As Emergency Rule Ends This Week: Jonathan In A Fix

As the State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states expires this week, President Goodluck Jonathan is in a dilemma over what to do. The military wants the emergency rule to continue but the stakeholders in the north-east including governors do not want further extension.

The emergency rule that was further extended by six months would end on April 19. The governors of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe — all of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) — and the political elites in Borno and Yobe have called for an end to the emergency rule which they believe have failed to achieve the targeted goal.

A serving general told our correspondent during the weekend that, with the way members of the political elite are going about it, if the troops were forced to withdraw, the insurgents may come back and launch fresh attacks on the people with a view to recovering the ground they have lost. He said: “Those governors and the so-called stakeholders are not helping their people. Most of them are not living in their home states or at most they are living in the urban centres that are safe, but they should consider the common people who are being killed by these criminals on a daily basis; and, should we withdraw our troops, it would be suicidal for the masses living in those three states.

“We would make this clear to the commander-in-chief, President Goodluck Jonathan. I am very sure there is going to be a meeting of the security chiefs next week where all the options would be laid bare on the table. Those calling for the withdrawal of the troops are up to something which we do not understand. I wish we knew it or they came out to say it loud and clear instead of attacking the military.”

Addressing defence correspondents in his office, on the 50th anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Marshal Amosu last week explained that the complexity of the operations against terrorism, anywhere in the world, makes it difficult to predict when it could end. But he gave an assurance that the elusive peace would have been restored before February 2015 to ensure the general election holds there.

“Don’t forget that in the fight against terrorism and the insurgency, there are about four aspects involved: you have the issue of the counter- and the anti-; the issue of political intervention and economic situation. But the first is that if there is no peace, the only thing you can do is the anti-; you can go ahead with the counter- and the anti-terrorism. The aspect of introducing economic activities is almost suspended if the peace is not there. There are variables that would prevent you from achieving your target date.

“But for terrorism and insurgency, you definitely cannot have a target date; even if you have put everything under control, you may still have sporadic attacks, a well-planned organized attack; one or two of these terrorists may show up with AK 47; even if it is one or two shots he fired, you know that is a terrorist attack. So, it is difficult to give a date, but I want to assure you we would continue working hard to ensure that we bring the entire situation under control, stabilise the place in good time before election takes place,” he stated.

Aside from the unpredictability of insurgency, the air chief also listed other variables that could stand on the way of ending the counter-insurgency war and called for cooperation from the citizenry if the war against terror would be over sooner than later.

“But don’t forget that you have variables like weather, breakdown of equipment, machine and even the human beings can fall sick. Some variables are there that may not allow you to achieve your aim. So, we need the cooperation of the citizenry. With the information from the people about terror, 80 per cent of the work is done. But when you do not get the information, it is a great problem.”

A competent Presidency source told our correspondent that President Jonathan is worried over how to handle the situation in a way that would guarantee the lives and property of the people in the three affected states.

“He is much aware of the impact the military presence is making in those states and he knows that, without their presence, there would have been more killings. But these politicians, for a reason best known to them, are asking for the withdrawal of the troops. What happens if the troops are withdrawn and these Boko Haram terrorists stage a comeback? And the opposition may use the National Assembly to stall further extension. This is the situation but, before the week runs out, there would be a way out,” the source said. “Although the emergency rule expires this weekend, the troops may still be asked to remain. The president would ask the National Assembly to extend the emergency rule and, until the National Assembly decides, the troops remain.”

Another source argued that it’s the failure of the Presidency and the National Assembly to suspend the democratic structures in the three states that is making the situation difficult: “If the emergency rule order had suspended the governors and the House of Assembly in each of the three states as it was done during the Obasanjo regime, things would have been different. All these people asking the military to go would have been seen cooperating with the Presidency to ensure the war is over on time. If the military is asked to stop fighting the insurgents, who would do it? Is it the police?”

All attempts made to speak with the director of Information for the Defence Headquarters, Major General Chris Olukolade, failed.

Military recovers stolen arms, livestock

The military assault on camps of armed militiamen in Kaduna and Plateau states has led to the recovery of arms and some stolen livestock.

