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Tag: Alex Badeh

  • U.S. Commander meets NSA, CDS

    U.S. Commander meets NSA, CDS

    United States African Command (US-AFRICOM) Commander Lt.-Gen. David Rodriguez met yesterday with the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, on modalities on how to rescue the 276 abducted girls.

    A military source said the meeting was an indication that the rescue operation would begin “any moment from now”.

    Boko Haram has proposed that its fighters in custody be released in exchange for the girls.

    The US Department of State has said America is opposed to payment of ransom and the sect’s proposal.

    The US, however, allow Nigeria to take the lead on the matter.

    A source, who pleaded not to be named because he is not permitted to talk to the media, said: “With the coming of the Commander of United States African Command (US-AFRICOM), Lieutenant General David Rodriguez, tactically the rescue operation has started.

    “From the body language of Rodriguez, the US experts and other Allied Forces are ready to swing into action.

    “What we are doing now is to give the team briefs on our operation in the Northeast, the gains we have recorded and how far we have gone with the rescue plans for the abducted girls.

    “They will also exchange ideas with us on necessary back up, which they want us to provide to make their intervention successful.”

    Another source, who also spoke in confidence, said Rodriguez and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki compared notes on intelligence available to the two countries on the abducted girls.

    After talks with the NSA, Rodriguez met with the CDS on modalities for rescuing the girls.

    “So far, there is synergy between Nigeria and the US on this operation which the international community is looking forward to.” said the source.

    A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, did not give much detail on Rodriguez’s meeting with the CDS.

    The statement said: “The CDS welcomed the international support for the counter insurgency operation.

    “He stressed that it will complement ongoing efforts by the Nigerian military to find and rescue the missing Chibok girls.

    “He revealed that the Nigerian military is already re-strategising its operational doctrines to match the emerging trend of asymmetrical warfare currently confronting the nation.

    “Air Chief Marshal Badeh expressed appreciation to the United States on behalf of the Federal Government for responding positively to the call for assistance in the search and rescue of the abducted school girls.

    “Earlier in his remarks, Gen Rodriguez stated that he was at the Defence Headquarters to discuss modalities in furtherance of US support to Nigerian military to put an end to insurgency in the country.”

    The statement also said the CDS reviewed the military ties between Nigeria and the US.

    It added: “The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has described the relationship between Nigeria and the United States as mutual and strategic.

    “According to the CDS, the Nigerian military has over time benefited immensely from the bilateral relationship between the two countries particularly in the area of training and military hardware.

    “He noted that Nigerian Navy, for instance, has received a number of operational equipment and support, as part of United States support to the Nigerian military in combating oil theft and other maritime threats.”

    The spokesman for the US Department of State, Jen Paski, in a chat with reporters on Monday in Washington, stated the country’s position on ransom.

    The transcript was obtained yesterday from the US Embassy website by our correspondent.

    Psaki said: “In terms of the question you had about the reports of a trade offer, as you know, Nigeria is in the lead. We are simply supporting their efforts.

    “We, as you know – also, our policy is to deny – the United States policy, I should say, is to deny kidnappers the benefits of their criminal acts, including ransoms or concessions, so I don’t have any other particular update on this report.”

    Asked if Nigeria opted to swap, she said: “I’m not going to speculate on that. It’s – you’re familiar with our position. Obviously, again, the Nigerian Government has the lead here.

    “We are providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support. We do have a team on the ground, as I spoke about a little bit on Friday.

    “Of that team, 26 of the 27 members – that includes some who have come in and some who are already on the ground – are on the ground in Nigeria digging in on the search and coordinating closely with the Nigerian Government as well as international partners and allies.

    “So we are, as you’ve heard the President and the Secretary say, doing everything possible to assist in their effort.”

    Rodriguez revealed has won about 36 military awards and medals with participation in operations against insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan.

     

  • Tambuwal seeks security protection to visit Borno

    Tambuwal seeks security protection to visit Borno

    Worried by mass killing of innocent citizens by Boko Haram, House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has written the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh to provide him security to visit the victims.

    He plans to visit on or before Saturday.

    Tambuwal’s request was contained in a March 1 letter to the CDS, which was signed by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Sada Soli Jibia.

