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Ministry of defence reacts to security challenges in Zamfara and Kaduna

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By Ajogwu Jerry 

The Ministry of Defence has reacted to the recent security challenges recorded in Zamfara and Kaduna states which led to the loss of lives and destruction of properties.

The reaction was contained in a statement signed by Colonel Tukur Gusau, Public Relations Officer to the Hon Minister of Defence issued on Friday.

According to the statement, the Nigerian Military will not relent in its resolve to counter the menace of armed banditry and insurgency in the region, however it blamed the incessant happenings on drug abuse and unemployment.

The statement reads in part:

“The Ministry of Defence under the leadership of Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali commiserates with the government and people of Zamfara and Kaduna States over the recent attacks that claim the lives of law abiding citizens in the states and also lost of properties. The Hon Minister prays to Almighty Allah to grant the lives lost an eternal rest and also grant their families the fortitude to bear this unfortunate lost.

However, it is imperative to state that Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Nigeria have remained committed and resolute in tackling current security challenges across the country, ensure safety of lives and properties as well as protect the nation from both external and internal aggression. It is pertinent to state that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is currently engaged in various Internal Security operations across the country and has made concerted efforts in tackling the incessant killings by armed bandits and other criminal activities in the North-West particularly in Zamfara and Kaduna states.

It is worthy to note that some of the efforts made by the Federal Government include the creation of 8 Division, Nigerian Army in Sokoto and the establishment of a Brigade in Gusau and another one to be located in Birnin Kebbi to address security challenges in the North-West.  Also, the Nigerian Air Force Quick Response Force was established in Gusau to give air support to the ground troops. 

Additionally, 500 troops of Nigerian Armed Forces and 500 other security agents were recently deployed to join Operation SHARAN DAJI to curb the activities of armed bandits and other security challenges in Zamfara and Kaduna states and the region in general. 

Recently, the Ministry directed the General Officer Commanding 8 Division to relocate his Tactical Headquarters from Sokoto to Gusau to adequately coordinate activities of Operation SHARAN DAJI until normalcy returns in the State. These are all geared towards realizing the mandate of the Ministry of Defence and achieving the Federal Government’s drive on security of its citizens and properties. However, it is noteworthy to state that the issue of drug abuse, unemployment and governance amongst others contributes to the deplorable security situation in Zamfara State.  It is therefore suggested that the all necessary stakeholders should come together and take necessary steps to address these issues and to provide adequate support to security agencies so as to get maximum cooperation”.

Insurgency: Court Asked To Stop Security Agencies From Disclosing Security Spendings To Public

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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has been asked to refuse the request to make available to the public details of security spendings in the war against insurgency.

According to the suit filed by a lawyer, Mr. Osaze Agbonifo, releasing security spending to the public will breach the provision of Freedom of Information Act.

A civil society organisations, Global Integrity Crusade Network, had applied for the release of security spending on insurgency in the North East of Nigeria under the Freedom of Information Act.

But reacting to the development, the civil rights lawyer said the disclosure of such to any unauthorized body will be a breach of the provision of the Freeodm of Information Act and not in the interest of the country’s image.

Respondents in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/159018, are the Office of the National Security Adviser, Ministry of Defence, State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Immigration Service.

In the suit dated December 20th, 2018, filed by Oghenovo Otemu, the plaintiff asked the court for an order restraining the respondents from releasing details of security spendings to any CSOs acting under the FOI Act.

The plaintiff in the suit asked for an order restraining the respondents from releasing or furnishing Global Integrity Crusade Network or any civil society organization, persons or entities that have applied for any for any information relating to OR connected with the world against insurgency in the North East Under the FOI Act.

He also asked the court not to allow the respondents release the following information:

The amount received as budgetary allocations from the federal government of Nigeria for counter terrorism operation in the year 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.

The list of security hardware and equipment procured for counter terrorism operations in the year 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 so we can confirm, if the approved budgetary allocation were used for the intended purpose.

List of contracts awarded, executed on ongoing in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 as well as of list of newspapers, journala and other media outfit wherein the bidding exercise for the said contracts were published to be able us ascertain if the the procedure laid down in the Public Procurement Act No. 65 of 2007 were duly followed.

The breakdown of coat expended by your office on personnel running in the year 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 to enable us ascertain if more that one third of the budgetary allocation meant for counter terrorism operations was not used for payment of allowances to only top management staffer.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

Morale: COAS, Buratai Visits Front Troops, Mopol On Training

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By Ajogwu Jerry

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has paid an operational visit to front line troops and Theatre Commanders with the bid to end insurgency in Nigeria’s North East.

