Nigeriens call for mass recruitment of volunteers as the junta faces possible regional invasion
AdminNigeriens are preparing for a possible invasion by countries in the region, three weeks after mutinous soldiers ousted the nation’s democratically elected president.
Residents in the capital, Niamey, are calling for the mass recruitment of volunteers to assist the army in the face of a growing threat by the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, which says it will use military force if the junta doesn't reinstate deposed President Mohamed Bazoum. ECOWAS has activated a “standby force" to restore order in Niger after the junta ignored a deadline to release and reinstate Bazoum.
The initiative, spearhead by a group of locals in Niamey, aims to recruit tens of thousands of volunteers from across the country to register for the Volunteers for the Defense of Niger. The group would fight, assist with medical care, and provide technical and engineering logistics among other functions, in case the junta needs help, Amsarou Bako, one of the founders, told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
"It’s an eventuality. We need to be ready whenever it happens," he said. The recruitment drive will launch Saturday in Niamey as well as in cities where invasion forces might enter, such as near the borders with Nigeria and Benin, two countries that have said they would participate in an intervention. Anyone over 18 years old can register and the list will be given to the junta to call upon people if needed, said Bako. The junta is not involved but is aware of the initiative, he said.
Regional tensions are deepening as the standoff between Niger and ECOWAS shows no signs of defusing, despite signals from both sides that they are open to resolving the crisis peacefully. Last week the junta said it was open to dialogue with ECOWAS after rebuffing the bloc's multiple efforts at talks, but shortly afterwards charged Bazoum with “high treason” and recalled its ambassador from neighboring Ivory Coast.
ECOWAS defense chiefs are expected to meet this week for the first time since the bloc announced the deployment of the “standby” force. It’s unclear when or if the force will invade, but it would probably include several thousand troops and would have devastating consequences, conflict experts say.
“A military intervention with no end in sight risks triggering a regional war, with catastrophic consequences for the vast Sahel that is already plagued by insecurity, displacement and poverty,” said Mucahid Durmaz, senior analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, a global risk intelligence company.
Niger was seen as one of the last democratic countries in the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert, and a partner for Western nations in the effort to beat back growing jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. France, the former colonial ruler of Niger, and the United States have approximately 2,500 military personnel in the region that train Niger's military and, in the case of France, conduct joint operations.
Since the coup, France and the U.S. have suspended military operations and jihadi attacks are increasing. At least 17 soldiers were killed and nearly two dozen wounded in an ambush by extremists in the Tillaberi region, said the Ministry of Defense on state television on Tuesday. The attack occurred Tuesday afternoon when a military detachment was traveling between Boni and Torodi villages. The wounded were evacuated to Niamey.
It was the first major attack against Niger’s army in six months and is a worrying sign of potential escalation, said Wassim Nasr, a journalist and senior research fellow at the Soufan Center, a think tank.
“What we are witnessing today is both jihadi warring factions, the Islamic State group and (al-Qaida affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin), marking their territory because of the security void caused by the coup. This definitely should be seen in the context of the ongoing war between the two groups,” he said.
Analysts say the longer the coup drags on, the less likely an intervention will occur as the junta cements its grip on power, likely forcing the international community to accept the status quo.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday there was still room for diplomacy to return the country to constitutional rule and said the U.S. supported ECOWAS’ dialogue efforts, including its contingency plans.
The new U.S. ambassador to Niger, Kathleen FitzGibbon, is expected to arrive in Niamey at the end of the week, according to a U.S. official. The United States hasn’t had an ambassador in the country for nearly two years. Some Sahel experts say this has left Washington with less access to key players and information.
“The U.S is in a difficult situation with no good choices,” said Michael Shurkin, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and director of global programs at 14 North Strategies, an Africa-focused risk advisory. “It either sticks to a principled position and pushes for democracy while alienating the junta and risk pushing it into Russia’s arms, or we give up on principle and work with the junta in the hope of salvaging a productive working relationship."
