More Boko Haram Camps Fall To Advancing Troops

Troops from the 25 Task Force Brigade have neutralized more camps used by insurgent group Boko Haram for its terrorist activities. 

Army Media Coordinator , Colonel Tukur Gusau said in a statement that troops in confidence building operations in Bale along Bitta and Damboa axis destroyed the terrorists camps. 

“The Boko Haram terrorists on sighting the advancing troops towards their location, fled in disarray abandoning looted food items and other personal effects. These include a grinding machine, dane guns and bicycles as well as Boko Haram terrorists’ hoisted flag which was brought down and destroyed by the troops.

“The formation continues to dominate the area  in order to deny the terrorists freedom of action and frustrate their nefarious intents and acts,” he said.

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Army to probe soldiers' involvement in 2014/2015 elections

The Nigerian Army on Monday, set up a five man panel of inquiry to probe allegations of partisan involvement by some soldiers in the 2014/2015 general elections. 

The panel is headed by General Officer Commanding (GOC), Headquarters, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade while Col. Danladi Salihu is to serve as its secretary.

Other members are Brigadier General Emmanuel Kabuk , Brigadier General Sunday Araoye, and Brigadier General Baba Ibrahim.

The panel has two weeks to submit its report to Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai. 

The president of the panel, Major General Oyebade called on members of the public with useful information on the subject matter to come forward and testify.

His words ;
“As most of you are aware, the last general elections conducted in March 2015 elicited criticism in some quarters, especially from the general public, particularly on conduct of Nigerian army personnel during both the gubernatorial and presidential elections respectively.

“These allegations were centred on the gubernatorial elections conducted in some states such as Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom, to mention a few.

“It is therefore based on all these weighty allegations that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai on assumption of command articulated his vision of having a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles, and instituted this Board of Inquiry.

“The panel is to investigate these allegations and recommend appropriate measures to prevent a reoccurrence in the future.

“The military as a noble profession of arms must remain apolitical in our democratic dispensation. Politics, we strongly believe should be left entirely to the politicians.

“I must hasten to add however, that in spite of these worrisome allegations, the military to a large extent performed creditably as the foremost guardian of the nation’s democracy.

“On this note, I would like to call on all the strata in the society and of course, the general public to please as a matter of urgency appear in person if they so wish and forward their petitions in form of memorandum either personally to Headquarters 1 Division Nigerian Army, Kawo, Kaduna or via courier addressed to the secretary, panel of investigation on elections, HQ 1Division, Kawo, Kaduna."

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NAPTIP To Maintain Child Abuse Registers In Schools.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons; NAPTIP is  to maintain a register of child offenders in schools across the country in order to have a stream of intelligence for profiling and detection of prevalence of the crime in certain locations.

Beatrice Jedy-Agba, the Director-General of the agency disclosed this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a one-day capacity building workshop for counselors in schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

She noted that most schools in Abuja do not have counselors, thereby making  matters of child protection, trafficking and abuse difficult to tackle in schools.

She therefore emphasized the need to sensitize and train counselors to act as advocates on trafficking and child protection matters.

Her words ;
“Steps are on to also establish anti-trafficking clubs in their respective schools for sustenance of the on-going crusade against the scourge of trafficking in persons.

“There will also be awareness by school counsellors and head teachers on the current modus operandi of traffickers which will help them to chart a new road map to achieving a human trafficking free society for the future."

Poverty and weak economy have been identified as the major factors sustaining human trafficking in Nigeria.

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Buhari, Obasanjo in closed-door meeting at Presidential Villa

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday had a closed-door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

None of the two men spoke to the press after the meeting, neither was any statement issued

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Hurricane Buhari Blows Away Permanent Secretaries

At least 17 Permanent Secretaries were on Tuesday retired from the Federal Civil Service by President Muhammadu Buhari.

THE NATION reports that the affected permanent secretaries were told of their retirement during a closed-door meeting with the president on Tuesday.

Sources said that the exercise is aimed at strengthening the Civil Service.

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Dasuki Drags FG To Court, Seeks Security Of His Life

Immediate past National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki on Monday dragged the Federal Government before the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking the protection of his life. 

The former NSA who was represented by his counsel Mr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, has been kept under house arrest by armed operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, since November 3.

Dasuki is seeking an order of the court to enforce his fundamental rights to dignity and security of life.

He is also seeking a mandatory order of the court compelling the Federal Government and its agents, including the DSS, to vacate his house located at 13, John Kadija Street, Asokoro with immediate effect.

Dasuki  is praying the court for permission to keep a re-rescheduled appointment with his physician abroad, by extending the earlier leave that was granted to him on November 3.

The court had on November 3, granted Dasuki permission to travel overseas for medical treatment of his budding cancer, but he was stopped at the airport by operatives of the Department of State Services.

No date has been fixed for the matter to be heard.

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N3.1b Fraud : Former Benue Gov Gets N100m Bail

Former governor of Benue State, Mr Gabriel Suswam was on Tuesday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before the Federal High Court, Abuja on criminal charges bordering on money laundering. 

The anti graft agency had slammed the nine count charges on Suswam and his then Commissioner for Finance, Mr Omodachi Okolobia before the Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed.

Suswam and Okolobia are alleged to have looted the proceeds from the sales of
shares owned by the Benue State government and Benue Investment and Property Company Ltd amounting to N3.1b.

The offence is punishable under section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012.

After the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice Mohammed granted them bail in the sum of N100m each, with one surety who must not be below grade level 12 in either Federal or State Civil Service. 

The judge adjourned the matter till December 8 and 9 for further hearing.

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