Attacks on Personnel: Security Chiefs Must Act Now

When terrorists kill security agents, the standard is for commanders to send forces after them and take their heads off. By this, they will drive a clear message to the terrorists that there is no room for nonsense. This will also hinder the remaining guerrillas from further atrocities. It is a shame that this is no longer happening in beloved Nigeria after the departure of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as President. The last seven years have been dreadful. Terrorists walk in, kill security agents, at times in tons and walk away celebrating. There are hardly penalties.

It’s so sad that 14 days after terrorists killed 22 soldiers during an ambush of the convoy of Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Sama’ila Dabai in Kanya, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state, nothing has happened in terms of ensuring the killers pay a heavy price. Our gallant soldiers were overwhelmed by the guerrillas roaming in hundreds. Besides, the guerrillas were equipped with much heavier weapons than AK-47.

I thought the Army Chief, Farouk Yahaya, would send a special squad after the terrorists, to take off their heads. It has not happened. It may not happen. I’m shocked that not even a word came from the Army Chief on the killings of his men. What a shame. This is a big disservice to the souls of the murdered gallant soldiers. It also emboldens the terrorists. Morale is evidently low among officers and men of the 223 Light Tank Battalion, Zuru, the camp of the slaughtered soldiers. This Army Chief must raise his game and deal with the killers of his boys.

The policeman attached to the Kebbi Deputy Governor, ASP Idris Libata, was also killed in the Kanya attack. Police IG Usman Baba has also not responded by going after Libata’s killers. This is why terrorists have been killing IG Baba’s men in hundreds without repercussions. Just last Tuesday, the Divisional Police Officer of Nasko Station in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State, CSP Umar Dakingari, and six of his men were killed by terrorists without consequences. The terrorists overwhelmed Dakingari and his men and looted the armoury. I expected IG Baba to send his special squad after the terrorists with venom. This has not happened. Four days after, IG Baba has failed to respond appropriately. This bolsters the terrorists. It is a shame that the police also struggle to rescue their men.

The terrorists were also at a tomato processing company in Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State last Monday and killed four policemen at the premises. The tactics of the terrorists is to operate in hundreds. They did so in Ngaski LG with not less than 200 men. Yes, terrorists are able to raise this large number of fighters for attacks without appropriate response from heads of our security agencies.

I will never forget one of the deadliest massacres of Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram in Metele, Borno State, in November 2018, when scores of soldiers were killed at 157 Task Force Battalion in the town. The exact casualty figure is still a closely-protected secret. The commander of the battalion, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Sakaba was also killed during the attack. The terrorists that carried out the operation were never smoked out and slaughtered. I will also not forget in a hurry the massacre of soldiers in places like Sasawa, Magumeri, Malam Fatori, Gashigha, Rann, Kanama, Gamboru-Ngala, Mafa, Kunduga, Pridang-Bitta and the rest. The leadership of the military did not respond lethally.

It’s so difficult to comprehend that several months after a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet was downed in Borno State by terrorists, the military is still struggling to locate the crash spot. They can’t even account for the pilot and co-pilot on that crashed Alpha jet.

Some days back, the Operations Officer of the 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Warri, Delta State, Lieutenant Musa Yusuf, was killed by terrorists at the popular Enerhen Road in the metropolis. We were told that soldiers from the same Battalion had launched a manhunt for the killers of the officer. Eight days after, still no result.

In beloved Nigeria, a serving Army General, Husseini Ahmed, was killed in July 2021 by terrorists along Lokoja-Abuja Road on his way to Abuja, and there were no consequences. Months after, the killers have not been apprehended. The same terrorists killed General Dzarma Zirkusu, the then Commanding Officer of the 28 Task Force Brigade (Chibok) and his boys, while in Askira Uba. I also remember how our gallant soldiers were ambushed by Boko Haram in Gorgi, Borno State in March 2020, and scores killed. Unofficial sources said the figure could be above 70. There were no consequences. What a country! In September 2020, an army officer, Colonel S.B Onifade was abducted and killed by bandits after a N10 million ransom was collected. The military could not rescue one of its own. How will they rescue ordinary Nigerians?

It is instructive to note that from 2016 to 2020, Boko Haram attacked and sacked 22 military posts, killing hundreds of Nigerian soldiers. The sacked military posts were in Gajiram, Mainok, Rann, Geidam, Sasawa, Magumeri, Malam Fatori, Gashigha, Kanama, Gamboru-Ngala, Mafa, Damasak,Gudumbali, Garunda, Kunduga, Kareto, Jilli, Arge, Zari, Arege, Jili (Geidam) and Buni Gari.

So, for how long will terrorists continue to kill gallant soldiers and policemen without consequences? This is a clear indication of failure on the side of the leadership of the security agencies.

