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Tag: boko haram

  • Boko Haram: Coalition salutes Nigerian Army’s efforts in Northern Borno

    ...commends COAS, Buratai’s decision to relocate IDPs back home

    The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) has reacted to the decision of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai, to relocate the Internally Displaced Persons back to their respective homes.

    The group also commended the gallant troops of the Nigerian army on their efforts to restore a lasting peace and sanity to northern part of Borno after sufficiently defeating BOko Haram Terrorists in the area.

    Comrade Gabriel Onoja, National Coo-ordinator of the group told newsmen at a press conference in Maiduguri on Thursday that CATE was pleased with the ongoing onslaught by the Nigerian Army against Boko Haram terrorists in north-east of the country under ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’ and other parts of the country.

    The group noted that the Nigerian Army had recorded tremendous success in its Operation Last Hold in the past two weeks with the recent neutralization of fleeing Boko Haram elements operating around the borders of Nigeria with Chad and Cameroon and in Northern Borno in particular.

    According to him, “The news has been replete with the successes in neutralizing the terrorists in various locations where their camps have been destroyed. The latest of such exploits include the achievements by troops of 153 Task Force Battalion in conjunction with the Cameroonian Defence Forces, which killed 23 terrorists while on clearance operation on 11 June 2018. This is after troops had successfully cleared including Bulakeisa, Tumbuma Babba, Abbaganaram and Dan Baure villages in the Lake Chad region.

    “We note that remnants of Boko Haram continue to attempt using human borne Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) suicide bombers to attempt unleashing terror on the population but strategic intervention of the Army has resulted in minimizing the damages in the few instances of such attacks while the majority of them are averted.

    Overall, Boko Haram has been pushed out of Nigeria. It is clear that the victory of the Nigerian troops over Boko Haram has been proven beyond reasonable doubt. Ongoing clearance operations has made towns and villages earlier afflicted by Boko Haram to become safer such that it is now possible to relocate and reintegrate internally displaced persons back to their ancestral homes.

    “This is a major achievement for which the Nigerian Army should not only be lauded but supported to achieve more. We commend the Nigerian Army for the success it has recorded in keeping Nigerians safe from Boko Haram terrorists just as we salute the “Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, whose leadership gave Nigeria Army that has proven to be truly capable and up to the task at hand. The Nigerian Army, in our estimate has done more than its fair share in dealing with the country’s problem of terrorism; while it is expected to do more, we believe that it will be more successful if we all pitch in to make the assignment easier.

    “We therefore appeal to fellow compatriots to increase whatever support they have been extending to the military in the past to ensure that whatever is left of Boko Haram is not able to re-grow like the hydra monster. Every little contribution by each peace-loving Nigerian will help cripple whatever cells of the terror group are still left.
    We must also collectively undertake to pile the pressure on known and closet sponsors as well as supporters of Boko Haram. It is the final lifeline that must be severed for the terror group to wither into oblivion, which can only be achieved when, as patriotic Nigerians, we supply information to the relevant authorities and when we express our displeasure at their support for terrorists.

    “Our traditional and religious leaders must recommit to the efforts to stop the recruitment and radicalization of youths and making them into terrorists. The era of these set of leaders aligning with questionable politicians to sabotage the war on terrorism for petty gains is over as history will count terrorists’ supporters as terrorists in the final analysis.

    “Finally, we call on those who still give allegiance to Boko Haram re-evaluate their options. Continuing to fight for the group guarantees certain death in the ongoing military operations to rid Nigeria of terrorists.”

  • Troops neutralize 23 Boko Haram terrorists, recover weapons

    Troops attached to 153 Taskforce Battalion in collaboration with elements of Cameroonian Defence Forces on Monday killed 23 Boko Haram terrorists.

    The suspected terrorists were killed in battle with the troops who were on clearance operation.

    According to Army spokesman, Texas Chukwu, a Brigadier General, several other terrorists were wounded during the encounter.

    Read Also: Troops kill Boko Haram in Adamawa

    Chukwu, who issued a statement on the incident said the troops recovered dix AK47 rifles, two FN rifles, eight AK47 magazines, 33 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO ammunition, a link of 7.62mm NATO and two motorcycles.

    He said: “Also, troops had earlier cleared numerous villages in the Lake Chad region including Bulakeisa, Tumbuma Babba, Abbaganaram and Dan Baure.

    “The public is advised to report suspicious activities or movements to law enforcement agents at all times.”

