About 100 high-profile figures have signed a letter to the Treccani Italian dictionary calling on it to change its definition of the word “woman”.
The campaign argues that derogatory terms such as “puttana” (whore) should be removed from the list of synonyms.
Such words reinforce “misogynist stereotypes that objectify women and present them as inferior”, it adds.
Treccani, a leading online Italian dictionary, has not yet responded, but previously defended its approach.
Among the letter’s signatories are LGBTQ+ activist and politician Imma Battaglia, politician Laura Boldrini, and Alessandra Perrazzelli, deputy director general of the Bank of Italy.
It was written by activist Maria Beatrice Giovanardi, who was also behind an earlier campaign to get the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) to remove words such as “bint” and “bird” as other ways of saying “woman”. After a similar petition attracted tens of thousands of signatures, Oxford University Press updated its definition.
The synonyms given in Treccani’s definition are even worse than the OED’s because there are 30 terms used to describe sex workers, Ms Giovanardi told Reuters.
Meanwhile, she added, the word “man” was associated with positive terms such as “businessman”.
“Language shapes reality and influences the way women are perceived and treated,” she wrote in her letter.
“Vocabularies, dictionaries of synonyms and antonyms, encyclopaedias are educational tools of reference and Treccani.it, as such, is consulted in schools, libraries and in all of our homes.”
“This will not put an end to everyday sexism, but it could contribute to a correct description and vision of women and their role in today’s society.”
In a blog post published in November, Treccani said that the dictionary did not “select lexicon based on moral judgment or prejudices”.
“If society and culture express negativity through words, a dictionary cannot refuse to document them,” it added.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja charged the newly appointed service chiefs to speed up their actions in freeing the country from the current state of insecurity.
Speaking at a ceremony to decorate the new service chiefs with their ranks at the State House Abuja, the President said:
“During our four-hour security meeting, on Tuesday, I had taken the responsibility as Commander-in-Chief for you to go out into the field and secure the country.
“You have got a few weeks to do that because by the rainy season, we expect people to develop confidence and go back to the land, so that we don’t get into trouble by being away from the field and therefore unable to produce enough food for the nation.”
He told the service chiefs to see their appointment, clearance and decoration as a vote of confidence on them.
“For those (of you) that have been confirmed by this ceremony, the decoration, in front of your spouses, is a further confidence loudly expressed on you on behalf of the nation, to respond to the insecurity the country is in, and the nation looks up to you for rapid relief.”
He assured them of his firm support as they deliver on their responsibilities.
“I have accepted responsibility for your actions in the field; it’s up to you to identify your competent officers irrespective of seniority and paper qualification and deploy them to make sure that we secure this country.
“We all look forward to you to perform and I as the Commander-in- Chief, I am backing you hundred per cent, and I expect you to effectively deploy your officers and men to secure the country,” the President said.
Responding on behalf of the other service chiefs, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor assured the President that they will not fail in their responsibilities as the mandate is clear.
“Nigeria will have peace again. Based on the mandate, we will address all issues, working with all other security organisations,” he said.
Others decorated are Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru as Chief of Army Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo as Chief of Naval Staff and Air Marshal Isiaka Amao as Chief of Air Staff.
The new service chiefs were recently confirmed by both chambers of the National Assembly.
Deputy Governor of Edo State Philip Shaibu has kicked against the bill seeking to switch the Minimum Wage from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List.
In an interview with reporters on Thursday, March 4, in Benin, Shaibu advised the sponsor of the bill to step it down.
According to him, rather than sponsor such a bill, the lawmaker should move motions and sponsor bills that will support programmes geared towards finding lasting solutions to the problems of insecurity in the country.
He said: “Let us all discuss the issue of insecurity and make our cities, communities, and country secure.”
The deputy governor highlighted the need for lawmakers to legislate on issues that would unite the country rather than those that would further divide it and bring about chaos.
He noted that this was not the time to bring up issues as contained in the bill.
He, therefore, urged the National Assembly to concern itself with the issue of insecurity.
According to him, the issue of the economy is all about security, and no investor will come to your land if he is not sure of the safety of his investment.
He said: “The economy of this country needs to work.
“That is why all of us, the legislative and the executive arms, need to actually come together to fashion a way forward, to deal with the issue of insecurity.
“For me, when you seek first all the indices that make an economy work, then prosperity will be the order of the day and all other smaller issues will be dealt with.
“But when your economy is in shambles, then obviously, poverty will reign supreme”.
