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Editorial Times | Nigeria

The Nigerian military has planned a nationwide operation to demand identity cards from citizens across the country.

‘Operation Positive Identification’ would see soldiers accosting citizens on the streets or highways and asking them to produce means of identification on the spot. Soldiers had been taking similar measures to separate citizens from terrorists in the Boko Haram-ravaged northeastern part of Nigeria. The military claimed last month that citizens in the North-east had been cooperating with troops to make the exercise successful by carrying with them valid identity documents.

But the military announced on September 25 that the exercise will be extended nationwide to “checkmate bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, ethnic militia, cattle rustlers as well as other sundry crimes across the various regions of Nigeria.”

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The announcement came simultaneously with the awareness about the 2019 edition of the military ‘s anti-crime operations such as ‘Ayem Akpatuma’ in the North-central; ‘Egwu Eke’ in the South-east and ‘Crocodile Smile’ in the South-south and South-west.

Although ‘Operation Positive Identification’ was initially billed to commence alongside the anti-crime patrols on October 7, it was held for additional preparation. Military sources told EDITORIAL TIMES on Sunday that the exercise will now commence early next November.

Citizens have been warned to carry a valid means of identification, especially voter’s card, national identity card, driver’s licence, international passport, whenever they are going out to avoid being seen as criminally-minded by soldiers.

Already, some firms have started issuing advisory to their staff members ahead of the planned military operation.

Controversial move

“It is unconstitutional to ask citizens to carry ID cards or be treated as suspects,” Kennedy Angbo, a human rights activist in Abuja, told EDITORIAL TIMES on Sunday. “If law enforcement agencies have a reason to suspect a citizen, they should go after that citizen and not subject the whole country to fear.”

“More than half of Nigerians do not have identity cards, so what do you expect them to carry around,’’ the activist said.

Nigeria has long faced challenges in compiling a unified database of its citizens. In 2007, a commission was created to register and issue ID cards to all citizens above 16. But over a decade later, only a few million people have enrolled and even fewer number of people had been issued the plastic identity cards.

Millions of citizens do not have voting credentials, driver’s licence or international passport. Millions are unemployed and do not have work-issued ID cards.

“This seems to me like an attempt to victimise, intimidate and extort Nigerians,” another rights activist, Moses Yabrade, said from Warri. “Nigeria is a democracy and we should not be waking up to the fear of a military siege on our collective psyche.”

Mr Angbo said the military, security and law enforcement agencies should all work together to evolve a modern policing technique rather than sticking to crude and dictatorial tactics.

“They should evolve a twentieth-century strategy for securing the nation rather than threatening citizens to carry ID cards or face harsh consequences,” he said.

Nigerian Army spokesperson, Sagir Musa, and Defence Headquarters spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, declined EDITORIAL TIMES’ calls and text messages seeking comments about the planned exercise on Sunday.


But in the September 25 announcement he signed, Mr Musa, urged citizens “not to panic on seeing an increased presence of military personnel.”

He said the military would continue to secure the country, protect lives and properties of all Nigerians through multiple exercises, including the ‘Operation Positive Identification.

Credit: PM Times

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The Observers Times | Abuja
5:00 AM

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Kogi Deputy Governor’s Removal Divides Assembly, As Fierce Looking Thugs Chase Members, Who Scale Fence To Escape Attack.

THE SPEAKER AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE KOGI STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, YESTERDAY HAVE TO SCALE THE FENCE OF THE COMPLEX TO ESCAPE BEING HURT AS THUGS ALLEGEDLY HIRED BYTHE PRINCIPAL OFFICER STORMED THE ASSEMBLY COMPLEX.

ACCORDING TO EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT, ONE OF THE CURRENT PRINCIPAL OFFICER OF THE ASSEMBLY STORMED THE COMPLEX WHILE THE SITTING WAS ON GOING, DISRUPTED THE SITTING ON ACCOUNT THAT THE HOUSE IS YET TO BE UNITED ON SERVING THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR, ELDER SIMON ACHUBA, IMPEACHMENT NOTICE.

The Kogi State Deputy Governor is currently embattled and to be replaced, but the state Assembly is yet to be united on his removal, an action that angered the principal officer, who allegedly stormed the session yesterday, thus making members scamper for safety.

Though the members unanimously in their separate reactions condemned the action of the principal officer who hails from the Central Senatorial District, some lawmakers however alleged that he is working for the powers that be, lamented the manner and conduct of the lawmaker, describing it as unbecoming in using force and thuggery to achieve his aim most times.

The Kogi State Deputy Governor is alleged to be having a running battle with the governor with efforts by traditional rulers, some prominent political stakeholders in the ruling party in the state to save him failing to yield result.

The Deputy governor since his alleged offence against his boss has been out of official circulation since the beginning of the year, with his salary, that of his wife, his impress, light and water supply to his office stopped and disconnected.

To make matters worse for the Deputy Governor, the Administrator from his area believed to be assisting him with funds since his travails with the governor began was last week sacked, with the State Assembly expected to in yesterday’s sitting begin his impeachment process.

But when the Principal officer got wind that the members are not on the same page with the thinking of those wanting to remove the deputy governor, he was alleged to have mobilized thugs, to disrupt the sitting yesterday, with members scaling the fence for safety.

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@Observers Times

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Image:Spot the difference: The New Zealand flag, left, and Australia’s flag

The acting prime minister of New Zealand has called on Australia to change its flag, claiming the neighbouring country stole their banner’s design.

The two nations’ flags are both dark blue with the Union Jack emblem in the top left corner.

The only clear difference is that the Australian version also has six white stars, while New Zealand’s has a constellation of four red stars.
Winston Peters, who is temporarily leading the country while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is on maternity leave, raised the issue earlier this week and complained: “We got there first with this design.”

Winston Peters claims Australia stole New Zealand's flag design with this banner
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Image:Winston Peters claims Australia stole New Zealand’s flag design with this banner

The 73-year-old said: “We designed it and they borrowed it and if we wanted to clear the matter up they should change their flag.”

He added: “It must be patently obvious that all over the world people are confused. I’ve been in places like Turkey and elsewhere where they’ve confused our countries on the basis of those flags. It’s not helpful.”

Opposition leader Simon Bridges ridiculed Mr Peters’ flag preoccupation, accusing him of populism and labelling him “a poor man’s Donald Trump”.

Bridges said New Zealanders he has spoken to are more concerned about issues such as the economy and healthcare.

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Winston Peters is serving as acting Prime Minister while Jacinda Ardern is on maternity leave.
Image:Winston Peters is serving as New Zealand’s acting PM

He said: “They never raised with me changing the Australian flag. That’s weird by even his (Peters’) standards.”

New Zealand adopted its flag in 1902, while Australia’s was not officially recognised until 1954.

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