Headlines
Northern Group Calls for Sack of Incompetent Service Chiefs
A Civil Society Organisation, Northern Advocacy for Peace, has called for the immediate resignation of the Service Chief or be sacked by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
The group said the recent attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train, Kaduna Airport as well as the wanton killings and destruction of property in many parts of the country have shown that the service chiefs are “incompetent and should leave or be made to leave”.
In a statement on Wednesday by the leader of the group, Khalifa Shuaibu, the group said the President must be decisive in his actions as terrorists are shutting down the country.
“NAP commiserates with families who lost loved ones in the attack. We wonder what has gone wrong with the intelligence in the country that bandits operated freely for over three hours, shooting and subjecting the passengers through horrible torture and kidnapping others without any resistance from the Nigerian security forces.
“Two days ago, bandits attacked the Kaduna International Airport and killed a security guard of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency. They prevented a Lagos-bound plane from embarking on the journey. Kaduna particularly has all security formations located in the state”
“It is clear that those in charge of the security agencies are incompetent and should leave or be made to leave. Nigerians are continually been vulnerable to terrorist attacks in their homes. With these attacks, Nigerians cannot even travel either by road, rail, or air at the moment. Severally, terrorists have killed kidnapped or burnt travellers in their cars. Terrorists are shutting down this country.
“It is disheartening that these enemies of the people are getting emboldened by the day. The bandits are becoming more daring and brazen. These blood-curdling enemies of the country have no regard for human life. They have no place in a civilized society and must be defeated.
“This attack and several others reported and not reported leave us with no option but to call for the immediate resignation of the Chief of Defense Staff, the Chief of Army Staff as well as the Chief of Defence Intelligence.
“In the event, the aforementioned security chiefs refuse to resign, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack them with immediate effect”.
He also called for complete disbandment and a thorough investigation of the heads of intelligence agencies in the country for lack of diligence in their duties.
Shuaibu said, “We are aware that, President Buhari has bought enough modern and sophisticated weapons and other military hardware which if properly deployed will boost the fight against terrorism. The lack of coordination by the CDS and the intelligence setup accounts for this failure, leading to the death of many Nigerians. These attacks are preventable.
“The military has not justified the billions of Naira put into the security sector through the welfare of personnel and military hardware. Let the current security chiefs resign or be sacked for the safety of Nigerians. This is the immediate response to the failure of the military in tackling the security challenges in the country”.
The Punch
Headlines
Abiola Cannot Be Recognised As Former President; He Was Never Sworn-in – Gen Ishola Williams
By Eric Elezuo
One of the prime actors of the June 12, 1993 incidents, General Ishola Williams, has said that much as Chief MKO Abiola wrong was created having won the election, and denied victory, he cannot be recognized as a former President of Nigeria.
Gen Williams made his revelation while speaking as a guest on Channels television socio-political programme, Inside Source.
He maintained that only those who were sworn in that recognised as former presidents, and Abiola was never sworn in.
“Abiola cannot be recognised as former president because he was never sworn in.
The General, who said that he resigned from the army as a result of the wholesome reception given to General Sani Abacha, when he overthrew Chief Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government, contrary to expectation, also picked flaws in the narratives given by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, in his recently launched book, A Journey In Service.
Williams rose in the army to become the Commandant of Army Signals, Commander of Training and Doctrine (TRADOC) and Chief of Defence Training and Planning, from where he resigned.
Headlines
Breaking: Supreme Court Recognises Martin Amaewhule As Rivers Assembly Speaker, Orders CBN to Stop Releasing Funds to State
By Eric Elezuo
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has in its ruling on Friday recognised Hon Martins Amaewhule as the authentic speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, mandating him to urgently resume sitting with elected members of the assembly.
The apex court also ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop releasing to the Rivers State government until a proper assembly is constituted.
Details soon…
Tension escalated at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday as impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa made a dramatic return to reclaim his position.
Accompanied by heavily armed men, Obasa stormed the Assembly complex in a bold move that has thrown the State’s legislature into turmoil.
In a stunning turn of events, security details assigned to the substantive Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda, were abruptly withdrawn on Thursday morning, clearing the path for Obasa’s controversial comeback.
Sources revealed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) ordered the withdrawal of all security operatives attached to Meranda, leaving her exposed in the midst of an intensifying power struggle.
The Speaker’s Special Adviser on Information, Mr. Victor Ganzallo, expressed concern over the security vacuum created by the withdrawal of personnel.
“In the early hours of Thursday, we woke up to the startling news that all security details assigned to Madam Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, had been withdrawn.
This includes the police and DSS officers, leaving her exposed to threats amid the ongoing speakership crisis,” Ganzallo stated.
He further called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as the State’s Chief Security Officer, to intervene urgently to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order within the Assembly.
“The withdrawal of security personnel has left the Assembly naked and vulnerable at a critical time. Urgent action is needed to restore order,” he pleaded.
With the speakership battle taking a dramatic new turn, political watchers are keenly observing how the crisis will unfold in the coming days.
