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8 — Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020 Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai. Troops grumble as non-release of N600bn stalls payment of allowances to military personnel •Allowances approved under MAFA by President Buhari since 2018 •Exodus as Boko Haram threatens to attack Garkida again •Why we deploy local hunters – Police By Kingsley Omonobi & Ibrahim Hassan WORRIED by the plethora of petitions, msinformation, exchange of unsubstantiated text messages and unfounded allegations over payment of allowances, and other emoluments which personnel of the Armed Forces are entitled to, and the negative effect it could have on morale, military authorities have directed Formation Commanders, Operational and Institutional Commanders to engage troops and clear any grey areas agitating the minds of such troops. Petitions sent to NASS, Presidency Many of the petitions have been sent to the National Assembly and the Presidency. This came on a day the people of Garkida in Adamawa State raised alarm that Boko Haram insurgents threatened to launch a fresh attack on the area, barely 48 hours after they launched an attack that led to the razing of homes, churches, mosques and other properties, and caused the people to flee en masse into the bush. The directive to commanders at all levels, including GOCs, Corp Commanders, Operational Commanders, Commandants of Institutions and equivalent, followed misconceptions about the implementation of the Manual of Financial Administration, MAFA, for the Armed Forces, which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 26, 2018. Under the MAFA which implementation ought to have commenced in 2018, several allowances were reviewed and new ones approved for troops towards ensuring a boost to morale, particularly in the current dispensation that the nation is at war not only against terrorism but also against banditry and other national security threats. Consequently, Incidental Allowances, including Packing or Posting allowances, Terminal Packing allowances, Lodging allowances, were reviewed upwards. So also were Courses allowances for officers, ratings and airmen. Furthermore, the MAFA spelt out the new Transport allowance packages for students of Course as it applies to officers of the ranks of Majors to Colonels and equivalent, Lieutenants to Captains and equivalent, Sergeants to Army Warrant Officer and equivalent as well as Private to Corporal and equivalent. Also contained in the MAFA are what personnel are entitled to as Non-Accident Bonus Allowances, Family Passage Allowances and Security Debarment Allowances. The security Debarment Allowance in particular, has caused uproar among troops because since 2018 when it was signed into law, affected military personnel claimed they had not been paid the money which is aimed at keeping them, going pending payment of their gratuities and pensions MAFA states explicitly: “Security Debarment Allowance is payable by each service to all personnel on retirement from service. The essence of the allowance is to debar personnel from employing skills acquired in service against the state after retirement and the amount is 10 per cent of annual salary at the time of retirement.’’ For implementation of payments for Security Debarment allowances, it was discovered that if funding is made available, the Defence Headquarters will be saddled with the responsibility and not the Army, Navy or Airforce authorities as erroneously believed by military personnel. Investigations, however, revealed that since the signing into law of the MAFA, the dilly dally over firstly, the budgeting and approval of funding for it’s implementation which had been in the pipeline, non-availability or lack of cash backing had seen it’s implementation stalled. However, many members of the Armed Forces erroneously believed that with Buhari’s signature approving the financial administration, payment and other implementation had since commenced, convinced that the various services were sitting on their entitlements. What investigations revealed Investigations revealed that as at 2020, the National Assembly STATE OF THE NATION Troops of Nigerian Army. only appropriated about 48 percent to 50 percent of money needed on the average, hence partial implementation commenced in all the Services which troops are viewing as attempts to shortchange them of their entitlements. So with the dilemma of its inability to implement the MAFA and to douse the tension it is generating, the Payment Instructions issued to all formations spelt out monies troops are entitled to, including operations allowances, and directs commanders to create avenues for troops to ask questions on grey areas for clarity of purposes. Expectations fron NASS In the meantime, a senior officer who spoke under condition of anonymity, said there were expectations that the National Assembly would take the bull by the horns and work to ensure that money for the implementation of MAFA since 2018 is released before that of year 2020 catches up with the backlog and it increases further to more than N600 billion. Since 2018 when MAFA became law, for instance, three batches of retirees from the Army, Navy, and Airforce, numbering