THE Senate yesterday resolved to ask the Federal Government to mandate the Army, Navy and other security agencies to assist the police in its quest to rid Lagos State, particularly the creeks in Lagos East, of criminal syndicates.
It urged the government to direct the inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to instruct the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, to beef up the strength of the task force constituted to secure the affected creeks and communities.
The Senate advised the government to direct Idris to make available sufficient helicopters for aerial surveillance and gunboats to the Marine department of the Lagos State Police Command to enable it to tackle activities of militants.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on “the urgent need for the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies to intervene in the increased rate of kidnapping in the Lagos East Senatorial District and securing the water ways”.
Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East), who sponsored the motion, noted the increase of criminal syndicates, which specialise in kidnapping/militancy in and around communities in Lagos East, particularly Kosofe, Epe, Ikorodu and Ibeju Lekki local government areas.
Ashafa said criminals have forced law-abiding residents of coastal/riverine communities to flee.
He expressed concern that on Friday, April 7, Mr. Ademola Salami, a 42-year-old plank dealer, was kidnapped in Ise community in Ibeju Lekki area by a gang of seven dare-devil abductors, who escaped in a gunboat via the river.
The abductors, he said, demanded N100 million as ransom for his release.
Ashafa said: “The situation is now so bad that even prominent citizens of Ise community, including HRM, Kabiyesi Onise of Ise, Oba Ganiyu Adegbesan, has had to vacate the community due to the level of insecurity in the area.”
He said it is disturbing that for the past seven years, a divisional police station commissioned in Ise had been a ghost of itself as no police officers were deployed there until the recent attack.
He noted that a publication had the report of the case of two sand dredgers, who were kidnapped in Ibeju Lekki by kidnappers that also stormed the community in a gunboat.
Ashafa recalled that between April and July, 2016, there were reports of militant activities in some communities in Ikorodu, including Elepete, Agbede, Ishawo and Igbo-Olomu, which led to the death of residents.
He said the militants were equally reported to have stormed the communities through the creeks using gunboats.
The lawmaker said he was “alarmed that the recent kidnap incidents have assumed a totally new and disturbing dimension in the sense that on April 9, an army Captain, identified as Muhammed, two other rank soldiers, four policemen, and a civilian lost their lives after suspected militants attacked Ishawo, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
“The late security operatives were responding to a distress call after the militants stormed and kidnapped some residents of Woodland Estate, close to the Ishawo creeks with about 10 speedboats, according to reports relayed online.
“It was also reported that other innocent citizens, who were seriously injured are now receiving treatment at the Ikorodu General Hospital,” he lamented.
He said it was obvious that the activities of the criminal syndicates have caused untold hardship to the people of senatorial district, adding that the intervention of the Federal Government was urgently required.
Tag: military
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Senate wants police, military to rid Lagos of kidnappers
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‘We provide info for military, DSS, others’
A para-military non-governmental organi-sation (NGO) under the auspices of Neighbourhood Enlightenment and Safety Organisation (NESO) has pledged to continue giving vital information to security operatives in the country.
Corps Commandant General (CCG), NESO, Comrade Sani Aliyu gave the assurance at the passing-out parade of NESO officers.
Aliyu said NESO is a pioneer registered para-military NGO focused on “anti-terrorism and anti-insurgency in Nigeria and indeed first of its kind in Africa. Our major modus operandi is that we source and obtain credible security intelligence and provide such information to the conventional security operatives like the police, DSS and the Military.
“We make bold to state that NESO has been in the frontline in the fight against terror in Nigeria and have made modest contributions in areas of divulging critical intelligence on security threats as early warning mechanism that led to many arrests of terrorists, militants, kidnappers and cattle rustlers. In addition, some of our actionable intelligence has led to many debauched bomb attacks in parts of Nigeria.”
