Nigerian Armed Forces
House concurs with Senate, approves $6.183 billion external loan request
The House of Representatives has approved the federal government’s request for $6.183 billion (N2.343 trillion) as external borrowing in 2021 Appropriation Act. The approval followed the consideration and adoption of clauses in the report presented by the committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management, chaired by Hon. Ahmed Dayyabu Safana. The House also gave approval for the bill seeking to establish a Defence Research and Development Bureau (DRDB) to conduct and coordinate robust research and development in the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The approval was sequel to the consideration and adoption of the 5 parts and 34 Sections of the Bill’s report, presented by Chairman House Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson. Presenting the report, Benson said the objective of the Bureau was to condu...
UN lauds Nigeria’s leading role in securing Gulf of Guinea
The United Nations (UN) has commended Nigeria for playing a leading role in efforts to secure the Gulf of Guinea, saying it will continue to support the country and the region. Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Kitack Lim said the country had made important contributions to the fight against piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea maritime domain, foremost among them the recent launch of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project. IMO is the specialised agency of the UN responsible for regulating shipping. “I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to the Nigerian government for its continued contribution towards the endeavours to ensure safe and secure maritime operation in the Gu...
VP Osinbajo: General Attahiru, others’ death shows depth of military sacrifice
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has noted that the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and others in Friday’s air crash shows the depth of sacrifice of the military. Expressing shock and sadness at the occurrence, Osinbajo said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, on Saturday that “their death while in active service in the defense of our country reflects the depth of sacrifice our military officers, men and women of the other ranks are often prepared to make.” The statement quoted the Vice President as saying: “I received with great sadness the news of an air crash involving the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru, and other officers of the Nigerian military yesterday. “Their death while in active service in the defense of our country re...
Plateau governor mourns ex-CDS Dogonyaro
Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, has expressed sadness over the death of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Joshua Dogonyaro, at the age of 80. Lalong in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Macham, described his death as a great loss to the nation. He described Dogonyaro as a patriotic and loyal military officer, who served Nigeria with courage, dignity and selflessness, in several commands in his military career, saying he accomplished his assignments with tremendous success. He lauded his outstanding leadership skills in International peace keeping as Field Commander in Liberia, for the Economic Community of West Africa States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), saying Nigeria’s contribution during his tenure remained a reference point in the Nigerian A...
CDS Irabor: Nigeria will have peace again
Chief of Defense Staff General Lucky Irabor has said that the Nigerian Armed Forces will never in any way leave the peace and security of the nation in the hands of the terrorists. General Irabor, who spoke with State House correspondents after being decorated with his new rank by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja said the Armed Forces will determine the peace and will not leave it in the hands of the terrorists. He was before his appointment as CDS a Major General. Fielding question on the role played by the Nigerian military in the recent negotiations that led to the release of the school children from their abductors, he said that the security agencies built bridges across various divides. According to him, “Peace and security is not just the s...
Presidency: Boko Haram weaker now than in 2015
As the country marks the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Friday, the Presidency has declared that the activities of Boko Haram insurgents have been weakened compared to what obtained in 2015. This is even as it said that more than 2,403 criminals, including terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and criminals of other sorts, were reportedly eliminated by the Nigerian Armed Forces, in coordinated operations across the country between March 18 and December 30, 2020. The event is billed to hold in the early hours of the day at the National Arcade, opposite Eagles Square, Three Arms Zone, Abuja. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement titled “Security checklist, as Nigeria marks Armed Forces Remembrance Day, by Presidency” flaunted the Buhari admin...
APC promises conducive environment for Kankara abducted boys
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rendered an unreserved apology to the students abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, promising that President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party will do all it takes to ensure that they continue to study in a safe environment. The ruling party in a statement signed by the National Chairman, Mai Mala Buni, noted that it received with joy and glad heart the release and return of the students who were abducted by terrorists. The party further noted that the news was not just elating, but it was gladdening and relieving. “We want to congratulate the parents of the children and also apologize on behalf of our party that one of our biggest promises was security and although we are doing our utmost best, such incidenc...
British lawmakers write Commonwealth over killings in Nigeria
Thirteen members of the House of Lords, United Kingdom, have expressed concern over the killings by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East and Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt region. The upper house of parliament members said the failure of the Federal Government to protect Nigerians was a breach of the Commonwealth Charter. They requested the Commonwealth to raise the killings with its Ministerial Action Group. This was contained in a letter to the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, dated September 14, co-signed by Baroness Cox, Baroness Kennedy, Jim Shannon, Fiona Bruce, former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams and 14 others. They cited a report by the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief, which accused unnamed ...
NDA reaffirms commitment to turn out best officers
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Comandant Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, reaffirmed the academy’s commitment to turn out the best officers for the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Academy Public Relations Officer, Major Abubakar Abdullahi, said in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna. “The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna has reaffirmed its commitment towards producing the finest quality officers to be commissioned into the Nigerian Armed Forces. The NDA Commandant Gen Sarham revealed this on top of Shere Hills in Jos Plateau State on Tuesday as he inspected the progress being made by final year army cadets of 67 Regular Course and Short Service Course 46 conducting Exercise Camp Highland. According to Sarham, who ascended the peak of the Hills in company of his Deputy and other NDA manag...
