Herdsmen Killings: Military Reacts To Danjuma's Call On Nigerians To Defend Themselves

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Herdsmen Killings: Military Reacts To Danjuma's Call On Nigerians To Defend Themselves 

‎The Ministry of Defence has said that it had received reports from Nigerians on the misconduct of soldiers as regards the farmers and herdsmen's clashes.

It said it has also put such soldiers through “disciplinary procedures.”

Former Defence chief, General TY Danjuma had on Saturday at the maiden convocation ceremony of Taraba state University in Jalingo, Taraba state capital, urged Nigerians to defend themselves against the incessant killing by Fulani herdsmen.

He also accused the Nigerian army of inappropriate conducts in handling the clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

The ministry told Punch that it has, however, not received any of such reports from Taraba State, adding that people were free to bring their complaints on the activities of the troops.

Spokesperson for the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, Col. Tukur Gusau, spoke with Punch on Monday.

He said the government could not work with “general comments or allegations, if no specific report was made to the military authorities.”

Gusau said, “We have the Human Rights violation desk in all the formations of the Nigerian Army and a similar channel in the other arms of the military.

“Nigerians can also come directly to the Ministry of Defence.

“They can go to the Nigerian Army headquarters. Our doors are always open.

“If a soldier on duty has done something you feel is inappropriate, you have a duty to report that soldier. The office of the defence minister is open to everyone.

“The era where civilians are afraid of military actions is gone. Yes, we have been having such reports about the misconduct of soldiers in the theatre of operation.

“Nigerians have been coming to report incidents and we have been taking care of them. There have been disciplinary procedures.

“Soldiers have been put through disciplinary procedures.

“We have not received anything yet from Taraba State. We need to work on specific things.

“To my knowledge, we didn’t receive anything in respect of our operations in Taraba State.”

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Ike Ekweremadu Reacts To His Trending Comment "Call For Military Take Over"

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Ike Ekweremadu Reacts To His Trending Comment "Call For Military Take Over"

 

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has reacted to the statement credited to him insinuating possibility of a military take over in the country.

Ekweremadu, speaking over the weekend at the Diepreye Alaimeyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Onopa, during a dinner hosted by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson for members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, said his comments on the floor of the Senate were misconstrued.

He stressed that he would never make derogatory statements against the Nigerian military, urging that statements made by lawmakers in the course of their duty should be situated within the proper context before any form of reaction.

Ekweremadu maintained that his remarks on the floor of the Senate chambers were to caution politicians to avoid the mistakes of the past, which inevitably led to the abrupt end of the First Republic.

He said “Before I close, let me just tell you one unfortunate incident that happened last week.

“We had one of our colleagues from Kogi who was hosting a constituency briefing and empowerment.

“He alleged that the government sponsored thugs to come and chase away people and destroy the programme and equipment he bought for his people.

“We condemned such acts, especially where, in a particular case, the property of a parliamentarian was destroyed.

“We condemned a case whereby parliamentarians were stopped from holding meetings and where a parliamentarian was stopped from coming to a state where he was governor for eight years.

“We warned that it was this kind of reckless abuse of power and impunity that scuttled our democracy earlier, especially in the First Republic and I cautioned that politicians should not take things for granted.

“Of course, some people took it out of context and said I was calling for a military coup.

“I never called for a military coup. I never said the military was planning any coup.

“If you read some parts of the military statement, they admitted that my statement and contributions were only cautionary and that we were sincere, but, they went as far as saying the international community should ignore me.”

Meanwhile, reactions have continued trailed the deputy President’s statement.

The Nigerian army said the statement by Ekweremadu was derogatoryto the Army and by extension to the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

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BREAKING NEWS After 108 Years, Canadian Warships Arrive Nigeria

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After 108 Years, Canadian Warships Arrive Nigeria

 

Canadian warships have arrived Nigeria for the first time in the 108 years existence of the Royal Canadian Navy.

