Army launches ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ in Ondo to combat kidnapping, other crimes
By Muhammad Sabiu
The Nigerian Army’s 32 Artillery Brigade said on Tuesday that it had begun a field training exercise in Ondo State to address any security concerns.
The “Exercise Crocodile Smile IV” training was also part of the Nigerian Army’s response to security concerns and civil disobedience in the state, Major Victor Olukoya, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, said in a statement.
The drill, according to Olukoya, was also in line with the army’s constitutional mandate of assisting civil authorities.
He stated that the exercise, which began on November 8 and will end on December 23, 2019, would be completed.
He said, “The exercise will be conducted in conjunction with other security agencies to further sustain the existing synergy between the Nigerian Army and other sister agencies in the state.
“This is a military exercise aimed at curbing various security threats such as kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, pipeline vandalism, hooliganism, and banditry.
“The exercise which is people-oriented shall be conducted in line with the Nigerian Army rules of engagement and code of conduct, guiding exercises of this nature.”
Restraining the illegal circulation of firearms in Nigeria
By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi
The proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs), occasioned by illegal and porous national borders and a booming business of gun-running, are the main factors fuelling Nigeria’s security challenges, giving rise to criminal activities across the country.
The proliferation of SALWs is a global phenomenon arising from global conflicts. According to a study conducted by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey (SBM), it is estimated that more than 857 million SALWs are currently in circulation aside from twelve billion rounds of ammunition produced annually. An estimated ten million SALWs are in Africa, with one million in Nigeria.
This is connected with previous and ongoing conflicts in West and North African countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad, Niger, Mali and Libya. The proliferation of SALWs aid non-state actors, including Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, bandits, militants etc., while undermining the state monopoly of instruments of coercion. The threats posed by the proliferation of SALWs are of such magnitude that a security strategy that contemplates monitoring their flow and use is required.
Another report by SBM Intelligence noted that about 6145000 SALWs are illegally circulating among civilian non-state actors and criminals in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the country’s security institutions have a paltry 586600 firearms in their possession. Indeed, the proliferation of arms across borders along with human trafficking and drug trafficking, especially in the Sahel region, ranks high on the chart of criminal activities constituting threats to national and regional stability in Africa.
Experts had identified a lack of effective legislation and enforcement mechanisms as a major reason SALW proliferation has a significant impact on crises both within and across many national borders.
To stem the rising tide of illegal weapons circulation, the federal government has established the National Centre for the Control of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW). The centre is under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Major General Babagana Monguno, with retired Major General AM Dikko as the Pioneer Coordinator. The National Security Adviser said the centre would operate similarly to the counter-terrorism and cybersecurity centres, both under his office.
The NCCSALW was established to replace the defunct Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons and is expected to serve as the institutional mechanism for policy guidance, research, and monitoring of all aspects of SALWs in Nigeria. Apparently, the federal government believes that the transition from PRESCOM to NCCSALW would provide more effective coordination and monitoring of progress regarding the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. When fully operational, the NCCSALW would have six regional offices that will work closely with security and intelligence agencies to prevent and control proliferated arms and track weapons in the hands of non-state actors.
Among several functions, the National Centre will be responsible for controlling the proliferation of SALWs in Nigeria, implementing strategies, plans, and policies for eradicating SALWs, and supervising the implementation of same by relevant government bodies. It will also create and maintain small arms and light weapons register and a national database, receive reports on firearms registration from the Nigeria Police, and update the database with such information.
In addition, it will also register, store and destroy firearms and ammunition possessed illegally by security agencies, criminals and other non-state actors, maintain a database of registered firearms dealers in Nigeria, among others. Furthermore, the centre will be responsible for updating and transmitting the national database to the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
In its relations with these inter-governmental bodies, the National Centre will identify legitimate national defence and security needs and obtain the required exemptions from specific international protocols to meet these needs. The National Centre is also empowered to carry out public education and awareness at national, state and local levels, to involve Nigerians in the efforts to control the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
No doubt, the establishment of the NCCSALW is a move in the right direction. Still, to achieve maximum impact, it is expected to open up new regional and international cooperation and strengthen existing efforts.
In 2001, UN countries adopted the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.
In the instrument, member states agreed to, among others, improve national small arms regulations, strengthen stockpile management, ensure that weapons are properly and reliably marked, improve cooperation in weapons tracing and engage in regional and international cooperation and assistance.
