Intellectual terrorism and the Amnesty International Strategy in Nigeria, By Kelly Agwambi

By Kelly Agwambi 

Amnesty International has been in the news in Nigeria for various reasons. It has, in most cases, advocated for the preservation of human rights and values. While this is commendable, however, there is more to the activities of Amnesty International in Nigeria that most political commentators and members of the unsuspecting general public seem to be missing.

Beyond the veiled global outlook, there is an agenda that is propelled by monetary gains, especially with the fact that the highest payers for services are the various terrorist organizations around the world. And I am not surprised that the Boko Haram conflict in Nigeria has provided that platform for Amnesty International to make a kill. And they somewhat succeeded. 

Taking a cursory look at the activities of Amnesty International in Nigeria, one would be confronted with anomalies that defeat common sense, and the sincerity of heart and purpose because Amnesty International is a business organization solely for the aim of profit-making.  

This fact has been corroborated in several countries that led to its expulsion for acts that undermine National security. Nigeria is also a victim of this international conspiracy that aided the festering of the Boko Haram/ISWAP imbroglio despite the proactive steps taken by the Nigerian government and the Nigerian Military.

The Nigerian Military is the worse hit by activities of Amnesty International in Nigeria. I recall that there were instances where some bold Nigerians took to the street demanding for the expulsion of Amnesty International from Nigeria for acts that undermine our national security.

In the eyes of Amnesty International, the Nigerian Military is committing human rights violations in the persecution of the war against terrorism, while the Boko Haram/ISWAP group is fighting a just cause with the killing of women and children, as well as elderly ones whose crimes are the fact that they are from North-East Nigeria.

Back to the crux of the issue, it is indeed a statement of the fact that Amnesty International does not mean good for Nigeria. Their sympathy has always been with the Boko Haram group and other militant groups such as the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria that have perpetrated crimes against humanity, that have consistently violated all known tenets of human rights. The list is endless. 

As typical in other climes experiencing terrorism, there is always an intellectual wing that assists these groups in recruitments and other sundry issues. And this intellectual task is usually contracted to NGOs such as Amnesty International. 

The case of Nigeria provides that vivid example. Have we ever wondered why when the Nigerian Military is making gains in the Boko Haram war, Amnesty International will come up with half-truths accusing the Nigerian Military of human rights violations against the Boko Haram group. As funny as this might sound, this is the starkness of the reality on the ground. 

In some quarters, it has been stated that Amnesty International is the mouthpiece of Boko Haram. Some scholars have likened their activities to that of intellectual terrorism that provides them with these services in return for a fee. It didn’t end there as they have also been acting in the interest of other militant organizations whose stock in trade is to cause sorrow and anguish to unarmed women and children. 

I can't but agree because there are abounding pieces of evidence that support this position. Amnesty International would cry wolf and accuse the Nigerian government of gross human rights violations. However, when the Boko Haram group kills innocent women and children, it maintains an unholy silence.

Amnesty International also gives tactic support to some International NGOs operating in North-East Nigeria aiding and abetting the activities of the Boko Haram group. This much they have been consistent with over the years in return for pecuniary benefits. I dare to say that not until the generality of Nigerians realize that Amnesty International is out to destabilize Nigeria, we are in for a big mess. 

They not only act as the mouthpiece of Boko Haram, but they also carry out recruitment by proxy on behalf of the group. I recall that this much was stated at a forum where multiple pieces of evidence were presented with regards to the fact that Amnesty International is involved in activities that bolsters the operations of the Boko Haram group.

This is nothing but intellectual terrorism, and I dare say that its part of the overall strategy of Amnesty International to ensure that it continues to remain in business, but at the detriment of innocent lives that have been lost over the years.

The worrisome aspect is that Amnesty International is not remorseful about their actions which are hinged on deceit and the propagation of falsehood at the behest of their paymasters that have vowed to destabilize and disintegrate Nigeria. It consequently behooves on Nigerians to wake up to this realization and demand for an end to the nefarious activities of Amnesty International in Nigeria.  

For as long as Nigerians continue to remain silent in the face of the atrocities of Amnesty International in Nigeria, we should be ready to live with the consequences for as long as possible. In all of these, we must realize one thing, which is the fact that those against the interest of Nigeria would not relent until they achieve their aim. 

They would continue to push and push till Nigerian reaches the brink. I am not convinced that our offence is beyond that fact that the country is blessed with a political leadership that is committed to putting Nigeria on the path of sustainable growth and development.   

Students of international relations and politics would agree with me that Nigeria has been under sustained attack led by Amnesty International and their affiliates. But there is a limit to which the resilience can last, which makes it crucial that citizens are enlightened to understand what their country is going through and how they should not be brainwashed into becoming facilitators for the destruction of their country with a concept that is locked on destroying the “military and the country is gone” principle.

