ACCI President Commiserates with the family of late Oloyede

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February 3, 2019

By Lubem Gena

The President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, CON., SAN has received the news of the death of the Chamber’s Honorary Council Member, Dr. Olawale Oloyede with rude shock.

In a condolence message which he personally signed, Prince Kayode described the late Oloyede, a retired Deputy Comptroller General of Prisons as an upright man who worked with integrity as well as impacted significantly on the current developmental strides of the Chamber.

“I received the news of the untimely death of Dr. Oloyede with utmost shock judging from the gruesome circumstances which he died.

“I particularly want to express, on behalf of myself, the Exco, Council, Management and staff of our chamber, our deepest sympathy over this loss.

“We passionately remember Dr. Oloyede for his work on drug abuse and rehabilitation of affected Nigerian youths as well as his altruistic work for the benefits of retired paramilitary service men.

“While I wish his family, ACCI, circle of friends and his well wishers, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, I am sure he is resting in the bosom of the Lord as he led an exemplary life worthy of emulation”, Prince Kayode emphasised.

Dr. Oloyede was killed by the bullets of suspected kidnappers yesterday, Friday, 1st February, 2019 along Lokoja-Okene road on his way to Lagos from Abuja.

Before his death, Dr. Olawale Oloyede, a Retired Deputy Controller General of the Nigeria Prison Service was the President of the National Association of Retired Paramilitary Officers (NARPO).

He was also a member of the Faculty Board of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) BEST Centre.

1,000 Interfaith Clerics to hold Grand Rally for Buhari’s Reelection

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February 3, 2019

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The National Inter-faith and Religious Organizations for Peace (NIFROP) is set to hold a grand rally of 1,000 clerics and faithfuls for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections. This was contained in a statement issued by the group in Jos recently.

It stated that since the completion of a forty days’ inter-faith fasting and prayers as part of preparations for the commencement of the 2019 general elections it was revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari is God’s choice to lead the country for the next four years.

“Recall that at the end of this forty days of fasting and prayers, God emphatically revealed the choice was for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari. It was revealed to people of faith that President Buhari is the choice of God because of the specific assignment that was given to him. His is the assignment to end the years of locust that had made Nigeria a laughing stock among nations before his ordained first term.”

“Our faith teaches us to back prayers with good deeds and actions. What has been revealed to us after prayers about the re-elections of President Buhari must now be backed up by actions. We have resolved to between now and the election speak truth to power in a manner that is more vocal than we have ever done in the past.”

The group averred that it would scale up activities to ensure that that which has been said about President Buhari’s election will come to pass. “As the first step, we shall be holding a Grand Rally for President Buhari’s re-election, is the choice of God for the land. We are doing this to ensure that Nigerians do not sin against God by ignorantly voting against the choice ordained to take the country to a higher level.”

The statement further stated that the Grand Rally would take place in Abuja on 7 February 2019 as divinely revealed during the forty days’ prayers and fasting.

“Eight is perfection. It symbolizes material abundance and economic success. Others might have misused such opportunity to do good things for Nigeria before, but one truly ordained by God shall make the initial four years of plowing and sowing to yield great harvests in the latter years.”

“Those with an evil intention for Nigeria have seen the glory that is soon to descend on the country once President Buhari has been re-elected. They have resorted to lies, intimidation, and violence to confuse the electorate from doing God’s will, which is to vote for President Buhari. Their intention for doing this is not just because they want to win and gain power at all cost. They are trying to turn Nigerians against President Buhari so that God will be displeased with the country and visit wrath upon us.”

NIFROP also stated that the essence of the Grand Rally is to enlighten voters to this uncommon combination of danger and opportunity.

“We are in danger if we contravene God’s order to re-elect President Buhari while we have a great opportunity to be blessed and thrive as a people when we do God’s will and re-elect him as our leader. This is the message we are taking to Nigerians on the streets during the Grand Rally. Those who cannot make it to Abuja to be part of the rally can hold mini-versions in their respective cities and towns.”

It would be recalled that NIPFROP assembled over 1000 clerics from various faiths to a forty days’ prayers and fasting for President Muhammadu Buhari and the general wellbeing of the country at large.

Boko Haram: Amnesty International has become more desperate than PDP in making false claims, local observer, SHAC warns

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February 2, 2019

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The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) has accused the Amnesty International of working for the Boko Haram sect against the interest of Nigeria.

According to the group, the stories about 60 persons killed by Boko Haram in Rann was not only false but contrived by Amnesty International in its usual attack to diminish the efforts of the Federal Government as a failed state whilst dampening the moral of troops to confer advantage on the fleeing elements of Boko Haram.

SHAC said it is now evident that AI appears more desperate that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in dissemination of false information and propaganda just to whittle down the government’s efforts against insurgency.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, SHAC, through its Executive Director, Intelligence and Investigation Bereau, Adams Odoh, called on the Federal Government to review its stance and expel Amnesty International from the country.

