The concerned group of the Nigerians in Diaspora on security in the United Kingdom has pledged to work with the Nigerian military through intelligence gathering and development of software needed in its operations in the North East. The group, led by the Chairperson House of Representative Committee on Diaspora matters, Honourable Barrister Rita Orji made this pledge at the Defence Headquarters Abuja, during the presentation of an award to the Chief of Defence Staff General Gabriel Olonisakin.
Honourable Barrister Orji stated that the award was given to the CDS in appreciation of the gallantry and doggedness of the military in keeping the nation united despite predictions of a break-up Nigeria before the 2015 general election. She noted that Nigerians in Diaspora acknowledged the sacrifices the members of Armed Forces are rendering towards keeping Nigeria safe from insurgency and insecurity. The award of gallantry presented to the Chief of Defence Staff, according to Honourable Barrister Orji, was to say thank you to the members of Armed Forces through the CDS so as to spur the military to do more in this noble endeavour.
Receiving the award, General Olonisakin expressed appreciation to the group for identifying with the military, especially at this trying period in our nation’s history. He stated that the award was for the Nigerian military, both the dead and the living, as well as members of their families who also bear the brunt of the insecurity in the North East and other parts of the country.
General Olonisakin noted that terrorism is a global phenomenon and therefore urged Nigerians in diaspora and international community to rise up to challenges and join hands to wage war against insurgency and terrorism. Present at the occasion, apart from the group of Nigerians in diaspora, are some members of the House of Rep Committee on diaspora and Principal Staff Officers of the Defence Headquarters.
…Alerts Security Agencies On Violent Actions of APC Chieftains in Rivers
After a thorough consideration and evaluation of the prevailing security situation in the State, the leadership of the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, unanimously expressed satisfaction with the various passionate and sustained efforts by Governor Wike – led administration in tackling insecurity and violence in the State.
Nyesom Wike
The PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah, says as a responsible Party it is not unaware that security of lives and properties is the primary responsibility of any government worth its salt, and this informed the decision of the Party to internally but dispassionately evaluate the activities of the present government under Gov. Wike.
At the end of the exercise, the PDP, according to Bro Obuah, stresses that it is proud to commend the Governor and his team for prioritizing the issues of sustainable peace and security in all parts of the State, and infrastructural development on which tremendous success have been made, even in the face of apparent distraction, spurious propaganda, lies and blackmail by enemies of the State.
While condemning recent incidents of violent attacks in selected Local Government Areas, the PDP says it has evidents of their perpetrators who felt uncomfortable with the achievements of Governor Wike and the PDP in just few months in the saddle of governance in the State and so decided to puncture and destroy such unprecedented records.
The PDP particularly allude to the cases of attacks on some PDP leaders and members in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Gokana, Asari-Toru and ONELGA Local Government Areas, wondering why the security agencies would choose to collaborate with leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and carry out those condemnable and illegal actions on defenseless PDP faithful.
It is a known fact that these attacks are orchestrated and sponsored in the State to undermine and discredit the efforts of the State government in ensuring peace and security.
The PDP therefore condemns the actions of one Major Mustapha who was a star witness for the APC at the Governorship Election Tribunal, and is now leading the ‘operation exterminate PDP leaders’ in the State, beginning with ASALGA, Gokana and ONELGA, wondering why the Nigerian Army will allow itself to be used to kill and destroy people and properties they ought to protect constitutionally.
Aware of the danger this sponsored attacks portend, the PDP calls on well meaning Nigerians to rise against it, and to also prevail on the APC leadership to caution those championing the deadly onslaughts, particularly the Transport Minister, APC governorship candidate, a former Senator in Gokana, former LGA chairmen in ONELGA and ASALGA, who have publicly claimed the support of federal authorities behind their actions.
These APC leaders have also spuriously raised fictitious petitions against some leaders and members of the PDP.
We hope that President Buhari and the national APC leadership will heed the call for restrain on their members in the State and act plausibly and timely to avert possible break down of law and order in the State.
The Party equally appeals to its teeming members and Rivers people to remain calm and law abiding, even in the event of provocation, as we are doing everything legally possible to secure justice.
….Calls For The Arrest of Dakuku, Abe, Uchendu, Other Rivers APC Leaders
The chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Rivers State chapter, Bro Felix Obuah, says he is further disappointed and concerned about the continued show of disrespect for the law and breach of public peace by members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, led by Dakuku Peterside, Magnus Abe, Andrew Uchendu and other leaders of the party in the State.
PDP
The PDP chairman, in a statement signed by Jerry Needam, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,observed and considered today’s event tagged, ‘Rivers Black Day,’ organized by the APC, which according to them, was to remember those killed during the 2015 general elections, as clearly a demonstration of impunity, and disposition to cause crisis, and to incite not only their members but the people of the State against the security commands and constituted authorities in the State.
The PDP is aware that following recent incidences of violence associated with public demonstrations in the State, the Rivers State government, in collaboration with the State security agencies, placed a ban on all forms of public protest, wondering why in spite of the subsisting order, the APC leaders still went ahead to organize such procession in the State. This, to us, is a flagrant disobedience and disregard for the law and State authorities, and should not be taken for granted.
It is also a cause of concern that the remembrance event is being held this period and on this date, which in no way, was not the date the alleged deaths took place. It is therefore, an undisputed fact that organizers of the event deceitfully dressed up a public procession aimed at causing violence and crisis in Port Harcourt and making cheap political points by blackmailing the PDP and perceived political opponents in the State.
The PDP also wishes to draw the attention of the security agencies and other relevant government authorities to the fact that the State APC failed governorship candidate, Mr Dakuku Peterside, was always being referred to as ‘the Governor’ by speakers at the event, which was televised live on the NTA network during the session. To us, this is a treasonable offense and should be investigated and those culpable be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
Again, our charge to the Police and other security commands in the State is to forestall further breakdown of law and order by arresting organizers of this illegal and rebellious procession in the State to serve as deterrent to others, otherwise, other groups may refer to the APC procession as a precedence and carry out their protests. A stitch in time saves nine.