According to the UN, one of the most critical components in the fight against SALWs proliferation is weapons tracing. Hopefully, when the centre discharges its mandate fully, it will undoubtedly lead to a drastic reduction in national, sub-regional and regional illegal possession of SALWs, which will be crucial in mitigating the rising level of armed violence.
The NSA has recently declared that the government is preparing to constitute a security outfit responsible for safeguarding the nation’s porous borders. The move is very apt because it will curb transnational organized crimes, thereby reducing the level of security challenges currently facing the country.
Mukhtar wrote from Kano via ymukhtar944@gmail.com.
Garba Shehu, Lai Mohammed, other top gov’t officials reportedly test positive for COVID-19
By Muhammad Sabiu
An exclusive report by Premium Times has indicated that top Nigerian government officials and many aides of President Muhammadu Buhari have contracted the deadly coronavirus disease.
The officials who are said to have contracted the virus include Malam Garba Shehu, Buhari’s spokesperson; Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture; Yusuf Dodo, the President’s Aide-de-camp (ADC); Aliyu Musa, his Chief Security Officer (CSO).
Mr Shehu responded to the enquiry sent to him seeking more information on the reported news of them contracting the disease, adding that he did not know the status of the other persons mentioned.
“I have no confirmation of the cases you mentioned, but yes I have been afflicted by the mild variant of the COVID-19. I felt okay from the beginning, maybe because one had received all three jabs, and right now, I feel 100 per cent. I just finished my hour-long running exercise.
“But the strange thing about this ailment is that it is the scientists, not you, that will say you are okay. Right now, I’m taking my prescriptions and isolating, and would go back for a test to ascertain if the virus is still here or it has left me. Thanks for your goodwill,” the presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu told Premium Times in a text message.
The infected officials, according to the newspaper publication, are currently receiving medical care.
When the results of their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing came back positive, the afflicted officials were said to have been removed from the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Amidst this ravage of the virus at the State House, there is still no official statement about the matter as the President’s status of the virus is also unknown.
TETFUND at 10: The giant strides of the ‘Apostle of Research and Development’
By Tahir Ibrahim Tahir (Talban Bauchi)
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund) recently celebrated its ten years of service, having gone through many changes in its functions, duties, coverage and composition. It had existed under different names before now. Still, the amendments to the act establishing it have turned it into a Tetfund, with more coverage of tertiary education in the country.
At the Tetfund at Ten event, its Executive Secretary, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, was introduced as the apostle of research and development. A very apt description, narrating how he has turned the tide of the impact of Tetfund from infrastructure to research. The previous administration first appointed Bogoro, and barely two years after, the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) relieved him of his duties. Not long into the PMB administration, Bogoro was again re-appointed. This is a glaring testimony of the quality of stewardship he brings to the running of Tetfund. Tetfund staff rolled out the red carpets for him and welcomed him back to their fold amidst celebrations.
At Tetfund at 10, it was disclosed that 152838 infrastructural projects had been executed across the country. Thirty thousand lecturers have also been sponsored for Masters and PhD programmes. In addition, 68000 academic and non-academic staff of tertiary institutions have also been sponsored to attend local and international conferences. Tetfund has also supported 71263 lecturers under the Teacher’s Supervision Programme. Moreover, over two million books and 152000 E-resources have been procured by Tetfund.
The apostle of research and development came to improve funds for The National Research Fund, which had started with seed money of just 3 billion naira in 2011. Bogoro saw this fund’s growth by over 50 per cent, to an unprecedented 8.5 billion naira in 2021. So far, 9 billion has been accessed by lecturers to fund their research activities. Tetfund played a significant role in Covid-19 research. Tetfund approved four mega research clusters for Covid-19 vaccines and drug research and security and dairy research. The clusters had within the range of 250 million to 450 million to fund their research activities.
As the most pushful advocate for research in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, Prof. Bogoro has achieved near-global fame among education sectors’ stakeholders. In recognition of his efforts, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, named its research centre after him. This particular university is not even a beneficiary of Tetfund’s interventions and so cannot be accused of repaying him for any interventions in their school. Speakers at this event said Bogoro had earned for himself the appellation of Senior Advocate of Research, SAR. Bogoro emphasises advancing learning through research.
True to Bogoro’s advocacy for improved research and development, the Federal Government just received a draft executive bill for establishing the National Research and Development Foundation led by Tetfund. Bogoro, who received the bill on behalf of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, thanked the Justice Ministry for drafting its staff to the exercise. This is a direct drive in turning Nigeria into a knowledge-driven economy. At the event, Bogoro stressed that Nigeria’s economy could not be competitive if it did not institutionalise Research and Development. He said that the most competitive nations placed innovation and creativity as the lead elements that drive society.
