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Tag: T.Y Danjuma

  • Herdsmen/farmers clashes: How Nigerian military tackled crises – Ebute tells British Parliament

    The President of the Senate in the Third Republic, Senator Ameh Ebute, has revealed how the Nigerian military has been able to tackle the lingering crisis between herders and farmers in the country.
    Ebute specifically noted that military has been able to curtail the nagging crises between the two groups.
    Speaking at a Roundtable with MPs of the British Parliament, January 23, 2019 at the House of Commons, London, United kingdom, the former lawmaker faulted former Chief of Army Staff, TY Danjuma over his recent submission that soldiers where partial in their fight against terrorism.
    Ebute said Danjuma was wrong because any Nigerian soldier that engages in acts of brigandage or molestation of civilians is now promptly disciplined accordingly under the current administration.
    Senator Ameh Ebute delivered a position paper titled “Tackling the Violence between Livestock Farmers and Cultivators in Nigeria” before an audience that consisted of Chairmen and Members of committees of the British Parliament on Human Rights, Defense, Environment, as well as African Ministers, and a cross section of delegation from Nigeria.
    He posited that “violent clashes between two sets of farmers in Nigeria, cultivators, and livestock farmers have been a major feature of the Nigerian security landscape since 2003. These clashes escalated in late 2017 with the massacre of over a hundred people at Agatu in Benue State. 2018 witnessed a further deterioration in the violence.”
    “While a responsible government has a solemn obligation to ensuring the safety of its citizens and implementing policies and programs that engender peaceful co-existence among its ethnic, regional and religious diversities of its population, it must ensure too that crisis between any two groups of its population is not exploited for the selfish and nefarious purposes of its detractors.”
    Senator Ebute further argued that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was able to make substantial gains in the fight against terrorism. “Boko Haram was routed from its Sambisa Forest stronghold. The Nigerian military recaptured Mubi, Gwoza, Baga and other major cities and villages that had been overrun by Boko Haram. Coordinated attacks by the air force and the army seriously degraded the fighting capabilities of Boko Haram.”
    “Recognizing the regional dimensions in Boko Haram activities, the Buhari administration initiated a multilateral approach to fighting against Boko Haram by entering into a regional alliance with the neighboring states of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Republic of Benin. Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians who had fled to those neighboring countries in the wake of Boko Haram seizure of their towns and villages returned to Nigeria.”
    Some of the most prominent military deployments included Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Sharan Daji, Operation Awatse, Operation Shirin Harbi, Harbin Kunama I, Harbin Kunama II, Operation Crocodile Smile I, Operation Python Dance I, Operation Dokaji, Operation Egwu Eke (aka Python Dance II, Operation Harbin Kunama II, Operation Whirl Stroke. These operations are against terrorism, cattle rustling, kidnappings and robberies, banditry, and sabotage of oil facilities, theft of oil, and perpetrators of livestock/cultivators violence.
    “In addition to military operations designed to end terrorism and curtail other forms of violence, the Buhari administration has promptly deployed the police to areas of violence to curtail the violence and arrest the perpetrators.”
    On the various allegations of the complicity of President Muhammadu Buhari in fueling the farmers/herders conflict, Senator Ebute posited that there is no shortage of conspiracy theories to explain the violence between livestock farmers and cultivators in Nigeria and they range from mildly misinformed attempts to explain a complicated social situation to outright falsehoods.