Today, we seem to be comfortable with the fact that Amnesty International is undermining our national security. But what tomorrow holds for the future of Nigeria is bleak. That is if we still have a country to call our own. We must open our history books and take a critical look at countries that failed to act as at when necessary to curtail the nefarious activities of these NGOs parading themselves as proponents of the people. 

It must be stated that it is a collective endeavor that requires commitment from the government and the people to address this anomaly. Nigerians must henceforth question Amnesty International in their elements. Nigerians must see to that fact that their strategy to destroy Nigeria by constantly attacking our Armed Forces is thwarted. If we do not do this, I wonder who would do it for us. 

We must not allow Amnesty International to destroy our country as this generation of Nigerians and indeed the future generations have nowhere else to call home. The ball is in our court. We must act wisely and timely as time is of the essence. This is my opinion.

Agwabi is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja.

COVID-19: Group slams ASF France with cease and desist orders

By News Proof 

The Good Governance and Development Crusade (GGDC) has slammed a cease and desist order on international NGO, Avocats Sans Frontières France, otherwise known as Lawyers Without Borders France.

According to GGDC, ASF has no right to dabble into the affairs of a sovereign nation like Nigeria, especially at a critical time as now where the world battles the deadly coronavirus. 

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Gabriel Akoh, on Wednesday in Abuja, the GGDC said it is alarmed by the group's unwarranted interference in the affairs of Nigeria by unfairly and maliciously targeting law enforcement and military agencies. 

Good Governance and Development Crusade described ASF France as hypocrites who ignored high-handed police clampdown on anti-lockdown protestors in Paris, France and other cities of the country. 

While condemning the extrajudicial killings in the country, GGDC revealed that ASF lacks the moral justification to condemn Nigeria, as France has so far violated human rights in enforcing coronavirus lockdown. 

The Good Governance Crusade, however, urged Nigerians that "ASF France is an army of occupation and has come up to lay the groundwork for inciting citizens to take actions that will undermine the sovereignty and integrity of their country".

The group further rejected the statement issued by ASF France in its totality " while urging the group to stop further activities in Nigeria as it is now considered personal non-grata".

Read full statement below:

The Good Governance and Development Crusade (GGDC) has noted with concern the expansion of colonialist activities in Nigeria with a statement recently issued by Avocats Sans Frontières France (Lawyers Without Borders France) – ASF France, using its proxy outlet in the country named as ASF France’s Head of Office Nigeria operated by one Angela Uwandu.

It is alarming that ASF France chose a trying moment as at when all nations of the world are trying to manage the spread of the killer COVID-19 virus to interfere in the affairs of Nigeria by unfairly and maliciously targeting law enforcement and military agencies. 

The imperialist NGO joined the bandwagon to criminalize these law enforcement agencies, accusing them of committing extra-judicial killings in the course of enforcing the lockdown necessary for managing COVID-19, without recourse to the context of the issue or consideration for steps that have been taken by the authorities for the incidents so far recorded.

Nothing else can be more symbolic of ASF France’s hypocrisy than its failure to first condemn the high-handed police clampdown on anti-lockdown protestors in Paris, France and other cities of the country. 

While it may argue that that the disproportionately harsh and violent clampdown on the protests has not resulted in death, the nakedly racist nature of the police action, since their victims are predominantly migrants, is not lost on those that are able to assess the situation without capitalism induced biases. The French police are so civil in their approach to managing protestors that they rammed one with their car.

The fact that France, which prides itself as an old democracy, has to resort to such forceful takedown of protests, is a stark reminder of the reality that lockdowns are crucial to containing the spread of the virus and any country interested in the survival of its population will do anything to enforce them.  

It is insulting that an NGO from France decided to constitute itself into a reviewing authority for the implementation and enforcement of domestic orders taken in the interest of Nigerians. ASF France should have first set France on the path of respecting human rights before trying to dictate to Nigeria how to manage local affairs. The inclusion of the phrase, “without borders” in its must not be misconstrued by ASF France to think it can assume jurisdiction to review the implementation of extant legislation in other countries.

This, therefore, raises the ethical question of why France is allowed to enforce its own lockdown, with the true toll of the resulting casualty hidden from the world, and Nigeria is not allowed to enforce same even though some people died under circumstances that re now under investigation. Perhaps the intention is to box Nigeria into a corner where COVID-19 will achieve the population decimation that France has always been keen in implementing in Nigeria as seen in its persistent support for terrorism in the northeast of the country.

The import of ASF France getting one Angela Uwandu to sign the statement that maligned Nigeria is not lost on us at GGDC. This is France using the cover of an NGO to attempt foisting its assimilation colonial policy on Nigeria all over again. France, tragically, is not short of traitors that will mortgage the interest of their country in critical times like this. However, using a Nigerian face or name has not deceived anyone as to whose message is being passed and to what end.

