News

CDS Says Arrest Of Simon Ekpa Helped Reduced Tension In S/East

Published

3 months ago

January 15, 2025

By Gloria Ikibah

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has said that the arrest of Simon Ekpa in Finland has greatly reduced the tension in South East Nigeria.

According to the CDS, with this development, alongside ‘Operation Udoka’ by the Defence Headquarters, peace is gradually been restored in the region.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that ‘Operation Udoka’ was established to flush out banditry and end the sit-at-home situation in the South-East.

Musa who stated this this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Defence for the 2025 budget defense on Tuesday in Abuja, assured the Nigerian military was working with the people to ensure stability in the region.

He said: “With the arrest of Simon Ekpa, it has greatly reduced the tension. Also with Operation Udoka, we’re also doing that, picking up most of the leadership that are there, taking them out, and then making sure that the place is peaceful.

“The sit-at-home on Mondays is gradually diminishing. We’re also working with the political leaders there because we understand, like I said always, we need to have the local support because without it, it’s difficult. You know, the terrain is very challenging, so we need to work together. It is improving.”

The CDS testified that the last Christmas and New Year holiday period was very peaceful because the military was proactive.

He reiterated their commitment to non-kinetic measures of addressing the security problem and this was yielding positive results.

“We had some intelligence and worked ahead to ensure that everywhere was kept peaceful. That has happened and we intend to do that and continue to do more. What we try to encourage is jointness, synergy in our operations.

“And like we always appeal for Nigerians to understand that they have to take ownership of their armed forces, they have to take ownership of the security challenges we are facing. It’s not the challenge for the armed forces alone or security agencies, it’s everybody’s responsibility to do.

“And we’re happy that we’re beginning to get that support from everywhere. Human intelligence information is coming, it’s flowing quite very well and we are taking adequate action and that’s why we see things are improving.

“What we have done is that we have established and enhanced the kinetic efforts for the three services for our operations. We have the Delta Safe, which is in the South South for Oil theft and Militancy. At least for the first time now we have been able to reach our OPEC oil quota for Nigeria and we intend to do more.

“Our target is to hit 2.2 million barrels a day for Nigeria. It’s not something that we can also do alone. We also need the other stakeholders in the oil industry to also play their own role. We are doing more, providing more security. We are close to 2 million barrels per day. We intend to do more. This year, we want to intensify our operations so that we take out.

“We have formed groups that are discussing with the locals. And we have found that that discussion has helped a lot. So we have the religious leaders, the cultural leaders, and every stakeholder is also part of it. We realize that if we carry everybody along, it makes it a lot easier. Like we said, the best general is that general that does not need to shoot. If you are able to solve the problem without firing it is better.

“So that by the time we do that, those ones are willing to move, we move them out, and those ones that are unwilling, then we go after them. But the kinetic and the non-kinetic must continue to go hand in hand. And it is working very well,” he added said.

The CDS therefore called for the improvement of border management to address the problem of smuggling. According to him, a number of children who were being trafficked have been rescued.

“We have rescued a number of children being trafficked across Nigeria to other countries. And then trafficking of drugs, small arms, light weapons. We’re working in tandem with the Customs. When we make such arrests, we call either the NDLEA or call the Customs and hand over to them. So these are extra things that we’re doing,” he said.

He reiterated the commitment of the military to ensuring peace across the country, but expressed concern about troops welfare, which he said was poor.

“Without peace, there cannot be development. And nobody is happy when things are not peaceful. Because even if you think you have, sometimes you might be the ones at the receiving end. So that has equally helped us a lot.

“Now what is our other concern? Troops’ welfare. We know generally the economy, everybody is having the heat. And we’re no more different. So we’re looking at the aspect of also improving the welfare for our troops, the RCA, Ration Cash Allowance. We’re still struggling at less than N2,000 per soldier per head to feed.

“We’re happy that Mr. President has recently increased the salaries to some extent of the junior class, which is the junior grade of personnel, which has also enhanced their ability.

“We know the country is going through so much and it’s not only the military that needs support, but I think we want to get more, we can do more.

“We also need accommodation. Every year we are recruiting almost 25,000 for all the services. And those ones going on retirement, every year they are not up to 5,000. So you see we’re getting almost 20,000 into the system. The issue of new barracks, construction, old barracks, renovation, these are issues we have to addess because now that we’re beginning to get peace.

“Gradually we’re going to return to barracks. We don’t want to go back to barracks and then we’ll start living in tents or in batchers like it was before. So it’s important that we’re able to work ahead to establish new barracks that have been established and then to be able to carry out renovation”, Musa added.

He further stressed the need to drive local manufacturing of weapons as it was difficult getting weapons internationally, this he said was a major reason the fight against insecurity has persisted.

“We also need equipment. We have also tried to increase, because we realized that, because we don’t produce what we need, it’s been very difficult. That’s one of the reasons why the warfare has continued for this long. Because we have to rely on getting hard currency to go abroad.

