₦airaland Forum

President Muhammadu Buhari’s controversial statement that his government will deal with violent secessionists in the South-east “in the language they understand” has been condemned by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.

Mr Soyinka, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES Friday, said Mr Buhari’s “recent deployment of this language is thus wrongly targeted, and tragically untimely.”

“Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand,” Mr Buhari had said in reaction to attacks on state institutions and personnel in the South-east and South-south regions of Nigeria.

The president’s statement has stirred controversy across Nigeria and beyond with critics describing it as insensitive and suggesting genocide against the Igbos. The president’s supporters, however, say the statement was simply a stern warning to violent insurrectionists in the South-east.

On Thursday, Twitter deleted the president’s post with the Nigerian government later saying the social media giant has a hidden agenda in Nigeria.

On Friday, Nigeria announced an indefinite suspension of Twitter.
In his Friday statement, Mr Soyinka compared President Buhari’s statement to the statements and actions of former U.S. President Donald Trump while the latter was in office.

Read Mr Soyinka’s full statement below.
To SHOCK And AWE!

We heard it last during the heydays of Donald Rumsfeld under George Bush – and judge in what condition it has left that part of the world, and beyond. Rumsfeld’s namesake – a sobering coincidence – also spat the same gung-ho rhetoric. That Donald once ordered his uniformed forces to “go out there” and “dominate the environment”, following civilian protests at extra-judicial killings of blacks by state police. Soon enough, leaving nothing to chance, that Donald II seized on the first opportunity to personally mobilize a mob to “dominate” Capitol Hill, his own seat of government that was clearly slipping from his control.

Optimists are free to underplay that threat to the much-acclaimed democratic beacon. Study that scenario carefully however, and you find It is not a question of: it could never have succeeded. Such surmises are wrong, It COULD HAVE SUCCEEDED, albeit with unpredictable consequences for America and the world. And so, when the elected head of a democratic state like Nigeria, not perched precariously on the knife edge of power but with a couple more years in the kitty, threatens to “shock” dissidents, we should indeed be shocked out of any complacency.

Even if History has been deliberately eliminated from the school’s curriculum, Memory suffices to jerk us into a watchful, precautionary alert.

I hold no brief for those who resort to burning down police stations, slaughter their occupants simply for the crime of earning a measly monthly pittance, torch electoral offices, assassinate politicians in calculated effort to set sections of the country against others in the promotion of their own political goals. These are largely nihilists, psychopaths and/or criminal lords, soul mates of Boko Haram, ISWAP, Da’esh and company, not to be confused with genuine liberators. All over the world, throughout history, elections are denounced, boycotted, and generally delegitimized without recourse to wanton butchery.

When, however, a Head of State threatens to “shock” civilian dissidents, to “deal with them in the language they understand”, and in a context that conveniently brackets opposition to governance with any bloodthirsting enemies of state, we have to call attention to the precedent language of such a national leader under even more provocative, nation disintegrative circumstances. What a pity, and what a tragic setting, to discover that this language was accessible all the time to President Buhari, where and when it truly mattered, when it would have been not only appropriate, but deserved and mandatory!

When Benue was first massively brought under siege, with the massacre of innocent citizens, the destruction of farms, mass displacement followed by alien occupation, Buhari’s language – both as utterance and as what is known as “body language” – was of a totally different temper. It was diffident, conciliatory, even apologetic. After much internal pressure, he eventually visited the scene of slaughter. His language? Learn to live peacefully with your neighbours. The expected language, rationally and legitimately applied to the aggressors, was exactly what we now hear – “I shall shock you. I shall deal with you in the language you understand”.

That language was missing at the moment that mattered most. It remained “missing in action” for years until a belated “Shoot at sight” outburst. Too late, and of course, inappropriately phrased. The precedent had been set, the genie let out of the bottle, consolidating a culture of impunity that predictably spread its bloody stain all over the nation.

Buhari’s recent deployment of this language is thus wrongly targeted, and tragically untimely. Even while he was threatening dissidents, an agenda of both secessionism and alien occupation was taking place not too distant from Aso Rock. ISWAP was taking over the already excised territories of Shekau’s Boko Haram, appointing new warlords of the occupational forces, sectioning Nigeria into vassal states and unfurling their replacement flags of domination. Soon, logically, ISWAP’s letters of diplomatic accreditation will be presented in Aso Rock?

We must however backtrack a little – that is the function of memory. It would be false to suggest that these eggs of impunity are newly laid. They have been incubating in loathsome hatcheries of power and domination for years, even decades, and now the raptors have been hatched and taken wings. The political culture of the devil’s bargain, of denial, evasion, avoidance of constitutional mandates, the culture of “appeasement of the unappeasable” – to quote myself – in order to gratify the vested interests of a narrow, power obsessed elite has blossomed. Finally, the chickens have come home to roost.

The evocation of the Civil War, where millions of civilians perished, is an unworthy emotive ploy that has run its course. In any case – and this has been voiced all too often, and loudly – the nation is already at war, and of a far more potentially devastating dimension than it has ever known. Every single occupant of this nation space called Nigeria has been declared potential casualty, children being pushed to the very battlefront, without a semblance of protective cover. We have betrayed the future. We need no breast beating about past wars. The world has moved on, so have nations. Some, however, prefer to move backwards. The continent is full of these atavists. In Nigeria, powerful cliques of this persuasion still roam the corridors of power We are indeed at war. It does not take the formal declaration of hostilities, with or without lethal bombardments, for a nation to find itself shell-shocked. The populace of this nation is already in that shell-shocked condition. So, what is there left to shock?

It is time to think “outside the box”. That many, in so doing, find no landing place except dissolution, is not a crime. It is not peculiar to any peoples, and is embedded in the ongoing history of many, and not only on this continent. It is their natural right as free citizens, not slaves of habit and indoctrination. Where disillusion rides high, sentiment tumbles earthwards, and the only question becomes: what can be salvaged? It thus remains the responsibility of leadership to persuade them, through both discourse and remedial action, that there are other options. Attempted bullying is not a language of discourse, nor the facile ploy of tarring all birds with the same feather.

