Nigeria Under Siege By Terrorists, On Verge of Collapse, Northern CAN Laments Situation
*Reaffirms Opposition to Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket
*Insecurity will end in six months if Buhari signs arms proliferation bill, says Akinyelure
*Nigeria is going down, Gani Adams cries out as NYSC denies security threat in camps
*Police on terror alert in Lagos, as FCTA rolls bulldozers into Kuje for massive demolition
Chiemelie Ezeobi, Segun James in Lagos, Kingsley Nwezeh, Olawale Ajimotokan, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna and Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, yesterday, lamented the increasing insecurity in the country, saying Nigeria was under siege and on the verge of collapse.
The Northern CAN, which called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to live up to his constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property of the citizenry as well as defend the nation’s sovereignty, however, reaffirmed its stand on the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, saying it remained opposed to it.
But the Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, has said the worsening insecurity in the country could end within six months if President Buhari signed the National Commission Against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2022.
Also, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Ige Adams, has raised the alarm on the security situation in the country and concluded that the country might have begun to go down, painfully.
Meanwhile, the police in Lagos, have braced up a purported terror plan by members of the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), saying their operatives and other related agencies were prepared to counter any attack in the state.
Conversely, in order to restore sanity and security to Kuje, the Federal Capital Territory Administration will today begin massive demolition of illegal structures at the Abuja satellite town few weeks after the July 5 terrorist attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre led to the escape of several inmates.
At the same time, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mohammed Fadah, has said there was no security threat on any of his orientation camps in the country.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday in Kaduna, Secretary General of Northern CAN, Elder Sunday Oibe, said Northern CAN was deeply concerned about the helpless security situation in the country.
According to him, Nigeria was under siege by terrorists, who had been unleashing mayhem on citizens and crippling economic and social activities across the country, adding also that Nigeria was on the verge of collapse unless urgent and proactive steps were taken to contain the rampaging terrorists.
“Northern CAN, like many other groups, is deeply concerned about the helpless security situation in the country. Nigeria is under siege by terrorists, who are unleashing mayhem on the citizens and crippling economic and social activities across the country, particularly in states like Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kebbi, Sokoto and even Abuja, the seat of power.
“The continuous brazen and commando-like style, with which these terrorists operate unchallenged, even to the extent of issuing a threat to kidnap the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is worrisome. Northern CAN, hereby, calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to stop living in denial.
“Nigeria is on the verge of collapse if urgent steps are not taken to stem the deadly activities of terrorists and other criminal elements across the country. No where is safe! Once again, we call on President Buhari to rise to the occasion, by living up to his constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property of citizens and defending the sovereignty of Nigeria.
Oibe, who congratulated the newly elected President of CAN, Rev. Daniel Oko and his deputy, Rev. Stephen Panya and urged them to “stand firm and be the real voice for the Church in Nigeria,” restated the opposition of Northern CAN to the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the APC “in a multi- religious and multi cultural society like Nigeria.”
According to him, “We congratulate the newly elected National President of CAN, Rev. Dr. Daniel Oko and his vice, Rev. Dr. Stephen Baba Panyam. We encourage them to stand firm like Joshua in the Bible in this difficult times to be the real voice for the church in Nigeria. We pledge our unalloyed support in all areas to help them succeed.
“We reaffirm our stand against the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in a multi-religious and multi cultural society like Nigeria, particularly, considering the fact that the country has never been this divided along religion and ethnic lines before,” Oibe said.
He, therefore, called on politicians and political parties to be wary of people who, according to him, might sneak to meet them secretly in the name of Christian leaders from the north, “with the sole aim of wetting their political appetite and desperation for monetary gains.
“Northern CAN, as a reputable religious organisation, will never engage in any secret dealing with any politician as a matter of policy. However, our doors are open to any Nigerian, who desires to share with us ideas on moving the country forward.”
He further called on well-meaning Nigerians to unite and fervently pray for the country and for the defeat of the enemies of the Nigerian state.
Akinyelure: Insecurity will End in Six Months If Buhari Signs Arms Proliferation Bill
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, has said the worsening insecurity in the country could end within six months if President Buhari signed the National Commission Against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2022.
The Bill is meant to establish the National Commission for the Coordination and Control of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and also midwife the establishment and running of the National Task Force of Nigeria (NATFORCE) to Combat Illegal Importation of Goods, Small Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons
It was passed on the floor of the Senate last week, following the consideration of a report by the Committee on National Security and Intelligence.
