TheNewsGuru

Tag: Sponsors

  • JUST IN: Reps back Senate, asks Buhari to declare bandits, sponsors as terrorists

    JUST IN: Reps back Senate, asks Buhari to declare bandits, sponsors as terrorists

    Members of the House of Representatives have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare bandits and their sponsors as terrorists.

    They made the call during Thursday’s plenary in the green chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja.

    Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, had raised the matter while addressing his colleagues in the lower house.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the call by the lawmakers to proscribe bandits and their sponsors comes a day after their counterparts in the Senate chamber took a similar stand.

    “The Senate on Wednesday, 29th September 2021 adopted a motion asking President Muhammadu Buhari to declare bandits ravaging the northern part of the country terrorists and wage a total war on them,” the lawmaker told his colleagues.

    “They also asked that the President declare all known leaders of bandits wanted and arrest them, wherever they were found for speedy prosecution. Such declaration to be done through a Proscription Order can be done pursuant to Section 2 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011 (As Amended).

    “I would like to echo the same sentiment and ask honourable colleagues to join the Senate in urging Mr President to declare bandits and their sponsors as terrorists. This will underline the determination of the government to combat the wave of criminality and murders conducted by bandits all over the country.”

    Benson explained that declaring bandits as terrorists could be done through a proscription order, to serve as a source of inspiration for security personnel to redouble their efforts towards dealing with the threat.

    For him, such declaration – when given the force of law – will renew the resolve of the security personnel in dealing with the menace of banditry, saying the mode of operations and rules of engagement would be scaled up accordingly.

    According to the lawmaker, such an order will officially bring the activities of bandits and their sponsors within the purview of the Terrorism Prevention Act while persons associated with such groups will be legally prosecuted and sentenced to penalties specified in the Act.

    “Declaration of all bandits as terrorists may also encourage other countries to do same and help create a global consensus around dealing with transnational factors that feed the domestic activities of such proscribed organisations and individuals,” he said.

    “As previously observed in this House, no [single] action can be a silver bullet to solving our insecurity in Nigeria. But a collection of many effective actions and strategies can bring safety. It is in this spirit that I speak today.

    “Insecurity in Nigeria requires an all-of-government approach. Hence, I also urge the President to implement the recommendations of the National Security Summit, which took place in June this year and was officially delivered to Mr President in July. All hands have to be on deck to be able to win this battle against insecurity in all its manifestations.”

  • Why Buhari-led govt is not interested in shaming sponsors of terrorism — presidency

    Why Buhari-led govt is not interested in shaming sponsors of terrorism — presidency

    The presidency has disclosed reasons the president Muhammadu Buhari’s led government is not interested in naming and shaming sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria.

    The disclosure was made by the presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina during an interview on Channels Television.

    Recall TheNewsGuru (TNG) had earlier reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) placed six Nigerians on its terror list.

    Asked if Buhari would comment on the issue of terrorism at the United Nations assembly, following the naming of six Nigerians as “sponsors of terrorism” in UAE, Adesina said the federal government’s focus will be on the prosecution of suspects.

    “Naming and shaming won’t be the motive. Rather, bringing malefactors to justice would be it. Nigeria is not interested in naming and shaming anybody. Rather, it wants to bring them to justice,” he said.

    “You will see that the United Arab Emirates has given some names, and the attorney-general of the federation has responded to that matter, saying that in due course, all these people will have their days in court.

    “Rest assured that these people will be dragged before justice and justice will have its way.”

    Adesina noted that investigations are being carried out across different security agencies on sponsors of terrorism, and evidence will be presented for prosecution.

    “You don’t take people before the court without investigation. I think even the EFCC chairman, Bawa, spoke about it recently. Investigations are going on at different levels,” he said.

    “It would be at the level of EFCC; it would be at the level of the National Intelligence Agency. Different security agencies would be working on it so that when those people eventually appear in court, there will be what the lawyers call a prima facie case against them.”

    On the issue of recent loans sought by the current administration, Adesina said the Buhari government is borrowing to execute developmental projects.

    “We are borrowing for development and that is the difference between this administration and perhaps others before it, who borrow to steal, who borrow to pocket, who borrow to waste,” he said.

  • Uzodinma reveals sponsors of Imo crisis, says attacks meant to destabilise Buhari’s government

    Uzodinma reveals sponsors of Imo crisis, says attacks meant to destabilise Buhari’s government

    Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma has blamed the recent attack on security facilities in the state on aggrieved politicians, saying their aim was to destabilise his government and that of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Uzodinma stated this on Wednesday during a monitored interview on Channels Television three days after gunmen stormed the Nigerian Correctional Services and the Police Headquarters in Imo State, freeing an unspecified number of prison inmates.

