The Nation Newspaper

Tag: insurgency

  • Army to partner Borno hunters to fight insurgency

    The Army said it will partner the Vigilance/Hunters Association in Borno State in the counter insurgency operations in Northeast.

    According to a statement by the spokesman, Brig.-Gen Texas Chukwu, the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division, Brig.-Gen. Abdulmalik Biu, spoke when he met with the association, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Maigana Maidarma.

    Biu urged the hunters to proffer solutions to checkmate Boko Haram insurgency.

    According to him, the meeting is timely and will allow them discuss ways to end insurgency in the region.

    The GOC called on the hunters to provide credible and information to help in the arrest of terrorists, saying fighting insurgency required collective effort.

    Maidarma assured Biu of their support and promised to leverage on the association’s knowledge of Sambisa forest in assisting the Army in its operations.

    He, however, enumerated some challenges confronting the association as lack of mobility and weapons.

  • Insurgency, Nigerian Army And A June Diary

    The decision to pen this article came to me impromptu. I stumbled on a news item on an online medium, The Sun (UK), published February 18, 2018, which flashed a blistering news caption. It boldly read; “Terror, Exchange Programme: ISIS Commanders Sneaking Jihadis Into Nigeria From Syria to Train Them for Possible Attacks on Britain,” a story written by David Willetts, the newspaper’s Defence Editor in Kaduna, Nigeria. At once my heart trembled. I quickly perused it and the chilling and startling revelations got me upset momentarily. The story also disclosed ongoing counter-terror training sessions between British and Nigerian troops in the country, all preparations to halt ISIS’ plots to consolidate its hold on the West African region.

    And a statement credited to a senior Nigerian Air Force commander, Group Captain Isaac Subi, 46, said: “They (ISIS) come and train their fighters here and some of our insurgents too are granted access to their training in Yemen and Syria, after acquiring those skills, they come back to teach others. They have this exchange programme for fighters.”

    Once again, my mind flashed back at the Nigerian Army. I took a deep reflection, reminisced on the severity of the insecurity situation in my country and, my fears further exacerbated by the contents of the news reports and looked at the gains made by the Nigerian Army in the counter-terrorism.

    Gloomily, I recollected the casual manner some “thoughtless” Nigerians dismiss our troops or seek to disparage or mindlessly lampoon soldiers. I silently scoffed at the haters of Nigeria, the cynics and skeptics.

    Then, I decided to scout for comfort by tasking myself to review what the Nigerian troops, led by the leader of the counter-insurgency war and Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai have done to curtail the monsters in the last few days. To my pleasant amazement, our troops were soaring higher and higher and they continued to deflate, suppress and subdue the unbending spirit of the terror monsters and allied armed local militias in Nigeria to give us the respite we savour at the moment.

    What again struck me immediately was, the June rescue of over 148 civilians from Boko Haram’s captivity in Modu Kimeri, an obscure village in Bama LGA of Borno, Nigeria’s Northeastern state. It happened during clearance operations launched by troops of 21 Brigade under “Operation Lafiya Dole,” assisted by Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members.

    The operation was expansive in rooting out remnants of insurgents, and it stretched to Modu Kimeri and Gulumba Gana to the Lake Chad Islands. The freed hostages, included men, Women and Children. While the victims were in captivity, females were sexually violated or used as sex slaves and men were subjected to forced labour.

    The month of June in the same Northeast, saw troops of 153 Task Battalion, in alliance with the Cameroonian Defence Forces, deployed in Operation Lafiya Dole, engage scores of terrorists on horseback in a fierce gun battle at Ngelkona in Ngala LGA of Borno State.

    And our gallant troops again, overpowered the insurgents, and at least 10 of them died in the battle, as arms and ammunitions were also recovered. And the same feat was replicated by troops of 82 Task Force Battalion of Operation Lafiya Dole, who attacked fleeing terrorists at Ngoshe in Gwoza LGA of Borno. An insurgent fell to troops bullets, while ammunitions and Improvised Explosive Devices(IED) were recovered.

