By Sumaila Ogbaje

The North-East Elders for Restoration (NEER), a pressure group has hailed the ongoing military clearance operations nationwide, especially against Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists.

The group gave the commendation in a statement by its president, Mallam Bello Katagum and Secretary, Alhaji Sani Sanusi, on Thursday, in Abuja.

They also declared their support for the appointment of Gen. Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff and expressed confidence that Nigeria would witness improved security with the military under his command.

The group said the North East region witnessed improved security when Gen. Musa was the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai theatre.

They said it was during Musa’s tenure that displaced persons in the region began to return to their various means of livelihood as a result of intense military operations against terrorists.

According to the group, the region also witnessed large number of terrorists and their family members surrendering to troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“We are, therefore, not surprised that he has begun to replicate these attributes as the Chief of Defence Staff.

“No matter the noise from the terrorists and bandits, we are rest assured that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is in good hands.

“Very soon, Nigerians will begin to rejoice over the enemies who don’t want us to leave in peace.

“During his time as the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Gen. Musa was thorough, didn’t side any religion and gave the terrorists a hard time,” they said.

The elders also commended the military for the enhanced synergy between the services and other security agencies, saying it had produced positive results across the country.

They urged Nigerians to continue to support the military to ensure their sacrifices for peace and stability would not be in vain. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Salif Atojoko

By Monday Ijeh

The Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Haruna Garba, has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of an undergraduate, Blessing Moses.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Adeh said the investigation is to unravel the circumstances surrounding the untimely death of the undergraduate of the National Open University of Nigeria.

“Our commitment to this case is unwavering and we are determined to uncover both the immediate and remote causes of this tragic incident.

“We are working closely with the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to facilitate the retrieval of the decomposed remains.

“We acknowledge the sensitive nature of this task and will continue to provide updates to the public as our investigation progresses,” she said.

Adeh said the body of the 26-year-old deceased, who had been declared missing after leaving her place of work in Garki since Sept. 11, was discovered in a wooded area in Karimo area of Abuja.

She said her disappearance was reported to the the police on Sept. 14.

Adeh expressed the condolences of the Police Command in the FCT to the family and loved ones of Moses. (NAN)

By Uchenna Ugwu

The Police Command in Ebonyi has said that it does not have information about a missing child in the state.

SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, Spokesperson of the command told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Wednesday that the incident could only be confirmed when officially reported.

“Now, we have called the Area Division but there is no such information,” Onovwakpoyeya said.

NAN reports that the incident occurred on Sunday on Udemezue Street, Abakaliki.

The incident involved a little child, Rejoice Omoha, daughter of Mr Omoha Donatus, native of Ndiogogo Inyimagu, Izzi Local Government Area of the state. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

By Sumaila Ogbaje

A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft under Operation Hadin Kai, on Wednesday took out a gun truck and eight terrorists at Baranga village, Marte Local Government Area of Borno.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said in a statement in Abuja that the strike was executed while on armed reconnaissance mission in the area.

Gabkwet said the airstrike was in furtherance of sustained onslaught against remnants of terrorists in the North East.

He said the opportunity strike, which presented itself unexpectedly, occurred when two armed terrorists on a motorcycle were trailed along an active track.

Gabkwet said the terrorists took cover under a thick vegetation after sighting the aircraft, adding that a gun truck with eight terrorists suddenly appeared, speeding off to evade the aircraft.

“Subsequently, the gun truck was engaged and destroyed, thus eliminating the terrorists.

“Remnants of terrorists in the Northeast continue to seek the covers of thick forests and vegetation to evade being detected by the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies.

“This strike is yet again a clear indication of the commitment of the AFN towards ensuring terrorists find it difficult to randomly roam about freely, attacking law abiding Nigerians,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

By Isaac Aregbesola

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, says the fight against corruption should not be left to the Federal Government and its agencies alone.

Fagbemi posited that the states should be involved in the fight against corruption.

He stated this at a one-day Hybrid Sensitisation Workshop on Revised Guidelines on Negotiation and Drafting of Contracts and Agreements by Government Parties to Prevent Corruption and Illicit Financial Flows and Ensure Sustainable Development

The workshop was organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Tuesday in Abuja.

