The Nigerian Military has admitted that the leader of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents, Abubakar Shekau is still fully alive, but promised that he would soon be captured.

The Director Defence Information (DDI), Major General John Eneche  who spoke to news men in Abuja said that there has been what he called ‘mix-up’ on the information about the capture or death of the Boko Haram leader because of the various faces Shekau uses.

The Defence Spokesman said that the “real Shekau” has not been captured, adding: “there were so many Shekau faces, that was what was responsible for that but we will get the real thing. We have now come to know that the real Shekau is yet to be apprehended, so that is the truth.

“When Osama Bin Laden was killed, they went further to do a DNA test; that was what happened. The truth is because of so many faces of Shekau that came up, that was what brought up the mix up, but it is the truth that the real Shekau is yet to be apprehended and we will get him.”

Major General Eneche also gave an account of military operations in Nigeria, saying that the Nigerian Armed Forces have done well.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has been able to decimate and degrade the Boko Haram terrorists (BHT) from their terrogensic activity to splinter acts of terrorism here and there mostly within Borno State.  Currently, clearance operation is ongoing jointly by the AFN to eliminate both active and passive acts of terrorism in the North Eest.  It is worthy of note that some countries such as Britain, USA and France among others provided one form of assistance to the military in our effort so far in the North East.”

General Eneche also said Operation SHARAN DAJI in the Northwest has been able to curtail the activities of cattle rustlers with many of them embracing the amnesty offered by the government of Zamfara state.

“Currently, the activities of the criminals have been checkmated tremendously.  It is highly desirable to point out here, that a good number of criminals that were engaged in these activities embraced the amnesty offer by Zamfara State Government.  It is expected that, other states in the NW would emulate Zamfara State, so that; this wickedness of criminality is eradicated from the zone in particular and Nigeria in general.”

He however dismissed the notion that the Military is not doing anything to curtail activities of herdsmen, saying that it is a conflict “between brothers which will require a political solution.

“It is not the one that you have an identified enemy, the issue of Fulani herdsmen and locals, it is an issue an African would put as brothers that have misunderstanding.  It is an issue of two brothers. Even in our houses, children that follow almost immediately have this kind of argument, that is the issues of the herdsmen and the locals. At various fora, we have agreed that it needs more or less of political solutions.” [myad]

“In my village, a soldier told me that he had fled the North-east due to non-provision of bullets and ammunition. Disturbed by the news, I sought an audience with President Goodluck Jonathan. When I finally saw him and spoke to him on the situation in the North-east and how soldiers were fleeing the troubled zone, he said that he had heard of such and doubted if the money he was releasing to the military was being used for that purpose.

These were the comments of the former Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt. General Ishaya Rizi Bamaiyi at the launching of a book he wrote in honour of the war time Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon.

General Bamaiyi said: “If you place the welfare of your soldiers first, they can give their lives for your defence. But if you ask soldiers to cough out N10 million to purchase a house, then what it means is that you are encouraging them to go to the road and steal.

He said that despite what some service chiefs were said to have done during the regime of Jonathan, “it is not true that we are all the same. We must serve with integrity and do what is expected of us. We should be seen to be standing for the truth.”

Bamaiyi stressed the need for the military authorities to focus on improving the welfare of soldiers. [myad]

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has, in Paris, France, today, Thursday, expressed the difficulty which Nigerian government is currently encountering in getting other countries to repatriate funds stolen by Nigerians and kept in those countries.

“The tracing, freezing and return of stolen assets has proved in many cases to be exceptionally difficult for most African countries. We in Nigeria have seen just how difficult it is to get back stolen assets from the international financial system: banks that ought not have received those funds in the first place if the most routine questions were asked.”

Osinbajo, who spoke at the Global Anti-Corruption Forum insisted that countries hosting global financial centers, and other usually targeted destinations of illicit flows must be held more accountable to enforce mechanisms which ensure transparency of ownership, control, beneficial ownerships, trusts and other legal contrivances that may be used to camouflage financial or other assets.

Saying that a robust global framework on repatriation of stolen assets which ensures quick restitution to victim countries is long overdue, the Nigeria’s Vice President noted that there is  consensus that corruption and illicit financial flows out of Africa, inexorably delay the attainment of development goals, worsen practically all human development indices and trap the majority of her people, especially the most vulnerable in a cycle of misery.

“Only a united global action has the power to reverse this trend. We respectfully urge that this power be exercised more vigorously and without further delay.” [myad]

Ambassador of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Fahad Bin Abdullah Sefyan has confessed that he loves to remain in Nigeria if it were not that he was going on retirement.

The Ambassador, who spent 20 months on tour of duty, said he loved it in Nigeria, and would have wanted to stay for longer, if not that he was now due for retirement.

Fahad Bin Abdullah Sefyan, who paid farewell visit on President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, today, Thursday, said: “I quite appreciate the relationship between the two countries.”

He commended President Buhari for his dodged fight against corruption and Boko Haram, adding: “I think you are doing very well, Your Excellency. We know what you have done with Boko Haram, and we applaud you.”

This was even as President Buhari said that the relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia has been a mutually beneficial one, stressing the need for it to grow stronger in the years to come.

The President observed that apart from visiting Mecca and Medina for religious reasons, a lot of Nigerians are in Saudi Arabian universities.

He said that Nigerian economy is being gradually revived, even as he made it clear that the two countries needed to explore more areas to collaborate in future. [myad]

The Nigeria war time Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon has confessed that participation of military in government had done more harm to the country than good.

He described army officers who staged various coups to oust civilian governments as self-serving rather than out of patriotism.

General Gowon, who spoke today at the launching of a book: ‘Vindication of a General,’ written by former Chief of Army staff, retired Lt. General Ishaya Rizi Bamaiyi, emphasized that military participation in politics did more harm to the institution than  good.

According to Gowon, after waging a civil war for the country’s unity, subsequent coups did havoc on the military profession.

He said that someone like General Bamaiyi, due to his candour and professionalism, represents the best the military profession has ever produced.

“I commend the candour and integrity of General Bamaiyi and his resilience of standing up and expressing his views to his superiors even when he knew they were not the same with those of his superiors.”

The war-time leader called on Nigerians to find time to document their odyssey in the public life so as to give younger generation an opportunity to study what transpired in the past.

The book presenter, Professor Sam Egwu, described the book as a moving narration that is hinged on humility and forgiveness.

He said that the 252-page book is laced with accounts of betrayals and personal deprivations of someone who rose from a corporal to become the Chief of Army Staff.

The book, according to Egwu, is divided into four sections, with 16 chapters.

Beyond being a moving narration by an army general on the various betrayals and the power games that trailed military politics in Nigeria, the book reviewer said ‘Vindication of a General’ is a book that unveils certain issues of the past.

Distinguished Nigerians from all walks of life attended the event, among them are Minister of Defence, retired General Dan Manir Ali, former Secretary to the government of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Yayale, Ambassador Shehui Malami, Senators Saminu Turaki, Adamu Aleiro, Shehu Sani, former Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha,  Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Kola Abiola, son to late MKO Abiola and retired military generals.  [myad]