Several members of the Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) and Boko Haram have been killed in an encounter with troops of Operation Hadin Kai, Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operation in the North-East.
Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, a Brigadier General, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
According to him, the terrorists were killed in two different operations.
The statement read, “Joint troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have continued to intensify their onslaught on terrorists’ enclaves in the North East, as in the early hours of Saturday, 30 October 2021, the vigilant troops observed the movement of six Gun Trucks within Sambisa Forest general area, which were subsequently located at a settlement near Yuwe.
“The trucks later moved to a remote location, where they were joined by other terrorist elements, in what seemed like a convergence for a meeting. Over 50 Boko Haram/ ISWAP fighters were observed to have gathered at the meeting. Having clearly identified the terrorists’ hideout, the Air Component of OPHK immediately dispatched two aircrafts to conduct air interdiction on the location.
“The strikes, which were carried out under cover of darkness, were successful and devastating, as battle damage assessment corroborated by local sources revealed that over 37 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists were neutralized, while several of them reportedly suffered varying degrees of injury.
“In another development, as the aircraft retreated to base after the air interdiction, the combat air crew located another set of four Gun Trucks about six Kilometres South West of Bama. The air crew immediately relayed the coordinates of the location of the Gun Trucks to troops of the Land Component at Bama, who promptly engaged the location with Artillery fire bombardment, neutralising the insurgents’ gun trucks.
“The successful joint operations conducted by both the Air and Land Components, with the support of other security agencies under Operation HADIN KAI has yet again underscored the importance of synergy and cooperation in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.
“Troops of OPHK remain resolute and unshaken in their effort to bring the insurgents to their knees.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had a very successful visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the high which is the symbolization of our mutual trust and resolve to combat climate change, improve trade and promote investment in humanity, not profit as a motive.
It was also an opportunity used by the President to reassure the global investment community on the question of security which is of utmost significance to anyone wishing to bring their money here.
Addressing the 5,200 participants at the 5th Future Investment Summit, FII called by the Saudi Arabian Monarch and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz, the President gave the most important assurance his large audience-physical and virtual in attendance- wanted to hear: “security is our most important priority. It’s the bottom line and common sense. It is up to us to secure our country and we will do it.”
To President Buhari, growing social unrest and insecurity are products of inequalities and unfair policies that exclude the majority from opportunities for participation, admonishing world leaders and global investors to prioritize inclusive and humane policies.
He then went on to list a litany of things going for the country: we are the largest on the continent in the economy and population-a people driven by aggressive competitiveness.
He had on the entourage retinue a of Nigeria’s successful business leaders including Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabi’u, included in the top ten ranking of Africa’s richest.
The official delegates included Mr. Tope Sonubi, Wale Tinubu, Omoboyede Olusanya, Abubakar Sulaiman, Herbert Wigwe, Muhammadu Ndimi, Alan Sinfield, Leo Stan Ekeh, Hassan Usman, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal. It was their opportunity to seek deals and partnerships with their foreign counterparts.
As an aside, it interested many seeing Abdulsamad and Dangote arriving together and leaving on the same aircraft. They shared the same hotel and same car throughout.
This was contrary to the public perception of the relationship between the two business moguls.
On the Government side, the President was supported by the Ministers of Trade and Investment, Communications and Digital Economy-the nation’s fastest-growing sector with a record contribution of two trillion Naira in a year from almost nothing in the past-and the Ministers of State for Foreign Affairs and Petroleum.
The Saudi’s made it clear from their invitation that they were impressed by President Buhari’s last outing at the summit and had hoped that this same spirit will reflect in this year’s event.
The President, indeed Nigeria was honoured by the organizers in making our country’s leader to be the first Keynote Speaker at the prestigious event anchored by two of CNN’s leading finance, business and investment analysts’ cum-reporters, Richard Quest and John Defterios.
Taking a cue from the theme of this year’s summit, President Buhari presented an address titled: “Investing in Humanity: The Nigerian Perspective.” Of course, he had a strong statement to make here. Not only is this in line with his personal philosophy, fact is that investing in humanity is all that his government has been doing.
It’s the angle from which all decisions of government are taken. For him, therefore, this was a most befitting platform to tell the world what his country has been doing.
