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  • God used Malu to revive my military career – Buratai

    Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Tukur Buratai has attributed his military success to former Chief of Army Staff, the late General Victor Malu.

    Buratai spoke at a reception for him and his entourage by Senate Committee Chairman on Army, Dr George Akume, in his Makurdi residence.

    Buratai was in Benue State for Malu’s burial.

    The Army boss said he almost retired as a Major at a point until God used Malu to intervene in his case and others.

    Declaring he was indebted to the deceased, Buratai said every rank and stature he attains in the Military are dedicated to the former Commander of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG).

    The Chief of Army Staff described Malu as a brave soldier who recorded successes through dedicated efforts.

    He said Benue has lost a rare gem and dependable asset that was the envy of not just Nigeria but the entire continent.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the remains of Malu were laid to rest in Tse- Malu Adoor village in Katsina Ala, Local Government Area of Benue State.

    Hundreds of mourners witnessed the burial rite, which was strictly a military affair.

    Buratai led top military officers to the funeral.

    Governor Samuel Ortom, former governors Gabriel Suswam and George Akume as well as a delegation from the Senate were all in attendance.

    Ortom said he would consult with Benue State House of Assembly on how best to immortalise the late Army chief, whom he said has brought honour to Benue state.

    Speaking when a delegation from the Senate led by Jeremiah Useni paid him a condolence visit at the Benue Peoples House Makurdi, Ortom saidMalu is still attracting development to his communities even in death.

    As a mark of respect and honour for the late General, Ortom said his country home, Adoor village, had been connected to public power supply for the first time, courtesy of the Benue State government.

    While appreciating leadership of the Senate for their show of love for the departed former general, the governor said discussing the death of General Malu at plenary was a mark of honour at the highest level.

    He described the late general as a great leader, friend to many and professional to the core who offered himself for selfless services to his fatherland.

    In a condolence letter to the Governor, Senate President Bukola Saraki noted Malu dutifully canvassed and undertook reforms aimed at preserving an apolitical army.

    Senator Useni stated Malu was globally applauded for turning around the fortunes of the sub regional peace force (ECOMOG) during the first Liberian Civil war.

     

  • Obey ‘Rules of Engagement’ in your operations, Buratai warns Nigerian soldiers

    The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, on Saturday in Lagos tasked officers of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps (NAFC) on conduct, professionalism and hard work as he inaugurated the Data Recovery Centre.

    The Chief of Army Staff was represented by the Chief of Training and Operations, David Ahmadu, during the inauguration of the data recovery centre at the Nigerian Army Finance Corps, Apapa, Lagos.

    According to him, the Nigerian Army in recent times is being faced with many challenges ranging from militancy, insurgency, kidnapping and all forms of crimes across the country.

    “I implore you not to rest on your oars. Conduct yourselves within the ambit of the Rules of Engagement,” he said.

    Buratai, a lieutenant general, said the corps had been able to manage its scarce resources, adding that the troops at the various theatre of operations have been getting their allowance monthly.

    “I commend the Acting Chief of Accounts and Budget, Brig.-Gen. Jehadi Jakko and am happy to inaugurate the remodelled NAFC complex, the data recovery centre and gymnasium.

    “This is in line with my administration towards maintenance culture and provision of critical infrastructure.

    “As you are aware the army has keyed into all reforms in line with constituted authorities.

    “Some of this include; implementation of the treasury single account and Integrated Payroll Personal Information System (IPPIS),” he said.

    Buratai also commended the NAFC for its role in administration of troops, allowances, especially in the support of troops in the north-east.

    Earlier, Mr. Jakko, during his address of welcome, thanked the Chief of Army Staff for his support since his assumption of office.

    He said that the corps was saddled with the payment of salaries of troops and other allowances amongst other things.

    He said the Nigerian Army was already implementing all government financial reforms, adding that it had been helpful in its finances.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Command and Warrant Officers Mess was also inaugurated and was witnessed by many senior officers.