    Read Also:Ibeto leads former PDP gov aspirants back to APC

    “The most often encountered of these theories blame President Buhari directly alleging that his ethnic affinity with the Fulani livestock farmers either encourages the violence or makes Buhari turn a blind eye to the violence.”  He further argued that “conspiracy theories on violence in Nigeria are given credence when otherwise respectable public figures use them as an explanatory framework for what is going on.”
    He gave the example of retired Lt. Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, a former Chief of Army Staff, as one of the purveyors of falsehood on the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in tackling the farmers/herders conflict in the country.
    “Danjuma had asserted quite incorrectly that the violence in Benue and Taraba states between cultivators and livestock farmers was a result of cooperation between members of the Nigerian armed forces and renegade Fulani groups. This is certainly true. It is probable that the type of cooperation that Gen. Danjuma had described might have taken place when he was a minister of defense and the general impression that members of his group, the Jukun, rented soldiers in their violent struggle with their neighbors, the Kutebs.”
    “It was also during Danjuma’s tenure as minister of defense that soldiers opened fire on unarmed civilians at ODI in Rivers State and Zaki-Biam in Benue State killing many people and burning down the entire villages. That type of behavior can longer be authorized nor tolerated. Any Nigerian soldier that engages in acts of brigandage or molestation of civilians is now promptly disciplined accordingly under the current administration.”
    Senator Ebute consequently eulogized the international community for the assistance it has rendered to the government of Nigeria in tackling its security challenges. “the government and people of Nigeria appreciate the help it has received from the international community, but the international community can do more to help Nigeria tackle its security challenges.”
    “The Nigerian armed forces need arms, ammunition, actionable intelligence to deal with Boko Haram and other security issues. Nigeria is trying to revamp its small defense industry and cannot yet manufacture all the military equipment it needs. It is important for Britain and other international partners to supply needed weapons and materials to Nigeria. Nigeria is not calling for foreign troops on its soil. Nigerians will do the fighting themselves. Terrorism is a global problem and must be tackled globally”.

  • T.Y Danjuma and the Nigerian Army

    Sir: We have read the report by the Nigerian Army exonerating itself from the allegation made by former Chief of Army Staff and Defence Minister, General Theophilus Y. Danjuma that Soldiers in Taraba were colluding with armed bandits to kill locals.

    It is pertinent to note that General T.Y Danjuma (rtd) is not a man that throws words around, and for a former Chief of Army Staff who has an understanding of how the military works to make such weighty allegation against the Nigerian Army, it means there is more to the story than meets the eye.

    An allegation such as this, demands a thorough investigation on the activities of the troops in Taraba State. We are of the belief that the Nigerian Army, in a quest to exonerate itself, hurriedly released a report that fails to address the allegation made by T.Y Danjuma.

    Thisday Newspapers in one of its reports, gave a detailed account of Nigerians that have been killed by herdsmen in Benue, Taraba, and other parts of North Central.

    A Report by Global Terrorism Index, the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative and The Stefanus Foundation, Based In The United States and Nigeria respectively, revealed that the Fulani Militants are fourth most lethal and deadly terror group in the world.

    Why has the government of Nigeria refused to designate herdsmen as a terror group despite the available facts on ground that the group is responsible for thousands of deaths in the Middle-Belt region of Nigeria?

    We are not satisfied with the report and Nigerian Army can not be the Judge in its own case. We, therefore, demand the full disclosure of the Human Rights Organization, CSOs that were part of the committee.

    We also demand that an independent judicial commission of Inquiry be constituted to look into the allegation.

    We are equally concerned about the shameful excuse given by the Army that ”The Nigeria-Cameroon common borders in Taraba State are porous”.

    The Statutory responsibility of the Army is to protect our territorial integrity and not give excuses such as this.

     

    • Deji Adeyanju Convener, Concerned Nigerians, an NGO.

  • Plateau political elders urge government to study Danjuma’s advice

    As more Plateau rural communities come under attack by gunmen, political elders in the state have advised government to “study” Gen. T. Y. Danjuma (Rtd)’s advice to Nigerians to defend themselves.

    Danjuma, in a speech at the first convocation ceremony of the Taraba University, Wukari, on Saturday, advised Nigerians to defend themselves against the attacks, declaring that the armed forces were not prepared to protect them from the bandits.

    Danjuma alleged that those saddled with protecting the people were facilitating and guiding the attackers, and asked the people to protect their territories since they had no where else to run to.

    Danjuma’s comment has generated much interest with government officials saying that his was a call to anarchy.

    But the elders, in a statement on Friday in Jos, cautioned security agencies, government and stakeholders against dismissing the former defence minister’s advice.

    “Security issues are sensitive. Danjuma is a first class security man and knows when soldiers are ready to discharge their role. It is risky to dismiss his suggestion,” the statement, signed by Chief John Mankilik, Chairman of the elders’ forum in Plateau Central Zone, said.