I shall end on a personal note. It was not intended but, in view of breast thumping rhetoric by one president after the other over military sacrifice – undeniable, certainly – such recalls should be considered salutary.

The heroic exploits of our military in confronting some of the deadliest internal forces of dehumanization deserve their place of honour, not only in history, but in contemporary consciousness. However, let not the military fail to take its place centrally in the nation’s ongoing, unavoidable soul searching. And so to an instructive intervention by this “bloody civilian”, in what should be an exclusionary portfolio of the keepers of a nation’s mandate for secure existence.

It took months for me to effect a meeting, agreed in principle, with a former National Security Adviser. It took that long only because I refused to meet him within the country, since it had become clear that the +security forces, in addition to high levels of governance, had become infiltrated by the very vicious elements that have fully established and sustained a lethal dimension.

I was not about to let myself be “sold out” to unseen forces in my eagerness to sound an oppressive warning. We eventually met in London. The records, I am certain, will be found in the National Security files and, in any case, I went accompanied. My mission was straightforward – to let him know that the nation was under siege, that the nomadic herdsmen that then threaded the forests were of a different breed from those whom we normally encountered in that environment that was also close to second home to some of us. We met. That National Security Adviser assured me that the military was aware of this, and that his mission to the United States was to negotiate the purchase of spotter planes to patrol the forest routes. I retreated, satisfied, to my normal preoccupations. No, not entirely true – I did take other supplementary steps internally, including meetings with high level state officials in the West.

Now comes the rub! imagine the chagrin, this past week or two, as revelations emerged, ten years after that meeting, of humungous amounts from oil resources being found in the US off-shore accounts of that pivotal figure of any nation’s security architecture! Is that an exceptional tale? Not in the least! He is not the first multi-starred general to be thus exposed, some even brought to trial. While Boko Haram was consolidating, a Nation’s Security Czar was also consolidating his nest egg with funds meant for elimination of a national scourge.

Shock? No. Civil Society already has a superabundance of the military shock treatment!
Wole SOYINKA.
https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2020/06/cropped-i-would-have-told-wole-soyinka-to-stand-up-daddy-freeze-supports-young-man-who-sent-wole-soyinka-packing-2-1.jpg

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/465636-soyinka-tackles-buhari-over-civil-war-comment-other-matters.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has
transmitted to the Senate, a bill to
increase the retirement age for
teachers in the country from 60 to
65 years.

The bill also seeks to extend the
years of service for teachers from
35 to 40 years.

The bill was conveyed in a letter to
the Senate President, Ahmad
Lawan, who read it out at the
start of plenary on Wednesday.

In the letter, the president
explained that the piece of
legislation would provide for a
harmonised retirement age for
teachers in Nigeria.

The decision to increase the
retirement age and service years
of teachers, he said, was pursuant
to Section 58(2) of the 1999
Constitution as amended.

“Transmission of the Harmonised
Retirement Age for Teachers in
Nigeria Bill 2021 to the National
Assembly for consideration.

“Pursuant to Section 58 subsection
2 of the 1999 Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria (as
amended), I forward herewith the
harmonised retirement age for
teachers in Nigeria Bill, 2021 for
consideration by the Senate.

“The harmonised retirement age
for teachers in Nigeria bill 2021
seeks to increase the retirement
age for teachers from 60 to 65
years, and also increase the
possible years of service from 35
to 40 years,” part of the letter
read.

Further details of the legislation
will be discussed on another
legislative day when the
lawmakers begin the process of its
passage.

Mr Buhari’s letter comes about
five months after the Federal
Executive Council approved the
extension of teachers’ retirement
age as well as service years.

Meanwhile, Mr Lawan, during
plenary, also referred the
president’s request for the
confirmation of Farouk Yahaya as
Chief of Army Staff of the Armed
Forces of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria to the Committees on
Defence and Army.

The Defence Committee, which is
chaired by Aliyu Wamakko (APC
Sokoto), was mandated to be the
lead Committee to screen the
newly appointed army chief.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/465245-buhari-transmits-bill-extending-retirement-age-service-years-for-teachers-to-senate.html

middlebelter:
Oga Bello, for many years your people from the North opposed an increase in the derivation of crude oil mined from the Niger delta, now that it is your turn, you want 20%, therefore, I will suggest 30% derivation for states where crude oil are mined.

For the record, I am from Kogi State.

what is good for the goose is good for the gander

is there a way they can the revamp the scheme

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar,
says agitation for the scrapping of the
National Youth Service (NYSC) scheme
is not in the interest of Nigeria’s unity.

Mr Abubakar spoke when he hosted
some selected members of NYSC Batch
A stream 2 Corps members posted to
Sokoto state in his palace on Monday in
Sokoto.

The Sultan said that those agitating for
the scrapping of the scheme did not
mean well for the country.

The emir explained that the NYSC
scheme was established to foster the
nation’s unity and strengthen ties
among Nigerians.

“I heard there are efforts for the
scrapping of the NYSC scheme, I assure
you that those behind that struggle do
not mean well for this country,” Mr
Abubakar said.

According to him, the NYSC scheme is
the most needed programme in view of
the present situation when Nigeria is
almost divided along ethnic and
religious lines.

He welcomed youth corps members
posted to the state, saying that the state
was the most peaceful state in Nigeria.
Mr Abubakar urged the youth corps
members to consider the state as their
second home and explore the
opportunities therein.

The paramount ruler, who advised them
to respect the customs and traditions of
their host communities, urged them to
be security conscious as there are
security challenges in parts of the state.

“I urge you to be security conscious
while staying in Sokoto, you know there
are security challenges now all over the
world, we have our own share also.

”You should not keep late nights and if
you have any challenges contact your
district head because they are like your
father and guardian ” he said.

He gave assurance that there would not
be any reprisal “because a northerner
had been killed in Owerri, Enugu or Aba”,
saying that another person could not be
punished because of what someone did
elsewhere.

