By Sumaila Ogbaje

The newly appointed Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Wapkerem Maigida, on Friday took over office following the recent posting and redeployment by the service.

Maigida, who was the Commander of 551 NAF Station in Jos, took over from Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, who also replaced him in Jos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAF Headquarters on Wednesday announced the redeployment of its commanders at various levels.

Maigida had served as Acting Director Defence Information at the Defence Headquarters before his posting to Jos in 2022.

In his address, he promised to consolidate on the achievement of his predecessor, adding that it was a rare opportunity for him to serve as the image maker of the service.

The director thanked the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, for the honour and privilege, saying he was fully aware of the responsibilities of his office to project the operational engagement and other activities of NAF.

“With the aim of galvanising support and goodwill for the NAF in striving to project air power to conquer the myriads of security challenges currently bedeviling the country.

“Let me assure you that the directorate will keep forging ahead under my watch to continue to churn out and leverage on online social platforms to bring out NAF stories in clear picture.

“Indeed, I will continue to use the media space to strive and bring the narrative of NAF in enhancing national security architecture in the country.“

The NAF spokesman urged media professionals to as partners, bear in mind that the current security challenges facing the country called for concerted efforts to stem the tide.

He appreciated media practitioners for their individual support and cooperation during the tenure of the outgone DOPRI.

“I urge you to remain steadfast as you carry out your work in informing and enlightening the public and bring them abreast of happenings within the defence and security sector.

“I urge you to use your reportage and media outfit to shape public perceptions and views about the NAF towards enduring national security and defence of the country.

“This I believe will boost combat efficiency and effectiveness of NAF towards enhancing operational airpower capabilities to confront the enemies of Nigeria,” he said.

Maigida pledged to continue to project the service towards enhancing critical airpower capabilities and joint force employment in pursuit of national security imperative.

He also promised to promote the clear values of NAF among the airmen and airwomen of the directorate for better services.

The outgone DOPRI, Air Commodore Gabkwet, urged the new spokesman to strive hard to consolidate on what the directorate had done so far during his tenure as the image maker of the service.

He urged the airmen and airwomen as well as other civilian staff of the service to extend the same cooperation he enjoyed during his tenure to the new image maker of the service.

Gabkwet also urged media professionals to give the new director the maximum cooperation and support accorded him.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

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By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor says 613 rehabilitated low-risk repentant terrorists will be transferred to their state governments for reintegration into the society.

Irabor made the disclosure during the fifth Stakeholders’ Meeting of Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), on Thursday in Abuja.

Represented by the Chief of Defence Training and Operation, Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, the CDS said the 613 clients are currently undergoing deradicalization and rehabilitation handled by the OPSC.

He said that the meeting would exhaustively discuss the Deradicalization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) Programme ahead of the transfer of the rehabilitated clients to their state governments.

Irabor said the OPSC was established by President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2015 as a window for willing and repentant terrorists to lay down their arms and undergo a structured DRR programme.

He added that the scheme was a multi-agency and humanitarian operation utilising the expertise of over 17 services, ministries, departments and agencies, supported by local and international organisations and friendly nations.

The CDS said the successes of OPSC had continued to resonate within the region and in the diaspora, thereby attracting the interest of researchers from far and wide.

“It is also important to mention that upon graduation from the programme, each client will be provided some food and personal items, as well as start-up pack according to the trade learnt during training to enable them set up small businesses and start a new life.”

Irabor recommended that the receiving state governments should provide necessary support to enable the ex-combatants wade through the transitional and most challenging phase of their lives.

“We are optimistic that working closely with local and traditional authorities, the states can deploy security apparatus at their disposal to effectively track and evaluate the re-integrated ex- combatants.

“I must emphasise that it is critical for all stakeholders involved in the reintegration processes in order to mitigate, or completely eliminate incidences of recidivism,” he said.

Irabor said the Armed Forces had significantly degraded Boko Haram and Islamic State terrorists and restricted them to a small portion of Sambisa Forest and isolated islands on the Lake Chad.

According to him, through consistent and effective air interdictions along with well coordinated clearance operations on positively identified strongholds of the insurgents, troops have continued to inflict heavy casualties on the groups and their leadership.

“These sustained operations continue to put pressure and confusion within the ranks of the adversary causing many to surrender to the armed forces.

“As at today, over 83,000 insurgents and their family members have surrendered, while those captured have been tried and convicted to various jail terms by the law courts.

“As we speak, many more captured combatants are being held in several correctional facilities and their trial is ongoing,” Irabor said.

The CDS said that the military has been adopting kinetic and non kinetic methods to win the war against insurgency.

“I must emphasise that counterinsurgency operation is dynamic and requires a lot of ingenuity and proactive strategies to achieve success.

“One of such strategies adopted by the Federal Government is by extending an olive branch to low profile members of the insurgent groups who form the critical mass,” he said.

The Coordinator of OPSC, Maj.-Gen. Joseph Maina, said the programme had successfully processed 1,573 clients comprising 1,555 Nigerians and 18 foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad and Niger since its commencement in 2016.

