The United Kingdom has announced that about 40 of its war experts will soon arrive Nigeria to train Nigerian soldiers that are fighting Boko Haram, especially in the North East.
A statement from the Press and Public Affairs Officer of the British High Commission, Joe Abuku said: “More than 35 personnel from the Second Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment (2 R ANGLIAN), will be shortly deployed to deliver infantry training to Nigerian military personnel preparing to tackle the extremist group in the north of the country.
“The 2 R ANGLIAN, based in Cottesmore, Rutland, provided support to the Armed Forces Nigeria throughout 2015, which included the deployment of Short Term Training Teams, and support to smaller training tasks to assist the resident British Military Advisory and Training Team – which has grown in size over the last year.
“Around 130 UK military personnel were deployed to Nigeria on a wide range of training tasks last year.
“This included training in infantry skills, civil-military affairs, media operations, command and leadership, IED-awareness, and support to Nigerian military training schools and establishments.
“Almost 1,000 Nigerian military personnel have benefited from training to prepare them for counter-insurgency operations in northeast Nigeria, and the work by 2 R ANGLIAN, known as The Poachers, is now well-recognized across the AFN.
“The UK also supports a Nigerian intelligence and analysis cell focused on the northeast and based in Abuja, and nearly 30 UK Armed Forces personnel are deployed in Nigeria on an enduring basis in training and advisory roles.” [myad]
The World Economic Forum (WED) has announced Actors Yao Chen and Leonardo DiCaprio, artist Olafur Eliasson, and musician and entrepreneur will.i.am as the recipients of the 2016 Crystal Awards. According to the Forum, the winners will be honoured next week at the opening session of the World Economic Forum during its annual meeting scheduled to take place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland from 20 to 23 January. The awards, according to the Forum, celebrate the achievements of leading artists who have shown exemplary commitments to improving the state of the world. “Given the geopolitical realities of the time when we launched the award in 1995, its purpose was at first to recognize artists who were inspiring cross-cultural understanding and trust across nations. While this remains as true for the award today as ever, as the world has changed so, too, the award has evolved also to embrace those exceptional artists who deal with some of the other major global issues, including the environment, social inclusion, health, education, food security and peace-making.” Chairwoman and Co-Founder of the World Economic Forum’s World Arts Forum, which gave out the awards, Hilde Schwab, said that Yao Chen, is being honoured for her leadership in raising awareness of the refugee crisis. He is described as a beloved Chinese actress, known as the “Queen of Weibo” for having the most followers on the Chinese equivalent of Twitter (78 million), Yao Chen has used her high profile to influence the public on a range of issues, including environmental pollution and food safety. She is perhaps best-known for her role as the UNHCR’s honorary patron for China, regularly visiting refugee camps in the Philippines, Thailand, Ethiopia, Lebanon and Pakistan. Yao Chen said: “Helping others also fulfils the needs of the helper. We can only survive by needing and depending on each other.” Leonardo DiCaprio is also honoured for his leadership in tackling the climate crisis. A globally recognized actor and producer, Leonardo DiCaprio has long been a passionate advocate for environmental sustainability. With the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which he founded in 1998, he has been active on a range of sustainability topics, including the protection of key species, including sharks in California, tigers in Asia and elephants in Africa. He has called on world leaders to address climate change and was designated as the United Nations Messenger of Peace for Climate Change. DiCaprio said: “Clean air, water and a liveable climate are inalienable human rights. And solving this crisis is not a question of politics, it is a question of our own survival.” Olafur Eliasson os being honoured for his leadership in creating inclusive communities. A world-renowned artist, Olafur Eliasson has created large-scale installations and designs that have contributed to redefining the essence of cities and communities. Some of his major works include The New York City Waterfalls, Ice Watch, The Weather Project and Riverbed. Since 2012, he has co-led Little Sun, a social business and global project addressing the need for light in a sustainable way that benefits communities without electricity, creates local jobs and generates local profits. Eliasson said: “Art offers one of the few places in our society today where people from various backgrounds can come together to share an experience while having different opinions. “Disagreement is not only accepted but encouraged. Art helps us identify with one another and expands our notion of we – from the local to the global.” Also will.i.am will be receiving the award for his leadership in creating educational opportunities for the underserved. He is an award-winning musician, known for his work with The Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am is a