He said that the two major religions in
Nigeria, Christianity and Islam are
against the killing of innocent people,
saying life is sacred and no one has the
right to kill anybody at will.

He implored leaders to speak up when
things were going wrong, saying
injustice must also be addressed to
calm tension and agitations.

Earlier, Philip Enaberue, the Sokoto State
NYSC Coordinator, thanked the Sultan
for his unflinching support to the
scheme in the state.

Mr Enaberue said as it was a tradition
and that they were in the palace to pay
homage to the Sultan and seek his
fatherly advice.

He said that 1,414 youth corps members
were undergoing orientation in the state,
out of which 714 were males while 700
were females from the 36 states of the
federation and the FCT.

https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/03/Saadu_Abubakar_-Sultan_of_Sokoto.jpg

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/464954-scrapping-nysc-scheme-not-in-interest-of-nigerias-unity-sultan.html

The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has
recommended that 20 per cent of the revenue be given to states where solid minerals are mined, up from the current 13 per cent.

The federal government had, in 2016, approved the
implementation of the constitutionally guaranteed 13
per cent derivation from mineral revenues to
deserving states.

But Mr Bello, at the North Central Zonal public
hearing for constitution review exercise being held in
Lokoja, Kogi State, said 13 per cent is not
commensurate to the effects of mining activities in
the state.

“13 per cent derivatives is not commensurate to
degradation and other effects of mining in host
communities. I recommend 20 per cent equity share
for states on solid mineral mining,” he said.

Welcoming other states in the North Central zones to
the event, Mr Bello said Nigeria is at a crossroads,
critical to its development.

According to him, the present security situation is
both a threat and an opportunity.

“Of course, it depends on our responses as citizens
to these threats. The ongoing constitution review is
one of the tools to address issues in the national
polity, so I support the National Assembly.”

https://i1.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/06/North-Central-Zonal-public-hearing-for-constitution-review-exercise-scaled.jpg
North Central Zonal public hearing for constitution
review exercise

The two-day event, organised by the House of
Representatives Special Committee on Constitutional
Review, started on Tuesday and is billed to end on
Wednesday.

Recall that the Senate version of the event was held
last week.

This is part of the effort to meet the demands of
Nigerians on the need for restructuring, which many
believe to be long overdue.

Members of labour unions, traditional rulers,
political office holders and other groups are present
at the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja,
where the North Central section of the event is
holding.

Also speaking at the event, the Speaker of the Kogi
State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole,
clamoured for the creation of six additional states.
He also called for harmonisation of the 1999 and
1963 constitutions for the betterment of the citizens.

“Most people (are) agitating for Nigeria to revert
back to 1963 constitution. There is (a) need to
harmonise both the 1963 constitution and 1999
constitution for the betterment of Nigerians,” he
said.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/465066-constitution-review-yahaya-bello-proposes-20-per-cent-derivation-on-solid-minerals.html

Even Gombe

hensben:
I didn't say he flopped i said he was a squad player that was reliable, just like chicharito.

Need i remind you, Chicharito benched berbatov to be top striker

hensben:
Which Halaand? When last a striker from Norway become anything in football. May i remind you Ole was a squad player for man u.

John Carew: Played for lyon and aston villa. Notable for his sublime goal against real in 05. Flo: Played for chelsea and norway at the world cup

Kilishihunter:
I taya oooh Lukaku came for £74m, played in the europa league final last year, was a key part of their league winning, won the league's MVP asides his continuous goal banging for both country and club, That's the Niccur that's gonna leave for 60m just because he's playing in Italy

But wait fess in other matters, Lukaku was serie A's league MVP and ronaldo was awarded the forward of the season, is Lukaku not a forward? They won't see this one now but will gyrate when messi was just nominated for the uefa team of the year

Its a compensation. Ronaldo brought attention to serie a

Ibime:
Which players?



Every chance we conceded on Saturday was due to this weakness. Even the one Fernandinho burst through.

It's not his fault, if he can't do it, he can't do it. Let him go find another team that can accommodate that weakness.

Expecting to continue to play low-block defensive set-up and 3 defenders in order to mitigate Jorginhos weakness is what's crazy. No big team plays low block except Athletico which is a borderline big team.




Correction. That's how you came in supporting Bakayoko to replace Matic. I was one of those who said Bakayoko can never replace Matic

Arsenal under arteta plays low block. Watch closely

Gombe State government on Monday said a
communal clash between Shongom and
Filiya districts over farmland had
resulted in the death of one person and
the burning of over 50 houses.

The state’s Commissioner of
Information and Culture, Julius Ishaya
stated this at a briefing after a Security
Council meeting in Gombe.

He stated that the clash, which took
place on Saturday, May 29, left one
woman dead and no fewer than 50
houses, food and other essential items
burnt.

Mr Ishaya said the state government
condemned the attack and called on
members of the affected communities
to embrace peace, while directing the
immediate engagement of all residents,
led by the Mai Kaltungo, Saleh
Mohammed, to find solutions and
restore lasting peace in the affected
areas.

“The council reiterated that the
banning of militias or hunters’ groups
still stands and all security agencies
have been alerted in that regard,’’ he
said.

He said that the government had also
asked leaders of the affected
communities to meet with their youths
as part of measures to prevent further
escalation of the clash.

Peace returns
Also speaking, Adamu Dishi, the state’s
Commissioner of Internal Security and
Ethical Orientation, said the affected
areas were now calm as peace had been
restored.

Mr Dishi said security operatives in the
state had been directed to fish out those
responsible for the clashes, “as crises
do not erupt on their own, so that the
perpetrators would be dealt with
according to the laws of the land”.

Saleh Mohammed, the Mai Kaltungo,
appealed for calm, stating that peace
was needed for the emirate to make
meaningful development and progress.

Conflict
The Commissioner of Police in Gombe,
Ishola Babaita, confirmed to the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there was
a clash between Shongom and Filiya
Districts.