Soldiers have been drafted to quell attacks of militia men who have been killing innocent people in Plateau, Benue and Kaduna states. The operations in Dahia Luka, Makera and some communities in Plateau and Kaduna states resulted in the arrest of three wounded armed men after the encounter in which some of them died.

Over 90 cows and 45 sheep believed to have been rustled were also recovered, in addition to weapons. About 50 other cows have also been recovered from rustlers who attacked herdsmen in another location.

The recovered cows have been handed over to the traditional rulers in the area while the arrested armed men are still being interrogated.

According to a statement issued and signed by Major General Olukolade, “the herdsmen who were wounded by the rustlers are also being treated. Altogether, 6 rifles, 25 dane guns and 10 locally fabricated pistols as well as 4 revolvers were recovered in encounters with militias in parts of Plateau and Kaduna states”.

The statement further disclosed that traditional rulers in the areas have been cautioned against shielding or harbouring armed gangs in the precinct of their domain in view of the security implications to their communities and the nation at large.

“Armed gangs have been engaging troops in gun battle as the forests are being combed for remnants of criminal elements who have been wreaking havoc in various communities of the North-Central,” the military stated. “In the process of cordon-and-search, “various rifle parts as well as empty ammunition boxes were recovered in Shendam, Yelwa and the house of a suspected arms dealer at the border between Plateau and Taraba states. The arrested suspects are among those being interrogated by the Special Task Force. Also, one of the militiamen arrested in the outskirts of Jos is already helping with information on his links with terrorists operating in other parts of the country.”

On the north-east campaign, the military disclosed that terrorists are being dislodged in the air and land raids while those dislodged are attacking travellers and some communities. The statement also disclosed how the troops repelled some terrorists at the weekend: “In the meantime, the counter-terrorist campaign in the North-East has continued amidst a series of encounters as identified make-shift camps of the terrorists are being dislodged in the ongoing air and land raids in forest and mountain locations. The presence of famished and unarmed members of the terrorist groups wandering around has been noted in some villages.

“Armed terrorists have however continued to carry out snap attacks on travellers on highways especially between Maiduguri-Damboa as well as Gwoza-Bama highways while others make occasional attacks on surrounding villages, looting especially food items.

“Some have been attacking soft targets in Borno and Yobe states apparently in retaliation for casualties incurred in their camps as a result of land and air assaults. Troops also repelled a weekend attack on Bunu Gari Market and no life was lost.

“Troops have been directed to maintain the aggressive patrols of the local communities to complement the assault on the terrorists.”

Gunmen kill monarch, 37 others in Borno villages

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists had, in the early hours of Sunday, attacked Kaigamari village in Konduga local government area of Borno State and killed seven people including the village head, security sources said.

This occurred as gunmen were attacking Ngoshe-Sama village in Gwoza local government area of the state, where they killed over 30 residents.

The gunmen who attacked Ngoshe-Sama village invaded the town at about 7pm and continued to operate up to the time of filing this report.

A serving council member of Gwoza local government who craved anonymity said, “The whole of Ngoshe-Sama has been burnt down and the people have fled; over 30 people have been killed so far; they are still there as I am talking to you now.”

A senior security operative in Maiduguri, who spoke with LEADERSHIP off the record, said the village head of Kaigamari, Bulama Kaigamari, was shot dead alongside six other villagers when the gunmen attacked about 2am.

“The gunmen went directly to the home of the village head, shot him dead and set his house ablaze, before attacking other villagers,” said the security operative who also confirmed that several other people received bullet injuries.

At Ngoshe village, a border community near Cameroon, sources said the attackers were armed with improvised explosive devices, AK 47 rifles and rocket-propelled launchers (RPGs).

Mallam Usman Jidda, a fleeing survivor from Ngoshe-Sama, said he managed to survive and made it to Gwoza town.

Sources at Konduga said some of the injured victims were being treated at the Konduga General Hospital while the deceased were buried at noon yesterday.

