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FG Plans Withdrawal of Military from All Regions Except South East
Sequel to the Federal Government’s declaration of withdrawal of the military from volatile areas of the country, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has said the Nigerian Air Force and other arms of the military will be withdrawing troops from some internal security operations because relative peace had been restored in some states and the activities of criminals had been curtailed.
The air chief noted that the military was going to “scale down its involvements” in some of the six ongoing internal security operations around the country. However, the air force chief was silent on military operations in the South-East.
Abubakar in his New Year message on Wednesday identified the operations as; Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke in the North-Central geopolitical zone, Awatse in the South-West, Hadarin Daji in the North-West, Operation Delta Safe in the South-South and Lafiya Dole in the North-East.
The air chief added the military efforts, particularly in tackling the banditry in the North-West, had paved the way for state governors to be able to hold dialogue with the criminals.
Abubakar said, “Due to the various efforts by us and other security agencies, relative peace has been restored to most parts of the North-Central states. Similarly, the activities of pipeline vandals and other criminals in the South-South and South-West have been curtailed.
“Accordingly, the gains have given rise to the directives for NAF and sister services to gradually scale down involvement in some of these operations. The operations in the North-West zone are also yielding fruits with a gradual reduction in banditry due to effective kinetic operations in early 2019.
“These kinetic operations paved the way for governors in the zone to engage the bandits in dialogue with a view to sustainably achieving peaceful resolution of the security challenges.
“Over the past few years, NAF, along with sister services, had been involved in a number of internal security operations across the country.
“It is gratifying to note that due to your various efforts as well as those of your colleagues in other security agencies, relative peace has been restored to most parts of the North-Central states. Similarly, the activities of pipeline vandals and other criminals in the South-South and the South-West have been curtailed.”
Abubakar urged the troops to re-double their efforts while sustaining the pressure on criminal elements and the Boko Haram terrorists.
“You must nevertheless remain professional in the discharge of your duties and ensure that the rights of all law-abiding citizens are protected to enable them to go about their lawful activities without encumbrances,” the air chief added.
It would be recalled that Operation Python Dance (Egwu Eke) which was introduced in the South East in 2016 to curtail the activities of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) had gone through three phases until it was changed to Operation Dance of Peace (Atilogwu Udo) in October 2019.
The army had said at inception that it was designed to, if necessary, dovetail into real time activities such as anti-kidnapping drills, patrols, raids, cordon and search, check points, road blocks and show of force.
The exercise includes the police, Civil Defence Corps, State Security Service and Federal Road Safety Commission. It is aimed at checking anticipated rising wave of crimes usually prevalent during festive periods.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for an independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), beginning with President Bola Tinubu himself.
Atiku’s call comes in the wake of the recent resignation of the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over an alleged certificate scandal.
Following the controversy surrounding the authenticity of his academic qualifications, Nnaji tendered his resignation on Tuesday. He, however, maintains that his resignation is not an admission of guilt.
Reacting to the development in a post on his X handle on Wednesday, Atiku said the resignation of the former minister has “once again brought to light the deep moral crisis at the heart of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.”
The former Vice President also questioned Tinubu’s own credentials, alleging that they have been the subject of controversy for decades. He, therefore, called for a thorough investigation into the credentials of all FEC members, starting with the President.
“This episode is not isolated. It is a reflection of a pattern — a rot that begins from the very top. The man who occupies the office of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has for decades been enmeshed in controversies surrounding his identity, age, and academic records.
“From the Chicago State University saga to multiple contradictory claims under oath, the world has seen ample evidence that Nigeria today is led by a man who himself has been unable to credibly defend the authenticity of his own certificates.
“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance. Tinubu’s personal history of alleged forgery and perjury has effectively institutionalized falsehood in public service.
“It is, therefore, unsurprising that his ministers and aides have taken after his example — falsifying documents, inflating records, and desecrating the moral foundation of our nation.
“I, therefore, call for an independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council, beginning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself. Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources.
“Tuesday’s resignation of Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, has once again brought to light the deep moral crisis at the heart of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
“What should ordinarily be a matter of national shame is now being disguised as a ‘voluntary resignation’ — an attempt to whitewash yet another scandal that typifies the forgery-ridden character of this government,” Atiku said.
He condemned President Tinubu’s decision to allow Nnaji an honourable resignation rather than a dismissal.
“Let the truth be told: Uche Nnaji should not have been allowed the courtesy of resignation. He should have been summarily dismissed and prosecuted for deceit and falsification.
“By permitting him to quietly exit through the back door, the Tinubu administration has once again demonstrated that it is an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants.”
Atiku also berated the Department of State Services (DSS), questioning how Nnaji’s alleged certificate scandal escaped detection during the screening process prior to his appointment.
“What makes this even more embarrassing is that the same Department of State Services (DSS), which screened out Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for alleged ‘security concerns’, is the very agency that cleared this same character, Uche Nnaji.
“The DSS truly deserves our flowers for this national disgrace. Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world and raises the question: how many more such individuals are occupying sensitive positions in this government?”
President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, accepted Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s departure as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the expiration of his second term in office.
Yakubu was first appointed in November 2015 as the 14th chairman of the commission for an initial term of five years.
The appointment, which was renewed in 2020, has now expired due to the passage of time.
President Tinubu thanked Professor Yakubu for his services to the nation and his efforts to sustain Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the organisation of free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure.
In recognition of Yakubu’s dedicated service to the nation, President Tinubu has bestowed on him the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
President Tinubu also directed that Professor Yakubu should hand over to the most senior national commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will direct the affairs of the Commission until the completion of the process to appoint a successor.
In the letter dated October 3, 2025, Professor Yakubu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the nation as chairman of the commission since 2015.
The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, has resigned his position following allegations of certificate forgery levelled against him.
President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the resignation in a statement on Tuesday, saying the President has accepted the Minister’s decision to step down.
He added that “President Tinubu appointed Nnaji in August 2023. He resigned today in a letter thanking the President for allowing him to serve Nigeria.”
Onanuga further quoted the former Minister as saying he had “been a target of blackmail by political opponents.”
“President Tinubu thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours,” the statement added.
