Oshiomhole reject Christmas gift from Obaseki

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Edo, has rejected Christmas gifts from Edo State Government. 

Mr Crusoe Osage, the Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Media and Communications, disclosed this in a statement in Benin on Wednesday.

 Osagie said the conventional Christmas presents reserved for former governors of the state that were sent to Oshiomhole were turned back. 

He said that messengers from the state government were dispatched to deliver the gifts on Christmas eve. 

“The messengers said they met the mother of the former governor who rejected the items, stating that her son would not accept the gifts. 

“The gift items meant for Comrade Oshiomhole include four cows and ten bags of rice”. 

He said the distribution of Christmas gifts was an annual ritual by the state government which serves as an expression of love, further strengthening the ties between the government and the people. 

He said the gifts were distributed to other government functionaries, political appointees, heads of security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders and heads of institutions of higher learning, among other prominent people in the society. 

Osagie said Obaseki and Comrade Oshiomhole had been locked in a political tussle over the governor’s policy choices focused on prioritising the peoples’ welfare as against pressures by a handful of politicians to share the state’s resources. 

He said the governor had set the political rift aside to perform the ritual of sending the gifts to Comrade Oshiomhole. (NAN)

Buhari's achievements and the poor image gap

By Philip Agbese 

This is indeed a serious topic. I choose to write on this topic for the fact that President Muhamadu Buhari has been receiving bashes from all fronts, and the media think tank appointed to rise to his defense has gone to sleep.

The slumber is so deep that one is tempted to ask if there is any sense of loyalty or urgency left in the way and manner they carry on with their duties. I will try to avoid delving into the narrative pushed by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, even though she made some form of sense about the presidential media aides not doing enough to protect the President and project his numerous achievements since he assumed leadership of the country in 2015.

I have a verdict. My verdict is that the presidential media aides have performed below expectations in the task at their hand. They have carried on like rookies learning a new trade when in truth; most of them have seen it all in the journalism field. They have distinguished themselves before their appointments. The question thus is what went wrong?

The answer to this question lies in the apparent fact that there is a lack of either interest or commitment to the jobs they were hired for. I stand to be corrected; on a scale of 10, I would score the presidential media aides 4. This is in fairness to their years of experience over the years. However, the irony is that these individuals missed it along the line. They mistook the job for news reporting. They relegated the place of strategic communications and crisis management, either by omission or commission.

Make no mistakes; the presidential media team has performed woefully in the sense that they have allowed the many achievements of President Muhammdu Buhari to go unnoticed. They have also allowed critics of the government to dictate the narrative in the public space. And trust, this loophole has been exploited to the fullest, and at the detriment of the image of the President. Do they care?

We must come to terms with the fact that perception is the reality in this business. This much they should know with all their years of experience. This is not to say that they have been entirely lacking, but they are not in tune with the present realities. They have decided to engage in conventional strategies in a space that requires out of the box strategies and approaches. This could be deliberate or out of ignorance. If intentional, it is indeed a shame. If out of ignorance, it is indeed pathetic. And it behooves on them to brace up or leave the scene.

They must realize that this is not the era of press releases and pictorials. This is indeed the era of strategic communication intended at putting issues in proper perspective at the risk of losing the plot. I empathize with President Muhammdu Buhari with the level of bashing he has received on issues that ordinarily should not elicit harsh reactions from members of the public. But this is what you get when your media handlers are asleep.

President Muhammdu Buhari, in my opinion, has done well since he assumed leadership of this country. He has displayed a commitment to leaving Nigeria better than how he meant it. But the challenge is that those saddled with the responsibility of projecting his numerous achievements do not seem to be in tune with the urgency of now. They have left so many things to chance, and instead of being proactive, they have been reactive.

Trust the opposition; they have taken full advantage of this shortcoming to project the President as a dictator and one with little or no regard for the rule of law in Nigeria. This is indeed a sad tale. Whether we like or not, the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari are in short supply in the public space. What we get to see are mostly press releases that are lacking in content.

