THE Federal Government will soon roll out an 850-member Special Force security outfit to combat terrorism and other violent crimes in the country.
According to intelligence sources, the plan has already reached a very advanced stage while international involvement in the training and equipping of the forces are also being featured.
A report in the New York Times during the week described the initiative and the involvement of the United States in the training and provision of necessary equipment for the outfit as part of a new US policy designed to assist “weak states” confronting Jihadi militants.
“American officials are putting finishing touches on a plan for United States Army instructors to help train an 850-member battalion of rangers as part of Nigeria’s new Special Forces command,” the report said.
It also quoted some American lawmakers as hinting that “direct American military engagement may have to increase if threats in the region rise,” while also quoting unnamed Western and African counterterrorism officials as expressing worry that “Al Qaeda and other Islamic militants are proving resilient and, in some cases, expanding their influence from Nigeria to Libya and Somalia.”
Reacting to the report, a former American ambassador to Nigeria, Mr John Campbell, in his blog, described the plan as “potentially fateful.”
“It could be argued that US training of a Nigerian battalion might be a way of countering human rights abuses. As the battalion to be trained is new, it should be free of allegations of those abuses. Nevertheless, US involvement in ranger training would tie the United States ever closer to the Jonathan administration in an increasingly polarised pre-election period in which northern Nigerian alienation from Abuja is widespread and accusations of official corruption on a spectacular scale by former governor of the Central Bank, Lamido Sanusi, remain unanswered.
“We should anticipate that northern public opinion — whether Islamist or not — is likely to become even more thoroughly alienated from the United States, which will likely be held responsible for on-going abuses. There is also the risk that US involvement may encourage Jihadists to move away from their current largely domestic focus and towards greater involvement in international terrorism,” Campbell noted.
In a related development, Flintlock 2014, the annual African-led military exercise for interoperability in security, counterterrorism and humanitarian aid, officially kicked off last week with an opening ceremony celebrating the spirit of regional security cooperation.
A press statement posted on the website of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced the commencement of the exercise which it said ends next week.
The exercise — which includes Burkina Faso, Canada, Chad, France, Mauritania, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Senegal, United Kingdom, the United States and the host nation of Niger — focuses on building partner capability to strengthen stability across the Sahel region of Africa. Flintlock exercises have been conducted across north and western Africa since 2005.
“For the next two weeks, more than 1,000 different troops will practise military drills such as airdrops of personnel or equipment, conduct weapons ranges, rehearse small unit tactics and deliver aid to remote areas with limited medical care.
“While not focused on any particular operation or security situation, Flintlock 2014 focuses on the development of the mutual security capacity while strengthening bonds among exercise participants, according to officials.
“US leadership attending the ceremony with their counterparts said they agreed that security was necessary for growth and stability. Special Operations Command Africa Commanding General, Brig.-Gen. James Linder, also attended the opening ceremony activities,” the statement said.
During the ceremony, the Joint Special Operations Task Force – Trans Sahel Commander, Col. Kenneth Sipperly, said, “Although Flintlock is considered an exercise, it is really an extension of ongoing training, engagement, and operations that help prepare our close Africa partners in the fight against extremism and the enemies that threaten peace, stability, and regional security.”
“Working together to guard against the effects of extremism will be realised by the future generations of all our countries.”
The Nigerien Chief of Staff agreed, adding that, “This exercise is occurring at a time when our nations are faced with multiple obstacles within our region which requires strong resolve to confront extremism.”
‘Human butcher’ arrested
In Borno State, security forces operating with the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) said they made sweeping arrests as they repelled terrorists attempting to overrun markets in communities on the outskirts of Monguno and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation at the New Marte, Borno State, along the Chadian border.
Among the terrorists held, according to the Defence spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade, is a lead specialist in butchering human beings who said he never used firearms but daggers and cutlasses for his assignments.
Olukolade said that over 50 assorted brands of grenades and 11 AK-47 rifles were recovered from the terrorists, while cordon-and-search operations as well as heightened patrols were still on.