    I was impressed at the fact that, another hard tackle in the raids of Boko Haram terrorists camps by Nigerian troop of 27 Task Force Battalion of Operation Lafiya Dole, in Yaridiri forest in Geidam LGA of Yobe state, shattered the insurgents. Some escaped with gunshots wounds; abandoned various rounds of ammunitions, other items and a cash sum of N2, 280,000 in the camp they fled from.

    Also, in Adamawa state last week, Nigerian Army repelled Boko Haram raids on Kaya village in Madagali LGA of the state. The timely intervention of our soldiers frustrated the terrorists from visiting the people with devastating destructions and deaths.

    And somewhere, in the Middle Belt region, where herders/farmers clashes have been infiltrated by local armed gangs, the Nigerian Army’s “Operation Whirl Stroke” is also performing wonderfully in the aid of civil security. A few days back, troops of the Nigerian Army arrested a suspected professional assassin identified as Shima Sange-ve and many other criminals during operations along the Benue/ Taraba border.

    The suspected assassin, Sange-ve confessed during interrogations, to have led the gang that brutally murdered Mr. Denen Igbana, a Senior aide on Security Matters to Gov. Samuel Ortom and also responsible for other assassinations, armed robberies, kidnappings and cattle rustling in the areas. The suspect confessed that he led three others who were paid N100, 000 each for a job by Terwase Akwaze, aka (Gana) a wanted killer.

    Thus, the Nigerian Army is not resting on its oars, but constantly reviewing and updating its counter-terrorism strategies. It recently launched “Operation Last Hold” and according to the Chief of Training and Operations ( Nigerian Army) Maj. Gen. David Ahmadu, the new operation‎ will last for four months and will be injected with six additional maneuver brigades and other critical assets into Borno State. The operation has taken the insurgency combat to higher levels of exploits.

    Therefore, it was not a surprise to me when for the first time in six years, over 2,000 IDPs in various camps, in the Northeast returned to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr at the deserted Gudumbali town in Guzamala LGA of Borno state. Intensified raids by troops of “Operation Last Hold” under the Theatre Command, “Operation Lafiya Dole recorded this feat.

    I doffed my cap for the Nigerian military, when about a fortnight ago, 68 insurgents surrendered to the Army. This followed the ceaseless and massive onslaughts on Sambisa area, within the last three weeks in an organized air and artillery bombardment of locations within the Theatre of operations.

    I was excited that despite the unyielding spirit of terrorists and satanic sophistry, nourished by the Iranian ISIS, the Nigerian Army has remained undeterred. It has demonstrated signs and performances on the battlefield to reassure and restore confidence in Nigerians, their competence and acts of justice have solved the nagging insecurity problems in our country.

    Soldiers deserve our little encouragement, to enliven their spirits to do more for us (Nigerians). I send my special accolades to Lt. General TY Buratai and our troops.

    Ugo writes from the United Kingdom.

  • Insurgency: seek physicists’ help, don tells military

    A Professor of Physics, Joseph Adeniyi Olowofela has advised the military to take advantage of the research finding of physicists to tackle Boko Haram and herdsmen attacks in some northern states.

    He spoke while delivering delivering the 56th inaugural lecture at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).  The topic was “The use of innocuous geo physical tools in discerning the bowel of the earth: A strategy for manpower Development.“

    Citing the result of a research on how soldiers can determine buried landmines in the bush, Olowofela noted that equipment recently invented could be effectively utilized by the military in the fight against insurgency in the country.

    He said “You see, the fact is that when fighting wars, landmines were buried principally to destroy their enemies. But when the war is over, some of the mines were still very active, such that even innocent people may step on it and that landmine will explode.

