THE EAGLES VOICE BLOG: Security

Showing posts with label Security. Show all posts

Thursday, 19 March 2020

Group Write PMB, Others, Call For Reappointment Of NSCDC CG

A group, Coalition of Civil Society Organisation (COCSON) has written to President Muhammedu Buhari, requesting for the reappointment of the Controller General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu.

Citing his achievement since taking over the helm of affairs of the Corps, the group in a letter to the president, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Inspector General of Police and the 36 state governors on Wednesday said it desire to endorse and push for a second term for the Commandant General stems from his patriotism, excellent leadership and monumental achievements, nationalist posture and desire to ensure that the project Nigeria succeeds.

The letter signed by the Coverner, Ikechukwu Chukwunyere and other coordinators from the zones said COCSON which has succeeded in checkmating activities of public and elective office holders do not engage in praise singing but that resolve to come out enmasse for the support of Abdullahi for a second term speaks volumes of his credibility.

Chukwunyere who said the decision was taken after an emergency meeting said the NSCDC has been aggressive in achieving all its mandate and even surpassing it under the present leadership.

He said, "Transparent Recruitment Process into the NSCDC, aggressive and Proactive effort in combating criminals and terrorists which culminated in the capture of the Boko Haram’s Improvised Explosive Device logistics supplier, making Intelligence Gathering a pivotal part of combating crime, terrorism and economic saboteurs, assisted greatly in redeeming the image of Nigeria Educationally by partnering with Joint Admission and Matriculation Board to ensure sanity in our Educational system among many others are some few ways the Corps has performed under the current leadership.

"Mr President, we are certain that he will take the NSCDC to heights only imagined and that we as citizens of this great country can sleep with our eyes closed because we are sure that economic sabotage, vandalism, and other ills of the society will be a thing of the past if he is retained to work his magic on the NSCDC for another term," the group said.

FG declares Amotekun illegal: Gani Adams replies Malami in open letter

TheEaglesVoice Security ,

Dear Sir,

PROTEST OVER YOUR ILLEGAL ORDER TO SOUTH-WEST GOVERNORS

I find it disturbing your statement of Tuesday, January 14, 2020, declaring the security initiative of South-West governors ‘Amotekun’ as illegal.

You also threatened that the full course of the law will be applied to anybody promoting the Amotekun security initiative.

Maybe you have forgotten. I need to remind you that you are the Attorney-General of the country, not a section of the country.

So, your outburst against the governors who were elected, not selected or appointed, is against the spirit of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The right to life is universal and no government can legislate against that. I don’t need to bother you about killings, kidnappings, banditry and other criminal vices in the South-West recently.

Even Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Yoruba leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was killed and nobody has been arrested in respect of all these killings.

One thing is clear: Nigerians have the right to protect themselves. Not only that: South-West people have a right to protect and defend themselves against attacks.

Amotekun is an initiative by the South-West governors to defend our people.

Where you are getting it wrong is this: The Amotekun initiative has nothing to do with the territorial integrity of Nigeria. If there is a breach of the territorial integrity of the country, the military will come in immediately.

So, nobody is rising against Nigeria, as your letter to the governors, directly or indirectly, implied.

What is happening is that our people no longer feel safe because the land has been invaded by some elements from within and outside the country.

It is unfortunate that rather than praise the governors, you are condemning their action, thereby strengthening the hands of those who believe the Federal Government is against some sections of the country.

As a lawyer and a Senior Advocate, you should know that you are not the law. You are only the Attorney-General, not a court.

It is only a court of competent jurisdiction that will decide if what an individual, group of individuals, an entity or a state does is legal or otherwise.

So, it is only a court that can invalidate the South-West joint security initiative, not you.

I want to establish this fact that the Yoruba have a right to protect themselves from attack or violence of any sort.

Issues of security is highly sensitive, and we can now understand where the threat is coming from. It is unfortunate that the FG is doing everything to frustrate the southwest governors’ efforts.

It is unfortunate that rather than praise the governors, you are condemning their action, thereby strengthening the hands of those who believe the Federal Government is against some sections of the country.

We knew about the intrigues that played out at the meeting. We knew about the frustrations at Aso rock, but the governors, having realised the implications of playing politics with the lives of their people, stood their ground and went ahead to launch the security outfit as planned.