We, therefore, want to warn Nigerians to take note that ASF France is an army of occupation and has come up to lay the groundwork for inciting citizens to take actions that will undermine the sovereignty and integrity of their country. Its sole interest is to ruin the peace of Nigeria.

The Good Governance and Development Crusade (GGDC) rejects the statement issued by ASF France in its totality while urging the group to stop further activities in Nigeria as it is now considered personal non-grata. ASF France must forthwith cease and desist from further meddling in Nigeria’s affairs. 

We do not want them anywhere in our country and we demand that they wound down all their operations in Nigeria while their non-Nigerian operatives must leave the country as soon as the airspace re-opens.

Boko Haram: Babajide Otitoju's Ignorance is Incurable By Richard Murphy

 By Richard Murphy 

For somebody who claims more than a passive knowledge of the North east and the Boko Haram terrorist acts, Babatunde Otitoju displayed crass ignorance at his latest outing on the popular TV programme, Journalists' Round Table.

In the Monday edition of the programme where the Chadian counter-offensive on Boko Haram  and ISWAP terrorists was discussed, Otitoju and his co-discussants could be seen falling over themselves in the bid to give credit to the Chadians for that single outing. 

If their gloating had been confined to praising the Chadians alone, nobody would have raised an eyebrow as any military expedition that destroys terrorists in their numbers is worth commending, but when the narrative extends to making mockery of the Nigerian Army and all its efforts towards ridding Nigeria of terrorism in the Lake Chad region, a call for caution would suffice if only to put the records straight.

Hearing Otitoju on the programme, one would be led to think that the Chadians have done something that the Nigerian troops have never done and that the Nigerian troops have all these years been folding their arms and doing nothing. 

Otitoju and his group went on to say that the problem with the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad region is because the Nigerian side has not done its own part and that Chad has set an agenda that Nigeria should take a cue from.

Worse still is the conclusion drawn by Otitoju and his team that Chad has done  90 percent  of the work required to finish insurgency in the Lake Chad region and that all Nigeria is expected to do is "10 percent. "

This is not just a crass misrepresentation of the facts in the Boko Boko Haram and ISWAP fight but a wanton display of the highest form of ignorance. 

What is pitiable is that even when the Chadian minister of defence in an interview  played on the programme tried to enlighten the discusants that Chad cannot solely take the credit for the success of the fight against Boko Boko Haram, Otitoju still continued with their mischief by twisting facts. 

Their argument based on President Idriss Deby Itno account of the recent counter attack where he said Chad lost 52 of its fighting men.

He also said Chadian soldiers in that single operation that took over a week, were able to liquidate over 1,000 of the Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters and seized a large cache of their arms in that operation. 

But even if the  figures are taken without argument, they do not support the Otitoju claim.

The number of people in the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists organisations by conservative estimates were put at about 3000 as at 2016.

That means that even if the claim is true that 1000 of their fighting men have been killed, it does not in any way come close to the 90 percent claim by Otitoju; neither does it support it in in terms of geographical spread.

The bulk of the ISWAP and Boko Haram were in Nigeria before they were dislodged by gallant Nigerian troops and sent sent fleeing to other countries like Chad.

The Nigerian army had penetrated the fortresses of the insurgents at Sambisa and destroyed them, recaptured their operations headquarters at Gwoza and killed many of them and generally weakened the Abubakar Shekau faction of the terrorist group that they no longer are able to launch attacks on communities but have been reduced to attacking soft targets. 

The Nigerian army also recaptured no less than 20 local governments spread across Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states which were under the control of the insurgents.

This is not to mention the many number of attacks that have been foiled or repelled over the years by Nigerian and in which lots of the terrorists were brought down.

Otitoju and his group have forgotten the much done by Nigerian troops  in the past.

In 2010, the Nigerian army acting on the orders of President Umaru Yar'Adua liquidated quite a number of the insurgents, captured their leader and rendered them unable to operate for more than two years.

In 2015, the same Nigerian troops marched on the camps and bunkers of the insurgents and sent then fleeing making it possible for elections to be held in all the governments in the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

When the current administration came, the feat was not only sustained but improved upon.

All those efforts when put together do not resemble the 10 percent, Otitoju wants us to believe is the only contribution of the Nigerian Army.

It is hard to believe that Otitoju who has been convering the war on insurgency would pretend not to know that the terrorists on the Chadian side of the border found themselves there because they were fleeing from both the Nigerian troops and from Multinational Joint Task Force at one time or the other.

That they were able to congregate and form the number the Chadian president said his troops took out in the recent operation should have struck a chord on the mind of the discerning. 

Of all the countries affected by the insurgency like Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad, none would have a high concentration of the insurgents at one place unless there is a collaboration from the government.

Even in Nigeria where the Boko Haram ams ISWAP started, the insurgents prefer to maintain but several cells to avoid mass action against them.  Why did they find it comfortable to congregate in large numbers in Chad?