    “In order to carry out science to undo that, we did what we called Thermography, essentially to find out buried materials or objects. So, from the surface, you can be able to determine buried objects.  One other beautiful thing is that we have drones these days.  That means that you can also utilise the presence of drones to move to the areas that you suspect there might be landmines to carry thermometric equipment and destroy those landmines.

    “You know, when are talking about military strategy, you don’t disclose publicly because they are kept secret. However, if they come to us we will teach them this science and possibly they use them to determine landmines. “

    Olowofela, who is also the Oyo State Commission for Education, Science and Technology, blamed Nigeria’s under-development on dearth of physicists in the country.

    He lamented that there were less than 2,000 physicists produced in a country of over 190 million people.

    This, he noted, had impeded Nigeria’s technological growth and development.

    Olowofela, the Oyo State Commission for Education, Science and Technology, however said the government could implement deliberate policies to address the problem.

    “However, if we can be creative and ingenuous in our approach , as demonstrated in this lecture , we shall be able to produce quality and adequate manpower in the country and open ways to financial prosperity,”, he said.

    Dignitaries at the lecture included the Oyo state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi represented by his Deputy, Otunba Moses Alake; some members of Oyo state Executive Council, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Felix Salako , who led other members of the academia, traditional rulers, politicians and students amongst others.

  • Sweetheart deal and fight against insurgency

    The only defining feature of the age we are in today is insecurity; it runs through the family to the global stage.  Insecurity has become a natural emblem of humankind.  It has been fuelled by the proliferation of weapons; from light weapons to weapons of mass destruction.  These weapons have found themselves in the hands of non-state actors who have become merchants of death, who proselyte for strange religious credo.  Terrorism which has become genetic mutation of insecurity is threatening to bring an end to mankind.  Terrorism is promoted by very powerful individuals and countries driven by supremacists’ view and religious fanatics.  Insecurity and terrorism are further fuelled by political corruption, greed, unemployment, and inept political leadership.

    In Nigeria, we are embroiled in insecurity and there is no end in sight. In the Northeast, the targeted vulnerable group are women, school girls and the elderly.  April 14, marked the fourth anniversary of the mass abduction of over 200 young school girls from Chibok.  Four years running, about 112 of the girls are still in captivity.  In Dapchi, the heroine exemplar of faith, Leah Sharibu is still in captivity.  Yet we have a government with ubiquitous security agencies, sometimes reputed to sniff out crisp Naira notes even in the boot of vehicles miles away, but have no clue as to the whereabouts of such hordes of people.  The depth of the pain of this disaster is better imagined, and for the parents and relations of the victims, it is worst than any plague.

    The indefatigable Bring Back Our Girls Group (BBOG) by their sustained struggle is marking four years of failure and unmitigated security disaster unparallel in the history of any nation for such young school girls to be abandoned by their government.  For weeks after the abduction, there was no political decision on the matter and worst still, there was no military action.  In no time, the insurgents took more territories thereby exposing the vulnerability of our security forces that were scampering for safety at the approach of the insurgents.  As the military lament lack of platforms and equipment, their commanders were busy helping themselves with the huge money meant for the purchase of equipment.  The federal government may have considered the Boko Haram insurgents as the greatest security challenge because the insurgents were carving out Caliphate and hoisting their flags. In the southern part of Nigeria, the situation is not any better as insecurity of different hues were sweeping across everywhere. Militancy became an incubus just as kidnapping was a lucrative business supported even by communities in the South-south. Banditry and ritual killings became nightmares in the Southwest. In all these, the security forces and the police have not been able to confront the criminals and the masterminds. They instead became purveyors of ransom to the criminals in their hideouts making everyone to live in despondency.

    As if this was not enough, herdsmen have been on the rampage in the Middle Belt region and even beyond, leaving trails of tears, blood and destruction across the country.  The government approach to the security problems has not been even-handed bringing a dangerous dimension to the security problems in the country today.   Travelling on our highways is like walking in minefield for fear of armed robbers and kidnappers who lay ambush night and day.  Nigeria has become a reference point for the wrong reasons of corruption, insecurity and leadership ineptitude.

