A traditional ruler in Osun has called on a group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by Nnamdi Kula threatening to cause crisis in the eastern party of the country to desist from daring the strength of the Nigerian Army as the general elections for 2019 get closer.

This was disclosed during a press conference by Oba Hammed Adekunle Makama ,Tegbosun III with newsmen held at the palace of the royal father, Kuta Osun State.

The Oba described the Nigerian Armed Forces as an institution above ethno-political and religious ills adding that Nigerians should learn to show respect to the soldiers.

The traditional ruler appealed to political parties going to the poll on February 16 and March 2, 2019 to stop politicizing security issues being addressed by the Nigerian armed forces with politics in  the interest of their parties in order to gain political mileage .  

He also appluaded the troops stressing that “I can not but award a credit mark to our armed forces their journey so far in taming the hydra-headed monster known as Boko Haram terrorists’ “Our troops need our individual support and concerted support through prayers and positive comments” explaining that “A situation whereby their efforts are greeted with scornful remarks would naturally kill their morals and also incapacitate their spirit to fight and get desired results”.

The traditional leader further urged his counterparts in the eastern part of the country to live  up to their fatherly role and advice Nnamdi Kalu and his IPOB members to stop their unlawful activities against the  Nigerian state  saying” His regular inflammatory statements against the country are not needed at this critical time of our national life”.

The Yoruba monarch said traditional rulers in the south-east should let Nnamdi Kalu see reasons to stop

 his call for boycott of the election as a huge disservice to the people of the southern region and an effort to provoke the country.

•Members of the CSOs addressing the media on non prosecution of corrupt persons in Nigeria

The Civil Society Groups for Accountability and Probity, have threatened to embark on a nationwide protest following the non-prosecution of former Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, accused of corruption.

Jonathan Ogwuche, National Secretary of the group, who addressed a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had not acted on petitions sent to it on Sen. Akpabio.

He said that failure of the anti-graft agency to act on several petitions it submitted against Sen. Akpabio, had discredited the government’s fight against corruption.

Ogwuche explained that the CSOs would have no other option than to protest, to draw the attention of the international community.

“We herein call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately direct the EFCC to proceed with the prosecution of Sen. Godswill Akpabio, while a similar presidential directive should be issued to the CCB to proceed with the trial of Akpabio at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

“Justice should take its full course without creating room for sacred cows. We shall mobilise our members across Nigeria for a massive protest if measures are not taken to prosecute Akpabio,” Ogwuche said.

He said that the group had within the “precincts of the law’’ tried to make the EFCC and CCB to prosecute Akpabio.

“We have written several times to these anti-graft bodies both directly and through open publications without any response.” (NAN)

 By David Onmeje

The story of the Nigerian Army is such that invokes memories of exploits, especially in the Sub Saharan Africa. In times past, the Nigerian Army won countless laurels in its operations so much to the envy of other nations. At a point, the Nigerian Army was adjudged one of the best professional armies in the world. 

Nigerians were indeed proud of the Nigerian Army, and it became a thing of pride for one to be enlisted as either an officer or a soldier in the Nigerian Army. This euphoria continued until the advent of democracy in Nigeria in 1999. And that era saw to the gradual and steady decline in the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army for some strange reasons. 

We didn’t notice the decline until we were confronted with the Boko Haram challenge from 2009. So much that the Nigerian  Army has lost its footing on the threats posed by evolving warfare such as cyber warfare, insurgency, terrorism, nuclear warfare and other forms of unconventional wars. It was so apparent that the Nigerian  Army was still leaving on past glory. And this gave rise to the casualties it suffered during the early stages of the Boko Haram crisis. 

The Nigerian Army was at its lowest ebb. The morale of the fighting troops was at an astonishing low. And Boko Haram continued to gain grounds so much so that over 16 local government areas in North East Nigeria fell under the control of the Boko Haram terrorists.  Other parts of the country too were not safe including the federal capital territory that witnessed scores of Boko Haram attacks. This was as recent as 2015. It was such a bad tale to recount in the annals of Nigeria and the Nigerian Army. 

