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Presidency Defends Nomination of Ex-service Chiefs as Ambassadors

7Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Presidency Defends Nomination of Ex-service Chiefs as Ambassadors

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, has defended the decision to nominate ex-service chiefs as non-career ambassadors-designate. President Muhammadu Buhari had forwarded their names to the senate for confirmation urging expeditious consideration. In its reaction, the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, had criticised the move, accusing Buhari of trying “to shield the immediate past service chiefs from investigation over alleged killing of innocent Nigerians and crimes against humanity”. However, Shehu in his reaction said the ex-service chiefs were nominated as a reward for their hard work and sacrifice. He said the transition is “normal in decent democratic societies” and asked the PDP to stop defaming the former service chiefs. Shehu said, “The P...

Buhari Grants IGP Three Months Tenure Extension – Dingyadi

4Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, News, Nigeria, Security

Buhari Grants IGP Three Months Tenure Extension – Dingyadi

President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of Mohammed Adamu as the Inspector-General of Police for three months, the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammad Dingyadi has disclosed. Dingyadi said this in an interview with State correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday. The Minister said the extension was informed by the need to pave way for proper selection of a successor. Details later…

20 Generals Face Retirement as Buhari Names New Service Chiefs

27Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, News, Nigeria, Security

20 Generals Face Retirement as Buhari Names New Service Chiefs

At least 20 members of courses 34 and 35 may proceed on retirement as President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday announced a change of the country’s service chiefs. The reshuffling of the officers was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement titled, ‘President Buhari appoints new service chiefs,’ named officers who would head the nation’s armed forces. Adesina listed the new security heads to include Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Major-General I. Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air-Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao. Reports have emerged that the development might lead to the retirement of some military personnel as sources in the Nigerian ...

BREAKING: Buhari Bows to Pressure, Sacks Service Chiefs, Appoints New Hands

26Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Breaking News, News, Nigeria, Security

BREAKING: Buhari Bows to Pressure, Sacks Service Chiefs, Appoints New Hands

President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked the service chiefs in the country, African News Today has gathered. Buhari appointed new officers to head the country’s security architecture and combat the security challenges in the country. This was disclosed by the Special Adviser On Media and Publicity To the President, Femi Adesina, in a tweet on Tuesday. Adesina wrote, “PMB appoints new Service Chiefs. Maj Gen LEO Irabor, CDS (Chief of Defence Staff), Maj Gen I Attahiru, Army, Rear Adm AZ Gambo, Navy, AVM IO Amao, Air Force. “He congratulates outgoing Service Chiefs on efforts to bring enduring peace to the country.” The development follows several agitations from different quarters for the change of service chiefs for fresh ideas on effective fight against varying security challenges confr...

Uganda: Court Orders Soldiers to Vacate Bobi Wine’s Home

25Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Elections, Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Uganda

Uganda: Court Orders Soldiers to Vacate Bobi Wine’s Home

A court in Uganda has order security operatives to vacate the home of opposition leader, Bobi Wine, whose house arrest since the recent presidential poll has drawn international pressure, his lawyer said on Monday. Security forces have laid siege on the home of the 38-year-old musician turned politician, preventing him from leaving his home in Kampala since he cast his vote in the January 14 election where he contested against the long-serving incumbent, President Yoweri Museveni. The opposition leaders counsel, George Musisi told Reuters, "The judge ordered that the state and its agencies should immediately vacate his property and his right to personal liberty should immediately be reinstated." The 76-year-old Museveni has been in power for 35 years prior to winning a new term in...

Reflections From A Wreath Laying Ceremony – Femi Adesina

22Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, News, Nigeria, Security

Reflections From A Wreath Laying Ceremony – Femi Adesina

There’s no year I attend the Wreath Laying Ceremony marking the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration that I don’t shed a tear or two. Secret tears. Yes, secret, as men don’t want to be seen giving way to emotions in public. But why not? Charles Dickens wrote: “Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of the earth, overlying our hard hearts.” So brothers, when you need to shed a tear or two, do it. When rainfall needs to come from your eyes, let it come, let the rain of blessings fall, as they are “rain upon the blinding dust of the earth, overlying our hard hearts.” Why do I usually give way to emotions at the wreath laying ceremony, as it also happened last Friday, at the event commemorating the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance...

The Decent For The Indecent, The Just For The Unjust – Femi Adesina

15Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security

The Decent For The Indecent, The Just For The Unjust – Femi Adesina

There’s a short video you can find online that brings tears to my eyes. It features soldiers of the Nigerian Army, four spry young men, the type of whom the Good Book says “the glory of young men is their strength,” and they are in a desert-like environment, in front of a rigged camp. Wearing battle fatigues and slinging guns round their shoulders, they are in an expansive mood, parodying a popular Christian praise song to reflect their situation and that of the country. “We are always gathered rugged every season, We are always good to go in this fight o We are always confronting every battle We are moving forward to end this fight “We are soldiers, say we have peace We have patience, say we are rugged We are all in armed forces Nigerian Army, Navy Air Force ...

How I Survived Dimka’s 1976 Coup — Obasanjo

28Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, News, Nigeria

How I Survived Dimka’s 1976 Coup — Obasanjo

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, on Sunday, disclosed how he survived the February 1976 military coup d’etat, led by Lieutenant Colonel Buka Dimka. He said it was General Olu Bajowa (retd.) that indirectly saved him from being killed in the coup, Punch reports. Obasanjo stated this at the 80th birthday celebration of General Bajowa held in Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State. The former president seized the opportunity of the ceremony to recount the story of how he was indirectly saved from being killed during the coup. Obasanjo said, “I want to say something about Olu – either he knew it or he didn’t know. When Dimka coup came, if Olu had not been what he is, I would have gone with the coup. “Olu is very conscious of our culture. He ...

#EndSARS Protests: Any Act of Hooliganism to be Dealt with – Buhari

7Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Violence

#EndSARS Protests: Any Act of Hooliganism to be Dealt with – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will decisively deal with any act of hooliganism hiding behind peaceful protests. Buhari stated this on Monday while remotely declaring open the Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2020 themed, ‘Human Capacity Development in Sustaining Professionalism and Responsiveness of the Nigerian Army in the Discharge of its Constitutional Roles.’. The president said that although his administration recognised the rights of citizens to embark on peaceful protests, such must be done responsibly. Buhari who spoke at a time when reports of renewed #EndSARS protests regretted the violence that followed the last protests. He said, “Let me also mention the EndSARS protest which was recently hijacked by hoodlums which resulted in the loss of l...

Lekki Shooting: Soldiers Took Live Bullets to Scene for Self-defence – General Taiwo

22Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Crime, Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, Lagos News, News, Nigeria, Security

Lekki Shooting: Soldiers Took Live Bullets to Scene for Self-defence – General Taiwo

Brigadier General Ahmed Taiwo, Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, which was the Army unit deployed to the Lekki Tollgate area on the night of October 20, has admitted that the officers went to the scene with Live and blank bullet. He said that the Phase four of military internal security operation which the Army deployed involved soldiers taking live ammunition to the scene for self defence. He noted that some officers that operated at the tollgate on the night of the shooting were indeed armed with live bullets. Taiwo, however stressed that only soldiers with blank bullets shot into the air. He disclosed this on Saturday during the hearing of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, investigating the alleged killing of peaceful #EndSARS de...