    The letter, reads: “I have the honour to refer to the Resolution of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 18 February, 2014 on the Matter of Urgent Public Importance: Incessant killings of innocent civilians by gunmen in Gwoza, Damboa and Chibok local government areas of Borno State between December 2013 and February 2014 (Copy of the Votes and Proceedings attached).

    “Consequently, the House mandated the Honourable Speaker to visit these places to commiserate with the government and people of the affected areas over the massacre.

    “In view of the foregoing, I am directed to request the Chief of Defence staff to make necessary arrangements on or before Saturday 8th March, 2014 to facilitate the visit of the Honourable Speaker as mandated by the House of Representatives.

    “While expressing my confidence that the Chief of Defence Staff will do everything possible to facilitate this visit, please accept the assurances of the Honourable Speaker’s highest regards.”

    A source in the National Assembly said the Speaker opted to write, following alleged signal from the Presidency to disallow him from visiting the troubled areas.

    The source said: “The Speaker has been trying since January to visit some victims of Boko Haram, but there have been cold shoulders from some people in the presidency.

    “I think for political reasons, some people do not want the Speaker to go to these trouble spots. The real motive of the House is to assess the extent of damage and identify with the victims of Boko Haram.

    “The House leadership felt it is insufficient to leave Borno State Government to face the trauma of managing Boko Haram carnage.

    “The body language of some forces in the Presidency actually accounted for the resolution of the House on February 18, 2014.

    “With the official documentation of the request for the visit as mandated by the House, we are waiting to see whether the CDS will respect this chamber or not.”

    But a source in the Presidency said: “I think they are trying to hang a dog to give it a bad name. Going to any trouble spot is purely a security matter. If the area is not safe, the military will not ask the Speaker or members of the House to take the risk.

    “When it was safer, the government and the military allowed members of the National Assembly to visit Baga last year.

    “I think we should not play politics with the ongoing Boko Haram challenges facing the nation.”

     

  • Boko Haram: DHQ orders troops to take battle to forests

    Some suspects have been arrested for the recent attacks on towns and villages in Borno State, it was learnt yesterday.

    Although the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) was not specific on the actual number of arrests, it noted that some weapons had been recovered.

    It was also learnt that more troops were deployed in Borno State – over 100 were killed last week in some villages. Yesterday, more troops were moved from military formations in the Southeast to Borno.

    The Federal Government is trying to strengthen military collaboration with neighbouring countries to curtail the insurgents.

    According to a source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has directed the troops to draw “the battle line with Boko Haram.”

    The source said: “The DHQ said the era of being on the defensive is gone; it has directed the troops to take the battle to the insurgents in the forests and hills, especially the Sambisa Forest and Gwoza and Mandara hills in Borno State.

    “The troops have also been mandated to embark on intensive combing of villages and towns in Borno State.

    “The DHQ has indeed declared a total war against Boko Haram in Borno State. The sect has moved against the state and its days are numbered.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “Additional troops from military formations in the Southeast have been deployed in Borno.

    “No matter what, the troops will surely overrun them very soon. We are already strengthening military collaboration with all our neighbouring countries.”

    In an official statement, the Defence Headquarters, through its spokesman, Maj.Gen. Chris Olukolade, said some perpetrators of the dastardly attacks on towns and villages in Borno State had been arrested.

    It accused fleeing insurgents of mass killing from village to village in reprisals.

    The statement said: “The ongoing onslaught against terrorists in some parts of the country will not be deterred by the unfortunate attacks being carried out against troops and innocent civilians by the insurgents.

    “The terrorists who move from village to village attacking innocent civilians are those escaping from the onslaught against their makeshift hideout along the border and entry points from neighbouring countries.

    “The fighting patrols by air and land are being stepped up in the forests and hills of the affected areas and other parts of the Northeast where the Boko Haram terrorists are hiding.

    “The security forces will continue to employ necessary fire power to enhance the effectiveness of the mission until the terrorists are duly curtailed.

    “Meanwhile, locations that are prone to attacks are being reinforced while the general area is now under heightened surveillance and patrols.

    “Some suspected perpetrators of the recent assault have been apprehended and weapons recovered from them.

    “While appealing for the patience of the general public, the citizens in the affected areas are encouraged to provide security agencies with timely information to forestall the activities of the fleeing terrorists whose attacks on soft targets are intended to provoke fear and create a false sense of invisibility.”