But all of that has changed for the better as we are now witnesses to the return of the Nigerian Army to the path of glory in the past three years. In my opinion, there is no way one can talk about the return of the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army without mentioning two people. One is the president and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari and also the dynamic Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai. 

How the Nigerian Army has achieved total peace for Nigeria is still what observers and researchers are still battling to unravel despite the security threats posed by the Boko Haram terrorists and other militant groups such as the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), the Niger Delta Avengers, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This is mainly on the heels of the fact that before the coming of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian  Army was a shadow of its self. In truth, we had a Nigerian Army that was just some kilometres away before its final disintegration. But not anymore. 

I am of the opinion that God truly loves this country. If not for the intervention that saw the coming of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the subsequent appointment of a dexterous general as the Chief of Army Staff, I wonder what would have been left of Nigeria with the ferocity with which the Boko Haram terrorist carried on. The terrorists and other militant groups would have overrun Nigeria. 

That the Nigerian  Army under the leadership of Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai was able to turn the tide against the enemies of the country is indeed an indication of capacity and strategic intelligence. I stand to be corrected. For the Nigerian  Army to carry out operations simultaneously across the country and was still able to maintain peace is an indication that the Nigerian Army has been repositioned for operational effectiveness by none other than Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai. Little wonder the avalanche of awards that have come his way? Worthy of mention is the award of the Brazilian Military Order of Merit Award, which is the highest military honour awarded to military officers that have distinguished themselves in various military endeavours. 

The likes of Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai should be a topic of research for military historians on how he was able to take the deplorable Nigerian Army to an effective operational force in a record three years. In my opinion, the topic of the research should read “Army Leadership in Nigeria and operational effectiveness: a case study of Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.” 

In so doing, other upcoming officers and commanders would have something to chew on when the lot falls on them. In truth, this is what is obtainable in western climes ass it is done to the likes of General David Petraeus. It is indeed a record feat for Nigeria to have turned the tide against the Boko Haram terrorist. And it explains why the war exploits of Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai should be subject to a robust academic pursuit. 

One of the landmarks of the operations of the Nigeria Army in North East Nigeria is the creation of the Special Strike Force that has continued to lead the onslaught against Boko Haram terrorists in North East Nigeria. In my opinion, the establishment of the Strike Force was the game changer and in conformity with the famous quote by General David Petraeus that says “Life is a competitive endeavour. And there’s nothing more competitive, obviously, than combat.” 

And I could not agree less. It takes a whole lot of thinking outside the box when fighting an unconventional war. You must be prepared to assess the psychological state of the terrorist to be able to formulate an effective counter-strategy. This much I have noticed was deployed by the Nigeria Army in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists and other militant groups in Nigerian from 2015 to date. And with the present state of the Nigerian Army, it is just a matter of time for the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists to be wiped completely. Need I say more? Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai is indeed a study in warfare.

Onmeje is a media strategist based in the United Kingdom.

The Coalition on Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria has described as false recent report in the media credited  to Amnesty International that over 60 persons were killed in Rann area of Borno State by members of the Boko Haram insurgents. 

Amnesty International had in a statement claimed that at least 60 people were killed following the 28 January devastating Boko Haram attack on Rann, a border town in Borno state, northeast Nigeria.

However, the human rights group said its investigative tour of the theatre didn’t only reveal that Amnesty International lied on its claim, it also showed that INEC’s decision to conduct elections in all the polling units across the north-east was well placed with the realities on ground.

The coalition made this known in a preliminary report presented on Monday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. 

The report signed by its President/Convener, Gabriel Oche, said it was high time the Nigerian government began the process of expelling organizations such as Amnesty International from the country for its notoriety.

The full report reads  in full.

The current news making the rounds on Boko Haram attacks in Rann, Damaturu road and other parts of the North East necessitated the Coalition on Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria to activate a team of researchers to undertake an assessment tour of the above mentioned areas with a view to  leaving the realm of speculation and to put things in proper perspective.  

The operations of the Boko Haram terrorists in North East Nigeria have been the subject of debate across various platforms in Nigeria. While it has been stated in numerous forums that Boko Haram has been degraded, some organizations have countered the argument indicating that Boko Haram has instead intensified its operations against the Nigeria state. 

