Nigerian Presidency, Security Agencies, Others Meet Over Insurgency
Written by Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja
Nigerian Guardian
Goodluck-Jonathan• Badeh laments non-contribution of troops by Chad, Niger
• ‘Insurgents will be flushed out of Baga’
• NDSF canvasses global assistance to Nigeria
WORRIED by the deteriorating security situation in the three troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday summoned an enlarged meeting of all the heads of security agencies and the political leaders of the affected areas to address the matter.
Also sad about the incessant killing of innocent Nigerians in the North East region, the Nigeria Diaspora Security Forum (NDSF) has called for international collaboration against insurgency in the country.
It was gathered that the meeting in Abuja came against the backdrop of the recent successes recorded by the Boko Haram insurgents, especially with the reported takeover of Baga, a major fish-trading outlet in the northern part of Borno and the surrounding villages.
The meeting also had in attendance Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Governors of Adamawa (Bala James Ngilari), Yobe (Ibrahim Geidam), (accompanied by one of his predecessors, and Chairman Senate Committee on Environment Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim and his counterpart in Public Accounts, Senator Ahmed Lawan) and Borno (Kashim Shettima) accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jiddah.
Also in attendance were: the National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd); Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; Director General, State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ekpenyong Ita; Inspector General of Police (IGP) Suleiman Abba; and the Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN); Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Aliyu Gusau (rtd) and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim were also at the meeting.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the more than one and a half hour meeting, the CDS confirmed that indeed Baga was under the control of the insurgents, but said strategies were being put in place to recover the town. However, he would not disclose what the strategies were.
Badeh also lamented the non-cooperation of the neighbouring African countries, especially Chad and Niger, which, according to him, were supposed to contribute troop to the multinational force to deal with the insurgents.
While denying that the countries had pulled out of the multinational force, Badeh confirmed that the two countries have virtually left Nigeria on its own at the battlefronts.
His words: “No, it is not true that they have pulled out of multinational force because we have held several meetings with them, they are still part of the multinational force. What has been happening is that they have not contributed troops to the point of Baga. Chad has people of their own side but I believe they have withdrawn. Niger had people with us, they too withdrew and left Nigeria only at the multinational force headquarters.”
Asked if he believed in the suggestion that the borders between Nigeria and Chad, Nigeria and Niger should be closed, Badeh said: “I wish it could be closed but how do you close such a very large border? And it is not for military to close border, any way, or is it?”.
On the attack on the military base in Baga, CDS said: “Of course there was an attack. Don’t worry we are at work.”
Asked if the town can be retaken, he said: “Why not? I can’t give you exactly what is going to happen.”
Also speaking to correspondents, both Shettima and Geidam were optimistic that with the collaboration between the Federal Government and the governors of the affected states, there will be light at the end of the tunnel. They allayed fears about the forthcoming general elections in the states.
For Shettima, the insecurity situation facing the North-East region is a potent threat to the existence of the people, calling for a concerted efforts to crush the Boko Haram insurgents. The governor however insisted that election must hold in the troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe currently facing ravaging attacks from the insurgents. He expressed the hope that the government would win the war against the insurgents.
According to him, acceding to the call from certain quarters that election in those troubled states be postponed on account of the activities of the insurgents would amount to giving in to the antics of the Boko Haram. He pointed out that some other countries with worse insecurity situation, including Afghanistan and Syria, conducted their elections and as such, suspending election in the North-east would amount to surrendering to the antics of the terrorists.
Geidam said: “We have come to brief the President on the security features of our various states, we have come to greet him and we told him of the challenges we have been facing. We are appealing to the Federal Government to deploy more troops in addition to what we have on ground to arrest the situation in our various states.
“We need more troops, the troops on ground in our various states are not enough to contain the situation, so we appealed to the government to deploy additional troops with full equipment to tame the situation.”
The governor insisted that elections would hold in the areas despite the renewed insurgency attacks. “Election will hold, that is the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and definitely in all those areas where the insurgency exists, elections will hold.”
