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Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2022 — 7<br />
CONFERENCE—<br />
Mohammed<br />
Abdullahi, Minister<br />
of the<br />
Environment<br />
(left), and Dr.<br />
Ainojie Irune,<br />
President/CEO,<br />
Oando Clean<br />
Energy, during<br />
the 27th United<br />
Nations Climate<br />
Change<br />
Conference,<br />
COP27, in<br />
Egypt.<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
Insecurity: Nigerians suffering, weeping,<br />
wailing, moaning —NSA, Monguno<br />
•Pleads with Reps for more support to defeat terrorism<br />
•Says Buhari's desire is to hand over safer Nigeria to successor<br />
•Notes current wave of insecurity global<br />
•You must secure Nigeria during, after 2023 elections —Reps<br />
By Levinus<br />
Nwabughiogu<br />
ABUJA—THE<br />
National<br />
Security Adviser, NSA, Maj<br />
Gen Babagana Monguno, retd,<br />
yesterday pleaded with<br />
lawmakers in the House of<br />
Representatives to allocate more<br />
funds to fight insecurity in the<br />
country, saying Nigerians were<br />
suffering and needed help.<br />
He also told the lawmakers<br />
that the desire of President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari is to hand<br />
over a safer country to whosoever<br />
Nigerians would elect in the 2023<br />
general elections to succeed him.<br />
The NSA, who made the<br />
appeal when he appeared before<br />
the House of Representatives<br />
Committee on National Security<br />
and Intelligence for 2023 budget<br />
defence in Abuja, noted that<br />
achieving the immediate goal of<br />
defeating insecurity would,<br />
therefore, require the collective<br />
support of the parliament.<br />
''We are appealing to you in<br />
good conscience, all of you<br />
represent different parts of this<br />
country and I know you have the<br />
interest of Nigeria at heart. Our<br />
people are suffering, they are<br />
weeping, they are wailing, they<br />
are moaning., they are gnashing<br />
their teeth.<br />
''We must help them. We have<br />
our limitations as intelligence<br />
agencies. The rest can only be<br />
done through legislative drive.”<br />
While noting that insecurity<br />
was not peculiar to Nigeria but a<br />
global menace, the NSA said: "I<br />
must also say that the type of<br />
insecurity that confronts us is not<br />
peculiar just to Nigeria but it is a<br />
global thing.<br />
''In today's context, we can only<br />
overcome this problem when we<br />
recognize the importance of<br />
intelligence as being the driver,<br />
the propellant of all activities in<br />
the whole of society's approach.<br />
It is important that all the<br />
problems I present are taken into<br />
consideration by these very<br />
important committee.<br />
''We hinge all our hopes and<br />
aspirations on whatever action<br />
you would take in solving the<br />
myriad of problems that confront<br />
us. And I want to assure that<br />
the problems are quite<br />
enormous.<br />
“The successes we have been<br />
recording so far in overcoming<br />
the security challenges,<br />
especially in the last four to five<br />
months, are basically rooted in<br />
the efforts of the Department of<br />
State Services, DSS, National<br />
Intelligence Agency, NIA,<br />
Defence Intelligence Agency,<br />
DIA, having been able to provide<br />
timely intelligence to the<br />
operational element.<br />
''I want to commend their<br />
efforts and I also want to, by<br />
extension, commend the efforts<br />
of their counterparts in the<br />
operational sphere.<br />
"Please, I want to put aside<br />
whatever other competing<br />
considerations there are.<br />
President Muhammadu Buhari<br />
has the desire to hand over to<br />
whoever is going to inherit what<br />
he is working on right now, a<br />
safer Nigeria.<br />
''It is true and I have to be very<br />
honest with you that dealing<br />
with asymmetric warfare,<br />
overcoming asymmetric problems<br />
are completely different from<br />
what we experienced in the last<br />
century.<br />
“Everything revolves around<br />
intelligence. And the intelligence<br />
