Crime
Jonathan Flushed Out Boko Haram But Service Chiefs Can’t Pick Up Turji – Ndume
Senator Representing Southern Borno, Ali Ndume, says former President Goodluck Jonathan was able to flush the Boko Haram insurgents out in the last minutes of his administration through the services of Private Military Consultant (PMC).
Ndume reminisced the success story while interacting with journalists on the sidelines of the just concluded 10th Senate retreat of the Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution held in Kano.
He recalled how the engagement of the services of the PMCs from South Africa in collaboration with the Nigerian Army significantly flushed insurgents out of Maiduguri in 2014.
He said, “I have been Chairman of the House Committee on Army and I am from Borno State where it all started. We fundamentally have three challenges in the country, Boko Haram, Bandits or Kidnapping and IPOB. All these three, interacting with all security agencies, if the government is very serious about these, it can be addressed in six months and at most one year.
“These bandits are not trained and not equipped. Most of the equipment they used is that delivered to them or taken over from our armed forces. In today’s technology, with advancement in ICT, if they can trace where an individual or politically exposed persons effectively, what stops you from tracing where Turji or other criminals are? So there is something fundamentally wrong there.
“And I commend the Chief of Army Staff who cried out to say that with the meagre resources, put together the security agencies, securing 230 million people is unrealistic. So, the response to it immediately is to recruit more people into the Nigerian Army. We have the youths who are willing to serve but no opportunity or encouragement. We can’t move forward when 70 per cent of our population are the youths and mostly from the poor. And they are losing faith in the country and being too desperate. Before our forefathers were captured to go and be sold as slaves. Today, our youths are taking the risks of going to Niger and others to go and become slaves on their own. They even pay for it.
“I have been advocating for one thing. Boko Haram reached its last peak in 2014, during the last days of Jonathan and somebody advised him to engage Private Military Consultants, (PMC) from South Africa and they entered agreement with them. They said they should give them two or three months to flush Boko Haram out and they did.
“When the consultant came, they were 14. They collaborated with the Nigerian armed forces and recruited from the youths, the civilian JTF who knows the bad guys and went after them to pick them up. And that was when you heard Boko Haram ran away from Maiduguri. Otherwise, there were some areas that in the afternoon you dare not go there. But Alhamdulillah, it has gone down in Maiduguri to three spots, Lake Chad region, Mandara mountain and Sambisa. So operating in those areas, if you have men on the ground, drones, Boko Haram will be history.
“These bandits go to the extent of recording themselves and broadcasting it, yet all the service Chiefs and ministers were in Sokoto, and could not get Turji.”
He pointed out that with the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces in tackling security challenges bedeviling the country, it only takes commitment of raising the number of personnel and provision of the right equipment to bring an end to the current acts of insecurity bedevilling the country adding that incorporating modern technology will also go a long way in tackling banditry in the country.
“The Nigerian army is known for their agility, professionalism, competence and commitment but once you don’t have enough personnel, good training, equipment, arms and ammunition, there will be no result and no magic. If you give them (Service Chiefs) what it takes and give them a deadline, they will achieve it, especially when you give them the special forces and give the PMC the contract.”
“You have the terrorists, Boko Haram having the more sophisticated arms, and I go round and I observe I have not yet seen a Nigerian Army in any formation having enough number of new AK 47 not to talk of AK 49. The only time I saw new AK 47 and AK 49 is in Abuja whether in presidency or escorting a General at the front. Let us be serious. Let us concentrate on the security and welfare of the citizens. Let us not treat our problems superficially by pretending. There is hunger in the land. We have not cultivated 5 per cent of our lands in Nigeria.”
Daily Trust
According to a statement on Friday, the arrested officers are: “AP/No. 207454, ASP Elomore Sodayo; AP/No. 332012, Inspector Adefila Adewale; AP/No. 332449, Inspector Olorunfemi Opeyemi; and AP/No. 332369, Inspector Odusola Peter.”
Speaking at the command headquarters in Akure on Friday, the state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, said the police had zero tolerance for indiscipline and unprofessional conduct.
He added that a comprehensive investigation had been ordered to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the level of culpability of each officer involved.
He added that officers were expected to conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism, respect human dignity and comply strictly with the Force’s Code of Conduct and Standard Operating Procedures.
“The Nigeria Police Force is a disciplined and professional institution that does not condone any form of misconduct, incivility, or actions capable of undermining public confidence, promoting ethnic division, or bringing the Force into disrepute,” the commissioner said.
He assured the public that the investigation would be conducted to determine the facts of the case, adding that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action.
This was said to be part of renewed efforts to tackle insecurity.
Disu gave the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
According to the IG, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the persistent insecurity in Benue State must be brought to an end.
He stressed that only authorised security personnel were legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that the era of passive policing was over.
“You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” he said.
Disu disclosed that police officers had been empowered under Force Order 237 to respond decisively to armed threats without waiting for directives from superior officers.
“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow.
“They have been instructed to shoot at sight. They have been trained to do what is necessary. But we will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you.”
He called on residents to support security agencies with credible information, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to the fight against armed criminality.
Benue State has witnessed repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months, resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of residents and destruction of property.