  • Troops kill Boko Haram in Adamawa

    Security agents have killed a member of Boko Haram sect who raided Kaya village in Madagali local government area of Adamawa State.

    The state Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr Ahmad Sajoh, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday in Yola, said it occurred on Monday.

    Sajoh said the insurgents attacked the village where they looted and destroyed 13 houses before they were repelled.

    The commissioner said one of the terrorists was killed while a vigilante member sustained an injury.

    “The military, hunters and vigilantes have repelled the invaders. Adamawa Government commiserates with the victims and salutes the resilience of our people,” he said.

    He called for more public support and understanding over the latest operations by Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the state.

    “The current operations by the security agencies are intended to ensure enhanced security situation all over the state ahead of the end of Ramadan Sallah celebrations.

    “The general public is therefore requested to remain calm and be law-abiding.

    “The operations by the army, Nigeria Air Force and other security agencies are part of the measures of the state security council to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free festive period,” the commissioner said.

    NAN

  • Boko Haram: ‘Military won’t shield errant officers, men’

    The Acting  Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. John Agim has  said that Boko Haram insurgents  do not control any local government area in the North-East.

    He also said the military is doing its best to curtail Boko Haram despite the huge cache of arms and ammunitions at the disposal of the insurgents.

    He admitted that the insurgents had taken porous borders and free movement treaty to recruit members.

    He said the proliferation of the arms from Libya and Mali has caused a lot of problems for Nigeria.

    On alleged abuse by some troops, he said the military would not shield errant officers and men.

    Agim made the clarifications at a session with reporters in Abuja.

    He said: “Currently there is no local government under the control of the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East. Concerning alleged collection of taxes in some of the areas where their cells are located, I think they resort to desperate means to survive as they move from one area or the other to hide from troops.

    “But Boko Haram is not running government anywhere. They always subject people living within their cells to intimidation and extortion to survive.”

    Agim explained that the campaign against the insurgents in Sambisa Forest had been continuous because “the Forest is a vast area, it is 10 times the size of Lagos State.”

    He picked holes in a recent report by the Amnesty International on the activities of the military in the North-East and alleged abuses by troops.

    He  said the military had its mechanism for disciplining any soldier who misbehaved during an operation.

    He said no errant military officers and men will be spared of misbehaviour.

    He added: “When there is  an operation going on, the military puts some things in place to check  anybody who misbehaves. For example in the North -East, there is a standing court martial that is trying anybody  (officer or soldier) who misbehaves.

    “There is no way we have a military such as ours and you will not see one person misbehaving.

    “While I was in Maiduguri, I saw  some of the cases that had been decided by court martial there.  A  soldier who shot and killed five rescued civilians without any just cause was tried and sentenced to death. If anybody does anything that is against the law, report that person.”

    Agim said the porous nature of Nigerian borders and free movement treaty had made it possible for Boko Haram to recruit members from many countries.

    He said: “We have those people that come into the country. The Immigration complained of the porous borders and all that. People come in and go out and our country is something different.

    “When people are here, nobody even cares to check anybody. In Nigeria, people will do things they want to do freely in our country and nobody checks them, nobody says anything.

    “Go to Chad and Niger, there is somebody who monitors you and you will know that you are being monitored. Only here, nobody talks to you. You are free to do anything you need to do, may be because of the size of the country or something.

    “The porous borders are actually causing a lot of problems. And the proliferation of the arms from Libya and Mali has caused a lot of problems.

    “It surprises us that the kind of weapons these people are having. That is something that should worry all of us. They don’t run short of arms. They don’t have problem of arms.

    Agim urged Nigerian media to deny Boko Haram publicity which he said was the fuel the insurgents needed to perpetrate  terrorism.

    “The only way you can check them is to reduce the way you  talk about their activities,”, he said.

  • Borno 2019 And The Insanity Of Sen. Abba Aji On Boko Haram

    Sometimes, I get amazed at the thinking of some politicians who feel the electorate is unreasonable, and can always be betrayed, swayed, used and dumped at their whims and caprices. These leaders only find the people they have impoverished and exposed to devastating disasters as worthy partners during partisan times only.

    Nigeria is facing another round of political dispensation. And professional politicians and selfish leaders have thrown themselves on the field, with sophisticated pranks, feigning artificial concern for the poor people. But it is nothing more than décor, to earn them undeserved votes from the same people they have ferociously traduced, neglected and abandoned.

