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Senators and their Sanctimonious Posturing

Opinion

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July 22, 2020

Senators and their Sanctimonious Posturing

By Dr. Abubakar Mohammed Sani

The National Assembly is first and foremost the most critical and most distinguished aspect of a democratic government. It is the legislative arm because it is the only thing that differentiates a democratic government from non- democratic ones. Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, afforded Nigerians the right to elect certain people they consider worthy and credible to represent them in government. This is because there is no way everyone can directly participate in governance. The acceptable practice is for the electorates to elect representatives to represent them at both the State Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly. This informs the reason we have some people called Honorable Members and Distinguished Senators, representing 200 million Nigerians in government. They are to make laws for the land, make budgetary appropriations and provide oversight functions where necessary. Therefore, people like Senators Ahmed Lawan, Kabiru Gaya, Oluremi Tinubu, Orji Kalu, Muhammad Ali Ndume, Honorable Femi Gbajamiala, Usman Jaha, Gudaji Kazaure and their colleagues are expected to represent and say the interest of Nigerians in the National Assembly.

Yesterday, some members of the Senate revived their sinister agenda of calling for the resignation of the Service Chiefs, simply because they reckon that the Service Chiefs have underperformed and failed woefully in the discharge of their duties. The Distinguished Senators are of the opinion that the Service Chiefs are responsible for all the myriad of security challenges confronting Nigeria. Whether this is a right step taken by the senators or not, it is for Nigerians to decide. However, I want to clearly state my opinion as a stakeholder and a Nigerian.

Before I proceed to give my reasons, I want to categorically say that members of the National Assembly should know that Nigerians don’t consider them credible representatives, except for the heavy security given to them by the government’s security apparatus. Nigerians would have by this time overrun the entire National Assembly Complex to vent their anger on them. Nigerians are still angry about the 37 billion naira votes for the rehabilitation of the National Assembly complex, which is today a symbol of monumental corruption, greed and nepotism. Their acts of extortion, unexecuted contracts, contract inflation, partying and drinking at the expense of the people they claim to represent, is widely known and viewed with great ridicule by Nigerians and other nationals. The way and manner Nigerians from all walks of life rallied behind Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Labour and Productivity after the senators tried to cajole and harass him, is clear evidence that Nigerians now see them for who they are.

Now sentiments aside, let me tell Nigerians why they should ignore the demand of the senators for the resignation of the Service Chiefs.

1. How did we find ourselves in this quagmire of the cantankerous cacophony of security impediments that are now trying to spread to the once serene North-western region of the country? A lot of you reading this article will agree with me that it is because of the failure of our leaders, especially elected representatives to provide purposeful leadership and quality representation to their people. There is a disconnect between the elected representatives and the electorates, and the authorities in the local government councils. It is the duty of the elected representatives to make the average youth in Batsari or Jere to feel the presence of government, and not service chiefs.

2. If the Service Chiefs agree to disappoint they’re Commander-in-Chief and listen to the sinister demand of the senators and resign today, what workable solution and winning formula does the senators have in place apart from the replacement of the service chiefs? What guarantees do they have that those who will replace the Service Chiefs will perform better than the present Service Chiefs?

3. What is currently happening in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) probe is an indictment on the legislative arm that takes oversight duties to extreme limits. Those embezzled funds were meant to cushion the pains of the people of the Niger Delta, but regrettably, ended up in personal accounts. NDDC is not the only bastion of corruption, because I am sure that, if we beam our searchlight into the affairs of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), we shall see another can of worms. The North- East Development Commission is one government institution that is saddled with the implementation of the Buhari Plan, which I truly believe if it had been implemented, the causes of insurgency in the Northeast region would have been mitigated. None of the senators is talking about the NEDC with a view to ascertaining how they are discharging their mandate.

4. What did the senators do to put in place a strong deterrence mechanism to prevent insurgency, terrorism and banditry in Nigeria? It is on record that the Nigerian troops have on numerous occasions arrested insurgents, terrorists and bandits, but weak laws made it easy for these criminals to be freed or be rehabilitated with kid gloves. Did the senators make any moves to put in place a strong mechanism by way of making laws that will make the consequences of aiding or collaborating with insurgents and bandits to be very grievous? Is it not one of them that recently submitted a Bill for the rehabilitation of terrorists? How does a Bill like that deter people from joining the ranks of the insurgents and terrorists? Let our very Distinguished Senators take a trip to Egypt and see how legislators there are enacting stiffer laws to deal with insurgency and terrorism. Let them go there and see how legislators are collaborating with the military and President Abdulfatah Al-Sisi to safeguard Egypt.

5. What are the senators doing to help the military to end this insecurity? I still remember the proactive and daring measures Senator John Mccain took to visit Syria and Iraq to engage with troops and other stakeholders on how to achieve peace in those countries. What kind of contribution are the senators making in the areas of intelligence gathering, dialogue and negotiations for the cessation of hostilities, since most of the insurgents and terrorists are known to them? I have it on good record that some of them have relatives who were directly or indirectly involved with the terrorists and bandits?

6. Are our senators and representatives even accessible to Nigerians? They are supposed to represent the masses in government, but I can tell you that none of them is accessible. They don’t reply to SMS or answer calls. Youths in their constituents don’t have access to them. These youths don’t have jobs or start-ups to initiate small businesses. As a result, they are now tools in the hands of terrorists and insurgents.

