The Successes and Excesses In The New War Against Terror

The order to crush Boko Haram by the end of the year is well intended and most appropriate, however it opens up reasons for concern based on history and as has been elucidated in recent reports.

We cannot lie to ourselves; we know the army. Nothing transformed over night. We love and support our troops, are compassionate about them and appreciate their gallantry and valor, however we realize that for 30 something odd years the Nigerian army has been deprived of proper training, equipment and standardization and this has led to a sub-optimal force.

In the middle of this time of trial for the army, Nigeria is being tested with one of the largest and the most deadly jungle and urban terror insurgencies in recent world history. The same decades starved, deprived, demoralized and undermined soldiers who were guilty of abuses in Jonathan's era and were encouraged to a lack of professionalism are again largely at the forefront of the war against Boko Haram.

While Nigeria is rapidly transforming from the CHANGE the nation got with the election of Buhari and Osinbajo and their selections of new heads of service; we will be dishonest to say the army has completely transformed over night as we non combat preoccupied civilians ourselves are yet just struggling to learn what competence, integrity and patriotism mean. Some army commanders are expectedly still unprofessional and trigger eager while there are still frank saboteurs in the ranks.

A prominent...most prominent Borno son and elder Statesman and supporter of this revolution for CHANGE, Professor Kalifa Dikwa recently cried out to the army that his blood elder brother, his nephews and other male family members were summarily executed by some "military commanders" last week in his village, Katulbare in Dikwa. Dikwa was just liberated with 5000 captives freed. They were not surprisingly mostly women and children.

Recently, based on the reality of embedded Boko Haram terrorists, Cameroon deported thousands of displaced Nigerians. Our men are being killed by Boko Haram or by our army who are not able to determine if and which among them are terrorists hiding among civilians. This is a serious problem. In eagerness to fulfill the mission to defeat Boko Haram in record time, more such mistakes are predictable. We cannot afford to loose the men and support of locals in our war against terror.

While Nigeria has been criticized and reprimanded for military excesses, today things have changed, and there is a new regime that promises and has demonstrated repudiation for erring officers; however we cannot replace life and must work extra hard to prevent any unnecessary loss of innocent life in the complex theatre of war.

War is difficult, indeed no singular act is more betraying to the wars against terror than the US-Iraq loss of over 2300 US built armored Humvees to ISIS last June, which US republican front-runner, Donald Trump criticized in recent campaigns, an error or crime that belittles Nigeria's worst atrocities, however there remains no excuse for giving an advantage to terror and annihilating life and support of the locals.

To this end, ENDS repeats its suggestion over the years that the overburdened and worn out Nigerian army must work hand in hand with civilians, the Civilian-JTF, hunters, vigilantes, ex-servicemen and other volunteers to properly achieve the quick defeat of Boko Haram. Indeed a Joda, Ribadu, Orasanye inclusive think-tank constituted by former president Olusegun Obasanjo recently agreed with our recommendations of Nigeria needing to work with these locals against Boko Haram. The problem of identifying Boko Haram terrorists hiding in local populations can best be tackled with locals participating at intelligence levels and the war front.

Our second recommendation which we understand is already in process is for the army to urgently and immediately acquire sophisticated intelligence tools and gadgets. Bomb detectors, gun-powder residue presumptive test kits and other intelligence tools should be made available to officers in the battle front to assist screening of citizens immediately.

Thirdly, we do believe the soldiers engaged in the war in the northeast are being rotated for quick courses in proper military ethics and professionalism. This should be sustained and prioritized.

Dr. Peregrino Brimah

http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something] 

Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian

This Man Orubebe Should Be In Jail Now – Oshiomhole

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole has took a swipe at a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, saying the ex-minister should be jailed and not be talking on the streets.

Oshiomhole also said that the ex-minister was afraid of being probed by President Muhammadu Buhari over the multi-billion naira East-West Road contract.

The governor said, “Is it not a shame that Orubebe, who should be cooling his heels in jail for that failed plot to truncate the country’s democracy, has now found a convoluted voice?"

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, Oshiomhole said that Orubebe was afraid of being probed for the amnesty programme he supervised under Goodluck Jonathan administration.

“We are not surprised at the timing of Orubebe’s latest outburst. It is, no doubt, unconnected with the planned probe by President Muhammadu Buhari of the billions of naira allocated to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, even as the East-West Road remains in bad shape and the probe of the fleecing of amnesty funds under his watch.”

Oshiomhole was reacting to a recent statement credited to Orubebe, where he reportedly described him as an ingrate for being critical of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

“Does Orubebe really think Nigerians are fools? Does he truly believe Nigerians have forgotten so soon the ignoble role he played in his attempt to truncate the release of the election results and announcement of the eventual winner of that election, a move which could have plunged the nation into another civil war?