The PDP again, vehemently denies allegations of killings leveled against its members and leaders by the APC, describing such allegations as fabricated, misleading and diversionary.
Car hire operators have raised the alarm over security threats at the nation’s airports as a result of the operation of illegal cab operators.
The Airport Car Hire Association of Nigeria (ACHAN) said unless the government curbed the activities of illegal cab drivers at the airports, security of passengers and facilities around the terminals could be compromised.
According to them, 98 per cent of missing passengers’ cases are linked to those who boarded unregistered cabs at the airports. Those drivers have been established to have taken passengers to unknown locations.
The operators said terrorists could infiltrate such cabs to bomb airport facilities since they often drive close to the arrival halls.
President of ACHAN, Chief Stanley Worlu Dike, said the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) should put urgent measures in place to curtail their operations as they have increasingly infiltrated major airports in the country.
Chief Dike urged FAAN to provide office spaces for ACHAN members since the association complements the efforts of government in providing job opportunities for young Nigerians.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of ACHAN, Alhaji Muili Yinusa, said the military location at the General Aviation Terminal 1 in Lagos has become a safe haven for such unregistered operators.
He said: ” A lot of illegal vehicles operate from the military location at the GAT and when they steal passengers’ luggage or property, the victims run down to look for the Chairman of ACHAN”
Alhaji Yinusa urged FAAN to cancel the proposed ‘Pay As You Go’ policy the airports management authority is planning to impose on ACHAN members.
“We pay millions of naira to FAAN annually, so we are supposed to enjoy certain privileges as other concessionaire.”, he added.
LAGOS—President Muhammadu Buhari is billed to commission three helicopters purchased by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration as part of efforts to beef up security in the state.
General Buhari
Meantime, the state government has disclosed plans to rehabilitate 189 identified deplorable roads, including the Ilasa-Ijesha bus stop, along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
General Manager, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Engr. Ayo Shodeinde disclosed this yesterday, at Aluasa, Ikeja, while giving highlights of the state government’s efforts in the area of road infrastructural upgrade in the last six months.
Buhari, who will be visiting Lagos officially for the first time since his inauguration, will be handing over the helicopters to the police authorities for immediate operation.
Shodeinde, while giving the update on the total number of roads rehabilitated so far, explained that Ambode has approved rehabilitation of 189 new roads across the state.
He added that despite the N52 billion being owed the state for the total number of federal roads fixed in the past, the state government since June 15, 2015, had rehabilitated 282 roads, “while 189 new roads have been listed for rehabilitation and construction work will soon commence.”
“When the Federal government repays us the debts, we will be able to rehabilitate more roads in the state.” Shodeinde said.
One of the deplorable roads listed for rehabilitation, Shodeinde said is the Ilasa-Ijesha Bus stop, along Apapa Oshodi Expressway which has recently turned into nightmare to motorists.
Principal of Ivbiaro Secondary School, Ivbiaro in Owan East local government area of Edo State, simply identified as Afekhai has been reportedly kidnapped by suspected armed robbers.
Afekhai was said to have ran into the robbers who were operating along the Auchi-Warrake Road.
Police sources said the robbers took the principal after they didn’t find any money on him.
The source said the robbers blocked the road with Afekhai’s car when they sighted an on-coming Army vehicle and ran into the bush with their victim.
The Nation gathered that the robbers have contacted the principal’s family and demanded N3million ransom.
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the stoppage of special allowance for security personnel in the Presidential Villa, investigations by The Punch have revealed.
President Buhari
Before now, all security personnel posted to the Villa were being paid what is known as Risk and Hazard Allowance.
However, since his assumption of office, President Buhari was said to have refused to pay the money to them.
During the last regime, our correspondents gathered that senior security officers covering the Villa were said to have been collecting between N75,000 and N50,000 while their junior ones received between N30,000 and N25,000 on a monthly basis.
One of the officers manning the Villa told one of our correspondents that the ADC to the President, Lt. Col. Muhammed Abubakar, summoned sectional heads of all the security agencies manning different positions within the Villa to inform them about the stoppage of the allowance.
It was gathered that the ADC decided to call the sectional heads following rumours making the rounds among the operatives that the money meant for the affected officers was being embezzled.
One of the affected officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “About two weeks ago, an assistant superintendent of one of the agencies called us and told us that the ADC met all the heads of the security agencies in the Villa where the news was broken to them.
“Our own head also met us and warned us to desist from carrying rumours about the money. He said that the ADC told them that no money was being released to the guards, as being speculated.”
It was further gathered that the leaders of the affected security organs were told that the officers manning the Villa should be contented with their monthly salaries.
Besides, it was also gathered that the Chief Security Officer, Bashir Abubarkar, had written two letters to the National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno(retd.) on the issue of the RCA, but was said to have been told that such allowance was illegal and that the President had asked that it be stopped.
Efforts made to get the reaction of the Presidency failed as calls made to the telephone number of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu, were not answered.
He also didn’t respond to a text message sent to him as well.
However, a source at the Presidency said the issue was being looked into.
He said the office of the NSA had been mandated to look into the matter and report to the Presidency on the matter.
“The report is true, but I can tell you that the matter is being looked into and I can tell you that we are going to do something about it,” the source added.
But speaking on the development, a former Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, endorsed the President’s decision, saying that the security personnel at the Presidential Villa were given “a lot of allowances and giving them extra money is like buying their conscience.”
The retired CP observed that many security operatives on the streets get no extra money apart from their salaries, stressing that the allowances given to Presidential guards was the reason many security officials were struggling to serve at the Aso Villa.
He said, “The security officers on the road get nothing and giving the security personnel at the Villa extra allowance is like buying their conscience. They won’t tell the truth. they would only tell the President what he wants to hear.”
