The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mohammed Monguno

  • Nuclear materials mustn’t get to hands of terrorists -NSA

    National Security Advisor (NSA) Major General Mohammed Monguno (rtd), on Tuesday, warned that uranium or nuclear materials must not get into the hands of terrorists in the country.

    Represented by the Director, Policy and Strategy (ONSA), Aminu Lawal at the workshop of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT), Nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats to international security and preventing nuclear terrorism and would require collective national efforts.

    He addressed an audience of stakeholders such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyema, represented by Mr, Ezenwa Chkwuemeka Nwabiala; Deputy Director, Office of WMD Terrorism, Department of State, United States, Mr. Ethan Glick, senior Counsellor, Russian Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Bakery Shoposhnikov; Chief of the Capacity Building Unit, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism-Centre, Mr. Ulrik Ahnfeldt-Mollerup; Acting Director General Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Dr. Yau Idris and others in a workshop in Abuja.

    The theme of the workshop was “Valiant Eagle: Response Coordination and Legal Frameworks Workshop.”

    He said that “if terrorists are using improvised explosives devises to cause this mayhem, you can imagine if an atom of uranium or anything nuclear comes into their hands. The devastation will be terrible.”

    According to him, Nigeria, for decades has been involved in peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology.

    He noted that the peaceful use of nuclear energy is subject to strict international safety, security and safeguards regime to which Nigeria must conform.

    The NSA reaffirmed the country’s “commitment to the global fight against the threat of nuclear terrorism and other forms of terrorism in all their manifestations and our support to multilateral efforts to advance a common approach and commitment to nuclear security at the highest level.”

    Read Also: NSA vows to ensure safety of nuclear materials

    He said that Nigeria accords high priority to all global efforts towards ending the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, including nuclear weapons, and is very much aware of the prevailing international anxiety over nuclear security and proliferation of nuclear weapons.

    Monguno said that in order to demonstrate Nigeria commitment to nuclear security, the country played a major role in the negotiations leading to the coming into force of the African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty (Pelindaba Treaty) in August 2009.

    He buttressed the point by stating that Nigeria is committed to global nuclear security regime, it was the only African State that participated in the April 2010 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in Washington DC. USA.

    Speaking, Ahnfeldt-Mollerup noted that the possibility of terrorists gaining access to nuclear and radiological materials is a significant threat to humanity and international peace and security.

    According to him, the possibility of such materials falling into the hands of non-State actors or terrorists groups is certainly very real.

    He recalled that in 2016, it was reported that ISIL had been monitoring

    Continue on Page 2

  • Polls: Steer clear of polling units, IGP warns troublemakers

    …says tough time awaits anybody that attempt to disrupt state elections

    The acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu spoke tough Thursday ahead of the Saturday polls.

    Adam warned those whose only interest is to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the Saturday governorship and State House of Assembly elections to stay clear of polling units.

    The security agencies he said are ready to deal with them.

    Adamu gave the warning at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

    He said that security agencies were ready for the Saturday elections.

    He encouraged every Nigerian to come out and cast his or her vote on the election day, while also assuring domestic and international observers and journalists adequate security during the elections.

    “The INEC staff and ad hoc staff are also encouraged to carry out their process without fear or any molestation.

    “For those that disrupted the process in some of the states during the presidential election this time is going to be tough for you. You will never get opportunity to disrupt the process again.

    “If you attempt to do that there will be consequences. It is better for you not to come out because we have seen what you done before, we have seen your mode of operandi and we are ready for it,’’ Adamu said

    The acting IGP, who described the Feb. 23 national election to be largely peaceful, said it was achieved as a result of effective collaboration among security agencies and INEC.

    Read Also: IGP condemns attacks on police officers

    He said that the collaboration would be improved on for the success of the Saturday state elections.

    “The security arrangement we provided for presidential and NASS elections are still in place.

    “We have reviewed what we did and we have seen areas that needed improvement. We have sat down with other security agencies and we have agreed and already put in place adequate security for the next election,’’ he said.

    On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Monguno, commended the INEC Chairman and members of the commission for the successful conduct of the just concluded national elections.

