PRESS RELEASE ON THE RESURGENCE OF TERRORISM AND STATE OF INSECURITY IN NIGERIA

PRESS RELEASE ON THE RESURGENCE OF TERRORISM AND STATE OF INSECURITY IN NIGERIA

The North East of Nigeria has come under increasing attacks in the weeks following the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari since May 29^th 2015. It is on record that since the May 29th some 181 people have been killed in renewed Boko Haram attacks. In the light of this renewed onslaught by terrorists against innocent and peace loving Nigerians while masquerading as insurgents, we at Community Agenda for Peace (CAP) are compelled to call upon and warn the Nigerian leadership of the dire socio-political and economic consequences of delay in strategic response to the attacks. 

Presently, Boko Haram’s hit-and-run attacks on villages and bombings North East of the country are ongoing, and for record purposes, we set serially the media report of a few of the depressing most recent Boko Haram terrorist’s attacks starting from the most recent:

1.    12-YR-OLD FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS MANY IN CROWDED MARKET

2.   BOMB BLAST HITS MAIDUGURI MARKET

3.   20 DEAD, 50 INJURED IN TWIN SUICIDE BLASTS

4.   63 DEAD AS EXPLOSION ROCKS BORNO COMMUNITY

5.   10 FEARED DEAD AS BOMB BLAST HITS YOBE

6.   3 FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS DIE AS EXPLOSIVES DETONATE PREMATURELY

7.   FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS 2

8.   32 DEAD, 53 INJURED IN BLAST

9.   58 DIE AFTER BOKO HARAM’S MULTIPLE BLASTS HIT MAIDUGURI

Most depressing to us however in the light of the above is that it seems the present administration of President Buhari has resorted to the familiar sing-song of “the crisis will soon be a thing of the past”, yet from our analysis of prevailing situation, there is actually nothing identifiable indicating a definitive step to arrest the situation.

Community Agenda for Peace (CAP) is convinced that Mr. President’s body language and readiness to consider the Amnesty International’s report indicting the Nigerian military on extra-judicial killings has not only discouraged, distracted and dampened the morale of the military but has also greatly encouraged the terrorists. Our position is that Nigerians generally and Northern population specifically need to know that Mr. President is going to extraordinary lengths to secure and protect them.

The body language of Mr. President may have been the catalyst for an increased zeal on the part of the terrorists to increase the ferocity of their attacks despite Mr. President’s diplomatic shuttle to curry neighboring country’s support. His body language seem to whittle down whatever benefit such diplomatic engagements may have gathered with the effect that the terrorists have grown more confident in the past three weeks thus killing and maiming more and more innocent citizens, displacing more and more farmers from their land, and preventing socio-economic and political activities within the affected areas.

We are therefore worried with the apparent sluggishness or lack of tactics on the part of the Federal Government to immediately fashion out a prompt strategy to meet these challenges. It is to this extent that we call on the Presidency to curtail this renewed onslaught by immediately:

1.    Disregarding the Amnesty International’s report against the Nigerian military by refusing to probe past and present leadership of the Nigerian Army.

2.   Drawing on the support of Northern governors, traditional Hausa and Fulani leaders and Islamic scholars.

3.   Recognizing that due to widespread disenchantment amongst Northern youth, they are currently trapped between violent extremism on the one hand and heavily insincere government responses on the other.

Finally, our recent findings indicate that most Muslims are usually as horrified at such atrocious acts of violence by Boko Haram as other Nigerians are, yet they bear the brunt of threats and attacks after each incident of terrorism floods the media. Muslim extremists and in this case, Boko Haram make up only an insignificant fraction of the Nigerian Muslim community, yet they receive most of the attention because of the terror they cause.

While calling for the building of stronger alliances between THE FAITHS, we further call on the leadership of the Islamic faith in Nigeria to do more to separate extremists from true Muslims, the radical few from the true worshippers and the terrorist Boko Haram from true Muslims.

Nigeria cannot win the war against terrorism if Muslim leaders up North continue to view the war against terror as a war against Islam and Muslims. We are convinced that Northern leaders cannot continue to view the fight against Boko Haram as a fight against Northern interests, as it will have the effect of demoralizing, distracting and intimidating the Nigerian Military.