multifaceted entertainer and creative innovator. With a commitment to inspire kids to stay in school and go to college to become the leaders of tomorrow, he advocates for the importance and power of a good education through the i.am.angel Foundation. The Foundation’s programmes include i.am STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths), i.am scholarship, and i.am college track. will.i.am said: “The STEM/STEAM skills needed to excel in the Fourth Industrial Revolution can equip every citizen with the ability to have a career versus a job, and to build companies and wealth that benefit entire communities versus just a few people. “Together with a community of more than 40 cultural leaders, the Crystal Awardees are coming to Davos to contribute to shaping the global agenda, providing unique ways of looking at issues that can lead to real breakthroughs.” Over 2,500 leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society, academia, media and the arts will participate in the 46th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland under the theme, Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The programme comprises over 250 sessions, of which over 100 sessions will be webcast live. Taking a formative role in shaping the discussion at the Annual Meeting 2016 as the Co-Chairs are: Mary Barra, Chief Executive Officer, General Motors, USA; Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Brussels; Satya Nadella, Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft Corporation, USA; Hiroaki Nakanishi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hitachi, Japan; Tidjane Thiam, Chief Executive Officer, Credit Suisse, Switzerland; and Amira Yahyaoui, Founder and Chair, Al Bawsala, Tunisia. [myad]
The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has announced the death of one confirmed Lassa fever victim at National Hospital Abuja.
Professor Adewole who made the announcement at the National Hospital Abuja today also called on Health workers at all levels to be more vigilant and look out for patients with symptoms of Lassa fever.
The Minister directed that all primary and secondary contacts of the victim should be tracked including the staff of the private hospital in Kubwa where the deceased was first managed for one week and subsequently became unconscious before referral to National Hospital.
He also advised that family members should report at the nearest hospital if anyone has fever for more than two days
The Minister, however called on the residents of Abuja not to panic but to maintain high level vigilance and present themselves for test if they feel unhealthy or they feel symptoms of Lassa fever which include high fever, stooling, tiredness, vomiting, etc., adding that self-medication should be avoided at this period.
The Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr. Jack Momoh who briefed the Minister during his visit to National Hospital, said that the patient was brought in unconscious from a Private Hospital in Kubwa where he was admitted for 8 days.
According to the medical director, the 33 year old newly married lived in Jos Plateau but came to see a family member in Kubwa because of his illness. He however died within 24hours of presentation at the National Hospital.
The latest death from Lassa fever brings the total number of deaths to 43 in the country (from 10 states).
Meanwhile, as two persons lost their lives to Lassa fever in Kano and about 41 others in 11 states across the country, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has constituted a 22- man Task Force on Lassa Fever Response.
Inaugurating the Task Force, Governor Ganduje warned that because the disease is spread by rodents as a result of poor hygienic practices, it has become imperative for the people to pay more attention to personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.
Advising the people not to allow rodents feed on their foods, the governor stressed “the need for families to properly dispose food remnants and ensure that their kitchen utensils are kept clean always”.
Ganduje also urged the people to watch out for symptoms of the disease and to report any suspected Lassa fever case to the nearest health facility. He said government would place emphasis on advocacy and public enlightenment to ensure that Lassa fever no longer occurs in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Kabir Ibrahim Getso who disclosed that the two patients who died in the state as a result of the Lass epidemic were officially recorded in November, 2015 but both died on the 4th December of the same year.
Dr.Getso explained that the Lassa virus is carried by rats and spread to humans adding that the ailment could be spread from person to person through direct contact, adding that his ministry has designated a health facility at ‘Yargaya to handle Lassa Fever cases.
The commissioner added that the state government has also set aside hotlines to track the diseases, engaged in aggressive contact tracing of the deceased victims as well as embarked upon vigorous public enlighten campaigns through radio.
The illness reportedly was discovered in 1969 when two missionary nurses died in Nigeria. The virus is thus named after Lassa, a village in Borno State in the North East where the first cases occurred. [myad]
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly seized a duplex which alleged belong to the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alex Badeh.