Another thing I find intriguing is that the leaders of these terror gangs killing security agents are known to all, yet, there is no deliberate attempt to take them out. The biggest terror kingpin operating in Zamfara and Katsina states is Ada Aleru. Aleru and his boys are visible in Faskari part of Katsina State; Tsafe, Bungudu and Bakura LGAs of Zamfara State. Aleru’s boys carried out the attack in Magama area of Jibia town, Jibia LG of Katsina State, some months back, during which a Divisional Police Officer, Abdulkadir Rano was killed. This terror kingpin is operating openly unimpeded. It can only happen in Nigeria. Security agents can claim to be unaware of Aleru’s whereabouts.

Right in Zamfara State is the notorious Fulani militia leader, Dogo Gide, who controls the southern part of the Zamfara forest and further into Niger State, killing civilians and security agencies. Everybody knows the whereabouts of Gide and his boys. All the security agents know this location; yet, the militias still launch attacks unhindered.

There is also the blood sucker called Bello Turji, leader of the group responsible for the recent attack that claimed 23 lives in Sokoto State. He is active in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi states. Security agents know his whereabouts. They can take this killer out but have failed to do so. Is Turji enjoying official protection? Nigerians urgently need an answer. Also, I have not heard our President specifically directing security agents to apprehend leaders of these terror gangs. This is food for thought for everybody today. As for Farouk Yahaya and IG Baba, I challenge them to henceforth respond lethally to the killings of security agents. Their special squad should be doing this.

Akwa Ibom Teachers in Pain

Public primary and secondary school teachers in Akwa Ibom State are in pain. This is why they have been on strike for days to press for their benefits. Governor Udom Emmanuel must put aside his ego and address the pain of these teachers. His insensitivity to the plight of the teachers influenced the strike.

In this state, hundreds of teachers that retired years back are still struggling for their gratuities. Besides, pensions of retired teachers are yet to be harmonised. Annual leave bonuses of primary school teachers have not been paid for years. There is an unpaid backlog of promotion arrears (2011 – 2016) for primary school teachers. The teachers are similarly demanding the release of the 2017 and 2018 promotion exercise conducted by the state’s SUBEB, as well as the immediate commencement of 2019, 2020, 2021 promotion exercise. They are dismayed that the governor’s promise to pay at least one of the leave bonuses on compassionate ground, and completion of payment of one-month minimum wage arrears to primary school teachers was not actualised.

Another demand of the teachers is that the Akwa Ibom State Government Teachers’ Amnesty Programme should be reopened to cover those left out during the last one. They likewise want teachers appointed as Permanent Secretaries, as well as the release of 2020 promotion results “without recourse to a pass in the Administrative Professional Officers Compulsory Examination, because it was not demanded at the point of the interview.”

My dear Governor Emmanuel, the demands of these teachers are just. Today, I challenge you to respond positively to them in the interest of primary and secondary school pupils in your state; already, many are roaming the streets because of the ongoing strike.

All Debt, No Development

igeria’s total public debt stock, comprising federal, state and local governments is N39.556 trillion as at December 31, 2021. This is N1.566 trillion higher than the N38 trillion posted as at September 30, 2021. These latest figures are from the Debt Management Office (DMO). The comparable figure for December 2020 was N32.915 trillion or $86.392 billion. The DMO explained that the public debt stock for December 31, 2021 included new borrowings by the federal government and sub-nationals.

All we hear today in Nigeria is humongous borrowing figures without commensurate impact on the country; huge borrowing without development. In practical terms, let’s all look around us; in our homes and those of our neighbours. Of course, we will see an army of unemployed youths. Things have deteriorated in almost seven years of the Buhari government, the huge loans notwithstanding. The state governments have not done better. It is pertinent to note that the federal government is responsible for the bulk of this country’s public debt. Yes, 83.78 per cent of the nation’s debt stock, as at December, 2020, belongs to the federal government, with the sub-national governments accounting for 16.22 per cent.

No doubt, the Buhari government has been reckless with borrowings. This government is simply piling up harms. That was why the International Monetary Fund projected that the federal government may spend 93 per cent of its revenue on the payment of interests incurred on its debts by 2022. It said the interest-to-revenue ratio would rise steadily from 86 per cent in 2021, adding that a high interest-to-revenue ratio puts the country at fiscal risk.

I don’t know of any sane society where the government takes loans for things like railways and airports. Investments in areas like these should be private-sector-driven. Government’s role should be to create an enabling environment for the private sector to go in. Rational governments work to free resources for health, education and other welfare sectors. But in Nigeria, we are persistently busy collecting loans for ventures better handled by the private sector.