Mr Babaita said that the police on
receiving the report on Sunday, May 30,
deployed its personnel to prevent
further breakdown of law and order.

He added that peace had been restored
to the affected areas and his men were
still patrolling the areas to ensure the
maintenance of law and order.

He confirmed that one death was
recorded and no fewer than 50 houses
razed, saying that those involved in the
crisis would be brought to book as soon
as investigations were concluded.
(NAN)

https://i2.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2019/09/IMG-20190904-WA0007-e1567598129402.jpg
Security Operatives used to illustrate
story
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/464960-one-dead-50-houses-razed-in-gombe-communal-conflict.html

kinzation:
We all know such speaker that broke the COVID protocol won’t be apprehended

No be from North again
Na their papa they rule

welcome to northocracy

Meanwhile Buhari is still shocked

In God we trust

The former Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Ghali Na'abba,
says "the worst amongst us is being
enthroned to manage our affairs."
By Ameh Ejekwonyilo

A former Speaker of Nigeria’s
House of Representatives, Ghali
Na’Abba, said on Monday that
there is an absence of leadership
in the country.

Mr Na’Abba decried the spate of
violence across the country,
adding that the masses are bearing
the brunt of the mayhem of the
crises.

https://i1.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2017/08/Ghali-Umar-NaAbba.jpg
Ghali Umar Na'Abba [Photo: Daily
Trust]

In a veiled reference to President
Muhammadu Buhari’s inability to
halt the pervasive insecurity in
Nigeria, Mr Na’Abba said, “The
worst amongst us is being
enthroned to manage our affairs.”

He spoke at a gathering of ethnic
nationalities in Abuja.

The meeting is being attended by
prominent sociocultural leaders
such as Ayo Adebanjo of Afenifere,
and former governor of Anambra
State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife of
Ohaneze-Ndigbo among others.
Details later…
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/464846-just-in-theres-no-governance-in-nigeria-ex-speaker-naabba.html

By Nasir Ayitogo
Saturday, May 29, marked exactly six
years since President Muhammadu
Buhari took office as the fourth man to
lead Nigeria in the Fourth Republic.

The former army general who became
the first opposition candidate to win a
presidential election in Nigeria
returned to power in 2015 on the
strength of his promise to tackle
insecurity, fight corruption and
improve the economy. His election
followed the abduction of more than
200 schoolgirls from a Chibok in the
country’s northeast Borno state by Boko
Haram armed group.

Boko Haram used to illustrate the story.
In his inaugural address, Mr Buhari
vowed to tackle “head on” the Boko
Haram insurgents who at the time had
taken over several local government
areas in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe
states.

He vowed to crush Boko Haram within
three months and recover all the
territories it had seized.
But six years after and about two years
to the end of his final second term,
insecurity has worsened beyond the
Boko Haram insurgency. Virtually all
parts of Nigeria are currently battling
one form or another of violent crimes,
evidence that the president has failed
to keep his promise on security.
The Global Terrorism Index (2019) ranked
Nigeria as the third-worst nation prone
to terrorism with no improvement since
2017.

Asides insurgency, banditry, kidnapping
and secessionist violence are pushing
Nigeria towards the brink of collapse
with many calling for the resignation of
the president for “failing” to secure the
country.
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has
described the country as a war zone and
the Sultan of Sokoto recently said
northern Nigeria is the worst place to
live in the country.
Last month, a lawmaker from the
president’s ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC), Smart Adeyemi, was
moved to tears while contributing to a
debate in the Senate on the dire
security situation.
Overwhelmed by the situation, the
president appealed to the United States
for help.

PREMIUM TIMES in this report
examines the steps the Buhari
government has taken towards ending
the insecurity and why they are yet to
yield the desired results.

Fighting Boko Haram
Upon resumption of office in 2015, Mr
Buhari relocated the military command
from Abuja to Maiduguri, the
birthplace of Boko Haram.

He improved the military budget and
approved the purchase of arms for the
security forces and agencies.

Based on his promise to also end
corruption, Mr Buhari began a probe of
the use of military funds under the
previous administration of President
Goodluck Jonathan.

As part of that process, he ordered the
arrest of the former National Security
Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, over alleged
embezzlement of $2 billion or nearly
N650 billion allocated for arms
purchase.

Some gains were made in the recovery
of lost territories with the government
repeatedly claiming it had recorded
“technical defeat” over the terror
group, but the reprieve was short-lived.
Boko Haram’s split in 2016, leading to a
splinter group called Islamic State-
West Africa (ISIS-WA), heralded a new
dawn of terror.

Matt Eze, a security analyst believes the
presidents’ “lengthy and constant
medical trips abroad left a leadership
gap that emboldened insecurity.”
Barely one year in office, Mr Buhari
made his medical trip to the UK as
president. He continued to make such
trips and in 2017 alone, spent over 150
days abroad treating an undisclosed
ailment.

A Daily Trust analysis
showed that the
president by 2017
had spent over eight months in the UK
since he took office.
Meanwhile, in 2018, the military
suffered its highest fatalities against Boko-
haram. The group captured a large
cache of military hardware and was
responsible for the death of at least 600
Nigerian soldiers , the Conversation
reported.

In the same year, it attacked nine
military bases and overran the
Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF)
base in Baga, Borno state.

Mr Buhari would soon start losing key
political allies ahead of his reelection
bid in 2019 due largely to the worsening
insecurity. Several states in the war-
ravaged regions of the north threatened
not to vote for him .

In a frantic move to reassure Nigerians
of his commitment to ending the
insurgency, the president in late 2018
approved the withdrawal of $462 million
from the Excess Crude Account (ECA)
for payment to the United States for the
procurement of 12 Super Tucano
aircraft, without prior approval of the
National Assembly.

Within the same period, he also gave
approval to the military to make
weapons purchases worth $1 billion,
former defence minister, Mansur Dan
Ali, had said.

The jets have not been delivered to
Nigeria and the Nigerian army has kept
blaming inadequate weapons and
personnel for its losses in the fight
against insurgency.