we are dealing with is a broad<br />
spectrum which goes all the way<br />
down to the local level. We deal<br />
with human beings. And if we<br />
are not supported in the right<br />
way, no matter how emotionally,<br />
how psychologically we are<br />
prepared, we cannot overcome<br />
this problem without legislative<br />
support.<br />
''I am also happy to inform you<br />
that in the recently conducted<br />
ministerial retreat, which was<br />
organized by the office of the<br />
SGF on behalf of the president,<br />
the Senate President and<br />
speaker of the House who were<br />
there, I highlighted briefly some<br />
of the problems confronting us,<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
and they have all agreed to help<br />
us.''<br />
Earlier in his remarks,<br />
Chairman of the House<br />
Committee on National Security<br />
and Intelligence, Sha'aban<br />
Ibrahim Sharada, charged the<br />
NSA and all security agencies to<br />
ensure the country is secure<br />
during and after the 2023<br />
elections.<br />
He also said that the total<br />
budget of the intelligence<br />
community was slightly reduced<br />
from N212.76 billion in 2022 to<br />
N195.02 billion in 2023.<br />
“Despite the fact that this<br />
committee had appealed to the<br />
Ministry of Finance, Budget and<br />
National Planning to consider<br />
the removal of the agencies<br />
under the intelligence<br />
community from the envelope<br />
budgeting system to strengthen<br />
their operational capacity which<br />
could only be guaranteed<br />
through adequate funding, this<br />
committee would require the<br />
agencies to make a presentation<br />
of the 2023 estimates for further<br />
legislative action.<br />
“This methodology will also<br />
require analytical presentation of<br />
the status of implementation of<br />
the previous budget to justify the<br />
sustenance of the coming<br />
allocation which, in reality, does<br />
not call for any significant<br />
modification.<br />
By Johnbosco<br />
Agbakwuru<br />
ABUJA—CHAIRMAN of the<br />
Economic and Financial<br />
Crimes Commission, EFCC,<br />
Abdulrasheed Bawa, said<br />
yesterday that the number of<br />
governors being monitored by<br />
the commission for alleged<br />
money laundering suspicion has<br />
increased beyond the three<br />
earlier mentioned.<br />
Bawa disclosed this to State<br />
House correspondents at the<br />
Presidential Villa, Abuja, after<br />
meeting with President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari.<br />
He said for security reasons, he<br />
would not disclose the number and<br />
particulars of the governors, adding<br />
also that he would not want to be<br />
misrepresented.<br />
Recall that the EFCC boss had,<br />
about two weeks ago, hinted of the<br />
''In this regard, it is deserving<br />
of appreciating the Federal<br />
Government, through its<br />
numerous security and<br />
intelligence agencies, in<br />
response to serious national<br />
security challenges such as<br />
kidnappings, banditry, terrorism,<br />
secession and border crimes.<br />
''We are calling on you to put<br />
more efforts at ensuring a secured<br />
Nigeria, especially before, during<br />
and after the forthcoming<br />
elections.<br />
“The role of the government<br />
in ensuring the corporate unity<br />
of Nigeria and sustainable<br />
internal security, especially in<br />
recent times, cannot be over<br />
emphasized. And in the same<br />
vein, I have considered it most<br />
expedient to appreciate, in a<br />
large magnitude, the<br />
cooperation enjoyed by the<br />
committee from the National<br />
Security Adviser, Major General<br />
Babagana Monguno, retd., who<br />
is also the coordinator of the<br />
Intelligence community; the DG<br />
NIA, Ahmed Rufai; DG DSS,<br />
Magaji Bichi; AVM Abdullahi,<br />
Commandant, Presidential Air<br />
Fleet; Mr Adeleke,<br />
Commandant, Institute for<br />
Security Studies, and other<br />
heads of security agencies in the<br />
last three and half years.<br />
“It is hoped that the<br />
relationship would be deepened<br />
to achieve the objectives of<br />
national security reforms as the<br />