General Buratai visited the 27 Task Force Brigade and the Nigerian Army Special Forces School, Buni Yadi, where 2,000 Mobile Policemenare presently undergoing training.

According to a statement by the Army Spokesman, Brig Gen Sani Kuksheka Usman, he said the COAS was accompanied by Principal Staff Officers and Directors.

He was conducted round the school and later briefed by the Commandant of the school, Brigadier General CA Apere.

Present throughout the visit also were the Commander 27 Task Force Brigade, Brigadier General AO Oyelade, Brigadier General AS Ishaq.

Ishaq is the Nigeria Police Co-ordinator Operation LAFIYA DOLE and Supritendant Nicholas Tawani, amongst other military and police officers.

AfCFTA: Presidential Committee to submit report in January 2019

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The Presidential Steering Committee on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Impact and Readiness Assessment will present its recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2019.

Nigeria has not yet signed the AfCFTA agreement, which seeks to remove all forms of restrictions to trade and investment flows within the African continent.

However, the country has launched a nationwide stakeholder consultation with the purpose of reflecting a wide range of views in the technical instruments

It would be recalled that on October 22, 2018 while inaugurating the Committee at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari had charged it to assess the extent to which Nigeria is ready to join the agreement, and what the impact of doing so would be.

The Committee, which was given 12 weeks to conclude its assignment, has held wide consultations with industry groups and stakeholders, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).

While opinion is still divided in Nigeria on the merits and demerits as well as the timing of joining the AfCFTA, the committee has commissioned a study to shed more light on the public debate on the issue in the aftermath of a recent report published by MAN.

The report by MAN, among others, notes that if Nigeria ratifies the agreement import surges will range from 27.6% for textile, apparel and footwear sub-sector to 180.7% for chemical and pharmaceutical products during the 3 phases of liberalizing tariff lines with 5% tariff rates.

According to MAN, in contrast, the import surge will be as high as over 2000% in motor vehicle assembly sub-sector over 15 years when 10% tariff rates are liberalised. This will instantly spell doom for the automotive aspect of Nigeria’s National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).

The MAN study also shows differing output, employment and investment effects across manufacturing sub-sectors. For instance, four sub-sectors (Food, beverages and tobacco; wood and wood products; textile, apparel and footwear; and non-metallic) will likely see substantially high rates of increase in imports and import competition coupled with a substantial decrease in output.

Similarly, major changes in employment can be found in three manufacturing sub-sectors: chemical and pharmaceutical products; textile, apparel and footwear; and non-metallic sub-sectors. Some sectors such as electrical and electronics and wood and wood products will lay off workers.

The MAN study goes further to show that huge investments are required in chemical and pharmaceutical products and textile, apparel and footwear sectors, while moderate investments are required in electrical and electronics.

The key message from the MAN study is that despite challenges, Nigeria should go ahead and sign the AfCFTA agreement with an informed mindset, committing itself to engage in negotiations of the AfCFTA, embed itself in the process and ensure that the AfCFTA delivers good results for its manufacturers, especially as it relates to taking benefits of the market access opportunities on the rest of the continent.

It also offered recommendations on how expected losses can be defrayed for the manufacturers and how policies can be used to deal with expected losses.

It is noteworthy that the MAN study focuses mainly on “defensive” dimension of trade in goods (i.e. import penetration). It has not given adequate attention to “market access” opportunities (i.e. export penetration) and does not include the analysis of trade in services.

Therefore, another study has been commissioned recently to address the gaps in the MAN study and is expected to be completed by the end of December 2018.

Once completed, the study is expected to shed more light on the public debate and add value to the work of the Presidential Steering Committee on the AfCFTA Impact and Readiness Assessment.

We can recall that in the absence of the above facts, the administration has faced criticism over the failure to sign.

AfCFTA is designed to be a pan-African free trade area that will create a single market for goods and services. It also aims to liberalise and facilitate the movement of investment and business people across the continent.

On March 21, 2018, 44 of the 55 African countries signed the AfCFTA agreement in Kigali, Rwanda.

As at December 2018, 49 countries have already signed the AfCFTA agreement and 13 countries have already ratified it. The agreement will become binding and implementation can begin once 22 states have ratified it.

War on terror: 300 CSOs endorse Buhari for second term, give reasons

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The reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari got a boost on Thursday as over 300 leading civil society organizations declared their support for his second term in office.

The groups hinged their reason on the sterling performance of the president in area of security.