7. Just recently, I met Senator Ali Ndume in Maiduguri and also at the Maiduguri NAF Base and I heard how he was condemning the Federal Government, especially the Finance Ministry because, according to him, not a single dime was released to the military for capital projects since January 2020. What is exactly his position on issues of national security? His position is that a change of Service Chiefs will not make any difference. In fact, he never raised the motion to call for the sack of the Service Chiefs.

8. Did the senators forget about the National Security Adviser, the DG, State Security Services and the DG National Intelligence Agency? What about the IGP? Why are they not talking about them? If they have any personal grouse with the military, let us know.

Instead of the senators to think proactively and support the President and the Armed Forces with good ideas that will help the government, they are calling for the resignation of Service Chiefs, which to me is a matter of concern, because they are encouraging mutiny in the armed forces. What the senators are doing, in the long run, is going to be counter-productive to the counter-insurgency war, and even the entire democratic government of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is why the President should be commended for refusing to listen to the unfruitful and unproductive grumblings of the senators. The prompt response given by the Commander in Chief yesterday is a step taken in the right direction.

What the senators should do

What I expect the senators to do is to create effective back door channels for dialogue and negotiations with the insurgents and terrorists, who I understand are mostly Nigerians. I expect the senators to advise the government to create a National Counter-Terrorism Agency that will be saddled with the responsibility of addressing internal security challenges like terrorism and banditry. I expect the senators to tell some of the State governments to be more proactive. For example, the Zamfara State Government implement the Security Report of the IGP Abubakar D Mohammed, if it is truly committed to safeguarding the lives and property of its people. I am aware that many notable personalities, including judges, politicians, traditional chiefs and some security personnel were indicted in the report. Is the government trying to hide the report to cover these privileged people?

The senators should listen to Senator Ali Ndume, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army because he has a clearer understanding of the matter at hand. In an interview he granted to Channels Television recently, Sen. Ndume said that the Army needed equipment like drones and helicopters, and boost to their numeral strength. He empathized with the Army because of the numerous operations they are conducting across a country of gargantuan landmass with an Army of 200,000.

As for the issue of the resignation or retention of the Service Chiefs, I don’t think it is necessary to lobby or advocate for the retention of the Service Chiefs, because the President knows what he is doing; he knows the sacrifice some of them are making to keep this country safe. While it is true that no man is indispensable in this life, we believe that this is not the time to talk about the resignation of the Service Chiefs. In any case, the Revised Armed Forces of Nigeria’s Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service 2017 (HTACOS) empowers the president to extend the tenure of the security chiefs, irrespective of age or length of service. Part 1 of the HTACOS, Section 11.09 of the document states that “the foregoing notwithstanding, the President/C-in-C reserves the prerogative to extend the tenure of a CDS/Service Chief irrespective of his age or length of service.”

Nigerians are proud of the Military and many of us are ever ready to support and defend them.

Dr. Abubakar Mohammed Sani writes from Maiduguri

Changing military leadership at the height of an insurgency is a tactical suicide

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July 22, 2020

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Changing military leadership at the height of an insurgency is a tactical suicide

By Nodin Muzee

The state of security in Africa is highly dependent on the level of peace and stability in Nigeria — Africa’s most populous country situated in Central and West Africa. Concerned citizens and politicians must comprehend the fluid dynamics of asymmetric warfare and how success is achieved. There is need for patience and support towards leadership stability for service chiefs or risk plunging an already volatile situation into perennial chaos, instantly killing any dreams of Nigeria and Africa Union’s pledge of ‘Silencing The Guns 2063 in Africa.

The war on terror is fought differently from conventional warfare. Time, commitment, trust and intelligence-led strategic leadership and coordination amongst inter-service chiefs with local stakeholders is central to any sustainable battlefield success. Any attempt to rotate service chiefs actively engaged in battle-field command and control operations at the height of an insurgency of the type experienced with Boko Haram terrorist group and ISIS in Africa (ISWAP) is suicidal. A strategic battlefield gap could be exposed to the potential to set the country and the region back from previous military gains made since 2015.

The one thing that terrorist groups have in abundance is time – but those who are tasked to engage them are constantly pressured by the clock of rotation. The strategic and operational lesson often missed in asymmetric warfare is that of the United States of America. The setbacks in the US coalition endless war in Afghanistan and Iraq against the Taliban, Al-Qaeda core and ISIS/ISIL in Syria and Iraq is the frequent rotation of frontline and active military leadership at strategic and operational levels. These changes created major tactical, intelligence gap and operational void that is often exploited by terrorist groups and organised crime groups. Terrorist groups are known to take advantage of any void and use the time to quickly recover from previous defeats and displacements. They re-organise their fighters, recruits more fighters, treat their wounded, rearm and relaunch more deadly attacks against hard and soft civilian and military targets. There is no doubt that terrorist groups are excellent at exploiting the pressures and right moment when leadership rotation occurs and creates an opportunity to re-energize from a weaker position.

In an enduring and complex war between the Nigerian security services and the regional Multi-national Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and ISWAP by brave men and women in uniform, there should be no place for complacency, strategic errors and unnecessary distractions. Old conventions that regulate the rotation of military leadership and frontline forces designed for conventional battles should be adaptable to the new asymmetric war dynamics, one that requires building and maintaining long term relationships between security services in the frontline and Multi-level community stakeholders.