Speaking further, he said, “Nigeria is facing unprecedented security challenges and threats that we used to watch only on television or hear in the news that happen in other parts of the world. Unfortunately, these challenges are now in Nigeria and they include terrorism, insurgency, militancy, blowing up pipelines, cattle rustling, kidnapping and other heinous crimes. Boko Haram has ravaged the northeast for about eight years, and the region was salvaged just few months ago because of the political will of President Muhammadu Buhari. Suicide bombers are killing many Nigerians with bombs; militants are blowing up pipelines in the Niger Delta that contributed in pushing Nigeria into recession; many people were kidnapped and those who were lucky were released with the payment of ransoms or the intervention of the security operative.
“Nobody is spared, whether big or small; adults or children; men or women; and even uniformed personnel. You may recall that about two years ago, a serving Army Colonel was abducted in Kaduna and he was found dead few days later; a former Minister and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, was kidnapped and released after some days with the intervention of the police. There are many other instances but to mention a few.”
NESO he said must continue the partnership and collaboration with security agencies of this nation to ensure security, safety and peace in our communities adding that: “Seeing that the total numerical strength of all the conventional security agencies is about 1 million a far cry to the population of 174,000,000 Nigerians, these numbers amongst which the Nigeria police has the highest manpower of about 370,000 officers and men expected to provide security for 17million population, considering our land and sea size. Indeed, it is an overwhelming situation requiring serious collaboration and support in order to help them achieve their constitutional mandate.
“In our today’s society, the sophistication displayed or deployed by terrorists are those things we once used in our national defence mechanism or structure. Terrorists now have equal or sometimes even better access to arms and ammunitions like AK47, GPMGs, anti-aircraft missiles, gun boats, etc. There is a dire need to deny them or limit their access to these modern “weapons of mass destruction”.
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Military Council reverses demotion of Major General
The verdict of Special Court Marshal of the Nigerian Armed Forces, which demoted Major-General Patrick Adebayo Falade to the rank of Brigadier-General has been reversed by the Military Council.
According to Wing Commander Enikela Onyilo Uloko, Counsel to Major-General Falola, instead demotion, the Army Council only warned against future admission of Clinical training of students without due clearance from the Army Headquarters.
Earlier, the President of the Court Marshal, Air Vice Marshal James Gbum discharged General Falola on one of the two counts leveled against him, prior to the council’s latest verdict.
Counsel to General Falola had earlier filed an appeal before the Federal Court which granted an interim injunction for the suspension of the demotion.
”We shall now withdraw our appeal since the Council’s judgment favoured my client,” he said after the council’s ruling.
Earlier the Counsel submitted that there was no law or instruction on ground by the Armed Forces that senior officers needed permission from higher authorities before allowing such training for Nigerian citizens.
”There was nothing tendered in evidence to criminalize such an act and when the act is done, it does not amount to criminal offence” the defence counsel argued.
General Falola who is a Consultant Ophthalmologist, commanded several Military Hospitals, including the Armed Forces Specialist Hospital in Kano, was described by the Military Secretary as an exemplary Military Administrator, Clinician and Surgeon during trial.
Briefing newsmen after his discharge by the Military Council, General Falola, said it was a premeditated attempt to tarnish his unblemished records.
It should be recalled that General Falola began his Military career as a Boy Soldier in 1973 at the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, Kaduna State.
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Why we are yet to capture Shekau-DHQ
The Nigerian Military on Thursday gave reasons why the elusive Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau has not been captured despite a huge manhunt and the capture of Camp Zairo in Sambisa forest.
The Director Defence Information (DDI) , Major General John Eneche who spoke at a press forum in Abuja admitted that there was a mix-up regarding information about the capture or death of the Boko Haram leader because of the various faces Shekau uses.
The Defence Spokesman also said even though the” real Shekau” has not been captured, the military is on the hunt for him and would soon capture him.
