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Armed Forces Commission: 200 CSOs unanimously reject bill being considered by Senate as invitation to anarchy

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Armed Forces Commission: 200 CSOs unanimously reject bill being considered by Senate as invitation to anarchy

No fewer than 200 civil society organizations, on Tuesday, unanimously rejected the proposed Armed Forces Commission Bill, describing it as an “invitation to anarchy”.

Led by Comrade Ogenyi Okpokwu, the double century CSOs, under the aegis of Parliament Watch, made its stand known at the end of a one-day Town Hall meeting at the Conference Hall, Top Rank Hotel, Abuja.

In a communique signed by Comrade Danelsi Momoh, Comrade Kabir Dallah and two others, the CSOs said the National Assembly have not shown interest of the nation at heart after the bill scaled first reading on the floor.

The bill, according to the group, is “retrogressive and an attempt to undermine the powers of the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces”.

The CSOs further resolved that the NASS is acting against the interest of the country and heating up the polity for anarchy.

Having exhaustively analysed the said bill, the Parliament Watch concluded that it is “not in the overall interest of Nigeria and as such it is unacceptable for lacking in merit in its entirety”.

It, however, warned the NASS to avoid undermining the office of the President, the nation’s constitution and a reverend institution like the Armed Forces.

Read full communique below:

Introduction:

The Parliamentary Watch is a Civil Society Organization that is devoted to the preservation of emerging democracies through the contributions of the parliament in Nation Building. It has, over the years, monitored the parliament and made tangible interventions in times of critical concern as it relates to issues of National Interest.

The Parliamentary Watch as an organization has continuously kept the parliamentary arm of government in check through numerous advocacies that have, over the years, entrenched our nascent democracy with the overarching objective of ensuring that our parliamentarians stay through to the ideals of democracy.

The Issues and Deliberations:

The Parliamentary Watch at its one-day town hall meeting deliberated on the activities of the National Assembly with regards to the robustness of its deliberations vis-à-vis the introduction and passage of bills that are of national concern.

There was an extensive deliberation of some of the new bills introduced by the National Assembly, and the impact such bills, when passed into law, would have on the overall wellbeing of the country.

One such Bill that attracted the attention of the members in attendance is the “Armed Forces Service Commission (Est.) Bill 2020 (SB 362)”. According to the Bill, the appointment of Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Director of Military Intelligence and heads of other arm-bearing security agencies shall be appointed subject to recommendations by the Senate.

The Bill is advocating that the Armed Forces Service Commission shall have the power to approve the promotion of officers as heads of military formations/branches such as General Officers Commanding Divisions of the Nigerian Army and their equivalents in the Navy and Air Force, amongst a host of others.

The Resolutions:

The Parliamentary Watch after extensive deliberations came up with the following resolutions:

Members of the Parliamentary Watch unanimously agreed that the National Assembly has not proven that it has the interest of Nigeria at heart with the Bill slated for Second reading of the floor.

That the proposed Armed Forces Service Commission bill is retrogressive and an attempt to undermine the powers of the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as stipulated in Chapter Six, Section 2 (1) (2)

That the National Assembly is strategically acting against the interest of Nigeria by playing to the gallery in an attempt to arrogant executive powers to itself.

That Armed Forces Service Commission Bill is a call for anarchy in Nigeria and to subject Nigeria to public ridicule among the comity of Nations.

That Bill is an affront to the office of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

That the Armed Forces Service Commission bill lacks merit in its conceptualization and its provisions are against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and an attempt to rewrite history through unconventional means.

That the National Assembly through the proposed Armed Forces Service Commission Bill is attempting to reduce Nigeria to a Banana republic where they can subject their whims and caprices on Nigerians unpatriotically.

