The Nation Newspaper

Tag: military

  • Military moves command centre to Maiduguri

    Military moves command centre to Maiduguri

    With the military relocating its Command and Control Centre from Abuja to Maiduguri yesterday, the anti-Boko Haram war is for more steam. President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered military chiefs to embark on “no retreat, no surrender” tactics against the insurgents.

    Some top military chiefs from Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon are expected in the country today for a strategy meeting to firm up the war.

    A statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, gave a directive for the relocation of the command centre from Abuja to Maiduguri.

    The statement said Gen. Minimah acted in compliance with the mandate of President Buhari.

    The statement said: “In compliance with the Presidential pronouncement and the Chief of Army Staff’s directive, a reconnaissance and advance team for the establishment of Military Command and Control Centre (MCCC) for OPERATION ZAMAN LAFIYA for the fight against terrorism and insurgency has moved to Maiduguri, Borno State.

    “The team, which is led by a Two-Star General, has already commenced work in earnest and it is comprised of elements of the Office of the Chief of Army Staff, all the relevant Army Headquarters Departments and other combat support components.

    “The Centre will serve as a forward command base for the Chief of Army Staff and other Service Chiefs.

    ”The Centre is essentially an elaboration of an already existing Army Headquarters Command and Control arrangement.

    “From now on, the fight against terrorism and insurgency would be monitored, coordinated and controlled from this centre.

    “ I wish to inform you also that its establishment would not create another layer of command structure but would add impetus and renewed vigour to OPERATION ZAMAN LAFIYA, all aimed at bringing terrorism and insurgency to an end.

    “An alternate command centre is also being established in Yola.”

    As at press time, it was gathered that the President has ordered military chiefs to mobilize troops for a “no retreat, no surrender” attacks against Boko Haram insurgents.

    A top military source said: “The order given to all of us now is no retreat, no surrender until Boko Haram insurgency is suppressed.

    “We are set for a long-drawn battle with the insurgents. We are getting into a near total declaration of war against Boko Haram any moment from now. Wherever the insurgents are, we have been directed to smoke them out.

    “The President has also told us that his administration will no longer condone desertion of battle fields by troops. This is the new shape of the battle against Boko Haram.”

    It was learnt that top military chiefs from Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon might arrive today for strategy session with their Nigerian counterparts on how to curtail the insurgency.

    “The meeting is a follow-up to talks between President Buhari and his counterparts in Chad, Niger Republic and Cameroon. I think this Abuja session will firm up new approaches to tackle the insurgents,” another source added.

    A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade,

    said the Chiefs of Defence Staff and heads of  intelligence agencies  of the affected countries will hold talks on how to put in place combined operation against terrorism.

    The statement said: “A conference of Chiefs of Defence Staff of member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission will tomorrow Tuesday, hold in Abuja.

    “The meeting which is to be hosted by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff is to work out the processes for the operationalisation of the strategic directive for the immediate take off of the combined operation of the modified version of the Multi-National Joint Task Force in the campaign against terror in the region.

    “The meeting is Preparatory to the Extra-Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Governments of the LCBC member countries in furtherance of the multilateral discussion on counter terrorism operations in the sub region.

    “Military delegation led by the Chiefs of Defence Staff as well as intelligence and security of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad are to participate in the meeting along with Benin Republic.

    “The meeting will later brief the Ministers of Defence of the LCBC countries towards subsequent decisions on the immediate take off of the mission.

    “The development is sequel to the recent parleys and contacts between Nigeria’s President and his counter-parts in the sub-region in the move to step up the fight against terror.”

  • Buhari hailed for relocating military to Borno

    The lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Mohammed Ndume, yesterday hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for directing the military high command to relocate to Maiduguri to stop the Boko Haram insurgency.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that the move was a right step in the right direction.

    Ndume said: “For people like us that had been in the forefront, looking for solution to the problem of insurgency, it is a heart-warming development.

    “We have been anticipating that immediately he (Buhari) takes over, he will do something drastic and effective in making sure that insurgency comes to an end.”