After months of pressure over his
response to the worsening security
situation, Mr Buhari in January fired his
service chiefs and top military
commanders.

In his new year message, the president
admitted that insecurity was destroying
investments in Nigeria under his watch.

Funding
In the past decade, even before Mr
Buhari took office, Nigeria’s defence
budget had taken a large chunk of the
total budget.

Under former President Jonathan, in
the 2015 budget, N934 billion was
allocated to the security sector.

The figures for 2011 and 2012 were
N920 billion and N924 billion
respectively while N923 billion each
was given to the sector in 2013 and
2014.

How these huge sums were spent
however remains unclear as there were
no reliable performance reports by the
security agencies at the time.

In the last five years under President
Buhari, the defence budget continued
to be high with N878.4 billion and
N840.56 billion earmarked for the
military in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Yet, the performance of the military
remains poor. So what accounts for the
mismatch of funding and effectiveness?
Corruption, funds mainly allotted to
recurrent budgets and late passage of
annual budgets are the main factors
militating against effective use of funds
to tackle insecurity, according to
security experts.

For instance, the military and the police
spent a whopping 91 per cent of their
budgets on recurrent expenditure in
2020, comprising overhead and
personnel costs.

The Ministry of Defence, comprising the
Army, Navy, Air Force, Defence
Headquarters, Nigerian Defence
Academy, Defence Intelligence Agency
and 11 other units shared N878 billion
in 2020.

Of the total allocation, the recurrent
expenditure stood at N778 billion while
the remaining N99 billion went to
capital expenditure for the purchase of
defence equipment, sea boats,
rehabilitation of barracks across the six
geo-political zones, procurement of
ammunition among other things needed
to fight insecurity and defend the
Nigerian territory.

Recurrent expenditure goes into
personnel cost, comprising salaries,
wages, allowances and social
contributions.

Of the N409 billion received by the
police in 2020, the total recurrent
expenditure was N395 billion,
representing a huge 96.75 per cent of
the allocation.

The situation is forcing some of the
security agencies to make part
payments for security items they would
have used to fight insecurity.

On the corruption front, a recent survey
by the Conversation gathered that some
military personnel , politicians and other
public officers were diverting public
funds meant to fight terror and
insecurity.

The report revealed how expenditures
are sometimes duplicated using
different headings by staff in the
defence ministry and military
institutions.

It also showed that the lack of
transparency in the procurement
process encouraged corruption. The
procurement of military weapons was
usually shrouded in secrecy which
meant that outdated items instead of
modern weapons were purchased.

Negotiating with terror groups
Globally, the dilemma of fighting
insurgents, militant groups or bandits
have been either to fight them to the
finish or to engage them in talks and
negotiations towards amicable
settlements.

Many developed countries battling
terrorists, including the U.S., have
engaged in negotiations with them even
though they sometimes deny such
publicly.

Nigeria officially started negotiating
with armed groups back in 2009 with
the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s
amnesty deal with Niger Delta militants
aimed at reducing unrest in the oil-rich
region.

President Buhari in March 2018
announced that his government was
ready to accept the “unconditional
laying down of arms by any member of
the Boko Haram group who shows
strong commitment in that regard.”

In July 2020, some “repentant” Boko
Haram terrorists in Borno State were
“rehabilitated” and given the
opportunity to live normal lives.

Many Nigerians, however, criticised this
move. A majority of Nigerians who
participated in an online poll by
PREMIUM TIMES in March 2020 kicked
against a proposed bill to create an
agency for the rehabilitation of
repentant Boko Haram members. The
bill had triggered outrage and debate
after it was introduced.

Many fear that releasing ‘repentant’
Boko Haram militants into the civilian
population could be counterproductive.
Negotiating with terrorists cannot
guarantee a lasting solution but
embolden them to keep making endless
demands, security experts say.

The Niger-Delta amnesty programme
has been sustained as the government
is still paying militants to dissuade
them from resuming hostilities.

Authorities in Katsina, Sokoto, and
Zamfara states initiated direct
negotiations with armed groups last
year. As part of these negotiations, the
governors offered criminal groups
amnesties and other incentives to end
violent attacks.

But these agreements have failed partly
because many of the armed groups lack
central command hence it was difficult
bringing them all to one negotiation
table. Collapsed negotiations have led to
renewed attacks.

The Katsina State Governor, Aminu
Masari, said he was betrayed on two
occasions by bandits after they were
granted amnesty by the state.
Paying ransom to kidnappers
Kidnapping for ransom has become
lucrative and pervasive in the last five
years.

PREMIUM TIMES in 2018 reported how
some lawmakers said the release of
some of the Chibok girls kidnapped in
April 2014, involved payment of
ransom.

The abduction of Leah Sharibu and her
colleagues in Dapchi reportedly brought
the government to the negotiation table
with terrorists.

In December 2020, about 344
schoolboys were declared missing after
gunmen attacked a school in Kankara
near Katsina, the president’s home
state.

Although jihadists claimed responsibility ,
the boys were later freed after a ransom
was allegedly paid, security experts
said. They believe such payment and
negotiations have become part of the
government’s strategy of fighting crime.

A recent report published by SB Morgen
(SBM) Intelligence said between 2011
and 2020, Nigerians paid at least $18.34
million (₦7 billion) in ransoms to
kidnappers.

Terrorists who smuggle in weapons
through the Sahara Desert are said to
rely on ransoms paid by kidnapped
hostages.

Highway: Regional policing and CCTVs
Despite numerous checkpoints along
many highways, violent crimes, killings
and kidnappings remain rampant on
Nigerian roads.

The killing of Funke Olakunrin , the 58-
year-old daughter of a Yoruba leader,
Reuben Fasoranti, in a kidnap attempt
by suspected herdsmen at Kajola along
Ore-Ijebu Ode expressway – was one of
the most widely reported violent
crimes recorded on Nigerian roads in
the last three years.

It drew national outrage at the time
with the Inspector-General of Police
(IGP) ordering a “total overhaul” of the
security structures on highways across
southern Nigeria.

