The Nation Newspaper

Tag: insurgency

  • Insurgency: FCTA to establish emergency committees

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced a plan to set up an emergency management committee in each of the six area councils to immediately cater for vistims of insurgency.

    Director Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Agency, Alhaji Abbas Idriss explained that officials of the local emergency would be the first responders.

    Public Relations Officer, FCT Emergency Agency Josephine Mudasiru revealed this in a statement.

    The statement quoted Idriss as saying that the first responders at the recent bomb blasts would have been officials of the local emergency agency if they had been set up by then.

    She also stated,”Referring to the recent bomb blast in Kuje Area Council, the Director said that if the LEMCs had been in place they would have been the first people on the scene before the arrival of FEMA and other stakeholders.

    “Alhaji Abbas Idris reiterated the importance of the local Emergency Committee in risk reduction; pointing out the fact that LEMCs are resident at the scene of disasters, they respond promptly thereby reducing the number of casualties against waiting for assistance from the city.

  • SAN, others seek end insurgency

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oladipo Okpeseyi, has said the fight against terrorism can not be left to the government alone.

    Speaking at the Public Interest Symposium organised by the Island Club in Lagos, he said the government needs more backing from the international community.

    Okpeseyi, who is the club’s president, said part of its objective is to assist government in conceptualising people oriented policies.

    He said through the symposium series, the club is contributing it’s quota to intellectual discourse and issues of governance.

    The guest lecturer, Maj. Gen Adewunmi Ajibade (rtd), said insurgents must be defeated for there to be meaningful development.

    According to him, if the fight against terror is to be won, there must be full implementation of anti-terror laws.

    He said there should be an Office of National Security Strategy which will be tasked with designing and modifying strategies to combat insurgency.

    “We must continue to define our strategies,” Ajibade, who served as Commander, Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, said.

    Besides, he said the government must deepen democracy and end corruption so as to stop looting which leads to poverty.

    He said if the country’s wealth is well distributed, the poverty rate will reduce and will make it more difficult to manipulate the poor for evil ends.

    Ajibade said the Strategic Counter Terrorism (CT) Policy must also be fully implemented and reviewed perodically.

    He added: “The fight against terrorism must be carried out through a multi-dimensional approach using all instruments of the state, power diplomacy, economic action, law enforcement, financial action, intelligence action, psychological operations and military action, where and when necessary.

    “Cooperation among the military and other security forces must be enforced, while competition among the security forces must be reduced to the barest minimum.

    “Actions of the security forces must be steadfast and determined; it must obey rules of engagements, rules of war and the Geneva conventions.

    “Actions and measures taken by security forces must be humane to win the hearts and minds of the people, and be able to guarantee their full support and provide the forces with the needed information voluntarily.

    “Nigeria must explore to the fullest the exploitation of psychological operations/warfare, as part of the propaganda/counter propaganda war against terrorists organisations,” he said.

     

  • Buhari applauds Armed Forces’ resolve to end insurgency

    Buhari applauds Armed Forces’ resolve to end insurgency

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday commended Nigerian Armed Forces’ resolve to speedily end insurgency and all forms of terrorist activities in the country.

    The president gave the commendation while addressing officers, troops and newly commissioned cadets at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna.

    He stated that the Federal Government was pleased with the Armed Forces’ resolve to end the insurgency facing the country once and for all.

    Buhari, however, reaffirmed his administration’s total commitment to the rule of law and warned that proven acts of human rights violation by the Armed Forces would be punished.

    He emphasised that the rule of law applied to the Armed Forces as much as any other institution in the country.

    “I wish to remind you of the Federal Government’s commitment to overhaul the rules of engagement and improve operational and legal mechanisms so that disciplinary steps are taken against proven human rights violations by the armed forces.

    “We are committed to a thorough investigation of recent and any future occurrences of human rights violations by elements of our Armed Forces.

    “While I applaud the integrity and sterling record of the Armed Forces as an institution, this administration will insist on the rule of law, and deal with any proven cases of deviation from laws of armed conflict, including human rights abuses.

    “In operational conduct Nigerians expect our Armed Forces to keep law and order, and not to behave like bullies.

    “Let me reiterate this administration’s commitment to due process, merit and total observance of the rule of law as central pillars of a prosperous and democratic society.

