…As Thugs Attack Journalists During Press Conference

By Amos Tauna

Crises crippling the unity of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria on Sunday deepens as APC Senators and House of Representatives members from the state, alongside other members of the party, under the auspices of APC-Akida group, kicked against recent election of the party congress delegates.

The APC-Akida faction is opposed to the leadership style of Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, whom they call a “tyrant”.

Thugs allegedly sponsored to disrupt the APC-Akida’s press conference to air their grievances during the delegates election injured a journalist and destroyed property at the Kaduna NUJ Secretariat, venue of the Akida’s press conference.

Addressing newsmen shortly before the attack at the NUJ secretariat, Spokesman of APC Akida, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, representing Kaduna North Senatorial zone, condemned the alleged purpoted party delegates election, saying, they were at the state party secretariat last Friday from 2:30pm waiting for the party leadership and observers from the national headquarters to conduct the delegate conference till 7:30pm nobody showed up.

Hunkuyi was flanked by Senator Shehu Sani, former APC gubernatorial aspirants, Isah Ashiru and Haruna Saeed Kajuru; servings Reps, Hassan Shekarau, Mohammed Usman, Musa Soba, Tijjani Ramallan, Audi Yaro Makama and Ambassador Sule Buba, among others.

APC Akida said it has written petition to the national leadership of the party rejecting what it called ‘selection of delegates’ for the convention and requesting the party to come and organise an acceptable delegates congress following the guidelines that would yield acceptable delegates from the state.

According to him, “The local government delegate election was scheduled for the party secretariat on Friday by 2:30pm to elect three delegates per local government to represent the local government as ad-hoc delegates at the APC national convention.

“We were there at the party secretariat until 7:30pm when we left but the acting Chairman, party leadership and national observers did not show up. All efforts to convince the leadership of the party to hold this congress failed instead somebody in the name of political adviser to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Alhaji Uba Sani gathered people together and confronted them with the list of delegates appointed for the convention.

“Our unanimous stand is that we are all products of election or those who wish to seek for one post or another, so why won’t we submit ourselves to the same people who elected us.

“We have written two petitions, one is addressed to the national chairman copying other leaders of the party stating that the process has been breached so they should fix another day to come and conduct the delegate election. We have also written to the national working committee to appeal that the election be conducted in line with the electoral guidelines,” Hunkuyi said.

Also speaking, Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central Senatorial zone, said the symptoms being shown by APC in Kaduna state is what killed PDP in 2015.

“In no way should anybody accept any list concocted in the Government House palace. We won’t bow down to any tyrant. A list was prepared and sent to Abuja, we would not accept it,” he explained.

On the thugs attack, political thugs had before the arrival of the APC-Akida group stormed the NUJ premises chanting that, they won’t allow the press conference hold.

However, despite the presence of about 30 armed policemen, few of the thugs made their way in, almost towards the end of the press conference and unleashed mayhem on journalists and left a cameraman from Liberty TV injured, while some cameras were destroyed and phones, tape recorders and other valuables were carted away.

But Gov. Nasir El-Rufai in a statement condemned the thugs attack on journalists, saying nobody would be allowed to stifle freedom of expression.

El-Rufai in a message to the Kaduna State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, through his media aide, Samuel Aruwan, said, “Having been briefed on the situation, the governor expressed sympathy with the NUJ and the persons that were harassed by the hoodlums.

The Governor directed that the security agencies should investigate and take necessary action against the hoodlums.

The Governor also directed security agencies to beef up security at the NUJ secretariat to protect journalists doing their duty.

“The media must not be hindered from carrying out their constitutional and professional obligations. The government of Kaduna State upholds the principles of free speech and respects the freedom of expression. Politics should not be a desperate game. And desperation should not be visited on journalists or any citizen,” El-Rufai said.

The attack on journalists is a reflection of the several attempts to muzzle freedom of the press and freedom of expression in Kaduna state. Many journalists have been kept in custody and are currently facing trials, as a result of journalism work in the state – in an attempt to silence them.

By Amos Tauna

APC, Kaduna state chapter has commended its members for conducting a successful congress ahead of the party’s non-elective convention in Abuja. 

Its Acting Publicity Secretary, Salisu Tanko Wusono, while addressing journalists at the party secretariat Sunday said, “The Kaduna state APC executive council, together with our local government party chairmen and other stakeholders, wish to address you today following the successful conduct of our delegates’ congress yesterday, Saturday, 29th July 2017. We salute the cohesion and party spirit demonstrated by our members that made the congress successful. 

“The good conduct of our party stalwarts and members across the state has been consistent and notable, and the state executive wishes to place on record its gratitude to our members. We appreciate and commend the dedication of the team from the national headquarters of our party who organized the exercise, and officials of INEC that monitored the congress.

“The APC in Kaduna state welcomes the outcome of the congress, an exercise that demonstrated and consolidated the party as a united entity, vibrant and supportive of the values that brought the APC into being. 