     

  • Ending inter-agency rivalry among security agencies

    Ending inter-agency rivalry among security agencies

    SIR: Finally, President Goodluck Jonathan has clarified that the reason behind the replacement of service is not connected to seeming inter-service rivalry among security agencies. The media reported his remarks while commissioning the Air Force Comprehensive School in Yola, Adamawa State. He nevertheless urged a synergy among the nation’s security agencies, given that Nigeria is exposed to “cancer” of insurgency.

    Few days before the President’s visit to Yola, suspected Boko Haram members were reported to have attacked churches and mosques and killing innocent citizens in Borno and Adamawa states. The recent attacks might have been triggered to dissuade the President from visiting the home-state of his new Chief of Defence, Air Marshal Alex Badeh who is from Adamawa.

    It should also be recalled that immediately after the announcement of the new Chief of Defence Staff, the Nigerian air-force were reported to have attacked and killed a number of suspected insurgents at the Cameroonian border with Nigeria. Badeh who was former Chief of Air Staff, had promised to crush terrorists by April 2014.

    We should not lose sight of the fact that the military has so far succeeded in restricting and cornering Boko haram insurgency to few states in the North-East. Few years ago, terrorists were having field days in other parts of the country including, Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto and few incursions in other states including the Federal Capital Abuja.

    The Nigerian military has recorded tremendous success in its war against insurgency. The relative peace so far recorded in the troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe before the recent unfortunate development even in worship centres, is attributed to the gallantry, determination, sacrifice and relentless struggles of the Nigerian security agencies. Even though it has continued to lose its finest personnel in several coordinated attacks against terrorists, it has remained undaunted and more committed to ending acts of terrorism across the country.

    Without doubt, we still have a long way to go in banishing terrorism from our dear land. More re-organization, strategy reviews, policy alteration, shake-up, alignments and re-alignments are part and parcel of what to expect in positioning the Nigerian military for optimum performance.

    It is the wish and prayer of all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, religious, ethnic or political aspiration for Nigeria to overcome its security challenges as soon as possible. The human and material loses so far recorded are too massive to be quiet about. We cannot continue to act as though those precious lives we keep losing in separate attacks are not precious to us. We have every reason to be worried about this sad occurrence. Every soul lost in any of these attacks should be a source of concern to any Nigerian. All the government requires of us is full time cooperation and understanding as it goes about making necessary changes in the nation’s security make-up to overcome challenges posed by insurgent groups.

    We all desire to see that peace and normalcy returns to all trouble spots across the country.

    The successes so far recorded in the war against insurgency must be sustained. We need not allow unnecessary primordial and clannish issues distract us from consolidating on the gains so far recorded. Even members of the international community are happy with Nigeria’s modest achievements in its efforts to end terrorism in the country. As Nigerian too, we should cooperate with the security agencies in providing necessary supports and information for the protection of lives and property.

    The new heads of these security establishments should seek to breakdown the wall of mutual suspicions and inter-agency rivalry among their chiefs and their personnel. They should make effort to share intelligence. They should all realize that they have common goal of ensuring that Nigeria is safe for both Nigerians and her visitors. The government should not tolerate any unnecessary competition that will bring retrogression to this country. They should work collectively in harmony to ensure that the nation overcomes her security challenges.

    • Fatima Goni

    Kofar Dukawuya, Kano

     

  • Reps approve Service chiefs’ nomination

    Reps approve Service chiefs’ nomination

    The House of Representatives has approved the nomination of the four Service chiefs submitted by President Goodluck Jonathan for confirmation.

    The nominees are: Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, Chef of the Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu, Chief of Air Staff.

    A Joint Committee of Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force submitted its report at plenary yesterday.

    It noted that the military chiefs had been found capable and suitable for tackling the security challenges confronting the country, among other responsibilities expected of them.

    Following its mandate, the joint committee met on Monday, January 27, to deliberate on the modalities for the screening. The nominated Service chiefs were invited and the appeared before the joint committee three days later.

    At the screening, the lawmakers examined the appearance, composure, presentation and the knowledge of the nominees to get a general assessment of their capabilities and suitability for the positions.