Eneche: “There were so many Shekau faces, that was what was responsible for that but we will get the real thing, we have now come to know that the real Shekau is yet to be apprehended, so that is the truth, when Osama Bin Ladin was killed, they went further to do a DNA test, that was what happened. The truth is because of so many faces of Shekau that came up, that was what brought up the mix up, but it is truth the real Shekau is yet to be apprehended and we will get him.”
Eneche also gave an account of military operations in Nigeria saying that the Nigerian Armed Forces have done well. “The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has been able to decimate and degrade the Boko Haram terrorists (BHT) from their terrogensic activity to splinter acts of terrorism here and there mostly within Borno State. Currently, clearance operation is ongoing jointly by the AFN to eliminate both active and passive acts of terrorism in the NE. It is worthy of note that some countries such as Britain, USA and France among others provided one form of assistance to the military in our effort so far in the North East,” he said.
General Eneche also said Operation SHARAN DAJI in the Northwest has been able to curtail the activities of cattle rustlers with many of them embracing the amnesty offered by the government of Zamfara state.
He said , “Currently, the activities of the criminals have been checkmated tremendously. It is highly desirable to point out here, that a good number of criminals that were engaged in these activities embraced the amnesty offer by Zamfara State Government. It is expected that, other states in the NW would emulate Zamfara State, so that; this wickedness of criminality is eradicated from the zone in particular and Nigeria in general.”
He however dismissed the notion that the Military is not doing anything to curtail activities of herdsmen saying it is a conflict “between brothers which will require a political solution.”
Eneche said: “It is not the one that you have an identified enemy, the issue of Fulani herdsmen and locals, it is an issue an African would put as brothers that have misunderstanding. It is an issue of two brothers even in our houses, children that follow almost immediately have this kind of argument, that is the issues of the herdsmen and the locals. At various fora, we have agreed that it needs more or less of political
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Ex- Gombe military governor Orji joins APC
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State at the weekend lost one of its top shots, Group Captain Joe Orji (rtd), to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Orji, who was Gombe State military governor, was registered at Ward 3, Nenwe, Aninri Local Government by APC’s National Vice Chairman, South East, Emma Eneukwu and the state chairman, Ben Nwoye.
Orji said he dumped the PDP because of injustice and impunity in the party.
He expressed confidence in the Federal Government’s ability to tackle the economic and political challenges confronting Nigeria.
The former PDP man said his decision was taken after he critically studied the programme and policies of the ruling party.
Eneukwu described Orji as a “political caterpillar”, who will join forces with other progressives and democrats to wrestle power from PDP in 2019.
Nwoye saluted his courage for identifying with the party of progressives.
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OPC joins military in manhunt for kidnappers
Smarting from some of its members’ death in kidnappers hands, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) yesterday joined the military to flush out some of its criminals from the Lagos-Ogun creeks.
The Nigerian Army on Monday launched an onslaught against kidnappers after Lieutenant Gyang was abducted at Ijedodo in Abule Ado, a Lagos suburb.
An OPC Coordinator, Akeem Lawal, was injured in an attack by militants last weekend.
A statement by Yinka Oguntimehin, spokesman for the Gani Adams OPC faction, said the group had run out of patience and was ready to take the war to the militants.
He said: “We are taking no more chances. I think our tolerance has been mistaken for cowardice and it is time to act. Now we are ready to join hands with the relevant Nigerian forces to smoke out all militants that have constituted themselves as the tail troubling the dog of Lagosians all these while. We have already moved into action, and they shall all be smoked out and dealt with, in no time.”
It was gathered that over 20 armed militants stormed Ijedodo on Friday night and dragged the Lieutenant into their speedboat after engaging the soldiers there in a gun duel.
Operatives of Operation Awatse, a task force headed by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) Rear Admiral Fergusson Bobai have since taken over the various entry and exit points into the creeks.
There were sporadic gunshots at Festac throughout Monday and in the early hours of yesterday forcing residents to remain indoors.
A fisherman, said he noticed suspicious movements when he came to inspect his fishing net.