“I want to mention that the issue of corruption and the tendency to limit the fight to Federal Government alone is wrong. contracts are not awarded at the Federal level alone.

“States are also involved. There should be a way of bringing some of these states on board,” he said.

Speaking on the revised guidelines initiated by the commission, Fagbemi said the document was mostly needed.

He noted that some of the corrupt practices being fought in the country were perpetrated at the state level but the international laws rarely recognised them (the states).

“The document that we are presenting to the public today will not only be useful to the Federal Government, it will also be useful to the state governments.

“If you look at it, in international law, the states are not known. It is the Federal Government that will stand for the states.

“Some of these atrocities are also perpetrated at the state levels and the Federal Government is called to come and account for it.

“My advice is that there should be another way of bringing the states on board to appreciate the need for your efforts,” he said.

He expressed the support of the Federal Government to the initiatives of ICPC and other government agencies aimed at engendering transparency, efficiency and prevention of corruption.

“The concept of the revised guidelines will hopefully deter corruption in negotiation and execution of government contracts, which is part of the Federal Government’s ministerial deliverables on improved guidelines for effective service delivery.

“The Federal Ministry of Justice is,  therefore, committed to supporting initiatives undertaken by MDAs, which is aimed at engendering transparency, efficiency and preventing corruption.

“Equally, at the ministerial level, the ministry has developed policy documents and specific mechanisms to ensure transparency and reduce incidents of bad judgment arising from poor drafting of Federal Government contracts with mala fide intention against the country and its citizens

“Particularly as it relates to contracts within the thresholds of the Federal Executive Council,” he stated.

In his address of welcome, the Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, noted some of the ways contracts were used to fleece the nation through capital flight and other forms of Illicit Financial Flows.

He said they included lack of provisions for periodic review of long-term contracts, grant of licenses and waivers.

He stated further that the choice of laws and the seat of arbitration have often worked to the disadvantage of the nation hence the need for the guidelines.

On his part, the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr Taiwo Oyedele in a paper titled: “Avoiding Tax Defaults and Capital Flights in Commercial Agreements” suggested the way forward to addressing some of the issues encouraging capital flights in commercial agreements.

Oyedele recommended the standardisation of approach using templates and approved checklists constantly reviewed and updated.

He proffered other solutions to include the involvement of specialists and subject matter experts, tax impact assessment and simulation, caps and sunset clauses,

Others,  he said,  were check local requirements and compliance with counterparty’s jurisdiction, use of clauses in agreements to safeguard national interest, inclusion of local content in projects execution to limit capital flights amongst others.

The workshop featured a panel of discussion on issues around negotiating agreements in the oil and gas, solid minerals, trade and investment and environment standards contracts.(NAN)

IAA/CHOM

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma

By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus

EFCC on Wednesday in Ilorin called on real estate agents to avoid being used as conduit pipes for money laundering.

“You are critical stakeholders in the fight against corruption,’’ Zonal Commander of the Ilorin office of the EFCC, Mr Michael Nzekwe, told the real estate agents.

The agents were represented at a meeting with executive members of the Kwara chapter of Estate Rent and Commission Agents Association of Nigeria (ERCAAN) who paid the EFCC a courtesy visit.

“You should live above board while paying serious attention to the provisions of the new Money Laundering Act, 2022 (as amended) and the Advance Fee Fraud Act and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse. The EFCC will go after anyone that violates any of the extant laws guiding the operation of real estate business,’’ Nzekwe said.

He stressed that the zone was determined to fight financial crimes through enforcement of all regulations against sharp practices and money laundering, especially in the real estate sector.

He noted that real estate is an avenue through which corrupt Nigerians laundered proceeds of crime and urged ERCAAN members to acquaint themselves with laws and regulations guiding the sector.

Nzekwe also called on members of the association to ensure compliance with the regulation requiring registration and certification of their businesses by EFCC’s Special Control Unit against Money Laundering.

He urged the agents to report cases of suspicious transactions to the appropriate agencies as required by the law.

Earlier, the association’s chairman, Mr Adewole Onibokun commended the EFCC for its giant strides in fighting corruption.

Onibokun expressed the willingness of members of the association to assist the EFCC in the fight against money laundering and other financial crimes in the real estate sector.