“We are aware that Orubebe, the perpetual noise maker has raised the decibel of his noise a notch higher so that he would have a ready-made defence of witch-hunt if he is indicted in the planned probe of amnesty funds,” Oshiomhole said.

See all the money Davido needs to spend in 24hrs in South Africa

Lol...and fans are asking him for their school fees... 

Aww...man disrupts girlfriend's class in UNIJOS to propose to her (photos)

A LIB reader who witnessed this in her class sent in the photos. It happened today at the University of Jos medical school. The boyfriend of a female medical student named Chinenye Umeh disrupted a lecture to propose to her. It caused an uproar of course because this has never happened before. According to the sender, the girl first ran out and the guy had to run after her and brought her to the front of the class to propose to her in front of her classmates/friends and the lecturer. It was so romantic, other students cheered. Congrats to the couple. See the pics after the cut...

Photos: Buhari, Osinbajo briefed by NDDC officials at state house

President Buhari and VP Osinbajo were briefed on the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC by the commission's management at the state house Abuja today August 26th. Continue to see more photos...

Serena Williams talks racism in tennis

She's won 21 Grand Slam singles titles, with only four losses in 25 appearances in the finals yet her rival Maria Sharapova ranked higher than her on the Forbes list despite ranking lower than her professionally. Serena Williams covers this weeks New York Times mag & speaks candidly about it

Serena tells the NYT

"If they want to market someone who is white and blond, that’s their choice. I have a lot of partners who are very happy to work with me. I can’t sit here and say I should be higher on the list because I have won more.

I’m happy for her, because she worked hard, too. There is enough at the table for everyone. We have to be thankful, and we also have to be positive about it so the next black person can be No. 1 on that list. Maybe it was not meant to be me. Maybe it’s meant to be the next person to be amazing, and I’m just opening the door. Zina Garrison, Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe and Venus opened so many doors for me. I’m just opening the next door for the next person."

Katsina Govt orders public teachers to withdraw their children from Private Schools

In a bid to revamp the education sector in the state, the Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) today directed primary school teachers and all head teachers in the state to withdraw their children from private schools for immediate enrollment in public schools.

While giving the directive, the chairman of the state SUBEB, Lawal Buhari Daura said the directive was in line with the state governor, Aminu Bello Masari's directive that public officers under his administration must ensure they make use public infrastructures including public schools. He however did not say whether or not defaulters of the directive will be penalized.

Alexx Ekubo, Victoria Egbuchere & Laura Ikeji in Undercover Lover

The new movie Under Cover Lover stars Alexx Ekubo  (collins) Victoria Egbuchere(Gina) Laura Ikeji (Barbara) Ifeanyi Kalu (Dave) Kiki Ifeanyi (Ellen) Adeyemi Akanlawon (Robert ) Lilian Afegbai (Amy) and a host of others. It's a romantic comedy about ostentation, rejection, love and disappointment, it will take you through different emotions. What happens when love is in direct conflict with disappointment? 

Brought to you by SPICYLY TEE FILMS, Written,Produced and directed by the multi talented Okey Ifeanyi DGN. It promises to be a thriller...out online (irokotv ) August 28th 2015..

Below is the Trailer. ..

You are a garage boy, I will disgrace you publicly- Orubebe replies Oshiomole

Lol. And the saga continues...Hours after Adams Oshiomole released a statement calling Godsdey Orubebe a clown, the former Minister of Niger Delta has fired back, calling the Edo state governor a garage boy who he will disgrace publicly.

“I am proud to have been a vital instrument used by God to take the once abandoned East- West road project to an admirable 80 percent level of completion. It is unfortunate that our respected Niger Delta could produced the likes of Oshiomhole who is a garage boy that should be at the motor park as a son. I will disgrace him publicly and tell the world about his dubious deeds as governor as well as his role in the botched Third Term Bid of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. I am going to open his can of worms to the point that Nigerians will stone him if seen on the streets.
I don’t talk carelessly as I have my facts to prove my points. I am not afraid of probe, am a man of integrity under whose watch the abandoned 42 bridges and 1040 culverts that was initially without designed was upgraded to the level it is today. Every reasonable Niger Deltan and Nigerians at large knows that I am the admired face of the East West road, I can stand tall, anywhere and anytime to defend my administration as well as account for every dime that was allocated for the several projects we embarked upon. My Co- ministers and every other person who was a member of the federal Executive Council under former president Jonathan’s watch can attest to the fact that I was a vessel par excellence who had result oriented contributed to make towards moving the nation forward. If he is reasonable, he will not refer to my action at the election result collation centre. This is because, history will talk about it and Nigerians will be proud of me. Yes, I had to apologise to Nigerians, particularly the youths over what I term ‘wrong approach to a just course’. Yes, I had a just case that was deliberately ignored, as one who felt cheated, and so reacted. I’m laughing at him because, if there’s anyone who should bury his face in shame, it has to be Oshiomhole who disgraced, harassed and rough handled a poor widow who he should have ordinarily accommodated. My people are very proud of me, I mean the aged, the poor and orphans. I don’t disgrace them before putting smiles on their faces. I maintain the fact that Oshiomhole is a popular villa sycophant, a garage boy and that PMB should be weary of him, if he must succeed and be really admired.”he said