But a former DSS Director, Mike Ejiofor, disagreed, saying the Presidential Villa “is a special beat” which should attract extra stipends for the security men serving there.
Some British security experts have arrived the country to provide expertise training for men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force across the country.
Police Inspector General, Solomon Arase
Speaking at the opening ceremony on the Special Weapon and Arms Training (SWAT) for the first batch of policemen at the Mobile Police Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, the college’s commandant, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dankwara Mohammed, said the programme was timely, particularly with the Muhammadu Buhari administration renewed effort to put total end to the Boko Haram insurgency and other insecurity challenges facing the nation.
He said the force was collaborating with the foreign security experts under the aegis of IBT Associates Limited, a consultancy firm, which is in partnership with Field Security Services.
Mohammed further said the special training programme, which would hold in batches, was designed for all the men and officers, cutting across the rank and file of the force.
He said the training would comprise a combined unit of counter-terrorism, the close protection unit and the anti-bomb, among others.
He praised the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, for the initiative which, he said, would upgrade men and officers of the force.
He said the training, no doubt, would reposition the force to tackle rising crimes in the country and make its men be in control to crack the Boko Haram insurgents, kidnappers, armed robbers and other violent criminals in the country.
He said:“The SWAT is a programme for most responsive action initiated by the British and American police. The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, considered it necessary to upgrade the combat readiness initiative for the members of the force.”
Mohammed said the training programme would take four weeks for each batch of participants, adding that the first batch had been inaugurated on July 29.
The commandant advised the participants to take the programme serious for effective result, warning them against malingering and to obey the college rules and to maintain discipline throughout the duration of the programme.
He urged them to consider themselves lucky and privileged as the elite of the Nigeria Police to be trained by the British police officers.
While speaking further on the nature of the programme, the commandant said: “As soon as members of the first squad who are currently in training finish the programme, another squad would fall in immediately. Each squad is traditionally 63 in number. It is a continuous training programme. Possibly, all the police officers from the rank of inspector will be trained. That is the target of the IGP.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has replaced the service chiefs he fired on Monday.
According to his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the new service chiefs are Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin-Chief of Defence Staff; Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as Chief of Naval Staff; Major General T.Y Buratai as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan as Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal sadique Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff and Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd) as National Security Adviser.
Adesina said: “The new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Olonishakin (N/6901) hails from Ekiti State. Until his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff today, he was the Head of the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command in Minna, Niger State,”
“The new Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Buratai hails from Borno State. Until his new appointment today, he was the Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force, which has its headquarters in Ndjamena. Maj-Gen. Buratai has previously served as Commander of the Nigerian Army’s 2nd Brigade in Port Harcourt and Commander of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry in Jaji, Kaduna State.
“The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibas (NN/0746) hails from Cross River State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 26th Regular Course in 1979 and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in 1983. His previous appointments include: Naval Provost Marshal, Chief Staff Officer, Naval Training Command, Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command and Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters. Until his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Navy Holdings Limited.
“The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar (NAF/1433) hails from Bauchi State. His previous appointments include: Chief of Standards and Evaluation, NAF Headquarters; Chief of Defence Communications and Air Officer Commanding, NAF Training Command. Until his new appointment today as Chief of Air Staff, he was the Chief of Administration, NAF Headquarters. The new Service Chiefs will hold their appointments in an acting capacity until confirmed by the Senate.”
Buhari thanked the outgoing service chiefs and national security adviser for their services to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours.
Muhammadu Buhari is sworn in as Nigeria’s next president on Friday but he has a daunting to-do list after promising wholesale change during elections two months ago. Here are four key areas, otherwise termed enermies of his successful administration he will have to tackle when he takes office:
– Corruption –
General Buhari
Buhari, 72, has said the corrupt and corruption will have no place in his administration, sparking fears of a wide-ranging crackdown similar to his previous time as military ruler in the 1980s. But he has pledged outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan has “nothing to fear” and there will be no witch-hunt against the former administration.
Some areas are likely to be too big to ignore, however, such as the running of the opaque, state-run oil firm, which is seen as riddled with corruption. Analysts predict Buhari will beef up existing anti-corruption agencies, while he has personally promised to declare his assets and liabilities for greater transparency and accountability.
Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) estimates it could save three trillion naira ($15 billion, 13 billion euros) by streamlining government and plugging “leakages” in the system.
– Security –
Jonathan’s administration will be remembered for the rise of Boko Haram Islamists, who left least 15,000 people dead and more than 1.5 million homeless in a six-year campaign of violence. Boko Haram is currently seen as on the run but security experts say the war is far from over, with sporadic attacks continuing and the likelihood the rebels could regroup in border regions.
Former army general Buhari has recognised the need for top-down reform to boost poor morale and end graft that hit military procurement, leaving troops ill-equipped to fight. But restructuring also needs to go hand-in-hand with social and economic programmes to tackle the root causes of the insurgency, namely lack of development and unemployment in the Muslim north.
Buhari has indicated he will maintain regional cooperation with Chad, Niger and Cameroon but he faces potential trouble on another front from former militants in the oil-producing southern Delta. Rebels wanting a fairer share of oil wealth have threatened to resume their activities against energy facilities in the region if a government amnesty programme is not extended beyond this year.
– Unemployment –
Nearly two-thirds of Nigeria’s population of more than 170 million is under 30. But unemployment is currently nudging 30 percent, despite strong overall rates of economic growth in recent years. Outgoing Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in 2013 recognised the benefits of growth needed to be shared more equitably. The APC says some 110 million people still live in poverty.
Buhari’s administration has pledged to embark on a massive programme of industrialisation, including building railways, improving roads and ports, and improving crumbling infrastructure. But those programmes could be hamstrung immediately by lack of funds, with Nigeria hit hard by the slump in the global price of oil, on which it depends for 90 percent of foreign income.
