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Former CDS, Leo Irabor hails Buhari in a glowing tribute
Former Chief of Defense Staff, CDS, General Leo Irabor, Rtd in a tribute to his former principal, Late President Muhammadu Buhari said that he was a soldier’s soldier and a gentleman.
The former top military brass made this revelation in a tribute he personally signed declaring that he he was going to dearly miss a wonderful man.
He did: “The news of the passing of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, came to me and my family as a profound shock and source of deep sorrow. I know that we are not alone in this grief-millions of Nigerians at home and
in the diaspora feel the same sense of loss.
“President Buhari was, in every sense, a good man. Before he appointed me as Chief of Defence Staff on 26
January 2021, I had never met him personally.
“Like many Nigerians, I knew him only from a distance-through
the pages of history, the news, and the reverence with which he was spoken of in military circles
” As an Officer
Cadet in the Nigerian Defence Academy during his tenure as Military Head of State, I admired him from afar.
“It was only after my appointment as Chief of Defence Staff that I got to truly know the man behind the public image.
“In our very first meeting, he looked me in the eye and said, “I have never met you before, but I have heard of your performance. I hope you will not disappoint.” That moment has never left me.
“In President Buhari, I encountered a disciplined and deeply principled leader. A soldier’s soldier. A man who said little but listened intently and deeply. He placed implicit trust in those he appointed-never
micromanaging, never second-guessing.
“It was, perhaps, this quiet trust that some may have misunderstood or
even taken for granted.
“But to me, it revealed a depth of character and a rare kind of leadership.
As Commander-in-Chief, he gave unwavering support to the Armed Forces under my watch, within the limits of the nation’s resources.
” He trusted our judgment and believed in our capacity as I assured him that we would
never make excuses. He believed in us that failure was not an end- it was a lesson to be learned, a stepping stone to future success.
“President Buhari was firm, yet fair. He had the humility to yield to superior arguments when convinced by
reason, especially on matters of national security.
” I recall two distinct occasions when I respectfully asked him
to reconsider directives relayed through his staff. After hearing my perspective, he promptly reversed those decisions-without ego, without hesitation.
“On another occasion, I drew his attention to the grave national
security risks of what was then perceived as governmental passivity on a matter of urgent concern.
” He responded with remarkable speed and poise. That moment defined, for me, the essence of true leadership.
At National Security Council meetings, I was often struck by his endurance-sitting for hours, attentive and
composed, never once calling for a break.
” I once asked him, half in jest, how he found the patience and strength.
He only smiled.
Yes, like every mortal, he had his flaws. But within the man I knew- President Muhammadu Buhari –I saw a patriot who loved Nigeria deeply and gave of himself sacrificially.
“He desired a better nation and poured out his energy, time, and strength in pursuit of that dream.
I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have served in his administration, to have walked a part of this journey of nation-building with him.
“On behalf of my family, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the former First Lady, Dr. Aisha Buhari, the entire
family, friends, and all who mourn this national loss. May you find comfort in the knowledge that your husband,
father, and friend served with dignity, honour, and integrity.
“To my Commander-in-Chief, my Principal – President Mohammadu Buhari, at the sound of the Last Post, rest
well.
“You fought the good fight. May your soul find eternal peace in the bosom of the Almighty.
The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has announced that members can now decide whether to accept or donate the four main components of blood based on their personal conscience.
The organisation made this known in a statement issued by its World Headquarters in Warwick, New York and made available on its website on Friday.
According to the statement, “the decision to accept red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood is a matter of personal conscience.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses announce adjustment to blood transfusion policy
It added that “each Witness must decide whether or not to donate blood for the clearly expressed purpose of providing components or fractions for use by another person.”
However, the organisation said its position on whole-blood transfusion had not changed.
“The long-standing refusal of whole-blood transfusions on religious grounds, a core teaching based on the command to ‘abstain from blood’ (Acts 15:20), is unchanged,” the statement said.
International spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at the organisation’s World Headquarters, Paul Gillies, said, “Blood remains sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continue to regard life and blood as precious gifts from God.
“We recognise that medical decisions involving blood components are a matter of conscience between each Witness and their God, Jehovah.”
The organisation said the adjustment “follows earlier updates regarding blood fractions and the use of one’s own blood during medical procedures.”
It added, “Since the Bible does not comment on such decisions, they are a matter of individual conscience. That same reasoning has now been extended to the four main components of blood.”
On medical care, the statement said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses love life and want the best available medical care. They do not practise faith healing, and they seek out doctors who can provide effective treatment in accord with their wishes, values and beliefs.”
Gillies said local congregations would not interfere in members’ personal decisions.
“Congregations do not involve themselves in personal decisions that rest with the individual conscience. We will continue to respect and support the personal decisions of our fellow believers.
“We are grateful, too, for the many skilled and compassionate physicians who provide quality medical care that respects our personal wishes regarding blood,” he said.
The organisation said Jehovah’s Witnesses number “over nine million worldwide, in congregations across more than 200 lands.”
Recall that the religious group had clarified its position on the use of a member’s own blood during surgery and other medical procedures.
The clarification allowed individual Witnesses to decide whether their blood could be removed, stored and returned to them during medical treatment, while the organisation maintained its position against receiving blood from another person.
Punch
The Nigerian Army has dismissed as fake and unverified a purported intelligence alert warning of planned Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks on schools, churches, mosques, NYSC orientation camps and other public institutions across the country.
Anele said the Army was aware of the circulation and had heightened vigilance across its formations and commands to prevent attacks on vulnerable facilities.
She described the purported intelligence as speculation and urged the public not to treat the document as an official Army security alert.
The response followed the circulation of a document purportedly signed by one A.M. Sodiq, which claimed that Boko Haram and ISWAP were planning coordinated attacks across several parts of the country.
The document listed churches, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations as possible targets and alleged that suspected ISWAP operatives had begun surveillance of selected locations.
It further claimed that the alleged attacks could coincide with the resumption of the 2026/2027 academic session.
However, the Army disowned the document, maintaining that it did not originate from the institution.
The Army assured Nigerians that security formations remained on heightened alert and were taking necessary measures to protect schools, places of worship and other vulnerable public facilities.
MINNA, Niger State — An engine oil seller in Minna, the Niger State capital, has reportedly sustained serious injuries after allegedly being shot during a police operation to disperse protesters.
The victim, identified as Ibrahim Mohammed Dada, was reportedly standing outside his shop at Tunga Market when he was struck by a bullet.
Ibrahim’s brother, Yakubu Dada Mohammed, said the victim was not part of the protest and was attending to customers at his engine oil stall when the incident occurred.
According to him, Ibrahim was simply trying to earn a living and support his family when a police officer allegedly fired a shot that hit him in the head and severely injured his face.
«“He was not among those protesting. He was standing in front of his shop selling engine oil when one of the police officers fired a bullet that struck his head and badly injured his face,” Yakubu said.»
Ibrahim is currently receiving treatment at Minna General Hospital, where his condition was reportedly described as critical.
The incident occurred amid protests in Minna over the reported deaths of 37 miners who were allegedly in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Reports indicate that 65 miners were arrested on September 15 and 16, with 37 subsequently reported dead while in security custody.
The protests, which began on Thursday, continued into Friday as security personnel moved to disperse demonstrators. Security forces were reportedly accused of using tear gas and live ammunition during the operation.
However, the circumstances surrounding Ibrahim’s shooting have not been independently established.
The Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, appealed for calm and said the incident would be investigated.
The case has since heightened concerns over the conduct of security personnel during the ongoing protests.
Jehovah’s Witnesses announce fresh adjustment to blood transfusion policy
Army speaks on Boko Haram, ISWAP attack alert as fake
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