The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji

  • Group demand arrest of Ahmad Salkida, wants media to support the war against Boko Haram.

    The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria has expressed its worry, over what it termed the reactionary activities of some media organizations, particular some  online newspapers and some self styled Social Media commentators, in their manner of reportage on the current activities of the Boko Haram sect, by promoting their recent renewed attacks in the North Eastern part of the Country , while deliberately denigrating the Nigerian military, particularly the Nigerian Army and it’s leadership in this false representation of ” some attack on Military formations and some isolated attacks on soft targets by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
    The group in a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos and jointly signed by Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and John Atani Esq, Convener and Secretary respectively, expressed worry over what the group called undue patronage being giving to the Boko Haram, by these online media and bloggers, saying  that such publicity emboldens the terrorists and make them extremely proactive in their deadly operations, which has claimed lives of several Nigerians.
    The group also demanded for the arrest of a blogger,   Ahmad Salkida, a controversial journalist known for having access to the leadership of the insurgent Boko Haram group, accusing him, of using his position as the “Unofficial spokesman of the Boko Haram sect” to distract the war against insurgency, by releasing not only false informations about the recent attack being perpetrated by the Boko Haram, but also exposing vital information regarding military formations and operations, which is increasingly endangering the lives of troops and other security agencies, battling the insurgents, in the Northeastern part of the country.
    The group described Salkida as a rumour peddlers, saboteur and blackmailer whose activities are laced with the ulterior motives, aimed at distracting the war against insurgency.
    “A close look at the activities of Ahmad Salkida clearly shows that he is always out to tarnish the image of the Federal Government and the Nigerian Military, while also celebrating the isolated cases of Boko Haram attacks on our gallant troops, with the sole aim of emboldening these terrorists, whose major tools have been propaganda and deceit, often dissseminated to the public by Salkida”.
    “There is no doubt,  that Ahmad Salkida has links to Abubakar Shekau and we call on the Federal Government to invoke the relevant laws of the land,  most especially the Terrorist Prevention Act 2011(as amended) in arresting and prosecuting Salkida” the statement said.
    ‘‘As patriotic Nigerians, we salute the professionalism of majority of practitioners in the media industry today, even though we are deeply worried and wish to ask other media operatives to understand the current situation and its implications not only on our national security, but also on the lives of the teeming millions of our people in the region, and support the Nigerian military, to defeat these insurgents, which the military has been doing their best, to bring to an end. There is no doubt, that overtime, these terrorists have been extremely proactive with the use of information dissemination. This is why we are worried about the type of publicity, they are being given because that is what keeps them going. We are of the view, that by the time these criminal elements are denied such publicity they are enjoying in the media, they will lose strength.”
    The group also said Nigerians need to be aware, of how information could be disseminated, taking cognizance of national security interest and the interest of our gallant men and women, fighting day and night, in the war front. While calling on the media practitioners to be patriotic in reporting terrorism, the group also urged the media mostly the online media practitioners to crosscheck their facts before going to the press.

  • Disregard call for sack of service chiefs, group urges Buhari

    The National Committee of Yoruba Youth has urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to disregard the calls being made in some quarters, for the sack of the nation’s Service Chief over increasing violence being witnessed in some part of the country.

    The group said it based his position, on the politicization of the violence being witnessed in some parts of the country, whereas, “people who are supposed to work with government and the affected communities, as stakeholders, have resorted into making political gains, out of these unfortunate incidences that has led to the loss of lives on many Nigerians and properties.” The group further said it sees these calls, “as a serious attempt at demoralizing the nation’s armed forces, who are currently engaged in tackling series of insurgencies and internal security challenges, many of which are politically motivated, by some self serving politicians and their sympathisers”

    The group’s position is contained in a statement issued and signed on its behalf in Ibadan on Tuesday, by its President, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji.

    “We are really dismayed, over the inability of these persons, who are desperate about making political gains through the present situation, and are spearheading the call for the sack of the service chiefs, to acknowledge the efforts and landmark achievements, that have been made by the Nigerian military in the fight against insurgency, and other form of banditry across the nation, over the past few months.”

    “As patriotic Nigerians, we have observed the series of a well-funded and politically orchestrated falsehood and campaign of calumny against our Military especially the Nigerian Army from some politicians and self serving individuals. While it is an open secret that some unpatriotic politicians, are behind the recruitment and arming of these various ethnic militias terrorising our various communities. We also strongly condemn the attempt to politicise our nation’s security and the patriotism and selflessness of our service chiefs and their personel.” the statement added

    The group thereby urged President Buhari and Nigerians , to ignore the calls, while also urging Nigerians to support the nation’s security agencies, in tackling the ugly trend of violence presently being witnessed in some parts of the country. It also urged the Federal government to improve its financial obligations to the nation’s armed forces, in order to improve their capacity, towards effectively tackling the unfortunate crisis, being witnessed in some parts of the Country.

  • Coalition threatens to force Amnesty International out of Nigeria.