Two of the Canadian Royal Navy warships: HMCS Summerside and HMCS kingston, visited Nigeria weekend, with a view to establishing a relationship that will enhance the Nigerian Navy’s efficiency in the Gulf of Guinea.

The warships, HMCS Kingston and HMCS Summerside, which are first class coastal defence vessels of the Royal Canadian Navy, have served in the Canadian Forces since 1996 and 1999 respectively.

They have 75 crew members led by the Commander, Royal Canadian Navy , Vice Adm. Ron Llyod.

Speaking during a visit to the Flag Officer, Commanding Western Naval Command, FOC, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Abbah, Llyod stated that the visit would provide an opportunity for the two navies to synergize.

He further stated that during the one -week stay in Nigeria, the warships would participate in Obagame Express, a maritime exercise conducted by the United States of America Forces, that is designed to enhance cooperation among participating nations, in order to improve maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.

Llod said, “This visit is aimed at fostering the existing bilateral relationships and to boost capacity of military personnel in Nigeria.

“We are looking into supporting our excellency (High Commissioner) with respect to Canadian relationship in Nigeria and we are proud to have two Canadian ships: HMCS Summer Side and HMCS Kingston that will operate in the exercise.”

Also speaking, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Christopher Thornley reinstated his country’s commitment to work with the Nigerian Navy as part of the bilateral relationship.

He said, “Our bilateral relationship is going on and this is a step in the right direction to see military cooperation as part of multilateral exercise Operation Obagame.”

Responding, an elated FOC, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Abbah, who described the visit as a privilege since it was the first time, said “Canadian Royal Navy came into existence since 1910 and has participated in the first , second world wars and other wars, including United Nations Peace Keeping wars.”

“You have the experience and with your strategic location at the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic ocean, we hope to tap from your wealth of experience.

“Since we have many of our training institutions, together, we will fashion out what to do in terms of exchanging our military to train in both countries”, Abbah stated.

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Labour Group Slams Ekweremadu Of Insinuating Military Take Over

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Labour Group Slams Ekweremadu Of Insinuating Military Take Over

The organised labour has warned against insinuations of military takeover in the country.

It said irrespective of several challenges the country was going through, it would resist any illegal and undemocratic takeover of government.

It said it was disturbed by some subtle call from some quarters that the military would venture into the politics of the country.

Organised labour, through the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, cautioned individuals secretly making such moves to desist from throwing Nigeria into anarchy.

ASCSN was reacting to commentscredited to the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwueremadu, during a debate on the floor of the Senate, where he had stated, “who says that the army cannot take over in Nigeria. It is possible.”

ASCSN President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and the Secretary-General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, in a statement on Sunday, contended that any takeover of government by military again would take the country 50 years backward.

The statement reads, “It is common knowledge that since the military toppled the democratically elected government of Sir Tafawa Balewa in 1966, suspended the 1963 Federal Constitution and imposed a unitary system of government, the country’s growth has been stunted.

“We are also aware that all democracies in the world including that of the United States of America, Canada, Europe, etc, are not perfect but are still evolving and being improved upon.

“The shortcomings being experienced in building democratic institutions in Nigeria were not peculiar and that with time, some of the flaws would be rectified.

“Thus, under no circumstances should individuals, no matter how highly placed, should begin to hint of military takeover of government in Nigeria.

“This is because most of the social dislocations we experience today, such as corruption, deterioration of power supply, collapse of railway, basterdization of the education system, destruction of the Civil Service, etc, were exacerbated by military dictators.”

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Military Reacts To Ekweremadu's Comment On Army Taking Over Power In Nigeria

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Military Reacts To Ekweremadu's Comment On Army Taking Over Power In Nigeria

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has responded to a comment by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu on the Nigerian Military, while contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by Senator Ahmed Ogembe, representing Kogi Central.

Ekweremadu had stated that “The problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over, let us not joke with our democracy that is the issue”.