    I was bemused infinitely at the recent outbursts by Senator (Dr) Mohammed Abba Aji. While he granted audience to All Students’ Union and Forum of Tertiary Institutions in Borno state, led by Mohammed Bukar Ngala, Aji shamelessly proclaimed that, “The coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, was an answered Prayer to the people of the Northeast. It is my believe that, before the end of next year, Boko Haram terrorists will be thoroughly degraded and absolute peace restored to Borno and the Northeast.”

    I consider this exclamation extreme limits of clowning by a supposed leader, whilst mocking the plight of the people of the Northeast and especially, our hapless victims of terrorism in Borno state. Such poor admittance, only explains the extent to which Sen. Abba Aji has forgotten the travails of our people in the hands of Boko Haram insurgents, only to embark on guesswork. And the latest half-hearted show of concern from Aji is ennobled by his interest in the 2019 governorship seat of Borno state. But our people are neither surprised nor excited at his artificial display of sympathy.

    We all know that, Sen. Aji was part of the political leadership in Borno state that created and nourished Boko Haram insurgency in 2003. And in the desperation to grab or retain power at all cost, they nourished insurgency to despicable limits. And carelessly too, he lost track of its progression, before he went underground for the reliefs of the administration of President Buhari that were brought to the people.

    Quite ironically, the adventure which exposed us to insurgency with its devastating and humanitarian problems was to the advantage of Sen. Aji and his political goons, as he ended up representing Borno Central Senatorial district in the National Assembly between 2003 and 2007.
    It therefore, questions Aji’s level of sanity and leadership uprightness, to speak in a manner which lends credence to the fact that, he does not know that, President Buhari and the military have long degraded and defeated Boko Haram in the Northeast and Borno state in particular. It is demeaning and an unacceptable way of trying to undermine the sacrifices of the Nigerian military in quelling terrorism in the Northeast. It is unkind and callous. Yet, I think, Sen. Aji is one of the few persons in Borno state who have enjoyed the tremendous support of our people, to rise to leadership eminence at the national level. Apart from serving a term as Senator, Aji was a Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, on National Assembly Matters. But he knows nothing about our plight and tribulations because it is the least of his problems, insofar as he is safe with his family, nothing else matters, he continues to spew rubbish.

    For past three years, Sen. Aji disappeared into a self-inflicted political oblivion. He has now bounced back because he is angling to succeed Governor Kashim Shettima in 2019, on the platform of the APC. I feel nothing is wrong with his decision, because everyone has the right to contest for any elective office. And he is welcomed. But what I deem unacceptable and irresponsible, is for Aji to contemplate an open insult and mockery of the plight of our people, to the extent of exploiting their vulnerability to poverty and misery caused by terrorism to service his political ambition. He detached himself from Borno State and abandoned the people to their fate for years, believing that Boko Haram which he conspired with other political leaders to impose on our people, and nursed into near untamable monsters could not be defeated.

    However, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian military, have proved him wrong and made us proud by finally decimating and defeating Boko Haram terrorism. Though, the pains, the sorrows, the agonies and scars of terrorism are still with us.

    And leaders like Sen. Aji should be the last to stand up today to demand another round of leadership from the people and worse still anchoring campaigns on terrorism. I challenge Sen. Aji to tell us what he did to end the bitter terrorism in Borno state, even when he was very close to the Presidential aide in the capacity of an Adviser.

    Sen. Aji’s verbal eruptions are unconscionable and completely in dissonance with common sense. It is strange for him to think that, we have forgotten this so soon, that he was an integral part of the clan of leaders who brought terrorism to us. They ensured that, we were rendered completely prostrate before terrorists until the Buhari’s Presidency came to our rescue.

    May I remind Sen. Aji once again, that terrorists have not just been degraded, but also defeated. What we are experiencing in the Northeast, Borno inclusive is the fruitful clearance operations, to rout out remnants of terrorists, conducted by the Nigerian Army.

    I have no doubt that Sen. Aji is now back, to politically benefit from the prevailing peace and woes of our people in Borno state, as well as other states in the region, which were formerly under the firm grip of Boko Haram. But it can only be sensible for Aji to use a new narrative to hoodwink the people during campaigns, than resort to the terrorism narrative. And to sufficiently underscore his ignorance about terrorism, Aji does not even know the new song in town on terrorism. He does not know that the focus now, is how to solve the enormous humanitarian crisis confronting our people occasioned by terrorism.