Conclusion:

The Parliamentary Watch at the end of the one-day town hall meeting convoked to assess the merit and demerits of the proposed Armed Forces Service Commission as a result of this concludes that the Bill is not in the overall interest of Nigeria as a country and as such it is unacceptable for lacking in merit in its entirety for the following reasons:

That the Armed Forces as a highly sensitive and strategic institution constitutionally mandated to defend Nigeria from external aggression and maintaining its territorial integrity and sovereignty should not and cannot be subjected to the whims and caprices of politicians and against National Interest.

That Section 218 Subsection 1 and 2 expressly states that “the powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation shall include power to determine the operational use of the Armed Forces of the Federation; (2) power to appoint the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and heads of any other branches of the Armed Forces of Federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly.”

Recommendations:

The Parliamentary Watch hereby makes the following recommendations:

That the National Assembly must save its face from this despicable attempt at usurping the powers of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces with regards to the appointment of Service Chiefs in the country.

That the National Assembly must desist from the attempt to destroy a strategic National and Professional Asset that has stood the test of time since the creation of Nigeria.

That the National Assembly must not lose sight of its functions as clearly spelled out in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and which must align with the strategic goals of ensuring growth and sustainable development

That the National Assembly must realize that its role in the Nigerian setting is to enact laws that would serve the overall interest of the country and not bills that suit their purpose and fulfills their desires and interests.

That the Armed Forces must not be dragged into politics as it is critically engaged in sensitive internal security assignments that requires all level of concentration in the light of the politically sponsored security challenges in the country.

El-Rufai appoints Muhammadu Sanusi II into KADIPA board

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El-Rufai appoints Muhammadu Sanusi II into KADIPA board

The Kaduna State Government has appointed Muhammadu Sanusi II into the board of the Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA), about 24 hours after he was removed as Emir of Kano.

A statement from Sir Kashim Ibrahim House said that “the appointment is part of the reconstitution of the board of KADIPA, which is statutorily chaired by the Deputy Governor, and has as internal members other senior officials of the Kaduna State Government.”

The statement which was signed by Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser on Media and Communication on Tuesday, said that “Kaduna State hopes to benefit from the profile, experience, intellect and networks of His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi, who before becoming Emir, had built a solid reputation in global financial circles.

“Malam Nasir El-Rufai said that Kaduna State is honoured to be able to call on the services of a man of such calibre to drive its development,’’ the statement added.

The statement which said that El-Rufai has approved the reconstitution of the board of KADIPA, further said that the agency was established in 2015, and has led the investment drive of the state and anchored implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Charter that earned Kaduna State recognition as the Number One place for doing business in Nigeria.

According to the statement, Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe will chair the board while His Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II will be Vice-Chairman.

Other members of the board include Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Jimi Lawal, Senior Adviser and Counsellor and Aisha Dikko, the Attorney General of Kaduna State.

The KADIPA board also includes the Head of Service, Hajiya Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed, Commissioner of Business, Innovation and Technology, Idris Nyam, Commissioner of Housing and Urban Development, Fausat Ibikunle and Commissioner, Planning and Budget Commission, Thomas Gyang.

Other board members are the Director-General of Kaduna Geographic Information System(KADGIS), Altine Jibrin, Muhammad Hafiz Bayero, the Managing Director of Kaduna Market Development and Management Company, Farida Dankaka and Umma Aboki, the Executive Secretary of KADIPA.

“The Governor also said that he is confident that the new board, which contains the most senior officers of the state will further propel KADIPA to greater success in attracting investments to Kaduna State.”

The statement disclosed that the government carefully chose the external members to further reinforce the investment credentials of the state.

According to Adekeye, “El-Rufai has expressed his gratitude to members of the reconstituted board of KADIPA for agreeing to serve”.

Breaking: Aminu Ado Bayero appointed as new Emir of Kano

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Breaking: Aminu Ado Bayero appointed as new Emir of Kano

Kano state government has announced the appointment of Aminu Ado Bayero as the new Emir of Kano.