    NAN

     

  • Re: Buhari, Buratai, And The Python Panacea

    By Idoko Ainoko

    One Emmanuel Ugwu wrote and published the article “Buhari, Buratai, and the Python Panacea” that has been published on several online platforms. Ugwu should be commended for this piece not because it was a work of art or some remarkable masterpiece but because in that single rant he was able to lay bare what ails the southeast of Nigeria. From this writer it became apparent that the problem of the Igbo nationality is that too many great minds from that ethnic stock have taken the concept of being gentlemen too far to an extent that they have handed their fate and that of the entire geo-political zone over to frothing rabid fellows like the writer and the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

    The distortion of facts overseen by such characters take on an hallucinatory quality to an extent that one is constantly having to do double takes to be certain that one has either read or heard aright. While the lies, propaganda and fake news emanating from zealots like these have no impact on other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria it is alarming how the same hogwash is swallowed un-chewed by poorer strata of the southeast people, who have now been whipped into the kind of frenzy that makes group suicide not only possible but also easier to attain.

    Ugwu apparently has issues with Operation Python Dance II. He did not say if the first version of that military exercise deprived him of revenue as a bandit or kidnapper, since the disruption of these evil enterprises were major achievements of that drill in 2016. But he vehemently made it known he is not a fan of the ongoing second edition of it. To him the operation is meant to defeat the “Biafra consciousness” even though he could not satisfactorily articulate how a defunct republic is in danger of being defeated.

    He also posited that the southeast was a peaceful zone that didn’t require the emptying of the barracks to militarized. Could Ugwu be talking about a southeast that is different from the one where a teenage girl was caught with two human heads, different from one where worshippers where hastened by a hail of bullets to meet their creator during a Sunday church service, different from the one on which a priest was abducted and killed, different from the one where Kanu’s IPOB daily threatened to annihilate the rest of us, different from the one where a ragtag band of cutthroats outed themselves as members of the Biafra Secret Services?

    When a group of apparently mentally challenged people announce the formation of their own armed forces and someone thinks it is unconstitutional to send another army to quell them then it is not those that formed the impostor armed forces that are in need of psychiatric intervention. It takes a supreme level of mental incapacitation to expect that the police would be sent in to quell an insurrection in which the insurgents have boasted of having nuclear weapons and their leader had vowed a two week timeline for over running the country.

    And if anyone is in doubt as to what pushed Kanu to try burning the entire Igboland they need not look further than pseudo intellectuals and half baked analysts like Ugwu, who wallowed in the self deception that the army cannot use operation Python Dance II to get the Igbo heartland over a barrel. It may interest anyone with such shallow mindset that an enlarged support base for Kanu would make an already bad situation into a disaster, rendering the southeast into a wasteland that will not recover in the lifetime of the present generations. Nobody wants that.

    The erroneous impression that the western countries would rush to the rescue cannot be more badly conceived. It will take at least six weeks before useful international discussion would take place if the IPOB terrorists were to be dealt with the way they deserve and it took less than three days for Kanu to become a fugitive despite his Shekau-quality rants. When the western countries do intervene, it would be to send some genetically modified grains and food items with spermicidal quality to guaranty people from that area no longer procreate to breed terrorists. The world is in unison when it comes to the realization that humanity does not need another terror group.

    The insults heaped on President Buhari in the piece are consistent with the tempo set by Kanu, so that someone who should know better than the terrorist wrote in such fashion attests to the value they jointly share. It further gives credence to the stereotype held about the ability of a certain people to show respect and courtesy or otherwise. It is therefore pointless to take more out of that.

    If it was pointless responding to the insults on President Buhari it becomes even less relevant to bother about the invectives poured of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai. Had he been inefficient then the IPOB terrorists would not have had any reason to be worried. They are bitter only because he maneuvers in a way that perplexed sponsors and IPOB foot soldiers alike.

    It seems Ugwu has a morbid aversion for snakes, which is not surprising. Opposites attract while like polarizations repel so the one with the personality of a serpent becomes repulsed by snakes. Now that the writer has made his aversion known perhaps the operation cab be renamed Operation Lion Roar, Operation Eagle Flight, Operation Buffalo Gallops or Operation Snail Crawls so long as the objective of stopping a terror group in its cradle before it goes berserk is achieved.

    The operation would rid the area of terrorists and the likes of Ugwu should rethink alluding to civilian casualty when the IPOB militants that got themselves killed had earlier vowed “Biafra or Death”. They should rather be asking why Kanu fled and left them behind as human shield or why Ugwu is hiding behind his keyboard and not joining on the battlefield. At least in this regard the writer was truthful: “Kanu was a source of bombast” so why and how did some people’s brain go mushy to the point where they commit suicide to please him?