In that speech, he mentioned that:
“Investing in humanity is investing in our collective survival. This is why in Nigeria we believe that public and private partnerships should focus on increasing investments in health, education, capacity building, youth empowerment, gender equality, poverty eradication, climate change, and food security. By so doing, it will go a long way in reenergizing the global economy in a postCOVID-19 era.
“Nigeria’s population today exceeds 200 million people. Some 70 percent are under 35 years old. When we came into government in 2015, we were quick to realise that long-term peace and stability of our country is dependent on having inclusive and humane policies.
“In the past six years, our government took very painful but necessary decisions to invest for a long-term prosperous future knowing very well that this will come with short term pains,” he added.
The President took a look at global challenges, past and present and warned thus:
“We cannot invest in humanity without relieving our countries from the crushing effects of the debt burden especially when the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of deepening the debt portfolio of poor countries.
“These nations increasingly allocate more and more resources towards external debt servicing and repayment at the expense of the health, education and other services that contribute to the overall wellbeing of their population,” he said.
Describing the summit as a credible forum for interaction between the public and private sectors, to explore ways of advancing economic growth, development and global prosperity, the President said Nigeria’s diversification efforts continue to yield results, particularly in agriculture.
On the important government policy of Climate and the place of Public-Private Partnership, the President noted that climate change has triggered conflicts, food insecurity, irregular youth migration, rising level of sea waters, drought and desertification, as well as the drying-up of the Lake Chad.
“In the Lake Chad Basin region, where Boko Haram insurgency continues to undermine the peace, security and development of the region, climate change is largely responsible for the drying up of the Lake Chad which has shrunk by more than 85 percent its original size.
“The diminishing size of the Lake is at the root of the loss of millions of livelihoods, displacement of inhabitants and radicalization of teeming youths in the region who are recruited to serve as foot soldiers in the insurgency.
“In order to redress this situation and restore the lost fortunes of the Lake Chad Basin region, strong public-private partnership through massive investments will be needed to recharge the waters of Lake Chad. I am confident that this forum will rise to the challenge in the interest of durable peace and sustainable development of our region.”
The President’s meeting with Nigerians in the Diaspora gave him an opportunity to send an important message to Nigerians on his unbending determination to respect the Constitution at all times and on all issues.
Not only did he restate his determination to leave office at the end of his tenure in 2023, he followed up with a warning to would-be campaigners, in case there are some who are contemplating this, that he will not undermine the law of the land by extending the tenure of office and that nobody should start doing this nonsense.
Apart from the usual homily to Nigerians to respect the laws of the counties in which they reside, the President threw his weight behind the clamour for the incorporation of new technologies in the election process.
He was blunt with the fact that without technology in the 2015 election, the Electronic Voters Register and the Card Reader, he may not have won; that he could have been schemed out or ought rightly cheated of his victory by the governing authorities as did happen on three previous elections 2003, 2007and 201.
“With this innovation, they could not defeat me on the altar of money and fraud.”
The President also narrated a story familiar to many Nigerian families, in which members dared the desert and walked their way to the Holy Land for the pilgrimage.
They traded on the route, served as farmhands and the skilled among them earned upkeep as they trudged on for years before getting to their destination.
Millions of these made these journeys as millions of others failed to make it, by either losing their lives or choosing to settle down as migrants in countries on the way.
“My uncle” whom he named as Hussaini “undertook this arduous journey but died in Sudan in the homeward stretch,” said the President.
An important point he made of this, was that these earlier generations built the strong bond of relationships between our peoples and nations and the present generation must do nothing to derogate from the existing cordiality and friendship of our two states.
President Buhari’s trip to Saudi Arabia focused mainly on marketing Nigeria and developing a positive image for the nation. From all intents and purposes, the objective has been achieved.
GARBA SHEHU IS SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT, MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, a Nigerian social crusader and widow of the late spokesperson of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, was delivered of twins – a boy and a girl – at a hospital in the United States of America on Wednesday.
According to The PUNCH, both mother and the babies are in excellent health condition. The ‘miracle’ birth fulfilled the wishes of the late Odumakin to have another baby to be named after him.
The couple who got married in 1997, had their first baby girl in 2000 and the second, a boy, in 2003. While the girl was named after Joe, the boy was named Abraham after the late Afenifere leader, Pa Abraham Adesanya.