The details regarding the circumstances leading to such seizure were not immediately known, but the EFCC has placed a signboard on the property at Wuse II, Abuja, showing that it has taken possession of the storey building.
Badeh was appointed Chief of Defence Staff on 16 January 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan. [myad]
The APC National leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned against those who are now crossing carpet from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC), saying that they may be disasters to the ruling party.
Tinubu who spoke to newsmen emphasized that he does not celebrate the defection of PDP politicians no matter the status.
”I’m not elated about the news of former senators, and even serving ones, defecting to the APC. Even if a governor from the opposition defects today, I will not celebrate it. I think the President should be leery and extremely cautious of these PDP defectors, and should not give them any serious responsibilities, because at the appropriate time, they will manifest great evil and disaster against the President and the APC.” Tinubu also warned that the influx of the PDP members “will crumble the APC, especially, if the President (Buhari) decides to do just a term.” he said that his concern over the wave of defection is that if President Buhari decided to do a single tenure in office, crisis might erupt between the defectors and the old members of APC. “The President Buhari I know, has very good intentions for Nigeria, and he would want to handover to someone he deems not to be corrupt. It is even possible that the President already has a successor in mind. And the danger is this; at the fullness of time, these PDP defectors, will form an unholy alliance with some politicians in APC and across the board, to thwart the President’s succession plan. And that will be the end of the APC, and a new rising for the PDP “ Tinubu congratulated Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state, on his reelection for another four years and commended Chief Timipre Sylva of the APC for putting up a gallant fight. The APC has recently received Senator Uche Ekwunife, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Former PDP Executives in Akwa Ibom and thousands at a mega rally in Jigawa state. [myad]
A $200 Million World Bank loan which the federal government under the former President Goodluck Jonathan denied Lagos State Government for the purpose of completing some of the infrastructural development projects it had been undertaking was, today, approved by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fasola who spoke to news men shortly after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Buhari, said that the loan was approved in 2010 by the Federal Government with an initial moratorium of 10 years and a repayment period of 40 years. The loan which will be sourced from the World Bank, is the first major approval of such facility for any state government by the President Buhari-led administration. Fasola said that the loan is not entirely a new one as part of it had been collected during the past administration even as he said that the delay in approving the balance of the loan was due to partisan political differences as Lagos State was being controlled by a different political party other than that of the government at the centre. He regretted that due to the branding of Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa at the moment, the terms and conditions of the loan had changed with a reduction of moratorium period to only five years, repayment period to 25 years and an imposition of 2.5 percent interest rate. “The point to make is that this is not a new loan, it’s a segment if a programme of developmental initiatives and it was approved in 2010 with a total sum of $600 million for Lagos State to be disbursed in tranches of 200 million each year starting from 2011-2013. But it suffered delays as a result of partisan political differences in the last dispensation. After the first tranch was disbursed, there was a freeze on the second tranch. “The initial agreements we had with the World Bank was a 40-year loan, a 10-year moratorium, 0.5 percent interest. But because of the delays that subsequently characterised the partisan interference that took place, our profile as a nation also changed; we had become a bigger economy so money was being lent to us not now as a highly indebted nation anymore. So by the time this one was approved now because of the delays, we had lost the opportunity of 40 years as it is now a loan of 25 years, the moratorium has reduced to five years instead of 10 years. The interest rate had gone up to 2.5 percent “But what is still heart-warning about it is that it helps to finance infrastructure. When we look at road construction and the value chain that people benefit from it, labourers, those shops that sell iron rods, artisans, craftsmen, that means, really globally, economies are being reflated and infrastructure defines how big a nation can grow; it is the defining line between poor and rich nations.” Fasola in whose era as Lagos State governor the first tranch of the loan was received, however, expressed gratitude that the government of the day at the centre had given approval for the loan to complete the numerous roads and other projects that were started. He said that the resolve by the World Bank to provide the money was a testament that the foremost financial institution had confidence in the Federal Government and its current fiscal measures. “It’s is heartwarming that this administration has taken it on, and again fast track it so that the Lagos State government can continue its developmental programmes of infrastructure renewal; taking people out of poverty, reducing inequality because that’s the way to really distribute wealth in a society. “And that the World Bank has had the confidence now to