Ripples Nigeria had reported that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has scheduled next Wednesday for a national protest against the bill, which had already passed through the first reading at the National Assembly
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yuguda Hassan Kila, representing Gwaram federal constituency of Jigawa State, is dead.
It was learnt that Kila died on Thursday afternoon at the Abuja National hospital.
His death is coming after a house of representatives member Alhaji Fagen Gawo from Babura and Garki Federal constituency was also reported dead.
This disclosure was made by the House Leader, Hon. Ado Doguwa, while speaking with journalists.
According to him, the lawmaker was admitted into the hospital two weeks ago for severe malaria, adding that his condition later degenerated to acute shortage of oxygen in his bloodstream despite testing negative to COVID-19 for about three times before he died.
“He was confirmed negative for COVID-19 infection. The Speaker and I are still at the National Hospital in Abuja. We have secured the release of his remains and completed arrangements for an Air Force aircraft to convey his body to Kano for Islamic funeral,” Doguwa said.
Kila until his death, was the Chairman, House Committee on Customs.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revealed that the Federal Government is owing its staff about N4 billion in form of accumulated arrears of entitlements.
Retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, Chairman, NDLEA, said this at a meeting with the leadership of the Senate on Thursday, March 4, in Abuja.
He said the nonpayment of the entitlements had negatively affected the morale of the affected staff in the fight against hard drug abuse in Nigeria.
“Criminalities and insurgency will not end so quickly until we face the underlining nexus between them and hard drug.
Unfortunately, the drug situation is not properly factored into the security architecture. We look at the other segments but forget that this is the causative area that needs to be equally attended to.
“Every part of Nigeria is affected in the realm of drug abuse, you can for sure say that every person in this room knows somebody or a neighbour or a family that has affliction with drug abuse.
The drug abuse scourge is actually the number one problem we are facing, it is everywhere.
“First of all, drug abuse destroys our kids, women, our youths, the farming system, and secondly, it is behind the criminalities which is everywhere now,” he said.
According to Marwa, there is an urgent need to amend the act establishing NDLEA for an effective fight against drug abuse.
President of Senate Ahmed Lawan promised that the Senate would give an expeditious passage to the amendment of the NDLEA act.
This should be one of our priorities, this is a dire situation that requires the immediate attention of the National Assembly and we will treat it as such.
“If we can pass it before we go on our second break in July that will be fantastic.
“NDLEA should be in the league of EFCC and ICPC and therefore it should get the kind of support those agencies are receiving,” he said.
Lawan called for the establishment of more rehabilitation centres across the country to rehabilitate Nigerians who were drug addicts.
The Director-General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), Mr Adamu Adaji, has stated that the agency is poised for the speedy resolution of the boundary crises in the country.
Adaji said this in a statement by Mrs Efe Ovuakporie, Head of Information Unit, on Thursday, March 4, in Abuja.
Adaji traced the history of boundary conflicts in the country to the emergence of new states without the prerequisite definition and demarcation of the internal boundaries.
The director-general said that such conflicts at various times made different governments at different times set up ad hoc commissions to handle disputes arising from the creation of states.
He said that there was the need to sensitise stakeholders on the activities of boundary managers at the three levels of government, as well as providing the platform for cross-fertilization of ideas.
“Failures on the part of the ad hoc commission to successfully handle all the boundary-related issues compelled the Federal Government to establish the NBC as a specialised border interventionist agency, to address all boundary disputes across the country.
However, the states are mandated to constitute the states and local governments boundary committees to handle inter and intra-boundary disputes, to complement the works of the NBC,” Adaji said.
He urged participants to evolve far-reaching ideas that would facilitate speedy resolution of boundary-related issues, particularly in the zones and in Nigeria as a whole.
Speaking, Head of Research and Policy Analysis Department, Hajiya Amina Nyako, noted that the agency was committed to ensuring a peaceful border regime between the constituent states in the country and between Nigeria and her proximate neighbours.
In doing this, she said the NBC would continue to monitor trans-border relations with a view to detecting areas of tension and possible conflict and finding a lasting solution that would promote trans-boundary cooperation.
She charged participants to join hands with the NBC in the discharge of its mandates saying, “the tempo toward peaceful coexistence can only be sustained through joint efforts”.
The Nigerian Army on Thursday dismissed reports on the alleged disappearance of 100 Nigerian troops from Marte and Dikwa after the Boko Haram insurgents attacked the towns.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, in a statement issued in Abuja, described the reports as false, unfounded, and designed to malign the image and character of the force.