The Chairman of the drafting committee, Prof. Yadudu, commended Prof. Bogoro for putting the committee in place and his vision for the Research and Development Foundation. He also said that the country stands to reap bountifully when the bill is passed. “This is a bill which seeks to establish a National Research and Development Foundation to institutionalise, mainstream, and commercialise research and development; promote innovation and support enterprise development for job and wealth creation, for a knowledge-driven economy. This is the key thing,” Prof. Yadudu said.
Tahir is Talban Bauchi.
Climate change is underreported in Northern Nigeria – Surge Africa laments
By Aisar Fagge
Surge Africa – a non-profit organization that advocates for policy implementation on climate change and resilience building laments how media in Northern Nigeria underreport climate change despite its apparent effect on agriculture which the North relies on as the major source for living for its people.
This was revealed on Thursday, December 23, 2021, at a workshop held at Chilla Luxury Suites, Kano. The workshop titled: “Media Workshop on Reporting Climate Change” brought Northern Nigerian journalists across print, broadcast, and online media to educate and sensitize them about the importance and necessity of climate change reporting in their respective media organizations.
In her presentation, Nasreen Al-Amin, the founder and Executive Director of Surge Africa, introduced participants to climate science and communication. She tasked them to spread knowledge on climate change, what causes it and its effect on the socio-economic activities of Northern Nigerians.
Another expert, Salihu Hamisu, who is researching how climate change is affecting the agricultural ecosystem in Nigeria, lamented, “Africa is not responsible for the climate change but suffers the most.” He recalled how in 1963, when Lake Chad was at its peak, over 30 million people from Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Nigeria depended on it. But now, as a result of climate change, the Lake has less than 10% of what it has, with over 70 million people earning a living from it. Hamisu added that with the current pace of drought and floods, Northern Nigeria faces an imminent food crisis.
Also, Adejumo Kabir, multiple award-winning journalists, presented papers on “Climate Reporting: Shaping Inclusive Narratives” and “Media for Climate Justice: Developing Stories for Social Change.”
Some participants spoke to The Daily Reality about what they learned at the Workshop. Mustapha Hodi, said:
“As a participant, I have learnt a lot about climate change, particularly the fact that Africa is the one bearing the brunt of emissions from developed countries. As a journalist, the workshop has helped me identify key areas to concentrate on reporting climate change.”
“By and large, the training has become a wake-up call to me to be reporting climate change frequently in a bid to create awareness to the general public about its dangers and even the opportunities it creates.”
Hannatu Sulaiman Abba was another participant from Arewa Media who said, “This workshop has shaped my mind on climate change. It develops my passion to advocate for climate change in our community, engage the government in policymaking and sensitize the public on the effect of climate change. This is indeed a big milestone in my journalism career.”
At the end of the workshop, participants were grouped into three to brainstorm and write a report on improving climate change reporting. Misbahu El-Hamza expressed his satisfaction saying: “My expectations were sufficiently achieved. What’s, even more, was how we worked as a group to brainstorm ideas that could be effective in steering social and policy change. Through this workshop, I now am equipped with the know-how to see the dangers as well as opportunities presented by climate change in my region of northern Nigeria and how to engage the public to mitigate and get the best out of it.”
ISWAP Commander Abou Maryam, other fighters killed in Nigerian military airstrikes
By Muhammad Sabiu
In airstrikes orchestrated around the shores of Lake Chad in Borno State, the Nigerian military killed an ISWAP Commander, Modu Kime, also known as Abou Maryam, and his militants, PRNigeria reports.
The senior ISWAP Commanding Officer met his death in airstrikes carried out on the river banks of Bisko and Tumbum Tawaye in the Abadam Local Government Area.
The operation was carried out after intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions revealed the terror Kingpin’s position while coordinating strikes.
According to reports from the ground, scores of terrorists and the commander were killed due to the air interdiction.
An intelligence officer told PRNigeria that Abou Maryam, who has the phone number +22788036182, was on intelligence services’ radar.
The officer was quoted as saying, “For some times we had been intercepting his communication and his coordination of attacks by his terror group, mostly in Borno State.
“He had operated around the axis of Tumbum Tawaye, Bisko, Garere, Arkumma and Dumbawa, Zari and Gundumbali LGA.
“Abou Maryam coordinated attacks on military troops and soft-targets mostly around Damasak, Nganzai and Gajiram and sometimes on [the] outskirts of Maiduguri.”
