News

Retired Soldiers Storm Defence Ministry, Protest Unpaid Allowances

Published

2 years ago

September 26, 2022

Editor

Military veterans under the aegis of the Retired Members of Nigerian Armed Forces and the Coalition of Concerned Military Veterans, staged the third phase of their protests over the non-payment of their Security Debarment Allowance, among others, at the Ministry of Defence, in Abuja on Monday.

The protesters pitched a tent and blocked access to the Ministry of Defence located at Ship House on Olusegun Obasanjo Way in the country’s capital city.

The retired military men had in January this year, picketed the ministries of finance, defence, and the National Assembly earlier in, in pursuit of the same demand.

The National Secretary, REMENAF, Ambassador Roy Okhidievbie, who spoke to our correspondent during Monday’s protest, noted that the demonstration was to demand the payment of their security debarment allowance owed them by the Federal Government, adding that the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd.) had refused to disburse the allowances despite approval by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s (retd.) regime.

Okhidievbie said, “We have had meetings with the Defence Minister, Magashi, but he appears to be headstrong, heartless, and unperturbed concerning the grievances of retired military officers, as he never paid nor showed any interest or concern to pay these allowances, especially the Security Debarment Allowance.

“Interestingly, President Buhari-led regime has approved the payment of this allowance, but Magashi have refused to make disbursements.”

Also, the spokesperson for the CVV, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, told our correspondent that Monday’s protest was focused on the non-payment of the Security Debarment Allowance, adding that they were determined to sleep over at the entrance of the Ministry of Defence.

Durowaiye-Herberts said, “We’re here, alongside our wives and children, and the widows of late military personnel and veterans who died in service, some of whom died fighting Boko Haram terrorists.

“We’ll be sleeping over at this place until the Minister of Defence, Magashi accede to our demands.”

A young woman, Anna Nanven, whose husband, a Corporal, was killed by Boko Haram terrorists during an attack on a military barracks in Borno State, 2015, told our correspondent that she had only received one allowance disbursement since her husband’s demise.

Mrs Nanven said, “My husband was a young man, a Corporal that was killed by Boko Haram terrorists during an attack on the barracks where he worked.

“I now live with his parents, and I bore five kids, three females and two males for him until his demise. The children are aged, 22, 20, 18, 15, and seven years olds, and the two eldest, both girls, that are done with High School can’t afford going to the University because I can’t afford their school fee.

“I am pleading that the President, the Minister of Defence, and Nigerian citizens come to our aid. I and my five children are suffering and living in poverty because I can’t afford starting a business, and I have no job.”

News

NDIC Obtains Order To Wind Down 96 Microfinance, Mortgage Banks

Published

5 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation has said that it has obtained Winding up Orders for 96 out of 183 microfinance and primary mortgage banks whose licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria in May 2023.

The Managing Director, NDIC, Bello Hassa, revealed this at a sensitisation seminar for Judges of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday organised by the NDIC, to enlighten the judiciary on the intricacies of the banking industry.

Hassan said, “As at date, the Corporation had obtained Winding up Orders for 96 out of 183 Micro Finance and Primary Mortgage Banks whose licenses were revoked by the CBN in May 2023, in less than one Year of revocation.”

He added that the NDIC was committed to fulfilling its mandate of protecting depositors through bank supervision, failure resolution and liquidation so as to boost confidence in the financial system.

Speaking on the role that the judiciary plays in the fulfillment of the mandate, Hassan said, “We recognise the judiciary as one of our critical stakeholders. With this, when cases are brought before them, they can receive accelerated hearing and proclamation of Justice.”

Citing some of the achievements from previous editions of the seminar, Hassan said that instances where liquidation-related litigations experienced delays were reduced.

News

JUST IN: 36 Speakers Back State Police

Published

1 hour ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

Speakers of the 36 Houses of Assembly in Nigeria on Thursday expressed support for the National Assembly’s ongoing efforts to alter the 1999 constitution to create state policing in the country.