“We call on the national headquarters of the party to expedite action towards enabling us to fill party offices that are currently occupied by officials in acting capacity, as provided for in the APC constitution,” Wusono said.

Speaking on dissenting voices within the party, Wusono said, “It has come to the notice of the Kaduna state APC that some disgruntled elements want to tarnish the reputation of the party. These persons have been unrelenting in their effort to destroy the party and sap the spirit of its members. They have failed over three years, but they continue trying. They abuse the party process, and accuse the party of every ill, but their real goal is to hijack it.

“As leaders of the APC, charged with the duty of managing the party in Kaduna state, it is obvious that we are obliged to reject and dismiss any attempt to hijack what is entrusted in our care.

“The party is aware that these disloyal persons feel frustrated that they were not able to sabotage the congress we just conducted. As is their habit whenever party spirit defeats their politics of ego, these persons will soon be making wild claims. They cannot be considered serious.

“The APC cannot indulge those who wish to destroy it. It cannot take things lightly with power mongers, who ascribe powers and dubious privileges to themselves without the legitimacy of any democratic mandate or altruistic leadership.

“If these disaffected persons have any legitimate grievances, they are advised to follow proper channels. The APC will not tolerate anti-party activities. Politicians must learn that a party will not die just because they did not win internal elections or secure places for their preferred cohorts.”

“This party will not be hijacked or derailed by those wedded to a medieval conception of politics. The APC wishes the general public to note that anybody or group that needs to add an adjective to the APC name thereby confirms that it is nothing but an illegitimate contraption.

“The door of the party remains open to those ready to accept party discipline. Our arms stand ready to embrace those who value party loyalty and democratic values.

“Let it be known that we the executives and stakeholders of the APC in Kaduna state remain loyal to the government that our party has produced in Kaduna state,” Wusono added. 

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has increased its capability in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram terrorists in the North East.

A statement by its spokesman, Oloatokubo Adesanya says, “The measures include the deployment of additional NAF Special Forces and personnel of the Regiment Specialty to reinforce Base security and also fight alongside the Nigerian Army troops and NAF Special Forces that were already on ground. In addition, the NAF has deployed thermal imaging cameras aimed at adding more value to the current efforts at detecting and checkmating the activities of suicide bombers before they carry out their suicide missions.

“This follows the spate of suicide bombings that have been recently recorded in Maiduguri. The thermal imaging camera uses infrared and reads temperature differences up to an appreciable distance away and can identify a person at an acceptable distance. The cameras, which are mounted on NAF aircraft, can also penetrate obscurants such as smoke, fog and haze.

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has deployed an armed helicopter with force protection elements and other logistics support to Kafanchan in southern Kaduna, northern Nigeria, where Fulani herdsmen have been attacking communities.

“The deployment, which is at the instance of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, would complement the efforts of the surface forces already on ground to keep peace in the area.” Says a statement by its spokesperson, Olatokunbo Adesanya.

The statement further says “personnel and other supporting staff will operate from a newly established NAF Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kafanchan and will be reinforced with the NAF Special Forces to protect lives and property towards stopping the incessant clashes in the area.

“The NAF also recently deployed air assets and personnel to Takum, Taraba State to maintain peace and provide air cover for the ground troops in the area. It is equally worthy of note that the NAF has made appreciable contributions in different theatres of operations across the country and has also extended its reach.

“The latest expansion was the commissioning of 213 FOB in Katsina and the Quick Response Wing (QRW) in Daura as part of its continued efforts to extend the reach of the NAF to the Northwest Geopolitical Zone thus reducing the NAF’s response time to crisis situations in the Zone,” the statement says

By Amos Tauna

In view of the escalating clashes between farmers and cattle rearers in northern Nigeria, Northern States Governors’ Forum has noted that the free movement of persons, goods and services within the West African sub-region as ratified by the ECOWAS Convention should be subjected to the laws of individual member States in order to check cross-border crimes especially cattle rustling.

The meeting observed that creating more grazing reserves and providing adequate infrastructure in such reserves by way of their animals before the enactment of the appropriate legislation would ameliorate the challenges.

A communique issued and read by Aminu Bello Masari, Katsina State governor, on behalf of Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, at the end of the two-day meeting of Northern States Governors’ Forum with traditional rulers in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, explained that the Forum had constituted a committee to collate views and comments on the state of nation on agitations for restructuring of the country.

The committee to be chaired by Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, is mandated to collect and collate views regarding various agitations for restructuring of the country from individuals, groups and corporate organisations in the region.

It said, ”The committee is to come up with acceptable, tenable and sustainable position for the Northern region in consonance with provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, taking into cognizance the current constitutional amendment process going on in the National Assembly.”

Other members of the committee, according to the communiqué are: Governors of Nasarawa, Gombe, Benue, Bauchi and Kaduna States as well as Emirs of Kano and Gummi, Etsu Nupe and Gbong Gwon Jos as members while the Deputy Governor of Plateau state is to serve as the Committee Secretary.