    A sensible leader should be thinking of ways to launch and initiate schemes to develop the hundreds of thousands of unemployed youths. They are the people he abandoned after series of unfulfilled promises and a failed representation, which only catered for his personal gains.

    Neglect of youths was one of the reasons that exposed them to the temptation and mercy of the recruitment machinery of terrorists, who freely recruited them for such evil and atrocious acts. He shall please himself to launch schemes that would keep the youths meaningfully busy and halt any further recruitment of the youths by insurgents.

    Let Sen. Aji know that he is free to wake up from his slumber at any time, after dodging his own people, when they needed him most. But he cannot use Boko Haram to re-launch himself into political limelight. It is an old gimmick and it won’t work. It is distasteful and inconsistent with reality. Terrorism has been defeated by President Muhammadu Buhari and it will never rise again.

    Abba wrote from Opposite Status Hotel, Lagos Street, Maiduguri.

  • This dysfunctional National Assembly

    “Senate President Bukola Saraki has no sterner critic than this column, right from when he was Governor of Kwara State. It has remarked his overweening sense of entitlement, his predilection for cutting corners, his disdain for rules and process, and his serial disregard of the precept of noblesse oblige” – Emeritus Professor Olatunji Dare.

    And on the matter of the moment, Gbenga Komolafe writes: So people can’t see the direct causal link between Governor Sheriff arming Yusuff for political thuggery and the eventual emergence of Boko Haram, the arming of Asari Dokubo and co by Governor Odili and the eventual emergence of armed insurrection in the Niger Delta, the arming of thugs by the ‘Garrison commander’ in Ibadan and the proliferation of armed robbery in the same city? If it is true that Saraki armed the Offa robbers and used them for political thuggery, Saraki and co are vicariously liable for what those guys used the firearms given to them for. Saraki might not have sent them for armed robbery (that is too petty for a well heeled Abuja operator) but he certainly has a case to answer for creating a private army of criminals.”

    Dare, the celebrated journalism professor, has written far longer, and more profoundly than I on, or about, the medical doctor- turned politician, but God knows I have had more than a fair share of the huge interrogation Senate President Bukola Saraki has enjoyed, or endured, since he ventured into partisan politics. On 18 June, 2015,  after he just sold  off his party’s victory, gifting PDP what rightly belonged to the APC, I wrote: “… truth be told, my initial reaction to Bukola Saraki emerging the Senate President was: Yes, if a Tambuwal, why not a Saraki? Nor was that a flight of fancy because I believed, and still do, that he was as qualified as any member to be the Senate President considering his contribution to the emergence of the party.” My position would, however, change when one heard the details of his extreme disloyalty to his party and I am on record as later suggesting that he should have been promptly expelled before he bought off his senate colleagues with his tactical allocation of senate committee membership. The last of my articles about him, and the branch  of government  he has succeeded in  turning  to his personal estate the way senators pander to his every word, was as recent as 29 April, 2018  when I wrote as follows in an article I titled: “THIS  8th NATIONAL ASSEMBLY”:

    “So much has happened in the National Assembly these past two weeks that you are again  reminded that had President Buhari  not invested unbelievable faith in the integrity of  politicians, thereby believing he could work with just about anybody since ‘he was for everybody’ and believed, rather naively though, that everybody was for him, that had  Senator Bukola Saraki not crunched up for hours in the smallest of cars on the National Assembly premises all in a determined effort to  selfishly sell off his party’s victory to the opposition, and had the Oyegun –led NEC of APC  not played sissy, allowing a  man who should have been promptly expelled, to ride roughshod over the party,  the storm in a tea cup presently consuming the national Assembly could never  have happened.  The National Assembly has proved completely rudderless. When its members are not disrespecting the judiciary, ‘tearing to pieces’ the decision of a court of competent jurisdiction which said it has no powers to suspend a member, thereby denying his/her constituents representation in the national assembly  against the provisions of Nigerian constitution, they are sabre rattling, claiming they want to impeach the President”.

    If that was a few weeks ago, they are again back at it, shamelessly turning the very serious matter of impeachment into a veritable tool of blackmail. And what was the casus belli this time around? As has become the norm with Senate President Saraki, his name has come up again in totally odious circumstances with many of the ‘Offa serial murderer/bank robbers,’ giving salacious details of how, since his days as governor of Kwara State which he has also succeeded in turning to a captive state, he has allegedly provided them sophisticated weapons of ‘mass mauling’ and gifting them powerful automobiles to facilitate their nefarious activities.