9th House of Representatives is<br />
approaching the end of its<br />
tenure," he said.<br />
Naira redesign: More govs now under EFCC watch —Bawa<br />
•Advises politicians to focus on issues; avoid illicit funds for campaigns<br />
commission's surveillance<br />
operations around three governors,<br />
whom he alleged were being<br />
watched over moves on money<br />
laundering, in the wake of the federal<br />
government’s plan to redesign and<br />
replace the naira.<br />
The anti-corruption Tzar also<br />
praised the new naira redesigning<br />
project, describing it as a significant<br />
process in the country’s fight against<br />
financial crimes and other forms of<br />
corruption.<br />
He said the huge amount of the<br />
country’s currency that had left the<br />
hold of Central Bank of Nigeria,<br />
CBN, made trailing financial crimes<br />
difficult, noting that the naira<br />
redesigning policy was an<br />
opportunity for the government to<br />
regain control over flow of cash in<br />
the country.<br />
He also reiterated that the new<br />
policy by the CBN, which had the<br />
blessing of President Buhari, would<br />
2023: Drug abuse may limit<br />
impact of youths —Marwa<br />
By Dickson<br />
Omobola<br />
LAGOS—CHAIRMAN of the<br />
National Drug Law<br />
Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig.<br />
Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa,<br />
retd, has said Nigerian youths might<br />
not make the impact people<br />
envisaged in the 2023 general<br />
elections on account of drug abuse.<br />
Marwa, who spoke in Lagos, at<br />
the 10th Anniversary Lecture and<br />
Investiture into the Realnews Hall<br />
of Fame, themed: "Drug Abuse<br />
among Youths in Africa: Implication<br />
for Nigerian Economy and 2023<br />
election," said with the upsurge of<br />
drug usage among youths, they<br />
might not be actively involved in<br />
the voting process.<br />
He said: "Nigerians are not<br />
ignorant about drug trafficking and<br />
drug abuse issues. The activities of<br />
the National Drug Law<br />
Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in<br />
the past 22 months have given our<br />
society a clear picture, certainty and<br />
the severity of the drug problem in<br />
the country.<br />
"The arrest of 19, 341 drug<br />
offenders and subsequent<br />
conviction of 3, 111 in addition to<br />
the seizure of 5.5 million kilograms<br />
of assorted drugs in 22 months are<br />
incontrovertible facts of a deeply<br />
entrenched illicit drug subculture.<br />
Previously, many Nigerians found<br />
Credible polls: Obi-Datti charges<br />
Buhari, INEC to ‘walk the talk’<br />
By John Alechenu<br />
ABUJA—THE<br />
Obi-Datti<br />
Media Office has urged<br />
President Muhammadu Buhari<br />
and the Chairman, Independent<br />
National Electoral Commission,<br />
Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, to back<br />
with action their promises of free,<br />
fair and credible elections in 2023.<br />
The Media Office, which made<br />
the appeal in a statement in Abuja<br />
yesterday, described the assurances<br />
given by both men in separate<br />
engagements about their<br />
commitment to free, fair and credible<br />
polls as refreshing and encouraging<br />
for the growth of democracy in<br />
Nigeria.<br />
The statement read: “President<br />
Buhari on a courtesy call at the<br />
palace of the Gbong Gwom of Jos,<br />
Da Jacob Gyang Buba last Tuesday<br />
said, ‘No election winner will be<br />
denied his mandate, irrespective of<br />
the party to which they belonged.<br />
“In an open letter to Nigerians to<br />
mark 100 days to the Presidential<br />
election on February 25 2023,<br />
INEC boss, Prof Yakubu said on<br />
Thursday, “Once again, another<br />
General Election is upon us, the<br />
7th since the restoration of<br />
help to strengthen the naira, which<br />
would in turn impact positively on<br />
the economy, especially on foreign<br />
exchange.<br />
Bawa appealed to politicians to<br />
go about their campaigns without<br />
using illegitimate funds in their<br />
campaign finances.<br />
Asked if it was true that he was<br />