lend sums in tantamount to sub-national government is a testament of financial discipline, strong governmental structures and the establishment of institutions, rather than the World Bank writing programmes for those states,” according to the minister. Fasola who was former Lagos Governor, said that the Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister in the past administration, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had confided in him that the second tranch of the loan was frustrated because some PDP governors were complaining that only the then opposition states were benefiting. Meanwhile, a mild drama preceded the commencement of Wednesday’s FEC meeting. President Buhari shocked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other cabinet members by arriving at the Council Chambers of the State House at 9.51am for the FECl meeting scheduled for 10.00am. Osinbajo, Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari, National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno and 19 ministers were yet to turn up when Buhari arrived for the meeting. After a quick glance at the few ministers who had taken their seats, Buhari remarked: “I came too early.” The president then asked for the recitation of the National Anthem and the meeting began immediately. Osinbajo and others however arrived about five minutes into the meeting and were said to be admitted through the tea room as the main door had been shut soon after the President’s arrival in consonance with protocol. [myad]
At a time when the issue of accountability has emerged as the most talked about subject in public discourse, the theft of the 219 girls from a government school in Chibok has, expectedly, kicked up questions about how far, so far, and whether this is going to be an endless wait for their return.
A government that says it would be respectful of the people’s mandate would be willing to give a snapshot of the continuing efforts to find the girls and free them.
When the government of Muhammadu Buhari gave strict directives for the Nigerian armed forces to root out Boko Haram and bring an end to the insurgency in our country’s northeast, the kidnapped girls from the Government Secondary School in Chibok were foremost in his mind. The issue remains one of great significance to Nigerians at home and abroad, and to the international community, and finding the missing girls is still a priority of President Buhari’s government.
Over the past months, the Nigerian military has recorded major victories against Boko Haram, reclaiming territory that had previously been occupied by the terrorists and dislodging them from their strongholds deep within the Sambisa forest. Throughout these operations, special care has been taken by the military to not harm any abducted persons in the terrorist’s captivity. Our armed forces are under instruction to withhold invasion rather than endanger the life of any Boko Haram captive. Various reports giving alleged information as to the whereabouts of the missing girls have also been received by the army, but these have all turned out to be false or misconstrued.
Unfortunately, things were left too late. The previous government wasted precious time questioning the veracity of the abduction rather than going in search of the girls when the trails left by their kidnappers must have still been fresh and easier to follow. In addition, after almost two years, there is a big questions out there among the experts if all the over 200 missing girls are gathered in one spot, in one location, sitting and waiting to be rescued.
When he spoke honestly and truthfully on the issue in his maiden Media Chat, the President drew criticism from some members of the Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG movement when he answered in the negative, a question on if he knew specifically where the girls were being held.
The President equally faced criticism for offering unconditional talks to Boko Haram leaders to secure the release of these girls, criticism that ignores sufficient record in history in the United States, Russia and even Israel. As illustrated by security consultant and author, Brian Jenkins in a 2014 article, if a safe rescue is the objective-which truly it is in this case-a negotiated outcome is always better than an armed rescue operation. In his words: “Armed action should never be ruled out completely, but negotiations are the more practical course to bring the girls safely home.”
That article strengthens the argument that, while the government must not abandon military efforts, it should carefully consider the complexity of such operation, especially given President Buhari’s emphasis that delay is preferable to errors, especially where the getting the girls unharmed is the ultimate goal. Don’t forget that after the 9-11 terrorist attack on the United States by Alqaeda, it took ten years of careful planning to bring Osama Bin-Laden to a final, Hollywood-style finish.
For President Buhari, there is no place for the overdone political posturing over the sad incident. He is not seeking applause because this problem is far more serious than most people think.
From everything the Defence Headquarters has been saying, our troops are ready, able and willing to storm anywhere at anytime to secure the girls once that needed intelligence is available.
The last battle-ground, the Sambisa forest is large and expansive. It covers about 3,000 square kilometers of Nigerian territory and it ideally harbors the remaining terrorists and their captives. But Sambisa presents a number of challenges not only to our own fighting forces but to the terrorists themselves. The place has been heavily mined. The terrorist operatives who planted the mines are believed to be mostly dead or have fled, so they too fall victim to them as they move in the forest because the remnants of their fighters don’t know where the mines are planted.