Aminu Bayero is replacing Muhammadu Sanusi II who was dethroned earlier today by the Kano state government.

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Until his appointment, Aminu Ado Bayero, was the Emir of Bichi, one of the four rival emirates created by governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State.

Covid-19: Rome cancels all public Masses until April 3

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Covid-19: Rome cancels all public Masses until April 3

The Diocese of Rome has canceled all public Masses until April 3 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The announcement by the vicar general of the diocese, published Sunday evening, follows a decree by the Italian government suspending all public religious ceremonies.

“The Church of Rome … assumes an attitude of full responsibility towards the community in the awareness that protection from contagion requires even drastic measures, especially in interpersonal contact. Therefore, until the same date of April 3, the communal liturgical celebrations are suspended,” Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, vicar general of Rome, said in a statement March 8.

“The season of Lent helps us to live this great trial evangelically. I bless you by entrusting you all to Our Lady of Divine Love,” the vicar general said.

Priests living in Rome and Vatican City can continue to offer Mass in private. Parishes in Rome will remain open for personal prayer before the tabernacle, the diocese said.

The announcement by the Rome diocese mirrors national action adopted by the Italian bishops’ conference.

The conference also issued a statement March 8 explaining that the Italian government’s decree “suspends civil and religious ceremonies, including funeral ceremonies, throughout the country until Friday, 3 April.”

“The interpretation provided by the government strictly includes the Holy Masses and the funeral rites among the ‘religious ceremonies.’ It is a highly restrictive passage, the reception of which coincides with suffering and difficulty among the pastors, priests and faithful,“ the bishops said.

“The acceptance of the decree is mediated solely by the desire to do its part, also in this situation, to contribute to the protection of public health,” the conference stated.

Videos of Pope Francis’ private daily Mass, offered at his Vatican City residence in Casa Santa Marta, will be live streamed by Vatican News on YouTube beginning March 9.

The video broadcast will “allow those who wish to follow the celebrations united in prayer with the Bishop of Rome,” Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni said Sunday.

Eighty-four cases of coronavirus have been documented in Lazio, the region surrounding Rome, as of March 8. In Italy, 7,375 people have contracted the virus, and 366 people have died, according to the Ministry of Health.

The Diocese of Rome has called on all Catholics in Rome to observe a day of fasting and prayer for the victims of coronavirus on March 11, and invited people to tune into a special televised Mass.

“I heard the cry of our city, of Italy and of the world, at this particular moment we are experiencing. It is a situation we are not used to, that worries us, but above all we are now called to live with the strength of faith, the certainty of hope, the joy of charity,” Cardinal Donatis, the vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, wrote in a letter March 6.

“In addition to fasting … we want to be close, with a sign of almsgiving by collecting offerings that we will donate in support of the health personnel who are spending generously and sacrifice in the care of the sick,” he said.

Daily Masses were canceled earlier this week in Milan, Venice, Bologna, and other northern Italian regions, where the majority of Covid-19 cases have occurred.

The Italian government imposed a strict quarantine on March 8 for northern and central regions of Italy, including Milan and Venice.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also announced the closure of museums, movie theaters, concerts, gyms, and archaeological sites throughout the country. All schools and universities will also remain closed.

The Vatican confirmed on March 8 that there has only been one positive diagnosis of Covid-19 within Vatican City — a person who tested positive on March 5 during a pre-employment medical examination in the Vatican Health and Hygiene clinic.

Five people who were in close contact with this person are in a precautionary quarantine, according to the Holy See Press Office. The Vatican Museums are closed until April 3.

Pope Francis prayed for those suffering from the coronavirus epidemic during his Angelus address in a video streamed live to St. Peter’s Square March 8.

“I am close in prayer to people suffering from the current coronavirus epidemic, and to all those who are caring for them,” he said.

“I join my brother bishops in encouraging the faithful to live this difficult moment with the strength of faith, the certainty of hope and the fervor of charity,” Pope Francis said.