He said the Nigerian Army discovered that a good number of the affected soldiers had rejoined their respective units and are currently part of the ongoing clearance operations in the North-East.
The statement read: “Members of the general public are advised to disregard the story as the subversive intent of the promoters are targeted at dampening the morale and fighting efficiency of our troops. We continually solicit especially the much-needed public support in the fight against Boko Haram.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to reassure the general public that troops are in high spirit and currently clearing areas infiltrated by Boko Haram terrorists/ISWAP.
“It is on record that the troops fought to defend the Internally Displaced Persons Camp and United Nations Humanitarian Hub in Dikwa. It is pertinent to also note that normalcy has returned to Dikwa and its environs.”
The court commenced hearing on the motion for final forfeiture of the said properties on February 6, 2020. Justice Muhammed Liman of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Thursday, dismissed its order of interim forfeiture made against the property of the immediate past Senate President, Olubukola Saraki.
The court had on October 21, 2019, while granting an ex parte application brought before it by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and argued by its counsel, Nnemeka Omewa, ordered the interim forfeiture of the two properties located on 17 and 17a, McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, which were said to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity. The court commenced hearing on the motion for final forfeiture of the said properties on February 6, 2020
Bukola Saraki
But on Thursday, the court held that the essence of an interim order of forfeiture is to preserve the property from being dissipated by the suspect, that the burden is on the applicant, (EFCC), to satisfy the court that the property was acquired with proceeds of an unlawful or illegal activity under the corruption laws.
The court, however, found that the applicant, in its affidavit in support of its motion for final forfeiture, stated that the properties sought to be forfeited were purchased with a personal loan Saraki obtained from Guaranty Trust Bank.
In agreement with a submission by the respondent’s counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, the court stated that the burden of proof for final forfeiture is on the preponderance of evidence and that the applicant had failed to show that the money used to purchase the property was from the Kwara State Government House account.
The court was not satisfied that the respondent had paid off the loan used to purchase the property.
According to the ruling, the evidence of the transactions presented by the applicant was in respect of transactions made after Saraki had purchased the property and the proceeds used for the purchase were legal.
In the final analysis, the court held that the applicant failed to prove its entitlement to the relief of final forfeiture of the respondent’s properties, hence dismissed the application and vacated the interim forfeiture order.
The embattled Deputy Speaker of Ogun Assembly, Dare Kadiri, representing Ijebu North State Constituency 2, has been impeached for alleged “gross misconduct.” He was impeached on Thursday morning during plenary.
This comes after about 22 lawmakers signed a petition for his removal last week, and was arrested and detained on Monday, at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ogun State Police Command, following reports that he coordinated thugs who carried out series of attacks on the homes of some politicians, at the Ijebu North Local Government Area.
The Command had said the arrest and detention had no political undertone, claiming that Kadiri was trying to make the world see it from that angle. Also, the Command said Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, had no hand in his arrest.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the Deputy Speaker was arrested and detained for alleged criminal invasion of, and attacks on, some politicians homes in Ijebu, including that of the SSG’s father.
He said: “On the 20th of February 2021, the command received a complaint from one Mrs. Olabode Adegbesan of No. 6 Ayegbami street Awa ijebu who reported at Awa ijebu police station that, while she was at home at about 12noon, some people led by the Deputy speaker invaded their home, throwing stone into the house and calling out her husband Hon. Kunle Adegbesan to come out to be dealt with.
In the process, the hoodlums vandalized the window glasses of the house before they left with threat to come back with more violence. Not quite an hour after the first report, one comrade Akeem Temitope Akilo also came to report that, he was at the house of the SSG’s father when the deputy speaker led some people to the house at about 12:55 pm, vandalized the window glasses and removed the APC flag hoisted therein and took it away.”
Also, he said at about 1:30pm of the same day, one Otunba Adetohun Oduwole reported that Kadiri led some thugs to her house and destroyed the front door of the house as well as window glasses before they left.
While investigation into all the reports was going on, one Hon. Yinusa Adekunle reported that the register been used for the APC registration exercise has been forcefully seized by one Hon. Abagun Yinusa.
“This prompted the DPO Awa ijebu to visit the house of the said Hon.Abagun for the purpose of recovering the seized register. On getting there, the deputy speaker arrived the scene with about twenty men in two buses and descended heavily on the complainant, Hon Yinusa Adekunle, beat him mercilessly and almost killed him,” he added.