With recent military procurements by the present administration, mine-sweeping equipment have been deployed to pave the way for our soldiers. The Air Force is doing its duty of providing air cover and the Navy is active in Lake Chad waters. Our neighbors, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin are collectively standing with Nigeria to deny terrorist a foothold on their soil.
In addition to these efforts, there are daily intelligence reconnaissance flights by our Air Force, the U.K, U.S and France which are partnering with the Lake Chad Basin Commission Countries. In the light of all these, a serious advance is being made towards liberating the forest and hopefully, government will be laying its hands on whatever is left of the terrorists and their hostages.
However, the issue goes beyond the Chibok girls. The incident which took place at the Government Girls School in Chibok, as horrific as it was, merely provided a glimpse into a darker horror that had gone largely ignored by both the Nigerian media and the previous administration: Girls being kidnapped every day from their homes and schools in northeast Nigeria.
The Chibok kidnap was merely an indication of a much larger problem, in which the Nigerian government has already recorded great progress. Although military invasions of the Sambisa forest have so far not yielded the missing Chibok girls specifically, they have led to the rescue of hundreds of women and children from various other parts of northeast Nigeria, who had been in Boko Haram captivity usually for several months. Between April 2015 and today, about 2000 women and children have been rescued by the Nigerian military from deep inside the Sambisa forest. Just last month, over 200 people, mostly women and children, were rescued from Boko Haram captivity. Without the BBOG outcry that followed the Chibok kidnapping, the world may have remained unaware of the distressing plight of those hundreds of missing women and girls.
These hundreds of women and girls may not be the focus of any major advocacy or media frenzy, but they are equally important. Their rescue and welfare are just as crucial as that of the famed Chibok girls. Their safety is as much of a priority to the Nigerian government.
The President shares empathy,solidarity and sympathy with the BBOG and other stakeholders. He may not be a man of many words. But as his actions suggest, he understands the loss by the parents, stakeholders and the nation very well. That’s why he keeps saying, ” you have to secure the nation to govern it well.” Security is the number one priority of this administration.
In the last few months, the government has run a very energetic and a very successful campaign that has diminished greatly, the terrorists, and has engaged the neighbors and the rest of the international community. These efforts have very much translated into a concerted and coordinated action. Yet for all these to succeed, stakeholders, especially those under the BBOG movement who, to their credit have served the nation selflessly to make Nigeria a more conscientious country need to rally their support behind the armed forces and the President. That is a critical ingredient for the girls to be found and returned and for the country to be safe from terror.
By the end of 2015, the Nigerian armed forces had succeeded in containing the insurgency in the northeast. All this is part of the ongoing effort to, not just rescue missing women and girls but ensure that they stay safe afterwards, that incidents such as the kidnapping in Chibok never reoccur. When kidnapped girls are rescued and returned to their families, the communities in which they live must be secure. They should be able to sleep without fear of being kidnapped again. They should be able to resume their education, to go to school in peace of mind. No more kidnappings should be allowed to take place.
If a repeat of this horrible incident is to be prevented, there must be corrective steps incumbent upon Nigeria.President Buhari remains committed to taking these corrective steps. He remains committed to finding the missing Chibok girls. He is also committed to annihilating Boko Haram and to bringing an end to terror in the northeast and in other parts of Nigeria. We must not lose hope.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. [myad]
Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayabe has regretted that for long, corruption had frustrated the progress of Nigeria and that it needs to be fought with all the strength at the nation’s disposal.
The Governor, who is ruling on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari is on the right course to get rid of corruption in Nigeria.