There is nothing new that the Chadians have done that the Cheif of Army Staff, Lt. General TY Buratai has not done.

There is no new strategy they have introduced to the fight rather than copy from Nigeria. 

President Buhari was the first to announce the relocation of the operational headquarters of the Nigerian armed forces to the theatres of war.

All arms of the Nigeria armed forces complied and have been leading the war from the front. 

The Chief of Army Staff has even gone beyond that, visiting and taking with troops directly at the battle and leading the assaults.

The Nigerian army has also effectively provided cover for the political leaders and citizens of this country who reside in these places. 

It is time that Otitoju and his crew check their facts before coming on air to deceive the people. 

Murphy is a security expert based in Calabar.

Covid-19: Fear, as Several Recovered Patients Test Positive Again, Experts Explain Why

By Dansu Peter

The last may not have been heard about the treatment of the deadly ravaging pandemic, the Covid-19 as over 50 who had recovered and tested Negative, later tested positive, report according to The Sun UK claimed. 

The report stated that some patients of the Coronavirus in South Korea, numbering about 51 were tested positive again, having been declared negative in earlier tests. 

Some medical experts suggest that there is likelihood that the virus has the tendency to hide under the cell and reactivate itself. Though, this some others do not subscribe to. 

Read further here

Army Routine Deployment: A Note for Wailers & Hailers

By Charles Ibekwe

On Tuesday, the Nigerian Army redeployed some top generals and senior officers in a move meant to reinvigorate and enhance synergy as a tradition in its operations. 

Among those redeployed is the theatre Commander  of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi who until his redeployment was in charge of leading the onslaught against Boko Haram terrorists and other forms of insurgency in the Northeastern part of the country.

The redeployment of personnel came at a time the Nigerian army which has recorded several victories against the remnants of what is known as the Boko Haram, needed to reposition to round off the onslaught in strategic military style. 

But because the redeployment came few days after a foiled ambush by the Boko Haram terrorists on the convoy of the now TC of Operation Lafiya Dole, it has been given all sorts of interpretation that are strange in military circles.

The Boko Haram terrorists had tried to attack the convoy of the then theatre Commander but were immediately repelled in the process  as many of them fell to the superior firepower of the troops in the convoy, with a significant number fleeing and abandoning their weapons which were recovered by troops of the Nigerian army.

Unfortunately, the Nigerian army lost two of its men in the attack but the devastation in the camp of the terrorists was such that they could not re-engage the soldiers as they had wanted to but ran with their tales between their legs.

Mischief makers are however  already in town with all sorts of insinuations with a certain online publication, based in the US and run by key political opposition figures in Nigeria,  Sahara Reporters, leading the rumour mill by trying to link the current redeployment of personnel to that incident.

The attempt to link that foiled attack with Tuesday's redeployment has produced a mass of rubbish that neither makes any sense nor appeals to any sense of reasoning. Apparently concocted  to deceive the gullible and put the army on the defensive, many Nigerians have seen through the tale and have since written it off as ludicrous. 

General Adeniyi, as stated in the release by the army has now been redeployed from the theatre command in the North-east which he headed to the army research centre in Abuja while Major-General, F. Yahaya, will now lead the Boko Haram war as theatre commander of Operation Lafiya. 

The affected personnel are in high spirits because they understand that deployment in the military , the world over, is routine and is done to rekindle spirit  of the officers and to enhance professionalism.

It could also involve the movement of forces within operational areas, outer positioning of forces into a formation for battle or relocation of forces and material to desired operational areas.

In the US army usage, deployment encompasses all activities from origin or home station through destination, specifically including intra-continental United States, intertheater, and intratheater movement legs, staging, and holding areas and can last  from 90 days to 15 months.

It can also mean the return of service members in a combat zone to their prior station.

The current deployment of the generals as well as other top military officers in Nigeria, therefore is another normal exercise meant to reinvigorate the system for greater professional effectiveness and professional efficiency.

It is also aimed at injecting new hands to further actualize the vision of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai as Chief of Army Staff, .the Nigerian army has benefited from such movements and have helped in terms of new strategies to prosecute the war against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria.

In 2019, the Chief of Army Staff, approved the redeployment and posting of  senior officers to different positions.

In that exercise, E.O Ogunkale, a major-general, was moved from Command Army Records, Lokoja to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Defence Standards and Evaluation and A.O. Uthman, also a major-general, was redeployed from Nigerian Army School of Signals, Apapa, Lagos to Defence Headquarters as Director, Defence Communications; while Maj.-Gen. O.O Soleye was moved from Defence Headquarters to Headquarters, Command Army Records, Lokoja as Commander.

In 2018, the Nigerian Army also redeployed 103 officers including Major General Abba Dikko,the Commander, Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole while a Deputy Vice Chancellor was appointed for the newly established Nigerian Army University Biu, NAUB.