However, the twins are coming 18 years after the birth of their last child.
After he survived a three-day coma in 2020 and a few months before he succumbed to the illness that eventually but unexpectedly claimed his life, Yinka, developed a strong desire for him and his wife to have another baby.
However, it was gathered that Yinka never got to hear the news about his wife’s pregnancy before he died.
In a statement by his wife, her husband had left instructions for the name or names of the baby. The statement read in part, “He had, however, prophetically left words concerning what the baby or babies should be called if his wishes materialised.
“YO, as he is fondly called, was so accurate in his predictions that they could be twins (and their sex) that he gave the names of the babies and told me how he would raise them.
“While many may interpret this to mean that YO had a premonition about his death, it was only a strong desire expressed by him to have babies that he would dot over and who would possibly step into his “aluta” shoes. It’s a dream come true!”
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has pledged to intensify monitoring and surveillance of the capital market in order to curb unethical conduct.
The Director-General, SEC, Mr Lamido Yuguda said this in a statement issued after the Annual Stockbrokers Conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers held on Oct 28 and 29 in Lagos.
Yuguda also disclosed that stiffer sanctions would be met on operators who engage in unethical conduct.
He noted that capital market operators were the face of the market as they interact daily with investors.
Yuguda said it was necessary that they prioritise the interest of investors over their own, demonstrate integrity and transparency in conducting their activities.
According to him, poor conduct dissuades investors from our market and counters the collective objective of broadening and deepening the market.
“We also expect that the institute will continue to make it mandatory for its members to undertake annual professional development programmes that address emerging issues.
“I believe that this will go a long way in ensuring that the practitioners in the market are highly skilled and are equipped to make a real impact towards growing the market.
“SEC has led several initiatives to reposition the Nigerian capital market to better support sustainable economic growth and development.
“Through the articulation of responsive and adaptable rules to support innovation and access to capital for small and medium enterprises, promotion of good corporate governance, an improved registration process, an adequate and transparent disclosure regime, enhanced enforcement machinery and dispute resolution mechanisms.
“Most of our more recent efforts at developing our market are targeted at contributing to the growth of the national economy,” he said.
Yuguda explained that the core objective of the 10-year Capital Market Master Plan was to position the capital market for accelerated development of the national economy.
“Some level of success has been recorded from its implementation so far and efforts are currently ongoing to re-launch it for better impact during the remaining period of its implementation.
“As stakeholders, it is important to have a common understanding of the role the capital market plays not just as a catalyst of economic development but the trend, drivers and preconditions for a robust and viable capital market.
“The World Bank acknowledges that there are many areas of this relationship where research has been found thin.
“It is equally important for investors to perceive the capital market and capital market intermediaries as working for them and not against them.
“I, therefore, use this opportunity to implore the institute to identify some specific areas that could be used as a stimulus to improve the current state of the market,” he added.
Yuguda called for diversification of investment products; promotion of investor education and financial literacy; strengthening corporate governance and listing standards.
He assured that SEC would continue to take steps that empower trade groups and professional associations for more effective market regulation, restoring investor confidence, preserving market integrity and reducing systemic risk.
Meanwhile, while addressing participants at the conference, the President of CIS, Mr Babatunde Amolegbe, said the institute was committed to focusing on the economy and capital market advocacy with the intention of achieving an inclusive and efficient capital market as an essential tool for economic development.
Amolegbe noted: “The capital market is still a virgin territory with so many opportunities available, so as stockbrokers you are only limited by your own imaginations.
“This conference is unique as it delivers in the area of new economic issues to ensure that the capita market contributes to economic growth,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the hybrid conference was: “Capital Market as a Catalyst for Economic Development and Sustainable Growth.”
Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly, Hamisu Chidari, has declared support for the Tinubu Support Organisation (TSO).
The Director-General of Tinubu Support Organisation (TSO), Aminu Suleiman, stated on Sunday.
The TSO said Chidari reiterated his unflinching support to the course of Bola Tinubu presidency project, when he expressed gratitude for the support offered him by the former Lagos governor during his mother’s funeral.
He promised to continue to put in his best for organisation aimed at realising the project 2023.
Suleiman reaffirmed the commitment of the organisation to the vision of Bola Tinubu.
“The Speaker is appointed the North-West coordinator in recognition of his dedication,” Suleiman announced.