He said: “I was coming to inspect my fishing net when I noticed some suspicious movements. One speed boat was at the shore with a man pretending to be carrying out repairs on it.
“Then all of a sudden, my fears were confirmed following deafening gun shots. As that was going on, I saw a soldier being dragged into the speed boat that I assumed was faulty and they sped off shooting.” -
Lagos enlists military in anti-domestic violence battle
Lagos State government has enlisted the military to help in tackling domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, child abuse, maltreatment and neglect.
Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) Coordinator Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, at a session with officers at the 9 Division, Nigerian Army Headquarters; 149 Battalion, Ojo; and 174 Battalion, Ikorodu, said there was need for collaboration to end domestic violence.
The philosophy of rape, being an act of violence and not a crime of passion, she said, had been thrashed out, adding that the myth that a woman’s dressing is a determinant factor was debunked with scientific data.
She said the Prevention Against Domestic Violence Law 2007 applied to all Nigerians, advising the officers to engage children in command schools on their right. This, Mrs Vivour-Adeniyi said, could be done through information, education and communication materials, in the form of Safeguarding The Rights of A Child textbook as well as posters, pamphlets and fliers.
She said DSVRT would take concrete steps to advance sensitisation including engaging the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association, the Navy, Air Force and Nigeria Security of Civil Defence Corps (NSSDC).
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On military sacrifice and collateral damage
Dateline Abuja, June 25, 2014: There was no hint that the phone call I received from Suleiman Bisallah, my very close friend and professional colleague of many years standing, was the last time we would speak, until three hours later when another colleague broke the devastating news that the same Bisallah was one of the victims of the bomb-blast that took place at Emab Plaza in the heart of Abuja.
Bisallah was the Managing Editor of the New Telegraph newspaper and had gone to Emab Plaza to pick his phone that he had earlier taken there for repairs. He told me on phone that he was rushing to the plaza and that he was going to meet me at home, as he often did, later in the evening. Barely 30 minutes after we spoke, Bisallah met his untimely death, in the most devastating of ways. His sad demise has been counted as a big achievement by Boko Haram.
This was the death that transformed me from an editor that was just reporting insurgency, from the comfort of my office, with little understanding of its impact, to one who knows what the Boko Haram war and its devastating effect really means. It automatically changed the way I report the insurgency.
Two years earlier, on a sponsored trip to Turkey, alongside nine title editors of the then leading newspapers in the country, the President of that country’s Journalists and Writers Foundation (the equivalent of the Nigerian Guild of Editors), had told us that even though the leading newspapers in that country belonged to the opposition, the editors have made themselves a firm promise to help the government by stopping any prominent publication of the dastardly activities of the PKK terrorist group. That decision had gone a long way in alienating the terrorists, and they are only regrouping now that the Turkish government has unjustly seized the same newspapers that were helping it to win the war against terror.
It was after the Emab Plaza bombing I realised that by helping our armed forces and prominently projecting their victories and denying the enemy the same luxury, we are in reality not helping just the government of the day, but basically ourselves. Terrorists in all parts of the globe thrive in publicity, and seeing their acts of destruction prominently in the press goes a long way to encourage them to do more. Sadly, the same Boko Haram insurgents that we were inadvertently helping did not spare us. They bombed the offices of THISDAY in Abuja and some other newspapers in Kaduna and killed scores of our colleagues. Boko Haram leaders threatened to wipe all journalists out of existence until they realise that will ultimately deny them the cheap publicity they were getting. More than ever before, I saw the need to help our soldiers whose call of duty demands that they leave behind members of their beloved families and stake their lives to ensure you and I live in peace.
While we complain bitterly each time NEPA switches off electricity supply to our homes or offices, perhaps only because we were watching a television drama or some news, those soldiers are facing – and even expecting – death every minute or second, as they face the enemy in such dreaded places as the Sambisa Forest that we the perennial critics could not even imagine treading on, not with all the money in the world.
