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

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…. 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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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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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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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

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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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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.”

National Security and Unity: Inter-Faith Clerics Commence 21-Days Intercessory Prayers for PMB, Nigeria

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Clerics in a procession at the NIFROP 21- day fasting and prayer session at the Abuja Unity Fountains.

The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organization for Peace (NIFROP), on Tuesday, began a 21-day intercessory prayer for Nigeria.

At the opening ceremony held at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, the group, consisting of prominent Christian and Islamic clerics, said the spiritual exercise is to strengthen the country’s unity amidst security challenges as well as for sustained progress under President Muhammadu Buhari.

In seperate statements issued by co-chairmen, Sheik Ahmad Ibrahim and Bishop Sunday Garuba, NIFROP acknowledged the efforts of the president to deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians despite the “evil forces” against the nation.

The clergymen also singled out the Armed Forces for praises, who they say have “sacrificed and endured long days and nights just to ensure that Nigerians are safe and free” from terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.

” We must acknowledge their endless sacrifices and also for their rare display of professionalism in the prosecution of the Boko Haram war as well as the activities of armed bandits and other criminal elements tormenting Nigerians in various parts of the country,”  Sheikh Ibrahim stated.

” We must pray that God would defeat the enemies of our country and those working against the divine mandate given to President Muhammadu Buhari. Those that have chosen the path of folly shall be put to shame. Their everyday steps shall be filled with misfortune because they have ganged up against Nigeria in fulfilment of their evil desires.”

Hence, Sheikh Ibrahim urged Nigerians to support the military, its leaders as well as President Buhari who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

” My brothers and sisters, we shall all be praying especially for our troops stationed in the trenches in North-East Nigeria and other parts of North-West Nigeria day and night and engaging the Boko Haram terrorist group in battle.

” We are going to pray for God to surround them with his amour and grant them sweet victory over their adversaries. We are also going to pray for the various heads of the security agencies in the country for God to grant them wisdom and understanding to be able to provide that sound and strategic leadership direction needed to overcome the adversaries of the country.”

On his part, Bishop Garuba advised Nigerians to pray against evil forces hovering around the president, his family and cabinet members.

Echoing his Muslim counterpart, the Bishop added that the troops on the frontlines need all the support they can get amidst conspirations from some highly placed personalities.

“We shall be praying for good health for President Muhammadu Buhari and Gods divine protection as he pilots the affairs of the country. We shall call on God to send his angels to take charge over everything that concerns President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

” We shall also pray for unity and peace of Nigeria and for God to guard the country against all her adversaries wherever they are. We shall be calling on God to inflict his wrath on all of those that are against the unity and peace of the country.

“We shall also pray against those politicians that thrive on the blood of innocent citizens. We shall pray for God to destroy all of them in their coven and bring about a generation cause upon them and their families. We shall pray to God to send down fire to burn them till their deaths.”

Recall that NIFROP had in May held a 30-day prayer and fasting for divine intervention on the COVID-19 pandemic and Boko Haram insurgency.

Arafat Day: Saudi Arabia Announces Thursday

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Mecca

The Arafat Day, which culminates the annual pilgrimage of Hajj, is expected on Thursday, July 30, and the first day of Eid Al-Adha will be on Friday, July 31, according to Abdul Aziz Al-Hussaini, a prominent Saudi astronomer and weather and climate researcher.

Al-Hussaini said in a statement on his Twitter account that astronomical calculations expect the month of Dhul QadQaeda have 30 days, and the start of the month of Dhul Hijjah will be on Wednesday, July 22. However, a final decision on this will be made by the Saudi Supreme Court, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon, he said.

On his part, Dr. Abdullah Al-Mosnad, professor of climate at the Department of Geography, University of Qassim and founder of the committee for naming distinctive climatic cases in Saudi Arabia, also confirmed that the month of Dhul Qada will be 30 days, saying that moon will set before the sun in the evening of Monday, July 20 and the conjunction time of moon and sun will be at 8.34 pm that evening.

The crescent of Dhul Hijjah will stay on in the sky of Makkah for about 51 minutes in the evening of Tuesday, July 21 and accordingly, Wednesday (July 22) will mark the first day of Dhul Hijjah and Friday (July 31) will be the first day of Eid Al-Adha, he said while noting that the Umm Al-Qura calendar also confirms this.

Sudan’s Bashir on trial over 1989 coup that brought him to power

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Omar al-Bashir

Sudan’s former President Omar al-Bashir, who was overthrown last year by the military in the face of mass protests against his rule, is set to go on trial over his role in a coup that brought him to power more than 30 years ago.

Al-Bashir, 76, is scheduled to appear in court in the capital, Khartoum, on Tuesday to face charges of undermining the constitution, violating the Armed Forces Act and fomenting a coup in 1989 against the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi.

“This trial will be a warning to anyone who tries to destroy the constitutional system,” said Moaz Hadra, one of the lawyers who led the push to bring the case to court.

“This will safeguard Sudanese democracy. In this way, we hope to bring an end to the era of putsches in Sudan.”

Al-Bashir, who has been jailed in Khartoum since his overthrow, will be in the dock with 10 military personnel and six civilians, including his former vice presidents, Ali Osman Taha and Bakri Hassan Saleh, as well as former ministers and governors.

They are all accused of having plotted the June 30, 1989, coup during which the army arrested Sudan’s political leaders, suspended Parliament and other state bodies, closed the airport and announced the putsch on the radio.

The man dubbed the true brain behind the military coup, Hassan al-Turabi of the National Islamic Front, died in 2016.

Al-Bashir stayed in power for almost 30 years before being overthrown on April 11 last year after several months of unprecedented, pro-democracy demonstrations that eventually forced the creation of a joint civilian-military ruling “sovereign council”.