Brigadier General A Agim, Acting Director Defence Information, in a statement on Thursday said while the statement appear cautionary and sincere in the atmosphere of discourse, it is derogatory to the Army used in the expression and by extension to the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

He said: “The statement in the true sense has the capacity to denigrate the Nigerian Military in every ramification including its loyalty to the President Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and the confidence of the general public to defend Nigeria’s democracy.

“In the light of this, the Defence Headquarters wish to state clearly that the Nigerian Military has come of age and is in tune with best international military practices of complete and total subordination to democratic governance.

“In this regard, it is worthy to remind the general public about some key measures among others that guaranteed the present sustainable status of politically unambitious members of the Armed Forces:

“Shortly, after the transition from a military to a democratically elected government in 1999, officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, who were quasi-political, were honourably eased out of service. This was done to avoid indoctrination of other officers in the Military in order to enable the democratic government commence a re-professionalisation process of the Armed Forces.

“The process commenced in collaboration with international organisations such as the United States Armed Forces and the British Military. By 2009, from the basic military training institutions through units and formation reorientation programmes to top management workshops and seminars for the military, it became clear that the Armed Forces of Nigeria has been re-professionalised to be totally subordinate to political leadership and democracy in the Country.

“In addition, the Nigerian Military began to take the lead at ensuring that the West African Sub Region is stable democratically through military diplomacy and physical actions where it is highly desirable and supported by ECOWAS.

“The case of the Gambia last year is still fresh in our memories, where democracy was enforced by an ECOWAS Military Coalition led by the Armed Forces of Nigeria, under the focused and abled leadership of Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General AG Olonisakin (NAM).

“Furthermore, the present crop of personnel in the Armed Forces of Nigeria right from the Service Chiefs to the men; are made up of the balance of re-professionalised officers and fresh intakes from 1999, who do not nurse political ambitions. They are fully committed to their oaths of allegiance to serve their fatherland Nigeria, with total submission to our democratic government.

“Defence Headquarters hereby assures the international community, Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the general public, of its unalloyed loyalty to the President Commander in Chief, provision of all necessary support for the sustenance of our democracy and carrying out our constitutional roles.

“Therefore, the apprehension by the Deputy President of the Senate should be totally disregarded.”

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Who Say Army Can't Take Over Power In Nigeria? Ekweremadu

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Who Say Army Can't Take Over Power In Nigeria? Ekweremadu

Chief Ike Ekeweremadu, deputy Senate President on Wednesday said the possibility of the military taking over power in Nigeria cannot be totally ruled out.

Contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by Ahmed Ogembe, senator representing Kogi central during plenary, Ekweremadu said Nigeria’s democracy was receding.

In his motion, Ogembe had alleged that Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello sponsored thugs to disrupt an empowerment programme he organised for members of his constituents.

Reacting, Ekweremadu said such incident indicated that efforts must be made to protect Nigeria’s democracy.

He also warned Bello that “the road he is travelling will not lead him anywhere”.

According to the deputy senate President, “You will recall that sometime last year when they wanted to recall Dino I advised the governor that they are wasting the resources of that state, that it is mission impossible.

“They took three pages in the newspaper abusing me. Are we still hearing the recall today? Money has been wasted. Money that has been used to pay salaries of people in Kogi state was used to mobilise people to recall senator Dino yet those people have not been paid and Dino is still here.

“So today I am advising the governor again, that road he is travelling will not lead him to anywhere. Ultimately, these people he is seeing here will be back here and he will leave office.

“If he doesn’t stop, there is no how he will come back in 2019, never, no he will not. God will show him that he is a God of justice and this is a message to all those people who have caused all kinds of problem in Nigeria at different level. The problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over, let us not joke with our democracy that is the issue.

“The house of a senator was destroyed in Kaduna state, we are talking about Kwankwaso who was stopped from going to his state where he ruled for eight years. In Kaduna, Shehu Sani cannot organise a meeting and we are about a democracy? The international community needs to know this because they helped us install democracy.”

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