Category: Armed Forces - Page 8 - African News Today

Mali Coup: Jonathan Led ECOWAS Delegation Meet Coup Leaders as Talks Continue

23Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Mali, News

Mali Coup: Jonathan Led ECOWAS Delegation Meet Coup Leaders as Talks Continue

A meeting of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) delegation led by former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan with Mali's coup leaders ended barely after 20 minutes. The coup in Mali is celebrated by many Malian citizens though the international community has condemned the ouster of Ibrahim Boubacar Keita at a time when the country faces Islamist insurgency and months of mass protests. An ECOWAS delegation arrived in the capital, Bamako, for deliberations aimed at returning the country to civilian rule. Head of the delegation, Jonathan sounded optimistic of persuading the coup leaders ahead of a series of meetings with the mutineers and other groups. Jonathan in a chat with reporters said, “I believe at the end of the day we will come up with something that i...

20Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Mali, News

ECOWAS Set to Convene Over Mali Coup

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to convene a videoconference meeting on Thursday to discuss the crisis in Mali which led to President Ibrahim Keita’s removal. The regional body has been vocal against the change of government in Mali by Mutinying soldiers. In a statement in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja it said, “The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will hold an extraordinary summit on the socio-political situation in Mali on Thursday.” ECOWAS had been involved at finding a solution to the unrest in the member state prior to Tuesday’s coup. Colonel Assimi Goita, Malian army officer on Wednesday announced himself as the coup leader. Mali’s membership of the African Union (AU) was suspe...

Mali Opposition Commends Coup Plotters, Promises Support

20Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Mali, News

Mali Opposition Commends Coup Plotters, Promises Support

The opposition coalition in Mali, M5-REP has lent its support to the mutinying solders that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and commended their willingness to handover to a civilian transitional government. It said in a statement that “it took note of the commitment” the junta has made to “open a civilian political transition” and would work with it on “developing a roadmap.” Representative of the coalition, Choguel Maiga told reporters, “we will organise the biggest patriotic rally on Friday” in Bamako and nationwide in order to “celebrate the Malian people’s victory”. On Wednesday, Army colonel Assimi Goita presented himself as the leader of the coup plotters a day after a coup that was condemned by the Mali’s regional and international partners but won the backing of th...

President of Mali Resigns, Military Commits to Civilian Transition After Take over

19Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Mali, News

President of Mali Resigns, Military Commits to Civilian Transition After Take over

Orders closure of border, imposes curfew Soldiers who staged a mutiny on Tuesday in Mali prompting the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and his deputy has promised to hand over to a civilian transitional government that will organise elections. This was disclosed on Wednesday by the spokesperson for the mutineers who identified as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People in a statement aired by state-owned television, saying the mutiny was to prevent the country from falling further into chaos Committee spokesperson Colonel Ismael Wague urged civil society and political movements in Mali to be a part of the process that will usher in civil transition that will organise elections. Wague said, “Our country is sinking into chaos, anarchy, and...

Mutinying Soldiers Arrest Mali’s President and Prime Minister

18Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Mali, News

Mutinying Soldiers Arrest Mali’s President and Prime Minister

Mutinying solders have reportedly arrested Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse. Clips have surfaced on social media showing a convoy of vehicles surrounded by troops with a statement by a leader of the mutinying soldiers confirming the arrest. "We can tell you that the president and the prime minister are under our control," the leader, who requested anonymity, told AFP. He added that the pair had been "arrested" at Keita's residence in the capital Bamako. Earlier, Cisse urged mutinying soldiers to stand down and called for dialogue to resolve the situation. Reports of the mutiny first emerged after gunfire was heard at an army base outside the capital, Bamako. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in a statement condemne...