Ripples Nigeria had reported the moves to sack him, after an ad-hoc Committee was set up by the Speaker, Kunle Oluomo, to investigate the allegations against Kadiri.
The Federal Government has stated its plan to ensure the construction of one oxygen plant in every state in order to increase medical supplies to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, on Thursday, March 4, during the COVID-19 briefing at the State House in Abuja.
“The FG is building one oxygen plant in every State, to increase supplies,” he stated.
Furthermore, Ehanire reiterated the need for peer policing in order to tackle the pandemic nationwide.
He said, “The President signed Public Health Regulations in February 2021. The idea is not to use law enforcement to chase people, but instead for us to police ourselves – peer policing. I want to appeal for that self and peer policing.
The Health Ministry priorities include:
Continuing to reduce infection
Improving treatment options
Sustaining routine treatment
Develop a National Emergency Medical Service, to provide emergency services to citizens where & when they need it
Deployment of Vaccines.”
Ehanire also revealed the “three 3 sources of Vaccines for Nigeria:
COVAX (GAVI & others) Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT), supported by African Union.
Bilateral Assistance: Governments of India and Russia have offered us doses of their vaccines
Two All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly have defected to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The members are Hon. Yusuf Muhammad Bako, representing Pali Constituency from Alkaleri LGA, and Hon. Umar Yakubu, representing Udubo Constituency.
This disclosure was made by the Spokesperson for the Speaker of the Assembly, Abdul Burra, after the plenary held late Wednesday and made available to journalists.
According to Burra, Yakubu and Bako made their intentions known in a letter dated March 2, 2021.
He said, “Yakubu’s decision to quit APC was based on the issues arising in the party at both state and national levels.
“He pledged his continued commitment toward salvaging the plight of the citizen and contribute to the developmental goals of the present administration in Bauchi State.
“Bako said his defection came after series of consultations with his constituents in which they decided that he should join political forces with PDP to ensure the success of the present administration considering the developments being brought to the state.
“According to him, there is need for him to have a clear political direction in line with the demands of his people hence the reason of his movement to PDP.”
With the development, the PDP now has 11 members in the state assembly while the APC has 19.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said African airline business has gone from bad to worse as African airlines recorded 66.1 percent decline in passenger traffic in January 2021.
In its report titled ‘From bad to worse: January passenger demand falls further’, Ripples Nigeria gathered that COVID-19 aftermath continues to affect the aviation industry in sub-saharan region.
The report stated capacity contracted by 54.2 percent two months ago, while load factor fell to 52.3 percent, after shedding 18.4 percentage points. It was gathered that in the month under review, total demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) plunged to 72 per cent when compared to the corresponding period in 2019.
IATA said the decline in total demand was worse due to year-over-year decline which recorded 69.7 per cent in December 2020. IATA’s Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Alexandre de Juniac, blamed new COVID-19 variants that has forced governments to increase travel restrictions.
“Year 2021 is starting off worse than 2020 ended and that is saying a lot. Even as vaccination programmes gather pace, new COVID-19 variants are leading governments to increase travel restrictions.
The uncertainty around how long these restrictions will last also has an impact on future travel. Forward bookings in February this year for the Northern Hemisphere summer travel season were 78 per cent below levels in February 2019.” Alexandre de Juniac said.
The decline was, however, not noticed in the air cargo category as global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres, rose 1.1 percent when compared to the same period in January 2019, but rose over 3 per cent when compared to previous month, December 2020.
This growth was the first since January 2019, Africa and North America appearing as the strongest performers, IATA report on air cargo, titled ‘January air cargo demand recovers to pre-COVID levels’ disclosed, adding that Asia-Africa trade partnership contributed to the growth as well.
Month-on-month growth in demand was driven by North America and Africa, with demand rising by 22.4 percent in January 2021 when compared to same period in 2019. It also rose beyond the 6.3 percent year-over-year increase for December 2020.
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the military and other security agents to shoot any individual found in possession of an AK-47 rifle and other sophisticated weapons.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, stated this in a chat with the Hausa Service of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Wednesday night.
President Buhari, according to Shehu, was determined to address the country’s security challenges.
He added that the Federal Government’s decision to declare a “no-fly zone” in Zamfara was informed by reports that bandits get the supply of firearms through their conspirators who deliver arms through helicopters.
The federal government had on Tuesday imposed a flight ban on Zamfara in a bid to check activities of criminals in the state.
The government took the decision following the abduction of over 300 students from a college in the state.