Boko Haram will soon be history – Buratai

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Boko Haram will soon be history – Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, has assured that Boko Haram would soon be crushed.

General Buratai who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun gave the assurance Saturday at the Nigerian Army Special Day at the 41st Kaduna International Trade Fair.

Locally made MRAP vehicles on display at the Theatre Command in Maiduguri

He said: “The overall objective is to make the Nigerian Army a people’s army with versatility in fighting the enemies of Nigeria and food insecurity on the other hand. Specifically, a few days ago, our troops deployed in Damboa, Borno State recorded a resounding tactical victory against the evil forces of Boko Haram who dared the superiority of our forces.

“They paid very dearly for it by the monumental losses in men and equipment. Let me once more remind us that the ongoing operation in the North East is asymmetrical and not a conventional warfare. We hereby solicit the support, prayers, patience and understanding of all Nigerians.”

“The Nigerian Army, apart from its primary role of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria, is also involved in fighting insurgency in the North East and other internal security operations across the length and breadth of the nation.”

He said though the primary role of the army is to defend the territorial integrity of the nation, it is now prepared to contribute to Nigeria’s economic development

“In line with global trends, the Nigerian Army is developing its capacity to contribute to the economic development agenda of the present political leadership through the establishment of some army units such as the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches, Nigerian Army Post-Service Housing Development Limited, Command Engineering Depot as well as Nigerian Army Properties Limited and Nigerian Army Welfare Limited by Guarantee.”

“These outfits do not only serve the interest of Nigerian Army personnel but also avails its products and services to the general public at relatively affordable prices, hence our participation at the Kano, Abuja and now Kaduna International Trade Fairs.”

He commended the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) which in collaboration with Command Engineering Depot (CED) researched, developed and produced EZUGWU, the first indigenous mine- resistant ambush protection vehicle with 70 per cent local content.

Covid-19: Americans warned to brace up for quarantines

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Covid-19: Americans warned to brace up for quarantines

Americans, especially those who are vulnerable, may need to stop attending big gatherings as the coronavirus spreads through U.S. communities, a top health official said on Sunday, as investors braced for another volatile week in financial markets.

Anthony Fauci, the head of the infectious diseases unit at the National Institutes of Health, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that after initial missteps distributing tests, there should be 400,000 more tests available by Monday and 4 million by the end of the week.

In the United States, 19 people have died out of about 450 reported cases of coronavirus, which originated in China last year and causes the sometimes deadly respiratory illness COVID-19. The outbreak has killed more than 3,600 globally.

More than half of the 50 U.S. states have reported cases, including the first cases in Virginia and Connecticut on Sunday. As the outbreak spreads, daily life has been increasingly disrupted, with concerts and conferences canceled and universities telling students to stay home and take classes online.

To contain the outbreak in China, the government quarantined millions of people for weeks. Italy has announced similar measures, locking down 16 million people in the north of the country.

As recently as Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would continue to hold his political rallies, which sometimes draw up to 20,000 people. The Democrats competing to challenge him in the Nov. 3 presidential election, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden, have not canceled any campaign events so far.

Women in Mexico take to streets to protest country’s high rate of femicide

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Women in Mexico take to streets to protest country’s high rate of femicide

In Mexico, an average of ten women are victims of femicide every day. Thousands of women have mobilised in street protests to take a stand against femicide in a country where they say women’s rights are being ignored, and a nationwide women’s strike is planned for Monday.

Two recent killings in particular shocked the nation: Ingrid Escamilla was stabbed and skinned by her boyfriend back in February, the images of her corpse widely circulated by the media. Just days later, a 7-year-old, Fatima, also became a symbol of femicide in the country after her body was found mutilated.

“We’re scared for our children, it’s scary to not know what could happen to them,” a woman said.

In response to the recent rise in femicide cases, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has promised to do whatever necessary to ensure women are protected. “I am open to anything that helps bring peace and tranquility to the country. We will continue to work to make things better,” he said.