So, it is your position on this volatile situation that is illegal, unlawful, immoral and of no effect because your declaration has proved some critics right that some states in the country are deliberately left vulnerable to attacks by criminals.

This week is the 50th anniversary of the end of the civil war. We should do everything to avoid plunging the country into another war.

Mr. Malami, please don’t set a bad precedence.

Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams

15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland.

Army court-martials 14 soldiers for kidnapping, murder

TheEaglesVoice Security ,

A major, two captains and eleven men of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, are facing court-martial for kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, desertion and other offences, and they are to have maximum punishment upon conviction.

Family members of the accused soldiers and lawyers were allowed yesterday morning at the Python Officers’ Mess of 6 Division to witness the inauguration of the seven-man panel, headed by Brig.-Gen. Bassey Etuk.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, who is also the Land Component Commander of Operation Delta Safe, while inaugurating the General Court Martial (GCM), declared that the Nigerian Army would not condone indiscipline.

“The Nigerian Army is a creation of the Nigerian constitution to carry out specific tasks to support the government’s efforts in providing security for the Nigerian nation. To achieve this, a disciplined and professional Armed Forces is imperative and this in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai,” he said.

Maj.-Gen. Sarham also urged the seven-member panel to live up to expectations, in order to sanitise the Nigerian Army, particularly 6 division.

President of the general court martial, Brig.-Gen. Bassey Etuk, in his remarks, assured that he and six other members of the panel would do justice and they would not betray the confidence reposed in them.

NAF Kills Insurgents, Troops Abort Attacks

TheEaglesVoice Security ,

DHQ condemns ‘military torture video’

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Fighter jets of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday bombed logistic facilities of the terrorist group, Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) in Tumbun Kaiyowa in Northern Borno State.

A NAF update issued wednesday by Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said the jets struck structures hidden in dense vegetation within the locations.

“The operation was executed following confirmation by a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform that some terrorists were harboured, along with their logistics items and facilities, in some structures well-camouflaged under dense vegetation within the location.

“Accordingly, the ATF scrambled two Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the location, recording direct hits on the structures and logistics facilities, which were seen engulfed in flames. Several ISWAP fighters were equally neutralised as a result of the strikes”, he said.

In a related development, the Nigerian Army said troops aborted a planned terrorist attack on 114 Task Force Battalion, E Company’s location at Izge Village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State

It said troops of 143 Battalion laid an ambush on the terrorists’ withdrawal route along Kubu village on June 4, 2019.

“Consequently, the terrorists entered the ambush which resulted in the death of unconfirmed number of the criminals and the recovery of four Ak 47 rifles one mortar, assorted ammunitions, two Hilux vehicles and one pumping machine. There was no casualty on the part of the national army.

“The Nigerian Army, through the Theatre Command OperationLafiya Dole uses this medium to commend and encourages those who availed the troops the information that led to the success of the operation, and further enjoined members of the public to be more forthcoming to the security agencies with useful information about the terrorists and other criminals in Nigeria”, a statement issued by Army Spokesman, Sagir Musa, said.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) last night condemned a torture video involving troops and some bandits, and blamed the troops for overzealousness.

“The attention of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has been drawn to a video footage trending in the social media, visually displaying the maltreatment of some suspected armed bandits and kidnappers who were arrested along Road Abuja – Kaduna during a recent operation.

“Apparently the troops had in their overzealousness tied one of the suspects to a stake in a desperate attempt to extract information from him.

“The DHQ wishes to unambigously state that the act exhibited by the troops in the video footage is very unprofessional and an outright violation of the code of conduct handed down to guide the conduct and behaviour of troops of the AFN during operations. The DHQ therefore, in very strong terms condemn this act of ineptitude and exhibition of lawlessness”, a statement issued by Acting Director, Defence Information (DDI), said.

It said: “the DHQ considers the conduct of the troops highly regrettable. In order to promptly address the anomaly, the Chief of Defence Staff has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident to bring to book all those found culpable in accordance with the military justice system.

“We seize this opportunity to urge members of the public to please report any such misdemeanor to security agencies whenever they are observed”.