The presidential aide said: “President Buhari has ordered security forces to go into the bushes and shoot whoever they see with sophisticated weapons like AK-47.
“He (Buhari) ordered that whoever is seen with terrible weapons at all should be shot immediately.”
A former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has criticised the Federal Government for rewarding political thugs more than professors in tertiary institutions.
Obi made this disclosure on Wednesday, March 3, during the presentation of a book authored by Prof Chinyere Okunna of the Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State.
According to the former governor, Nigeria would not make any progress if bandits were considered above intellectuals.
He said, “Prof. Okunna (the author), who we are celebrating today; I can tell you earns less than a political thug. Nigeria prefers paying bandits and dialoguing with them than paying or meeting with resourceful and hard-working intellectuals.
“I never knew Okunna before I appointed her commissioner when I was governor, but I became interested in her when I saw her CV as a nominee.
“Many people protested her appointment because she was not a member of our political party but I remained resolute to appoint her because I needed the right team to do the job.
“People come to me to ask for advice on the kind of people they should give appointments to and I say to them, ‘take people who can tell you the truth no matter how painful’.
“If you listen to the people who tell you the sweet things all the time, then you’ll fail. If you have an exco where they do not argue and disagree with you, then you have a bunch of idiots and of course, we have a lot of idiots in Nigeria.”
The Nigerian Army has revealed that 12 officers and 86 soldiers absconded from the frontlines in the aftermath of last week’s Boko Haram attacks on Marte and Dikwa local government areas of Borno State.
This was contained in a memo dated March 1, 2021, from Operation Lafiya Dole Headquarters in Maiduguri.
According to a report by Daily Trust, the soldiers were declared deserters.
It indicated that three majors, three captains, six lieutenants, three sergeants, and 89 soldiers fled in the aftermath of the attacks on Marte and Dikwa.
The signal, signed by Col. A.O. Odubiyi, on behalf of the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, partly read, “I am directed to connect Reference A on above subject and to respectfully forward details of additional officers and soldiers who absconded from the defensive location during the BHT attack on New Marte and Dikwa.
You are requested to declare the named officers and soldiers’ deserters WEF 19 Feb 21. You are also requested to cause HQ NAFC to freeze their accounts and apprehend/bring them under military escort to this Headquarters if seen within your AOR.”
In his remarks, the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, explained that “If Army has anything to tell the world, shall we wait for the media to prompt us? No! Well, if we have anything to tell the world on that, we will tell the world, we won’t allow you to prompt us.”
Ripples Nigeria had reported that Boko Haram fighters dislodged Nigerian troops in Marte on February 14, prompting the troops to relocate to Dikwa.
The insurgents reportedly foisted their flags at the Marte area after killing seven soldiers of the 153rd Task Force Battalion.
Thereafter, the terrorists waged another war against the troops in Dikwa on February 19 but were repelled.
In response, the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru went to Dikwa and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the troops to recapture Marte and other towns which they did.
However, an anonymous military source told Daily Trust that the case of the 101 soldiers that deserted was a source of concern.
“This case should not be seen as mutiny because they went different ways when they were dislodged by the insurgents. It is possible that some of them have been killed; some may have retreated to their main bases and others may be on the run.
“This is not a new thing. It happens when military bases are dislodged,” he said.
Another military source familiar with the recent development said most of the deserters left in protest because the terrorists had superior weapons and not because they didn’t want to continue serving their country.
The fact is that the weapons procured by the federal government between 2013 and 2014 have all worn out while others have been stolen by the terrorists during raids on military bases.
“Also, the terrorists have procured additional weapons from other sources which they are now using to take the war to the doorsteps of our troops.
“The terrorists also believe that they are fighting a religious battle and therefore are ready to fight all the time, confronting the troops with the conviction that they would either win or die. All these factors have collectively dampened the morale of our troops and the federal government must do something to revive it,” he said.
The Nigerian Army has declared 12 officers and 86 soldiers missing in the wake of last week’s Boko Haram attacks on Marte and Dikwa local government areas of Borno State.
A signal dated March 1, 2021 from Operation Lafiya Dole Headquarters in Maiduguri, sighted by the Daily Trust, showed that the soldiers were declared as deserters.
It indicated that three majors, three captains, six lieutenants, three sergeants and 89 soldiers fled in the aftermath of the attacks on Marte and Dikwa.
The signal, signed by Col. A.O. Odubiyi, on behalf of the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, partly read, “I am directed to connect Reference A on above subject and to respectfully forward details of additional officers and soldiers who absconded from the defensive location during the BHT attack on New Marte and Dikwa.