Akinyelure, who is also the co-sponsor of the bill, while speaking with journalists in Abuja, yesterday, urged Buhari to give accelerated assent to the proposed legislation, without further delay.
“The president owes us a lot of duty to ensure protection of lives and properties. We know he is not a magician but we know that the National Assembly has provided through appropriation all the needed equipment and manpower for the security agencies to work effectively to tackle the issue of insecurity.
“The infrastructure is already in place and the people to be engaged are already in place. The needed legislation that would enable them to swing into action through the National Assembly, has been put in place. We passed the bill to law on July 26, 2022. We are only expecting the assent of the president to make it a law.
“The National Commission Against Proliferation of Light Arms and Ammunition, once assented to by the President, we believe that in the next six months, insecurity will be a thing of the past in the country.
“Over 7,000 young graduates would be recruited by the commission to provide support for the security and military agencies in the country. Nigeria and one other country in Africa had yet to have such law in place and that is why our nation has become a dumping ground for light weapons, which criminals are now using all over the place to attack innocent people, “he maintained.
Akinyelure said the commission when established, would not be funded by the National Assembly through appropriation but with private sector engagement and international donor agencies.
He also urged the President to appoint the right people with the template to drive the running of the commission for the first five years.
Adams: Nigeria Going Down, Painfully
Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Ige Adams, has raised the alarm on the security situation in the country and concluded that the country might have begun to go down, painfully.
Adams, who stated this in a statement personally signed, declared that the situation being experienced by the people was caused by a criminal overdose of chronic pain inflicted on the country by the inaction and connivance of those in authority with terrorists and undesirable elements in the polity.
He also lamented that from the economy to security, the country was heading for a decline, which he said, if not taken care of, would affect sub-Saharan Africa and the Black World.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the drift into national destruction, saying a series of serious security breaches in the country in the last few months meant that all was not well with the security architecture of Nigeria.
“On the economic front, it is another sad story. A dollar is now more than N700. This is an administration that met the dollar at less than N200 in 2015. Economically, if this is not scary enough, we wonder what is.
“We now have a situation in which family members are being forced to raise N100 million naira to pay as ransom. The money is delivered to these terrorists to buy more weapons and the government is merely watching.
“After every abduction, the President will summon Service Chiefs to a meeting, a statement will be issued and that is the end of it. What we will hear next is another abduction or series of kidnappings.
“The insecurity situation has reached its peak with the threat by these terrorists to kidnap the President, governors and lawmakers. The presidential advance team was attacked in Katsina and even soldiers guarding the president were attacked in Abuja. Some of them were killed. It looks as if this administration has decided to force Nigerians to seek self-help.
“The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives declared that he read more than 40 security reports from the DSS, warning of an impending attack on Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. The attack did not only happen, which led to killings but pitiably, nobody has been punished for dereliction of duty.
“Painfully, Nigeria is going down because it looks as if there is no government in the country. Millions of Nigerians are in pain, they are suffering.
“In the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers video released by the terrorists, it is heartbreaking to watch fathers, mothers, and children being flogged, tortured and humiliated. The terrorists must have data to be able to send the video out. So, what is the job of Nigerian Communications Commissions and intelligence units of security agencies? Is it a crime for Nigerians to move from one place to the other?
“The horrendous humiliation of Nigerians in their country by these terrorists should stop immediately. President Buhari can use his executive powers to allow the immediate establishment of state police with a mandate to flush out all the terrorists stationed in strategic places in the country,” he said.
Police in Lagos on High Alert over Terror Alarm
Following the purported terror plan by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to attack Lagos, the state Police Command, has said its operatives and other related agencies were prepared to counter any attack in the state.
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, had in its security report said that ISWAP and Boko Haram were planning attacks on Lagos, Kaduna, Kogi, Katsina and Zamfara States as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said, “The Lagos State Police Command is not unmindful of intelligence reports suggesting that Lagos State could be on the radar of some persons planning attacks across the country.
“To this end, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Abiodun Alabi, has placed the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) of the Command on high alert alongside all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Tactical Commanders, all in a bid to ensure that any possible planned attack is promptly and decisively nipped in the bud.
“The command is also working closely with sister security agencies to ensure that no person or group of persons succeeds in destabilising the peace and serenity enjoyed by the good people of Lagos State.
