The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has said that members of Boko Haram have been pushed out of the Nigerian territory and that the remnants are now at the boarders of Nigeria with Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon.

General Buratai who spoke to news men in Damaturu after paying courtesy call on the Deputy Governor of Yobe State, said that the pockets of those insurgents operating in the borders are being cleared by the Multi-National Task Force.

The army boss said that the Army is consolidating on the peace in the region by opening up strategic roads that were hitherto closed due to the Boko Haram activities, adding that they will continue to give confidence to the civil population in the region by chasing out the remaining insurgents in the fringes.

“We are further consolidating the successes by opening roads to allow people move about freely without the fear of any attack. We will continue to do that. Yesterday I was in Maiduguri and a day before yesterday.

“We have been able to open the Dikwa road up to Gamboru Ngala. We must certify that all the routes are safe and to also get people to be more confident and we have to assure them of that.

“Otherwise, virtually all parts of the Northeast can be moved in but people are still apprehensive but you can see that the Multi-National Joint Task Force is operating in the northern part of Borno and southern parts of Niger Republic and parts of Chad. This where you see most of the remnants of Boko Haram are concentrated now.”

“But I must tell you that joint efforts are on the way to make sure that these terrorists are further pushed away from these areas. That is the clearance operation we are doing. I was in Kangarwa just a few meters to the boarders and that is where our troops have been operating and they would continue to advance to clear the remnants there.

“It’s a joint effort now; you will see the Chadian, Nigerien, Cameroonians and our troops doing the clearance operations.” [myad]

“I think Mr. President and his team have done a good job this first year. I understand people are impatient; the expectations from Mr. President are very high. I think we have to remember what he inherited. And in my own opinion we have to be neutral and balanced.

This was the verdict of the outgoing US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, when he answered questions from news men in an interactive session in Abuja.

Ambassador Entwistle said that President Buhari’s economic recovery efforts deserve the understanding and support of Nigerians, adding that President Buhari had done well in the first 365 days in office.

“I see a parallel between President Buhari and President Obama. President Obama had not been in office for very long, but the people had same kind of impatience.

“And I think in my country a lot of people forgot how difficult the situation was that President Obama inherited. I think the same thing is happening with President Buhari – to a certain degree.

“It is completely understandable to me that people have a high expectation, they are impatient, they want to see change.

“But Mr. President inherited a very difficult set of circumstances and some of the things that he has identified that need to be done – end corruption; reform the petroleum sector and end the conflict in the North-East.

“These are things that even if he works as hard as he can, it will take some time.”

Ambassador Entwistle said that the slide in the economy was a culmination of some of the problems inherited by the Buhari administration, including poor infrastructure in the petroleum sector.

While commending the President for the efforts being made to revive the nation’s economy, he expressed the hope that the economy would improve as quickly as possible.

“I think he has put in place some things, though I am not an economist, but what he has done with the exchange rate and fuel subsidy and so on.

“I think in a very deliberate fashion, the economy hopefully is going to improve.

“But remember that in this age, no country is an economic island.

“What affects a country affects the economy of every other country.

“I gave the President very good marks and let’s see how he marches forward in the next few months.”

NAN. [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Christian leaders in Nigeria to tell their flocks to give him and his team chance to stabilize the country for the betterment of all.

“You must tell your followers the truth about the country. We have nothing to hide because we have no other country but Nigeria. Tell them to give us a chance to stabilize the country. Your concern for the security, unemployment, anti-corruption campaign and the frequent altercations between herdsmen and farmers are genuine concerns.”

The President vowed that he would stop at nothing towards restoring the economic fortunes of the country and deliver prosperity to Nigerians even as he made it clear that his administration will not hide anything from Nigerians.

President Buhari, who spoke when he received the Northern Christian Leaders Eagles Eyes Forum at the State House, Abuja on Friday, called on the religious leaders not to lose hope in the unity, stability and progress of the country.

The President emphasized that the Federal Government will continue to prioritize the safety of lives and property, in addition to equipping Nigerian farmers with the right tools, technology and techniques to boost agriculture.

“I know the Ministry of Agriculture and the Governors Forum are doing a lot to resolve the lingering crisis between herdsmen and farmers, we must give them a chance.”

President Buhari thanked the Christian leaders for their support to the Federal Government’s anti-corruption campaign and other policies geared towards reviving the economy.

“It is saddening that some of those who stole from our national resources put the money in their personal accounts. However, it is gratifying that those who stole money and shared funds meant for the purchase of arms for our military are regretting their actions and they will regret more.

“Those caught in corruption will have themselves to blame.”

The leader of the Forum, Pastor Aminchi Habu called on Nigerians to support the President’s anti-corruption war and his vision to restore the lost glory of Nigeria.