Four types of individuals or groups are not likely to appreciate the deep sacrifice the Nigerian military is making in quelling the Boko Haram insurgency: they include those who have never lost anyone that is dear to them, to the insurgency, as well as those who have never witnessed first-hand, the scale of damage occasioned by insurgency. Others include those who only saw war on television and therefore don’t know what it means in real life, and those who benefit, in whatever way, from war. This probably informs why some of us mistakenly regard the military as our enemies that we must do everything to bring down, forgetting that without them, we will be forced by agents of darkness to abandon these homes and offices from which we comfortably operate. If in doubt, ask the IDPs.
All over the world, the most senior war commanders largely only design how to win the war and command their troops to execute the plan. They hardly venture to the warfront. But apart from the unprecedented commitment of the Buhari administration in seeing to the end of the Boko Haram insurgency, one of the key reasons the war has been won is the quality of the people appointed by the government to lead the armed forces.
For example, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff whose troops do most of the dangerous work, has since made a habit of spending lots of time with soldiers in the trenches. The very day he was appointed to his current post in July 2015, Buratai moved out of Abuja to the war front in the North-east, a move that helped change the course of the war and marked the beginning of the end of Boko Haram terrorists group’s insurgency. The troops reasoned that if their Chief of Army Staff, who can choose to remain and operate from his air conditioned office, can leave it all, abandoning his family as they all did, and stake his life to be with them, they have every reason to do more and win the war.
In other words, the acts of unprecedented bravery and selflessness by Buratai helped reduce a complex theory into practical steps. Whereas the perennial critics were rushing to their towns and choice capitals of the world to spend their Sallah and Christmas breaks with their beloved families, he chose to spend it in the trenches with the troops, eating the same food and drinking the same water as them. Now every senior army officer has taken a cue from their Chief of Army Staff and are all on their toes in the bid to give their best to Nigeria.
Those troops that have staked everything to rid Nigeria of a nagging insurgency which had claimed lives of tens of thousands of civilians will be the last persons to deliberately target the same people they have toiled so much to defend and protect. Perhaps the best way to understand the operational error that led to the Nigerian Air Force pilot mistaking an IDP camp for a Boko Haram congregation is a Hausa proverb which roughly translates to something like mistakes are often made in the frenzy of winning a difficult war.
The Boko Haram terrorists are like the drowning man who will cling to anything to keep afloat. They go for soft-targets in desperation to appear to be in business, just as Al-Qaeda, Taliban and other international terrorist groups that have been defeated by the strongest military in the world still go for similar targets to appear to be relevant. Perhaps it is their way of attracting continuous funding from their sponsors.
It says a lot about the expertise and professionalism of the Nigerian armed forces that until now, very little or no collateral damage was witnessed, fighting a group of people that have no clear identity; who are also members of the society that look no different from you and I. If the military was bereft of conscience, they could deny responsibility for the error that unfortunately cost tens of innocent people their dear lives. It is reassuring that we now have an armed forces which believe that much as it strives for the best, it cannot be perfect, just as no human institution has ever been.
And it comes as a huge additional relief that President Buhari has expressed deep regret with the terrible incident and consoled the families that lost the very people the government spares nothing to protect.
- Gaya is the Vice President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
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Military not arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians, says Govt
The Federal Government yesterday warned religious leaders against incendiary messages capable of causing religious war in the country.
It also said allegations bordering on Islamisation of Nigeria and persecution of Christians were mere fallacies.
It said conflicts between Muslims and Christians were often fuelled by political motivation, ethnic differences, extremism, intolerance and terrorism.
It described as ridiculous the accusation by some leaders that the military was arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians.
Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed made the government’s position known at the North Central Town Hall meeting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, yesterday.
The session was the eighth in the series of the Town Hall Meetings which was started in Lagos on April 25, 2016 by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mohammed said the government was worried about comments from religious leaders.
