase him around neither does he have anything to run from. He is therefore not on the run. It is pertinent to note that there is nothing new in the hallucinatory accounts presented in the so called news story that is actually a collage of other fables that were previously published to malign Mr Kachikwu’s person. This is evident in the portion of the story that dragged his family into the vindictive narration, which is a total farce. The pettiness of the story was further revealed by the attempt to link a political incidence with business and anti-corruption matters. The desperation to stack up falsehood and make it look like facts can only be driven by a desperate attempt at character assassination and the product of twisted minds. This attack should have ordinarily been ignored but for the fact that it has become proof that the man running this platform, one Femi Soleye, has personal grudges against Mr Kachikwu. Soleye apparently runs that business exclusively with members of his family from a fictitious address. He engages in a lot of passing off with pictures of him posing with former President Olusegun Obasanjo. With an online followership of about 50,000 persons, Soleye’s desperation to use his blog for the ugly practice of blackmail-for-cash is not surprising. He is in this business with a handful of other jobbers who hide behind the unanimity of online presence to extort Nigerian businessmen and politicians by using fictitious stories for blackmail. Most of these characters stay in the US illegally without any permit and no reasonable source of livelihood other than the money they are able to raise from blackmailing people. Not only do they stay in the US illegally, they also break that country’s tax laws as they are known to receive the proceeds of their blackmail into domiciliary accounts in Nigeria. It is good that Mr. Kachikwu has made up his mind to escalate their matter to the FBI since these illegal migrants cannot continue to hide in the US to harm other law abiding persons. This is the more reason why Nigerians should ask why responsible citizen journalists would prefer to illegally operate from the US instead of staying in their country, where they can see things first hand. Contrary to the false impression that Soleye tried to create, Mr Dumebi Kachikwu has in the last three to four years recorded major successes in his business. This has become a source of frustration to the likes of Soleye that still cannot make decent living from blackmail. He has therefore become a major source of worry to many idle characters who devise some of these strategies to extort. Mr Kachikwu, unlike other victims of fraudulent bloggers, has refused to part with a cent in blackmail money to them, which explains why they keep publishing the same story under different headlines. Anyone attempting to publish falsehood against Mr Kachikwu, his family and businesses in the hope of getting paid to stop would do well to find other revenue sources. Mr Kachikwu had in the past made it crystal clear that he has nothing to hide and will therefore not pay bribes to stop jobbers from publishing falsehood. If he there are genuine issues they would be addressed using the appropriate legal channels and not on the pages of failed blogs. The charge is therefore to Nigerians, home and abroad, to be mindful of the blog they spend their hard earned data bundles surfing to avoid wasting their resources on fraudulent content. If we will ever get sanity in public life, characters like Soyele must be named and shamed. Victims of extortion by him and his likes should boldly step out and let the world know how blackmail efforts are presented as journalistic stories. Where victims do not want to go public they should nonetheless notify law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies so that these criminals can be picked up for trial once they arrive Nigeria to mount pressure on other would be victims. The anti-graft agencies, as part of their investigation, should uncover why persons living abroad should be financed from domiciliary accounts in Nigeria, which in addition to housing proceeds of crime, also put pressure on the naira since these guys take forex out of the country instead of repatriating same as should have been the case if they were professionals. Agbo, a concerned Citizen contributed this piece from Abuja.
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| Politics / Time To End Sahara Reporter’s Diet Of Lies by jeremyliness: 6:46am On Sep 23, 2016 |
Time to End Sahara Reporter’s Diet of Lies By Abdulkadir Inuwa Suleiman If Sahara Reporters (SR) peddles its falsehood nine times it is necessary to reply the online rag ten times. SR, in executing its latest brief, has thrown decorum to the dogs as it scaled up its attacks on the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Mr Abba Kyari. Fair disclosure. This response to SR’s bunkum is not at the instance of Mr Kyari. It is rather borne out of a disgust at watching the folks behind a pseudo-publication peddling falsehood to make money at the expense of the country’s wellbeing and to the detriment of reputation that people have spent years building. The response also becomes necessary because this online rag is giving online publication bad reputation in Nigeria. In other nations, the credibility of online platforms is no different from that of their traditional counterparts. But thanks to Sahara Reporters, in Nigeria, online publications are seen as nuisance portals used by jobbers to arm-twist public office holders and businessmen to pay blackmail money. Tragically, so long as there are gullible readers and followers of the site, its operators would remain in business. So long as hardworking ones among politically exposed persons have to safeguard their integrity SR has victims to extort. To the extent that there are willing clients to pay SR for character assassination then the online hit squad would not be out of work. Much as one would condemn SR for its questionable reporting one must also not lose sight of those for which it executes these contracts. This is not the first time the platform is hitting out at Mr Kyari’s reputation. It did so in the past an those who placed the orders for previous jobs are well known. There is the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu. Somehow, the tools meant for fighting corruption have been deployed for carrying out vendetta. Had such payback activities been carried out with due regard to facts it would have been a welcome development since no Nigerian should be above the law. But the whole information passed on or leaked to SR, conveniently branded as ‘exclusively obtained’ are often distorted to a point where one begin to wonder if Magu is running a casino instead of an anti-corruption agency. Not to be outdone is the National Security Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno, who like his co-traveller in the EFCC abuses the information that comes to his knowledge in the course of working for Nigeria. What NSA would compromise national security with his dalliance with a rag publication just to score cheap political points? Since assuming office, it has been one potential breach or the other as Monguno has conveniently allowed his office leak information to SR like a sieve. And like a straining device, the office manipulates the information it releases to indict perceived enemies. In the mix is Babachir David Lawal, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF who has not hidden his misdirected bitterness that an effective Mr Kyari prevents him from shinning. Curiously, Lawal’s office has been another veritable source of sensitive documents and information leaking to SR. Actually, the scale on which the SGF’s office ferret documents to SR can be likened more to an outpouring than a leak. This is a development that has killed confidence in doing government business to the extent that other members of the cabinet are now sceptical of passing communication through him. Much as these SR clients appear motely, a common tread that runs through them is the Bourdillon connection. Someone is still bitter that the country wasn’t handed over to him to run as an extensions of his fiefdom. The heat emanating from the anger in this is meant to sear more than Mr Kyari. Other persons that are seen as incorruptible President Buhari loyalists are similarly set up for roasting. The directive from Bourdillon is straightforward – malign Mr President’s trusted appointees to the point where he sacks them. The next phase would be to replace the sacked appointees with Bourdillon lackeys. Anyone that has paid close attention to SR’s content would see the puny efforts made at running stories that suggest these connections were also to be on the receiving end of its venom. The reality however is that it is a guise to mask the identity of those hounding Mr Kyari by themselves appearing as the platform’s victims. Since neither SR nor its clients are ready to desist from these acts that threaten the integrity of Nigeria, the responsibility falls on citizens to call them to order. This is something that must be done as a matter of urgency as we all stand the risk of losing the ability to distinguish lies from truth if we continue to consume this diet of falsehood. Inuwa Suleiman contributed the piece from Katsina, Katsina State. |
| Politics / Sahara Reporters’ Growing Rabidity by jeremyliness: 2:08pm On Sep 18, 2016 |
Sahara Reporters’ Growing Rabidity By Okanga Agila It is in human nature to seek benefits even from disasters, which explains why owners of funeral homes see profits to be made from deaths that leave the bereaved mournful. It is consequently not out of place for Sahara Reporters, an online content platform, to attempt making gains from the plagiarism mishap experienced by the presidency. Such moves is consistent with the scavenging tendencies of Sahara Reporters, whose owners wrongly perceive as the alpha predator in the mudslinging business. The gain Sahara Reporters seek to derive from the unfortunate incidence is nauseous. It is revolting not because the platform is again disparaging the presidency. That is to be expected from an entity whose sole joy is to depict Nigeria as an irredeemable case and has made it a standing policy to denigrate our nationhood. Its latest gain seeking outing is revolting for the very fact that it sunken lower than human expectations can envisage to sustain its attack on Mallam Mamman Daura. To the unsuspecting reader, SR presented myth that was made to read like an exclusive story. The tell tale signs that it is delivering a hatchet job is its inability to hide its disdain by branding Daura as President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew before creating the impression that he does the job for which civil servants and political appointees are drawing salaries. In advancing this falsehood, the goons behind SR omitted to mention that Mamman Daura, in addition to being related to Nigeria’s number one citizens happens to be a human with the requisite intellect to contribute to national growth. The attack on this gentleman is not a one off. The SR’s servers are replete with cooked up fables about Daura to the extent that all they have written about him will make a bound volume if printed in hard copies. Yet not one page of all they have ever published about him hold one paragraph of truth that is not tainted by the bile of hatred or coloured with the greed arising from paid character assassination on the part of those churning out this garbage. Apparently they did not read the lies put out by their affiliate publications, probably bankrolled by the same client, which claimed Daura has been sent packing out of the Presidential Villa. Had they been up to date with the hatchet jobs their other colleagues were doing they would have perhaps been able to advise their client that this latest report should have been deferred to a later time while the country deals with the more pressing issues impacting the populace. But these are not people who care what the global economic contagion is doing to other Nigerians. All that is of concern to them is to collect their mess of pottage, malign whosoever they have paid to malign and wait for the next order for a dirty job. If SR is truly interested in reporting to make Nigeria a better place as it want to claim then it should focus on the real issues and leave individuals alone. Its attacks on Daura has nothing in them geared towards engendering good governance. Instead it is part of a larger scheme to harass President Buhari’s government into succumbing to what is now its blackmail of successive governments. The pattern has been consistent. SR demonises a sitting government to arm twist its officials for money and tunes down its attacks once some of them pay up. It then revives its attacks once there is delay in agreed scheduled payment. The rabidity with which the Buhari administration’s officials are being vilified suggests no one has agreed to play along in this government in line with the change agenda. By now, citizens are beginning to see through the tricks of SR. In case someone thinks Nigerians are not awake to the trick at play here, it is fast becoming stuff that the average right thinking person on the street knows. That is how a certain online publisher who has his address abroad sneaks into the country at regular intervals for the schedule collections for job done and the ones to be done. To those who know, the scheme SR is implementing becomes more frightening when one realise that it has funding that is connected to neocon entities that would like to see Nigeria become a failed state. The knowledge of this should get the many Nigerians who swear by SR’s lies to reassess what they believe in and how much of their decisions they based on falsehood. This is because if Sahara Reporter is allowed to cause trouble in Nigeria its publisher would simply seat back and enjoy his loot in the United States while those it incited remain here in Nigeria to face the fallout of their gullibility. As the slush funds that used to flow to the guys at SR dry up with the change agenda to hold, Nigerians should be prepared to see a desperate platform that would become increasingly rabid in its mudslinging. It will target not just President Buhari but also his family members and administration officials. What will serve Nigerians best is not to go mad with this rabble rousing outlet. Okanga writes from Agila, Benue State. |
| Politics / COAS General TY Buratai Addresses Atlantic Council In Washington DC by jeremyliness: 5:55pm On Sep 14, 2016 |