Today’s war on terror is intelligence-led with community cohesion at the core of any form of long term strategic success. With the enemy embedded within the local community. Personal Intra and inter stakeholder relationships are created to guarantee needed intelligence and field support and most crucially, winning of hearts and minds. Since the days of conventional warfare are buried behind us, relationships created in the battlefield (communities) at all levels of engagement are hardly transferable to new leadership and operational teams within a short period of transition, hence strategic, tactical and operational plans that often depend on these existing relationships, when transferred, they become difficult to be passed on from one leadership to another with a successful execution outcome.

In the war against Boko Haram and ISWAP jihadist, a constant is the ever-changing strategic, tactical and operational behaviour of these groups modus operandi, one that is very fluid and disorganised as reported in recent terrorist operations in North-East Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.

The Nigerian military is engaged in Counter-Insurgency (COIN) operations against one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world, Boko Haram JAS faction, Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other loosely connected factions in Northern Nigeria, North West Nigeria and the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin. Defeating terrorism of an asymmetric nature is a long term strategy that requires stability. A sudden change of active military leadership – Chief of Defense Staff General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff – Lt General Tukur Buratai; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff – Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas – will, in the current timing create a huge vacuum that terrorists and organized crime groups will gracefully exploit both at the intelligence and operational levels.

‘The Fish Rots From The Head’

Winning the war against Boko Haram and the splinter faction ISWAP — groups that have survived for over a decade with deep ideological roots, support and connections within the country — requires absolute focus at the strategic level of the Nigerian military, one that is totally void of service uncertainty, given the military leadership the time and resources it needs for strategic planning and execution of its duties to protect the territorial integrity of the Federal state and Africa in general.

As long as the military leadership remains uncertain and under constant political pressure to hand over leadership to a waiting generation- as the case has been since 2019— performance could be highly and negatively impacted against Boko Haram and ISWAP cells in future. The Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari reserves the responsibility to continue to eliminate any existing doubts harboured by service chiefs and plant leadership trust and confidence to these senior officers, who will be expected to transfer same to the men and women on the frontline. Concerned citizens of Nigeria should be assured that faced with asymmetric warfare, changing the leadership goal post at the height of the insurgency is a dangerous blow to national and regional stability.

To win the war against terror in Africa and Nigeria, the collective love of one’s country in the form of patriotism must be expressed by a conventional culture of intra/inter-agency strategic, tactical and operational knowledge-sharing exercise. Everyone wins if ‘fresh-minded’ officers ripe to take the mantle of leadership demonstrate their ability to do so by sharing strategic and innovative ideas with the current military leadership. If Boko Haram, ISWAP and their criminal networks are successfully eliminated, well-deserved officers who will eventually progress to the mantle of leadership will have the glory to lead in a much peaceful country.

To silence the guns in Africa, Nigeria needs a stable military leadership— far removed from state and Federal political distractions — in order to defeat Boko Haram and ISWAP to the barest minimum of operational in-effectiveness. Nigeria needs a battlefield experienced leadership that possesses the ability to rethink on practical methodologies to claw back lost trust and confidence from the local population – this follows damaging human rights record from certain rogue elements in the frontline pursuing the war against insurgents. Service chiefs need to establish an effective close working relationship with other sister agencies including the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as they do with the Nigerian Air-Force.

All these can be achieved by creating channels that promote practical coordination and collaboration and encourage positive competition in and outside the battlefield for all agencies involved. Service Chiefs should be encouraged and properly resourced to design strategic short, medium and long term achievable counter insurgency plans. These plans, if properly conceptualised and designed, would open up priority areas of intervention for identified stakeholders. A comprehensive Counter Insurgency plan will ensure that local, Federal, regional and international partners have the reference point to effectively support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy from a tactical to an operational angle.

To paraphrase Thucydides, “Any nation that chooses to draw a broad line of demarcation between the fighting men and the thinking men is liable to have its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards.” Let the wise fighting men and women make the right call. For the stability of Nigeria will surely signal the stability of Africa.

Nodin Muzee is Senior Counter-Terrorism Analyst and Certified Master Anti-Terrorism Specialist. Twitter @muzee_nodin & Orlando Mardner MSc CAS CSM CFIP PPO EP PFSO SSO
CEO Professional Security Academy UK. (PSA)
UK Representative of International Bodyguard and Security Services Association (IBSSA)
Certified Forensic Investigation Professional (IICFIP)
Certified Anti -Terrorism Specialist (CAS).

Senate’s Call for Service Chiefs’ Sack embarrassment, disloyalty and disrespect to the president – Buhari Supporters

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July 22, 2020

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Senate’s Call for Service Chiefs’ Sack embarrassment, disloyalty and disrespect to the president – Buhari Supporters

The Coalition of Friends and Supporters of Buhari (CFSB) have described the Senate’s call for the resignation of the Service Chiefs as a display of disloyalty and utter disrespect to the president.

Being the Commander-in-Chief, the group reminded the Senate that President Muhammadu Buhari is the only one constitutionally conferred with the power to hire and sack the military heads.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, President, Comrade Musa A Musa added that the lawmakers’ action is a disservice to the generality of Nigerians given the enormous commitment and dedication displayed by the Service Chiefs in the country.

The group further frowned at Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, for opting to play politics at the expense of national interest, labelling him an “embarrassment” to his party.