“In your administration, I see a new Nigeria where the fear of bribery, corruption and extortion is the beginning of wisdom.

“I see a new Nigeria, where tribalism, religion and ethnicity is no longer a barrier that separates us but a bond that unites us for a greater tomorrow,” he said. [myad]

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has cried out that President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) are out to destroy him politically through the use of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to probe his alleged looting of the nation’s treasury.

The governor, who spoke in Ado Ekiti during a well-attended rally organized by a newly formed Ekiti State Private Sector Union, which was an amalgamation of all informal unions in the state, described the use of EFCC against him as a way of settling political scores.

Fayose said that his current travails in the hands of the EFCC and the alleged startling revelations by the agency that he procured N1.5 billion properties using phoney companies, is the handiwork  of the APC for the purpose of dimming the chances of his party during the 2018 governorship poll

The governor said that the Buhari’s government will crumble if it wages war against him under the guise of anti-corruption war, adding: “they said I collected a sum of N1.3 billion from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki to fund my election. Some even said I collected it through Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro. Let me put it on records that I did not know Colonel Dasuki and Obanikoro has not come out openly to indict me.

“They said similar thing in 2006. It was all about second term then, because they didn’t want me to contest for second term. They said the N1.3b project which I initiated was a scam, but God brought me back. The APC and EFCC conspirators took me before a Judge and I got justice.

“When God says yes, nobody can say no. God has given me uncommon favour over my enemies. I am presently using the mandate of God and Ekiti people and they are ready to defend the mandate and that is why you proudly came out today to express support for me.

“Nigerians have never had it so bad like this. People are suffering and hungry and President Buhari says he is fighting corruption. How can the FG increase fuel from N86 to N145? The price of kerosene is now over N200.

“No act of intimidation and harassment will shut my mouth. I will continue to talk about national issues.

“Somebody from Ekiti gave President Buhari N1.5b for campaign, but today he is being seen as a saint. When you want to campaign or do marriage, people will give you money and my own can’t be an exemption. I am not afraid of incarceration or death.

“APC problem is 2018 and as the God liveth, they are going nowhere. We will stand up and defend our state and the money they said they have gotten through anti-corruption should be spent for Nigerians” Fayose said. [myad]

More confusion has engulfed Abia state as Justice A.I Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Owerri affirmed the election of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu while a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the judgment removing Ikpeazu remained valid until it is set aside by the Court of Appeal.

The two judgments were delivered on Friday.

The Abuja Federal High Court affirmed in two separately rulings that the certificate of return issued to Uche Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission paving the way for him to be sworn in as Governor of Abia State, was valid.

Justice Okon Abang ruled that the two separate judgments delivered on June 27, removing Onyechi Ikpeazu as Governor of Abia State and ordering Ogah to be sworn in his stead could no longer be stayed since the Independent National Electoral Commission had already issued fresh certificate of return to Ogah.

“Therefore, the INEC lawfully issued Certificate of Return to Dr. Sampson Ikpeazu as it was in line with the judgment of this court.”

The judge made this declaration in two separate rulings dismissing the motions for stay of execution filed by Ikpeazu and the Peoples Democratic Party with respect to one of the two judgments delivered on June 27.

The June 27 judgments were delivered in two suits separately filed by Ogah and one Obasi Uba Eleagbara.

While the court refused to hear Ikpeazu’s motion for stay of execution of the judgment with respect to the case numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/71/2016 which was personally filed by Ogah, the court dismissed a similar motion filed by the embattled governor and the PDP with respect to the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1086/2014.

With regard to the first case (filed by Ogah), the judge ruled that he could not go ahead to hear the motion for stay of execution since lawyers to the opposing parties (Ogah and Ikpeazu) had both submitted that the court no longer had jurisdiction to hear it because the appeal against the court’s judgment had been entered and appeal number issued.

But the court dismissed the motion for stay of execution filed by Ikpeazu with respect to the judgment on the case filed by Eleagbara, on the grounds that it lacked merit.

Though Ikpeazu’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), sought to withdraw the application after the judge refused his request for an adjournment of the hearing on the motion, the judge held that the prayer for its withdrawal was belated since Ogah’s lawyer, Alex Izinyon (SAN) had been made to file a counter-affidavit opposing it.

The judge held that since issues had been joined, the motion for stay of execution was deemed to have been heard regardless of whether it was formally moved in the open court.

Justice Abang also held that since INEC had issued Certificate of Return to Ogah, there was nothing left to be stayed.

That was even as Justice A.I Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Owerri ruled that the tax documents where not forged, and went further to dismissed the matter.

He ruled on the matter filed by Mr. Friday Nwosu against, Ikpeazu, Uche Ogah, PDP and INEC, on alleged forgery of tax documents by Governor Ikpeazu. [myad]