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Tag: boko haram

  • ‘FG procures 30 aircraft, six helicopter gun-shoots to fight Boko Haram’

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Mashal Sadique Abubakar, on Saturday in Kano said the Federal Government has procured 18 more aircraft, in addition to expected 12 brand new aircraft and six helicopter gun-shoots to intensify war against insurgency in the country.

    Air Mashal Abubakar who relocated to the North-West and North-East in furtherance with President Buhari’s directive spoke during the commissioning of a multi-billion Naira Modular Theatre  at the 465 Nigeria Air Force hospital, Kano.

    He said the United States of America and Italy have been supporting Nigeria with the supply of platforms to fight Boko Haram and other insurgency in Nigeria.

    According to him, “the President Buhari administration has done much in re-positioning the Nigeria Air Force. In the last three and half years, the Federal Government has procured and released 18 brand new aircraft to the Nigeria Air Force.

    “We are also hoping to get 12 brand new aircraft from the United States of America. In addition, we are also hoping to get six brand new helicopter gun-shoots from Italy. So, I think from what we have seen in terms of support, every officer, air-man and air-woman in the Nigeria Air Force has every reason to put in his or her best in order to ensure that Nigeria is secured.”

    He further stated that, “I assure Nigerians that the Air Force will continue to work. I am in Kano for two reasons, not only to commission this theatre, but in compliance with the directive that we should relocate to North-West and to the North-East of the country in order to supervise or see what is going on in terms of dealing with some of the security threats facing Nigeria.”

    Read Also: Troops kill Boko Haram terrorists in Borno

    While commissioning the Modular Theatre, he said, “this hospital is for the benefit of the officers and the benefit of their family members. I also want to urge the Commander of the hospital to make this facility available to the civilian population around here.

    “Furthermore, in line with the Nigeria Air Force tradition of giving back to her host community as earlier indicated, I want to direct that the Commander should open the facility to all civilians. This gesture will, no doubt, go a long way in improving the quality of healthcare delivery in these communities.

    “I also want to reaffirm our commitment to periodically reach out to the surrounding rural communities, to provide them with the much needed preventive healthcare services, including health education and ensure their wellbeing.

    “On behalf of the officers, air-men and air-women of the Nigeria Air Force, I wish to express our gratitude to the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), for his continued support for the Service.

    “On our part, the Nigeria Air Force shall continue to strive for excellence in everything we do, and operating within the constitutional provisions, in collaboration with other sister Services to provide the necessary security for Nigeria and Nigerians.

    “I was conducted round our hanger where we saw some technicians that are working to bring back three of our aircrafts that are being reactivated. And the second part of it is commissioning of the Modula Theartre.

    “Our desire is to have a professional Air Force, an Air Force that has the right structure, and an Air Force that has equipment such as the platforms that have been acquired for us; and then, an Air Force that takes care of the welfare of the personnel and that is where this Modula Theatre comes in.

    “Professionalism is about getting all these things sorted out and I am very happy that we have tried in the last two and half years to ensure that we address all the fundamental issues that are likely to make the Air Force a professional service so that Nigeria will be secured and Nigerians will also be secured.”

    While speaking during the event, NAF Chief of Medical Services, Air Commodore M.E. Sha’aibu said with the commissioning of the new theatre, “injured personnel from the theatre of operation in the North-East can be evacuated to this hospital, stabilized and treated.

    Sha’aibu added that the new theater with state-of-the-art equipment comprises of a reception, lecture hall, common and recovery rooms, offices, two operating suites.

    “It is equipped with modern anesthetic machines, operating tables, theatre lamps, C-arm machines and operating microscopes,” adding that, “The Chief of Air Staff has also provided funds for the maintenance of the equipment in the radio diagnostic department of the hospital in addition to employing seasonal consultants.”

  • Communal relationships strained by Boko Haram major challenge, says Danjuma

    The Chairman, Presidential Committee on the Northeast Inititiative (PCNI), Lt. Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, has said that the activities of Boko Haram insurgents around the Northeast has resulted in the straining of relationships among residents of affected communities.

    Danjuma, who spoke at the Interreligious Dialogue for Peaceful Coexistence in the Northeast States, which was held in Yola yesterday, also said that mending the strained relationships is a major challenge.

    He said: “Communal trust is among the most fundamental elements that suffered during the insurgency.