COAS General TY Buratai Addresses Atlantic Council In Washington DC The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai today, Tuesday 13th September 2016, presented a paper titled “Nigerian Army Challenges and Priorities in the Ongoing Operations Against Boko Haram Terrorists and Other Threats to Peace and Security”, at the Africa Center of the Atlantic Council in Washington DC, United States of America. The audience comprised of high level representations from the United States of America cutting across the executive, policy makers, Non-governmental organizations, serving and retired military officers. During the presentation, the Chief of Army Staff stated that the fight against terrorism should be of concern to everyone in the world and went further to dwell on the overview of Boko Haram terrorism and insurgency, as well as other security threats in Nigeria. He also talked about addressing the issues of insecurity in Nigeria at the strategic, tactical and operational levels, challenges in tackling the threat of Boko Haram terrorists and his priorities. On the strategic level, he stated that President Muhammadu Buhari brought about the needed impetus on the fight against terrorism and insurgency by giving the right sense of direction to the country and the military. He enumerated that the Presidential strategic directive of relocating the Military Command and Control Centre from Abuja to Maiduguri, which was followed by the directive of defeating the insurgents by the end of December 2015 and involvement of neighbouring countries, as well as provision of necessary arms and logistics, assisted in the defeat of the terrorists. The Chief of Army Staff stated that quite a number of steps were taken at the military strategic and operational levels which include the implementation of Presidential directives to relocate to the theatre of operations, changing the orientation and mindsets of troops from defensive to offensive actions, amongst others. General Buratai stated that his top most priority as Chief of Army Staff was to undertake and sustain the current level of operations to ensure final and complete defeat of the Boko haram terrorists which was aimed at “ensuring the safety and freedom for all abducted persons and creation of favourable environment that would permit the return of all refugees and internally displaced persons to their original homes, which would pave way for the resumption of normal socio-economic activities in the North East. He concluded by stated that the Nigerian Army would continue to develop capacity through local training and take advantage of international collaboration in the provision for equipment, training support, equipment maintenance, intelligence and respect for human rights. He also crave for support and understanding among all cooperating agencies and international partners for a collective action against Boko Haram terrorists. After the presentation, during the roundtable discussion, eminent personalities including senior retired military officers, asked questions, made contributions and sought clarifications on the fight against terrorism and general security general problems in the country and areas of partnership and collaboration. issues of human rights were also raised which the COAS convincingly presented the Nigerian Army's position. He emphasised that the Nigerian Army is first class human rights compliant. Earlier on the Director of the Centre Dr. J Peter Pham received the Chief of Army Staff on arrival. Present at the occasion were Ambassador Philip Carter III, Former Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement AFRICOM, Serah Margon, Washington Director, Human Rights Watch, Ambassador Clarence Cook, Chair of the Ballard Group LLC, Ms. Lesley Anne Warner, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Morgan Vina, Policy Analyst, US Committee on Foreign Relations and Colonel Chris Wyatt, Director of African Studies, US Army War College, amongst others. The Chief of Army Staff will also present another paper at the Virginia Military Institute, Lexington on Wednesday 14th September 2016 and pay courtesy call on Nigeria Embassy in Washington DC on Thursday 15th September 2016. 1 Like
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| Politics / Operation Crocodile Smile: IYC Apologises To Military Over Casualties In N-delta by jeremyliness: 2:46pm On Sep 14, 2016 |
Operation Crocodile Smile: IYC Apologises To Military Over Casualties In N-Delta Ijaw Youth Congress, IYC, has apologised to the Nigerian military for the casualties it recorded in the Niger Delta region in the course of the ongoing Operation Crocodile Smile. IYC, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while briefing newsmen on the happenings in the oil-rich region and the state of Nigeria’s economy, noted that it was appropriate for the body to apologise to the military, adding that the military was in the operation to rid the area of crime. Speaking after the National Executive Council meeting of the body, its National President, Mr. Elvis Donkemezuo, commended the military and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, for introducing the ongoing operation in the area, adding that piracy and criminality were high in the region. He stated that the operation was to rid the region of criminal elements, adding that criminality in the creeks and waterways in recent times was on the increase. Donkemezuo said: “We want to commend the military for operation Crocodile Smile. We understand that Niger Delta is faced with series of piracy attacks. A fortnight ego, soldiers were attacked in some creeks in Nembe. No government will fold it arms and allow its military to be attacked by any criminal group. It is not in the style of Ijaw people. We are a unique people. “We sympathise and express our sincere apologies to the military on the casualties they suffered in the Niger Delta in a bid to secure the Nigerian state, the region and the oil facilities.” The youth leader, while urging the military to ensure they adhere to the rules of engagement in their operations, also charged residents of Niger Delta to give the military the needed support to succeed in the operation.
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| Politics / Time For Ijaw To Call On Clark by jeremyliness: 3:27pm On Sep 09, 2016 |
Time For Ijaw to Call on Clark By Okanga Agila Part of the expectations from elder statemen is that unusual ability to maintain measured silence on national issues such that when they finally speak offer insight their words carry something similar to the weight of fiats. Chief Edwin Kiaogbodo Clark seems not to have received the memo on that. He has consistently been in the news trumpeting his desperation for government negotiation with his “children” under an arrangement that inevitably put money in his own pocket. He has obstinately refused to see the larger picture and can only be bothered with his own self importance; nothing in his clamouring is anchored on the interest of the Ijaw nation as his only concern is how to continue enjoying the attention and resources that come with having a government assignment, which he desperately needs now that he has been out of government since he helped ruin the Goodluck Jonathan presidency. At his age he should speak with foresight. Age dims the physical eyes but the inner eyes become sharpened to offer better insight and foresight but Chief Edwin Clark is apparently missing out on this. If he has that gift that comes with old age he would not be about urging other people’s children on suicide mission while his own offspring are enjoying the proceeds of his previous conspiracies abroad. In furtherance of his deception, Clark is now claiming that monarchs, leaders and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region are the ones that got the Niger Delta Avengers and other criminal militants groups to sheath their sword and halt attacks on installations in the region. Let us just pretend that he is deluding himself and not lying. He should however acknowledge the fact that his “children” have realised the folly of taking on the state – “Operation Crocodile Smile” taught them that and they should be worried what an “Operation Shark Bite” would feel like. They have also realised that crippling the nation’s economy is nothing short of the Niger Delta committing suicide as the hardship is felt worst in the creeks where slush militant funds have distorted the local economy to start with. If Pa Clark’s reasoning failed him as to why his children went quiet he understands even less that the aberration and impunity that reigned under his godson are now history. Chief Clark actually thinks a state institution will stop curtailing criminality simply because he flew the same plane with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). That era is gone when military chiefs were humiliated into deferring to his jingoist distortions. This COAS answers to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and not some tribal chief. Chief Edwin Clark must also accept that it is naturally the burden of traditional rulers and leaders of the Niger Delta to clean up the mess they created when they allowed their “children” to take up arms against the state. Some even encouraged them in the hope of sharing from the booty that will come from negotiations. He should therefore not make it look like the rest of the country owes these leaders for calling the militants to order, assuming they actually did. The comment, “Niger Delta people are part of the country and they should not be treated like second-class citizens” credited to Clark is the indication yet that there is not genuine change of heart among the militants and their leaders. Are they sincerely thinking that blowing up economic infrastructure is their right and that they are second class citizens because the Nigerian state against their pyromania? This clearly suggests that the Ijaw have decided that other ethnic nationals in the country are subhuman or at least that is what Clark would want us believe. It is instructive that Clark’s latest outburst is featured in the same story that contained a statement issued by his children, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) that was attempting to blackmail the Presidency about “Operation Crocodile Smile”. The same criminals that want to break up Nigeria are suddenly interested in the safety of troops of the Nigerian Army. The reporter did a goo job in merging both actors – Clark and NDA spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, since the content of their contributions to that story showed a degree of coordination of thoughts to the extent that it became apparent they both read from the same script. That script is one calling for the withdrawal of the military from the Niger Delta and is therefore unacceptable in view of the criminality going on there. If anyone will urge President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the conduct of military operations then it definitely is not the NDA or Clark. The NDA any other militant group in the region must know that cessation of hostilities on their part is not something for which they should be commended as the issue of the crimes they have committed against the country is still there to be dealt with. If their elders are misleading them then they need to seek matured consent elsewhere. This brings to the fore the need for the Ijaw nation to retire Chief Edwin Kiaogbodo Clark as one of their leaders. He is heavily compromised and vested in securing meal tickets for himself and his biological children to objectively offer suggestions that genuinely serve the region’s interest. Age is also not on his side as he is beginning to exhibit the kind of lapses in judgment that are not unconnected with the degenerative impact of age on mental health. The Ijaw must therefore seek out new leaders that have more than their immediate family at heart. In addition to retiring Clark, they must also give up the militants in their midst since they have repeatedly shown that they are only interested in getting paid from negotiated amnesty. Okanga writes from Agila, Benue State.
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| Politics / Niger Delta: Group Hails Buhari Over Military Deployment by jeremyliness: 9:42am On Sep 07, 2016 |
Niger Delta: Group Hails Buhari over Military Deployment A new group in the South-South, the New Niger Delta Emancipation Front has warned militants operating in the region to close shop and embrace peace even as it hailed the deployment of the military under ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ to restore sanity to the area. The front noted in an electronic statement issued on Thursday that the presence of the military in the Niger Delta is crucial to rescuing the region’s larger population who have become human pawns to a vocal minority made of the militants and their sponsors. The statement signed by Lucky Humphrey, Director, Public Enlightenment and Awareness has urged that Nigerians of South-South origins must develop the courage to speak out against the atrocities being committed against them by militants who try to impose their decisions on the entire area without having held consultations with anyone on what they want. It said things could have gone worse had the Federal Government succumbed to the blackmail of those resisting military presence in the Niger Delta under the pretext of calling for negotiation while what they were actually doing was “buying time for their boys (militants) to mobilize and gather more weapons.” The group explained that “The militants who are not unaware of the global economic melt down would have resorted to their old ways of kidnap for ransom but for the vigilance of the military. Had this happened, only the celebrity kidnap victims would get reported and attract security intervention while the poorer families would become prey to the small ransom kidnap syndicates that would operate freely. “This is why, contrary to the position of militants’ sponsors who could afford the media hype to claim the contrary, we salute President Muhammadu Buhari for the deployment of military to the region. “It is in the same vein we advise our people who have been misled into taking up arms to discard them and structure their intervention for the Niger Delta within the framework of the legitimate platforms for expressing dissatisfaction by law abiding Nigerians. “Unrepentant militants should note that the rest of the Niger Delta would move forward without them in the event that they suffer the consequences of refusing to disarm. We know from recent experiences that the arms they bear against the government is not for the general well being of the Niger Delta population but for some narrow interest for which they are prepared to commit crimes,” the statement cautioned.