    Read Also: Danjuma’s belated rebellion

    The elders decried the incessant killings, especially in Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Taraba and Kaduna States, and urged the armed forces to “do more” to protect the people.

    “We believe that Danjuma spoke the minds of the helpless victims of the violence. Many people are being pushed to the wall and may heed such call if nothing is done to change the tide,” they said.

    The elders decried the recent killings at Daffo District in Bokkos Local Government, where 30 lives were reportedly lost with many still missing.

    They also decried the killings of several traditional rulers, especially the first class ruler of Ron-Kulere, Dr. Lazaru Agai, and urged government to step up efforts to apprehend the killers.

    The Plateau elders emphasised the need to focus on fashioning out strategies to protect the interest of the people, and called for unity toward forming a cohesive force.

    They urge the security forces to fish out and disarm those masterminding the killings so as to restore peace to trouble rural areas.

    NAN

  • Danjuma urges end to insurgency

    Former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilos Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) ‎on Tuesday said Nigeria must be ready to end the Boko Haram insurgency.

    He said there was the need to urgently restore peace and confidence to the citizens especially in areas worst hit by insurgency and other parts of the country.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese multi-purpose Secretariat, Danjuma who was the Special Guest of Honour also noted that the country was facing critical challenges ‎of times, saying “ we are at a critical stage of our history where terrorists are holding communities to hostage and hoisting their flags as their territory.”

    “Inter religious conflicts have been one of the most critical problems and catalysts to the country’s under development, unity and spirit of brotherhood.”

    He noted that the indiscriminate killings of innocent souls by the insurgents remained worrisome,‎ saying that” it is a critical challenge that both government and Nigerians have to collectively phase out.”

    He commended the Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Matthew Kukah, for facilitating and ensuring the completion of the secretariat within the lean resources available.

    “It is my hope that the edifice will serve the purpose for which is built,” the retired army general stated.

  • Danjuma and Taraba power struggle

    Danjuma and Taraba power struggle

    Recent allegation that fomer Defence Minister, General T Y Danjuma, has anointed Hon. Darius Ishaku for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State has deepened the political intrigues in the state. Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, takes a look at Danjuma’s roles in the Taraba political quagmire since 2013, when ailing Governor Danbaba first returned home 

    Since some reports last month claimed that former Defence Minister, General T. Y. Danjuma has anointed the Chairman of Southern Taraba Stakeholders Forum (STSF), Hon. Darius Ishiaku, for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State, the role of the elder statesman in the prolonged leadership crisis in the state has been in focus.

    As would be expected, the alleged endorsement has been the subject of strongly worded advertorials and verbal exchanges between the various stakeholders in Taraba; ahead 2015. For example, in an advertorial last month by Concerned Youths of Southern Taraba, entitled “Re: Open Letter to our Elder Statesman, General TY Danjuma- Rejoinder,” the group appealed to the people of Southern Taraba to be very alert of what they described as “any attempt to set us up against one another,” adding, “Our desire to produce the next governor of Taraba State has the support of all well-meaning Tarabans who believe that the spirit of live and let live is the only way forward in Taraba Project.”

    It would be recalled that shortly before the alleged position of the retired military leader and elder statesman in the ongoing agitation for power change in the state featured in the news, STSF had set up a committee which screened aspirants and reportedly recommended three: Senator Bwacha, Hon. Ishiaku and Retired Col. Agbu.

    That exercise itself generated so much controversy that insiders said it helped to further divide rather than cement the state PDP. For example, while some stakeholders alleged then that Danjuma and other respected elder statesmen and traditional leaders were behind the decision of the screening committee, others said the retired army general had nothing to do with the development.

    So, as recent reports directly alleged that Danjuma had singled out Ishiaku for the plum job in 2015, political temperature of the state expectedly rose very rapidly. As a result, the retired general, who is one of the most revered elder statesmen in the state, has also become a subject of public criticism.