In the aftermath of the incident, the
Buhari government ‘agreed’ to allow
state governors in the South-west
employ community policing strategies
to curb the rising spate of insecurity in
the region.

President Buhari also said the
government would install CCTV cameras
along highways among other measures
to check violent crimes. However, little
or nothing has been done in that
regard.

Following negotiations with the federal
government, the governors of the
South-west states established Amotekun
as a state-based law enforcement
agency last year.

However, a PREMIUM TIMES analysis
revealed that more than a year after the
establishment of Amotekun, kidnapping
and killings have remained rampant in
the region.

Similarly, governors of the South-east
states last month announced the launch
of a security outfit codenamed Ebube
Agu (Wonderful Tiger). They also
announced a permanent ban on open
grazing.

But constant clashes between the
security agencies and ESN, the
paramilitary wing of the outlawed
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), are
capable of scuttling efforts to keep the
region safe with Ebube Agu.

Botched RUGA programme
President Buhari in 2019 announced the
RUGA programme, an initiative to
enable willing states to contribute land
to the federal government for
construction of animal husbandry
settlements as a solution to the farmer/
herders crisis, which has claimed
thousands of lives and led to the
destruction of properties valued at
billions of naira.

RUGA is projected as a fresh idea to
create the infrastructure that
encourages restricted pastoralism,
which many have demanded as an
alternative to the highly risky practice
of open grazing.

The presidency had said 12 states have
indicated willingness to be part of the
programme.

But after it was heavily criticised by
many Nigerians with many state
governors opposing it, the president
suspended the programme while the
crisis remains unresolved.

Porous borders and arm proliferation
The president in 2016 gave approval to
the International Organisation for
Migration (IOM) to install e-border
facilities in 10 Nigerian border posts as
a way of ensuring better management
of Nigeria’s porous borders.

Nigeria’s border with Niger, Cameroon
and Chad which spans about 1,000 km is
poorly policed, a situation heightening
the potential spread of terrorist
activities into the northwest region.

The vulnerability of the border to the
infiltration of terror groups is
compounded by the presence of large
forest reserves in the region. The vast,
rugged terrain, sparse population, and
dense vegetation make surveillance
difficult—making the forests ideal
hiding places and operational bases for
terror groups.

The forested landscape constitutes
ungoverned spaces, where the presence of
the authorities is either nonexistent or, at
best, sporadic.

President Buhari had on several
occasions blamed herders’ attacks on
terrorists from Chad and Niger who
enter Nigeria through its porous
borders.

Intelligence gathering, monitoring
Mr Buhari in 2018 said his government
was refocusing its fight against
insecurity by investing heavily on the
country’s intelligence gathering
capacity.

“At the level of the military and
intelligence agencies, intelligence-
sharing must become the rule and not
the exception,” he noted while speaking
at the 8th National Security Seminar
2018 of the Alumni Association of the
National Defence College (NDC).

According to him, the scope of the
battle against insurgency is broadened
by the vast landmass of the North-east.
He said without investing in intelligence
gathering, there would be very little
hope for the country.

A recent analysis by this newspaper
revealed how Nigeria’s poor intelligence
gathering processes have crippled its
ability to nip crime, violence and
killings in the bud as done in more
advanced climes.

Many of the crimes committed and
violence recorded could have been
averted if Nigeria had a virile
intelligence network and there is
greater collaboration, not rivalry , among
the government units tasked with
providing intelligence and security, say
some of these experts we spoke to.

Way forward
A security expert, Timothy Avele, in his
reaction to the security situation in the
country blamed both the security
agencies and some state governments.

On the part of security agencies, Mr
Avele ascribed the lack of improvement
to what he described as the non-
coordination of security agents.

He also said governors were aiding
insecurity by paying ransoms to
kidnappers rather than finding a lasting
solution.

“Security situation as it stands now is
getting worse. A day hardly passed
without hearing one form of insecurity
or the other in many parts of the
country.

“The government is trying but it is not
enough, it needs to do more. The
missing link seems to be lack of proper
coordination among security agencies
and appropriate intelligence
application.

“Secondly, the state governments are
contributing indirectly to the insecurity
ravaging the country by negotiating
with bandits, kidnappers and paying
them millions as compensation. This
action will only encourage others to
form criminal gangs within and in other
states.

“Thirdly, many states are simply sitting
and waiting for FG to come and remove
criminal enterprise in their state
instead of doing something concrete to
battle the scourge

“Lastly, we can only expect to see
results when there’s a political will to
end insecurity across Nigeria. A lot of
sacrifices and compromises on the part
of the government, institutions, security
agencies and citizens is a must,” he
said.
https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/05/E0ssaRHX0AYizpk.jpg

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/464754-analysis-six-years-after-buhari-has-failed-to-keep-promise-of-securing-nigeria.html