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| Politics / Ameh Ebute On Tom Marino: "FG, Lodge Formal Complaint Against US Congressman" by jeremyliness: 6:03am On Sep 07, 2016 |
Ex-senate president asks FG to lodge formal complaint against US congressman http://dailypost.ng/2016/09/07/ex-senate-president-condemns-us-congressmans-letter-buhari-asks-fg-lodge-formal-complaint/ [img]http://i1.wp.com/thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/tom-marino-2014-0019.jpg?zoom=1.5&resize=550%2C300[/img] 6 Likes 2 Shares
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| Crime / Lord Falana's Human 'rice' Law by jeremyliness: 8:11am On Sep 06, 2016 |
Lord Falana's Human 'Rice' Law By Okanga Agila Even when we are sufficiently convinced that someone was playing to the gallery there is a danger in not immediately challenging fraudulent claims because falsehood would be historically accepted as truth if there is no record that it was ever questioned. Human rights lawyer, Chief Femi Falana can therefore no longer be ignored when he continually try to exploit public sentiments to further his own ends. Between his impending political bid for the governorship seat of Ekiti state and defending terrorists’ sympathisers, Falana has found time to put in a word for the pro-corruption movement to the extent that he suggested corruption would be strengthened to fight back if the military goes ahead to exercise its rights. His latest foray in this regard was deliberately confusing the issues over the decision of the Nigerian Army to recover its land that has been encroached by Kakarta Civil Engineering Limited. In what has now become a trademark, the human rights lawyer confused the issues in a statement he issued shortly after the encroached land was recovered by making it seem as if the land was seized as part of the ongoing prosecution of the company’s owner, Mr Robert Azibaola, who is being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for alleged monumental corruption he engaged in during the tenure of his cousin, former President Goodluck Jonathan. He deliberately sidestepped the fact that the area where the company encroached on the Army’s land is a sensitive area in terms of security considerations. This much was reportedly communicated to the Jonathan administration before it disregarded the security report before going on to annex military land and allocating to his cousin’s firm. Also conveniently ignored was the reality that the construction company was deploying explosives for blasting rocks right beside a military formation that remains a target of not just the leftover of Boko Haram fighters but also Falana’s soon to be clients, the militants in the Niger Delta, who have threatened that much that they will strike in Abuja. This is in addition to the area hosting the official residences of government officials. Falana might have sincerely made the mistake of rushing to issue his statement in defence of Mr Azibaola without realising that the Army simply recovered its property that was encroached upon. Or, he might have simply been driven by his rabid hatred of the military institution and its present crop of leaders that are actively dismantling terror infrastructure in the country and putting crises entrepreneurs like him out of business. He exposed this much as he deviated from the subject matter of the recovered land to allude to the confrontation of the Army by some fundamentalists, which led to a military operation late last year. Even Falana’s legendary hatred for the military is suspect since there is always an underpinning monetary consideration to all the instances he has used to harass military institutions. His fanatic defence of the radical members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN for instance was later reportedly linked to brief cases of the American currency released by the Iranian government to entrench the Shia Islamic sect in Nigeria. The release of such fund appeared to have coincided with when the human rights lawyer went ballistic with attacks on the Army supposedly in defence of his clients. A reason that was given for his involvement with the Iranian crowd is curiously surfacing in the Kakarta Civil Engineering Limited’s land encroachment saga. Falana is said to be looking to make himself beholden to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC but the trend in the party’s governorship primaries in Edo and Ondo state have clearly indicated that the era of allocating party tickets is over. Given his non-existent popularity in Ekiti state, he is likely looking to score himself an opening with the Jonathan clan in the hope of keeping the door opened for a People Democratic Party, PDP ticket allocation, in case his new client’s cousin can still swing that much in his own faction of that party. Not to be overlooked is the potential for a dollar windfall from the $40 million that Mr Azibaola is being tried for. A man who has no qualms accessing money meant for the destabilisation of his country would definitely have no issues sharing from the money stolen from the coffers of that same country. The whole of Falana’s noise about rights violation therefore boils down to only one thing. Stomach infrastructure. The governor of his state, Ayo Fayose has amply demonstrated how this works. The lawyer needs rehabilitation especially now that a national economic recession is a reality. It is not about defending anyone but about securing where the next plate of rice will arrive from so it is basically anything to guarantee Lord Falana's Human Rice Law. He has his right to take the steps needed to evade hunger but it should not be taken to this ridiculous extent of openly lying to Nigerians. If the land or any other assets belonging to government institutions can be taken and allocated to the relations and cronies of leaders even against advice without recourse to recovery when such government is over then we are in trouble as a nation. From every indication, the land in question is a property of a sacred institution in this country and the Nigerian Army, in my humble opinion, has done the country proud by reclaiming a national asset that was once stolen under the executive rascality that was demonstrated by the Jonathan's administration. If his foray into this current issue is not driven by hunger and pursuit of cash, he should please kindly tell us what he did for the others in the past when plots that were illegally allocated to them were taken back by the government. He should not give the excuse that he was not aware of such cases since they were adequately reported. Except of course he wants to tell us that the statement he issued was another paid for racket that he passed off as a neutral intervention by an activist. Okanga writes from Agila, Benue State.
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| Politics / Soldiers Take Over Azibaola Robert's Construction Site by jeremyliness: 8:11pm On Sep 04, 2016 |
Why Soldiers Took Over Jonathan's Cousin Construction Site http://thenationonlineng.net/alleged-security-breach-soldiers-take-jonathans-cousins-construction-site/
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| Politics / Niger Delta: Amnesty Beyond Patriotic Patronage by jeremyliness: 8:25am On Sep 04, 2016 |
Niger Delta: Amnesty Beyond Patriotic Patronage By Sunday Attah It was for noble intentions and the need to placate the restive Niger Delta (ND) militants when former Nigeria’s President, Late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua exercised his constitutional power by granting amnesty and unconditional pardon to all Niger Delta militants in June 2009. On acceptance, the militants were expected to renounce militancy and embrace the Federal Government of Nigeria’s (FGN) package for their rehabilitation. The amnesty has survived till date, with FGN spending billions to train and empower ex-militants. However, what has refused to change is the absolute denunciation of militancy in the ND, as the amnesty has turned into a festering sore with more splinter groups emerging from former militancy camps or organizations. Its now difficult, if not impossible to establish an effective census of militant groups in the Niger Delta. Neither the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) nor the National Population Commission (NPC) dare venture into such an exercise. That is the extent Niger Deltans have rubbished one of the very laudable efforts of government to bring succor to people of the region. Before Yar’Adua’s amnesty, the Niger Delta paraded militant groups like the defunct Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF), Niger Delta Vigilante (NDV) and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). Leaders of these groups claimed to have embraced amnesty and renounced militancy. But now, militant groups have duplicated to the extent, even militants themselves are amazed. There is the Reformed Egbesu Boys, Egbesu Water Lions and Egbesu Mythier Fraternity to Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA) Niger Delta Liberation Front (NDLF) to Former Forest Soldiers, (FFS), aka Isaac Boro Last Born among others. And their common denominator is that they are splinter groups from earlier militancy camps. Beyond this, the emerging militant groups differ in almost all nuances, but hold firm to claims of fighting for the emancipation of the impoverished Niger Delta. Agreed that the Niger Delta region is the base of Nigeria’s oil wealth. And since 2006, renewed agitations for the control of the oil resources of the region has violently heightened The familiar trademark of militancy in the ND has been bombing or blowing up of oil installations and facilities, kidnapping or abduction of oil workers, mostly foreign nationals, and the near blackmail of the FGN with outrageous demands for cessation of hostilities. The cost of the ND restiveness on the economic fortunes of Nigeria has been enormous. But Leaders of the country, (including South-South leaders) seems confused on the best way to placate the region. History is replete with attempts by successive leaders of the country to genuinely revisit the ND question and their agitations. But the directionless pattern of the militancy in the region has forced the impression that the age-long sensation is prompted by greed rather than an honest desire to salvage the region. So, even under military dictatorships, Nigeria’s most dreaded dictator, Late Gen. Sani Abacha, extended solace to the Niger Delta. Gen. Abacha granted the ND 13% derivation formula; President Ibrahim Babangida created the Oil and Mineral Resources Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) and later on, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) emerged and in 2008, an independent ministry for Niger Delta Affairs was created. These have been efforts of the FGN to redress the perceived injustices in the region. And to further ice the cake, Late President Umaru Yar’Adua introduced the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP). Through it, dozens of repentant militants have been trained in various fields and others paid monthly stipends. Some ex-militants have actually distinguished themselves in their field of study both within and outside Nigeria. But it appears the PAP has sparked more trouble than it was intended to solve. It is quite strange, that only in the ND region multiple groups which claim to be fighting a common populist cause have no uniformity of ideology, cohesion or consensus on any matter. Each emerging group has its separate agenda and feels the only way the FGN can listen to its grievances is by attacking and destroying oil facilities and crippling the national economy. And from the pronouncements of some of these groups, it is clear PAP was misconstrued by many as a permanent appeasement, an instrument of blackmail and a national largesse for the inhabitants of the ND. Consequently, most emerging militant groups mouthed that their exclusion in the amnesty programme is reason for their renewed aggressions. But in the last few years of FGN’s intervention in the ND, through the special agencies and the ministry created for the region, over $40 billion have been expended in improving the lives of people of the region in the last four years. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu dished out this information and no leader from the region has contested it veracity. Despite these huge sums expended, there is little or no impact because of poor utilization. Besides, Buhari has started the clean-up of areas despoiled by oil spillage, through the implementation of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland. Yet, the militants have remained resolute to hold the country to ransom. There is no more justification for this aggressiveness, except it is meant to deliberately distract the government. But in advertising a somewhat criminal enterprise and inclination, which appears to be the second identity of militancy in the ND, they freely dabble into political issues, each time they list conditions for cessation of hostilities. Part of their ridiculous demands include the release of corrupt politicians like Col. Sambo Dasuki who is on trial for the alleged arms scandal and the unconditional release of a secession campaigner like leader of the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu and the de-freezing of the accounts of ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo among others. So, the struggle is no longer about the emancipation of the Niger Delta or restoring its dignity as the militants delight in postulating. It is about vested personal interests of their sponsored leaders, who identify with government in the day time, but romance the militants at nights. . Based on the mounting pressure on the FGN and with the silent voice of America which is pushing for dialogue, President Buhari seems to be bending backwards by announcing its readiness to dialogue with the NDA militants. And that is where the trouble lies because further granting of amnesty or recognition of emergent militant groups and cash patronage by the FGN would instigate fresh problems. Therefore, the extension of another amnesty to NDA and even similar other groups in the region would amount to succumbing to blackmail of the militants. It would inevitably give birth to more such militant groups, who would also demand for same treatment as evidenced by the experiences of PAP under former President Yar’Adua. In addition, this step would signpost the reward of gangs guilty of economic sabotage or crimes against the Nigerian state. Attah contributed this piece from Yenegoa, Bayelsa State.