    For example, during the week, a group in Taraba, known as DSK Project 2015, openly faulted Danjuma over the alleged endorsement of the Minister of State for Niger Delta, as consensus candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Southern Taraba.

    Director-General of DSK Project 2015, Senator Abdulaziz Ibrahim, made the position of his group known at a press conference in Jalingo. At the conference Ibrahim said Danjuma was “misinformed” by “Abuja-based politicians into endorsing Ishaku as against the earlier decision of the southern zone which chose Chief David Sabo Kente as its consensus candidate.”

    He said: “While we respect Gen. TY Danjuma as a national elder-statesman and distinguished military general of Taraba State extraction, we fear he allowed himself to be misdirected-through misinformation-by a group of politicians who are based in Abuja, who have no direct contact with the grassroots – our local populace in Taraba”.

    He alleged that Danjuma had earlier accepted the outcome of Southern Senate’s Committee on the aspirants but has now turned around to endorse another candidate.

    According to him, the Southern Senate Committee, headed by Chief D.S. Nyapuri, with support of Danjuma had prior to this time scrutinised the candidature of all 13 aspirants of Southern zone extraction and came up with the name of Kente.

    “We, the DSK Project 2015 group and I particularly, as the Director-General, distance ourselves from the attempt to divide southern zone in order to derail our objective of power shift. We abide by the decision of the first and authentic southern senate under Chief Nyapuri, which endorsed Chief David Sabo Kente as the consensus aspirant in PDP from the Southern Zone.”

    But reports from some people who described themselves as Danjuma’s loyalists said the elder statesman is still for the Minister of State of the Ministry of Niger Delta, notwithstanding the criticisms.

    Former Commissioner of Information in Taraba, Emmanuel Bello, was for example quoted in the news during the week as insisting that “the emergence of Ishaku had the blessing of all stakeholders from the Southern zone and that all other aspirants have thrown their weights behind him.”

    Danjuma’s and the Taraba governorship crisis

    Since the first return of ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai in 2013 and the leadership crisis that followed, Danjuma has remained one of the elders of the state the world looked upon to help resolve the impasse. Investigation confirms however that he has not failed in showing interest in resolving the thorny matter. What however seems to be a subject of controversy is the allegation from Suntai’s opponents that  the elder statesman may have taken sides in the political crisis.

    As far back as October 2013, exactly a year ago, Danjuma was first accused by some stakeholders of taking sides in favour of his political grandson, Governor Suntai, because he allegedly held secret political meeting with the governor’s wife, Hawwa, in their home.

    Ishmael Joshua, a resident in Jalingo, however countered allegation that the said meeting was a secret meeting. According to her, the news of the said meeting was broadcast in Jalingo and the general only said it was a private visit. “Are we saying  he has no right to visit the family of the ailing governor? I can’t see how that amounts to taking sides. Even if he does, how many of the critics can lay claims to knowing what is good for us more that TY,” she querried.

    Before the alleged secret visit, the return of Suntai, who is regarded as Danjuma’s political godson, had created ripples in the state’s political circles and split the loyalty of the leadership and members of the state House of Assembly between the governor and his deputy, Acting Governor Garba Umar.

    Although Danjuma described his visit to Suntai as “private” and declined to talk to journalists, it was reported that he threw his weight behind Suntai in the crisis that involved that State House of Assembly and pleaded that in the political impasse, the law should take its course, a position his critics said would favour Suntai.

    One year after,  with the alleged endorsement  adding up to heat up the Taraba polity, it seems Danjuma and other elder statesmen like him in the state have no option than to rise above criticism to douse the tension and prepare the state for peaceful elections ahead 2015.

    With the second return of Suntai last month, the tense political situation in Taraba is not only renewed, it has indeed peaked with the latest claims that Danjuma, just like what he did in 2013, may have resolved not to sit by and watch the worst happen to his state but to be part of the process that would help ensure a radical change in the state. Like before, that effort, according to Dr. Lawrence Sani, has been “deliberately misinterpreted by political bigots who are using this opportunity to heap up insults on the elder statesman. Knowing how courageous TY is, I do not see him feeling intimidated.”