While regional and western countries scramble for how to respond, many Nigeriens are convinced they'll soon be invaded. The country of some 25 million people is one of the poorest in the world and residents are hoping the new regime will set the nation on a new path. In Niamey Wednesday, eager locals said they'd do what it took to defend the country.
“My children and I love these soldiers and I invite young people to join the army and develop our country and our villages," said Amadou Hawa, a Niamey resident who lives in a shanty town on the side of the road.
The details of Niger's volunteer force are still vague, but similar initiatives in neighboring countries have yielded mixed results. Volunteer fighters in Burkina Faso, recruited to help the army battle its jihadi insurgency, have been accused by rights groups and locals of committing atrocities against civilians.
Bako, one of the heads of the group organizing Nigerien volunteers, said Niger's situation is different.
“The (volunteers in Burkina Faso) are fighting the Burkinabe who took weapons against their own brothers ... The difference with us is our people will fight against an intrusion,” he said.
[Yahoo News]
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has ordered a 100-per cent salary raise as the government sharply raised the fuel prices, according to local media.
The salary increase, covering state employees, retirees, and military personnel, is the ninth since 2011 when the Syrian war broke out, NAN reports.
The country’s economy has since been mired in an economic crisis.
Prior to the decision, the monthly salary of civil servants had been between around 10 and 25 U.S. dollars, depending on the Syrian pound’s street value.
On Tuesday, the Syrian Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection raised the prices of diesel fuel for transportation and bakeries by about 180 per cent, and normal-octane gasoline by about 165 per cent.
The hike in fuel prices caused a state of chaos on the streets as many bus drivers refused to work on Wednesday.
The price hike also led to a disruption in food prices, which have gone up between 30 and 100 per cent.
[DailyPost]
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka said the party may go extinct if reforms are not made at the earliest possible time.
He stated that the party lost some of its strongholds to the Labour Party (LP) in the last election.
He made this known while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.
He said, “The PDP in itself is a government that was in power for 16 years. Its instinct is that of a government party and not that of an opposition party, and it has taken us eight years now to begin to realise.
“We are smelling the coffee that it’s not four years and we are back or we are coming back the next day.
“Now, we are beginning to see that PDP itself needs to be reformed. It needs to renew and reimagine itself to be able to begin to play the role of opposition, knowing full well that we have a politician as president.
“If PDP doesn’t get its act together, it will be an extinct party. So, we need to wake up, smell the coffee, find the kind of leadership that will represent us in an opposition atmosphere, and begin to do the work of the opposition.
“We must do the work of mobilization and imbibe the work of technology.
“[The] last four years have taught us a bitter lesson that a young party can come up and take away PDP strongholds in an election cycle.”
[Vanguard]
Barring any last-minute changes, President Bola Tinubu would on Monday, 21st August 2023, swear-in Ministers into his cabinet.
A former national director of publicity for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lanre Issa-Onilu gave the hint on Wednesday during an interview appearance on Channels TV Sunrise Daily programme.
According to him, President Tinubu is taking his time before inaugurating the Ministers because he is carrying out some restructurings before they resume work.
He however added that the President is set to swear in his Ministers on Monday.
“…On Monday, they are going to be inaugurated. We have ministries, the president may have his ideas on how the ministries should work.
“…The bottom line is that there will be this exercise on Monday.”