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| Politics / Militancy: Understanding Crocodile Phobia by jeremyliness: 7:05am On Aug 31, 2016 |
Militancy: Understanding Crocodile Phobia By Randy Amuna But for the untold hardship their foolhardiness has caused the nation, the lost of militants or rather miscreants in the Niger Delta borders is comical and ridiculous. These criminals, knowing that the country runs a mono-culture economy dependent on crude exploration in the region, have done their best in recent months to sabotage the nation with all manner of threats that further spooked the currency as investors weigh the risk of doing business in a country where a section is threatening to bring down apocalypse. But it only took an Army training exercise, “Operation Crocodile Smile” to put reset their warped minds to default. The fear of these militants was such that they tried all available arsenals at their disposal to spread disinformation by labeling the training exercise as an invasion by the military. This was despite the fact that the Nigerian Army adequately spread the information about the exercise and the need for residents of communities that are proximate to the exercise not to panic. They even threw in a free medical outreach in for these people, who in the end could not end their elation. Of course, because there is an insidious agenda, not just of the youths that made up the militant groups but also the elders that were edging them on in the hope of making financial windfalls from the much trumpeted ‘Negotiations’, some of the militants were retarded enough to have attempted taking on the troops on one of the days of training. The rest is history, five of them ended up dead and 23 others were arrested. So if a training exercise can inflict this much damage then a full operation against terrorism in the Niger Delta should wound up faster than “Operation Lafia Dole” that made mincemeat of Boko Haram terrorists in the North East. This realization on the part of the militants has forced their corporate and institutional wings to change the tempo of demanding for negotiation. They have become more strident. But instead of assuaging our collective hurt they are actually rubbing salt into the national wound since some of them continue to brag about how the nation’s military does not understand the layout of the creeks and how the militants are not holed up in one location the way Boko Haram fighters were in Sambisa Forest (not that the fanatics were anyways). The cul-de-sac these minions have walked themselves into must thus be understood to fully appreciate their morbid fear of the military. They played the wrong hand in the deadly game they went into and they overplayed it at that. Any sympathy they would have gotten from Nigerians has been lost with the goodwill that evaporated in the heat of the economic searing that their fireworks wrought. Firstly, Nigerians are now aware that the same set of criminals that had benefitted billions of naira in amnesty bribes are the same ones leading these current bands of miscreants that are destroying oil and gas installations. They had first, under the guidance of their politicians, threatened the rest of us with the current happenings if we dare voted out their kinsman, Goodluck Jonathan, as President even when the overwhelming opinion was that he performed below expectations. While these threats served the interest of their political class, what the militants were after was to secure the perpetuity of the amnesty dole, which is not sustainable in any country. One cardinal objective of the attacks mounted by these elements was thus to again secure another round of bribe named amnesty as proven by the ferocity with which the likes of Chief Edwin Kiaogbodo Clark was demanding negotiation with his “Children”. Secondly, it turned out that the militants and their sponsors forgot that crippling crude exploration also wipes out the derivation revenue that has been the lifeline of Niger Delta states. The everyday people in these areas are therefore at the receiving end of the harsh economy with many of the states and local government unable to pay salaries and the oil servicing firms being forced to shed staff. The muzzle of the gun pulled on Nigeria by the militants is on the temple of the Niger Delta, which felt the coldness of the metal before the rest of the nation. If the truth be told, the local population, except in communities that are steeped in the business of bunkering, has become resentful of the militants who could only bring home trouble. The rousing welcome the women and children in these communities gave the troops as they arrived to train is enough testimony that the so called militants may be in for some interaction with International Criminal Court for war crimes since they will have to harm their own people to get to the military. Thirdly, the other ethnic groups in the region have become wise to the reality that Ijaws are leading them by the nose to satisfy what has been repeatedly proving to be a selfish agenda. They have had a taste of what power drunken ethnic jingoists can visit on the others that they perceive as inferior nationalities. So had the miscreants declared any monkey republic like they threatened they would have been confronted with ethnic nationalities ceding from their ill thought contraption within days of its declaration. For instance, Itsekiri leaders in Delta state have advised President Muhammadu Buhari against being sold on the fake negotiation scam that the godfathers of the militants are peddling. The counsel to these leaders that, “The rest of the Niger Delta made up of the Ibibio, Edo, Urhobo, Ikwerre, Ogoni, Efik, Isoko, Ndokwa, Itsekiri, etc should not be made to learn and discover that problem solving in the region can only be through violence and aggression. Violence and aggression should be discouraged by every means” is one that the entire nation should take to heart. Fourthly, the Army of any nation symbolizes not just it’s strength and bastion against aggression but also has its spiritual dimension because it co-exercises the authority vested in the leadership of that country. Since here in Nigeria we agree that leadership is usually ordained, any militant taking on the state or the Army know they contend against God in a battle they will always lose. This is why the Niger Delta militants know they have to fear the Army as they are conscious that they fight a war of guilt, driven not by the unfair treatment they claim but by a disdain for the right of other ethnic nationals to live. This is why the Federal Government should now fully deploy the military and other security agencies to clean up the criminality being perpetrated in the Niger Delta. The talks of negotiation should be banished forthwith and any regional leader peddling such should be apprehended as a sponsor of those blowing up oil and gas installations. Militants claiming to have ceased hostilities should demonstrate that by unconditionally turning over their arms since Nigerians are not allowed to bear the kind of assault weapons they have in their arsenals even with permits or licenses. Such militants must also commit to repairing what they have damaged. The kind of dole for mischief that characterized the earlier amnesty in the South-South must never again be repeated since it is now glaring that it does not keep the youths in that area away from criminality same way it will not keep youths anywhere else from criminality. The Nigerian Army is judgment day come to the criminal militants. Let us all allow the days of their fear begin. Amuna, National Coordinator, Media and Anti- Corruption Crusade Network contributed the piece from Port Harcourt. 2 Likes
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| Politics / Yes, President Buhari Is Still The Change! by jeremyliness: 4:53pm On Aug 30, 2016 |
Yes, President Buhari is Still the Change! By Philip Agbese Perhaps, ambled into wakefulness from slumber, quite angry too, a Nigerian, symbolizing the mindsets of millions of other voiceless Nigerians assert this rather affirmative melody, as reflected in the caption. “Yes, President Buhari is Still the Change.” It is the most auspicious time to call a spade a spade. As Christians, congregants are only told about the second coming of Jesus Christ; but the same scriptures and pastors who sermonize it would neither hint of the day of salvation nor the hour. But after crucifixion, death and resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples, as the messiah, but some doubted him. Today, that misstep is widely celebrated as a religious mythology euphemistically encoded in the parable of doubting Thomases. It’s even an axiom used in sacred or less sacred places. This is the fate of President Muhammadu Buhari. Nigerians have taken themselves too much for granted. They carelessly malign all their leaders, yet fail to present a better alternative. Baffling too, some otherwise respected intellectuals in the country have also contracted their intellectualism to these past vermins of power, still pained at losing a stranglehold on the reins of governance. To denigrate the present government of President Buhari is a favorite pastime. The media space (No thanks to social media) has been inundated with acerbic criticisms of the less than one and a half year, civilian leadership of Nigeria by President Buhari. Reading through the emotions and anger antagonists express with such venom, what instantly strikes a discerning mind is the penchant of Nigerians not to only forget history, but also, bury it in the most isolated of graves. These critics mask differently. But, their trademark remains unconcealed, exposing an unjustified destructive mindset. It runs unhindered, mostly in the shadowy cloaks of yawning hate sentiments. They are either political chieftains or party financiers; community leaders; Civil Society Groups; decorated human rights activists; untouchable godfathers of the land, or some queer High Chiefs, some amazingly without even a kingdom to preside, much more a voice to command respect. But to the estimation of these Buhari’s critics, the regime has accomplished nothing and the verdict has been inexplicably mouthed loudly in places that hold no significance. They forget that power belongs to the Nigerian masses in a democracy and not the flavor of their veiled sponsors in whatever guise. They vaguely goad Buhari that payback time is 2019, if he dares to seek another mandate. It is this clan of a few elites, who have been on the saddle of leadership since Nigeria’s independence and unwilling to quit or their latest intellectual collaborators that configure the new clique of the anti-Buhari campaigners. They have recently morphed into critical columnists not of any scientific breakthrough or quantum of knowledge in any academic field, but about Buhari. They delight more in writing to articulate his failures and wrong deeds, than sighting any of his progressive feats. Some even condescend to the incendiary, by deriding Buhari’s voluntary confession of the rot in Nigeria and the burden of cleansing the mess bestowed on him now, as in 1983 as military Head of State. To this camp of Nigerians, it’s the President’s self-admittance of leadership incompetence. They claim the masses are deprived meaningful leadership and impoverished. They claim the economy is bad and heap all sorts of blames on the Presidency. Therefore, infinitesimal issues such as allegations of Buhari’s failure to publicly declare his assets in violation of his campaign promise have become issues of national homilies. These critics migrate from the mundane to the auspicious, with nothing cogent other than hurting the draperies of the administration. Their rhetorics question everything, but provide little or no insight on the way forward. They also forget easily, the decay or degeneration of the system, they blackmailed Buhari through the ballot to inherit. They are the unseen hands in Buhari’s frustration in efforts to reinvent and redefine Nigeria. But in public, they cry louder about the delay in settling these national malaises. An African proverb queried this disposition, by scolding the wisdom of a frog which spent days in the water- well, without liberation, but cried of suffocation on the fourth day of rescue. This clan of Nigerians in secured places, least expected to stop reaping from the institutional rot, deeply entrenched in the system. They are not happy that these channels have been blocked by a regime of change. They are sad that even stolen cash stashed in vaults of private mansions or graves, cannot be spent freely. There is no more family holidaying in Durbar, Europe or the Caribbean Islands with Nigeria’s stolen wealth. Tax collectors on behalf of the government are scared to corner part of proceeds to grease the palms of benefactors. Not many are happy with Buhari’s implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which has netted over N3 trillion in the last one year. Why would they be happy with Buhari, when government officials no longer fleece the state with meaningless foreign travels, workshops and seminars? If twice Buhari has remitted bailout funds to states to clear outstanding salaries and some governors embezzle it, yet those affected keep quiet, should the President double as governor of those states where citizens are docile? Their sponsorship of Boko Haram insurgents is no longer yielding fruits, as President Buhari through an energized military has caged the outlaws. Thus, avenues of bargaining for negotiation with terrorists; initiated and fruitlessly pursued by dubious politicians, where millions of naira were hitherto guzzled are closed, at least within Buhari’s eternity in Aso Rock. Definitely those who sold public assets to themselves, like PHCN or NITEL, would certainly not embrace the Buhari game. They know it might be recovered someday. Contractors awarded city rail contracts or those engaged in roads construction, know it’s dangerous to corner mobilization fees as usual. Cleaning up the mess in the NNPC, a cesspool of corruption by Buhari is distasteful to many. So, why must Buhari be a good President? So, from sobriquets like “Baba go slow,” to “ Change the Change,” and multiple others, all invectives have been dishonestly flung at Buhari by adversaries of the administration. They pirouette in same circles and even curse their ancestors for this change. They drum that Buhari is not the change Nigerians anticipated. But henceforth, it is going to be a battle between the few rich Nigerians who debase the nation and the majority poor, who still adorn and cherish President Buhari for exposing and prosecuting perennial looters of the nation’s economy. Despite instigation in sacred shrines by the corrupt elites, Buhari is still the change Nigerians would never sacrifice. Agbese writes from the United Kingdom. SOURCE: www.thenigerian.ng https://thenigerian.ng/yes-president-buhari-is-still-the-change/ 2 Likes 1 Share