    The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria have asked International right group,  Amnesty International (AI) to quit its operation in Nigeria or face a possible Mass Action by the Nigerian people, over what it termed as the  “covert and clandestine operations of the AI, meant to undermine Nigeria’s National  security and foreign policies, through deliberate inciting and false allegations against the Nigerian Military”

    At a Press briefing in Ibadan on Thursday, Convener of the  group, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji said “We have observed that AI  activities in Nigeria are undoubtedly  covert and clandestine operations meant to undermine our security and foreign policies, by deliberately, inciting and making false allegations against our Military,  especially the Nigerian Army.  Whereas, we have gathered from close monitoring that this covert operatives of AI are also working with some local collaborators who are politically exposed including  a former Nigerian president,  who is hell bent on bringing down the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for selfish and self serving reasons.”

    According to the group, the AI through many of its actions in Nigeria, especially it frequently released reports, have constituted itself as an agency, that embolden the activities of  terror groups such as Boko Haram by continuously portraying the Nigerian security agencies as the aggressors.

    “We wish to emphatically state, that Nigerians have had enough of the absurdities and campaign of calumny by the Amnesty International and therefore demand, that it quits its operations in Nigeria, with immediate effect, as we can no longer allow such self serving organisation like AI, to continually undermine our National security, at the detriment of the lives and properties, of our innocent citizens.”

    “Having constituted itself as a clog in the wheel of progress of our gallant security forces, who have continued to give their best, including sacrificing their lives, for our protection and that of our territorial integrity, we wish to state, that we shall no longer tolerate  these deliberate acts of sabotage and  compromise of national security by the Amnesty International.”

    Odeyemi further said that failure of Amnesty International to quit Nigeria, as demanded by the group, would leave the Coalition, with no other option than to employ any legitimate means, to force Amnesty International out of the country.

  • Group commends 10-man panel to probe bias in military

    The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria, has described the report of the 10-man panel constituted to probe allegations of bias, aiding and abetting leveled against the Nigerian Army by a  former Chief of Army Staff, General TY Danjuma, and some partisan individuals in its Military Operations in Taraba state and some part of the North Central  geopolitical zone of the Country as a welcome development.

    The group in a statement issued in Lagos, and jointly signed by its Convener and Secretary, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and John Atani respectively lauded the panel for doing a diligent assignment, which vindicated the group’s earlier position and cleared the army of involvement in any negative act whatsoever, as accused by General Danjuma and some politicians. It also  congratulated the Nigerian Army, saying Nigerians never doubted that the army had been professional in its approach, towards prosecuting the war against terrorism,  insurgency and other forms of criminalities, many of which are politically motivated, across the country.

    The group further asserted that  Nigerians will continue to support the army in its quest to protect law abiding citizens from any form of internal and external aggressors.

    The Coalition called on the federal government, to immediately bring to book, perpetrators of ethnic violence and state sponsored militias across the country, particularly in Benue and Taraba States.

    “We are undoubtedly convinced that the essence of the allegations by General TY Danjuma and subsequently by Mr Ishiaku Darius, Executive Governor of Taraba State is to distract the officers and men of the Nigerian Army, from achieving its objective of flushing out criminal elements, who are falsely creating ethnic tensions across some states of the country, including Taraba. We are delighted, about the exoneration of the Nigerian Army, which was cleared of any wrongdoing as an institution and we see this as the removal of obstacles that terrorist sponsors had tried to place in the way of the army to reduce its ability to protect Nigerians.” the statement added.

    The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria, has described the report of the 10-man panel constituted to probe allegations of bias, aiding and abetting leveled against the Nigerian Army by a  former Chief of Army Staff, General TY Danjuma, and some partisan individuals in its Military Operations in Taraba state and some part of the North Central  geopolitical zone of the Country as a welcome development.

    The group in a statement issued in Lagos, and jointly signed by its Convener and Secretary, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and John Atani respectively lauded the panel for doing a diligent assignment, which vindicated the group’s earlier position and cleared the army of involvement in any negative act whatsoever, as accused by General Danjuma and some politicians. It also  congratulated the Nigerian Army, saying Nigerians never doubted that the army had been professional in its approach, towards prosecuting the war against terrorism,  insurgency and other forms of criminalities, many of which are politically motivated, across the country.

    The group further asserted that  Nigerians will continue to support the army in its quest to protect law abiding citizens from any form of internal and external aggressors.

    The Coalition called on the federal government, to immediately bring to book, perpetrators of ethnic violence and state sponsored militias across the country, particularly in Benue and Taraba States.

    “We are undoubtedly convinced that the essence of the allegations by General TY Danjuma and subsequently by Mr Ishiaku Darius, Executive Governor of Taraba State is to distract the officers and men of the Nigerian Army, from achieving its objective of flushing out criminal elements, who are falsely creating ethnic tensions across some states of the country, including Taraba. We are delighted, about the exoneration of the Nigerian Army, which was cleared of any wrongdoing as an institution and we see this as the removal of obstacles that terrorist sponsors had tried to place in the way of the army to reduce its ability to protect Nigerians.” the statement added.