In 2017 the Nigerian Army redeployed and amended postings of seven major generals, 45 brigadier generals and 597 other officers in one of its most far-reaching shake-up exercise in recent years

To further demonstrate the regularity of such exercises, the Army cancelled the redeployment of Adeniyi Oyebade, two months after he was transferred from being General Officer Commanding of Nigerian Army 1 Division, Kaduna, to Army Headquarters in Abuja as chief of logistics.

Many who are aware of military drills and operations know that deployment of personnel is  a constant feature.

That is why innuendos by mischief makers and other publications like Sahara Reporters to taint the recent exercise has failed to find accommodation on the minds of rational beings.

It has been exposed as yet another attempt to find faults when there is none and a failed attempt to award credit to those fighting Nigeria where  they do not deserve and it is a shameful and most unfortunate thing anybody could try to wish for his country.

Ibekwe is ex- US  marine and public affairs analyst based in Lagos.

Amnesty International, Foreign Newswires as Nigeria's Second Coronavirus By Ahmed Danfulani

By Ahmed Danfulani 

Fear has been sold to the world with the outbreak of pandemic of Coronavirus (CONVID-19) in Wuhan, China. In just a few weeks, the entire world has been reduced to one huge symbol of deaths and of mass graves.

The phobia of Coronavirus is real and deafening. The victims are as scary as much as the non-victims.  Like a verse in the legendary South African reggae star, Lucky Dube, everybody “is the next victim,” unless the haunting image of Coronavirus is pulled down globally.  It has reached the shores of Nigeria with about 30 reported cases of infected people, with one death so far.

Regrettably though, Nigeria has seen enough mass deaths in her history in a decade to the extent the global alarm over Coronavirus induced deaths is mincemeat or child's play in the psyche of Nigerians. Boko Haram insurgency, with its latest tincture, ISWAP terrorism have made mass deaths a regular menu in the country.

Can Nigerians excuse themselves from gory and nauseating memories of mass deaths and graves spurred by vicious armed bandits, armed separatists campaigners, herders/ farmers conflagrations, communal upheavals, militancy or religious extremists and even political thugs or violent election riggers?  These memories are evergreen and recurs from time to time.

However, it should not be misconstrued that recounting these orgies of recurrent circle of  violence and deaths in Nigeria implies an endorsement or preference for it than the epidemic of Coronavirus. But it's simply, a parodic attempt to establish how Nigerians are inured to mass deaths in other more demonic forms in the country than Coronavirus. 

And to date, Nigeria has been grappling with silent, but very sophisticated layers of Coronavirus in other colorations. Nigeria has been battling things far more deadly and contagious  than Coronavirus which neither the military nor the civil authorities have fully appreciated  its intensity in recent times.

The determination of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration to blight insecurities in Nigeria, especially insurgency is unflinchingly consistent. And the unquenchable zeal and courageously gallant outings of the Nigerian military to also eliminate Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorism in Nigeria is self-evident. But again, it is variously frustrated in more stealthy ways than the global invasion and spread of Coronavirus pandemic.

Many Nigerians may not be aware of the dark forces against the resurgence and festering of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism in the country. The problem with these latest security threats is not because insurgents or terrorists are so powerful to the level of repressing the Nigerian military. It is also beyond the contemplation that the FGN has not done commendably enough to terminate the reign of insecurities in Nigeria.

The major issues in the Northeast are not really the Boko Haram terrorists who, who like Coronavirus, sneak to hack people to death at will, abduct and destroy public infrastructures in the region.  It is also not the evil men who masquerade under the cover of NGOs to subject the already traumatized, frail and suffering victims of insurgency to inhumane and degrading treatment after taking so much from the outside world to assist them survive.

More than a few will also be shocked that it is also not the usual political actors who appear on the stage only when Boko Haram is at the losing end with their crocodile tears. But they initiate nothing to get youths off the streets to divert their attention from conscription as foot soldiers of terrorism. 

From these ponders, one will therefore hastily guess that it is Coronavirus pandemic that is Nigeria’s problem. But the real problem in the Northeast shockingly is not Coronavirus. After all it hasn't been discovered in Nigeria beyond manageable stage, after the first case in Lagos.

On the contrary, the greatest existential threat to Nigeria now in respect to her battles with terrorism and insecurities is the role of Amnesty International (AI) and some foreign cables such as Reuters and AFP. They have constituted the worse stumbling blocks to Nigeria’s match towards exculpation from insurgencies and insurrections.

AI and these foreign online platforms have been the major disasters that our country has faced in its war against Boko Haram and  it is hideously more potent and lethal than Coronavirus.  And insurgency has attracted more deaths in Nigeria than Coronavirus has ever recorded anywhere in the world outside Wuhan in China.  

