₦airaland Forum

Mynd44:
https://www.nairaland.com/5439402/dont-glorify-terrorists-defence-chief

…as DHQ Organizes Defence Correspondents Seminar

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin has urged the Nigerian media and other stakeholders to partner with the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) towards solving the security challenges facing the country. According to him, the nature of military operations demand that robust military-media relations be maintained for national enlightenment, sensitization and security.

General Olonisakin, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the 2019 Defence Correspondents Seminar, held on Thursday at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Abuja, described the media as a veritable non-kinetic measure for winning the hearts and minds of the citizenry in tackling national security challenges.

Revealing the theme of the Seminar as, “Enhancing National Security and Cohesion through Responsible Media Reportage.”, the CDS avered that it was imperative for the AFN to mobilize and sustain support for its ongoing operations by promoting mutual understanding between the military and the media.

The Defence Chief further urged media practitioners to be discreet while reporting matters of national security with a view to promoting peaceful co-existence and national cohesion, urging them to refrain from glorifying terrorists and giving undue publicity to criminal elements. He disclosed that the support of the media would spur the current efforts by the AFN and other security agencies in tackling insecurity.

Gen Olonisakin assured that the AFN will remain professional and adherent to the rule of law and respect for human rights.

The CDS also noted that aside combating terrorism, insurgency and banditry, the Nigerian military is equally complementing the effort of the Nigeria Police in handling other internal security challenges and sundry crimes.

Delivering the keynote address, as the Guest Speaker at the Seminar, the Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Garba Abari, noted the military, NOA and the media as major stakeholders in ensuring national cohesion. He identified “national cohesion and security ” as a collective responsibility of all stakeholders.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Acting Director, Defence Information (DDI) Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu said the seminar was aimed at enhancing the capacity of Defence Correspondents to enable them cover the defence beat effectively. The DDI, who, further disclosed that the capacity training is part of DHQ responsiveness to national security commitments, as contained in the CDS vision, noted that the AFN is positively engaging the media as critical stakeholders and partners in guaranteeing national security. “The media will continue to be an effective instrument for crisis management and conflict resolution, as well as veritable tool for socio-political development,” Col Nwachukwu assured.

While thanking the CDS and the participating journalists for being part of what he described as a positive stride towards improving military-media relations in the AFN, Col Nwachukwu observed that the participants will be equipped with fresh ideas and perspectives in the coverage of defence and security matters, given the sensitive and unique nature of these beats in nation building.

The first lecture titled, “Challenges of Managing Security Information and Exigencies of Media Timelines – Striking the Balance in National Interest,” was delivered by Professor Samaila Mande, Dean, School of Post Graduate Studies at the National Open University of Nigeria. The other paper titled “Taming the Menace of Social Media and the Challenges on National Security” was delivered by Dr Cosmos Eze, Associate Professor of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU

Colonel

Acting Director Defence Information

September 27, 2018

UNGA74: ‘We've Recovered Millions Of Dollars Stolen From Nigeria’ - Buhari To UN

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in New York, told world leaders that his administration had recovered millions of dollars stolen from Nigeria.

President Buhari disclosed this on the sidelines of ongoing 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA74) in the United States.

According to a statement released by the President's Spokesman, Femi Adesina on his Facebook page, Buhari spoke on “Promotion of International Cooperation to Combat Illicit Financial Flows”, an event organized by AUDA-NEPAD in conjunction with the EFCC.

“President Buhari presented a keynote address, which was supported by President Edgar Lungu of Zambia, and President of Ethiopia, Sahlework Zewede. President of UNGA 74, Professor Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, was also there, as well as key figures from round the world”, he said.

In his keynote address, Buhari lamented the evil that corruption was doing to Africa. Quoting from the 2014 Global Financial Integrity Report, the president noted that Nigeria alone lost minimum of $157.5 billion between 2003-2012, adding that such massive loss of assets resulted in dearth of resources “to fund public services or to alleviate poverty,” in the country.

According to him, “This is why, as Africans, we have no choice but to break the back of corruption...That is why our government has made it a war we intend to win. We will give all it takes to ensure there is no hiding place for purveyors of corrupt practices who are truly enemies of the people.”

Stressing the need to strengthen good practices on asset recovery and return, President Buhari said that, “In the last five years, our government has made significant progress to curb corruption,” adding: “We have recovered millions of dollars stolen from our country.”

On his part, Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, said, “There should be understanding, there should be collaboration, there should be repatriation; send it [Africa’s stolen wealth] back to the victim countries.”

Statement from the Federal Government of Nigeria on today’s developments in the Court

LONDON – Earlier today, the UK Commercial Court granted the Federal Government of Nigeria’s request for leave to appeal, enabling the Government to appeal the Court’s recognition of the UK Arbitration Tribunal in the UK Court of Appeal.

The UK Commercial Court also approved the Government’s application for a “stay of execution” which will prevent the plaintiff, P&ID, from enforcing the UK Arbitration Tribunal’s earlier judgment while this case is heard on appeal before the Court of Appeal.

