NEWS
Military Utilising Non-kinetic Capabilities to Achieve Operational Successes – CDS
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Armed Forces of Nigeria have continued to utilise its non-kinetic operations to win the on-going war against insurgency.Musa said this at the opening of the Non-Kinetic Operations Coordination Course (NKOCC-3) organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and Peace Building Development Consult on Monday in Abuja.
The CDS, represented by the Deputy Director, Peacekeeping Operations, Defence Headquarters, Brig. -Gen. Raymond Utsaha, delivered a paper, titled, ”Understanding Non-Kinetic Operations and Non-Kinetic Capabilities for Irregular Warfare’’.According to him, non-kinetic actions like quick-impact projects, free medical outreaches, educational support services, specific image-building activities, and other related actions has been effective.“The conduct of these actions would have been fruitful in forestalling some violent activities, socio-economic crises, ethno-religious, or other forms of politically induced violence amongst others.“Thus, inadequate attention accorded conduct of non-kinetic operations by the various civil security agencies in Nigeria arises as a challenge associated with the employment of non-kinetic operations to defeat irregular warfare.“The socio-economic conditions of the populace are characterized by a high level of illiteracy and poverty, which makes them vulnerable and substantial to radicalization.“This development constitutes some form of challenges to government efforts in exploiting the option of non-kinetic operations to ensure national peace and security,’’ he said.The defence chief said that the moral level in the society had given rise to youths that were vulnerable to anti-peaceful activities.He identify high levels of illiteracy coupled with poverty and reckless social lifestyle like consumption of illicit drugs, excessive alcoholism and other psychoactive substances as the root causes of violent extremism.“This development constitutes some form of challenges to government efforts in exploiting the option of non-kinetic oppression to ensure national peace and security.“This development forms the basis for the increase in crime rates and other forms of threats to security in the country.“These include the rise in militancy, banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, amongst other criminalities that typify crimes of violent conflict.“Thus, poor socioeconomic structures remain a challenge to employment of non-kinetic oppressions in defeating irregular warfare in Nigeria,’’ he added.Musa said that some of the insurgents’ collaborators had formed themselves into various human rights groups, activists and social media influencers to turn the public against the military and other security agencies.He also alleged that some media outlets derive pleasure in announcing the killing by insurgents, thereby weakening the fate of the citizens on government security agencies.This, according to him, further heightens civilian’s doubts on the ability of the government to protect them.“These actions by such negative media outlets could lead to a loss of confidence and low self-esteem amongst the troops, other security agencies, as well as various stakeholders in the security architecture of a nation.“The resultant effect is that the government security agencies will start losing public sympathy, thereby making it difficult for them to utilise the capabilities of non-kinetic operations to defeat the threats of irregular warfare in Nigeria,’’ he said.On his part, Dr Garba Malumfashi, a Senior Fellow at NIPSS, said the idea was to re-evaluate the significance of non-kinetic approach to the nation’s security management.Malumfashi said the national security strategy had underscored the significance of the application of non-kinetic approach in counter- insurgency operations as experienced in the North East, North West, and Niger Delta.He said the feedback from the previous courses had been tremendous and encouraging, hence the desire to proceed to run the third edition.According to him, the participants are wide range, not only in the military and security sector, but all government agencies related to security, counter-terrorism, as well as academia.The Course Director and Executive Director, Peace Building Development Consult, Mr Kayode Bolaji, said the course was designed to enhance understanding of military and civilian factors in counter-insurgency operations.Bolaji said that security management required a whole of society and whole of government approach, adding that it was to create a convivial environment for military personnel to interact with the civilians.“People have been criticising our military out of ignorance but when they come for programmes like this, they see the efforts, the pains that our security agencies go through.“They are able to engage in another way, to create a balance, because eventually what we are looking for is stabilisation and for development of our country,’’ he said. (NAN)NEWS
Gunmen Attack Police Station, Kill 2 in Anambra
The Police Command in Anambra says gunmen have burnt its station in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area, killing two officers.SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, announced this in a statement issued in Awka on Monday.He said that the gunmen attacked the police facility with improvised explosives, shooting sporadically, which caused a fire to burn part of the station.