Those screened, confirmed, and expected to be sworn in on Monday are:
1. ABUBAKAR KYARI BORNO STATE
2. ABUBAKAR MOMOH EDO STATE
3. NYESOM WIKE RIVERS STATE
4. PROF. JOSEPH UTSEV BENUE STATE
5. JOHN ENO CROSS RIVER STATE
6. BELLO MOHAMMED SOKOTO STATE
7. MOHAMMED BADARU ABUBAKAR JIGAWA STATE
8. YUSUF MAITAMA TUGGAR BAUCHI STATE
9. UJU KEN OHANEYE ANAMBRA STATE
10. OLUBUNMI TUNJI OJO ONDO STATE
11. NKEIRUKA ONYEJEOCHA ABIA STATE
12. BETTA EDU CROSS RIVER STATE
13. IMAAN SULEIMAN NASARAWA STATE
14. DAVID UMAHI EBONYI STATE
15. ADEBAYO OLAWALE EDUN OGUN STATE
16. AHMED MUSA DANGIWA KATSINA STATE
17. UCHE NNAJI ENUGU STATE
18. DELE ALAKE EKITI STATE
19. WAHEED ADEBAYO ADELABU OYO STATE
20. MUHAMMAD IDRIS NIGER STATE
21. PROF. ALI PATE BAUCHI STATE
22. DR DORIS UZOKA IMO STATE
23. LATEEF FAGBEMI (SAN) KWARA STATE
24. EKPERIKPE EKPO AKWA IBOM STATE
25. HANNATU MUSAWA KATSINA STATE
26. IBRAHIM GEIDAM YOBE STATE
27. ALIYU SABI ABDULLAHI NIGER STATE
28. HEINEKEN LOKPOBIRI BAYELSA STATE
29. ALKALI AHMED SA’EED GOMBE STATE
30. DR. YUSUF TANKO SUNUNU KEBBI STATE
31. ATIKU BAGUDU KEBBI STATE
32. BELLO MATAWALLE ZAMFARA STATE
33. ADEGBOYEGA OYETOLA OSUN STATE
34. SIMON BAKO LALONG PLATEAU STATE
35. ABDULLAHI TIJJANI GWARZO KANO STATE
36. BOSUN TIJJANI OGUN STATE
37. DR MARIYA MAHMOUD KANO STATE
38. DR ISIYAKA SALAKO OGUN STATE
39. DR TUNJI ALAUSA LAGOS STATE
40. LOLA ADE JOHN LAGOS STATE
41. PROF. TAHIR MAMMAN ADAMAWA STATE
42. ZEPHANIAH JISSALO F.C.T
43. UBA MAIGARI AHMADU TARABA STATE
44. SHUAIBU ABUBAKAR AUDU KOGI STATE
45. FESTUS KEYAMO (SAN) DELTA STATE
Ex-APC chair Adams Oshiomhole says there is nothing worse than the terrible economic situation President Bola Tinubu inherited from former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The government inherited a terrible economic situation. Everyone knows it,” Mr Oshiomhole stated on Channels TV Tuesday.
Lamenting that Mr Buhari plunged Nigeria into huge debt, Mr Oshiomhole noted that “nothing can be worse” than what Mr Tinubu inherited from his predecessor.
Mr Tinubu’s “government inherited an economy in which our total national revenue was barely enough to serve our debt burden. Spending 96 per cent, which is to say every N100 Nigeria earns, 96 kobo (sic) is going to repay debt.”
“So you have only four kobo left to pay all the salaries. Nothing can be worse. But they came determined that they will do business unusual to arrest the drift and stabilise the economy,” the former Edo governor added.
Mr Buhari ruled the country for eight years, from 2015 to 2023, which critics described as some of the worst years under democratic rule in Nigeria.
Under his regime, Nigeria’s debt hit N46 trillion.
Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo condemned the borrowing spree of Mr Buhari, saying accumulating debt for future generations is “foolish” and “criminal.”
A legal practitioner, Maxwell Opara, has filed an alleged defamatory suit seeking N10 billion in damages against Twitter and the State Security Service.
In the writ of summons marked FCT/HC/CV/7186/23 and filed at the FCT High Court by Malachy Nwaekpe, Mr Opara listed Twitter Nigeria Limited and the SSS director-general as the first and second defendants, respectively.
The SSS, the attorney general of the federation, and the justice minister are listed as 3rd and 4th defendants in the suit dated August 11 and filed August 14.
The lawyer filed the suit against the allegation that Twitter, now known as X, “negligently allowed the defamatory, ethnic profiling, and racist comments against” him by the SSS under the leadership of its director-general on the security agency’s platform on July 18 for more than 96 hours.