    He added: “With the new directive, we are hoping that insurgency in Borno and other states will end soon.

    “With the good intention of the president, we are very optimistic that this madness will come to an end soon.”

    A lawyer, Alhaji Jubrin Gunda, a former chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Biu chapter, spoke in the same vein.

    Said he: “The action is commendable. If the military high command moves to Borno, there will be no room for excuses or failure as we witnessed in the past.”

    Gunda, who is also the legal adviser of a local vigilance group called the Civilian JTF, said it was certain that the military would wipe out the insurgents in a short time.

    His words: “The military will wipe out the insurgents in a couple of days or weeks. It is indeed a right step in the right direction.”

    He said stakeholders in Borno had been waiting for the inauguration of Buhari as the president.

    “Everybody must hail the president for taking such a laudable step towards tackling insurgency.

    “If you go round the state, you will see people in high spirit. We are hoping that the insurgency will be crushed soon.”

    A businessman, Mallam Iliya Ibrahim, appealed to President Buhari to monitor the operation of the military against the insurgents, to avert failure.

  • ‘Every military man must be prepared to defend Nigeria’

    •Command college to graduate 70 war commanders

    The Commandant of Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji in Kaduna, Air Vice Marshal John Chris Ifemeje, has emphasised the need for every military man to be prepared to lay down his life in defence of the country.

    AVM Ifemeje spoke at the final bush exercise for “70 Junior War Commanders” trained for five months by the college.

    The war commanders will graduate in a couple of weeks, he said.

    The commandant, who was represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Agada Abbah, said Nigeria has invested so much on its military, hence the reason why every military man must be ready to lay down his life.

    Apparently reacting to the recent experiences where soldiers abscond from war front, he told officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces: “Nigeria has spent so much on the military, and that is the reason why every military man must be ready to lay down his life in defence of this country.”

    The exercise code named “Ubiak Isin” (meaning “Waste Pain” in Efik language) is the routine final exercise for officers of the Nigerian Army undergoing Junior Course in AFCSC.

    The exercise, AVM Ifemeje said, is a practical application of what the student officers had learnt in the classroom, which he said centres around commanding wars.

    In his words: “The essence of the exercise is to prepare the student officers on how to plan and advance troops at the battle ground to attack the enemies.

    “The exercise is a routine final bush exercise for land warfare students of junior course. But as a result of the contemporary security challenges facing the country, counter-insurgency training has been added to the exercise.

    “The exercise is so significant because, no matter the level of air bombardment and attack on enemies from the air, we need professional soldiers to man the war on the ground.”

    The highlights of the exercise was demonstration of a war situation, where the student officers were sharing intelligence and issuing out commands to their troops on their planned night attack to flush out imaginary enemies who invaded their country.

    t was gathered that many of the officers would be drafted into the ongoing “Operation Zaman Lafiya” in the Northeast after their course in the college.

  • ‘The Military has what it takes to defend Nigeria’

    ‘The Military has what it takes to defend Nigeria’

    Former Chief of Training and Operations in the Defence Headquarters, Major General Joseph Shoboiki (Rtd), yesterday said the military has the capacity to defend the nation with the right leadership and equipment.

    He spoke during the pulling-out service for 34 retired infantry Generals of the Nigerian Army at Jaji Military Cantonment, Kaduna State.

    Shoboiki, who was the reviewing officer at the parade pull-out, assured that the military can always count on them as the anti-terror war rages.

    He said:  “Let me also assure you that even though we are retiring home, you can always count on our support as you go through these trying times.

    “We remain committed and ever willing to continue to contribute to the progress and development of our dear nation whenever it is required of us.”

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, said it is regimental in the Army when officers attain the highest level and are retired to pull them out formally.

    Represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Major General Kenneth Osuji, the COAS urged the ex-service men to continue to support the military, which he said is their primary constituency.

    Asked if the pulling out of the 34 Generals had created a vacuum in the military, Minimah said: Three is no vacuum left by the officers because they did not retire on the same day.