    It was only after the twin incident of Dapchi in a similar fashion like Chibok that the government has come out to tell the world that they are engaging in a back-channel negotiation to secure the release of the girls.  It is quite heretic to hear a responsible government talking about back-channel negotiation with insurgents and terrorists, not in a diplomatic engagement with a sovereign nation.  This truly calls to question again our huge investment in security and indeed the capabilities of the different heads of the security agencies.

    Since 1999, no government in Nigeria has made any serious effort to combat insecurity and insurgency.  What successive governments have done is to engage in pacification and patronage for higher political consideration than the security of life and property of citizens. This was what we saw when Obasanjo, the president, a retired General and former military leader went to pay condolence visit to the family of late Yusuf, the leader and founder of Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria.  It was therefore not difficult for his successors who were civilians without military background to reward bandits and ethnic militia leaders with juicy security and oil contracts to pacify them.  The state dumping money on insurgents and bandits in sweetheart deals has exacerbated insecurity in the country.  The pertinent question then is, what is the need of a strong, standing army and other security agencies where government prefers trade-off and negotiation with bandits in their own terms?

    Insecurity and insurgency has become a lucrative trade to some merchants in government and their international collaborators who arrange for parleys with handsome rewards to themselves and the insurgents leaving the ordinary citizens with the short end of the stick.  If our security forces cannot deal a decisive blow on these local terrorists and bandits and defeat them, then there is a dark shadow on their readiness to defend the territorial integrity of our nation.  I think Nigerians should be asking question why the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services have not been able to fish out the sponsors of the insurgency in the Northeast and masterminds of criminal gang leaders in our communities.  Our government should tell us why a sweetheart deal is preferred to lethal weapon against the insurgents and merchants of death.  All said, Nigeria need leaders who can confront our problems and not those who give excuses why they are unable to make progress due to the situations they inherited.  If there were no problems, there would not have been any need for change.

     

    • Kebonkwu Esq writes from Abuja.

  • Ways out of insurgency, by IBB

    FORMER military president Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) has proffered solutions to some of the country’s problems.

    In an interview with Channels Television last night, Babangida said one way to solve the problem of insurgency is to counter it with superior military and psychological power, while corruption should be addressed holistically.

    Babangida, who noted that the aim of the insurgents is to increase the number of casualties,  said all they mean by their nocturnal actions is that the government could no longer protect the people as the citizenry would be affected psychologically by the several attacks.

    He said: “The country is large. Borno State, for example. You can’t put a soldier in a central place. I think they are overstretched.’’

    In an answer to a question that the problem did not exist in his time, he said: ‘’I thank God.’’

    Babangida urged the government to rise to the occasion by using its enormous federal might in information gathering to know how the insurgents operate and securing important places, adding that it should also let the people know that it knows what is happening to them and that it is capable of nipping it in the bud.”

    On corruption, Babangida said all hands should be on deck, adding that the government should find out the root cause of the problem and block leakages where they exist. He mentioned the Ethical Revolution introduced by the Shehu Shagari administration and several reports by his administration.

  • Senate to debate $1b release to battle against insurgency

    •It ’ll be illegal, says House chair •PDP: National Assembly, Nigerians must challenge Buhari 

    STRONG indications emerged yesterday that the Senate will debate the approval of $1 billion by President Muhammadu Buhari for procurement of military equipment for the fight against insurgency.

    A reliable source close to the leadership of the upper chamber told our reporter that “the matter will definitely be discussed when we resume next week”.

    Last December, when President Buhari muted the idea for the $1 billion, Senator Samuel Anyanwu sought permission of the Senate to bring a motion against the matter.

    Although the permission was given to Anyanwu to present his motion the next legislative day, the motion did not see the light of the day.

    Not only was Anyanwu’s motion not listed on the Order Paper, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu sought to know why the matter was not listed on the Order Paper.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki explained that Anyanwu was not in the chamber.