The Attorney General Abubakar Malami commented further: “I am pleased with today’s development in the court and see this as a positive resolution that constitutes an important step in the Government’s efforts to defend itself in a fair and just process.”

“We look forward to challenging the UK Commercial Court’s recognition of the Tribunal’s decision in the UK Court of Appeal, uncovering P&ID’s outrageous approach for what it is: a sham based on fraudulent and criminal activity developed to profit from a developing country”, he added.

NaijaTushboy:
ftc

Mr Femi Falana, SAN, counsel Mr Omoyele Sowore, has reacted to a claim by the Department of State Services (DSS) that it was not served with copies of the order directing the release of the publisher.

In a telephone interview on Thursday evening, Falana, said he doubts that the statement made by the DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunaya, was authorised by the Director-General of the agency, Yusuf Bichi.

According to him, “the DSS has a duty to comply, not only with this order, but also with all the orders made by courts of law in Nigeria.”

The Punch Newspaper had reported a statement attributed to Mr Afunaya stating that the DSS was yet to receive the court order for Mr Sowore’s release.

“We have not received the court order. And his (Sowore’s) counsel is a very senior member of the bar and he knows the process to follow,” the paper quoted Afunaya as saying.

But Falana said he personally served the order and the notice of compliance by his client on the DSS.

“First of all, their lawyer was in court. And he heard the order when it was made. As a legal practitioner, he had an obligation to inform his client. Secondly, since Sowore was to be released to me, I have been going to the DSS office personally since Tuesday.

“We were not directed to serve them. But we did that for the avoidance of doubt. We submitted his passports, got the affidavit of compliance and I personally served them. I also sent the copies to the DSS DG through his phone line, because I have his personal phone line.

“We were there for hours. The head of the legal department pleaded with me to return today (Thursday). When I returned, they locked the DSS gates against me,” Mr Falana said.

The lawyer added that the information indicating compliance had been reported in both local and international media stressing that the least a truly law abiding institution would do in such circumstance was to send its lawyers to verify the reports.

“I’m not sure the person who is making this statement has the authorisation of his principals. We have filed the form 48 regarding the contempt of court. And in that form, the court order was also included.

“The DSS has a duty to comply with this order and not only this one, but every other order regarding the liberty of Nigerians, because this is a constitutional democracy,” Mr Falana said.

Former President of Zimbabwe, late Robert Gabriel Mugabe will now be buried in his Zvimba village this weekend after the family rejected a state burial from the country’s government and ZANU-PF ruling party.

A statement issued by the country’s presidency on its Twitter handle, Thursday, said the government would respect the family’s wish, while assuring them of necessary support to give the late Zimbabwean leader a befitting burial.

The new development comes as the government began the construction of a mausoleum for Mugabe at the National Heroes Acre, a hilltop monument in Harare specially reserved for the country’s fallen heroes.

Late Mugabe’s spouse, Grace, who earlier agreed to the Zimbabwean government’s state burial plans, was said to have had a change of mind to grant her late husband’s “last wish.”

According to reports, Mugabe had expressly communicated his wish to be buried in his village beside his late first wife’s grave, while also barring the country's president (Emmerson Mnangagwa) and former ally — who toppled him in 2017 — from attending the private funeral.

Other considerations, a source said, were the cost of the mausoleum on the taxpayer; the time it would take to complete and shocking revelation that the ‘Presidential Mausoleum’ would contain graves of former presidents, not just Mugabe’s.

“President Mugabe did not want to be buried at the Heroes Acre to stop those who tormented him in his final days from pontificating over his dead body,” a relative said. “It would be unconscionable to have him buried by those whom he held most responsible.”

Mugabe, Zimbabwean first post-independent president who ruled the country for 37 years before he was ousted in a military coup in 2017, died in a Singapore hospital at the age of 95 on September 6.

A state funeral attended by current and former African leaders was held in Harare on September 14, but burial was postponed amid haggling between the family and the government over his final resting place.

PRESS RELEASE

MINOR CABINET RESHUFFLE: FESTUS KEYAMO SWAPS POSITION WITH TAYO ALASOADURA

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate redeployment of two Ministers of State as follows:
i. Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs is to move to Ministry of Labour and Employment as Minister of State,

ii. Senator Tayo Alasoadura is to move to Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs as Minister of State.

This redeployment takes effect from today, Tuesday 24th September, 2019.


Willie Bassey
Director Information
Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, was a special guest at the Supreme Court Special Session marking the 2019/2020 legal year.

The event which held today, Monday September 23, 2019, was hosted at the Supreme Court premises, three-arms zone, Abuja.

Igbere TV gathers that the legal year, in English law as well as in other common law jurisdictions, is the calendar during which the judges sit in court. It is traditionally divided into periods called "terms."

Osinbajo, while speaking at the event reaffirmed the position of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration to uphold the rule of law.

The event which was chaired by Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), had in attendance several justices of the Supreme Court.