    “Some of the officers we are pulling out retired years back and it’s just that there is a backload of all the officers from 2005 to date.

    “So, there is no vacuum left. We are still recruiting, we are still commissioning and we are still retiring.”

     

  • Death toll rises to 27 in military, Fulani clash in Taraba

    Death toll rises to 27 in military, Fulani clash in Taraba

    •Two soldiers’ bodies recovered 

    The death toll in Karimlamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, where the military carried out what some people called a reprisal attack, has risen to 27.

    About 84 persons have been killed in communal clashes in Takum at the same time.

    At least 25 persons were feared killed in Karimlamido at the weekend, following a retaliatory attack by soldiers who lost six of their colleagues in an attack by Fulani militia.

    It was learnt that local militia, last Thursday, killed nine soldiers on a peace-keeping mission in Amar and Kambari villages of Karimlamido Local Government Area. Six bodies were recovered while the bodies of three others were missing.

    It was expected that the military would retaliate as they searched for the missing soldiers.

    When they started the search, they reportedly recovered two more bodies.

    But 27 persons were feared dead.

    It was also learnt that the militia opened fire when the soldiers were combing the area in search of their missing (dead) colleagues.

    But, this time, they returned “fire for fire,” killing 27 of them at the spot. Two of the injured died yesterday.

    Many residents were fleeing the area when soldiers said they might return to Karimlamido to “intensify the search” for other missing soldier.

    Karimlamido Local Government Chairman Bobboi Bello Bendu confirmed the gun battle between the military and the Fulani militia.

    He said two villages were razed during the battle.

     

  • Military impunity in Ogbomoso

    SIR: The attention of the military authorities is being drawn to the menace that some men of the Nigerian Army drafted to Ogbomoso for election purposes have constituted to the people of the town. Barely over a week now in the town, they have taken over the functions of Vehicles Inspection Officers, FRSC, police and forestry officers, all in a bid to extort money from members of the public. Not only that, un-cooperating ones are punished severely.

    I wept for this nation on my way to Igbeti on Tuesday, March 24, 2015, when I saw military men flogging hapless old men at express junction and a few kilometers after Ogbomoso along Ogbomoso-Igbeti road. The question that came to my mind was to querry the motive of the people that drafted those men to Ogbomoso. What came to my mind was to agree with those that opposed the drafting of the military for election purposes. It is disheartening that sixteen years into democratic rule, our government could not conduct civil matters without involving the military.

    The roles of military in safeguarding territorial integrity of this nation and maintenance of peace during election period are highly acknowledged. However, assaulting Nigerians they are paid to protect on flimsy excuses and forcing them to part with their hard earned money are condemnable and reproachable and should be stopped.

     

    • Ruth A. Amole, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, Osun State.

     

  • Military sack insurgents from Alagarno forest

    Military sack insurgents from Alagarno forest

    The Nigerian Military on Tuesday morning sacked Boko Haram terrorists from the Alagamo forest in Borno.

    This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman.

    “This morning, troops of the Nigerian Army along with support from the Nigerian Air Force, cleared the last camp of Boko Haram terrorists in Alagarno forest located between Kaga and Daboa local government areas of Borno, which link Yobe and Gombe States.

    According to NAN, the key terrorists’ camp within the forest includes; Falluja and Timbuktu camps have all been cleared.

    The statement said so far, a lot of recoveries including armoured fighting vehicles and computers were made.

    It added that troops were now mopping up the general area and that more details of the operations would be disclosed later.

  • ‘Use of military for poll illegal’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has condemned the purported deployment of soldiers for Saturday’s elections, saying it is illegal.

    APC’s state treasurer Alhaji Saliu Momoh, who spoke with reporters in Benin, said the rule of law should be considered in such situations.

    “What we are after is the role of the military in the constitution, because we run a constitutional system of government.

    “We must always ask what the position of the law is concerning the use of the military in elections,” he said.

    Momoh said those clamouring for the use of military have ulterior motives. He said such people continue to yearn for the military even when they know it is not their responsibility.