Gun License Revoked, Was Obasanjo Wrong? See details

TheEaglesVoice Security ,

Remours flowing everywhere, which I particularly read from the Eagle Eye Report blog says that the federal government of Nigeria under His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari,has revoked all gun licenses given to citizens through an executive order as from 1st of June, 2019. This automatically means that all owners of gun must find the nearest police station to them to drop their guns effective that day or be seen as criminals. While we don't question the powers of the president to give such orders and the intentions behind it, if they are genuine and not forced on him, it is my earnest believe that Nigerians must think critically about the after effect of the implementation of such orders whether it will bring peace or more unrestrained violence.

Former President Olusengu Obasanjo

Different governments in Nigeria and at different times had set out to curb the proliferation of light arms and weapons and had set up committees for that. So, the new pronouncement is not entirely new but with different approach which if hollistically implemented could solve the problem. On how these arms and weapons came into Nigeria is a question the Nigeria Customs, Immigration, the Nigeria Police Force, the Army and other Security agencies must give answers to it, an answer they urgently owe Nigerians.

Let Nigerians know that no single Nigerian is licensed to own prohibited weapons whicg are automatic riffles like AK47 and guns similar to it. What individuals are licensed to own are pump Actions and Dane Guns which are basically for hunting and personal protections. In Nigeria, the only people licensed to handle prohibited riffles and other weapons are the Millitary, the Police, DSS and other government security agencies. The other groups with prohibited weapons though unlicensed are, Boko Haram, Bandits, Fulani Herdsmen, Armed Robbers, Millitants and Kidnappers. The Buhari' s Executive Order means that law abiding citizens with licensed to own Pump Actions and Dane Guns will have to return it immediately to the Police.

The Current security challenges facing Nigeria is not that of citizens who are licensed to use Pump Action and Dane Guns miss using it, but that of Unlicenced groups like Fulani Herdsmen, Boko Haram, Bandits, Armed Robbers and Kidnappers. If we like, we may extend it to those licensed to use prohibited arms but are not using it effectively to the purpose they were assigned that duty. In fact, the security agencies who refused to do their work and those who refused to equip them well are part of out problems.

In trying to solve this problem, the Buhari' s administration says she wants to collect all arms in circulation, mostly from licensed arms users. The question now is, having known the history of the Fulani Herdsmen and Bandits who are occupational force out to kill citizens and take their land and properties, having known that the prohibited arms with them are not licensed, how do we collect it from them? How do we collect arms in the possession of Kidnappers, Millitants and armed robbers? The attempt by the government to confront forcefully these unscrupulous elements have seen resistance and more killings of our security agencies and citizens in places like, Katsina, Sokoto, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Zamfara etc. How do we think we can solve this problem by taking away the hope of little resistance from the citizens?

The Nigeria Security challenges is heightened by the fact that the activities of Boko Haram, Bandits and most especially Fulani Herdsmen are not just criminal but also an attempt to wipe away indigenous people and take their land. This then brings to question the statement of Fulanization of Nigeria by Fulanis by the former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo. The activities of Fulani Herdsmen in Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Adamawa, Kaduna and in Zamfara where they have turned to bandits goes a long way to confirm the assertion by President Obasanjo.

No matter how noble and well thought-out this idea of collecting Dane Guns and Pump Actions from citizens is, President Muhammadu Buhari should know that as a president of Fulani extraction, if the implementation of this policy leads to the overrun of Nigeria or part of Nigeria by the criminal elements from his tribe who he has not collected all the arms in their possession and may not be able to collect and whose mission is well known, which is kill citizens and take their land, posterity will not judge him well.

If these policy is that of Buhari and he wants to implement it, it should be holistical. He should start from Fulani Herdsmen, Bandits, Boko Haram, Kidnappers, Millitants. Collect all the arms in their possession and citizens will gladly submit theirs. But if it is the planed Fulanization of Nigeria by collecting arms from citizens to enable Fulani Herdsmen and Bandits attack and Overrun just like what Al-Bashir did in Sudan with Janjaweeds, he should then know that he will fail.

Like he Buhari said, "the world is watching"

Ekpenyong Isaiah,
Commander, Infantry Pen Battallion
isacool4good@yahoo.com