He said further that during the attack, two police operatives on duty were killed when they attempted to resist the gunmen. Ikenga stated that the bodies of the deceased policemen had been recovered and taken to the morgue.He also noted that joint security forces, including the police, army and navy, among others, had recovered five unexploded improvised explosives.Ikenga noted that the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, CP Nnaghe Itam, had visited the scene for assessment.He said that Itam called on anyone with information that could assist in the investigation to come forward, assuring then that such information would be treated confidential.(NAN)NEWS
IPPIS Data Base not Compromised, OAGF Assures Employees
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) has reiterated the Federal Government’s determination to maintain and operate a secure and efficient personnel and payroll system.In a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr Bawa Mokwa on Monday, the OAGF maintained that the Integrated Personal and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) database has not been compromised, assuring that employees personal data on the IPPIS database is safe and secured.
The OAGF, which manages the IPPIS and other financial management initiatives of the Federal Government, said it is already implementing its ICT Security Policy that aims to ensure that its digital assets are secured in line with global best practices. The Office explained that no data is saved on its website, adding that the IPPIS uses the website to only share information and not for any transaction. “The IPPIS is not using the OAGF website for any transaction. The website is actually the medium to share information. Neither payroll nor payment is made through the website, therefore, no data is contained in the website”, it said. The OAGF stated that the IPPIS validation portal that was recently developed for updates of employees information was deployed for a period and after the exercise was over, the data were pulled out and the site shut down permanently.According to the statement, “the IPPIS Validation Portal was deployed on a secure platform. A secured database and application were purchased from the popular HELIX-FONS.”The Office acknowledged that the IPPIS is of utmost importance to Nigerian workers, thus it became imperative to assuage the fears of any loss or breach of employees personal data in the IPPIS database. The OAGF noted that the IPPIS has put in place necessary mechanism to resolve any problem that may arise in its operations and advised workers that observe anomalies in their salaries to follow the official procedures inorder to get such issues resolved.NEWS
Again, Inflation Drops to 32.15% in August
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Nigeria’s headline inflation dropped to 32.15 percent in August, according to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report
The report released on Monday said the inflation eased the second time in 2024 after a 19 month increase that peaked at 34.19 percent in June.
“Looking at the movement, the August 2024 headline inflation
rate showed a decrease of 1.
It however, said on a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 6.35 percent points higher compared to the rate recorded in August 2023 (25.80%).
“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in August 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.
e, August 2023).Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in August 2024 was 2.22%, which was 0.06% lower than the rate recorded in August 2024 (2.28%).
” This means that in August 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is lower than the rate of increase in the
average price level in July 2024.”
The report added that food inflation rate in August 2024 was 37.52 percent on a year-on-year basis, which was 8.18% points higher compared to the rate recorded in August 2023 (29.34%).
It said the rise in food inflation
on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of; “Bread, Maize Grains, Guinea Corn, etc (Bread and Cereals Class), Yam, Irish Potatoes, Water Yam, Cassava Tuber, etc (Potatoes, Yam & Other Tubers Class), Palm Oil, Vegetable, etc (Oil & Fats Class) and
Ovaltine, Milo, Lipton, etc (Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Class).”
But on a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in August 2024 was 2.37 percent, a 0.10% decrease compared to the rate recorded in July 2024 (2.47 percent).
“The fall can be attributed to the decline in the rate of increase in the average prices of Tobacco, Tea, Coco, Coffee, Groundnut Oil, Milk, Yam, Irish Potatoes, Water Yam, Cassava Tuber, Palm Oil, Vegetable etc.”
It added that the average annual rate of Food inflation for the twelve months ending August 2024 over the previous twelve-month average was 36.99 percent, which was 11.98 percent points increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in August 2023 (25.01 percent).