CFSB, though, admitted that “tremendous progress has been made and great success recorded through innovations and strategies introduced by Service Chiefs in tackling the various security threats in the country”.

While expressing total support for the president’s decision to keep faith with the military architecture, the coalition, however, advised the Senate President and other lawmakers to consider the country first before their selfish interests.

Read the full statement below:

The Coalition of Friends and Supporters of Buhari, a support group of associates and friends of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari convoked this press conference out of a passionate desire to ensure that all forms of distractions for the current efforts of the present administration towards addressing the security threats in the country are nipped in the bud.

The recent call by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the resignation of the Service Chiefs in the country is a great disservice to the generality of Nigerians given the enormous commitment and dedication displayed by the Service Chiefs in the country.

The Coalition of Friends and Supporters of Buhari wishes to state that this is not the time to play to the gallery in this critical point of our existence given the myriads of politically motivated security challenges confronting the country.

It suffices to state that the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended is very explicit in the powers conferred on the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces with regards to the hiring and firing of the Service Chiefs in the country.

It is our considered opinion that the leadership of the Senate went above board and outside their purview in calling for the resignation of the Service Chiefs in the country which by all intent and purposes is an affront to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It is rather curious that the Senate President would condescend low to delving into areas and issues that are outside his purview to score a cheap political point in furtherance of his innate political ambition to contest the presidency in 2023.

While it is not out of place to aspire as a politician, it is most despicable that caution would be thrown in the winds in a bid to paint a false picture of incapacity of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to act in the best interest of the country.

That the Senate President, though a high ranking member of the All Progressive Party (APC) would elect to be disingenuous constitute an embarrassment to the leadership of a party with which he actualized his ambition of becoming the Senate President.

The call for the resignation of the Service Chiefs as presided over by Senator Ahmad Lawan is nothing but a display of disloyalty and utter disrespect for the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The is on the heels that the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, either by omission or commission has continued to feign ignorance to the numerous efforts of the Service Chiefs in curtailing the activities of terrorists, militants and bandits across the country.

That the Service Chiefs in Nigeria have demonstrated capacity is an understatement given the realization of where we were before the advent of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and where were are now in the fight against terrorism and other militant groups in the country.

There is no doubt whatsoever that tremendous progress has been made and great success recorded through innovations and strategies introduced by Service Chiefs in tackling the various security threats in the country.

This much the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has continued to feign ignorance of and responsible for the irresponsible statement calling for the resignation of the Service Chiefs in the country.

The Coalition of Friends and Supporters of Buhari wishes to state in unequivocal terms that it stands with the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to retain the present crop of Service Chiefs for their tireless efforts in ensuring that the threats posed by the Boko Haram terrorist group and other militant groups in the country.

The Service Chiefs in the country have demonstrated capacity. They have never rested on their oars despite the numerous achievements, which is an indication of their unalloyed loyalty to the country.

The Coalition of Friends and Supporters of Buhari wishes to state that its support of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is unflinching and would continue to remain so because of the passion and sincerity of heart and purpose of the president in leaving Nigeria better than he met it in all areas of the economy.

We consequently wish to advise the Senate President not to be blinded by his political ambitions and realize that National Interest should guide his actions and inactions at all times.

The Coalition of Friends and Supporters of Buhari consequently advises the Senate President to resign and face the politics of 2023 which has become his major pre-occupation in the last few months.

The Senate President must realize that no amount of blackmail can deter President Muhammadu Buhari in the fulfilment of his lofty plans for the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

The Coalition of Friends and Supporters of Buhari and other well-meaning Nigerians herby throw its total support behind the President and the Service and Security Chiefs without any equivocation.

The call for the resignation of the Service Chiefs by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is of poor taste.

Thank you for your time and rapt attention.

Your call for resignation of Service Chiefs ludicrous, senseless, shadow-chasing – APC Youths tell Senate

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July 22, 2020

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Your call for resignation of Service Chiefs ludicrous, senseless, shadow-chasing – APC Youths tell Senate

The APC Youth Solidarity Network APC-YSF) has described as senseless and shadow-chasing the Tuesday’s call by the Senate for the resignation of the current Service Chiefs.

The youth group said the resolution made by the Senate following the motion moved by Senator Ali Ndume, is a clear indication that the lawmakers and other stakeholders in the Northeast and Northwest have declined the necessary support to the President and Service Chiefs in the fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP, armed banditry, kidnapping and other crimes bedeviling some parts of the country.

Addressing newsmen on Wednesday, Comrade Danesi Momoh, on behalf of the youth group advised the National Assembly to concentrate on its constitutional duties and desist from “the excitement of interfering with the lawfully defined responsibilities of the executive arm of government.”

The group, therefore, commended the Service Chiefs and Nigerian troops for the wonderful job in curtailing insecurity threats to Nigeria from armed bandits and terrorists.

Full text of his speech below.

The APC Youth Solidarity Network (APC-Youth Solidarity Network welcomes you to this urgent press conference. It is necessitated by the imperative to publicly caution the Nigerian Senate on the persistent and organized campaigns by the national parliament, against the Service Chiefs and President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, evident in the frivolous and vexatious resolutions calling for the resignation of the current Security Chiefs.

We recall that during the Senate plenary of July 21, 2020 and based on a motion raised by Sen. Ali Ndume, with additional prayers by Senator Francis Fadahunsi and contributions of other lawmakers, the Red Chamber again unconscionably passed a resolution asking the Service Chiefs to resign over alleged ambush of soldiers in Katsina and the voluntary resignation of many soldiers of the Nigerian Army.