The Minister said: “Without equivocating, let me say that a lot has been achieved by this administration, despite the challenges that we have faced since assuming office. But whatever has been achieved in all spheres will pale into insignificance if there is no peace in the country.
” And there is no bigger threat to the peace and unity of our country today than religion-coated incendiary messages, which are being carelessly sent out there by some religious, political and opinion leaders.
“In recent times, the media has been increasingly awash with incendiary statements that seem designed to pitch the adherents of the two prominent religions in the country, Christians and Muslims against one another.”
He described as fallacies such insinuations that the government was either out to Islamise Nigeria or persecute Christians.
He added: “Such fallacies like the Islamisation of Nigeria, the killing of Christians by Muslims, the labelling of Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world can only serve one purpose: trigger a religious war. Needless to say that no nation ever survived a religious war.
“Those who are making these allegations know that they are not true, but they have found in religion another tool to demonise the government of the day, divert attention from the government’s anti-corruption stance and create undue tension in the polity.
“The alleged Islamisation of Nigeria under the current Administration is totally false and should be perceived in its entirety as a campaign of calumny.
“The secular nature of Nigeria’s Constitution makes the issue of religious dominance and impunity improbable.”
Mohammed said the government believes that some comments by religious leaders had political connotations.
He said: “It is also important to note that the underlying principle of religious conflict may not be purely religious, but more often than not coloured with political connotations as vividly depicted in the case of the terrorist group Boko Haram.
“And more often than not, conflicts between Muslims and Christians are fuelled by political motivations, ethnic differences, extremism, intolerance and terrorism.”
He said the government considers it ludicrous to claim that the nation’s military was arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians.
He said: “Before I end my speech, let me appeal to the media to desist from providing a platform for exponents of incendiary statements, those who will latch on to religion and ethnicity to divide us, and those who have no qualms about leveraging their privileged positions to give Nigeria a bad name in the international community.
“Their foreign collaborators, including a section of the international media, have even gone as far as accusing the Nigerian military, a symbol of the country’s unity, of arming Fulani herdsmen to kill Christians, as if the army is made up of officers and men from only one religion.
“The Federal Government rejects this ludicrous and nonsensical accusation against the military and warns those behind it to desist forthwith.” -
Minister: military recorded highest casualty in 2015, 2016
The Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd) yesterday said the military recorded the highest casualty in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency and Niger Delta militancy in the last two years.
He said the development led to an increase in the life insurance claims paid to the deceased’s families.
Gen. Dan-Ali spoke in Abuja while presenting cheques to families of soldiers who died fighting insurgency.
According to him, the insurance claims of the deceased were presented to their families in fulfillment of the objectives of the Federal Government to see to the welfare of soldiers who died in active service.
The minister, who handed cheques to four of the 218 next-of-kins, did not disclose the amount being paid. He, however, reiterated that his ministry will ensure that the families are well cared for.
He said: “The life insurance claims paid over-the-counter years have grown tremendously as a result of heightened activities of the insurgents in the Northeast and continued militancy in the Niger Delta, especially during the 2015 to 2016 scheme period.
“However, it is gratifying to state that with improved security and overwhelming success in the fight against insurgency, we are hopeful we will record fewer casualties in the years to come.”
Gen. Dan-Ali maintained that officers and men of the military remained steadfast in the execution of their duties – fighting insurgency, militancy, communal clashes and cattle rustling, among others, to ensure the country’s collective security.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Danjuma Sheni said the cheques were for the next-of-kins of “our deceased officers, men and women under the insurance scheme covering 2015 to 2016, covering specifically from March 24, 2015 to March 24, 2016.
“601 deceased insured officers were prepared but 383 next-of-kins have been fully paid, leaving a balance of 218 deceased officers,” he said.
“I appeal for your continued patience and understanding. The ministry will continue to ensure transparency and due process in the disbursement of funds given to it,” Sheni added.