    It therefore fraudulent trying to sustain the lies of a collective hatred of the Igbos by other Nigerians, who had endured over 24 months of being called “animals” living in the “zoo” by Kanu, IPOB and the Ugwus of this country. The insults might have been tolerated but the nation would not brook the existence of a parallel army. It is called insurrection and countries of the world know how they deal with that.

    Kanu and Ugwu, being children of anger, may not understand this just as they are ignorant of where to channel their angst. One of their own, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is effectively the professional chairman of successive constitution review committees in the National Assembly but has never thought it wise to include a clause for referendum in the recommendations to plenary yet he prances around allowing youths from his geopolitical zone to chase shadows.

    Kanu and his IPOB terrorists have never taken it upon themselves to ask him why he has not done the needful to set the legislative framework in place for the breakaway of Igboland from Nigeria. Ekweremadu even attended the meeting that proscribed the terror group and the terrorists saw no sin on his part. The governors in the zone are “sons of the soil” yet they have not done much to improve the life of their people, IPOB has no issues with this. The leadership of the southeast is the real snake oil and pro-Biafra separatists have nothing against swallowing that bunkum.

    The larger population of Igbos, who are great people, should manage the rabble rousers among their people to a point where they will appreciate what the army is doing. Without Operation Python Dance II disparate Igbo groups would have turned on each other by now. The army is on ground to help and Igbos should support it to help stop the guaranteed self-destruction that separatist terrorists are resolute on inflicting.

    Idoko, a public affairs commentator sent in this piece from Kaduna, Kaduna State.

  • Buratai extends ultimatum on capturing Shekau ‘dead’ or ‘alive’ by another 40 days

    Buratai extends ultimatum on capturing Shekau ‘dead’ or ‘alive’ by another 40 days

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has extended his 40-day deadline to troops to capture Abubakar Shekau, leader of terrorist group, Boko Haram.

    His initial deadline to Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, had expired on August 30, 2017.

    Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, in a statement on Friday said the commander requested for an extension of the order.

    He said troops were close to acheiving the goal before the expiration of the deadline.

    Usman, however, did not disclose the duration of the extended deadline.

    He said, “The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. T.Y. Buratai, has commended the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, his sector commanders and all troops of Operation Lafiya Dole for pursuing the COAS directive of capturing the purported Boko Haram terrorists’ leader, Abubakar Shekau, dead or alive, within 40 days beginning on July 21, 2017, which elapsed on August 30, 2017.

    “Although the leader has not been captured, the COAS noted with satisfaction the zeal and determination with which the directive was pursued. He congratulated the commander for eliminating five key leaders of the terrorist group that were the closest associates and right-hand men of the terrorist group leader.

    “The Theatre Commander has asked for the extension of the deadline and it has been granted by the COAS.”

    He added that killing of top five leader of the terrorist group has weakened its structure and capacity.

  • Capture Shekau `dead or alive’, Buratai directs Commander

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has directed Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maiduguri, to capture Abubakar Shekau, self-styled leader of the Boko Haram sect, “dead or alive”.

    Buratai further directed the Theatre commander to do so within 40 days.

    A statement issued by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, on Friday night, said that Attahiru should “employ all arsenal at the disposal of the Theatre Command to smoke out Shekau wherever he is hiding in Nigeria.”

    “The general public is please requested to also assist and volunteer information that would lead to the accomplishment of this task,” Usman said.

     