There is every clue to suspect AI and these foreign newswires as agents and fake news purveyors for terrorists and their external sponsors. Not only that they fabricate and circulate fake news on the FGN and the Nigerian Military’s confrontations with Boko Haram, but their extreme focus of propaganda on Nigeria on the fake side of news is repulsive.

AI has morphed into a daily news medium in Nigeria; inventing and syndicating news about terrorism and the Nigerian military encounters with terrorism in the Northeast. The common denominator among them all is that their published reports are permanently crafted to indict the Nigerian troops and Military authorities.

It does not usually have named attributions, but speculative and propagandic. It drapes with everything which conveys the message that these actors are into active promotion of cyberspace terrorism.  And the world frowns at it and there are laws which prohibits it.

Nonetheless, these vicious enemies of Nigeria make generous, but unprovable allegations against the Nigerian military such as human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, sexual abuse of women, use of child soldiers, starvation of Boko Harm suspects in military detention facilities, unlawful arrests and detentions and sundry such constructions of offences of war crimes. 

But sadly, while they level such allegations on the military, these suspected agents of terrorists are less bothered to confirm their findings from military authorities before  rushing to the press with the scanty findings from what they usually term “eyewitness” account. And the “eyewitness accounts” are usually their planted agents in the theatre of war  in the Northeast  or outrightly cooked sources.  

Therefore, they reel out very alarming and unsubstantiated casualty figures. When terrorists triumph against troops or not, a news story is crafted to give credit to the “invincible” might of terrorists, to cause anxiety in Nigerians and dampen the spirit of troops. These agents are normally the first to break the news of Boko Haram attacks on any community, an indication that they might be privy to such attacks before its occurrence.  It means they are likely working closely with terrorists.

In its 2015/2016 annual report on Nigeria, AI levelled such senseless allegations of war crimes against the Nigerian Army prosecuting the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast as well as other security agencies.

 However, when several probe panels invited them to substantiate the allegations, AI hedged and adduced excuses on lack of trust in members of the Panel. From its reaction, it was clear that AI was functioning like an opposition party or alternative government in Nigeria. And it had no evidence to prove the allegations.   

And the scheming of AI and its apostates is to perpetually and falsely accuse Nigerian Military of war crimes in prosecution of the counter-insurgency combats in the country.  And therefore, frustrate plans by countries of goodwill to sell weapons to Nigeria to battle Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, citing human rights violations and war crimes against Nigeria.  

  So, AI and these online newswires are Nigeria’s worse version of Coronavirus more than the pandemic itself.  Any country will be glad to accept Coronavirus, but pray fervently never to have these agents of darkness gang-up or occupy their country in the guise of anything.

Nigerians should not forget that AI and these newswires as well as their external sponsors are very determined to set the people against themselves. Over the years, this has been the game plan, which is designed to finally plunge Nigeria into an interminable war like in Syria or Sudan.  But the plans have so far not succeeded because Nigerians are aware and have refused to fall for their cheap propaganda. Nigerians are urged to remain steadfast and vigilant. 

Danfulani wrote from Yola, Adamawa State.

Foreign-backed Sahara Reporters instigating mutiny amongst troops – CATE

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) believes there is a deliberate agenda by online medium, Sahara Reporters, to trigger mutiny amongst Nigerian troops on the frontlines. 

CATE says it came to this conclusion having examined the Omoyele Sowore-owned portal's reportage on the military and the insurgency war in the last three years. 

In a statement signed by president Gabriel Onoja on Tuesday, CATE described SR as an enemy of Nigeria, promoting external interests against the country, doing so by also violating  ethical standards.

The centre cited two recent  instances where Sahara brought its devious motives against Nigeria to the fore; a report claiming that soldiers have been infected by coronavirus and another alleging troops maltreating civilians. 

CATE, therefore, warned Sahara Reporters to quit cyberspace terrorism, having been known to embrace foreign interests against Nigeria's fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism.

It further advised the medium to be mindful of the legal provisions of their actions. 

Read full statement below: 

The Centre Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) observes with utmost dismay the deliberate intentions of an online Newswire with an identity as “Sahara reporters” to perpetually cosset actions against the Nigerian Military, which by every interpretation constitutes supportive acts of Cyberspace terrorism.

In the last one month, when the entire world has been brought down by the global Covid-19 pandemic, with economies of even super world countries grounding to a sudden halt and a corresponding reduction in sponsorship of international terrorism, Sahara reporters has enlivened it in Nigeria.

Nigerians must know that before this era, Sahara reporters had satisfactorily established themselves as masked agents of foreign sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria by their reportage. This online publication has assertively asserted itself over the years as the greatest and unrepentant enemies of Nigeria and Nigerians to the extents it promotes external interests against the country so brazenly.