He said ERCAAN was founded in 1990 to promote the interests of Nigerian real estate agents who engaged in genuine and honest practices.

“We recognise the role the EFCC plays in checkmating corruption and we recognise that it has added value to our businesses, hence our visit to pledge our solidarity with it,’’ Onibokun said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has praised the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) for providing a formidable air power in the ongoing joint operations in defence of Nigeria.

He stated this at the graduation of participants of the Air War College (AWC) Course 9/2023, on Tuesday in Makurdi, Benue.

This is contained in a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The minister said that NAF had over the years, continued to attract tremendous goodwill and credibility to the nation through the provision of airlift and humanitarian support for the United Nations, African Union and friendly African countries.

Represented by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, the minister said that NAF’s premium on operational art, critical thinking and other pragmatic frameworks for military decision-making processes in the curriculum of the AWC would, no doubt, enhance the culture of proactiveness in operational planning and management in the NAF.

This, according to him, is indispensable to ensuring national security which is pivotal to the socio-economic development of the nation.

Badaru also commended the NAF personnel who continued to contribute immensely to the successes of ongoing joint operations.

“I must also place on record that the NAF has been playing significant and crucial roles in the ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations where its officers and airmen have performed gallantly,” he said.

Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, commended the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) for their efforts towards peace restoration in the country.

Alia also expressed appreciation to the NAF for their efforts at sustaining and maintaining peace and security in the state.

According to him, the presence of the NAF in Makurdi gives the people of Benue a sense of security and an assurance of their safety.

In his remarks, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, described the graduation of another set of participants of the AWC as a major stride in human capacity development in the Service.

Abubakar said that capacity development was critical to the fulfilment of NAF’s constitutional mandate, adding that the NAF would  be inducting additional platforms before the end of the year to boost training, air power employment and projection.

According to him, these platforms include two Agusta 109 Trekker Multi-role helicopters, two Beechcraft King Air 360, three Diamond DA-62 surveillance aircrafts and six T-129 ATAK helicopters.

“Other pending acquisitions include two CASA 295 medium airlift/surveillance aircraft, 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters and 24 x M-346 attack aircraft.

“These acquisitions demonstrate government’s deep commitment to equipping the NAF for the safe conduct of training and agile airpower employment to meet the nation’s security challenges,” he said.

Abubakar thanked President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support to the NAF in equipment procurement and training, which had enabled it to maintain consistency in conducting operations to curtail contemporary threats.

He said the war college had played important role  in enhancing synergy in the ongoing operations, noting that institutions like the war colleges must continue to produce officers with broad understanding and beliefs in joint operations.

He said the successes so far recorded in ongoing joint operations signified the benefits and necessity of joint force employment in contemporary military operations.

The CAS added that the defence and service headquarters must continue to work towards eradicating all impediments to joint operational planning and execution to optimise combat strength of joint forces in operations.

He said the AWC had since inception, been consistent in fulfilling its mandate of developing the capacity of middle cadre officers in the AFN in leadership and effective employment of air power.

He said the emphasis placed on critical thinking and its application to operational planning as well as net assessment and future studies had greatly enhanced the quality of the course content, while attracting wider patronage from other services and friendly nations.

Earlier, the Commandant of the College, AVM Abayomi Kehinde, said the college course curriculum as well as those of the Army and Naval War Colleges were harmonised by the DHQ to promote synergy.

Kehinde said that participants at the three war colleges had since the harmonisation of the curriculums, converged on Abuja to conduct a joint operational planning exercise nicknamed EXERCISE SKYLOCK annually.

He said the exercise was aimed at promoting inter-service synergy and collaboration as well as interoperability at the operational level within the armed forces.

Kehinde expressed optimism that the knowledge gained by the participants from their exposure to joint operations planning and execution would broaden their knowledge as well as strengthen their understanding of unified and multi-agency approaches to the conduct of warfare, crisis management and resolution.

He said the participants comprised one Cameroonian officer, two Nigerian Army officers and two Naval Officers.

“It is a clear testament that the college was indeed a tri-service as well as a multi-national institution,” he added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Benson Iziama/Rabiu Sani-Ali