  • Buratai: That moment of truth on BBC

    By: Jessica Angula
    Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai is admired in multiple ways. He is a soldier who stands up for the truth and a puritan to a fault.
    His disarming frankness, hard work and flair for excellence are largely responsible for his meteoric rise in the Nigerian Army.
    In a publicized interview on July 3rd, 2017, Gen. Buratai , who featured on the BBC HARD talk programme, anchored by Stephen Sackur spoke on a range of issues, including the state of the counter-insurgency campaigns in Nigeria and particularly in the Northeast.
    The COAS who has spent the last few years of his career fighting Boko Haram terrorism, first as Field Commander, Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and now, as Nigeria’s COAS and leader of the counter-insurgency war stated lucidly that militarily, the Islamic sect, Boko Haram insurgents have been defeated.
    Buratai was explicit that; “ I don’t think anybody has said Boko Haram has been eliminated. Terrorism is something that is resilient. Today we have gained tremendously. Before May 2015, the Boko Haram were even in Abuja; they were in Kano; they were in Kaduna; they were penetrating down to the South. And we had to stop them. “
    “And for the past one and a half years, you have not had any attack in Jos, either Abuja or Kano or many other places. Not even as close as Gombe, where we had several attacks. You have never had it. Now, they are only concentrated in certain areas in Borno state and parts of Yobe state,” he explained…If you talk in terms of military action; militarily, Boko Haram has been defeated.”
    The crux of the message by Gen. Buratai on state of the terrorism war in Nigeria is clearly discernible and can be dissected on three planks. First, terrorism is a devilish vice that has traits of resilience and so, no one has claimed elimination of Boko Haram insurgency completely.
    And secondly, Nigerian troops have been able to substantially curtail its unbridled influence reflective in the previously widespread attacks in major cities and states in Nigeria, which are now reduced to attacks in parts of Borno and Yobe states. And also, Nigerian troops have been able to curb its incursion into the Southern part of the country.
    And thirdly, the cumulative effect of the situation interpreted together alludes to the incontrovertible reality that Nigerian troops have defeated Boko Haram militarily. Combatively, it has recorded immense gains against terrorism in Nigeria.
    But Nigerians have a confounding capacity for mischief. The Gen. Buratai’s brief interview on BBC, presented in plain language has been misinterpreted by mischief makers. Even if these Nigerians considered it too cumbersome to digest the literature of terrorism emanating from other parts of the world which have suffered the terrorism scourge, Gen. Buratai offered them the sketch of it.
    Unfortunately, they never burdened themselves with listening to dispassionately decode the contents of the interview appropriately. They preferred to form opinions, which have no nexus with what the Army Chief uttered. Thereafter, they rushed to the media in disputation of the exclamations of the Army Chief.
    Therefore, expectedly, Sen. Abubakar Kyari , representing Borno North senatorial district, instantly countered the claims of Gen. Buratai, that Boko Haram has been defeated. And his only reason for mouthing this illogicality were his claims of knowledge of information that Boko Haram terrorists have regrouped and plotting to soon unleash a serious attack on the state.
    Senator Kyari failed to crack between the words, “elimination” and “defeat” of Boko Haram terrorism as Gen. Buratai clearly explained in the concept of the resilient character of terrorism anywhere in the world.
    By the Army Chief’s exposition, the fact that activities of Boko Haram insurgents have been restricted to occasional strikes on targets’ in parts of the two states is indication of the defeat. This is a remarkable difference compared to the past when terrorism was felt almost in all parts of the North and beyond, which expressed differently, is their certified defeat.
    Forwardly, it is understandable that the total elimination of terrorism in the country will stretch over time, before it eventually fizzles out. But for now, intermittent attacks by remnants of Boko Haram insurgents will continue and these attacks have serious undertones.
    From all nuances of assessments, the subsisting Boko Haram attacks are not from the original religious and combative sect of Boko Haram insurgents . It is the political cum business wing of terrorism in Nigeria that is at work. So, it is more a combat for the political leadership and its business collaborators than the guns of soldiers.
    It was former President Goodluck Jonathan who first raised the alarm about the existence of three sects of Boko Haram insurgency in the country. He identified them as the original religious sect of Boko Haram; the political and the business wings of Boko Haram terrorism. And the types are self-explanatory.
    There is no gainsaying that based on combat on the battlefields; Nigerian troops have defeated the Islamic sect of Boko Haram terrorism. It accounts for why they are no longer strong enough to generously spread atrocious attacks on Nigerians in different parts of the country as obtained before May 2015.
    Gen. Buratai personally led troops to confront them in the caves, forests and other hideouts and smoked them out. The dismantling of the Sambisa forest was the final indication of the defeat of the religious sect of Boko Haram terrorists. Nigerian Army ensured their sources of foreign funding in food supplies and weapons were blocked.
    These terrorists and their families starved en masse and started surrendering to the Nigerian Army in droves since 2016.
    This is also evident in the recent declaration of armistice and surrender by over 700 Boko Haram insurgents and among them, top commanders, on the list of most wanted terrorists declared by the Nigerian Army.
    The political and business wings of Boko Haram insurgency have sustained presence with the sporadic attacks. Both play complementary roles.
    The political wing of terrorism is funded by some dubious politicians, whose poor records of representation of the people are afraid that given a free atmosphere, the electorate would terminate their political ambitions with the ballot.
    So, they have continued to sponsor dissident elements to keep detonating bombs, to scare returning IDPs and to create the general impression of a hovering threat of terrorism in Borno and Yobe states.
    The business wing of terrorism operates on the ideology of profiteering. Some of them have links to external sponsors of terrorism, who pay them handsomely as agents.
    Yet, others are into the business of trade in weaponry and when Boko Haram festered overpoweringly, it provided ready markets for these criminal Nigerians, who reaped from it bountifully.
    Yet, others are into the business of trade in weaponry and when Boko Haram festered overpoweringly, it provided ready markets for these criminal Nigerians, who reaped from it bountifully.
    These set of terrorists agents are aversed to news about the complete elimination of terrorism in the country, because it will collapse their business empires in arms trade. They are part of the sponsors of the skeletal terrorists’ bombs detonating in parts of Borno and Yobe states.
    Consequently, Nigerian dissipating energies in attacking, refuting and encouraging terrorists with views about the strength and existence of terrorists are causing more harm to themselves than the country. They independently conduct their own research on why snippets of terrorism still exist in Borno and Yobe states.
    Nigerian Army has defeated Boko Haram terrorism; but if Nigerians want it totally eliminated, it is more a battle of conscience and attitudinal change than military action. So, it would be more worthwhile to engage the politicians and the businessmen nourishing terrorism for personal gains than descend on the Nigerian Army. This is the moment of truth.
    Angula writes from the United Kingdom.