Those abreast with how Sahara reporters begun and its funding to date should not be surprised at the replay of this information.  And the Sahara reporters’ medium does it in more ways than imagined, especially on Nigerian troops battling Boko Haram criminals and ISWAP terrorists in Nigeria’s Northeast.

They satisfy their external paymasters through invention or contraption of outright falsehood or fake news and rush to hasty publications of same about terrorists “triumphant” strides. But in all their reports in the last three years, the medium freely violates ethical standards by quoting unverified death figures against the Nigerian Military or Nigerians in the Northeastern part of the country without confirmation from appropriate authorities.

Sahara reporters most favourite past time now is when it promotes all manner of fake news against the Nigerian military battling to preserve the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria. No one needs a soothsayer to know, the medium has perfectly aligned itself with their agents of darkness, fabricating and publishing falsified terrorists attacks on Nigeria to embolden terrorists. It’s done with fake and escalated casualty figures to celebrate the death of soldiers and dampen morale of troops together with their superior officers.

Even as the professionals as Sahara reporters lay claims, they write such stories with nameless attributions, just targeted at derailing the counter-insurgency operations and dampening the spirit or resoluteness of the Nigerian military or troops to terminate terrorism in the country. CATE has noticed that Sahara reporters is all out to instigate or trigger mutiny amongst troops who will find handy excuses to abandon their duty posts at the frontlines in Nigeria’s Northeast. 

CATE is astounded with Sahara reporters’ consistent focus of sexed-up reports on anti-terrorism combats in the Northeast. If they find nothing or notice that Nigerians are enjoying some respite and recovery from the insurgency ravaged Northeast, through the courageous efforts of troops, the online medium cooks anything to rekindle the confidence of their external masters.

For instance, in the March 28, 2020 edition of Sahara reporters with the screaming headline, “BREAKING: Two Nigerian Soldiers Test Positive For Coronavirus In Borno.” It was a three-paragraph story and it said nothing outside scratching the surface. The opening paragraph said, “Two Nigerian soldiers have tested positive for Coronavirus in Monguno, Borno State, Sahara reporters can confirm.”

What is new about Covid-19? Did Nigeria invent Covid-19? To what extent has Sahara reporters investigated Covid-19 in Nigeria to report to Nigerians that it has found it expedient to negatively profile Nigerian troops at the warfront? Its part of the medium’s conspiracy with their foreign sponsors. Terrorists themselves dread Covid-19 and it explains why the tempo of terrorism in Nigeria has waned because Iranians can no longer sponsor them.

And to further betray the medium’s devious motives against Nigeria, Sahara reporters, again wrote in the same story; “It is unclear if the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) had tallied the newly recorded cases to the number of confirmed cases in the country….”  The basic rule in journalism is that, when in doubt, leave out the aspect in the story. But they played it because they are on a mission.

Please Nigerians, CATE is sampling just two recent reports from Sahara reporters. The second report from same medium is even worse. The medium quoted the Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, as lamenting how Nigerian troops “recorded heavy casualty during a recent encounter with the hoodlums.” The report branded terrorists “hoodlums” and not terrorists anymore. This is barefaced mischief.

Sahara reporters proceeded to circulate the re-circulated videos of soldiers maltreating civilians at no named place and attributed it to Nigeria. All over the world soldiers use same camouflage uniform (khaki). The Sahara reporters photographer would have convinced Nigerians by showing at least a label of a signpost where they claimed Nigerian troops manhandled civilians. But no, because the news medium is on a hatchet job.

Unfortunately, none of any verisimilitude sign that could be linked to Nigeria was indicated in the video which Sahara reporters posted on their website. It’s possible that the medium lifted the photograph from Chad, Niger or even Cameroun and impinged it on Nigeria to serve their known agenda for their external paymasters. This is an uncharitable and unpatriotic act.

This is very unprofessional and unethical.  Sahara reporters should settle their grudge elsewhere, but spare the Nigerian military at frontlines. Nigerians have no time to play politics now with issues of security.

CATE is unequivocally stating that Sahara reporters is promoting mischief, falsehood and dishonest objectives to ruin the gains so far made on the war against insurgency in Nigeria. Nigerians beware!! The medium is into active promotion of cyberspace terrorism, by using foreign interests against Nigeria to surreptitiously support Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism. Sahara reporters regrettably has marketed itself as the terrorists’ chief propaganda corps in Nigeria.

But let Sahara reporters be reminded about the Nigerian law, gazatted as  “Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2013,” Section 5, subsection 1,  A & B  which says; "Any person who knowingly, in any manner, directly or indirectly, solicits or renders support (a) for the commission of an act of terrorism, or (b) to a terrorist group, commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction or imprisonment for a term of not less than twenty years…For the purposes of this section, "Support" includes incitement to commit a terrorist act through the internet ."

CATE pleads with Sahara reporters to be mindful of the legal provisions, its implications  and draw a distinctive line between journalism and support of terrorists individuals/groups through  their online (internet) publications.