Observers say diversifying the economy is a must, as is educational reform to improve skills. Some 10.5 million Nigerian children are currently out of school — the most in the world.
– Energy –
Last Friday, the government said Nigeria was producing just 1,327 megawatts of electricity — an all-time low and down even on Buhari’s last time in power in 1983-85. Reversing the country’s crippling power deficit is seen as key to driving economic growth but has evaded successive governments because of mismanagement, incompetence and vested interests.
Buhari is expected to decentralise, deregulate and privatise the transmission sector, opening it up to competition. The APC has reportedly promised to triple generation to 12,000 MW by 2019. He will also have to address the oil and gas sector and controversial subsidies paid to fuel importers who bring in petroleum products because of a lack of functioning refineries.
The government’s alleged non-payment of arrears saw fuel supply lines shut down in recent weeks, causing a crippling shortage that brought Nigeria to a near standstill.
ABUJA—THE Senate Committee on Defence and Army, yesterday, demanded how the over N1.275 billion budgeted to the Ministry of Defence in the 2014 fiscal year was spent.
Senate
Meantime, the Senate Committee on Defence has frowned at the attitude of the Minister of Defence, General Aliu Gusau for not attending budget defence in the senate and directed that he should get in touch with the committee whenever he was around.
The committee demanded to know how the defence 2014 budget was spent when the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Aliyu Ismaila who represented the minister appeared before it to defend the ministry’s 2015 budget.
Chairman, Senate committee on Defence, Senator George Sekibo in a bid to get the records of expenditure of the ministry for 2014 directed the Permanent Secretary to furnish the committee with details of the expenditure within one week.
The details demanded by Senator Sekibo was the fund appropriated for the ministry under the subhead of security vote including operations/ration and allowances for Brigade of Guards.
The Senate Committee Chairman wondered whether the allocation was not duplication since Service Wide Vote which was provided for in the year under review covered the issue of security vote for Brigade of Guards.
Senators Babafemi Ojudu and Sani Salle who are members of the committee also demanded to know the reasons why the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, handled the issue of buying arms and ammunitions instead of the ministry handling such purchases.
The Senators wanted to know whether the office of the NSA had hijacked the function of the ministry.
In his explanation, Senator Sekibo said it was agreed that the end user should be responsible for the purchase of arm and ammunitions.
On the question why the ministry always bring to the budget the same items that were budgeted and supplied in the previous year, the Permanent Secretary said that though he had tried to query such development when he joined the ministry, but added that he later discovered that because the ministry is large, some of the items bought were not enough.
Ismaila further explained that the Services under the ministry look up to the ministry for policy direction and that the relationship between the ministry and the Services under it was cordial.
The committee, however, suspended consideration of 2015 budget proposal because of what Sekibo called disparity in figures as the figures with the ministry was different from the figures with the committee which was due to the reverse in the oil benchmark, the exchange rate and the dwindling global market price of oil.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, has explained the reason behind the grounding f some of the private jets in the airports.
Mr. Chijoka said that all airlines operating as private have been told to change their status and that while they were waiting to change their status they remained grounded until they change their status.
On the domination of air spaces by private jets owned by politicians, he responded thus; “I do not know that challenges like plane crashes distinguishes between politicians and none politicians.
“I believe that the safety and integrity of our Aviation sector cannot be subjected to politics and I don’t believe any Nigerian will say while we are politicking we do certain things that will keep our airspace safe.
“So we have seen increased activities in that sector and we are watching the dangers, because when you are under the private category you are not under any regulatory sight as you are when you are operating on
The police may soon withdraw all its personnel that were attached to politicians, individuals and Very Important Personalities, as part of measures to ensure full security for the forthcoming elections.
Abba Suleiman, New Inspector General of Police
It was gathered that the thousands of policemen providing protection to VIPs and other private individuals would be redeployed for election duties.
The policemen serving as escorts to private individuals were usually assigned by the Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police Force on application from interested individuals.
Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, had said that about 300, 000 officers would provide security during the polls.
According to him the personnel had been trained on their roles during elections in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission and development partners.
“Policing the society has always been a challenge; all the police officers will be deployed in the elections; over 300, 000 officers will be used. The Commonwealth has also offered to help us in that respect of training by January 21. Some of the training are even train-the-trainers until it gets to the last person on their roles during the election,” he said.
Findings indicate that hundreds of policemen had been assigned to politicians, and political parties’ candidates in the last six months.
Checks show that the SPU usually assigns between two to four policemen to those requesting for special protection from the police, based on perception of threat to the applicant.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, on Monday confirmed that all the policemen on special protection duty would be redeployed for election security, adding that a signal would soon be sent to that effect.
He said, “We are going to withdraw all policemen attached to individuals; the election is a national assignment and all policemen will be on duty during the polls. They will be withdrawn before the elections.”
Meanwhile, the police have dismissed the threat by Boko Haram that it would disrupt elections in Gombe and other states in North-East, saying necessary security would be put in place to deter attacks on voters.
Ojukwu who described the insurgents’ threat as empty, noted that the security arrangement for other parts of the country is in place, adding that security in the north-east would be managed by the military.
All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has promised never to leave the defence of Nigeria in the hands of hunters, children and civilian JTF.
Buhari
This was contained in his 18-pages manifesto titled “Securing Nigeria’s Future” which is available on his campaign website.
The former head of state pledged to urgently address capacity building mechanisms of law enforcement agents in terms of quantity and quality, establish a well-trained, adequately equipped and goals driven Serious Crime Squad to combat insurgencies, kidnapping, armed robbery, ethno religious and communal clashes, nationwide.
He added that his administration will onsult and amend the Constitution to enable States and Local Governments to create city, Local Government and State Policing systems, based on the resources available at each level, to address the peculiar needs of each community.
“We will therefore work with the National Assembly to set and revise, when needed, boundaries of operations, for Federal, State, and Local Government policing units, through new Criminal Justice legislation to replace the Criminal Code, the Penal Code and the Police Act.