According to the groups, Buhari has been outstanding on his war against terror and insurgency since he assumed power in 2015 and should be given another mandate to complete what he started.

A communiqué jointly issued after a convention of Coalition of 300 Civil Society Organizations (CCSOs) called on Nigerians to back the president in 2019.

Some of the leading organizations in the group are the Initiative for Minority Rights in Nigeria, Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, Foundation for Unemployed Nigerians, Africa Civil Rights Congress and several others.

Their communiqué partly reads:

“The CCSOs commended the Centre for International and Strategy Studies (CISS) for their diligence, accuracy and time devoted to this energy-sapping report, spanning the period of 2013-2018. Certainly, the CCSOs adjudged it as a priced document worthy of attention by all Nigerians and indeed, members of the international community in search of an unbiased and truthful accounts and perspectives into insurgency in Nigeria operations and battles in the country.

“We have no doubt about the issues articulated in the report as reflective of Nigeria’s several years of struggle with the Boko Haram terrorism, reflecting its evolution, its rise, government responses to the insurgency under the regimes of former President Goodluck Jonathan and the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, foreign interventions/ aids and local involvement in the fight as well as the performance of the Nigerian Military in exacerbating or blighting the fires of the terrorism scourge on Nigeria.

“The CCSOs endorsed without hesitations the general conclusions of the report, which aligns with the consensus opinions among majority of Nigerians, including the incipient opposition elements in the country, traditionally obstinate in conceding to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari the successes of the counter-insurgency battles.

“It yawningly reechoes that the President has frenetically tackled the insurgency with so much vigor, energy and resources. It stamps that the President has made the difference in counter-terrorism combat and deserving of loud accolades and commendations.

“For the benefit of Nigerians yet to read the report on combat of terrorism in Nigeria under the preceding and incumbent governments in Nigeria, as compiled by the Centre for International and Strategy Studies, the CCSOs have burdened themselves to highlight a few areas for emphasis.

“Securing freedom for a greater number of the abducted Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirls and tens of thousands of other Nigerians held hostage by terrorists and the capture of Sambisa forest in Borno have been reflected in the report.

“It applauded the Gen. Buratai’s excellent Civil/Military Relations which he deployed positively in currying support of the populace to battle the asymmetric terrorism war. And Army Chief’s establishment of the Nigerian Army Call center and Human Rights Desk in all Army Divisions in addressing issues of human rights abuses by its personnel have been brought to the fore.

“Therefore, the CCSOs are ennobled by this report to state empathically that Nigerians should not allow a reversal of the gains recorded against Boko Haram terrorism under the current administration by siding with selfish political jobbers and power mongers to oust President Buhari in 2019. If Nigerians allow this conspiracy and gang-up to work in favour of the plotters, terrorism will again assail the nation more fiercely than experienced prior to the Buhari Presidency.”

70-year rapist jailed for 2-days

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A 70-year-old rapist has been jailed for two days by Justice John Bosco Allieu, an action that has caused outpouring of outrage across Sierra Leone.

The elder was found guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl, whose parents he served as a night watchman.

Sierra Leoneans took to social media and radio following the sentence, with some calling for the sacking of the judge responsible.

Gender equality and rights campaigners said the move by a Freetown High Court was a slap on the face of the efforts to curtail sexual and gender-based violence in the country.

The convict was scheduled for release on Wednesday.

Reports indicated that Justice John Bosco Allieu had doubted the man’s mental state, even though he failed to order a psychiatric evaluation on him.

The ruling came just days after the launch of a national campaign against rape, spearheaded by First Lady Fatima Bio.

The high profile campaign dubbed Hands Off Our Girls, was launched in Freetown over the weekend by President Julius Maada Bio and graced by five West African first ladies.

The president and his celebrity wife have boosted the fight against sexual violence, which was rife in Sierra Leone, with words and actions in the last seven month of his coming to power.

Notably, President Bio recently heightened the debate around rape with his call for a harsher punishment for anyone found guilty of committing it.

Last month, an organisation which provides shelter and support for gender-based violence victims reported that it had a seven months old baby as the youngest victim at the time.

And that came amidst a public debate sparked by images of a five-year-old girl left paralysed after being raped by an elderly relative.

The head of the influential women’s rights campaign group, 50:50, Dr Fatu Taqi said the controversial ruling appeared to make mockery of the president’s and the first lady’s efforts and declaration.

“For me, it is a case for the president to act on the matter. Let him show that what he says he marches it with action,” she told a popular radio breakfast show on Wednesday.