    “Rule of law as an element of good governance applies to the Armed Forces as much as any institution in our country.

    “It is therefore gratifying that all three Services have recently taken steps to emphasise strict adherence to rules in recruitment, promotions, procurement, project executions and civil-military relations,’’ he said.

    The president said security remains the most important challenge in his Administration’s “Change” Programme.

    According to him, the nation expects exemplary conduct and professionalism from officers and men of its Armed Forces at all times and in all situations.

    “The objectives of our fight against terrorism cannot be realized without a credible and effective military.

    “You must avoid any behaviour that will tarnish your honour and dignity as commissioned officers.

    “Your commitment and loyalty to the Armed Forces and the nation must be total.

    “I urge you to take your roles in the ongoing process of rebuilding our Armed Forces very seriously,” the President told the newly inaugurated officer Cadets of the NDA’s 62 Regular Course and Short Service Course 43.”

    Buhari assured them of his Administration’s determination to ensure the speedy provision of platforms and equipment needed to win the war against terrorism and meet their long term needs.

     

  • Air Force rotates counter insurgency troops

    Air Force rotates counter insurgency troops

    The Nigerian Air Force has rotated members of its ground forces fighting alongside troops of the Nigerian Army in the ongoing counter insurgency campaign.

    The troops, who have spent more than six months in the Northeast, were being replaced by others assembled from the various Air Force units.

    A statement issued yesterday by the Air Force Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said latest troop rotation was in line with operational practice.

    “It is aimed at reinvigorating the minds of the personnel and their commitment to the ongoing fight against the Boko Haram terrorists by replacing the weary hands with fresh ones. The rotation also has the corollary effect of morale boosting for the troops,” Alonge said.

    The statement added that subsisted troops had already been airlifted with the NAF C-130H aircraft from the theatre of operation to their various units.   “During the short but colourful ceremony, the Commander of 79 Composite Group Maiduguri, Air Commodore Chris Egwoba, on behalf of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, commended the efforts of the gallant airmen and wished them success in their future endeavours,” the statement added.

    In a related development, Toyota Nigeria Limited yesterday donated five Hilux vans to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Maiduguri, Borno State to aid the ongoing counter insurgency campaign in the Northeast.

    The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, who received the vans, expressed profound gratitude to the management and staff of Toyota.

    A statement issued by the Acting Director of Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar yesterday quoted Gen. Olonisakin as describing the company’s gesture as a show of public support and approval for MNJTF actions.

    “This donation is a laudable one and very timely too. This shows that the fight against Boko Haram insurgency will come to an effective end, going by the presidential directive.

    “The provision of adequate security, not only in the northeast but in all corners of the country, is a task that must be done and done quickly too,” Olonisakin was quoted to have said.

    The CDS, who was represented at the occasion by Air Vice-Marshal Olutayo Oguntoyinbo, promised that the Hilux vans would be used to ensure the success of the operation against all forms of guerrilla movements and cross-border crimes around the Lake Chad Basin.

    While charging soldiers to make maximum use of the vehicles, he urged other companies and corporate organisations in Nigeria and countries around the Lake Chad Basin to emulate Toyota’s noble gesture.

    He called on Nigerians to come forward and support the Nigerian Military in the ongoing campaign against terror.

    In his own remarks, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the vehicles would be used effectively to achieve the MNJTF’s mandate of defeating the Boko Haram terror group in all the areas they occupied.

    “The Hilux van would be put to most effective use for the achievement of the three mandates of MNJTF, namely to defeat the insurgents in all the countries they exist whether in Nigeria, Niger Republic, Chad or Cameroon, and to facilitate the humanitarian and logistics needs of troops in the conduct of their duties by providing escort and security for them.

    The Army Chief was also quoted to have said the vehicles would be used for the distribution of materials to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), to re-establish state authority and to create safe environments for displaced persons to return to their villages and live a normal life.

    The COAS also described the gesture by Toyota as a very important role in the realization of the presidential directive of routing out terrorists in three months.

    He added that in addition to using the vehicles for patrol purposes, they would also be used to escort humanitarian support aid to IDPs and to re-establish civil authority by conveying them to their villages.