    “The immediate fallout is the disruption of peaceful co-existence and harmony in the Northeast.

    “The Boko Haram mayhem which manifested in killings, kidnapping for ransom and adoption of women and young girls substantially strained relationships in the communities.”

    The former Chief of Army Staff and then Minister of Defence reiterated that the challenge before the nation now “is how to reverse this trend and also complement the effort and sacrifice of our military in the ongoing war against Boko Haram insurgency.”

    Represented by Tijjani Tumsa, Danjuma said that in its determination at ensuring enhancement and deployment of community mechanisms for peace building, the PCNI had trained a total of 1,020 people comprising 80 traditional rulers, 60 imams and 30 lower court and Sharia court judges in each state of the Northeast.

    “PCNI also collaborated with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja, to facilitate dialogue between the ethnic Mambilla and the Fulani in Mambilla as well as the people of Michika and Madagali in Mubi in the past,” he added.

    “The purpose of the dialogue was to sensitise the people on the need for peaceful co-existence, partnership and collaboration that will help build peace, preserve lives and property”.

  • Nigeria lauds international support on Boko Haram

    Nigeria has lauded the international support to the country and neighbouring countries in addressing the challenges caused by the Boko Haram terrorists and the shrinking of the Lake Chad.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande, stated this in New York at the ‘Security Council Open Debate on the Role of States, Regional Arrangements and the United Nations in the Prevention and Resolution of Conflict.

    Bande said “As we all know, the Lake Chad region has been facing its worst crisis ever, primarily because of the impact of climate change.

    “However, the ability of the Lake Chad basin countries to obtain international support and attention is paying off.

    “An array of countries – Norway, Germany, UK, U. S., China, Canada and others – have joined the UN to provide financial and technical support to the on-going efforts to not only conquer Boko Haram, but also work at the same time across the whole pillars, as the only way forward.

    “Indeed, so successful has this been, since the visit by the Security Council in March 2017, and the various pledging conferences – Abuja, Oslo and Berlin – that we are even talking of recharging of the basin, to restore and or stabilise the livelihood of some 45 million people affected by this unfortunate situation.

    “Through it all, ECOWAS, AU and the UN have been working very well together to galvanise support, towards the same end”.

    Bande pledged Nigeria’s resolve to continue to support efforts at maintaining peace and security in all regions of the world.

    According to him, more than ever, there is the need to strengthen collaboration between the UN and the various regional and sub-regional organizations around the world.

    The need to ensure that effective and mutually reinforcing mechanisms (both regional and global) that are flexible and responsive enough to ensure peaceful coexistence among communities are prioritized, he said, were critical.

    Bande said it was imperative to ensure that a means of financing regional bodies-led peace support operations that were authorized by the Security Council would be predictably and sustainably worked out.

    “We owe this to the millions that suffer and are waiting for our help.

    “In this regard, I wish to commend the Secretary-General on the current AU-UN partnership on peacekeeping, as this is a right step in the right direction,” he said.

    The envoy said in the effort to prevent and resolve conflicts, there is the need to also take due cognizance of the structural challenges to peace and security.

    These challenges, like climate change, mismanagement of natural resources, cross border and international crime, are at the root of some of the worst conflicts of our time, he said.

    The Nigerian envoy added that the challenges are best tackled through a broad collaboration among States, sub-regional and regional organisations and the UN.

    NAN reports that the UN says nine years into the conflict, the humanitarian emergency in the Lake Chad region is among the most severe in the world.

    The world body says while the crisis is unfolding in a region already affected by severe underdevelopment, poverty and climate change.

    The impact on the lives of around 17 million people is devastating, with women, youth and children bearing the brunt.

    In 2018, more than 10 million people require humanitarian assistance and protection.

    The humanitarian response was expanded significantly in 2017, reaching over six million people with life-saving assistance and protection, and effectively averting a famine.

    But needs in the affected regions remain acute and will persist at large scale into 2019 and beyond. Humanitarian organisations are requesting 1.6 billion dollars for 2018.

    Support from the international community to national efforts will be essential in the coming months to ease hunger, provide water, shelter, hygiene, healthcare, protection and education, and help communities rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

    The UN also said without continued assistance, hard hit communities risk sliding back into distress.