    When asked if the tragic incident was a direct attack on his government, the governor replied in the affirmative.

    Uzodinma explained that security agencies have gathered intelligence on the sponsors of the thugs and their planning leading to the attack on government establishments on Monday.

    “It is not only on my government, it is both on my government and the Federal Government. We have credible evidence leading to those who paid the hoodlums, where they met, and how they met. Security agencies are already working with this information,” he said.

    “Some people are trying to sponsor a synchronise national crisis to bring the government of Muhammadu Buhari to disrepute, otherwise tell me why these things are happening at this time, particularly in Imo, APC state.

    “People are sponsoring these people. Some of them already caught have made confessional statements. I am going to forward my report to the central government.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the gunmen who stormed the security agencies on April 5 set the facilities ablaze.

    During the attack, one person suspected to be a fleeing inmate was hit by a bullet while carrying his travel bag.

    His lifeless body was visibly seen on the ground in front of the correctional centre.

    The gunmen also razed the Imo State Police Command headquarters situated in Owerri and burnt almost all the vehicles parked at the command headquarters.

    They were said to have operated from 1:00 am till 3:00 am during which they sang solidarity songs at the Government House Roundabout for about 30 minutes before attacking the facilities.

  • Allegation of abandoned projects: Edwin Clark takes action against sponsors of false media reports

    Allegation of abandoned projects: Edwin Clark takes action against sponsors of false media reports

    Elder statesman and prominent Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark has instructed his solicitors, Kayode Ajulo & Co Castle of Law to commence legal proceedings against anyone identified as sponsors of false allegations against him in some sections of the media [TheNewsGuru.com, TNG not included] as regards abandoned projects in the Niger Delta.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the elder statesman’s company, Panama Construction Company had earlier denied reports of abandoning a project awarded to it by the Niger Delta Ministry in Rivers since 2011 after allegedly receiving downward payments.

    The solicitors in a detailed response to various allegations against their client (Clark) said all the allegations after thorough investigations by appropriate agencies were found to be baseless, misleading and sponsored.

    They however expressed their readiness to henceforth institute legal proceedings against anyone identified as sponsors of these false and politically motivated media attacks on the Niger Delta leader.

    Read full statement below:

     

     

  • Benue: Buhari reveals those behind killings, warns against reprisal attacks

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said those behind incessant attacks in Benue State and some other parts of the country are ‘evil people’ bent on bringing the country to a sorry point.

    Recall that there have been repeated killings in Benue by suspected herdsmen with the latest being the killing of two priests and some worshipers.

    In a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, Thursday night, Mr Buhari said those behind the Church attack did not mean well for Nigeria and peaceful coexistence.

    He said the revenge attacks that followed in which 11 members of the Hausa communities were killed, “are part of the agenda of the bandits and their sponsors to turn Nigerians against one another.

    Read the presidency’s full statement below:

    STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
    DON’T PLAY INTO THE HANDS OF AGENTS OF DISUNITY, PRESIDENT BUHARI URGES BENUE PEOPLE

    Repeated acts of mass killings and destruction in parts of the country and Benue State in particular, point to the evil design of enemies of peace and unity who have desperately been trying to bring the country to this sorry point: a brother killing brother, a neighbor killing a neighbor and a community attacking and killing members of another community.

    The President strongly warns citizens against playing into the hands of the agents of disunity.

    President Buhari says those behind the Church attack that left 18 people dead, including two Priests, did not mean well for Nigeria and peaceful coexistence.

    The revenge attacks that followed in which 11 members of the Hausa communities were killed are part of the agenda of the bandits and their sponsors to turn Nigerians against one another. We must resist all temptation to fall into this laid out plan.

    The President is greatly pained by this persistent violence and the total disregard for the sanctity of life by those he called “these hideously evil people who have no iota of respect for humanity, decency and civilization.”

    The President reiterates that the government will not rest on its oars in its determination to fish out these barbarous mass murderers and their clandestine sponsors.

    President Buhari equally assures Nigerians that measures being put in place by the government will, sooner than later, bring to an end, these extremely brutal and wanton killings.

    Garba Shehu

    Senior Special Assistant to the President

    (Media and Publicity)

    April 26, 2018

     

  • We know countries sponsoring IPOB against Nigeria – FG

    We know countries sponsoring IPOB against Nigeria – FG

    The Federal Government has said it is aware that some countries are behind sponsorship of the separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and it is taking urgent steps to block the source of such funds.