We find the resolution of the Senate ludicrous, senseless, shadow-chasing, embarrassing and incongruent with the reality of the issue of Service Chiefs who are doing their best to curb the resurgent spate of insecurities in some parts the country. There is every reason to frown at this baseless inclination of the Senate.

If the Senate cannot eulogize the efforts and sacrifices of the Service Chiefs who are fighting acts of insurgencies and other criminals in the country, silence is more golden. But it constitutes a slap on the face to call for their resignation or sack and a glaring attempt to overheat the polity.

Asking the Service Chiefs to step-aside is the least solution to the insecurities assailing the country. Besides, it baffles and belittles the Senate, an otherwise honourable parliament to officialize rumours of alleged ambush of soldiers in Katsina state and the purported resignation of soldiers of the Nigerian Army to pass a resolution. It is tantamount to putting the cart before the horse. When has the Senate morphed into a chamber of rumour-mill?

It is increasingly worrisome that the Nigerian Senate, in alliance with some opposition elements have made the calls for the resignation of the Service Chiefs or their sack by President Buhari a hubby. This penchant is absurd and irrational, especially if interrogated from the point of truth.

It is clear the Senate and other stakeholders in the Northeast and Northwest have declined the necessary support to the President and Service Chiefs in the fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP, armed banditry, kidnapping and other crimes bedeviling some parts of the country. And they have ignored extending support unpretentiously.

About a fortnight ago, the Senate President, Sen. Ahmed Lawan and the House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila promised Nigerians after a close-door meeting with President Buhari of making provision for additional support to the Nigerian Military which is battling acts of insurgencies and allied crimes in the country. But thereafter, no effort has been made. Is the resolution for resignation the support the National Assembly leadership promised?

However, the outburst by the Senate is a plain admission of their knowledge of the underfunding and lack of motivation of members of the Nigerian Military to place them in a better position for combats against armed bandits and terrorists disrupting the peace and security of Nigeria.

And it is painful to realize that the same Senate which vehemently refused to respond to pleas by the leadership of the Nigerian Army for improved and adequate budgetary votes in the 2020 Appropriation Act for the Army, which is involved in multiple Internal Security (IS) operations, should delight in passing a resolution for the resignation of Service Chiefs or even contemplate to raise a voice calling for their sack. This is the irritatingly barefaced hypocrisy exhibited by some of our leaders and it is condemnable in every facet.

The Senate is peopled with respected leaders from both the Northeast and Northwest. But shockingly, none of them has done anything or even willing to support President Buhari, his government or the military in any way to win the war against insurgencies. Therefore, we cannot discern the obsession of the same leaders with calls for the resignation or sack of Service Chiefs, instead of recognizing and appreciating the much they are doing over the insecurity situation in Nigeria.

What is noticeable or what we have seen is the display of dirty politics by leaders of the Northeast and Northwest, especially those in the National Assembly. This is a resentful display of drunken politics and over- politicization of Nigeria’s insecurity dilemma.

The APC-Youth Solidarity Network completely aligns with the position of the Presidency over the Senate’s latest resolution on resignation of Service Chiefs. The excited Senators are again reminded that the removal or otherwise of Nigeria’s security chiefs is the exclusive prerogative and discretion of President Buhari. A dozen resolutions of the parliament are impotent in contents and action over the issue of Service Chiefs.

The National Assembly is hereby advised to concentrate on its constitutional duties and desist from the excitement of interfering with the lawfully defined responsibilities of the Executive arm of government.

We wholeheartedly commend the Service Chiefs and Nigerian troops for the wonderful job in curtailing insecurity threats to Nigeria from armed bandits and terrorists. We encourage our troops never to relent hence we are confident of their capacity to crush all armed criminal gangs amassed against the people of Nigeria insofar as the nation is under the leadership of President Buhari.

Senate erred over call for sack of Service Chiefs in the middle of war- CATE

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July 22, 2020

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Senate erred over call for sack of Service Chiefs in the middle of war- CATE

…. backs Buhari on retention

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) has expressed disappointment with the Senate over its call for the sack of the Service Chiefs in the middle of war.

The centre also affirmed total support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to disregard the Senate’s drama, showing faith with the military heads.

According to the centre, in its usual manner, the Red Chamber goofed having relied on Senator Ali Ndume who was once accused of sponsoring Boko Haram.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Gabriel Onoja, on Tuesday, CATE said the Senate have by this act thrown their weight behind terrorists, bandits, criminals and their sponsors, forsaking gallant troops on the frontlines.

Instead of politicking, the centre said it expected the upper house to craft anti-terrorism legislation that has been sorely needed to defeat terrorism.

The group, however, advised the lawmakers to resign for failing the Armed Forces and the nation through delayed budget consideration and approval.

Read full statement below:

The Coalition Against Terrorism (CATE) is totally disappointed with the decision by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to side with terrorists and bandits with its call on the Service Chiefs of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to resign. The Senate erred in this misguided resolution just as it has been erring in the performance of its duties.

Our disappointment is not in any way mitigated by the knowledge that the lawmakers have a history of pursuing agenda that are at variance with the yearnings of the constituents and that the oversight powers bestowed on them by the Constitution has consistently been abused in pursuit of lining their individual pockets.

