Ending Boko Haram In 3 Months: NAF Starts Bombardment Of Sambisa Forest Ending Boko Haram In 3 Months: NAF Starts Bombardment Of Sambisa Forest

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has has started heavy bombardment of Sambisa Forest, the notorious hideout of Boko Haram insurgents.
This comes shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to the new service chiefs to tackle terrorism within a 3-month period and the deployment of new aircraft to ensure a more effective fight.
According to Vanguard, the fresh statement by the director of air force public relations Dele Alonge reads:
“The Nigerian military in its resolution to incapacitate and further degrade the fighting spirit of Boko Haram Terrorist Group (BHT), has carried out several bombings and air strike missions in Sambisa Forest.
“The strike missions came after several weeks of tactical reconnaissance by the reconnaissance/ surveillance aircraft.
“The air strikes carried out by F-7NI and Alpha Jet fighter aircraft, as well as attack helicopters have resulted in the degradation of the terrorist’s capabilities and destruction of some of their strong holds.
AND ALSO: Nigerian Air Force Deploys Combat Aircraft To North East
“Intelligence report revealed that as aftermath of the strike missions, the terrorists have been confined and their capabilities greatly reduced, thereby restricting their nefarious activities to small scale attacks and suicide bombings.
Another extract from the said statement, as provided by Premium Times, contains that the air force staff is committed to fighting vigorously until Boko Haram insurgency is defeated in the country.
“The chief of air staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, assures all Nigerians that the air efforts would be sustained until the Boko Haram activities becomes a thing of the past. He further stated that, the Nigerian Air Force with their support is Willing, Able and Ready to meet up with current and future security challenges of the nation.”
Earlier this year the Nigerian troops rescued scores of children and women from Boko Haram captivity in Sambisa Forest. Several brilliant operations in the area generated many praiseful reactions from Nigerians and boosted the morale of the army.
Recall that in the August 13 statement Alonge noted that technical upgrade and provision of additional platforms in the northeast were in line with President Buhari’s order to bring an end to terrorism in Nigeria.
The country leader once again demonstrated his resolution to deal with the challenge of insecurity when he was decorating the newly-appointed service chiefs. Having carried out a major shake-up in the military, Buhari let the appointees know that he expected enhanced and improved effort to ensure the victory in the anti-Boko Haram war.

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In Buhari’s 36 Days, Boko Haram Kills 406 Nigerians

Buhari’s administration is clearly not making any progress in the war against Boko Haram terrorists. Ever since lost territories were recovered from these bastards by the Jonathan administration, there has not been any proactive/pragmatic effort to minimize suicide bombings by the terrorists. I was shocked when I compiled the casualties in the last 36 days of this administration. 406 innocent Nigerians have been killed in the last 36 days by Boko Haram in the North-east. That is an average of 11 people killed daily. Please, check out the timeline below.

It is a shame that some people have suddenly relegated reports about these atrocities to the background. We are not putting pressure on this administration to take proactive action. Even Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State have suddenly become quiet. So, these lives no longer matter because two of them now belong to the party at the centre? The Buhari administration has simply been grandstanding about taming Boko Haram; all words no action. Running to the leaders of Chad and Niger Republic for help is not a bad idea. Goodluck Jonathan did the same; but it cannot put an end to suicide bombings in our country.
Troops from the MNJTF won’t come into Maiduguri or Damaturu to help stop suicide bombings. They can only help battle cross-border infiltration. The trip to G7 Summit by President Muhammadu Buhari where this same issue was tabled was obviously a waste of time. Deep down, the G7 guys are not bothered one bit about the war against Boko Haram. Buhari should be moving close to Russia and China.

Aside from moving the Command and Control Centre of the war to Maiduguri, Buhari has so far not done anything special in the war against Boko Haram in the last 36 days. This is basically because he has no blue print for tackling the crisis. While campaigning for the Presidency, Buhari simply played politics with the Boko Haram crisis. He did not have any Think Tank working on strategies for taming the monster. The movement of the C and C to Maiduguri did not impact positively on the war as seen from the data below. The movement itself is an archaic war technique. There is clearly no sense in this. Buhari simply wants to jeopadise the Command and Control Centre.