    Again when the matter was brought the third day, Saraki dismissed the agitation to debate the matter, insisting that “the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not do anything unconstitutional”.

    The source, who said “the Senate would enquire why approval was given for the expenditure of $1 billion without recourse to the National Assembly”, added that “it is not a matter anybody would want to sweep under the carpet”.

    The source noted: “What is at stake is public funds and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) made it clear that no money should be spent from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, except in a manner appropriated by the National Assembly.

    “It is obvious that Mr. President has no right whatsoever to give approval for any expenditure without appropriation. We will ask questions and demand answers. Nigerians are already raising issues. The National Assembly must not be seen to keep quiet or look the other way when things are going wrong. We will dig into the approval because it is a constitutional matter.”

    Chairman, House of Representative Committee on Army Rimande Shawulu said President Muhammadu Buhari is courting trouble if he approves 1 billion dollars for arms procurement without the approval of the National Assembly.

    He said the President lacks the constitutional powers to embark on such solo procurement without the mandate of the legislature.

    Shawulu, who is representing Donga/Ussa/Takum/Special Area Constituency of Taraba State, spoke during an interview with reporters after the opening of the Second Procurement Awareness Seminar organised by the Directorate of Procurement, Army Headquarters, at the Army Resource Centre, Abuja.

    He said: “The fact of the matter is that there are processes for money coming into the federation accounts for the money to be used.

    “And other point that we must note is that a lot of times, pronouncements are policy statements which are not executed. However, it’s not as if as at that yesterday, when the announcement was made, the federation account was debited. No, it doesn’t happen that way.

    “When the president says he’s going to spend money, there’s a process that is followed before the money is spent. So I want you to understand that, it’s not as if money has gone out.”

    “However, if money has gone out without parliamentary approval, that’s a problem; it’s a very serious problem if money went out without parliamentary approval,” Shawulu asserted

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the National Assembly and Nigerians to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to withdraw $1 billion for counter-insurgency operations without getting approval from the National Assembly.

    It asked Nigerians to reject and resist what it described a renewed attempt by the Presidency to loot $1 billion from the national coffers to finance the President’s interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s national convention and his 2019 campaign.

    A statement yesterday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, urged the National Assembly to begin appropriate constitutional legislative actions against the President.

    It viewed as gross misconduct, the President’s unilateral decision to withdraw the funds without legislative approval.

     

  • Buhari releases $1 billion to battle insurgency

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has approved the disbursement of $1 billion to fight insecurity.

    The National Economic Council (NEC)  approved the spending last December.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of security meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali said: “What I can add, after all that I have said is to inform you that of recent, our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, gave approval for the purchase of more equipment for the military, worth $1 billion.”

    Stressing that the meeting was a normal meeting of security agencies in the country, he said it discussed the activities affecting most of the states in the federation, including Taraba, Zamfara and other states.

    On what to expect after the deployment in Zamfara, he said: “Well, as usual, we have operationalised a division in Sokoto. There will be a Brigade in Katsina and another Brigade in Zamfara that will take care of security situation in that area.

    “Of course, the strength of security personnel has increased including the Air Force additional quick response group; they have added enough manpower in that area.”

    On how soon the remaining Dapchi schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, would be released, he said: “Well, we are making all available efforts to see that the girl is returned safely.”

  • Buhari’s war against insurgency On course – Group 

    …Mobilizes Sambisa, North East Tour 
    The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has said that the war being waged against Boko Haram terrorists is still on course.

