₦airaland Forum

Litmus:
In terms of understanding the socio-political importance of the "Space Industry", for want of better a term, and possibly related investments, it seems as if Buhari’s Nigeria is not as forward thinking as was Goodluck Jonathan’s Nigeria. Buhar’s admin is backward in this regard.

Well, in the government's defense, the plan is to pay for one this year and also we need to consider dwindling revenue. We can't compare the revenue in 2013 to what enters now, they are far apart. I believe it will be done though.

Odunayaw:
What a satellite does is that as it passes along its orbit it "snaps" pictures. In a vicinity of interest, it takes as much pictures of that swathe as it moves along its orbit on in that vicinity.

To have consistent eyes over a target, you either have "static" sats in Low earth orbit or you have a constellation/string of satellites that can pass that orbit with each one transmitting its own feed.

This is just a rough explanation. The only way they'd be able to track this kind of scenario you brought up is that feeds/pictures of that vicinity will be revisited and then a track from there up until the present will be followed (again subjected to the number of feeds the sats took along the track)

Some satellites are capable of providing live feeds. But then UAV will also be needed. Satellites provides information on the general area and reduce the area of operations of UAVs and also the workload.

Regarding the weapons procurement of the army, I'm glad they are going for systems that will very much still dominating the battle space decades from now.
The VT4 tanks, ST1 tank destroyer, SH5 artillery, a certain dual purpose artillery that will revolutionize NA Artillery corps that beegseagle has been speculating about don't know how true it is but I'm sure beegs won't say it if he doesn't have info on it.
The next is to embrace RCWS and buy advanced IFVs(what Russia is doing with IFVs these days ehn;especially in the area of UGV) . Then buy in large quantities and establish an upgrading programme for these systems to ensure they are always up to date.
If the army can keep this up, it will be very modernized in a few years from now.

This is an satellite image of certain vehicles moving along Lagos-Ibadan express road. That isn't a live feed and I doubt the satellite used is that advanced. Now imagine the locals of chibok were able to provide the government with information on the number, types and colors of the vehicles used in the kidnap operation, don't you think a technology like this will greatly improve the chances of rescuing the girls?

I'm sure there are more advanced satellites that can provide far clearer images in live feeds.
By the time a UAV is deployed after getting such images, you will get the complete information needed to either rescue orprevent crimes.

youghs:
Please can you explain how this satellite thing works. Let's say for instance a report came in today that 5 people were kidnapped 3 days ago in yobe and 10 kidnapped in delta at the same time. Would a satellite overhead Nigeria at that time be able to track from the point of the kidnap to the hideout of the kidnappers?

Reading a book on the rescue attempt of the chibok girls, the US government was able to get an Sattelite imagery of several people being held hostage around that time. What Sattelite imagery does is to provide visual(and other types depending on the payloads of the satellites) coverage over wide swathes of land and when anything unusual is discovered, the relevant agencies will know where it occurred, the current status, what to expect there and even how it occurred.
High optics Sattelites would have been able to pick up the location of the kidnapped kankara and jangebe students and plan a reasonable rescue mission with the information provided by the Sattelites, but using it during such operations will be a gross underutiilization of the technology when you can use it to detect the camps/groups of criminals and destroy them before such criminals are able to execute such missions.
With satellite imagery, I am able to get information on the defenses of garrisoned towns in the north east.
As for the scenario you are trying to play out, I do not know if there are Sattelites capable of detecting such small numbers but numbers far more than that can certainly be picked up.

CaptainStephen:
These local gun smiths have found a way to chamber 7.72m into them.

7.62mm I guess?. If true then it verifies the claim that civilians have found ways to fire 7.62mm in large quantities without using assault riffles.

CaptainStephen:
My brother no underate that thing ooo.

More common in the middlebelt areas, It has been shot towards my direction before.

You shouldn't underate anything that looks like a gun.
Abeg which kind bullets the thing dey use? That same type with pellets?

DubaiLandLord1:
I don't believe is a real gun too.

Check the first link I sent, that's video evidence of at least one protester with gun at lekki toll gate.