    Monguno, who was represented by Sanusi Galadima, also commended security personnel for their conduct in the last elections, while expressing optimism that Saturday’s election would also be peaceful.

    Monguno disclosed that a room for the election situated in his office would open from Friday to Wednesday, with representative from all security agencies in attendance.

    All security agencies, including military and paramilitary agencies were represented at the meeting.

    In his remark, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu assured Nigerians that the Commission “will work closely with the Police to ensure the diligent prosecution of all violators of our electoral laws. Citizens are asking for effective but non-intrusive protection before, during and immediately after the elections in which their rights are respected and their choices safeguarded.”

    He also said that the commission is looking forward to the same kind cooperation exhibited in the last elections with the security agencies.

    “I am confident that lessons learnt from the Presidential and National Assembly elections will help us to more effectively secure the environment for the elections this weekend.”

    He however noted that the ” Commission is concerned that many of our materials, including ballot boxes, voting cubicles, voters’ registers and Smart Card Readers were lost to acts of hooliganism and thuggery in the elections held two weeks ago.

    “Most worrisome is the attack on electoral officials. Some of our staff were abducted and taken hostage in an attempt to disrupt elections or influence the outcome. In fact, some of the supplementary elections I referred to earlier were caused by such acts of thuggery. I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the largely peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections while also taking decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators’ intent on disrupting the conduct of peaceful elections. However, the Commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress. Where such occurs, the Commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them Certificates of Return.”

  • INEC registers 10 million new voters

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it registered no fewer than 10 million Nigerians in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

    Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at the commission’s quarterly consultative meeting with security agencies under the auspices of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on Friday in Abuja.

    Yakubu said that the people were registered between April, 2017 when the CVR commenced and end of June, 2018.

    He said that total number of registered voters in the country would increase to 80 million when the figure from the CVR was added to existing 70 million voters.

    “As at June 22, 2018 fresh registration is 9,922,619, PVC Collection, 576,346; request for transfer, 489,354 and request for replacement of PVCs, 766,435.

    “What this means is that since the commencement of CVR on April 27, 2017, about 10 million Nigerians have been registered and this will be added to existing register of 70 million voters.

    “This means that as we approach 2019 general elections, Nigeria will have voter register of at least 80 million.’’

    Yakubu said that INEC was committed to transparency in the conduct of elections and the declaration of results.

    Read Also: INEC to deploy 11,000 ad-hoc staff

    He said that one of the things the commission had consistently been doing was to issue copies of elections’ result sheets to agents of political parties at that level.

    He said that following stakeholders’ demand for transparency in the electoral process, INEC responded by displaying result for each polling unit immediately after counting of ballot for public information.

    “Having found this as a useful way of enhancing citizens’ mandate protection, we took it a step further by introducing the EC60E.

    “The form is a large poster reflecting the result in each polling unit as recorded on the EC8A shared with agents of political parties.

    “The poster is pasted at each polling unit immediately after the counting of ballot papers.

    “Consequently, citizens now know the outcome of voting in each polling unit and can track the processes of collation leading to the final declaration of results.

    “These posters were effectively deployed in all elections since the Anambra State Governorship election in November, 2017. We shall deploy them in all forthcoming elections,’’ the chairman said.

    He urged the security agencies to help and ensure that the Form was pasted at polling units after the declaration of election result in the units.

    He appealed to the agencies to remind the polling officers to paste the result at each polling unit “where there is an inadvertent omission to paste it’’.

    Yakubu also urged agencies to continue to provide peaceful environment for conduct of elections across the country.

    “As we approach the 2019 general elections, we also need your support, especially in securing the environment for us to conduct elections.

    “I will like to thank the security agency for the things that you have done to secure the environment.

    “I will like to appeal to the security agencies to continue to exploit the same neutrality to see that our elections are getting better.

    “We want Ekiti to surpass Anambra and I believe we can do it and I am confident in the security agencies that we can do it.’’