Mr Opara, who alleged that the post was caused to be published and made viral to millions of readers, described the message as “false, defamatory, demeaning, disparaging and harmful.”
He, therefore, sought eight reliefs which include “an order of this honourable court directing the second and third defendants (the secret police’s director-general and SSS), jointly and severally, to issue a letter of apology on the first defendant’s platform Twitter and a daily newspaper widely read across the federation of Nigeria.
Mr Opara sought an order of the court directing the defendants to pay N10 billion as damages for the various defamatory, demeaning, disparaging, and harmful words of the third defendant under the leadership of the second defendant, which words were published and caused to go viral by the 1st defendant on its Twitter platform.
“An award of 10 per cent post-judgment interest per annum on the entire judgment sum from the date of judgment till the same is fully liquidated,” stated Mr Opara.
The matter was yet to be assigned to a judgment at the time of the report.
In the tweet, SSS said, “Charge and bail, overzealous uninformed IPOB/ESN lawyer Maxwell Okpara mobilises other like-minded lawyers against DGSS. Futile Efforts. Well, Nigerians, beware! This is in bad faith. Transferred aggression.”
It added, “A Biafran republic agitator and outlawed IPOB counsel defending the suspended CBN governor. Is IPOB defending one of theirs? What a contradiction. What’s the connection? May Maxwell be properly educated on points of law, please.”
(NAN)
Leaders of the Muslim Community in Lagos on Wednesday staged a protest to the State House of Assembly over the recent list of 39 commissioner-nominees released by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The Muslim community had earlier voiced out against the list which has eight Muslims and 31 Christians, saying the list is unfair to the Muslims in the state and demanded a review.
However, the state government had ignored the protest of the Muslims as the House of Assembly on Monday commenced the screening of the nominees.
On Wednesday, leaders of the Muslim Community led by the President and Elderstatesman, Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi, stormed the House of Assembly to protest against what they called official discrimination of the Muslims in the state.
Heads of various Islamic organisations and scholars were also in attendance at the protest where Prof. Gbadamosi presented a petition to the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.
They were carrying banners and placards with inscriptions such as “Muslims say no to official discrimination,” “All we ask is fairness,” “Stop the Screening Now, we want Justice”, among others.
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In the petition read by the President, the Muslims expressed “grievance and dissatisfaction against the blatant disregard for justice, equity and fairness in the proposed Lagos State’ Executive cabinet as contained in the list of commissioner-nominees.
According to the group, the list “is a classic case of discrimination and religious bigotry, as it has 31 nominees who are of the Christian faith and only eight (8) nominees who are Muslims.”
“This is not a new development, especially since Governor Sanwo-Olu assumed leadership of this State, as a matter of fact, it is has been elevated to a level of official state policy to deny Muslims their deserved positions under the Sanwo-Olu administration.
“For instance, in 2019, when Mr. Sanwo-Olu became governor, he appointed 14 Special Advisers, and only one (1) among them was a Muslim. Again, his State Executive Council, which had 43 members, only 14 were Muslims, and the remaining 29 were Christians. Also, of the 23 commissioners, 10 were Muslims and 13 of them Christians. Only 15 Muslims, with 35 Christians, made up the body of 50 Permanent Secretaries in his first term. These are just a few among numerous ways in which the Sanwo-Olu administration deny Muslims in this state their rightful place and number in leadership.”
The Muslim Community observed that Sanwo-Olu’s violates the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria particularly Section 14(4) and section 192(2).
The sections say: “The composition of the Government of a State, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such Government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the peoples of the Federation.”
“192(2) Any appointment to the office of Commissioner of the Government of a State shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the House of Assembly of the State, be made by the Governor of that State and in making any such appointment the Governor shall conform with the provisions of section 14(4) of this Constitution.”