Odunayaw:
Share please

Nigeria’s Space Agency Says Nigeria’s Satellites Cannot Track Terrorists; It Is Right
A statement from the new DG of Nigeria’s space agency revealed that NASRDA lacks the capacity to use satellites for security surveillance. The DG was right and this is harmful to Nigeria’s space future.

On May 5, at the peak of parents and concerned citizens asking for Nigeria to deploy satellite in tracking terrorists’ movements in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria, where mass abductions had taken place, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), the agency responsible for Nigeria’s space operations, made a statement.

According to NASRDA’s new Director-General, Halilu Shaba, Nigeria cannot track terrorists because “the [Nigerian] satellite is not static where the insurgency is taking place. That is why one satellite is not adequate. What Nigeria has; there are some two satellites doing two different things.”

“We have a High-Resolution imaging satellite and Medium Resolution imaging satellite. The activities of the bandits could be when the satellite was away from Nigerian borders, so that is why we are advocating for more satellites for Nigeria,” he said.

To understand the effect of this statement, one must first understand what a static satellite is and why the Nigerian satellite is unable to effectively track criminals.

Understanding Nigerian satellites
In Sept. 2003, Nigeria officially joined Algeria, Egypt, and South Africa as the only African countries to have launched a satellite, when it launched the NigeriaSat-1. Nigeria paid $13 million to United Kingdom-based satellite technology company, Surrey Space Technology Limited (SSTL ltd), and the satellite was launched on Kosmos-3M rocket from the Plesetsk spaceport in Russia.

The low-earth micro-satellite had a five-year lifespan and was launched for Earth Observation (EO) purposes. This means that it would monitor Nigeria’s terrains, provide adequate data to help predict disasters, and also help Nigeria to monitor its borders and better prepare for attacks.

In 2006, NASRDA reached out once again to SSTL for another EO satellite and it soon received NigeriaSat-2.
The objective of the NigeriaSat-2 mission is to provide high-resolution imagery in a swath width of 20 km. NigeriaSat-2 also carried a continuity “payload” to continue with the work NigeriaSat-1 was doing. The imagery of both spacecraft would serve as a catalyst to the development of Nigeria’s NGDI (National Geospatial Data Infrastructure) programme.

By 2013, the two satellites had sent over 1,400 images. These images, apart from assisting in studies on flooding, erosion, deforestation, desertification etc, are also invaluable in planning security operations and emergency response.

Satellite payloads
Satellites also operate with what is called a payload.

The payload is the cargo of equipment the satellite carries into space to do the work for which it is being launched. EO satellites, like NigeriaSat-1, carry a payload of imagers or cameras that take pictures and send them down to the Control Station on the ground. NigeriaSat-1, with its six imagers, had a Ground Sampling Distance (GSD), as spatial resolution is called in the satellite industry, of 32 metres. This means that it can only “see” objects on the ground bigger than that.

Although NigeriaSat-2 was also a mini-satellite, it was still supposed to support food supply, agricultural and geology applications, as well as mapping and security applications.

But there was a problem, one which would not come to light until years later when Chibok girls were kidnapped.

Nigeria operates the Defense Space Administration (DSA) as an appendage of the Defense Headquarters. It was established to develop and manage military space technologies, support Nigerian military operations both within and outside the country as well as security agencies responsible for internal security through the use of satellite. Also, DSA provides resilient and affordable space and cyberspace capabilities for the Nigerian Military and other security and law enforcement agencies.

To make Nigeria’s security capacity better, in 2011, Nigeria launched the first satellite built by an African country, the NigeriaSat-X. The satellite was intended to complement existing satellite infrastructure and to improve the security of foodstuff, lives, and land in Nigeria.

In April 2014, Nigeria’s satellite security capacity was tested when 276 students were kidnapped in Chibok, a community in Borno state, Northeast Nigeria.

Nigerian satellites were deployed to help locate the kidnapped girls. Nigeria used its Sat-X and Sat-2 to monitor the movements of the schoolgirls and the Boko Haram terrorists who kidnapped them. The attempts to recover the girls would, however, face a hindrance because the satellites (Sat-2 and Sat-X) only have a 2.5-metre resolution and were “static.”