    Toyota Nigeria’s Managing Director, Mr. Kunle Adeojo, was quoted as saying that members of his management board had agreed to support the Armed Forces with the donations.

    Adeojo said fighting against insurgents needed the support of all nations and all companies.

    He said: “Doing this is a worthy cause indeed for the singular fact that businesses and potential can only be fully maximised in a safe and secure society.

    “That is why Toyota reckons that the crusade against insurgency deserves the support and solidarity of all, hence the donation of these pick-up vans to aid your operations.”

  • Army uncovers plot to undermine counter-insurgency operation

    Army uncovers plot to undermine counter-insurgency operation

    The Nigerian Army says it has uncovered a plan by some foreign media in partnership with collaborators in Nigeria to undermine ongoing operations to end insurgency in the country.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman.

    Usman said the plot was to be executed via another false claim of human rights violation by troops in operation.

    He said the development was unfortunate and capable of frustrating the efforts of the military, while reiterating that troops and their commanders in the frontline would remain focused.

    According to Usman, the Nigerian Army would like to reiterate and renew its commitment to upholding human rights principles and practice.

    “It has come to our knowledge that some foreign media, Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and some of their Nigerian affiliates are about to start making false claims of human rights violations by the Nigerian Army.

    “It is clear that these groups and their collaborators are not happy with the progress made in the efforts to solve the security problems bedeviling our nation as manifested in the terrorists’ activities.

    “The implication of such act is not lost on us as it is capable of thwarting the gains in the fight against terrorism and insurgency, ‘’ he said.

    The acting Army spokesman described the sponsors of the new plot to discredit the army as “unscrupulous, unpatriotic and driven by material and pecuniary gains rather than the wellbeing of Nigerians’’.

    He said the Nigerian Army had been protecting human rights and would not be party to any breach in Nigeria or during any of the military’s operations.

    He, however, stressed that the army would not give in to antics that were calculated at frustrating ongoing efforts to liberate parts of the North-East plagued by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    “We would not condone any human rights abuses.

    “Where there are allegations of human rights violation by any individual or group, this would be thoroughly investigated and those found guilty would be brought to book in accordance with extant laws.

    “Therefore, the Nigerian Army would not succumb to blackmail and neither would it be distracted from its determined effort of defending the territorial integrity of our great nation and safeguarding the security of its citizens,’’ Usman said.

  • Naval chief seeks prayers to end insurgency

    Naval chief seeks prayers to end insurgency

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas, yesterday urged Nigerians to support the military with prayers to overcome security challenges posed by Boko Haram and those at sea.

    He said he and other Service chiefs would not disappoint the nation in tackling insurgency.

    Ibas, who made the plea at a quiet thanksgiving service at the First Baptist Church in Area 11, Abuja, said it was God, who had seen him to the top of his career.

    He said: “As a nation, we are undergoing security challenges, both at sea and in the Northeast. While the military is doing its best to address these challenges, Nigerians need to support us with prayers to bring insurgency to an end.

    “We will not let this nation down until these challenges are curtailed. We have to pray to God to assist us to bring up young men and women who will be productive.”

    Supported by members of the 26th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Ibas said he joined the Navy by divine intervention.

    He added: “My journey so far has been the one I give glory to God. I did not know I will join the military. But in 1979, God changed my story. I was seated at home when a cousin of mine came with an NDA form.

    “He said having got the form; he was not interested in military service. He asked if I was interested. I did not know what it was all about but I collected the form and I filled it. Today, here I am thanking God for His mercy all through my career.

    “It is God that has taken charge of my life, I remain grateful to the Almighty God for His divine touch on me.”

    In his sermon, Rev. Israel Akanji, whose 54th birthday coincided with the thanksgiving, said: “The Chief of Naval Staff is an unassuming member of the First Baptist church. After his appointment as the Chief of Naval Staff, he came to this church last week without telling anyone, he went about his normal church activities. But somebody drew my attention to his elevation and I was shocked he could keep such a feat to himself and his family. You can see his mien; he is a man who gets it right.

    “The President said he never met all the Service chiefs but their records spoke for them. This means they earned their elevation.

    “From what the President did, we should have absolute faith in God. The Lord has repeatedly assured that if He opens a door, no one can close it. When God wants to bring you to the limelight, he knows how to do it.”