The UN Women representative in Sierra Leone, Ms Mary Okumu, also expressed concern and said the ruling called for a review for the interest of justice for women and girls.

The judiciary has always been blamed for the rise in sexual abuse cases, due to what critics say were delays and low conviction rates.

Akpabio blasts NASS leadership

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Sen. Godswill Akpabio (APC-Akwa Ibom) has described Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara as weak and asked them to resign before they were forced to leave as they are no longer capable of functioning.

Akpabio, a former ally of Saraki and Dogara, said his former political friends were now weak because they were unable to deliver their addresses during President Muhammadu Buhari’s budget presentation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Saraki and Dogara were expected to make opening and closing remarks respectively before and after the presentation.

However, the rowdy session caused by PDP lawmakers at the presentation made it impossible for the two presiding officers to deliver their addresses.

Reacting to the development, Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom state, said Saraki and Dogara could not speak because they were no longer qualified to do so.

The former senate minority leader said: “They really couldn’t talk because they shouldn’t be sitting on those seats since they now belong to a minority party.

“When I was in the minority party, I was the minority leader; I wasn’t the Senate President.

“So I will expect that what has happened today should be a wake-up call on the Speaker and the Senate President to resign peacefully,” he said.

On the rowdy session, he said such action was a characteristic of a parliament all over the world.

“But you could also notice that the majority party, the APC, showed its strength. There was a lot of quietness; there was a lot of silence whenever the President was making key points.

“The rest were just normal nuances of politics,” he said

Private firms boost Nigeria’s revenue, N812.7b shared

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The Federal Government, States and Local Governments have shared N812.76 billion as revenue for November, boosted by taxes paid by private companies.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse said this on Wednesday in Abuja, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.

Giving a breakdown of the revenue which accrued in November, Isa-Dutse said that the Mineral revenue reduced by N100.8 billion, from N522.6 billion recorded in October to N421.8 billion in November.

Also, the Non-Mineral Revenue increased by N68.2 billion, from N159.4 billion in October, to N227.7 billion in November

He said also that the Value Added Tax (VAT) collected for the month reduced from N100.9 billion in October to N88.3 billion in November.

“The gross statutory revenue of N649.6 billion received for the month was lower than the N682.1 billion received in the previous month by N32.5 billion.

“The revenue from the Companies Income Tax (CIT) increased significantly.

“However, revenue from Foreign Oil and Gas, Domestic Oil and Gas, Royalties, Petroleum Profit Tax, import and Excise duties and Value Added Tax decreased,” he said.

Isa-Dutse said in summary that the Federal Government received N280.9 billion, States N142.48 billion and N109.84 billion was received by the local governments.

According to him, N47.8 billion representing 13 per cent of the mineral revenue was shared to oil producing states.

Isa-Dutse announced that 2.246 billion dollars was withdrawn and shared to states as part of the Paris Club refund.

To this end, he said that the Excess Crude Account had gone down from 2.319 billion dollars in October, to 631 million dollars in the month of November.

“The deductions was for the final payment of the Paris Club Refund. The final payments to states have been made and the figure was deducted from the Excess Crude Account.

“A decision was taken to make these refunds and part of that decision is for the refund to be funded from the Excess Crude Account.

“All the required approvals were obtained from the President and Federal Executive Council,” he said.

“PDP legislators are irresponsible”

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The All Progressives Congress(APC) has condemned the heckling of President Muhammadu Buhari by lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party, during the budget presentation on Wednesday.

Publicity secretary of the APC , Malam Lanre Isa-Onilu said the disgraceful conduct and actions of PDP legislative caucus have succeeded in eroding the remnant of the public respect, that the Party has in the eyes of any respectable Nigerian.

“The PDP has further confirmed its unsavoury image in the eyes of well meaning Nigerians, that the party is largely populated by self-serving and unpatriotic members, whose sole aim in politics is to promote their self interests at the expense of the country’s interests.

“By law, respect for the office of the president or head of government in any clime is not a matter of choice but a civic obligation sanctioned by laws. Being an opposition party or critic is no licence for such wayward conduct by the PDP legislative caucus; most especially against the president of the country.

“Not even the admonition of the President to the PDP lawmakers that “You are on international TV, comport yourselves. The world is watching us; we should be above this,” failed to calm the unruly PDP elements.

“Nigerians are not oblivious of the actions and inactions of the National Assembly presiding officers, Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara while the President was being heckled by the PDP legislative caucus. Their failure to rein in their unruly PDP colleagues, while their show of shame lasted clearly confirmed that the PDP members’ action was premeditated and orchestrated to embarrass the President.