Nigerians therefore must unite In support of:

1.    The Military to defeat the terrorist Boko Haram

2.   All Muslims against any backlash of the war on terror

3.   Government to build a virile nation where peace reigns

OBUESI PHILLIPS

National Director, COMMUNITY AGENDA FOR PEACE
Publisher, THE MANDATE MONITOR

2014 DREAM PRIZE WINNER

BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS ARE NOT GOOD MUSLIMS - THEY ARE ISLAMIC OUT-LAWS

BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS ARE NOT GOOD MUSLIMS  - THEY ARE ISLAMIC OUT-LAWS

Considering the many acts of terrorism committed by people in the name of Islam in the last 30 years, it will be clearly understandable that many Nigerians, especially the non-Muslims will be confused as to the true nature of Islamic faith. But the truth which may be difficult to swallow for “faith fundamentalists” is that “Peace loving Muslims are the most Muslims.” We all know it, and except in cases of deliberate denials, that overwhelming majority of Muslims are peace-loving and hospitable.

As the world struggles with the terrorism challenge, there is a noticeable increase in the “Muslims are terrorists” debate. The truth however is that "most Muslims are decidedly not terrorists; and are indeed as victimized as we are by the actions of a radical few.” Muslim extremists and in this case, Boko Haram make up only an insignificant fraction of the Nigerian Muslim community, yet they receive most of the attention because of the terror they cause.

If we as Nigerians continue to create an enemy image of Nigerians of Northern extraction most of whom are followers of Islam and therefore Muslims, it will be impossible for us all to live in peace and unity as a people. For me, these Boko Haram radicals though they are of Islamic faith yet they are out-laws and we know what out-laws do, don’t we?

It is verifiable that most Muslims are usually as horrified at such atrocious acts of violence by Boko Haram as other Nigerians are, yet they bear the brunt of threats and attacks after each incident of terrorism floods the media.

While calling for the building of stronger alliances between THE FAITHS, I still will call on the leadership of the Islamic faith in Nigeria to do more to separate the wheat from the chaff, the radical few from the true worshippers and the terrorist Boko Haram from true Muslims.

It is in this regard that i view the recent Amnesty International’s report on extra-judicial killings by the Nigerian military North East of Nigeria. In most of my previous writings, i have expressed my deepest disgust and outrage at such atrocities in cases where they are proved against the military. My position remain, that true Muslim and innocent civilians ought not to bear the brunt of the war on terror.

However, beyond criticizing the Nigerian military, I must restate that we cannot win the war against terrorism if Muslim leaders continue to view the war against terror as a war against Islam and Muslims. I posit and strongly too that to the extent that Northern leaders continue to view the fight against Boko Haram as a fight against Northern interests, the Nigerian Military will become demoralized, distracted, intimidated and afraid to carry out their duties without fear or favour.

Nigerians in my view must unite In support of:

1.     The Muslims against any backlash of the war on terror

2.    The Military to defeat the terrorist Boko Haram

3.    Government to build a virile nation where peace reigns

In conclusion, I will say that FAITH FUNDAMENTALISM is not associated to Islam and Muslims alone, most other faiths have at one time or the other in world history caused monumental havoc on the people of the world. For now, the Islamic faith is in the “hot sit” but that does not and should not in any way stereotype Muslims generally.

At this juncture, i wish to call on the leaders of the Muslim faith in Nigeria to join hands with, and partner with the top brass of the Nigerian Military in this onerous task of ridding our nation of Islamic out-laws whose main objective is to bring Islam to disrepute. We must all support the military, we must encourage and not victimize, demoralize or intimidate them. 

OBUESI PHILLIPS 

2014 Dream Prize Winner

Nat. Dir. COMMUNITY AGENDA FOR PEACE

ATIKU’S MANDATE IS TO CHECKMATE TINUBU?

OPENING SHOT:

“It is your duty to examine the conduct of public figures and to place them in the spotlight – that is your duty.” – Nelson Mandela @World Press Freedom Day

Dear fellow-citizens, welcome to this issue of THE MANDATE MONITOR, Nigeria’s soar away political news story platform gauging the standard of political conduct, actions and inactions of those in political leadership. If you are politically elected or appointed, you are under our radar.