Al-Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), facing charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for atrocities committed by pro-government forces in Darfur. Sudan’s new governing authorities, which are tasked with leading the country to elections under a 39-month power-sharing agreement, have yet to hand him over to the ICC for prosecution.

Al-Bashir is also being investigated over the killing of protesters while, in December, a Sudanese court handed him a first, two-year sentence on corruption charges.

First coup trial

Ahead of Tuesday’s trial, Hadra said al-Bashir and Saleh “have totally refused to cooperate with the commission of enquiry, but they will be present at the court”.

The lawyer told AFP news agency the accused are charged under crimes including Chapter 96 of the 1983 Penal Code, which had been abolished by al-Bashir, and which carries the death penalty for attempting to destroy the constitutional order.

Hadra said “this is the first time someone who launches a coup will be brought to justice” in Sudan, which has seen three coups d’etat since its 1956 independence from Britain.

One of the 150 defence lawyers, Hashem al-Gali, charged that Bashir and the others would face “a political trial” being held “in a hostile environment on the part of the judicial system against the defendants”.

“In fact, this trial is aimed at the Islamic movement, and its sole purpose is to present it as a terrorist movement, but we have prepared our defence, and we will prove the contrary,” Gali said.

He argued that al-Bashir’s overthrow of Mahdi took place so long ago that it was beyond the statute of limitations and should therefore no longer be dealt with by a court.

The trial takes place at a time when Sudan’s joint civilian-military transitional government is introducing a host of reforms and has relaunched peace talks with rebel groups.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s administration has recently abolished rules restricting women’s freedom of movement, outlawed the practice of female genital mutilation, scrapped a law against apostasy and relaxed a ban on alcohol.

Sudan hopes to soon be taken off the US State Department’s list of state sponsors of “terrorism”, a major hurdle to receiving foreign aid and investment.

Counter- terrorism expert, Kuanum, lauds Army over neutralization of Boko Haram Imam, commanders

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Terrence Kuanum

The Nigerian Army, NA, has received a big thumbs up from counter-terrorism expert, Mr Terrence Kuanum , over the killing of 8 top Boko Haram commanders and their spiritual consultant on Friday.

Kuanum gave the commendation while speaking with reporters in Abuja.

He said the soldiers deserve commendation because of the level of professionalism they brought to bear in carrying out the operation and due to the impact it would have on the overall effort to permanently defeat the terrorists.

Reports have it that counter-terrorism troops of Operation Lafiya Dole on Friday, killed eight top Boko Haram commanders and their Imam, who were attempting to infiltrate an Army Super Camp in Damasak, Borno State.

Those killed include the Imam,  Mansur Abu Fatima, Tumbun Dabino – Ba Issoufo, Tumbun Bororo – Amir Batam, Tumbun Jaki – Almustapha, TumbunBagaruwa – Modou Kollo, Dogon Tchoukou – Issah, Tumbun Rakke  – Mustapha Woulama, Tumbun Dila – Boukar Kowa and Tumbun Mita – Abou Aisha.
While items recovered from the Boko Haram include three AK 47 rifles, magazine with 48 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one Honda Salon car, one motorcycle, eight bicycles, three mobile phones with multiple SIM and memory cards and five copies of the Qur’an, a letter written in Hausa to the top commander, documents and other logistics.

Kuanum  said the army did well by stopping the terrorists from re-entering the Sambisa Forest as that would have given the terrorists the cover the needed to plan further attacks on communities.

He said the planned attack on the military camp which was foiled would send signals to the terrorists that their cover has been blown and would force them to either surrender or pull out completely from the area.

The security expert said the fact that the terrorists want to return  to their former base at Sambisa confirms that the heat is on them and that they have limited options on where to operate from.

“In a war situation, a side can only return to its base by charging through and forcefully taking it, but when it begins to try to sneak into a captured territory, you know that it has lost the capacity to launch an offensive and may be seeking a location to hide and recover from defeat,” he said.

He said if the terrorists had succeeded in crossing over as they had wanted to, they would have succeeded in causing havoc which would further help their propaganda that they are having an upper hand in the war.

Kuanum said the fact that they lost eight top commanders in an operation, proves that the terrorist have been brought on their knees and dispossessed of the wherewithal to continue fighting.

” What we are witnessing is the gradual but sure end of Boko Haram as represented by their inability to put up a fight and the loss of their strategic planners.

The counter-terrorism expert said the kiling of the top Boko Haram commanders and their spiritualist is a major achievement  that would further degrade the terrorists groups.

He recalled that shortly before the killing of the eight, troops of Strong Response Area, Pulka, also killed six other terrorists attempting to cross from Cameroon border into Sambisa Forest.

He said the success of the operations must have been due to high intelligence and other information gathering mechanisms that have placed the troops ahead of the insurgents.

He said the Nigerian troops should capitalise on these inroads and storm the other camps of the insurgents so as not to allow them regroup.

“What they’re doing is to spread their members into small units and ordering them to attack certain points. This gives the impression that they are many and prevents a wholesale operation that will take them out at once as was done in the past,” he said.

Kuanum said the latest killing of the terrorists by Nigerian troops complements the earlier devastation of their camps in several theaters of operations.

“Nigerian troops have recorded series of successes in the last three months that cannot be ignored,” he stated.

Our correspondent recalls that between April and June, the Nigerian military have killed over 2,000 Boko Haram terrorists and bandits across northern Nigeria.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai had within the period relocated to the Northeast and personally led the onslaught against the terrorists.

He was also in the Northwest shortly after and attack on some communities in Katsina which motivated troops to overtake and capture many of the bandits.

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