NDSF, a network of prominent Nigerians and security experts abroad, working collaboratively to identify solutions to Nigeria’s security and human rights challenges, in the statement, stated that it felt obliged to intervene on the matter by contacting His Excellency, Matthew W. Barzun, the Ambassador of the United States of America to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who is the representative of President Barack Obama and the United States of America to secure an official response on Nigeria Diaspora’s concerns over Nigeria security saga.
The group said: “We are pleased to announce that the US Embassy in London granted us audience on Wednesday, December 17, 2014, and we had a meeting on a variety of issues which ranged from the United States’ support on matters of terrorism, insurgency, the missing Chibok Girls, military assistance and inter- government deliberations, to ensure a free and fair election come 2015.
“In the meeting, the US Embassy official reiterated that the United States government condemned the senseless killing and loss of lives caused by Boko Haram and other enemies of the Nigerian people.
“The United States of America will continue to render all necessary assistance required by the Nigerian government and Nigeria’s security establishments, within the well establish international legal framework.”
According to the statement, “The United States of America welcomes the interest expressed by the Nigeria Diaspora Community on security and the forthcoming elections; they are happy to work with the Diasporas to tackle violent extremism, reduce radicalisation and ensure free and fair election in Nigeria.
“In light of this meeting, Nigeria Diaspora Security Forum (NDSF) has prepared a confidential report to be presented to Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom for submission to President Goodluck Jonathan.”
In the report, the forum requested the Federal Government to work with the United States to “develop a credible civil-military task force focused on conflict resolution and prevention, stabilisation, media and influence operations and consent winning activities.”
It also urged the Federal Government to establish an effective tension monitoring system and first responder teams in terrorism hotspot areas to boost community confidence and reassurance.
The forum called on Nigerian government to support and fund community based organisations in the design, development and implementation of de-radicalisation programme embedded in school syllabus as well as establish a task force with the sole aim of investigating and tackling all forms of terrorism.
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| Mosque bombed in Kano during 2014. |
Nigerian Guardian
Goodluck-Jonathan• Badeh laments non-contribution of troops by Chad, Niger
• ‘Insurgents will be flushed out of Baga’
• NDSF canvasses global assistance to Nigeria
WORRIED by the deteriorating security situation in the three troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday summoned an enlarged meeting of all the heads of security agencies and the political leaders of the affected areas to address the matter.
Also sad about the incessant killing of innocent Nigerians in the North East region, the Nigeria Diaspora Security Forum (NDSF) has called for international collaboration against insurgency in the country.
It was gathered that the meeting in Abuja came against the backdrop of the recent successes recorded by the Boko Haram insurgents, especially with the reported takeover of Baga, a major fish-trading outlet in the northern part of Borno and the surrounding villages.
The meeting also had in attendance Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Governors of Adamawa (Bala James Ngilari), Yobe (Ibrahim Geidam), (accompanied by one of his predecessors, and Chairman Senate Committee on Environment Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim and his counterpart in Public Accounts, Senator Ahmed Lawan) and Borno (Kashim Shettima) accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jiddah.
Also in attendance were: the National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd); Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; Director General, State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ekpenyong Ita; Inspector General of Police (IGP) Suleiman Abba; and the Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN); Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Aliyu Gusau (rtd) and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim were also at the meeting.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the more than one and a half hour meeting, the CDS confirmed that indeed Baga was under the control of the insurgents, but said strategies were being put in place to recover the town. However, he would not disclose what the strategies were.
Badeh also lamented the non-cooperation of the neighbouring African countries, especially Chad and Niger, which, according to him, were supposed to contribute troop to the multinational force to deal with the insurgents.
While denying that the countries had pulled out of the multinational force, Badeh confirmed that the two countries have virtually left Nigeria on its own at the battlefronts.