AWESOME FOR DEMOCRACY: Last week was awesome for democracy, politics and leadership in Nigeria. It was the week that the deed was done, I mean the week when all that APC feared caught up with them. Before now, APC as a party already surmounted virtually all challenges, obstacles and impediments on its way to glory up until last week when the enemies of the party and all doomsday prophets had their laugh against the party.

On a day and time the NASS was to be inaugurated and new leaders elected, the APC against all common sense and respect for democratic institutions fixed a party caucus meeting, for this they received a just recompense. For us at THE MANDATE MONITOR, we cannot find a better definition for organized impunity, yet we are consoled as do all Nigerians with the fact that their thoughts and imaginations of their heart did not stand else democracy in Nigeria would have been diminished greatly.

WORKERS SALARIES USED FOR ELECTIONS: Recently, the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State had urged Governor Ayo Fayose to stop "deceiving" the state workers over failed promises to pay their salaries. In his response, Ayo Fayose while urging APC to prevail on its governors in neighboring States to pay workers that are owed as much as eight months salary, called on APC to first remove the timber in its eyes before aspiring to remove the toothpicks in other people’s eyes.

These workers across board have themselves to blame. It does not matter whether it is APC or PDP states, had these civil servants asked for their salaries during the last elections, we are confident that the politicians would have paid it without much ado. 

They cannot eat their cake and still have it, after all, they were busy collecting money from the politicians without questioning the sources. Without doubt, the money spent during the elections was workers salaries as we have it on good authority that a certain godfather directed all ministries and parastatals within the state to return all funds not expended before the elections. 

THESE REPS ARE NOT SERIOUS; First thing first, it is said that self preservation is the first law of nature, and so the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Monday approved the constitution of an Ad Hoc Committee on Welfare. The approval was contained in a statement issued by Rep. Jerry Manwe, the Speaker’s Chief of Staff. 

We are amazed that the “honorables” just elevated and made their individual and collective welfare of so much importance, far and above the welfare of the generality of Nigerians. If the “law of the beginning” is anything to go bye, then Nigerians must brace up for a NASS not interested in the welfare and wellbeing of the people.

Having regards to the quantum of salaries and allowances these guys have allocated to themselves, it is clear they didn’t come to the NASS for the people’s interests but for their own welfare. It is our mandate, the people’s mandate… Nigerians ought to be outraged.

ATIKU’S MANDATE IS TO CHECKMATE TINUBU? Recently we profiled Gen Dambazau as one of the many emerging leaders in the Buhari dispensation. Today, our focus will be on a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on Pesident. Muhammadu Buhari. 

We are following with very keen interest the brewing solidarity between Mr. President and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar having regards to the many errands which the former Vice President seem to be running for the Aso Rock landlord. Keen watchers of contemporary Nigerian politics cannot fail to notice that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar seem to always stand in the gap for Mr. President – while the 72 year old stands aloof playing the good guy. 

Unless Mr. President announces his core team, Nigerians and monitors of the three arms zone will continue to speculate on what and what portfolio Alhaji Atiku will be managing, but until then, our speculation is that his core mandate will be to play “the bad guy”, checkmate and diminish the influence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in APC.

HOW DID APC GET HERE? We overheard APC top ranking men talk of “indiscipline,” “treachery,” “betrayal” and “ridicule.” It is amazing that considering how APC helped the PDP achieve self destruct, by encouraging Amaechi and co to betray and ridicule his party, these words now seem to make meaning to them after all.

Who will believe it that Mr. Timi Frank, deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC will call on the party Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun to resign.

According to Mr, Frank, ''If my party could not keep to the promise of change, then we must correct them to keep to that. I have no fear or favour than to say that the current leadership of the party has practically failed. With this incident alone, the chairman should resign from his position after taking a position against the people and the people’s position has finally come to stay. In the Western world, by today the party’s national chairman would have resigned honourably.”

Our first response to the above is “what audacity?” Come think of it, we hope APC is not out to deceive itself that all is well? Of a truth, APC may have sown the wind, and now reaping the whirlwind.

MAIN REPORT: FROM PROMISES TO PERFORMANCE

YOU ARE MAKING EXCUSES MR. PRESIDENT: At a time the new leadership under President Buhari ought to be moving from “promises to performance,” Mr. President and his Vice have resorted to making of excuses.