“When you go there to buy, again, you don’t get this thing off the shelf. Sometimes you have to pay. And now with the Ukraine-Russian war, it has made it extremely more difficult. Because America particularly is paying off most of the items. So when you go there, they say it’s already been booked. So to get it is a problem. So we realize thatWe need to also start producing what we need.

“And that we have started with the DICON bill that Mr. President signed. We are doing a lot together to try and bring for regional equipment manufacturers to come and produce in Nigeria With the DICON, what we are doing again is we have a number of local manufacturers of weapons.

“They have the talents, but they don’t have anywhere to showcase it. So the tendency is if they are not used positively, they will go because they want to survive, they will go negatively. And that’s why in some areas we have identified some people that produce very good weapons, automatic, but local.

“So what we are doing is we are trying to get them, bring them in, give them the platform so that they can come and legitimately produce this thing. And gradually, Nigeria can start producing its own kind of weapon. So we don’t have to rely on foreigners to get our own weapon.

“We are doing that and looking at experts. What we are doing, we are talent hunting them all over the country and then bringing them in to be able to produce this item for us”, he stated.

In his remarks the Chairman Committee on Defence, Rep. Babajimi Benson, said as representatives of the people, it was their duty to ensure that every Naira is judiciously spent to strengthen the operational capacity of the Air Forces and deliver tangible results.

Rep. Benson explained that this year’s budget defense was particularly significant as it comes against the backdrop of evolving global and domestic security threats.

“These recent developments highlight the need for heightened vigilance and inter-agency collaboration.

“We must leverage intelligence, technology, and best practices to neutralize emerging threats and safeguard our citizens. As we deliberate on the 2025 budget, I urge all defense agencies to prioritize strategic initiatives that align with national security objectives,” he said.

Related Topics:chairman Naira Ndlea Nigeria Nigerian

Up Next

2025 Budget: NASS Joint Committee Directs NCS To Block Revenue Leakages To Achive N10.5trn Target

Don't Miss

2025 Budget: Reps Panel Reject Envelop System Of Budget

Click to comment

News

Video: Woman Shares Her ‘Japa’ Experience, Claims Burkina Faso Is Preferable to Nigeria

Published

21 minutes ago

April 15, 2025

Admin

A young Nigerian Lady who moved to Burkina Faso two years ago has sparked widespread attention online after sharing a heartfelt comparison of her life there versus her experience in Nigeria.

In a video that has quickly gone viral, she urged fellow Nigerians to stop advising her to come back home, emphasizing that despite being less developed, Burkina Faso offers a more livable environment in many ways.

She expressed deep appreciation for the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, under whose governance she said she has enjoyed a standard of living far better than what she had in Nigeria. The woman highlighted key benefits such as a more affordable cost of living, consistent electricity, and more effective governance as reasons for her satisfaction.

“Nigeria is better in what way? Burkina Faso is not so developed like Nigeria but are ten times better. I can go to the market with a thousand and buy food meant for four people. The government doesn’t mess around here; fuel hasn’t increased since I got here; electricity doesn’t go off and when it would for just 30 minutes, it would be announced on the radio,” she ranted.

The woman expressed her concerns about the lack of safety in Nigeria, pointing out that walking at night is dangerous in many areas. She also drew a comparison between President Bola Tinubu and the 36-year-old leader of Burkina Faso, stating that the people of Burkina Faso take pride in their president, unlike many Nigerians.

How will you compare the youngest president in Africa—Captain Ibrahim Traoré—to Tinubu? They are proud of their president here; how many people is proud of Tinubu there? If you go to market in Nigeria with N1000, you can only buy seasoning cubes,” she added.

Her remarks have elicited a range of reactions online. Some Nigerians align with her opinion, whereas others question her stance by mentioning the security problems that Burkina Faso encounters.

Watch the video below:
https://twitter.com/General_Somto/status/1911700545175175468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

News

FUOYE VC suspended over sexual harassment allegations

Published

26 minutes ago

April 15, 2025

Admin

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, has been suspended by the university’s Governing Council following serious allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by a senior official of the institution, Engr. Folasade Adebayo.

According to a report by SaharaReporters, the suspension came after the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, intervened in the matter, expressing deep dissatisfaction with the Council’s initial recommendations which reportedly ignored the substance of the harassment allegations and instead advised the complainant to apologise to the Vice-Chancellor.

A source disclosed: “The minister was very angry with the decision of the council. He was unhappy that the council tried to sweep the sexual harassment complaint under the carpet and rather told the complainant to apologise. He called the Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), to register his displeasure.”

In response to the minister’s strong opposition, Senator Ndoma-Egba swiftly convened an emergency online meeting of the Governing Council at 2:00 PM on Monday, April 14, 2025. During this meeting, the Council resolved to suspend Prof. Fasina.