I stand to be corrected; the approach deployed by the presidential media team has been lackadaisical. There is no urgency. There is no display of mastery of the game. For example, a situation where a presidential media aide would go on air to muddle issues rather than engage is most worrisome and does not speak well for the image of their principal.

I must add that the approach must change soonest. The bickering must be replaced by strategy. Their number one focus must be in the interest of their principal. And not their pockets. Those that can’t live up to expectations should tow the noble path because this is a serious business. If this approach is not embraced, then I am afraid there would be no justification for their continued stay in office.

The task at hand requires all hands to be on the deck where teamwork and cross-fertilization of ideas would rein supreme, where an avid commitment to projecting the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari would take center stage. 

The presidential media team must wake up from its slumber and live up to expectations. It is inexcusable for them to continue to rely on goodwill. There is a place for strategic communication. This much they know and his much they must admit.

Agbese is an author, publisher and human rights activist based in the United Kingdom.

UN Security Council receives report to place US on global conflict escalation watchlist

The United Nations Security Council has been alerted to the United States of America's (USA) alleged role in escalating and encouraging the spread of conflict and crisis across the globe.

This notice was sent to the UN by the International Centre for Global Crisis and Conflict Management (ICGCCM) in a detailed report highlighting factors fuelling global conflicts around the world.

In the document carefully signed by Andrew Young and Chris Ratzinger, ICGCCM’s chairman and co-chairman, the group said it came to this conclusion after extensive research on the trends and some of the factors that shape/influence global conflict.

According to the international centre, this research work took an estimated seven months and three weeks to undertake and complete.

Among others, the group recommended that the US should be placed on the watchlist for negligence and aggravation of global conflicts through despicable actions and inactions.

It further revealed that the US' ban on arms procurement to counter-terrorism has led to more deaths as many countries are unable to fight terror.

The Centre added that the US has been identified to be covertly supporting extremists and terrorists through unsubstantiated allegations on home countries involved in the war against terrorism.

The International Centre for Global Crisis and Conflict Management, therefore, called on the United Nations Security Council to initiate sanctions on the United States in a bid to ensure that there is justice for all concerned.


Read full report below:

Introduction

The world has become less peaceful over the last ten years, mostly due to conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. An international index paints a dark picture, although with some brighter spots. Europe was the most peaceful region in the world in 2017, while the Middle East and North Africa were the least peaceful, the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), said in its 12th annual report. 2019 was a year of global unrest, spurred by anger at rising inequality – and 2020 is likely to be worse if urgent steps are not taken.

There is an ongoing deterioration in global peace. The conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa and the spillover effects into other areas have been the main drivers in the decline of universal peace. In a word, the world is in a mess, made more threatening by the retreat of the Trump administration from America’s traditional role as a stabilizing force.

Consequently, the International Centre for Global Crisis and Conflict Management, a think tank of crisis managers and conflict resolution experts based in Geneva-Switzerland, undertook extensive research on the trends and some of the factors that shape/influence global conflict.

This research work is a partial fulfillment of our 2019 strategic goal, which is to identify how conflicts can be mitigated around the world.   

Research Findings

It must be stated that quite substantial efforts were put into making this research work worth the while. Documents were studied, conflict zones were visited, interviews were conducted, on the spot assessment tours were carried out, victims of the conflict were identified, as well as the military strategies of some select countries were examined.

The research work took an estimated seven months and three weeks to undertake, with particular emphasis on primary sources of data. The highlight of the research work was the identification of the critical factors responsible for rising global tension, which would be highlighted and discussed below. 

The Factors necessitating Global Unrest

Negligence: was identified as one of the significant causes of tension and conflict around the world. This, it was also identified to have been primarily motivated by the United States of America whose military, in some instances, has been negligent in the discharge of their responsibilities.