    It also said it will take necessary diplomatic action against such countries for sponsoring crisis in the country.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Tuesday when he appeared on a live TV programme “Good Morning Nigeria”, on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

    “Terrorists do not publish where their funding are coming from. But we know the countries that are supporting IPOB.

    “We know the sources of their funding, though I am not at liberty to disclose them here.

    “We are taking steps to block them and we are also taking a lot of diplomatic actions in respect of the countries that are supporting them.”

    The minister said that most of the countries supporting the group were doing so based on ignorance, hoodwinked to believing that “Nigeria is a country where Muslims persecute Christians” and a country where there is genocide.

    “As we speak today, IPOB has written letters to many governments outside Nigeria, international parliaments sending fake and cloned videos, claiming there is genocide in Nigeria.

    The minister charged the international community not to adopt double standard in dealing with IPOB and to be more diligent before making any pronouncements.

    He said what the countries would never accept in their territories, should not be condoned or encouraged in Nigeria.

    The minister justified the actions of the military for declaring IPOB a terrorist group as well as its proscription by the South-East governors.

    “There are a lot of arguments regarding the constitutionality of the action of the military and the South East governors.

    “People must realise that we are dealing with issue of national security and I do not think that the military and the governors should fold their arms while the country is set ablaze.

    “I have heard a lot of comments as to whether the military has the right to declare IPOB, a terrorist group.

    “What the military has done is to catalogue all the activities of IPOB, which are not different from that of terrorists groups,” he said.

    Mohammed said IPOB set up a para-military organisation, a parallel military group, Biafra Secret Service and Biafra National Guard.

    He said the group was attacking army installations and soldiers at check points, extorting money from innocent people.

    “IPOB activities are not jokes. If there have not been the proactive actions on the part of the military and the Southeast governors, there would have been retaliations from other regions and the entire country will be set on fire.

    “We cannot be talking of semantics or procedure when the nation is moving towards crises and precipices.

    It is only in a Banana Republic that you can see non-state actors doing what IPOB is doing.

    “The actions by the military and the governors should be seen from the perspective of ensuring internal security and averting chaos,” he said.

    The minister reiterated his position that IPOB was being sponsored by the association of disgruntled politicians and treasury looters to discredit President Muhammadu Buhari”s Administration.

    He admonished the media and opinion leaders to be circumspect in their publications and discussions on IPOB in order not to aggravate the crises the more.

    “The kind of comments and headlines in the media as well as comments from certain quarters are the types that give oxygen and confidence to the IPOB.

    “They must exercise restraint because the only reason we practice our profession or be a commentator is simply because there is peace in the country,” Muhammed said.

     

     

  • Sponsors of hate speeches, fake news determined to bring down Buhari’s govt – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that some people are bent on dragging the President Muhammadu Buhari administration through the mire by sponsoring hate speeches and fake news both on the emerging and traditional media.

    Mohammed noted that the sponsors of these hate speeches hope to discredit the government, destabilize the polity and make the country ungovernable.

    The minister made the statement at the Extraordinary Meeting of the National Council on Information (NCI), which was themed “Hate Speeches, Disinformation, Fake News and National Unity’’, in Jos, Plateau State, on Thursday.

    ‘’The campaign (to discredit the government) is a multi-million naira project and the people behind this string of hate speech, disinformation, and fake news is not about to stop. In fact, they will become more vicious in the days, weeks and months ahead,’’ he said.

    Alhaji Mohammed blamed the resurgent push for separatism as well as the rising cases of ethnic and religious disharmony on the ‘’growing phenomenon of hate speech, as well as the disinformation and fake news campaign’’, and warned that hate speeches and incitement to violence set the stage for the genocide that left at least 800,000 people dead in Rwanda in 1994.

    He traced the worsening cases of hate speech in the country to the period leading to the last general elections, when the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, was the target of a vicious campaign.

    ‘’Never in the history of electioneering in Nigeria has such a quantum of hate speech being directed at any candidate. This did not stop even when he won the election and became President. For instance, the President had hardly left Nigeria for his vacation in London on 19 January 2017, during which he said he would have a routine medical check-up when these hate and fake news campaigners circulated the news that he had died. Between then and now, they have repeated similar fakes news times without number,’’ the minister said.

    He cited three instances of disinformation and fake news targeted at him, including when he was quoted as saying the government does not know who will sign the 2017 budget when what he said was that when the budget is transmitted to the presidency, a decision will be taken.