“You are requested to declare the named officers and soldiers’ deserters WEF 19 Feb 21. You are also requested to cause HQ NAFC to freeze their accounts and apprehend/bring them under military escort to this Headquarters if seen within your AOR.”
When contacted last night for official reaction, the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, told our correspondent that, “If Army has anything to tell the world, shall we wait for the media to prompt us? No! Well, if we have anything to tell the world on that, we will tell the world, we won’t allow you to prompt us.”
It would be recalled that Boko Haram fighters had dislodged Nigerian troops in Marte on February 14, prompting the troops to relocate to Dikwa.
The insurgents reportedly foisted their flags at Marte area after killing seven troops of the 153rd Task Force Battalion.
Thereafter, the terrorists waged another war against the troops in Dikwa on February 19 but were repelled.
Shortly after the attempted attack, the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru went to Dikwa and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the troops to recapture Marte and other towns which they did.
A military source told Daily Trust that the case of the 101 soldiers that deserted was a source of concern.
“This case should not be seen as mutiny because they went different ways when they were dislodged by the insurgents. It is possible that some of them have been killed; some may have retreated to their main bases and others maybe on the run.
“This is not a new thing. It happens when military bases are dislodged,” he said.
Another military source familiar with the recent development said most of the deserters left in protest because the terrorists had superior weapons and not because they didn’t want to continue serving their country.
“The fact is that the weapons procured by the federal government between 2013 and 2014 have all worn out while others have been stolen by the terrorists during raids on military bases.
“Also, the terrorists have procured additional weapons from other sources which they are now using to take the war to the doorsteps of our troops.
“The terrorists also believe that they are fighting a religious battle and therefore are ready to fight all the time, confronting the troops with the conviction that they would either win or die. All these factors have collectively dampened the morale of our troops and the federal government must do something to revive it,” he said.
File photo of the graduation ceremony for Batch 4/2019 deradicalized former Boko Haram combatants at the ‘Operation Safe Corridor Mallam Sidi’ in Gombe State on July 25
Deradicalised Boko Haram fighters pick up arms again
Meanwhile, many deradicalised Boko Haram members have reportedly re-joined the group and picked up arms against the state, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State said.
Zulum, who is the Chairman of the North East Governors Forum (NEGF), said this on Wednesday in Bauchi during the meeting of the six governors.
He lamented that the Boko Haram terrorists have changed tactics and were becoming more vicious, saying the federal government should halt the deradicalisation exercise and prosecute all terrorists in order to end the over 11-year insurgency.
“It has been confirmed that the concept of deradicalisation or Safe Corridor is not working as expected. Quite often those who have passed through the Safe Corridor initiative or have been deradicalised, usually go back and re-join the terror group, after carefully studying the various security arrangements in their host communities, during the reintegration process,” he said.
Zulum also said most communities were not amenable to accepting the so-called deradicalised terrorists.
“The host communities where the reintegration process is going on usually resent the presence of Boko Haram terrorists, even if they have been deradicalised, because of the despicable and atrocious activities they have committed in the past.
“So the idea of deradicalisation, as currently being implemented, needs to be reviewed because the main goals and the underlying objectives behind the initiative are not being achieved.
“The best option is to immediately prosecute the terrorists, in accordance with the Terrorism Act. However, those people who, ab initio, were forcefully recruited but have been rescued or have escaped from the group, should be the ones to be subjected to the deradicalisation process.
“On the prosecution of terrorists, we must make effort to avoid the current encumbrances and intricacies associated with the process, which usually takes considerable time, by urging the appropriate federal authorities to devolve the powers of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation to state attorneys-general in order to facilitate the prosecution process,” he said.
While applauding the appointment of new service chiefs in his welcoming address during the meeting which is their fourth, Zulum said: “As it is now, especially in Borno State, violence, being perpetrated by the insurgents, seems to be on the increase, both in scope and viciousness; and it has become a matter of tactical necessity for the new service chiefs to devise new offensive strategies to counter the current attacks and forestall any future attacks.
“Undoubtedly, the commitment of our military to the war against the insurgency is unquestionable and their determination to succeed is undeniable, as they have considered and acted upon a full range of options to deal with the insurgency.
“However, with the current escalation of deadly attacks by the terrorists, the various courses of action being pursued seem to have some limitations in terms of the expected impact; hence the need for a new set of pragmatic and result-oriented initiatives to completely subdue the terrorists and ultimately end the insurgency.