Gbadamosi said, “With due respect Governor Sanwo-Olu’s list clearly violates these provisions of the Constitution and we accordingly call upon this honorable House not to endorse any action that violates our national grundnorm, especially one which equally violates good conscience and natural justice.
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“The argument that Muslims have more elected officials in Lagos State in preposterous. This is even more so at a time when all the Six (6) Governors of the southwest are Christians and we the Muslims do not complain about this, because we recognise that they contested for offices and won.
“Why must Muslims in Lagos State always beg and fight for their constitutional rights especially since Mr Sanwo-olu became Governor? We recall with utmost sadness really, that until the Supreme Court ruled in favour of hijab for our school girls, successive Lagos Governments, never felt it should endeavor to align with the global best practice of accepting hijab in addition to abiding with the rule of law.
“The historic pro-hijab judgement was delivered in March 2022 and globally acknowledged. However, Governor Sanwo-Olu’s government in its peculiar idiosyncrasy chose to ignore this until a year later, after ceaseless pressure was mounted by well-meaning individuals.
“We the Muslims of, and in Lagos State wish to categorically state that the entire leadership of the Muslim Community of Lagos State representing various Muslim organizations, unequivocally and unanimously reject the list of commissioner-designates of Governor Sanwo-Olu and we demand a reversal and review to reflect 60% in favour of Muslims in a fresh list.
“We call on the Lagos State House of Assembly to reject the list as similarly done in the Niger State House of Assembly, where a noticeably minority Christian population demanded a reversal of the list of commissioners to reflect fairness and equity to them. We also call on you and the House of Assembly to impress on the government the need to respect the diversity of the state’s population and to appoint a more representative cabinet. We believe that this is essential for the future stability and prosperity of Lagos State.”
The Kano State Government has mandated the suspension of school fees increase for all private schools operating in the state.
The schools are also expected to renew their operating licenses in line with Governor Abba Yusuf’s policy on quality education in the state.
This is coming after the Special Adviser to the Kano State Government on Private Schools, Baba Umar, had a meeting with private schools stakeholders.
Umar noted that the suspension of increment of school fees for private schools is to ensure that there are no exploitations.
Kano schools are currently on holidays as school owners are looking forward to wards resumption for the first time in a new session after the price hike on commodities due to subsidy removal. However, some school owners and parents have mixed feelings on the government’s decision.
The federal capital territory (FCT) command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it intercepted about 3,091.032 kg of “illicit drugs” between January and August.
Kabir Tsakuwa, NDLEA FCT commandant, disclosed this during an interview with NAN on Wednesday in Abuja.
Tsakuwa said the drugs were worth over N56.9 million.
The commandant said the seized drugs included cannabis sativa, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, tramadol, rohypnol, diazepam, ecstasy, and megadon, adding that cannabis sativa accounted for the largest seizure.
He also said 343 drug suspects —328 males and 15 females — were arrested within the period under review.
Tsakuwa also said 188 drug offenders were prosecuted, while 126 had been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms in the period under review.
“Drugs seized were cannabis sativa 3,022.529 kilograms, cocaine 0.114 kilograms, Methamphetamine 1.25 kilograms, Heroin 0.0021 kilograms,” he said.
“We also seized suspected Tramadol 18.578 kilograms, Rohypnol 1.195 kilograms, Diazepam 4.471 kilograms, Ecstasy 0.113 kilograms and Megadon 0.263 kilograms.
“The monetary value of these drugs stands at approximately N56, 903, 600) only.”
He added that 33 persons with drug use disorder were rehabilitated, while 102 drug users had been counselled and released within the period.
Tsakuwa added that the agency would collaborate with other security agencies within the FCT to dislodge shanties and hot spots.
[TheCable]
The Kebbi State Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized 4,200 litres of petrol, 46 bags of foreign rice, 88 bales of second clothes, and other smuggled items.
The Command also handed over 81 tablets of Cannabis sativa, 138 packs of tramadol to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the state.