over 2,500 Non- Commissioned Officers, have attended the pre-retirement courses at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, NAFRC, Oshodi and commenced retirement life without getting paid, with another batch expected to proceed in a few months. This is besides several hundreds of officer cadre personnel who have retired, having attained 35 years of service, or due to age on rank or having attained the mandatory retirement age. Why local hunters are deployed Meanwhile, the Police in Adamawa State weekend, explained why local hunters were necessary in the fight against the insurgents who dealt a heavy blow on Garkida town. They said only the hunters who reside in the locality knew the terrain, according to a BBC Hausa report monitored by journalists in Kaduna. The PPRO of Adamawa State Command, Suleiman Yahaya Ngoroji, said the Police could only succeed if the locals cooperated and exposed strangers among them. “We assure you that we are collaborating with the Army and local hunters to protect life and property of citizens, and to prevent future occurrence of such attack. ‘’The local hunters reside in the affected community. If you really want to know the geography of a place, it’s necessary to work with the natives of that place. They will show us all entry and exit points,” he said. The local hunters, journalists were told, have the spiritual powers to disappear when faced with danger, apart from an aphrodisiac which made it impossible for any sharp object or bullet to pierce their skin. A resident of Garkida told the BBC Hausa Service on condition of anonymity, that the insurgents had indicated plans to launch another attack on the town. According to the displaced residents,”many have fled on foot..even if you have the money, there are no vehicles because of the high number of people on the run. “I had to leave my family behind. Everybody is scared because they (Boko Haram) sent a new message that they are coming back. “We are afraid because there is a route that links us with Guyuk, Chibok and up to Sambisa. ‘’That is why we are afraid of another attack. The last attack lasted from 7 0’clock up till midnight, they vandalised the town, set houses on fire, razed a hospital and three churches. ‘’They killed two security agents; we have no information of the dead among the town dwellers because we all scampered for safety.” Security beef-up However, the PPRO, Mr.Suleiman Yahaya, assured that security had been beefed up in Garkida. “Truly, houses and churches were burnt, police facility and a mini Army barracks too. But Investigation is still on by the police to ascertain the number of the dead,’’ he said. He, therefore, sought the cooperation of the community to report any strange development or faces to the authority. Monarchs in Delta North ask armed herdsmen to quit •Say we can longer tolerate killings, maiming, raping of our subjects •Uwheru kingdom bans consumption of beef over herdsmen killings •As Army denies plot to destroy community By Victor Young & Brisibe Perez ROYAL fathers in Delta North weekend gave armed herdsmen in the region quit notice, and asked security agencies to arrest the upsurge of herdsmen killings, maiming and attacks of harmless indigenes of the area. The monarchs spoke as the people of Uwheru kingdom in Ughelli North local government area of Delta State banned the sales and consumption of beef in all communities in the kingdom, following the killing of 10 farmer by herdsmen in the area. Rising from a crucial meeting of Delta North traditional rulers forum at Owa Oyibu, Ika North Local Government Area, LGA, of Delta State, the monarchs condemned in strong terms the unwholesome activities of herdsmen in rural communities, warning that the people would no longer tolerate such unprovoked attacks in any land in Anioma Nation. In a five point communique presented by the chairman of the forum and Obi of Owa, Dr Emmanuel Efeizomor 11, the monarchs asked the arms bearing herdsmen to stay away from their land in their own interest He said: “Our people are no longer going to the farms for fear of either being attacked, killed, kidnapped or raped and we are saying enough is enough. The peaceful disposition of Anioma people should not be misconstrued for either weakness or cowardice. ‘’Any further attack on any part of Delta North will be met with disastrous consequences. Consequently, we, therefore, resolved to immediately reactivate and reinvigorate the vigilante groups in our various communities, with a view to beefing up security within the district. ‘’We are aware that some unscrupulous elements in our various communities have been conniving with the herdsmen to wreak havoc on our people. We plead with these elements to desist from heinous acts in their own interest before the long arm of the law catches up with them. Meanwhile, the people of Uwheru kingdom have banned the sale and consumption of beef in all communities in the kingdom. The ban came as the Nigerian Army, weekend, denied allegations that its personnel threatened to destroy communities in the kingdom, if corpses of those reportedly killed by herdsmen were not exhumed. Following allegations by Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, that soldiers threatened to destroy the communities, if