North East govs mull regional security outfit
The North East governors have also considered the idea of a regional security outfit because of the rising insecurity in the region.
Zulum said the current escalation of deadly attacks by terrorists and the various causes of action being pursued to fight insurgents have some limitations in terms of the expected impact, hence the need for a new set of pragmatic and result-oriented initiative to be deployed to completely subdue the terrorists.
“On our part, in addition to the logistic and financial support we are rendering to the armed forces in their fight against general insecurity in the sub-region, we should also look into the possibility of forming a security outfit within the ambit of constitutional precedent and operational feasibility as has been done in other parts of the country,” he said.
He also reiterated his call on the federal government to seek support from mercenaries from neighbouring countries to enable it win the war against insurgents in the country.
“The government should also seek support from neighbouring countries such as the Republic of Chad, Cameroon and Niger with a view to providing a joint action that will look into the possibility of ending this crisis.
“The federal government has to look into the possibility of involving mercenaries with a view to ending this insurgency because it seems that the commitment is not there.
“Therefore, for us to end this insurgency, we must be committed enough, we must bring in external support to ensure that mercenaries are hired to end this insurgency,” he said
Earlier in his remarks, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State emphasised the need for standing up and fighting the insurgents so that after the defeated, they will not be able to regroup again.
“Our fight against insurgency must be total because by the time Maiduguri is subdued, then we are not safe here too. Security infrastructure must be put in place to be able to fight this war considering the sophistication of the terrorists.
“If we must be honest, the public opinion at the moment is that we have failed, that many of our people have resorted to self-help in order to get away from this despondency. We must accept the fact that the over-centralization of the security arrangement is an obsolete school.
“We will not just sit down and watch until terrorists overrun us, we must stand up to fight them, chase them away and ensure that our areas are well secured,” he said.
Learning a vocational skill is a must on DRR camp. Tailoring is one of it
Reservations about deradicalisation not new
Daily Trust reports that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno), had in November last year faulted the deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration of the repentant terrorists, saying it was not in order.
Ndume’s words: “I am in disagreement with the government on the issue of deradicalising and reintegrating (repentant Boko Haram members). I still maintain that. You can’t be resettling people, pampering them while the war is on.
“The committee is on the same page and I believe many Nigerians are on the same page with this. In my village, mallams that are Muslims, not ordinary Muslims but mallams, elders above 60, were taken to an abattoir and slaughtered by Boko Haram. 75 of them,” he said.
The background
Daily Trust reports that the deradicalisation exercise is part of Nigeria’s Operation Safe Corridor aimed at facilitating the rehabilitation of ex-insurgents.
It was also part of the carrot and stick approach of the government towards ending the over 11- year Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions and destroyed their economy.
The initiative was first proposed at the Nigerian National Security Council (NSC) meeting in September 2015, after which repentant Boko Haram members were encouraged to surrender and embrace peace.
During their stay at the deradicalisation camps, such as the one in Gombe, they would be subjected to a combination of psychotherapy, art therapy and psycho-spiritual counselling.
They would also be subjected to skill acquisition programmes, offered certificate of “psychosocial normalcy” and then reintegrated into the society.
However, those against releasing the ex-Boko Haram militants said many of them ended up re-joining the terror group. They said that was partly responsible for the inability of the Nigerian security forces to end the crisis.
The governors of the 36 states in Nigeria, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), will on Thursday, March 4, meet over the COVID-19 vaccines and distribution in the country.
The governors, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Mr Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the Head, Media and Public Affairs of NGF Secretariat, said the emergency meeting would be held virtually.
“The meeting is of a single-item agenda, which will discuss the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccines and their distribution in the country,” he said.
Bello-Barkindo said the meeting, according to the invitations sent to the governors, would commence at 5 p.m.
Ripples Nigeria had reported that the Federal Government had on Tuesday in Abuja received 3.92 million doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
The COVID-19 vaccine was shipped into Nigeria via the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF, and WHO.
COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working in partnership with UNICEF, the World Bank, Civil Society Organisations, manufacturers, and others.
The federal government had also launched a website to register Nigerians for the vaccination.
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has vowed that he would arrest politicians and prominent people who are sponsoring bandits and terrorists in the state.
Matawalle added that he was waiting for the kidnapped students of the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara local government area of the state, to be returned safely before he plays his hand and arrest any politician who enters the state with the intention of using thugs to ferment trouble.
