Security Challenges
House mourns army chief, others
Members of the House of Representatives have expressed sadness over the death of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and his entourage in an air crash in Kaduna. Attahiru, along with six senior officers and four crew members were onboard Nigerian Air Force Kingair 350 from Abuja to Kaduna, ahead of today’s passing out parade of soldiers from the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria, when the crash happened amid torrential rainfall, on Friday evening. The Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, in a statement issued on Saturday described as shocking and sad the death Attahiru and others involved in the plane crash. Gbajabiamila said the death of the Army Chief was unfortunate coming at a time that the Nigerian military was finding solutions to the security challenges in the country...
PDP governors asks President Buhari to summon Police Council meeting
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has unanimously has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately summon the meeting of the Nigerian Police Council to implement strategies to combat the security challenges facing the nation. The governors, who met in Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Monday to further review the State of the nation, particularly, as it concerns the worsening security situation and the country’s collapsing economy said the meeting of the Police Council which comprises Mr President and all State Governors and other critical stakeholders should be called to evolve strategies to present threats to Nigeria as a country, especially with respect to policing Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who read...
Edwin Clark cautions against agitation for Nigeria’s break-up
YouTube An elder statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has cautioned against calls for secession in some parts of the country. Clark told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the calls for secession in some quarters are not the solution to the country’s problems. The South-south leader explained that he did not believe in Nigeria’s break-up in spite of rising insecurity and economic challenges in the country. Clark argued that instead of breaking up Nigeria and beating war drums, efforts should be made to develop workable strategies to solve the problem of insecurity and other challenges making lives unbearable for Nigerians. “Nigeria will remain one. Some of us do not believe in the call for secession. Where do we go to? Who are we leaving the country for? Who ow...
Anglican archbishop calls for national dialogue
An Anglican Archbishop, Isaac Nwaobia, has urged the federal government to convene a national dialogue to address issues of insecurity in the country Mr Nwobia, who is the Archbishop/Bishop of Diocese of Isiala Ngwa South (Aba Province), made the call during the 4th Synod of the diocese at St. Peter’s Cathedral Owerrinta, Abia State on Thursday. The archbishop, while speaking with reporters during the opening session of the Synod, said that national dialogue was important, as the communication gap could be responsible for some of the present security challenges in Nigeria. “The president should summon us, either as a meeting or a confab, so that people can say why they are annoyed. “The solution should be that we need to sit down, dialogue and sort things out,” he said. The cleric condemne...
Plateau governor mourns ex-CDS Dogonyaro
Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, has expressed sadness over the death of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Joshua Dogonyaro, at the age of 80. Lalong in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Macham, described his death as a great loss to the nation. He described Dogonyaro as a patriotic and loyal military officer, who served Nigeria with courage, dignity and selflessness, in several commands in his military career, saying he accomplished his assignments with tremendous success. He lauded his outstanding leadership skills in International peace keeping as Field Commander in Liberia, for the Economic Community of West Africa States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), saying Nigeria’s contribution during his tenure remained a reference point in the Nigerian A...
Southern governors meet, urge President Buhari to address Nigerians
Worried by the rising rate of insecurity, Southern Governors, Tuesday, met in Asaba, the Delta State capital and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation on the spate of insecurity in the country. The Governors in the meeting which started at about 12 noon and ended about 4:20 pm, urged the Federal Government to convocated a national dialogue as a matter of urgency and insisted on the ban of open grazing across Southern Nigeria The Governors in the 12 point communique read by the Chairman of Southern Governors Forum, Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, “affirmed that the peoples of Southern Nigeria remain committed to the unity of Nigeria on the basis of justice, fairness, equity and oneness and peaceful co-existence between and among its peoples with ...
Police: 21 officers killed by gunmen in Akwa Ibom
The police authorities in Akwa Ibom State said they have so far lost 21 officers due to gun attacks in the state. The commissioner of police in the state, Amiengheme Andrew, disclosed this on Monday while briefing Governor Udom Emmanuel who visited the police headquarters in the state to condole with the families of the slain officers and the police over the loss. Mr Andrew also informed the governor that the police in the state lost 11 vehicles and seven firearms in the various attacks. Mr Emmanuel, who visited the police headquarters immediately after the State Executive Council meeting, announced a donation of N60 million to the families of the slain officers. Besides meeting with the police commissioner in his office, Mr Emmanuel met with officers inside a hall where he thanked them fo...
Police recover stolen car within three hours in Ebonyi
The Police in Ebonyi on Monday said it recovered a car that was snatched from its owner at gunpoint within three hours of the incident. Mrs Loveth Odah, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abakaliki. Odah also said three armed robbers were arrested. She said the men of the command were on patrol when the car was said to have been snatched and that they immediately ignited their investigative prowess, which eventually led to the recovery of the car. According to her, the car in question was later handed over to the owner. “The police trailed the armed robbers who used the car for robbery operation but had to abandon it immediately the police closed in on them,” Odah said. She, however, debunked social media reports alleging ...
CDS, service chiefs to appear before Senate over insecurity
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, and the three service chiefs are to appear before the Senate Thursday (today) over the deteriorating security situation in the country. The Senate had at plenary last week summoned the CDS and the service chiefs to brief it on the efforts being made by government to surmount the security challenges facing the nation. The service chiefs who will join the CDS to brief the upper legislative chamber by 10am are the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Ishiaka Oladayo Amoo. The top military brass are expected to not only brief the Senators about security issues but also take questions from the legislators over the worrisome securit...
House asks federal government to suspend upcoming census exercise
Following the ravaging insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives yesterday called on the federal government to suspend the upcoming census exercise until security improved. The House also said it will be counter-productive and a waste of scarce financial resources to conduct such exercise amidst the economic recession. The call was made on the heel of a motion under matters of urgent public importance titled “Call on the federal government of Nigeria to Suspend the Proposed 2021 Population and Housing Census to be conducted by the National Population Commission” sponsored by Shelia Barwa Bell. Moving the motion, Bell said that the state of insecurity would not guarantee accuracy if the census was conducted now, arguing that many Nigerians have fled their homes and villages. H...
Niger governor seeks federal government collaboration in tackling insecurity
Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has said that collaboration between the federal and state governments is required to tackle the security challenges facing the state. Bello stated this on Wednesday in Minna, when he received the General Commanding Officer (GOC), 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna. The governor, however, said that security was being beefed up in the state, adding that the GOC’s visit was an indication that the challenges in the state would soon come to an end. “I am glad he (GOC) visited, we discussed the security situation. We briefed each other on the situation. “He has assured us that they will do whatever they can to in no distance time, that we will see responses in addressing the situation,’’ the governor said. Ali, who was in Niger in continuation of tour of formati...
South-east group hails re-organisation in Nigeria Police Force
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders has expressed delight over the recent re-organisation in the Nigeria Police Force. The group, an umbrella body of youth organisations in the zone, described the measure as “a step in the right direction”. This is contained in a statement issued by the group’s President General, Goodluck Ibem, in Owerri on Wednesday. It commended the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, for his “foresight” in appointing Mr Etim Okon as the Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 9. Ibem said that Okon’s appointment could not have come at a better time, considering the rising cases of insecurity in the zone. “We are deeply grateful to the IGP for his foresight in appointing a tested and experienced hand to man the affairs of Zone 9, Umuahia in Abia. ...