Maina said that all the foreign clients were transferred to their respective countries for reintegration.

He said that the 613 clients were transferred to the DRR camp on Sept. 8, 2022 to commence training, adding that among them were five foreigners from Chad and Niger.

The OPSC coordinator disclosed that 19 of the clients have been transferred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital neurological center for expert psychiatric management.

On the meeting, Maina said it was to work out modalities for the smooth transfer of the clients to  their national and states authorities for reintegration after graduation in February.

“Specifically, at the end of this meeting, all stakeholders would be fully abreast with activities of OPSC and DRR Programme in particular.

“The State authorities and the MDAs would know in specific terms, the roles they would play in the transfer as well as reintegration process of the clients.

“Identify and recommend in specific terms affordable resettlement package for the clients and assign responsibility to relevant MDAs to provide.

“Determine the mode of community sensitization, camp visitation and community service programmes to take and ratify the graduation date and initiate arrangements for the ceremony,” he said.

The Secretary to the Government of Adamawa, Mallam Bashiru Ahmad, said the state had been collaborating with OPSC to bring clients’ parent together and prepare communities to receive them after deradicalisation.

He said they were at the stakeholders’ meeting to look at what could be done to ensure the effectiveness of the programme and expressed optimism that the effort would yield the desired result.

On her part, Borno Commissioner for Women affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, said the state had received the largest chunk of the repentant terrorists since the programme started.

Gambo assured that the state would continue to assess the clients even after graduation from OPSC in Gombe to ensure that there were ready for reintegration into their communities.

She said the only difference between the Borno model of deradicalisation and OPSC was the military involvement, adding that the Borno model was more civil in outlook.

According to her, the repentant terrorists live with their families in Borno camps while the camp in Gombe only allows families visits.

She called for more support from federal government and relevant stakeholders for the state government achieve its desired objective. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

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By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Military Pensions Board (MPB) on Thursday began the payment of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) to eligible military retirees and next-of-kins of the deceased pensioners.

The Chairman of the board, Rear Adm. Saburi Lawal, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Lawal said the payment was sequel to the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari for the SDA to be paid to retirees who originally were not covered by the Nov. 9, 2017 effective date.

He said it was also in line with the agreement reached at the ensuing tripartite meetings of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Finance and representatives of the  veteran associations.

According to him, the board has commenced payment of the first and second tranches covering first and second quarters.

Lawal said the beneficiaries were  military retirees on MPB database who retired before Nov. 9, 2017, deceased military retirees who were alive when the Manual of Financial Administration (MAFA) 2017 was signed in 2017 and non-pensionable retirees who retired before Nov. 9, 2017 but were only paid gratuities.

He said the SDA was calculated as a function of 10 per cent of the retirees’ annual basic salary as at the time of retirement, multiplied by the number of years served in the services.

He urged all concerned military pensioners and NOKs of the deceased military personnel to contact their banks for their entitlements.

The Chairman thanked President Buhari for his support to military retirees and the NOKs of deceased personnel.

“The Board would like to thank our esteemed military retirees for their patience and understanding during the process of getting funds for commencement of payment of this outstanding allowance.

“On its part, the Board pledges to ensure prompt payment of subsequent tranches of this arrears, once funds are made available,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

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By Sumaila Ogbaje

Troops of Operation Forest Sanity have eliminated four terrorists and recovered arms and ammunition as well as other items in two encounters in Kaduna State.

Maj-Gen. Musa Danmadami ,Director, Defence Media Operations, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Danmadami said the troops had on Sunday and Monday responded to distress calls of bandits’ attacks at Rafin Sarki village in Giwa Local Government Area, Kaduna State.

He said the troops engaged the terrorists in a gun fight and neutralised two ,recovering one AK 47 rifle.

He added that troops had also on Tuesday, carried out an ambush operation at Rafin Taba village, in the same local government area and neutralised two terrorists.

According to him, troops also recovered two AK 47 rifles, four AK 47 magazines, 51 (7.62mm) special ammunition, five mobile phones, one cutlass, two motorcycles and the sum of N206,000.

“The military high command commends troops of Operation Forest Sanity and encourages the general public to avail troops with credible and timely information on criminal activities,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Buhari Bolaji

By Abiodun Lawal

The police command in Ogun has begun  investigation into the death of a couple, Mr Kehinde and Mrs Bukola Fatinoye, at Ibara GRA in Abẹokuta, on the New Year’s Day.

SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the state Police Public Relations Officer, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abeokuta.

NAN reports that Kehinde and Bukola were burnt to death when suspected arsonists set their house ablaze on Jan. 1.

One of their children and their housekeeper were  also alleged to have been kidnapped by those behind the suspected arson.

According to Oyeyemi,  the police will  do all within their powers to reveal those behind the dastardly act.

NAN gathered that the incident happened shortly after the couple returned from  ‘Cross Over Service’ to usher in the new year.

NAN also learnt that Kehinde and Bukola  were employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta,  respectively. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu/Ijeoma Popoola