It nonetheless appalling that the Senate did not even avail itself the face-saving measure of shopping for a unicorn by having a credible member of the Red Chamber to move the motion on something as important but relied on Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno south and chairman of the committee on army, who has not satisfactorily proven that he is not part of Nigeria’s Boko Haram problem.

The lawmakers worsened the situation by adopting resolutions whose import they understand even less than they understood the dynamics fueling Nigeria’s security breaches and the efforts that military leaders under President Muhammadu Buhari have made to curtail them.

They have by their cavalier attitude sent the message to terrorists, bandits and criminals that they have the support of the Senate against the gallant officers and men that have been toiling to defeat terrorism and stamp out insecurity. They have also told the enemies of Nigeria that they have the approval stamp of the National Assembly.

To have set the war on terrorism back on the scale the Senate has done unfair to all concerned. They are unfair to President Buhari. They are unfair to General Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Defence stcaff; Lt. General Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff; Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff; and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff.

The Senate has never shown a commitment to support the efforts of these military leaders and President Buhari in fighting terrorism and other crimes in the country. This latest outing by the Senate is a clear indication that whilst the President and the Service Chiefs are working day and night to address the insecurity in its multiple facets, the Senate prefers to play politics with the lives of the citizens.

The lawmakers failed woefully in crafting and amending anti-terrorism legislation that has been sorely needed to defeat terrorism, which consequently left the military to be overstretched and compelled to fight the terrorist with only strategy and military might. We are therefore wondering when the Senators will resign their positions for having failed to exert international pressure on countries that have been fueling terrorism in and around Nigeria by covertly funding and supporting Boko Haram.

We demand to know when the Senators will resign for sabotaging the anti-terrorism efforts through delayed budget consideration and approval, distracting the Armed Forces with pointless inquisitions that are in reality barefaced attempt to extort those invited to appear. They should accept responsibility for keeping the country’s teeming youth in deprivation and poverty that are the main drivers of the insecurity in the land rather than trying to offload the blame for the problems in the land on principled men that cleaning the mess created by the likes of the politicians in parliament.

CATE calls on the Service Chiefs to disregard the drama from the Senate and focus on carrying out the assignment given to them by President Buhari.

FG to close Third Mainland Bridge Friday

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July 21, 2020

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FG to close Third Mainland Bridge Friday

The Federal Government says the Third Mainland Bridge will be closed on Friday at midnight and will not be reopened until January 2021.

Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, who confirmed this at a briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, called on motorists in Lagos to be patient with the repairs.

Mr Fashola explained that the maintenance of the busiest bridge in the country was aimed at replacing damaged components for a better motoring experience.
The maintenance is to be carried out on a length of 3.5 kilometres out of the 11.8 kilometres of the bridge.

The planned duration of the closure and the importance of the bridge to activities in Lagos which has battled traffic for years has led to concerns.

Mr Fashola acknowledged that the closure will lead to hardship in the short term but explained that there was no other way to carry out the maintenance work without closing the bridge.

He added that it was better to bear six months of work and closure than to allow the bridge to collapse, a development that would take years to fix.

NEDC: CSOs clear Minister, MD of wrongdoing in supporting FG’s efforts on insurgency

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July 21, 2020

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NEDC: CSOs clear Minister, MD of wrongdoing in supporting FG’s efforts on insurgency

The Good Governance and Transparency Coalition (GGTC) has rubbished allegations of fraud in the North East Development Commission (NEDC), absolving the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq and NEDC’s Managing Director, Musa Umar Yashi of any wrongdoing.

Speaking on behalf of the group at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, National Coordinator,

Patriot Agibi Gabriel, instead extolled the achievements of the commission in the last one year.

Established in 2017, NEDC is charged with the responsibility to assess, coordinate, harmonies and report on all intervention programs, and initiatives by the Federal Government or any of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), States; and other partners and for the implementation of all programs and initiatives for the North East states.

And after a thorough investigation and fact-finding mission in the North East, GGTC said there have indeed been entrenchment of transparency and accountability in NEDA’s operations.

According to the group, “agents of Boko Haram are at work again in ensuring that the NEDC denies North-East Nigeria the numerous interventions necessary for normalcy to return”.

It added that this is “another smear campaign targeted at not just the NEDC, but also the supervisory minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development whose track record speaks volume of transparency and accountability”.

The coalition further expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between the ministry, the NEDC and the Nigerian Military in its rebuilding efforts in North-East.

While warning these agents and their sponsors to quit their smear campaign, GGTC, however, urged Nigerians to disregard the allegations against the NEDC and its supervisory ministry.

Read full statement below:

The Good Governance and Transparency Coalition, the umbrella body for civil society organizations dedicated to the entrenchment of good governance and transparency in the conduct of government business in Nigeria, is holding this press conference to put issues in proper perspective with regards to the recent allegations of fraudulent activities in the administration of the affairs of the North East Development Commission.

It must be stated that the Good Governance and Transparency Coalition over the years have been a strong voice in Nigeria and credited to have scrutinized continuously the activities of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with the view to ensuring that the entrenchment of good governance, transparency and accountability is the watchword.

Consequently, the allegations of fraudulent activities levelled against the management of the North East Development Commission by a group called The Coalition of New Nigeria Transparency and Anti-Corruption (CNNTAC) mandated us to carry out a detailed investigation into the allegations to put issues in proper perspective.