It’s wrong to say election was militarised, says Gen Buratai, Chief of Army Staff

By Dansu Peter

The Nigerian Army has been in the eye of the storm over the conduct of soldiers deployed to provide security during the 2019 elections. The soldiers have been roundly accused in several quarters of committing infractions, including partisan interference in the electoral process, that seriously undermined the credibility and sanctity of the elections. In fact, in the estimation of many observers, both Federal Government and the Army stand condemned over the undue militarisation of the electoral process.

But it is an accusation that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, in this interview with pressmen, dismisses in its entirety.

THE military was accused of aiding in  election malpractices like snatching of ballot boxes. Your reaction? Militarisation has to be defined. What do you mean by militarisation? How exactly did the military take part in the elections? Generalisation is not the best. People just use the word militarisation without defining it. Was the so-called militarisation everywhere across the country? Why are people making so much noise about it? They are giving the impression that the military was involved in the entire process in the whole country. It is just probably a definition they only restricted to Lagos or where? ..Niger-Delta mostly People cannot just use the word militarisation in general terms to say the security agencies were involved. Who are the people involved? What does the Constitution say about the role of the military? We have the constitutional provision. We have made it very clear; we are not part of these elections, we are only supporting the police. Anything we do there is helping the police who are representing the civil authority in law enforcement and it is very clear that we have been called out to support the civil authority. That does not mean militarisation. And once we go out there, we are performing police role, it is not a military role, we are supporting the police essentially; that is very clear. The military was called out to come and support the police. So, they are just using the military in order to justify their failures, to justify their inadequacies, to justify their inability to rig because the security forces provided the needed security to prevent massive rigging, ballot box-snatching and so on. But strictly, the use of the word, militarisation is misplaced, it is wrong. We were there to perform our responsibilities based on the invitation to support the police which is legitimate. There is no way you will say that the election was militarised; it is misuse of the term. If really  the election was militarised, I tell you, nobody would take the law into his hands the way they did brazenly and deliberately did, even attacking our men, killing our personnel. An officer was killed, policemen were killed so if we were to take drastic steps to really show we were involved, it would have been worse than this. We were able to maintain law and order; we were able to conduct ourselves within the rules of engagement which is legitimate. So there is a deliberate misconception or misinterpretation of the role of the military in order to malign the military and discredit it despite the stupendous efforts we have made to ensure security in support of the civil authority. And you know very well if the security agencies, including the military, had not come out to support the elections in providing security, the level of insecurity, the level of killings, arson, ballot box-snatching and so on, would have been worse than what was experienced. So many of the stakeholders, both at home and abroad, have commended the military for remaining neutral, impartial and conducting themselves professionally; but a few elements who felt they were not given the chance to rig and to disturb on a massive scale the election process, are the ones shouting that the whole process was militarised. The military was not there to support any political party; we were there to provide adequate security as requested, in support of the electoral process. That was essentially what we did. So to say that the process was militarised is a misplaced use of word; it is unfortunate. Over the years, from our historical experiences, the outcomes or results of elections have been the major cause of instability in our polity.  They have led to a lot of killings, arson, you name it: in Kaduna, Zangon-Kataf, Modakeke and so many other places. So historically, if you look at it, we had those unfortunate incidents because they were allowed to go out of control. We had so many underlying factors; even in the First Republic, we saw the underlying factors that led to the  civil war; it is the same outcome of elections that led to that, characterised by so many malpractices. So government doesn’t want the same thing to happen and that was why the military was called in to support the police. There is no way we would be partisan; the country’s stability, the country’s peace is our watchword, it is very, very fundamental. Some people just chose to blame different entities and bodies for their failures.

On the allegation that the soldiers caught snatching ballot boxes are fake “Yes, that is another dimension because as I said, those people that did not want the election to go smoothly, created their own local militia, gave them military and police uniforms to be moving out here and there to misbehave, snatch ballot boxes, to disrupt the electoral process and so on. So anyone that sees them will automatically say it is the military and that is completely at variance with our code of conduct, with our ethics and the way we train our officers and men to ensure they behave professionally; that is very clear.  We arrested several of them and you must have seen our press releases with pictures of the fake soldiers, fake policemen, fake security operatives and so on. So once you see this, it is not the Army that created those ones and gave them uniforms; so instead of them to admit their shortcomings and misconduct, they are covering their heinous activities/crimes under the guise of militarisation. It is so painful, so terrible that they don’t have conscience and continue to blame the military for their own mischievous actions. This is where the Press needs to be objective, look at it critically. The Army cannot go and dress fake people or criminals to go and act on their behalf. We have seen the thugs, the militias; so where does the military come in?

These are very clear. So we have to be reasonable and objective; we are paid by the state to ensure that we defend our country and prevent breakdown of law and order for us to progress; there is no other way. It is very important.