The Speakers made their resolution known at the end of their meeting in Abuja.

The Senate and House of Representatives are currently working to amend various constitutional provisions, including those regarding state police, financial autonomy for local government, fiscal federalism, and mayoral status for the FCT.

Details shortly…

News

Military Declares Nigerien Terrorist Wanted For Zamfara Killings

Published

2 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

The Defence Headquarters on Thursday declared wanted, a terrorist leader, Halilu Buzu, from Buzu in the Republic of Niger.

Buzu who resides in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara State, operates an illegal gold mine in Zamfara and is a prominent cattle rustler and arms supplier.

Major General Edward Buba, the Director Defence Media Operation disclosed the development on Thursday during a bi-weekly media briefing on military operations conducted in the country during the past week.

Buba said, “Troops are actively fighting in various theatres of operation across the country and are focussed on destroying both the military capability as well as the will to fight off the terrorists and their cohorts across the country.

“Accordingly, troops are hunting senior terrorist leadership that is of operational importance in terms of coordination of the terrorist attacks against troops and citizens. Troops are also hunting those that are of symbolic value including all those declared wanted.

“Troops are in hunt of one, Halilu Buzu, a terrorist leader that hails from Buzu in the Republic of Niger. He settled in Subbubu Forest and lives in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara State. His camp and illegal gold mine are located at Kawayi in Anka LGA of Zamfara State, where he has a lot of boys working for him.

“Halilu is also a prominent cattle rustler and illegal gold miner. Last week, his boys killed 19 villagers at Farar Kasa. He is a High-Value Target and therefore declared wanted. Meanwhile, he is one of several others that we would be declaring wanted.

“Additionally, Halilu is a major arms supplier, trusted by arms dealers for supplying arms from Libya. When troops close in on him, he moves across the border into the Republic of Niger for refuge. At this time, we are through appropriate channels calling on the Nigerian authorities to apprehend and hold him accountable for his atrocities.

“These categories of terrorists are relentlessly targeted by troops, such that we will be able to strike them out and take them off the battlefield as soon as possible. It is clear that the fate of the terrorists perpetrating insecurity in our nation will be violent and short. Troops will stop at nothing to take them out of the battlefield.”

The DMO further announced that soldiers fighting the counter-insurgency war and carrying out other security operations across the country, killed 227 terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, oil thieves, and other criminals in the past week. Additionally, they arrested 529 criminals, rescued 253 kidnapped hostages, and recovered numerous weapons.

Buba said, “During the period under review, troops discovered and destroyed 18 dugout pits, 34 boats, five drums, four receivers, four reservoirs, and 97 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 198 cooking ovens, nine vehicles, three pumping machines, two speedboats, one outboard engine, and 57 illegal refining sites. He added that troops also recovered 1,442,700 litres of stolen crude oil and 154,650 litres of illegally refined AGO.”

On the breakdown of the weapons recovered, he aded that, “they included 89 AK47 rifles, 40 locally fabricated guns, 59 dane guns, two pump action guns, eight locally fabricated pistols, 6 x 36 hand grenades, three IEDs, one RPG 7 tube, one RPG 7 charger, 4 AGL rounds, one barrel of QJC Gun, one barrel of PKT with receiver, one barrel of Dushka Gun, 250kg bombs used by NATO and Eastern Bloc aircraft, and one MRAP.”

He further noted that troops prevented oil thefts amounting to over N1.3 billion in the Niger Delta region.

He also revealed that in the course of the operations, troops recovered 231 assorted weapons and 6,441 assorted ammunition.

Buba emphasized that troops are actively fighting in various theatres of operation across the country and are focused on destroying terrorists’ military capabilities.

Buba concluded by stating that troops are relentless in their pursuit of terrorists and criminals, determined to take them off the battlefield and bring an end to their atrocities. He commended the troops for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the safety and security of the nation.