Ayade, who spoke to news men shortly after meeting Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today said: “It is only obvious that any serious government must take the issue of corruption seriously and I think that is why today Nigeria is beginning to have national and international image that looks like Nigeria is getting prepared for business. “That is why investments are flowing into Cross River State. That is a sign that the anti-corruption war is actually working and it is giving Nigeria the international image that we need.” The governor described the anti-corruption war as perfect, saying: “those who know the pains, hardship and frustrations that Nigerians have passed through will agree with me on this.” The governor said that the issue of the Bakassi Deep Sea Port was part of the issue he discussed with the President, adding that construction work would start in full once the Environmental Impact Assessment is concluded. “The project is real and that is part of what I discussed with Mr. President and the President has given his commitment that he will support the deep sea port and the evacuation corridor, which is the 260km super highway. “The President did give an advice and warning that as far as he had come to give support to this programme, I must come to give him quarterly progress report on this project.” Ayade said he also discussed the state’s rice production project for which a special agriculture credit facility of N4.8 billion has already been requested. He said that the total investment outlay of the project is N10 billion, excluding a foreign element, which is a function of what the foreign partners are bringing. On Tinapa, Ayade said the state would on February 14, commission a monorail to mark Valentine’s Day, adding that rail is the first of its kind in West Africa. [myad]
One of the unfortunate falsehoods in the ongoing Taraba narratives is that Aisha Alhassan actually won the governorship election. The impression is created that she is a popular female politician with a cult folowership. The assumption is that she is the Hilary Clinton of Nigeria who is being persecuted by a male dominated society such as Taraba. For the unsuspecting, Aisha has played an insidious mind game showcasing her as the one with the highest cast votes in the last election.
Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth. APC is the master of propaganda, voodoo and illusions. If one is not careful, they would sell one a dummy and make one pay for one’s funeral. They know how to decorate lies and sustain mirages. Here then are the incontrovertible hard facts: Alhassan won only five local governments out of sixteen LGAs in the state. Those LGAs she won are basically the ones opposition parties always and naturally win during polls. They are the strong hold of the opposition and no one can dispute the fact that the APC clinched those five local governments.
Having conceded that, it is also a fact that the ruling PDP in Taraba with its very popular candidate, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, garnered the majority votes having convincingly won in eleven local governments. Even when are run was ordered in one of the LGAs, the PDP still swept the polls. Gov Darius, an urbane professional architect, is seen by many as the voice of reason and experience. He has been a minister in three different ministries. When he was in the power ministry, Darius easily endeared himself to the electorate and thus didn’t find it difficult to get their support. His platform too i.e, the PDP is the preferred one in Taraba.
Today, sadly the APC is creating the scenario as if it actually polled more votes. But the stark reality is there for all to see. Even the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) knows this for a fact. APC is alien to our people and it has no natural roots. In declaring the PDP candidate, Arc. Darius Ishaku the winner, INEC therefore was merely voicing the opinion of the majority of our voters.
This thus brings us to the crux of the matter. If democracy is the game of number, the PDP has that number. If it is a game of majority, then the majority of Taraba electorate have spoken. And if the electoral system stipulates that anyone with a simple majority wins this contest, then Governor Darius Ishaku is in order in the eyes of the law and common sense.
That is why any attempt to smuggle the governor’s mandate through the back door would always be resisted by the teeming masses of Taraba. Five can never be greater than eleven. Any attempt to make it so is not only anti democratic, it is basically demonic.
To give Taraba governorship to the opposition APC would therefore amount to not only standing justice on its head but also giving a new meaning to profligacy. It would be a perfidy of the highest order and recourse to dictatorship.
What is more, it would be a miscarriage of true democracy and an insult on decency. It would showcase the current Buhari administration as one that enthrones wickedness and lawlessness. That is why we are praying that the right thing be done in Taraba state so that the law abiding citizens can continue to be guided by the rule of law.
There is no telling what may happen to Taraba should the APC try to force itself and take the state at the court as the tribunal wanted to do. It is a dangerously unadvisable mission. It won’t auger well for Tarabans and certainly for the entire country. This is because injury to one is an injury to all. Right now there is peace and calm basically because the court of appeal did the right thing to avert pandemonium. Electorates are now more informed than before. Stealing their mandate is thus no longer a safe enterprise. Therefore any decision about Taraba has to take these facts into considerations:
Taraba is historically and traditionally a PDP state 2. The PDP swept almost all the legislative posts both at the state and national level in the last election as a demonstration of this dominance in Taraba. 3. Gov Darius won with a very wide margin having garnered the highest number of votes from eleven local governments of the state. 4. The APC won just five local governments which are seemingly strong holds of opposition tendency in the state. 5. Five is not greater than eleven. It is a mathematical aberration and also a satanic equation.