As a start, from our findings, the CNNTAC is not a member of our coalition as there is no record of such a group in our database, which in itself is an anomaly. Nonetheless, we elected to proceed with our investigations and make our findings known to the generality of the Nigerian public.

We wish to state that the crisis in North-East Nigeria has come with its attendant loss of lives, destruction of properties and displacement of millions of people. It is also instructive to state that the Nigerian Military has continuously engaged the Boko Haram terrorist group in ways too numerous to mention.

The level of destruction in North-East Nigeria indeed warranted the effort by the government to commence the reconstruction of North-East Nigeria through the establishment of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), charged with the responsibility to assess, coordinate, harmonize and report on all intervention programmes, and initiatives by the Federal Government or any of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), States; and other Development Partners and for the implementation of all programmes and initiatives for the North East states.

The NEDC Act further mandates the NEDC to coordinate “the resettlement, rehabilitation, integration and reconstruction of infrastructure for victims of terrorism as well as tackling the menace of poverty, illiteracy, ecological challenges in the North-Eastern states and other related matter”.

The Good Governance and Transparency Coalition as a stakeholder in this critical sector has consequently monitored the operations of the NEDC. It wishes to state that in the past one year of its operations, there has been entrenchment of transparency and accountability.

We are consequently alarmed that the CNNTAC could make such spurious allegations without recourse to the implications of their phantom actions which by all intent and purposes are of poor taste and lacking any form of credibility as there are no such infractions in the operations of the NEDC. As a matter of fact, the operational manual of the NEDC is such that is tailored to ensure accountability at all times and as such we wonder how such infractions would have been effected with the multiple layers of checks in place.

The Good Governance and Transparency Coalition is alarmed that some shadowy group could elect to spread outright falsehood at the detriment of national interest and in fulfilment of their inordinate desire to constitute a clog in the wheels of progress in Nigeria.

We state in unequivocal terms that the allegations of contract inflations and other sundry allegations are the figment of the imaginations of the CNNTAC and their promoters as there are no such occurrences in the books of the NEDC, as well as in its operations.

The Good Governance and Transparency Coalition has painstakingly investigated the allegations and came to the sad conclusion that indeed the agents of Boko Haram are at work again in ensuring that the NEDC denies North-East Nigeria the numerous interventions necessary for normalcy to return.

This is another smear campaign targeted at not just the NEDC, but also the supervisory minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development whose track record speaks volume of transparency and accountability.

It is instructive to state that our findings revealed that the Hon. Minister and the MD NEDC are providing support for the Military not just only as part of the mandate of the organization but to help the displaced population in North-East Nigeria return to their communities that have been liberated by the Nigerian Military over the years.

It is thus our considered opinion that the enemies of Nigeria are not happy with the gains recorded by the NEDC in its efforts at rebuilding North-East Nigeria for self-evident reasons. And as such, they have launched a scathing campaign of character assassination against those that are dedicated and compassionate to the plight of the victims of the Boko Haram crisis in North-East Nigeria.

The Good Governance and Transparency Coalition wish to use this medium to inform the members of the unsuspecting general public to disregard the spurious allegations against the NEDC and its supervisory ministry as there is no iota of truth in the allegations, but instead, an evil motive intended to cause disaffection in the polity.

We consequently wish to warn the CNNTAC and their sponsors to desist from any further attempt to blackmail these persons or the institutions that they represent in the interest of peace and respect for the agony which the sponsors of their group have already put the people of the northeast through over the years. This is on the heels that the mandate of the NEDC is unambiguous and its operations since its establishment have impacted positively on the lives of the people of North-East Nigeria.

The Good Governance and Transparency Coalition is glad that the level of cooperation between the ministry, the NEDC and the Nigerian Military in its rebuilding efforts in North-East Nigeria is bringing the desired results.

This is indeed not a time for distractions as Nigerians are more aware of the successes recorded in North-East Nigeria.

We thank you all for your time and attention and encourage all Nigerians to continue to lend their support to the government in its efforts at rebuilding North-East Nigeria.

Thank you all.

Boko Haram: Arewa group lauds Nigerian Army, troops over killing of Imam, commanders

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July 21, 2020

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Boko Haram: Arewa group lauds Nigerian Army, troops over killing of Imam, commanders

The Arewa Coalition for Truth and Justice (ACTJ) has commended the Nigerian Army over the killing of the Imam and spiritual head of Boko Haram as well as other top commanders of the radical sect.

The group described the feat as a welcome development, an indication that the Army is living up to expectations in its efforts at ridding the North East of the remnants of Boko Haram.

Addressing the media in Abuja Tuesday, ACTJ president, Dr. Abubakar Gana expressed optimism that in no distant time, insurgency will be a thing of the past.

According to the group, terrorism has lingered because the troops haven’t received the much needed support from the political leadership in North East.

The Arewa Coalition for Truth and Justice, however, called on relevant stakeholders to continue to lend their support to the troops as it continues to push for the final decimation of the remnants of the terrorist group.

It further hailed the leadership of the Nigerian Army, as well as the officers and soldiers in the theatre of operations.

Read full statement below:

The Arewa Coalition for Truth and Justice is in receipt of the exploits of the Nigerian Army in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists that led to the killing of the Imam and spiritual head of Boko Haram as well as six top commanders of the group in a recent onslaught in North-East Nigeria.