In some instances, there were established cases of deliberate instigation of conflict in some regions/countries by agents of the United States of America in an attempt to ensure that their whims and caprices are carried out, or for the United States to control or access economic resources in such locations.

In the several locations and interviews conducted, there was always finger-pointing in the direction of the United States of America for inexplicable reasons, and that largely explains where in some cases where they have an interest, the United States is quick to assert authority. In places where they do not have an interest, they feign ignorance.

The sale of arms and ammunition: to countries in war is always at the behest of the United States of America. This factor has led to a wanton loss of lives around the world. The United States sanctions the sale of arms to some countries, where its interest is adequately protected. This tread was also identified as responsible for the proliferation of small and light weapons in most African countries.

Religion, Governance, and Politics: These issues and their allied topics of human rights, justice, have historically caused many of the world’s most significant conflicts, and continue to do so as often these issues are the most fundamental in the structure of a society.

If anything, the United States of America is a disruptor in its abandonment of international agreements. These include the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, previously the Trans-Pacific Partnership, aimed at liberalizing the Asia-Pacific trade. The US has also withdrawn from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that froze Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

US’s defenestration of the JCPOA and its re-imposition of tough sanctions on Iran has further destabilized the world’s most volatile region. This is not helped by the administration in Washington that has yielded ground to authoritarian dictatorships at a time of global unrest in which stable Western leadership has hardly been more necessary.

Recommendations

In the light of the above revelations, it is expedient on the United Nations Security Council to impose some sanctions on the United States of America for aiding and encouraging the spread of conflict and crisis across the globe.

The United States of America should, as a matter of urgency, be placed in the watch list for negligence and aggravation of global conflicts through despicable actions and inactions.

There must be sanctions for the inglorious role of the United States of America in the covert sponsorship of violence and for making more people die, especially in instigating crises globally through the use of NGOs in espionage activities and compromising national security in most cases.

The ban by the United States of America on arms procurement to counter-terrorism leads to more deaths. Many countries are unable to fight terror because of such a ban and embargoes that are often not justifiable. They must be held accountable for the deaths that have occurred as a result of this.

The United States of America has been identified to be covertly supporting extremists and terrorists through unsubstantiated allegations on home countries involved in the war against terrorism.

The United States of America must be warned to deviate from actions that would embolden the criminals; they should stop funding NGOs, media organizations, and narratives that promote terror, extremism in foreign lands.

Conclusion

The International Centre for Global Crisis and Conflict Management concludes that the United States of America is indeed fueling conflicts in the regions of the world in his quest to dominate the socio-political landscape. In achieving this, nocturnal and covert activities are initiated and sponsored with the sole objective of causing unrest anywhere it deems to have an interest.

The United States sponsorship of humanitarian organizations in war-torn countries is also the avenue with which the spread of terrorism is sustained.

The consequences of such actions are that the world might erupt in flames in the nearest future if the relevant bodies do not begin the process of checkmating the unbearable attitude of the United States of America on the rest of the world.

The United Nations Security Council must initiate sanctions on the United States of America in a bid to ensure that there is justice for all concerned. The United Nations Security Council must set in motion a strategy that would ensure that the United States of America does not infringe upon the sovereignty of other countries under whatever guise.

The Federal Government has ordered the release of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki and convener of #RevolutionNow protest Omoyele Sowore, less than 24 hours after an attack on freedom protesters at the office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja, on Monday.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami made this public in a statement on Tuesday.

It would be recalled that a group of human rights activists led by Mr Deji Adeyanju came under attack by another counter group while demanding the release of Sowore from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Malami, however, stated that the decision to release them was in compliance with the bail granted the two by the court.

The statement reads: “The office of the honourable Attorney General of the Federation has reviewed the pending criminal charges against the duo of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and Omoyele Sowore.

“Whilst the Federal High Court has exercised its discretion in granting bail to the Defendants in respect of the charges against them, I am also not unmindful of the right of the Complainant/Prosecution to appeal or further challenge the grant of bail by the court having regards to extant legal provisions, particularly Section 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

“However, my office has chosen to comply with the court orders while considering the pursuit of its rights of appeal and/or review of the order relating to the bail as granted or varied by the courts.