This means that the satellites could only cover a small fraction of Nigeria at a time, and as the earth continued orbital movement, Nigeria’s satellites lost the terrorists. The images Nigeria had, were also not good enough to adequately understand the terrain.

Speaking to HumAngle on the capacity of both satellites, David Oni, a satellite technology analyst, said, “Nigeria Sat-2 and Nigeria Sat-X are both mini and microsatellites and are not equipped for sophisticated EO missions.”

Nigeria has had other options
While the country has acknowledged the need to enhance its satellite capacity in the past, not much has been done. Former DG of NASRDA, Dr Francis Chizea, had in 2020 mentioned that Nigeria was planning to launch new EO satellites that would have higher payloads and give better imagery.

It is, however, not the only country operating a satellite covering parts of its territory. Superpowers like Russia, U.S., U.K., and China have satellites that orbit Nigerian space as well.

Additionally, as a member of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation of SSTL by virtue of patronage, Nigeria has access to satellite data owned by other countries orbiting its territory.

This, therefore, means that Nigeria should not be totally blind from terrorists and bandits marauding across the country.

At the peak of the search for Chibok girls in 2014, a former U.S. top diplomat on Africa, Johnnie Carson, told reporters that the U.S. could provide some aerial satellite imagery of the area to help with the search.

“We have satellites that pass over this region they can in fact be effective and also helping to track and also airplanes that can do some very useful work,” said Carson.

A week later, L.A. Times would report that “‘imagery from U.S. surveillance drones and satellites has shown suspected bands of Boko Haram militants setting up temporary camps and moving through isolated villages and along dirt tracks in northeastern Nigeria”

Unfortunately, U.S. officials would refuse interference because “a 1997 law prohibits American forces from working with foreign military units that have been accused of chronic human rights violations. The law has prevented U.S. officials from dealing with a Nigerian counter-terrorism unit that has experience tracking Boko Haram.”

The DSA, in collaboration with NASRDA and other security outfits, would have been able to track and recover the girls, but somehow, did not. And the lack of adequate satellite capacity was once again blamed.

This is despite Nigeria’s space programme being one of the most heavily funded in Africa.

NASRDA gets too much and provides too little
In a 2020 African Space Industry report, it was revealed that Nigeria’s total satellite expenditure stood at $648 million, contributing about 16 per cent of the continent’s satellite expenditure. Only Egypt (34.25 per cent) outspent Nigeria, with Morocco coming close at 14.8 per cent.

As of 2020, Egypt had launched nine satellites while Morocco had launched only three. Nigeria, on the other hand, had spent on six satellites, most of which were either out of operation or did not provide adequate imagery for security (although some are communications satellite operated by NigComSat).

Unlike Nigeria, Morocco carefully made its satellite purchases. To maximise cost and get good results, the Moroccan government ordered two high-resolution Earth observation satellites—Mohammed VI-A and VI-B—from France in 2013 after an intergovernmental agreement between the two countries.

With two satellites, the Moroccan government can collect imagery of the same location with higher frequency. The Mohammed VI-A and VI-B satellites are the most capable optical surveillance satellites owned by any African nation. The entire programme, including two satellites, launch services and ground support, reportedly stood at $597 million.
This means that despite Nigeria having spent more and having more satellites, the Moroccan satellites will provide better security data than the West African country’s satellites.

Oni, commenting on the differences, said, “Nigeria’s EO satellites in comparison to other African countries is sub-par. Mohammed VI-A and VI-B are very powerful considering their payloads in contrast to NigeriaSat-2 or NigeriaSat-X.”

“The Nigerian satellite,” he added, “therefore do not have the capacity to monitor bandits’ movements the way Nigerians think it would.”

Oni shared the sentiments of Dr Chizea that “with a new satellite equipped with better payload, Nigeria can do border control in addition to other basic EO duties.”

A further dive into the Africa Space Industry report revealed that, as of 2020, only two space agencies had more funding for management and research than Nigeria ($54.67 million): South Africa ($168 million) and Egypt ($100 million). Morocco, despite having better security surveillance, ran its space agency with just $1.4 million. These costs are, however, not the same as satellite expenditure.