    Akanji asked Ibas to offer more selfless service to the nation as he had always done.

    He said: “What people often forget is that people in their position run the country with the President.

    “God will assist you to shepherd with integrity and skilful hands.”

    Those at the service were Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Dr. Sarah Alade; Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Prof. Dibu Ojerinde; former Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Media and Publicity Eseme Eyibo; Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company Mr. James Olotu; Samson Osagie; Chief of Staff to Niger State Governor,  Mikhail Bmitosahi; former Chief of Defence Intelligence, (CDI), Rear Admiral Gabriel Okoi (rtd) and members of the NDA 26th Course.

  • Shettima urges Islamic scholars to fight insurgency

    Shettima urges Islamic scholars to fight insurgency

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shetitima has urged leading scholars with mass appeal, to discourage young men from being recruited into Boko Haram.

    The governor said the scholars should fight the ideology through preaching, noting that their silence on the matter would not help the situation.

    Shettima made the observation when he delivered a paper titled: “Democracy and Security in Northeast, Nigeria -a case study of Borno” at a fellowship and award dinner organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    The event took place at Sheraton Hotel in Abuja.

    He said: “Changing the ideology of the Boko Haram will require intellectual roles by leading Islamic scholars with mass appeal. It is most disturbing to note that today in northern Nigeria, there is no single Islamic scholar that preaches against the Boko Haram ideology and the reason is because everyone is afraid.

    “Leading scholars like Sheikh Jaafar Mahmud Adam and Sheikh Albani Zaria who vehemently preached against the ideology have been killed. In Maiduguri, scholars like Sheikh Ibrahim Gomari, Malam Bashir Gomari and over 30 different scholars who were opposed to the Boko Haram ideology have all been killed.

    “Today, the only group in the north that can speak against the sect are holders of public offices, who have security men surrounding them. It is hugely important for us to identify Islamic scholars with the intellectual depth and mass followers to change the Boko Haram narrative so that we can save young souls from listening to the sect.”

    The governor explained that the scholars must be provided with the support.

    Shettima added: “They must be with maximum security not only them, but their families as much as public office holders are adequately protected. These scholars will be performing very important national security assignments that are as important as those of any public office holder, no matter how highly placed.”

    The governor blamed the trend on the democratic institutions, for failing to address the problem at the early stage.

    He also blamed leaders and himself for not rising up to the occasion and the journalists for unknowingly helping insurgents.

    The governor said: “We all have roles to play in addressing the insurgency because we all contributed in the making whether by indifference; by directly fueling it; by failing to address it or by standing in the ways of those who make efforts to address the problems. No active group is free from blame, from those of us who are political actors to even journalists. Shettima said, in exercising its freedom of expression and sharing of information, the media has had running battles with those in the position of authority; especially security agencies. He said security agencies devise strategies aimed at fighting insurgents, but these strategies end up being disclosed by the media. He added: “In some cases, deployments made to haunt insurgents get reported, thus giving insurgents clues about number of boots coming after them, sometimes including telling the world the routes being taken by troops. Insurgents in turn prepare to ambush troops. Apart from these instances, certain avoidable reports give undue superiority to Boko Haram, which boost their confidence. In fact, disorganized commanders of boko haram rely on the media to reach their fighters.  I remember with serious concerns, how a particular media house reported in April, 2015, that leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau was calling on his followers to continue fighting and not to relent in their struggles. A national and otherwise respected media house reported this. I also remember how another media house reported someone calling himself a soldier, alleging that Nigerian troops were behind Boko Haram attacks and I was wondering how unreasonable it was for someone to declare that his only eyes with which he sees are rotten, when the alternative to those eyes, is simply blindness. “What do we do if we are made to believe that those who are our only hope are those killing us? That would be a hopeless situation. These instances however, are not to say that the media hasn’t helped in the fight against Boko Haram. “The media has done far more positive things than posing some challenges. Journalists even sacrificed their lives in an attempt to expose activities of insurgents. The media remains a hero in the fight against insurgency.”

  • Insurgency: British security experts train policemen

    Insurgency: British security experts train policemen

    Some British security experts have arrived the country to provide expertise training for men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) across the country.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony on Special Weapon and Arms Training (SWAT) for the first batch of policemen at the Mobile Police Training College, Ila-Orangun in Osun State, the Commandant of the College, Dankwara Mohammed, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said the programme was timely, particularly with the federal government’s renewed efforts to put a total end to Boko Haram insurgency and other insecurity challenges facing the nation.