The highest chamber of justice would never accept the devil’s calculus that five is now greater than eleven.
Guaranty Trust Bank has launched the #GTBankMobileWin100k competition to reward its mobile banking customers by availing them a chance to win N100,000 weekly in the mBank January rewards. The competition will run throughout the month of January 2016 and 10 lucky customers will win N100,000 weekly during the period. To participate in the competition, customers are required to perform two banking transactions weekly on the GTBank Mobile App. Such transactions include funds transfers, airtime purchases, bills payments and purchases on the SME MarketHub. Multiple entries are allowed and winners will be notified by telephone or email. The GTBank Mobile App is a versatile mobile application that merges the bank’s internet banking and mobile money service offerings to allow customers enjoy 24/7 flexibility in carrying out banking transactions without having to visit the Bank’s offices. Using the mobile app, customers can confirm transactions, transfer funds, pay bills and check balances from the comfort of their mobile devices. The app also host other amazing features such as the SME MarketHub, an online e-commerce platform that allows businesses owners create online stores to sell and promote their offerings to millions of buyers online. Commenting on the launch, Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of GTBank, said: “Understanding that customers are always on the go; mobile banking puts us in the palm of our customers and provides a unique opportunity to offer quick and more efficient ways of providing banking services. As a Bank, we remain firm on our objective to deliver value adding services that are tailored to meet the diverse needs of our ever-growing customer base by leveraging technology to make banking more convenient for all our customers.” [myad]
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The United Kingdom has announced that about 40 of its war experts will soon arrive Nigeria to train Nigerian soldiers that are fighting Boko Haram, especially in the North East.
A Ray Of Light On Chibok Girls, By Garba Shehu,
A government that says it would be respectful of the people’s mandate would be willing to give a snapshot of the continuing efforts to find the girls and free them.
When the government of Muhammadu Buhari gave strict directives for the Nigerian armed forces to root out Boko Haram and bring an end to the insurgency in our country’s northeast, the kidnapped girls from the Government Secondary School in Chibok were foremost in his mind. The issue remains one of great significance to Nigerians at home and abroad, and to the international community, and finding the missing girls is still a priority of President Buhari’s government.
Over the past months, the Nigerian military has recorded major victories against Boko Haram, reclaiming territory that had previously been occupied by the terrorists and dislodging them from their strongholds deep within the Sambisa forest. Throughout these operations, special care has been taken by the military to not harm any abducted persons in the terrorist’s captivity. Our armed forces are under instruction to withhold invasion rather than endanger the life of any Boko Haram captive. Various reports giving alleged information as to the whereabouts of the missing girls have also been received by the army, but these have all turned out to be false or misconstrued.
Unfortunately, things were left too late. The previous government wasted precious time questioning the veracity of the abduction rather than going in search of the girls when the trails left by their kidnappers must have still been fresh and easier to follow. In addition, after almost two years, there is a big questions out there among the experts if all the over 200 missing girls are gathered in one spot, in one location, sitting and waiting to be rescued.
When he spoke honestly and truthfully on the issue in his maiden Media Chat, the President drew criticism from some members of the Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG movement when he answered in the negative, a question on if he knew specifically where the girls were being held.
The President equally faced criticism for offering unconditional talks to Boko Haram leaders to secure the release of these girls, criticism that ignores sufficient record in history in the United States, Russia and even Israel. As illustrated by security consultant and author, Brian Jenkins in a 2014 article, if a safe rescue is the objective-which truly it is in this case-a negotiated outcome is always better than an armed rescue operation. In his words: “Armed action should never be ruled out completely, but negotiations are the more practical course to bring the girls safely home.”
That article strengthens the argument that, while the government must not abandon military efforts, it should carefully consider the complexity of such operation, especially given President Buhari’s emphasis that delay is preferable to errors, especially where the getting the girls unharmed is the ultimate goal. Don’t forget that after the 9-11 terrorist attack on the United States by Alqaeda, it took ten years of careful planning to bring Osama Bin-Laden to a final, Hollywood-style finish.