“In line with the provisions of Sections 150(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and in compliance with the bail granted to Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) (as recently varied by the Court of Appeal) and the bail granted to Omoyele Sowore, I have directed the State Security Services to comply with the order granting bail.

“The two defendants are enjoined to observe the terms of their bail and refrain from engaging in any act that is inimical to public peace and national security as well as their ongoing trial which will run its course in accordance with the laws of the land.

“I wish to reiterate again the utmost regard of my office for the entire judicial structure of Nigeria.

“This administration remains unrelenting in deepening the rule of law and the administration of justice in general.”

Buhari calls Jonathan, condemns attack on former president's residence

President Muhammadu Buhari has called former President Goodluck Jonathan to sympathise with him following an attack by gunmen on his Otuoke country residence in Bayelsa.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

In the telephone conversation, Buhari expressed sadness over the “tragic and unfortunate attack,” during which a gallant soldier lost his life.

While commending the soldiers on guard for bravely repelling the attack, the president condoled with family members as well as officers and men of the Nigerian Army over the loss of one of the guards.

Buhari said the protection of the life of the former leader and all citizens of the country would continue to be the major preoccupation of his administration. (NAN)

Buratai: Soldiering with mercy and compassion

By Moses Okolo

War, insurgency, sectarian violence, communal upheavals, riots, and cross-border terrorism have refused to become old-fashioned, obsolete,
and anachronistic in spite of high-tech and high-resolution developments in globalization and international diplomacy.


Peace-keeping and counter-insurgency have remained recurrent military
engagements as casualties, strife, and misery have remained heart–rending and a melancholic humanitarian cry tasking the leadership versatility of military leaders and leadership who often
have to innovate outside the routine of command and regimentation.


The logic that “no good comes from trouble” is honing the psyche and
professional carriage of contemporary military leaders whose managerial actions are demonstrating the moral that peace is the ideal no matter how much war and insurgency appear inevitable.  It is patriotism put ahead of nationalism; it is the kind of patriotic fervour that does not only define desirable leaders, but lays foundation for a country to rediscover itself, set on a new course, and keep a date with both heritage and destiny.  Writing in 1860, Italian philosopher and politician, Giuseppe Mazzini, scooped the future and perspectivised on patriotic leadership to the effect that “the country is the idea which rises upon (its) foundation; it is the sentiment of love, the sense of fellowship which binds together all the sons of that territory”.


Commenting much later, as recently as 2010, Ben Dupte, arguing the dialectics and propositions of ‘nationalism’, could agree no less with Mazzini as he elucidated further that “at moments of crisis, patriotism can be the mainspring of heroic sacrifice and selfless resistance to oppression; at quieter times, love of one’s native land may inspire a deep and lasting sense of community and social cohesion”. Cast in the analytical and illuminating postulations of great men and thinkers of yesteryears, and born to grapple with the testy challenges of military leadership, peace keeping, cease fire enforcement, and providing humanitarian relief before a United Nations bonded than ever before by digital science and supersonic technology, welcome Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt General Tukur Yusufu Buratai.


Ever since he emerged as the Chief of Army Staff in 2015, TY Buratai’s trajectory has been a narrative of soldiering with mercy and compassion.  It is also a story of heroic sacrifice, self-denial, and uncommon passion to bring succour, joy, and happiness to the distressed, displaced, traumatized, grieving, dispossessed, and under-privileged as a result of the sustained ferocious and wanton insurgency war that has ravaged and devastated most parts  of North-East Nigeria, and dehumanized the ranks and rungs of its demographic makeup.  At huge personal costs, General Buratai has been working extra time and behind the scene and beyond the war fields to restore hope and confidence.