  • Troops kill Boko Haram terrorists in Borno

    The Nigerian Army said on Thursday that troops of 117 Battalion have killed a Boko Haram terrorist in Borno, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds.

    Army spokesman, Brig Gen Sani Usman said in a statement that two of the terrorists were arrested by troops during the encounter.

    He said:”Troops of 117 Battalion, 28 Task Force Brigade, Operation LAFIYA DOLE in conjunction with some members of Civilian Joint Task Force, following a report on the presence of suspected Boko Haram terrorists in a hideout, embarked on fighting patrol along Yachida, Korongelen, Bombula and Forfor axis, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, Tuesday 4th December 2018.

    Read Also: Boko Haram: Fed Govt orders Buratai back to war theatre

    “The Troops came in contact with the terrorists and engaged them at Forfor village.

    “During the encounter, one of the Boko Haram terrorists was neutralized, arrested two, while several other terrorists fled with gunshot wounds.

    ” The gallant patrol team recovered one AK-47 rifle, a magazine, 21 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, a 36 Hand Grenade, magazine pouch and a Motorcycle.

    “Unfortunately, two soldiers sustained injuries and have since been evacuated to 28 Task Force Brigade Field Ambulance for medical attention.”

  • UNICEF sensitises journalists on birth registration

    The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday organised a sensitisation workshop for journalists on the importance of birth registration.

    The workshop organised by the Bauchi Field Office of UNICEF, was in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NpopC).

    In his opening remarks, Mr Victor Sule, UNICEF birth registration Consultant, said the meeting was aimed at equipping media practitioners with the requisite knowledge on creating awareness of birth registration at the community level.

    He decried the low birth registration at the rural areas, owing to poor knowledge of its value, hence the need for massive awareness.

    “The importance of birth registration cannot be over emphasised. Its value to the survival of the child and growth of the society is key.

    “And quite disheartening is the fact that most people in the rural areas don’t even know about birth registration, not to talk of knowing its importance.

    “This is the rationale for this training because once the media, who are key stakeholders get it right, the message will trickle down to the very last person in the rural communities.

    “So, this is part of our collaboration with the media, to support us in taking the campaign on birth registration to the rural communities,” he said.

    Read Also:UNICEF holds education conference for north leaders

     

    Sule further explained that UNICEF and NpopC are collaborating with other sectors such as health, education, traditional and religious institutions to promote routine birth registration.

    He noted that UNICEF was committed to promoting and protecting the rights of children, hence the lack of knowledge about birth registration makes them marginalised.

    In his address of welcome, Mallam Musa Rashid, the State Director of NpopC in Bauchi, said birth registration was one core mandate of the commission, adding that the sensitisation workshop was timely.

    He explained that paucity of funds and manpower made the commission go into collaboration with key organisations to ensure every child is registered.

    “Birth and death registrations are part of our key mandate in NpopC and we take them very seriously.

    “We are mandated by law to register every child within the first 60 days of birth, unfortunately, the exercise is poor at the rural areas and this calls for intense campaign and awareness.

    “But because we are constrained by lack of manpower and funds, we are collaborating with other key partners in ensuring that the message gets to the communities to enable us register every child, ” he said

  • 2019: Disengaged teachers declare support for Sen. Sani

    Some disengaged teachers in Kaduna State have declared support for the re-election of Sen. Shehu Sani (PRP-Kaduna) in the 2019 election.

    The teachers, who made this known when a delegation paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Wednesday, promised to rally support for the lawmaker in view of his support for their plight.

    Mrs Alice Ayuba, the leaders of the delegation, said they would ensure that Sani was returned as senator in 2019 through their votes.

    “We are here to appreciate our distinguished senator for his support from the beginning of our predicament.

    “He stood by us even when some of our teachers were arrested and imprisoned over the matter. So, we will stand by him. This is the time for payback for his strong support,” she said.

    Read Also: Why I left APC – Shehu Sani

    Responding, Sani appreciated the disengaged teachers for their support.

    While expressing concern over the disengagement, the lawmaker promised to continue to support them where necessary, to ensure that they were reinstated.

    He said: “It is unbelievable that many of you have spent decades teaching our young ones that have performed credibly well in the state and nationally and today you are adjudged incompetent.

    “The process used to remove you was illegal. Consultants were asked to organise an exam and within 24 hours, thousands of teachers were disengaged for not passing exam. It is a condemnable act.