Muslims not using Boko Haram to islamize Nigeria

- Sultan

Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday reacted to insinuations from certain quarters that Muslims want to Islamize Nigeria through the activities of the Boko Haram.

He said such allegation was part of the agenda of groups like the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and some individuals to discredit Muslims.

The Sultan further stressed that the insecurity created in the northern part of the country by the Boko Haram sect should not be seen in any way as an attempt by Muslims to persecute Christians or turn Nigeria into an Islamic country, as more Muslims have also been killed by the insurgents.

Speaking at the Golden Jubilee lecture of the Jamatu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Kaduna, the Sultan who is also the president-general of JNI said Christianity and Islam should not be seen as an accident of history, but as God’s design which cannot be changed by anyone, adding that the main problem in the country is bad governance which, once tackled head-on, will address all other problems.

He explained that the desire of JNI to criticise certain policies of the present government or demand their rights does not mean fighting the government or any group or religion, but should be seen as a wake-up call for government or those in leadership positions to do what is right.

The Sultan however appealed to Christians and other faiths to join hands with Muslims to tackle the present security challenges and other problems facing the country and to also see Islam as a peaceful religion.

The guest speaker on the occasion and a former Nigerian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Professor Shehu Galadanci, in a lecture entitled “Nigerian Muslims and the JNI: Strengths, Achievements, Prospects and Challenges”, claimed that Muslims in Nigeria are being marginalised in the political scene under the current dispensation despite their large population.

Vice President Namadi Sambo in his goodwill message said the present administration has supported JNI in its programmes to tackle insecurity and illiteracy through the establishment of Almajiri model schools in many states in the north and also assured the body of federal government’s effort to address the constant clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in some states.

He quickly debunked allegations by the guest speaker that Muslims are marginalised under the President Jonathan administration.

Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State said 50 years of JNI called for celebration and urged the apex Islamic body in the north to establish peaceful co-existence with the Christian Association of Nigeria and find possible ways of enthroning peace in the country.

A highpoint of the occasion was the public presentation of the historical almanac of the association by the vice president.

Air Force has the capability to keep the country’s air space safe –Amosu

The chief of air staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, yesterday said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has the capability to keep the air space of the country safe and secured.

He gave this assurance at the inter-denominational thanksgiving service to mark the 50th anniversary of the Air Force at the NAF Headquarters Protestant Church, Airport Road, Abuja.

Said he, “When the Air Force was established we went straight to war and, 50 years after, we are still fighting war. The good news is that the capabilities that we demonstrated then due to limited technology has now broadened.

“Today, 50 years after, we are still able to perform; I give full confidence to the nation that we will keep our air space safe and free of exuberances.”

The chief of air staff however said that one of the challenges the Air Force was facing is that of lack of spares for the aircraft.

He said that most of the industry that provided the spares had folded up and, for spares to be available, it takes time.

Amosu explained that most of spares were no longer in the market and “that is why we brought innovative approaches to fix in some of these equipment”.

On the ongoing counter-insurgency operation in the north-east, the air chief said the collaboration among the services had greatly helped in the war.

“I want to say that jointness has come to focus, which is the principle and main philosophy of the armed forces. The situation is very clear; we are almost there, but the prayers must continue.”

Insurgency has crippled Gwoza – Emir

The emir of Gwoza, Borno State, Alhaji Idrissa Timta, has decried the renewed insurgency in the area, saying the insurgency had crippled the socio-economic activities in his domain.

The royal father said his people have witnessed increased attacks with mass killings by the insurgents in the last four months in Gwoza.

“The attacks have crippled both social and economic lives in the entire area,” the emir said, adding: “It is sad to say that my people have been blocked from going to the market by the insurgents who kill at will.”

Even the food crops cultivated by his people in the last farming season have been hijacked by the Boko Haram, making life unbearable, he said.

He appealed to the security operatives to take a bold step to intensify and change their tactics of operation to halt the mass killings in the area.

He said the insurgents had also killed many people in major highways and called on security agents to intensify patrol on these roads to prevent the attacks.

“If care is not taken my people will completely flee the area to the neighbouring states and countries for safety,” he said.

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