Addressing newsmen at the Command’s headquarters, the state Comptroller of Customs, Ben Oramalugo, said the items were seized during routine operations at various borders along the state.
He noted that though the closure of Kamba border and other borders close to Niger Republic has affected the revenue drive of the Customs.
The official added that the duty paid value of the seized items was estimated at N51.4m.
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Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said the ‘Emilokan’ slogan will not win elections in the state.
He spoke while receiving the leaders of Edo South Senatorial District at the Government House.
President Bola Tinubu used ‘Emilokan’ during his presidential election campaign.
However, Obaseki said: “Edo people will not accept ‘Emilokan’ as a strategy in government as they are not known for that. For us, it is the people that will decide.
“What has happened in the last few months is strange, and even if you have ambition, this is not the time to express it. The timetable for the election is not out. You can’t be part of a government and also be the one to destabilise the same government.
“I thought we came together and will leave together and let the people say you have done a great job, and they will now make the decision themselves. They are the ones to say that come rain or sunshine, we must continue.
“You are telling the world one thing and yet doing another. You are loyal to your principal and yet you are in Court with your principal. Everybody has the right to be ambitious but do it the right way.”
Obaseki was apparently speaking about Philip Shaibu, his deputy. Shaibu recently dragged his principal to court to stop him from removing him from office.
The Governor had accused his deputy of manipulating youth council elections to favour his ambition of succeeding him.
The Zamfara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has officially launched the Safe School Response Squad in the State under the Safe School Initiative program of the Commandant-General, Dr Abubakar Ahmed Audi, to revamp, restructure, rejig, rejuvenate and reposition the Corps in line with international best practices.
The State NSCDC, Commandant Sani Mustapha, averred that the maiden launch of the squad was a sequel to the directives and marching order issued by Audi in the last quarterly meeting held at the National Headquarters, Abuja, recently.
He reiterated his resolve to comply in totality with the order given by the Commandant-General of the Corps. To this end, Mustapha has branded an official vehicle for the Safe Schools Response Squad and provided all needed support.
He also said the state government had been engaged in fruitful discussions on the modalities to provide a centre for the Corps as an operational base in Zamfara State.
A former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has suggested that the Nigerian Constitution and electoral laws should be amended to make any presidential candidate who does not have over 50 per cent of total votes cast in a general election unfit for office.
Chidoka, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He claimed that the votes secured by President Bola Tinubu in the last presidential election put him in a serious minority that made it difficult for him to push a big agenda like petrol subsidy removal and the unification of the foreign exchange windows.
The former minister suggested runoffs for presidential polls where no candidate scores over 50 per cent of the total vote cast.
He said, I think we need to amend our laws to make it that any presidential candidate who doesn’t make 50 plus 1 of the votes cast in an election should go for a runoff because election of a President as 33% of the votes keeps the President in serious minority that makes him difficult to push big agenda.
Boko Haram fighters have reportedly captured 60 terrorists of the Islamic State in West Africa Province, ISWAP, including three key commanders of the sect.
The recent supremacy battle between the warring terrorist groups reportedly.
This was disclosed by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, in a post on his social media platform on Wednesday.
Zagozola said that the ISWAP terrorists were captured on their way to Damasak in Borno State, identifying the commanders as Abubakar Saddiq, Abou Maimuna and Malam Idris.
He stated that the Boko Haram Buduma factions, which had the upper hand against ISWAP in the recent turn of events, captured most of the enclaves of ISWAP, which forced them to take refuge in more fortified hideouts in the axis of Kukawa and Madayi and Kwatan Mota.
Massive Celebration hits Boko Haram camp after capturing 60 ISWAP fighters including 3 Commanders.
On Aug 13, 2023, Boko Haram faction intercepted about 60 ISWAP terrorists, including three key Commanders, Abubakar Saddiq, Abou Maimuna and Malam Idris, on their way to Damasak.
He wrote, These captives were later taken to an underground prison cell at KWATAN MOTA close to Dogon Chukwu where they were held as Prisoners of War.