FG tackles Borno gov as Gusau takes office
In another development, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, on Friday berated the Borno State governor, Ibrahim Shettima, describing his comments that the Nigerian military cannot curtail the Boko Haram Islamic sect as “a misfortune of indiscretion.”
Maku, who was also the Supervisory Minister of Defence, made the remarks during the handing over ceremony to the new Minister of Defence, Lieutenant-General Aliyu Gusau (rtd) and the Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, in Abuja.
“For many people outside who see the killings that are taking place in the last two weeks, the impression is that the armed forces are doing nothing – even the state governor (Shettima) had the misfortune of indiscretion when he said it would appear the armed forces of Nigeria were not capable of fighting the terrorists. I think that was serious indiscretion.
“I am aware that in the last four weeks, there has been a lot of pressure on the terrorists because the armed forces have been going directly to their bases; and that is why we are seeing a lot of those attacks that come sometimes out of frustration and anger. I know so much is going on and (it) is not something that we will talk (about) on the pages of newspapers,” he said.
He also tasked the armed forces on the importance of loyalty to the constitution and the commander-in-chief. “Loyalty is 100 per cent and cannot be 99 per cent. The most important element of a soldier is his loyalty to the constitution of Nigeria and to the commander-in-chief,” he added.
In his speech, Gusau said the security challenges in the country are daunting but surmountable, noting that “with the help of the Almighty Allah and our collective resolve and determination, we will get to the destination that will give Nigerians the confidence that the country is indeed a safe place for everyone.
Court denies Kogi lecturer, others bail
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, Abuja, has refused to grant bail to Dr Nazeef Yunus, a lecturer at the Kogi State University, Ayingba, businessman Alhaji Salami Abdullahi and Umar Musa, accused of being members of a Boko Haram cell.
Dr Nazeef, 44, a lecturer in the Department of Islamic Studies in the Kogi State University, is accused of being the spiritual leader of the cell, and was among the suspects paraded by the Department of State Security Service late last year.
The judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, predicated his refusal to grant the accused bail on the prevailing acts of the Boko Haram sect in the north-eastern part of the country.
Citing incidences of wanton and mindless killings of guiltless people, particularly the recent killing of scores of students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, by members of the Islamic sect, Justice Kolawole said the court would fall short of dispensing justice if it pretended that all is well in the country.
Though he admitted that granting of bail is at the discretion of the court, which should be judicially and judiciously exercised, he, however, enumerated some of the guiding principles as espoused by the appellate court upon which granting of bail should be premised.
Justice Kolawole stated that the guidelines are by no means exhaustive, but that the nature of charge, severity of punishment, character of evidence (which he noted is a major factor), criminal record of accused person, likelihood of repetition of offence and so on are factors to be considered before bail can be granted.
He stressed that having regard to the mindless campaign of terror by the Boko Haram sect in the past four weeks, “I am a bit constrained that granting the accused persons bail will be very strict; but to do this will lead to the court imposing outlandish bail conditions.”
The judge explained further that granting bail and then imposing stringent conditions that the accused cannot meet up with is like giving a gift with the right hand and collecting it back with the left.
“It is the severity of the crime that matters, and one is hesitant to grant bail. This may not be a period for the court to embark on fanciful and sterile judicial analysis so that the court cannot send out wrong signals,” he said.
The judge said the duty of the court, in view of the peculiar circumstance the country finds itself, is to assist the state to bring the security situation under control, and that issues of national security cannot be regarded as extraneous issues.
The move by the second accused (Salami Abdullahi) to hide under his medical condition to secure bail was thwarted as the court said his health challenge can be handled by a clinic provided he has regular access to medical attention.
In view of the submissions of defence counsel as well as their replies on points of law, “their applications are hereby refused. Court therefore has granted accelerated hearing of the matter. Trial shall commence by March 18, 19, April 3, May 6, 7 etc.”
Specifically, count one of the charge alleged that the accused persons were engaged in clandestine acts that border on terrorism, while count two accused the suspects of procuring and being in possession of two AK-47 rifles, two magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition.
The accused persons were also alleged to be recruiting and organising members of the Kogi Boko Haram cell, while Alhaji Salami was charged with owning a petrol filling station where members of the Boko Haram plan their activities.
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