The TSO is one of the support groups pushing for the realisation of Tinubu’s presidency in 2023.
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a man who is allegedly a top member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and also commands its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The commander identified as Udebuan Sage Chubueze was arrested in Ekwukobia in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, October 30.
Chubueze was arrested in his house following a tip-off and was said to have sustained bullet wounds.
Recall that there was a gun battle between security agents and some gunmen in Ekwulobia on Friday, October 29, with many of the gunmen escaping with bullet wounds.
IPOB, a pro-Biafra group, has been accused of being responsible for some of the attacks against the police in the South-East, but the group has denied any involvement.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the group in December 2020 launched ESN to protect the people of the region from terrorists and bandits allegedly trooping in from the North.
The IPOB leader described the outfit as a replica of the Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as Amotekun, earlier launched by the South-West governors to curb insecurity in the region.
“The sole aim and objective of this newly formed security outfit known as Eastern Security Network are to halt every criminal activity and the terrorist attack on Biafraland,” Kanu had said.
“This outfit, which is a vigilante group like the Amotekun in the South-West and the Miyetti Allah security outfit, will ensure the safety of our forests and farmland, which terrorists have converted into slaughter grounds and raping fields.”
Senator Iyorcha Ayu has been elected the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as Taofeek Arapaja also emerged the National Deputy Chairman (South).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ayu, who was the consensus candidate at the party national convention in Abuja, got 3,426 affirmative votes out of 3,511 accredited voters.
However, Arapaja secured a total of 2,004 votes to defeat his only rival, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Governor of Osun, who polled 705 votes, while invalid votes were 165.
Also, Umar Damagum scored a total of 2,222 votes to defeat his sole rival, Mrs Inna Ciroma, for the position of Deputy National Chairman (North), who polled 365 votes.
NAN reports that the position of National Youth Leader was won by Mohammed Suleiman with 3,072 votes, while his co-contestant, Usman Elkudan, had 219 votes.
Efforts to achieve consensus candidates for all 21 elective national offices of the party suffered a setback as agreement could not be reached for three offices.
The three offices were the Deputy National Chairman (South) and Deputy National Chairman (North), as well as the National Youth Leader of the party.
Those returned unopposed with uniform votes of 3,426 were Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary; Ahmed Mohammed- National Treasurer; Umar Bature as National Organising secretary and Daniel Woyegikuro as National Financial Secretary.
Other returned elected by the Returning Officer, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, were Stella Effah-Attoe as National Woman Leader; Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade as National Legal Adviser; Debo Ologunagba as National Publicity Secretary and Okechukwu Daniel as National Auditor.
Also elected were Setonji Kosheodo as Deputy National Secretary; Ndubisi David as Deputy National Treasurer; Ibrahim Abdullahi as Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Ighoyota Amori as Deputy National Organising Secretary,
Adamu Kamale was elected the Deputy National Financial Secretary; Hajara Wanka as Deputy National Woman Leader; Timothy Osadolor, as Deputy National Youth Leader, Okechukwu Osuoha as Deputy National Legal Adviser and Albdulraman Mohammed as Deputy National Auditor.
NAN reports that the new members of the National Working Committee are expected to assume offices after the tenure of the incumbent members expires on Dec. 9.
In his appreciation remarks, Ayu said that the PDP was back to take over Nigeria and develop it.
The national chairman-elect said the PDP did it before and would do it again.
“I want to sincerely appreciate the PDP family. Today is simply a “thank you“ address. When we started this party 23 years ago, we never in any way imagined that the journey would get us to this stage.
“A stage where we ruled for 16 years, we went into rough times, but for anybody who bother to see, PDP is back.
“I want to appreciate all of you who have taken time as delegates as observers, as supporters, as members of the media as members of the security services who have made this event such a wonderful event.
“Many people imagine that this convention will lead to the break up of PDP. Those people who are dreaming like that, their dreams were misplaced.
“Those who have lost hope should know that Nigeria is not a divided country. A small group of people decided to divide Nigeria.
“PDP will come back to unite our people, put them together, north and south, east and west.
“We will move ahead to develop this country. We did it before. We are going to do it again. I want to thank the governors,” Ayu said.