1.    I am coming into office at the wrong time

2.   We are inheriting a country in crisis

3.   My old age would limit my performance

 

In the first stanza of his new release, Mr. President said, “At 72, there is a limit to what I can do; old age will limit my performance.” Speaking further he said, “I wish I became Head of State when I was a governor, just a few years as a young man. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do.” 

For us here, we know and this knowledge is widespread, that when a man grows old, he travels less. But instead of conserving energy for the main tasks, Mr. President by next week will be flying into the Cameroons in continuation of his anti-Boko Haram coalition building Our question to Mr. President is simple, if old age will diminish your performance, why is it not diminishing your travelling?

Presently, Buhari’s honeymoon with Nigerians is still on a rollercoaster, thus one is not able to question the General for any wrong doing at this time but the truth is that Mr. President all along  knew that age is no longer on his side and yet chose to stick out his neck, so why the excuses  after winning the job?

In the same vein and from the second stanza of same release, the people’s General continued… “Our government is determined to secure the country, manage the economy, create employment and fight corruption. Some articulate writers have said if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. This APC administration intends to kill corruption in Nigeria. We will do our best, I assure you,” Buhari stated.

Yeah the second stanza is more like it though Mr. President wasn’t talking tough as we expected but at least the second stanza is soothing to the nerves and  itching ears of Nigerians who want to see their “ALL NEW MESSIAH” move from promises to performance.

For us at THE MANDATE MONITOR, it is not that Nigerians are too impatient, but that the leadership is yet to settle down to face the act of governance; Mr. President must not waste the people’s goodwill.

OBUESI PHILLIPS 

2014 Dream Prize Winner

FROM PROMISES TO PERFORMANCE

FROM PROMISES TO PERFORMANCE

OPENING SHOT: Dear fellow-citizens, welcome to this issue of THE MANDATE MONITOR, Nigeria’s soar away political news story platform gauging the standard of political conduct, actions and inactions of those in political leadership. If you are politically elected or appointed, you are under our radar.

WHAT-A-GUAN APC? As the new administration settles down to business, we have been monitoring the brewing crisis within the All Progressives Congress over the choice of candidates for the speakership and the Senate presidency of the 8th National Assembly.  The gulf deepened on Sunday as Yakubu Dogara (House of Representatives) and Bukola Saraki (Senate) intensified lobbying of the Peoples Democratic Party incoming lawmakers and vowing to contest the elections on Tuesday despite not being endorsed by the APC leadership. 

It is politics and for us here, they are on the right track politicking, let us watch and see politics take its natural course. 

Keen supporters of the APC in NASS are apprehensive and are wondering to what extent this crisis will affect the unity within the party. APC aready weathered many crises and most likely will weather this one. Recall that the choice of its presidential candidate was so intense forcing the PDP to say that the party will falter. APC also scaled through the challenge of picking a Vice Presidential candidate.

Till date, nothing and none of the above issues tested the will and resolve of APC as a party like the present crisis. The leadership will be concerned with maintaining not just “party unity” but also “party discipline” and our hope is that they scale through this one.

WE DON’T HAVE PATIENCE MR. PRESIDENT! It is now a notorious fact that President Jonathan was the most criticized President globally, but with the way Nigerians are watching the Buhari Presidency, this government may end up toppling Jonathan in this regard. Monitoring traditional news platforms and the social media, one cannot but see the frustration of a people wearied by a burden of high expectations from their leaders.  

Presently, there is a raging social media confrontation between those who argue that Mr. President is taking his time to articulate and consolidate his presidency on the one hand and others who argue that after 12 years of persistent quest for the Presidency, President Buhari ought by now to have gotten his acts together and faster too by hitting the ground running. One thing is clear, though the presidency is asking for patience but it seems patience is one article Nigerians do not have at a time as this.

How much time would Mr. President be needing to appoint His Ministers, Secretary to the Federal Government, make his assets public, combat Boko Haram and abolish the officer of the first lady? Mr. President came riding on the wings of change, promises were made and based on this promises Nigerians voted, it’s a deal and Mr. President must begin to move from promises to performance.

WAS OSIBANJO BARRED FROM SENSITIVE SECURITY MEETING? Now, we have all heard the speculations, that the VP was barred from a security meeting that the President had with service Chiefs even when persons without any form of confirmed official designations (Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd) and General Danbazau (rtd) attended. While claiming mischief on the part of Anti-Buhari groups, the pro-Buhari groups claim the VP was in far away Sudan at the material time and thus could not have been locked out. Whichever way, THE MANDATE MONITOR is worried that till date, no official word is coming from the office the VP on the true picture of the situation because the truth of the speculation has dire implications. 