Without money, you mean nothing to many people
By Alkasim Harisu
In my neighbourhoods, a marriage contract that had stayed long in the making was recently cancelled. I received this news that made my worst news of the month about a week ago. My mother broke this tragic story about two families connected by blood and kinship marriage. They also were and are united by whereabouts. Above all, they once lived in the same house.
The two lovers dated for more than seven years. When the love commerce began, the girl was much younger. The guy, undoubtedly the older love partner, had kept courting the girl despite the difficulties that often arose. He had endured the immaturity girls the age of his date show. Whenever a misunderstanding happened between the duo, the girl would quickly fault him. But the guy would patiently swallow his anger, contrary opinion and eat humble pie even if he was correct. He is the epitome of patience. Because, as people close to him will say, the man epitomises patience in both his social and business intercourse with people. He never picks quarrels with people. He demonstrated more patience when the girl’s family postponed his wedding several times for no good reason because he should have tied the knot two years previously.
To cap it all, this guy was denied the girl on some loose basis. Guess why? He is not wealthy. It is sad to know that riches have capital importance to many of us. They mean everything, so to say. But, like it or not, in many circumstances, the continuation and/or breakdown of a relationship hugely rest upon riches.
I am not blowing my own trumpet, but I can indeed marry off my daughter to a responsible person provided he has got a job, and I don’t mind if he scavenges for a living. However, it is disappointing that today some people hate to give their daughters’ hands in marriage to people that carpenter, teach or plumb for a livelihood, no matter how morally and religiously good these people are. They consider such jobs disgusting and can’t bring themselves close to people in such occupations, let alone associating or identifying themselves with them. But you never can tell; such people can one day become stinking rich. Such is life.
Today, thanks to the difficulty of gaining employment, many people have had to combine jobs. As a result, many folks engage in various occupations, which fetches them a lot of money. I know one of such people who is currently building his own house due to his hard work and commitment.
To our dismay, the family of the girl I was earlier on talking about lost their humanity and sent back the engagement money of this guy. The marriage arrangement lacked architecture with them. This is evident in their frequent delaying of the wedding. They once said they were postponing the wedding to allow the man to complete his house because they did not want their daughter to languish in a rented house. As this occurred, only Allah knows how many sleepless nights the guy had experienced. Anyway, they have sufficiently assassinated their character themselves.
This girl has memorised some portion of the Holy Qur’an. Quite unfortunately, she shows it off. Even though she is not that beautiful, I can say she is averagely beautiful. And that does not matter. These and other reasons made her proudly say she could not wed someone with no gainful job. “Mai na sama ya ci, balle ya bawa na kasa“, the girl would often say. She was saying this because the guy is a jeweller. He is not rich enough to live up to her expectations. But he is responsible and can cater for her.
Towards the end of this love drama, the girl started making new dates. Just imagine the kind of family that permits this with a girl already betrothed. There was a time she got the number of my former colleague. Then, he was newly married. Not long ago, he got his firstborn. Seeing him in our neighbourhood with another co-working friend, she did the unimaginable to get his number. This Prince Charming stole her heart at first sight. No doubt, he came by car; that was why she lost herself to him. She ignorantly thought the car was his.
We share a neighbourhood with the elder sister of the ex-boyfriend. To be precise, she is our next-door neighbour. They rent their house. Shamelessly, the girl did not care to stand with her new boyfriends before her sister-in-law’s house and cousin. “Biri ya yi kama da mutum!” Indeed, she no longer had the guy at heart. Nevertheless, she summoned up all her willpower to do this to provoke her already-broken-hearted boyfriend.
When I passed by the girl’s house, I would often see her a bit far from the guy. I kept wondering how this was happening between lovers. From the perspective of space, the gap between them did not explain a love relationship. Those who study the science of space (proxemics) will tell us more. There is no telling that such a distance speaks about a lack of love. As I saw this, I always became the saddest.
Marriage is known to weld and cement relationships. But this cancelled marriage proposal will only devastate the relationship between the two families. I can’t think of the mess the two families will be in because the girl’s grandmother is the younger sister of the ex-boyfriend’s grandmother.
A lot of people think that peer pressure works on girls. I agree with them. Yes, most girls are misadvised by their close friends. This is even one of the disadvantages of collecting many friends. But this situation makes an exception. The problem originated from the girl’s family because the girl’s birth mother is worldly-wise; she only wants a wealthy person for her daughter. She is money-wise.
Indeed, you are a nobody to many people if you don’t have money. In sha Allah, they are only hoping against hope. The choice or dream husband will not come their way since they abandoned a poor person who sells jewellery for a living.