“When the APC was in opposition, Nigerians will recall statements by the PDP government that the immediate-past President Goodluck Jonathan did not personally present the national budget to the National Assembly based on fears that he will be heckled and embarrassed by the opposition federal lawmakers at the time. The fears turned out to be misplaced as that never happened when Jonathan eventually presented the national budget. Such shameful and undignified practice has no place in our progressive ideology.

“The PDP lawmakers and their conniving leaders have a lot of questions to answer. First, we wonder why they cannot stomach the evident and verifiable achievements of the APC-led Government in the areas of power, rail and road infrastructure, social intervention programmes as contained in the proposed budget.”

The APC commends President Muhammadu Buhari for remaining calm and focused during the budget presentation despite the provocation from PDP lawmakers, an act of statesmanship that has been acknowledged by Nigerians. We are equally proud of the APC lawmakers, who stood firm in defence of the President and our great party during the budget presentation.

We call on the National Assembly to rise above political and selfish interests by putting the country first in its consideration of the proposed N8.83 trillion 2019 national budget. The proposed budget provides a realistic and implementable framework that will spur the administration’s effort to achieve a a prosperous, strong and stable Nigeria.

Buhari inaugurates Abuja airport terminal

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja inaugurated the new Terminal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in line with his administration’s promise to complete the project before the end of December.

At the event, Buhari gave the assurance that the Federal Government is committed to developing Nigeria to regional air transportation hub, thereby assuming its leadership in the aviation sub-sector in Africa.

He recalled that the promise to inaugurate the project was made on Oct. 25 when he inaugurated Port Harcourt International Airport Terminal in Rivers.

“You will recall that on the 25th October, 2018, I commissioned Port Harcourt International Airport Terminal.

“During the event, the Honourable Minister of State (Aviation) stated that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal, Abuja, would be completed and ready for commissioning before the end of the year.

“Today, that promise has been kept. I wish to commend the Honourable Minister and his team for a job well done.

President Buhari said that with the inauguration of the Terminal, Nigeria was moving towards achieving and meeting global aviation standards in facilitation, passenger processing and service delivery in tandem with international best practices.

“This Administration recognises aviation as a catalyst for economic growth and as such will continue to encourage and support the actualisation of projects that will place Nigerian Airports amongst the best in the world.

“This event today, reflects Government’s deliberate policy to sustain the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure.

Inside the terminal building

“We are gradually closing the infrastructural deficit bedevilling our country.” he said.

President Buhari expressed delight at the progress being made in both the airports and sea ports on the implementation of the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business.

He, therefore, challenged government officials manning these gateways at the airports and sea ports to sustain the momentum and ensure travellers in and out of the country have the best of experience as a necessary complement to the ultra-modern terminal.

The president said the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal, Abuja, was the first airport terminal to be connected to rail transport system in the country and in the region.

“This has provided passengers and other airport users with a choice in the mode of transport to and from the city centre.

“I recall taking a ride from the City Metro station to the Airport on the day the rail line was commissioned,’’ he said.

The president commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Transportation (Aviation), the Government of the Peoples Republic of China and the China Exim Bank for their financial support and the various roles they played leading to the successful completion of the project.

He particularly lauded the contractor, Messrs CCECC, for delivering the project on time.

In his remarks, the Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, said the new NAIA terminal was the second in the series of airport terminals to be inaugurated from the projects funded by the China-Exim bank loan of 500 million dollars with a counterpart funding of 100 millon dollars from the debt management office.

He said that from political and economic perspectives “this airport is very strategic to Nigeria not only because it is the gateway to the nation’s capital, but also because it the second busiest airport in the country.’’

Sirika said that the airport was also the fastest growing in passenger traffic in West and Central Africa with an average growth rate of eight per cent, while the world’s average growth was 5.8 per cent.

He said that the airport processed 5,709,012 passengers in 2017.

“This volume equals to about 13 times the total number of passengers recorded by Ghana as a country.

“The terminal building you are about to commission Mr President, has annual passenger capacity of 15 million covering a space of approximately 56,000m2.

“It also has the following facilities as well as capabilities – 72 check-in counters, five baggage collection carousels, 28 immigration desks at arrival and 16 at departure, eight security screening points and eight passenger boarding bridges,’’ he said.

Other facilities at the terminal, he said, included walkway to link the FCT metro rail, additional apron for remote parking of aircraft and linkway to domestic wing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Buhari, who inspected the facilities at the terminal, left the airport for Kano on one-day official visit.

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