However, sources within the meeting revealed that Prof. Fasina pleaded with the Council to allow him to proceed on his accumulated leave instead of facing a formal suspension. The Council eventually granted this request, approving six months of leave.

“You know, as a Vice-Chancellor, if you wish to end your tenure early, especially within six months to the end of your term, you are permitted to proceed on your accumulated leave,” the source explained. “Although Fasina’s tenure is due to end in August, the Council has now asked him to proceed on that leave effective immediately.”

This decision was later confirmed through an official press statement issued by the university’s Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Mufutau A. Ibrahim. The statement read:

“The Governing Council of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) at its 7th Emergency Meeting held online on Monday, 14th April, 2025, considered the request of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, to proceed on his accumulated Annual and Research Leave and approved six (6) months, being 126 working days out of his total entitlements of 228 days with effect from today, Monday, 14th April, 2025.”

The statement further announced that Prof. Samuel Olubunmi Shittu, a Professor of Soil Science and the incumbent Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), has been appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor.

“In addition, the Governing Council appointed Prof. Olubunmi S. Shittu, the incumbent Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, who is also the most senior of the three (3) Deputy Vice-Chancellors, as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University for a period of six (6) months with effect from today, Monday, 14th April, 2025.”

The suspension of Prof. Fasina has sparked strong reactions within Nigeria’s academic community, with many calling for a transparent and thorough investigation into the allegations. Stakeholders and rights groups have also urged the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure justice is served and to reinforce institutional safeguards to protect whistleblowers and victims of harassment in Nigerian universities.

News

Power Generation Companies Express Concern Over N4 Trillion Unpaid debts, Warn Imminent Shutdown

Published

32 minutes ago

April 15, 2025

Admin

Nigeria’s electricity generation companies (GenCos) have raised the alarm over an impending collapse of their operations due to the crippling debt of over N4 trillion owed to them by the federal government.

The debt, comprising legacy obligations and unpaid subsidies for 2024, was severely undermining the power sector’s ability to function optimally.

The Board of Trustees chairman of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Col. Sani Bello (rtd), who made this known on Monday, said GenCos were currently owed N2 trillion for power supplied in 2024 and N1.9 trillion in legacy debts.

The companies noted that plants were being paid less than 30 per cent of monthly invoices for power supplied to the national grid.

The companies stated: “It is no more news that the power generation companies have continued to bear the brunt of the liquidity crisis in the Nigerian Electric Supply Industry (NESI).

“GenCos, on their part as responsible investors with patriotic zeal, have made large-scale investments and have continued to demonstrate absolute commitment by ramping capacities in line with their contract these over 10 years, amid system constraints, policies & regulations that are not investors friendly, increasing debts owed by the FGN without a clear financing plan, lack of firm contracts and a market without securitisation but based on best endeavours, thereby hampering future planning.

“Notwithstanding this and other severe difficulties the GenCos have battled with since takeover in 2013, they have kept to the terms of their contractual agreements by ramping up capacity, which has been largely constrained systemically.

“Against the backdrop of the many challenges facing the power sector in Nigeria, the crises from cash liquidity are on the top burner and have reduced GenCos ability to continue to perform their obligations, thereby threatening to undermine the Electricity value chain completely.

“The GenCos expectations of being settled through external support such as the World Bank PSRO has also been dampened due to other market participants’ inability to meet their respective distribution linked indicators (DLIs), enshrined in the Power Sector Recovery Program (PSRP).”

The GenCos added, “In light of the severity of the issues highlighted above, the GenCos are requesting that immediate and expedited action be taken to prevent national security challenges that may result from the failure of the GenCos to sustain steady generation of electricity for Nigerians.

“The 2024 collection rate has dropped below 30 per cent, and 2025 is not any better, severely affecting GenCos’ ability to meet financial obligations. Tax and Regulatory Challenges: High corporate income tax, concession fees, royalty charges, and new FRC compliance obligations are further straining GenCos’ revenue. GenCos are currently owed about N4 trillion (N2 trillion for 2024 and N1.9 trillion in legacy debts). No possible solutions, including cash payments, financial instruments, and debt swaps, are in sight.

“The 2025 government budget allocates only N900 billion, raising concerns about its adequacy to cover arrears and future payments. The power generated by GenCos have continued to be consumed in full without corresponding full payment, notwithstanding the commencement of the Partial Activation of Contracts in the NESI which took effect from July 1, 2022, the minimum remittance order, bilateral market declaration, waterfall arrangement, the risks of inflation, forex volatility with no dedicated window to cushion the effect of the forex impact, the supplementary MYTO order which leaves about 90% of GenCos monthly invoices unmet without a bankable securitisation, or financing plan. This situation has dire consequences for the GenCos and by extension the entire power value chain.”

The generation companies, which called for the implementation of payment plans to settle all outstanding GenCos invoices, observed that “the flow of money within the power industry is one of the fundamental problems preventing Nigerians from enjoying continued and sustainable improvement in electricity supply.”