Mariana Lima Buendía was killed at the hands of her policeman husband in 2010. Irinea Buendía, her mother, remains unconvinced by the president’s promises.

“I cannot help but think that President Obrador is not doing his duty and is not doing anything to ensure justice for femicide victims. Yet it is his job to protect citizens,” she said.

France 24

 

The Continuous Success of The COAS and Why He Remains The Best For Now

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The Continuous Success of The COAS and Why He Remains The Best For Now

By Gift Ogar

It is no longer news that the COAS as the leader of the counter – insurgency operations, belongs to what is called the “strong breed.”

Personally as an operative I do monitor various TV stations and each time the COAS appears on TV screens during interviews including the recent one he granted to educate the public on Nigerian Army operations on the nation – wide counter – insurgency operations, his infectious aura will invoke passions of love on him by anyone. He is soft – spoken, usually calm and calculative, blended with his gift of oratory.

It is no longer news that nature has gifted the COAS so generously. He has excelled as a very combatant Gen who has the unbeatable reputation of a military master strategist and tactician. He is an exceptional Gen who visits and lives with his troops in the trenches much like in military diplomacy. He is a historian and philosopher by academic training. For me, the COAS is a star personality of military history and deploys his intellectual arsenals to find solutions to the manifold contemporary security challenges.

A poet by hobby, the COAS verses are extraordinarily pungent and a gripping commentary on societal problems. Assimilating his poems only reminds one of the lord of romantic poetry, the English-born William Wordsworth. One is often tempted to think, Gen Buratai would have better excelled as an academic don but in all fields, he has come full measure.

In administration and leadership, he exudes uncommon excellence. The COAS has a knack for innovations and reforms. A workaholic and very respected senior officer to the core. He marshals out his plans, set his priorities with time frames and pursues them relentlessly and tirelessly until his targets are met.

With this, he had little difficulty in transforming the disorganized and disoriented NA he inherited into a professional, responsible, responsive and disciplined force. He gave the Nigerian Army a new face and portrait of excellence within months of his assumption of duty as the COAS. Let us not forget that the NA was running into a tattered Army with so many unnecessary dismissal of troops especially with 100% of those dismissal coming from the NE before his appointment.

In addition, as evidence of his innovative ingenuity, the COAS established two new Army Divisions within 3 years of his leadership. He has established 8 Division with Headquarters in Sokoto and 6 Division Port Harcourt in Rivers State. As a leader who is interested in legacies, he has erected modern residential and office accommodation structures in the new Army Divisions so fast. The COAS knows how to pull the right strings to get what he wants for the Army.

Also, remarkably endearing, the COAS has equally established a dozen of Army Brigades, Battalions’ and Forward Bases in different parts of the country especially in places with recurring issues of insecurity just to tackle such insecurity situations. I am happy to mention that he is still expanding in this direction because Delta State has just been given an Army Brigade and Battalion. It is a well known fact that the idea is to facilitate the quick response of troops to all emergency situation in order to smoothen operations against armed criminals for the protection of Nigerians.

With the present COAS handling the affairs of the Nigerian Army, it is so clear that taking a glance at the Nigerian Army today, one sees Nigerian soldiers actively involved overwhelmingly in counter-insurgency operations. Troops are quelling bile and violent insurrectional movements; extinguishing the fires of destructive militancy, quenching the madness of armed bandits and dousing the conflagrations between farmers and herders in different parts of the country.

This in reality shows that the deployment to troops to at least 33 out of 36 States of the Federation for these reasons is quite a bogus operational spread to manage and supervise effectively but our indefatigable COAS has no problems playing his supervisory roles. He is always found everywhere troops under him are deployed for special assignments by paying operational visits to them all the time. From my calculation, he has never spent complete one month on seat without going to visit his troops in FOBs.