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| Politics / Anti-terrorism Group Carry Coffin, Performs Burial Rites For Boko Haram Fighters by jeremyliness: 2:53pm On Aug 30, 2016 |
In a show of interment, a group known as the Coalition Against Terror and Extremism today, carried coffin to perform burial rites for Boko Haram Commanders in Abuja. The members of the group, who carried coffin in their hands commended President Mohammadu Buhari and the military for defeating Boko Haram. Comrade Daniel Obaje, the Coalition's Secretary General, during the thank you march to the Presidential Villa said, "You must be wondering why we are carrying this coffin today when we say the purpose of our march is to say a thank you to Mr President. "We understand that when people hold marches and carry coffins those in authority should tremble but this is not the case today. The coffin we carry today is that of the Boko Haram terror group, which has now been defeated and killed off by our gallant military. This procession is part of the final burial rites of all Boko Haram commanders and fighters that have bitten the dust before our troops. "Today, we mark the disgrace that is soon to befall sponsors of terror. For this breakthrough in defeating Boko Haram, we are here today to commend President Muhammadu Buhari, who, as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Nigeria made the right call in his appointment of the Service Chiefs. "The military chiefs did not disappoint Mr. President, they did not also disappoint Nigerians. We hail the President on his achievements in the war against insurgency and we hereby communicate the resolve of all Nigerians to work closely with him in returning the North East to again become the booming economic lifestyle before now. "We can say categorically that since the government of President Buhari came into office in May 29, 2015 significant progress has been made in addressing the security breaches that had threatened the integrity of Nigeria. This progress was not easy and could have only been the product of political will and commitment to the Nigerian cause as many forces fought hard to keep the country in the limbo and precarious situation in which Mr President met it". Obaje further said, "Areas where Boko Haram once set up camp have been cleared. Some displaced persons are already beginning to return to their homeland. The Army freed over 5000 persons that the terrorists once held captive even as efforts are being intensified to free those that are yet to regain freedom. "Remnants of the terrorists are risking death to flee across the desert into the Mediterranean. The group in his defeat can only now think of hit and run attacks by drug addled fighters who now increasingly opt to fail in their assignment so that the military can capture them for rehabilitation. "The recent weeks have seen the higher echelon of Boko Haram decimated with several commanders killed in troops’ operations. Others have been captured, which has left the group being fragmented with split in its leadership. Everything points to a group that has been finished. We therefore want to urge Mr President not relent in continuing with measures that will ensure Boko Haram terrorists are not allowed to regroup anywhere on our territory ever again. In fact, we urge that Nigeria does all that is necessary to make sure these killers do not regroup in Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic, all of which share borders with us".
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| Politics / Fresh Narratives On Nigeria’s Harvest Of Terrorists by jeremyliness: 3:44pm On Aug 27, 2016 |
Fresh Narratives on Nigeria’s Harvest of Terrorists By Israel Abiodun Nigerians grieved, parents wailed loudly and inconsolably, April 14, 2014 when Boko Haram terrorists assailed and abducted about 276 adolescent secondary school girls in Chibok, the country’s Northeastern state of Borno. As the helpless girls were agonized in the hands of their captors on the journey to an unknown destination with terror vermin, national outrage poured out aplenty against the authorities of Nigeria. The terrorists captured the girls in a single raid and conveniently ferried them away to their dungeon, which was later identified as Sambisa forest, far from Chibok. The Islamic insurgents accomplished this inglorious feat unmolested and unchallenged by Nigeria’s security agents ,the rest has become history. Strangely however, the Federal Government of Nigeria under the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan, the sole custodian of minutely security reports across the nation were delighted more in denial of the incident. The president and his team of security chiefs in a move, publicized the worse indifference to a sovereign absurdity which regrettably dragged the issue into the politics of Jonathan’s re-election gamble in 2015. The administration hedged action and faltered in the face of this shameful national security lapse and disgrace to Nigeria. It awed many that the Federal Government of Nigerian claimed the incident was crafted to derail his re-election ambition. Meanwhile, several other men and women were either abducted or murdered by same Boko Haram terrorists in the region before the Chibok episode. The lengthy period of inaction by government and security agents afforded the Boko Haram insurgents to goad their captives into their dungeon neither molested nor challenged. Days after, when the Nigeria government could not contain the pressure occasioned by the consistent drumming of the incident in the media, accorded indisputable veracity by tales of two or three of the abducted girls who escaped while being ferried away. It was only then that it dawned on Federal Government of Nigeria and security agents that the trouble was beyond boardroom politics. But nevertheless, it pushed no determined military action for their rescue. The slumber festered until tensions about the girl's abduction enveloped Nigeria. Mothers and women of all ethnicity in Nigeria unanimously condemned the savage and beastly act. They scolded government for abdicating on its constitutional and sacred duty of protecting lives and property of Nigerians. It sprouted unimaginable agitations for action. It inspired Dr. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, who co-ordinatively spearheaded angry Nigerian women by launching the Hashtag #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG). It stirred international outrage to the extent wife of America’s President Barack Obama, Michelle, also conscripted herself in the league of world women leaders crusading for concerted action to rescue them, by a post on her personal twitter handle denouncing the act. Pakistani advocate of girl-child education Ms. Malala Yousafzai also joined the fray. The advocacy of BBOG which elected upon itself to sit-out, all day, at the Unity Fountain Square in Abuja to draw national and international attention to the plight of the abducted girls suffered regrettable ignominy. On several occasions, gun trotting security agents were used to disperse them and at a point, their quest to take the campaign to Aso Rock was rebuffed almost violently. But they endured and remained resolute. But the Nigerian military appeared helpless in the face of this dilemma. Foot soldiers in the battlefield shirked in the war front. They complained of unpaid allowances, hunger and lack of weapons to combat the terrorists and liberate the captured girls. While they loathed, security chiefs, who by unspoken action, dreaded physical appearance anywhere in the entire Northeast. As it would later be revealed, under President Muhammadu Buhari’s arms probe, over $15billion, popularly christened, “Dasukigate,” was gulped the usual “Nigerian way.” Quite awfully, it was the then service chiefs who allegedly sat in Abuja and shared arms funds meant to prosecute the war against terrorists. No need to re-emphasize. But the contour of the war against terrorists in Nigeria changed with the emergence of President Buhari. The re-organization of the military top echelon and procurement of arms and ammunitions were one of the first priority actions he took barely weeks into office. The president’s appointment of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Tukur Buratai did not only enliven the army, but gave a new tonic to soldiers on the insurgency warfront. Expectedly, Buratai re-organized military command structure and brought on board proven officers, who shared in the vision of the Federal Government of Nigeria about the military, professionalism, dedication, and valour to head various commands. Thereafter, he directed redeployments of soldiers, redundant in isolated places to the Northeast, the epicenter of the war on terrorists. He posted about 1,000 soldiers in Lagos from the Reconnaissance Battalion Badagry to the Northeast. In addition, he introduced combat motorbikes because troops had insurmountable difficulties navigating the muddy or sandy terrain of Borno state to trace terrorists’ hideouts, with military vehicles especially the path to Sambisa Forest. It was one loophole his predecessors never envisaged. His words, “our troops will be able to pursue the Boko Haram sect anywhere.” Again, he issued stern and strict instructions to commanders of various battalions or Military Tasks Forces not to condone operational lapses in their areas of jurisdictions. Those who reneged faced military court martial. He opened up roads and streets closed for nearly two years and instructed soldiers to ensure civilian users of such roads are not attacked or molested in anyway. It restored confidence in the civil population, which responded positively by gradually returning to abandoned and ruined homes. Buratai exceptionally led other arms of the military to tour deserted areas in the Northeast. To lead by example, he laced his combat shoes and “khaki,” descended from his high position to personally lead onslaught against insurgents in territories previously captured and annexed; removed their flags and reclaimed Nigeria’s sovereignty from the 16 LGAs insurgents held sway in the Northeast. As if the feat was not enough, he dared them to attempt a comeback, if they are brave enough. None took the risk. Instead, remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, who sought refuge in communities, began submitting themselves to the Nigerian Military in droves. The action was also spiced by confessions which provided useful insights into the thickest of the hideouts of Boko Haram terrorists. In effect, Sambisa forest disrobed itself of the trumpeted mystique, as soldiers went berserk on a conquering spree, demolishing their camps, arresting dozens and handing them over to prosecuting authorities. These fresh milestones’ were sequel to Buratai’s boasting of the morale of troops, through the magnanimity of President Buhari, with new arms and ammunitions, timely payments of salaries and duty allowances of troops, constant field visits for supervision. Soldiers who displayed exceptional gallantry were rewarded with instant replies and decorations with new ranks of promotion, realities only previously tenable in their realm of dreams. Consequently, several Boko Haram captors, including the Chibok girls regained freedom in trickles, alongside, other men and women variously held hostage for months, if not years. Nigerians are loudly mouthing the instincts of survival of the rescued. As at today, more than 5,000 Nigerians held by Boko Haram have regained their freedom based on the consistency of Buhari’s new face of terrorist's war under Buratai in alliance with other armed forces as well as the Civilian JTF. Therefore, the narrative has unavoidably changed, even for Buhari’s impenitent critics and detractors, who never believed in the campaign against terrorists in Nigeria. They score Buhari very high on security and anti-corruption wars in less than one and a half years. It’s trite that respected Western countries have admitted this rare feat and also, thrown their weight behind it with support in multiple ways-weaponry and IDPs packages. Particularly, even the perpetually strict and cynical America, a super world power, under President Obama has sent her salutations. Its Secretary of State, John Kerry is loud about it; everywhere he berths in the world. It is no surprise that the BBOG campaigners have also taken the back bench in their public activism and agitations against the military, having sensed some meaningful action in this regard. It is evident by their quiet, pensive, but consolatory mood with the recent freedom of Amina Ali, another freed Chibok girl, received by the Presidency. No doubt, the number is now far less than 160 of Chibok girls still in captivity. But silently, BBOG organization has to do more. The campaign now should have focused on their public appreciation of the Nigerian military and the Nigerian government under President Buhari. In fact, they should lead agitations for their improved welfare to embolden them farther to reclaim more captives of Boko Haram. Much more, BBOG campaigns could extend to Boko Haram victims, still in IDP camps in order to stimulate state governments of the affected states and humanitarian groups around the world to do more to assist them reclaim their lives from the ruins. UN set a recent example, when its humanitarian chief, Stephen O’Brien announced the release of $13 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) of the body to provide life-saving assistance for the victims in IDP camps. Thanks a million times. But more importantly, like COAS remarked recently, state governors of states affected by Boko Haram terrorism need to do more to finally dispel the fears of IDPs still marooned in distant places by stepping up efforts of rehabilitation, as presently being undertaken by the Peace, Reconciliation and Rehabilitation Initiative. It is necessary to re-enact former Head of State, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s 3 Rs, after Nigeria’s regrettable civil strife. Abiodun writes from Ibadan, Oyo State.