    The group said it will therefore mobilise 20 other  local and international NGOs to embark on a tour of Sambisa Forest, the North East and other parts of the country to ascertain the level of success in the counter-insurgency war, as well as troops’ responsiveness to emergency and the current state of affairs of the various operations being carried out by the military.
    Addressing journalists in Abuja, Joyce Ogwu the CESJET Executive Director, said it is the group’s belief that the outcome of the tour will offer insight that would dampen the distraction currently placed in the path of the military.
    She said this is imperative because of the need to allow the military focus on totally ridding Nigeria of terrorism under whatever guise.
    The group while also reacting to the various reports in the aftermath of the recent adoption of 110 schoolgirls from Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC) Dapchi, Yobe State, cautioned individuals or politicians to desist from attempting to make political gains from the tragic incident which they believe was masterminded by a faction of Boko Haram to detract troops from bringing down their last abode in the north-east.
    She said the attack by the terrorists is a desperate attempt to continue to remain relevant using propaganda as the last tool after troops decimated them into near insignificance and being used as a shield by enemies of Nigeria who wanted to see the country fail.
    “ the devious purveyors of falsehood that are milking this tragedy are creating the impression that the counter-insurgency war has halted or has failed in the aftermath of the attack on Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC) Dapchi.
    “We have found such claims to not only be untrue but also mischief at its height. Our concern is that such manipulation of reality is calculated to boost the morale of Boko Haram terrorists to regroup from their defeat. They had earlier scattered into the desert and neighboring countries after the Nigerian Army dealt them crippling blows but are now being given confidence by those that are exploiting the Dapchi girls to instigate the terrorists to come back together. We are seeing a repeat of strategies earlier deployed by Boko Haram come into play all over again.”
    She stated that the war against insurgency is very much on course and President Muhammadu Buhari still deserves commendations for all that have been achieved in this regard.

    Ogwu said while the Dapchi Girls’ kidnap is unfortunate, it is important to point out that it is still an isolated incident.

    She said, “Unlike the series of attacks in the past that showed the display of helplessness by the military, the Nigerian military has continued to maintain recovered grounds. It is apparent that those peddling negative stories about the war on insurgency do so because they believe they can instigate Nigerians to force the military to divulge full details of its strategy in the counter-insurgency war because there has been reported changes in the approach adopted against the terrorists.
    “We appeal to Nigerians not to relent in supporting the military. Many of the instances that Boko Haram attack soft targets can actually be averted through prompt and reliable information sharing. “

  • Insurgency: Shettima seeks more support for military operation

    Insurgency: Shettima seeks more support for military operation

    •Ministers,others speak at town hall meeting in Maiduguri • ‘We’re committed to return of other Chibok girls’

    BORNO Governor Kashim Shettima has urged the Federal Government to give more support to the military to conclude the onslaught on the Boko Haram before rain begins.

    He spoke when he received Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, who was in Maiduguri, Borno State, for the second special edition of the Town Hall meeting, to showcase the efforts of Federal Government and the military in the fight against insurgency.

    Other ministers at the Town Hall meeting were Minister of Interior Abudulrahman Danbazau, Minister of Defence Mansur Ali and Minister of State for Budget and National Planning Zainab Ahmed.

    Shettima said everything must be done to sustain the tempo of the ongoing fight to end the activities of the Boko Haram as soon as possible before the rain season.

    He explained that once the rain begins, it might become difficult for the military to push further owing to Sambisa forest’sterrain.

    This, he feared, might give the terrorist group the opportunity to regroup.

    The governor hailed the military operation under Gen. Nicholas Rogers’ command.

    Appealing for unity, he noted that the military operation has been able to achieve so much in the last three weeks, when compared to the last three years.

    The governor added that officers from the southern part have contributed to the relative peace achieved so far in the Northeast.

    He lambastedformer Commander of the military operation, Lafiya Dole, for incompetence.

    But Mohammed reassured the gathering that the Federal Government was committed to return of the remaining Chibok girls, who were abducted in 2014.

    He called on Borno people to cooperate with the military by providing necessary information to security agencies.

    The ministerurged the people to be very vigilant, especially now that the battle against insurgency is almost over.

    He said the Boko Haram elements, out of desperation, have resorted to bombing of soft targets.