Like a nomad, the COAS is a very senior and respected Gen who sits nowhere, but is constantly in motion, hopping from one State to another to oversee the work of his troops at various stations, FOB, Military barracks and operational areas. The COAS dreads failure and avoids it like a plaque. This is evidenced because each time he kick-starts a capital project for the Nigerian Army, he ensures it is completed as scheduled. He hates excuses adduced after failure with a passion.

It is on this spirit that our great COAS gave the Nigerian Army the first specialized conventional Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB). The idea of NAUB started like a mustard seed but it grew as the COAS persistently watered it. Based on his efforts, within two years the university became a reality dotted with gigantic and aesthetical edifices. It will interest you to note that students are already observing their second academic session.

The COAS is a visionary and focused leader who is also aggressively pursuing the idea of an aviation unit for the Nigerian Army to make air combats easier for troops in the trenches in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations. An aviation wing for the Nigerian Army has been on the cards of previous leaders of the Nigerian Army but it has dragged for decades without positive results. The present COAS in his characteristic manner is pushing it with an extreme force and tonic.

Foresighted as ever, the COAS first established the Nigerian Army Aviation Corps with Army pilots and technical crew members being trained both at home and abroad. He has established hangers for the Aviation Corps and is in the process of producing helicopters just like he did with the production of the Ezugwu MRAP.

The COAS as a trailblazer at every turn is again set to make history as the COAS who brought to fruition the Army Aviation wing and with this, the admirers of the COAS often times tease him with epaulettes such as “the itinerant Army boss,” or “the mobile General.” And his actions reflect such affectionate wisecrack on his personage.

It is very hard to pin the COAS down to a spot and he is not transfixed in any location. You recall that if you have been following the COAS events, on Tuesday last week, he was in Asaba Delta State to commission the headquarters of 63 Brigade Complex and to also officially authorize the operationalization of the brigade in the State capital. Equally as a COAS who is ever ready for success within another 24hrs, he was in Maiduguri with the troops monitoring the clearance operations of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole. It is no longer secret that with his presence to boost troops morale, Nigerians including the Governor and people of Borno State bear testimony to Nigerian troops decisive crushing of insurgents at Damboa and the destruction of their 19 vehicles the insurgents took to attack own troops. The Governor could not hold his praise for the troops over the success as witnessed.

Meanwhile my findings reveal the COAS is due for Kaduna to inaugurate other new projects and the circle continues on and on. With this, I am bold to say my present COAS is undeniably the restless Gen who wants his troops to win the war on the insurgency. He is a Gen who is always ready to lead and to bury all threats of insecurity in Nigeria. He is also that Gen who hates to sit in one place and merely bark directives.

Gen TY Buratai to me is an amiable Gen by birth from the obscure little town of Biu and an achiever by dint of hard work. He is a Gen by training, a very professional Gen by calling and by action. That is the hidden portrait of Gen. TY Buratai the nightmare and tormentor-in-chief of terrorists. I regard him always as the action-filled and result-oriented Nigeria’s COAS and ombudsman of counter-terrorism operations. Having mentioned all the above, this is the more reasons why some saboteurs and their agents want him removed but I am personally happy that Mr President who brought him to come and fixed the NA and to fight the insurgency knows better.

98NA/46/2456 Ssgt Gift Ogar wrote from NARC Military Intelligence Regiment, Abuja

Covid-19: Vatican cancels Mass at St Peter’s square, Pope to stream Sunday message

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Covid-19: Vatican cancels Mass at St Peter’s square, Pope to stream Sunday message

Pope Francis has cancelled his regular appearances in public to stop crowds gathering to see him and will stream them on the internet from inside the Vatican because of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy.

The Vatican said that on Sunday the pontiff will not address crowds from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, and will also not hold his general audience from there this Wednesday. Both attract tens of thousands of people.