they failed to exhume the corpses of those reportedly killed by the herdsmen during the incident, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations for 63 Infantry Brigade, Captain G. A. Okupe, in a statement yesterday, said it was its own troops who responded to the distress call in the community, “that were attacked by youths of the community, thereby injuring two of the soldiers. ''The public is hereby advised to disregard Prof. Muoboghare's allegations as the military remains resolute in its fight against illegal oil bunkering, militancy, sea piracy and pipeline vandalism.'' Do your worst, Fulani leaders walk out on Anambra stakeholders •As villagers trail 4 Fulani boys with 6 AK47 rifles from Umuawulu to Isiagu communities By Nwabueze Okonkwo O existing NITSHA—THE cordial relationship between Igbo stakeholders in Anambra State and Fulani leaders resident in the state appears to have gone awry, following an alleged walkout staged by the latter during a crucial meeting with the police and the stakeholders. Aside from the walkout, the Fulani leaders allegedly handed a stern warning to the stakeholders to be careful about what they described as their confrontational attitude, saying they were not ready to tolerate such attitude. They added that the stakeholders didn’t need to confront them just because they saw Fulani boys carrying AK47 rifles to protect themselves from unwarranted attacks. It would be recalled that six AK47 rifles were seen hanging on the shoulders of four Fulani boys at Umuawulu community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State and the villagers were said to have trailed the four boys on two motorcycles heading to Isiagu community, also in Awka South LGA, where they reside. Consequently, when the news of the brazen possession of firearms spread across the council area, the stakeholders convened a crucial meeting with the police and Fulani leaders and raised the matter for deliberations. The stakeholders told the Fulani leaders in the presence of men of the State Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, SIIB, Awka that they were surprised that their boys were displaying rifles openly, without minding that it an an offence of unlawful possession of firearms. They expressed disappointment that the security agencies in the state did not make any attempt to arrest the Fulani boys for unlawful possession of firearms, adding that if it were to be Igbo boys found with firearms, they would have been arrested and charged to court. However, rather than apologise on behalf of their boys, the Fulani leaders allegedly told the stakeholders to do their worst as, according to them, the boys must always bear arms for protection against religious, ethnic and tribal attacks from any quarter.
STATE OF THE NATION Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020 — 9 Adamawa Attack: My administration has weakened Boko Haram’s capacity — BUHARI President Muhammadu Buhari. Insecurity: Niger govt takes case to God, as 10,000 are sacked from ancestral homes •As Ilorin Emirate seeks divine intervention for Nigeria By Wole Mosadomi & Demola Akinyemi M INNA—GOVERNOR Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has cried out over the continuous invasion of some communities in the state by bandits. This is even as the people of Ilorin Emirate in Kwara State weekend gathered at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu- Gambari, to seek divine intervention on the insecurity challenges confronting the country. Speaking during a special prayer organized by the state government at Minna Central Mosque on Saturday, Governor Bello said the state government had no choice than to resort to special prayers for God to intervene in the current security situation. The prayers, he stated, were being organized simultaneously across the eight Emirate Councils in the state, adding that this would climax with the Christian prayers in churches. HEALTH TIPS By Sola Ogundipe Drink water Water helps to maximize physical performance. If we do not stay hydrated, physical performance can suffer. Dehydration can have a noticeable effect if you lose as little as 2 percent of your body's water content. However, it is not uncommon for athletes to lose up to 6-10 percent of their water weight via sweat. Optimal hydration has been shown to prevent this from happening, and may even reduce the oxidative stress that occurs during high intensity exercise. Losing as little as 2 percent of your body's water content can significantly impair physical performance. Your brain is strongly influenced by hydration status. Even mild dehydration (1-3 percent of body weight) can impair many aspects of brain function. Mild dehydration (fluid loss of 1-3 percent can impair energy levels and mood, and lead to major reductions in memory He said: “I call on Christians and Muslims in the state to pray and ask God for intervention on the security challenges that have bedeviled the state. “Right now, over 10,000 persons have been displaced and several others killed. We have no choice than go back to God in prayers. The governor, who said the situation was now beyond his power, has, therefore, commissioned both Christian and Muslim clerics to organise special prayers for God’s immediate