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INSECURITY: Tinubu Hints On Plan To Change Security Architecture

Published

12 months ago

June 1, 2023

Editor

President Bola Tinubu, has assured that his administration will change the nation’s security architecture soon.

Tinubu stated this in his maiden official meeting with Security and intelligence heads led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The President also told Service Chiefs and heads of security and intelligence agencies to crush anyone involved in oil theft, saying that his administration will not tolerate such menace.

The President also said as far as he is concerned, Nigeria should not go on her knees as a result of security challenges while ather countries are working, moving forward and recording tremendous achievements.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting that lasted about two hours , the National Security Adviser, NSA, Major Gen. Bafana Monguno (retd), said the President has directed heads of security agencies to come out with their blue prints.

He said it was an appraisal meeting for the President to get briefing on the activities of the different security formations and for him to tell them his own philosophy and what he expects from the security heads.

He said, “The President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces has just concluded a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff service chiefs Inspector General of Police, and heads of the intelligence agencies.

“This is the very first meeting he’s had with the heads of the security agencies. The meeting lasted for two hours.

“Having been briefed by the participants of the meeting, Mr. President, addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.

“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died in defending this country, from the great big menace of terrorism, insurgency banditry, oil theft, sea robbery, piracy, etc.

“The President has made it very clear that he’s determined to build on whatever gains that have been made and to reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in our favour.

“As far as he’s concerned, this country should not be on its knees struggling while other countries are working and achieving greater heights.”

President Tinubu said in moving the country forward he needs the security agencies to redouble their efforts, stressing that his own philosophy is one of contemporary security measures dealing with the requirements of the time.

According to the NSA, “He has made it very clear that he will not accept a situation in which our fortunes keep declining. And his own trajectory is that national security has to be coordinated, there has to be whatever…whether it is a basket system, but there must be a clearing house.

“All agencies must work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone. He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.

“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, that as far as he is concerned, he is not going to tolerate oil theft Wherever the problem is coming from it must be crushed as soon as possible.

“He has already mandated the security agencies to come up with a blueprint as far as he knows and as far as he concerned, he doesn’t have the luxury of time. And whatever changes will be made have to be done as soon as possible.

“The President also has decided that what ever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. They must be well fed, well kitted, motivated and given all that they require.

“President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment.”

Headline

ECOWAS Parliament Elects First Female Speaker

Published

2 hours ago

May 24, 2024

Editor

Parliament member from Togo, Mrs Maimunatu Ibrahima, has been sworn in as the first female speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the speaker was sworn in at the second extra-ordinary session of the Parliament on Thursday in Kano.

In accordance with the parliament’s rotational system for the speakership, the position falls to Togo during this legislative session.

In her response after the swearing in, Ibrahima promised to work with her colleagues in the Parliament toward integration in the sub-region.

The new speaker promised to improve the image of the parliament in order to make it responsible and admired by all.

She also thanked her colleagues for the confidence reposed in her, assuring that she would bring her wealth of experience to bear on the sub-regional parliament.

“I am grateful to my honourable colleagues for unanimously adopting me as the First female speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.

“My priority is to work harmoniously with my colleagues to advance the integration of the West African sub-region,” she said.

She also thanked the presidents of Togo, Nigeria and authorities of heads of state for supporting the parliament.

Some of the female members who spoke to NAN commended members for choosing a woman to steer the affairs of the parliament.

Ibrahima, who previously served as the third Deputy Speaker in the fifth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament has been a member since 2021.

She succeeded Sen. Barau Jubrin, from Nigeria, who acted as speaker and also elected First Deputy Speaker during the inauguration of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament on April 4.

NAN reports that the parliament was established under Articles 6 and 13 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993.

The initial Protocol establishing the Parliament was signed in Abuja on Aug. 6, 1994.

It provided for the Structure, Composition, Competence and other matters relating to the Parliament.

It is the Assembly of Peoples of the Community serving as a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for Representatives of the people of West Africa with the aim of promoting integration.

The Parliament is composed of one hundred and fifteen (115) seats. Each Member State shall have a guaranteed minimum of five (5) seats.

The remaining forty (40) seats are shared on the basis of population.

The need for a Community mechanism to forge greater ties with the citizens of the West African Community served as impetus towards the creation of the Community Parliament.

Headline

Germany Threatens To Arrest Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu If…

Published

2 hours ago

May 24, 2024

Editor

Germany will arrest Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the country amid allegations of war crimes by the International Criminal Court, a spokesperson has confirmed.

Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, confirmed on Wednesday,May 22 that the country would ‘abide by the law’ and arrest the Israeli leader should he visit the EU nation.

The announcement comes after British prosecutor Karim Khan announced on Monday that he is seeking warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as three Hamas terror chiefs including Yahya Sinwar, the ruler in Gaza who masterminded the terror attacks on October 7.

Netanyahu labelled the allegations a ‘distortion of reality’ and accused the prosecutor of ‘callously pouring gasoline on the fires of antisemitism that are raging across the world’.

Germany’s decision comes after Israel’s Ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, made a desperate plea to the German government to reject the ICC’s proposed arrest warrant.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Prosor wrote: “This is outrageous! The German “Staatsräson” is now being put to the test—no ifs or buts.

‘This contrasts with the weak statements we hear from some institutions and political actors. The public statement that Israel has the right to self-defense loses credibility if our hands are tied as soon as we defend ourselves.’

Staatsräson refers to Germany’s long-standing commitment to the defence of Israel, a policy declared by former Chancellor Angela Merkel during a 2008 speech to the Knesset.

Prosor added: ‘The Chief Prosecutor equates a democratic government with Hamas, thereby demonizing and delegitimizing Israel and the Jewish people.

Headline

Russia Passes Decree To Allow Seizure Of US Assets

Published

2 hours ago

May 24, 2024

Editor

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a decree allowing the confiscation of assets inside Russia belonging to the United States, its citizens and companies, to compensate those hit by Western sanctions against Moscow.

The West froze around $300 billion of Russian financial assets, mostly its central bank reserves, after Moscow ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

And the US Congress last month passed a bill that would allow President Joe Biden to use frozen Russian assets in the United States for a special fund to support Ukraine.

The Russian decree will give Russian companies, organisations and individuals that have been hit by sanctions the right to apply for compensation from the Russian government.

The compensation would come in the form of US-owned assets — such as real estate, companies, bank accounts or shares — based in Russia.

Many Western companies have left Russia since it launched its offensive on Ukraine.

Those that remain — or have yet to finalise sales of their Russian businesses — could now be at risk of having their assets seized.

Both Moscow and Western capitals have traded accusations of stealing each other’s property over the asset freezes.

Russia has taken a number of Western-owned businesses under “temporary” state control in the past two years — acts decried by Western leaders and companies as “nationalisation”.

In Europe, where the vast majority of the frozen Russian assets are located, pressure is ramping up over how to use them to support Ukraine.

On Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for the G7 to be more “ambitious” in how it can use the funds to help Kyiv.

AFP