I Ask for Some Patience With the Acquisition of Military Equipment – Buhari

11Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Transportation

I Ask for Some Patience With the Acquisition of Military Equipment – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerians to be patient with his administration as he strives to equip the military against security threat. Buhari made the call in a tweet on his official twitter handle in the late hours of Monday 10 August, 2020. This call comes after Buhari had a meeting with Governors from the six North-East states, all service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police. The Governors, who on Saturday, elected Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, as Chairman of the region’s Governors Forum pledged to partner with the government to fight Boko Haram and requested for more hardware for the military to tackle insurgency in the region. Buhari said, “We are working very hard to ensure the security situation in every part of Nigeria improves very soon. As pa...

Nigerian Army Speaks on Southern Kaduna Killings, See its Position

29Jul

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Interview, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Safety, Security, Terrorism

Nigerian Army Speaks on Southern Kaduna Killings, See its Position

The Nigerian Army has dismissed reports that the killings in Southern Kaduna are one-sided attacks. It stated that it was making effort at accelerated response to distress calls in steep terrain, raising the number of troops in the area and plans and coordinating with the Air Force for joint response. This was disclosed by Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major-General CC Okonkwo in a meeting of senior security officials on Tuesday with Kaduna State Governor El-Rufai on the killings in Southern Kaduna, reports say. The security officials “confirmed that a cycle of attacks and reprisals was compounding criminal activities in the area and causing needless loss of lives and appealed to all sides to embrace peace.” Okonkwo confirmed at the meeting that he welcomed a deployment of...

Court Martial of Major General Olusegun Adeniyi: Yoruba Elders Chide Nigerian Military

27Jul

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Justice, News, Nigeria, Terrorism

Court Martial of Major General Olusegun Adeniyi: Yoruba Elders Chide Nigerian Military

Yoruba elders have criticized the court martial of Major General Olusegun Adeniti over his comments on Boko Haram war in the North East. In a clip released in March, Adeniyi disclosed that Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents were ill equipped to combat the terrorists. The video irked the public and intensified pressure on government to contain the terrorism ensued. After the outcry, military hierarchy redeployed Adeniyi from being the commander of Operation Lafiya Dole and moved him to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja. In what was described as cherrypicking of its soldiers, the Yoruba elders under the aegis of the Yoruba Summit Group at a meeting lamented that real culprits of the crime against the Nigerian people and nation were left unpunished. The for...

John Campbell, Former US Ambassador to Nigeria Berates Nigerian Military

23Jul

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Corruption, Nigeria, Security, United States of America

John Campbell, Former US Ambassador to Nigeria Berates Nigerian Military

John Campbell a former Ambassador to Nigeria has said that Nigerians have lost faith in the sincerity of government. He chided the approach of Nigerian government and politicians, claiming the welfare of citizens have never formed the basis of governance in Nigeria. He made the remark at an interactive session on insecurity organised by SaharaTv over the weekend. Campbell expressed lack of faith in the ability of the country’s military to be transparent and accountable in its dealings. He said, "The lack of confidence and faith amongst many Nigerians in the institutions of government is very worrisome." The US envoy said politicians in Nigeria have been known not to be accountable to the people who elected them to power. He attributed it to the inability of the country to ma...

Sudan Set to Begin Trial of Former President, Al-Bashir Over Role in 1989 Coup

21Jul

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Justice, News, Sudan

Sudan Set to Begin Trial of Former President, Al-Bashir Over Role in 1989 Coup

The trial of Omar al-Bashir, Sudan’s former president is set to begin today, Tuesday 21 July, over his role in the military coup that brought about his regime in 1989. Al-Bashir who is already in detention for corruption charges could be sentenced to death if he is found guilty of the new charge The 76-year-old will be tried alongside 16 other accused persons in Khartoum. The trial comes as Sudan’s post-revolution transitional government has introduced a number of reforms in expectation of fully making a comeback in the international community. The country has also agreed to transfer al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court to be prosecuted for alleged war crimes and genocide charges related to the Darfur conflict, which claimed the lives of 300,000 people and displaced mi...