intervention. He said in the past few months, no fewer than eight communities, especially in Shiroro, Rafi, Mashegu local government areas of the state, had been under continuous attack by gunmen unabated, with no fewer than 10,000 persons already displaced now taking refuge at different camps provided by the state government. He said: “The have rendered over 10,000 people homeless and are now in Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps. and brain performance. Dehydration can trigger headaches and migraines in some individuals. Water can relieve headaches in those who are dehydrated. However, this appears to depend on the type of headache. Drinking water can sometimes help relieve headache symptoms, especially in people who are dehydrated. Drinking plenty of water can help prevent and relieve constipation, especially in people who generally do not drink enough water. Urinary stones are painful clumps of mineral crystal that form in the urinary system. The most common form is kidney stones, which form in the kidneys. A good way to reduce hangovers is to drink a glass of water between drinks, and to have at least one big glass of water before going to bed. It is actually best to drink water cold, because then the body will use additional energy (calories) to heat the water to body temperature. Gov Abubakar Bello of Niger State. “Today, we call for special prayers against these bandits and to seek Allah’s guidance and protection from these people. Also, we hope that God will penetrate their hearts to stop these activities before it’s too late. ‘’They have killed innocent civilians, killed security men, killed vigilantes, they have killed women and babies and virtually anything that moves around them,’’ the governor lamented. Christians in the state, led by chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Matthias Echioda, also organised a special prayer session yesterday at CAN Secretariat in Minna for God’s intervention over the insecurity in the state. Governor Bello, while also speaking at the combined 2019 West African Social Activities, WASA, jointly organized by the Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC, and 313 Field Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Minna on Saturday, said the success being recorded in the war against the insurgents by the military was responsible for increase in banditry in the state. “The disturbing cases of kidnapping, arm banditry and cattle rustling within the state in recent time cannot be unconnected with the defeat of the insurgents in the North East. Meanwhile, the people of Ilorin Emirate in Kwara State are seeking divine intervention to the security problems in the country. Though the special prayer was organised primarily to seek God’s guidance for 85 Ilorin Emirateborn professors, the Emir directed the clerics to offer special prayers for restoration of peace and tranquility in every part of the country. The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheik Mohammed Bashir Salihu, led other clerics to offer special prayers for the nation’s leader, requesting God to help the nation win the anti insurgency and banditry war in all the troubled spots across the country. The Emir acknowledged and praised the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari at curbing insurgency and banditry in all their ramifications. He, however, maintained that what the nation required to overcome the hydra-headed security challenges in the various parts of the country was divine intervention through prayers by the leaders of adherents of the two major faiths in the country. Ash Wednesday: Christians to dress in black to protest killings MILLIONS of Christians across the Dioceses of Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria have concluded plans to come out in all black attires during the procession of Ash Wednesday to show their grievances over the killings in Nigeria and the insecurity situation of the country. The Church has also mobilised its members all over the world to pray for the current insecurity challenges of the country. Rev. Fr. Felix Gobi, the Senior Parish Priest of St. Peter’s Nunkai in Jalingo, Taraba State made this known during yesterday’s mass sermon, noting that the planned “Black Dress Protest” was across all the parishes in Nigeria. Gobi, while urging his parishioners to come out in their numbers, said the church would continue to show signs of concern over the unjust killings of Christians and Nigerians until the security situation is improved. “We will continue to talk to our leaders that this way, we want to let them know that the killings of Christians by Boko Haram and killings of Nigerians by arm bandit and kidnappers is a condemned situation and must stop. “Until we see the will to stop these ceaseless killings and an improved security situation in Nigeria where human lives must be respected, what we are experiencing in Nigeria now is not of God, is Satanic.” The information available shows that the Roman Catholic churches in big cities of Nigeria like Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and other major cities would carry out the “Black Dress Protest” on the streets while other churches who are found in vulnerable areas would observe their protest in their