For President Buhari, there is no place for the overdone political posturing over the sad incident. He is not seeking applause because this problem is far more serious than most people think.
From everything the Defence Headquarters has been saying, our troops are ready, able and willing to storm anywhere at anytime to secure the girls once that needed intelligence is available.
The last battle-ground, the Sambisa forest is large and expansive. It covers about 3,000 square kilometers of Nigerian territory and it ideally harbors the remaining terrorists and their captives. But Sambisa presents a number of challenges not only to our own fighting forces but to the terrorists themselves. The place has been heavily mined. The terrorist operatives who planted the mines are believed to be mostly dead or have fled, so they too fall victim to them as they move in the forest because the remnants of their fighters don’t know where the mines are planted.
With recent military procurements by the present administration, mine-sweeping equipment have been deployed to pave the way for our soldiers. The Air Force is doing its duty of providing air cover and the Navy is active in Lake Chad waters. Our neighbors, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin are collectively standing with Nigeria to deny terrorist a foothold on their soil.
In addition to these efforts, there are daily intelligence reconnaissance flights by our Air Force, the U.K, U.S and France which are partnering with the Lake Chad Basin Commission Countries. In the light of all these, a serious advance is being made towards liberating the forest and hopefully, government will be laying its hands on whatever is left of the terrorists and their hostages.
However, the issue goes beyond the Chibok girls. The incident which took place at the Government Girls School in Chibok, as horrific as it was, merely provided a glimpse into a darker horror that had gone largely ignored by both the Nigerian media and the previous administration: Girls being kidnapped every day from their homes and schools in northeast Nigeria.
The Chibok kidnap was merely an indication of a much larger problem, in which the Nigerian government has already recorded great progress. Although military invasions of the Sambisa forest have so far not yielded the missing Chibok girls specifically, they have led to the rescue of hundreds of women and children from various other parts of northeast Nigeria, who had been in Boko Haram captivity usually for several months. Between April 2015 and today, about 2000 women and children have been rescued by the Nigerian military from deep inside the Sambisa forest. Just last month, over 200 people, mostly women and children, were rescued from Boko Haram captivity. Without the BBOG outcry that followed the Chibok kidnapping, the world may have remained unaware of the distressing plight of those hundreds of missing women and girls.
These hundreds of women and girls may not be the focus of any major advocacy or media frenzy, but they are equally important. Their rescue and welfare are just as crucial as that of the famed Chibok girls. Their safety is as much of a priority to the Nigerian government.
The President shares empathy,solidarity and sympathy with the BBOG and other stakeholders. He may not be a man of many words. But as his actions suggest, he understands the loss by the parents, stakeholders and the nation very well. That’s why he keeps saying, ” you have to secure the nation to govern it well.” Security is the number one priority of this administration.
In the last few months, the government has run a very energetic and a very successful campaign that has diminished greatly, the terrorists, and has engaged the neighbors and the rest of the international community. These efforts have very much translated into a concerted and coordinated action. Yet for all these to succeed, stakeholders, especially those under the BBOG movement who, to their credit have served the nation selflessly to make Nigeria a more conscientious country need to rally their support behind the armed forces and the President. That is a critical ingredient for the girls to be found and returned and for the country to be safe from terror.
By the end of 2015, the Nigerian armed forces had succeeded in containing the insurgency in the northeast. All this is part of the ongoing effort to, not just rescue missing women and girls but ensure that they stay safe afterwards, that incidents such as the kidnapping in Chibok never reoccur. When kidnapped girls are rescued and returned to their families, the communities in which they live must be secure. They should be able to sleep without fear of being kidnapped again. They should be able to resume their education, to go to school in peace of mind. No more kidnappings should be allowed to take place.
If a repeat of this horrible incident is to be prevented, there must be corrective steps incumbent upon Nigeria.President Buhari remains committed to taking these corrective steps. He remains committed to finding the missing Chibok girls. He is also committed to annihilating Boko Haram and to bringing an end to terror in the northeast and in other parts of Nigeria. We must not lose hope.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. [myad]