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| Politics / Buratai: A Prophet Home And Abroad By Adeka Onyilo by jeremyliness: 6:29pm On Aug 26, 2016 |
Buratai: A Prophet Home and Abroad http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/buratai-prophet-home-abroad/ 1 Like
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| Politics / Facts BBOG Must Appreciate by jeremyliness: 2:05pm On Aug 25, 2016 |
Facts BBOG Must Appreciate By Dr Kolawole Anthony One needs not reenact the story of David and Saul in the Bible to find a modern day version in the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai. As the holy book recounted it, after exceptional exploit at war the people chanted ‘Saul has killed his thousands, but David has killed his tens of thousands!'. The people singing were certainly not intent on belittling the achievements of Saul, who was David’s boss (and later predecessor) at the time, the lyrics were borne out of the exhilaration of being from occupation forces that had terrorized them continually prior to David’s exploits. Nigerians were similarly terrorized by Boko Haram prior to the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, who appointed Buratai as Army Chief. The war on Boko Haram’s terrorism had seen significant tactical changes that have yielded positive results since the inception of the Buhari's administration. From holding almost the whole of Borno state, Boko Haram has today been reduced to a band of fanatics using abducted schoolgirls as human shield and bargaining chips having been confined to Sambisa forest by sustained military campaign against their insurgency. Resources meant for weapons are now being properly utilized for same, welfare of troops is now of paramount importance and we now boast of an Army Chief who stays in the battle field with his soldiers to do the battle. Everything about the campaign on terrorism has changed from the old orders with both international and local commentators now acknowledging the achievements of our military. Same way Boko Haram fighters also acknowledge now that they dared a sovereign state with their insurgency so they dare not anymore take the fight to the Army and when the fight is taken to them they flee. They still stage hit and run attacks on defenseless villages but they are no longer able to move around confidently with the kind of militarized convoys that once easily overran military and paramilitary barracks in the days of the Jonathan presidency. It was such convoy they were able to deploy with ease in capturing schoolgirls from Chibok. A repeat attempt of such depravity today will end badly for the terrorists as not one of them will return alive to whatever camp they mobilize from. Nothing mirrors the finality of Boko Haram being in its death throes as the video they released of their captives, which security analysts have put down to the fighters making one last desperate push to halt further military attacks. They practically dangled the girls as their pawns in the face of us all. Who will think of a daughter in this harrowing situation and not immediately accede to the requests of even the devil? Of course the militants twisted the knife in the heart of parents by getting the girls to recount how some their colleagues have died in ‘military raids’, which underscores the group’s desperation not to come under any further attacks. A further change that has come since the change of baton of the Army leadership is that Boko Haram, whose spokespersons have that chronic reputation of taunting the entire nation, have altered course to no longer maintain that role within its ranks. The life expectancy of anyone occupying that position became so short that not much is heard about it anymore. Boko Haram has instead resorted to using outsourced spokespersons that use the cover of professionalism to distribute its messages on social media with the certainty that a section of the mainstream media will amplify their desire as they unknowingly compete to outdo each other in becoming the terror group’s mouth piece. But even with this, the atrocities that the world has become aware of as people get to know more about the sick outrage Boko Haram fighters committed in areas they were driven from, social media platforms have blocked the accounts they use for promoting their evil. So whether it is abducting innocent children and women or taunting the world about a supposed helplessness in stopping Boko Haram’s horror, the appointment of General Buratai has ended what initially gave birth to the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign. The hamstrung army under Jonathan, which lacked vision, tact and courage to confront the terrorists, is now history. The Chibok Girls, who are symbolic of Boko Haram’s penchant for abductions, might not have been freed yet, but several others whose abduction did not make world headlines have been freed and reunited with their families – they number in their thousands. These are realities that the present handlers of BBOG must appreciate and cooperate with the authorities towards defeating terror and rescuing the girls. There is nothing to be gained in metamorphosing into a willing tool for distracting the Army or the government since this is what its recent activities amounted to. Even as BBOG begins to appreciate what has changed in the time the current order has been in place, it must also undertake a retrospection to see what has changed about it. To outsiders, many of those that were BBOG’s conscience and think tank have moved to other things even though they continue to make contributions from the where they are now. This possibly explains a recent deviation that saw its convener, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili foray into recruitment issues simply so she can fire a salvo at the government. Such trend of belligerence has made even the parent’s of the Chibok Girls distance themselves from the latest BBOG march as revealed by the their leader, Yakubu Nkeki, who indicated that antagonizing people is not the way to go about securing freedom for the girls. So BBOG and its leaders should be begin asking themselves why they are yet to change their approach and strategy if the girls’ return is what is genuinely driving their campaign and not some personal political agenda. Kolawole PHD, a University lecturer writes from Keffi.
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| Politics / Is Oby Ezekwesili Truly Confused? by jeremyliness: 1:43pm On Aug 24, 2016 |
Is Oby Ezekwesii truly confused? By Okanga Agila But for his antecedence as a consummate media handler, one would have been disappointed that Presidential Spokesperson, Ahaji Shehu Garba decided to join issues with the Convener of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) and former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili for saying his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari does not deserve to be in office. Garba Shehu should have seen through Ezekwesili and arrive at the conclusion that he could have better spent the time used on writing the statement dismissing Ezwkwesili for other uses. Without doing any library research anyone can see that this former World Bank Vice President is eager to line her egg nest. She left that supposedly cushy job to take up appointment under the Obasanjo government, returned to the country under Dr Goodluck Jonathan but there was no deal until the unfortunate abduction of the Chibok Girls provided the material to blackmail that government with the formation of BBOG. It took the surfacing of how she misappropriated a total of N458 billion allocated to the country’s educational sector when she served as minister between 2006 and 2007 to silence her. Still along that line of hustling to get on the joy ride she became hyper critical of the Jonathan government while making it look like she was on errand for the opposition. Once the new government emerged without her being named on the cabinet she found a new cause that saw the BBOG promptly revived and used to harass the government of President Buhari. The truth has a way of eventually coming out. Other arrowheads of BBOG have either returned to their full time occupations or find newer ways of making contributions to the nation’s development while still working to ensure the girls are one day released. But not Ezekwesili. Not even the dawning realisation to Nigerians that the group could be more complicit in the captivity of the girls can make her behave herself. The former minister has therefore dusted up what is left of her credibility and deployed it to champion the cause of ‘2000 Nigeria Immigration Service recruits’ whom she is making to look like hapless victims. Two quick things: aren’t these the same recruitments that she claimed were made without adherence to due process; is this the same former minister who had no qualms about downsizing for efficiency in line with World Bank dictated global best practices? One needs ask these question because there should be limits to grandstanding even when political manoeuvres are called for. My expectation is that Ezekwesili would have by now deployed her clout and access to the Boko Haram intellectual components in pressuring Ahmed Salkida, Ahmed Bolori and Aisha Wakil to facilitate the release of the Chibok Girls. That she could immediately be latching onto another cause, albeit for selfish and adulation purposes, signposts how the BBOG outings had always been influence courting exercises for a woman who is unaccustomed to being out the influence circle. She has spoken in a couple interview about how she left nothing behind in government that she wants to return to but this latest development has definitely put the lie to her claims. Not just at this recent sit out, her recent comments on national issues betray a refusal to accept the realities of the time. Ezekwesili mentioned that the impunity that characterised the Jonathan administration has resurfaced under the present government, which leaves one wondering how much responsibility she is willing to accept or if she even has the capacity to recognise that she must accept responsibility because the foundation for impunity was laid and solidified under the government she served and being a minister at that time there is no record that she productively tried to halt that foundation from being laid. Even with such reckless past, the least she can do is to acknowledge progress being made by President Buhari to undo the damage she and her colleagues did in setting off that culture. If she called it impunity now what would she have called it before the incumbent government scaled back on the abomination that Ezekwesili’s People Democratic Party (PDP) government left behind in 16 years. Ezekwesili spoke of hardship without acknowledging her role in how the policies she actively supported as a minister started off what Nigerians are today experiencing. If she were truly sincere about the plight of the lower income bracket population she should deploy the same tricks her and her buddies at the World Bank use to market unneeded loans to emerging economies to reverse the damage she has done. This is why I think Garba Shehu shouldn’t waste valuable time in responding to this woman. She is in need of rehabilitation as the economy of the world has taken a hit so even a World Bank big wig is not as insulated as one would assume. Instead of countering or trying to correct the misinformation that Ezekwesili is putting out, the presidential spokesperson should recognise it as the desperate cries of a frustrated and sinking woman in need of intervention. So when next Ezekwesili goes on her rant, if Garba Shehu has to write anything it shouldn’t be a response but a compassionate memo to Mr President to find one small appointment for madam, whose co-convener at BBOG, Hadiza Baka Usman already has a national assignment. It is not easy being left out “inside this cold of Abuja”. Agila contributed this piece from Abuja.