For  TY Buratai, it is about statesmanship and patriotism; raising new
standards in professional leadership, esprit de corps, and comradeship; not religion or tribe or race.  ‘And it is Christmas season again.  The pragmatic General is at it again, providing for, and sharing with his troops - officers and men.  Beyond the Barracks, he also reaches out to depraved and indigent members of the impoverished North East area every Christmas.  As he embarks on this benign gesture and act of sharing which practising Christians admit is a cherished ideal of the festivities marking the birth of Jesus Christ,  TYB  is about institutionalising a community service ideal.


This is certainly a culture and tradition that will motivate the military rank and file and leave worthwhile memories for the officer corps to emulate as innovations and pragmatism are required as vital components of modern military mobilization, motivation, and command to
respond to counter-insurgency, peace keeping, and ceasefire operations.


A detribalised professional and regimented officer corps, the uniqueness of this end-of-year and annual/seasonal gesture by the
Chief of Army Staff is that it is patently generous; as it is not restricted along ethno-religious and geo-cultural lines.  This annual act has also provided an interface and commonplace for inter-religious unity, understanding, and co-operation.  This offers an unimpeachable ground for why the stewardship  of TY Buratai as Chief of Army Staff  should not be assessed based on the primordial prism of longevity or some other whimsical ethno-religious and geopolitical sentiments, but on the beauty, amiability, and core values of patriotism, peace, national integration and human empowerment which it sustains.  This humane disposition of TY Buratai, made even more canonical by a steady and lavish community public relations package which has reassured the North East region of the government’s resolve to restore peace and security; and the responsiveness of government policy direction in this regard.  Buratai’s generosity and kind hearted posture is quintessentially one with a huge humanitarian impetus, and in spiritual and philosophical terms, unmistaken service to God and mankind which enjoys the blessing of Biblical and Quaranic teachings and prescriptions.


The Buratai philanthropic project is exemplary and a sterling exemplar for national strategic studies analysis and discussion.  This could constitute a template, for instance, in military-police partnership for effective and enduring public security, and also offers a workable thematic model for ceasefire negotiations and counter insurgency intelligence gathering in different conflict locations or environments.  It does appear that these soul-touching efforts of
Buratai have been impacting positively on anti-insurgency efforts in North East Nigeria.  Apart from keeping the troops loyal and committed to the struggle and the ultimate imperative of quelling the insurgency and bringing the insurgents to total surrender,  TY Buratai has succeeded in bringing a desirable component - that is leadership mentoring, to
bear on the troops who are certainly learning and growing on the job.
The foregoing needs to be emphasized as one of the initiatives that have ensured steady commitment and paroxysm of victory songs as the insurgents have been decimated, captured, and forced to surrender on many counts.


Again, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai, has become a metaphor, an allegory, and even a metaphorical allegory for worthy and worthwhile public officers discourse in Nigeria.  The side bar here  is that Nigeria can search internally, for there is a strong human resource base within, to resolve lingering national leadership challenges.  This reality does not yield to ethno-religious proclivities.  It is just time for Nigeria to shine her eyes and shine to the world.

Okolo, an Evangelist and author  wrote this piece  from Yola,  Nigeria.

Ndume: Why Buhari can’t appoint new Service Chiefs

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, has given reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari cannot afford to change or appoint new service chiefs for now.

He told medium  in an interview that Buhari could not afford to change the military leadership because Nigeria was in a complete state of war.

The Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; and Chief of Naval Staff,  Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.


Ndume told this medium that the president could not but retain the service chiefs because Nigeria is in a state of war, not only in the North-east, but all over the country with serious military deployments to quell crisis and maintain peace
He said: “We are in war. Definitely, we are in war. We are fighting the insurgents in the North-east and in the North-west.

The military is so much involved and are being deployed in so many zones of the federation. The security situation is such that that the military is involved almost in all parts of the country. So, we are in war.

“The military is so involved in so many security challenges. In fact, in almost the 36 states, in fact, this is a pointer that we are at war.