Tinubu distance self from attacks on Fashola

Former Lagos state governor, Bola Tinubu has distanced himself from the recent attacks on former Lagos Governor, Raji Fashola. In a statement released from his media office today August 26th, Tinubu accused PDP of working towards causing a division in the APC after losing woefully in the last elections. He said no matter the devise used, APC will always surmount it. He went on to state that his hand and heart are not in any way connected to the recent attacks on the credibility of the Fashola-led administration. His statement in part reads;

 

“Apprised of their wiles, we in the progressive camp must be wiser still. We must not allow ourselves to be pawns in this cynical strategy. We cannot fall into their obvious snares for that would be embracing defeat when victory has already been won. It is our responsibility to govern as the people want. It would be to our detriment to fall victim to our opponent’s sly instigations by allowing ourselves to be utensils picking each other apart. This brings me to recent developments in the Lagos political scene. Born of this motley stew is the recent gossip mongering that I have willfully instigated false and negative reports against former Governor Fashola to thwart him from being appointed to a major post in the Buhari administration. I want to declare clearly and categorically that these rancid attacks do not come from me nor do I endorse them. Neither my hand nor my heart is in these mean submissions. I deplore them. An attack against the performance of Governor Fashola is indirectly an attack against me and the edifice of achievements we have constructed in leading Lagos State out of a protracted time of stagnation and into an era of sustained progress and development. Lagos is a much better place than when we came into governance in 1999. Each year, it has gotten better. With the APC at the helm, each subsequent year will be better yet. Babatunde Fashola has been an integral part of this improvement. He does not deserve the pillory. His record has been applauded and will continue to be when all this rumor mongering has died its natural and quick death. I am proud to say that I played an instrumental role in bringing Governor Fashola into politics in the first instance. He served as my trusted chief of staff, performing excellently in that role. Due to his leadership qualities and diligent work ethic, I endorsed him for governor notwithstanding the stiff and vocal opposition of many. I am not ashamed of backing him. I believe the progress the state made under his administration has more than vindicated my endorsement. Fashola, the present Governor Akin Ambode including myself are the products of a progressive political institution and its programmatic expressions. I laid the governance foundation and started the first lap, running as well as I could. I handed the baton to Fashola, knowing he would do the same. He did; he ran as well as he could. Now, he has handed to Ambode who is off and running as well as he can. We have achieved much in Lagos; but, we recognise as much as anyone that we have much more to do. We also know that progress is fragile and easily undone while destruction is easily transacted but hard to undo. I for one am not the type to tear down my own house or to bring my enemy’s rubbish into it. We must remember something. We have always governed Lagos state as an open forum where democracy and free expression were respected. Those who are against us were never placed in fear of the heavy hand of government descending on them even as they played funny tricks. We also must remember than in any democracy, a number of people will always oppose you no matter the quality of your performance. If an office holder has an approval rating of 70 per cent, this means, in Lagos, roughly five million people dislike the person. Also remember the PDP is just recently out of office at the federal level and that it built a vast, unprecedented financial war chest to contest the elections. The residual of that war chest is still at work, buying media space to plant rumors in hopes of spreading discord through the APC. Thus, the enemy camp may be a minority but it is a large and well-funded one that knows its only chance lies in us attacking ourselves.

“I for one will not bend to the artificial provocation of those seeking to tear at what we have painstakingly built over the years. In my mind, Governor Fashola and I are and shall always be political allies and fellow travelers on a vital journey; that alliance is unshakeable and our journey must not be interrupted. I would no more attack his character or his administration than I would attack myself. I see this present moment as crucial to Nigeria’s future. The nation faces acute challenges of security, corruption and economic development. Our task is to create policies that bring prosperity, dignity and hope to all. Great change is in reach because we have progressive governments at the federal and state levels for the first time. With great change at hand, it would be a terrible abdication of our duty to allow agents provocateur to prompt us to suspect and toss dirt at each other at a time when we should be focused on building a better, more equitable nation and society. I for one shall never allow myself to be a tool of a political enemy that has nothing good in mind for Nigeria. I for one will never engage in the intramural character attacks of which I am being accused. I stand for the unity of the APC and for the progressive purpose we serve. I will not be guilty of tearing down our progressive house, not a brick of it. That I vow to all.”