The lack of capacity, therefore, is not directly related to funding. Asides funds made available by the Nigerian government, Nigeria is also part of collaborative projects like the Japanese BIRDS satellite, which provides satellite technology capacity for partner countries.

Will it get better?
At the moment, this is the status of Nigeria’s six satellites: NigeriaSat-1, NigComSat-1, and EduSat-1 are no longer in orbit, with only NigComSat-1R (a communications satellite), NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X (EO satellites) still functional.

NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X reached the end of their design life in 2018, although still functioning at minimum capacity. NigComSat-1R will reach the end of its design life in four years.

When Dr Chizea was the acting DG of NASRDA, he presented a paper on the urgent need to replace the satellites to Nigeria’s highest advisory body on science, the National Council on Science, Technology and Innovation (NCSTI), during its 18th meeting held in Abuja in Dec. 2020.

The NCSTI then passed a resolution asking the Federal Government of Nigeria to replace the satellites by 2021.

With NASRDA having a new DG, Nigeria may be getting NigeriaSat-3 and NigeriaSAR-1 to replace the current EO satellites or administrative bottlenecks may delay the procurement. While the space agency tries to figure out its path out of this, Nigeria continues to pump money into a space project that is barely doing a quarter of what it was intended for.

https://humangle.ng/nigerias-space-agency-says-nigerias-satellites-cannot-track-terrorists-it-is-right/

DubaiLandLord1:
That ewure(just guessing though) guy get mind o if is a real gun

I honestly doubt it is a functioning gun. Many of these criminals use dummies to threaten and scare people
Let's say it is functioning sef and using that roynd, anyone beside or close to him will be injured whenever he fires.

The first picture is an example of a gun that can shoot that round.

The second picture shows the bullet chamber of the gun supposedly shooting the said rounds.

DubaiLandLord1:
how did you know it can't fit into the gun?

Some of una just funny sha

Check the sizes of the bullet holes in the "revolver" and compare with the size of the catridges. Ask anyone with a bit knowledge of guns and bullets.

Just finished reading an article regarding Nigeria's Sattelites by Humangle. Even if the government has to borrow for it, they should do everything possible to get high resolution EO Sattelites. It will even reduce the frequency of ISR aircraft use and thereby giving the airforce space and time to rest and recover some lost assets.

DubaiLandLord1:
If only I fit get the pic of this guy with the bullets he was caught with. Make I put all this ignorant people to shame it seems I didn't save it.

This is the link of the report with the pictures of the bullets caught with him. The only problem is that the cartridges can't fit into that gun. Ask any gun experts here.

https://twitter.com/Mr_JAGs/status/1378729962061041670?s=19

DubaiLandLord1:
If only I fit get the pic of this guy with the bullets he was caught with. Make I put all this ignorant people to shame it seems I didn't save it.

Check this out.

#uncledammie
EndSars protester seen with gun at Lekki toll gate..@CNNAfrica @BBC @ICC @nigeriaarmydary @PoliceNG @TVCconnect @CTVpolitics @ProfOsinbajo @NGRSenate pic.twitter.com/SlLEwq5Eee

— uncledammie (@uncledammie) November 21, 2020

DubaiLandLord1:
You didn't watch videos of soldiers shooting at civilians at the lekki toll gate or what are you trying to say cause am not understanding I posted the video on the night it happened.

There is no where in my post I wrote that people were using hands to remove bullets. You can show me where in my post I write say nah bare hands them dey use though

The issue isn't about whether the soldiers shot or not. The army admitted that they shot. Video evidence showed that they shot. The issue is the type of rounds shot on that particular day.

Many body armors won't even be able to stop the 7.62*39mm at that distance.

DubaiLandLord1:


Chai!! This country don finish. I watch life instagram live videos on that night, I saw as dem dey comot bullets that can only be used in an assault rifle. I wander when them start to dey use 7.62*39mm round for our local guns

Except person wey no sabi, have never seen a bullet for an assault rifle been used in all this crazy local guns before.

Only problem here is that you can't remove a live 7.62*39mm fired by an assault riffle at that close range from a wound with your bear hands without causing life threatening damages to the victim in the event that you succed. I might be wrong though and will eagerly accept that I'm wrong if reasonable evidence is provided. Learning is a continuous process.