We will push for more robust support in the Security and Economic stability of the West-African sub region and African Continent as a whole. We will seek and maintain close and frank relationship with ALL of West Africa; Special relationship with South Africa and its Sub-region, the rest of Africa; the UK, USA, Canada,EU, Asia, and the Middle East,” he said.
On the Economy, Buhari promises to maintain sound micro and macro economic policy environment, and run an efficient government and preserve the independence of the Central Bank; restore financial confidence in the citizens and the world, by putting in place a more robust monitoring, supervising, and regulating of the financial institutions.
“We will make our economy one of the fastest growing emerging economies in the world with a real GDP growth averaging at least 10-12% annually,” the document revealed.
He promises to tackle unemployment via vocational training, entrepreneurial and skills acquisition schemes for graduates along with the creation of a Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to create at least 5 million new jobs by 2019.
“A Small and Medium Enterprises Development Commission will be created for this purpose. We will also encourage State Governments to focus on employment creation, by matching every one job created in the same state Integrate the informal economy into the mainstream and prioritize the full implementation of the National Identification Scheme to generate the relevant data; expand domestic demand and undertake associated public works programmes to achieve this goal; embark on export and production diversification including investment in infrastructure; promote manufacturing and transformation, through Agro Based industries; and expand and promote sub regional trade through ECOWAS and the AU; create an additional middleclass of at least 4 million new home owners by 2019 by enacting national mortgage single digit interest rates for purchase of owner occupier houses as well as review the collateral qualification to make funding for home ownership easier, with 15 to 30 year mortgage terms”.
The document added that the administration of Buhari/Osibanjo will create a Social Welfare Program of at least Five Thousand Naira (N5000) that will cater for the 25 million poorest and most vulnera ble citizens upon the demonstration of children’s enrolment in school and evidence of immunisation to help promote family stability. There will also be provision of One Meal a day for all Primary school pupils.
On Education, Buhari pledeges to implement a performance based education system, predicated on outcomes, skills, and competences as against the current certificate based qualification; fully review provisions of the Universal Basic Education Act with emphasis on gender equity in primary, secondary school enrolment whilst improving the quality and substance of our schools, through outcome based education.
“Targeting up to 20% of our annual budget for this critical sector whilst making substantial investments in training quality teachers at all levels of the educational system; enhance teacher training and improve the competence of teachers in the light of the 21st; develop and promote effective use of innovative teaching methods/materials in our schools; establish at least six new universities of Science and Technology with satellite campuses in various states”.
The document noted that the administration will generate, transmit and distribute electricity on a 24/7 basis whilst simultaneously ensuring the development of sustainable/renewable energy, by 2019.
The presidential hopeful also vow to address the infrastucture decay in the country, boost agriculture, revive the oil and gas industry; makes the health sector works among other pledges.
In the preamble of the document Buhari opined, “over fifty years of independence and despite our vast wealth–abundant natural and human resources, at home and abroad, we as a nation continue to struggle with the most basic needs (food, shelter, water, security sanitation, and electricity, etc). As a nation, we are paralyzed by wide spread poverty, endemic institutionalised corruption; high levels of unemployment; a near total collapse of our educational system and facilities, collapse and decaying health and ineffective social services systems, chaotic transportation and communications systems; and other basic but essential infrastructure; less than adequate institutions of government at all levels, resulting to break down of law and order, institutionalized insecurity to life and property; and weak, fragile and unstable economy, with non-functional financial institutions, etc.
Nigerians of goodwill, are angered by failures of corrupt and poor leadership. They are frustrated by economic policies that did not deliver on its promises. Nigerians are therefore impatient and want
To regain their lost rights. Nigerians are worn out by conflicts, all over the country.
Nigerians are now striving for a fresh start.
I, Muhammadu Buhari have now come to the rescue. This is success by design. It will overcome our failure by design matrix”.
It was reported recently that the duo of former Nigeria’s vice president, Atiku Abubakar and Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamdio enjoined Nigerians to defend themselves against Boko Haram attacks.
Kaduna bomber in woman’s clothes
Award winning security expert with over 18 years experience, Femi Ajayi reacted to the submission and gave tips on how to be security conscious.
Excerpt:
In psychology there is a natural fight or flee response to danger by human beings which indicates a physiological reaction that occurs in the presence of something that is terrifying, either mentally or physically. Usually when we are pushed to the wall and there is no other means of escape, the natural tendency is to confront the danger no matter how insurmountable that danger may appear. I believe it is in that context that the Emir of Kano and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar made those comments.
In my opinion, the advice they have given is spot on under the circumstances. As it were, the citizens are left with no choice than to confront the BH Islamists. It is better to die fighting than to be a sitting duck.
Having said that, Nigerians need to understand that the number one way we can protect ourselves and others from BH and their IED attacks is to be alert to our immediate surroundings. It is an effective tool if individuals are alert for, and to report, anything that is out of the ordinary in their daily routine.
Examples include bags or boxes in unusual places, unusual smells, and suspicious behaviors such as someone dressed in a heavy coat, cloth or overflowing attire that does not match the surrounding or weather.
If you come across anything suspicious, the maxim is ”If you see it, say it”. Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine when to report something suspicious; however people most familiar with a given environment are in the best position to determine whether or not something is out of the ordinary.
Use common sense, and follow these guidelines:
• Trust your instincts; if something feels wrong, don’t ignore it.
• Do not assume that someone else has already reported it.
• Be identification conscious
• Call local authorities, if you think something is wrong
• Keep your distance from a suspicious package—do not approach or tamper with it.
I know that sometimes, people may be afraid to provide their names and locations when making a report but they must be ready to provide a description of what they think is suspicious and the time they saw or experienced it. The National Emergency Number is 112.