“Coincidentally, the president is a retired army general and he knows this war situation better than most Nigerians; and he knows when to change his army commanders and when not to do that. As a commander-in-chief, he understands this war situation better than we the civilians.

“I’m sure he is doing the right thing as the commander-in-chief and when he finds it necessary, he will effect changes.”
He stated that he didn’t think that changing the service chiefs would solve the insecurity in the country.

“I don’t think that changing the service chiefs will be the solution to the insecurity in the country. I don’t think that this war is not won because the service chiefs are still there and have not been changed.”

Boko Haram: Group calls for prosecution of terrorists sponsors over incessant attacks on humanitarian workers

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre has called for the prosecution of terrorists sponsors over incessant attacks on humanitarian workers in Nigeria.


The centre said the persistent attacks on humanitarian workers by the Boko Haram terrorist group in North-East Nigeria, call for more significant action from all relevant stakeholders.


The call came following the recent execution of four aide workers in Borno State.


Joyce Ogwu, the Executive Director of the centre, in a statement on Monday, said all hands must be on deck to ensure that the persistent attacks on humanitarian workers in  Nigeria are reduced to the barest minimum.


The centre also encouraged the Nigerian military to continue to render selfless service to fatherland and to see that never again would any Nigerian territory is under the control of Boko Haram terrorists.


 The statement reads below.

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre converged this press conference to register its displeasure with the way and manner humanitarian workers are abducted and killed by Boko Haram fighters in North-East Nigeria. This is indeed an unacceptable trend and must be condemned by all relevant stakeholders in the country because of the attendant consequences if left unabated.


This is because the attack on humanitarian workers is the fad now for Boko Haram terrorist groups that have been severely decimated by the Nigerian Military, and as a way of venting their anger, they have turned to humanitarian workers as a last resort.


The urgency of time requires that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the persistent attacks on humanitarian workers are reduced to the barest minimum


The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre believes that the persistent attacks on humanitarian workers by Boko Haram is an indication of a drowning group that is now after unarmed civilians in a bid to portray to the world that they are indeed still a force to reckon with.


The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre wishes to call on the remnants Boko Haram terrorist to equally surrender now that it is apparent that they have been defeated, and there is no way they can win this war. As such, they should do the needful to surrender to the military authorities.


The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre also wishes to charge the relevant security agencies in Nigeria to rise to the occasion and ensure that the persistent attack on humanitarian workers in Nigeria is reduced to the barest minimum.


This is given the invaluable contributions of humanitarian workers in mitigating some of the effects of the Boko Haram crisis in North-East Nigeria, and there is a more significant risk involved should Boko Haram fighters be allowed to continue targeting humanitarian workers.


The Save Advocacy Centre believes that the attacks on the humanitarian workers are geared towards discrediting the efforts of the military authorities in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria. Consequently, we wish to charge the Nigerian Military to see this as a challenge that they must overcome.


The Save Advocacy Centre wishes to state that should the Nigerian Military not provide enough security for humanitarian workers in the theatre of operations in North-East Nigeria, Boko Haram terrorist would continue to have a field day with their nefarious activities and it would ultimately rub-off on the image of the Nigerian Military in operation in North-East Nigeria.


The Save Humanity wishes to call on the Nigerian Military to remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism as any form of distraction can change the tide and give the Boko Haram terrorist undue advantage.


The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre views such actions as callous and indeed crimes against humanity. As such, the International Criminal Court must rise to the occasion to commence immediate prosecution of those arrested for terrorism and their sponsors. 


Save Humanity Advocacy Centre wishes to draw the attention of the international community and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to see this as a collective assault on our sensibilities, which must be resisted by all and sundry. The International Criminal Court must act in the interest of all to ensure that those that have committed crimes against humanity are brought to book in the interest of justice and fairness.


The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre encourages the Nigerian Military to continue to render selfless service to fatherland and to see that never again would any Nigerian territory is under the control of Boko Haram terrorists.