    “I solidly stand by you and your struggle. Continue in your struggle. If you are not returned now, a time will come that you will be returned,” he said.

    Sani, who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts, lamented that some of the disengaged teachers were degree holders.

    “Serious damage has been done to education in the state and it is worrisome.

    “It is unimaginable that teachers with first degree, master’s degree and even doctorate degree will be said not to be qualified to serve.

    “How can bad teachers give birth to good students,” he said.

  • Ex-ANAN president urges FG to expedite action on 2019 budget

    Dr Samuel Nzekwe, a former President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), has advised the Federal Government to expedite action in presenting the 2019 budget proposal to the National Assembly.

    Nzekwe gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun on Thursday.

    According to him, the advice became necessary in order not to create panic in the economy.

    He further said that taking decisions and direction where the economy should go would be difficult to predict since the Federal Government was the biggest spender in the country.

    Read Also: 2019 budget: Special FEC session to hold Friday

    The former ANAN president noted that delay in passing annual budget was a major challenge confronting the country.

    “Annual budget should be ready as early as possible so that the National  Assembly can contribute their own part to the budget, ‘’ Nzekwe said.

    The accountant said that budget delay was not good for an economy just coming out of recession.

    He, however, urged the Federal Government to redouble its efforts in preparing the  2019 budget and ensure that the budget is passed as early as possible to increase  activities in the economy.

  • ‘Past leaders were deceitful in handling Boko Haram, Niger Delta crisis’

    A Non-Governmental Organisation, Newstime International Company, has berated the country’s past leadership for showing gross incompetence and deceitfulness in handling the issues of Boko Haram insurgency and Niger Delta militancy.

    The group said the situation in Nigeria on the twin challenges were a legacy of many years of problems.

    President of the group, Tony Oyatedor, who addressed a news conference in Abuja, said Boko Haram and Niger Delta militancy will move from bitter fighting to close friendship with the Federal Government with the help of Nigerians.

    Oyatedor called on the Federal Government to make peace with aggrieved Nigerians to end killings and the continuous destruction of properties of innocent Nigerians.

    He said: “The situation in Nigeria on the twin problems is a legacy of many years of problems. It is not something that happened overnight. We will not resolve it overnight with a snap of the finger. We must not take sides. Our work is not to condemn, but our work is to accomplish reconciliation and peace.

    “The twin problems is a serious problem and no one is working to fix it, they only talk about it but Newstime has the solution and will roll up our sleeves to work and fix it for good.”

    Oyatedor said previous administrations in the country proved their priorities were to loot the country instead of creating an enabling environment for peace, security and development.

    “Niger Delta leaders always complain about the terrain in the area while northerners and so many other countries are begging God to give them water. Niger Delta have water but the people make it sound like it is a disease to have water, instead to give thanks, praise and glory to God for a land flowing with oil, gas, milk and honey due to water and the terrain.

    “People complain about unemployment, power outages, bad roads, lack of potable and clean water to drink and clean environment. The government should rather employ people to handle this infrastructural deficit properly.”

  • ‘Buhari, APC do not need campaign to defeat PDP in 2019’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, Dr. Jamil Isyaku Gwamna on Wednesday said the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari were visible enough for APC to defeat the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the next general elections come 2019.

    Dr. Gwamna who is the Sardaunan Gombe, made this disclosure in a chat with newsmen, saying that the people-oriented programmes and policies of the Federal Government would make APC defeat any opposition in 2019 with ease.

    He insisted that it would be difficult for the PDP or any party to convince those who have benefitted from the good governance of the current administration not to vote APC at all levels.

    According to him, President Buhari and APC do not need to campaign like other parties because the people are now more political-conscious than any time in history to know the difference between good governance and bad leadership.

    “President Buhari and the APC do not need to campaign like the PDP or other political parties. The people-oriented programmes and policies of the federal government which have affected positively the lives of Nigerians will speak for the president.

    “It will be difficult for the PDP or any party to defeat President Buhari and Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state, because the people have tested lives under these two political parties and are more knowledgeable to differentiate between the good governance of APC and the bad leadership of the PDP.

    “Without sounding immodest, the PDP has a lot of campaigning to do because they performed poorly while in power and even in Gombe State within the last years.