It will be one of the few times in the past 66 years that a pope will not appear at the window, a ritual deeply engrained in Roman tradition, with some families attending every week.

Both the address and general audience will be held without public participation inside the official papal library in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace and will be viewable on the internet or television, the Vatican said in a statement on Saturday.

Popes began giving regular Sunday blessing from the window in 1954 and have done so nearly every Sunday since, except for when the pontiff is sick or out of Rome.

On May 17, 1981, four days after he nearly died in an assassination attempt, Pope John Paul delivered the blessing with a feeble voice from his bed at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.

The Vatican also said that the participation of the faithful at Francis’ morning Mass in his residence has been suspended until at least March 15.

The 83-year-old pope cancelled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy, but the Vatican has said he is suffering only from a cold that is “without symptoms related to other pathologies”.

A Vatican employee tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, the first case in the tiny city-state that is surrounded by Rome.

A Vatican source said the patient had participated in an international conference hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Life last week in a packed theatre several blocks from the Vatican. Participants at the three-day conference on Artificial Intelligence included top executives of U.S. tech giants Microsoft and IBM.

The death toll from the new coronavirus in Italy, the worst-hit European country, stood at 197 on Friday with more than 4,600 cases, most of them in the north. In Rome province, 49 people have tested positive and one has died.

 

Exclusive: Supremacy battle rocks Boko Haram/ISWAP leadership with infighting among the Kanuris, Hausas  and Chadians

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Exclusive: Supremacy battle rocks Boko Haram/ISWAP leadership with infighting among the Kanuris, Hausas  and Chadians

All is indeed not well in the terrorists’ camps as highly reliable sources have again confirmed growing animosity, distrust, division and deepening crisis in the BHT/ISWAP Camps.

Current reliable information received on Saturday the 7th of March, 2020 has revealed that there is indeed further division, mistrust and deepening crisis within the terrorists’ camps.

The latest open hostility in the terrorists’ camps came about as a result of the fall out of the recent attack on GARKIDA in Adamawa State and the pyrrhic attempt to capture Damboa in Borno State that was jointly executed by three deadly groups of the sect.

The monumental losses both in men and equipment the terrorists suffered has aggravated the suspicion between and among the groups. Some are accusing others of leaking information of the planned attack to the security agencies and outright lack of will to fight with some of the fighters took to their heels in the face of the fire power of the Nigerian Army.

At the moment, highly reliable sources have further indicated that there has been acrimonious infighting over what the terrorists described as “the fierce struggle for the acquisition and control of booty” such as proceeds of kidnappings, robberies and attacks on vulnerable targets by the Abubakar Shekau led group and the other two prominent groups of the terrorists sect.

Reliable sources have alerted that the acrimonious struggle for supremacy and control of booty has again led to the extermination of one of the leaders of the insurgents’ groups by members of the other 2 terrorists’ groups.

In retaliation, the group whose leader popularly known as Amir ibn Abdulfatawi (who was appointed less than two months ago) was killed decided to avenge the killing by executing the leader of one of the 2 groups (whose identity is yet to be ascertained) who masterminded the killing of their leader.

Subsequently, the situation got worse when they went back to Lake Chad area. At the Lake Chad area, the Budumas and Yantawawen Chad (Chadian twins) who have up to 400 members demanded to produce a leader and overall Commander of the sect to specifically take Charge of the Chad basin.

As this was brewing, the Hausa – Fulani elements among the BHTs expressed misgivings, – arguing that nobody should address or deliver sermon to them in Kanuri language anymore, and warned that they will never accept it again, citing what they termed as “increasing negation of the original tenets of holy Quraan and prophetic hadith” by the Kanuri Amirs.

At Present, there is serious crack and fierce acrimony and conflict of interest as well as infighting and battle of supremacy in the terrorists’ camps, – a development that if well utilized by the Nigerian security forces could surely hasten the final and total destruction of Boko Haram and ISWAP’s terrorism in the country.

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