As the girl is becoming wiser with the passing of days, we pray she doesn’t end up in sexual commerce with people stealing her attention. Money talks, of course. But Allah is Ever-Awake. He will judge the situation.
Alkasim Hariru wrote from Kano. He can be reached via alkasabba10@gmail.com.
Boko Haram attacks Maiduguri as Buhari visits
By Uzair Adam Imam
Reports from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, have disclosed how Boko Haram fighters hit Maiduguri ahead of the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Three communities at Ngomari airport general area in Maiduguri were reported to have been attacked.
The militant group was believed to have targetted the airport a few minutes before the president’s arrival.
According to a source, the communities were attacked with rocket launchers.
He added that the attack has killed a few people and destroyed residential areas and properties.
One of the residents confirmed the happening, saying: “One of the rockets landed close to an office, and two landed in the Ngomari Ayashe community, killing four children, one in Moranti.”
“I can confirm that a 16-year-old child, Walida, was affected in the attack. She died instantly; she was cooking when her head got destroyed by the rocket,” he added.
Although the authorities have not commented, at least 25 people reportedly sustained injuries from the attack.
President Buhari, are you really a former military leader?
By Mallam Musbahu Magayaki
The insurmountable insecurity dilemma claiming the lives and worldly belongings of innocent Nigerians almost every day for decades is frighteningly very distressing. To the extent that Nigerians have begun to lose complete trust in you before being voted into power, you have assuredly stated that you might put a stop to the long and horrendous event.
Alas! The situation has remained unchanged, rather than erupting suddenly like a wildfire. While Nigerians believed that by the time you were sworn in as the President of Nigeria, all the tough catastrophes would be gone because of the promises you unquestionably made during your campaign. But annoyingly, it has now been revealed that you are not well prepared for the mantle of leadership or that you have lost your administrative blueprint and decades of experience as a former military general.
Sir, no single individual would, in his right senses, expect and even foresee the emergence of the current annoying unfolding scenario in your regime. Why so? If I can vividly remember, on Thursday, February 26, 2015, you pledged to defeat Boko Haram insurgents and other criminal sect activities. You charged the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan that “If the government of President Goodluck Jonathan had deployed the same resources to fighting Boko Haram as it had for political ends, the army would have rescued the more than 270 schoolgirls abducted by the extremist movement in Chibok local government area of Borno State” at Chatham House in London on that very Thursday.
Sir, I am sure you are fully aware of the killing and kidnapping of Nigerians almost daily. These ruthless fellows (bandits) have now turned patriotic Nigerians into sleeping with one eye open for fear of being gruesomely killed and attacked by these unpatriotic and salacious humans. No rational father would senselessly have peace of mind while his children were atrociously killed without due course.
Notwithstanding, it’s now clear that these bloodthirsty bandits don’t understand any other language than that of fire-for-fire. However, considering their day-to-day unlawful operations, they don’t want to give up until they are awfully and massively defeated. Therefore, in collaboration with other sub-security units from various states within the federation, the government should take decisive action against those who are traumatizing the peaceful condition of the people as their primary priority.
In conclusion, there is no pathetic excuse Nigerians can subsequently offer you for failing to protect their lives and property. As you swore to protect Nigerians in all possible terms, so too (both the people and their possessions) are the country’s product. If peoples’ lives and personal possessions are not well secured, no existing government would claim to cater to its people.
Mallam Musbahu Magayaki wrote from Sabon Fegi, Azare, Bauchi. He can be reached via musbahumuhammad258@gmail.com.
Miss Nigeria: Kano Hisbah debunks reports on plans to invite Shatu Garko, parents
By Muhammad Sabiu
The Kano State Hisbah Commission has debunked media reports making the rounds that it had invited the 44th Miss Nigeria, Shatu Garko, for questioning alongside her parents.
Hisbah Director, Dr. Aliyu Musa Aliyu Kibiya, confirmed the development to Freedom Radio, Kano.
He added that the commission, through its Commandant-General, Sheikh Harun Ibn Sinah, has never made such an invitation; it only tried to show the implications of such an event and contest in Islam to both Garko and her parents.
The 18-year-old Shatu Garko became the first Kano-born lady to be crowned Miss Nigeria at an event in Lagos on Friday, December 17, 2022.
However, Garko’s victory has sparked controversies, especially on social media. Many people, mainly among northern Muslims, describe the event as indecent, adding that it’s against the teaching of Islam and Hausa culture.