    “How will the PDP convince the 500,000 N-power beneficiaries, farmers who have been given loans through Anchor Borrower Programme, those enjoying the over 3000MW of power that has been added to the national grid, the residents of the North East who had abandoned their homes for fears of Boko Haram, are now back to their normal way of life, not to vote the APC?

    “So you see why I said the PDP has a lot of campaigning to do in terms of denying the reality on ground which is not possible,’’ he said.

    Read Also: APC will form govt in Ogun come May 29 – Osoba

    Gwamna also advised the people of Gombe State to be wise in their voting, adding that vote-buying should be resisted as it portends grave danger to good governance.

    He expressed his optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2019 general elections.

    He, however, appealed to Gombe electorate to cast their votes for Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya to align Gombe to the center and jettison the ‘opposition’ status that was tagged to the state.

    Furthermore, Dr. Gwamna said, “Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya is a prudent businessman who has administrative prowess to lead the state to the next level,” adding that, “the state has not fared well under the PDP in the last seven years.”

  • President renews pledge on release of Chibok girls

    UNTIL the remaining Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped in April 2014 by Boko Haram terrorists and others still being held by insurgents are released, our administration will not rest, President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday.

    He renewed his commitment to the safe release of the captives on Monday in Katowice, Poland. It was at a bilateral meeting between him and Swiss President Alain Berset on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP24.

    A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that the President had a busy day at the International Conference Centre in Katowice, where he made a remark at the opening of the 12-day meeting of COP24.

    Several world leaders are in Poland to attend the conference.

    The President thanked the Swiss Confederation for its efforts and important role as intermediaries to secure the release of some of the schoolgirls and assured his Swiss counterpart that the issue of the remaining kidnapped girls and other abducted persons would remain a “key priority” for his government.

    President Buhari and Besert discussed joint strategies to ensure the safe return of the girls, building on the past success of securing the release of some of the girls and other abducted persons in the Northeast.

    He also welcomed the Swiss President’s commitment to continue providing humanitarian assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.

    “We will continue to make the safe release of the remaining Chibok girls a priority and will welcome any kind of support from any quarters to make this happen,” the President said.

    In separate bilateral meetings with the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda and the Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, President Buhari commended the country for a successful outing at the opening of the COP24 meeting in Katowice.

    The President restated that “Nigeria is totally committed to global efforts to mitigate and adapt to effects of climate change.”

    At the meeting with Morawiecki, the President lauded the plan by the Polish  government to open a Trade Office in Lagos soon, promising that investors who look to Nigeria can be “guaranteed” of safe returns on their investments.

    “We have a vibrant and active young population and our government is doing so much on the Nigerian economy, including diversifying to non-oil sectors.

    ‘’We welcome increased cooperation with Poland and will encourage investments in other sectors of the economy like solid minerals and information technology.

    Morawiecki told President Buhari that traditionally, 96 per cent of oil imports to Poland come from Saudi Arabia and Russia, adding “but now we are looking at importing oil from Nigeria.”

    The prime minister noted that as the fastest-growing economy in the European Union, Poland had identified Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa, as three top investment destinations in Africa.

    He said: “We want the hub of our investment destination to be in Nigeria,” as he welcomed President Buhari’s pledge to immediately put in place a framework to encourage more Polish investments in Nigeria.

    The President’s meeting with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Van der Bellen, focused on the challenges of Lake Chad and what was required to recharge it.

    Read also: ‘PDP belittled Nigeria instead of building it’

    Noting that the Lake was facing two challenges of technology and financing, President Buhari told the Austrian leader that enormous financial resources and technology were required to transfer water to Lake Chad from the Congo Basin.

    Van der Bellen, who indicated his country’s interest to cooperate with Nigeria on recharging the Lake Chad, talked about climate change challenges in Austria, including drought, glaciers melting, among others.

    President Buhari also met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and both leaders followed up on their past discussions, during their last meeting in The Hague, Netherlands, in July, which centred on trade, investments and partnerships in agriculture.

    The President welcomed the proposal by the Dutch Prime Minister to visit Abuja soon and promised that the Nigerian government would continue to provide an enabling environment for existing and prospective Dutch investors.

    On the sidelines of the COP24, President Buhari also met with Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas.

    The Prime Minister of the Northern European country sought Nigeria’s support on its bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

    They  discussed bilateral cooperation and climate change mitigation.