     

  • Boko Haram: DHQ explains position on April deadline

    The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday clarified the statement by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh, that the Boko Haram insurgency will be uprooted by April.

    The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, addressed reporter yesterday in Abuja on the matter.

    He said the clarification was necessary following the public interest and heightened expectations the statement generated in the media.

    Olukolade said Gen. Badeh made the statement out of his optimism and the need to motivate the Service chiefs to put in their best in the fight against insurgency in the land.

    Gen. Badeh, during his official decoration as CDS on January 20, declared that the Boko Haram insurgency would be ended by April.

    He said: “The security situation in the Northeast must be brought to a stop before April, 2014. Substantial progress has been recorded in the war against the insurgents.

    “We must bring it (insurgency) to a stop before April so that we will not have constitutional problems on our hands.”

    Olukolade said the CDS’ statement should not be mistaken for a false sense of hope or mere grandstanding as being imputed by some groups and individuals.

     

  • Jonathan, Service chiefs meet over insecurity

    Jonathan, Service chiefs meet over insecurity

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met for several hours with Service chiefs behind closed-door at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    The discussions at the meeting, the first since the appointment of new Service chiefs last month, were not unconnected with the rising onslaught of the Boko Haram Islamic sect and other insurgents in the Northeast.

    The violence unleashed on the residents of the region has led to the death of scores of people with loss of property in tow.

    No statement was issued at the end of the meeting.

    The Service chiefs declined comments on what they discussed with the President.

    At the meeting were: the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu.

    Also there were: the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.); Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Abubakar Mohammed and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim.

    When reporters approached him for comments on the meeting, Air Marshall Alex Badeh declined to speak.

    Prodded further, however, he said: “I will only speak if you will allow me to speak in my dialect.”

  • Why insurgents breach security, by Jonathan

    Why insurgents breach security, by Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday blamed “security lapses” for Islamic sect Boko Haram’s invasion of an Air Force Base in Borno State last December.

    Inaugurating the Air Force Comprehensive School in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, he said there was unnecessary rivalry among the security agencies, adding that this will no longer be tolerated.

    The President also spoke on why he picked Air Marshal Alex Badeh as Chief of Defence Staff, describing him as “a good manager of resources”.

    Noting that Boko Haram “successfully attacked” five helicopters, Jonathan warned the new Service chiefs against unnecessary rivalry, urging them to complement one another in the nation’s interest.

    He said: “We will work with them to make sure that we overcome these challenges. One of the reasons that made me to uplift the present Chief of Defence Staff from the Chief of Air Staff is that I noted very carefully that in terms of managing resources, he tried.

    “And I believe that with him now taking charge as the Chief of Defence Staff, working with other men that have been properly briefed about how they conduct their work, I know that the Nigerian Armed Forces will be a different Armed Forces.

    “I urge you to cooperate. Sometimes we hear about some kind of mutual and individual competition among Service Chiefs and security personnel. But this time around, we will not tolerate any unnecessary competition that will bring retrogression to this country.

    “We charge you to work together because our country is exposed to cancer and I told the former chief of defence staff when I came back from a meeting in France, that was the time they attacked our five helicopters, and a journalist asked me, Mr. President is it not shameful? And I asked him, If you were me, how would you have felt? And I believe we will no longer experience that kind of situation. That happened because of some obvious lapses.

    “We will make sure we work with the National Assembly, we will work with the Service Chiefs and other senior military personnel, we will work with our traditional rulers and governors and senior citizens to see that we move our country to the next level.”

    Air Marshal Badeh said the fight against insurgency was surmountable. He urged the security agencies to remain focused.

    He pledged to defend the nation’s territorial integrity in line with the provisions of the Constitution.

    According to him, the Air Force Comprehensive School project, which he described as the brainchild of the Air Force, was built on five hectares of land within seven months through direct labour.

    Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako said the insecurity in the state did not allow for a befitting reception for Jonathan.

    The President met with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the state, who pledged their support for him towards the 2015 election.

    At the meeting were Deputy Governor James Ngiliri and Prof. Jubril Aminu, who took turns to thank the President for giving appointments to indigenes of the state.

    They pleaded for more attention to the state because it is trailing states like Gombe and Taraba in terms of infrastructure.

    The president was presented with two members of the House of Representatives, who announced their defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to PDP.