On the centralization of security,  the forum called on the federal government to strengthen the capability of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies with adequate funding and logistical requirements to enable them perform their statutory mandate in a more effective and efficient manner.

“It is pertinent to also ensure that funds and operational equipment allocated to our security agencies, cascade down to all the various command structures at the state level. This will improve their ability to effectively check security challenges.

“The Forum also condemns the deadly communal clashes such as the recent Mambila massacre, the Aguta crisis in Benue State and the one of Kajuru, Kaduna State. All available judicial and administrative processes and procedures should be fully utilized to ensure that those responsible for inciting or participated in the violence are to bear the full wrath of the law no matter how highly placed the culprits are.  The rule of law should be fully enforced,” the communique explained.

The meeting noted that the increasing rate of armed banditry was becoming rampant in the region especially Forest Reserves like Kamuku and Falgore provide shelter for banditry. The forum called on the federal government to relinquish forest reserves to their domiciled states for better manning and proper security coverage.

Looking at the conflict between farmers and cattle rearers, the meeting noted that the free movement of persons, goods and srrvices within the West African sub-region as ratified by the ECOWAS Convention should be subjected to the laws of individual me, ber States in order to check cross-border crimes especially cattle rustling.

By Amos Tauna

Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar Thursday in Kaduna, says, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has provided 2,000 housing units across its bases in the country to ensure the welfare of its personnel.

The CAS who spoke through Air Officer Commanding, Air Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Christopher Okoye at the 46th convocation lecture of Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), added that the Nigerian aircraft sustainability has moved from 35 percent to 65 percent within the year under review.

“NAF has been well funded within the past two years and we are grateful to Mr. President and commitment of CAS for his unrelenting efforts at making NAF better than they met it. Our aircraft sustainability has also moved from 35 percent to over 65 percent within this two years. That’s an incredible speed.

“As regarding barracks upgrade, we have added about 2,000 buildings constructed across the NAF bases across the country which is good for the country. What that means is that, the NAF personnel have where to comfortably work and add value to our efforts as pride of the country.

“If you can recall, the CAS has been emphasising the importance of capacity building and that is why all the phases of development you see in NAF today have human face. NAF is spending good resources to build the capacity of its personnel and we are still doing it.

“If you look at the key note presentation, its all about capacity building. And that is why we are collaborating with 13 Nigerian universities. As it is now in NAF, we are building the capacity of our airmen and airwomen. We are looking at the future when we don’t have to go anywhere to repair our crafts and that will save us foreign exchange,” AVM Okoye added.

Earlier, Commandant, AFIT, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Bukar, while speaking on the topic, ‘Contemporary issues in aircraft maintenance in the 21st century’,  noted that aircraft maintenance was responsible for making available serviceable aircraft for all operations hence the need for the NAF and the civil aviation industry in Nigeria to rise to conquer the challenges of aircraft maintenance.

By Longtong Ibrahim

The Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has called for more collaborations and common approaches among Northern governors to rid the region from security challenges, saying the incessant attacks, communal clashes, cattle rustling, kidnapping, rural banditry among other challenges need to be tackled so as to unleash the economic potentials of the region.

El-Rufai made the call on Thursday during the meeting of Northern States Governors’ with Chairmen of Council of Chiefs in Kaduna State, northwest, Nigeria.

The Governor added that, places like the Falgore, Kuyambana and Kamuku forests in the north are been utilized by outlaws and non-state actors of all sorts to perpetrate different atrocities; hence, there is need to request from the federal government to handover such forests to states for better and closer management to improve security.

He said, “These forests constitute sources of peril to ordinary people, the states and the country. After our recent bitter experience, we will not be forgiven if we allow the emergence of new Sambissas in these vast spaces which provide safe refuge for outlaws. Robberies, kidnappings and cattle rustling are headquartered in these ungoverned forest ranges.

“What is proposed is that we continue to jointly fund special security operations to sanities these spaces, which must now be accompanied with a development agenda to convert them from arenas of insecurity to places that are properly integrated into the economy”.

El-Rufai further tasked them on the need to build and sustain peace in the region; “The message needs to go out to our communities that peace requires a determination to have peace, sustain and protect it.

“There is no humane alternative to choosing to resolve all differences by exclusively peaceful and legal means. Our region is the most diverse area in our vast country. It cannot afford the ghastly luxury of transforming differences in religion, language and culture into sources of conflict, death and destruction.

“Your Excellencies, Your Royal Highnesses, we need to challenge our elite to stop the commoditization of difference and unite our peoples for development and prosperity.

“For such efforts to be credible and sustainable, the state must vigorously reclaim its prerogatives as the guarantor of security. Robust actions in the security sector must be undertaken quickly to implant a visible, reassuring and effective presence of the protective hand of the state across our region.

The credentials of our region as a reasonably secure place are crucial to our economic development. With vast land mass, abundant waters, and, above all, tens of millions of hardworking people, ours is a region waiting to break out of poverty and all its restraints to the human spirit,” he noted.