For the security agencies, they should establish a coordinated system of security awareness and let the generality of people be aware of what to do and who or where to call if people encounter anything suspicious. The security agencies can consider the template being used to create awareness for Ebola virus.
Those of us who are not directly in the line of fire in the volatile locations are better placed to utilize the preventive measures highlighted above. Those directly in the line of fire, who are being slaughtered everyday, should adopt in addition, a more offensive measures by organizing themselves into a fighting counterforce and first line of defense.
In every neighborhood, street or village, every able bodied man, and if possible woman should be a member of the local vigilante. I’m aware that this is already being done, but they need to step this up with the help of the security agencies who should assist them to create the structure needed to effectively do this. There is nothing wrong in absorbing those of them that have done very well into the formal security system in the country, provided measures are in place to prevent BH sympathizers from taking advantage.
Let me state that at the end of the day that, we should not forget that it is the core duty of the security agencies to secure the citizenry. Some of the extremely difficult measures recommended above are desperate measures with their own long term downsides. For instance, local vigilante groups with firearms and skills gained from war experience can become uncontrollable and constitute another source of security risk in their localities overtime.
Our best is for the security agencies; Military, Police, SSS to clean up their acts and be more proactive in their crime preventive and curtailment strategies
Former Chairman, Eastern States Traditional Rulers Forum and Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi, is alarmed over the state of the nation.
Jonathan, and Vice President Sambo
The former Press Secretary to the Head of State during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, sat on the throne in Achalla Kingdom where he told the reason Nigerians do not trust President Goodluck Jonathan’s claim of making progress on war against terror and called on him to commence a camera-show of his achievements on security for Nigerians.
He spoke also on why Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano, who he invariably called ‘my son’, should forget about probing his predecessor and face the business of governance with passion. Excerpts:
Your Majesty, in about three months time, will be 80. At this age, coming from the Nigeria of your days, are you not perturbed that Nigeria is what it is presently in terms of everything?
Have you read the comments by the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, in the papers today (Sunday September 14)? Professor Wole Soyinka is not a man to be taken lightly. He is very blunt in his comments; truthful and straight to the point.
So, talking about the state of the nation, the security at the moment is very poor. The professor said our president had been given the necessary information about some financiers of Boko Haram particularly the staffer of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and called for an international panel to look into the matter. What is happening at the moment is no more a joke. Those girls are still being held and it is very sad.
The president is assumed to be playing down the statements of Joseph Davis referred to by Soyinka. Why do you think the statements should be played low?
That is what I am saying, which the great professor was emphasizing. Why should that kind of thing be played down? That is where the traditional rulers stand. Let us work on those things emphasized by Wole Soyinka, which were raised in the Australian report. It is very sad to hear that the report is being played down.
Whenever I remember that those girls are still being held, I begin to weep because they are all my children. And from what I read, some of them were being raped to death, which was not impossible.
To the best of my knowledge, it was as a result of these elements of sadness that some people clamoured for a forum, National Conference, as, according to them, it is better to jaw-jaw rather than war-war. The reports of the conference are out and what is your opinion about how the conference reports should be treated?
First and foremost, you have to know the details of the report before you start talking about how it should be treated. What do the reports say?
There are a lot of issues raised in the reports ranging from creation of new states, derivation formula, roles of the traditional rulers and so on….
(Cuts in) New states should be created, I agree with that. But about the issue of giving powers to traditional rulers, let me ask; what type of powers do you want to give to the traditional rulers? Is it the type of powers, which the emirs enjoyed in those days in the North where people could be held at 5pm and jailed at 6pm? So, what sort of powers do you want to give to the traditional rulers?
I have always spoken about this issue and have always believed that traditional rulers should be made to ensure peace and order in their various communities. They should be made visitors to schools; colleges and higher institutions in their constituencies. This has always been my view.
But if you are talking of having another house for traditional rulers, I will tell you to rule it out. So, if you have house for traditional rulers, you have house for state, house for representatives, it will not work.
Traditional rulers should take care of their people and they are supposed to be servants of God in their areas.
But what they are saying is to be empowered to do their jobs…?
(Cuts in) Empowered to do what?
Empowered with portions of the state budget…?
Even the five percent of budget, which the Constitution gave to traditional rulers, is it ever implemented? I am asking you. That five percent is already in the Constitution but it is not being implemented. So, what again do you want, rather if that is implemented? That is why I said traditional rulers have been taken care of. What is left to be done is to enforce those provisions of the Constitution which make traditional rulers real servants of their people.
When I hear about giving powers to traditional rulers I am scared sometimes. There are many kings who cannot walk freely among his people and you say you want to give powers to those ones? You are here in my place and you saw how interacted with my people. In the morning children will come, so in the afternoon and evening. I want to have opportunity of ensuring that those children go to school regular and progress in their education. This is what I want traditional rulers to do; to take care of their localities.
If any of them is thinking about having a house of traditional rulers where they will now begin to fight for chairmanship position, he must be joking. How do you even want to make the house? South East House of Traditional House? South West House of Traditional Rulers? How?
Was there anything like that before; I mean like say South East House of Traditional Rulers, did it ever exist?
There was never any but we did have a similar thing with headquarters in Enugu and that one catered for Eastern states of Nigeria and I was chairman. It was called Eastern States Traditional Rulers Forum.
Which takes us now to your constituencies of South East and Anambra State. As a man of many parts, talk of being former General Manager, Public Affairs, NNPC; first Public Relations Manager, Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, ECN; former Chairman, Cricket Association of Nigeria; director of conglomerates and above all a big time traditional farmer, how would you say that politicians in the administrations of South East have fared in developing the region?
Generally speaking I want to say that the administrations have fared well. What is left is for them to sustain achievements and build on successes.
If we are talking about development, let me sincerely tell you that we are having many things free in our country. From the airport in Tokyo to the city you have about 25 toll gates. We should restore toll gates on some of our roads and use the proceeds from there to better the living system of our people and do repairs and expansions of those roads.