    So far, the atmosphere, fired by the fuel of suspicion and wild allegations, is becoming hotter by the day.

    Commenting on the development, Acting Governor Garba Umah said, “We have once again stepped into a tense situation occasioned by the second return of His Excellency, Governor Danbaba Suntai, from treatment abroad. The insistence by a powerful bloc on the state that I hand over to my boss even against professional advice is at the centre of the current impasse.”

    Umar made the observation when he visited the national headquarters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last week.

    He  emphasised the fact that the request was against professional advice that Suntai is not fit to govern for now, and told the members of the National Working Committee of the party that a panel raised by the State House of Assembly would determine if the governor was fit to rule or not.

    According to him, “The state of affairs in our state has generally been stable since the intervention as His Excellency Governor Suntai continues to receive medical care within and outside the country. As can be clearly seen over this period, the medical condition of Governor Suntai is improving. And we are waiting for the doctors to certify him to be fit to resume his duties.

    “This has forced the State Executive Council to request the State House of Assembly to set up a medical panel to verify the state of health of our beloved governor. I’ve heard people say the motive behind the setting up of the panel is to remove the governor. This is not true. It is merely intended to determine if I can hand over to him or not.”

    Observers said it is a repeat of the 2013 scenerio, a confirmation that in the strange power game in Taraba, the state has gone a full circle.

    Where all these intrigues will leave the state remains to be seen as the 2015 general elections draw nearer.

  • Clark accuses military chiefs of oil theft

    Clark accuses military chiefs of oil theft

    Ijaw leader and a delegate to the National Conference Chief Edwin Clark yesterday accused military chiefs of oil theft.

    Clark, who was nominated by the Federal Government,  spoke as delegates continued debate on the report of the Conference Committee on Public Finance and Revenue.

    The former Federal Commissioner of Information recalled that during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, he drew his attention to the nefarious activities of military officers, who were aiding and abeting oil theft.

    He noted that Obasanjo directed the then Minister of Defence, General T.Y. Danjuma, to probe the situation.

    Danjuma’s investigation, Clark said, led to the arrest of three naval officers.

    Of the three, he said, one was eventually exonerated.

    The Ijaw leader said: “The military officers who are in the Niger Delta are guilty of stealing the oil.

    “What I will suggest is that the troops in the Niger Delta should be changed periodically.

    “In doing so, you will find that oil theft will reduce.”

    He urged the conference to take a stand on the issue to end oil theft.

    Clark supported the committee’s recommendation   that fuel subsidy should be abolished.

    Fuel subsidy, he said, was an euphemism for corruption, urging the conference to adopt the recommendation to abolish it.

    Clark said: “In 1972 as a commissioner for finance in the old Midwest, I travelled with President Shehu Shagari, who was the Federal Commissioner of Finance, to Forcados Island, where our crude was being exported.

    “We discovered that the government officials, who were there, were more interested in what they can get than protecting the nation’s interest.

    “You hardly know how much oil was taken away from our shores.

    “Till today, I do believe that if you go to Forcados terminal the same story will be told.

    “We are talking about oil theft, I have always said that our young men at home do bucket bunkering.

    “They have no facility, they also lack the technology, but those who steal this oil are people who come from abroad.

    “Have we forgotten the case where three admirals were involved? They were court martialled”

    The Ijaw leader said the revocation of the contract given to ex-militants for the protection of oil pipelines could be responsible for the resurgence of pipeline vandalism.

    Some of the pipelines, he said, were over 50 years old and needed to be changed.

     

  • Caroline Danjuma happy again

    Caroline Danjuma happy again

    CAROLINE Danjuma, wife of Musa Danjuma, a shipping magnate and younger brother of ex-Defence Minister, General T.Y Danjuma (retd), is over the moon. She is expecting her third child with her husband of over nine years. The ex-Nollywood star and mother of two boys, sources say is in her third trimester. Before she got married, Caroline’s style could be described as “the girl next door” look. There were lots of t-shirts, jeans and minis in her wardrobe. After her wedding and babies, her style became sophisticated and the former screen gal who started from modelling to Nollywood never appeared in movies again.