This feat is indeed a welcome development and an indication that the Nigerian Army is indeed living up to expectations in its efforts at ridding the North East of the remnants of Boko Haram terrorist in their various hideouts.

The Arewa Coalition for Truth and Justice having followed the operations of the Nigerian Army in North-East Nigeria states that this feat is an indication of what to expect in the coming months with regards to the curtailing the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram group.

There is no element of doubt whatsoever as regards the strength, capacity and professionalism of the Nigerian Army to deal decisively with the Boko Haram group as evident in the killing of the spiritual leader of the group and six top commanders of the group.

The Arewa Coalition for Truth and Justice wishes to use this medium to call on all stakeholders to continue to lend their support to the Nigerian Army as it continues to push for the final decimation of the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

We also state that no one should make any mistake anywhere that the Boko Haram terrorists can overwhelm the Nigerian Army, as this can only happen when we discourage the fighting force and their commanders. That is only when the Boko Haram terrorists would have the impetus begin to plant dangerous explosives to attack the troops.

The Arewa Coalition for Truth and Justice believes that with the right support for the Nigerian Army, tangible results would be achieved within six months in the fight against terrorism in North-East Nigeria.

It is instructive to state that the war against Boko Haram terrorism has lingered because the Nigerian Army hasn’t received the needed support by the political leadership in North East unlike the North West that the Nigerian Army has received tremendous support that has resulted in the recent successes in the war against armed banditry.

We wish to call on all critical stakeholders to extend their support to the Nigerian Army in operation in North-East Nigeria in their bid to curtail the threats posed by the Boko Haram terrorists.

This is indeed the time for all hands to be on deck in this critical point in the war against terrorism and other acts of criminalities across the country.

Nigerians must come to terms that the success of the operations of the Nigerian Army is indeed the success of the country at large. It consequently behoves on all discerning Nigerians to put our sentiments aside and be guided in our actions and inactions towards the efforts of the Nigerian Army in its various operations across the country.

The Arewa Coalition for Truth and Justice is buoyed by the recent exploits of the Nigerian Army and pledges to continually mobilize support for its operations across all divides in the country.

The imperativeness of this action cannot be lost on us if we are desirous of seeing to the end of the Boko Haram crisis in North-East Nigeria.

The Arewa Coalition for Truth and Justice commends the leadership of the Nigerian Army, as well as the officers and soldiers in the theatre of operations in North-East Nigeria for their display of gallantry and dedication to the Nigerian cause.

Buratai Threatens Court Action Against Mahdi, Gives 48Hrs For Retraction

Security

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July 21, 2020

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Buratai Threatens Court Action Against Mahdi, Gives 48Hrs For Retraction

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has threatened court action against Mahdi Shehu for malicious publication and accusing the Army Chief for receiving N250 million from Katsina state government.

Buratai also asked Mahdi Shehu to retract his allegation on three local newspapers in Katsina and apologize to him within 48 hour from today Tuesday, 21st July, 2020 or face court action and demand for N10 billion damages on him.

The Chief of Army Staff who spoke through his private legal counsel, Osuagwu Ugochukwu ESQ. said this in a world press conference at NUJ press centre in Katsina to debunked the allegation.

He said, “in a reply to the letter from my Law firm, the katsina state government on 15/07/2020 with reference number SEC. 258/vol.vi436 dismissed the allegation of Shehu Mahdi and disowned the documents being paraded by him as same never emanated from katsina state government. Certainly, a case of forgery.

“The action of Shehu Mahdi clearly goes against section 24 of the cybercrime ( prohibition, prevention etc) Act 2015. Certainly Shehu Mahdi will in no distant time have his day in court to answer for this capricious, reckless, malicious and criminal defamation of the character of Lieutenant General TY Buratai.”

He added that the era of where public officers are instrumental blackmail, harassed and intimidated by people in the like of Mahdi needs to be curtailed, ” in this era of hate speech, there is need to put an end to the mindless and unfounded electronic and social media harassment of public officers in the country.”

Explaining further that whistle blowing policy of the government should not any way be abused and “whosoever must be quick to mention that whistle must be blown for the right reason always or we stand blown – off by the pressure of our whistle.

“I further gave the instructions of Lieutenant General TY Buratai to demand the immediate retraction of the defamation publication by Shehu Mahdi by way of an unblurred and unequivocal apology to our client prominently in at least three (3) local newspaper in katsina state from within 48 hours and that he restrain himself from further defamation if our client forthwith otherwise.

“A libel suit against him will commence and I shall be claiming the sum of N10, 000,000,000,00 (ten billion naira) as damages for defamation and not excluding further criminal prosecution vide law enforcement agencies including that of the directorate of legal service (Army).”

Appointment, sack of Service Chiefs remain a presidential prerogative – Presidency

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July 21, 2020

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Appointment, sack of Service Chiefs remain a presidential prerogative – Presidency

The Presidency has reacted to the call by the Senate for the sack of the country’s Service Chiefs.

The Senate resolution on Tuesday followed the killing of several soldiers in the North East battle against Boko Haram and the mass resignation by some of the Soldiers.

Reacting to the development in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the Presidency said the appointment and sack of Service Chiefs remain the prerogative of the President.

Adesina said as such, President Muhammadu Buhari will do what is in the best interest of the country.

He said: “The Senate Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country.

“The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sack of Service Chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times.”