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President Buhari Charges Military To Remain Professional

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President Muhammadu Buhari has told the Nigerian Army to remain professional in protecting democracy and defending the territorial integrity of the nation.

He was speaking at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Conference 2021, on Monday in Abuja with the theme, “Building Nigerian Army’s Capacity in Combating Emerging Security Threats in a Joint Operating Environment”.

Buahri said the army is a key element of any nation’s power and vital tool required to protect its territorial integrity and project its foreign policy.

Buhari, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, also urged commanders to ensure effective command and control of personnel and equipment in their formations for optimal performance in the field.

The President noted that the COAS conference was an opportunity to appraise the training and operational activities for the year with a view to building on lessons learned and preparing for 2022 activities.

Buhari urged the COAS to continue to develop the Nigerian army of the future by doing more to entrench professionalism.

“I have no doubt that the renewed emphasis on high standard of training and discipline, adhering to military values, effective command, and control, servant to rule of law and excellent civil-military relations will enable the Nigerian army to function effectively to bring glory to our fatherland.

“Therefore, as the army of our great nation, your role in securing the nation is paramount.

“While performing your constitutional roles, I urge you to remain apolitical and continue to operate within the framework of the principles of fundamental human rights and the law of armed conflicts,” he said.

He said government would continue to equip the armed forces to perform their constitutional roles by providing needed equipment, training and motivation.

Buhari disclosed the government was in talks with friendly nations to equip the military optimally and enhance their effectiveness in various operations.

“The war against terrorism and insurgency is intelligence-driven, requiring the gathering of information and processing it into actionable intelligence for the conduct of operations.

“It also needs cooperation and synergy of effort by all the security agencies.

“I therefore charge you to do more in your information gathering effort and the level of synergy among intelligence operations in order to comprehensively defeat all forms of insurgency and terrorism in our country within the shortest possible time.

“I am aware of the successes so far achieved in the Northeast operations as well as all other operational theatres, following of course, the increased surrendering of some of the insurgents that we have witnessed in the past few months.

“You must therefore maintain the tempo to ensure that more of these insurgents continue to surrender until normalcy is fully restored in the region,” he said.

In his remark, the Minister of Defence Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (Retd) expressed optimism that the conference would generate new strategies toward enhancing stability and charting a better course for the Nigerian army in 2022.

He commended the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs for putting in place measures to achieve greater joint synergy among the services in the ongoing operations across the country.

The minister who was represented by the Director Army, Ministry of Defence, Mr. Sunday Attah, said more synergy is still required to ensure that all operations on the ground reflect that ‘jointness’ in all ramifications for greater successes.

“I am bold to say that due to the doggedness of the officers and soldiers of the armed forces and the army in particular, peace is gradually being restored to all the troubled areas in the country.

“I therefore, want to implore you all to continue decimating the bandits, terrorists and insurgents within our country,” he said.

 

 

 

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Nigeria: chibok abduction anniversary spurs demands for justice

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Militants, alongside relatives of victims of the infamous abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls that sparked global outrage in 2014, gathered in Lagos on Sunday, April 14, to renew calls for the release of the remaining girls in captivity.

The Sunday meeting was organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the abduction that affected 276 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.

“What I would ask the government is to find a way to work towards bringing back our sisters because I know it is only the government that can help us bring back these girls,” said Grace Dauda, a rescued Chibok schoolgirl.

Another rescued schoolgirl, Rebecca Malu, added, “They should stay safe. They should stay strong, one day, they will be released like us.”

While some girls managed to escape on their own, others have been freed over the years through intense campaigns by civil society organizations and government negotiations. But this human rights activist, Ayo Obe, is calling for more action from the authorities.

“We know that we started with missing persons numbering two hundred and fifty-six; it is already an improvement that we are down to 91. But of course, 91 is 91 lives unaccounted for. We appreciate the fact that so many of them escaped during the abduction itself. We appreciate the fact that the government has brought back so many more of them, but we say that we don’t stop here. We need the momentum that has happened since the mass return during the Buhari administration in 2016-2017 to be maintained. We expected that the remaining girls would have been brought back,” she said.

Mass school children kidnapping in Nigeria has continued nearly unabated since Chibok. Around 1,700 students have been kidnapped in raids since 2014 according to Amnesty International.

A member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement and convener of the 10th-year anniversary in Lagos, Opeyemi Adamolekun, lamented this as unfortunate.

“Unfortunately, it became political between 2014 and 2015, part of the amplification of the movement was part of the 2015 presidential campaign. And we saw the effect of the first batch of 21 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government. The second batch of 82 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government as well. But unfortunately, it seems that energy sort of dissipated because the government doesn’t feel as much pressure as they used to feel,” she said.

For this group of Nigerians, the government must match words with more action to stem the tide of mass school kidnappings in the country.

According to the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, a charity that advocates for the Chibok schoolgirls, about 90 girls still remain in captivity while dozens of the schoolgirls freed over the years are living inside a military-run rehabilitation camp with surrendered Boko Haram fighters they married in the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram’s main hideout.

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Nigeria suspends permit of 3 private jet operators

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Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action against private jet operators flouting regulations by suspending the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) of three operators caught conducting commercial flights.

This crackdown follows warnings issued in March 2024.

Acting Director General Capt. Chris Najomo stated that increased surveillance at Nigerian airports led to the grounding of three operators found violating their PNCF terms. Specifically, they breached annexure provisions and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

In response, the NCAA announced a thorough re-evaluation of all PNCF holders to ensure compliance with regulations, to be completed by April 19th, 2024. PNCF holders have been instructed to submit necessary documents within 72 hours to expedite the process. Najomo emphasized these actions highlight the NCAA’s commitment to enhancing safety in Nigerian airspace.

Furthermore, the NCAA warned the public against using charter operators without a valid Air Operators Certificate and urged legitimate industry players to report any suspicious activities promptly.

This crackdown comes after the NCAA’s stern warning in March against PNCF holders engaging in commercial operations.

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Senator Cory Booker Leads a Congressional Delegation to Nigeria

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Photo: Senator Cory Booker (In the back) and a Diplomat from the US Department of State, joins with members of the Academy for Women Alumnae Association including Mercy Ogori of Kokomi Africa and Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics.

Senator Cory also met women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association

Last week, US Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey led a congressional delegation to Nigeria, which included House of Representatives members Sara Jacobs and Barbara Lee from California. The purpose of the visit was to discuss a partnership on sustainable development. During the talks, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his administration’s dedication to strengthening democracy through upholding the rule of law and ensuring good governance, justice, and fairness for all citizens. Senator Booker emphasized the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that bind Nigeria and the United States as partners.

The delegation also met with women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association, who had participated in US-sponsored exchange programs. Led by Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics, the businesswomen shared their experiences and discussed their entrepreneurial endeavors. Other Academy members were Mandela Washington Fellow, Nkem Okocha of Mama Moni, Inemesit Dike of LegalX, and Mercy Ogori of Kokomi.

The partnership between the United States and Nigeria has lasted over six decades, focusing on addressing security challenges, enhancing health security, and responding to global health crises. Despite obstacles like corruption, poverty, and insecurity, the US remains dedicated to supporting Nigerian institutions and promoting free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections.

During the visit to the State House, Senator Booker reiterated the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that unite Nigeria and the United States as partners.

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