    Let us capture vividly, how the police put it and all hell was let loose in our senate of unequal members: “the police have invited the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, over the Offa bank robberies of 5 April during which some police men were killed and millions of naira stolen. He was asked to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team Office at Guzape, Abuja, to answer to the allegations reportedly levelled against him by five alleged gang leaders involved in the robberies at First Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Ecobank, Zenith, Union Bank and Ibolo Micro-Finance Bank, all in Offa, Kwara State.  According to the police spokesman, the gang leaders namely, Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other 17 suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa bank robberies admitted, confessed and volunteered statements that they were political thugs of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, adding that the five gang leaders further confessed that they operate  under the name Youth Liberation Movement aka “Good Boys” and were being provided firearms, money and operational vehicles by the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, as well as Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State.

    More bewildering, however, was the discovery by the police that one of the lead gangster’s cars – incidentally a gift from the senate president – was allegedly, rapidly withdrawn  to the Kwara State house on the orders of the chief of staff to the state governor and its registration number changed,  to suggest that it was a government  vehicle.

    Ordinarily, one would have expected to see a rattled senate, completely scandalised, and eager to see its number one member, sooner than later, clear his name completely from these horrible allegations.

    But that will never be, the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria seems to enjoy luxuriating in serial scandals.

    Rather than that, we saw distinguished senators, amongst them many answering questions before anti graft agencies, waxing lyrical, in praise of their president, and, instead of being  sober, feverishly planning to confront  the president who they now claim they want to impeach as if Nigerians would be mere onlookers at such a gory attempt by a people who do nothing more than haul home no less than N14M monthly from the national purse, with hardly anything to show for their usurious life style at the expense of Nigerians, millions of who do not know where the next meal would come from.

    It has since gotten far worse. Like the Billy goat which will never learn, our distinguished national assembly members, this time of the House of Representatives, are already back, as usual, trying to criminalise two of the few, among them, who have the courage to point them in the way of rectitude in what has become a daily diet in their chambers – the threat to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari.

    As is their wont, Nigerians wouldn’t be surprised to hear that they have suspended the two members despite copious court decisions saying they lack the locus to deny Nigerian citizens of parliamentary representation.

    When these legislators look back – and  happily, we shall soon be rid of this 8th assembly – I am sure that not a few of them would come to regret how they completely misused a glorious opportunity to positively impact Nigeria, electing  instead, to be the play thing of an over ambitious member, surrounded by a colony of patronising, highly intimidated’ colleagues, who prefer to serve as armour bearers to Senate President Bukola Saraki, one of who was recently accused of always kneeling down to talk to the numero uno senator.

    Certainly, these times will soon pass.

    It was, however, heartwarming  seeing  the senate trying to rediscover itself as a serious law making branch of government, the way it reacted to President Buhari’s salvaging of the historic June 12 from the wicked embrace of very jealous and discomfited  former senior  state officials who, were they to have nine lives, can never approximate to the winner of that election.

     

  • The unrelenting Nigerian spirit

    The March 28, 2015 election was indeed like none the country had witnessed; it will go down in history as one of the most watched election on television in Nigeria – akin to watching a world cup final. We saw pictures and footage’s of women in north waiting patiently on very long queues in the blazing sun to cast their votes. Some of the women who came out to enforce their fundamental rights spent the last four years – prior to 2015 – burying husbands, children, sisters, brothers and neighbours killed by Boko Haram (BH) insurgents. These women – whose children could not go to school because of the threat of kidnap and murder, should be commended. They decided to vote even after BH threats that they should not.

    We equally saw pictures of women in the south – I saw some breast feeding their children as they waited to vote. The story from Delta State, where the women of Madangho town acted as our heroines of democracy is quite touching. After they had cast their votes, some “soldiers” drove into town and wanted to whisk the ballot papers to a neighboring village – Ajudaiboh for “collation.” It was alleged that a chieftain of one of the political parties was waiting there to conduct the “collation.” The women resisted. When the soldiers insisted, they stripped naked and harassed the armed soldiers out of town.

    It was indeed an election like no other. These brave mothers, sisters and wives were vigilant, and most importantly they knew what they wanted. They are tired of environmental pollution; they’re tired of the pains of subsistence living – hand to mouth – in a land of abundance. All they ask for is to have a clean land to fish and farm. Is that asking for too much?