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| Politics / Boko Haram’s Offer Of Poisoned Chalice by jeremyliness: 6:11pm On Aug 22, 2016 |
Boko Haram’s Offer Of Poisoned Chalice By Philip Agbese Your Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari I have asked myself how best to contribute to an issue that is currently pressing Nigerians without falling into the trap of Nigerians who only see the problem without offering solution or, at least, a clearer understanding that would lead to the formulation of solutions. I therefore decided to write to offer my perspectives. Since Boko Haram released the video of some of the Chibok Girls they captured over two years ago, we have been doing what we do best as Nigerians by engaging in exactly the reactionary knee jerking that the terror group and the brains behind it expected. It is no different from where we have been in other spheres of life, we wait until our national team is left without means of transportation before venting our righteous anger; we allowed the past administration run the economy aground with looting and profligacy while chanting its praises only to start denouncing a mutually invited change when the evils of that previous government began yielding fruits; and never accepted other realities as well. Reactions to the video has thus been extreme. Some think the terrorists should be blasted to hell and its offer to exchange the girls for its captured fighters rejected. Others are strident in pressuring the government to negotiate with Boko Haram, exchange the girls for the killers in custody without offering where to go from there. On the heels of these arguments, the Bring Back Our Girls Group (BBOG) is planning a protest to pressure government into trading the girls as demanded by Boko Haram. When it happens, their protest is going to offer a needed distraction to the western media that are by now tiring of their newfound poster boy in Syria. The Nigerian government and military would be demonised and the protesters would offer the validation that is needed to make the image of a failing state stick. Because the forces of destabilisation do not work in isolation, there have been concerted efforts to push for Boko Haram’s demand by persons that look as if they are, genuinely interested in the wellbeing of the girls, Nigerians and Nigeria. What they are however, asking for could eventually sink not just Nigeria but the entire West Africa and the Maghreb with some spill over to Central and East Africa. The ongoing orchestra that is whining for terrorists considers everything with the exception of one. Recidivism. These groups and individuals that have been canvassing a swop of Boko Haram prisoners for the abducted Chibok Girls do so without regards for the penchant for recidivism among terrorists like any other type of criminals. Recidivism is the chances of a previously arrested, detained or convicted terrorist returning to extremism or violence. Military records would probably show that some of these people we are being asked to free are in incarceration because it was not their first time of being tied to terror. Mr President, recidivism is difficult to measure, particularly so in a country like Nigeria where we are still working to bring our statistics and research capabilities up to date. But cases like the US Guantanamo Bay facility and Indonesia record anywhere between 10 and 30 percent instances of re-offense among released terrorists. That means if Nigeria frees 1000 Boko Haram detainees there is a fair chance that we are putting anything in the range of 300 terrorists back on the streets. It took fewer than that number to abduct the girls in the first place. In the case of what has been witnessed in Nigeria so far, not many of those that would be release would return to being farmers, artisans or becoming informants to the security agencies. Instead, the reality of the risk of them returning to the war front to re-stock Boko Haram’s fighting ranks is there. Those who are receptive to the idea of a swop argue that anyone of prisoners that returns to terrorism risks being killed in future military operations but that would be taking unnecessary chances. When these guys are released without fully serving their sentences they would definitely become sources of inspiration both to encourage more youths to sign up with Boko Haram and to assure them that there are no consequences. The level of our infrastructure equally means the released terrorist cannot be adequately tracked so they could flee to Syria, Somali, Yemen or other terror strongholds, make new connections there, build new cells and revive a Boko Haram that is almost completely wiped out. To pre-empt the argument that we should release them now and worry later all we have to do is to look south. Hundreds of men who should spent the remainder of their national lives in jail were summarily granted amnesty under the Late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s government and their kinsman ensured the deal was sweetened by making us put billions of naira in their pockets. In a classic case of recidivism many of these persons and fresh ones they inspired are today blowing up critical infrastructure. So, they got amnesty, got money and they still returned to the same issues that necessitated those concessions in the first place. Your Excellency, what a vocal minority has thus been canvasing amounts to day dreaming. No terrorist will ever surrender and he is ever ready to be kitted with a suicide vest anytime. It’s melancholic to think a terrorist will ever give up his cause. It is criminal for anyone to mute the idea of swapping terrorists with any person. It is madness to even consider making deals with terrorists or anyone that has contact with them. It is going to be a futile venture. Osama Bin Laden never surrendered. He got his wish, he died the way he wanted. Many more wannabe Bin Ladens have emerged since then. They would not stop until they get their death wishes. We may cringe at the prospect of this but even those that lecture us on human rights know better than negotiating with terrorists or granting their demands. Any negotiations will only prolong the conflict since a truce would be needed to make that happen. We give three months of truce and Boko Haram will resurface much stronger. They would have gotten more time and loophole to plant their suicide squad into more of our cities and two years down the line those that would have fled to other countries would return with more venom in their blood and they will rain hell on us. We must therefore take stock and ask who these people are talking about doing deals with. Are they in any way connected through a hidden group to the likes of Ahmad Salkida, Aisha Wakil and Ahmed Bolori, whom the military have named as persons of interest in securing the release of the girls? These people should of course by now become recipients of our collective appeal to use their relationship with the terrorists to secure freedom for the girls without the terms and conditions that Boko Haram is laying down. It is a poisoned chalice that no government in a sane country would drink. Your Excellency, Mr President, Nigerians are aware of the enormous success that your administration has recorded. We know how the military has decimated Boko Haram and therefore feel you should not dance to the tune of any one in resolving this issue. Mr President, do accept the assurances of my best regards as you review my position on this matter. — Agbese is a United Kingdom – based commentator |
| Politics / Group Cry Out For Release Of Chibok Girls, Begs Salkida, BBOG by jeremyliness: 1:22pm On Aug 21, 2016 |
Group Cry out For Release of Chibok Girls, Begs Salkida, BBOG Apparently worried by the endless wait for the release of the Chibok girls by its abductors, the Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) has appealed to the trio of Ahmed Salkida, Aisha Wakil and Ahmed Bolori named to have contact with Boko Haram to avail information that will lead to the immediate and unconditional release of the girls held by the sect. The group also plead with the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group, which has been campaigning for the release of the girls to direct its planned protest at Salkida, Wakil and Bolori even as it expressed concerns that time is running out. In a briefing in Abuja by CATE’s National Coordinator, Gabriel Onoja, suggested that those named by the military possibly knew more about Boko Haram than the security agencies once had cause to believe. The text reads, “We want the abducted girls back now that their captors, Boko Haram fighters have released a video to convince the world that many of them are still alive. The abduction in itself is evil and the girls’ travails is felt by all Nigerians and anyone that still has human blood flowing in their veins. This is why it is painful that after more than two years and despite several operations, promises, failed negotiations and dashed expectations the girls are still captives. “Their continued captivity has definitely been traumatic for the girls, especially as they have recounted how some their colleagues died. It has been harrowing for their parents and friends who daily wonder when their girls would be home or if they are among the unfortunate ones that have been reported dead. It has been crippling even for the nation as it became impossible to decisively end the terrorism crisis. “We must point out that despite the girls still being captive we appreciate all previous efforts by the Nigerian military in defeating the Boko Haram Terrorists. The way they degraded the group’s fighting capabilities. This imminent defeat is likely the reason Boko Haram is now using the girls as bait to both stall further military operations against them and to have time for reorganising to become strong again. “We have also seen something that the entire country overlooked all along since the girls were first abducted from their school in Chibok. There are Nigerians that have the information about the girls all this time and they possibly know more about Boko Haram than even the security agencies once had cause to believe. They declared Ahmad Salkida, Barr. Aisha Wakil and Ahmed Bolori wanted in connection with the information they have about the whereabouts of the girls and Boko Haram in general considering the unfettered access they have with the terrorists. “The refreshed leadership of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group has also been reported to have similar information and some measure of access to the terrorists. “Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism therefore appeal to the trio of Salkida, Wakil and Bolori and all other persons with direct link to Boko Haram everywhere across the world to prevail on the abductors of these girls to release them unconditionally. The girls, their families and the country have suffered enough. “We extend the same appeal to BBOG. They should use their connections to appeal to the trio of Salkida, Wakil and Bolori to help end the nightmare that has become the daily lives of these children. The group, in our view, currently channels its energy towards protesting at the wrong quarters. We think if BBOG converts its protest into an appeal to the human part of this trio a lot of progress would be potentially made. “Nigerians should please help us beg the trio and BBOG because time is running out in the practical sense as the defeated terrorists become increasingly more desperate. This has been exacerbated by the knowledge that their contacts in the outside world are now well known to the authorities. We should all appeal to human conscience of all those involved in this affair as time is no longer on our side,” Onoja said.