My point exactly is that, both sides are heavily lying. Right from the night of the incident, we started seeing uniform attachments (shoulder ranks and others) only used with the ceremonial uniform and not combat uniform. I still haven't seen any video clips of soldiers in ceremonial uniform from that night. There is a motive behind that video and those who recorded and uploaded wanted to pass a false narrative across.

Let's expert judge and investigate the issue, our takes on the issue should be limited considering our very limited knowledge of forensics and other types of investigations.
The panel and other bodies both local and international will definitely conclude their investigation and publish it, we should try to wait until that time.

EricBraven:
Shot on the chest and you didn't die, give me the jazz wey you use

Well, it is actually medically possible. Not validating the claims of the guy but it is very possible for bullet to penetrate the chest and exit at the back without injuring any important structure. It however depends on the exact location of the entry and that is where medical forensic experts should be called in to assess the wound.

SamuelAnyawu:
What kind of MSc can someone do to improve his chances of security jobs in Nigeria.

Tho looks like most universities don’t offer such security courses.

I’m thinking of trying this out in foreign online universities

You can take online certification courses on cybersecurity.
Or maybe criminology but that is actually more needed in the law enforcement agencies.

Check Udemy, Udacity, you will see a lot of security related courses.
Also, you can try to join some of these security institutes and become a fellow.

The emergency intervention funds being processed for the military should be increased to fill the ISR gap. Only that can mitigate the impending disaster.
Ongoing insurgency in Northeast
Banditry in the northwest
Insurgency building up in the south east.

Honestly, Buhari is very unfortunate to have become president at a time when oil price crashed and along with it the economy and government's revenue.
Then despite a lot of efforts to improve security situation, disasters left and right and people sowing seeds of discord and division.
He will leave power in about 2 years time, many of the problems will remain, smart people will realize that we all are the reasons for the problems and the not too smart will start blaming the next person or any other person.

CaptainZubi:
On a lighter note, why do most of these Nigerian officers always have this dark spot on their forehead?

Most devout Muslims have it on their foreheads. After several years of prostration in prayer every day, it will definitely leave a mark.

It is also becomes more prominent due to "planting of heads" from training days.

The alpha jet is the workhorse of the NAF, in the course the 11 years insurgency, they've flown several thousand hours. How long until these few aircrafts reach their service span limit? What if they've actually passed it? Same as the beechcrafts.

Before now, we've had very little crash in the 11 years insurgency. If these series of crashes are due to poor maintenance culture, does that mean the lack of incidents in the last few years have been due to luck?

NAF pilots have one of the longest flight experience and training in Africa. So poor training is out of it. If it were training, we would have lost more than 10 within a year considering how frequently they fly.

AskiaHarem:
Yea it's to bad Nigeria is the only country that has had aircraft accidents. Shame Nigeria is the only country that still has problems why can't it be a Utopia like everywhere else on Earth?

High emotional outburst. It is expected and perfectly normal.

Stormtrooper11:
No. Don't think so. He was lt gen. When buratai was COAS

It's sad but the country needs to start talking about filling the gap left by Attahiru. We will grieve him but it will be unwise to leave that post vacant for long.

The truth is that NAF's assets and pilots are being overworked. In the last 4 years, NAF has lost four aircrafts. During the same period, I doubt there was any crash involving local civilian airlines despite the fact that the civilian airlines are very notorious for terrible maintenance culture. NAF under S.B Abubakar prioritized maintenance so maintenance isn't the issue here. The weather played an important role in the accident but was that the only plane trying to land in the airport today or at any other time during storms?

NAF really needs to reduce the work load of her assets and personnels. The military should hire civilian jets for its VIP transport to start with.
May his soul and those of the people who were involved in the crash rest in peace.

Is Lamidi Adeosun still in service?

So sad

This is very unlike uncle Sam except maybe the drones are the common ones and/or are coming in meaningless quantity.

US TO SUPPLY NIGERIA DRONES TO CURB INSECURITY
The United States government is showing their commitment towards helping Nigeria to overcome the security challenges, recently they revealed their plan to supply drones.