    The President, who claimed he was instrumental to the success of Governor Nyako, who is now APC in the 2011 elections, said he was overwhelmed by the turn out of partymen to receive him.

    He suggested the conduct of zonal rallies before aspirants and candidates emerge in order to reposition the party, noting:

    “We need to have zonal rallies before election. Before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) opens doors for people to start campaigns for offices, let us have neutral rallies now that we don’t have aspirants and candidates. We will have zonal rallies, and we will encourage states to also have state rallies then we will also have the national convention. We need to do that to re-energise our party.”

    Also at the meeting were the immediate past National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, Women Affairs Minister Hajia Zainab Maina and some members of National Assembly.

  • Action, not talk

    Action, not talk

    We hope that the defence chief will end Boko Haram menace by April

    Nigerians must be hoping that the inaugural statement by the newly-appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshall Alex Badeh, on the country’s precarious security situation, particularly relating to terrorist activities of Boko Haram, will not  prove  to be mere  bluster.

    Hopefully, it was not just the excitement of his new status that prompted Badeh’s dramatic words when he said, “The security situation in the North-East must be brought to a complete stop before April 2014. So please if there are any of them around, send words to your colleagues that they are in trouble; we are coming after them.”  However, perhaps unwittingly, he indicated the complexity of the task by his rhetorical flourish which suggested that members of the Islamist group could possibly be present at the ceremony. It is noteworthy that his remark, beyond the exaggerated colour, was reminiscent of President Goodluck Jonathan’s controversial comment sometime ago that Boko Haram had successfully infiltrated the government.

    In addition to the obvious developmental arrest resulting from terrorism, Badeh elaborated on factors that determined his deadline, saying, “I was telling my colleagues that we must bring it to a stop by April 2014 so that we do not have constitutional problems in our hands.” According to him, “We do not want to go back to the Senate and start begging and lobbying. If we do our work cohesively, I can say that General Minimah will finish that thing in no time.”

    What informed  his confidence is certainly unclear, but it is plain that his reasoning was based on the need to avoid legislative endorsement of a further  extension of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states , after the first round which started in May 2013,  and the current six-month addition from November. In other words, administrative reasons, rather than any solid grounds for optimism were responsible for his dream of crushing the insurgency by the April date.

    Without doubt, this non-combat basis cannot be sufficient justification for buoyancy, considering the worrying fact that since 2009 the rebels have continued to perpetrate stunning acts of destruction without any significant pause. It remains to be seen whether Badeh’s tenure will indeed make a difference to the presidency’s counter-terrorism campaign.

    It is disturbing that, perhaps in his enthusiasm to sound prepared for the function, he allowed his emotion to take over. He possibly started on a wrong note by making such a definite declaration. It is a well-known fact that surprise is a key element in warfare, which Badeh did not seem to appreciate as his publicised words were capable of alerting the terrorists to the possibility of danger. Was it necessary for him to announce, as he did, that his battle plan is to end the conflict by a specific time? What advantage, if any, did he hope to get from such openness? With such approach to intelligence issues, does he expect the terrorists to wait to be defeated by April?

    It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time a high-profile security figure, or even a political bigwig, would make such a politically correct statement on ending the fighting within the time frame of the emergency.  Tragically, the advertised intention is far from materialisation, and the immediate targets of the rebels as well as the larger society continue to experience the pains of insecurity.

    Regrettably, the Boko Haram challenge remains potent, in spite of the government’s efforts. This reality calls for greater creativity and firmness of purpose on the side of the political authorities. The government must not allow the chilling carnage carried out remorselessly by the group to drag on. Action, not talk, is the solution.

  • Another military timeline for Boko Haram’s end

    Another military timeline for Boko Haram’s end

    AN obviously elated and newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshall Alex Badeh, told the press last week that given the changes just made by President Jonathan in the military leadership, the Boko Haram insurgency would be defeated before April. The CDS may be a fine officer, but he appears to be a bad historian. Surely, he must remember that his ultimatum is not the first. The president himself and other military and police chiefs had on different occasions given timelines for the end of the insurgency. Any time a timeline was issued, however, the terrorists simply intensified the war and gave very embarrassing ripostes. Let us hope that unlike the president and others the CDS will not be forced to eat his words ignominiously.