     

     

     

  • Military‘ll deploy gunboats for elections, says Defence chief Badeh

    The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall (ACM)Alex Badeh, yesterday said the military will deploy gunboats to provide security for the general elections.

    ACM Badeh spoke at the Government Jetty, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, while inaugurating 30 gunboats acquired by the Federal Government to enhance the operation of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield.

    He said apart from the primary reason of prosecuting the war against oil theft, the gunboats would also be deployed to secure the elections in the coastal communities.

    “Aside from curtailing oil theft, these boats will come in very handy during the forthcoming general elections.

    “Troops of the Operation Pulo Shield would use these boats to dominate the creeks as a warning to would-be troublemakers. We all want peace to prevail. So, troublemakers should be warned”, he said.

    In attendance at the inauguration were the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jubril; Governor Seriake Dickson; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

    ACM Badeh said the acquisition of the boats underlined the determination of the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the problem of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria.

    He said one of the steps taken to eradicate oil theft in the country was the establishment of a Technical Committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control (TCCOTPC) by the National Economic Council (NEC).

    He said through the activities of the committee, the NEC approved some funds for the Defence Headquarters to procure gunboats for the operations of the JTF, which is saddled with the responsibility of fighting crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals.

    He said: “These boats and indeed other resources allocated by the Federal Government of Nigeria would be judiciously deployed for the overall economic benefits of the country.”

    Uduaghan, who was a special guest of honour  at the occasion said: We are proud of Mr. President, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who is on the driving seat, who is the commander-in-chief in dealing with all these issues, the issues of crude oil theft and the issues of Boko Haram.

    “On Saturday March 28 is the election and we all must put our hands and everything together to ensure that Mr. President Jonathan wins that election.

    In actual fact he has already won by the grace of God.”

    Dickson said apart from maritime military assets, the state was in need of equipment on land to effectively fight crimes.

     

     

  • Use of military for election, illegal – Edo APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State Chapter, said it is illegal for the military to be used for elections in Nigeria.

    Edo APC which spoke through the state Treasurer, Alhaji Saliu Momoh told newsmen in Benin City that even when some people are yearning for the use of military, “one should look at the rule of law on the issue”.

    He said that one cannot dispute the fact that some people would like to take advantage of the absence of the military, but that the issue of the constitution concerning the use of military cannot be put away.

    “What we are after is the role of the military in the constitution, because we are operating a constitutional system of government. “We must always ask: what is the position of the law concerning the use of the military in elections in Nigeria?” he said.

    The former National Vice-Chairman of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) said that those who are saying military must be involved in the elections have ulterior motive.

    He said such people continue to yearn for the military even when they knew it is not the responsibility and duty of the military to come out on election day.

    Alhaji Momoh said even the police that are given responsibilities on elections days are given 300 metres gap.

    “Only the Inspector General of Police can invite the military when he feels the situation is beyond the police.

    “Calling the military from the onset means there is an ulterior motive.

    “We are not in a war situation, we have never fought war in Nigeria elections; Nigerians say change; don’t bring gun to terrorise them,” the APC state Treasurer posited.

    On PDP parading a candidate for the state House of Assembly who was arrested on the day of PDP’s primaries at Egor, for using guns to terrorise party faithful present the Edo APC chieftain said it was an indictment on PDP.

    He said the action tells the quality of people that are contesting in the platform of the PDP.

    “It goes ahead to tell you why Nigerians are yearning for change.

    “A man cannot be caught at this period of Nigeria’s situation for such offence and be granted bail to go and contest for such public office,” adding that public office is a very serious business”,

    He reiterated that those who defected from the PDP to APC and are accepted must be certified that they are not in the EFCC list, saying that APC does not accept persons whose names are on the EFCC list.

    He said the PDP is full of people whose names are on the EFCC list due to corruption thinking the PDP can cover them.

    According to him, Femi Fani Kayode left APC for the PDP because the APC refused to shield him of his corruption allegation.