    According to Mohammed, the special training programme, which will hold in batches, was designed for all men and officers cutting of the force.

    He further disclosed that the training will comprise a combined unit of counter terrorism, the close protection unit, the anti-bomb among others.

    Mohammed commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, for the initiative, which he said would be beneficial to men and officers of the force.

    He further expressed delight that the training will reposition the force to tackle rising crimes in the country, including insurgents, kidnapping and armed robbery.

    He said: “SWAT is a programme for most responsive action initiated by the British and American police. The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, considered it necessary to upgrade the combat readiness initiative for members of the Force.”

    The commandant advised participants to take the programme with utmost seriousness, while warning them to maintain discipline throughout the duration of the programme.

  • Insurgency: British security experts in Nigeria to train policemen

    Insurgency: British security experts in Nigeria to train policemen

    Some British security experts have arrived the country to provide expertise training for men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force across the country.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony on the Special Weapon and Arms Training (SWAT) for the first batch of policemen at the Mobile Police Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, the college’s commandant, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dankwara Mohammed, said the programme was timely, particularly with the Muhammadu Buhari administration renewed effort to put total end to the Boko Haram insurgency and other insecurity challenges facing the nation.

    He said the force was collaborating with the foreign security experts under the aegis of IBT Associates Limited, a consultancy firm, which is  in  partnership with Field Security Services.

    Mohammed further said the special training programme, which would hold in batches, was designed for  all the men and officers, cutting across the rank and file of the force.

    He said the training would comprise a combined unit of counter-terrorism, the close protection unit and the anti-bomb, among others.

    He praised  the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, for the initiative which, he said, would upgrade men and officers of the force.

    He said the training, no doubt, would reposition the force to tackle rising crimes in the country and make its men be in control to crack the Boko Haram insurgents, kidnappers, armed robbers and other violent criminals in the country.

    He said:“The SWAT is a programme for most responsive action initiated by the British and American police. The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, considered it necessary to upgrade the combat readiness initiative for the members of the force.”

    Mohammed said the training programme would take four weeks for each batch of participants, adding that the first batch had been inaugurated on July 29.

    The commandant advised the participants to take the programme serious for effective result, warning them against malingering and to obey the college rules and to maintain discipline throughout the duration of the programme.

    He urged them to consider themselves lucky and privileged as the elite of the Nigeria Police to be trained by the British police officers.

    While speaking further on the nature of the programme, the commandant said: “As soon as members of the first squad who are currently in training finish the programme, another squad would fall in immediately. Each squad is traditionally 63 in number. It is a continuous training programme. Possibly, all the police officers from the rank of inspector will be trained. That is the target of the IGP.”

  • Boko Haram no longer a fighting force – former Air Chief

    Boko Haram no longer a fighting force – former Air Chief

    Immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu‎ Thursday said the military has decimated terrorist group Boko Haram to the point that the sect can no longer fight.

    He made the disclosure in Lagos at a reception for a meritorious service organised in his honour by people and monarch of Badagry monarch.

    Amosu who expressed hope that insurgency by Boko Haram sect will soon be in the past, maintained that the military has successfully pushed the group to a point where they can no longer fight.

    “We thank God today that the end of boko haram is very close. We have done sufficiently and we are winning the war. It is just left for the people that took over from us to complete the job,” he said.

    While noting that most of the terrorists were teenagers not more than 15 years of age, ‎Amosu advised that young people should not be neglected to avoid their becoming ready recruits for such groups.

    “We should not neglect our youths and get them into the hands of terrorists. We are going to concentrate on making sure that our (Badagry) youths become educated and stakeholders in the Nigerian equation.

    ”We must set up a programme where we can give our youths the opportunity to be able to serve at the state and federal level,” he said, commanding the monarch, Oba Aholu Menu-Toyi 1‎ for the grand reception and chieftaincy title conferred on him.

    For serving Air Force personnel, Amosu urged them to remain hard-working and committed in their service to the nation.

    ”This should be the guiding principle from now on. We have started to see the result of hardwork,” he said.