“CP Alabi uses this medium to allay the fears of Lagosians and assure them that all human, material and operational resources have been fully and optimally deployed across the length and breadth of the state, especially at border towns, towards ensuring there is absolutely no breach of the peace.
“Consequent upon the carefully laid down security plans/strategies, all residents of Lagos State are urged to go about their lawful duties without panic or fear. Lagosians are equally enjoined to remain very vigilant and report suspicious movements and persons to security agencies.”
Also speaking during a Twitter Space webinar, on Saturday, Hundeyin said the police were also gathering intelligence report, noting that the residents in Lagos also needed to assist the police and other security agencies in providing them with timely information on suspicious movements.
“The people also have a role to play by reporting suspicious movements to security agencies. It’s a collective thing. On our part, we are not just ignoring it, we are at alert,” he said.
FCTA Rolls Bulldozers into Kuje for Massive Demolition
It was gathered last night that, FCT Minister, Malam Mohammed Musa Bello, has authorised all FCT enforcement agencies including the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), joint team of armed policemen and other paramilitary personnel for the operation.
It was also gathered that the bulldozers that would be deployed for the exercise were moved to Kuje last night in readiness for the mass demolition of illegal structures and shanties that were providing cover for criminal elements in Kuje.
As a result of the development, many Kuje residents were seen yesterday hurrying to salvage their property and not be caught unawares by the demolition.
The Gomo of Kuje, Alhaji Haruna Jibrin and the Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Abdullahi Sulaiman Sabo, who attended the stakeholders’ meeting, both consented to the planned demolition by FCTA.
An FCTA officer confirmed the impeding exercise, saying the demolition will be on a scale that has not been seen before in the territory.
NYSC Denies Security Threat in Orientation Camps
Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mohammed Fadah, has said there was no security threat on any of his orientation camps in the country.
Fadah, who disclosed this when he addressed the 2022 Batch ‘B’ Stream II Corps Members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Katsina, said the safety and welfare of the corps members remained his cardinal objectives.
Unverified reports had claimed that hoodlums were planning to attack some NYSC orientation camps in some parts of the country.
But the NYSC boss assured the new corps members deployed to Katsina and other states across the country, including the Federal Capital Territory of adequate security and improved welfare throughout their mandatory service year.
While warning that the NYSC had zero tolerance for cultism, drug abuse and other related social vices, the director-general said anyone found wanting would be sanctioned by the management of the scheme.
He reminded serving corps members of the need to identify and work towards realising their potential through skill acquisition programmes, especially, for self-employment and leadership, adding that the era of white collar jobs was over.
“I assure you (corps members) of your safety wherever you are throughout Nigeria. We have put everything in place to ensure that you are safe in all the orientation camps throughout the country and in Abuja.
“In my five trusts, one of them is security and welfare. So, we are working around the clock to ensure that everybody is safe. There is no security threat in our camps so they should go about their normal exercises in the camp,” he insisted.
Military: 14,609 of 70,593 Surrendered Terrorists Active Combatants
The Theatre Commander, North East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin kai, Maj Gen Christopher Musa, said weekend, that 14,609 out of the 70,593 insurgents, who surrendered to troops were active combatants.
Musa made the disclosure in Maiduguri while speaking on recent successes recorded by the command under Operation Desert Sanity and Operation Lake Sanity.
The war commander spoke as four informants suspected to be leaking information to terrorists about troops’ locations and movements around the outskirts of Abuja were arrested by intelligence operatives.
He said within the past one month the military conducted several operations on land, maritime and air, where over 60 terrorists were neutralised and 120 arrested including their logistics suppliers.
“The Theatre’s kinetic and non-kinetic activities have partly compelled some Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) to seek alternatives to terrorism thereby taking advantage of other avenues to surrender. Currently, a total of 70,593 persons consisting of BHT (JAS/ISWAP) fighters and their families have surrendered to troops.
“Out of this number, 14,609 were active male fighters, 20,955 are women while 35,029 are children. The theatre in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, has commenced reviews of cases of detainees at the Joint Investigation Centre (JIC),” he said.
Musa said some of the detainees were cleared and handed over to the Borno State government and UNICEF, adding also that within the past one month the military conducted several operations on land, maritime and air, where over 60 terrorists were neutralised and over 120 arrested including their suppliers.
