South East
Insecurity: GOC Solicits Security Agencies’ Cooperation
The General Officer Com
manding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, has called for synergy among security agencies to combat the country’s security challenges.
Attahiru made the call in his opening remarks at a training programme organised by the 44 Division engineers for officers and senior non-commissioned officers at the Military Cantonment, Onitsha recently.
The GOC, who was represented by Brig.-Gen. Olufemi Akinjobi, said such synergy would encourage innovations in tackling the challenges of asymmetric warfare engaged by militants, insurgents, armed robbers and kidnappers.
He explained that the training would rejuvenate the professional standards of the personnel to confront contemporary security challenges of asymmetric warfare.
He said that similar training had resulted in the optimal performance of the “Dragon Engineers” during the recent Operation Crocodile Smile.
In a lecture, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations in the division, Col. Chris Ataki, said the Nigeria Army still faced some asymmetric warfare challenges.
Ataki, who spoke on “Asymmetric Warfare in Nigeria: Challenges and Way Forward,” listed the challenges to include the lack of clear policy on boarder security and poor standard of training.
Other challenges were manpower constraints, inadequate plants and equipment, inadequate capacity, weak research and development base and inadequate intelligence.
He suggested the formulation of policy on boarder security by the Ministry of Defence and other security agencies to mitigate the challenges of porous border security.
Ataki called for incentives for researchers to improve research and development.
He also called for improved training for troops on best global practices on countering asymmetric warfare and improved fund for the army.
The officer advocated for improved technology for the army especially in the use of drones, access control, hacking and use of robots to dismantle improvised explosive devices.
He said that these would not only build the confidence of the soldiers but give the confidence that they could defeat insurgents and terrorists.
In another lecture, the Director of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) in Anambra, Mr Yusuf Isyaku, said that insufficient funding for conduct of intelligence operations was a major challenge to the agency.
Isyaku, who was represented by Mrs Chioma Anyanwu, said that other challenges included under-assessment of situation/security problem and over-assessment caused by exaggerated information, deception and lack of skill by assessors.
Isyaku’s lecture was titled “Asymmetric Warfare: Intelligence as a Critical Operation Enabler”.
Earlier, in a welcome address, the Commander of 44 Division Engineering, Enugu, Brig.-Gen. Philip Eromosele, had expressed confidence that the training would enhance personnel’s understanding of asymmetric warfare and response to disaster management.
The police in Ebonyi State say they have discovered the body of a yet to be identified middle-aged woman in a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Loveth Odah, stated this yesterday.
She said the body has deep cuts on the chest and neck and has been deposited in a mortuary. According to the spokesman, it was discovered at Crown Garden Hotel located along the ever-busy Afikpo road in the capital city.
Mrs Odah, who said that the victim was found in the pool of her own blood, said the suspect had been identified as one Uchenna Awoke.
She said the hotel manager, Emmanuel Eze, the supervisor, and other workers had been taken to the police station for questioning and accused the hotel management of negligence.
“The manager of the hotel, the supervisor and other staff of the hotel were taken to the station for questioning and I must confess to you that the whole thing is negligence on the part of the hotel management. How can a guest be murdered in a hotel room and days after, the management is not aware of the incident.”
“We will investigate the matter properly and I assure you, the perpetrator of the act must be arrested and prosecuted. All we are asking is for the members of the public to avail the police of useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.”
The Senate yesterday passed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2018.
The proposed commission aims at enhancing the infrastructural development of the South East zone, which is grappling with huge ecological challenges.
It also seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of the commercial potential of the zone.
The proposed legislation requires the concurrence of the House of Representatives to become a bill of the National Assembly, and the President’s assent to become a law.
Senators Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) jointly sponsored the bill read in the Senate on June 22, 2016.
Its passage in the Red Chamber followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by its former Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), on the floor of the Senate.
The bill, after Paulker’s presentation, was considered clause by clause by the committee of the whole, and amendments made by the lawmakers were read for the third time and eventually passed.
In his remarks, presiding Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for a job well done.
In his words, “Every morning we pray that God should give us the grace to do only those things that will promote the peace and unity of this country.
“I believe that we have shown today that we are committed to the unity of this country, and it is this unity that will give us faith in this country.
“This faith will in turn help us to pursue peace and progress,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, members the South East caucus of the Senate, led by Sen. Enhinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), thanked their colleagues and members of the committee for their efforts.
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the President to sign the bill into law “as soon as we tidy it up and bring to him, in the interest of the unity and progress of Nigeria”.
“This will put to rest the long-drawn agitation in the South East, and the difficulties in the rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts that started at the end of the civil war.
“All things we see always will end up at the negotiating table, which is what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker said he hoped the House of Representatives would give concurrence to the bill as it went in the Senate.
When established, the South East Development Commission would be the third zonal interventionist body in the country.
Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and Presideng Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.
Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.
In the telecast monitored in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.
“Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.
“Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.
“Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.
“Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.
“God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.
The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.
He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.
According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.
Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.
He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.
“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.
According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.
He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.
“When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained. The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.
“Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.
“God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.
He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.