The presidency must answer the question, “was Osibanjo locked out of a sensitive security meeting?”

GENERAL ABDULRAHMAN BELLO DAMBAZAU (RTD) Following the victory of Gen. Buhari at the last presidential elections, and the promise of Mr. President to tackle Nigeria’s security situation headlong, we have watched with keen interest the personality and movement of Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd). We know that the position of NSA is usually considered the exclusive preserve of the President and the appointment of a new NSA by the President himself a retired Army-General may be the exact portfolio for Gen Dambazau. We must recall that Gen Dambazau had security clearance and indeed attended a sensitive security meeting Mr. President had with service chiefs; this was the same meeting Prof. Osibanjo was allegedly barred from attending.

Again, Gen. Dambazau is presently in Germany as part of Mr. President’s entourage. So, at least Nigerians now have an idea of who will be marshalling the nation’s confrontation with Boko Haram as Mr. President obviously will be depending on this former Army Chief who during the elections satisfactorily marshaled the Security Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

In this new dispensation, Gen. Dambazau will be a personality to watch.

MAIN REPORT

FROM PROMISES TO PERFORMANCE: Having regards to the iron grips of the PDP on Nigeria’s power structure in the past 16 years, the APC thought, and quite rightly too that only a determined, sustained campaign strategy will have the capacity to topple and loosen the grips of PDP on power. The then Gen. Buhari and his APC party leadership during the presidential electioneering campaigns made several ground swelling promises to Nigerians as a strategy to whet their appetite, diminish  their confidence in the incumbent and ride on to power. 

Foremost amongst APC campaign promises were the following:

1.    President will declare his assets publicly

2.   Corrupt leaders will not have a part in government

3.   Immediate defeat of Boko Haram

4.   Petrol will sell at N40 per liter

Based on these and many more, and coupled with the frustrations of Nigerians with President Jonathan’s leadership style, the people at the grassroot level railroaded Gen. Buhari into power. The Buhari presidency is riding on a crest popular support which inadvertently may become its undoing having considering the gamut of expectations. In fact and indeed, realizing the quantum of expectations, the managers of Buhari and APC as a party commenced a gradual but systematic attempt to extinguish the people’s expectation.

It is said that a bad workman always quarrels with his tools, the burden to lead in this attempt fell on the then President-elect, Gen Buhari who declared “I will be coming into power at the wrong time” and the then Vice President-elect who declared “we will be inheriting a nation in crisis”. THE MANDATE MONITOR analysts have questioned the implications of such statements coming from the nation’s torch bearers. 

Gen. Buhari’s quest for the presidency of Nigeria has spanned a period well over 12 years, so ordinarily speaking Gen. Buhari ought to be Nigeria’s only president that was prepared for the presidency. If this argument is correct, then and in our opinion, now President Buhari might just be playing a game of irresponsibility with Nigerians. So, why would now be a wrong time for Buhari to be Nigeria’s president? Why didn’t Buhari tell Nigerians this before the elections? What is the challenge about – health or age? It should be noted at this point that 10 clear days after his inauguration, the president is yet to settle down talk less of hitting the ground and running.

Again and more importantly, why would the Vice President tell us that APC will be inheriting a nation in crisis? Of course we all knew the country was in crisis hence our choice of the duo for the president and vice-president positions. Prof. Osibanjo and Gen. Buhari both knew what the challenges were before presenting themselves for these leadership positions. THE MANDATE MONITOR is greatly appalled to say the least that after winning elections, our leaders are at sea as to what to do and have resorted to giving excuses.

They should know that at a time as this, Nigerians are expecting them to begin moving from promises to performance. Performance, yes performance in the sense of getting started, Mr. President must get started. The new regime is 11 days old and Mr. President has been away for 9 days. He must come home, sit down and lead our quest to combat corruption head on.

For us at THE MANDATE MONITOR, it is not that Nigerians are too impatient, but that the leadership is yet to settle down to face the act of governance, they must not waste the people’s goodwill.

OBUESI PHILLIPS 

2014 Dream Prize Winner