The federal government has continued to deploy additional security personnel and adopt tougher measures aimed at restoring peace in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Fresh fears have gripped residents of Ifite Awka following an alleged plot by suspected gunmen to establish camps in the area where four Fulani herders were killed two days ago.
Security reports indicate that the attack may have been aimed at scaring away visitors to the bush in an attempt to facilitate the establishment of new camps in the area.
Residents recalled that similar tactics had allegedly been used by criminal elements to take over communities, often with the assistance of local collaborators.
The area shares boundaries with Awka North Local Government Area, where there have been reports of gunmen operating in some communities.
Following the development, youths from Ifite Awka have stormed the Ifite Agu area in a manhunt for the suspected gunmen.
The development comes as Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has issued a fresh directive to traditional rulers and President-Generals (PGs) of communities to take charge of the security architecture in their respective areas in conjunction with local security operatives and the mayors of the 21 local government areas.
It was gathered that as early as 5 a.m., some youths in the area had moved into the bushes in search of the suspected gunmen and cattle reportedly missing following the incident.
The youths were accompanied by local hunters who assisted in the search.
Speaking with reporters, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Aburime, confirmed the fresh directive to traditional rulers and President-Generals of communities across the state.
He said, “We have a government that is people-oriented and that is the government of Prof. Charles Soludo, who is a man that loves the people, is at home with the ordinary people and feels their pains.”
Aburime described the incident as unfortunate and urged the police and other relevant security agencies to take immediate action.
He noted that traditional rulers and President-Generals are the first points of contact when it comes to the security of lives and property in their communities, adding that the governor had reiterated his charge to security stakeholders to take control of security in their respective areas.
He, however, said the possibility of sabotage could not be ruled out, but added that it would be premature to draw conclusions before the completion of investigations by the relevant security agencies.
“The issue of sabotage against security in Anambra State cannot be ruled out, and that could just be an attempt to undermine the efforts of the government. But I cannot categorically tell you that it is an act of sabotage. We have to wait for the investigations of the security agencies before drawing conclusions,” he said.
He added that the Agunechemba Security Squad was working to improve security in the state, noting that residents had commended the governor for the improved security situation.
“We have a good security architecture in place, and I can tell you that this could just be an isolated incident. Everything necessary that needs to be done will be done in that regard,” Aburime said.
He stressed that security was the responsibility of everyone, regardless of social status or position.
“It is very simple, and the governor has always said that security is everybody’s business. When it happens, it affects everyone, irrespective of class or position,” he said.
According to him, “The President-Generals and traditional rulers are the first points of security in their communities and should be able to ensure that there is no security breach in their respective localities.”
He urged residents to provide useful intelligence to security agencies, assuring them that their identities would be protected.
“If you see something, say something. These people doing these things are human beings, and they live in the localities. People should be able to know them. They should avail us of intelligence reports, and that will help us fish them out. Your identity will always be protected,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Sanusi, has urged residents, particularly youths, to resist attempts by police officers to search their mobile phones during stop-and-search operations.
Sanusi said such searches violate a directive issued by the Inspector-General of Police, stressing that officers are not permitted to randomly search the phones of members of the public.
The commissioner made the remarks during a press conference shared by News Central Television on Tuesday.
He explained that although mobile phones could be used as evidence in criminal investigations, they should only be examined after a suspect has been lawfully arrested and taken to a police station.
According to him, officers are not authorised to stop people on the road and demand access to their phones merely on suspicion that they may be involved in internet fraud or other criminal activities.
Sanusi urged residents confronted by officers demanding to search their phones to seek assistance by contacting the police emergency line or nearby police officers.
He reaffirmed the FCT Police Command’s commitment to enforcing the Inspector-General’s directive, warning that officers found violating the order would face disciplinary action.
He said the command would continue to take action against officers who abuse their authority or engage in extortion under the guise of conducting stop-and-search operations.
The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a 39-year-old man, Udeme Emmanuel Ekpeme, for allegedly impersonating a medical doctor and defrauding a woman of ₦500,000 under the guise of securing employment for her children at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday in Calabar.
According to the statement, Ekpeme was arrested by officers attached to the Uwanse Division in Calabar South Local Government Area following a petition by a 45-year-old woman, Mrs Edemawan Samuel.
The complainant alleged that the suspect falsely presented himself as a medical doctor and collected ₦500,000 from her after promising to facilitate employment for her children at UCTH.
Police said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly used the false representation to deceive the woman into handing over the money.
Relevant exhibits believed to be connected to the alleged offences were also recovered during the investigation, while the suspect remains in police custody.
The police spokesperson said the suspect is being investigated for alleged impersonation, obtaining money by false pretence and unlawful use of medical equipment.
The Commissioner of Police, Rashid Afegbua, has directed detectives to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the full extent of the suspect’s activities and identify any other possible victims or accomplices.
The command said the suspect would be charged to court upon completion of investigations if sufficient evidence is established.
The police assured members of the public that further updates would be provided as the investigation progresses.
The arrest comes weeks after the Edo State Police Command announced the arrest of a 46-year-old man, Osaze Okungbowa, who was accused of impersonating a medical doctor and allegedly delivering babies and trafficking newborns.
The Edo suspect was arrested following a complaint by a woman, Princess Oke, who reported that the baby she delivered under his care had gone missing, leading to a police investigation.
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