Lead by example

The Speaker of the Kano State House of
Assembly, Hamisu Chidari, is one of
more than 200 travellers who were
recently declared ‘wanted’ by the
Nigerian government for allegedly
violating new protocols put in place to
halt the spread of coronavirus in the
country.
Mr Chidari had reportedly returned to
Nigeria via the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja, from Saudi
Arabia through an Ethiopian airline on
May 17, 2021. He was, however, said to
have reportedly presented a
coronavirus test result “which was
found to be fake” by the health
authorities in Nigeria.
Sources who are privy to the
development but declined to be quoted,
described the speaker’s conduct as
“embarrassing and condescending.”
One of the sources, who spoke with a
PREMIUM TIMES on the phone, said;
“From the airport, he was conveyed to
the National Women Development
Centre along with others where they
were expected to be observed for seven
days before they could be certified to
be free to mingle with Nigerians. And if
otherwise, they could be referred for
further procedures.
“But when the speaker got to the centre
he said he did not like the place and
offered to isolate himself at the Nicon
Luxury Hotel in Abuja. But he never
did. He betrayed the authority’s trust
by escaping to unknown whereabouts
since that day and so he couldn’t be
observed.”
Mr Chidari, with passport number,
B50022050, was listed as number 66 on
the list of 132 violators which was
released and publicised on Thursday by
the Presidential Steering Committee on
COVID-19. The committee is headed by
the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Boss Mustapha.
The committee had earlier on May 23
published the first batch of the list of
violators containing 90 names. The list
had included some Indians who were
declared as uncategorised violators.
Attempts to reach speaker
PREMIUM TIMES made numerous
attempts to reach out to the speaker
through official channels and associates
for his comments but these were not
fruitful. Also, the speaker does not have
a spokesperson.
But the spokesperson to the Kano State
House of Assembly, Uba Abdullahi, who
offered to help get his reaction said
though he was unsure of the speaker’s
itinerary within the stipulated period,
“he would have expected the
committee to have called on the
speaker personally before making
public the allegation”.
On Sunday, Mr Abdullahi said he would
reach out to the speaker “for his own
side of the story” and promised to get
back to PREMIUM TIMES. He is yet to
do so as of Monday morning when this
story was filed.
He, however, said; “The presidential
committee, since they are effective in
all ramifications across the country,
why didn’t they call him first of all?
And the subsequent issue is that since
he came back from such a trip, why
didn’t you as a journalist
‘corresponded’ directly to him? So, now
that is how many days that you said he
did not respond, you are trying to
respond.”
Mr Abdullahi later advised the reporter
to visit him in Kano “directly so that we
can talk.”
But when he was asked to reply via the
telephone channel, the spokesman said
he would try to find out the details
from officials of the assembly “who
might have the details of the
information required”.
“But you should know that the
parliamentary staff association is on
strike and it would be difficult to get
any official. So I will have to see the
speaker himself, and also the clerk of
the house. So I will get back to you,” he
added.
SGF
Meanwhile, when asked whether the
committee reached out to the speaker
before making public the allegation, the
spokesman for the office of the SGF,
Willy Bassey, said his office was only
requested to make the list public.
“I wouldn’t know who are on the list,
and I am not sure many people did. I
think it only reflects the sincerity of the
committee in executing the task,” he
said on the phone.
The director of port health service at
the federal ministry of health, Jeffery
Okatubor, also declined comment on
the matter, saying he would need to
secure the approval of the ministry’s
permanent secretary before he could
make any comment.
Mr Chidari was
elected the speaker on
December 15, 2020
following the resignation of his
predecessor, AbdlAziz Gafasa.
New protocols
On May 1, the Nigerian government
issued a fresh travel advisory for
passengers arriving the country from
three countries that were described as
“restricted” following the discovery of
new variants and subsequent spike
being recorded in the coronavirus
infections in these nations.
The countries are Brazil, Turkey and
India.
The protocol, which took effect on May
4, noted that “passengers arriving from/
or that have visited any of these three
countries within fourteen (14) days
prior to the visit to Nigeria, are
required to follow mandatory arrival
quarantine and testing protocols in
designated facilities.”
The precautionary measures, the
committee said, were necessary steps
aimed at mitigating the risk of
importation of variants of concern and
“break the chain of transmission to the
population.”
But on May 23, the committee described
as shocking, the decision by some
identified travellers to evade the
protocols.
The statement read in part; “The
Presidential Steering Committee (PSC)
has, however, observed that while most
of the arriving passengers dutifully
observed the guidelines, some
(Nigerians and foreigners) have violated
them in contravention of the provisions
of the CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
HEALTH REGULATIONS PROTECTION,
2021. Accordingly, the underlisted
persons who arrived in Nigeria between
8th May 2021 and 15th May 2021
through the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Lagos and
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,
Abuja, and whose names and passport
numbers are displayed, have been
declared Persons of Interest (POI) on
account of posing considerable danger
to overall public health and for the
violation of Nigeria COVID-19 travel
protocol by evading the mandatory 7-
day quarantine for persons arriving
from restricted countries.”
The government, therefore, called on
Nigerians to beware of the individuals,
declaring them as persons of interest
who “constitute an immediate health
hazard to the society.”
“They must therefore transport
themselves safely, to the nearest state
public health departments within 48hrs
of this notice for immediate evaluation
and call the Port Health Services,
Federal Ministry of Health on
08036134672 or 08032461990 for further
directions,” the statement added.
‘Punishment awaiting offenders’
The committee said the offenders
would not be treated with kid gloves,
accusing them of frustrating the efforts
of committed Nigerians in the fight
against the spread of the disease.
The committee, therefore, said the
concerned violators shall face
regulatory sanctions including but not
limited to, “disabling their travel
passports for a period not less than one
year; cancelation of visas or permits of
foreigners that have abused our
hospitality; and prosecution under the
2021 Health Protection Regulations.”
Lagos blows hot
Meanwhile, the Lagos State government
has reeled out punishment awaiting the
identified offenders who reportedly
entered the state through the Muritala
Muhammed International Airport.
Addressing journalists at the weekend,
the state’s commissioner for health,
Akin Abayomi, said any Nigerian found
on the list would have his or her
passport deactivated for a minimum of
one year, and in the case of foreigners,
their resident permits would be
withdrawn and that they would be
deported.
Mr Abayomi added that all the
violators would also face the penalties
of the Coronavirus Pandemic Law 2021
of Lagos State, which could lead to one-
year imprisonment term and a fine of
N500,000.
He said; “We have isolated 433
passengers in our various accredited
hotels and facilities; 262 are in isolation
and 154 passengers have been
discharged with a negative COVID-19
test. Nine have tested positive and
successfully isolated to prevent
community transmission. Of the
remaining 135 passengers, 119 have
refused isolation and 16 are
unaccounted for.
“The families of those that have refused
to be isolated should appeal to their
loved ones to return for testing and
isolation.”
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/464787-exclusive-nigerian-govt-declares-kano-assembly-speaker-wanted-for-violating-covid-19-travel-protocol.html

Focusmind:
Yes. Nothing wrong with that.