    Mohammed added that for the town hall meeting to hold in capital and the return of night life showedthat the military had degraded the Boko Haram sect.

    He said: “The mere fact that we are gathered here in Maiduguri, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency, for this meeting is a testimony to the success that has been recorded in fighting the insurgency. In the heat of the insurgency, this would have been impossible. I am told that at least three airlines now have scheduled flights into Maiduguri. None was flying this route at the height of the insurgency. In any case, the airport was not even open for such flights due to safety and security concerns.

    “My Special Assistants, who flew into Maiduguri on Saturday, told me of how they were pleasantly surprised to see a city that was in sharp contrast to what is being painted out there: busy roads, people going about their daily chores as you would have in any normal city, and even a bubbling nightlife. On Sunday, the 30 local and international journalists, who came from Abuja to cover this town hall meeting, were taken on a guided tour of the city, both during the day and at night, by Commissioner for Information.

    “The journalists even chanced on a football league match that has just been concluded between El-Kanemi FC and Enyimba.

    “The fact that football matches are now being played in Maiduguri is a clear testament to the return of normalcy to the city.

    Mohammed added: “Let’s be clear: we didn’t get to where we are today by accident.Our gallant men and women in uniform have made all the sacrifices, including the supreme sacrifice, to bring us here. Our political and military leaders have shown leadership in getting us here, unlike in the past when, in the words of Mr. President, official bungling, negligence, complacency or collusion made Boko Haram a terrifying force. The ordinary folks have also shown great resilience and support to bring us here. We are eternally grateful to all.

    “Since this last phase of the war is intelligence-driven, we willlike to appeal to the people in the affected areas to cooperate with the military in terms of providing information, especially about fleeing Boko Haram insurgents. There is the need for vigilance now, more than at any other time.

    “More than 100 Chibok girls have so far been rescued. The government is committed to the safe return of the remaining Chibok girls, and we need every useful information we can get on their whereabouts.

    “With Boko Haram beaten and on the run, we are now tackling the post-war challenges of reintegration and rehabilitation. The schools that have been destroyed as a result of years of the insurgency are being rebuilt. The health facilities are being revamped. Overall, our humanitarian response is being scaled up, with the support of our international friends.”

    The minister also commended the state government for its massivepost-war reconstruction programme, assuring the Borno people “that you are not alone in your efforts to rebuild the state, and indeed to put in place measures to combat poverty, thus reducing the number of people who are available for recruitment by fringe elements who later metamorphous into a terrifying fighting machine”.

    Senator Ali Ndume urged the Federal Government to do more for the state.

    Hailing international organisations for coming to Borno State’s aid in addressing the challenges as a result of the activities of the Boko Haram, Ndume said the Federal Government has not done enough.

    Citing the N45 billion budget of the Federal Government for the Northeast in the 2018 budget, he said it was grossly inadequate to do anything, especially when compared to $750 million (N130billion) from the development partners.

     

  • Insurgency, drought destroy farms in Borno

    Insurgency, drought destroy farms in Borno

    Boko Haram militants, drought and pests have wreaked havoc on farmlands in Borno State, leading to low output and huge losses to farmers.

    About 1,800 hectares of rice wilted due to drought in some parts of the state, according to the farmers.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the rice farms were affected by pest infestation.

    Read Also: Boko Haram, drought, pests destroy farms in Borno

    Some farmers at the Biriri and Koshebe rice plantations said the incident dashed their hopes for a bumper harvest.

    Hajja Amina Isa, a rice grower, blamed the pests and drought for her woeful cropping season.

    Isa said she planted her crops several weeks into the rainy season but the rain stopped before the plants matured.

    She said: “There were delays in the distribution of farm inputs to enable us cultivate our land on time. Few weeks after planting the fields; the rain stopped. We complained and water pumps and tube wells were provided to enable us save the plants through irrigation. Nonetheless the plants wilted.

    “Ravaging quelea birds further destroyed what remained of the plantations.”