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s threat, and subsequent implementation, of a divisive allocation of position and federal resources on the basis of 2015 election results was politically expedient.
“It is natural in politics,” Adesina told Vanguard when asked about the controversial approach in an interview published on Sunday.
Buhari faced criticism in July 2015 when he said he would be more attuned to favouring regions that gave him electoral victory during the March 28, 2015, presidential poll than those who voted for his opponent.
“The constituents, for example, that gave me 97 per cent [of the vote] cannot, in all honesty, be treated on some issues with constituencies that gave me five per cent,” Buhari said at a town hall organised by the United States Institute of Peace in Washington on July 22. “I think these are a political reality.”
The statement immediately elicited fireworks across Nigeria and has continued to define the legacy of Mr Buhari’s presidency. He has since sidelined the Igbo-dominated South-East from national security, economy and other critical areas of democratic governance.
Buhari did not apologise or walk back his comments more than six years on, and Mr Adesina’s response to Vanguard on the matter indicates the administration’s intention to dig its heels in.
“The highest place where Buhari got maybe about 20% was Abia due to Kalu’s influence, in Ebonyi because David Umahi even when he was in PDP had always loved the President,” Adesina said. “He didn’t score more than 20% anywhere even when what he required was 25%. So the southeasterners will need to readdress their politics, play more national politics.”
“You first take care of the needs of those who gave you 95% before those who gave you 5%, it is natural,” he added.
Even though Buhari’s cabinet appointees and federal projects concentration failed to reflect the ethnic and religious balance of Nigeria, Adesina said the president should not be seen as a sectional leader.
Adesina said the President stated that the Constitution handicapped him “from side-lining any part of the country,” and he won’t go against the Constitution.
“Mischievous people took only the earlier part of the statement and cut out the rest just because they wanted to generate controversy,” Adesina said, arguing further that a list of federal appointees under Buhari showed there were more people from Ogun and Imo than other states.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Saturday debunked a report attributed to him that terrorists were collecting taxes in the northern parts of the country just as “Area Boys’’ extorted commuters in the southern parts.
The minister said in a statement issued in Abuja by Mr Joe Mutah, his Chief Press Secretary, that the report was “a figment of the warped imagination of the author.’’
The statement said the report, attributed to the minister after he addressed a news briefing on the distorted report of the Economist Magazine on Nigeria, was twisted by the author who was not even at the event.
“It’s inconceivable how a reporter, who was not even at the event, extrapolated the comments of the minister to manufacture his or her conclusion on the minister’s remarks.
“For clarity, the minister never mentioned what was dishonestly attributed to him,’’ the statement said.
It said the reporter twisted the response of the minister to a question on a news report that some bandits imposed taxes on some communities in Sokoto State.
“The minister remarked that, assuming without conceding that the report is true, the claim that some bandits imposed taxes on some communities was not an indication that the communities were effectively under the control of the bandits.
“He only provided some examples, which the reporter twisted to fabricate a misleading caption for the story.
“I will refer you to the original recording of the minister at the event in order to put the report in the correct perspective,’’ Mutah added.
He stressed that the report was twisted and fell under the categorisation of fake news.
Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, says he will contest for presidency in 2023 irrespective of whether the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zones the ticket to the South-East.
In an interview with journalists on Saturday, Anyim said, “Posters of my presidential bid and agitations by groups for me to contest flooded the social media in 2020 and I disassociated myself from such calls.
“I felt that it was too early for such a declaration, to enable the present administration concentrate on governance.
“Such calls resurfaced in the early part of 2021 and I chose to be quiet over the issue.
“We currently have less than 18 months to the next elections, and I feel the time is ripe to indicate my interest,” Anyim said.
He said that the zoning committee instituted by the party was only saddled with zoning party positions and not other positions.
“Zoning of such positions was deferred but nothing stops anyone from South-East Zone from contesting the presidency even if it is not zoned to it,” he said.
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation noted that the party’s national convention would signal the commencement of its political activities.
“The most important thing is that the party’s national convention is a sort of rebirth for a group of people who have recovered from a setback,” he added.
Anyim said that in spite of the party’s seeming conflict with its former Chairman Uche Secondus, he remained a friend to many members.
“He is particularly my friend and we do not have any problem with him. The issue is that the party needed to move but be assured that he is not going into wilderness,” Anyim said.