The Nigerian military, on the other hand, has been in the vanguard of engaging the terrorist and this has resulted in casualties on both sides. This much has been evident in ensuring that peace is restored to North East Nigeria and the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes and communities. 

From previous reports on the activities of the Nigerian military  in North East Nigeria, it has been revealed that the since 2015 the Nigerian military gained grounds and recovered many territories that were once under the control of Boko Haram terrorists and it has continually engaged the Boko Haram terrorist who has resorted to using Nigeria’s neighbours (Chad, Niger, and Cameroon) as retreat areas whenever they come under heavy bombardment from the Nigeria military . 

The Boko Haram Terrorist have also set up training camps along the fringes and use such location to launch attacks in communities in Nigeria and after that retreat to these countries. This is despite the memorandum of understanding signed between Nigeria and the francophone countries towards forming an alliance to combat terrorism in Sub Saharan Africa. 

There also have been established cases of external support towards the Boko Haram terrorist, especially with the affiliation of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) and other terrorist’s networks in the world. 

Consequently, this report looks critically at the claims made by the Nigeria Army towards degrading the Boko Haram Terrorists and also the counterclaims made by some organizations such as Amnesty International and others. 

It has been widely speculated by Amnesty International (AI) that Boko Haram launched a deadly attack in Rann, Borno State that saw to the death of over 60 people. It also stated that the Boko Haram terrorist have been terrorizing travellers on the Damaturu Road, as well as other parts of North East Nigeria, therefore puncturing the claims by the Nigerian Army that the Boko Haram terrorists have been degraded. 

Amnesty International has engaged the Nigerian Military with accusations of human rights violations and their inability to protect the people of North East Nigeria from Boko Haram terrorist that has led to a wanton loss of lives and properties. It also alluded that there have been constant Boko Haram attacks in Rann and other parts of North East Nigeria in recent times that have seen the Nigerian military lose grip of its core responsibilities and with a dampened morale as a result of heavy casualties it has suffered in the battlefield.  

The group of researchers deployed for on the spot assessment of the various claims as postulated by Amnesty International came up with the verdict that the bulk of the position of Amnesty International is not an accurate reflection of the issues on the ground. 

The Rann Attacks was amplified and misrepresented to the general public by Amnesty International. It was also gathered that Amnesty International acted in a manner that suggested that it has foreknowledge of the activities of Boko Haram as in the case of Rann and the speed with which it went to press was suspect. 

Some residents of the area that were interviewed shared the same sentiment on the possibility of Amnesty International working in cahoots with either some foreign interests or with the Boko Haram terrorists themselves.  It was therefore concluded that the hype around the Rann Attack is mischievous and misleading.  

The team of researcher also carried out extensive investigations on the claims that Damaturu and Maiduguri to ascertain the veracity of the claims that the area has been under constant attacks. It was realized that the claims are mostly false and based on rumours and assumptions. The proponents of the claims did not bother to verify their claims before making it public knowledge. 

From the reports gathered from locals and other credible sources, the Nigerian military has been able to maintain a firm grip of the security of most communities in North East Nigeria. This is contrary to claims in the public space that some communities in North East Nigeria were under the control of Boko Haram Terrorists.  

Again, it is misleading and not the exact representation of the situation on the ground. As a fact, the special force battalion has been able to sustain a high level of morale amongst the troops which have reflected positively in their various operations in the North East.  

The activities of some non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International have been misleading to members of the general public. Some NGOs have carried on their actions in such a manner that connotes espionage. They hide under cover of NGO to ask questions and demand for sensitive information especially on the operational strategies of the military. 

It was also discovered that some of the NGOs have in their employ French-speaking staff from some francophone countries. This trend has further heightened the suspicion that some of the NGO s operating in North East Nigeria might be working against Nigeria’s interest. 

Our researcher was able to uncover some details about some senior staffers in some of the NGOs that might suggest why they have been ferocious in their criticism of the operations of the Nigerian military in North East Nigeria. 

For example, Awwal Rafsanjani who chairs the affairs of Amnesty International in Nigeria is a member of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). He has been known for his affiliations with the IMN since his university days in Bayero University Kano. It, therefore, would not be out of place to conclude that Amnesty International would indeed show bias in its reportage of the activities of the Nigerian military in North East Nigeria. 

