Niger Delta
Youths Clamouring For Coup Didn’t Experience Military Rule – COAS
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, yesterday, restated that the military would allow itself to be used by some interest groups to truncate democratic governance in the country.
Lagbaja stated this in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State while speaking during the opening ceremony of the COAS Combined 2nd and 3rd Quarters Conference yesterday.
While noting that such a call for a military takeover was coming from young Nigerians, who had never experienced the era of Nigeria’s extensive military rule, the COAS said the Nigerian Army was not ready to lose the “new prestige” it has painstakingly built in the past 25 years by truncating the nation’s democratic rule.
Describing the recent nationwide hunger protest or #EndBadgovernance InNigeria protest as an eye-opener, the COAS said a lesson to take away was that food insecurity and hunger in the country could snowball into a major crisis.
He said, “Another pertinent issue that came up during the recent protest is the call for undemocratic intervention in governance by the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Although one can say this was coming from young Nigerians who never experienced the era of Nigeria’s extensive military rule and the concerted struggle by heroes and heroines of our current democratic dispensation to get the Nation on its current path, as the Chief of Army Staff, my simple response to the call is, ‘Thanks, but no thanks!’
“The Nigerian Army will not allow itself to be used to undemocratically sail some interests to power. As the service that received the most image bashing as a fallout of previous military interventions in Nigeria, the Nigerian Army is not poised to lose the new prestige it has painstakingly built in the past 25 years, secure and united.”
Lagbaja said that following the lesson taken from the recent hunger protest, the Armed Forces would not only focus on physical security and the defence of the nation but would also pay attention to food and social security issues.
He said though the situation that led to the protest seemed to have settled, the Nigerian Army understood that the issue of food security was among the factors that led to the protest, pledging the Army’s resolve to wade in through the review of its agricultural policy.
He said the Nigerian Army troops currently provide security cover for farmers in critical farming communities in the North-East, North-West, and North Central zones so as to prevent the devastating consequences of stopping food production in those regions on the entire country’s food supply chain.
“The Nigerian Army will, in the coming days, review its agricultural policy to better position the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited to significantly boost crop production so that the Army can release grains into the market at a highly subsidised rate in support of government efforts.
“Furthermore, the Army Headquarters is reviewing some proposals for partnerships with ministries, departments, and agencies of government and reputable private organisations on how best to collaborate to resolve food crisis in the country,” the COAS stated.
Lagbaja noted that the Nigerian Army and its sister services had continued to receive support from the government at both the national and sub-national levels, as shown in the recent purchase of two BELL UH-1 Huey helicopters equipped with advanced sensors and enablers to conduct a range of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, logistics, and medical evacuation, among other functions for the Nigerian Army.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Army had acquired other combat enablers, such as Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, rifles, and ammunition, to strengthen their operations and security across the country, noting that the giant strides the Army had made so far were not unconnected with the cooperations of sister security agencies, national and sub-national governments.
The COAS stressed that the welfare of widows and family members of fallen heroes remained on course.
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, who declared the conference open, expressed happiness that the conference was held in Akwa Ibom and commended the COAS for the “purposeful direction he has given to Nigerian Army towards meeting its constitutional responsibility,” noting that the Army was constantly innovating, deepening its competence and professionalism.
Eno, therefore, pledged the state government’s readiness to lend all necessary support to enable the establishment of the proposed Army base in the state as well as other logistics.
The Delta State House of Assembly has commenced public hearing on the State Human Trafficking (Prohibition) Bill, 2024.
The Tide’s source reports that the public hearing was organised by the House Committee on Housing, Women Affairs, Humanitarian Support Services and Girl Child Entrepreneurship in Asaba.
Chairman of the committee, Mrs Bridget Anyafulu, said the hearing was to provide members of the public the opportunity to offer contributions to the proposed law.
“The ultimate goal is to ensure that the state has a law that adequately answers to the challenges it seems to address and satisfy the needs and aspirations of our people and society.
“We have invited you to join us to make a law that will help to effectively address and eradicate the odious practice of human trafficking in our state.
“We know that as stakeholders, the effective participation in making this law will go a long way in enhancing the quality of the law that will finally emerge from the process”, she said.
Anyafulu assured the stakeholders that the committee would look into their suggestions and consider areas that could help to strengthen the bill as well as enhance its quality.
On her part, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support Services and Girl Child Development, Ms. Orode Uduaghan, called for the inclusion of the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the implementation process.
It also reports that Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), State Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), among others, were involved in the public hearing.
They commended the State Executive for initiating the bill and called for its speedy passage.
The Federal Government has handed over 24,180 bags of 50kg maize and 5,828 bags of 25kg ‘garri’ to the Akwa Ibom State Government for distribution to vulnerable households.
The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, made the presentation on behalf of the Federal Government in Uyo, the State Capital.
Represented by Mrs. Mmandu Aisueni, the Head, Operations, NEMA, Akwa Ibom State office, Umar said the donation was in fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s promise to Nigerians.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government approved the release of 42, 000 metric tonnes of assorted food items from the National Strategic Reserve to vulnerable households.
Umar said that the president’s promise was the government’s way of reducing the impact of the current economic hardship in the country.
“We are here to hand over the food items to the state government for distribution to the intended beneficiaries in the communities”, she said.
The NEMA D-G said that the food items should be shared in the communities through properly constituted committees at the local government levels.
She said membership of the local government committees should include the council chairman, representatives of the State Emergency Management Agency and the traditional institutions.
Umar said 20 per cent of the food items for each council area should be given to religious groups, and that three per cent of it should be given to boarding schools in the area.
Receiving the items, Dr Offiong Offor, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, commended the Federal Government for the intervention.
Offor said that the gesture was a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to the wellbeing of the citizenry.
The commissioner promised that the state government would ensure that the items were given to the intended beneficiaries.
A group, Concerned Obidient Movement, has declared support for Mr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21 Edo State governorship election.
Leader of the group, Mr. Ikhuenbor Igbinevbo, told newsmen in Benin that the election transcends individual personalities.
“It is a critical moment that will shape the future of Edo. The PDP is creating a climate of renewed political energy that promises sustainable progress.
“Its candidate, Ighodalo, and the deputy, Osarodion Ogie, possess the vision and qualifications that align with the aspirations of Edo people,” he said.
Igbinevbo highlighted the candidates’ deep understanding of the State’s challenges and potential which, he said, positions them to lead the state into a new era of prosperity and responsible governance.
He urged Edo people, both at home and in the Diaspora, to unite in their support for the PDP and its candidates ahead of the election.
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