His words: “No, it is not true that they have pulled out of multinational force because we have held several meetings with them, they are still part of the multinational force. What has been happening is that they have not contributed troops to the point of Baga. Chad has people of their own side but I believe they have withdrawn. Niger had people with us, they too withdrew and left Nigeria only at the multinational force headquarters.”
Asked if he believed in the suggestion that the borders between Nigeria and Chad, Nigeria and Niger should be closed, Badeh said: “I wish it could be closed but how do you close such a very large border? And it is not for military to close border, any way, or is it?”.
On the attack on the military base in Baga, CDS said: “Of course there was an attack. Don’t worry we are at work.”
Asked if the town can be retaken, he said: “Why not? I can’t give you exactly what is going to happen.”
Also speaking to correspondents, both Shettima and Geidam were optimistic that with the collaboration between the Federal Government and the governors of the affected states, there will be light at the end of the tunnel. They allayed fears about the forthcoming general elections in the states.
For Shettima, the insecurity situation facing the North-East region is a potent threat to the existence of the people, calling for a concerted efforts to crush the Boko Haram insurgents. The governor however insisted that election must hold in the troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe currently facing ravaging attacks from the insurgents. He expressed the hope that the government would win the war against the insurgents.
According to him, acceding to the call from certain quarters that election in those troubled states be postponed on account of the activities of the insurgents would amount to giving in to the antics of the Boko Haram. He pointed out that some other countries with worse insecurity situation, including Afghanistan and Syria, conducted their elections and as such, suspending election in the North-east would amount to surrendering to the antics of the terrorists.
Geidam said: “We have come to brief the President on the security features of our various states, we have come to greet him and we told him of the challenges we have been facing. We are appealing to the Federal Government to deploy more troops in addition to what we have on ground to arrest the situation in our various states.
“We need more troops, the troops on ground in our various states are not enough to contain the situation, so we appealed to the government to deploy additional troops with full equipment to tame the situation.”
The governor insisted that elections would hold in the areas despite the renewed insurgency attacks. “Election will hold, that is the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and definitely in all those areas where the insurgency exists, elections will hold.”
NDSF, a network of prominent Nigerians and security experts abroad, working collaboratively to identify solutions to Nigeria’s security and human rights challenges, in the statement, stated that it felt obliged to intervene on the matter by contacting His Excellency, Matthew W. Barzun, the Ambassador of the United States of America to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who is the representative of President Barack Obama and the United States of America to secure an official response on Nigeria Diaspora’s concerns over Nigeria security saga.
The group said: “We are pleased to announce that the US Embassy in London granted us audience on Wednesday, December 17, 2014, and we had a meeting on a variety of issues which ranged from the United States’ support on matters of terrorism, insurgency, the missing Chibok Girls, military assistance and inter- government deliberations, to ensure a free and fair election come 2015.
“In the meeting, the US Embassy official reiterated that the United States government condemned the senseless killing and loss of lives caused by Boko Haram and other enemies of the Nigerian people.
“The United States of America will continue to render all necessary assistance required by the Nigerian government and Nigeria’s security establishments, within the well establish international legal framework.”
According to the statement, “The United States of America welcomes the interest expressed by the Nigeria Diaspora Community on security and the forthcoming elections; they are happy to work with the Diasporas to tackle violent extremism, reduce radicalisation and ensure free and fair election in Nigeria.
“In light of this meeting, Nigeria Diaspora Security Forum (NDSF) has prepared a confidential report to be presented to Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom for submission to President Goodluck Jonathan.”
In the report, the forum requested the Federal Government to work with the United States to “develop a credible civil-military task force focused on conflict resolution and prevention, stabilisation, media and influence operations and consent winning activities.”
It also urged the Federal Government to establish an effective tension monitoring system and first responder teams in terrorism hotspot areas to boost community confidence and reassurance.
The forum called on Nigerian government to support and fund community based organisations in the design, development and implementation of de-radicalisation programme embedded in school syllabus as well as establish a task force with the sole aim of investigating and tackling all forms of terrorism.
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