For example in Anambra State, I will advocate that Awka-Achalla-Aguileri road should be tolled. It should be made dual carriage road and the money made from the road be used to maintain the road.
Another thing is that, effort should be made by those administrations in the region to boost electricity, which is one of the major challenges facing us not only in the East but also in Nigeria.
Okay we said we sold the PHCN but what have we gained out of that sales?
But who is to blame for the electricity distributing companies, DISCOs, not functioning to expectation?
Let me tell you this, a friend of mind told me that he was interested in buying electricity purchase in Delta. I advised him that, “Do not go there and start telling people that from now on there will be regular supply of electricity.
First of all, tell people what you meet on the ground, how much it will cost you to fix those things you meet on the ground, how many days or years it will take to do the fixing and tell the people, also, about the personnel to do it and how you will train them.” I told him that it was when he finished those things that he could be telling people when to expect regular power supply.
You do not just go in there and start telling people that there will be regular power supply when you have not actually done your homework. We have a lot to learn in our country and so we have to go down to the basis.
I was once here in your palace when Chief Willie Obiano came here on one of your Iwaji festivals, publicly seeking your support for his election and promising development and other things. He is the governor now, how is he performing?
As I told you, I do not want to here complains. He is the governor and the former governor said he left some billions on the coffers of the state. What I am interested in is how we can all work together to raise funds and continue the business of government.
For example, you do not just come into a place and start working without first of all having to know what is on ground. There was an author, the last Egyptian President, who wrote in his book, “The People I Know”, that, “Unless you know where you are coming from, you will not know where you are going.” I am not interested in saying somebody who left had embezzled money or not. Look for money and develop what is on the ground.
That is what we are urging our governor to do because there is a lot to be done. The former governor has done his own and left and so, there is no need moaning over whether he did well or he did not do well. What is important now is what you are doing to improve what you met on the ground.
Generally speaking, what is your word for the government and the people of Nigeria?
My word to the government and people both of my state and Nigeria is that, this country belongs to all of us and we should all come together to salvage it. We should all come together to do out best and know what is our own duty and perform it. We should do what is right at all time so as to avoid blaming one another because passing bulk does not aid development and cannot help us.
All are well said but what about the politicians’ attitudes which may hamper the doability of what you are calling for, especially as more bulks are being passed already as 2015 elections are fast approaching?
Well, we first of all have to have a country before we have elections. How can we have elections in this king of situation where Boko Haram are declaring emirate somewhere and other militants are holding ground in another part of the country? We should have a country first, then we talk about having elections.
I feel somehow sometime when I read people on the papers boasting that whether crisis or not there must be elections. So, if they are rioting in my place, can I say I want to have an election? Do you understand what I mean?
So, first or all, we need to have peace in our country and all of us should come together for unity and then there will be peace and then we can say that we have a safe place for elections.
On the part of the terrorists they are talking prisoners swap to enable them stop their disturbances. Do you think this will bring peace and, if so, why can’t we try it?
Do you trust them? I mean do you trust the terrorists on their swap promises?
That is where my problem will likely be with the whole scenario…
But the government said that they are on top of the situation and that they have recaptured those places taken over by the terrorists.
Yes, but Nigerians are yet to be on the same page with that claim. What is missing?
What I will advice President Jonathan to do is to take cameras to those places he has captured to show Nigerians that he has actually captured the places. They should record on video those places and show us on television.
During my days as Press Secretary to General Olusegun Obasanjo as Head of State, I took journalists to Chad and took them round to show them that the areas we said that had been recaptured were actually recaptured. We walked around the place and people could see us do so even with the head of state.
How can you say that you recaptured, for instance, Bama, and you cannot go there? Take your television there to convince the people because, it is now a matter between the people and the government.
Government says it has recaptured but the people are saying ‘no you have not recaptured’. We do not know who is deceiving who. Take television there and show us what you have recaptured. Then we know who is speaking the truth between the government and the people. What that tells you is that people should come together to work for the peace, unity and unified Nigeria. Then we can have elections. Anything short of that, I cannot see the 2015.
Atiku Abubakar on Friday blasts Goodluck Jonathan’s record on security, vowing that Boko Haram could be crushed easily if politicians chose to do so.
Atiku and Buhari
In an interview, he accused Jonathan and his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of lacking the political will to end the insurgency, which has killed thousands since 2009.
“This insurgency shouldn’t have lasted even six months,” he told AFP in Abuja and recalled sectarian religious violence in the northeast state of Yobe during his time in office.
“Within weeks we crushed it because we did not neglect military training and, of course, we did not lack the leadership and the capacity to take decisions,” he added.
Nigeria’s army has in recent days claimed a number of successes against the militants, who have seized towns and villages across the far northeast in their quest for a hardline Islamic state.
The apparent military gains came after top brass admitted that Boko Haram’s land grab threatened the nation’s sovereignty and multiple reports that the militants had overrun soldiers.
Abubakar has long harboured ambitions for Nigeria’s top job but fell out of favour with Obasanjo towards the end of their tenure and defected to an opposition party to contest the 2007 election.
He later rejoined the PDP fold but lost out to Jonathan for the 2011 presidential ticket and again defected last year, joining the APC.
Abubakar claimed he had been proved right about Jonathan, with few visible improvements in tackling corruption, poor governance and accountability in addition to the worsening security situation.
“I told Nigerians that he (Jonathan) did not have the capacity, he didn’t have the experience. He didn’t have anything and yet they gave him the chance, the opportunity,” he added.
“And they can now see the chance and the opportunity they gave him. Of course I’m more experienced than he is. I believe my capacity cannot be compare with his, in all respect.”
Jonathan is widely expected to stand for a second, four-year term and this week PDP state governors and the party’s national executive committee endorsed him as their only candidate.