catch them young

Good luck mancity

BlueAngel444:
I can picture Pep losing this UCL finals, no one would care he took city from mid table to EPL champions

God forbid. We are winning this trophy

Akposy:
Kindly see the attached pics. It tastes yum. This is Quiche aux poulet. We made this during my time at Culinary school. It's kinda expensive to make


Okay. It is a French Pastry

nice

Prestonn:
Village kitchen
First Photo Before farm work today

Second photo After work
●Yogurt ●Granola ●Blue Berry

awesome

Juleh01:
My first post in this section. Pls join me

one of my favorite. Elegant

Wiseandtrue:
believe this set of Nigerian Army at your own peril

Arranged empty gallons with little or no water then call it Bokoharam logistic raid

But when it comes to IPOB and ESN, they will show us dead bodies

Na who do them this thing

very funny

https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/05/20210525_112145-1-scaled.jpg
Representatives of the CSOs discussing elimination of trans fat in Nigeria

TFAs are common in baked goods, fries, pre-
packaged foods, and cooking oils.
By Ifeoluwa Adediran

A group of civil society organisations (CSOs) has
called on the Nigerian government to formulate a
policy towards the elimination of trans-fatty acids
(TFAs) from the food supply in the country.

The call was made on Tuesday during a conference
on “Trans fat and Cardiovascular Disease:
Protecting the Health of the Populace through TFA
Regulation.”

Some of the groups present were the Network for
Health Equity and Development (NHED), Global
Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), Corporate
Accountability and Public Participation Africa
(CAPPA), Nigeria Heart Foundation (NHF), and
others.

Trans-fatty acids

Trans-fatty acids are unhealthy fats that come in
both artificial and natural forms. Artificial trans fats
are formed through an industrial process called
hydrogenation, in which companies add hydrogen to vegetable oil and other products.

Foods containing trans fats are artery-clogging and
increase cholesterol levels in humans, which experts claim cause high risk of cardiovascular disease.

TFAs are said to be common in baked goods, fries,
pre-packaged foods, and cooking oils. Butter,
salmon, egg yolks and cows’ milk are also natural
sources of trans fat.

To reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the
World Health Organisation ( WHO) advocated the
elimination of TFAs in countries and released a
guide called ‘REPLACE’ for governments to follow.

Why Nigeria needs to eliminate trans-fat

Speaking at the conference, Joy Amafah, the Nigeria
Coordinator for GHAI said cardiovascular deaths are
one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide and
that industrially produced trans-fat (iTFA) is a risk
factor for cardiovascular diseases.

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and
Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease data
(GBD) Result Tool, Nigeria recorded approximately
854,000 deaths in 2019. Of the figure,
approximately 137,000 deaths were said to be
attributed to cardiovascular diseases and 3,229
attributed to TFA-related cardiovascular deaths.

“It is clear that TFA elimination is important to help
curb preventable deaths in Nigeria,” she said.
Ms Amafah urged the Nigerian government to take
clues from West African countries that have begun
the process towards trans fat elimination.

“Nigeria as a Leader in West Africa has the golden
opportunity to be an example and reinforce this
status by advancing a WHO “best buy” measure for
protecting health, making populations more
productive, and saving on health care costs through
iTFA elimination,” she said.

Giving a presentation on trans-fat in Nigeria and
efforts by the government to eliminate the
dangerous fat, Jerome Mafeni, the Technical Adviser for TFA-free Nigeria Campaign, NHED, said the
government is yet to establish a monitoring system
for TFA in foods or human consumption.

He said although the National Agency for Food and
Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) drafted
the Fats and Oils Regulations of 2014, with an
update in 2020, it is still awaiting final approvals
and gazetting.

“These updated regulations address issues of iTFAs and the use of PHOs in oils, fats, and foods. It
prescribes allowable limits for TFAs in food
products that meet acceptable global standards.

There has, however, been an extensive delay since
the completion of technical drafting for these
approvals to be obtained. These approvals must be
prioritized so that the process of regulations, ” Mr
Mafeni said.

Mr Mafeni explained that the vast majority of TFAs
are produced industrially through hydrogenation and that the Nigerian government must prioritise
regulations towards the elimination of TFAs, and
their replacement with healthy and unsaturated fats.

“TFAs are a significant contributor to cardiovascular
diseases (CVD) worldwide, estimated to contribute
to over half a million deaths every year. iTFAs have
no known health benefits and can readily and safely
be replaced in foods without impacting their
consistency and taste,” he said.

Mr Mafeni added that lack of awareness that TFAs
are a significant public health challenge; lack of
capacity of small and medium food producers to
replace TFAs; and lack of replacement fats and
technology are the challenges facing iTFA
regulations.

Akinbode Oluwafemi, the Executive Director of
CAPPA said Nigeria has not sat by idly in the
global campaign to eliminate trans-fat in foods.

“One of the most far-reaching efforts to ensure our
foods are wholesome and meet the standard the
WHO recommends is the draft “Fat and Oils
Regulations 2019” and the “Pre-Packaged, Ice and
Labelling Regulations of 2019” that the National
Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and
Control (NAFDAC) came up with in 2019.

“It is expected that this draft regulation will be
given the much-needed consent by NAFDAC in no
distant time,” he said.

Mr Oluwafemi said to ensure that Nigeria does not
go below the standard recommended by the WHO
in trans fats elimination, a coalition of non-
governmental organisations under the #
TransFatfreeNigeria Campaign was initiated.

He said through the #TransFatfreeNigeria Campaign,
awareness on the dangers of trans fat will be
created and pressure mounted on the government
for the elimination of TFAs in Nigeria.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/463985-cardiovascular-diseases-nigerian-csos-want-trans-fatty-acids-eliminated-in-foods.html

tobolos:
Well said...If not for this roads,we,residents would have been totally cut off from the map.Another road that needs urgent attention in that axis is Itele-lafenwa-Ayobo road.if that road is done,Ota will become a new Lagos.

ojuore nkan

And so, no condition is permanent

long live the Nigerian army