The United States did not move the Pentagon to the Gulf region before decapitating Iraq troops. Just as I clearly stated in an earlier piece, the suicide bombers are within the country, manufacturing and using Improvised Explosive Devices. They are using petrol and gas cylinders, all obtained within the country. Intelligence gathering and technology are vital for detecting and curtailing the deadly activities of these suicide bombers. Community policing is also key. We need to put our internal security in order instead of just running to G7 leaders, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and the rest of them. Of course, leadership matters a great deal if we are to curtail terrorism. Buhari needs to be told that occupying a position of authority does not make a man a leader. It is the ability to inspire others to achieve a positive goal that makes a man a leader.

Being honesty alone does not make a man a leader. Competence is a key factor in leadership. Ability to identify other competent people and then making positive use of them is also vital in leadership. If honesty is all that is required to turn around the fortune of a country, then, a country like Tanzania would have joined the league of developed country. Their former President, late Julius Nyerere who ruled the country for over two decades was one of the most honest leaders in the world. When he left office, he had no house of his own.  The country had to build one for him. In spite of his honesty, Tanzania remained on the inglorious list of very poor countries in the world. The point I am making is that in this war against Boko Haram and other challenges facing this country, we need a leader who combines competence and honesty. For now, I don’t think we have that leader. A man cannot give what he does not have. An honest leader who is not competent will not get us anywhere. A competent leader who is dishonest will also not get us anywhere. May Allah save us from the scourge of Boko Haram and Buhari’s ineptitude.

Timeline of Deadly Boko Haram Attack in 36 days

May 30    13 killed during an attempted night invasion of Maiduguri

May 30     26 killed, in bomb attack on a mosque near Borno market
May 31      Four killed at Gamboru market, Maiduguri
June 2     17 killed at Maiduguri abattoir
June 3     Four killed in attack on mechanical workshop on Baga Road
June 4    Female suicide bomber kills two near military checkpoint in Maiduguri
June 5     40 killed in suicide attack on Jimeta Night Market
June 7     Three killed in suicide attack on Baga/Monguno Highway
June 11     37 killed in separate attacks on six Borno villages
June 15     Twin suicide bomb attacks kill 11 persons in Potiskum
June 17     Accidental explosion kills 15 persons in Monguno
June 22     Eight killed in twin suicide attacks on Baga Fish Market, Maiduguri
June 23    15 killed in suicide bomb attack on Nannawaji Village, Gujba LG
June 23     20 killed in attack on Debiro, Hawul LG
June 27     Five killed at General Hospital, Molai, Borno State
June 30     48 killed in Mussaram I and Mussaram II near Monguno
July 1         98 killed in Kukawa Village
July 2         11 killed at Malari Village along Bama/Konduga Highway
July 3         29 killed in Mussa Village, Askira-Uba LG.

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PDP Blasts Buhari Over Boko Haram Comments

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issued a new statement, in which it blasted General Muhammadu Buhari over his position on insurgency in the North-East.

Muhammadu Buhari

It would be recalled that Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant for 2015 elections, criticized the acting government over its inability to end up terrorism in the country. He said that Nigerians should blame not the military, but President Goodluck Jonathan and his administration.
Responding to the attacks, the ruling party on December 3 released a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, and accused Buhari of playing politics ahead of the next year’s polls.
The PDP also blasted the politician over the comment that he would end insurgency if elected President in 2015, Sahara Reporters provides.
“It is unfortunate that General Buhari, being a former head of state, has continued to play politics with a very serious security challenge which has claimed the lives of many Nigerians by always trying to use the pains of the people to score cheap political points at a time all patriotic Nigerians are joining hands with government to look for solution.
“Rather than show patriotism by collaborating with the Federal Government, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant prefers that the nation has no solution until the time he is able to step in as president with his “magic wand” to end the insurgency.”
According to the statement, such attitude is an open demonstration of lack of “genuine love and concern for the people. Assuming, without conceding that he has the solution to the problem, should Buhari as a prominent citizen not have put the country first before any selfish political agenda and personal aggrandizement?”
While the Federal Government is demonstrating commitment to setting peace in the country, Buhari continues bringing oil to the fire, the PDP said.