    In his response, National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-Gen. Mohammed Monguno (retd), pledged that necessary security support would be given to ensure success of Ekiti governorship election and 2019 general elections.

    Monguno, who was represented by Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Mrs Peace Abdallah, expressed confidence that INEC would continue to conduct credible elections.

    “It is not in doubt that INEC has always shown not just by words but action, that as we look forward to Ekiti and future elections, especially 2019 that Nigeria elections will continue to be commendable.’’

    NAN

  • Reps move to separate AGF’s office and Minister of Justice

    Reps move to separate AGF’s office and Minister of Justice

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday, moved to separate the office of Attorney-General of the Federal (AGF) from that of Minister of Justice.

    The move followed the second reading of a Bill for an Act to alter the 1999 Constitution to introduce the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation separate from the Minister of Justice.

    Presenting the Bill, Rep Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno), said that if passed, it would emphasise the independence of the AGF’s office and ensure it was not subjected to political consideration.

    Monguno said that separation of the AGF’s office would allow for effective separation of power, adding that the two offices would be given the necessary environment to function optimally.

    Monguno said, “The Attorney-General of the Federation, being the Chief Law Officer is empowered in Section 150 and 195 respectively of the 1999 Constitution to enter nolle prosequi.’’

    Nolle prosequi is an entry on the record of a legal action that denotes that the prosecutor or plaintiff will proceed no further in an action of the suit either as a whole or as to some count or as to one or more of several defendants.

    The lawmaker added that ‘’The power can only be exercised if the office is free from any political interference.

    “The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation is such an office that should be seen to be Independent and not be subjected to some political consideration,

    “His appointment should be seen to meet some standard in the legal profession.

    “The fact that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) performs some quasi-judicial functions hence, the need for the office to be separated from the Minister of or Commissioner for Justice.”

    According to him, the AGF is the Chief Law Officer of the federation and advises the government whether at the federal or state levels on matters relating to law generally.

    “Whereas, the office of the Minister of or Commissioner for justice is political in nature, if read alongside other ministers or commissioners.

    Monguno further advised that the office of the AGF should be based on merit and competence and the National Judicial Council be involved.

    “It should be shielded from the vicissitudes of political influence”.

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, referred the Bill to the Special Adhoc Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative action.

  • Mongonu steps down from Speakership race

    …Endorses Gbajabiamila

    Mohammed Mongonu, a re- elected member of the House of Representatives would no longer contest for the position of Speaker in the 8th Assembly, it emerged on Tuesday.

    Instead, Monguno,a member of the House representing  Borno, North East,  would contest as Deputy Speaker on a joint ticket with the Minority leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker.

    He spoke with journalists at a two- day retreat organised for All Progressive Congress lawmakers in Abuja.

    Monguno said his decision was the outcome of broad consultation.

    He said: “I will instead be running for the Deputy Speaker position on a joint ticket with Hon. Gbajabiamila.

    “I am withdrawing from the race for two reasons – First, is to ensure party cohesion.

    “As leaders of our great party, we can ill-afford to have a divided House, if we are to deliver on the much-needed change we promised Nigerians in the course of the campaign.

    “And, secondly, Gbajabiamila  stands tall amongst our peers in terms of experience and understanding of the contours and nuances of the legislative process.

    “The convention in representative democracies the world over is that having served as Minority Leader, you ascend to the Speakership position should your party gain the majority.

    “Besides, the position cannot be left in the hands of anyone who desires to learn on the job because managing the complexities and subtleties of a legislative process is serious business.

    “Over the years, I have come to know Gbajabiamila as an exceptionally effective legislator.

    “He leads by building consensus, listening to good ideas and putting the nation first. His outright rejection of a national award on grounds of principle, tells you all you need to know about his character.

    “As our chamber’s next Speaker, Gbajabiamila will re-energize our institution by building the capacity we need to make our role in government more effective and more accountable to the voters.

    “Today, our beloved country stands on the cusp of change, we have a unique and golden opportunity to make our legislature more vital and inclusive for all of its members irrespective of party affiliation.”

    He appealed to his colleagues to vote for the Gbajabiamila/ Monguno ticket.