The researchers also identified another example in Isah Sanusi, the public relations officer of Amnesty International. Isah Sanusi is a former staff BBC Hausa and also a member of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and who is known to have promoted hate speeches, religious bigotry, and intolerance. 

The research team concluded that Amnesty International and other organizations such as Transparency International (TI) and Civil Society Legislative Centre (CISLAC) carries on with an agenda that defeats objectivism in all ramification and with a penchant for spreading falsehood and half-truths to the general public. 

There is relative peace in all the communities  that were visited by the team of researchers at random cutting across the states and therefore corroborates the position of the Independent National Electoral Commissions’ position that elections can now take place in all the communities. 

The efforts of the military are entirely laudable. 

The relevant authorities must warn the populace on the dangers posed by some identified NGOs in North East Nigeria 

The relevant authorities must begin a security audit of all the international NGOs operating in North East Nigeria. 

The relevant authorities must begin the process of expelling organizations such as Amnesty International from Nigeria for its notoriety. 

The relevant authorities must make it mandatory for all NGOs in North East Nigeria to submit a weekly report of its activities in North East Nigeria to the Nigerian Military for vetting and approval before making public. 

The relevant authorities must peg the number of NGOs that can operate in North East Nigeria in a bid to curb espionage activities. 

Nigerians should be more concerned about humanitarian issues and lack of infrastructure in the locality.

The National Inter-faith and Religious Organizations for Peace (NIFROP) is set to hold a grand rally of 1,000 clerics and faithfuls for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections. This was contained in a statement issued by the group  in Jos recently. 

It stated that since the completion of a forty days’ inter-faith fasting and prayers as part of preparations for the commencement of the 2019 general elections it was revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari is God’s choice to lead the country for the next four years. 

“Recall that at the end of this forty days of fasting and prayers, God emphatically revealed the choice was for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari. It was revealed to people of faith that President Buhari is the choice of God because of the specific assignment that was given to him. His is the assignment to end the years of locust that had made Nigeria a laughing stock among nations before his ordained first term.” 

“Our faith teaches us to back prayers with good deeds and actions. What has been revealed to us after prayers about the re-elections of President Buhari must now be backed up by actions. We have resolved to between now and the election speak truth to power in a manner that is more vocal than we have ever done in the past.” 

The group averred that it would scale up activities to ensure that that which has been said about President Buhari’s election will come to pass. “As the first step, we shall be holding a Grand Rally for President Buhari’s re-election, is the choice of God for the land. We are doing this to ensure that Nigerians do not sin against God by ignorantly voting against the choice ordained to take the country to a higher level.” 

The statement further stated that the Grand Rally would take place in Abuja on 7 February 2019 as divinely revealed during the forty days’ prayers and fasting. 

“Eight is perfection. It symbolizes material abundance and economic success. Others might have misused such opportunity to do good things for Nigeria before, but one truly ordained by God shall make the initial four years of plowing and sowing to yield great harvests in the latter years.” 

“Those with an evil intention for Nigeria have seen the glory that is soon to descend on the country once President Buhari has been re-elected. They have resorted to lies, intimidation, and violence to confuse the electorate from doing God’s will, which is to vote for President Buhari. Their intention for doing this is not just because they want to win and gain power at all cost. They are trying to turn Nigerians against President Buhari so that God will be displeased with the country and visit wrath upon us.” 

NIFROP also stated that the essence of the Grand Rally is to enlighten voters to this uncommon combination of danger and opportunity. 

“We are in danger if we contravene God’s order to re-elect President Buhari while we have a great opportunity to be blessed and thrive as a people when we do God’s will and re-elect him as our leader. This is the message we are taking to Nigerians on the streets during the Grand Rally. Those who cannot make it to Abuja to be part of the rally can hold mini-versions in their respective cities and towns.” 

It would be recalled that NIPFROP assembled over 1000 clerics from various faiths to a forty days’ prayers and fasting for President Muhammadu Buhari and the general wellbeing of the country at large.