Nigerian Newspapers
‘Why Nigeria may withdraw peacekeepers from Darfur, others’
IN a move that is now interpreted as a fore-runner to the planned review of her multilateral diplomacy, only the signals corps of Nigeria’s 1,200 troops (initially 900) in Mali is being left behind as the Federal Government withdraws its peace-keeping contingent from the West African country.
The withdrawal would also affect the country’s participation in peace-keeping efforts in Darfur, Sudan, just as similar steps are being contemplated in any emerging flash-point to ensure that actions that have to do with co-operation with other nations or/and international organisations are in sync with Nigeria’s excellent peace-keeping records and pre-eminence in the region, The Guardian has learnt.
And in so saying, informed diplomatic sources at the United Nations (UN) have indicated why Nigeria and the world body’s secretariat are at loggerheads over the running of the UN peace-keeping operations and recognition of the country’s contributions in key appointments in those operations.
A diplomat in New York, United States (U.S.), alleged that the current Under Secretary-General in the UN Peace-keeping Department recently stopped a Nigerian Army General from commanding the international troops in Mali on the ground that he does not speak French. The interview was personally conducted by the Head of the UN Peace-keeping Department, Mr. Herve Ladsous, himself a French man.
The Africa-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) includes a significant number of Nigerian soldiers, as well as other UN international troops. Nigeria has been ranking fourth or fifth in UN Troops Contributing Countries (TCC) over the years.
Though the Federal Government had before now explained that the troops’ withdrawal was predicated on pressing “security issues at home,” it was gathered that Abuja was now keen on seizing the Malian opportunity to re-order its engagement patterns and chart a new peace-keeping trajectory to make it impossible for observers to continue the affirmation that “for all her efforts in peace-keeping and the liberation of parts of Africa, Nigeria has been paid in bad coin.”
Besides the raised eyebrows over the appointment of the 50-year old Rwandan, Gen. Jean-Bosco Kazura, as commander of the Multi-dimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the deputies of both the military and political heads of the operation in Mali are as well non-Nigerians.
This means that in Mali, Albert Gerard Koenders (Netherlands) is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINUSMA while Abdoulaye Bathily (Senegal) is Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General.
Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Guardian at the weekend that the international politics emanating from Mali “took a worse dimension with events in the last couple of weeks…to signal the beginning of the implementation of our grand strategy that we have always spoken about.”
The link between Nigeria’s participation in military missions abroad and economic realities at home would always be a recurring decimal. Since 1960, beginning with the then Congo, Nigeria has spent a whopping $ 13 billion on peace-keeping.
Until the beginning of last year, facts from the report of the UN Department of Peace-keeping showed that Nigeria had about 6,000 peace-keepers in various flash-points, a figure only surpassed by those of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In the course of time, over 250,000 members of the Nigerian Armed Forces have participated in UN-sponsored missions worldwide, translating to 73 per cent involvement, having participated in 40 of the 55 UN peace-keeping missions.
Meanwhile, observers think that with the French having already withdrawn her forces, Nigeria’s withdrawal of troops from Mali would be harder felt after the country’s elections, which were conducted at the weekend amid security challenges. Nigeria’s action goes beyond troops’ withdrawal, as impeccable sources stated at the weekend that it includes funds and logistics.
As things stand now, there would be no tea party in Mali after the elections, with or without Nigeria. The head of the UN Peace-keeping Field Support Department in Mali, Ameerah Haqrt, noted: “We are unable to deploy our mobile communications system to Kidal because its sensitive components will melt. This operation would be one of the most logistically- challenging missions the UN has ever launched.”
A source at the UN explained that the head of the UN Peace-keeping Department, Ladsous, personally took charge of the interview because he was determined to oust the Nigerian in favour of a Chadian General, who is French-speaking.
Sources claimed that Ladsous even refused to grant Aso Rock’s request that a Nigerian General heads the UN mission since the country’s leadership of some of the UN missions have expired. According to a U.S.-based Nigerian international politics scholar, Dr. Wale Adebanwi, “this is unacceptable and another demonstration of a long-standing policy of France regarding Nigeria.”
According to the University of California professor, “since the earliest years of independence in Africa, France has always attempted to play the principal préfet (senior prefect), especially in the West African sub-region.
“And because generations of policy-makers in Paris have always considered Nigeria’s size, population, resources, power and potentials as constituting a threat to their country’s influence in the sub-region, they have always shown their readiness to subvert Nigeria’s influence and interests.
“Even though the past successes of France could be seen as a reflection of the limitations of the fumbling leadership that Nigeria has reproduced over the years, this one must not be allowed to stand. It is an insult to Nigeria, a slap in the face despite our contributions to peace in the sub-region.”
UN sources said it was reasonable to have another national head of the UN troops in Darfur while a Nigerian leads the political wing. However, the USG for Peace-keeping is said to have insisted that a non-Nigerian takes charge both at the political and military departments, despite Nigeria having the largest number of UN soldiers in Darfur.
Besides, sources added that right now, there is no Nigerian in senior appointment at the UN except Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin who is the Executive Director of UNFPA. Another Nigerian said to have been edged out was Margaret Vogt who was knocked out “on health grounds.”
She was in 2011 named a Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peace-building Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA). She had since been removed.
However, sources at the UN Secretariat explained that part of the problem is a perceived notion that some of Nigerian troops have been performing below par and also that Nigeria’s standing in the UN has been declining in significance over the years.
This notion was clear when the UN Peace-keeping Operations Department simply acceded to Nigeria’s request to withdraw troops from Darfur without any offer of negotiation, because the country has been “loosing its respect at the world body over the years.”
The source recalled that when the UN wanted to drop then Special Envoy, Oluyemi Adeniji, from the headship of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone several years back, then President Olusegun Obasanjo simply dared the UN to proceed, threatening consequences. Under Kofi Annan, Adeniji was kept in that office until Obasanjo named him Foreign Affairs Minister.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: Guardian Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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