3000 residents of Nasarawa community benefit from HIV awareness campaign, Testing

By Gift Defu

Accurate information and HIV testing remains the best way to stem the tide of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. This was stated at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Media Awareness Campaign and free HIV counselling and testing services to at least 3000 residents of Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.

The campaign was provided by Honourable Member of the Federal House Representatives, Honourable Abubakar Sarki Dahiru with support from Government of Nigeria through National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) which is aimed at ensuring that every Nigerians know their HIV status and ending AIDS by 2030.

Speaking during the brief opening ceremony, Honourable Dahiru who was represented by the Executive Secretary to Chairman of Obi Local Government Area stated that ‘’the event was put together as part of the 2019 constituency project to empower residents of the area with information on how to prevent HIV transmission, provide other medical services which includes malaria test, High blood pressure check, blood sugar level check and avail residents with the opportunity to test for HIV which is a very important aspect of the outreach being carried out within Obi Constituency”.

The Chairman further stated that the outreach is slated for two days, free malaria, High blood pressure, and diabetes drugs including HIV prevention tools such as educational materials and condoms were provided for participants at the outreach.

Also, speaking at the event was the representative of Niphemy Solutions Ltd who is coordinating the outreach on behalf of Honourable Abubarkar Sarki Dahiru said they are excited about the turnout of residents of Obi community as the crowd present is reassuring that the 2-day period for the outreach will be enough to meet its target.

Mr Ojo explained that the strategy used in delivering the outreach includes courtesy call to Osuko Obi, Aliyu Dangwa Ogiri Orume (Paramount Chief of Obi LGA), placements of radio and television jingles in the state broadcasting service as well as roadshow across Oleye, Oriso, Ope. Oyara. Oloso, Angwan Dankali, as well as brothel, motor cycle park (Okada riders) amongst others all within Obi constituency area.

Some of the beneficiaries of the free medical services that was been provided expressed their joy. Hajia Hawa Abdulmalik stated that she heard about the programme on radio and she decided to come with her husband and 3 years old daughter who has malaria.

‘’ I was attended to by the people testing people, I test for HIV and blood sugar level and my daughter was given malaria drugs and vitamin C and other plenty drugs, I thank our Honourable and may Allah bless him. Another beneficiary who simply identified himself as Danny boy said the HIV education that was provided had given him courage to test for HIV for the first time in his life.

‘’I always hear about HIV and am sacred about it but today, I learnt that HIV cannot kill you if you test and know if you get am or you no get on time and medicine is free and that is why I have confident to test for HIV today and I happy say I no get am, he concluded.

The highpoint of the opening ceremony of the 2-day outreach programme was when the Executive Secretary to Chairman of Obi Local Government Area who represented Honourable Abubarkar Sarki Dahiru presented himself to be tested for HIV to the loud cheers by the crowd in attendance.

We will responsibly use social media in our operations, Says DHQ

By Raphael Jov, Abuja

The Defence Spokesman, Brigadier General, Onyema Nwachukwu made the disclosure at a maiden Social Media Live Chat at the Defence Headquarters  in Abuja.

"The truth is social media has come to stay, and social media influencers are great tool for national development." Brig Gen Nwachukwu, said

General Nwachukwu who parleyed with hundreds of followers and hosted a group of online Journalists  said that the military had received a lot of assistance from the social media Communities worldwide which the Defence spokesman said they look forward to more.

He added that the Defence Human right desk is open for complaints of any kind.

The chat also featured success recorded by the Military in the counter-insurgency drive. "Boko Haram is fully defeated.... no state no village is being controlled by Boko Haram, they only engage in criminal activities to help aid their Operations...."

The social media chat saw Defence Spokesman receiving award for the "best Quick to response" spokes person of the year for being proactive to the requests for information by the press. The award was the brainchild of Security Affairs, a Peace and Security Civil society organisation.

In the same vein, the Army also honoured Security Affairs through its Founder Austin Peacemaker for supporting the Military through its Social media Campaign.