AND ALSO: Buhari Blasts Jonathan Again
“Nigerians appreciate the fact that the Federal Government has been able to sustain the battle to repel the insurgents through the gallant efforts of our armed forces, who have continued to put their lives on the line in defence of our nation and her people.
“In the last four years, the Federal Government has deployed huge budgetary allocations towards the fight against terror. Our military, which has suffered years of neglect, is being re-equipped, care is being provided for victims and the displaced while advocacy, consultations as well as national and international collaborations, have been strengthened to find lasting solution to the challenge.”
The PDP also commended personally Goodluck Jonathan over demonstrating his commitment “despite the attempts to distract him by unpatriotic elements whose agenda is to destabilize and balkanize the nation as a means to achieve political control”.
Thus, the party characterized Buhari’s speech as something associated with “cheap politics” and recalled how the APC aspirant had previously ran for presidency.
“It is on record that in April 2002, preparatory to the 2003 presidential elections, General Buhari urged that Muslims should vote only for Muslims. His statement, which targeted at the very heart of our unity as a nation also sought to promote our nation’s religious fault line as a basis for electing a President.
“A stunned nation watched General Buhari flag off his campaign in 2011 in Kaduna with the pen logo of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) held like a spear in his hands and during which he told his supporters to use it (pen) to pluck out the eyes of anybody that tampers with their votes.
“As if unmoved by the consequences of his utterances in 2011, General Buhari on May 14, 2012, invoked imagery of bloodshed ahead of 2015 elections while addressing members of his defunct CPC who visited him in Kaduna when he said “If what happened in 2011 (alleged rigging) should happen again in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would be soaked in blood.”
The PDP also directed criticism at the APC in general saying they embarrass the nation and the acting administration.

AND ALSO: 2015 Elections: There Will Be Revolution Says Buhari
“When a founding chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, said a few weeks back in a newspaper interview that the APC had a solution to Boko Haram but would keep it until they got to power, Nigerians wondered if there existed certain links that were more than meet the eyes.”
Buhari has failed to introduce any vision on improving Nigeria since he came into politics, the party insisted and therefore urged Nigerians, irrespective of their political leanings, to unite and support the government in its fight against insurgency.
“The time to show support and love for our soldiers and victims of the insurgents is now. Whenever you see a Nigerian soldier smile at him, tell him well-done and wish him well. A united Nigeria remains our only hope for individual and collective growth and greatness. We should not allow comments and statements based on the selfish interests of certain Nigerians to becloud our love for one another.

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Buhari other Nigeria’s military chiefs to defeat Boko Haram in 3 months

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday charged the new heads of the Nigerian military to defeat the Boko Haram insurgents within three months.
The president made the call when he swore-in the new service chiefs in Abuja . The decorated service chiefs – General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin , Chief of Defence Staff; Lt-General T.Y. Buratai, Chief of Army Staff; Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff – were appointed on July 13 and confirmed by the Senate on August 4.
Mr. Buhari, who was joined by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, charged the new military chiefs to brace up to the challenge of the

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Nigeria to recruit additional 10,000 police officers

The Nigerian government is set to recruit additional 10,000 police officers to boost youth employment and security in the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari made this known Monday, saying that the government will also establish a properly trained and equipped Federal Anti-Terrorism Multi-Agency Task Force that will effectively address the challenge of future insurgency in a sustainable manner.
The president was speaking at a one-day national security summit, held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, organised by the Nigeria Police Force.
Mr. Buhari noted that the need for community input to policing and crime management in Nigeria has become more imperative considering the current national security challenges in which kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, transnational crimes, terrorism and other organized crimes.
He said in the meantime, efforts are being made to enhance the operational capacity of officers of the police force through training programmes that will give them the right civil orientation in their roles as guardians of the constitution, he said at the summit.
To improve public security, he said consideration is also being given to the expansion of the CCTV Monitoring System across major cities and towns in the country, while the police accountability mechanism will be strengthened.
The president said his administration will encourage states to look at state-level community inter-acting with police under a model that will integrate members of the community to policing functions at the grassroots level.
“It is my high expectation that this National Security Summit will develop pathways for the attainment of this policy focus of the new administration” he said.
He commended the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force for appreciating the yearnings of members of the public by ordering the dismantling of police road blocks which have consistently constituted a dark side of policing and become an object of discord between the police and the citizens of this country.
He also lauded the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, for introducing the ‘Safer Highway Motorised Patrol’ Scheme and for deploying 555 Patrol Vehicles along all major highways to fill the void created by the enforcement of the order dismantling road blocks.
He described it as a proactive action meant to reassure citizens of their safety and security.
The president urged the force to adhere to all United Nations and African Union Charters and other regional global instruments on Human Rights while also introducing Alternative Dispute Resolution procedures to policing functions.
“These initiatives, if properly implemented, will undoubtedly address those factors that threaten public confidence in the Police and hence, create good grounds for the practice of community-led policing to flourish. I am tasking the police not only to “say” but to “do” as we are promising to Nigerians” he said.
Earlier the Inspector General of Police had Solomon Arase called for community driven policing as an alternative to effectively curbing insecurity within Nigeria as well tackle inadequate man power profile in the Nigeria Police Force.

