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Fight Against Terrorism: CSOs Thumbs-Up Service Chiefs, Nigerian Army

Published

7 years ago

March 9, 2020

Recently, the media, as well as public discourse, has been inundated by calls for the sack of the service chiefs. Nigerians at the forefront of these calls including members of the National Assembly gave the security situation in the country including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery as reasons.

But following a thorough assessment of the war against insurgency in the Northeast, over five hundred representatives of different Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, have passed a vote of confidence on the service chiefs, lauding the efforts of the military.

This decision was reached at a high-level meeting to appraise the situation and the rationale behind the call for the change of service chiefs amidst ongoing fight against terrorism.

The meeting which was tagged: “An Appraisal of the Performance of the Service Chiefs in the Fight against Insurgency in Nigeria,” was attended by no fewer than 500 representatives of various CSOs from all the states of the federation.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting by the President of Coalition of Civil Society Group, Mr. Etuk Bassey Williams, he dismissed the call for the sack of service chiefs, having seen tangible evidence of the progress of Nigerian troops at the frontline.

Williams noted that given the dexterity with which the Military is curbing insecurity in the Northeast and other parts of the country, complete victory over the insurgents is insight. He insisted that the Military has made remarkable achievements when the current state of insecurity is juxtaposed with what it used to be.

“Today, incidences of bombs detonating at our Worship Centres, Markets, Motor parks, Government buildings, and other strategic places have disappeared and is no more a recurring event except for a very few insignificant cases.”

Painfully, Williams cited the following: “Abuja Police Headquarters bombing which was believed to be the first suicide bombing in Nigeria’s history. The attack occurred on 16 June 2011, at the premises of the Louis Edet House in Abuja by Boko Haram, left at least six people dead.

“The 2011 Abuja bomb explosion on Friday, 26 August 2011, at the United Nations building in Abuja Nigeria’s capital which killed at least 21 and wounded 60.

On 14 April 2014, a bomb exploded at a crowded bus station in Nyanya, Abuja, killing at least 88 people and injuring at least 200.

“On December 2010, Boko Haram bombed Jos, killing 80 people; they were also blamed for the New Year’s Eve attack on military barracks in Abuja.
“In December 2011, multiple bomb attacks on Christmas day, left dozens killed.

“The January 2012 wave of violence across Northern Nigeria; Kano bombing killed at least 180.”

He noted that the frequency of attacks was phenomenal in the past but that has become a history today since the coming of the present service chiefs.

“It was observed that Nigerians in the city centers are no more keeping vigil in anticipation of a likely attack by the Boko Haram terrorists, the agony of insecurity and fear of the unknown has eluded the major cities except the fringes of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

“It is true that a lot has been achieved by the present crop of service chiefs, not just in the battlefield but also in disabusing the forcefully recruited members of the Boko Haram as many have repented and have willingly surrendered to the Nigerian Army.

“Unlike before, the Nigerian Military has prioritized training and equipping of its Soldiers with modern military hardware. More than ever before the welfare of our military personnel has gained more attention.

“It is true that the terrorists are no more in control of any territory and today Boko Haram is being ousted from the last stronghold in the Sambisa forest effectively reducing and disorganizing the group.

“It is true that thousands of captives have been freed from the hands of the insurgents and many of the insurgents are surrendering to the Nigerian Army as a result of intensive effort and gallantry.

“The renewed vigour and tact engendered by the service chiefs and particularly the chief of Army Staff: Lt Gen, Tukur Buratai has yielded a very appreciable success in their effort to completely defeat Boko Haram.

Williams acknowledged the fact that some people might not appreciate the effort of the military in the fight against insurgency but said it is quite interesting that all Nigerians celebrate the reduction in the frequency of attacks, the magnitude of impact and casualties recorded under the present service chiefs.

The CSOs said owing to the many progress of our gallant troops who are closing in on total victory against the insurgents, it is pertinent that they are appreciated and commended.

“We salute the courageous effort of the military, and call on Nigerians to pray and wish that the enthusiasm to make Nigeria again will not be in vain.

“We mourn with the bereaved and salute the sacrifices made by the gallant soldiers who laid the lives for our comfort peace.

“We celebrate your gallantry, commitment and patriotism to your fatherland; the successes against the insurgent are a testament to the capacity of the service chiefs, especially Lt Gen, Tukur Buratai: the chief of the Army Staff.”

Also, the CSOs urged all Nigerians to shun views or positions motivated by ethnic or political interest and support the service chiefs and the entire military with prayer and useful information to enable them to end the insurgency and return peace to the affected areas.

Experts have also thrown their weight behind the continued retention of the service chiefs especially now that Boko Haram Insurgents have been degraded to a very large extent.

AljazirahNigeria recalls that former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, recently commended the Chief of Army Staff and his gallant troops for a display of sheer “gallantry and patriotism” against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

According to Mr. Tsav, Buratai has once again silenced his critics and proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he is worthy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trust and that of Nigerians despite the conspiracy.

Scores of insurgents lost their lives on Wednesday after the gallant troops repelled an attack in Damboa, a town 85 kilometers away from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. The Nigerian soldiers were unscathed from a five-hour gun duel which left dead bodies of the insurgents and their 19 abandoned trucks littered on the ground.

Being a security expert himself, Alhaji Tsav likened the Nigerian troops to its American counterparts with zero tolerance for terrorists. He expressed pride in their consistent show of bravery and courage amidst distraction by paid critics behind negative scripts.

Mr. Tsav added that this may not have been achieved without Lt. Gen Buratai’s focused leadership and tenacity, who he says has done enough to earn his respect and that of all Nigerians.

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

3 days ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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