The governor took this stance on Tuesday when the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Kayode Fayemi, led a delegation of some members on a solidarity visit at the Government House in Gusau, the state capital.
According to Bello, “there is nobody that can claim to be above the law of the land,” and insisted that the battle line has been drawn between his administration and enemies of the state.
“These power drunk politicians cannot stay in Abuja, Kaduna or anywhere in Nigeria and be instigating crisis and be sponsoring terrorism in the state, killing thousands of innocent citizens of the state for their selfish interest,” Bello warned.
“Nobody is a sacred cow or untouchable. I am in charge of the affairs of Zamfara State and I am challenging any of the politicians to dare me and see the consequences.
“I maintain that there are many prominent personalities who are solidly behind banditry in the state and very soon, their sins would soon find them out.”
Security has been ramped up at the US Capitol in response to “a possible plot to breach” the building.
The move was prompted by intelligence that an unnamed militia group planned the attack for 4 March – the day US presidents used to be inaugurated.
The House of Representatives cancelled Thursday’s session, but the Senate will continue with its agenda.
The threat comes two months after the deadly attack on the building by a mob loyal to former President Donald Trump.
They breached the Capitol building in January while lawmakers were inside moving to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory. Mr Trump still refuses to admit losing the election.
The riot saw five people including a police officer killed and shook the foundations of American democracy. The head of the Capitol police force later resigned.
Supporters of an unfounded conspiracy theory believe Mr Trump will return to the White House on 4 March.
What does the intelligence say?
“As of late February, an unidentified group of militia violent extremists discussed plans to take control of the US Capitol and remove Democratic lawmakers on or about 4 March and discussed aspirational plans to persuade thousands to travel to Washington, DC, to participate,” a new intelligence bulletin issued by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security says.
“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers.
“Due to the sensitive nature of this information, we cannot provide additional details at this time.”
Why is Thursday significant?
Supporters of an extremist conspiracy theory known as QAnon falsely believe Thursday will mark Mr Trump’s return to the White House for a second term.
They have latched onto this date because before the 20th amendment of the US Constitution – adopted in 1933 – moved the swearing-in dates of the president and Congress to January, American leaders took office on 4 March.
QAnon is a wide-ranging and completely unfounded theory which says that President Trump is waging a secret war against elite Satan-worshipping paedophiles in government, business and the media.
Security services were aware of online QAnon discussions surrounding 4 March, but did not “have any indication of violence or a specific, credible plot at this time”, an FBI official had told The Washington Post last week.
Capitol riot aftermath
The US justice department has charged more than 300 people with participation in the 6 January attack. Those arrested include members of the right-wing militia groups the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters.
Democrats said the attack amounted to an insurrection and the House voted to impeach Mr Trump for allegedly inciting the mob. The former president – the first in US history to be impeached twice – was later acquitted in the upper chamber, the Senate, with many Republican senators sticking by him.media captionWhen a mob stormed the US capitol
In late February Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman told Congress that the Trump supporters behind the January attack want to “blow up” the Capitol and kill lawmakers.
Leon Panetta, a former US Defence Secretary and CIA chief, told the BBC that police would take no chances following January’s attack.
“We have got to have constant intelligence on domestic terrorists, have to track their possible efforts to again repeat what happened on January sixth and I think that’s what you’re seeing now, is an abundance of caution to make sure that we are properly prepared to react, if in fact any group attempts any kind of armed attack again on the United States Capitol,” he said.
At least one person has been killed while some have sustained injuries in Jangebe, the Zamfara community where some schoolgirls were abducted last week.
After the students regained freedom, the government took them for counselling and rehabilitation.
On Wednesday, they were brought back to the school to reunite with their family members.
Pandemonium broke out after anxious parents disrupted the speech of Alhaji Nasiru Muazu Magarya, Speaker of the Zamfara House of Assembly, and forcefully took their daughters away.
The schoolgirls, who arrived at the school in the evening, were seated in the examination hall and were being addressed by the speaker when the visibly disturbed parents broke in to the hall and started throwing insults at the dignitaries that were meant to address the parents and the school girls.
All speeches were disrupted and after sensing trouble, the speaker and commissioners attending the event quickly left.
Shots were fired by security operatives to disperse the crowd that was waiting outside the school.
The youths began to throw stones at the security operatives that were moving out of the community.
A young man stained blood and was seen being held by other youths at the scene.
The vehicle conveying journalists had to quickly move out of the community as the youth were pelting vehicles with stones.
Last week, some journalists who visited the school a day after the abduction were attacked.
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