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‘Deputy Senate President will cause problems for Buhari,’ APC leader says

Ekweremadu, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was elected on June 9, 2015, when Senate President, Bukola Saraki defied the APC to contest and win after garnering most of his votes from PDP Senators.

• 

  Senator Ike Ekweremadu, CFR  The Nation 

  A leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the party still wants Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu removed from the post.

    Senator Ike Ekweremadu, CFR
  (The Nation)

  
  

  Ekweremadu, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was elected on June 9, 2015, when Senate President, Bukola Saraki defied the APC to contest and win after garnering most of his votes from PDP Senators.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu
  (Odogwu Blog)

  
  

  The APC leader, who spoke to Punch on condition of anonymity, said that Ekweremadu’s occupancy of the Deputy Senate President’s seat would cause problems for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

  “As deputy senate leader, Ekweremadu is automatically the Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Amendment. This is a sensitive position that, statutorily, should not be held by the minority,” the APC chieftain said.

  “Ekweremadu and his PDP co-travellers will hamper the policies of the Buhari government. By the virtue of Senate rules, a member of the minority is not supposed to be the deputy senate leader; so, he is occupying the post illegally,” he added.

  “We know the body language of some of these elements to anti-corruption. Nigerians know the stance of Buhari on corruption and insecurity. These elements occupying positions in the National Assembly must be removed. Otherwise, this administration is dead on arrival,” the source said.

  The APC leader also stated that Buhari had refused to see Saraki since his emergence as Senate President.

   

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Gunmen abduct ex-Governor’s wife In Bayelsa

In BayelsaGunmen abduct ex-Governor’s wife

Martha Binabo was kidnapped at about 11:30am on Monday, June 29, 2015, in Agbura community, a town on the outskirts of Yenagoa, the state capital.

Unidentified gunmen in Bayelsa State have abducted the wife of former Acting Governor, Nestor Binabo.

Former Acting Governor of Bayelsa State, Nestor Binabo
(Punch)

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BVN Registration

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has extended the deadline for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) registration.

The registration exercise will now continue till October 31, 2015, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The deadline had earlier been set for Tuesday, June 30 leading many customers to besiege banks as the date drew near.

Many had earlier urged the CBN to review the deadline but the apex bank's Director of Corporate Communications, Ibrahim Mu’azu reportedly said that no extension would be granted as sufficient time had been given for registration.

About 14 million Nigerians are said to have already registered for their BVNs.

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FRSC asks Nigeria’s local governments to provide trailer parks

The Federal Road Safety Corps has suggested that government at local levels take responsibility and provide modern parks for commercial drivers in their locality.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, the FRSC corps marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, said, “The local government is a critical factor, it is the responsibility of the local governments to provide parks as per the constitution, the 774 LG authorities must be ready; it is another source of revenue for them.”

He added that the councils “must provide modern parks and if they cannot fund it, they can go on Public Private Partnership arrangement to provide parks where the tanker, trailers and other vehicle can park and rest for a while.”

Mr. Oyeyemi had in the past week said that tanker drivers will be subjected to a 30 minutes rest after each four-hour driving session in order to help reduce fatigue, a factor in most tanker crashes in Nigeria.

The corps marshal said that implementation of new plates for commercial drivers will commence soon in line with an agreement between major stakeholders in the industry during a just concluded national summit.

“The implementations is commencing. One of the critical issue is the retraining of all the NUPENG drivers. We have commenced the implementation of the new number plates for NUPENG and we had a meeting few days ago where we introduced the plates to all the states and from July 1, the new plates will be administered by the states,” he said.
The new plates he said will give a unique identity for all the tanker trucks and trailer vehicles for easy identification. The process, he said, is no different from that for the commercial vehicle drivers – done at no extra cost.

The corps marshal added that the FRSC has observed that 35 per cent of the tankers used are old and most of the users say they cannot afford the cost of new ones. Mr. Oyeyemi said in view of this, a proposal is being developed to engage the government for assistance
“A new tanker costs about N30 million, the head alone is N21 million and the body about N7 million plus the registration and insurance. So they need government.