The American Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Mary Beth Leonard, stated this in Sokoto at a round table discussion with journalists in the state.



Leonard said the drones would help Nigeria to end the activities of bandits, kidnappers, and Boko Haram in the country.

The American ambassador said: “Insecurity has shortchanged the development of the country in many areas of human endeavour.



“America is concern about the security situation of the country.”

The ambassador further explained that the US has been supportive of Nigeria on information gathering and hardware to combat security through modern technologies and other relevant areas of concern.

She said, however, protocols and channels that facilitate the implementations were considered by departments and expertise.



The ambassador who is going round states in the country to inspect American programs in the country said, “USAID had from 2015 to date invested about one hundred and twenty-two million dollars on different activities that comprised improving primary healthcare, immunisations, public access to quality healthcare, education, agriculture, and empowerments programmes.

https://eonsintelligence.com/details/news-108923456/us-to-supply-nigeria-drones-to-curb-insecurity-1433442530

HumAngle gathered that after his bodyguards were subdued, Shekau surrendered and engaged in an hours-long meeting with the ISWAP fighters. During the parley, he was asked to voluntarily relinquish power and order his fighters in other areas to declare Nai'a (allegiance) to ISWAP’s authority. They had expected Shekau to issue a statement.

If this is true, then the Civil War might continue a while longer, Shekau should have already have a line of succession and his successor or successors would want to continue the war(I pray they do because they might chicken out and surrender).

Military Airstrikes Driving ISWAP, Boko Haram Confrontations In Sambisa Forest

Vulnerability of the Lake Chad islands to multinational military air raids is forcing ISWAP fighters to find new shelters even at the risk of open confrontation with rival terror groups in the region.

HumAngle has learned that the exposure of the Lake Chad islands to military air and artillery strikes is part of the reasons behind the Islamic State West Africa Province’s recent incursion into the Sambisa forest area in Borno, Northeast Nigeria, as it picks interest in the Mandara mountain range.

These areas have been the stronghold of the Abubakar Shekau-led Boko Haram faction also known as the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād (JAS). It is unclear if ISWAP’s shifting interest will lead to the dislodgement or absorption of Boko Haram cells in the area or force the latter to move to other areas.

Northern Borno and Lake Chad are geographically flat arid land with wetlands, islands, and rivers. These environmental factors were exploited by ISWAP for offensive and defensive reasons particularly against ground operations by the military.

As previously observed by HumAngle, they also provide the resources that sustain the local economy in areas where the group has influence.

The seasonal rainfall in northern Borno impacts the terrain by turning the soil muddy, increasing vegetation cover, and sustaining rivers that form barriers and hinder military operations.

Despite the usefulness of Lake Chad and its wetlands, it does not provide natural concealment and protection from aerial bombardment, surveillance, and long-range artillery weapon systems.

The Sambisa forest, savannahs, and the Mandara mountain range are conducive for hideouts that are less vulnerable to these strikes.

Over the past few years, the Nigerian military has rapidly expanded the use of aerial platforms for intelligence gathering and combat aircraft for the bombing of ISWAP and Boko Haram enclaves.

The Air Force extensively uses fixed-wing combat aircraft comprising the two variants of the light attack and advanced trainer Alpha Jets, the L-39ZA Albatros attack aircraft, and F-7NI fighter jets.

The F-7NI jets, which are usually utilised in deep air support and air interdiction, are temporarily out of service for in-depth overhaul and maintenance. The Air Force also uses the MI-35M gunships and the weaponised MI-171 helicopters.

There are plans to induct more armed unmanned aircraft such as the CH3, CH4, and Wing Loong from China which will increase the capacity of the Air Force to conduct both surveillance and targeting missions simultaneously.

Similarly, the service is expecting the arrival of 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft from the United States of America, with the first batch of aircraft expected in Kainji Airbase at the end of the second quarter of 2021.

In the coming days, the Air Force is expected to officially induct three JF-17 Thunder multiple fighter jets. However, the small number of the aircraft will hinder their deployment due to technical and mechanical constraints.

https://humangle.ng/military-airstrikes-driving-iswap-boko-haram-confrontations-in-sambisa-forest/