It also opined that the AI should be officially listed as an affiliate of Boko Haram to pave way for the organization and its staff to be treated as terrorists in view of their terrorism-supporting activities.

He said,
“You may wish to note that Boko Haram’s propaganda infrastructure suffered some measure of decline as the media in Nigeria has increasingly become aware of the dangers of helping the terrorists to promote instances in which they carry out attacks. Some of the so called activists and pseudo-journalists that help Boko Haram to promote its propaganda were also identified, which has made media houses to be wary of posts and comments from such individuals.

“This lack of visibility on the part of Boko Haram must hurt the confidence of its fighters since they rely on the mainstream and social media to hype their evil deeds for them to be able to strike terror in the heart of Nigerians.

“The loss of access to these identified channels must have prompted Boko Haram to explore extreme options irrespective of whether this would expose its hidden long-term collaborators. This is exactly the risk that the terror group has taken by frontally activating Amnesty International to publicise the attack on Rann. This scenario may appear farfetched but the choice of words used in relating Boko Haram’s acts of terror in the town are consistent with an organization that is desirous of causing widespread terror and panic, which is the same objective that Boko Haram has.

“Close watchers of the unfolding situation in Nigeria’s northeast should at this point begin to question if Amnesty International is scheming to usurp the role of the Nigerian military in verifying and investigating attacks carried out by the terrorists. This development, in which Amnesty International hijacked the role of the Nigerian state, should begin to convince those in doubt that this so called NGO not only have a morbid disdain for the Nigerian state but is also concluded in doing all that is possible to lead to the demise of the country.

“Note that the only acknowledgement that Amnesty International has for Nigerian authorities was to cast aspersion on them, viz alleging that they abandoned civilians to the terrorists. The fable about troops leaving Rann before the attack has all the makings of an organization that want to corral public opinion against the military and the state. Yet, the same Amnesty International has on too many occasions manipulated the situation to allege that the presence of the military in civilian areas was a recipe for abuses of civilian rights. This makes it confounding how this organization wants the military to stay away from civilian areas and protect civilians while staying away at the same time.

“What makes this latest development worrisome is that the military authorities have asserted that there was no attack in Rann, which confirmed that Amnesty International has again engaged in spawning fake news. The intention for doing this is not farfetched. Amnesty International engaged in propagating fake news as part of its efforts to influence the outcomes of the general elections in favour of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for which it is known to be working. At this point, it is no longer possible for Amnesty International to deny that it is the liaison between Boko Haram and the PDP, which has been discovered to have recruited the terrorists to disrupt the elections.
It must also be mentioned that there had been allegations in the past that organizations like Amnesty International are in the business of passing military intelligence secret that they gather in the course of their work to Boko Haram terrorists. For the same NGO to be the one promoting the story about the attack in Rann raises concerns about what links it has to this particular attack, which it became aware of before even the residents of the community. We sincerely want to know what other shady dealing Amnesty International has been able to conclude before it began exposing its role in the persistence of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno state and environs.

“On the side line, let us quickly mention that there has been a kind of deafening silence on the part of Amnesty International whenever Nigeria’s francophone neighbours suffer Boko Hara attacks. Perhaps the explanation is that Amnesty International does not have French speaking operatives on ground in these places to carry out its questionable activities.

“The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) will restate its earlier position that Nigeria must reconsider the political correctness that makes it allow a subversive entity like Amnesty International to freely operate in the country in a manner that undermine the security of the entire country while putting the lives of citizens at risk. The activities of this NGO are bad enough that the work of other interventionist NGOs that are working to bring succour to displaced persons is being hampered. Staffers of these NGOs are placed at risk from the manner of operation that Amnesty International is running in Nigeria.
In reviewing this situation, it is pertinent that the wellbeing of the citizens takes precedence because each successful operation that Amnesty International carried out, whether by way of its dubious report, tipping off terrorists or clandestinely colluding with them and more recently running their propaganda, makes the quality of life of citizens compromised.

“This timely warning to the government becomes necessary to prevent a repeat of what happened in the past when aggrieved groups and Nigerians almost resorted to self-help to expel the controversial NGO from Nigeria. Nigeria cannot continue to wait for Amnesty International to commit more crimes against the people before taking steps to protect citizens from its criminal activities.”

Buratai’s Midas Touch on the Nigerian Army Educational Landscape

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February 2, 2019

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By Orinya Agbese

“He has got the Midas touch. Anything he touches turns to gold”. Many of us might be familiar with that famous line in the beautiful soul rendition of the ’80s. Well, we are no longer in the ’80s, as someone is replicating the Midas touch once again. But this time around, in the Nigerian Army.

The educational landscape in the Nigerian Army has been hit by that Midas touch so much so that lines have been falling in pleasant places. It has never been so good if you ask me and this is why I call the Chief of Army Staff. General Tukur Buratai the man with the Midas touch.