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| Politics / The Second Epistle To Clark by jeremyliness: 9:10am On Aug 20, 2016 |
The Second Epistle To Clark By Okanga Agila Dear Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Call your children to order. Permit me to again write you another letter in the space of three weeks since my last open letter to you. I would have exercised some patience and see how well the issues I raised in the previous communication are being treated. However, the bruise I called your attention to has festered into an open wound that could become gangrenous if we continue to treat it as a mere sore. In my earlier letter, I asked you and other elders in the Niger Delta to stop kicking against military deployment to stop the destruction of oil and gas installations in the area, which you are opposed to based on self-interest and greed. The appeal was for the elders of the area to allow the military to deploy to the Niger Delta since there is still time to clean up the mess that you and other elders created. Your response to that letter, in which you accused me of being vicious, wicked and not a patriotic Nigerian for stating the truth, failed to articulate any possible suggestion that would contain the activities of these misguided children of yours but rather elected to focus on the anti-corruption crusade of the current administration. Even as you continue playing the ostrich over your role in the crisis threatening the stability of the country, things have turned uglier in the space of these three weeks. Your children continue to destroy vital economic infrastructure even as the few that have seen the light openly named you and other leaders in the south as being sponsors of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). They did not only mention your name but prominently so. Given the venom you spewed pre-2015 General Elections about how the country would burn if your godson, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, was not re-elected; your denial of any links with the NDA is laughable. The most positive reaction it drew from Nigerians was to feel vindicated that they have been proven right. It turned out you shouldn’t have bothered distancing yourself from the NDA or denying what the Reformed NDA (RNDA) said about you and other ingrates from the region. The RNDA specifically narrated how the present destabilization plan was hatched, put on hold when Dr Jonathan conceded defeat and again reactivated when corruption investigations and trials were brought against members of that administration of which you were the one that called the shots. Despite your denial and half-hearted assurances to call your rampaging children to order, they continue to bomb economic infrastructure and have taken implementation of your agreed plan to the its next phase with a threat to declare secession from the Federal Republic of Nigeria by October 1st. This shows it is you who is unpatriotic. You of all people know the significant of October 1st and we are not talking about Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary. Rather it was the day your godson, Dr Goodluck Jonathan became a spokesperson for terrorists on October 1, 2010 when he stridently refuted responsibility for a bomb attack they carried out in Abuja. His complicity in issues of insecurity is well a known fact. It must also be on record that it was that infamous blast that opened the floodgate of bombing in Nigeria. Also recall that when a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo had to hold a meeting with Dr Jonathan in the presence of Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Bishop David Oyedepo to resolve his numerous letters that went unacknowledged by your godson. Chief Obasanjo accused Dr Jonathan based on security report that the then President was training and arming the youths through NIMASA, then headed by Akpobolokemi. What did you ever do about that ugly episode? Nigerians expect that you will use your influence among persons identified as sponsors of NDA to ask Jonathan or either of these highly respected clergymen to tell the world what Jonathan's answer to Obasanjo was. You did nothing about the revelation that your youths were being armed and it will be redundant to now urge you to call your children to order in this instance that they want to declare a problem republic because even a brain damaged youth without the benefit of education should know what treason is and its attendant consequences. If the threat of secession is being bolstered by the pre-election cache of weapons, militants that trained as commandos under the pretext of amnesty rehabilitation, and worthless assurances from some foreign powers, then it means yourself, elders and militants of the Niger Delta failed to read up the relevant portions of international laws and conventions that allow nations to defend their territorial integrity when the need arises. So I nonetheless urge you to call your children to order and that is assuming they can still listen to you. As you would have noticed, the Nigeria Police Force has issued a warning that your boys must not dare the Federal Government by going ahead with the provocative plan. This must tell you that the beat has changed: while there were appeals to allow the military deploy to the Niger Delta to arrest the sabotage of oil and gas installations there would be no need for such protocols should your children proceed with the manic plan. It is one thing to be detonating explosives that security operatives have now confirmed to have been planted in preparations for blowing up the country over Dr Jonathan’s election loss, it is another thing completely to contemplate treason. A republic must necessarily have a capital and government with officials so there will be no doubt as to who to arrest for treason and where to get them. This is what makes what your children are contemplating seriously different from the cowardly hide and seek of blowing up pipelines. It is also what should give you concerns that once they expose themselves for arrest a next logical step is that the connection of the elders to them would be exposed. You must advise your colleagues not to risk using a few riffraff as place holders for the declaration of secession so that security agents won’t be able to make connections with the real sponsors of the plan. History will not be kind to the elders if they repeat the folly that gave rise to militancy and militant warlords. Their latest plan risks creating the emergence of a new power bloc peopled by thugs whom you falsely think you are arming to harass the Federal Government. These same weapons being placed in the hands of the youths will soon turn against those that supplied them. Yourself and fellow Niger Delta elders must now begin to contemplate how to eat that humble pie when October 1st arrives and there is no republic to present to the masses that you brainwashed into being used as tools. You must also worry that the dawning culture of accountability will force the hundreds of thousands of your impoverished people to start asking why they live in squalor and your children and grandchildren live in gilded opulence. This is the real revolution that will occur as opposed to your expectations that the poor will again offer themselves as cannon fodder – sacrificial animals – to preserve the life of entitlement that Niger Delta elders and militant leaders live. If you find time to call a press conference to address the issues raised in this letter, kindly do well to objectively digest the issues so that your reply does not shot off at a wrong tangent. What is needed from you is to call your children to order. They must stop all attacks, disband all illegal group they have formed and stop thrash talking the rest of the nation. These must happen without anyone expecting goodie bags as happened under the watch of your godson, it distorts the economy and rewards criminals. In case you have not noticed, fiscal federalism is something that all constituent ethnic nationalities in Nigeria are clamouring for and many of them are doing it without resort to violence. If we allow you get away with what you are asking for then we will be confirming our ethnic nationalities as inferior to yours simply because we do not have oil wealth. We are not. Okanga, a traditional minister in Agilaland contributed this piece from Benue State.
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| Politics / Ahmed Salkida: The Nigerian ‘journalist’ Nigerians Don't Know by jeremyliness: 7:31am On Aug 17, 2016 |
Ahmed Salkida: The Nigerian ‘Journalist’ Nigerians Don't Know By Abdulhamid Kolo Bukar The Nigerian Social Media and even the traditional media have played significant roles in shaping Nigerians’ views and opinions about critical State matters, in recent times. Chief among these critical State matters, in my view is the issue of Boko Haram. Ironically, over the years, Ahmed Salkida, who claims to be a Nigerian Journalist, with “credible contact” with Boko Haram, have been allowed for too long to inundate Nigerians with his own narratives on his contact with the group, with little or no one offering another perspective on what his true mission is. Interestingly, those who have kept sealed lips, have done so, largely out of fear of being singled out for attack by the group. But now that things have taken a different turn, with my brothers and sisters in Maiduguri, moving freely unhindered, I feel compelled to let Nigerians into the true identity of this so called Nigerian Journalist, following the resolve by the army to get to the root of the matter, this time around. As I was putting my thoughts together, I realised that all those who have risen in Salkida’s defence do not really know him. For if they do, as I do, they would perhaps have been shouting ‘hang him, hang him.’ Like Salkida, I have also practiced in Maiduguri. In fact, I am back there now. But unlike Salkida, my report on the activities of the group dates back to 2002, when the group was only known as Nigerian Taliban. Whatever contact Salkida has with the group, must have started after the crushing of the group by the Obasanjo-led administration in 2004. Like me, most Journalists in Maiduguri, came in contact with Salkida, around 2007. Before the 2009 uprising in Maiduguri, we have always suspected him to be a member of the Boko Haram, an allegation, he had always denied. However, following our persistent inquest, he confessed one day to us that he was part of the group before, but had since severed relationship with it. If the SSS Director and the Police hierarchy at the time will be willing to cooperate with the army, I know for a fact that up till 2009, when Maiduguri witnessed that deadly uprising, Salkida acted as an informant to the Police and the SSS. However, unknown to these government agencies, he was also revealing information about their security strategies to the Boko Haram group. Contrary to his claim, one of the reasons he was almost killed in the cross-fire at the time was that, while the army was getting set for the war against Boko Haram, I think the second day or so of the uprising, Salkida, had the temerity to ask the security operatives, where the Armoured Tank will be positioned. I am sure that is a journalistic question too? Also, contrary to his claim, that he alone had access to the ‘bad guys’ most of them know us, and can even identify us through our voices. So they do call us, at will. Although, sometimes, through Salkida, a conference call is usually arranged to talk to us. Datti Ahmed’s Angle Till date, most Nigerians, do not know the real story about the botched dialogue, meant to be headed by Dr. Datti Ahmed. But all my colleagues in Maiduguri know who bungled it. I hope they will be willing to cooperate with the army and other security agencies on this matter. The army must be discreet too, in getting this information from them. Initially, Salkida claimed that he knew nothing about the dialogue then. But as it turned out, both Dr. Datti and Shekau confirmed in their separate interviews that Salkida arranged it. Some of us too were skeptical about the proposed dialogue then, because none of our Boko Haram contacts spoke to us about it. However, one afternoon, Salkida called us and arranged for us to speak with some supposed members of the group at the premises of BRTV (Borno Radio Television.) Those we spoke to confirmed that Shekau, the then leader, indeed knew about the proposed dialogue. After the interview, Salkida again called us to put the story on hold, until he clears from Shekau. We waited for three days, no news from him. But while we were still waiting, Dr. Datti, issued a statement from Kano, pulling out of the dialogue. His major reason was that the information about the dialogue had been leaked to the press. Like most of my colleagues, I was confused over the development, because Salkida arranged the press interview. Two days or so later, Shekau spoke to us, saying he actually sanctioned the proposed dialogue, but that he was pulling out owing to insincerity on the part of the government. Shekau also said several unprintable things about Salkida. Salkida, called and pleaded with us to remove every aspect about him, from the story, we obliged him, for old time sake. I doubt if Shekau, knew the true story of how the proposed dialogue was bungled, before his death. Hassan Tukur, former President Jonathan’s aide is alive. The army and anyone who knows him can contact him. Salkida’s ambition and greed was responsible for the botched dialogue. He actually wanted to chair the committee. When that was not feasible, he tried to use a Kaduna-based activist to chair it, when that too failed; he impressed it on the committee to demand for huge sums of money. The demand for money and Salkida’s refusal to present some members of the group, as demanded by the Presidency, including Salkida’s leakage of the moves to the press, actually bungled the dialogue. All these happened in 2012. Salkida Relocates to Dubai And by 2013, Salkida relocated to Dubai, over alleged threat to his life, yet he announced to us by himself where he was relocating to. If indeed, his life was under threat and he was running for his dear life, would he have announced his destination? But today, if you read his interviews, he will tell you it was Nigerian Journalists who revealed his location. One thing I have observed, and you may also cross-check, is that, since his relocation and following the army’s intense and sustained bombardment of the group, the group’s activities on the social media reduced drastically, a thing making me to conclude that after the arrest of Abu Kaka and his successor, Salkida, took over as the spokesman of the group. And I have a few instances to buttress my point here. One, after the 2014 raid of Konduga, which I believe strongly led to the death of Shekau, shortly after the army announced his death, Salkida tweeted that Shekau was hale and hearty. Hear him: “Mark my words: I have it on authority that Shekau is well and alive. The picture going round is not the person who torments us with his group.” I am sure, this is how Journalists report? Only a spokesperson uses such strong words to drive home his points. If he is not the group’s spokesman, what is he? Again, while we all were celebrating the liberation of some towns then from Boko Haram’s hold, especially Konduga, in 2014, Salkida, did a lengthy piece, where he said among other things that “Kondunga was a turning point for the Nigeria Army but the journey to an assured future is still long and tough. Nigeria must take this fight away from the pages of newspapers and confront it overly. We are yet to get it right but let us pray for victory for Nigeria.” Come off it, we all know that terrorism strives on propaganda. When Boko Haram was always in the media, I am not sure I read any criticism from him then, assuming it is true that the army’s successes then, were mere propaganda. He went further to say that, “so far, no town taken by Boko Haram has been reclaimed by the Nigeria army. We were only able to prevent Kondunga and Maiduguri from falling. Success in the war against terrorism should be felt by those that are affected most, and not just in the media.” Truth is, once he noticed the army is making any headway, he tries to underplay the successes of the army, so that government can look in his direction. It was after his long piece, in 2014, that some persons within the Jonathan’s administration invited him again to help secure the release of the Chibok girls. And he not only honoured the invitation (from those he claimed wanted to kill him), but also collected huge sums of money, hung around Nigeria for a while, and disappeared again, saying government was not serious. What I suspect, I have no any credible evidence to prove this though, is that he shares whatever money he gets from the government with the group, otherwise, the group will not insist in using him all the time. If you watch the latest video carefully, the person who spoke on behalf of the Boko Haram group said they would only deal with government through some Journalists that they (Boko Haram) know. The truth is, they know only Salkida, because he is one of them. And like this latest video, released by Salkida, it was meant to undermine the successes so far recorded by the army, and to force government to again invite Salkida, for another round of bargain. I pray and hope the Buhari government will not fall for this latest scam. However, watch it! Do not be surprised, if after reading my piece, they come up with some names of some us in Maiduguri. Do not buy it. It is a scam. This, in brief, is Salkida, the ‘Nigerian Journalists’ Nigerians do not really know. Bukar, writes from Maiduguri
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