    There’s something special about women when it comes to struggle. The civil rights movement in the United States of America got a boost when Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) defied the law to rise for a white man on a bus in December 1, 1955. For her action, she was dubbed “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement.” On that day in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks refused to obey bus driver James F. Blake’s order to give up her seat in the coloured section to a white passenger, after the white section was filled.

    Being with late Martin Luther King Jnr, she must have heard times without number that “freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” In Nigeria’s case, the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) became the weapon of freedom.

    We equally saw pictures of Nigerians standing in the rain to vote – like yours sincerely. We saw the elderly standing, or sitting on wheel chairs to vote. I saw the picture of an elderly citizen brought from his hospital bed, assisted by nurses, who came to vote! This is the Nigerian spirit that often refuses to die. Just like the classic Volkswagen Beetle advert of years ago said: ‘you can’t kill the beetle;’ I make bold to say you can’t kill the Nigerian spirit!

    As we were battling to vote against all odds, we also have some of our ex-Campuslife writers who were busy serving their fatherland in election duties. We are all true heroes of a country we all love and desires to be great. For once I saw Nigerians waiting without much of a fuss despite hiccups with card readers in some polling units. Some had to wait till 2am on Sunday morning for their votes to be counted; some came back the next day to continue the exercise.

    What does this tell us? It tells us that the good thing about the 2015 election is that, no Nigerian leader will take Nigerians for granted anymore; and that things would never remain the same again and it won’t be business as usual.

    In the past, we had problem with voters’ apathy as most voters believe their votes won’t count. But not today; the masses have realised that it is a suicidal strategy for them to bury their heads in the sand, hoping and praying things work out well, without their input. They’ve discovered it does not pay to sit on the fence. Today, they are now active participants in the democratic process.

    There’s also the issue of ignorance. In my opinion, the best way to enslave a people is to keep them ignorant of their rights and privileges. An example would suffice here; when slavery was abolished in America, some slaves in the South were unaware of their new status and continued working for their masters. In many ways, the Nigerian masses in a democratic setting are ignorant of their huge powers over the political elite. Again, the PVC will definitely change things for good.

    This is why the Dr. Oby Ezekwesili led Red Card Movement (RCM) should be commended for traversing the length and breadth of Nigeria raising awareness and consciousness of the power of the citizen in the democratic dispensation. Since it was unveiled on April 18, 2018 at an elaborate event held in Abuja, the federal capital, the movement has gone to the six geopolitical zones to raise voters’ consciousness.

    Reminding Nigerians of the crucial roles they have to play, Dr. Ezekwesili pointed out that the effect of the cyclical truncation of democracy in Nigeria since the termination of the First Republic in 1966  is that key institutions, systems, principles and ethos that underpin democratic practice has remained extremely problematic and largely underdeveloped. One of such key institutions are dynamic, strong, inclusive and accountable political parties that can articulate sound policy positions and inspire confidence that they – the political parties -are capable of governing effectively when voted in by the electorate.

    As a result of this lacuna, she said the movement is stepping in to sensitise Nigerians on the need to vote out bad leaders. To achieve this, the movement have outlined some programmes that would be carried out in three phases. They include #OfficeOfTheCitizen; #RedCardToAPCAndPDP; and #MyPVCMyRedCard which would be carried out in the first phase. The Office of the Citizen highlights the fundamental importance of the citizen in the democratic process as democracy thrives on active participation. RedCardToAPCAndPDP is anchored on the pedestal that neither of the two main political parties have the capacity to effect sustainable growth and development; while MyPVCMyRedCard is aimed at galvanising Nigerians who have not registered to do so and obtain their PVC – the only way they can vote out bad leaders.

    However, in the fight against bad leadership poverty remains a fundamental factor, and will remain one for a long time to come and politicians know this. But, just like we are beginning to get the electoral process right, RCM is strategically drawing citizen’s attention to the nexus between poverty and bad governance.

    I’m glad this has increased the level of political awareness among ordinary Nigerians. Nigerians are gradually beginning to embrace elections, realising that it is only by participating in the electoral process that they can effect a change in the society. I believe we are going to see a greater level of involvement in 2019 because of changing perception of Nigerians about politics. I hope it will also change our perception about governance, especially about holding our leaders accountable.