I will start with the Nigerian Military School in Zaria. Popularly known as the NMS, whose graduates are often referred to as Ex-boys, an acronym that gained popularity in the country that made the NMS the choice school for most young people. At the NMS, students were tutored alongside military drills. And this was the fun of it all as most parents take pride in telling people their wards are enrolled in the NMS. But like a bang! The then leadership of the Nigerian Army decided to step down full military training for the students, and the NMS lost its glory.

But in 2017, that glory was restored with the restoration of full combat training at the Nigerian Military School by the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai. This singular act has returned the NMS to its pride of place as a citadel of academic and military excellence.

According to insider’s sources, the Chief of Army Staff wondered why combat training would not be a part of a military institution that has produced countless generals in the Nigerian Army. And consequently, he set out to work until he got the presidential nod to reintroduce combat training in the NMS. That is the quintessential Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

It didn’t stop there. The famous Command secondary schools of the Nigerian Army across the country were in comatose as a result of neglect by successive administrations in the Nigerian Army. So sad that at some point, the level of infrastructural decay at the various Command Secondary Schools across the country was abysmal. And the schools were a shadow of itself. Some us that knew what it takes to get enrolled at the any of the command schools were disappointed with the level of decay at these once promising military institutions.

And again. Lt Gen Tukur Buratai came to the rescue by causing a total transformation of all the Command secondary schools across the country. The transformation was not limited to infrastructures alone, but also in the academics by ensuring an assemblage of highly resourceful teaching staff. The transformation was indeed total as the various command secondary schools across the country are wearing new looks courtesy of the man that places much value on education as well as military combat.

In some quarters, the Chief of Army Staff has been quoted as saying that academic excellence should not be elusive in any 21st Century Army, and the Nigerian Army should not be an exception. I am of the opinion that this drive can only be initiated by someone that wants to leave his name in the sands of time because of the invaluable role of education in any given society. So when you have such academic excellence in the various Nigerian Army institutions, the general notion the Nigeria Army is all about “cork and shoot” would be dismissed. And yes, there are could also be intellectuals in the Nigerian Army who would bring their intellectual abilities to bear when needed.

This brings me to a very noble one that was also recently introduced by the Chief of Army Staff in the Nigerian Army educational space. Enter the world of the Nigerian Army University Biu which has commenced academic session as a unique and specialized institution that would serve as solutions centre, especially to specific challenges facing the military and North East region.

This is a first and another brilliant initiative of the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai. Some might wonder why the aggressive drive to improve the educational space of the Nigerian Army. Some might also wonder why Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has taken the educational space in the Nigerian Army so seriously to the envy sister services. In my opinion, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai understands that military education is valuable because it provides an intellectual architecture for battlefield success, contributes to stable civil-military relations, builds a culture of reflection, and a capacity for critical analysis.

Military education also helps establish the conditions for military success by creating the intellectual architecture to make military operations more effective, and to do so on a continual basis. And in the words of the Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai “The university is designed to create the critical mass required for research, innovations, testing, and development of military equipment in the 21st-century setting”. Do I need to say more?

It didn’t stop there. The Nigeria Army Depot in Zaria responsible for training recruits into the Nigeria Army was not also left out of the revolution. Its operations have been reshaped to reflect modern realities in warfare. This much can be seen in the quality of recruits coming out of the Nigerian Army Depot.

I recall many years back, enlistment into the Nigerian Army as a recruit was a function of proximity to the Nigerian Army depot or a note from a highly placed individual in the country. But not anymore as the enlistment process has been structured in a way that you must meet some specified criteria that would ensure that recruits into the Nigerian Army are not misfits or dullards.

And finally, the sponsorship of officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for training abroad also received a significant boost under Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai. It can be safely stated that the number of officers and soldiers that have been sponsored for training abroad between 2015 to date is unprecedented in the annals of the Nigerian Army.

In some quarters it was stated that the aggressive sponsorship of officers and soldiers for training abroad was as a result of the reluctance of past administration to send officers and soldiers for training. So much so that it affected the operational effectiveness of the service. So when in 2015 Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai was appointed Chief of Army Staff, he vowed that the issue of training and retraining would be a significant policy drive of the Nigerian Army and he has stayed true to his words.

I am quite impressed with the exploits of the Chief of Army Staff in the critical educational sector of the Nigerian Army. It tells the story of a Commander who understands that military education creates the ‘intellectual architecture’ to make military organizations better. And also the fact that military thinking is the link between military education and battlefield success.

Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai has indeed displayed a hunger for educational excellence in the Nigerian Army which is quite commendable and should be emulated across the board in the security architecture in Nigeria. If that is done, it would not only increase the efficiency of the nation’s security services; it would also equip the various services with the required skills and knowledge in dealing with 21st-century security threats, which are mostly asymmetric.

For Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, I doff my hat for that gentleman with the Midas touch that has been felt in the educational landscape of the Nigerian Army.

Agbese is a certified educationist and writes from Aberdeen.