using the ''EagleEye'' to monitor<br />
governors wanting to use stashed<br />
funds to pay salaries, he said: “You<br />
are mixing two things. EagleEye<br />
is an app. It's a novel idea of the<br />
EFCC that we launched for the<br />
ease of reporting crime to us.<br />
"Nigerians can easily download<br />
it on their phones, either Android<br />
or Apple or whatever. And then of<br />
course, they can send in complaints<br />
to us through The EagleEye, you<br />
can even take pictures and send.<br />
“Let me use this opportunity to<br />
remind Nigerians that EagleEye is<br />
very important for those that are<br />
it hard to believe that illicit drugs<br />
such as cocaine and heroin are<br />
trafficked in and out of the country.<br />
But NDLEA has made huge<br />
seizures and there is no basis for<br />
scepticism anymore.<br />
"If anything, NDLEA activities<br />
since January 2021 have further<br />
reinforced the facts of Nigeria being<br />
an important hub in the global illicit<br />
drug network, and secondly, that<br />
our country is not only a transit<br />
pipeline but also a market.<br />
"Similarly, Nigerians cannot<br />
pretend now not to know that our<br />
young people are abusing illicit<br />
drugs because youths have an<br />
overt drug lifestyle. Youths of today<br />
promote the drug subculture. It is<br />
common nowadays to hear them<br />
say they want to be high. It is there<br />
on the street, in songs, in the chat<br />
rooms, in clubs and parties.”<br />
He said ‘it is disturbing that<br />
abusing marijuana and alcohol is<br />
the new normal for youths,<br />
especially the Gen Z and even the<br />
Millenials,” noting that "drugs and<br />
violence go hand in hand. We can<br />
recall the social upheaval caused<br />
in South-East states in the last<br />
quarter of 2021, when there was an<br />
outbreak of abuse of<br />
methamphetamine. That episode<br />
gave us a foresight of the kind of<br />
instability that could result from<br />
abuse of illicit drugs by young<br />
people.<br />
democracy in Nigeria in 1999. Over<br />
the last 23 years, we have made a<br />
steady progress in the twin areas of<br />
electoral reform and election<br />
administration.<br />
“Although a lot of work still lies<br />
ahead, it is generally acknowledged<br />
that our elections are getting better<br />
and citizens’ confidence in the<br />
process is increasing.<br />
“As I have said repeatedly, the<br />
Commission’s allegiance is to<br />
Nigeria. Our loyalty is to Nigerians<br />
who want free, fair, credible and<br />
verifiable elections supported by<br />
technology, which guarantees<br />
transparent accreditation and<br />
upload of polling unit results for<br />
citizens to view in real-time on<br />
election day.<br />
“It is for these reasons that the<br />
Bimodal Voter Accreditation<br />
System, BVAS, and the INEC<br />
Result Viewing Portal, IreV, were<br />
introduced. There is no going back<br />
on the deployment of BVAS and<br />
IReV for the 2023 General Election.“<br />
The Obi-Datti Media Office said<br />
it noted these assurances coming<br />
from the two most critical characters<br />
whose sincere guarantees and<br />
commitment will ensure for free, fair<br />
and credible elections in 2023.<br />
reporting the hoarders of these<br />
currencies that we know are out<br />
there. So that is one.<br />
"On the issue of the governors<br />
we are monitoring, in fact, the<br />
numbers have even increased. We<br />
are monitoring everything.”<br />
Bawa also lauded the proposal<br />
to redesign the naira, calling it a<br />
crucial step in the nation's fight<br />
against financial crime and other<br />
types of corruption.<br />
He said: “For politicians, the<br />
message is very clear. Of course,<br />
you know they should sell<br />
themselves, they should talk about<br />
issues. We want to hear about how<br />
they are going to solve problems,<br />
not what the problems are, I think<br />
it is very important and I think they<br />
are doing that.<br />
"Of course, we encourage that<br />
they shouldn't use illegitimate<br />
funds in their campaign finances<br />
and all of that.”