    Our vibrant youth populations have also become more politically involved in the democratic process, this is a good sign. More than ever before, they participated in the build-up to the 2015 elections by attending rallies, engaging in debates and being at the forefront in mobilisation for campaigns and the voting process. Their involvement is not surprising because they constitute about 70 per cent of the population. Their impact was also felt on social media platforms.

    In a few months’ time campaigning for the 2019 election will begin; it is becoming clear that it may likely expose and widen our fault lines like previous elections. We should guard against whipping up of ethnic and religious tension and focus squarely on issues of governance. This should be the main challenge of citizens who want the best for themselves and their children.

  • ‘National Assembly playing hungry throat politics’

    A chief in Auchi kingdom, Alhaji Usman Abudah, has described Tuesday’s impeachment threat to President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Assembly as action of “hungry throat politicians.”

    Abudah said the resolution was a package of “idle representatives of Nigerians.”

    He told newsmen in Benin City that the attitude of the lawmakers towards the purchase of 12 Tucano aircraft to enable the Nigerian military fight insurgency exposed the nonchalant attitude of the lawmakers towards the welfare of Nigerians.

    He said: “Mr President is supervising all the security agencies involved in the war against Boko Haram and is providing the needed weaponry. One is at a loss as to what the legislators want Mr President to do. To go and pick up his soldiering uniforms and match to war?

    Read Also: National Assembly draws battle line with Presidency

    “I want to believe that our politicians should realize their functions and those of the Commander in-chief pertaining to the safety of this nation. Were it in developed countries, the senate President ought to have stepped down from his position until the cases he is being tried for are concluded.

    “While I am not advocating for sanity to put into place through military coup, I responsibly re-quest our elected representatives to behave by not threatening President Muhammadu Buhari with impeachment even when themselves are not behaving better.

    “Why must they kill themselves at various levels of intimidating President Buhari with those resolutions, is nothing short of hungry throat politics. Appearing in well starched outfits is not a sincere demonstration of showing concern for the safety of the nation” he stated.

  • 9 people killed in Boko Haram attacks in Niger – Officials

    Authorities on Tuesday said nine people were killed on Monday night in Diffa city in southeast Niger in several attacks believed to be carried out by terrorist group Boko Haram.

    According to local officials on the spot, the tragedy was perpetrated by at least three suicide bombers who blew themselves up late at night in three different locations in downtown Diffa.

    The areas where the explosions occurred are cordoned off by the security Forces.

    The attacks came after a relative lull in the region, thanks in particular to the large-scale operations undertaken for over a year by a mixed multinational force composed of the armies of Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Nigeria, against the terrorist group Boko Haram.

    The localities of the Diffa region, especially those bordering Nigeria, have been suffering repeated attacks by the Nigeria-based terrorist group.

    Faced with the persistence of deadly attacks by Boko Haram, the region has been under a state of emergency since February 2015.

  • Army rescues Boko Haram sex slaves, labourers

    The Army said yesterday that it has rescued about 148 Boko Haram sex slaves and forced labourers in Modu Kimeri, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

    A statement by the Deputy Director Public Relations, Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the female hostages were sexually violated while the men and children were used for forced labour.

    He said the operation was done by troops of 21 Brigade with the support of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) as part of the counter insurgency operation

    The statement reads: “Troops of 21 Brigade, supported by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) deployed in Operation Lafiya Dole to conduct counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast have rescued 148 Boko Haram captives in Modu Kimeri, a remote village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

    “The troops rescued the hostages on June 3, during an extensive clearance operation to rid the general area of Bama, Modu Kimeri and Gulumba Gana of fleeing Boko Haram terrorists who had escaped from the ongoing troops’ onslaught in the Lake Chad Islands and fringes of the northern borders of Borno State.

    “During profiling and interrogation, the rescued hostages, comprising 15 men, 58 women and 75 children, said the women were used as sex slaves; there were two pregnant teenage girls among them.

    “The men were also engaged in forced labour. They will be promptly handed over to officials of Bama Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp for welfare and administration.

    “The troops also cleared adjoining villages including China, Sabon Gari-1, Sabon Gari-2, Sabon Gari-3 and Sabon Gari-4. Other areas cleared along the axis of operation are Nguzoduwa, Falla, Bulangala, Botori and Bula Matawa villages.

    “Additionally, 22 Dane Guns, one tool box used for fabricating local fire arms, four Boko Haram flags, a motorcycle, one bow and 20 arrows were recovered during the raid.”