churches as they Mark the Ash Wednesday. By Johnbosco Agbakwuru AMuhammadu BUJA—PRESIDENT Buhari last night said that his administration has significantly weakened Boko Haram’s military capability to invade and hold Nigerian territory unchallenged. The President, who said this while reacting to the attack on Garkida community of Adamawa State by the Boko Haram insurgents, sympathized with families of the victims. In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari condemned the attack on the community, assuring that no part of Nigeria would be abandoned to their fate. He said: “These attacks on soft targets by the terrorists are obvious signs of frustration because my administration has significantly weakened Boko Haram’s military capability to invade and hold Nigerian territory unchallenged. “Our gallant forces deserve our appreciation for repelling the attackers but they must go By Sam Eyoboka beyond this point. They have our full support to go after the terrorists and have them pay a huge price. ‘’I want to assure the country that terrorists will continue to face the combined power of our military until they give up their mistaken ways. “These occasional attacks on poor civilians by the terrorists are mere propaganda efforts to portray them as strong in order to fool the public into believing that they haven’t been militarily weekend by our gallant troops.” President Buhari said since the coming of his administration, Boko Haram’s ability to invade and occupy Nigerian territories, let alone be able to hoist their flags, had been frustrated. He said in the coming weeks, Nigerians would witness an aggressive campaign to rout Boko Haram once and for all. “Security will continue to be well funded, despite the competing needs of social services. I appeal to Nigerians to continue to support our troops in their gallant efforts to protect the citizens and secure the country,” President Buhari added. Insecurity: PFN challenges Buhari to arrest situation THE Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has again lamented that the spate of killings, banditry, kidnapping, violence, wanton destruction of lives and properties across our nation, has reached a totally unacceptable level to warrant immediate and complete review of the security arrangement of our nation by elected political leaders to prevent the country from sliding into complete anarchy. The PFN in a communique issued after a stakeholders meeting, signed by the National President, Rev. Felix Omobude and his General Secretary, Apostle Emmanuel Nuhu Kure, called on the Federal Government to immediately rise to the challenge to protect the life of every Nigerian. It, therefore, called on the Federal Government to do what it was elected to do by putting an end to the unending cycle of violence and killings in Nigeria, since the security of lives and property remained the primary constitutional duty of government. The PFN also called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to work assiduously to ensure the release of those held in captivity by Boko Haram, and its likes, especially Leah Sharibu, the Chibok girls, as well as other Nigerians being held captive. “We enjoin President Buhari to live up to his campaign promises and execute the responsibility of his office by defending the life of every Nigerian, no matter the ethnicity or religion. “We wish to remind the President that he is the President of every Nigerian and that he, along with all our elected officials, have responsibility for the safety and security of all Nigerians,” the communique said. The PFN noted that from the onset, Boko Haram had left no one in doubt that the Church in Nigeria was its principal target. The communique read: ‘’Its activities, especially the kidnapping and barbaric killings of Christian Clergymen, clearly establishes its evil mission and objective. ‘’On account of the monumental losses, the Church in Nigeria has suffered with the destruction and burning down of thousands of churches and houses by insurgents and rioters across the Northern states of Nigeria, the PFN renews its call for adequate compensation to be paid to all affected persons and churches. “We believe that the just thing is for the government to come up with a remediation programme to compensate victims for the hardship they have suffered.’’ It restated its call on the Federal Government to activate the necessary mechanism and legal backing for the setting up of State Police in the country. “We believe that the recent agitation and introduction of different variants of Regional and Community Policing models attests to the fact that Nigerians are yearning for an alternative approach to policing, one that incorporates direct participation by other tiers of government in tackling insecurity in the country,” they said. The Fellowship is highly concerned at the intolerable level of poverty across the country, worsened by the high level of unemployment, especially among the youths. “We believe that the heightened anxiety in the land and spike in heinous crimes that we are witnessing correlates with the high level of unemployment in the country. We call on the government to urgently address the issue of youth unemployment.''
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