“We are going to work with Vehicle Inspection Officers to ensure strict compliance to the vehicle inspection. We are working already with them and they are fine tuning the drivers retraining programme,” he said.

Mr. Oyeyemi said the FRSC will re-train all NUPENG drivers as well as set up four specialized driver’s license centres – in Suleja, Kaduna, Warri and Lagos – for the commercial NUPENG drivers.

He said the process to obtain a commercial driver’s license includes a full medical check-up including a psychiatric test. He said that at the end of the process, the corps will have the specific number and details of tanker drivers in Nigeria.

“I want to tell the nation that within the next few months, we are going to see a kind of change; and we are also working from the resolution in Sokoto, we are targeting zero crash and I believe it is workable. We have resolved now that the drivers subject themselves to checks at the designated places,” he said.

Mr. Oyeyemi said there will be a joint task force consisting of officials of the FRSC, NUPENG, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Vehicle Inspection Officers, among others, to ensure compliance with its directive.

The corps marshal said any tanker not installed with the speed limiting device by September 1 will not be allowed to load at any of the depots.

“We believe once you can control the menace of the tanker drivers, the rest is simple. We want to assure Nigerians that this kind of carnage we experienced in the first week of July will never occur again; and by the end of the year, the nation will be proud that we have civilized drivers,” he added.

He said the corps have already engaged some state governments including Edo, Sokoto and Enugu states to increase the capacity of the VIOs in their various states and also get involved in their training.

“We are doing this so that the urban traffic system can be handled by the states while we focus more on the interstate roads – the federal road.

“I believe at the end of the day all we are geared towards is ensuring safe motoring, safe culture; for us to have an enduring road safe culture in Nigeria and we need the support of all Nigerians to achieve this,” the corps marshal said.

“Sometime when we have rallies, we find out that most of these drivers have high blood pressure and we refer them to specialists; the issue is that we need to drive to save lives. If the driver is not medically fit and he is on the road, it is a danger,” he said.

Mr. Oyeyemi said drivers who have issues with vision especially those unable to see well at night will not be allowed to drive, while those who need corrective glasses should get one.

He said the trainings, expected to commence in two weeks, will hold in different languages and will inculcate the will and good driving culture.

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Court of Appeal orders Nigerian govt. to stay action on extradition of Ex-MINT boss, Okoyomon

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Friday turned down the bail application of Emmanuel Okoyomon, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, whose extradition is being sought by the United Kingdom.
The U.K. government wants him over his alleged role in the bribery allegation involving officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008.
However, the court granted Mr. Okoyomon’s plea for stay of execution on the order to extradite him.
The U.K. government had, through the office of Attorney General of the Federation, requested Mr. Okoyomon to be extradited to face charges of corruption and money laundering
In a bid to stall his extradition, the former Mint boss had, in October 2014, through his counsel, Alex Iziyon, SAN, challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the application to extradite him.
Mr. Iziyon argued that there is no extradition treaty between Nigeria and the United Kingdom .
He further argued that the London Scheme for extradition within the Commonwealth 2002 does not apply in Nigeria .
However, M. S Hassan, who represented the Attorney General of the Federation, countered Mr. Izinyon’s submission.
Mr. Hassan argued that the 1931 treaty became applicable to Nigeria in 1935 and was never repealed by any enactment, stressing that schedule 2 under Extradition law provides that, “the law shall apply to all Commonwealth Nations”.
Ruling on the matter on May 4, 2015, Justice E. S Chukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, ordered Mr. Okoyomon to be extradited to the UK within 30 days from the date of the ruling to face trial, while being remanded in prison custody pending his extradition.
Dissatisfied by the ruling, Mr. Okoyomon, through his counsel, Mr. Izinyon, approached the Court of Appeal seeking a stay of execution of the order of the lower court.
The appellate court, in its ruling on applications Friday, refused his bail, while granting a stay of execution on his extradition pending the determination of the appeal before it.

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Why I will now attend Juma’at service at Aso Rock — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday participated in the weekly Juma’at prayer at the Presidential Villa Mosque.
“President Buhari did so out of consideration for avoidable hardships imposed on members of the public by road closures and other security measures which Presidential movements to the National Mosque necessitate,” the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said in a statement Friday.
“Accordingly, the President has decided that henceforth he will mostly observe the Juma’at prayers with other Muslims at the Presidential Villa Mosque.
“President Buhari will still join the larger Muslim Community for Friday prayers at the National Mosque and other mosques in Abuja occasionally.”

 

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