  • 700 Boko Haram insurgents surrender to Nigerian Army

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Monday revealed that about 700 Boko Haram insurgents around the fringes of Sambisa Forest in Borno, have surrendered.

    Buratai stated this during a Photo/Arts Exhibition, which was part of activities to mark the week-long Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL).

    “A short while ago, I received the good news that about 700 Boko Haram terrorists within the fringes of Sambisa Forest have surrendered.

    “Some others are in the process to surrender, This is a clear indication that the Boko Haram war is clearly being won.

    “The situation is being awaited; more details will come from the Theatre Command in Maiduguri later in the day.

    “I will like to congratulate not only our gallant troops, but indeed the Nigerian Navy and Air Force who are also operating in the North-East.

    “I congratulate Nigerians as well because I know what we went through during the Boko Haram insurgency and definitely, it will be a great sigh of relief as these terrorists are finally capitulating,” Buratai said.

    Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, added that 70 of the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists were already being profiled.

    He explained that “preliminary investigation showed that among them were key commanders and influential members of the Boko Haram.

    “One of whom matches suspect number 225 on Boko Haram terrorists most wanted list released by the Nigerian Army.

    “So far, the surrendered terrorists have been making useful statements and it is expected that many more will surrender,’’ Usman said.

  • Boko Haram using stolen army uniforms, weapons against us – Buratai

    Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen Tukur Buratai, has said terrorists stole weapons, uniforms and boots from troops in the North-East and used them ​against the people.

    Buratai ​stated this ​while​ reacting to allegations of abuses by the army raised by the Amnesty International.

    Buratai said, “AI is an international non-governmental organisation that has its own way of research and reporting. But whatever its mandate or interest is, it should be able to look at the host country’s policies.

    ​”​They have not looked at our policies critically. They just go to the fields and get one or two reports probably; even those reports are questionable.

    “The same terrorists will give (the) reports and say these things happened. They are the same people who steal our uniforms, boots, and weapons and commit atrocities.
    ​”​They now turn back and say it is the legitimate sovereign institutions that are committing such things.​ ​What I will say is that there are certain groups of individuals in the AI who are reporting wrongly.

    ​”​I believe that with the transparency and openness of the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari, anyone that writes any negative thing against the military is being misguided​”, the Army Chief told Voxafrica TV,.

  • Nigerian Army University takes off September – Buratai

    The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has announced that the Nigerian Army University, Biu in Borno State, will take off next September.