Abubakar is likely to come up against a number of formidable opponents for the APC ticket.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has asked politicians to shun the urge to play politics with security matters in the interest of the nation inorder to discourage social vices in the country.
Oshiomhole
Oshiomhole, who disclosed this a Security Management Workshop organised by the Department of State Security Services in Benin, said injecting political interest into sensitive security matters would only encourage the perpetrators to do more.
He said, “Nothing else matters when we are not safe.
“I also want to advise those of us holding political office who have cause sometimes to make public statement that we must resist the temptation of politicising security issues.
“All politicians whether of the ruling or opposition party must not join in the madness of politicising security issues.
“If we do this, we will be encouraging kidnappers and other evil-minded people. Even where we have information, it is better we share it in private with the security agencies so that all of us can be on the same page.
“These people who are into violent crimes and terrorism do not live in the moon; they live with us. Sometimes they interact with us without knowing what their intentions are.
“As we all get more and more security conscious, we know what to watch out for whenever we find ourselves in public places.”
Earlier, the Director of the State Command of Directorate of State Security, Mr. Bello Bakori, said the essence of the workshop was to sensitise the people on the need to be security conscious.
Borno has spent N10billion on security since 2011, Secretary to the State Government Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda has said.
He said the state received only N200million from the Federal Government since then.
According to him, the money was spent on armoured personnel carriers, patrol vehicles, petroleum products and logistics to support security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, Jidda said Governor Kashim Shettima decided to make the state’s spending on security public due to allegations that Borno was not supportive of the military.
“For three years we dealt with these challenges without any noise since the government was doing it for Borno people. Some people are being made to assume that a certain security vote is provided to State Governments, this is not true.
“No state gets a dime from FAAC as security vote. Every state makes its own budget it intends to spend from its own normal allocations for security, not that external funds from the Federal Government accrues to any state.
“For us in Borno, we have spent over N10billion in the last three years to support security agencies in the counter-insurgency. This doesn’t include our losses.
“We have lost thousands of citizens and in terms of material loss, we might be talking in tens of billions, and in all of these Borno has received only N200million from the Federal Government as support. We have been co-funding the security that is the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government,” Jidda said.
He said the state bought 20 brand ultra modern Armoured Personnel Carriers for the police; 400 Toyota Hilux Patrol Vehicles; and has a filling Station dedicated to regular fueling of the vehicles.
Jidda said the state even pays for intelligence through the military, and has built hostels in a barracks on Maiduguri-Damaturu road.
“We provide funds to families of soldiers killed in combat as immediate palliative. There were instances we gave N1million to families of every soldier at a presentation in Maiduguri.
“The only support we have not provided to the military is the acquisition of ammunition and that is because the laws prevent us from doing so.
“We do so much in mobilising citizens to support the military. The State Government trained, kitted and employed thousands of youth volunteers called civilian JTF who offer tremendous support to the military in terms of both intelligence gathering and even combats in front lines.
“We have provided these youths with patrol vehicles, pay them stipends, encourage them in other forms and they work hand in hand with the military.
“When there was an attack on Giwa military Barack in Maiduguri sometime in March, these inspired, trained and kitted youths came out in hundreds and rushed to Giwa barracks to support soldiers even when gun battles raged at the barracks.
“This tells you the kind of community involvement in this fight and what Borno Government does.
“We have lost dozens of traditional rulers as district and village heads, all of whom were killed because of their roles as key sources of local intelligence.
“These people see and report what happens and that is why the Boko Haram made them targets since 2010 after the first major crisis of 2009.
“We have a robust system of information gathering that is provided for processing by security agencies to get intelligence. All the good people of Borno are involved in this,” he said.
All governors under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were conspicuously absent when the meeting convened by President Goodluck Jonathan started by 2.00pm at the First Lady Conference Room in the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.
Jonathan had on Wednesday summoned all governors and National Security Council to a meeting over rising security challenges in the country.
apc
After the President met the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar in his office earlier, they all moved to the First Lady Conference room where governors were already seated.
Governors who attended the meeting are – Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi) Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Isa Yuguda(Bauchi), Theodore Orji (Abia) and Ibrahim Dankwanbo (Gombe).
Others are – Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Willie Obiano (Anambra), Idris Wada (Kogi), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Sullivan Chime (Enugu).
Also at the meeting are – Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Garba Umar (Acting Governor Taraba), Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, John Jonah and Deputy Governor of Kebbi State.
The meeting was also attended by the Defence Minister, Brigadier-General Aliyu Gusau (rtd); Director-General of State Security Service (SSS), Ita Ekpeyong; Minister of Interior, Abba Moro; National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.
President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday rescheduled another meeting with governors over rising security challenges in the country for next week Wednesday.
The Presidency had on Wednesday, through a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, invited governors and the National Security Council for a meeting on Thursday over insecurity in the country.
But all the governors under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were conspicuously absent when the meeting started at 2.00pm at the First Lady Conference Room in the State House.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the two hours meeting, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forumand Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, said that only PDP governors were invited for Thursday’s meeting.
According to him, all the governors of the 36 states of the federation will be invited for Wednesday’s meeting.
He said: “This is a fall out of our meeting which we held with PDP governors and we felt that there was a need for us and also meet with security chiefs. Mr. President has listened to us and even said that since it is a problem that involves all the state of the federation, it is better for all the state governors to be in attendance. Because of that he has graciously agreed to meet with all the governors of the 36 states of the federation on Wednesday by 4pm.”
“Of course you know we are very much concerned first as PDP governors and the center belongs to the PDP and so we felt that we should see our dear president and if need be with some of the security chiefs.”
“He has graciously listened to us and he said since it is a national issue we must have all the 36 governors in attendance. So I believe strongly notice will be going out and all governors will be meeting with Mr. President and service chiefs next week Wednesday so we can sit and discuss and proffer solutions to the current insecurity in the country. I believe it will come to an end.”
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He said the state received only N200million from the Federal Government since then.