    Buratai made the disclosure shortly after receiving the certificate of occupancy from Kashim Shettima, governor of the state.

    Buratai said the army had already reached out to the National Universities Commission (NUC) to secure approval for the university.

    According to him, army engineers had also commenced construction work at the site.

    While thanking the Borno government for the allocation of the land, the army chief said funding for the university project was captured in the 2017 budget and commended the federal government for its commitment to the take-off of the institution.

    He added that the university was being designed as a unique and specialised institution that would serve as solutions center especially to specific challenges facing the Army and north-east.

    Responding, Shettima said the state government would provide necessary support towards take off of the institution.

    The governor expressed confidence that when fully operational, the university would be a reference point for other universities in Africa.

  • Coup scare: People taking Buratai’s warning too far – Presidency

    The Presidency has demised the continuous media reports on the alleged coup plot by some officials of the military insisting that the Chief of Army Staff Maj.-Gen. Tukur Burutai was quoted out of context.

    This was stated on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina at a media chat with State House correspondents to mark two years of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in Abuja.

    According to him, what the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Burutai, said about the issue was a “routine warning that goes to military officers.’’

    Adesina addressed the correspondents alongside the Senior Special Assistants to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu and Mr Laolu Akande (Special Adviser to the Acting President on Media and Publicity).

    Adesina said: “The Army has spoken and let us take that position. What the Chief of Army Staff said was a routine warning that goes to military officers, don’t hobnob with politicians and the army has explained the position.

    “Let’s take that position and not stretch it beyond what the military has said because they are the ones that can give us the definitive position and they have spoken on it.’’

    The presidential spokesman also debunked the assertion that the ruling party had failed in fulfilling its political obligations and promises to the electorate in view of the reported hardships being experienced by a cross section of Nigerians.

    He maintained that it was unfair to assess the performance of the Buhari’s administration within its first two years.

    “People can always express their opinions, there is liberty on that but you don’t have a scientific survey that has given you the percentage of people that believed that the APC has failed.

    “The second point is that, when a government via a party is voted into office, it is voted for a four year term under our own democratic arrangement.

    “When you have spent two years which is like a midterm, the first half of a game, you don’t then determined that it has succeeded or it has failed.

    “No. You can be accused of being atomistic using a small part to determine the whole. You can’t write the report card of this administration when it is just hitting the half way mark, that will not be fair.

    “This administration will take Nigeria far beyond how it met it. So if anybody says APC has failed just tell them is too early in the day because is a four year-term and this is just two years. You don’t reach definitive conclusions in two years.’’

    Malam Garba Shehu, who spoke on the Human Rights records of the Buhari’s administration, said the records were impeccable.

    “The Human rights records of this administration are impeccable, there are unimpeachable. I think we should avoid speaking in general terms.

    “The thing to do is to pin point specific cases to buttress assertions that people make and then we can tackle them.

    “As we speak to you now, we are not aware that the administration of Muhammadu Buhari is in breach of the constitution of Nigeria with regards to the protection of the rights of Nigerians.

    “Journalists in this country ought to bear testimony on this, there is no single journalist that has been expelled from his duty because he has reported or failed to report, there is no single journalist who is in government detention because they have expressed some views that the government does not like.’’

    According to Shehu, the Buhari’s administration is complying with the decision of the courts of the land.

    “I assure that if anybody tries to do otherwise the president will not allow him to get away with it.’’

    Laolu Akande, who spoke on alleged weak prosecution of corruption cases across the country, said: “The truth of the matter is that our criminal justice system does need a profound and deep reform.

    “The important thing is that this government is working on it. As a matter of fact now, the Acting President has put together a national coordination prosecution team for all the prosecution trying to see how in the medium term we can bring some progress.

    “But also working on judicial sector reforms on the long term on criminal justice system to strengthen both the investigation and prosecution at the courts.

    “And I know it is going to take a while for us to address it,” he said.

    On food security, Akande revealed that the government had recorded tangible achievements in the nation’s agricultural sector.

    According to him, the committee on food crisis is still working, while the government has reduced importation of food items especially rice.

    He disclosed that about 40,000 farmers in Kebbi state had become millionaires due to government favourable agricultural policies.